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A Nell McGraw Investigation #2
Perdition
Nell McGraw struggles with being a newly widowed mother and running the paper founded by her husband’s grandfather. But a paper can’t ignore the stories others turn away from, like the badly decomposing body of a child found in the gulf. At first it seems tragic, a child lost because of carelessness. But then another child goes missing.
Disgusted by the turf war between the sherriff and the police chief, Nell barely manages to keep her journalistic distance . . . until the killer contacts her, telling Nell her children could be next. Now she must match wits with a psychopath who taunts her, daring Nell and the police to catch him before he can kill again.
Disgusted by the turf war between the sherriff and the police chief, Nell barely manages to keep her journalistic distance . . . until the killer contacts her, telling Nell her children could be next. Now she must match wits with a psychopath who taunts her, daring Nell and the police to catch him before he can kill again.
360 pages, Paperback
First published June 8, 2017
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334 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
May 22, 2017
A warning that the beginning of this book is extremely raw and graphic. It then settles down but those first few pages almost put me off. Nell McGraw is a young widow, running her husband’s family’s newspaper. The setting is a small Mississippi gulf town, and several of the characters run to southern stereotypes.
This is the second in the series but I had no problems with not having read the first book. Nell is an interesting character, well drawn and fleshed out. She has a subtle sense of humor that I appreciated. And anyone who has raised teenagers will appreciate the dilemmas she faces. I will say she's a much more tolerant boss than I ever was. Carrie’s ass would have been out on the pavement.
This is a very engaging book. It moves at a nice clip. It's not a sophisticated mystery by any stretch, but I enjoyed it and that's the important part. I would definitely read future books in this series and intend to go back and read the first.
My thanks to netgalley and Midnight Ink for an advance copy of this book.
This is the second in the series but I had no problems with not having read the first book. Nell is an interesting character, well drawn and fleshed out. She has a subtle sense of humor that I appreciated. And anyone who has raised teenagers will appreciate the dilemmas she faces. I will say she's a much more tolerant boss than I ever was. Carrie’s ass would have been out on the pavement.
This is a very engaging book. It moves at a nice clip. It's not a sophisticated mystery by any stretch, but I enjoyed it and that's the important part. I would definitely read future books in this series and intend to go back and read the first.
My thanks to netgalley and Midnight Ink for an advance copy of this book.
April 19, 2017
*I received this book from the publisher and NetGalley in return for a fair review.*
This is both the second book in this series, the Nell McGraw series, and the second book with this author’s name on it. Which is important to note, the name part, because this is also the 13th book I’ve read by this author. The other 11 books (which includes two rereads) were put out under the J.M. Redmann byline.
This book here is a mystery – like all of Redmann/Reid’s books. Specifically one that stars Nell McGraw – a relatively recently widowed newspaper owner/editor and single mother of two children.
So, naturally, I was really eager to read this book, another mystery by an author I’ve rather enjoyed. I stress this because the prologue is kind of tough to get through. Because of the subject matter – very tough to get through. Sexual and physical abuse of two youngsters by a very bad man – their father. It is quite possible that if I hadn’t read and enjoyed (for the most part) 11 books by this author (under two different names) I might have stopped reading before I even got to the non-prologue part.
This is a good competent enjoyable little mystery. Solid characterization. Surprisingly there are even some background LGBT people – quite important to the story they are.
The mystery involves several murdered young children who had been found over a longish period of time in the small Mississippi town (well the outskirts of the town). The first one was put down as a unsolvable – she had just been in the water too long to determine if foul play was involved in her death (did she slip in by accident? Murdered? The evidence is no longer there). That was the young girl –I note because the rest of the murdered children were boys and at least one person thought that only boys were being targeted (for reasons).
It’s unfortunate when you meet and get to know someone before they are killed. Happened twice in this book – a third person is also talked about and meet but the reader doesn’t really get to know them before they die. Unfortunate in that I get to know them, feel them, get attached to them, and not want them to die. But die they did.
