Kennedy’s Avenger: Assassination, Conspiracy and the Forgotten Trial of Jack Ruby by Dan Abrams and David Fisher

June 24, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Kennedy’s Avenger: Assassination, Conspiracy and the Forgotten Trial of Jack Ruby by Dan Abrams and David Fisher
Publisher: Hanover Square Press
Genre: Historical, Action/Adventure, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating; 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

New York Times bestselling authors Dan Abrams and David Fisher bring to life the incredible story of one of America’s most publicized—and most surprising—criminal trials in history.

No crime in history had more eyewitnesses. On November 24, 1963, two days after the killing of President Kennedy, a troubled nightclub owner named Jack Ruby quietly slipped into the Dallas police station and assassinated the assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald. Millions of Americans witnessed the killing on live television, and yet the event would lead to questions for years to come.

It also would help to spark the conspiracy theories that have continued to resonate today.

Under the long shadow cast by the assassination of America’s beloved president, few would remember the bizarre trial that followed three months later in Dallas, Texas. How exactly does one defend a man who was seen pulling the trigger in front of millions? And, more important, how did Jack Ruby, who fired point-blank into Oswald live on television, die an innocent man?

Featuring a colorful cast of characters, including the nation’s most flamboyant lawyer pitted against a tough-as-Texas prosecutor, award-winning authors Dan Abrams and David Fisher unveil the astonishing details behind the first major trial of the television century. While it was Jack Ruby who appeared before the jury, it was also the city of Dallas and the American legal system being judged by the world.

The trial no one remembers, for the murder no one forgets.

I had no idea how much time or how much effort went into the trial of Jack Ruby. When I learned about the man, it was in passing. He killed Lee Harvey Oswald. That was it.

In the case of this book, there’s a lot more to the story. Abrams and Fisher mention the insanity defense that was used, the epilepsy defense and Ruby’s odd behavior to explain why he committed this murder.

This isn’t a short book and one must be interested in the topic, otherwise in places, it drags. One must be a student of history or at least like history, or again, the overwhelming details can make this book a bit of a trudge. If you’re interested in the case, then it’s fascinating stuff.

I’d suggest reading this book like you might a crime novel. It’s packed with details, makes one have to wonder if everyone is telling the truth and covers THE crime of the 20th century.

If you’re interested in a crime novel, then this might be the one for you.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica

June 23, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica
Publisher: Park Row
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

People don’t just disappear without a trace…

Shelby Tebow is the first to go missing. Not long after, Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah, vanish just blocks away from where Shelby was last seen, striking fear into their once-peaceful community. Are these incidents connected? After an elusive search that yields more questions than answers, the case eventually goes cold.

Now, eleven years later, Delilah shockingly returns. Everyone wants to know what happened to her, but no one is prepared for what they’ll find…

When one woman goes missing, it’s an awful event. But when two women and a six-year-old go missing close together? It becomes a local tragedy. Just when the town thinks it’s starting to move past it all, to heal and grow, the missing child shows up out of nowhere, throwing everything and everyone into turmoil again. However, not everything is as it seems.

Leo, Delilah’s younger brother, is probably my favorite character. He was very young when Delilah and their mother disappeared – he was four, I think – so he has no memories of his sister at all. There are times when he doubts her, thinks she’s making things up, and yet, he still finds ways to make her feel at home. He’s probably the most honest of them all, even when he’s being awful about the situation at hand.

Kate is the kind of neighbor you want to have. She’s smart, friendly, and goes above and beyond to help when you need her. When Delilah and Meredith go missing, she’s on the front line searching and helping care for Josh and Leo, the father and son that are left behind to deal with the fallout. Her partner, Bea, is a musician and more of a free spirit than Kate, but she’s generous with her time and makes the perfect partner for Kate.

