In New York City, three intriguing, smart, and stylish private investigators open Holmes, Marple & Poe Investigations. Who are these detectives with famous names and mysterious, untraceable pasts?
Brendan Holmes—The Brain: Identifies suspects via deduction and logic.
Margaret Marple—The Eyes: Possesses powers of observation too often underestimated.
Auguste Poe—The Muscle: Chases down every lead no matter how dangerous or dark.
The agency’s daring methodology and headline-making solves attract the attention of NYPD Detective Helene Grey. Her solo investigation into her three unknowable competitors will delight mystery fans.
HOLMES, MARPLE & POE: The Greatest Crime-Solving Team of the Twenty-First Century by James Patterson and Brian Sitts is a fast-paced P.I. mystery and suspense/thriller that I had to try as soon as I saw the title and I am glad I did. The three P.I.’s in this book are not only named after their famous predecessors, but also have many of the same traits, good and/or bad, as their namesakes. I really am hoping this book becomes a series.
Brendan Holmes, Margaret Marple and Auguste Poe suddenly appear in New York City and open one of the most sought-after Private Investigation firms in the city. The only thing is law enforcement can find no trace of any of the trio’s pasts which I loved. They are obviously close and understand each other, but you never learn how they came to be a team.
The chapters are the usual Patterson style of short and fast, but I still did not want to put the book down until I finished. There are several cases to solve threaded throughout the story, rather than one main mystery. While this helped show each of the main characters strengths, I also feel that I did not get an in-depth case to solve that would have engaged me even more, but hopefully that will happen if this becomes a series. I also like all the secondary characters and the animals they acquired along the way.
I really enjoyed Holmes, Marple & Poe and look forward to more adventures.
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About the Author
JAMES PATTERSON is one of the best-known and biggest-selling writers of all time. His books have sold in excess of 375 million copies worldwide. He is the author of some of the most popular series of the past two decades – the Alex Cross, Women’s Murder Club, Detective Michael Bennett and Private novels – and he has written many other number one bestsellers including romance novels and stand-alone thrillers.
James is passionate about encouraging children to read. Inspired by his own son who was a reluctant reader, he also writes a range of books for young readers including the Middle School, I Funny, Treasure Hunters, Dog Diaries and Max Einstein series. James has donated millions in grants to independent bookshops and has been the most borrowed author of adult fiction in UK libraries for the past eleven years in a row. He lives in Florida with his wife and son.
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About the Author
Brian Sitts is an award-winning advertising creative director and television writer.He has collaborated with James Patterson on books for adults and children. He and his wife, Jody, live in Peekskill, New York.
When a murder unleashes a widespread investigation through Crosbyville, children’s book author Pris and her trusty bloodhound, Bailey, must sniff out the truth before the whole town goes to the dogs.
After deciding that life as a teacher wasn’t right for her, Priscilla found inspiration for her first children’s book in her three-year-old bloodhound’s nose for truth, and so The Adventures of Bailey the Bloodhound was born. After the book’s massively pawsitive response led Pris to move back to her hometown of Crosbyville, Indiana, to continue the series, she’s surprised by how things have changed in the town, but even more so how they haven’t.
Pris is frustrated to discover that newly elected school board trustee Whitney Kelley—a former high school mean girl—is intent on making Crosbyville more competitive by eliminating “frivolous spending” on the arts and social programs, including Pris and Bailey’s beloved pet-assisted reading program. A minor altercation between them isn’t anything unusual, but after Bailey sniffs out Whitney’s body in a bed of begonias, locals start hounding Pris and Bailey as suspects for the crime.
With Bailey’s sharp senses and Pris’s hometown know-how, can they prove to the community that they’re all barking up the wrong tree?
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Elise’s Thoughts
Sniffing Out Murder by Kallie E. Benjamin, the pen name for Valerie Burns, is the first in a new series. This book is a delightful read that has humor and a riveting ‘who done it.’
Readers are introduced to the main character, Priscilla Cummings, who is a teacher by day and a children’s author by night. That is until she has found success with her first children’s book, about the adventures of her dog, Bailey the Bloodhound. Because of her success she has decided to become a full-time author, but also continues to have Bailey assist children to read. Bailey is a trained therapy dog and frequently goes to the local library to have children read to him and watch him demonstrate his tracking skills.
