Review: An Excuse for Murder by Vanessa Westermann

Genre:
Romantic Suspense

Format:
E-Book

Publisher:
The Wild Rose Press

Release Date:
March 20, 2019










Synopsis from Goodreads:

As a former bodyguard, it should be easy for Gary Fenris to kill, especially when the motive is revenge. But Gary has made two mistakes in his life. The first was letting the woman he loved die on his watch. The second was thinking vengeance could bring him peace.

Local bookstore owner and amateur lock pick Kate Rowan loves nothing more than a good mystery. Her curiosity soon leads her down a trail of blackmail, obsession and death. Despite the risk - or maybe because of it - Gary finds himself drawn to Kate. When danger strikes, Gary is forced to face the fact that he used love as an excuse for murder. And he's got one last score to settle.

My Review

Bookstore owner Kate Rowan loves a good mystery, but stumbling upon a dead body in her Great Aunt Roselyn’s home was more than she bargained for. Regardless of the police’s findings, she’s sure there is a story behind this death and she intends to uncover it.

Meanwhile, Gary Fenris is dealing with his own problems. He used to be a bodyguard, but the woman he was guarding, who also happened to be the love of his life, was murdered while he was on duty. Gary has a one-track mind now and that’s to get revenge.

Kate appears to be a damsel in distress, but she’s far from that. She’s a tough woman who can take care of herself and proves it over and over again. Gary is a tortured man recovering from a tragedy he feels responsible for. He’s determined to protect Kate whether she wants it or not.

I came to care about these two, but it did take some time for me to warm up to them. Kate’s best friend, Marcus, and her Great Aunt Roselyn were good supporting characters. They helped round out the story.

This book has the ingredients a mystery lover craves - romance, secrets, and quite a bit of suspense. Just when you think you know the whole story, there are more aspects that come to light. It’s all woven together to give us a captivating adventure.

It’s an intriguing, intense mystery that kept my attention throughout the book. This is the author’s debut novel and she’s off to a great start in her career. I’ll be looking for more of her work.

For reading challenges:
Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge 2019

FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.