I found the story to be very well written, the characters to be believable and mostly likeable. Overall, it was compelling and engaging, with just enough lightness to keep me reading. It moves gradually through the past to meet the present in well-executed flips back and forth in time that are easy to follow. I read somewhere that this is the authors debut novel, but it reads as if she has been writing her entire life. Anyone that reads and enjoys mysteries will find that there are parts that are predictable, but it didn't take anything away from the enjoyment of the story. I'm looking forward to more by Susan Bickford. ( )

The Harris clan controls Charon Springs, New York. Anyone who crosses them ends up beaten or dead. In 2000, Marly Shaw is attacked by her step-father Del Harris and his father, Zeke. The event is terrifying and at the end, Del and Zeke are dead. Marly runs from her hometown knowing the Harris clan will find out the two men are dead and blame her, even though it was not her fault. She thinks she has escaped, but nobody ever really escapes the Harris family.

Flash ahead to 2013. Two members of the Harris clan are found dead in California. Detectives Vanessa Alba and Jack Wong are on the case to discover what happened. They travel to Charon Springs, discovering the power of the Harris family and Marly's story. Vanessa and Marly finally meet at the thrilling end of the story.

The story is fast-paced, exciting and filled with strong female characters, good and bad. The tension builds at a steady pace til it hits the thrilling end. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. I wanted to find out what was going to happen!

A Short Time to Die will be released by Kensington on January 31st. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys crime thrillers or police procedurals. Such an exciting story!

This is Susan Alice Bickford's first novel. For more information on the author, check out her website at www.susanalicebickford.com ( )

3.5 Stars

Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com

Deep in Central New York in village ruled by a crime family, Marly escaped her stepfather and his father, but she is nowhere to escaping their grasp. When some bodies turn up almost fifteen years later, Marly's story will slowly start to unravel.

I found the story of Marly quite interesting, and also the murder mystery itself was quite nice. I thought I had figured it out quite early on, but some questions remained unanswered for some time. All female characters, both good and evil, were particularly strong characters. In the end, I thought the conclusion came a bit quick compared to the rest of the story, but all in all it was a very nice mystery book.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! ( )

The intertwined story of two women. Vanessa Alba is a detective with the Santa Clara County Sheriff's office in California. She and her partner are investigating the deaths of 2 bodies found in the local mountains. Their search leads them to Charon Springs in Central New York. The town is under the rule of the Harris crime family and their extended clan. It is while visiting Charon Springs to investigate that the detectives learn of the families activities, and of the life of Marley Shaw.

Marley's story is told in flashbacks, from the year 2000 when she is attacked by her step father and his father, to 2013 when 2 bodies are found in California. Her story is very compelling. She lives a life in fear of her step father and his family. Not behaving as the family wishes results in beatings or worse. We follow Marley as she makes plans to leave Charon Springs and get away from the Harris family.

I thought this was a really interesting book, especially the story of Marley. She is a really strong character. This book is full of strong women. Some, like Marley and Vanessa, are good. Others are pure evil. But all are strong. I was rooting for Marley the whole way through, and even though I finished a couple of days ago, I still find myself thinking about her. I would definitely recommend this for fans of crime thrillers.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. ( )

I received a free advance e-copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Wow!! A fantastic book with strong female characters. It grabbed me at the first sentence and didn’t let go until the very end. An amazing thrill ride. I couldn’t put it down as I anticipated what was going to happen next. Full of twists and turns, dysfunction, lawlessness, danger, and mayhem. The action and suspense never quit. The entire town of Charon Springs, New York, is terrorized and controlled by the cold-blooded Harris clan. There is incest, murder, and infighting with a constant power struggle among the members of the Harris clan who all seem to mistrust and hate each other. This is the story of how one young girl decides she is going to save herself and her family and get out any way she can. She is smart and crafty and covers her tracks very carefully. The police start investigating after bones of two Harris family members turn up in a California gulley. This is a very well written and fast paced crime thriller with exceptional character development and an amazing plot. ‘A Short Time to Die’ is a keeper and well worth the read. I look forward to reading more books by Susan Alice Bickford in the future. ( )