Linda Hall, Dark Water

Dark Water

Linda Hall

Waterbrook, Apr 2006, $13.99

ISBN: 1578569540

In Fog Point, Maine, jewelry designer Elise St. Dennis is happy with how far she has come in life, as she raises her precious six grade daughter Rachel and sells her designs. Private investigator Jake Rikker comes to her store and buys two teddy bear necklaces for his eleven and thirteen year old daughters from Elise.

However, her past has resurfaced when Wesley Stoller was released from prison having spent only ten years behind bars for murder. Needing help she turns to Jake and his partner May, asking them to find Wesley before the psychopath finds her, and especially Rachel. She insists the connection is through her late father who died in prison, as she and Wesley have emailed one another for seven years, but now she fears he is coming for her, but more so her trepidation is for Rachel. Finally she wants no police. Though the story seems somewhat off kilter, Jake and May agree to find Wesley before he stalks Elise, but both sleuths assume they know who the dangerous one is and conduct their enquiry accordingly, which could prove dangerous.

Though terrific, Teri Blake-Addison is not the star. Linda Hall's latest Maine investigative thriller is a fabulous tale that grips the audience from the moment that Elise asks May and Jake for help, and never slows down until the final whale sightseeing tour. The storyline is filled with twists and turns that will surprise the audience, yet it feels plausible. Readers and the sleuths learn a near lethal lesson (read the novel for what that is) in what is a captivating character driven thriller.