Don't Look

This was a very nice serial murder mystery to enjoy over the holiday break. The flow of the story is pretty neat and the plot keeps one hooked to the book. Alexandra does well to keep the reader guessing about the murderer - and as the story progresses the clues therein keep eliminating the suspects from the reader's mind. The clues are subtle and not too in the face and obvious. The actual murderer does come to mind at some point in the story but the character is brought in subtly and removed as well so it keeps one from getting hooked on her/him. I liked how the reasons for the murderer's actions were linked back to the story, but elements of the linkage were not very much existing in the story buildup, so it is not a very strong "aha' moment. To me the relationship between Kir and Lynne was not built up strongly and seemed too quick from the funeral to reach the level it did. Character building and the buildup of the environment in Pike was decent. Overall a good mystery which gets the reader thinking till almost the end.

I absolutely loved this new thriller from Alexandra Ivy! It's not your typical casting for leading characters to solve a murder; a Vet and the owner of a tasking company. Kir may be a small-town boy but he's been gone a long time, now he runs his own business taking on tasks that people don't have time to do themselves. He always looked up to his dad but when he was injured on duty as the former sheriff, he began to drink heavily and become a nuisance. Kir hasn't been back to town for a while and now he's back for his father's funeral. But did Kir's father have it right; Is there a serial killer targeting the inhabitants of Pike? Has the killer really been taunting the former sheriff? Lynne Gale took over being the town Vet from her father. She lives for her job, to the detriment of every relationship she's had, and even her own good health. She always had a soft spot for Kir but she always knew she was never leaving Pike and he couldn't wait to leave. But at the funeral, she and Kir connect. Little does she know that they are about to be dragged into the hunt for a serial killer! This is most definitely a thriller/suspense read with romantic elements. The romance does take a back seat f you will to the action. It's still romantic suspense just a bit lighter on the romance front than I'm used to reading. And that kinda makes sense, who has time for lengthy passion sessions when there is a killer on the loose? The letters from the killer are totally creepy and chilling. I can sometimes guess who the bad guy is or at least narrow the suspect pool down. Not this time, I had to wait for that final little "clue" to be revealed. Murders in a small town make compelling reading cause you know that the killer is hiding in plain sight. Pike is almost a character itself in the book. Most small-town books are full of happy, smiling residents. Pike's inhabitants seem to be sad, reserved almost as if Pike is unsettling in itself. Great suspense read and I'm thrilled at the thought of the series continuing!