This is the first book in a new series from writer Melinda Woodhall, after the Mercy Harbor series. I hadn't read the Mercy Harbor series fully, but it’s also set in Willow Bay and some of the characters do make a reappearance.
When a celebrity author Portia Hart dies under mysterious circumstances in a hotel room, Willow Bay’s police begin a hunt for a ruthless serial killer who will stop at nothing to hide his true identity. Veronica Lee, a star reporter for the Channel 10 news, is determined to investigate Portia's untimely demise too. As the death toll keeps rising, Veronica finally uncovers the killer’s motives. But will she be able to catch the killer, before the killer reaches her?
This is not a regular whodunit or a murder mystery. This one is a part police procedural and part thriller. It starts with a murder and the police are in a race against time to catch the culprit before he commits more killings. What begins is a deadly game of cat & mouse, with the antagonist always a step ahead. The story is well written with plenty of thrilling moments and revelations. The characters are well developed and the several storylines do not distract from the main plot. The story remains fast-paced throughout and it never slows down. The suspense builds slowly which makes the story immensely readable.
Though Veronica Lee is the central character of the series, Veronica had very little to do in the story, which I found a bit odd. Maybe she has a more prominent role later in the series. Also, not being acquainted with any of the characters before, I didn’t connect with their personal storylines. Maybe a bit of introduction to the characters or a prologue could have helped.
Overall, this was an exciting start to a new series. It had a thrilling storyline and some great characters. If you are looking for a nice thriller series, this is a good series to start.
Many thanks to the publishers Creative Magnolia and BookSirens for the ARC.
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