Rumor of Evil

by Gary Braver

A 16-year-old exchange student accused of witchcraft— dark circumstances and sick rumors lead to her brutal death, a cover-up, and more murders two decades later

Detectives Kirk Lucian and Mandy Wing are charged with investigating a reported suicide of a Cambridge woman in her backyard. The death came as a shock— the woman was considered a pillar of her community and was well-liked by everyone. After further investigation, the hanging appears staged. Once Kirk and Mandy' s suspicions are confirmed, they make a list of suspects.

Clues begin to connect the recent murder to the decades-old mysterious death of a beautiful 16-year-old Romany exchange student who perished when a treehouse she was sleeping in caught fire. The girl, Vadima Lupescu, had done “ odd” things among her American peers that stirred up prejudices and suspicions, leading to her brutal death— and cover-up.

As Kirk and Mandy investigate the bizarre rumors— that Vadima had “ gypsy powers” and put curses on those around her— they discover a cauldron of dark secrets. Will they uncover the true cause of this tangled web of deaths and horrors before it spirals out of control?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 10, 2023

About the author

Gary Braver is the pen name of Gary Goshgarian, the author of six critically acclaimed suspense novels: three under his own name--Atlantis Fire, Rough Beast and The Stone Circle--and three under his pen name--Elixir, Gray Matter, and Flashback. He is also the author of four popular college writing textbooks--Exploring Language, The Contemporary Reader, Dialogues, and What Matters in America.

Gary Goshgarian

Reviews

[CYIReadBooks (Claire)]

At first blush, Rumor of Evil didn’t appeal to me. The cover really didn’t do the novel any justice. But I was more than pleasantly surprised by how good the novel turned out to be.

The novel is a police procedural and the story unfolds over dual timelines and dual points of view. While I’m usually wary of police procedural novels, Rumor of Evil didn’t have all of the acronyms generally found in a lot of police/crime novels. The novel really focused on the plot which contained a number of twists that made for an engaging read. Although the who in the whodunit was pretty predictable, Rumor of Evil was still an enjoyable and suspenseful read.

The characters were somewhat developed and fleshed out. But I got a sense that more could have been done for the main characters and for the secondary narrator to add depth to their personalities.

Overall, I found Rumor of Evil to be an excellent novel worthy of four solid stars. And I look forward to reading more novel from author, Gary Braver.

I received a DRC from Oceanview Publishing through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

[Marija]

This good story kept me engaged and glued to the book. I sensed who did it, but all the twists and turns made the story unpredictable and exciting. It is my first book by this author and it won't be my last.

[Wisconsin Alumni]

Gary Goshgarian PhD’72
Author

From the author:
A 16-year-old exchange student accused of witchcraft — dark circumstances and sick rumors lead to her brutal death, a cover-up, and more murders two decades later

Detectives Kirk Lucian and Mandy Wing are charged with investigating a reported suicide of a Cambridge woman in her backyard. The death came as a shock — the woman was considered a pillar of her community and was well-liked by everyone. After further investigation, the hanging appears staged. Once Kirk and Mandy' s suspicions are confirmed, they make a list of suspects.

Clues begin to connect the recent murder to the decades-old mysterious death of a beautiful 16-year-old Romany exchange student who perished when a treehouse she was sleeping in caught fire. The girl, Vadima Lupescu, had done “ odd” things among her American peers that stirred up prejudices and suspicions, leading to her brutal death — and the cover-up.

As Kirk and Mandy investigate the bizarre rumors — that Vadima had “ gypsy powers” and put curses on those around her — they discover a cauldron of dark secrets. Will they uncover the true cause of this tangled web of deaths and horrors before it spirals out of control?

[Fictionophile]

The first thing that strikes me about this novel? The cover art and title are perfect for the book!

"Rumor Of Evil" is a police procedural set in and around Cambridge, Massachusetts. Detective Kirk Lucian is in his late forties and is undergoing a 'trial' separation from his wife whom he adores. Their marriage was under strain after a tragic accident that killed their only daughter. His job is the only thing that is holding him together at this point. Kirk's new work partner is Mandy Wing. Mandy is happily married to her female partner and they have a child. She comes from a long line of police in her family and she wants to continue the tradition, while attempting to atone for her forebears methods of policing.

The case, at first glance thought to be a suicide, is multi-layered and they find that it has links to a cold case from nineteen years ago...  Other murders follow, which ties the two cases more firmly.

