All We Buried (A Sheriff Bet Rivers Mystery, #1)

by Elena Taylor

[Quirky Cat]

I received a copy of All We Buried in exchange for a fair and honest review.

All We Buried is the first novel in a new series (Sheriff Bet Rivers) by Elena Taylor. It's also her debut novel, and that in itself should be noteworthy.

In a small town like Collier, it isn't that much of a surprise that Elizabeth “Bet” Rivers stepped in to fill the position of sheriff once her father passed. Now she's been saddled with a death, as a body floats to shore in the local lake.

For a small town, that is surprising enough. To make matters worse, this woman is not one anybody would recognize – as she isn't a local. From there it seems to be a series of mysteries and adventures for the temporary sheriff.

It's funny, earlier this month I was thinking that I really wanted to dive into a new mystery/thriller series with a female lead. Now I seem to have half a dozen of them on my plate. Frankly, I'm thrilled about this turn of events. All We Buried is not a novel that should get lost in the mix though. This novel is as standout as that lovely cover.

I loved and was fascinated by everything in this novel. The idea of a crime in a small town has always been appealing (just look at Murder, She Wrote, and that much is obvious) and while it has been done before, I never quite get sick of it.

This murder mystery throws in a few unique twists, such as the whole backstory involving Collier and Bet's run for sheriff (as well as the competition that it brings). I loved this inclusion, as it made the world feel more alive than ever.

I should probably mention that All We Buried does start off a bit slow, but with good reason. Collier may be a small and quiet town (well, before the murder), but that doesn't mean we can just dive right in. Elena Taylor wrote in enough time to allow us to get to know the setting and the characters. It adds charm to the novel, rather than taking anything away. So it is very much worth reading through, I promise.

There are a lot of details and twists to enjoy in All We Buried, but don't worry, I'm not about to go running around spoiling them all for you. I will say that my favorite thing about Bet is the fact that her story is apparently far from over.

All We Buried is listed as the first Sheriff Bet Rivers mystery novel, which is fantastic. I cannot wait to see more of her adventure. Though I can't help but laugh about my mention of Murder, She Wrote earlier, here's hoping the death count doesn't get that high for little Collier. I don't think the townspeople could take it.

Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks