Review of Advance Readers’ Edition
In the days of the Salem witch trials, sleepy little Burning Lake had its own witches-burned-at-the-stake moment. Only the three women actually died with ropes around their necks and no one ever proved any witchcraft. Nevertheless, each year the upstate New York town re-creates this burning-at-the-stake ritual as a sad sort of tribute to its past.
But it’s the present where Detective Natalie Lockhart tries to find answers for nine missing transients, cold cases with files passed around the department in hopes of someone discovering an overlooked clue that might lead to some answers. But Natalie must set those cases aside to investigate the murder of a popular teacher. Little does she know that the more she investigates this crime, the further she will be drawn into a dark and disturbing past where everything she believes will be changed forever.
Realistic characters populate this intriguing tale of murder, deception, and witchcraft. With a troubled teen tagged as the probable murderer, there’s a distinct focus on several of the town’s teen-agers. No one seems particularly concerned about the young people dabbling in witchcraft; as the story unfolds, this creepiness gives way to something far more sinister. But it’s the strong sense of place that anchors the tale and pulls the reader into the story.
Unexpected twists take the story in new directions even though some needless repetition tends to bog down the narrative; the witchcraft subplot seems to exist only to serve as a convenient scapegoat for culpability. However, a couple of questionable references regarding police procedures and the surprising resolution of the murder are far more likely to create frustration for readers.
Unfortunately, a much-overused and offensive expletive mars the narrative and lowers the rating for this book.
I received a free copy of this book from BookishFirst
In the days of the Salem witch trials, sleepy little Burning Lake had its own witches-burned-at-the-stake moment. Only the three women actually died with ropes around their necks and no one ever proved any witchcraft. Nevertheless, each year the upstate New York town re-creates this burning-at-the-stake ritual as a sad sort of tribute to its past.
But it’s the present where Detective Natalie Lockhart tries to find answers for nine missing transients, cold cases with files passed around the department in hopes of someone discovering an overlooked clue that might lead to some answers. But Natalie must set those cases aside to investigate the murder of a popular teacher. Little does she know that the more she investigates this crime, the further she will be drawn into a dark and disturbing past where everything she believes will be changed forever.
Realistic characters populate this intriguing tale of murder, deception, and witchcraft. With a troubled teen tagged as the probable murderer, there’s a distinct focus on several of the town’s teen-agers. No one seems particularly concerned about the young people dabbling in witchcraft; as the story unfolds, this creepiness gives way to something far more sinister. But it’s the strong sense of place that anchors the tale and pulls the reader into the story.
Unexpected twists take the story in new directions even though some needless repetition tends to bog down the narrative; the witchcraft subplot seems to exist only to serve as a convenient scapegoat for culpability. However, a couple of questionable references regarding police procedures and the surprising resolution of the murder are far more likely to create frustration for readers.
Unfortunately, a much-overused and offensive expletive mars the narrative and lowers the rating for this book.
I received a free copy of this book from BookishFirst