A Woman to Blame

by Vincent Panettiere

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

It’s been a while since I have indulged in reading a good mystery and I made it my goal to read more mysteries in 2015. When I read the synopsis for A Woman to Blame, I thought this would be a good start to achieving my goal. Based on what I read I honestly believed that this would be an exciting and entertaining read. The fact that I had no knowledge of the author did not deter me from making my choice. The incentive for me was that this book involved the hero solving a murder and I could not wait to get in between the pages. After completing this title I knew I had made a good choice and I would definitely read more of this author’s work. A Woman to Blame had me hooked from the first page and it had me eagerly turning the pages as I attempted to figure out who did it. There were many suspects and just when you think you have it figured out, Mr. Panettiere throws in a twist that has you questioning your initial deductions. The characters are colourful and interesting and the way they are portrayed kept me on my toes. The male protagonist is Mike Hegan a veteran cop who was forced into retirement as a result of an injury he received off-duty. He, however, was not willing to turn his badge until he solved the murder of Ariel Sutherland. To say he was obsessed with this case is an understatement. He is willing to risk life and limb to prove that she is a victim of foul play and not suicide as the powers that be would want the public to believe. Mike is not the type of cop who sees things as being black and white, instead he thinks outside the box. He is a strong believer that all is not as it seems. This is what makes him a good investigator. He is joined in his quest by the victim’s sister Portia Sutherland. Portia is determined to avenge her sister’s murder. She is stubborn and she has an acerbic attitude as such, she did not have much friends. However, Mike was not going to let that deter him has he needed her help in solving this murder. They are complete opposites with the same goal. The story possesses all the elements that makes is a good suspenseful read. The plot is well paced and there are enough twists to make your head spin. This is a great read and the best I have read so far in 2015. The only problem I had and it prevented me from giving it 5 stars is the editing. There were several typos and grammatical errors. If you enjoy a good mystery and you are looking for a story that will keep you guessing at every turn, then A Woman to Blame is the script for you.