Book Review
In The Shadow Of Revenge by Patricia Hale
Publisher: Carina Press
Publication Date: July 15, 2013
Format: e-Book - 203 pages / Kindle - 435 KB / Nook - 368 KB
ISBN: 9781426895845
ASIN: B00CC68FN4
Genre: Mystery / Suspense / Thriller
BUY THE BOOK: In The Shadow Of Revenge
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours.
Book Description:
So Assistant DA Cecily Minos waits, eager to see the guy in her courtroom. When Amelia meets a man who has the tattoo the girls remember seeing that day, they think they've finally caught a break. But the police refuse to reopen the case, and it's up to Cecily and Amelia to pursue their suspect.
Their investigation soon uncovers secrets best left buried. But the law is slow, and they've waited long enough for revenge…
Book Excerpt:
My lungs were tight as fists and the voice inside my head said run, but my legs couldn’t be trusted. Standing up wouldn’t have gotten me out of there, it would only have drawn attention to the pee that was warm in my shorts and it might have gotten Hilary killed if he was serious about running that blade across her neck.
All of a sudden the man stood and keeping his back to us, lowered the kerchief and put a cigarette in his mouth. Hilary never moved though I saw her blink. She was looking at something far away like she was somewhere else entirely and I hoped that that was true so she wouldn’t have to know what happened. He pulled his baseball hat low over his face the same way it’d been when we first climbed into the railcar and without ever looking at us he jumped to the ground and walked away.
“Stay here,” I’d told Amelia, though I knew she wasn’t going anywhere. And I ran. I ran faster than I’d ever run not even caring about the pee burning the inside of my legs. I’d taken the woods instead of the path, running in the opposite direction from the way he’d gone. My legs were scraped and bleeding by the time I’d reached the road and the stitch in my side had made it almost impossible to breath, but I just kept thinking of Hilary laying there and I couldn’t stop until I was pulling open my own back door. I ran into the kitchen and through the house until I found my mother kneeling beside her bed, rosary beads draped around her prayerful hands like a spider web. I stood in the doorway and looked at her, imagined wrapping my arms around her neck and her drawing me in, holding me. I imagined feeling safe. She glanced at me standing there then dismissed me with a nod of her head, knee deep in Jesus. I turned and ran for the telephone.
All of a sudden the man stood and keeping his back to us, lowered the kerchief and put a cigarette in his mouth. Hilary never moved though I saw her blink. She was looking at something far away like she was somewhere else entirely and I hoped that that was true so she wouldn’t have to know what happened. He pulled his baseball hat low over his face the same way it’d been when we first climbed into the railcar and without ever looking at us he jumped to the ground and walked away.
“Stay here,” I’d told Amelia, though I knew she wasn’t going anywhere. And I ran. I ran faster than I’d ever run not even caring about the pee burning the inside of my legs. I’d taken the woods instead of the path, running in the opposite direction from the way he’d gone. My legs were scraped and bleeding by the time I’d reached the road and the stitch in my side had made it almost impossible to breath, but I just kept thinking of Hilary laying there and I couldn’t stop until I was pulling open my own back door. I ran into the kitchen and through the house until I found my mother kneeling beside her bed, rosary beads draped around her prayerful hands like a spider web. I stood in the doorway and looked at her, imagined wrapping my arms around her neck and her drawing me in, holding me. I imagined feeling safe. She glanced at me standing there then dismissed me with a nod of her head, knee deep in Jesus. I turned and ran for the telephone.
My Book Review:
In her debut novel, author Patricia Hale weaves a riveting crime thriller about three girls who are bonded forever in friendship by a traumatic incident that leaves an indelible imprint on their lives through a bond of love, guilt, and desire for revenge.
Set in the rundown town of Miller's Falls, Maine, nine year old best friends Cecily, Amelia and Hilary are sworn blood sisters whose clubhouse is an old railway car. Their bond of friendship is forever cemented when Hilary is raped by a stranger with a tattoo, Cecily and Amelia are forced to watch and are unable to assist their friend, while the assailant escapes and is never caught. Fast forward twenty years, the young women are still haunted by the tragic event that has each of them handling the guilt, trauma and memories in different ways: Cecily is an Asst. DA who specializes in domestic violence cases and relies on an Ouija board for answers; Amelia is living a promiscuous life with one-night stands; and Hilary struggles with the memory of the rape and recovering from a history of substance abuse. When Amelia meets a man with the same tattoo that the rapist had, the girls are determined to get revenge and bring the rapist to justice at any cost.
This riveting story is told in the first person narrative by Cecily, who takes the reader along for the ride as the three best friends embark on a haunting journey to seek justice from a man who has changed their lives forever. This fast paced tale draws the reader in from the start with the traumatic incident that the three best friends endured, and keeps them turning the pages as the young womens' lives unfold, each dealing with the ramifications from the tragedy in different ways. The story is filled with emotion, drama, hidden secrets and enough intriguing twists and turns that keeps the reader in suspense and guessing what will happen next ... can the girls exact revenge and bring the rapist to justice?
You can't help but feel for Cecily, Amelia and Hilary, the author provides the reader with an emotional back story into each of the girls' childhood, and how the past still haunts their present lives, and how their damaged lives fuels their need to bring the rapist to justice. It is a riveting story about three young women whose bond of friendship endures the ramifications of a traumatic event, and how they learn to persevere and overcome their fears, and turn the tables on the man who forever changed their lives.
In The Shadow Of Revenge is a hauntingly poignant story that will tear at your heartstrings. It is also a thrilling mystery that will captivate you with intriguing drama and suspense, and a paranormal twist thrown into the mix.
RATING: 4 STARS ****
About The Author
Patricia Hale is a graduate of the MFA program at Goddard College in Vermont. She is a member of Sister’s in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, NH Writer’s Project and Maine Writer’s and Publisher’s Alliance. Her essays and articles have appeared in New England literary magazines and the anthology, My Heart’s First Steps. When not writing, she enjoys hiking with her dogs and kayaking on the lakes near her home. Patricia lives in New Hampshire with her husband and two German shepherds.
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In The Shadow Of Revenge by Patricia Hale ~ Virtual Book Tour Page: Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours
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Another fantastic review. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this book.
ReplyDeleteHi Cheryl! Thank you for your kind comments and the opportunity to host the virtual book tour event.
DeleteThanks so much for reviewing my book, In the Shadow of Revenge. Glad you enjoyed it. More to come in this series...
ReplyDeleteHi Patricia! I really enjoyed reading In The Shadow Of Revenge. I was wondering if the book might be part of a series, I look forward to reading the next book in the series. Thank you for the opportunity to host your virtual book tour event. :)
DeleteHi Teena! Thanks for stopping by, I enjoyed this book too. :)
ReplyDelete