It’s hard to believe that this is book ten of the Kane and Alton series! By now, they’re like old friends that I check in on to see what what’s happening in their neck of the woods. I’m never disappointed.
After an explosive prologue (quite literally), the action doesn’t let up. There’s tension in every aspect of the story: the crime itself, the perpetrator’s motivations – even among the investigators.
As always, I enjoy the depth that the author puts into the characters. They’re all “real” people with logistically sound backgrounds that sometimes have direct bearing on current events.
This time, it’s no different. We find out early that the initial crime may have a direct relation to the death of Kane’s wife Annie (that’s not a spoiler). It adds a legitimate touch of urgency to the investigation, beyond the basics of the crime.
I also thought that the way the Kane and Jenna interacted with Carter and Jo was interesting. There was respect to a point, but there was also some of that aforementioned tension. I liked how Jo and Carter got a little more to do in this one.
The term that keeps coming to mind whenever I read and review one of the books in this series (Her Shallow Grave or Her Broken Wings) is how realistic everything is.
Yes, the bad guy is bad, but he also has dimension. Yes, the investigators solve the crime, but they’re not perfect. The interactions and events are all plausible and mostly seem natural.
It’s difficult writing a review about books like the ones in this series because the plot really needs to be experienced to be appreciated, so I don’t want to give spoilers.
On the other hand, just saying “there’s another serial killer and Kane and Alton are on the case” doesn’t portray the depth of the characters and story.
Suffice to say that it’s another great entry in the series. By book ten, some might expect there to be slip-ups, but I couldn’t find any. It’s still as good as the earlier books.
I’ve always had a wicked sense of humour and was the kid who told the ghost stories around the campfire. I am lucky to have family all over the world and have spent many vacations in places from Paris France to Montana USA and Australia. I use the wonderful memories from these visits to enhance my stories. My interest in the development of forensic science to solve crime goes back many years. I enjoy writing crime, mystery and thrillers. With many stories, waiting for me to write I’ll look forward to sharing many spine-tingling stories with you.
D.K. Hood is an active member of International Thriller Writers.
It is apparent from the very start that Eleanor Raven is not going to be your typical heroine. The opening scene makes it obvious that this woman walks a different path – the question is, why? It’s a heck of an introduction to the main character, but it doesn’t stop there. Eleanor quickly finds herself in the middle of quite the investigation.
That’s just one of the appealing things in this series from Karen Long. The book starts strong and doesn’t really let up. The author does a good job of introducing the characters and relating them all to each other.
I will say that Eleanor is a tricky character. On the one hand, she is a cool character. Her analytical sense comes through loud and clear, and her methodology is logical. This is good for policework, because it enables her to work through the case efficiently.
However, her reserve also makes it difficult to really “get to know” her, which in turn made it a little bit difficult to really get behind her. The aloofness worked on one hand but was a hindrance on another.
The subject matter itself is not for the faint of heart. A killer is on the loose and is playing a very dangerous game. Eleanor figures out that there is a connection to a cold case…but just how cold is it? And are the victims random, or is there a pattern?
I thought the investigation and the attitudes of the entire team were realistic. Yes, there’s swearing and it’s gritty, but that’s simply policework. It’s realistic (from my experience).
This book was originally released under a different title a few years ago. I don’t know if there were any changes made between the original publication and this one. I do know that it was a good read, and I look forward to more investigations with Eleanor.
Author Bio:
Karen Long was born in Wolverhampton but has spent the last few years living in California. She worked as an English and Drama teacher for many years, before becoming a full-time writer.
She has written screenplays and articles, but primarily dedicates her time to writing crime fiction and observing wildlife. She loves to travel, which is a great source of inspiration; Toronto became the backdrop to the Eleanor Raven series of thrillers after Karen spent several months there.
A passionate conservationist and lover of the crow family in particular, she has rehabilitated and adopted ravens, crows, magpies and rooks, many of whom became integrated into family life, much to the distress of household members and soft furnishings. She now volunteers regularly at Los Angeles Oiled Bird Care Centre.
This one was a quick and easy read. In a crime thriller, that can be both good and bad.
There was quite a bit of good. The author did a fantastic job creating an atmosphere right from the beginning. It’s no spoiler to say that a girl is running through the forest (but why?). Simple enough.
But the author’s use of imagery, similes, and other descriptive phrasing made the scene literally come alive. It also put me right into the frame of mind for the story.
