Sherry Knowlton

Dead Of Winter by Sherry Knowlton is a murder mystery novel that follows Alexa Williams, a family law attorney with an unfortunate knack for discovering dead bodies. Alexa and her small group of friends are trying out a new drone that Alexa’s friend Tyrell has recently purchased. They are viewing the footage from the days initial test flight when Alexa spots an unusual looking anomaly in the footage. The footage seems to reveal a slumped figure in an open field behind a deserted house. The slumped figure is surrounded by a sea of what appears to be blood. Not wanting to alert the authorities to a possible false alarm, Alexa and her friends get back in the vehicle to visit the location where the drone caught the possible body on camera. When they find the location, their worst fears are confirmed when they discover the desecrated body of an individual who clearly met a violent end. The scene has aspects of religious overtones to it. Alexa and her friends soon become the focus of an FBI investigation only made worse by the fact the Alex’s friend Reese had already discovered a body with a similar signature. Few months earlier in the town of Harper’s Ferry.

While Alexa and her friends try and keep their distance from the investigation into the mystery body, circumstances draw them in as civil unrest peaks in a small town wary of the Syrian Refugees that have resettled into the area after fleeing violence and civil war in Syria. Alexa makes attempts to use her skills as a lawyer to assist a refugee family that Tyrell’s organization RESIST has helped relocate. When the family’s oldest son becomes a suspect in the murders, Alexa is hopelessly drawn into a complicated web of a vengeful murderer and a violent group of militant white supremasists. Will the murderer to be found before Alexa becomes a casualty?

I found the story to be very fitting to the current culture of this country. There was a storyline about a rescued slave boy named Elijah who escaped from slavery in the late 1800’s. The storyline did clarify some points in the current tale, but I did kinda miss the resolution to Elijah’s part of the story. I would have liked to know what happened to him in the long run. Overall, the story was engaging and fun to read.… (meer)

After reading this book, all I can think is wow! This was my first book by Sherry Knowlton and she did not disappoint. A story that sped by. One that you do not want to start close to bedtime. In the end, there was so much going on that I couldn't read the words fast enough to keep up the pace with what was going on. Chasing and being chased all around that capitol building, I was worn out for the characters.

The Three Mile Island thing was strange for me until the author opened the door and showed me where she was leading her readers. That was like, another wow!

If your looking for a book with a lot of action, this one hits the mark.

Thanks to Sunbury Press for approving my request and to Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.… (meer)