Heather’s Bookshelf: Death in London: A Nightshade Crime Thriller
Author: Peter Jay Black
Released: 07/11/21
Genre: Crime Thriller/Mystery
“The Rolls-Royce approached the farmhouse on the brow of the hill. It looked picturesque, especially with its roof covered in snow. Its chimney sent a thin plume of bluish smoke skyward, and the house reminded Emma of an idyllic scene from a cheesy Christmas card.”
“Death in London” introduces Emma, the daughter of not one but two separate crime families. Her father runs one and her mother runs the other with Emma sworn into a position of neutrality between the two of them. When her father’s pregnant fiancé is found murdered at one of her mother’s warehouses, Emma is recruited to assist a family investigator named Nightshade.
Everything seems to be getting in the way of their investigation- her parents, the police, her friends, her tragic family history…People are missing and a single horrible death turns in to another…and then another.
Lucky for Emma, Nightshade is the encouraging force she needs to push through all of the deterrents in order to figure out the mystery and the killer. But she’ll have to face her family secrets if she is to get to the ultimate truth.
Trigger Warning: murder, death, discussion of drug use and suicide
Overall, I enjoyed this tale (though I would probably characterize it more in the crime/mystery realm than thriller). Emma is an endearing protagonist. She is smart, witty, and caring. She’s also a little damaged with a complicated family and a tragic past. Her relationships with her parents and her friend Olivia are touched on, but a little superficial and could have been more developed for a bigger bang as the story went on. The story moves along quickly and smoothly with action from almost the first page. There is a twist at the end of the story that caught me off guard but looking back makes complete sense… which was great and I look forward to what the author will do with it moving forward. The ending wrapped everything up for the main story, which can be read as a stand alone tale.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
(The backdrop for this cover image display was taken on my last trip to London)
OVERALL REVIEW:
A mystery wrapped in a family tragedy with an endearing protagonist and surprise twist
Want to learn more about the author?
Check out my interview with Peter Jay Black
Interested in checking out the book for yourself?
Find it for purchase here or on Kindle Unlimited
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