Trace of Evil (Natalie Lockhart #1) by Alice Blanchard
Release: December 3rd 2019
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Source: Amazon
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The first book in a new series by award-winning author Alice Blanchard brings a bold detective assigned to a gripping murder case in an isolated New England town!
Natalie Lockhart always knew she was going to be a cop. A rookie detective in Burning Lake, a town known for its dark past, she was raised on the wisdom of her chief-of-police father. Natalie uses these lessons and the scars of her past—a beloved sister, murdered as a teenager—to give families the closure she never got. Her task is to uncover the whereabouts of nine missing transients who have disappeared. One night, after a day of no leads, she offers a ride home to a fellow cop. What she sees next will unravel everything.
Daisy Bruckner—beloved schoolteacher, wife to a cop, pregnant—is dead on her kitchen floor. A suspect comes to mind almost immediately—Riley Skinner, Daisy’s student and one of the disenfranchised youths of Burning Lake. But it’s not that simple. Riley is in a coma, collapsed only hours after her death. And Daisy had secrets of her own.
Moreover, Natalie knows there is more to this case, but as the investigation deepens, even she cannot predict the far-reaching consequences—for Daisy, for Burning Lake—and for herself. As the hunt for Daisy’s killer ties in with the loose thread of her sister’s murder, Natalie must use every skill she possesses to solve the crimes before her—and confront the darkest parts of herself.
Spellbinding and haunting, Trace of Evil is a dazzling novel of twisting suspense and the effect of secrets left uncovered.
About the Author
ALICE BLANCHARD is an award-winning author. She has received a PEN Award, a New Letters Literary Award, a Centrum Artists-in-Residence Fellowship, and a Katherine Anne Porter Prize for Fiction. Her debut novel, Darkness Peering, was a New York Times‘ Notable Book and a Barnes & Noble Best Mystery book. Also, her work has been published in 17 countries.
Trace of Evil Review:
I read this book because I got an advanced copy of its sequel “The Wicked Hour” from the publishers, and I wanted to read Book 1 first. This book is a wonderful crime, mystery thriller with hints of black magic to it. I enjoyed it a lot!
Pros:
Here’s what I really liked about the story. The author does not stick to just one plot. There are many sub plots and investigations, and you don’t know if they are connected or not. The author does a wonderful job in shifting the focus from one investigation to another, through some connection. Also, there are a lot of twists and turns and suspects that makes the plot engrossing to read. Moreover, I also loved the witchcraft and supernatural elements added. There is a quite a lot of black magic and witch craft elements, where you don’t know if they could also be a cause or not.
Also, when reading any good mystery, you expect an element of surprise towards the end, which the author delivers beautifully. I never ever expected the story to turn out the way it did, and it was so memorable. Moreover, Natalie Lockhart is great in the lead role and I really enjoyed the way she uses her skills on the investigations.
Cons:
I am not giving away spoilers. However, the only reason I did not give it a 5 star rating was because of a few unanswered questions. Even after the story ended, I felt there is no explanation as to Riley and India’s intentions. Perhaps the author would explain it in the sequel? Moreover, even though I loved the climax, the ending felt a bit rushed. Just when I processed one shocking twist, the author immediately went on to solve the next piece of the puzzle. Hence, I would have enjoyed this more had the author evenly spaced it out.
However, apart from that, I loved everything about this story, and cannot wait to read “The Wicked Hour”! Overall, “Trace of Evil” is very entertaining and a good start to the series.
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