Several complications pop up in this book – 1) someone, probably the murderer, has taken to calling Nell late at night (or very early in the morning) – putting Nell on edge and stuff; 2) the local police forces are currently in something of a macho pissing contest when the story starts – the long time sheriff and the relatively new police chief do not really get along, both personally and professionally (for example: the sheriff set up a roadblock in the police chief’s jurisdiction and didn’t tell the chief that he was doing that); 3) one of the police officers that had popped up in the prior book, and is one of those kinds of people who really shouldn’t have been given the badge and uniform – ends up kicked off the force and blames Nell – adding more stress and complications to her life (since that officer, ex-officer, came within inches of physically attacking Nell and appears to be still hovering around the edges of her life, watching, waiting to attack again).
I liked the book though I had certain issues with it. A) couple of issues with word choice and formatting that I assume will not actually show up in the final published version (like Nell’s male child, Josh, once or twice gets referred to by the wrong name – once as Tom); B) Nell seemed to alternate between being annoyed with having a teenage daughter (anticipating her being bad and stuff), and forgetting she exists (several occasions finds the child locked out of the house because Nell simply forgot . . . well that she existed – constantly worrying about Josh, constantly forgetting her daughter existed unless she wanted to complain about her (to herself or others); C) this author seems to have a tendency to kill certain types of characters – when writing as Redmann and writing Lesbian fiction, it isn’t as . . . annoying, when writing mainstream ‘straight’ fiction as Reid – those kinds of deaths seem to be blinking neon exclamations and not in a good way . LGBT characters – dying for the growth of straight people/for the advancement of plot in straight books/television shows. Unfortunate. D) I can't really mention D. Because . . . spoiler reasons. Trying to be as vague as possible - some of the clues that were dropped in the book do not match up 'correctly' ().
Despite some of the things I’ve noted in this review, this was a good solid book that I enjoyed reading. I will note that it is better to read the first book in this series before reading this book here – for many reasons. Least of which, of the reasons, being the changing dynamic of the characters present in the series.
Rating: 3.88
April 19 2017
This is both the second book in this series, the Nell McGraw series, and the second book with this author’s name on it. Which is important to note, the name part, because this is also the 13th book I’ve read by this author. The other 11 books (which includes two rereads) were put out under the J.M. Redmann byline.
This book here is a mystery – like all of Redmann/Reid’s books. Specifically one that stars Nell McGraw – a relatively recently widowed newspaper owner/editor and single mother of two children.
So, naturally, I was really eager to read this book, another mystery by an author I’ve rather enjoyed. I stress this because the prologue is kind of tough to get through. Because of the subject matter – very tough to get through. Sexual and physical abuse of two youngsters by a very bad man – their father. It is quite possible that if I hadn’t read and enjoyed (for the most part) 11 books by this author (under two different names) I might have stopped reading before I even got to the non-prologue part.
This is a good competent enjoyable little mystery. Solid characterization. Surprisingly there are even some background LGBT people – quite important to the story they are.
The mystery involves several murdered young children who had been found over a longish period of time in the small Mississippi town (well the outskirts of the town). The first one was put down as a unsolvable – she had just been in the water too long to determine if foul play was involved in her death (did she slip in by accident? Murdered? The evidence is no longer there). That was the young girl –I note because the rest of the murdered children were boys and at least one person thought that only boys were being targeted (for reasons).
It’s unfortunate when you meet and get to know someone before they are killed. Happened twice in this book – a third person is also talked about and meet but the reader doesn’t really get to know them before they die. Unfortunate in that I get to know them, feel them, get attached to them, and not want them to die. But die they did.
Several complications pop up in this book – 1) someone, probably the murderer, has taken to calling Nell late at night (or very early in the morning) – putting Nell on edge and stuff; 2) the local police forces are currently in something of a macho pissing contest when the story starts – the long time sheriff and the relatively new police chief do not really get along, both personally and professionally (for example: the sheriff set up a roadblock in the police chief’s jurisdiction and didn’t tell the chief that he was doing that); 3) one of the police officers that had popped up in the prior book, and is one of those kinds of people who really shouldn’t have been given the badge and uniform – ends up kicked off the force and blames Nell – adding more stress and complications to her life (since that officer, ex-officer, came within inches of physically attacking Nell and appears to be still hovering around the edges of her life, watching, waiting to attack again).
