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Detective Gemma Monroe #1
Inherit the Bones
Secrets and lies can’t stay buried forever in Cedar Valley.
In the summer, hikers and campers pack the small Colorado town’s meadows and fields. And in the winter, skiers and snowboarders take over the mountains. Season by season, year after year, time passes and the lies, like the aspens and evergreens that surround the town, take root and spread deep.
Now, someone has uncovered the lies, and it is his murder that continues a chain of events that began almost forty years ago. Detective Gemma Monroe’s investigation takes her from the seedy grounds of a traveling circus to the powerful homes of those who would control Cedar Valley’s future.
Six-months pregnant, with a partner she can’t trust and colleagues who know more than they’re saying, Gemma tracks a killer who will stop at nothing to keep those secrets buried.
In the summer, hikers and campers pack the small Colorado town’s meadows and fields. And in the winter, skiers and snowboarders take over the mountains. Season by season, year after year, time passes and the lies, like the aspens and evergreens that surround the town, take root and spread deep.
Now, someone has uncovered the lies, and it is his murder that continues a chain of events that began almost forty years ago. Detective Gemma Monroe’s investigation takes her from the seedy grounds of a traveling circus to the powerful homes of those who would control Cedar Valley’s future.
Six-months pregnant, with a partner she can’t trust and colleagues who know more than they’re saying, Gemma tracks a killer who will stop at nothing to keep those secrets buried.
322 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2016
383 people are currently reading
3,883 people want to read
About the author
Emily Littlejohn
4Ìýbooks209ÌýfollowersEmily Littlejohn is a Colorado-based novelist. She writes the Cedar Valley Mystery Series featuring Detective Gemma Monroe and is currently at work on a standalone thriller. She is a two-time Colorado Book Award finalist.
When Emily is not writing, she oversees collection development and management for a midsize public library system. She is passionate about literacy, access to information and the right to read.
Emily is available for book club conversations; public speaking engagements; and coaching authors through her business Catch Your Story.
When Emily is not writing, she oversees collection development and management for a midsize public library system. She is passionate about literacy, access to information and the right to read.
Emily is available for book club conversations; public speaking engagements; and coaching authors through her business Catch Your Story.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 352 reviews
February 9, 2017
When I saw "six months pregnant", "female lead", and "police procedural", I knew this book was for me. Minotaur Books has published some seriously unique concepts in the past few years; another favorite series of mine that they produced is the Brigid Quinn novels by featuring a female in a mature stage of life after retiring from the FBI. Since I love those books so much, I figured it was a safe bet that this new series would be for me. While it too me about 50 pages to really get absorbed in the story, I appreciate the author's dedication to setting up the characters and detailing little snippets that would come back later in the story for big
ah-ha
moments.
If you have always liked the idea of reading a book, but find the graphic violence just too much, this might be the perfect read for you. The writing style and detailing is very similar, and while there is some violence, its much more tame and muted and limited only to necessary scenes instead of the gratuitous 400 pages of blood and guts you'd find elsewhere. For those who love the nasty darkness though, fear not; don't mistake the lack of constant gory violence for boring. This book was heavy on the police procedural with scenes chucked in of hold-your-breath suspense. OMG the bathroom scene in the middle of the night? John, please don't ever travel again.
I always like a series that has some aspects of continuation throughout the books with individual plots as well, and this was no different. I'm not 100% sure how the author will choose to press on, but she gave great closure to the case pertaining to this book, and even to many aspects of Gemma's life. If I didn't know this was a series, I might have thought this was a standalone. However, knowing it is a series has me looking back at smaller details thinking "Oh yeah, she could definitely go somewhere with this". I'm really excited to see where Finn and Gemma's partnership goes, and I'm hoping we get to see how Sam is doing as well. I'm still iffy on Brody, but we'll see if he can win me over in the future.
The individual mystery, I felt, was good; while it was pretty standard and straight forward, it wasn't simple. The author put a good deal of careful consideration and detail into tying multiple people in different places together to bring a cold case and recent murder into the limelight in similar timing. I can only imagine how difficult it was to get everything just right and have nothing slip through the cracks and contradicting; the author did a fantastic job of lining it all up and clearly did great research into making everything as believable as possible. I'm really excited to see where this series goes; it has 5 star potential in my book!
*Greatest of thanks to Minotaur Books for my copies in exchange for an honest review. In addition to my review copy, they sent a finished copy that you can enter to win on my blog next week!
**I couldn't find a place to add this where it flowed well, but wanted to mention I loved reading about the circus and all that goes into making those performances happen.
If you have always liked the idea of reading a book, but find the graphic violence just too much, this might be the perfect read for you. The writing style and detailing is very similar, and while there is some violence, its much more tame and muted and limited only to necessary scenes instead of the gratuitous 400 pages of blood and guts you'd find elsewhere. For those who love the nasty darkness though, fear not; don't mistake the lack of constant gory violence for boring. This book was heavy on the police procedural with scenes chucked in of hold-your-breath suspense. OMG the bathroom scene in the middle of the night? John, please don't ever travel again.
I always like a series that has some aspects of continuation throughout the books with individual plots as well, and this was no different. I'm not 100% sure how the author will choose to press on, but she gave great closure to the case pertaining to this book, and even to many aspects of Gemma's life. If I didn't know this was a series, I might have thought this was a standalone. However, knowing it is a series has me looking back at smaller details thinking "Oh yeah, she could definitely go somewhere with this". I'm really excited to see where Finn and Gemma's partnership goes, and I'm hoping we get to see how Sam is doing as well. I'm still iffy on Brody, but we'll see if he can win me over in the future.
The individual mystery, I felt, was good; while it was pretty standard and straight forward, it wasn't simple. The author put a good deal of careful consideration and detail into tying multiple people in different places together to bring a cold case and recent murder into the limelight in similar timing. I can only imagine how difficult it was to get everything just right and have nothing slip through the cracks and contradicting; the author did a fantastic job of lining it all up and clearly did great research into making everything as believable as possible. I'm really excited to see where this series goes; it has 5 star potential in my book!
*Greatest of thanks to Minotaur Books for my copies in exchange for an honest review. In addition to my review copy, they sent a finished copy that you can enter to win on my blog next week!
**I couldn't find a place to add this where it flowed well, but wanted to mention I loved reading about the circus and all that goes into making those performances happen.
