Review: Piercing Shadows by Audrey Alden

 

About the Book

Genre

Cozy Mystery

Format

E-Book

Publisher

Audrey Alden Books

Release Date

December 19, 2024

Synopsis from Goodreads:

An exclusive cruise, a chilling blackout, and a celebrity's untimely death .

Everything seems perfect―as the Cruise Director of the Midnight Tide .

Guests are in high spirits, and the sea is calm.

Suddenly, darkness engulfs the voyage.

This plunges the ship into chaos.

Now, I’m drawn into a spine-chilling mystery .

An infamous celebrity is discovered dead in their suite.

I embark on a puzzling investigation―facing the perfect murder .

Suspects are many, and clues are scarce.

With Rex and the crew, we edge closer to the culprit.

Nothing is as it seems.

While the real assassin lurks in the shadows.

A shocking twist brings additional evidence.

I must race against time to reveal the true menace.

The ship nears port .

A killer may escape.

This may… perhaps, leave a mystery unsolved .

My Review

Cruise Director, Rose Cruz, is excited that a new cruise trip on The Midnight Tide is about to begin. A whole new set of travelers and a whole new itinerary. What could be better?

Things don’t always go the way they are planned.  Suddenly the ship is engulfed in darkness. A total blackout and the emergency generator is not turning on right away.  Once it’s back on, things actually get worse. A famous internet celebrity is found dead in her cabin in a most gruesome way.

Rose, who had once been a private investigator, is assigned the task of conducting an investigation.  She enlists the help of her friends and, of course, her beloved beagle, Rex.  Together they are all focused on finding a killer.

This is a fast-paced cruise mystery, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I always enjoy books that take me on a journey to another place and this one accomplished that task. 

The characters are well-written and truly made me care for them. Rose and her dog Rex are my favorites. Rose is strong and Rex is very loyal and smart.  He’s a bigger help in solving crimes than some of the humans. 

It’s an intriguing premise with many potential suspects. I kept changing my mind about who the killer was and I was always wrong.  

This is a quick read, and I look forward to continuing this series.

For reading challenges:

Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge 2026
What An Animal Reading Challenge 2026

I borrowed this one from the Kindle Unlimited library.  I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.