Meredith’s point of view is one of the more intense since she’s got a lot going on in her life, even before she goes missing. She’s caring for the two kids she has with her husband, Josh, running her business as a doula, and everything else that comes with motherhood. Plus, she had a few unpleasant things she was dealing with as well – an arrogant doctor and mysterious bruises that keep showing up on her son, Leo. I felt her struggle in my soul. Despite not being a single mom – she was very happily married – so much of her kids’ care fell on her and it was wearing her out. Something I could easily relate to. Still, she somehow managed to find a way to get it all done.

I’ve read several books by the author and she has a great way of making you want to believe everyone while not trusting anyone. I thought I knew who was responsible at least six times and each time, I was so wrong. The twist at the end threw me completely and was not something I was expecting at all. Sometimes, her twists aggravate me, but this one left me with my mouth hanging open. I can’t see where she goes next since each book seems to get better and crazier.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Killing the Reapers by Jeff Debing

June 22, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Killing the Reapers by Jeff Debing
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Paranormal, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Ross is a young paramedic whose world takes a sudden tragic turn on what should be the best day of his life. Just before he can propose to his girlfriend, he suffers a massive heart attack and dies.

He awakens in the afterlife and learns that the Grim Reaper actually does exist. But not as the skeletal creature of mythology, instead it’s an organization of non-living individuals who look and act like ordinary people. Essentially undead civil servants, they walk among the living, unnoticed, as they perform their grim work of reaping the souls of people when they are destined to die.

He is shocked to learn that he died decades before he was supposed to, due to a tragic mishap. As Ross and the reapers seek a solution for his premature demise, fatal accidents suddenly begin to plague the reapers. Ross discovers that though the reapers aren’t truly alive, they can be killed.

When the growing number of mysterious reaper fatalities prevents Ross from getting his life back, he suspects they may not actually be accidents. He realizes that to have any chance to return to the life he was destined to live, he’ll first have to discover and stop whatever is killing the reapers.

Death isn’t the end.

The world building was complex and well done. I actually paused at one point to do an Internet search to find out if I’d accidentally stumbled into the middle of a series. The fact that it appeared to be something new and not connected to any other stories only impressed me even more. There were so many little details about the characters, setting, and unique rules of magic woven into every scene that I truly felt as if I’d stepped into another world. It was exciting to have this introduction, and it made me hope for a sequel.

There was only one thing holding this tale back from a much higher rating, and it had to do with how the characters were written. Mr. Debing introduced the audience to a large number of characters quite quickly in the early scenes. When combined with how little information we were given about the appearances or personalities of the majority of them, I had a lot of trouble remembering who was who. This was especially true when it came to the various grim reapers, although I would also struggle to describe Ross’ personality to anyone. Other than his love of his work and his desire to save every sick and injured person who crossed his path, I never got a strong sense of who he was as an individual.

I was pleased with how the mystery portion of the plot was written. The author did a good job of throwing a few clues out there for the audience without giving away so much information that it was easy to figure out the identity and motive of the killer. He struck a nice balance between developing this portion of the storyline and allowing the fantasy themes to take precedence when needed.

Killing the Reapers was a fast-paced novella that I’d recommend to anyone who loves urban fantasy.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Only the Good Die Young: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Billy Joel by Josh Pachter

June 21, 2021 By 2 Comments


Only the Good Die Young: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Billy Joel by Josh Pachter
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

From Cold Spring Harbor in 1971 to River of Dreams in 1993, Billy Joel released a dozen studio albums that remade the face of American pop music, produced twenty-six Top 10 singles (on Billboard’s Top 100 and Adult Contemporary charts), and earned the Piano Man six Grammys. Although he hasn’t released a recording of new songs in almost thirty years, Joel’s live performances continue to electrify audiences around the globe—and until COVID-19 put things on hold he had sold out New York’s Madison Square Garden for a record-shattering seventy-four consecutive monthly shows!

In this collection, twelve award-winning writers of short crime fiction tackle the Joel catalog, and the result—edited by Josh Pachter, whose The Beat of Black Wings: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Joni Mitchell earned rave reviews in 2020—is a journey down life’s mean streets with a soundtrack by one of the great singer-songwriters of our time, and contributors Michael Bracken, Jeff Cohen, David Dean, John M. Floyd, Barb Goffman, James D.F. Hannah, Richard Helms, Robert Lopresti, Jenny Milchman, Terrie Farley Moran, Richie Narvaez, and Pachter himself are donating a third of their royalties to support the work of the Joel Foundation.

In the Gospel According to Billy, only the good die young. Within these pages, though, Death is an equal-opportunity exterminator, and the stories you’ll find here don’t just hit the charts: they go all the way to Number One … with a bullet!

Some mysteries demand to be solved.

“The Entertainer” told the tale of Mercy, a single mother and aspiring singer who worked two jobs to make ends meet. I loved this character from the moment I met her. She’d lead a difficult life and could be a little rough around the edges at times, but she occasionally shared such brave and loving parts of herself with the audience that I couldn’t stop hoping she’d have a happy ending. While I can’t say anything about the mystery portion of the plot for spoiler reasons, I was pleased with how it was revealed as well as resolved.

I enjoyed reading this quite a bit in general, but there were a few stories that I thought would have benefitted from more development. “A Matter of Trust” was one of them. Sergeant Turner’s investigation of a website that claimed to be able to get rid of troublesome spouses once and for all was intriguing, but I was as puzzled by the personal interest he took in the topic as I was by the fast-paced ending that didn’t tie all of the loose ends together as tightly as I would have liked to see. It took me a moment to figure out what happened there. I’m fairly certain I came up with the right answer, but I would have gone with a full five-star rating if these moments of doubt had never occurred for me.

Rick was hired to play an elaborate prank to discourage investors from developing a rural patch of land in “Easy Money.” As soon as I realized this gig was going to be anything but simple for him, I eagerly began waiting for the next plot twist. There were so many things going on behind the scenes that could have changed what happened to Rick. I enjoyed piecing everything together and trying to come up with plausible guesses about how it might end that took all of these possibilities into account.

Only the Good Die Young was a solid anthology that I’d recommend to anyone who is a fan of pop rock music or, better yet, Billy Joel in particular.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Way to a Man’s Heart by Ann Marie James

June 21, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Way to a Man’s Heart by Ann Marie James
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

The heart wants what the heart wants…

Christian Diaz grew up as the best friend and unofficial bodyguard to the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Corazón. After an incident left him questioning his place in the castle, Christian joined the military and didn’t return for ten long years.

Now he’s been assigned to the castle as Royal Military Liaison to investigate the source of some recent threats against the crown. The annual Midsummer’s Ball is the perfect place for the anti-monarchy group to make their next move, so that’s where Christian will be too. If it gives him a chance to reconnect with his friends in the castle and make a play for the man he has compared all others to, it’s even better.

Max Ramirez is now the head chef for the castle. He started as a sous chef at age twenty when Christian was just an awkward teen. Now that Christian’s back at the castle, all grown up and interested in Max, the chef is determined not to let an opportunity with Christian pass him by.

When someone tries to sabotage the Midsummer’s Ball, Max and Christian need to work together to track down the people determined to make this event their last.

Being sent back to the palace he grew up in is a mixed bag for Christian. He gets to be with his best friends again, plus the man he’s been crushing on for years, but he also has to be with his father, and that’s never a good thing.

This is the first book in the Kingdom of Corazón series and we are introduced to a warm and caring Royal family, plus a bunch of guys that I can’t wait to hear their stories about. It isn’t a deep and meaningful story, not going into much depth about any of the issues raised. However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t any good! I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and it was exactly what I needed at the time.

The downside to this story is that it is over far too quickly. I felt there were relationships, issues, and questions left unresolved. Small things, possibly classed as insignificant, but to me, it would have helped round out the story and give it that added oomph.

On the whole, this was a fast-paced, warm and fuzzy story, about how a long-term crush can become the love of your life. I found it to be a great read, and I have no hesitation in recommending it.