The novel is told via dual timelines. The present and nineteen years ago narrated by a teenage girl called Morgan.

With serious themes of paedophilia, prejudice, superstition, and of course, heartless murder, this crime thriller might contain triggers for some readers.

I enjoyed the story, and the book has the potential to be spun into a series.

[Julie Rothenfluh]

This story goes back and forth between the present murder case and a suspicious death by fire 19 years previous. As more people die, the connection between then and now becomes more apparent. In hindsight, it should’ve been obvious who-done-it, but I had my eyes on 2 different suspects!

[ABCme]

I really tried, but the story dragged on forever. I could not finish it.

[Salome G]

Sadly, this just didn't work for me. I liked the mystery, but it felt like too much attention was paid to the detective's personal life.

[Bookreporter.com Mystery & Thriller]

I have said it before, and I will say it again: I am a huge fan of Gary Braver. Also not a secret: Under his real name, Gary Goshgarian, he introduced me to science fiction, thrillers and horror stories, a task my older brother had tried unsuccessfully for years to accomplish. But in his class as a graduate student at Northeastern University, I devoured the greats and experienced how good storytelling could set the pulse racing and the imagination soaring.

For 20 years, I have been reviewing Braver’s mastery of storytelling. He truly knows how to set the pulse racing and the imagination soaring. He has never disappointed, and RUMOR OF EVIL is right up there with ELIXIR, GRAY MATTER, FLASHBACK and CHOOSE ME (written with Tess Gerritsen) in terms of meeting expectations of thrilling and well-written novels.

Braver’s strength in his pieces has always been in tackling the big life questions with which we all struggle. RUMOR OF EVIL explores relationships, healthy or not; unlocks secrets that have long been buried away; seeks justice where it had not been found before; and looks closely at the effects of gossip and bullying, even 20-year-old rumors. This is all wrapped up in a mystery that will keep you guessing until the taut conclusion.

Set in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and surrounding towns (I would have been disappointed if it wasn’t somewhere near Beantown), two detectives, Kirk Lucian and Mandy Wing, are called to the scene of a death. The victim is Sylvie Thornton, a quiet but well-liked sort. Right from the start, they suspect something is off about the hanging, and the question “suicide or murder?” hangs in the air, but not for long. Kirk and Mandy start to see the discrepancies at the home and in conversations with those who knew Sylvie, and they realize they are confronting a homicide.

Braver deftly weaves the story of Sylvie’s killing with the cold-case death of 16-year-old Vadima Lupescu. Vadima, an exchange student, lived with Morgan Bolt, who turns out to be Sylvie’s best friend. A fire in a treehouse kills Vadima 20 years before Sylvie’s death. Still unsolved, Vadima’s death was never conclusively labelled an accident or a homicide, and dark stories of witchcraft or gypsy powers circulated by the teens who knew Vadima survive her demise.

As the cold case and the new case begin to merge, Braver teases his audience with enough possible killers to keep us all guessing. His characters, as always, are well drawn out, with some who are truly despicable. Kirk and Mandy shine in their teamwork and their delving into the network of lives and lies that have resulted in Sylvie’s death, and Vadima’s before her. Navigating his own pain and loss, Kirk can handle that of others and advise his young partner as she finds her way around and through an investigation.

“Page-turner” is an overused phrase for books, but then some really do rise to that description. RUMOR OF EVIL undoubtedly is one of those page-turners. The race to the end throws in a few surprises and a result you might not see coming at a breathtaking pace. And like his good friend, Robert B. Parker, Braver has created a character in Kirk who could endure in future mysteries. He’s a flawed but likable human being who knows what he’s doing to solve a murder or two. Rumor has it that we may see Kirk again, just as Parker gave us Spencer repeatedly. If the cases are as good as this one, bring them on.

Reviewed by Roberta O'Hara

[Anil Madan]

At a recent book signing event I attended, the author Gary Braver, mused about the description of Rumor of Evil being described as a mystery thriller. A book is one or the other, not both, he allowed. After reading Rumor of Evil, I can understand why it fits both categories. Perhaps a future book titled Tumor of Evil will be a medical mystery thriller.

Gary Braver's book is a thrill to read for people who marvel at the mysteries of human interaction. At the book signing, he said that what makes a lead character endearing is some flaw or weakness that binds the character to the reader. In this book, he manages to do that for both of his detective protagonists.

