I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A woman returns to the small island she spent childhood summers at with her late godmother and must discover if her godmother died naturally or by nefarious means in author Jennifer K. Breedlove’s “Murder Will Out.”
The Synopsis
Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award winner Jennifer K. Breedlove brings coastal Maine to life in Murder Will Out, a lighter, modern gothic mystery that’s as atmospheric as it is heart-warming.
Come for the memories. Stay for the murder…
Little North Island, off the coast of Maine, is so beautiful it could be a postcard. Organist Willow Stone cherishes her memories of childhood summers spent on the island with her godmother Sue… even though her visits ended abruptly, and she hasn’t seen or heard from her godmother in over fifteen years. Until a letter from Sue—and word of Sue’s death—brings Willow back to the picturesque island.
The islanders rarely mention Sue without also bringing up Cameron House, and the controversy around Sue’s unexpected inheritance of the sprawling mansion. When Willow overhears someone threatening the next heir to the property, she starts to question whether Sue’s death was really an accident, and can’t help but wonder whether someone on this sleepy island is willing to stop at nothing—even murder—to claim Cameron House for their own.
Through Willow’s eyes, as well as those of others on the island, a mystery unfolds that keeps drawing Willow back to Cameron House and the very real ghosts that walk its corridors.
The Review
Atmospheric is immediately what comes to mind with this book. The author does a remarkable job of balancing mystery with a haunting, almost gothic atmosphere that draws the reader in instantly. The powerful imagery brings this New England island to life in vivid detail, and readers are left breathlessly gasping with each shocking loss that turns the list of suspects in the case into a killer’s playpen of victims, and the protagonist caught in the maelstrom the killer leaves behind.
The character development was top notch in this narrative. The alternating perspectives gave the mystery more depth and nuance, while the protagonist WIllow had a well-rounded journey. To see the shy, quiet young woman step up and find not only her voice but a community as she delved deeper into the secrets of this island was fantastic, and the ghostly presences that made their way into her life not only gave these island secrets life but dove into the sordid history of her own past as well.
The Verdict
Chilling, heartfelt, and enthralling, author Jennifer K. Breedlove’s “Murder Will Out” is a must-read gothic mystery novel that perfectly brings to mind classics like Stephen King’s Bag of Bones and any great Agatha Christie novel. The emotional depth of Willow’s journey and the shocking revelations the closing chapters bring to life, as well as the tension underlining the inciting incident of this novel will keep readers on the edge of their seats as this story progresses. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
About the Author
JENNIFER K. BREEDLOVE is a Chicago area composer, conductor, author, editor, and educator. A frequent visitor to Downeast Maine since childhood, she has an enduring affection for the wild beauty of the coastal islands and the warmth of the people who make their homes there. Her debut novel, Murder Will Out, won the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award.
Learn more about her work and contact Jennifer at: https://www.jkbreedlove.com/
