This enjoyable thriller / police procedural, is the first in Emily Littlejohn's Detective Gemma Monroe series.
SUMMARY
Gemma Monroe is a detective in a small, idyllic Colorado ski town. When the book opens, she is very pregnant and is called out to the scene of a murder. The victim is reported to be an employee of the circus performing on the fairgrounds. Nothing could have prepared Gemma for the freaky nightmare-inducing scene she walked into; the victim was a clown with his throat ripped open!!! No amount of therapy could erase that image from my head!!!! YIKES!
As Gemma begins to delve into the murder, she keeps coming across evidence that seems to link this crime to the 30 year old unsolved murder of two young boys, referred to as "The Woodsman Murders." Needless to say, this was a traumatic event for her small town, rehashing the memories makes many people uncomfortable and Gemma meets with a lot of resistance. Could to two events be related? But... on the other hand, there are several potential suspects within the circus; two women in particular who keep getting caught in lies and each seems to be pointing the finger at the other.
On the personal front, Gemma's life is kind up unsettled. Her boyfriend / baby's dad has been working for several months on a geology project in Alaska (and there may or may not be an unidentified woman there with him!!), her beloved grandmother is suffering from dementia and her grandfather may be withholding information about the Woodsman Murders from her.
Between work and her personal life, Gemma has a LOT going on and takes the reader along for a (mostly) fun, fast paced ride.
WHAT I LOVED
This story has a lot things I love in a thriller.
I love interesting characters and this story delivers. If I'm being honest, Gemma's dog Seamus was one of my favorites, he just seemed to be everything a dog should be. I liked Gemma, particularly the way she had her life together in a lot of ways yet was kind of a mess in other areas of life. I found Finn interesting, he was kind of an ass but could also be a good guy. I ended the book still unsure of my feelings about him. Her grandfather, Bull was interesting too, I would have liked more of him in the story line. The whole Bellington family made great characters and the circus people were downright fascinating. That's right, circus people!! Very original concept.
Although this book is a part of a series, either of the two books can stand on their own. I discovered and therefore read the second book first. Reading "A Season to Lie" out of order did cause an issue. I'd definitely be up for reading a third.
The plot was right up my alley. I like fast paced books with some strategic twists and a few well placed 'red herrings.' This book managed to have the exact right amount of false leads without being too much. It felt authentic as a police investigation. Not that I've ever been a part of a police investigation, but from what I've seen on TV (and we all know that's as good as real life), most investigations involve some trial and error before the correct theory is discovered.
I loved reading a book set in Colorado! Colorado is one of my favorite places. If my fantasy world (the world in which I have won the lottery) were real, I would own a house in Vail and spend as much time there as possible. Since that is still not a reality, I have to settle for reading books based in Colorado.
There are so many more things to love in this book but these are a few from the top of my list.
WHAT I DIDN'T LOVE
While I did enjoy this book, there were a couple complaints.
I'm getting tired of storylines where the bad guy goes after the person who is close to solving the case as soon as they get close. All it does is let the solver know he or she is on the right track. You would think that someone who is smart enough to pull off a complicated murder or crime wouldn't be dumb enough to give themselves away like that. It seems to happen in most thrillers, maybe I need a short break from the genre.
I felt like the final 'take down' scene wasn't right. I just have a hard time imagining that the person who was responsible for the murder would allow it to end the way it did. I cannot say more without a spoiler.
OVERALL
Great read for a fan of fast paced thrillers. I liked most things about it.
Inherit the Bones: A Detective Gemma Monroe Mystery, Book 1
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Top reviews from the United States
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An Enjoyable, Engaging and Gripping Debut Murder Mystery Filled with Suspense! Emily Littlejohn has Serious Talent!
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 6, 2017Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 19, 2017
Top reviews from other countries
Tanya B
One of the best book I have read this year.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on November 13, 2016
