Another Review at MyShelf.Com

Death in the Abstract
Katherine Sullivan Mystery #2
Emily Barnes

Crooked Lane
May 9, 2017/ ISBN 978-1-68331-122-5
Mystery/Cozy

Reviewed by Laura Hinds

 

Katherine Sullivan, retired police chief from Edina, Minnesota, now resides in New Mexico where she enjoys painting, the scenery, and living in an art community. She gets a call from home, informing her that her best friend, Nathan Walker, has disappeared. Because she knows Nathan to be as solid as a rock, she flies back to Minnesota immediately to help his staff search for him.

The situation isn’t as simple as Nathan’s disappearance, however. This becomes obvious when there are two dead bodies discovered, one prior to the vanishing, and one after. Katherine along with Nathan’s team of security experts work diligently to try to find out what is going on under the surface. Whether they will be able to unravel the clues in time to save Nathan or not makes this a compelling read.

I found myself immersed in this book from the very first chapter. Katherine Sullivan is a protagonist who is mature, smart and loving. She has been through a lot, including the loss of her police officer husband, who was, in fact, Nathan Walker’s partner. She’s a mom and a grandmother, and revels in her newfound identity as an artist. She has the ability to utilize her career police investigative skills while employing her compassion and innate kindness. Each of the other characters in the book is well written and fleshed out enough that I was able to picture them and even imagine the sound of their voices.

I couldn’t get enough of this book and didn’t want it to end. Emily Barnes is an author who is new to me, and I intend to find and read her first book, “The Fine Art of Murder,” which is the debut book in this series. I think if there are enough books in this series, it would one day make a fine TV series.

I highly recommend this book as a mystery for anyone who likes a sharp-minded sleuth, a well-plotted mystery, diverse characters and a no-nonsense approach to crime solving. This would be a great book club read. Suggest this one to your book club and you’ll be met with enthusiasm!

Reviewed 2017
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