December 13, 2022
In einem kleinen Wanderzirkus wird der Clown ermordet. Wie sich herausstellt, war dieser Clown ein Junge, der bereits vor drei Jahren für tot erklärt wurde und nun unter einer falschen Identität lebte. Warum?
Ein sehr spannender Fall für die Ermittlerin Gemma, die - hochschwanger - den Fall aufklären soll.
*
Der Kriminalfall an sich hat mir sehr gut gefallen! Ich mag einfach dieses Geheimnisvolle - warum lebte der Junge unter einer falschen Identität? Was haben lange zurückliegende Mordfälle, für die sich besagter Junge interessiert hatte, damit zu tun?
Eigentlich sind es zwei ungeklärte Fälle in einem einem. So etwas mag ich grundsätzlich sehr gerne.
Die Umsetzung hat mir auch gut gefallen. Wir erfahren viel über Gemma und ihr Privatleben, so dass man sich ein besseres Bild von ihr machen kann.
Mit dem Schreibstil musste ich mich ein bisschen arrangieren, aber das war okay und ging auch recht schnell. Vielleicht liegt es auch an der Ãœbersetzung, dass ich mich erst einmal einlesen musste.
Im Großen und Ganzen ein spannender und interessanter Fall und zudem der Auftakt einer Reihe. Band 2 möchte ich gerne auch lesen.
Ein sehr spannender Fall für die Ermittlerin Gemma, die - hochschwanger - den Fall aufklären soll.
*
Der Kriminalfall an sich hat mir sehr gut gefallen! Ich mag einfach dieses Geheimnisvolle - warum lebte der Junge unter einer falschen Identität? Was haben lange zurückliegende Mordfälle, für die sich besagter Junge interessiert hatte, damit zu tun?
Eigentlich sind es zwei ungeklärte Fälle in einem einem. So etwas mag ich grundsätzlich sehr gerne.
Die Umsetzung hat mir auch gut gefallen. Wir erfahren viel über Gemma und ihr Privatleben, so dass man sich ein besseres Bild von ihr machen kann.
Mit dem Schreibstil musste ich mich ein bisschen arrangieren, aber das war okay und ging auch recht schnell. Vielleicht liegt es auch an der Ãœbersetzung, dass ich mich erst einmal einlesen musste.
Im Großen und Ganzen ein spannender und interessanter Fall und zudem der Auftakt einer Reihe. Band 2 möchte ich gerne auch lesen.
September 3, 2016
I received a copy of Inherit the Bones through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Minotaur Books and to Emily Littlejohn for the opportunity.
"In my dreams, the dead can speak."
And these dreams are turning into horrendous nightmares for Lead Detective Gemma Monroe. Cedar Valley, Colorado was once a small ski town dotted with chalets and nestled inocently into the rugged terrain of the Rockies. Daydreaming was quite the pasttime amid all this beauty until the bodies of two young boys were found along a secluded hiking trail in 1985. Some say it was the evil work of the Woodsman who overpowered those helpless boys. Some say that he's been waiting patiently to strike again.....
Emily Littlejohn creates her character of Detective Gemma Monroe as a sharp-minded, very pregnant young woman with a voracious appetite. She reminds me a bit of the female detective in Fargo ("You okay down dere, Marge?!") Only Gemma goes it alone while her boyfriend works as a contract geologist in Alaska. No safety nets for Gemma. She'll attack an investigation like a double cheese ham on rye.
But Gemma had no expectations of a murder on her multiple listed menu. A frantic call comes in reporting that a brutalized body of a clown has been found in a back tent on the local fairgrounds. Finding a motive and means will perplex Gemma and her partners, Finn and Sam. And the medical examiner will have a shocking detail in his report.
Littlejohn does a fine job in the setup for the story giving just enough background details to whet your whistle. She weaves through this storyline with ribbons of quirky humor, sharp dialogue, and very human characterizations. There's also the electric spark of the thrill as someone sets their focus on our pizza-craving pregnant police officer.
Inherit the Bones has all the makings of a well-defined series. It's the type of storyline that pulls you into its magnetic field when you're simply on the lookout for a good, satisfying read. It is my hope that Emily Littlejohn will, once again, band this troup of characters into another Gemma Monroe mystery.
"In my dreams, the dead can speak."
And these dreams are turning into horrendous nightmares for Lead Detective Gemma Monroe. Cedar Valley, Colorado was once a small ski town dotted with chalets and nestled inocently into the rugged terrain of the Rockies. Daydreaming was quite the pasttime amid all this beauty until the bodies of two young boys were found along a secluded hiking trail in 1985. Some say it was the evil work of the Woodsman who overpowered those helpless boys. Some say that he's been waiting patiently to strike again.....
Emily Littlejohn creates her character of Detective Gemma Monroe as a sharp-minded, very pregnant young woman with a voracious appetite. She reminds me a bit of the female detective in Fargo ("You okay down dere, Marge?!") Only Gemma goes it alone while her boyfriend works as a contract geologist in Alaska. No safety nets for Gemma. She'll attack an investigation like a double cheese ham on rye.
But Gemma had no expectations of a murder on her multiple listed menu. A frantic call comes in reporting that a brutalized body of a clown has been found in a back tent on the local fairgrounds. Finding a motive and means will perplex Gemma and her partners, Finn and Sam. And the medical examiner will have a shocking detail in his report.
Littlejohn does a fine job in the setup for the story giving just enough background details to whet your whistle. She weaves through this storyline with ribbons of quirky humor, sharp dialogue, and very human characterizations. There's also the electric spark of the thrill as someone sets their focus on our pizza-craving pregnant police officer.
Inherit the Bones has all the makings of a well-defined series. It's the type of storyline that pulls you into its magnetic field when you're simply on the lookout for a good, satisfying read. It is my hope that Emily Littlejohn will, once again, band this troup of characters into another Gemma Monroe mystery.
October 26, 2016
The coincidences of life, scary clowns have been all over our news stations lately so I was surprised to find when I started reading this that the case begins with the death of a carnival clown. Only this is not just any clown, this is a young man who has been thought dead for the last three years.
So enter Gemma, a young, very pregnant detective and she soon ties together this case with the death of two young boys from past years. Has dreams about it. Gemma, herself is an appealing character, feisty, committed, refuses to give up her theories, despite conflicting views. Finn, her partner for this case at least, was harder to like but he grew on me.