Once the real story takes hold, the author maintains the crisp writing. Everything moves along at a quick pace. In rapid fire we meet the main characters, are introduced other key players, and jump right into the investigation.
On the one hand, I liked the pace because it kept me interested. There weren’t long stretches of introspection (for the most part) that slowed the investigation down. That was good. I also liked how the investigation flowed with issues from the past coming to the present. Those all seemed accurately portrayed.
There were an awful lot of characters to keep track of. There were a few times that I had to go back and remind myself of who a person was and refresh their relationship to the investigation. That didn’t bother me.
And the author definitely captured the mysteries that small-towns hide, as well as accurately portraying the lengths to which people will go to keep secrets hidden.
However, in writing of this style, with many characters and a long-winding investigation, it felt like there were some things that were overlooked or otherwise missing.
Now, this next part of the review should probably be taken with a grain of salt. Being involved in and knowledgeable of law enforcement, I tend to be pickier about things than most readers. But I can’t let these go by because they did affect my interest in the story.
For example, our hero Reed is “death investigator” for the New York State Police. That’s not technically a position. NY has medical legal death investigators, more like forensic coroners (think Ducky on NCIS). But Reed doesn’t seem to have that background.
He’s military and works for the NYSP. His actions in the book are definitely more along the lines of a criminal investigator. He also works in the “Major Crimes” division (if I understood correctly) – a division that doesn’t exist in the NYSP.
I guess it’s just a pet peeve of mine that if using a real agency, effort should be made to using actual divisions that exist.
In a similar vein, there were other times that language choices seemed lazy. These jumped out at me because of the great descriptions early on. One instance was when the author referred to the “body-recovery people.” Really? How about the Coroner’s Office, or Rescue and Recovery team?
Again, these could just be my pet peeves, but the did taint the story a tad for me.
Other than those things (and a few similar, but I’m not going to list all of them), I thought it was a good read, and I would definitely recommend it to crime thriller/police procedural fans. I’m sure other readers will have a different experience from mine.
T.J. Brearton’s books have reached half a million readers around the world and have topped the Amazon charts in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. A graduate of the New York Film Academy in Manhattan, Brearton first worked in film before focusing on novels. His books are visually descriptive with sharp dialog and underdog heroes. When not writing, Brearton does whatever his wife and three children tell him to do. They live happily in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. Yes, there are bears in the Adirondacks. But it’s really quite beautiful when you’re not running for your life.
T.J. is the author of Into Darkness, Road to Mercy and other crime thrillers. ROUGH COUNTRY will be his third novel published with Inkubator Books.
One of the things that I noticed right from the beginning of this story is that the author had a way of writing that was familiar. Not in the sense of I’ve read her before, but more like this was a book in an already established series.
It was very conversational as if we were joining the characters and already should know about them. When I first realized that I thought that it would make me feel lost, but it didn’t. The author was confident in the descriptions and interactions, and I was able to just drop right in. I liked it.
I also liked the entire set up. An FBI agent with a past history in the town that she has to visit due to a case which is similar to a serial killer she has been trying to catch. I thought it was a good “in” and didn’t feel like that connections (to the town and its residents) were forced.
The case itself was interesting because in some ways it paralleled with her serial killer just enough to keep her questioning. But it also dealt with regular family issues and town dynamics. It was a nice balance – if that can be said about a crime investigation.
I thought that our heroine, Nikki, was very human. She knew that she had a job to do, but she naturally felt reticence for returning home because of past events. She’d worked hard to “compartmentalize” (she uses that a lot) and being back in town, talking with old friends (and enemies) made it more difficult.
I think we can all relate that it’s easier to forget about things when they aren’t staring us right in the face. Distance can be a great buffer for that as well.
There were a few times that I felt her personal life too over a bit too much, but that was because I wanted to get on with the investigation. I appreciated that the author took the time to remind us that Nikki was just human and facing a lot of memories (so I can’t complain too much about that).
All in all, it was a strong opening to a new series and I look forward to seeing where Nikki goes next.
Stacy Green is the author of the Lucy Kendall thriller series and the Delta Crossroads mystery trilogy. ALL GOOD DEEDS (Lucy Kendall #1) won a bronze medal for mystery and thriller at the 2015 IPPY Awards. TIN GOD (Delta Crossroads #1) was runner-up for best mystery/thriller at the 2013 Kindle Book Awards. Stacy has a love of thrillers and crime fiction, and she is always looking for the next dark and twisted novel to enjoy. She started her career in journalism before becoming a stay at home mother and rediscovering her love of writing. She lives in Iowa with her husband and daughter and their three spoiled fur babies.
