Tag: Series

I’ve read several of the books in this series, so I thought I knew what to expect in this one (book #9). I was partially right about some of it, totally wrong in my expectations in other ways.

I like how the author picks right up where the action left off from the previous book but also doesn’t dwell too much on detailing past plot points. There are enough references that somebody new to the series wouldn’t be too lost. Usually.

In this case, however, there are some things from Gina’s past that make reappearances and take more of a central focus. In fact, pretty much most of Gina’s personal life is wrapped up in these points in this book.

In some ways, it felt a little bit long in the tooth, because the event in question has been examined at length in past books. And Gina is still dealing with it.

I think I understand the reasons that the author brought it back into focus in a particular manner because there were similarities with the police case Gina was working on. The things that kept occurring made for blurred lines between professional and personal, and caused Gina to steer her investigation in several directions.

The case itself was okay. I don’t know if it was because teenagers were the main characters or if the story just didn’t grab me, but I didn’t feel the pop that I have felt from past cases with Gina.

Maybe because teenagers always seem to have so many secrets from adults to begin with, it was difficult to understand and get behind the lies and secrets from this group? I’m not sure. Maybe it would have been better if they were adults.

I did like how the characters were human. For example, PC Kapoor still has scars from the last story but is working through them, and the visual scars are lasting longer than the mental ones (supposedly). There is great continuity to be found in these characters and their work.

All in all, I suppose this is a good entry in the series, but not the best of stories. I’ll still look forward to the next outing by Gina Harte, though, because I want to see where her relationship goes with her daughter, and I have become invested in the characters.  

Author Bio: Carla Kovach is a crime and horror author from Worcestershire. Her most popular work, the DI Gina Harte series is published by Bookouture. As well as books, she also writes stage and screenplays

Detective Ellie Reeves is back, and she is carrying a lot of baggage with her.

First point to make, if you haven’t read the first two books in this series, I would suggest doing so before reading this one.

While the case at hand does not require any prior knowledge and be read as a stand-alone, Ellie’s personal life takes a more prominent place in the story.

While the author does a good job of explaining things, I sometimes felt like it was “just enough” to get by. You will most certainly have a deeper understanding of Ellie’s frame of mind if you have her full backstory from the first books in the series.

Now, with all of that being said, the case itself is a good one. Just like Wildflower Graves, the author jumps right into the action.

(Side note: This is one of the few authors I have found who does this. Others may have a few months in between the action in books, and that’s fine. But these take place within a few weeks of each other.)

This immediate continuity allows for the author to build on experiences without having to go through a lot of exposition explaining what had previously occurred. It gives the story a bit of urgency and allows the reader to truly submerse in the story.

Submersion is good, because there is never a lot of time to breathe in these plots. Ellie pretty much stumbles across crimes in the Appalachian Mountains every time she tries to go hiking to clear her head.

It’s actually sort of ironic, really.

Anyway, you can read other book report reviews that recount the plot. I’m here to tell you that Ellie remains sharp-witted and a bit stubborn in her investigation process. There were a few times that I felt her personal life infringed on the investigation a bit too much.

But I also liked her growth as she comes to terms with the bombshell news. Ellie is not a static character; she definitely learns and adjusts as information continues to be revealed.

I will say that this story is told from multiple points of view and gets pretty twisty. If you’re not concentrating, you could get lost pretty quickly.

I would highly recommend setting time aside to really concentrate on this one, because it’s a good plot with a winning heroine, and you should give it the time it deserves.

Author Bio:

USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author Rita Herron fell in love with books at the ripe age of eight when she read her first Trixie Belden mystery. But she didn’t think real people grew up to be writers, so she became a teacher instead. Now she writes so she doesn’t have to get a real job.

With over ninety books to her credit, she’s penned romantic suspense, romantic comedy, and YA novels, but she especially likes writing dark romantic suspense and crime fiction set in small southern towns.

Detective Clara Jeffries remains a standout in the “strong female law enforcement agent” genre, and her background is certainly the most unique.

This third book in the series finds Clara quickly enmeshed in another investigation which is complicated by the location and proximity to Alber.

In fact, this time there are two investigations and it’s up to Clara to determine if there is any crossover. I very much like the way this author plots the stories, because everything is organic and natural. There is no forced connection or tying into each other.

Things just happen.

Clara’s background remains a major point both in her personal life and as she addresses clues and facts of the cases.

(For those who haven’t read any of these books yet, Clara grew up in a polygamous town, leaving after being forced into a horrible marriage. She returned in book one and is still struggling with acceptance – both of her past and dealing with the townspeople viewing her as an apostate).

She and Max (a lost boy of the town) have also progressed in their relationship, but not without struggle there as well. I like how the author keeps this real as well. They both have baggage that they are trying to work around, but it’s not always unsurmountable.

I was happy to see a bit of progress with her relationship with her family as well. It’s an important part of her character, and there were some touching moments. It will be interesting to see if Mother Ardeth comes around.

In spite of Clara helping several people in the town and some seeming to soften toward her, there remains a sore spot (no spoiler) that will definitely take centerstage in future books.

As with any crime thriller, I don’t want to give anything away about the particulars of the investigation. But I will continue to look forward to Clara’s cases and to see what happens next.

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.”