Keenan Powell

Wow, a fast-paced legal thriller from Keenan Powell! I loved her Maeve Molloy series and was intrigued to pick up her latest. In Implied Consent, Powell has changed settings to San Francisco, and this book has a different flavor from her Alaska books, but it's still a riveting tale. Maureen Gould is an attorney that specializes in sexual abuse and harassment cases and is estranged from her lawyer father (I don't think it's a spoiler to suggest that there's a connection between those two facts). On the heels of a big win, she accepts a case that could have been inspired by Harvey Weinstein, only to find that there's more to it than she foresaw! A solid legal procedural with engaging protagonists.

Thanks to Three Hooligans Press for access to a digital ARC via NetGalley.… (meer)

1890s, murder, murder-investigation, immigrants, rural, historical-novel, historical-research, history-and-culture, mystery, corruption, family-dynamics, family-drama, family-history, local-politics, local-law-enforcement, angst, Irish*****

Irregularly paced but engaging and with interesting characters one can relate to. The main character is an Irish immigrant, member of a fractured family, and a policeman subject to all of the prejudices and political demands that can be expected. An introspective mystery with a goal of justice rather than expediency. A solid read.
I requested and received an EARC from Three Hooligans Press/Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA)/Members' Titles via NetGalley.… (meer)

1895. The Berkshires, Western Massachusetts.

Liam Barrett, a police officer in Adams, has been summoned to the estate of Alistair Cunningham in Pittsfield. Cunningham wants a quick arrest in the death of a young woman who worked in his home for several months. As the cotton mill owner in Adams, Cunningham’s used to his directives being followed, whether explicit or subtle and, in this case, wants a quick arrest. Liam will be tested at every turn, as the timing of the arrest isn’t his priority, as he’s a man and officer of integrity.

The descriptive writing is lyrical, creating vivid images of each scene, from the beauty of the autumn landscape to the birth of a calf to the lively Barrett family dinner table of brothers and sisters to a widowed mother’s despair in learning she is now alone after the loss of her only child.

With each carriage ride or train ride between Pittsfield to Adams or Adams or Pittsfield, the journey to justice was impeded as there were multiple red herrings. With family secrets, politics, ambition, greed, prejudice, and corruption, the mystery had characters of interest and a multi-dimensional plot.

I’m curious to learn what the future holds for Liam Barrett. Intriguing and reads well as a stand-alone but I’m excited that it begins a series. The novel was an excellent introduction to the author’s creativity in blending history and mystery.

To learn the writer’s inspiration and depth of the novel, I encourage reading the "Author’s Note."

Thank you to NetGalley and Three Hooligans Press for the opportunity to read an eARC of this novel.

#TheSorrowfulGirl #NetGalley… (meer)

I didn't realize that this was book 3 of a series until I started it. I didn't have any problems reading it as a standalone but I think the dynamics of the main character would have been easier to understand if I had read the first two books. I have just ordered them because I enjoyed getting to know Maeve who was a real multi-faceted and interesting main character and I'd like to know more about her back ground.

Maeve is an attorney in Alaska who doesn't think she wants to be a lawyer any longer. She decides to spend the summer working in the kitchen at remote lodge in Alaska. The people who run the lodge seem a bit strange and just as a huge storm is moving in, one of the guests is murdered. The police can't get to the island because of the storm and ask Maeve to investigate. With her cover blown, the owners and other guests are immediately suspicious of her. She must work to find the killer, sort the lies from the truth and the innocent from the guilty.

The novel is a quick read because you won't be able to put it down once you've started. There are several major surprises scattered throughout the book and I never saw them coming! Not only does the book have a murder and lots of suspicious characters but there is also a bear who seems to be intent to do harm to the humans on the island. For me, the bear was almost more frightening than the murderer.

This was a wonderful well written mystery and I'm looking forward to reading the first two books in the series.… (meer)