It’s been exciting to “watch” Detective Katie Scott grow and evolve over time. After the events of Flowers on Her Grave, I was wondering if the author was going to switch gears and ease up on Katie a little bit.
Spoiler alert: Nope.
You can expect the same solid investigating from Katie and her cold case partner, McGaven. They’ve worked together long enough that they are more familiar with each other’s tells and habits. I like the way the author has allowed these two to grow to understand each other better. That’s how true law enforcement evolve in partnerships.
Katie has also made progress in dealing with her PTSD. Part of that comes from her sessions with a therapist, but also from learning how to rely on the people around her, like McGaven and Chad, her boyfriend. She’s even made some progress with him as well, pondering a future – where she used to totally shut it down.
Her job takes a twist with the appointment of a new undersheriff (Dorothy Sullivan) who makes it clear that she will be watching Katie and could suspend Katie at any moment if she steps out of line or doesn’t go by the book. I thought this addition to the cast of characters was good, because Dorothy made a big deal about “women sticking together” while issuing the threat to Katie (at least that’s how I took it). This sets up for potential conflict in future books.
That threat might be necessary, because Katie still likes pulse-pounding risks (one scene in a storage container was particularly well-done). I found it telling that even as Katie still has panic attacks and is working through her PTSD, she still relies on the military training sometimes to the point of recklessness.
The case itself is unique, dealing with an old mansion that was once a home for teenage girls in foster care. When a couple of the girls turn up dead, including one who may be a missing person from five years prior, Katie and McGaven are given the case to connect the MisPer to the current deaths.
As with previous books, the investigation is solid, and the details of law enforcement investigation are fairly accurate. But the author still has a tendency to drop a few red herrings that are later tossed off as an aside or “we won’t ever know for sure.” That bothers me, because they often seem like bigger clues and to have them dismissed so easily seems manipulative.
I will also say that with this one, I felt like the plot got lost a little bit. It was the first book in the series where I didn’t think there was a purpose TO the investigation. I mean, I know it was the dead girls turning up, but there were a few twists that seemed to be thrown in randomly, and there were ties that could have been made that weren’t.
At times it seemed like various plot points, while intriguing, were disconnected and never gelled into the resolution. The more I think about it, it seems like missed opportunities.
That being said, I do like Katie and I definitely want to see how she reacts under Dorothy’s scrutiny. With the progress she has made, it will be interesting to see what Katie does next, and I look forward to reading about it!
Twitter: @JChaseNovelist
Author Bio:
Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning and best-selling crime fiction author, as well as a consulting criminologist. Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master’s degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent psychopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells.
In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling. She is an affiliate member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists, and member of the International Thriller Writers.
Detective Clara Jeffries had quite the experience in The Fallen Girls, the first book in the series. Returning to her hometown after several years away was a difficult choice, and the decision to stay on as Chief of Police was even more troublesome.
This is all because the town of Alber is not a “normal” hometown by most standards. It’s home to a sect of fundamentalist Mormons called Elijah’s People. Clara is considered an apostate for having left, which presents her with unique challenges. Especially in the face of the current investigation.
Once again, a member of Clara’s family is involved, but this time it’s Mother Naomi who finds a gruesome scene at the farmhouse of a local family. It’s up to Clara, and her longtime friend (possible boyfriend) Chief Deputy Max Anderson to solve the case.
As with the last book, the author does a good job plotting the investigation so that not too much information is given out all at once. The reader is told of clues as the characters find them – there is not a lot of insight into other characters or from other perspectives that would give the reader a “heads up” on culprits or motives.
I did think that one aspect of Jacob and Carl’s friendship, and their time in Mexico, seemed a bit out of place. It was interesting, and the influence of their experiences with the other sect certainly had bearing on the case. But I wish there had been a little bit more to it and that the author had followed through with some of the imagery and customs. That could have been interesting.
I also honestly expected that there was going to be something more to Jacob and Carl’s “friendship.” The way that some of the characters referred to them certainly made it seem like that was going to go in a different direction, which would have definitely caused a stir in town.
It’s the town and its people who intrigue me most about this series. As I mentioned in my review of the previous book, the author either has experience with or has completed extensive research of the customs, because she brings the alternative lifestyle to the forefront without making judgments or commenting on it.
I’m not sure if that makes sense. Clara and her experiences (both in town and what she deals with upon her return, even from her own family) serve as information about the people and their beliefs. Because of that, the reader gets a “personal” view of it all, which allows it all to seem realistic while acknowledging the dangers and problems of the lifestyle.
Clara has a particular difficulty with this case because part of it reminds her of her own time with Max when they were teenagers. She obviously remains influenced by that, even as she tries to fight through it and move on to acceptance of her current situation.
As to whodunit, I’m not going to say (of course), but the author did a good job of keeping the guessing going right up until the very end. I also liked how there seems to be a set up for a big confrontation between Clara and her supporters and the townsfolk who think she shouldn’t have a position of power (or even be allowed back in town at all).
I’ll be eagerly looking forward to the next book to see how it all shakes out.
Author Bio: A novelist and award-winning journalist, Kathryn Casey is the author of eleven highly acclaimed true crime books and the creator of the Sarah Armstrong mystery series. Library Journal picked THE KILLING STORM as one of the best mysteries of 2010. Her latest true crime, IN PLAIN SIGHT, investigates the Kaufman County prosecutor murders, a case that made worldwide headlines. Casey has appeared on Oprah, 20/20, the Today Show, Good Morning America, the Biography Channel, Reelz, The Travel Network, Investigation Discovery, and many other venues. Ann Rule called Casey “one of the best in the true crime genre.”
I’m always on the lookout for new detective/crime thrillers to latch onto, and my love for unique characters and settings is known to anyone who has read a few of my blog posts. I have to say, DS Cross is truly one of the most unique characters I have ever come across.
As you have (probably) seen elsewhere, Cross is on the spectrum. According to the book, he has a form of Asperger’s (which I believe has been absorbed into the full autistic spectrum). This results in him obsessing about the smallest details and minutiae.
While one would think that this is a good trait for a detective, his colleagues don’t always agree. To be sure, he is a bit off-putting at first, because you want him to get to the point. However, as you (the reader) gets to know him, you realize that these tics and habits are what enable him to be successful.
That being said, there were still times that I wished he would get on with it. But it became easier to accept the further I read.
The case itself is interesting, as it weaves a cold case with a current case. Due to his attention to detail, Cross notices similarities and picks up on things that were missed by the initial investigators. Of course, this doesn’t win him any favor in the department.
But no matter, because he is so focused that he doesn’t have time to worry about what people think about him. His sole focus is the case. I found that refreshing. I also liked the way the story read. It felt like watching a tv show (which is not surprising, given the author’s background)
It’s not a spoiler to say that the woven stories finally meld together it’s a really interesting case. I think it was made more so because OF the attention to detail.
I will say that Cross reminded me of the tv character Monk; they exhibited a lot of the same characteristics, and I got the same vibe. Ultimately, what makes both characters work is that their particular quirks are simply part of their personality.
Yeah, they’re different, but they get the job done, so who ultimately cares about the method? I really loved the humanity that was brought to this character.
This was an enjoyable read, and I look forward to more investigations with DS Cross.
TIM SULLIVAN made his first short film before graduating from Cambridge University. His ambition to become a screenwriter was formed not so much by this experience but as an attempt to foil his father’s determination to turn him into a lawyer.
Within weeks of leaving university armed with a law degree he had met the film maker Derek Jarman and persuaded him to commission an original screenplay from him entitled BOB UPADOWN and so a career was born.
A few months later he joined Granada Television as a researcher. Here he was commissioned to write the first of many television scripts for the company. Two sitcoms entitled THE TRAIN NOW LEAVING and THE GREASY SPOON followed by the crime dramas MYSTERIOUS WAYS and MAIGRET.
While at Granada he was selected for the prestigious Directors’ Training scheme when only 26. Previous encumbents had included Mike Newell, Roland Joffe, and Michael Apted, more recently Julian Farino. Among other credits he directed CORONATION STREET, MADE IN HEAVEN, THATCHER THE FINAL DAYS and THE CASEBOOK OF SHERLOCK HOLMES with Jeremy Brett.
During this time he also co wrote the screenplays for the movies A HANDFUL OF DUST starring Kristen Scott Thomas, Judi Dench and Alec Guinness and WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD starring Helen Mirren and Helena Bonham Carter, both with producer the legendary TV producer Derek Granger (BRIDESHEAD REVISITED).
