Title: Parallel Secrets
Author: ML Barrs
Genre: Mystery
Book Blurb:
After a young girl goes missing, former TV crime reporter Vicky Robeson joins the search with the help of her attractive new love interest. They take his RV to a tiny town in rural Missouri that's filled with odd characters and darker secrets. But Vicky has secrets of her own. She believes this kidnapped girl may be linked to a case she reported on nine years ago, when a mystery child was found walking on levee, bloody and unable to speak. Back then, Vicky failed to follow up clues only she knew. Now, she has a chance to redeem herself. As she uncovers secrets, it becomes clear someone will kill to keep them hidden.
My Review:
A missing girl propels Vicky on a hunt for the truth, even if it means exposing dark secrets. I love diving into gritty romantic suspense/thrillers. Parallel Secrets is a nail-biting suspense where one girl's kidnapping has multiple consequences. The stakes are high, the suspense even higher, as I whipped through the book. ML Barrs takes the reader to the very heart of depravity before leading to a heart-pounding conclusion.
Let's start with the descriptive narration. It's imperative to hook the reader right away and ML Barrs succeeds via descriptive narration. Each character's motivations and stressors are expertly described through the narration. Every scene is detailed so the reader can not only feel what is going on but become a part of the story.
The characters are poignant, relatable, and fly off the page. I connected with Vicky right away. The more I read, the more invested I became in the story. Vicky's searching for truth had me running through a range of emotions. The rest of the characters are well drawn and maintain an air of realism.
The plot progression is smooth with flawless transitions. The writing is precise, allowing the story to unfold. Nothing is overdone or underdone. It has a natural feel throughout. An impressive, well-written romantic suspense/thriller. I look forward to reading more from this author.
My Rating: 5 stars
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Author Biography:
ML Barrs grew up one of thirteen children—the first girl, with three older brothers—a birth order she believes shaped her essence by the time she was eight. A girl’s gotta be a bit pugnacious to get along in that environment. Amid the chaos of fourteen people living in a mobile home (not a double-wide), she turned fifteen, dropped out of school and ran away from home. Being homeless, then working minimum wage jobs quickly grew old. She earned her GED and went to college, where she met and married the father of their two grown children. After a successful career as a television news director and general manager, she decided that what she really wanted to do is write mysteries. Parallel Secrets will be published September 2023, and its sequel is in the works.
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Reviewed by: Nancy