Author: Felicia Watson
Released: 08/25/26
Genre: Adult Crime Mystery
“‘As soon as I know anything, you’ll know it, too,” she assured him, resolving to jump right on this investigation in order to keep Tony from trying to do it himself. An amateur fumbling around in a volatile case like this, would be an excellent way for Tony to follow his father immediately to the grave.”
“Worse Than Any Bullet” is #2 in the “Fidelia Mystery” series, but is reviewed here as a standalone. The book follows Lucia Scafetti, a young PI estranged from her Philadelphia-based mafia-family but not completely removed from that world.
When Lucia’s retired hitman mom shows up after 10 years, Lucia is suspicious but eager to work on their relationship. An attempted robbery, a mysterious thumb-drive, and the murder of a friend’s father soon follow her visit and set Lucia down an investigative path.
Seeking help in retrieving the data from the flash drive, Lucia meets a handsome ex-soldier who soon becomes more than a work acquaintance. To further complicate matters, the son Lucia gave up for adoption 18-years-ago has come back into her life.
Now all of them may be in danger. Will Lucia be able to solve the case before she or someone she loves becomes the next victim?
Trigger Warning: violence, adult language, murder, sexual situations
Overall, I enjoyed this book. Read as a standalone, the author does well in including background through character communication without feeling forced. Told mostly through the POV of the main protagonist, Lucia, a strong but flawed individual with a complicated familial background. The connections to her past and her family complicate her life and sometimes blurs her intuition. Some of the ancillary characters are memorable- Rene, the Cajun love interest, Tony, the hot-headed friend/son of the victim, and Angelina, the complicated ex-assassin mother were all notable. The plot moves along at a good pace, pushed forward by the investigation, clues, and the danger Lucia finds herself in. The reveal of the mystery occurs through the investigation along with the protagonist. The ending wraps everything up from the case as well as many of the threads that were opened during the story. I can also see how the author left open some interesting characters and storylines that can continue into future books. I’d love to follow Lucia in future adventures.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A crime mystery enveloped in a mob blanket with a standout protagonist, good pacing, and an interesting investigation.
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