A good start to a new series, first novel by this author I believe and it is an evenly paced, very well written police procedural. Looking forward to seeing how she develops Gemma's character and wonder how her relationship problems work out, will wait and see.
ARC from Netgalley.
So enter Gemma, a young, very pregnant detective and she soon ties together this case with the death of two young boys from past years. Has dreams about it. Gemma, herself is an appealing character, feisty, committed, refuses to give up her theories, despite conflicting views. Finn, her partner for this case at least, was harder to like but he grew on me.
A good start to a new series, first novel by this author I believe and it is an evenly paced, very well written police procedural. Looking forward to seeing how she develops Gemma's character and wonder how her relationship problems work out, will wait and see.
ARC from Netgalley.
November 30, 2017
Save your time and read something else.
The gaps in facts and logic, the misdirections never explained, the MC's obsession with a past infidelity of an absent baby-daddy, the failure to interview more than three circus employees when a murder of a circus employee occurs on circus grounds .... plus the pedestrian writing. All added up to an annoying, forgettable (I hope) read.
On the other hand, don't take my word for it. I had a similar, painful reading experience with by . I vividly recall finishing that novel, being proud of myself for not throwing the book across the room, and glancing at a few reviews here on GR confident that I would be part of a large chorus of disgruntled readers only to discover that my view was the rare, lonely outlier.
You know best which camp of mystery/police procedural readers you're in.
The gaps in facts and logic, the misdirections never explained, the MC's obsession with a past infidelity of an absent baby-daddy, the failure to interview more than three circus employees when a murder of a circus employee occurs on circus grounds .... plus the pedestrian writing. All added up to an annoying, forgettable (I hope) read.
On the other hand, don't take my word for it. I had a similar, painful reading experience with by . I vividly recall finishing that novel, being proud of myself for not throwing the book across the room, and glancing at a few reviews here on GR confident that I would be part of a large chorus of disgruntled readers only to discover that my view was the rare, lonely outlier.
You know best which camp of mystery/police procedural readers you're in.
June 4, 2018
“Inherit the Bones� is author Emily Littlejohn’s debut about a 30-year-old murder mystery of two boy cousins. Detective Gemma Monroe narrates the novel. As the story opens, she is six months pregnant and investigating a gruesome murder of a clown from a traveling circus. Gemma works in a small town in Colorado, and works with a crew of politically incorrect law enforcement officers.
How does the death of a clown and the disappearance and murder of two cousins tie in together? Do they even tie together? Littlejohn provides clues to her murders and the reader is kept involved. The beginning of the novel is a bit slow. The last third is a page-turner.
Decent story, decent writing. It was ok/good.
How does the death of a clown and the disappearance and murder of two cousins tie in together? Do they even tie together? Littlejohn provides clues to her murders and the reader is kept involved. The beginning of the novel is a bit slow. The last third is a page-turner.
Decent story, decent writing. It was ok/good.
March 20, 2019
Gemma Monroe is a detective in Cedar Valley, CO. She's six months pregnant and stressing over her relationship with the baby's father. Her life gets a lot more complicated when a traveling circus comes to town and one of their workers is murdered. The killing reveals some dark secrets related to a 30-year old cold case. Gemma will discover that digging for the truth when it means revealing past dark deeds can be very, very dangerous.
I really like this series! I accidentally jumped in at book three, Lost Lake, a few months ago, and finally backtracked to read the first book. I like Gemma Monroe as a main character. She is very good at her job. She's intelligent, thorough, ethical, and determined, but being driven comes with a price. The unsolved murders of two young boys in 1985 haunts her. She has nightmares about the dead boys. Her determination to solve the case and get justice for the victims almost breaks her at times.
The mystery moves at a nice pace with plenty of suspense. I figured out some of the clues, but the ending surprised me. I love it when a book holds a few surprises back until the very end. Nicely done! I'm glad I finally jumped back to re-start this series at the beginning. It isn't necessary to read the books in order, but I do understand the characters -- especially Gemma -- a lot better now that I've read the first book.
There are three books in this series, with a fourth book, Shatter the Night, coming out in December 2019. I can't wait! For now, I'm moving on to the second book, A Season to Lie.
I really like this series! I accidentally jumped in at book three, Lost Lake, a few months ago, and finally backtracked to read the first book. I like Gemma Monroe as a main character. She is very good at her job. She's intelligent, thorough, ethical, and determined, but being driven comes with a price. The unsolved murders of two young boys in 1985 haunts her. She has nightmares about the dead boys. Her determination to solve the case and get justice for the victims almost breaks her at times.
The mystery moves at a nice pace with plenty of suspense. I figured out some of the clues, but the ending surprised me. I love it when a book holds a few surprises back until the very end. Nicely done! I'm glad I finally jumped back to re-start this series at the beginning. It isn't necessary to read the books in order, but I do understand the characters -- especially Gemma -- a lot better now that I've read the first book.
There are three books in this series, with a fourth book, Shatter the Night, coming out in December 2019. I can't wait! For now, I'm moving on to the second book, A Season to Lie.
March 8, 2017
In Emily Littlejohn's debt novel we are introduced to Gemma Monroe, a pregnant police detective. A clown with a traveling circus that has stopped in Gemma's Colorado mountain town turns up dead. This death unleashes Gemma's nightmare's about the bones she found of two boys who died over thirty years ago, how does the death of the clown tie to what Gemma found three years ago? Gemma's dogged persistence makes for a well tuned police procedural. The book is well-written and plotted, there is an ease between the characters that works well.
I look forward to her second novel, A Season to Lie due out later this year.
I look forward to her second novel, A Season to Lie due out later this year.
July 9, 2016
Inherit the Bones is a riveting and beautifully written police procedural. Gemma Monroe is a young pregnant deputy with a partner she doesn’t trust and nightmares from her discovery of the bones of two missing children who were murdered 30 years previously. When a circus comes to the small Colorado ski town and a clown is savagely killed she has no idea that investigating his death is going to intensify her nightmares and uncover 30 years of lies and deceit. Twist and turns make this compelling story difficult to put down. Can’t wait for Littlejohn’s next book!
December 4, 2016
You can read all of my reviews at
"...I've always thought there are currents running through our world and our lives, threads if you will, that touch and connect all things. Events, years after they've happened, leave faint fingerprints that linger and change the surface of places over time."
A murdered clown. An unknown murder weapon. A surprise ID. A pregnant lead investigator. Her partner with questionable professional ethics. A wealthy family with generations of secrets. Murders that have gone unsolved for forty years.
WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK FOR??
Inherit the Bones is a well-paced police procedural. It has just enough twists and turns to keep the pages turning, without making one's head spin too much. I really enjoyed the introduction to Gemma Monroe. She's quite likable. Emily Littlejohn did a great job in rendering her as a well-balanced character. She's tough enough to thrive in a male-dominated profession. She's compassionate enough to comfort grieving families. Most importantly, she's a competent, fully invested cop who's going to making sure the perpetrators get what they've got coming to them.
The scene of the crime is a traveling circus. The murder weapon could not be immediately determined. This was certainly more interesting than the cliché, partially-clad, strangled body, hidden in the woods, not far from the roadside, to be discovered by a man/woman walking a dog... As for the rest of the details of the crime, I don't do spoilers and I'm afraid discussing the other characters or details in any greater length may prematurely influence the prospective reader. I'll say only that there were plenty of suspects and the identity of the murderer was not readily apparent.
The secondary story in this book is Gemma's relationship with her boyfriend, Brody. He's a scientist who is absent through most of the story. He's in Alaska for work, where he may or may not be cavorting with
Inherit the Bones needs a sequel. I'm not sure how it should be done. A new crime in Cedar Valley? A relocation? Gemma is recruited by the FBI? I'll leave that part to Emily Littlejohn. I just want to read it.
Many thanks to Minotaur Books for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 8, 2024
This was pretty good! It's definitely a 3.5 (damn you, five star system), but in the end I rounded down for a couple of reasons.
I loved our protagonist, though she could use a boot in the rear when it comes to her love life, and it's very uncommon to have such a matter of fact attitude displayed towards a detective approaching her third trimester. Big plus. The story itself was engaging and well-executed for the most part.
I did knock off points in my usual way, which selfishly enough is based purely on my own enjoyment and reading experience. This IS a debut novel, and for the most part you wouldn't know - especially in the epilogue, there are some beautifully written passages that show the real potential of the author. But the dialogue is stilted in places, which pushes me out of the story. There were a couple of far-fetched moments in service of the plot/hiding of the plot, and they were enough to remind me I was reading as well.
All in all though, those flashes of brilliance have got me really looking forward to Emily Littlejohn's next novel.
Edit: changed my mind and rounded up.
Edit on reread - didn't realise it was seven years since I'd read this, but it does explain why I didn't remember much and had to reread to finally get to the rest of the series. Glad I changed my mind and rounded up, it's aged well.
I loved our protagonist, though she could use a boot in the rear when it comes to her love life, and it's very uncommon to have such a matter of fact attitude displayed towards a detective approaching her third trimester. Big plus. The story itself was engaging and well-executed for the most part.
I did knock off points in my usual way, which selfishly enough is based purely on my own enjoyment and reading experience. This IS a debut novel, and for the most part you wouldn't know - especially in the epilogue, there are some beautifully written passages that show the real potential of the author. But the dialogue is stilted in places, which pushes me out of the story. There were a couple of far-fetched moments in service of the plot/hiding of the plot, and they were enough to remind me I was reading as well.
All in all though, those flashes of brilliance have got me really looking forward to Emily Littlejohn's next novel.
Edit: changed my mind and rounded up.
Edit on reread - didn't realise it was seven years since I'd read this, but it does explain why I didn't remember much and had to reread to finally get to the rest of the series. Glad I changed my mind and rounded up, it's aged well.
October 30, 2016
Full review on
This is the second really good mystery debut that I’ve read this week, I would say I’m on quite a roll! When Chelsea at The Suspense Is Thrilling Me talked of a similar feel to a Karin Slaughter book in her review of this one, I was intrigued. I can definitely see why she felt this way as I could feel a similar vibe, there just wasn’t quite as much violence and gore here. I felt the need to mention this straightaway as I know I have some readers who don’t like that type of stuff and I think this one would be a better fit than some of the darker books I read. (You guys just aren’t as sick and twisted as me!
This is the second really good mystery debut that I’ve read this week, I would say I’m on quite a roll! When Chelsea at The Suspense Is Thrilling Me talked of a similar feel to a Karin Slaughter book in her review of this one, I was intrigued. I can definitely see why she felt this way as I could feel a similar vibe, there just wasn’t quite as much violence and gore here. I felt the need to mention this straightaway as I know I have some readers who don’t like that type of stuff and I think this one would be a better fit than some of the darker books I read. (You guys just aren’t as sick and twisted as me!
June 12, 2020
While I liked the protagonist, 6-months-pregnant (and constantly eating for two), wise-cracking, Detective Gemma Monroe, and the premise was intriguing, this one didn't really gel for me.
The book opens with the discovery of a corpse at the circus that has come to the seemingly idyllic Colorado town of Cedar Valley. The victim is one of the circus clowns, but when his make-up is removed on the autopsy table and his fingerprints are run, he's revealed to be a Cedar Valley teen who was presumed dead three years earlier.
Gemma is already haunted by her discovery of the skeletons of two long-missing children in the woods, and when she finds herself (and to a lesser extent, her male co-workers) being harrased by some mysterious stalker, she assumes the two cases must be connected.
Gemma is suspicous of everyone, from her co-workers to witnesses, her step-grandfather who raised her to her previously unfaithful baby-daddy who's currently (for the entire book) away on a work trip. It got a bit tiresome, especially as some of the details that seemed like they should be important, were just kind of washed away. Although, of course, she's not suspicious of the person/people she actually should suspect. And the actual solution was pretty weak. When I read a mystery, I want to be able to look back and say, "Oh, of course! Now that makes sense." But that didn't happen with this one.
The book opens with the discovery of a corpse at the circus that has come to the seemingly idyllic Colorado town of Cedar Valley. The victim is one of the circus clowns, but when his make-up is removed on the autopsy table and his fingerprints are run, he's revealed to be a Cedar Valley teen who was presumed dead three years earlier.
Gemma is already haunted by her discovery of the skeletons of two long-missing children in the woods, and when she finds herself (and to a lesser extent, her male co-workers) being harrased by some mysterious stalker, she assumes the two cases must be connected.
Gemma is suspicous of everyone, from her co-workers to witnesses, her step-grandfather who raised her to her previously unfaithful baby-daddy who's currently (for the entire book) away on a work trip. It got a bit tiresome, especially as some of the details that seemed like they should be important, were just kind of washed away. Although, of course, she's not suspicious of the person/people she actually should suspect. And the actual solution was pretty weak. When I read a mystery, I want to be able to look back and say, "Oh, of course! Now that makes sense." But that didn't happen with this one.
