Synopsis

As a former bodyguard, it should be easy for Gary Fenris to kill, especially when the motive is revenge. But Gary has made two mistakes in his life. The first was letting the woman he loved die on his watch. The second was thinking vengeance could bring him peace.

Local bookstore owner and amateur lock pick Kate Rowan loves nothing more than a good mystery. Her curiosity soon leads her down a trail of blackmail, obsession and death. Despite the risk – or maybe because of it – Gary finds himself drawn to Kate. When danger strikes, Gary is forced to face the fact that he used love as an excuse for murder. And he’s got one last score to settle.

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Review

Never count a woman out when it comes to defending herself!

There are several aspects of this story that I truly enjoyed – the fact that Kate was no shrinking violet in need of saving; Gary is not really a hero but he is trying; Tim and Will nearly steal the show as junior sleuths; the mystery of Mr. Wendell who is not quite who you think even when you think you have him figured out!

This story bounces back and forth between Kate and Gary’s POV.  Gary is filled with guilt over letting his last client die.  Kate is a bookworm in love with fictional characters (my kind of gal!).  Despite their history and background, these two make an intriguing couple.  While the book is light on a relationship other than friendship until near the end, you can feel the sparks and tension between the two until they give in to each other.  These two are supported by a wide cast – Marcus, Kate’s good friend; Tim and Will, two bookshop clients that want to solve a mystery, ah the joys of youth; Elaina and Ian, possibly star crossed lovers that create a little friction between each other to spice up the story; Percival, Gary’s coworker at the security firm; Ryan Delaney, a twist in the characters; and Great Aunt Rosalyn and her neighbor Penelope.  There are some other minor characters but the previous are the main characters we see the most.

While the story is complex and kept me guessing, the ending was left open.  The mystery was solved but I don’t think there was any real resolution between Kate and Gary.  This could be that there will be another book and it will become a series or at least a sequel.  I do think the story is engaging and there are some intriguing twists that make you think twice about various characters.

Overall we enjoyed it and give this book 4 paws up.

About the Author

Vanessa Westermann’s debut crime novel, An Excuse For Murder, was published in March 2019 by The Wild Rose Press.

Vanessa is a former Arthur Ellis Awards judge and has given a talk on the evolution of women’s crime writing, at the Toronto Chapter of Sisters in Crime.

Her book review column entitled “Vanessa’s Picks” was published in Sleuth of Baker Street Mystery Bookstore’s monthly newsletter, from 2012 to 2016.

While living in Munich, Germany, Vanessa attained an M.A. in English Literature and went on to teach creative writing.

Vanessa currently lives in Canada and is working on her next novel, while drinking copious amounts of tea.

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