Community Reviews
This is part of my 2024 Cleaning Out the TBR Closet challenge, because this book has been on my to-read list since Oct2020. Initially, I had added it as a holiday murder mystery read because the story starts with four murders on Christmas Eve. Fast forward four years later and I’m finally getting around to it. LOL
Anyway, the book summary is pretty thin and basically just introduces the two MC’s, Mac and Atticus, and the primary storyline of the investigation of the four Christmas Eve deaths of a family at the family home. What started out as a murder/suicide investigation of a son killing his parents and a sister, suddenly turns into just a murder investigation of another son killing his parents and two siblings. There is also a secondary storyline of Atticus, a pot smoking, former police officer turned PI, working again with his former chief/lover, Mackenzie, a seasoned DCI, who is also married. When Mac’s husband found out about the affair, Mac had initially left her husband and lived with Atticus, but eventually returned to her husband because she missed her kids. Atticus kind of went off the rails and got fired from the force by being caught smoking pot. None of this is a spoiler since it’s revealed really early in the story.
Most of the story revolves around the investigation of the murders and the subsequent court case, and Atticus’s investigation of the defendant, Ralph, who is married to Atticus’s client, Allegra. So lots of courtroom scenes and drama. The story flips back and forth between Atticus and Mac, who is definitely keeping her tabs on Atticus. I like Atticus; he’s a deeply flawed individual, who can be his own worst enemy sometimes. However, he is doggie daddy to Bandit, who he rescued from his drug dealer, who was neglecting and probably abusing him. That makes Atticus good people in my book. Bandit, a German Shorthaired Pointer, was adorable and I loved every scene with him.
Really early in the story, my armchair detective zeroed in on one particular suspect and I never really waivered from that person. I was right – sort of, but the ending was still pretty shocking, in a whole other way. However, it was interesting seeing Atticus and Mac working the case and collecting clues and leads. The capture was kind of intense and scary and the very end was a lead-in to the next installment, that I haven’t decided if I’m going to continue the series. I read way too many of these and while it was good, I have so many other books on my to-read list that I would rather get to.
The character development for Atticus and Mac along with a couple of other characters was pretty good. The pacing was steady to fast and the storyline very interesting. The writing was ok, which is the most I can say about a story that wasn’t really all that surprising. I’m looking at an overall rating of 3.9 that I will be rounding up to a 4star review.
Anyway, the book summary is pretty thin and basically just introduces the two MC’s, Mac and Atticus, and the primary storyline of the investigation of the four Christmas Eve deaths of a family at the family home. What started out as a murder/suicide investigation of a son killing his parents and a sister, suddenly turns into just a murder investigation of another son killing his parents and two siblings. There is also a secondary storyline of Atticus, a pot smoking, former police officer turned PI, working again with his former chief/lover, Mackenzie, a seasoned DCI, who is also married. When Mac’s husband found out about the affair, Mac had initially left her husband and lived with Atticus, but eventually returned to her husband because she missed her kids. Atticus kind of went off the rails and got fired from the force by being caught smoking pot. None of this is a spoiler since it’s revealed really early in the story.
Most of the story revolves around the investigation of the murders and the subsequent court case, and Atticus’s investigation of the defendant, Ralph, who is married to Atticus’s client, Allegra. So lots of courtroom scenes and drama. The story flips back and forth between Atticus and Mac, who is definitely keeping her tabs on Atticus. I like Atticus; he’s a deeply flawed individual, who can be his own worst enemy sometimes. However, he is doggie daddy to Bandit, who he rescued from his drug dealer, who was neglecting and probably abusing him. That makes Atticus good people in my book. Bandit, a German Shorthaired Pointer, was adorable and I loved every scene with him.
Really early in the story, my armchair detective zeroed in on one particular suspect and I never really waivered from that person. I was right – sort of, but the ending was still pretty shocking, in a whole other way. However, it was interesting seeing Atticus and Mac working the case and collecting clues and leads. The capture was kind of intense and scary and the very end was a lead-in to the next installment, that I haven’t decided if I’m going to continue the series. I read way too many of these and while it was good, I have so many other books on my to-read list that I would rather get to.
The character development for Atticus and Mac along with a couple of other characters was pretty good. The pacing was steady to fast and the storyline very interesting. The writing was ok, which is the most I can say about a story that wasn’t really all that surprising. I’m looking at an overall rating of 3.9 that I will be rounding up to a 4star review.
