She's trying to discover the real killer... The Redgrave Murders by A.L. Sowards (Review & #Giveaway)


I'm such a huge fan of this author! Check out my review and the tour giveaway below...

The Redgrave Murders
By A.L. Sowards
Adult Historical Romantic Suspense
Paperback & ebook, 272 Pages
July 2019 by Covenant Communications

Summary

When her father is murdered, Evie must prove her boyfriend innocent and find the real criminal before he kills again.

Loss is inevitable, as Evie Hampton knows all too well. But despite losing her mother to cancer and her older brother to a war, she knows she's one of the lucky ones. After all, she still has her father, a distinguished professor of medieval history. And she has Gary Redhawk, the man she loves despite the emotional scars he carries from the Second World War--and despite her father's opposition to their relationship.

When Evie's car suddenly careens off the road, she chalks it up to poor maintenance or sheer bad luck making another appearance in her life. Little does she know a host of hardships is just beginning--the car was her father's, and the brake lines were deliberately cut. Someone wants them dead--but why? All fingers point to Gary, a man with a troubled past and no solid alibi, but Evie is unwilling to believe he's involved. Determined to uncover the truth, she begins to piece together a startling picture of deception and vice. But as she closes in on the truth, it is clear that someone is determined to silence her--and the next attempt on her life may be a deadly success.

(Affiliate links included.)

My Review

THE REDGRAVE MURDERS is one of those stories that keeps you on the edge of your seat. It's set in an historic small town, among prejudice and misunderstanding shortly after WWII, and focuses on an interracial couple and the danger that stalks them. The characters are complex, likable, with plenty of chemistry between them. Highly recommended to romantic suspense fans!

This story was emotional, suspenseful, and at the same time, very sweet. I'm assuming it was a difficult story to write, because it was a difficult story to read. I was so angry at how prejudiced some people could be and the terrible things Gary faced as a child as well as in this story. It just made me mad. The way things were handled was definitely not right, but he carried on. Then there was Evie, who had a much easier life, but found a connection with Gary and fell hard for him against criticism from her family and the community who looked down on interracial relationships. I loved their romance. It was real and sweet and messy. There were things the characters had to work out and their relationship was definitely tested.

As far as suspense goes, this story definitely was intense in parts and grew more so until the climatic ending. The villain was well done. I had an inkling of who it might be early on, but wasn't completely sure until the end. It's always a good thing when a story like this keeps you guessing. The story does get somewhat violent, but without be overly descriptive. I appreciated that the plot logically worked for me as well.

In the end, was it what I wished for? This author did a fabulous job in pulling me into this story. I did not want to put it down and, in fact, read it in one sitting. It was a great mix of heavy subject matter that made me think, a constant underlying feeling of danger, fabulous characters, and a sweet romance with plenty of sparks. I'm looking forward to more from this author!

Content: Some innuendo and violence.
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Covenant Communications, which did not require a positive review nor affect my review in any way.

Other Books by the Author

All linked to my 5-star reviews!

About the Author

I was born in Atlanta, Georgia and grew up in Moses Lake, Washington. Then I came to Utah to attend school and ended up staying. Books have always been an important part of my life. I remember writing self-illustrated storybooks at my grandparent’s house when I was in elementary school (none of those made it to publication for many good reasons) and attending my first writer’s conference when I was in third grade.

Another big part of my early life was swimming. I swam for the Big Bend Manta Rays, the Moses Lake Manta Rays, Moses Lake High School, and Brigham Young University. (I still hold MLHS’s school record for the 100 yard breaststroke.) In addition to swimming, I studied Political Science and English at BYU.

Now I’m a busy mom with three young children. I still love to read and I also love to write. I’m usually reading a couple books at once and working on multiple writing projects too. Other than that, my life is pretty ordinary. I’m grateful for that. I’ll let the characters in my books have all the adventures.

I find great joy in being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You can read more about my religious beliefs at ComeUntoChrist.org.


Tour-Wide Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Do you like historical murder mysteries? Do you have a favorite?

No comments

Post a Comment

I love comments! I try to read and reply to them all. Feel free to agree or disagree and generally share your thoughts with me.