Badge of Edisto (The Edisto Island Mysteries, #9)

by C Hope Clark

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Badge of Edisto is a crossover novel featuring characters from C. Hope Clark's Edisto Island and Carolina Slade series. Released 28th Oct 2022 by Belle Bridge Books, it's 358 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats.It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a well written but slow moving character driven procedural mystery set in a rural coastal/island area in South Carolina. The murder of a local healer/wise woman draws retired former Police Chief Callie back into service due to the incompetence of her replacement in the force. She's joined in crossover support roles by her friends Carolina Slade (and fiance), and a cameo from Quinn Sterling from another crossover series by the author. 

The cast of characters is quite large and the author hits the ground at a good clip. It does not work as a standalone in any way whatsoever. For current fans of the author's oeuvre who are up to speed, this is a very well written and plotted book. The characters are deeply developed and feel realistic. With so many related books and characters who feature in crossovers, this would make a great candidate for a long binge/buddy/readathon read. 

Four stars. Well written but dark in places. Content includes descriptions of active substance abuse and mental health issues. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.