There are just some characters that, no matter what, you will always remember and want to know more about. Odessa Jones is one of those characters. In the second book from the “An Odessa Jones Mystery” series, A Fatal Glow, Dessa finds herself on the brink of change, but not all change is good. When the opportunity to cater a wealthy businessman's brunch is thrust at her, Dessa can’t say no. But her second sight is telling her to run in the opposite direction, fast. Unfortunately, she doesn’t listen and finds herself at the center of a murder investigation.
Odessa is a widow trying her best to get her catering business back up and running while holding down a realtor job. She has second sight, a form of psychic ability, but sometimes it’s a curse, not a blessing. When her catering job, a brunch, ends in murder and she becomes a suspect, she has no choice but to jump in to clear her name. There are plenty of other suspects, and they all have an excellent motive to commit murder, but finding out which one is the guilty party puts Dessa’s life in danger. Red herrings are thrown into the mix to make Dessa’s job even harder, and her second sight doesn’t help unravel this murder.
It's hard not to like Odessa, harder still not to cheer for her as she delves into the murder and the future. The brunch seems like a changing point for her and her friends, and her second sight might become more useful as changes become inevitable. This story is written well, suspects are easy to find and understandable, and returning characters add a touch of family to the entire story. The killer once revealed, will have readers smiling and nodding in appreciation. This is a series readers will return to with each new book and will want to see Dessa succeed in her catering business and her life. The characters in this book aren’t easily understandable if you haven’t read the first book, so I highly advise that readers do that before reading this one. I wouldn’t mind having a bit of Dessa’s second sight, and I definitely would love to attend a brunch she caters. A Fatal Glow is a wonderful read, with wonderful characters, and a plot that will keep you guessing.