The mystery has Bailey sniffing out a murder, digging up the body of Whitney Kelly. She is a mean girl who earlier had a confrontation with Priscilla. But Pris is not the only enemy she has made, and the list of suspects continues to grow for Police Chief Gilbert Morgan. He is tenacious and determined to find the killer, but readers also see his other side. Raising his daughter Hannah as a single parent, he is very caring and gentle. Both he and Pris develop a relationship after Bailey helps Hannah with her reading skills and Pris becomes involved in solving the murder mystery.
Readers will be kept guessing until the very end about who done it. This plot has it all: delightful characters, great banter, a mystery, and a sweet bloodhound.
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Author Interview
Elise Cooper: Since it is an anonymous name how did you choose it?
Kallie E. Benjamin: Kallie was my great grandmother’s name. I never knew my grandmother but did know my great grandmother. The “E” is from my mom whose name was Elvira but decided not to use Elvira as my author’s name. My dad’s first name was Benjamin.
EC: How did you get the idea for the story?
KEB: I get nervous when I start a new series, hoping readers will enjoy it. Dogs are my thing and I wanted to write a new series with a new breed of dog. To me, a bloodhound symbolizes search and rescue. This series has a lot of family ties for me. Also, when I write cozies what is important to me is the ‘who done it.’
EC: How so about family?
KEB: It is set in Indiana, which is where I am from. The town’s name, Crosbyville is based on one of my nephew’s children, Crosby. His other child is named Cameron. The main character, Priscilla, is an author and her agent’s name is Cameron. Her best friend, Marcella is named after my niece’s daughter. Since I write murder mysteries, I will make sure that these names will endure and continue without having to be a character that can potentially get murdered or be considered a person of interest.
EC: Why make Bailey, the Bloodhound a therapy dog?
KEB: I used to do therapy with my poodles. We would go to nursing homes and hospitals. I wanted him to help with assisted reading. When a child had to testify it was found that they were less stressed if they spoke directly to the dog.
EC: You went down nostalgia lane-why?
KEB: LOL. I brought in Andy Griffith and Magnum PI. I ran some things by my niece who just turned thirty. She told me she watches the reruns of the old shows. I enjoyed throwing things in there.
EC: Whitney, the victim was not very nice, correct?
KEB: I based her on Cruella de Ville to a small extent. I usually murder someone who no one likes. They usually are villainous. Both Whitney and Cruella had issues with dogs. They viewed their agenda as more important than anything else. They are single minded without any concern about what happens to others. I use real people in my life in my books when they make me mad. It is therapeutic for me. I will use their initials but change the names to be the victim.
EC: How would you describe Priscilla?
KEB: Pris and I have in common that we both have a job that provides income, but we are also authors. We have that same passion about writing mysteries that includes dogs. Pris wants to help people and can recognize people’s shortcomings. She is also a klutz and very curious.
EC: How would you describe police chief Gilbert?
KEB: He has dedicated his life to protecting others. He is very direct, straight-forward, responsible, and protective. He also is a single parent, raising his daughter. As the story progresses readers will find out more about his late wife and her family. His daughter and family are very important to him. His relationship with Pris will continue and grow stronger, although there will be some conflict surrounding their views.
EC: Next book?
KEB: The setting is a festival in Crosbyville where a murder occurred. Bailey finds clues that get Pris more involved in the mystery. The working title is Hounding a Killer, coming out in late 2024.
THANK YOU!!
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BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Review for BROADCAST BLUES (Clare Carlson Mystery Book #6) by R.G. Belsky on this Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tour.
Below you will find a book synopsis, my book review, the author’s bio and social media links, and a Kingsumo giveaway. Enjoy!
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Book Synopsis
Wendy Kyle took secrets to her grave—now, Clare Carlson is digging them up
New York City has no shortage of crime, making for a busy schedule for TV newswoman Clare Carlson. But not all crimes are created equal, and when an explosive planted in a car detonates and kills a woman, Clare knows it’ll be a huge story for her.
But it’s not only about the story—Clare also wants justice for the victim, Wendy Kyle. Wendy had sparked controversy as an NYPD officer, ultimately getting kicked off the force after making sexual harassment allegations and getting into a physical altercation with her boss. Then, she started a private investigations business, catering to women who suspected their husbands of cheating. Undoubtedly, Wendy had angered many people with her work, so the list of her suspected murderers is seemingly endless.
