Blog Tour Review, Her Deadly Rose

Carolyn Arnold

324 pages
Bookouture

published October 18, 2024

Amazon | Goodreads

About the Book

The girl’s lifeless body lies next to a scattered bouquet of crimson roses, the petals around her head like tiny pools of blood. Gripped in her hand is the note that came with the flowers, sent by someone who wanted her dead.

When champion figure skater Michaela Glover returns to her hometown of Woodbridge for a special performance, Detective Amanda Steele is part of the cheering crowds. But when Michaela is discovered dead in her dressing room after the show, Amanda is the first to investigate the shocking scene.

There is no sign of foul play, and the room is overflowing with flowers from Michaela’s adoring fans. But Amanda’s heart stops at the sight of a few roses tied with black ribbon and a note that reads “You’ll be sorry”. And when forensic tests reveal the ribbon was laced in something Michaela was deathly allergic to, Amanda is certain this is cold-blooded murder.

Desperate for a lead, Amanda dives into Michaela’s life to find out who could possibly want this sweet girl dead. She soon discovers that despite having a glittering future ahead of her, Michaela had a troubled past, and was surrounded by people jealous of her success.

When someone close to Michaela is discovered brutally murdered, Amanda is terrified there could be yet more innocent victims to follow. Can she uncover the twisted killer’s identity before they strike again?

A completely gripping crime thriller that will have you racing through the pages! Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Dugoni and Rachel Caine.

My Review

It’s personal for Amanda Steele, but that has been happening a lot for her lately.  Her friend’s niece is murdered and Amanda and Trent work tirelessly to solve the case.  Amanda and Trent have a few clues but they don’t lead anywhere at first.  it is their questioning of those involved that lead them down the path to solve the case.

I like that Amanda’s personal life, or in this case, lack of it, is an integral part of the book.  Her beau, Logan, her partner Trent, who she has feelings for, her adopted daughter and her friends.  It gives Amanda depth and a reason to connect with her.  She’s flawed, do I need to mention Trent and Logan, and relatable.

It is written in a style that pulled me in from the start and kept me wanting more.  It’s fast paced and suspenseful.  There were plenty of suspects and it kept me guessing.  Having not known the victim, I still wanted to know about her as her story unfolded.

Even when another body drops, it never really feels like anyone is in danger.  This is definitely a crime novel and suspenseful but doesn’t venture into the thriller territory.  It is the characters in the story that leap off the page and engaged me.  Both the group from the series and the group from the case.

This series is on my list of favorites and I am always looking for the next installment.  It can easily be read as a stand alone as the author does a great job of filling anything you need from a previous book.  But once you get to know Amanda, you’ll want to read all about her.

Author Bio

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