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Riverton Road Romantic Suspense #1
A Wrong Way Home: Riverton Road Romantic Suspense Book 1
Going home can be dangerous…
Kara Cartwright returns to her hometown on the same night Anthony Benton is murdered. But she doesn’t know anything about that. She only knows she vowed never to come back to Riverton, New York or to see Matt Kalli – the man she once loved and still lusts for.
Matt has made a vow of his own. He’ll never forgive Kara, the woman who loved him then betrayed him nine years ago. And he can’t forgive himself for the way she’s stuck in his heart – and in other parts of his body too.
All these two have in common is their undeniable sexual attraction for each other and their hatred of Anthony Benton. Now Benton’s dead and they could be suspects. People they care deeply about could be suspects too. That gives Matt and Kara something else in common – a dangerous search for the real killer before he murders again.
A Wrong Way Home is the 1st book in the Riverton Road Romantic Suspense Series set in and around Riverton, New York, a town in the remote North Country. Danger and romance featuring the Kalli family, the four Kalli brothers and the fortunate people who find safety and a warm welcome at Kalli Corner on Riverton Road. A Year of Summer Shadows is the 2nd book in the series.
Kara Cartwright returns to her hometown on the same night Anthony Benton is murdered. But she doesn’t know anything about that. She only knows she vowed never to come back to Riverton, New York or to see Matt Kalli – the man she once loved and still lusts for.
Matt has made a vow of his own. He’ll never forgive Kara, the woman who loved him then betrayed him nine years ago. And he can’t forgive himself for the way she’s stuck in his heart – and in other parts of his body too.
All these two have in common is their undeniable sexual attraction for each other and their hatred of Anthony Benton. Now Benton’s dead and they could be suspects. People they care deeply about could be suspects too. That gives Matt and Kara something else in common – a dangerous search for the real killer before he murders again.
A Wrong Way Home is the 1st book in the Riverton Road Romantic Suspense Series set in and around Riverton, New York, a town in the remote North Country. Danger and romance featuring the Kalli family, the four Kalli brothers and the fortunate people who find safety and a warm welcome at Kalli Corner on Riverton Road. A Year of Summer Shadows is the 2nd book in the series.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 5, 2015
156 people are currently reading
120 people want to read
About the author
Alice Orr
22 books52 followersMy Name is Alice & This is My Story.
Growing up as an only child until I was nine had a lot to do with making me a storyteller. I wasn’t really alone because I had my imagination and spent loads of time there.
I also had Grandma and she did two amazing things for me. She told me stories of her own and she listened to mine. I’d sit at the table in her warm kitchen and kick my toes under my chair because my feet didn’t yet touch the floor. I'd talk while Grandma listened with a twinkle in her eye behind her rimless glasses. Because of Grandma I love to tell stories.
In the eighth grade I had a teacher named Mrs. Mahon. I was a restless, troublesome student. Then she assigned a writing project and I wrote several pages without a restless moment in any of them.
When Mrs. Mahon handed back the graded papers she dropped mine on my desk & said “You know how to write, girl.” I figured that must be true. Mrs. Mahon wouldn’t have complimented bad-student me unless she meant it. At last I had something I loved to do that I was good at doing.
Still it was decades before I talked about my dream to anybody but myself. My husband Jonathan asked me a question that changed my life. “If you could do anything at all what would it be?”
I couldn’t answer right away. I was afraid that if I spoke the words out loud they'd shatter in the air and my dream would shatter with them. Finally I said “If I could do anything at all I’d be a writer.”
Those words did not shatter and everything I’ve done since has been about pursuing them.
Growing up as an only child until I was nine had a lot to do with making me a storyteller. I wasn’t really alone because I had my imagination and spent loads of time there.
I also had Grandma and she did two amazing things for me. She told me stories of her own and she listened to mine. I’d sit at the table in her warm kitchen and kick my toes under my chair because my feet didn’t yet touch the floor. I'd talk while Grandma listened with a twinkle in her eye behind her rimless glasses. Because of Grandma I love to tell stories.
In the eighth grade I had a teacher named Mrs. Mahon. I was a restless, troublesome student. Then she assigned a writing project and I wrote several pages without a restless moment in any of them.
When Mrs. Mahon handed back the graded papers she dropped mine on my desk & said “You know how to write, girl.” I figured that must be true. Mrs. Mahon wouldn’t have complimented bad-student me unless she meant it. At last I had something I loved to do that I was good at doing.
Still it was decades before I talked about my dream to anybody but myself. My husband Jonathan asked me a question that changed my life. “If you could do anything at all what would it be?”
I couldn’t answer right away. I was afraid that if I spoke the words out loud they'd shatter in the air and my dream would shatter with them. Finally I said “If I could do anything at all I’d be a writer.”
Those words did not shatter and everything I’ve done since has been about pursuing them.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 24, 2015
In Riverton, Anthony Benton is hit on the head with a blunt instrument and is killed. On the same night, Kara Cartwright, after inheriting her aunt’s old house, returns to Riverton. Kara had moved in with Anthony ten years ago, breaking her boyfriend Matt Kalli’s heart, but then left Anthony, also. The Kalli family is large and is made up of well-adjusted, loving family members, in contrast to the dysfunctional Cartwright family.
In the beginning of the story, Kara calls Matt on the phone at what seems to be whim and when she meets him, she acts obnoxiously. At this point, I almost stopped reading the story, because one thing I can’t stand is a female lead who doesn’t know her mind, who is impulsive, and who acts in a gross way. I am glad, however, that I didn’t stop. If I did, what a loss it would be, as the story twisted and turned masterfully into danger and romance.
The characters in the town of Riverton are varied, with personalities of their own, and the opening murder chapter is exceptionally well-written with another murder and near-murders to follow as the story progresses, and the story ends to the reader’s satisfaction. Then, at the last page, I felt so glad I didn’t stop reading. The writing is exquisite, and the more one reads, the more one understands the author’s intention of writing even the unwelcome part of the story. Kara’s character, despite my annoyance with her, is developed and changed believably by the end, while Matt’s character stays almost the same. The sex scenes are descriptive enough but not overdone. Once I got into it, I enjoyed reading this book a lot
Eventually I saw the author's point in creating an irritating female character, especially in the beginning of the book. I have to say it took courage to show Kara at her worst in the beginning chapters and risk the reader's quitting due to annoyance.
In the beginning of the story, Kara calls Matt on the phone at what seems to be whim and when she meets him, she acts obnoxiously. At this point, I almost stopped reading the story, because one thing I can’t stand is a female lead who doesn’t know her mind, who is impulsive, and who acts in a gross way. I am glad, however, that I didn’t stop. If I did, what a loss it would be, as the story twisted and turned masterfully into danger and romance.
The characters in the town of Riverton are varied, with personalities of their own, and the opening murder chapter is exceptionally well-written with another murder and near-murders to follow as the story progresses, and the story ends to the reader’s satisfaction. Then, at the last page, I felt so glad I didn’t stop reading. The writing is exquisite, and the more one reads, the more one understands the author’s intention of writing even the unwelcome part of the story. Kara’s character, despite my annoyance with her, is developed and changed believably by the end, while Matt’s character stays almost the same. The sex scenes are descriptive enough but not overdone. Once I got into it, I enjoyed reading this book a lot
Eventually I saw the author's point in creating an irritating female character, especially in the beginning of the book. I have to say it took courage to show Kara at her worst in the beginning chapters and risk the reader's quitting due to annoyance.
April 17, 2015
As first in a series of romance suspense novels, A Wrong Way Home by Alice Orr delivers on all counts-romance, suspense, action, believability, intrigue and redemption.
The protagonist, Kara Cartwright returns to the small New York North Country town of Riverton after inheriting her deceased aunt’s home. On a whim the night she returns, she calls Matt Kalli, a man she had left nine years earlier but still loves. The murder of Anthony Benton, a man with whom she had an affair becomes the focal point of the plot. In a series of plot twists about who-done-it, Kara’s and Matt’s romance is rekindled.as they work together through various phases of their relationship. We see Kara evolve from a defensive, argumentative woman to the heroine who saves the day and eventually earns the admiration of Matt’s large, close-kit family who had once condemned her.
Orr’s writing is exquisite, intense and engaging. Her characters are well-developed and believable. I began rooting for the protagonist even though she did frustrate me at times when she was so belligerent in response to Matt’s advances. He remained steady and true throughout the story. The romance scenes were powerful but not overdone. She varies the pace and foreshadows events to keep me turning the pages. It was easy to get into the heads and hearts of all her characters. As a reader, I experienced relief and satisfaction with the ending.
In all honesty, romance suspense is not my genre of choice, but A Wrong Way Home entices me to read more of Orr’s work.
I highly recommend this page-turner which is romance and suspense at its best.
The protagonist, Kara Cartwright returns to the small New York North Country town of Riverton after inheriting her deceased aunt’s home. On a whim the night she returns, she calls Matt Kalli, a man she had left nine years earlier but still loves. The murder of Anthony Benton, a man with whom she had an affair becomes the focal point of the plot. In a series of plot twists about who-done-it, Kara’s and Matt’s romance is rekindled.as they work together through various phases of their relationship. We see Kara evolve from a defensive, argumentative woman to the heroine who saves the day and eventually earns the admiration of Matt’s large, close-kit family who had once condemned her.
Orr’s writing is exquisite, intense and engaging. Her characters are well-developed and believable. I began rooting for the protagonist even though she did frustrate me at times when she was so belligerent in response to Matt’s advances. He remained steady and true throughout the story. The romance scenes were powerful but not overdone. She varies the pace and foreshadows events to keep me turning the pages. It was easy to get into the heads and hearts of all her characters. As a reader, I experienced relief and satisfaction with the ending.
In all honesty, romance suspense is not my genre of choice, but A Wrong Way Home entices me to read more of Orr’s work.
I highly recommend this page-turner which is romance and suspense at its best.
January 25, 2024
I didn’t care for this story, it’s book one to brothers’ series. Matt Kalli and Kara Cartwright were a couple in their teens. Matt’s childhood was good, but Kara one wasn’t. Her father left when she was nine. Her mother had issues including a temper. When she was 13 years old, her mother tried to kill herself by gas leak and because she was in the house at the time, her mother gotten in trouble and could have been arrest or put in a psychiatric hospital and she was put in a psychiatric hospital where she later died.
Kara is a social worker and she came back to her hometown, because her aunt Dee had died and left her house and money to Kara. After nine years of not seeing each other Kara called Matt to talk. They didn’t have any chemistry. Yes they had a past, which I took was based on sex, because Kara’s mind drifted back to when they were a couple and Matt basically thought they should never leave a bed.
Matt didn’t want to see Kara again, because of how things ended between them. When they meet again, in the midst of them being angry with one another, Matt grabbed her by the arm and she used her street fighting she learned on him. She punched him in the face and stepped on his foot.
Kara was very annoying. When she was get around Matt she wanted to fight him, but what she really wanted to do was sleep with him. They both seen each other as sex. After she punched him and kicked him the next thing they starting to go at it on the streets and was told to go get a room. They’ve stopped, but had other occasions later where they was going at it and was interrupted before they could sleep together and one of those times were when Matt brought her to his home to get some things to that he could go be her protector and them work together to find out who killed something that had in common, Anthony Benton.
Kara didn’t like Anthony Benton, a man she went moved in with when she was 18 years old, because of the conversation that Matt’s mother had with her. His mother called her one day and told her that she needed to talk to her. She told Kara that she didn’t want Matt with her, because she didn’t want Kara to mess her son up. She felt that whatever issue that Kara’s mother had, she had it too. She also knew about Kara’s father leaving them. Kara told Matt about what his mother said, when she went to his house and later when he asked her why she went to be with Anthony, she told him that she didn’t have anywhere else to go. Funny, how her aunt Dee, the same aunt that lived in the same place since Kara were young was still alive, but yet Kara went live with Anthony for a few months, before leaving town. According to her thoughts, Anthony was a violent man. It’s not clear if she was sleeping with him or not, because she didn’t classify herself as being with Anthony and when Matt questioned her about why she was with Anthony, she never explained, unless I have missed something.
Kara came back to town and the same night she’s back in town, she goes to an old hanging out place, where she’s asked by the owner to help a woman that needs somewhere to stay. The woman’s son had killed himself and she blamed her husband. The woman had low self esteem, her husband would tell her that she’s ugly. The woman’s name was Lucy. Kara took in the stranger to go live with her and the next day, Cops came knocking at her door to arrest Lucy for the murder of Anthony. That day, Kara found out that Lucy was Anthony’s ex wife. The stupid thing about Lucy’s arrest is that the cops didn’t really have a reason to arrest her. Yes, she was heard saying she would kill Anthony, but they didn’t have any evidence. Which in prologue, Anthony is hating a woman and he wanted to kill them woman, so it’s was oblivious that his killer was a woman.
Matt’s mother didn’t like Kara and Kara didn’t like her, but doing a petition to get Lucy out of jail, Matt’s mother and Kara all of a sudden became close friends. Oh, going back to Matt’s house, when she saw it she was amazed and he told her that he built the house and that he built it for her, because he always pictured her being there. Really? They haven’t seen each other in 9 years and it’s not like either tried to contact the other in those 9 years. Matt would go visit Kara’s aunt Dee. He could have gotten her number from her aunt. What would have happened if Kara married someone, would Matt had lied to another woman about his house?
The ending was rushed and after the real killer was found out, Kara and Matt have gotten their HEA. As I have said they didn’t have any chemistry to me.
Kara is a social worker and she came back to her hometown, because her aunt Dee had died and left her house and money to Kara. After nine years of not seeing each other Kara called Matt to talk. They didn’t have any chemistry. Yes they had a past, which I took was based on sex, because Kara’s mind drifted back to when they were a couple and Matt basically thought they should never leave a bed.
Matt didn’t want to see Kara again, because of how things ended between them. When they meet again, in the midst of them being angry with one another, Matt grabbed her by the arm and she used her street fighting she learned on him. She punched him in the face and stepped on his foot.
Kara was very annoying. When she was get around Matt she wanted to fight him, but what she really wanted to do was sleep with him. They both seen each other as sex. After she punched him and kicked him the next thing they starting to go at it on the streets and was told to go get a room. They’ve stopped, but had other occasions later where they was going at it and was interrupted before they could sleep together and one of those times were when Matt brought her to his home to get some things to that he could go be her protector and them work together to find out who killed something that had in common, Anthony Benton.
Kara didn’t like Anthony Benton, a man she went moved in with when she was 18 years old, because of the conversation that Matt’s mother had with her. His mother called her one day and told her that she needed to talk to her. She told Kara that she didn’t want Matt with her, because she didn’t want Kara to mess her son up. She felt that whatever issue that Kara’s mother had, she had it too. She also knew about Kara’s father leaving them. Kara told Matt about what his mother said, when she went to his house and later when he asked her why she went to be with Anthony, she told him that she didn’t have anywhere else to go. Funny, how her aunt Dee, the same aunt that lived in the same place since Kara were young was still alive, but yet Kara went live with Anthony for a few months, before leaving town. According to her thoughts, Anthony was a violent man. It’s not clear if she was sleeping with him or not, because she didn’t classify herself as being with Anthony and when Matt questioned her about why she was with Anthony, she never explained, unless I have missed something.
Kara came back to town and the same night she’s back in town, she goes to an old hanging out place, where she’s asked by the owner to help a woman that needs somewhere to stay. The woman’s son had killed himself and she blamed her husband. The woman had low self esteem, her husband would tell her that she’s ugly. The woman’s name was Lucy. Kara took in the stranger to go live with her and the next day, Cops came knocking at her door to arrest Lucy for the murder of Anthony. That day, Kara found out that Lucy was Anthony’s ex wife. The stupid thing about Lucy’s arrest is that the cops didn’t really have a reason to arrest her. Yes, she was heard saying she would kill Anthony, but they didn’t have any evidence. Which in prologue, Anthony is hating a woman and he wanted to kill them woman, so it’s was oblivious that his killer was a woman.
Matt’s mother didn’t like Kara and Kara didn’t like her, but doing a petition to get Lucy out of jail, Matt’s mother and Kara all of a sudden became close friends. Oh, going back to Matt’s house, when she saw it she was amazed and he told her that he built the house and that he built it for her, because he always pictured her being there. Really? They haven’t seen each other in 9 years and it’s not like either tried to contact the other in those 9 years. Matt would go visit Kara’s aunt Dee. He could have gotten her number from her aunt. What would have happened if Kara married someone, would Matt had lied to another woman about his house?
The ending was rushed and after the real killer was found out, Kara and Matt have gotten their HEA. As I have said they didn’t have any chemistry to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2020
After inheriting her Aunt Dee's house, with the stipulation that she live in it for a year, Kara Cartwright has reluctantly returned to her childhood hometown in Riverton, in upper New York State. There she is forced to confront the memories of two men who have affected her life: Matt Kalli, who sets her body on fire and makes her toes curl up, and Anthony "Tony" Benton, who Kara fears and hates for something horrible that happened to her nine years ago (which is left to the reader's imagination).
Kara isn't looking forward to seeing either of them. It turns out she won't be seeing Tony, except at his funeral, since somebody killed him the very night Kara arrived in town. For a while she's considered a suspect, but then the spotlight shifts to Benton's ex-wife, Lucy Tolliver, whom Kara has just met and taken into her home because Lucy has no place to stay, and no one to stand up for her.
... Except Kara. And Matt.
Kara isn't looking forward to seeing either of them. It turns out she won't be seeing Tony, except at his funeral, since somebody killed him the very night Kara arrived in town. For a while she's considered a suspect, but then the spotlight shifts to Benton's ex-wife, Lucy Tolliver, whom Kara has just met and taken into her home because Lucy has no place to stay, and no one to stand up for her.
... Except Kara. And Matt.
November 12, 2023
While it held my interest, I had trouble understanding the sometimes impulsive actions of the heroine, but it was definitely a high tension read.
June 9, 2025
So good
I did not know who the murderer was until the end, a good thing! This is a good, page turning book with great characters!
I did not know who the murderer was until the end, a good thing! This is a good, page turning book with great characters!
April 12, 2015
There's a saying you can never go home again, and it's far from true in the case of Kara Cartwright who returns to her roots in Riverton, New York after inheriting her aunt's Victorian style house only to find that she must face her past in order to save herself and others. Returning to Riverton brought back both good and bad memories of her childhood, her former love life, and the possible implication in a murder crime when the town's most notorious businessman, Anthony Benton, is murdered. After Kara chances to meet and temporarily house Lucy Benton, Anthony's ex-wife, she finds out that Lucy is charged with the murder and is taken away to prison. Kara makes it her mission to help Lucy and to find out who murdered Anthony Benton. Since Kara had once had an affair with Anthony Benton when she was a lost teenager, she is considered a possible suspect. In addition, Kara runs into Matt Kalli, whom she loved as a teen and still lusts for. Matt is involved in his family's construction company and from a close-knit family who do not approve of Kara for their son. Also, Matt never quite got over how she left him for Anthony Benton and then moved away. Since the police are unsympathetic toward Lucy, Matt hires an attorney, and works with Kara to try to solve the murder mystery. Despite their initial reservations and distrust about each other, working together soon reignites their passion and they learn what it really means to love one another.
With twists and turns, strong character development, suspense, and passionate love scenes, A Wrong Way Home, the first book in the Riverton Road Romantic Suspense Series, is a real page turner and awonderfully written book from a tremendously talented writer!