I liked the book though I had certain issues with it. A) couple of issues with word choice and formatting that I assume will not actually show up in the final published version (like Nell’s male child, Josh, once or twice gets referred to by the wrong name – once as Tom); B) Nell seemed to alternate between being annoyed with having a teenage daughter (anticipating her being bad and stuff), and forgetting she exists (several occasions finds the child locked out of the house because Nell simply forgot . . . well that she existed – constantly worrying about Josh, constantly forgetting her daughter existed unless she wanted to complain about her (to herself or others); C) this author seems to have a tendency to kill certain types of characters – when writing as Redmann and writing Lesbian fiction, it isn’t as . . . annoying, when writing mainstream ‘straight’ fiction as Reid – those kinds of deaths seem to be blinking neon exclamations and not in a good way . LGBT characters – dying for the growth of straight people/for the advancement of plot in straight books/television shows. Unfortunate. D) I can't really mention D. Because . . . spoiler reasons. Trying to be as vague as possible - some of the clues that were dropped in the book do not match up 'correctly' ().
Despite some of the things I’ve noted in this review, this was a good solid book that I enjoyed reading. I will note that it is better to read the first book in this series before reading this book here – for many reasons. Least of which, of the reasons, being the changing dynamic of the characters present in the series.
Rating: 3.88
April 19 2017
April 27, 2017
This was the second installment in the Nell McGraw series, and while I haven't read the first book, I never had the feeling I was missing something.
The prologue was unexpectedly shocking and may offend more squeamish readers, but it was very effective to draw my undivided attention - I raced through the first half in one sitting: a true page turner. The characters were well-drawn and a good mixture: some I liked immediately, while others took some time to warm to, and some remained disagreeable to the end. I appreciated how some characters changed during the book, or maybe more precisely how my view of them was changed with the turn of events.
Then in the second half the story stalled a bit. Every few pages Nell wondered about the whereabouts of her children, that she had to take them to/from some place and her insecurities about being a good single mother. While that was understandable as a part of her every day routine and as a still struggling to adjust widow, it slowed the story down repeatedly. The ending came as a surprise, but then again not so - or maybe I'm just spoiled from other stories.
My one-line conclusion: a page-turner thriller that pulls no punches and leaves me wanting for more.
(Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of the book, all opinions are my own)
The prologue was unexpectedly shocking and may offend more squeamish readers, but it was very effective to draw my undivided attention - I raced through the first half in one sitting: a true page turner. The characters were well-drawn and a good mixture: some I liked immediately, while others took some time to warm to, and some remained disagreeable to the end. I appreciated how some characters changed during the book, or maybe more precisely how my view of them was changed with the turn of events.
Then in the second half the story stalled a bit. Every few pages Nell wondered about the whereabouts of her children, that she had to take them to/from some place and her insecurities about being a good single mother. While that was understandable as a part of her every day routine and as a still struggling to adjust widow, it slowed the story down repeatedly. The ending came as a surprise, but then again not so - or maybe I'm just spoiled from other stories.
My one-line conclusion: a page-turner thriller that pulls no punches and leaves me wanting for more.
(Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of the book, all opinions are my own)
March 4, 2017
The prologue for this book was SO dark (and I'm okay with dark) that I almost didn't read the book. I'm really glad I did, though, because this was a good mystery featuring an engaging main character. The author does a great job of balancing the mystery plot with Nell's everyday life. Her reality of being a widow in a small town, trying to make friends and raise her kids informs everything in the book--but it doesn't take over the plot. I'll have to go back and read the first Nell McGraw book now, and I look forward to the next one.
January 20, 2017
The beginning (after the prologue) was a little rough because it was slow. I was confused at first with all the characters being introduced but started to really get into the story when I was about 30% in. The plot started to get really good about 60% when you are on the verge of trying to find out who the town murderer is! I had some idea of who I think it was but R. Jean wouldn't give up too much information that made you think you knew for sure.