A not adequately touted bonus is that Rumor of Evil gives you two for the price of one. Braver deftly takes us on the detectives' journey to solve a death that looks like a suicide but seems suspicious. At the same time, his plot involves evoking memories of a long-ago apparently accidental death that also looked suspicious—but was never solved. Two mysteries for the price of one and a bit of thriller in each.

Gary Braver has a blenderful of suspects and the blender is full of their alibis. Which alibis will hold up and which one will not, if any? That's the unraveling at which he displays his skill as a writer and weaver of tales.

The subtexts in this novel are many. It's the relationship that Mandy Wing, the female rookie detective who is Kirk Lucian's partner in crime solving, has with her significant other and her feminist approach to hoping to find a despicable male perp. But there is something endearing about her prejudices which come from a desire to remedy injustice, the injustice of the crime as well as the injustices that women and homosexuals suffer.

What plot would be complete without a relationship triangle. Kirk Lucian is in the throes of a separation from his wife, the love of his life, and you can be sure that Gary Braver finds her seduced by a character who is shady and dishonest, two aspects that Kirk finds despicable.

Will it all work out? Will the crimes be solved? You'll have to read the book to find out. Oh, and Gary Braver does throw in another killing. That too, I won't reveal but somehow, it leads to another twist in comeuppance.

This is an enjoyable book and thanks to Gary Braver for crafting it.

[M. K. French]

Detectives Kirk Lucian and Mandy Wing investigate the apparent suicide of a woman and realize her hanging was staged. This death is connected to the death of Vadima Lubescu, a Romany exchange student accused of witchcraft almost twenty years ago. She died when the treehouse she was sleeping in caught fire. There was a cover-up and the rumor of curses she placed on people prior to her death. Kirk and Mandy investigate the rumors, uncovering more secrets and deaths. Can they determine the true cause of it?

There's the main thread of the murder investigation, and we see chapters from nineteen years before when Vadima arrived. Soon we see the tie between Vadima and the murder victim, but not why; the chapters about Vadima are told from the POV of the host family's daughter Morgan, and the victim had been one of Morgan's best friends. We know that long before the investigators do, but not the importance of it. The hysteria that the teens worked themselves into, as well as the racism against the Romani, was heartbreaking to read. The people were persecuted throughout history, and privileged teens looking up things online and wanting to see a conspiracy to justify their hatred escalated quickly.

Following the investigators, we see as they dig into the victim's life, trying to find suspects and motive. We also see a subplot for Kirk's personal life and grief, a counterpoint to the grief and life of the murdered woman. We dive into the past as well as through the present, leading us closer to the actual culprit. The story really picked up once the police had the connection to Vadima, and they were essentially circling the people who had been present at the time. There were several people who had motive, but only one killer, and the detectives close in and figure out who it is at the end, right after we do. Even Kirk's subplot gets solved by the end of the novel, making it especially satisfying.

[Chelsea (gofetchabook)]

I did not care for this one and found some of the themes to be quite problematic.

Overall, I will say that I liked the idea for the story. It opens with the apparent suicide of a woman named Sylvie, which turns into a homicide investigation as it becomes clear that this case is tied to another suicide in Sylvie's past.

The plot twist was not shocking, given the way the characters were written.

The book is told in two timelines. Morgan, one of Sylvie's childhood besties, is hosting Vadima, a Romany girl for the school year. When Morgan and her friends decide that Vadima is a witch, they bully her to the point of an apparent suicide. Nineteen years later, Sylvie is dead because she knows the truth.

My problem came with the fact that the author tried to include a lot of topics that are relevant today, but it didn't work. He did the backflip but didn't stick the landing. Morgan's demeanor towards Vadima from the get-go was bullying. I get that she didn't like her, but it seemed far too juvenile for the age the girls were. There was also blatant racism, with no real resolution. I would have liked to see the girls learn their lesson, but it wasn't entirely addressed, but was present.

There were several plot holes, and weird bits of things in there. At one-point the detective lists all the names connected to Sylvie's death, and he lists Vadima apparently before he finds out about her, but I may have missed something there.

The second detective was a lesbian, whose only personality trait was hating men, which just felt so forced and cliche. Overall, the idea was there, but it felt like the author was trying to jam in as many "relevant" topics as he could, and missed the mark on all of them, making it borderline insulting.