November 29, 2020
The book begins with finding the body of a nineteen year old clown at the fairgrounds. Talk about strange twists -- this young man turns out to be Nicky Bellington, who was killed in an accidental fall off a cliff three years ago. Oops, guess not. As Detective Gemma Moore investigates, she learns that Nicky had been looking into the death of teenagers Tommy and Andrew McKenzie twenty-seven years ago. Their skeletons had eventually been found but the killer never caught.
I understand this was the author's debut novel from 2016. I enjoyed reading about the investigation and the mystery. I really liked Gemma, so much so that I have already put the next book on reserve at the library.
I understand this was the author's debut novel from 2016. I enjoyed reading about the investigation and the mystery. I really liked Gemma, so much so that I have already put the next book on reserve at the library.
November 4, 2021
It was more like a 2.5 for me. I listened to the audio and I just didn't feel engaged with the story, I was kind of bored. I saw people referring to this as a police procedural mystery, maybe that's not my cup of tea. I liked the idea of a woman detective and cool she's pregnant but I can't imagine at 6/7 months having the energy to track down a murder suspect but I have never been a detective, so what do I know lol.
December 7, 2016
Well done! Really!
February 7, 2017
Inherit the Bones by Emily Littlejohn
Gemma Monroe series Book #1
4 Stars
From The Book:
Secrets and lies can’t stay buried forever in Cedar Valley.
In the summer, hikers and campers pack the small Colorado town’s meadows and fields. And in the winter, skiers and snowboarders take over the mountains. Season by season, year after year, time passes and the lies, like the aspens and evergreens that surround the town, take root and spread deep.
Now, someone has uncovered the lies, and it is his murder that continues a chain of events that began almost forty years ago. Detective Gemma Monroe’s investigation takes her from the seedy grounds of a traveling circus to the powerful homes of those who would control Cedar Valley’s future.
Six-months pregnant, with a partner she can’t trust and colleagues who know more than they’re saying, Gemma tracks a killer who will stop at nothing to keep those secrets buried.
My Thoughts:
I thought the title was intriguing. At first I didn't think it was going to have much to do with the bones found by Detective Gemma Monroe on a ski trip but soon the old story began to mix with the new story and the book was off to a good start.
The thing that really stood out was the character of Gemma Monroe. She balances a police career while at the same time tackling nightmares about a character that you only hope turns out to be a figment of her imagination. She had the task of not only solving a case that she actually thought had been solved years ago but working around the feelings of one of the town's leading and powerful families while expecting her first child and working through personal issues of her own. The setting was also n unusual one. The murder victim was a clown in a traveling circus that had spent a week in Gemma's town. I think I know now why I don't like clowns...but I really enjoyed this book.
Gemma Monroe series Book #1
4 Stars
From The Book:
Secrets and lies can’t stay buried forever in Cedar Valley.
In the summer, hikers and campers pack the small Colorado town’s meadows and fields. And in the winter, skiers and snowboarders take over the mountains. Season by season, year after year, time passes and the lies, like the aspens and evergreens that surround the town, take root and spread deep.
Now, someone has uncovered the lies, and it is his murder that continues a chain of events that began almost forty years ago. Detective Gemma Monroe’s investigation takes her from the seedy grounds of a traveling circus to the powerful homes of those who would control Cedar Valley’s future.
Six-months pregnant, with a partner she can’t trust and colleagues who know more than they’re saying, Gemma tracks a killer who will stop at nothing to keep those secrets buried.
My Thoughts:
I thought the title was intriguing. At first I didn't think it was going to have much to do with the bones found by Detective Gemma Monroe on a ski trip but soon the old story began to mix with the new story and the book was off to a good start.
The thing that really stood out was the character of Gemma Monroe. She balances a police career while at the same time tackling nightmares about a character that you only hope turns out to be a figment of her imagination. She had the task of not only solving a case that she actually thought had been solved years ago but working around the feelings of one of the town's leading and powerful families while expecting her first child and working through personal issues of her own. The setting was also n unusual one. The murder victim was a clown in a traveling circus that had spent a week in Gemma's town. I think I know now why I don't like clowns...but I really enjoyed this book.
March 10, 2017
I was lucky enough to get to read an advanced reader of this book before the publisher's return date. This was such an interesting read that I finished it in less than a day. Gemma Monroe is in a tough situation as she investigates an increasing number of crimes. You will never be bored with the many twists and turns of the plot found in this great story.
A quote I liked from this book is “In my dreams, the dead can speak. They call to me, in whispers and murmurs, and I greet them by name, like old friends.�
Find at the Westminster Public Library.
Another co-worker comments: This is a great book to get your summer reading started. This fast paced mystery will keep you asking “whodunit� until the very end. One thing that stood out in reading this book was the author’s beautifully written description of the Colorado days that we, as Coloradans, have come to expect.
A quote I liked from this book is “In my dreams, the dead can speak. They call to me, in whispers and murmurs, and I greet them by name, like old friends.�
Find at the Westminster Public Library.
Another co-worker comments: This is a great book to get your summer reading started. This fast paced mystery will keep you asking “whodunit� until the very end. One thing that stood out in reading this book was the author’s beautifully written description of the Colorado days that we, as Coloradans, have come to expect.
January 10, 2017
Oh, ALMOST. This is a really good cast of characters and setting, but ultimately it was all just a little TOO MUCH. Too much plot, too many secrets. And the writing wasn't as polished as I'd like.
Also Gemma's age seemed off. She's supposed to be in her late twenties and I'm 33, but she read as older than me. Like, for example commenting on two early twenties characters exchanging all this social media information instead of just business cards like you used. WHAT. She's the right age to have MySpace in high school, Facebook in college. She's firmly in the social media age. (That wasn't the only thing, but it's the one that stuck.)
This appears to be the start of a series. I might read the next one if I come across it, but I also might just forget about the book.
Also Gemma's age seemed off. She's supposed to be in her late twenties and I'm 33, but she read as older than me. Like, for example commenting on two early twenties characters exchanging all this social media information instead of just business cards like you used. WHAT. She's the right age to have MySpace in high school, Facebook in college. She's firmly in the social media age. (That wasn't the only thing, but it's the one that stuck.)