Trigger Warning: A memory of attempted rape is discussed due to the unknowing consumption of GHB.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Art of Betrayal by Connie Berry

June 16, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Art of Betrayal by Connie Berry
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating; 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Spring is a magical time in England–bluebells massing along the woodland paths, primrose and wild thyme dotting the meadows. Antiques dealer Kate Hamilton is spending the month of May in the Suffolk village of Long Barston, enjoying precious time with Detective Inspector Tom Mallory. While attending the May Fair, the annual pageant based on a well-known Anglo-Saxon folktale, a body turns up in the middle of the festivities.

Kate is even more shocked when she learns the murder took place in antiquity shop owner Ivor Tweedy’s stockroom and a valuable Chinese pottery jar that she had been tasked with finding a buyer for has been stolen. Ivor may be ruined. Insurance won’t cover a fraction of the loss.

As Tom leads the investigation, Kate begins to see puzzling parallels between the murder and local legends. The more she learns, the more convinced she is that the solution to both crimes lies in the misty depths of Anglo-Saxon history and a generations-old pattern of betrayal. It’s up to Kate to unravel this Celtic knot of lies and deception to save Ivor’s business.

A good friend trying to do what’s right and solve a murder all at once!

This is the first Connie Berry book I’ve read, but it won’t be the last. This was a delightful read and easy, too. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down. I sped right through in nearly one sitting. This is book three in the series, but doesn’t have to be read in order to be enjoyed. The world building is great and I liked Kate. She’s down to earth and fun, but almost too perfect. Honestly, she’s the kind of character I needed when I picked up this book – I wanted someone to root for. She fit the bill.

This is written in first person, which might not work for all readers, but was fine for me. I liked the budding romance between Kate and Tom, too. This is a cozy, but there’s enough romance that it would satisfy romance readers, too.

If you’re looking for a good book to get lost in, I recommend The Art of Betrayal. I’m off to find books one and two right now.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

One Lost Soul by JM Dalgleish

June 16, 2021 By 1 Comment


One Lost Soul by JM Dalgleish
Publisher: Hamilton Press
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

The darkest secrets often hide in plain sight…

When a body is found on a lonely cliff top path, the angelic face of a murdered teenager lies facing the rising sun. Strangled by the hands of an unknown killer, it falls to DI Tom Janssen and his fledgling team to find out how she came to be there. Destined for a career in medicine, one to rival that of her parents, Holly Bettany’s future was as bright as it had been privileged. Seemingly, all that could threaten this promising teenager’s life was Holly herself.

In an idyllic coastal setting, Janssen must unpick the layers of deceit within a close-knit community that threaten to reveal scandal at every turn. Holly had a secret… and she knew the secrets of others…

Who was prepared to kill in order to keep them hidden? What happens if another comes to know what she did? One thing is certain… a brutal killer has no boundaries…

After some time – and experience – in the big city, DI Tom Janssen returned home to Norfolk and has mostly settled into a comfortable and happy routine. While the local police station is extremely small – only a few officers – there is very little crime, and Tom feels capable with his novice team in handling it. But when a local teenage girl is mysteriously murdered Tom willingly accepts the temporary help of a nearby DCI and he’s relieved to find they can both work together to solve this case – particularly as it grows more complicated the more they uncover.

This is the first book in a series around the small township of Norfolk and DI Tom Janssen and I was pleased that I enjoyed it. In many respects this feels and read to me like a fairly regular British style of police mystery book but I thought the authors tone and style was good. I also enjoyed the small number of main characters. I was a little disappointed that we didn’t learn a lot about Tom’s back-story, and while I was pleased the book wasn’t filled with flashbacks I admit it would have been nice to learn more about Tom’s past and how he came to be the competent, knowledgeable detective he currently is. I admit though that there’s plenty of time in future books for this to be expanded upon, but after finishing the book I realized there was still a lot of Tom’s character I didn’t know or understand fully.