Upon leaving the bosom of Granada and venturing into the wild wide world of the freelance film maker he wrote and directed the movie JACK AND SARAH starring Richard E Grant, Samantha Mathis, Ian Mckellen, Judi Dench and Eileen Atkins. This led to a commission from New Line Pictures to write the screenplay WALKING PAPERS based on the Jay Cronley novel of the same name.
This screenplay came to the attention of execs at Universal and Imagine who then asked Tim to do a page one rewrite of a western for Ron Howard entitled THE PRETENDERS. Tim enjoyed working with Ron for over a year on this.
He then wrote an original screenplay, PERSONAL SHOPPING, which was promptly snapped up by Paramount for producer Scott Rudin.
He spent four months working for and with Jeffrey Katzenberg at Dreamworks animation as a production writer on the movie FLUSHED AWAY. Impressed by his work Katzenberg commissioned him to write a script for SHREK 4 which wasn’t used as a different storyline was decided upon as a director came on board.
During this time he was actively involved in British television directing the last ever ninety minute episode of the BAFTA award winning series COLD FEET. As well as a TV movie for ITV called CATWALK DOGS written by Simon Nye.
He was commissioned by the BBC to write a pilot for a TV series he invented called BACKSTORY as well as another pilot for the ITV network entitled OFFSPRING.
He also wrote HIS MASTER’S VOICE for the BBC as a radio play starring Rob Brydon which was broadcast in 2015.
He recently wrote the screenplay for LETTERS TO JULIET starring Amanda Seyfried and Vanessa Redgrave.
Oscar winning producers of The King’s Speech, Iain Canning and Emile Sherman then commissioned an original screenplay from him entitled THE WEDDING DRESS.
Tim is writing and co-producing and co-writing an animated feature screenplay for Hasbro and Paramount which is in production and scheduled for release in 2021.
He has now embarked on a series of crime novels featuring the eccentric and socially-awkward, but brilliantly persistent DS George Cross. Set in Bristol in the south west of England, Cross’ methods often infuriate his colleagues and superiors “not so much a thorn in my side as a pain in my arse,” according to his boss DCI Carson. But his conviction rate, thanks to his dogged persistence and attention to detail, is the best in the force. The DENTIST is in the first of a series.
Tim lives in North London with his wife Rachel, the Emmy award-winning producer of THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA and PIONEER WOMAN.
He is currently the UK chair of the Writers’ Guild of America (West).
I’ve never hidden my excitement at finding a new detective/crime series. This time, it comes in the form of Kimberley King, a transplant from NYPD to Custer County, Oklahoma.
I thought the premise was timely, probably even more so than the author intended. Kimberley has decided to move to Oklahoma (where her mom lives) to be able to spend more time with her young daughter.
From the beginning, there are also hints of something that happened on the job, but the reader gets that in flashback form, as events in her new town lead Kimberley to remember a pivotal case in NYC.
I thought that the connection between the two could have been stronger. Kimberley’s memories and motivations didn’t seem to be pivotal as they could have been. Perhaps if the crimes had been more similar? The only it seems to work for me is if the author is laying the groundwork for a through-line for future book plots.
I liked Kimberley, for the most part. (Caveat: I’m picky of everything to do with NYC and NYPD due to my personal connections with both. So, some of this can probably be taken with a grain of salt). I thought her instincts were good, and I liked how she was torn between trying to fit into the confines of her new job but still maintain her self-imposed standards.
However, I also felt that her attitude didn’t always ring true. There were a few times where she seemed more caricature or stereotype rather than a legitimate person. Again, that’s a personal observation, not necessarily any fault of the author.
The case itself was decent, if a little underbaked. I liked how the author laid everything out, but kept some facts hidden which caused me to suspect more people than I needed to; I like it when an author does that.
I did also like that there was an uneasy feeling about a couple of characters from the start. It was an effective way to make the reader suspicious, but without being able to pinpoint exactly why or what to be suspicious about. It made the resolution just a bit more interesting as well, which was good, because at the same time it kind of came out of nowhere.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I liked the personalities of the sheriff’s department, and hope that future books continue to explore the different officers and their backgrounds. I think there is enough there to keep this series going for a while.
Author Bio: Originally from Wisconsin, J.R. Adler currently lives in Ithaca, New York with her husband, Drew, and her English Bulldog, Winston. When not writing, you can find her reading, playing board games, travelling, and binge watching The Office for the umpteenth time.