Despite the daunting investigation, Clare dives in headfirst. As she digs deeper, she attracts the attention of many rich and powerful people who will stop at nothing to keep her from breaking the truth about the death of Wendy Kyle—and exposing their personal secrets that Wendy took to her grave.
Genre: Mystery Published by: Oceanview Publishing Publication Date: January 2, 2024 Number of Pages: 320 ISBN: 9781608095315 ISBN10: 1608095312) Series: Clare Carlson Mystery Book 6
While all of the novels in the Clare Carlson Mystery Series stand on their own and can be read in any order, the publication sequence is:
Yesterday’s News Below the Fold The Last Scoop Beyond the Headlines It’s News to Me Broadcast Blues
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My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
BROADCAST BLUES (Clare Carlson Mystery Book #6) by R.G. Belsky is another intriguing and fast paced addition to this mystery/crime thriller series featuring New York journalist turned TV news director, Clare Carlson. While this is the sixth book in the series, each of these stories is easily read as a standalone mystery/thriller.
New York Channel 10 News Director Clare Carlson is waiting for a lead story for her six o’clock news broadcast and once again the news gods deliver. Wendy Kyle is a former NYCP officer turned private eye who is murdered by an explosive device planted on her car door. Clare begins to dig into Wendy’s death and her cases that are specifically geared to help women with cheating high-profile husbands. But Wendy also made many enemies while on at the NYPD before she was kicked off the force.
Clare is once again juggling her news director duties with her journalist inquisitiveness for a big story that she wants to break. With plenty of suspects and leads, Clare might have bitten off more than she can handle this time.
I am always excited to get a new Clare Carlson mystery book. The plot in each always pulls me in with multiple suspects, false leads, and red herrings to the point where I never guess the endings. Clare is such a perfectly flawed realistic character. I love Clare and the different perspective of having the crime being investigated by a journalist, rather than a detective for a change.
I highly recommend this mystery/crime thriller book and every book in this series.
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Author Bio
R.G. Belsky is an award-winning author of crime fiction and a journalist in New York City. His newest mystery, BROADCAST BLUES, was published on January 2 by Oceanview. It is the sixth in a series featuring Clare Carlson, the news director for a New York City TV station. The first book, Yesterday’s News, was named Best Mystery of 2018 at Deadly Ink. The second, Below the Fold, won the Foreward INDIES award for Best Mystery of 2019. Belsky has published 20 novels—all set in the New York city media world where he has had a long career as a top editor at the New York Post, New York Daily News, Star magazine and NBC News. He also writes thrillers under the name Dana Perry. And he is a contributing writer for The Big Thrill magazine and BookTrib.
January 1855 Willa Noble knew it was bad luck when it was pouring rain on the day of her ever-important job interview at the Dickinson home in Amherst, Massachusetts. When she arrived late, disheveled with her skirts sodden and filthy, she’d lost all hope of being hired for the position. As the housekeeper politely told her they’d be in touch, Willa started toward the door of the stately home only to be called back by the soft but strong voice of Emily Dickinson. What begins as tenuous employment turns to friendship as the reclusive poet takes Willa under her wing.
Tragedy soon strikes and Willa’s beloved brother, Henry, is killed in a tragic accident at the town stables. With no other family and nowhere else to turn, Willa tells Emily about her brother’s death and why she believes it was no accident. Willa is convinced it was murder. Henry had been very secretive of late, only hinting to Willa that he’d found a way to earn money to take care of them both. Viewing it first as a puzzle to piece together, Emily offers to help, only to realize that she and Willa are caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse that reveals corruption in Amherst that is generations deep. Some very high-powered people will stop at nothing to keep their profitable secrets even if that means forever silencing Willa and her new mistress….
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I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died – Book #2
August 1856. The Dickinson family is comfortably settled in their homestead on Main Street. Emily’s brother, Austin Dickinson, and his new wife are delighted when famous thinker and writer Ralph Waldo Emerson comes to Amherst to speak at a local literary society and decides he and his young secretary, Luther Howard, will stay with the newlyweds. Emily has been a longtime admirer of Emerson’s writing and is thrilled at the chance to meet her idol. She is determined to impress him with her quick wit, and if she can gather the courage, a poem. Willa Noble, the second maid in the Dickinson home and Emily’s friend, encourages her to speak to the famous but stern man. But his secretary, Luther, intrigues Willa more because of his clear fondness for the Dickinson sisters.
