Lowcountry Bombshell by Susan M. BoyerMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the second book in the Liz Talbot Mystery series. I enjoyed the first book, Low Country Boil, and this one does not disappoint. In fact, it’s better. It’s an all around fun read.
Liz Talbot has recently returned to the island Stella Maris, where she grew up, from Greenville, SC, where she and her partner Nate run a Private Investigation business. With her return to Stella Maris, they’ve opened a branch on the island (currently out of Liz’s house, which she inherited from her grandmother). Her most recent customer Calista McQueen, a doppleganger for Marilyn Monroe. Her life has eerily mirrored that of Marilyn and she is convinced that within 10 days her fate will mimic that of Marilyn and she will be dead. She asks Liz to investigate, providing several strange incidents that have led her to her belief that she will die. There is nothing routine about this story or mystery.
We see more of Liz’s family - her brother, Blake, the sheriff, her very quirky parents, and a little of her sister, Merry. As with the first book, humor is very much present, but it doesn’t detract from the story.
There are several twists and turns. You know that one of the people that Calista trusts, and there aren’t many, are involved, but I didn’t see the end coming. There’s a little side mystery around the housekeeper and it’s resolved as well and does factor into Calista’s story.
There is also a romance of sorts with Nate that starts at the beginning and while I thought there might be an attraction between the two in the first book, I almost thought this hot and heavy romance came out of the blue - from 0-60 in the blink of eye, no in between. It didn’t detract from the story, but it almost seemed misplaced, walking a very fine line between a romance and a mystery. Still, I’d highly recommend this book, though read the Low Country Boil first if possible. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.
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