The Ruth Valley Missing

Jameson Quinn Mysteries #1

by Amber West

RONE AWARD FINALIST! Jameson Quinn is sick of trying to find herself in the big city. After a gallery opening ends in a trip to the ER and an argument with her self-involved boyfriend, she decides to take off for the peace and quiet of a small town — Ruth Valley. The small town has everything Brooklyn simple people, peaceful surroundings, and a feeling of safety. Jameson even finds the perfect house to rent from the town’s most eligible bachelor, Sheriff Jack. Life is finally headed in a promising direction. But something isn't right. A young man is mysteriously injured, then disappears — and Jameson finds he isn't the only person to suddenly vanish. The suspicious behavior of an abrasive nun and a creepy priest set her off on an investigation of what's really happening. Will she figure out the secrets of Ruth Valley before she's the next to go missing?

Genres: Mystery, Horror, Suspense, Fiction, Romance, Amazon, Thriller

277 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 8, 2012

About the author

Amber West is a Northeastern transplant dodging rodent sized bugs and sweltering heat in the jungles of Central Florida. When she isn’t battling the urge to pass out, she’s busy being a wife, mother, geek, and writer, in no particular order.

You can find her on Instagram & Threads (@ambernwest).

Reviews

[Alyson Grauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a stellar example of blending suspense with charming location-based characters. I felt the textures of Ruth Valley as clearly as though I were studying photographs, and I could practically smell the coffee brewing in the next room anytime it was mentioned. Amber West does a rock star job with a witty but faulty heroine who keeps us intrigued and still manages to avoid cliches, and the cast of supporting roles is neither too big nor too small. The mystery unwinding in Ruth Valley isn't typical or obvious in any way and it takes a while for the reader to adjust to the light of "small town perfection," which is what helps build the suspense without readers having to be hit over the head with it.

As a usually genre-specific (read: sci-fi, fantasy, steampunk, spec fic) reader, every now and then I like to step out of my usual little boxes and read something out of the ordinary for me. I am terribly glad I nabbed this opportunity (read: won a Doctor Who trivia contest on the author's twitter and got a copy) to read West's THE RUTH VALLEY MISSING because it was a huge breath of fresh air, complete with white knuckled, breath-holding anticipation and delight.

Like character based plot? Like just a dash of the unexpected and a pinch of the suspenseful? Read this, and join me in wishing for more. Sequel, anyone?

[Chris Winfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ruth Valley Missing by Amber West is a delicious cozy mystery. I started reading it expecting a
paranormal account of a small town engaged in human sacrifice. Amber West surprised me when her
story turned out to be a small town murder mystery.
Jameson Quinn wakes up in a New York emergency room suffering a very mild concussion because of
her head coming in hard contact with a wall during an art gallery opening she attended with her self
absorbed boyfriend, Dylan. Dylan doesn't know she was injured, showing up at her apartment
after she's discharged from the hospital. Jameson (James to all her friends, except Dylan) is an
obnoxious ass to her, and she throws him out of her apartment. A few days later, she deices to move
to Ruth Valley, North Carolina, to make a new start, and to get beyond Dylan.
As James settles into her new rental house (with the town's sheriff as her landlord) James goes about
trying to fit in. That's when Ruth Valley's odd ball citizens lead James into a terrifying mystery, and the
fun begins.

Something's not right Ruth Valley, people are missing for no apparent reason, so Jamison (James)
Quinn gets herself entangled in a terrifying mystery. She's determined to discover what's going on,
and who's responsible. She doesn't know who to trust: Creepy Father Mike (who James knows is
creepy as they come, but that's only because he's creepy), ruggedly handsome manly man Sheriff Jack
(Definitely not creepy in James's book. Kinda hot, really.), or the frightening gaggle is nuns lead by
Sister Marjorie (Definitely untrustworthy. Did I mention terrifyingly creepy?).