Willa does not know if Luther truly cares for one of the Dickinson girls or if he just sees marrying one of them as a way to raise himself up in society. After a few days in his company, Willa starts to believe it’s the latter. Miss Lavinia, Emily’s sister, appears to be enchanted by Luther; a fact that bothers Emily greatly. However, Emily’s fears are squashed when Luther turns up dead in the Dickinson’s garden. It seems that he was poisoned. Emerson, aghast at the death of his secretary, demands answers. Emily and Willa set out to find them in order to save the Dickinson family reputation and stop a cold-blooded fiend from killing again.
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Elise’s Thoughts
Because I Could Not Stop for Death and I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died by Amanda Flower has her venturing into historical mysteries. These books have a unique portrayal of the famous American writer Emily Dickinson. Emily along with her maid, Willa, become sleuths and help to solve murders. But a bonus is having readers getting glimpses of how Emily thinks and what the culture of mid-19th century was like.
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Author Interview
Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea to use Emily Dickinson?
Amanda Flower: Each book’s title will be the first line from one of her famous poems. In the first book, the poem was about a carriage ride with a horse. In this novel, a horse is very central to the story. The second book has flies surrounding the found body, which is related to the poem I used. I pay tribute to the poems, but do not follow it verbatim. Her poems are imagery and vague with multiple meanings. She never wrote clearly.
EC: Why Emily Dickinson?
AF: Her poems are mysterious. I have been a huge Emily Dickinson fan since I was 15 years old. I wanted to write a historical novel with another version, so I decided to write a mystery with her. Last year it won the Agatha for best historical mystery and a final for one of the Edgar Awards. The real characters beside Emily were the maid Margaret O’ Brian. I added a maid assistant, Willa to tell the story in the same manner that Sherlock Holmes had Watson. I also chose that period of her life, in 1855, where Emily and her sister came to Washington because her father was a member of the House of Representatives. This time was about six years before she went into hiding for the rest of her life as a recluse. She did not get any acclaims for her writing when she was alive.
EC: Why the reference to slavery?
AF: In the 1850s America was in turmoil over slavery. I knew I had to include this issue, or it would be a disservice. It divided everyone. The Underground Railroad went through many small towns close to where I live in Ohio. One of my jobs was leading Underground Railroad tours through the town that I worked in. I spoke about the people who lived there and those who tried to escape.
EC: How would you describe Emily’s personality in your book?
AF: This is my best interpretation of the real Emily. She likes to investigate, a good judge of character, ignores societal class, and is loyal. She is also bold, caring, curious, confident, and blunt. She was probably her father’s favorite because he gave her special treatment. She enjoyed wandering around and instead of not telling her to stop bought her a dog for protection. The dog is real and so his name Carlo, a character in Jane Eyre. He lived for seventeen years, which is unusual for a pure bred, Newfoundland. One of the theories is that Emily became a recluse after he passed away. Her dad would buy contemporary fiction books and leave them around the house for her to just happen to find. The family gave her room to be different, a genius aspect.
EC: How would you describe the real maid, Margaret?
AF: Kind, protective, tough, and can be hard-nosed. I made her gruff with Willa.
EC: How would you describe Willa?
AF: Nervous for her brother’s safety, compassionate, strong, determined, loyal, and broken. In the first book she is more timid. She is determined to find out what happened to her brother, Henry. As the series goes on, she is very protective and loyal to Emily. She understands more social standing than Emily. Willa is very aware of the class distinction and sees the servants as being invisible. Emily tries to treat her as an equal.
EC: What is the difference between the sisters, Vinnie, and Emily?
AF: Vinnie acts like an older sister even though Emily is the older sister. At the end of their life, she took care of Emily. Vinnie is more into societal norms. She carries the weight on her shoulders. Vinnie is a cat person, while Emily is a dog person who hated cats. The cats probably annoyed her dog. Emily did write about disliking cats.
EC: What about Henry?
AF: Henry is an idealist. He wanted to take from the rich and give to the poor. He had a happy and carefree personality. He knew Willa’s upmost goal was to protect him. He is also kind, with a nose for trouble, and caring.
