Second Slice: Book 2, Detective Daniels and Remalla Series by J.T. Bishop is a crime novel filled with action, thrills, secrets, and lust. Madison Vickers finds her abusive husband dead in their bedroom one night, only six weeks after another murder in the area. The local police chief is out of his depth and has two detectives brought in to help with the case. Madison quickly finds herself the number one suspect in both murders. She has a group of close-knit friends that seem to have her back and an excellent attorney that she knew in high school. Madison fights to prove her innocence and to understand the strange things that have been happening. All the while, secret after secret is exposed and nothing is as it seems.

I will start by saying that I haven’t read the first book in this series, but luckily, it wasn’t necessary in order to follow the story. Second Slice made mention of things that had happened in the past but this didn’t take away from the plot. Instead, it just piqued my curiosity about the first book and the soon-to-be third book. The best murder mysteries keep you guessing until the very end, and Second Slice did not disappoint. It was jam-packed with drama and twists and turns. J.T. Bishop also wrote fantastic and engaging characters that drove the plot forward. They were so easy for me to picture, and they jumped right off the pages. The story even had a hint of the paranormal, which I found fascinating. It made Second Slice stand out from other crime/suspense novels.

I thoroughly enjoyed this murder mystery, Second Slice by J.T. Bishop, which at times takes no prisoners and ventures into the thriller genre. Set among the fishing set of lake dwellers in an affluent area, the author builds her plot. Not everyone is as entitled as they first appear and the cracks begin to show early. Running through the background of this story is a paranormal element that provides another dimension and links the previous and following novels. The plot centers around the character of Madison and follows her precarious journey through an accusation of murder. She’s forced to embrace herself through her circumstances and discover who she really is. J.T. Bishop provides an intuitive insight into the workings of an oppressed woman who has never really exerted her own authority.

My favorite quote from the novel expresses Madison’s promise to herself, which resonates with many women: ‘When I get through this, I'm going to embrace my life. Do the things I've always wanted to do. Be a woman who loves her life, who takes the bull by the horns and acts, despite the consequences. I want to take risks based on my choices and no one else's. And if I screw up, I'll do better.’ Second Slice by J.T. Bishop has a distinct style, the pace set by the staccato speech which keeps the plot hammering along. The many protagonists are all in the frame of this complicated whodunit, which doesn’t let up until the end of the novel. I really valued the conversation and banter between the two police detectives, Detective Daniels and Remalla, and the underlying sense of brotherhood between them. The reader sees snippets of their history and is able to appreciate the depth of their shared trauma as they battle for the truth.

Second Slice by J. T. Bishop is Book 2 in the Detective Daniels and Remalla Series. Madison Vickers has a less than perfect marriage but when she finds her husband dead, she doesn’t expect to become the prime suspect. The trouble is this is the second murder on the lake and Madison is suspected of killing both victims. Daniels and Remalla are brought in to try to solve the case and Madison hopes that they look beyond her as a suspect. Her attorney is an old school friend and she pins all her hope on him. But there’s a stranger watching her and Madison needs to talk to her. You see, the stranger is in the woods and in Madison’s dreams, passing her odd messages. Everyone is under suspicion and Madison needs to hold on and not crumble. Can she face her demons and bring the real killer to justice or will she go down for a crime she didn’t commit?

Second Slice: Book 2 in the Detective Daniels and Remalla Series by J. T. Bishop is an excellent read. It starts slowly but you need that to get all the characters in place to start with. Then it begins to move, building in suspense and intensity, grabbing hold of you and not letting go until the end. The characters are really well developed, so well that you feel like you’ve known them forever. The plot is steady, unique and intense, and there are many twists and turns to keep you on your toes. There is plenty of action and the suspense just keeps on building, right to the very end. Great book. If you want something to lose yourself in completely, this is the book for you.

Second Slice by J.T. Bishop is a crime suspense novel and the second book in the Detective Daniels and Remalla Series, preceded by book one, First Cut. Following a night of banter and wine with friends, famed artist Madison and her husband Donald return to their cabin home on the lake. The evening culminates in a violent argument, one of many that Madison has had with her abusive husband. When she goes out to clear her head after he goes to bed, Donald is lying dead in the second murder the residents of the peaceful community have grappled with in less than two months. Madison becomes the lead suspect and is left to her own devices with bits of information and clues from a small circle to put the pieces together and find the real murderer.

Second Slice is an excellent suspense thriller that has all the right components going for it. J.T. Bishop cuts right to the chase, literally and figuratively, propping up a body count in the first few pages. Madison is a fully fleshed character and a worthy female protagonist, fragile and flawed, searching for answers to acquit herself of crimes against two ruthless men who themselves were responsible for shattering lives in both the personal and professional arenas. The writing and pacing of the novel are tight and the dialogue is wholly authentic. I admit I have not read the first book in the series and while Second Slice reads perfectly well as a stand-alone, I enjoyed it enough to want to go back and read First Cut. Highly recommended.