This appears to be the start of a series. I might read the next one if I come across it, but I also might just forget about the book.
March 14, 2017
Why do I read a book that is driving me crazy? I thought the plot had possibilities when I began this mystery but the dialogue drove me a little nutty and I got tired of Gemma Monroe, the lead detective constantly throwing up her hands as if she was waiting for some bolt of lighting to strike with the solution to the killing.
December 9, 2016
First Sentence: In my dreams, the dead can speak.
Deputy Gemma Monroe is still haunted by two young boys who went missing, and whose skeletons she found, years later. Now, she is called to a traveling circus, and the murder scene of a young man who was thought to have died three years previously. What happened back then, and why has he turned up now, having completely altered his looks? The more Gemma digs, the more she finds links from the present to the past, and another death of which they were completely unaware was linked.
What an excellent opening. It is both poignant and memorable. It also ensures you want to read on. And isn’t that the purpose of a well-executed hook?
Littlejohn creates a strong sense of place that impacts all the senses, but then makes us smile before taking us into the very serious reality of a crime scene. Litlejohn’s voice is very evocative, which is both good and disconcerting. It is certainly effective. You really do find you don’t want to stop reading. I know I’m being repetitive; it’s hard to avoid it.
From the protagonist of Gemma, down to the secondary characters, each character is well-drawn, realistic and fully developed. One can’t help but love Tilly, the town’s librarian. She is the perfect light touch to the story.
Gemma is a particularly appealing protagonist. She is 6-months pregnant, strong, smart, very capable, admired by her co-workers—well, all but one—and persistent. Yet her life isn’t idealized, or perfect. There are definitely issues with which she is dealing, and is complicated on her own, and we like her all the better for it.
Littlejohn wonderful paints verbal pictures—“His voice was low and sounded like he’d spent some serious time down in the bayou; I heard in the ebb and flow of his words, days spend on shrimping boats, in swampy wetlands, watching shell-pink and blood-orange sunsets over the Gulf.�
The danger and suspense are carefully introduced and slowly escalated, and the path nicely strewn with red herrings. It’s nice to read a police procedural that is solved by following the clues. It’s nice to read a resolution to a case that isn’t a cheat, but on that is realistic in today’s system of ‘justice.�
“Inherit the Bones� is a very good book, even more so when you consider it is Littlejohn’s first book. She is an author one certainly may want to follow.
INHERIT THE BONES (Pol Proc-Deputy Gemma � Colorado-Contemp) � VG+
Littlejohn, Emily � 1st book
Minotaur Books, Nov 2016
Deputy Gemma Monroe is still haunted by two young boys who went missing, and whose skeletons she found, years later. Now, she is called to a traveling circus, and the murder scene of a young man who was thought to have died three years previously. What happened back then, and why has he turned up now, having completely altered his looks? The more Gemma digs, the more she finds links from the present to the past, and another death of which they were completely unaware was linked.
What an excellent opening. It is both poignant and memorable. It also ensures you want to read on. And isn’t that the purpose of a well-executed hook?
Littlejohn creates a strong sense of place that impacts all the senses, but then makes us smile before taking us into the very serious reality of a crime scene. Litlejohn’s voice is very evocative, which is both good and disconcerting. It is certainly effective. You really do find you don’t want to stop reading. I know I’m being repetitive; it’s hard to avoid it.
From the protagonist of Gemma, down to the secondary characters, each character is well-drawn, realistic and fully developed. One can’t help but love Tilly, the town’s librarian. She is the perfect light touch to the story.
Gemma is a particularly appealing protagonist. She is 6-months pregnant, strong, smart, very capable, admired by her co-workers—well, all but one—and persistent. Yet her life isn’t idealized, or perfect. There are definitely issues with which she is dealing, and is complicated on her own, and we like her all the better for it.
Littlejohn wonderful paints verbal pictures—“His voice was low and sounded like he’d spent some serious time down in the bayou; I heard in the ebb and flow of his words, days spend on shrimping boats, in swampy wetlands, watching shell-pink and blood-orange sunsets over the Gulf.�
The danger and suspense are carefully introduced and slowly escalated, and the path nicely strewn with red herrings. It’s nice to read a police procedural that is solved by following the clues. It’s nice to read a resolution to a case that isn’t a cheat, but on that is realistic in today’s system of ‘justice.�
“Inherit the Bones� is a very good book, even more so when you consider it is Littlejohn’s first book. She is an author one certainly may want to follow.
INHERIT THE BONES (Pol Proc-Deputy Gemma � Colorado-Contemp) � VG+
Littlejohn, Emily � 1st book
Minotaur Books, Nov 2016
October 12, 2017
2.5 stars rounded down. I wanted to like this one, but it was just not that solid of a novel. The writing has too much needless flourish in all of the wrong places. There are good times for description and then there are bad times for descriptions. I feel like the descriptions were wasted on all of the wrong moments. This author was trying to pay attention to the little descriptive details, but she paid too much attention to them. This is hard to describe without full context, so I won't be putting in direct examples because there's not a good way to justify without fully reading the story and I hate to say that. Nicky's funeral is given too long of a scene. It did nothing for the plot because we don't care about Nicky. He died before the book even started.
And then there were the moments when the details were just used in poor taste. There's a point on page 247 where the author describes someone's buttocks as enormous and that it swayed like that of an elephant's and I'm not even sure why she felt the need to describe it both as enormous and elephantic. Why write an insult as some kind of a fancy description? And there were a lot of these types of details (though not all insulting).
There were two unusual "click-bait" moments at the end of chapter 32 and then again on page 319 where the narrative does the "little did I know" or "what I should have done was and then I would have done something different". I don't know why these exist. These types of narration are lazy and annoying if this other narrator isn't established. "Stranger than Fiction" did this correctly, establishing this in the first "chapter" so to speak. This novel, just did it when it sort of felt like it couldn't just keep going for whatever reason.
There were moments of reflection that just felt wrong, like at the end of the book when Gemma is looking at snowflakes "In the end, life is a series of snowflakes, isn't it? Each moment is unique and completely separate from the next, with the power to change everything and nothing at all at the same time. If you're lucky, over time those billions of moments add up to a life" (p.320). I mean, sure, I get it...but, again, why though? They feel out of character.
