Three Keys to Murder, by the writing team of Gary Williams and Vicky Knerly, is the first mystery I've read in years. A friend recommended the book to me. So I put aside my traditional disinterest in the genre and read it. I was most pleasantly surprised.
It is a story that will grab your attention and sweep you along to its conclusion. Authors are trained to start each story in a way that will hook their readers and keep them interested. Mr. Williams and Ms. Knerly did just that. The story begins with foreboding that leads to a shocking and painful event. The tale rolls on from there. Darkness threatens at every turn. The truth always seems just a heartbeat away.
The characters are engaging, realistic people caught in a terrible web of shadowed intrigue. Some people are not at all who they seem. The story plays with us as readers until we want to warn the characters, "hey, wait! Don't do that!"
The story is filled with delicious tension that trickles down the spine, spurring us on until the surprising conclusion. This is a page-turner in the best sense. I didn't want to put it down.
This novel is also steeped in Florida history, well researched and accurate. It adds a layer of pathos to the story.
Three Keys to Murder is a skillful, well-balanced tale that will keep you interested until the very end.
It's a great read. Enjoy!
Blurb:
On Amelia Island, Florida, 36-year-old journalist
Fawn Cortez is adjusting to life in her new surroundings as she prepares for
her upcoming marriage. Her father’s tragic death earlier in the year still
haunts her. For decades, Juan Velarde Cortez obsessively hunted a legendary
treasure, and his passing has left unresolved feelings for Fawn. Now, when a
series of grisly killings rock the small island community—each victim’s face
has a distinct signature—Fawn suspects a bizarre connection between the murders,
her father’s quest, and the death ritual of an infamous Seminole Indian from
the 1800s. A cigar box that once belonged to her father appears to hold the
key. As Fawn draws closer and closer to solving the 200-year-old puzzle and
determining the killer’s identity, she will be forced to unravel historical
clues that will lead her on a harrowing journey. Time is quickly running out as
a serial killer is watching and waiting in the shadows. Will Fawn discover the
truth before she becomes the next victim? With historical links and storyline
twists, this follow-up to Gary Williams’ & Vicky Knerly’s debut novel,
“Death in the Beginning,” engages all the necessary elements of and delivers a
fast-paced, heart-pounding thriller.
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/146988
This was one of the only novels I ever read to nearly catapult me out of my chair when I hit "the twist." Seriously, just when the moment is darkest and there is no way out, the story flips you upside down, sits on your head, and points and laughs because you were just *so sure* you had it figured out. And the brilliant descriptions of my very favorite place in the world were just a perk. :)
ReplyDeleteI plan to read their first novel, this one was so good.
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