EC: The second book in the series, I Heard a Fly Buzz When I died, highlights Ralph Waldo Emerson-why?
AF: Through my research I found he stayed with Emily’s brother at their estate. Plus, I really like his works and wanted to include him in the series. He was the peak of American literature during that time. He encouraged young authors to write in an ‘American voice.’ After a lifetime of acclaim, he felt pretty good about himself. He is very aloof and is distant from others.
EC: Why the plagiarism angle?
AF: It was harder back then to prove. Many authors self-published back then and it was hard to prove that someone else wrote it so it would have been easy to plagiarize. It is still a problem today. Writers would think about this problem. Although they do have a certain way of phrasing. Emerson had a very strong voice, very authoritative and confident. He wrote essays and non-fiction. The victim in the story was a social climber who tried to put his name on other’s works.
EC: Louisa May Alcott and Emily contrasted each other as writers?
AF: I put her in the story because she was about the same age as Emily and lived nearby. It was possible they could have met although no evidence. I also wanted to contrast her with Emily. Some authors like Emily did it for the sake of art and her own personal thoughts, while others like Alcott did it for the sake of supporting her family and was driven. Emily feared fame and did not try to get published more. Personally, I write for both reasons. I put in the author’s notes how ‘Emily wrote for the expression of art; Louisa wrote for the money.’
EC: Louisa May Alcott was also in the story-what was her voice?
AF: She is very confident, opinionated, with fun banter. Anyone who read Little Women would recognize these qualities in her main character, Jo. She is blunt, straight forward, and wrote for the money because she is super pragmatic. Growing up her family did not have money because her dad believed in living simply. She broke barriers by being a female who used her own name and became popular. When she started writing she used pen names. But with Little Women she wrote under her own name and this book changed the life of herself and her family.
EC: Next books?
AF: The third one in the series might be the last one. It is titled I Died for Beauty and will come out in early 2025. The plot setting has the 1857 blizzard with a deep freeze in New England. A young Irish couple die in a fire at their house. Emily and Willa try to figure out what really happened.
The next book coming out in February is titled Crime and Cherry Pits, a cozy. In March my first Katherine Wright mystery will be released titled To Slip the Bonds of Earth about a murder.
The Candy Shop mystery will be out in October next year. The Matchmaker mystery comes out the following year. Each main character will have a book coming out every other year.
THANK YOU!!
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BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for DEATH AT THE DOG SHOW (The Charity Shop Detective Agency Book #3) by Peter Boland on this Books ‘n’ All Promotions Book Tour.
Below you will find a book description, my book review, and the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!
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Book Description
Dog-lovers, please note none of our furry friends die in this book.
It’s the day of the Christchurch Dog Show. The whole town is aquiver with excitement. The ladies of the Charity Shop Detective Agency are hoping to make lots of new furry friends.
After a very dramatic Best Biscuit Catcher competition, Fiona, Sue and Daisy, from the Dogs Need Nice Homes charity shop, come across a shocking scene. The dog show’s vet is performing CPR on a woman. The ladies rush over, but it’s too late.
Back at the shop, the ladies are shocked to learn that the poor woman was murdered. Someone injected Sylvia Steadman with something very nasty indeed. Then our silver sleuths uncover that Sylvia was the owner of ex-Crufts-winner Charlie. She must have had lots of very jealous competitors . . .
There’s barely time for elevenses. The charity shop detectives must roll up their sleeves — they have a killer to catch.
THE CHARITY SHOP DETECTIVES
Level-headed Fiona has found a quiet sanctuary volunteering at the local charity shop, Dogs Need Nice Homes. A charity shop that raises money for dogs in need of nice homes. And she’s found firm friendship with the strong-willed Partial Sue (she’s ever so partial to a cup of tea) and the kindly and surprisingly tech-savvy Daisy. Together, these ladies, with Simon Le Bon, Fiona’s scruffy-haired terrier cross, investigate murders as the Charity Shop Detective Agency.
THE SETTING
The lovely coastal town of Southbourne is, on paper, little more than a small suburb hemmed in by Bournemouth to the west and Christchurch to the north. But it’s home to the prettiest avenues lined with gorgeous Georgian homes which lead to a grass-topped cliff standing guard over a sweeping bay of blond sand, soft as Demerara sugar. Some say it’s also home to the best charity shops in the country. The ladies of the Charity Shop Detective Agency maintain that Dogs Need Nice Homes — though musty and more than a little cramped — is certainly number one. Well, they definitely solve the most crimes at least!
