Rating: Just Okay
Source: NetGalley
Description: Gin Sullivan is back in Pittsburgh on an extended leave from her job at the Chicago medical examiner's office and rekindling an old flame with her high school sweetheart, Jake. Gin is readjusting to life at home when Jake receives harrowing news early one morning. The new housing development his construction firm is building has caught fire and underneath one of the burnt homes is a dead body. When the body is identified as a man who may very well be the violent offender who terrified Gin's childhood town years ago, the pool of suspects broadens and it becomes a greater challenge to pinpoint his killer. Gin is determined to unearth old demons, hers included, but soon finds some people will kill to keep them buried. Small town secrets cast daunting shadows in All the Secret Places, Anna Carlisle's riveting second Gin Sullivan mystery.
Genre: Mystery
Why I Picked This Book: I really like that the main character is from the medical examiner's office and that this seemed to focus on an older mystery.
My Impression: I wanted to like this one - I really really did. I love a medical examiner MC and am always on the lookout for one since Beverly Connor seems to have stopped writing my favorite Diane Fallon series a decade ago. This one sounded like it might fit the bill but it came up a little short. It isn't bad - in fact I found it incredibly readable with excellent pacing but I can't say I especially enjoyed it either..
I found it to be more character driven than I like my mysteries to be and to have serious leanings towards the overwrought side. Gin has a lot going on - she's recovering from a devastatingly personal case (book #1), trying to figure out her relationship with her parents, trying to determine what to do with her life, and navigate an increasingly complicated relationship with her former high school sweetheart/ current significant other Jake. There's also quite a lot of business trouble for Jake and political issues between Gin, Jake and the police department who were convinced Jake committed murder in the previous book.
While the mystery itself was solid I felt like it was overshadowed by the personal drama and conflict which kept me from fully enjoying this mystery. That said, this was an easy mystery to be pulled into. Even when I was irritated by Gin's or one of the other character's behavior I was never tempted to put the book down and I felt invested enough that I did want to see how everything worked out.
Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Probably not. While I do think there are a lot of positives in this book I don't think Carlisle is the author for me.
Would I Recommend this Book? If you enjoy a character led mystery I think you might enjoy this one.
I'm sorry this one was disappointing. Sounds like there is a lot going on in the side lines of this one. Hopefully you are enjoying your current read much better!
ReplyDeleteI've had books before too, where I go in expecting to LOVE it, and just don't. I'm sorry this didn't quite work for you. Although it sounds like it wasn't horrible. Gin is a peculiar first name. Is it short for Ginny or anything?
ReplyDeleteIts disappointing when the book does not live up to your expectations.
ReplyDeleteI normally like character led books, though I don't know if this one would appeal to me.
ReplyDeleteAw, sorry it didn't meet your hopes.
ReplyDeleteAw bummer this one didn't work. Small town secrets are always good but yeah it sounds like a bit to much going on other than the central mystery.
ReplyDeleteYou know while the mystery was short this sounds like one I just might enjoy because some of your minuses might be okay for me. Oh well, you'll have to keep looking for that good replacement for your last fav series.
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