THE WRITE WAY TO CATCH A KILLER by Beth Prentice
Fiction, Cozy Mystery
5*****
Blurb: A cold case. A grieving family. A killer who’s been walking free for eighteen months. Cozy mystery author Aubrey Jackson thought the hardest part of her week would be trying to turn a blank page into the hopefully-bestselling follow-up to her debut novella. Then Detective Jacob Tate shows up with news that shatters what’s left of her family—her sister Emily’s fatal car accident wasn’t an accident at all. It was murder. And before Aubrey can catch her breath, the police pull her brother, Corey, in for questioning. Certain Corey is innocent, Aubrey starts digging through her sister’s old planner, half-forgotten emails, and a tangle of secrets that Emily had been keeping from everyone, including Aubrey. With her best friend (and secret crush) Spencer by her side, Aubrey uncovers a trail of stolen money, buried affairs, and a mysterious stranger with a spider tattoo who might hold all the answers. Only problem? Detective Tate—brooding, infuriating, and entirely too easy to fall for—keeps getting in her way. Or is it that Aubrey can’t stop thinking about him? Can Aubrey catch her sister’s killer…before they decide to write Aubrey’s final chapter? Or will digging up the past cost her everything she has left?
THOUGHTS: I had fun with this story. It’s actually a story within a story – sort of. Aubrey is a writer working on her second cozy mystery book. While she is at that, there’s a real murder mystery going on in her life. Her sister, Emily, died in a car crash eighteen months ago. A tragic accident–or was it? When Detective Jacob Tate shows up with suggestions that Emily might have been murdered, Aubrey’s life takes a deep dive. But when Tate suspects Aubrey’s brother of doing the deed… Aubrey is shattered. And determined to prove his innocence (at least in this–her brother isn’t exactly the poster boy for good behavior). And while she’s investigating, she’s also writing her second book – and you get to see excerpts from it. And even better, it’s a real book called “Shore to Kill” (which I read and reviewed!).
There are a lot of suspects in the story. In both stories. But with the help of friends and a lot of sleuthing on her own, Aubrey figures out what’s going on, but not without facing danger. And she has two handsome men who would like her to think they’re special. And friends who will always be there for her.
Recommended.
Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
