Death in Travelers Rest

by J.A. Thompson, Jason Thompson

Middle school English teacher Jonas Turner thought breaking up a school fight would be the most interesting part of his day—but by late afternoon he is the prime suspect of a brutal murder, with a mountain of evidence pointing in his direction. Olivia Selman, the aspiring detective and first officer on the scene, is the only person in the investigation questioning his guilt. It’s up to this teacher and traffic cop to find the truth before Jonas is locked up for good.

With one crazy twist after another, their search for the killer will put both of their lives at risk.

Genres: Mystery

282 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 4, 2024

About the author

Author also writes as Jason Thompson

Reviews

[Erica Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm giving this a 5 star because this story takes place in my hometown, and making connections with all the places mentioned made this a SUPER fun read for me!! Loved the muder mystery and following all the leads with the main characters. I would consider it a mild thriller compared to most I read, and the faith of Jonas was honestly a refreshing take on this genre! Hopefully, the author will keep the local mentions coming.

[Melissa Golus · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about where I grew up in the location of this novel. I also enjoyed that it portrayed Christians in a positive light without making them perfect.

[Eleanor · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really hated this in so many ways. None of the characters resembled real humans, readers were rushed from scene to scene with no real emotional impact, and the mystery was laughably easy to figure out. Maybe the worst part was the fact that God and the Christian faith was sprinkled throughout with no real payoff except God might give you a hot cop girlfriend if you accept His plan. I do NOT recommend this book in any way.

[Cross Keller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished in one sitting, a real page turner. Unlike a lot of first time fiction writers, Thompson was able to keep me
guessing until the very end. The twists and turns throughout the book will have you running through 100 different scenarios in your head in this classic rendition of a “who dunnit”.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kept me guessing for most of the time!

Well written! It’s based in my hometown so it was cool to know the places referenced. Had no idea who did it until closer to the end.

[Amy Hallasy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who DunnIt in TR?
Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2025
This is a fun read with a surprise ending. Our book club really enjoyed reading it. We especially loved reading a book with a local setting. We don’t live far from Travelers Rest, and we recognized many local establishments 😁. Jason Thompson depicted true to life characters with convincing dilemmas. His knowledge of teaching, physical therapy practices, police investigations, and church communities are obvious. The descriptions and actions couldn’t have been more accurate! This is a fun page turner for sure.

[Heather Pitts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! By the second or third page I was hooked. The flow was steady with some unexpected twists but not so much as to suspend all belief. The balance of mystery, drama, and a hint of romance held my attention to the end.
Setting the narrative in my hometown created some fun nostalgia for me. I hope Thompson will continue writing; I would definitely put it on my must read list.

[Kenneth Grether · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great "who-dun it" with very interesting characters. The plot is very well put together and takes you on a fun and interesting roller coaster ride throughout! My prediction is you will not want to put this book down and you will be guessing until the very end. I highly recommend this well written crime thriller. I am looking forward to Mr Thompson's next novel as this is very well written.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I got hooked within first few pages. It was,also, of interest since it was situated in Travelers Rest and the Greenville Law Enforcement Center as I live in Greenville. It was great following the character leads. I didn’t figure out who the killer was until it was revealed. Great writing.

[Patt Moraza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this book up while visiting Travelers Rest SC at a local book store, having a writer/vendor event.

Well written and authentic to its surroundings. The story moves at a good pace and keeps you interested. I didn't quite figure it out but was heading in the right direction around the 32nd or so chapter. The last twist was definitely not what I was expecting. I will watch for other books by this author in the future. If you like a Thriller/mystery grab this book. It was worth the read.

[John Gestwicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

A murder mystery that checks all the boxes

The author appeared at our book club this week, and gave us a lot of insight to how he drew from some of his life experiences to create some of the characters and flow to his work. He is a good story teller, is passionately interested in this genre, and has strong creative skills. Our book club unanimously gave the author and his work a thumbs up!

[Will Lohnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent storyline and keen insights

If you're looking for a book that has a very good storyline, this is it. With a continuous drawing of interests, the author takes the time to set a murder mystery with particular skill. The characters are developed. The relationships are expanded with the final result being very unexpected. A perfect book for a weekend of reading.

[Dianne Heggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finally read this book. I don't normally read murder/mystery, but I know the author, so I read it. I loved it and couldn't put it down. All the twists and turns had me so anxious, I couldn't wait to find out the truth. I loved all the characters, loved the local references, and loved seeing God work as well. My hubby loved it, too! Great job, Jason!

[Joelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

surprisingly good!

I had the murder figured out pretty quickly but it was still a fun book to read. I’d love to read more books by this local author, hopefully he can bury the solution a little better next time. Lots of potential! Great character development!

[Jordan Louden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal! If you want an amazing page turning mystery, you have it with this book! It has all the perfect elements of a great murder mystery book. I could not put it down! And, I love that it is set in my home town. I can’t wait to see what happens next with Olivia and Jonas! Highly recommend!!

[Kathy Gilliland · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good murder mystery.

[Tere · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good mystery with some good twists. It’s a fast read but kept you in the story all the way thru!

[Allison Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good. But did I miss it…what made the circles?

[Suzette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great mystery--kept me guessing to the very end!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good first novel

Good police procedural with touch of amateur sleuth. Different from a lot of Christian suspense these days and that is nice. Look forward to more from this author.

[Caryn Schultz · Rating 2 out of 5]

The storyline did not hold my interest. It was at most, a mild thriller. The dialogue was stilted and unrealistic. What middle schooler would say “sweet nectar of revenge”?

[Alyson Lucille · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - this was very entertaining and easy to read. However, the writing was a little amateur. I did figure out the “bad guy” but took me until the last third of the book.

[Deborah Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read set in my hometown!

Loved the real references to a real place. The story held my attention and I finished it in only two days. Write another one JAT!

[Jillian Chouraki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kept me guessing til the end!

[Tracey Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked it. I also grew up in Greenville so I liked the connection.

[Tory Holt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read from a local author! It was cool knowing the places described in the story. A good mix of characters you cheer for and characters you want to kick in the shins. Nice twist at the end!