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Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
In O.J. Lovaz’s Prettier When Still, psychiatrist Emma Tyler becomes alarmed when her patient Kathy Preston misses a scheduled therapy appointment, only to learn hours later that Kathy has died from an apparent overdose inside her home in Canton, Michigan. Police quickly classify the death as suicide, yet Emma remembers Kathy describing fear in her marriage to former soldier Jack Preston, whose behavior changed after returning from Afghanistan. After Emma receives anonymous threats connected to Kathy’s death, the investigation turns personal when messages begin appearing near Emma’s young daughter, Abby. Emma soon uncovers evidence tied to Kathy’s hidden inheritance, a secret relationship with a man named Julian, and conflicting accounts from the people closest to her. As pressure builds around every discovery, Emma realizes somebody is watching her closely and intends to stop her from learning what happened to Kathy Preston.
O.J. Lovaz’s Prettier When Still is a really great sleuth thriller, and the author does an excellent job of balancing the beautiful with the brutal. Emma is interesting as a lead, and although she takes a while to be likeable, I felt sorry for her. Kathy isn't the first patient lost, and as a result, her fixation on solving the mystery pushes her into reckless situations. I love how Lovaz has fleshed out Sandy, a reporter who recognizes possessiveness when she sees it. The biggest, most glowing praise I have for the author is in the commitment to shine a light on femicide and putting women in the driver's seat of solving the crime. I got choked up when Lovaz takes us into Kathy’s preserved house, filled with ceramic bears and untouched belongings that evoke a sense of how Kathy’s life stopped abruptly inside those rooms. Readers who enjoy psychological crime fiction centered on women protecting women, women fighting for women, murder mysteries, and emotionally driven amateur detective work will love this book.
