Book Review: Murder On Moonshine Hill by Joan C. Curtis

Jenna Scali is back with a new mystery to solve!

In Murder on Moonshine Hill by Joan C. Curtis, Jenna reluctantly accepts to attend a friend's wedding, after coming across a cryptic message tucked inside the invitation. This friend, Marcy, was her best friend when they were younger. They were inseparable but drifted apart after a tragic incident.   The fallout still affected Jenna and if it hadn't been for that message, she would have given the wedding a miss.

Not expecting anything untoward, Jenna along with her good friend Quentin head off to Moonshine Hill.  Upon arriving at the inn, she meets various characters that make up the wedding party. Her reunion with Marcy raises more red flags that Jenna's curiosity is unable to dismiss. A murder sees Marcy being the prime suspect which prompts Jenna to discover the truth.

Murder on Moonshine Hill is a suspenseful, gripping and well-written story. The plot is fast paced, well thought out and will keep you wondering right to the very end. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I for one, can't wait to read another Jenna Scali mystery.

Book Review: e-Murderer by Joan C. Curtis

e-Murderer is a psychological suspense thriller, written by award-winning Joan C. Curtis who also wrote The Clock Strikes Midnight. It is a story about Jenna Scali and her determination to find a psychotic killer.

It all starts with a disturbing email. Assuming it was spam, Jenna thought nothing of it, until the news of a murder is published.  With each incoming email, the media report another murder, and it is not long before Jenna comes to the realisation that she is the next victim. She embarks on a sleuthing mission to find the killer before he strikes again.

The story drew me in from the start. Like Jenna, I work in an office and check my emails regularly throughout the day. Just the thought of getting emails which describe a murder, is chilling and nerve-wracking.

I thought I had figured out who the killer was. But as the story progressed, the tension and danger also intensified. Some of the other characters started to come across as guilty and this challenged my theory, keeping me guessing right to the end.

I can see how e-Murderer won first place in the Malice Domestic grants competition for new writers, as I thoroughly enjoyed this well-written story. I totally recommend it and I look forward to another Jenna Scali mystery.

Book Review: The Clock Strikes Midnight by Joan C. Curtis

The Clock Strikes Midnight by Joan C. Curtis is a heart-wrenching story of two sisters and how tragedy, betrayal and secrets tear their family apart.

The events and trauma of the past are overwhelming and to escape it, Janie runs away. Once she left the town, she never looks back. Instead, she starts a new life and in the process abandons her sister.  Marlene stays in the same town and tries to make her life work. But, she has issues. The release of their stepfather from prison and a ticking time bomb causes Janie to set things in motion and the sisters meet after twenty long years.

The suspense and mystery was a page turner and had me hooked. With every small revelation, I asked myself questions, one of them being, "Why would the mother marry a person like Ralph?" But as I kept reading, I formed my own conclusions, which turned out to be correct.

The characters draw you in. Their emotions, fears and secrets, slowly unravelling as the story progresses. Their past is hell and tragic. Their current situation is sad. Janie may have become a successful business woman, but her past haunts her; she has secrets. Marlene has issues of her own. Depressed, she also feels let down by her sister for leaving her to deal with the aftermath. Her emotions spiral out of control. One thing leads to another as she gradually loses control of herself.

Alternating between past and present, the story builds a picture of what the girls go through. The different points of view is clever. You get a deeper sense of the anguish and secrets that surround the two sisters. The mother's point of view is an eye-opener. The glimpse into her life is certainly interesting and worrying.

I loved everything about this book. It had a gripping storyline, elements of suspense and mystery.