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National multi-award-winning author Penny Goetjen writes mysteries, crime fiction, and suspense novels where the settings are so colorful they become characters in their own right. A self-proclaimed eccentric, she enjoys the serenity of writing with the allure of flickering candlelight late into the evening, the chaos while perched at a hi-top table in a local coffee shop with half the caffeinated world walking by, and the romance of strolling in a long flowy shirt while observing the world and collecting characters. A proud member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime, she often weaves a subtle paranormal thread into her stories inspired by actual events. Seven published novels in and her husband still sleeps with one eye open.
Reviewed by Priya Mathew for Readers' Favorite
Penny Goetjen's Deadly Ripples is a mystery with multiple layers that seem to shift like the tides against the historic shores of Charleston, where the novel is set. Kathryn Moore inherits her uncle Gray Moore’s historic home, The Pink Lady, after his untimely death. She arrives in Charleston expecting a short visit and a quick sale of the estate, only to be greeted by cryptic visions, neighbours with guarded secrets, and discovers fragments of a private investigation her uncle was pursuing before his death. As Kathryn moves closer to the answer, she must trust her visions that might hold the key to unlocking the mystery.
Penny Goetjen’s prose was so emotive, colored by metaphors and sensory detail, that she pulled me into the story and made me feel like I was with the characters as the story progressed. It felt like I was alone in the old house, where time moved at its own pace, and was haunted by memories. The story unfolds in a measured cascade of revelations, one event tipping the next into motion, creating much larger and more disruptive waves. The characters are authentic. You can feel Kathryn’s internal conflict between duty and dread. The memory of her uncle and the strained relationship with her parents are at the core of the story. Supporting characters like Mason, Stella, and others help create contrast in a world where everyone is hiding something, and no one is quite what they say they are. Deadly Ripples is a mystery where the true horror lies within, and the journey toward seeking justice is as much about healing as it is about solving a crime. If you crave mysteries with emotional stakes and undercurrents, Deadly Ripples is an engaging read.