That said, the mystery aspect to this book was excellent. I found it well plotted and with a number of good twists. A few of them I guessed shortly before they were revealed but some of them took me delightfully by surprise. I again feel this was a good blend of stuff readers should be able to see coming and still with a few interesting twists and surprises to enjoy. I feel the cast of secondary characters was also quite strong and I hope most if not all of them make appearances in coming books. I’ll be particularly interested in both Eric’s progress as an officer and – hopefully with more experience – him gaining more confidence in his police work.

For an interesting and well written British style of police procedural I enjoyed this first story in the “Hidden Norfolk” series. I’m definitely interested in reading the next book and hope to learn more both about the main characters and small town.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Grimm Up North by David J. Gatward

June 15, 2021 By 1 Comment


Grimm Up North by David J. Gatward
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Edinburgh has Rebus.
The Highlands have Logan.
Now Yorkshire has Grimm.

Welcome to Wensleydale, where the cheese is famous, the scenery beautiful, and the locals have murder on their minds …

Detective Chief Inspector Harry Grimm is forced to take leave from Bristol’s Major Investigations Team when his boss, tired of Harry chasing the ghost of his murderous father, sends him north on secondment.

Used to city life and high stress, Harry fears his life will now be spent handing out speeding tickets, finding lost sheep, and directing tourists. But when a local teenager runs away, Harry finds himself pulled into an investigation much worse than anyone could have ever expected.

The nicer the place, the darker the secrets. Wensleydale is beautiful, everyone is friendly and welcoming, and people just don’t get murdered … do they? A classic fish-out-of-water crime mystery set in the stunning and evocative scenery of Wensleydale in North Yorkshire.

DCI Harry Grimm is frustrated but not overly surprised when his boss sends him up north to the countryside for secondment – far away from the Bristol Major Investigations team and life as he knows it – after he refuses to let go of the past and chasing elusive justice against his murderous father. Only life in the countryside isn’t as quiet or idyllic as Harry expects when a local teenager goes missing, and all too soon a body is found, murdered.

I absolutely adored this book. I was expecting just another “city cop goes unwillingly to the country” and instead found an amazingly well balanced and gripping story. While Harry is an excellent character, I found it particularly pleasing that he’s surrounded by a bunch of well written and equally interesting secondary characters. Harry’s brother Ben (and the obviously complicated, unresolved history there) and the various members of the small police station in Wensleydale – Jim in particular – weren’t just cookie cutter or slapped into the story to show Harry in a good light or be cardboard cutouts to further the plot. It’s clear to me the author put an immense amount of thought, plan and detail into these characters and I found them as interesting and gripping as I did Harry. This was refreshing to me and really helped me become fully immersed into Harry’s world.

I was also impressed that while on the surface the plot is incredibly simple – city cop goes to the country and realizes murder and mayhem happens everywhere – this book is so much more complicated and rich than that. The various interactions with the different police characters with the locals and the different pace and setting of small-town life. And while the problems might superficially appear easier they’re no less dangerous or significant to those who are effected. Add in a murder mystery and what I personally found was a fantastic tone and style of writing and I’d purchased the second book in the series before I’d made it half way through this story. I found it gripping, engrossing and wonderfully written.

I found it impressive the author also managed to clearly show that Harry has his own demons, along with a complicated relationship with his brother and I feel there is the over-arching plot-line of their father. While that part of the storyline wasn’t neatly wrapped up I felt the author did an exceptional job of making it clear this was a background and long-term personal goal/story-line and didn’t make it feel as if this particular book had dangling threads left or wasn’t finished to a satisfactory degree. I’m eager to start the next book and see not just how Harry continues to adjust to his new situation and how he relates to the many friends and characters – but also what progress is made on his more personal story-line.

With an interesting mystery – but far more importantly a wonderful set of characters and a new perspective – this was a magnificent story and one I greatly enjoyed. I will absolutely be reading the next installment soon.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Poison of Bitterness by Serenity Snow

June 10, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Poison of Bitterness by Serenity Snow
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Alstroemeria

Remi can feel the presence of a ghost lurking, lying in wait to destroy the life she’s building with Sarina. She knows her own fears are part of the danger that could prevent her from being happy.

