Title: Cruel Charade
Author: Alana Lorens
Genre: Mystery, Action-Adventure, Thriller SubGenre(s): Suspense, Women's Fiction
Book Blurb:
Miami attorney Bet Lenard has had a rough year. She’s battling an unknown illness that drives her to drink to cope with her pain. Her lawyer husband has divorced her and taken the best part of their business, their home and their children.
On the night of May 16, 1996, Bet finds herself in the Everglades in the middle of the night, drugged, lost and next to a burned car with a dead body in it. Hoping she’s hit bottom, Bet must drag herself out of her living hell and discover who tried to kill her. Was it her ex-husband, not satisfied with stealing everything that mattered? An angry client, unhappy with the outcome of their case? Her best friend’s husband, livid that Bet’s restraining order kicked him out of her life forever? Police officers fuming that Bet helped a client convict a dirty cop who was their friend? She has no idea.
As she tries to sort out the motives behind her would-be killer, even more suspects come to light. The only thing keeping Bet sane is her relationship with her therapist, who encourages her to struggle and survive, despite everything that’s gone wrong. How will Bet discover the truth and bring her enemy to justice before they strike again and, this time, succeed?
My Review:
A suspenseful thriller with an intriguing mystery that unravels from start to finish.
Bet Lenard is an attorney battling a mystery illness that’s causing her crippling pain. She turns to alcohol to cope, leading to the demise of her marriage and her husband having custody of their kids and the more favorable side of their business. She’s trying to come to terms with all that when someone drugs her and tries to kill her, leaving her in a burning vehicle in the Everglades.
The story is told entirely from Bet’s perspective through the lens of her pain, fear, and bravery as she navigates life with a bullseye on her back. She’s interesting, flawed, and does whatever she can to help others, including her loyal assistant Mela. She’s surrounded by a great cast of secondary characters who both help and hinder her progress as she works to discover who tried to kill her.
In terms of plotting, I enjoyed the pacing which is steady without lagging. I thought the author did a great job of introducing multiple possible scenarios and killers to build suspense, making the mystery more complex and the outcome less obvious with some interesting twists towards the end. This storyline also appeals to a broad audience because it’s no darker than a cozy mystery would be with the faster pace thriller readers enjoy.
Overall, a well-executed mystery thriller with an endearing main character that would appeal to fans of Shari Lapena or Mary Kubica.
My Rating: 5 stars
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Author Biography:
Alana Lorens has been a published writer for over 45 years, including seven years as a reporter/editor at the South Dade News Leader in Homestead, Florida, after working as a server, a pizza maker, a floral designer, and a lawyer in Miami. She writes non-fiction, romance, adventure, and suspense novels. She is the author of the Pittsburgh Lady Lawyers series, which draws on her 30 years as a family law attorney in the state of Pennsylvania. One of the causes close to her heart came from those years as well–the fight against domestic violence. She volunteered for many years at women’s shelters and provided free legal services to women and children in need. Alana now resides in North Carolina, and she loves her time in the smoky blue mountains. She lives with her daughter, who is the youngest of her seven children, and is ruled by three crotchety old cats, and six kittens of various ages.
Social Media Links:
Website http://Alana-lorens.com
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Alana-Lorens/e/B005GE0WBC/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Book trailer:
Twitter: @AlexanderLyndi
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexander_lyndi/
Reviewed by: Michelle