Hell in a Handbasket (Rose Gardner Investigations, #3)

by Denise Grover Swank

They say the road to hell is paved in good intentions, and Rose Gardner can’t shake the notion she’s headed there in a handbasket. She feels responsible for the death of a woman she tried—and failed—to save with her visions, and though she intends to do the “right” thing and tell James Malcolm she can’t possibly accept his offer of a relationship, she hasn’t yet mustered the strength. Worst of all, her sister is terminally ill, and there isn’t a thing she can do to save her.

When a new case falls into Rose’s lap, she eagerly shifts her attention to someone else’s problems—except it’s Henryetta, and every person, and problem, is somehow connected. The case will bring her back into contact with James, whom she still hasn’t answered, and force her to confront her past in other unexpected ways.

Meanwhile, Rose and Neely Kate find themselves playing host to an unlikely house guest. Helping the stranger may require them to become more entangled with the crime world, something Rose knows she should avoid. She and Neely Kate have the very best of intentions, but are those intentions ushering them down a path they can’t easily leave?

• ISBN10: 171701237X
• ISBN13: 9781717012371
• Publish Date: 13 April 2018
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 394
• Language: English

Reviews

[kalventure]

Series Reading Order, per author:
1. Family Jewels, ★★★★☆
2. Trailer Trash, ★★★★☆
3. For the Birds, ★★★★☆
4. Hell in a Handbasket, ★★★☆☆

This was what I’d wanted, right? To be a mediator in the turbulent crime world and help achieve the kind of lasting peace that would keep Fenton County citizens safe.

This isn't my favorite book in the Rose Gardner world. The action and exposition felt really unbalanced; the first 60% of the book felt like an ETERNITY. Not to mention that I felt like I had read this before in the previous Rose series (putting this rant under a spoiler).

Rose's internal dialogue continually talked about how Skeeter is the first man that ever appreciated her for who she is and encouraged her, inspiring her to be her own person. Which is exactly how she thought about Mason when she was getting over Joe... I know from my own experience of heartbreak that to some degree you will paint the heartbreaker in a negative light; however, she continued to see the good in Joe after he broke her heart. And the period of time between Joe-Mason and Mason-Skeeter is weeks versus literally six months, so suffice to say that she would have had time to 'cool off.'

And then Mason returns, just like Joe did. And they are at odds on the other side of the law, and Rose is in the middle. Again. I swear this entire thing is the previous series' plot arc and it is a bit disappointing to me as a reader as I would like to see Rose in different situations and continue to grow as a person. Her playing in the morally gray muck isn't growth and her continuing to be Lady in Black when so much is on the line - such as VIOLET'S CHILDREN - is just ludicrous. Yes Mason was an asshole to Rose, but her protector instinct would have her wanting to help him, not throw all caution to the wind. This doesn't feel like personal growth, it feels like a body snatcher.

The best part about these books are the characters and their development. I like the positive effect that Rose has on those around her, and she cares deeply about those in her life - something that I didn't see in this book; she isn't selfish and I don't know that I buy the arc for her that has developed for her. ALSO I am really bitter about Mason's return. I don't like his character being ruined as a means to introduce tension. I don't buy his actions; it feels disingenuous and ruined this book for me. I would have been more forgiving about the relationship with Skeeter had Mason not returned. Rose has gone through so much in the past year (yes, all the books span a year in her life!) and she has deeply fallen in love three times in that time; it was uncomfortable when she jumped from Joe to Mason in like 2 weeks and she spent six months alone after her relationship with Mason. While Rose is a person that loves deeply about those in her life, friends included, I am starting to question the depth of her feelings for the men in her life.

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