Overall the plot of the story was pretty good. The main character, Nell, got annoying at times because she was so overbearing and I'd roll my eyes at her parenting thinking but she meant well. I like how R. Jean Reid made Carrie out to be an annoying unprofessional writer for Nell's company because dang, I did not like that girl! I thought it was down right rude how many times she overstepped her boundaries as an employee. Even though I may find myself annoyed with some characters, it's nice to know that I don't always have to fall in love with all of them all the time. R. Jean did a fine job depicting this character as a hangnail stuck to your toe.
What threw me off a bit was the beginning, the prologue. I was intrigued and disgusted and couldn't wait to keep reading but there weren't any areas throughout the book that tied it in. You have to wait a long time to find out.
All in all, 4 stars. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read.
Overall the plot of the story was pretty good. The main character, Nell, got annoying at times because she was so overbearing and I'd roll my eyes at her parenting thinking but she meant well. I like how R. Jean Reid made Carrie out to be an annoying unprofessional writer for Nell's company because dang, I did not like that girl! I thought it was down right rude how many times she overstepped her boundaries as an employee. Even though I may find myself annoyed with some characters, it's nice to know that I don't always have to fall in love with all of them all the time. R. Jean did a fine job depicting this character as a hangnail stuck to your toe.
What threw me off a bit was the beginning, the prologue. I was intrigued and disgusted and couldn't wait to keep reading but there weren't any areas throughout the book that tied it in. You have to wait a long time to find out.
All in all, 4 stars. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read.
November 17, 2017
This is a tough one to rate. The beginning was brutal...difficult to read. Then it was slow. Very slow. At about 40%, it picked up somewhat and kept me reading. Unfortunately, I guessed “who dunnit” so the ending was very anticlimactic.
June 5, 2017
Perdition by R. Jean Reid is a highly recommended mystery.
Recently widowed Nell McGraw has decided to stay in the small Gulf town with her two children and continue to run the weekly paper, the Pelican Bay Crier, founded by her husband's grandfather. Not that it's all that easy when long-time Sheriff Hickson and relatively new Police Chief Shaun can't seem to get along or cooperate with each other. First a young girl is murdered and then a young boy. Is there a serial killer on the loose in this small Mississippi town and can law enforcement manage to cooperate with each other long enough to find the killer.
As a journalist, Nell needs to keep digging and asking questions to try and get as much information as she can. To make things worse, the killer has taken to calling Nell late at night, disguising his voice, to tell her where the bodies are or just to taunt her. To further her stress, Nell has one great cub reporter and one worthless one, and the sexist bully in the police department who threatens Nell got his charges dropped due to his father's connections. Adding to everything is the fact that keeping track of her teen children is now her sole responsibility.
The writing is very good and Reid keeps the reader guessing about the identity of the killer. Sensitive readers should note that the prologue in Perdition is very graphic, albeit a good hook to keep you reading. It takes place in the past and the reader is left wondering how it fits into the present mystery. The beginning of the novel moves at a fast pace but then the action/pace seems to slow down after that. Even though this a second book in the series, you needn't read the first book to enjoy this one.
I did have a few minor issues with Perdition. Nell should have just fired Carrie. If an employee constantly whines about doing her job to her boss and is incompetent at her job, then it is time for her to move on to something else. There is no reason Nell should have kept her around. Also many of the interactions with her kids, especially her daughter, became annoying. She tends to alternately worry about both of them obsessively, anticipate her daughter's poor reactions, or forgets them completely. Perhaps the constant driving her kids around is realistic, but mentioning it so much became tiring and seemed out of place in the small town setting where her kids would both be riding bikes or walking to/from school. And since everyone in town knows there might be a killer on the loose, other people would likely help pick them up and drop them off.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of the publisher/author.
Recently widowed Nell McGraw has decided to stay in the small Gulf town with her two children and continue to run the weekly paper, the Pelican Bay Crier, founded by her husband's grandfather. Not that it's all that easy when long-time Sheriff Hickson and relatively new Police Chief Shaun can't seem to get along or cooperate with each other. First a young girl is murdered and then a young boy. Is there a serial killer on the loose in this small Mississippi town and can law enforcement manage to cooperate with each other long enough to find the killer.
As a journalist, Nell needs to keep digging and asking questions to try and get as much information as she can. To make things worse, the killer has taken to calling Nell late at night, disguising his voice, to tell her where the bodies are or just to taunt her. To further her stress, Nell has one great cub reporter and one worthless one, and the sexist bully in the police department who threatens Nell got his charges dropped due to his father's connections. Adding to everything is the fact that keeping track of her teen children is now her sole responsibility.
The writing is very good and Reid keeps the reader guessing about the identity of the killer. Sensitive readers should note that the prologue in Perdition is very graphic, albeit a good hook to keep you reading. It takes place in the past and the reader is left wondering how it fits into the present mystery. The beginning of the novel moves at a fast pace but then the action/pace seems to slow down after that. Even though this a second book in the series, you needn't read the first book to enjoy this one.
I did have a few minor issues with Perdition. Nell should have just fired Carrie. If an employee constantly whines about doing her job to her boss and is incompetent at her job, then it is time for her to move on to something else. There is no reason Nell should have kept her around. Also many of the interactions with her kids, especially her daughter, became annoying. She tends to alternately worry about both of them obsessively, anticipate her daughter's poor reactions, or forgets them completely. Perhaps the constant driving her kids around is realistic, but mentioning it so much became tiring and seemed out of place in the small town setting where her kids would both be riding bikes or walking to/from school. And since everyone in town knows there might be a killer on the loose, other people would likely help pick them up and drop them off.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of the publisher/author.
May 22, 2017
First of all, I would like to thank NetGalley once again for another spectacular book!
The book starts describing a series of abuses, violence and even a murder, leaving a child without his family several years ago.
Many years later, a black girl's body is found in the woods of a city, and although the authorities state that the girl has run away from home and had an accidental, the reporter Nell McGraw believes the girl has been murdered.
As soon as she starts to investigate, several murders start to happen in the city, all of them with sexual assaults. As if it couldn't get worse, one night Nell was woken up by her cellphone, and as she answered it, she had an unpleasant surprise: it was no one less than the murder.
She sees herself, then, involved with the murders, both as a witness and as a victim. She starts to worry about her children and her friends, and the murder turns out to be a surprise to everyone.
I must say I was able to discover the murderer of this plot, but I confess during many passages of the story I was in doubt about the murderers's identity.
To be really honest, I myself got scared of sleeping alone a couple of nights after I read the book, lol. I was afraid to receive the murderer's call!!!
I highly recommend this book, really. The story is very well constructed, Nell is a deep character, and the end is really surprising. A great book!
Please check my blog for more reviews: mypapertrips.wordpress.com
The book starts describing a series of abuses, violence and even a murder, leaving a child without his family several years ago.
Many years later, a black girl's body is found in the woods of a city, and although the authorities state that the girl has run away from home and had an accidental, the reporter Nell McGraw believes the girl has been murdered.
As soon as she starts to investigate, several murders start to happen in the city, all of them with sexual assaults. As if it couldn't get worse, one night Nell was woken up by her cellphone, and as she answered it, she had an unpleasant surprise: it was no one less than the murder.
She sees herself, then, involved with the murders, both as a witness and as a victim. She starts to worry about her children and her friends, and the murder turns out to be a surprise to everyone.
I must say I was able to discover the murderer of this plot, but I confess during many passages of the story I was in doubt about the murderers's identity.
To be really honest, I myself got scared of sleeping alone a couple of nights after I read the book, lol. I was afraid to receive the murderer's call!!!
I highly recommend this book, really. The story is very well constructed, Nell is a deep character, and the end is really surprising. A great book!
Please check my blog for more reviews: mypapertrips.wordpress.com
January 17, 2017
When I first read the prologue I almost vomited because it was like a car accident you couldn't look away from no matter how horrifying it made you feel. I actually had to reread the same paragraph a few times to make sure it was saying what I thought it said. When I got done I wasn't sure if I could continue with the rest of the book because the hatred I felt for this character was intense. I did though because I thought if an author can evoke this strong of an emotion at the very beginning then they deserved my attention for the rest. Even if it started off difficult to read I was glad I stayed in there because Reid definitely does a great job at writing mysteries.
The plot lines and characters are fleshed out well and the writer's overall style makes this a very easy read as it just flows to the point you don't realize how much binge reading you have done in a single sitting.
This being the second in a series I hope there are more to come as I'm vastly curious what they'll come up with next.
The plot lines and characters are fleshed out well and the writer's overall style makes this a very easy read as it just flows to the point you don't realize how much binge reading you have done in a single sitting.
This being the second in a series I hope there are more to come as I'm vastly curious what they'll come up with next.
January 13, 2017
I would like to thank NetGalley and Midnight Ink Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this which I voluntarily reviewed.
I read book 1 in the Nell McGraw series, "Roots of Murder", and thoroughly enjoyed it. I was delighted to be accepted to read this. It's an excellent follow-up and I enjoyed it more than book 1. I think that it was because I already knew some of the characters that live and work in Pelican Bay.
I have given this 5 stars as it has everything I look for in a mystery. It has a strong plot, believable characters and a writing style that makes it easy to read.
I hope that book 3 is published soon.
I read book 1 in the Nell McGraw series, "Roots of Murder", and thoroughly enjoyed it. I was delighted to be accepted to read this. It's an excellent follow-up and I enjoyed it more than book 1. I think that it was because I already knew some of the characters that live and work in Pelican Bay.
I have given this 5 stars as it has everything I look for in a mystery. It has a strong plot, believable characters and a writing style that makes it easy to read.
I hope that book 3 is published soon.
July 12, 2018
Good Book, but far more harrowing story than Roots of Murder.
This adult fiction novel is chillingly realistic and as with Roots of Murder, this story could also easily be based on actual events, so much so that the disclaimer in the copyright section is well warranted. Due in part to the realistic nature of the plot, I could not put this book down until I had finished reading! The story of this book contains lamentable, anguishing, and disturbing subjects. However, R. Jean Reid provides details early on in the story that allow more discretion later on in this novel; she does this skillfully, had this been handled in a different way I would not have been able to complete this book (which for me, not finishing a book is an excruciating prospect).
This author has found a way to work in political/social issues into each book of this series; however, I personally feel she does so with sensitivity. Within this story, the author touches on sexual orientation, however, this theme presents itself mid-way through the book, not throughout the entire story. An ever present theme throughout this series is a gender gap (the difference in the way Nell is treated as a professional woman as opposed to the professional men within the story). Although these themes and issues are present, they do not overpower the story.
This is a suspenseful thriller. True to form, R. Jean Reid weaves a tale full of twists and turns that result in dramatic flair. The wit peppered throughout this story is refreshing and entertaining. The language is for the most part clean; the only profanity utilized is done so to heighten the tone. Overall, I would describe the language usage throughout the novel as expansive: R. Jean Reid writes in such a way that the overall story is easy to read and comprehend, only occasionally throwing in a "five-dollar word". In my opinion, the occasional "five-dollar word" just heightens my interest. The characters are fully developed - not only did I find the main character, Nell McGraw, relate-able, but found myself more invested in the secondary characters. I have hope that one character in particular will still make occasional appearances in later installments to this series despite the unfortunate events within his particular story-line here. In addition, although reading the series in order will allow a deeper understanding of the characters, I appreciate how each book within this series can be read as a stand-alone book or in whatever order the reader so chooses.
Due to the subject matter of the mystery presented in this book, I cautiously recommend this read with a warning that the content may prove too disturbing for some individuals.
This adult fiction novel is chillingly realistic and as with Roots of Murder, this story could also easily be based on actual events, so much so that the disclaimer in the copyright section is well warranted. Due in part to the realistic nature of the plot, I could not put this book down until I had finished reading! The story of this book contains lamentable, anguishing, and disturbing subjects. However, R. Jean Reid provides details early on in the story that allow more discretion later on in this novel; she does this skillfully, had this been handled in a different way I would not have been able to complete this book (which for me, not finishing a book is an excruciating prospect).
This author has found a way to work in political/social issues into each book of this series; however, I personally feel she does so with sensitivity. Within this story, the author touches on sexual orientation, however, this theme presents itself mid-way through the book, not throughout the entire story. An ever present theme throughout this series is a gender gap (the difference in the way Nell is treated as a professional woman as opposed to the professional men within the story). Although these themes and issues are present, they do not overpower the story.
This is a suspenseful thriller. True to form, R. Jean Reid weaves a tale full of twists and turns that result in dramatic flair. The wit peppered throughout this story is refreshing and entertaining. The language is for the most part clean; the only profanity utilized is done so to heighten the tone. Overall, I would describe the language usage throughout the novel as expansive: R. Jean Reid writes in such a way that the overall story is easy to read and comprehend, only occasionally throwing in a "five-dollar word". In my opinion, the occasional "five-dollar word" just heightens my interest. The characters are fully developed - not only did I find the main character, Nell McGraw, relate-able, but found myself more invested in the secondary characters. I have hope that one character in particular will still make occasional appearances in later installments to this series despite the unfortunate events within his particular story-line here. In addition, although reading the series in order will allow a deeper understanding of the characters, I appreciate how each book within this series can be read as a stand-alone book or in whatever order the reader so chooses.
Due to the subject matter of the mystery presented in this book, I cautiously recommend this read with a warning that the content may prove too disturbing for some individuals.
July 31, 2019
This author has impressed me when I've heard her speak at several conferences, and I love her Mickey Knight detective series (written under the name J.M. Redmann). So I was eager to read this series and ordered both this book and Roots of Murder. This book arrived first, so I read it first, even though it's the second in the series. Having now read both books, I don't think it makes any difference which one you read first.
As other reviewers have noted, the prologue is very difficult to read (and I don't shy away from dark subject matter), but it is essential to the rest of the story.
I did enjoy this novel, but I think it would have been better if it had been about 100 pages shorter. At times it bogs down with repetitive introspection. It also requires a lot of "willing suspension of disbelief". When Nell receives phone calls from someone who seems to know a lot about the disappearance of children, why doesn't anyone think to check her phone records? (The records could come back to a "burner" cell phone, but it doesn't even seem to occur to anyone to check until very late in the book.) Why does Nell allow her 12-year-old son to ride his bike alone outside after he's been threatened and one of his friends has disappeared during a group bike ride? (That made even less sense after I read Roots of Murder.) Why didn't the newspaper's best reporter recognize the significance of information he had uncovered?
This novel is better than the first one in the series, and I hope the next one will be even better. I'm looking forward to it.
As other reviewers have noted, the prologue is very difficult to read (and I don't shy away from dark subject matter), but it is essential to the rest of the story.
I did enjoy this novel, but I think it would have been better if it had been about 100 pages shorter. At times it bogs down with repetitive introspection. It also requires a lot of "willing suspension of disbelief". When Nell receives phone calls from someone who seems to know a lot about the disappearance of children, why doesn't anyone think to check her phone records? (The records could come back to a "burner" cell phone, but it doesn't even seem to occur to anyone to check until very late in the book.) Why does Nell allow her 12-year-old son to ride his bike alone outside after he's been threatened and one of his friends has disappeared during a group bike ride? (That made even less sense after I read Roots of Murder.) Why didn't the newspaper's best reporter recognize the significance of information he had uncovered?
This novel is better than the first one in the series, and I hope the next one will be even better. I'm looking forward to it.
June 19, 2017
I’ve enjoyed stepping back into the second series of one of my favourite authors. Now, that the reader gets to know more about the main and supporting characters, it feels as if there is plenty ahead: More stories to come, more relationship developments to enjoy, more character developments to witness. We’ve been introduced to people of Pelican Bay in book 1. We‘ve started to like some characters, started to be annoyed by some and started to hope for some. And now slowly but surely we are allowed to dive deeper – while at the same time we have to buckle up, because certain unexpected twists and turns are making this ride not only really enjoyable and pageturning, but also dangerous for some of the characters we’ve been rooting for since book 1.
Just like in „Roots of murder“, the atmosphere in this book is rather sinister. Less political, though, less historical, but as thrilling and captivating. And Nell, the main-character, is admirably strong. Suffering from the loss of her husband, while at the same time working hard to be a good mom (just ignore the Pizzas!), a good boss (just ignore her patience with a certain co-worker!) and a good friend (just ignore that you want more and consider it foreplay!). And Nell just won’t take anything from anyone, and that’s highly satisfactory – every single time.
Looking forward to book 3!
Just like in „Roots of murder“, the atmosphere in this book is rather sinister. Less political, though, less historical, but as thrilling and captivating. And Nell, the main-character, is admirably strong. Suffering from the loss of her husband, while at the same time working hard to be a good mom (just ignore the Pizzas!), a good boss (just ignore her patience with a certain co-worker!) and a good friend (just ignore that you want more and consider it foreplay!). And Nell just won’t take anything from anyone, and that’s highly satisfactory – every single time.
Looking forward to book 3!
July 4, 2017
Well-written so that you instantly care about the protagonist and her friends & family. The raw grief and fear are palpable. It's compelling enough that you'll not want to put it down...if you can get through the graphic, sickening, off-putting prologue. Oddly, that's the only part of the book that's so garish. While I almost stopped there, I'm not a quitter. I'm certainly glad I continued on. My only other complaint is that the perpetrator is so obvious. I figured it out by page 50 but I kept thinking that I was wrong because it was TOO obvious. But, no, the clues kept pointing a neon sign at the only person it could be. No red herrings here (for the reader, anyway; the characters get a few). Still and all, I liked the pace and characters enough, that I will try to find the first book & make an effort to read any further tales of Nell's derring do.
November 27, 2017
First, there are some very graphic scenes depicted in this book. So if you are uncomfortable with sexual crimes against children, this book is not for you.
Second, I was a little disappointed in the character development of the main character. What responsible mother lets her children run loose in a town, when children are being snatched and murdered?
Third, I saw the plot twist coming from page two and thought it was painfully obvious who the murderer would be.
With all that said, the book was a very quick read for me that kept me turning pages.
Second, I was a little disappointed in the character development of the main character. What responsible mother lets her children run loose in a town, when children are being snatched and murdered?
Third, I saw the plot twist coming from page two and thought it was painfully obvious who the murderer would be.
With all that said, the book was a very quick read for me that kept me turning pages.
June 12, 2017
After getting though the dark prologue and the first, slow reading, 25 - 30% of the book the story picked up and I enjoyed the rest of the book. With few clues to who the murderer is not even tried to guess, but let the story enfold and just followed Nell McGraw in her search. In the end I found this was a great read and I really liked it. I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thanks to NetGalley and Midnight Ink!
October 6, 2023
Could not read the rest of the prologue, contains sexual child abuse. Honestly I don’t think how another human can write in detail description child sex abuse, especially in the times we are currently living in. I don’t care if it’s a book and not based in a true story. But child sex abuse is very true and still happening as you read this. That’s a BIG NO for me.
July 20, 2019
Mystery lovers will likely enjoy this story. I wasn't too keen on it. It just moved to slow for my tastes. Sorry. I am sure it will find it's target audience and do very well.
I received a Kindle arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
I received a Kindle arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
August 4, 2017
great book! Lots of suspense, it kept me guessing as to how the murderer was. I felt like I knew Nell and some of the other characters in the book.
August 19, 2017
Bodies of children are being found all over Pelican Bay MS (formerly known as Perdition). Recently widowed Nell McGraw, editor of the Pelican Bay Crier, is trying to keep the story off the radar but when the murderer starts calling her in the. Idle of the night and threatening her children, she has to take the story onto the front page of the paper. Nell walks a fine line, trying to remain neutral but she is caught between the town's police chief and the county sheriff, both of whom want to bring the killer to justice. Picture perfect place setting and small town politics and the denouncement will leave you gasping.
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April 20, 2023you know when they say something goes from 0 to 100 real quick. this just started straight at 100.
June 1, 2024
The second entry in a series about a widowed newspaper publisher in Louisiana. Well plotted with compelling character and a good story. I wonder if or when the next in the series might appear?
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