I don't believe the story that was Nicky's life and tragedy. It feels like a stretch, as to who killed him and why, especially with what their plan was in the end. It just didn't add up. This also paints all of the officers from 30 years ago as corrupt and terrible human beings. That I didn't believe. I felt the community feared something they didn't need to.
And then there were the moments when the details were just used in poor taste. There's a point on page 247 where the author describes someone's buttocks as enormous and that it swayed like that of an elephant's and I'm not even sure why she felt the need to describe it both as enormous and elephantic. Why write an insult as some kind of a fancy description? And there were a lot of these types of details (though not all insulting).
There were two unusual "click-bait" moments at the end of chapter 32 and then again on page 319 where the narrative does the "little did I know" or "what I should have done was and then I would have done something different". I don't know why these exist. These types of narration are lazy and annoying if this other narrator isn't established. "Stranger than Fiction" did this correctly, establishing this in the first "chapter" so to speak. This novel, just did it when it sort of felt like it couldn't just keep going for whatever reason.
There were moments of reflection that just felt wrong, like at the end of the book when Gemma is looking at snowflakes "In the end, life is a series of snowflakes, isn't it? Each moment is unique and completely separate from the next, with the power to change everything and nothing at all at the same time. If you're lucky, over time those billions of moments add up to a life" (p.320). I mean, sure, I get it...but, again, why though? They feel out of character.
I don't believe the story that was Nicky's life and tragedy. It feels like a stretch, as to who killed him and why, especially with what their plan was in the end. It just didn't add up. This also paints all of the officers from 30 years ago as corrupt and terrible human beings. That I didn't believe. I felt the community feared something they didn't need to.
February 5, 2018
Highly enjoyable first novel by Emily Littlejohn that takes us to a small ski town in Colorado where deaths occur, and some are unsolved for years. It begins with the death of a clown which eventually leads us to three 35-year old murders. Interesting plot. Good dialogue and characters and very good swerves. The only part I did not care for was the female officers constant rantings about her boyfriend cheating on her (and now she is carrying his child) and his being away in Alaska with possible female liaisons there. Thought it that did nothing for the book or story. But other than that this was a good effort and hope she has more on the way!
July 11, 2017
3 1/2 Stars
October 25, 2016
Gemma Monroe is a police detective in a small town nestled in the mountains of Colorado. Early in her career, while skiing, Gemma found the long-buried bodies of two young boys who disappeared in the mid-1980s. The boys were murdered; their killer never found; and their disappearance and the subsequent crime has haunted the town. Now, in the present day, Gemma is called upon to investigate the gruesome murder of a teenage circus worker who was part of a circus traveling through town. Soon though, Gemma will come to realize that this murder is connected to the disappearance of the boys. She'll uncover a dark past that haunts her town--and discover that someone desperately wants her to leave the past alone.
This was an excellent and well-plotted mystery novel. The story reels you in immediately and never lets you go with its strong, complex narrative. Gemma is a likeable, fairly deep, and interesting lead character. I took to her quickly and found myself wrapped up in her life. Gemma is six months pregnant - something you don't always find in detective novels, and you see her grappling with not only the case, but her personal life. Working in a small town, she finds quickly that she can't really trust anyone, and Littlejohn gives us good insight into her squad dynamics. She also captures small town living fairly well. This is a town wrapped up in its past, unable to move on from a web of secrets and lies that have tormented it for years.
Indeed, the secrets continue to unfold, but in a completely believable manner, which I really appreciated. I guessed a part of the plot early on, but there were still so many pieces to the story that I was very much riveted until the very end. There's a strong supporting cast here as well, without the usual simple stock characters who sometimes support a rural detective. Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ is telling me that this is the first in a Gemma Monroe series, which I hope is true. While I think the series could hit a wall--as many others do--with the small town aspect (only so much murder and mayhem can happen in a small town: see Linda Castillo's excellent Kate Burkholder series, where you eventually start to fear for the poor townspeople of Painter's Mill), but I would certainly love to see more of Gemma.
Overall, a well-done mystery. Originally rated at 3.5 stars, but pushing up to 4 as I write this review and realize how much I enjoyed it. Always nice to have a new face in the mystery world.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review; it is available everywhere as of 11/01/2016.
This was an excellent and well-plotted mystery novel. The story reels you in immediately and never lets you go with its strong, complex narrative. Gemma is a likeable, fairly deep, and interesting lead character. I took to her quickly and found myself wrapped up in her life. Gemma is six months pregnant - something you don't always find in detective novels, and you see her grappling with not only the case, but her personal life. Working in a small town, she finds quickly that she can't really trust anyone, and Littlejohn gives us good insight into her squad dynamics. She also captures small town living fairly well. This is a town wrapped up in its past, unable to move on from a web of secrets and lies that have tormented it for years.
Indeed, the secrets continue to unfold, but in a completely believable manner, which I really appreciated. I guessed a part of the plot early on, but there were still so many pieces to the story that I was very much riveted until the very end. There's a strong supporting cast here as well, without the usual simple stock characters who sometimes support a rural detective. Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ is telling me that this is the first in a Gemma Monroe series, which I hope is true. While I think the series could hit a wall--as many others do--with the small town aspect (only so much murder and mayhem can happen in a small town: see Linda Castillo's excellent Kate Burkholder series, where you eventually start to fear for the poor townspeople of Painter's Mill), but I would certainly love to see more of Gemma.
Overall, a well-done mystery. Originally rated at 3.5 stars, but pushing up to 4 as I write this review and realize how much I enjoyed it. Always nice to have a new face in the mystery world.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review; it is available everywhere as of 11/01/2016.
December 29, 2019
This is a small town mystery/police procedural set in Colorado, the plot starts with a dead carnival clown who becomes a connection to the long unsolved murders of two local children. I thought the female cop narrator was likeable and well defined but that some of the other characters were either a little cartoonish or flat. Overall, it wasn’t a good read for me, I thought that the plot meandered too much then came together at the end in a jumbled rush.
October 6, 2016
4.5 stars
I am on a good luck streak with choosing books lately. This one had me staying up til all hours of the night reading. I even snuck in an hour at 2 am. I am so glad to be able to read this one and I certainly hope there are more being planned for this protagonist. Consider me a fan!
I am on a good luck streak with choosing books lately. This one had me staying up til all hours of the night reading. I even snuck in an hour at 2 am. I am so glad to be able to read this one and I certainly hope there are more being planned for this protagonist. Consider me a fan!
