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False Convictions
Some secrets are better left alone. But leaving things alone, especially when it comes to murder, is not Kim Jackson’s style.
In Gunnison, Colorado, Kim is loving life as a criminology student—until her favorite professor is murdered. At the time of his death, Kent Dodge is a rising star at the university, preparing to publish his first crime thriller. But not everyone in the mountain community is happy about the book. Details have leaked that Dodge based his plot on a local tale about an alpine misadventure that nearly cost six people their lives.
Kim has a secret: She’s read the book. When the investigation into Dodge’s death stalls, Kim digs into Gunnison’s history and finds that a decade earlier, a group of friends set out on a hut-to-hut ski trip only to lose their way in an epic snowstorm. What Kim learns about the survivors shocks her—but nothing shocks her as much as who is hired to replace Kent Dodge in the classroom.
In the fourth book of the Colorado Skies mystery series, Kim realizes some mysteries are too twisted to solve alone—and help can come from the most unexpected source.
In Gunnison, Colorado, Kim is loving life as a criminology student—until her favorite professor is murdered. At the time of his death, Kent Dodge is a rising star at the university, preparing to publish his first crime thriller. But not everyone in the mountain community is happy about the book. Details have leaked that Dodge based his plot on a local tale about an alpine misadventure that nearly cost six people their lives.
Kim has a secret: She’s read the book. When the investigation into Dodge’s death stalls, Kim digs into Gunnison’s history and finds that a decade earlier, a group of friends set out on a hut-to-hut ski trip only to lose their way in an epic snowstorm. What Kim learns about the survivors shocks her—but nothing shocks her as much as who is hired to replace Kent Dodge in the classroom.
In the fourth book of the Colorado Skies mystery series, Kim realizes some mysteries are too twisted to solve alone—and help can come from the most unexpected source.
312 pages, Paperback
Published September 29, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
False convictions is the fourth book in Kim Jackson series by Lewis. While technically a standalone psychological thriller, readers would greatly benefit from the background from information the previous three books provide.
Split between Gunnison and Crescent Butte, Colorado, readers discover mysterious Kim Jackson establishing a life for herself. New to the series readers will have many questions, most of which are answered by the end. Kim, a student at the local small college, learns that her beloved, brilliant professor was murdered the night before she accepts his research job offer. Gutted, Kim tries to reorient what to do next when the replacement professor is revealed to be Lena- a woman she knows extremely well but who has refused to speak to Kim in ages. Is her past coming back to haunt her? Will the stress and trauma overwhelm Kim amidst her investigation, investment work, relationship, and collegiate studies/ requirements?
I loved the premise behind the book! The story started off very strong, but by the end I had a list of unanswered questions and was frustrated with the FMC Kim Jackson. Lewis continuously refers to Kim as being very intelligent (acing college exams and papers) and yet Kim makes very dumb choices in her lazy investigation. While that dynamic is perfect for building tension and getting Kim into a pickle later on in the story, I have trouble believing it. And this woman wants to become a PI? 😬🫣 Besides that, there were plot holes and mistakes in the story that took me out of the book and lowered my enjoyment.
Troupes: psychological thriller, unreliable narrator, troubled protagonist, fresh start, amateur sleuth, killer early reveal, kidnapping, big reveal
Spice: 0/5 🌶️
Gore: 2/5 🩸
Language: 1/5 👀
Triggers: murder, kidnapping
Thank you to Arrow Road Press and NetGalley for this ARC!
Split between Gunnison and Crescent Butte, Colorado, readers discover mysterious Kim Jackson establishing a life for herself. New to the series readers will have many questions, most of which are answered by the end. Kim, a student at the local small college, learns that her beloved, brilliant professor was murdered the night before she accepts his research job offer. Gutted, Kim tries to reorient what to do next when the replacement professor is revealed to be Lena- a woman she knows extremely well but who has refused to speak to Kim in ages. Is her past coming back to haunt her? Will the stress and trauma overwhelm Kim amidst her investigation, investment work, relationship, and collegiate studies/ requirements?
I loved the premise behind the book! The story started off very strong, but by the end I had a list of unanswered questions and was frustrated with the FMC Kim Jackson. Lewis continuously refers to Kim as being very intelligent (acing college exams and papers) and yet Kim makes very dumb choices in her lazy investigation. While that dynamic is perfect for building tension and getting Kim into a pickle later on in the story, I have trouble believing it. And this woman wants to become a PI? 😬🫣 Besides that, there were plot holes and mistakes in the story that took me out of the book and lowered my enjoyment.
Troupes: psychological thriller, unreliable narrator, troubled protagonist, fresh start, amateur sleuth, killer early reveal, kidnapping, big reveal
Spice: 0/5 🌶️
Gore: 2/5 🩸
Language: 1/5 👀
Triggers: murder, kidnapping
Thank you to Arrow Road Press and NetGalley for this ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The beautiful cover photo on False Convictions drew me in and piqued my interest. Then, I read that it was set in Gunnison, Colorado! We have a close family friend who just moved there to attend Western Colorado University where this book takes place.
False Convictions is the fourth book in the Colorado Skies series. Although I haven't read the three previous books, Lewis does a decent job sprinkling in pertinent information from the previous books to where I didn't feel lost as a new reader. While I do think reading the books in order likely would have enhanced my reading experience, I don't think it's necessary.
Kim Jackson is a newly enrolled criminology student at WWU. Kim's professor, Kent Dodge, asks her to read a draft of his book about a deadly ski trip, but he himself is killed the following day. Kim starts digging in to an eerily similar deadly ski trip that took place locally years ago, because she suspects that Kent's killer didn't want his book to be published. Surprisingly, the killer is revealed fairly early on in the novel, so that aspect of the story isn't a mystery. I personally would have preferred a bit more mystery though.
Lewis does a fantastic job with the Gunnison setting and making you feel immersed in the location. The book fell a little short for me on excitement, and there are a couple things that felt a bit too serendipitous. Still, I enjoyed False Convictions overall and am glad to have read it.
Thank you to Arrow Road Press, Amy O. Lewis, and NetGalley for the e-book advanced reader's copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own. False Convictions is set to be released on September 29, 2026.
False Convictions is the fourth book in the Colorado Skies series. Although I haven't read the three previous books, Lewis does a decent job sprinkling in pertinent information from the previous books to where I didn't feel lost as a new reader. While I do think reading the books in order likely would have enhanced my reading experience, I don't think it's necessary.
Kim Jackson is a newly enrolled criminology student at WWU. Kim's professor, Kent Dodge, asks her to read a draft of his book about a deadly ski trip, but he himself is killed the following day. Kim starts digging in to an eerily similar deadly ski trip that took place locally years ago, because she suspects that Kent's killer didn't want his book to be published. Surprisingly, the killer is revealed fairly early on in the novel, so that aspect of the story isn't a mystery. I personally would have preferred a bit more mystery though.
Lewis does a fantastic job with the Gunnison setting and making you feel immersed in the location. The book fell a little short for me on excitement, and there are a couple things that felt a bit too serendipitous. Still, I enjoyed False Convictions overall and am glad to have read it.
Thank you to Arrow Road Press, Amy O. Lewis, and NetGalley for the e-book advanced reader's copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own. False Convictions is set to be released on September 29, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Give me Colorado -- a state I desperately miss -- in any genre and I'm all in! And I am especially in with Book 4 in this Gunnison-based mystery series I am thrilled to have discovered. A compelling well-penned tale set against a gorgeous and sometimes harsh terrain kept me rapt 'til the last page. Heading now to read the first three books before it. Hurrah!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews