Author: Thea McAlistair
Publisher: NineStar Press
Release Date: January 6, 2020
Genre(s): Historical Suspense / Mystery
Page Count: N/A
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Read book blurb here
In this second book in the Caro Mysteries series, Alex and Sev have fled to rural Vermont to lay low after the murderous events of the first book. But they leap from the frying pan right into the fire when there's a murder in Chickadee, Vermont just as they arrive in town. Sev's mob boss / cousin Bella arrives in town, gets promptly tossed in jail, and Alex has to find the killer in order to clean Bella's name. The only problem is the bodies start to pile up, as well as the suspects.
The author does a good job of slowly unfolding Chickadee - where everyone knows everyone AND all their secrets. McAlistair gives us vignettes of secondary characters that are nicely fleshed out and the murder / mystery plot really holds my interest throughout.
Against this backdrop, Alex finds himself more confused and conflicted about his relationship with Sev. After all, they've only been together a matter of weeks and there are years (and years of experiences) separating them. At times Alex spends far too much time pouting in his room, avoiding Sev and as there is no on-page intimacy, I miss not having a better sense of the full dynamics of their relationship.
However, by the end of the book, Sev and Alex are on firmer ground, and solve the murders .... except for a cliffhanger that leaves us wondering if there is a larger game being played, and if so, who is the ultimate target?
All in all, I liked the mystery, liked the characters and the setting, and definitely like the way this book develops the series. After the first book in the series, No Good Men, I was on the fence about this series, but I am definitely looking to read more Caro Mysteries! 4 stars.
I received an ARC from NineStar Press, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