October 21, 2016
This one kind of reminded me of a Karin Slaughter book. A good who-dunnit with concrete characters that will carry over well in a series.
March 1, 2020
What a way for the novel to begin-a dead clown and a discussion about the fear of clowns which I happen to suffer from. The kick- off to this book reassures me that I am not the only one who feels this way about people with painted faces and exaggerated fake smiles painted on their faces.
This is the second novel I have read by Emily Littlejohn and I found
The book filled with plenty of characters to interest the reader - perhaps a few too many!
Detective Gemma Monroe is the main protagonist, a pregnant cop in a small Colorado town, a town that is supposed to be relatively crime free. I mean, that’s what the folks in the town say, but not only do we have a bizarre murder take place in the present day but it appears to be linked to murders that happened several decades earlier.
Characters in the novel claim that their town has been relatively violence free but, seriously, it is evident there has been much more than your usual amount of killing and brutality going on that perhaps the citizens did not pay full attention to, wanting to believe that their town in this beautiful setting is a home worth protecting.
Various individuals talk about how the value of life is found in the loveof family, friends , and God . I felt they were so desperate to believe in this conceptually joyous idea of a town that they overlook some of the bad things that have happened.
I did find the number of sub-plots that were being investigated in the novel to be a bit confusing at times Simply because of the number of people and events that happened. Dead children, dead women, parents, grandparents, relatives and friends are involved in the action. A few red herring trails could’ve been smudged out and the novel would’ve been equally as satisfying, in fact probably more so.
Many of the characters were relatively one dimensional, good, bad, snooty, kind. Gemma, our detective/police officer feels more grounded in her personality.
I didn’t care much for Finn, Gemma‘s partner. He seems arrogant and snitty. I guess this might be a beginning characterization and he may grow as the series develops. As it stands, I didn’t always understand what his motivations were.
So while the basic storyline is interesting by the end my hair was standing on end from the wild array of guilty possibilities.
This is the second novel I have read by Emily Littlejohn and I found
The book filled with plenty of characters to interest the reader - perhaps a few too many!
Detective Gemma Monroe is the main protagonist, a pregnant cop in a small Colorado town, a town that is supposed to be relatively crime free. I mean, that’s what the folks in the town say, but not only do we have a bizarre murder take place in the present day but it appears to be linked to murders that happened several decades earlier.
Characters in the novel claim that their town has been relatively violence free but, seriously, it is evident there has been much more than your usual amount of killing and brutality going on that perhaps the citizens did not pay full attention to, wanting to believe that their town in this beautiful setting is a home worth protecting.
Various individuals talk about how the value of life is found in the loveof family, friends , and God . I felt they were so desperate to believe in this conceptually joyous idea of a town that they overlook some of the bad things that have happened.
I did find the number of sub-plots that were being investigated in the novel to be a bit confusing at times Simply because of the number of people and events that happened. Dead children, dead women, parents, grandparents, relatives and friends are involved in the action. A few red herring trails could’ve been smudged out and the novel would’ve been equally as satisfying, in fact probably more so.
Many of the characters were relatively one dimensional, good, bad, snooty, kind. Gemma, our detective/police officer feels more grounded in her personality.
I didn’t care much for Finn, Gemma‘s partner. He seems arrogant and snitty. I guess this might be a beginning characterization and he may grow as the series develops. As it stands, I didn’t always understand what his motivations were.
So while the basic storyline is interesting by the end my hair was standing on end from the wild array of guilty possibilities.
March 20, 2017
From the GR description: Detective Gemma Monroe’s investigation takes her from the seedy grounds of a traveling circus to the powerful homes of those who would control Cedar Valley’s future. Six-months pregnant, with a partner she can’t trust and colleagues who know more than they’re saying, Gemma tracks a killer who will stop at nothing to keep those secrets buried.
I found it to be an excellent new mystery series with nice prose, great suspense, good characters, some unexpected turns of the plot, etc. Gemma is smart, likable and believable. I identified with her isolation among her male colleagues, her growing trust in her partner, her musings on ethical concerns about police work, her worries and jealousy of her absent baby-daddy, her fears about marriage & motherhood. (I just hope she can contain her jealousy, tho -- while understandable, it was tiresome and juvenile. But don't we all have secret feelings of jealousy???)
I have to say, the opening pages where they begin an investigation of a dead clown did NOT bode well. I thought, "Doubt if I'll finish this..." but I'm so glad I kept reading. I thought the author's character development was great, drawing on an interesting diversity of Coloradans, from Sam Birdshead (hope to see more of him) to the wealthy Bellington tribe, to the Woodsman victims, to the circus folk, to the Hispanic police chief. And of course, Gemma herself was an unmarried pregnant police officer with an absent boyfriend, a gassy old dog, a grandma descending into Alzheimer's and a sanctimonious yet warm step-grandpa.
The story was engaging and well-paced. With a super busy life, and as someone who usually reads 8-15 books at any given time, sometimes I can get distracted if a plot isn't compelling. This one held my interest WELL. Another Simon Serrailler or Rev. Clare...? Maybe not, but Gemma is certainly in my top 20 mystery protagonists.
I found it to be an excellent new mystery series with nice prose, great suspense, good characters, some unexpected turns of the plot, etc. Gemma is smart, likable and believable. I identified with her isolation among her male colleagues, her growing trust in her partner, her musings on ethical concerns about police work, her worries and jealousy of her absent baby-daddy, her fears about marriage & motherhood. (I just hope she can contain her jealousy, tho -- while understandable, it was tiresome and juvenile. But don't we all have secret feelings of jealousy???)
I have to say, the opening pages where they begin an investigation of a dead clown did NOT bode well. I thought, "Doubt if I'll finish this..." but I'm so glad I kept reading. I thought the author's character development was great, drawing on an interesting diversity of Coloradans, from Sam Birdshead (hope to see more of him) to the wealthy Bellington tribe, to the Woodsman victims, to the circus folk, to the Hispanic police chief. And of course, Gemma herself was an unmarried pregnant police officer with an absent boyfriend, a gassy old dog, a grandma descending into Alzheimer's and a sanctimonious yet warm step-grandpa.
The story was engaging and well-paced. With a super busy life, and as someone who usually reads 8-15 books at any given time, sometimes I can get distracted if a plot isn't compelling. This one held my interest WELL. Another Simon Serrailler or Rev. Clare...? Maybe not, but Gemma is certainly in my top 20 mystery protagonists.
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