Source: Publisher
Description: Beth Rivers is still in Alaska. The unidentified man who kidnapped her in her home of St. Louis hasn’t been found yet, so she’s not ready to go back.
But as October comes to a close, Benedict is feeling more and more like her new home. Beth has been working on herself: She’s managed to get back to writing, and she’s enjoying these beautiful months between summer and winter in Alaska.
Then, everything in Benedict changes after a mudslide exposes a world that had been hidden for years. Two mud-covered, silent girls appear, and a secret trapper’s house is found in the woods. The biggest surprise, though, is a dead and frozen woman’s body in the trapper’s shed. No one knows who she is, but the man who runs the mercantile, Randy, seems to be in the middle of all the mysteries.
Unable to escape her journalistic roots, Beth is determined to answer the questions that keep arising: Are the mysterious girls and the frozen body connected? Can Randy possibly be involved? And―most importantly―can she solve this mystery before the cold wind sweeping over the town and the townspeople descends for good?
Genre: Mystery
Why I Picked This Book: I've read some of Shelton's cozies and enjoyed them so I was really curious about her darker books - plus the premise just seemed so intriguing!
My Impression: Well this was definitely not a cozy! But it's not really a grisly police procedural either - instead walking a line somewhere in the middle. Beth is the main character who has some law enforcement in her background, an aptitude for investigating thanks to her obsessed somewhat unstable mother, a flourishing career writing thrillers, and a seriously traumatic backstory. This is the second book in the story and I had no trouble figuring out Beth's story or who was who in Benedict.
The mystery is multi-layered. Who is the body in the shed and what is the identity of the two little girls who appeared out of nowhere. There are past tragedies and general unhappiness involved as well as lots of unanswered questions compounded by the fact that people in Benedict keep themselves to themselves. Parts of the conclusion seemed somewhat out of left field but that didn't keep me from enjoying the read and wanting to know just what would happen next.
I really like the town of Benedict and am looking forward to going back. I can't wait to see more of Orin, Gril, and Viola and I hope Ellen returns in the next book. As well I can't wait to find out if any of the mysteries from Beth's past are ever solved.
Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Definitely! I'm really curious to see how this series progresses.
Would I Recommend this Book? Absolutely! This was a good in between subgenre mystery in a great setting with interesting characters.
* I received this book in exchange for an honest review. As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *
Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Definitely! I'm really curious to see how this series progresses.
Would I Recommend this Book? Absolutely! This was a good in between subgenre mystery in a great setting with interesting characters.
* I received this book in exchange for an honest review. As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *
Thank you for the review. The series is new to me.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read any of her books, cozy or otherwise. I do like the sound of this one and will have to give Shelton a try.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a pretty good mystery!
ReplyDeleteI like the sound of this. I'll have to add it to my wishlist.
ReplyDeleteI need to try these out because I only thought she wrote cozies!
ReplyDeleteI reviewed this today too, lol. I thought the first book was better but I liked this one. I agree about some things coming out of left field. Nice review!
ReplyDeleteHmm not sure it is for me, but the setting is one I like. However all those revealed dead bodies - ouch.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds really good. I haven't read this author before but I will have to add this series to my wishlist.
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