In my review of the previous book, Her Last Mistake, I wrote that “there were a few times I felt that Gina’s memories bogged the plot down. I wanted to get back to the action of the story.”
Well, I got my wish. This time Gina’s past actually becomes more of the story (more on that in just a minute).
As with previous books, the author jumps right into the action, giving the reader a peek into an event in the past, 24 year ago…but of whose past we’re not quite sure. We then jump forward 12 years to another incident, but still with no real clue as to the connections.
I love the way this author set all of that up, because when we get to present day, we have some sort of background on current events; we know more than the police do, anyway. Not that it helps too much, because as always, this is a clever plot that keeps the reader guessing.
I will also mention now that it’s set around the end of October, so it’s excellent reading for this time of year. While it’s still a cracking good investigation, there’s a spooky element to it that fits the season perfectly.
As always, the team works together smoothly. We get a few more insights into their dynamics, but for the most part, it’s just good, steady investigative work from everyone.
As to Gina’s personal matter, we know from past books that Gina has some traumas that have left her scarred and shaken. This time, one surfaces in the most unexpected way. As she is busy with the case at hand, she also has to determine what the truth is about this new twist from her past.
It all weaves together for a page-turning crime thriller. And a special shout out to the title which has an awesome double meaning.
Sometimes it’s difficult to write a review about a series, especially when it gets to later books, because the “newness” may wear off. When that happens, later books can seem repetitive.
However, there is something to be said about knowing that you are going to get a solid criminal investigation with interesting plot points (and twists), engaging characters, and a ruthless killer.
That’s what you get here, and it’s another winner.
Carla Kovach was born in Birmingham, UK and now resides in Redditch, Worcestershire. Author of supernatural drama ‘Flame,’ psychological thriller ‘To Let,’ crime thriller ‘Whispers Beneath the Pines,’ and holiday comedy, ‘Meet Me at Marmaris Castle.’ Carla also writes stage and screenplays, some of which have been produced in the Worcestershire area.
This new crime thriller series is not your normal run-of-the-mill for one simple reason: its main character has a shall we call it…unique sidekick who also acts as her conscience.
Charlie always swore she would not return to Salem Island after her twin sister disappeared, tearing her family apart. But her uncle, a private investigator, is battling cancer, and Charlie is back to help out.
The story jumps off to a very quick start when Kara Dawkins goes missing. Charlie takes the case, but the investigation is off to a fairly slow start, with very few clues. Until another girl goes missing.
As Charlie tries to draw parallels and make connections, events happen that bring her past to the forefront, making the investigation even more challenging.
I’m not going to tell you anymore because that would be giving away the plot (which I don’t like to do). Suffice to say that it is well-plotted, well-written, drew me in, and kept my attention. That’s no easy feat these days.
I really liked Charlie. She was human, with fears and foibles. Being back in her hometown, she meets up with a lot of ex-classmates, including Will who was an unrequited high school crush…or was he?
I also liked the interactions that Charlie had with pretty much everyone. As a private detective, she doesn’t have quite the authority of the police, which allowed her to be a little bit more relaxed in her investigation. I enjoyed that about her.
As for her Jiminy Cricket – her sister Allie is the one who keeps a running commentary in Charlie’s head. It was a super twist to a sidekick, and it allowed Charlie to have random thoughts and argue with herself (which we’ve all done).
She’s also the yin to Charlie’s yang, providing balance, levity, and a dose of tough love when Charlie needs to hear it the most. I loved their “conversations” and Allie’s monologues. They were a welcome aspect that gave a special twist to the story.
Just one more thing, though, and it’s totally nitpicky. A key character has the name Leroy Gibbs. Now, I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m a huge “NCIS” fan. And, of course, the main character is Leroy Jethro Gibbs (better known as just “Gibbs.”)
Every time the character in the book was mentioned, I thought of the TV character – and they couldn’t have been more different. It was an unfortunate distraction. But as I said, that was for me. If you don’t watch the show, it won’t bother you one bit.
I truly enjoyed this book, and I hope there are more Charlotte Winters investigations to come.
Author Bio: L.T. Vargus and Tim McBain are the authors of the Violet Darger series and The Scattered and the Dead series among others, which have collectively tallied over a million downloads. Their book, Dead End Girl, peaked at #3 in the US Kindle charts and has remained in the top 10 in multiple sub-categories since it was published in 2017.