[Kathy Martin]

RUMOR OF EVIL introduces Detectives Kirk Lucian and Mandy Wing as they investigate the supposed suicide of a Cambridge woman who was a pillar of her community. This investigation leads to a death nineteen years earlier of a foreign exchange student named Vadima Lupescu.

As Lucian and Wing investigate, they find connections to what had been written off as a tragic accident that happened one Halloween night nineteen years earlier. The hanging victim, Sylvie Cox Thornton, was one of a group of friends present at the party that ended with the tragic death of Vadima. The more they look at the earlier death, the more they become certain that it was a murder and that someone is worried about that fact coming out.

I enjoyed this story. I especially liked that the character of Kirk Lucian was so well developed. He is a man pushing fifty who is dealing with the hit-and-run death of his fourteen-year-old daughter and the possible dissolution of his marriage because neither he nor his wife can deal with their loss. Lucian is sometimes depressed and suicidal but uses his work to keep himself grounded. He is also fighting to reconcile with his wife while she is off exploring new possibilities with the contractor who recently completed a reno project at their home.

I had a pretty good, and correct, idea of who the murderer was based on the flashbacks to the events of nineteen years earlier, but I still enjoyed the journey of Kirk and Mandy figuring out the crime.

[Guy Rotella]

Gary Braver (he's also written as Gary Goshgarian) recently capped a long and exciting run of free standing medical and scientific thrillers with the riveting murder mystery Choose Me, co-written with Tess Gerritsen. His latest, the intricately plotted Rumor of Evil, continues his swerve toward the police procedural, and it introduces what will clearly be a series. Rumor presents a pair of intriguingly flawed and capable homicide detectives, Kirk and Mandy. Their backstories (he's old-school, she's a tyro; he holds back, she leaps in; he and his wife are estranged by the loss of a child, she and her wife are recent parents) and their interactions will leave readers looking forward to the next installment. This one, knowingly set in Cambridge and Lexington, Massachusetts, combines a cold case and a current one: there's suspicion of witchcraft, a set or accidental fire, and a suicide or its simulacrum. There are sufficient possible perpetrators and tenable solutions for a school of red herring and the readerly pleasures that go with fishing for and throwing them back, amusements tempered by alertness to the ways rumor, with its connections to gossip and stereotyping, can, as the title says, conduce to evil. Moral but not moralizing, literate but not pedantic, Rumor of Evil provides twin satisfactions: it ties up the loose ends of its cases and leaves those entwining their solvers free for future development.

[Bill]

I was excited when I came across Rumor of Evil as I am a Bostonian with deep family roots in Cambridge and I often read crime and mystery novels. I was also interested in the author, who has a considerable catalog of published work and teaches at Northeastern University where I earned a master's degree. Checking out GR, I was sold when I saw better than average reviews of this book by other readers. I mention all this because I was really expecting to love the book, but ending up being floored by the pedestrian writing style, cheesy dialogue, and unrealistic plot elements. This is not a great read, not even a good read really. As some other reviewers have suggested, the subplot involving the main protagonist's troubled marriage is annoying and distracting. He is the lead detective in a murder case. As an ostensibly seasoned homicide cop, the dialogue between him and his impulsive new partner is laughable, as are their interviews with suspects. I have other criticisms, but I'll call it quits at that. Clearly other readers found a lot to like. I am not an author myself, so I am loathe to criticize writers who succeed in getting published, which I recognize is no small feat, but this is simply not a well written or compelling novel in any way. I will allow that Mr Braver may have just been off his game with this one and is capable of better work, but I'll leave that for other more receptive readers.

[Shelia E]

A Rumor of Evil, by Gary Braver, is an ARC from NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for an honest review.
Nineteen years ago, a sixteen-year-old foreign exchange student was accused of witchcraft, being a Romany gypsy witch, reading palms, and doing spells on people. Vadima Lupescu was a victim of the alleged rape of the father of the exchange family. This confused the host family and the neighborhood. One night Vadima was burned to death in the tree house.

Fast forward to today, Sylvie Thornton was found dead hanging in her backyard., horribly disfigured.
The school had more unexplained student deaths than usual, and they blamed Vadima. Vadima read Justine's palm and stopped abruptly. After Justine's strange death, they blamed Vadima. After an intense investigation of Sylvie's death, they believe Sylvie was killed because she knew who killed Vadima nineteen years ago. Sylvie, Morgan, Riley, and Krista each had four-leaf clover tattoos with one leaf colored red. Vadima got a five-leaf clover and one leaf colored red.