The Ruth Valley Missing is an entertainingly quick read. The 50 chapters are short and to the point. I
felt the dialogue flowed smoothly for the most part (Not even Michener or Assimov were what they were
cracked up to be when it came to dialogue.), and moved the story along quickly. Amber West does a
fantastic job of casting suspicion on suspicious characters, and deflecting it from characters you
should be on your list of usual suspects. All the clues are there for the reader to figure out.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Ruth Valley Missing. Amber West weaves a tale with deliciously screwball
characters, evil doers (troublingly obvious, and even more troublingly not-so-obvious) and angels in
creepy clothing. I give it 5 stars.

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story plot was good, but could have been better if it and some of the characters had been developed some more. There were some large holes that left me wondering "Why?" a lot of the time. I was also dissapointed at the end when one of the main characters did a 180 degree turn in personality. Again, I didn't think the change was fully explained.

[Ginney Etherton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This a good story, with enough action and believable dialogue to keep me turning pages. The protagonist, Jameson, is an interesting, likable chick who gets herself into trouble, which makes a good, character-driven piece. There were a couple of places that stopped me, with awkward language or confusing action, but not so many to be unforgivable. For a first novel, this is well-written. I'd recommend it to readers who like strong-willed women characters.

[Angela Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It had an engaging opening and I liked the main character, Jameson, right away. The story follows James as she leaves the big city in favor of a small town and settles in there. If I hadn't known from the book description that this was a mystery, I might have been confused, because aside from a few subtle hints at people being "off," the actual hinky stuff doesn't come into play until about 35-40% in. However, that's not a real complaint because I was perfectly satisfied reading about Jameson and her interactions with the quaint townsfolk. Once the mystery part gets under way, it doesn't bore either, and I felt it refreshingly not-predictable. (Although, I did have a couple hunches, but I attribute that to watching too many Criminal Minds.) Regardless, the whole story was very entertaining. One of the things that stuck out to me was the dialogue, which felt very natural and witty. I like smart writing, and this was it for me.

[Crystal (Books Are Sanity!!!) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I literally read this book in one sitting. ONE. I couldn't put it down and I kept thinking just one more chapter, but it wasn't enough! I was quickly caught up in Jameson's story and the more I read, the more I wanted to know. The underlying mystery kept me on my toes until the very end! The book is well written and flows nicely and I couldn't get enough of it! The characters were like people you would meet in any town, anywhere. They became real to me as did the town. I wasn't expecting to stay up until after 1am to finish it, but it was a page turner! A great blend of mystery, small town charm and romance, The Ruth Valley Missing is a book you don't want to miss! A new fan of Amber West, I look forward to reading more from her soon!

I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

[RYCJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging! Fabulously well paced, so well paced it can be read in one sitting, although I preferred curling up with this one in several sittings. The characters were remarkably defined, particularly for pacing as fierce. The dialogue, which captures at least 70% of the story, reads genuine. I actually fell out of the chair laughing at that first confessional between Father Mike and Jameson. Too funny. Also, and this is fairly important since it is a mystery story, in the opening everyone seems suspect, minus very, very few--only two characters by my count. That's one part that held me captive; reading all of the red flags. Overall, I'd say this mystery is peculiarly charming cloaked behind a meaningful title. Great job.

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5.0

What a great mystery! Amber West weaves the intricacies of the characters just enough to like or dislike them, while parceling out the tidbits of information expertly enough that one can never be sure of who to trust.

Full review in March 2013 issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I decided to give this 5 stars because it turned out to be such an excellent mystery. There were a lot of details that took me completely by surprise. This is an excellent book, especially for a first novel. I hope Amber West has some more books for us in the future.

[Shannon Bevis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book and was one that kept me wanting to not lay the Kindle down.

[Pam Ammerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by this author and I LOVED it. I will definitely be reading more of her works!

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, Chris, for recommending this read to me. It was all you said it was, and more! It was free with Kindle Unlimited when I picked it up, but it is free either way, right now. It is worth the read!

Tired of city life, Jameson Quinn, finds a quaint little town to call home. But you know how small towns are, she barely arrived and everyone knew her name and business. But that wasn't her problem. She welcomed that layer of openness after not knowing any of her neighbors back in the big city. She made a couple friends right away and found a great little two story cabin to live in on the sheriff's property. What could go wrong? This is a town where no one locks their doors. Safe, right? Then she gets involved in the church.

