by Helen Phifer
DESCRIPTION
The cottage sits pretty with ornate, stone walls and embers still glowing cozy in the fireplace within, the remnants of a happy, sheltered life. But a woman's body lies still on the floor, her frozen face smeared with blood-red lipstick.
Detective Morgan Brookes thinks she’s seen it all, but goosebumps prickle her flesh as she walks inside a beautiful limestone cottage in Rydal Falls to find an innocent young woman strangled to death. The killer has applied lipstick to Rachel Hart and pressed her lips to a letter to seal it with a kiss.
Scrawled handwriting confirms this killer has already chosen his next victim, but the careful, calculated scene only frustrates Morgan when she finds no more clues. Rachel’s solitary life, dedicated to her tabby cat and barely speaking to her sister, yields no suspects. Until Morgan finds out about an argument between Rachel and her cleaner. Did the ex-employee murder her in cold blood and cover his tracks?
Finding two photos of Rachel in a Ziplock bag inside the cleaner’s home, Morgan’s team lock him up. And when Morgan receives a hysterical call from a mother after finding her only daughter strangled, another letter buried at the scene, she should be able to tell the woman justice has already been served. But something about this case just doesn’t feel right. The timelines don’t add up, and Morgan feels watched in her own home. Can she uncover the truth and find this killer, or is she already too late to save the next victim?
Fans of Angela Marsons, Lisa Regan and Rachel Abbott will devour this unforgettable rollercoaster of a crime thriller late into the night.
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MY THOUGHTS
The Detective Morgan Brookes series is 19 books in and continues to impress me just as much as all of the previous installments. In this book, Morgan's latest case begins when a woman has been murdered. As Morgan looks at the victim’s body, it is clear that it has been staged, and with a letter left on the victim that indicates a clear signature, Morgan is certain that the killer is in no way finished. Can she and her team work quickly enough to prevent another young woman from losing her life?
As Morgan delves into the victim’s life, nothing jumps out at her that points to motive. When she does find a clue, she acts with swift determination to identify and stop the killer before they claim another victim. Sadly, when a very distraught mother calls Morgan, it is with the devastating news that she found her daughter dead. Although Morgan recognizes similarities between the murders, she senses that there could be more to these crimes than meets the eye.
Meanwhile, Morgan has reason to feel uneasy about her own safety, and she realizes that she is truly in a race against time when it comes to solving this latest case. Throughout the investigation, Morgan and her team work together in person synchronicity. I particularly enjoy the humor they share, which highlights the warmth of their relationships and provides a welcome balance to the darkness of the crimes they investigate.
I have loved this series from the very first book, and each exciting installment brings a fresh case that keeps me coming back for more. While each book could be read as a standalone, watching Morgan grow personally and professionally, along with the development of her relationships, makes this a series I would encourage readers to enjoy in order. Fast-paced, suspenseful, and with a memorable ending, this 19th installment is a winner. I’m already looking forward to seeing what Helen Phifer has in store for Morgan and her team next!
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Her debut novel The Ghost House featuring Annie Graham went on to be a global bestseller.
She lives in the busy town of Barrow-in-Furness surrounded by miles of coastline and a short drive from the glorious English Lake District. Her favourite hobbies include reading, chasing the Aurora Borealis when it puts in an appearance, visiting Salem, watching the sunset, the moon rise and drinking coffee.
Helen loves reading books that scare the heck out of her and is eternally grateful to Stephen King, Dean Koontz, James Herbert and Graham Masterton for scaring her senseless in her teenage years, and to Alice Hoffman’s beautiful stories for inspiring her love of all things witchy and to write fantasy novels alongside her crime thrillers.
Or find her over at www.helenphifer.com
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