I believe this novel can be read by anyone who loves a good mystery, suspense, or murder mystery.
This novel was one I read twice. I thoroughly enjoyed this read.

[Ray Anderson]

I like reading Gary Braver mystery-crime because each novel holds your attention from beginning to end.

Our flawed protagonist, Detective Kirk Lucian, is mentoring his new partner, Mandy Wing. Both have family issues and Lucian is headed for a divorce after he and his wife had lost a child. Fate has him investigating an old case - the death of a teenage exchange student that was thought a suicide, 19 years ago. Now, a hanging (also thought a suicide) happens to a person who, with her friends, had witnessed that first death - a treehouse that was torched with the victim inside. The detectives realize that these old and new deaths could be murders and may be connected.

With careful plotting and logic, author Braver takes us back and forth over the 19 years. His new partner, Wing, is headstrong and lacks finesse, as Lucien tries to teach her, but he too, is puzzled by continuing developments. More murders occur and as a reader you wonder how this will end. I picked wrong several times, and it is the author's skill that prevails at the finish I didn't see coming.

If you are looking for a mystery-police procedural that is gripping and unforgettable, with a plot that will keep you guessing, then Rumor of Evil is for you.

[Sarahpants]

Rumor of Evil by Gary Braver is a gripping psychological thriller that expertly blends crime, suspense, and a touch of the supernatural. The story revolves around a cold case murder that resurfaces when new evidence emerges, challenging the boundaries between rumor, truth, and evil.

Braver’s writing is taut and engaging, with a well-paced plot that keeps the tension high from start to finish. The characters are well-developed, each grappling with their own dark pasts and secrets, which adds layers to the central mystery. As the protagonist digs deeper into the case, the story shifts between moments of intense psychological insight and chilling revelations.

The novel also explores how rumors can shape perceptions of guilt and innocence, and how the past never truly stays buried. With a carefully crafted plot full of twists, Rumor of Evil is a page-turner that will appeal to fans of crime fiction and psychological thrillers. It’s atmospheric and thought-provoking, leaving readers questioning the nature of truth and the shadows lurking in the human mind.

Many thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC and allowing me to provide my honest review

[Pat Trattles]

While it took awhile to get into the story, the author has crafted a well plotted whodunit. The narrative was loaded with twists and red herrings. While I guessed the perpetrator early on I questioned myself throughout and by the end changed my mind. Once I got past the initial slow beginning the plot kept me engaged until the very end. I found the actual execution of the novel, however, subpar. This author, like so many today, has fallen into the trap of dropping an F-bomb every time he couldn’t think of anything else to say. While it seems to be a popular technique, doing so dumbs down the narrative and becomes tiring to read. It is no different than having the character constantly say, “umm, it’s like, you know.” While people may talk that way it is excruciating dull to have to read such dialogue. For this reason I can only give this novel three stars. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Mike]

Rumor of Evil by Gary Braver (2023) is a classic police procedural with two crimes in different time periods. Cambridge Detectives investigate the unexpected death of a woman in her backyard. Mandy Wing was a popular pillar of her community and had no known enemies. Then a connection is discovered to a cold case death of an exchange student sleeping in a treehouse that caught fire nineteen years ago. Switching back and forth in the narratives, we learn the circumstances of both women’s deaths and how the past can impact the present. A truly enjoyable crime tale with interesting characters and the impact of rumours that make for a four stars read rating. With thanks to Oceanview Publishing and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without inducement.

[Sara Vogt]

The plethora of suspects in this murder mystery was wonderful and kept you guessing up until the end.

The book itself had horrific grammatical errors etc which I’m hoping will be fixed.

The story wasn’t at all what I thought it would be from quickly scanning the blurb however as a mystery it did keep my attention.

I think the accolade that it is “perfect for Stephen King fans..” is quite a stretch however.

Not sure if I will read more from this author in future.

I received a DRC from Oceanview Publishing through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

“When you’re in grade school, you’re sharing growing-up intensely, so everything is exaggerated including belief that things are forever. Like friendships.”

[kim.through.books]

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book.