Then, the ghost makes his first move, and Remi is certain it’s only the first wave and prepares to deal with the trouble before it turns into a nightmare. But what Remi doesn’t know is there’s shadow with a twisted plan of its own. So, as Remi lays her plan, the shadow makes moves that plunge Remi into the middle of a murder investigation that tears the scab off old wounds and reveals dark secrets bound to destroy two families.

As she navigates the murky waters, Sarina is kidnapped, and Remi is prepared to do whatever it takes to get Sarina back and close the doors of the past for good.

The Poison of Bitterness is fifth in the Cozy Bend mystery series, but as a novel it can surely stand on its own. Main characters Remi and Sarina have already been through their fair share of struggles within the town’s limits, but little do they know that trying to plan a wedding with their two best friends will be the least of their problems!

While the heat between Remi and Sarina is scorching, will they be able to take it when their enemies begin to rain fire over them? Each moment of the novel feels like standing on the edge of the unknown, wondering if they will make it out unscathed. Remi and Sarina as characters are written with very strong opposing characteristics, but somehow it is those differences that pull them together in their relationship. Sarina’s extreme patience and independence is the perfect match for Remi’s hot temper and suspicious mind. While things often come to a head between them, Sarina is always able to communicate with Remi and help her away from her dark past and her trust issues.

They also have zero issues communicating in the bedroom. The few steamy scenes we were gifted throughout the book show the established trust between the two that might be questioned elsewhere within the novel. As two powerful women, the ‘strong heroine lead’ role is not just fulfilled by one of them, but rather they split the lead with their own unique characteristics. This power dynamic is also fully alive and visible in their relationship as well. The partnership is completely 50-50, even if control is oftentimes given to Remi in the bedroom.

The story was very fast-paced, and at moments I think the action could have been fleshed out a bit more and extended, just to really seal in that suspense. But all in all, this story had just the right amount of tension. Serenity Snow was able to pack a lifetime in 30 chapters, leaving no stone unturned, and no women unsatisfied.

I have only read this book of the series, but I would like to go back and read the four previous. I would love to see this rubber band of tension stretched from page one! I recommend this to anyone who likes a lot of twists and turns, and powerful women.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Deadly Reunion by Linda Hope Lee

June 9, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Deadly Reunion by Linda Hope Lee
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

When Richmond, Washington librarian, Nina Foster, and newspaper owner Stephen Kraslow attend his high school reunion in Parker’s Landing, Idaho, the event turns tragic when Stephen’s good friend, Mark MacTeague, suddenly drops dead at a picnic. Nina has reason to believe he was murdered and vows to uncover the culprit. Meanwhile, Stephen’s high school girlfriend, Angie Delaney, reveals a long kept secret that brings a big change to his life. Can Stephen and Nina’s relationship survive this new turn of events? Will Nina uncover the murderer before he or she commits another crime?

When you write a story and make the main character a librarian and you add a good suspenseful mystery to it, you have me reading immediately. Deadly Reunion is Book 3 in a series titled “The Nina Foster Mystery series”. This is the first book I have read by Linda Hope Lee, and I really enjoyed it. It had some elements of a cozy. You know, the small hometown they visit, she’s an amateur detective, etc. and yet this had some depth to it. The story was somewhat more involved and there were plenty of suspects to make you wonder who really killed Nina’s beau’s best friend.

Linda Lee Hope does a good job of character definition. I don’t mean description here as much as I mean definition. Throughout the story her writing and especially her dialog composition helps you begin to know the characters. Their personalities seem to develop, and you never lose track of who is who, so to speak. As you can imagine, a reunion could involve a lot of characters and yet the author keeps them all very clear. No confusion at all. I enjoyed this mystery and look forward to another addition to the series.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,
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