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Reviewed by Keith Mbuya for Readers' Favorite
When former police detective Michael McLaren and his wife find a photograph and a news article hidden in the walls of a newly acquired house, McLaren is curious. The article is about an unsolved murder fifteen years ago in McLaren’s village, Somerley, in Derbyshire. An interview with the deceased’s relatives proves there was more to the case. In the fifteen years since the murder, three more murders had occurred in Somerley, and they all had a disturbing similarity: the victims were murdered at night, and their relatives received cipher puzzles. While brooding over the details, a fifth murder hits the village, consistent with the previous four. Were they all linked? With the help of his friend James, McLaren is determined to solve the cases and unmask the perpetrator. However, the killer is closer than they think and is willing to protect their identity at all costs. Find out more in Jo A. Hiestand’s Bitter Night.
Lovers of slow-burn mystery murder and sleuth novels will find Jo A. Hiestand’s Bitter Night an enthralling read. Paying great attention to detail, Hiestand spins a tangled web of mystery around an intriguing plot. The subtle tone hooked me, keeping me turning page after page. The novel features a well-crafted cast shrouded in a thick cloud of suspicion and distrust. Every character seemed to be a suspect, making the investigation thrilling. The vivid imagery brought the village of Somerley and its residents to life on the pages. The conversations are purposeful and laced with a light touch of wit. Hiestand uses dialogue alongside introspection to give depth to the cast’s emotions and conflicts, allowing me to connect with them. McLaren is an intuitive, intelligent, calculating, and experienced detective. But even for a man of his caliber, he might not be ready for this cunning and elusive killer’s antics.
