Search This Blog
April Reviews Link-Up
May Reviews Link-Up
June Reviews Link-Up
July Reviews Link-Up
August Reviews Link-Up
September Reviews Link-Up
October Reviews Link-Up
November Reviews Link-Up
December Reviews Link-Up
2024 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas
- California (3)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland
- Massachusetts (2)
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York (2)
- North Carolina (2)
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma (1)
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (1)
- Utah
- Vermont (1)
- Virginia (1)
- Washington (1)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.*
International:
- Australia (1)
- Canada (1)
- England (7)
- France (1)
- Indonesia (1)
- Ireland (1)
- Italy (1)
- Scotland (2)
- The Netherlands (1)
2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge
Tuesday, November 05, 2019
Ho-Hum Murder Mystery Just An Okay Read
6:40 PM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Summit Lake, North Carolina, is the kind of quaint little town that homicide never touches. So, when a 22-year-old law student is brutally murdered there, it leaves everyone reeling with shock. How could this have happened in their peaceful community? Who would want to kill a promising young woman like Becca Echersley? It simply makes no sense.
Kelsey Castle, a crime reporter in need of a vacation (even a working one), is sent to Summit Lake to dig around for answers. Since the police don't appear to be doing much to solve the case, Kelsey becomes even more impassioned. Feeling a strong connection to the murdered woman, the reporter vows to find Becca's killer. Even if it puts her own life in danger.
Summit Lake, a debut novel by Charlie Donlea, is your basic murder mystery. There's nothing really fresh or original about it, but it was compelling enough to keep me reading. It's not as suspenseful as I hoped it would be, especially because Becca narrates half the chapters. The characters are pretty flat, the prose is capable but melodramatic, and a lot of the plot is far-fetched and contrived. Still, I didn't see all the twists coming. In the end, though, I found this to be just an okay read. Although this is a first novel, I don't think I'll bother with another Donlea book.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of lots of other murder mysteries set in sleepy little towns, although no specific titles are coming to mind. You?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (no F-bombs), violence, blood/gore, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Subscribe to:
Posts
(Atom)
Reading
Listening
Followin' with Bloglovin'
-
Bookish Quote of the Day!!1 hour ago
-
-
Daily Prompt 26 April Friday4 hours ago
-
Book Blogger Hop – TV or Book9 hours ago
-
-
-
-
Audiobook: The Mango Tree15 hours ago
-
FO Friday: SaltPixie Studio Rolags15 hours ago
-
Home is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose16 hours ago
-
The Lady of Larkspur Vale21 hours ago
-
Need a laugh?22 hours ago
-
-
Long Time Dead by T M Payne23 hours ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Final Cut by Marjorie McCown2 days ago
-
-
-
-
Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth3 days ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Reading as a retreat from reality1 week ago
-
Reading Recap March 20242 weeks ago
-
-
March Monthly Wrap-up3 weeks ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?6 months ago
-
6/25/23 Extra Ezra10 months ago
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-
Grab my Button!
Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ▼ 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)
- ► 2013 (183)
- ► 2012 (193)
- ► 2011 (232)
- ► 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)