Ashes in the Pines

by Chad Alan Gibbs

After solving two cold case murders during her sophomore year—not to mention getting expelled, arrested, and nearly killed—Izzy Brown longs for a normal teenage summer. A summer that, at a bare minimum, won’t involve a murderous psycho holding her at gunpoint.

Seeking a fresh start, Izzy moves north with her family to Ashes in the Pines, a resort town in the Appalachian Mountains. There she lands a job at Fuller Farms, the luxury summer camp of choice for children of the uber-rich. A camp that Izzy’s best friend, Elton Jones-Davies, happens to be attending.

But then Izzy learns she wasn’t hired to serve meals in the Fuller Farms dining hall. She was hired to solve the murder of a camp counselor seventeen years earlier. Izzy and Elton try to unravel the camp’s deadly secrets but are thwarted at every step by those who want to hide the truth. So much for a normal teenage summer.

Set in 2009 during the Great Recession and the first wave of the opioid epidemic, Ashes in the Pines is the third book in the Izzy and Elton Mystery Series.

360 pages, Paperback

Published May 23, 2024

About the author

Chad Alan Gibbs is the award-winning author of Two Like Me and You, The Rome of Fall, and The Izzy and Elton Mystery Series. He lives in Auburn, Alabama with his wife and two sons.

Reviews

[ItaPixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ashes In The Pines is a terrific novel.

This is the second book I've read written by this author, his wording is enticing and engaging, the flow is well paced and every little revelation is useful to solve the case.

Izzy Brown is back in the US, she is back living with her mother and brother after her little european parenthesis. She wants to survive the Summer in Ashes In The Pines without getting involved in some other ugly cold murder. She gets a job at the renowned Fuller Farms camp for rich kids, in order to help her family getting on, but pretty soon she discover that the owner's son was brutally killed in 1992. Will Izzy succeed to spend the Summer as a common teen or will she spend it investigating?

I love Izzy. She is my favourite girl, she is likable even if she is a flawed character. She is not able to stay out of trouble. She is resilient and never give up. She is also loyal and fight for give justice to the victims. I hope her life gets easier, at times I only want to give her a hug.

Chad Alan Gibbs wrote a well thought out mystery, full of drama, corruption and depravation, with characters that carry on the story.

I highly recommend this novel, and to also read the previous books in the series, because for me you can't miss this amazing teen sleuth.

Copy kindly provided by the Publisher/Author.

[Leonie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was OMG! I need more of Izzy and Elton because the twists and turns this book had on me was really intense and I don’t have the words to express my feelings all I’m going to say is read this whole three book series and you’ll understand the five stars I gave cannot wait for the duo to return Mr Gibbs made me in love with them a lot I’m obsessed

[David Shirk · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most cohesive and creative book yet in the Izzy & Elton series - a combination of murder mystery and Shakespearean tragedy. As with Bardo by the Sea and Graves upon Bones, a decades old murder is unraveled and the small town of Ashes in the Pines is left smoldering.

The style reminds me a bit of Veronica Mars - dark, but clever and witty.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ashes in the Pine by Chad Alan Gibbs is the third book in the Izzy and Elton mystery series. After solving two cold case murders during her sophomore year, Izzy Brown longs for a normal teenage summer. Seeking a fresh start, Izzy moves north with her family to Ashes in the Pines, a resort town in the Appalachian Mountains. There she lands a job at Fuller Farms, the luxury summer camp of choice for children of the uber-rich.

But then Izzy learns she wasn’t hired to serve meals in the Fuller Farms dining hall. She was hired to solve the murder of a camp counselor seventeen years earlier. Izzy and Elton try to unravel the camp’s deadly secrets but are thwarted at every step by those who want to hide the truth.

Ashes in the Pine is my favorite of the Izzy and Elton series. It had a unique storyline. The characters were all interesting, and the plot kept me guessing who was involved and what would happen next.

I would love to be friends with Izzy and Elton. They are quite a pair, and Izzy is just so funny and sarcastic. I love their banter, and I love Izzy's sense of humor and not being afraid to stand up for her beliefs.

The story revolves around the line between being the haves and have-nots and how much a person can get away with when they have money. I live in a small town and can see that juxtaposition.

I really enjoyed this book. I like the author's writing style and how he unfolds the story. He creates believable characters. The story's location added another dimension to the plot.

I would recommend this book and this series. I am anxiously waiting for the next one!

@Chad_Gibbs

[Energy Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Izzy’s family has moved yet again. But she has her pill problem under control and has vowed to do no more investigating. Solving crimes is addicting, just like the pills Izzy pops for her headaches. She will be paid for her investigation this time, so even though she’s not telling her family what she’s up to, she feels it’s okay because she’s been hired. But there are a lot of suspects and even more secrets.

Here’s the thing with Izzy, she’s flawed, very flawed, and that makes her relatable. I wish she would speak to someone about her headaches and the pills she’s taking because the problem with painkillers is that they rewire your brain to fabricate pain to need more. So a lot of her headaches are probably because she’s taking the pills daily. Needing them to think clearly is a whole different situation, which speaks to the addiction she clearly hasn’t kicked.

“But what if there isn’t a right thing to do? Dad thought for a moment and shook his head. I guess you pick the least wrong thing and go with that.”

I loved this one. Elton was included so much more in the storyline, and felt truly like Izzy’s best friend. It was nice seeing him get more “screen time,” so to speak, because he’s a super fun character. I will always want more from this duo, and I will always want more for them. Izzy deserves so much in life, especially from her mother, who puts Axl first. She’s still inviting sketchy guys into their lives. But that’s how she is, and I’m not sure she’s capable of changing or needs to for the storyline. I love this series, and I loved this one. Non-stop action, interrogations, and secrets make this a nearly one-sit read.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the author/publisher for the ARC! Probably 4.5 stars on this one. I admit, I am addicted to this series. The characters are vivid and often had me chuckling out loud while reading (& that doesn’t happen very often when I read, no matter how much I like a book). I’ve read all the books in this series (& all the books by this author), and I find myself coming back again and again. He weaves a fun tale with some murder and some addiction and some messy love and some great friendships-what’s not to love? Izzy and Elton are the perfect duo to solve cold cases, and I loved seeing some of the same characters come back in again from the previous books. I will admit, while quirky, some of the characters and events aren’t completely realistic, which bugged me a bit, but that’s really the only fault I can find. And when those things happen and those characters come in, they still fit pretty well. This one had some heavy topics, including addiction that’s been in the previous books, and it adds in some sexual abuse in a couple characters’ pasts as well. I keep waiting anxiously for the crap to really hit the fan with Izzy with her life struggles, but I was happy to see Elton play a bigger role in this book and mystery as I felt that element was lacking in the last one. When I saw the little sneak of the next book, I was already itching to get my hands on it. If you like snark and humor and some teen mystery that doesn’t come at you in a soft way, this one will not disappoint. FYI profanity, talk of sexual situations and abuse, drug abuse/addiction, murder that is a little gruesome

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 3rd book in the Izzy and Elton mystery series, Ashes in the Pines finds the two at summer camp but not in a good way. Izzy thought she was just working to make some money for the summer but learns, instead, that the camp owner has other ideas. He dangles a promise of a large reward if Izzy is able to solve a murder that took place years earlier. She tries to resist but when Elton shows up at camp willing to help, and anxious to avoid any kind of physical activity with fellow campmates, they are off to the races. Trouble just seems to follow Izzy around, or is she just unable to resist looking for it? Things are not what they seem, and the suspense kept me guessing.

I truly love this series. Even though the two main characters are teens, they aren’t your regular teens. Wise beyond their years, and comical in an offbeat way, these books are such fun to read. The author has a real knack for dialogue which I find is sadly very often missing in a lot of novels I read. Well written, well plotted, this was another excellent read by Gibbs. I am so happy that we have not seen the last of Izzy and Elton. The author cleverly placed this series in a near distant past so we will hopefully be able to enjoy this quirky duo in many more adventures.
Looking forward to the next installment.

[Sherill Clontz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed continuing adventures of Izzy and Elton. I greatly enjoy Izzy's smart, snappy humor with enough cultural references to challenge Ted Lasso. As usual, there were a great number of twists and turns as they attempt to solve yet another cold case. But I confess my favorite part remains the characters, which continue to develop and steal my heart a bit more with every book.

I am grateful for the opportunity to preview this book prior to its launch and look forward to Izzy and Elton's next adventure!

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by far my favorite book in the series so far! I adore the main characters, Izzy and Elton. Izzy's quick wit and smart mouth is a stark contrast to the"by the book" on the spectrum Elton.
Izzy and her family have moved to Ashes in the Pines, and Izzy is certain her murder solving days are over. But after accepting a job at the Fuller Farms summer camp for rich kids, she realizes being hired wasn't by luck. Soon, Elton shows up for camp, and him and Izzy are hired by the camps owner to solve the murder of his son the summer of '92. But, as usual, Izzy sticks her freckled nose where it doesn't belong, and pretty soon, she finds herself and everyone she loves praying to make it out alive!

[Louisa Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 3rd in the series about Elton and Izzy! I’ve loved all 3 so far. I’ve met the author who lives in Auburn, AL. The series is about friends, Izzy snd Elton, and how they end up solving murders where they live. Just when I think I’ve got it all figured out, I find out I don’t! If you like murder mysteries, I highly suggest you read these. Read them in order or their relationship and references won’t make sense.

[Jimmy Parrish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chad Gibbs has done it again...He has kept me spellbound with his latest book in the "Izzy and Elton" series of clever teens solving murders. As his previous 2 books in the series, I joyfully read the book cover to cover in one sitting with surprises unfolding in the myriad of subplots. I can hardly wait until the next book in the series is released next year!

[Goodnwa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chad does it again! He brings the characters to life and creates a great storyline. I think Elton is my new favorite and I can picture him through Chad’s writing. The plot is great. Excellent work Chad!

[Jen Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed all of the Chad Allen Gibbs books. This one is no exception! I enjoy Izzy and Elton’s relationship and Izzy’s sass in general. This book was the perfect amount of mystery, funny and even a little dark. I’d recommend it to all my friends!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great addition to the Izzy and Elton series. Possibly the best one yet. Very well written and intelligent series that is fast-paced and engaging. Can't wait for the fourth one!

[Joseph Craven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strongest book in this fun little series so far.

[Jamie East · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just absolutely love this series of books. My teenager and I love to talk to each other as we read them. So fun.

[Poppy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is no secret that I am a big fan of Izzy and Elton. Every time I finish one of Gibbs' books, I am hopeful we will get another as I will never tire of the mysteries at the centre of this pairs' investigations. This time, another of my favourite tropes is thrown in - murder at a summer camp! 'Truly Devious' went there a couple of books back with disappointing results and so I was happy to read this gripping and twisty read.

Izzy gets a job at the summer camp Fuller Farms, soon realising she has really been hired to crack the cold case of the owner's son's brutal murder many years before. This is yet another community where the rich are corrupt and everyone is so unpleasant that they could legitimately be our murderer. Izzy is back on form putting the world to rights. Admittedly, her accusing people of murder all over the place and hoping something sticks gets a smidge repetitive in this book. However, Elton is on form. He is not only hilarious with his quips but his protectiveness of Izzy makes your heart want to burst.

As with the prior books, we follow Izzy and Elton alongside flashbacks to the summer of the murder. The pace is generally good and the reveals come at a satisfying clip. There is a small case of instalove at the beginning of the novel but the pay off was INCREDIBLE so bear with it.

Overall, an excellent addition to the series. Bring on mystery 4! 4.5 stars.

Thank you to the author and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.