I look forward to reading more of the Riverton Road Romantic Suspense Series!
With twists and turns, strong character development, suspense, and passionate love scenes, A Wrong Way Home, the first book in the Riverton Road Romantic Suspense Series, is a real page turner and awonderfully written book from a tremendously talented writer!
I look forward to reading more of the Riverton Road Romantic Suspense Series!
October 18, 2015
This review first appeared on my blog Creating the WRITE Reality found at lgoconnor com.
Alice Orr kept me riveted as former lovers, Kara and Matt, are reunited in their mutual quest to find the killer of Anthony Benton, a shady businessman who many people in Riverton want dead. Separated by circumstances perceived as betrayal, Kara and Matt harbor a smoldering passion for one another buried beneath a layer of anger and hurt. Whenever they get too close, tragedy or unpleasant interruptions separates them again, making their union hard won and satisfying. Both must face up to their shared history and make amends with their part in order to move ahead and seize the life they’ve always wanted with each other. Matt keeping Kara safe, and Kara letting him, opens the door to rediscovery as they careen closer and closer to the killer.
The small town elements of Riverton warm the plot and remind us of both how close knit communities may share news faster than CNN, but that the warmth and support, are unequaled. This book is part romantic suspense, part cozy mystery, with a definite emphasis on romance. I tend to like a lot of romance with my mystery, so this worked for me.
Alice Orr has set up both Riverton and the Kalli family nicely. This setting is one that offers the reader a welcoming return, as well as a family to return to for many more books. Look forward to reading A Year of Summer Shadows!
Alice Orr kept me riveted as former lovers, Kara and Matt, are reunited in their mutual quest to find the killer of Anthony Benton, a shady businessman who many people in Riverton want dead. Separated by circumstances perceived as betrayal, Kara and Matt harbor a smoldering passion for one another buried beneath a layer of anger and hurt. Whenever they get too close, tragedy or unpleasant interruptions separates them again, making their union hard won and satisfying. Both must face up to their shared history and make amends with their part in order to move ahead and seize the life they’ve always wanted with each other. Matt keeping Kara safe, and Kara letting him, opens the door to rediscovery as they careen closer and closer to the killer.
The small town elements of Riverton warm the plot and remind us of both how close knit communities may share news faster than CNN, but that the warmth and support, are unequaled. This book is part romantic suspense, part cozy mystery, with a definite emphasis on romance. I tend to like a lot of romance with my mystery, so this worked for me.
Alice Orr has set up both Riverton and the Kalli family nicely. This setting is one that offers the reader a welcoming return, as well as a family to return to for many more books. Look forward to reading A Year of Summer Shadows!
June 16, 2017
I was very pleasantly surprised by A Wrong Way Home. Until this year I had never read a romance novel of any kind. After meeting Alice Orr at a writing conference I decided to give her book a try, the first book in her series is free after all, so I had nothing to lose. From the beginning I was hooked. Matt and Kara's relationship is awkward and clumsy like most genuine relationships, but they are individually engaging and you want them to have their happy ending. I did feel that the suspense aspect of the book was wrapped up a little quickly and left me with a few questions, but so what - this is primarily a romance novel and it delivers wonderfully on that.
August 23, 2015
A book that will keep you reading to discover who murdered Anthony Benton. Kara returns home to find herself having to face the past again, and this included seeing her once boyfriend. But apart from her mixed feelings about him she also becomes involved in the murder investigation and her efforts to protect a woman that she is convinced is not guilty.
A well written story that will appeal to mystery lovers.
A well written story that will appeal to mystery lovers.
December 19, 2015
Started out a little slow for me and lost interest from there on out. But I will check out some of this author's other books to be fair. It may just be that I wasn't able to connect to this book, which I hate that since it sounded really good. Still would recommend it as we don't all connect to books as the next person may.
March 25, 2016
All through this book I couldn't make up my mind weather I liked it or didn't, The book was ok
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews