Day: January 13, 2021

I have mixed feelings about this book.

On the one hand, I liked that the protagonist (Amanda Steele) had such a personal connection to the case she was trying to solve. As with any plot, if there is more human connection to the events, it is more interesting.

The grief that Amanda was still feeling about losing her husband and daughter was palpable from the beginning. It did make her sympathetic and relatable, because anyone who has suffered a tragedy would be able to relate.

That feeling of “get up, go through the motions, get through the day” was well-captured by the author.

Once the case pops up, her grief (and the anger that went along with it) has to be tempered with the drive to solve the case properly. It’s an interesting juxtaposition of feelings that presents certain challenges to Amanda.

That’s kind of the problem I had with the believability of it. From what I know, no supervisor in their right mind would even think about allowing someone to be that involved with such a personal case, much less essentially take the lead on it.

But reading novels is about suspending disbelief, right? So, I tried to do that. For me it was a bit difficult because Amanda’s emotions are so closely tied to her actions that the separation of the two didn’t always happen.

I suppose in that regard, my reading experience mirrored Amanda’s more closely than some others might, simply because I understood the conflicts?

All of that being said, this isn’t the author’s first crime procedural and she apparently does extensive research, so I could be totally off base on this. I don’t know.

What I do know is that the author did a great job of tying threads together. Amanda soon finds that what she thought was a simple case with a personal attachment is actually much more. I thought this was well-plotted.

All in all, I think it was a successful first book of the series, and I look forward to seeing how Amanda progresses through future investigations.

Author Bio:

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has several continuing fiction series and has nearly thirty published books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures. Her crime fiction series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining. This led to her adopting the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.

Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.

She currently lives near London, Ontario, Canada with her husband and two beagles.