Description:
Two gruesome murders have shocked and divided the community of Bella Coola, a small, isolated village in a remote river valley on the coast of British Columbia. The evidence points to a teenaged Nuxalk boy, and the simmering tension between whites and tribe members heats up. RCMP Inspector Marcus Chao must sort through misleading clues, cultural conflicts, tangled relationships, sexual scandals, and even rumors of sorcery to find the truth.
Marcus is a man whose life has skidded into remorse and misery. His own infidelity has ended his marriage to the woman he still loves, and now he finds himself with only two things to keep his sinking spirits afloat: the need to serve justice and his eternal fascination with solving the puzzle of the crime. This latest puzzle, however, is proving to be a maze of intrigue, and his mettle as well as his principles will be tested.
My Thoughts:
This was a fantastic, well-written mystery. The plot wasn't too complicated, but kept me guessing. The story really follows Claire and Daniel, the Nuxalk teenagers, but Marcus Chao is called in to this small, isolated town to solve the murders. Marcus is an interesting character and the author is working on a second Marcus Chao mystery, which I am excited about. If you don't mind dark, gritty, and gruesome, this is an excellent read.
My Rating: *****
Steam Factor: !
*Notes: Gruesome murders, deals with rape and other mature themes.
Where to get it:
Amazon
Smashwords
About the author (from her Amazon author page):
Lane Stark has had three enduring passions through her life: travel, art, and the written word. She has traveled the world, lived abroad in both Europe and Asia, and experienced many cultures. She holds a B.A. and M.A. in linguistics, has studied eight languages, and recently ended a career as a graphic artist. She has now turned her creative attentions to full-time writing and leisure-time photography. Travel provides a wealth of inspiration for books, and she finds herself weaving tales around the people she meets and the places she explores. She and her husband have indulged their love of the vagabond life by moving into an RV full-time and following the roadways to new adventures. She is currently working on a second novel featuring RCMP Inspector Marcus Chao, A Premature Death.
Where to find the author:
Lane Stark
Hi Brinda. I just followed you back on twitter and came over to follow your blog. I like the way you do your reviews. Nice and clear. It looks like we may like some of the same kinds of books, except I also really like the truly scary! I don't expect a happy ending in those:)
ReplyDeleteNice to meet you and I look forward to reading your posts.
Thanks so much! Glad you stopped by. I do like to read a variety of books, but I tend to stay away from anything too scary. :)
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