Inner Compass

by Margo Moon

Someone is killing poachers in Tennessee's Appalachian foothills, and Canadian journalist Alexis Jule wants to investigate. So she wangles an assignment to show up before hunting season begins, hoping to get her bearings and talk to the locals. Her first interview is with a female hermit. But Faye Carson turns out to be like no hermit Alex could have ever imagined. Faye is also a chief suspect in the murders, and Alex finds herself navigating the rocky terrain of falling in love with a woman at the center of a murder investigation.

Inner Compass traces the limits of romantic rivalry and spans the gamut of responses to it - from tender acceptance to calculated murder.

Genres: Romance

252 pages, Paperback

First published July 25, 2013

About the author

Margo Moon is a lesbian author living on five acres with her partner, a big pack of dogs, a large pride of felines and a 3-horse herd. She has a perpetual student loan payment, and like all living creatures, she longs for something she hasn't quite found.

Margo is lucky enough to have her own little piece of Kentucky soil called Happy Hands Ranch, where they live by the motto: KEEP YOUR HANDS HAPPY!

Reviews

[Terry Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Journalist Alexi Jule, (Alex) is on an assignment to investigate the killing of some poachers in the Appalachian Foothills, Tennessee. Alex turns up before the hunting season begins, hoping to get settled in and chat to the locals. Alex’s first interview is with a local hermit, Faye Carson. From the moment Alex met Faye, she was smitten. Faye isn’t like any hermit Alex could have imagined. Unfortunately, Faye is also the number one suspect in the murders. Alex has to negotiate the rocky road of falling in love with the woman central to the murder investigation. What will her inner compass lead her to?

Faye is used to being alone with her animals and has been for years. She’s also hiding a past that may interfere with her future. But, truth be told, she’s just as smitten as Alex. Will Faye reveal her past to Alex in order to move on?

This story is a well written, beautifully woven tale of mystery, intrigue and murder. It also has a sweet and tender romance at it’s heart.

This is Margo Moon’s second book and she is showing true promise in being a top notch, up and coming lesbian fiction writer.

I loved the scenic settings, so well described, I lost myself totally in amongst the characters.

There are three main characters, all are fully developed and multi faceted. They are joined by a brilliant cast of secondary characters to enable the story to go forward in it’s tumultuous journey to the end.

Alex and Faye quickly fall in love. Hovering on the edge of their romance is Chloe, Alex’s ex lover and her long time best friend. Surprisingly, all three women get on very well together after an initial distrust on Chloe’s part, without the usual jealousies sometimes encountered by ex’s and new partners. However, when Chloe meets Jessica, things do get a little more difficult for Chloe.

This book is more than a regular mystery/romance. There are a lot of emotional highs and lows as well as some extremely hilarious moments. There is a lot of ground covered in this book. Look out for Sheriff Lindegaard!

I enjoyed meeting Faye’s animals, Colt the dog and Castor and Pollux the two cats. They all played a good role in the story as well as adding to the amusement.

I think one of my favorite characters was Theory James. a colorful character with an uncanny ability to see things no one else can. I’d love to get to know her better. I would dearly love a sequel to this book. There is a lot more these characters have to tell us. We haven’t heard how Chloe and Jessica get on yet. Hint, hint.

If you love a good mystery, a romance and animals, give this book a try.

I’m looking forward to reading more from Margo Moon in the not too distant future.

[David Ketelsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

While there's a mystery at the heart of Inner Compass the book is far more concerned with how love germinates and blooms--and sometimes goes dormant for a time. The central story revolves around Alex Jule, a 38 year old newspaper essayist from Toronto, who is investigating a series of murders committed a year ago in Eastern Tennessee. Those murdered were all poaching deer at the time and hunting season starts in just 3 weeks. Will the murders commence again?

As Alex investigates her story she finds love, mayhem, kidnapping and a new place to call home. There's a lot of interesting characters along the way and in the end the culprit is uncovered. What more could you ask for?

One thing that piqued my curiosity was the lifestyle of Faye Carson, a hermit in the area and one of the suspects in the murders. She lived in a one-room cabin deep in the woods---a 45 minute walk from any highway---but seemed to have plenty of electrical appliances and lots of money. I wish there was more backstory on her so the reader would know how Faye arrived at this place, deep in the mountains of Tennessee. I guess part of being a hermit is being secretive and mysterious.

This book is an interesting treatment on how relationships focus and change people.

[Vicki Lathim · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a love story more than a mystery.