Softly, She Floats: A Katlyn Snowden mystery

by Natalie Stefan

Prepare for a heart-pounding journey through the chilling labyrinth of a town's secrets, where every whisper is a lie and danger lurks behind every softly spoken word.
Katlyn's detective skills are put to the test as the body count rises. With her loyal partner Colin by her side, she delves deep into the twisted mind of a murderer who leaves no trace. But as the investigation intensifies, Katlyn's own past demons resurface, threatening to consume her.
With a tight-knit community on the brink of panic, and her own life in danger, Katlyn must confront her own secrets and untangle a web of deceit that hits too close to home. In "Softly, She Floats," the line between hunter and hunted blurs, and the true face of evil may be closer than she ever imagined. Can she unveil the killer's identity before the darkness claims its next victim?

290 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 21, 2023

Reviews

[Thea Mae · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Softly, She Floats” by O. N. Stefan is the second book of the Kat Snowden series. This book follows our erstwhile heroine Kat, her own discovery of a body on the beach has stymied her decision to resign from the police force. Determined to find the victim’s killer, Kat embarks on an investigation with her partner, Colin, that is not without its hurdles.

This is an engaging murder mystery and readers will find it a page-turner. Stefan drops hints and red herrings throughout the book, leaving the reader guessing the true killer. Kat as a character is your typical hard-as-nails female cop archetype who won’t apologize for her commitment to her job, even when it comes at odds with her pledge to be a present mom. (Frequently, readers may be frustrated to see Kat acting against her own best interests, but that’s what makes for an engaging character and an interesting read!)

At times, Stefan relies a bit too much on the unhelpful-authority-figure trope to add conflict instead of organic obstacles, but it does not detract from the enjoyment of the plot. It’s unclear what Kat’s age is, which could help in assessing her character: was she a young mom now in her early 30s fighting the old guard? or is she a middle-aged cop getting back into the swing of her career? The time period of the story is also in question as it seems to be current, but the investigative methods seemed outdated, and contemporary search techniques that have been standard in cop media for at least the past decade were not present. Readers may be scratching their heads that Kat and her team don’t repeatedly employ common sense.

Readers looking for a good rainy day or bead read who enjoy women-led crime thrillers will do well to pick up this book for a fun popcorn read. Those looking for a more substantial and cerebral intrigue might do best to stick to some of the more popular pulp authors like Tom Clancy.

[Sharli Kaltenbach · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this series, however. I noticed a few times in the previous book where things were repeated. In this one Lucy was called Millie twice near the end. That being said, this is an interesting mystery. Everyone is so afraid of saying anything even though a young girl has been murdered. I look forward to the next book, hoping the other ongoing mystery is also solved.

[Martine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katlyn left the police force. When she stumbles upon a dead body on her walk along the coast she decides to return for this case. This is such a good book. It's a really nice addition to this series. I can't wait for book 3 to be published.
I received a review copy for free and I’m leaving a voluntary and honest review.

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, Lucy!!! She seems to be the only thing that is working correctly!!! I enjoyed this story as far as it went and recommended the book.