Author: Edward Kendrick
Publisher: JMS Books
Length: 147 Pages
Category: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense
At a Glance: I think a lot of readers will absolutely adore this mystery and find it very intriguing. For me? It was okay, but I’ll admit it didn’t quite meet my expectations.
Reviewed By: Lindsey
Blurb: When Spence Harden and Jeff, his writing partner and sometime lover, move into the house once owned by Spence’s murdered parents, they have no idea what awaits them. First, they discover someone is stealing items from them, but have no clue who, or why. And then the unthinkable happens. Jeff is killed and Spence is framed for his murder.
Crime reporter Gregg Rowe wants to help Spence clear his name. All Spence needs to do is decide if he believes Gregg, or if the man himself is the killer. Once Gregg convinces Spence he’s telling the truth, the pair set out to discover if there is a connection between Jeff’s murder and that of Spence’s parents ten years earlier … while fighting their growing attraction to each other.
Review: I am absolutely sure there are a lot of people out there that would totally disagree with some of my feelings on this story, and gobble it up. Each reader has certain criteria that they look forward to in a book, and things that can make or break a book. Those little things can easily elevate a story from good to amazing, or drop it from amazing to just okay. It’s the beauty of it all, there is something out there for everyone, and sometimes there are those instances when an author’s writing style, the focus of the story, and a reader’s preferences don’t mesh. I’m pretty sure that is the case here.
The mystery seemed to be the main concentration of this story, and if my preferences ran towards more focus on a mystery, I probably would have adored this book. The plot’s attention stays with Spence and Gregg as they try to unravel the mystery of who killed Jeff and Spence’s parents. Truthfully, the mystery portion of the plot is what worked for me. It was outlined well for the length of the story. I didn’t catch glaring plot holes or anything in the timeline to throw me off. It took twists and turns, and though I figured some things out, many were surprising and I had a few “ah-ha!” moments when the pieces fit together.
Though the mystery was done well, I went into it thinking I would get more time with the MCs and their romance, and honestly, my personal preference lies more with the character development and the entire picture of the MC’s lives. Everything written did seem to be well thought out towards the progression of the plot and with regards to the mystery, but I felt the character development a little unfinished. I had a hard time really connecting to anyone in this story. Spence’s and Gregg’s individual personalities didn’t really shine through for me, and that, combined with the lack of physical description, made it difficult for me to connect. When Gregg is introduced he is described as, “A man, maybe his age or a little older.” Very little more was provided to draw me at least an outline of Gregg, or even Spence. Granted, a lot of people prefer this so they can let their imagination run wild, and for them this would be perfect. I am someone who needs a nudge. I don’t generally like to have descriptions of my characters down to the littlest detail, but I do prefer a sort of foundation to build on, or enough character traits to use as a basis to fuel my imagination.
As for the romance, I did appreciate that there wasn’t that insta-love situation going on, and they weren’t spending more time in between the sheets and getting it on everywhere while tracking down the truth. The romance was built up as Spence and Gregg spend time together researching. It did have a believable feel to the slower progression, and although there is a little bit of on page sexy times, it’s not overwhelming and definitely not the focus. Figuring out the reason for the murders remained the primary driving force of this story, and their romance more of a side aspect that sort of happens while tracking down the truth.
All that being said, I think a lot of readers will absolutely adore this mystery and find it very intriguing. Unfortunately, that was not the case for me. The story was okay, but it didn’t really meet my expectations. However, as I stated, I truly feel a lot of it is just the focus of the story and the authors writing style versus my personal preferences. I could easily see how others will find this book really amazing.
You can buy A Deadly Homecoming here:
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