I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A mother and mastermind criminal attempts to thwart authorities and the obsessed and disgraced former investigator hot on her heels by destroying evidence of her crimes amidst a deadly storm in author Russell Little’s “Murder by Storm”.
The Synopsis
Marilyn is a master of deception, a chameleon living multiple lives to shield her sweet son while ensnaring naive couples in her web of schemes across Houston, Texas. Free from the clutches of the law, she weaves her plans with calculated precision. But shadows from her past loom large—her deranged mother and subservient stepfather, relentlessly badgering her with their fearful questions.
And then there’s O.C. Simms, the disgraced police detective obsessed with bringing her down. Fired for failing to catch her, Simms is haunted by the belief that Marilyn murdered her lover and lawyer, Ed. He’s relentless, determined to hunt her until he’s either vindicated or dead, defying his former captain’s orders.
As a hurricane bears down on Houston, Marilyn sees both a threat and an opportunity. The storm’s fury will devastate the city, creating chaos and diverting attention. Amid the tempest’s destruction, she crafts her most daring plan yet, aiming to exploit the storm to erase all traces of her crimes. But Simms remains undeterred, a relentless force pursuing her through the floodwaters.
Can Marilyn turn the storm to her advantage, keeping the police at bay and obliterating the evidence? Will she slip through the cracks of justice once more? In this high-stakes game of cat and mouse, the storm is just the beginning. Dive into a crime thriller where every moment is a battle for survival, and every decision could be her last.
The Review
What a captivating thriller! The author does an incredible job of balancing the stories of Marilyn and O.C., giving readers each the perspective of the criminal and the police at the same time. The cat-and-mouse element of the story really is played up well, and the chilling background of the hurricane and the criminal using the chaos from the storm to erase their crimes adds to the mounting tensions between Marilyn and O.C. overall.
The character growth was on point in this novel, allowing the reader to become invested in the story as each protagonist had more of their backstory revealed, and their journey saw them grow over time. Marilyn’s backstory with her mother and stepfather, as well as the relationship with her son, added more heart and complexity to her story, while O.C.’s struggle from the first book and the love and family he finds for himself along the way add to the rising stakes in the book’s closing chapters.
The Verdict
Heart-pounding, thrilling, and entertaining author Russell Little’s “Murder by Storm” is a must-read psychological and crime thriller. The narrative’s twists and turns and explosive cliffhanger will have fans eager for more from this masterful storyteller. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy on October 22nd, 2024 or preorder your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
About the Author
Russell G. Little is a writer and practicing divorce attorney. Murder for Me is a fictionalized compilation of the many people he’s encountered over his lifetime and thirty-two-year career.
He lives in Houston, Texas, with his wife of thirty-two years, Melinda.