The first half of the book is dedicated to getting to know James and her new neighbors. But the second half moves so much faster as the suspense grows, danger around every corner. Who can you trust? How can you help your friends? Wow! I couldn't stop reading. I had to see what was going to happen.

The ending? Well, threads were tied up. But I would sure like to know what the next part of Jameson's life is about. Please, Amber West, write a book two! This was fun!

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great, quick read. It is captivating, funny and suspenseful. The characters were engaging. I love James! I love other characters too but I don't want a spoiler in my review so read the book and I'm sure you'll fall in love; fall in love with the quirky writing, quick wit, and people that you'd like to have a cup of tea and a brownie with before you head out on an adventure. I wanted to know what was going to happen next and I wasn't disappointed.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this is a short book, it is quite the thriller. Amber West makes us really like her main character and then worry for her as she goes on the journey of her like, escaping the big city life for what she hopes will be a quieter life in a small town. Instead she stumbled onto a crazy mystery that leaves her uncertain about who she should trust!

If you like thrillers, this one is for you. It is short, and you will devour it!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the main character-Jameson. She is quirky and funny. There is a ton of dialogue in this book, which can come off forced, but this author did a great job of making it natural and believable. Even though the author did a great job of casting guilt around at different characters all my guesses turned out right (with the exception of 1, but I don't want to spoil anything), thus it was too predictable. Still, it was a fun, quick story.

[Morgan Dragonwillow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amber West is masterful at building the suspense and getting you to want to know more! This book kept me up late into the night and then I had to pick it back up first thing in the morning to keep reading. Jameson Quinn is a lovable character that seems to find trouble wherever she is and has the courage to stick it out no matter what. I can't wait to read more of this character and from this author.

[Miss Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished reading The Ruth Valley Missing. It was a wonderful read. The characters were all so fun. The plot was great. Never quite could figure everything out...even until the last page. I would definitely recommend this book. Hope to see more books from this author. Maybe even a Jameson Quinn Series?????

[Denise Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruth valley missing

I. found this to be a truley interesting book. I enjoyed the fact that I was caught off guard witch doesn't happen often for me I'm pretty good at figuring out who did it and who was really involved pretty quickly in a mystery! This one totally threw me for a loop with the Sheriff lol good job!

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect book! The author knew just when to elaborate and just when to stop on ever topic. I loved it! Scary, romantic and unpredictable. The end broke my heart a little but still turned out great. I loved this book so much!

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this book 5 stars but it was probably 4.5. Not to give anything away but there were some loose ends that were left loose at the end in my opinion. But was quite good on the whole. All the characters like able even the creepy priest. Read it you won't be sorry.

[Sandi Blaylock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I've been in a reading slump. But this book helped me to get my groove back. Thx Anne for loaning it to me. A very enjoyable read. Just flipping pages wondering what was going on. You'll love it.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this little story. Touched with romance and suspense The Ruth Valley Missing also at times was witty and charming. I would love to read more of Amber West's stories as this one kept me reading virtually non-stop!

[Staci · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Stephen King-esque thriller that doesn't disappoint. My only complaint is that I wanted more. More Jameson Quinn please!

[Brett Jonas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book! I really hope the author writes a sequel. ;)

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly couldn't put it down. Really hoping that the author makes this a series :) loved the characters. Bummed about one of them, thrilled about the other. Totally recommend reading it.

[April Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

refreshing and unpredictable.. a page turner with so much suspense is hard to put down.. relatable characters and wonderfully written! Can't wait to read more from this author

[Kristen Otankis · Rating 3 out of 5]

pretty predictable

[Chelsea Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read!

I must say I wasn't sure what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I would definitely recommend!

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly couldn't put it down. Really hoping that the author makes this a series :) loved the characters. Bummed about one of them, thrilled about the other. Totally recommend reading it.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and quick reading. Loved it!