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Saturday, May 08, 2021
Second Series Installment Almost As Gripping As the First
8:08 PM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Note: Although this review will not contain spoilers for The Dead Season, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from its predecessor, Death in the Family. As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.
After certain decisions made on her last case, Shana Merchant—a senior investigator with the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI)—is on administrative leave pending a psychological evaluation. Unsure quite what to do with herself, she's itching to get back to what she does best: work. When the remains of her uncle, who disappeared twenty years ago, are discovered in Swanton, Vermont, Shana returns to her hometown. While pondering her uncle's case, she learns that a young boy has been kidnapped near her current home in the Thousand Islands area of New York. It's clear to Shana that the incidents are connected and that a challenge is being issued to her by serial killer Blake Bram. He wants her to solve her uncle's murder in order to save the missing child. With little choice in the matter, Shana begins two intense investigations that will lead her into the one place she never wants to visit—her past.
I enjoyed Death in the Family, the first book in Tessa Wegert's Shana Merchant series, so I was all in for the second installment. Although the latter didn't suck me in quite as much as the former, I still found The Dead Season to be a tense, gripping read. Shana's an intriguing character, so it was interesting to learn more about her childhood and her relationship with Bram. Both of the cases she works in this one are compelling, with twists that keep the story from getting dull or stale. The identity of Shana's uncle's killer caught me by surprise, even though it shouldn't have—when I thought back over the story, I could clearly see all the clues Wegert dropped along the way that I totally missed. All of these elements make The Dead Season a compelling page turner. It held my interest and made me even more eager to see where this engrossing series goes next.
(Readalikes: Death in the Family by Tessa Wegert)
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I have the first book on my shelf and just re-noticed it and was thinking I need to read it. I'm glad this one lived up mostly to the first book. I definitely need to start this series.
ReplyDeleteI'll be interested to see what you think of it!
DeleteThese two books are new to me, but it strikes me that the series is shaping up like a lot of the ones I've read in the past. Lots of times, it seems, the first book is more about the crime or mystery than the central character and supporting cast. But usually, that first book gives a real sense of place and the times if it is going to work. Then, in the second book, the author seems to spend more time on the main character's backstory...and we slowly get hooked more on the character than on the mystery itself. And then, by the third book, we are starting to feel like the central character is akin to an old friend we are catching up with after an absence of several months. Well...that's how it works with me, anyway.
ReplyDeleteI think you're spot on! Authors have to hook us with the first book, so it often has a flashy plot. Then, they can focus more on characters and fleshing out backstories. I'm fine with that because I like both plot-driven AND character-driven stories. I just hope the third book does both - keeps up the momentum with an intriguing plot while continuing to reveal more about the characters and setting to create a series that has it all!
DeleteI have Death in the Family sitting in my stack of library books right now and am looking forward to reading it. (Which means I didn't read your review of this second book too closely.)
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely interested to see what you think!
DeleteI often find that second books in a series are not successful as the others, but I am not sure why.
ReplyDeleteI also find that. I believe it's for the reason Sam says. Authors pull you into a series with a flashy, unique plot, but it's hard to keep up that kind of momentum, so the next book is often less original, more mundane.
DeleteI enjoyed Death in the Family so I'm definitely putting this onto my wishlist!
ReplyDelete