DEATH AT THE DOG SHOW (The Charity Shop Detective Agency Book #3) by Peter Boland is an entertaining cozy mystery once again featuring the three indomitable ladies of the Charity Shop Detective Agency. This cozy mystery can easily be read as a standalone.
Fiona, Partial Sue, and Daisy have a booth at the Christchurch Dog Show for their charity shop, Dogs That Need Nice Homes. The ladies notice a crowd gathering and witness the show’s veterinarian performing CPR on a woman. The ladies discover the dead woman who is attending is the owner of a former Crufts champion. After a visit from their detective friends, the ladies learn the death is a murder by injection and not natural as they first believed.
The ladies put on their detective hats and get to work sorting all the possible suspects and motives.
I liked the previous books in this series, but this is definitely my favorite. I enjoy the quirky individuality of Fiona, Partial Sue and Daisy and the backgrounds that each brings to the investigations. The plot is full of red herrings and twists that lead the ladies to several secondary crimes, but they doggedly (ha-ha) get back on track until they solve the main murder case and have the perpetrators apprehended. I was surprised in the end and satisfied with the conclusion. Being a huge dog lover, the bonus for me in this story is all the added canine characters. Overall, these cozy mysteries have endearing main characters and are intricately plotted amateur sleuth investigations.
I recommend this addition to the series for a delightful cozy mystery read.
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Author Bio
After studying to be an architect, Pete realised he wasn’t very good at it. He liked designing buildings, he just couldn’t make them stand up — a big handicap in an industry that’s partial to keeping things upright. So he became an advertising copywriter, the highlight of which was creating an ad featuring Raymond Briggs’ The Snowman. He then tried his hand at writing his own stories and quickly realised there’s no magic formula. You just have to put one word in front of the other (and keep doing that for about six months). It also helps if you can resist the lure of surfing and drinking beer in a garden chair.
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for THE RAVENSWOOD MURDERS (Detective Alice Rossi Book #2) by Helen H. Durrant on this Books ‘n’ All Promotions Book Tour.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review, and the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!
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Book Blurb
Day 1. A young woman’s body is found in a shallow grave in the woods, buried in a white shroud. She’s been dead for a week. Her teeth are smashed in, her lips stitched together. Her hands are missing.
She’s the fourth young woman found like this.
With no witnesses, no clues and no leads to follow, the investigation is going nowhere.
That’s when Detective Alice Rossi is called in.
Alice knows this case is a poisoned chalice. Not least because she has a new team to contend with — who don’t like being bossed around by a woman.
Day 2. Sixteen-year-old Maggie Hewson is reported missing. She never came home from school, and her father is beside himself.
THE RAVENSWOOD MURDERS (Detective Alice Rossi Book #2) by Helen H. Durrant is a gripping serial killer mystery/police procedural featuring a mature female detective protagonist. While this is the second book in this series, it can easily be read as a standalone.
DCI Alice Rossi is assigned to take over the investigation of four teenage girls found mutilated and buried in Ravenswood that has stalled. Her superior has chosen her after her success with her last case and is hoping that fresh eyes on the case can catch this serial killer. The most recent grave was found within the week and the dead girl has left a clue embroidered in her homemade shroud.
When a fifth girl goes missing, Rossi is in a fight against time with a team she is not sure she can trust.
I enjoyed this second book’s plot and pace much better than the first and I am glad I continued with the series because I had high hopes for this new protagonist and series. I like that DCI Rossi is a mature female investigator and she needs all her talent and skill with the number of possible suspects in this case. The plot has several subplots interwoven in this story that did not detract from the main investigation, but added to the complex reality of the case and they also did not slow the pace. I always enjoy it when I am guessing right up to the end.
I recommend this thrilling serial killer mystery/police procedural and all this author’s books.
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Author Bio
Helen is one of the ‘baby boomer’ generation and began writing when she retired from her job at a local college. Born in Edinburgh to an English father and Scottish mother the family settled in a Pennine village between the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire. It is an environment which has shaped her stories. Writing is a second career and, despite having a bus pass, keeps her busy, and tuned in.
Helen’s children are all grown-up and she has five grandchildren.