What this book did well:
*Created a lot of angles and possibilities for suspects
*Wove two story lines together to create the overall story
*Great primary and secondary characters

Needs improvement:
*Conversations were dull
*Many grammatical errors throughout (I realize this is most likely not the final edit)
*Seemed like there could have been more pizazz to the revelation of whodunit

Overall this would be a great book for someone who can't get enough of the mystery/suspense genre. The general plot of the book was unique to me and I found it interesting enough to keep reading. I would read more by this author.

[Tiana]

Riveting read. I did find it a little difficult to get into at first, but its worth sticking with it. I would love to see more books written with these detectives, they were so easy to relate to, and to love. Some people may see the ending coming, and though I certainly considered it briefly at one point, it wasn't my first suspect. Braver did a wonderful job at that. It didn't have a totally happy ending, with still not knowing who killed Megan, but maybe we can see that resolved in a next book?!

[Mackey]

Rumor of Evil is a well written, dual time-line police procedural by a new-to-me author. The two timelines revolve around a current murder staged to look like a suicide and a 19 year old murder of a young exchange student who had been branded as a "witch." Watching the layers unfold and seeing how the murders are connected was very intriguing. The two detectives on the case also were interesting and likable, not without their faults but, thankfully, not mired down with the normal detective issues either. I highly recommend this one to those who enjoy crime, detective, police books.

[Denice Langley]

First- the cover. It grabbed attention and puts the focus on crimes against two women.
This police procedural starts with the investigation of a homicide staged as a suicide. The investigators find clues that lead them to unsolved homicide. They must work both cases to find their killer. As the stories move between the two time lines, it becomes clear that these crimes were connected in too many ways to be ignored. The clues lead to more clues that lead to a twist that's surprising. 5 easy stars for Gary Braver.

[Keith Raffel]

Bravo. The musical Waitress has a song which cites "sugar, butter, flour" as the key ingredients in baking. And yet what a master baker can conjure up from those ingredients is miraculous. In Rumor of Evil, master crime novelist Gary Braver mixes familiar tropes--grizzled veteran paired with newbie partner, lead detective still yearning for wife who's left him, a mystery whose solution goes back decades--and turns them into a tasty, suspenseful dish that any reader should consume with relish and delight.

[Patricia Gussin]

I am a fan of both police procedurals and psychological thrillers. Rumor of Evil is both, so for me, the perfect novel. On the psychological side, there are layers of trauma and deeply engrained cultural biases that showcase the nature of ethnic prejudice and the snowballing effect of rumors. On the police procedural side, Gary Braver has introduced a new pair of detectives, Kirk and Mandy, who lead a
relentless investigation through the past and into the present to find the psychopath behind murders two decades apart.

[Sara Vogt]

The plethora of suspects in this murder mystery was wonderful and kept you guessing up until the end.

The book itself had horrific grammatical errors etc which I’m hoping will be fixed.

The story wasn’t at all what I thought it would be and I think the accolade that it is “perfect for Stephen King fans..” is quite a stretch.

Not sure if I will read more from this author in future.

Favorite Quote: “When you’re in grade school, you’re sharing growing-up intensely, so everything is exaggerated including belief that things are forever. Like friendships.”

[⋆˚ Pamela ♓︎˚⋆]

I would like to thank Oceanview Publishing and Gary Braver for granting me a digital copy of this book.

3⭐ - First of all, how gorgeous is that cover? 😍 This is a dual timeline story between modern day and 19 years ago, when the characters were teenagers. When detectives are investigating the current crimes, they find similarities with crimes from 19 years ago - do they have a serial killer on their hands? A copy cat?

While I enjoyed the story, it felt a little draggy at times - it had likeable characters and if you like police mystery novels, definitely check out this one!

[Tiana]

Riveting read. I did find it a little difficult to get into at first, but its worth sticking with it. I would love to see more books written with these detectives, they were so easy to relate to, and to love. Some people may see the ending coming, and though I certainly considered it briefly at one point, it wasn't my first suspect. Braver did a wonderful job at that. It didn't have a totally happy ending, with still not knowing who killed Megan, but maybe we can see that resolved in a next book?!

[Marie]

I was so glad to hear that Gary Braver had another mystery novel out. I've read and really liked his previous thrillers, especially Skin Deep, Elixir, and Gray Matter. Once again, he kept me guessing who the culprit was! History and intrigue are woven skillfully into the main murder mystery, so it moved along quickly and kept me interested. Characters are well-developed, and I especially liked seeing how the high school girls' lives evolved into adulthood. I highly recommend this book!!!