Summary
Showing up at the site of a murder was a mistake. Her kid needed a bathroom. The rookie cops hadn’t secured the scene well. But after just a few moments, Andrea Stern had theories about the crime. It was an instinct she had used to help the FBI catch a serial killer. Before.
Kenny starts covering the murder for the local paper. It’s a constant blow to his ego to be working at such a rag. He used to be a “real” reporter. He had won a Pulitzer for heaven’s sake. Before.
Andrea and Kenny knew each other as teens. They left home and found success and notoriety. And then lost it all – the dream careers, the respect, the potential futures. But maybe they each could revisit the lives they left behind – if they can work together to solve this murder.
Review
Maybe I should have picked a romance to review for Valentine’s Day, but this was next up on my list, so today’s the day to talk about it! Wow. This is fantastic!
I picked this up because I came across the sequel in the bookstore – The Self-Made Widow. And I rarely start a series in the middle. So I bought this, and it sat on my TBR for ages. But I was in the mood for a mystery, so I picked this up to try.
For the first quarter of the book, I was absolutely captivated by Andrea and Kenny. They don’t feel like the usual protagonists for a story like this. Andrea’s profiling and observational skills are spooky good. And she and Kenny are both in this “How did I get here”/”Is this my life now?” emotional space, wondering if they’ve left their best days behind them. And that angle to their characters grabbed me and wouldn’t let go.
Then, once the mystery developed, I couldn’t put the book down. I had to see how all the pieces would come together. I enjoyed the twists and layers of this. It’s all brilliant. Mystery fans should not miss this one – I highly recommend it! I can’t wait to dig into book 2.
I would list a trigger warning for marginalized people. There’s racism and homophobia displayed by some of the characters, and it’s ugly at times. (Language)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*
*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.