Pamela Crane

Rick is missing for three days, and Ginger starts to receive some cryptic messages that are sent from some old-dated 1970’s yellowed newspaper ad clippings with some telltale underlined letters.

When the trouble-trio Ginger, Tara and Sloane launch their own investigation, the ugly ghosts and the dark secrets from the past keep coming back to haunt them, especially Ginger, and put them in dire jeopardy!!

I enjoyed reading Pamela Crane’s latest WHAT SHE DOESN’T KNOW (If Only She Knew Mystery Series) which is a well-paced, entertaining (love the humors), thrilling with unexpected twists and turns that keep me guessing till the end!

I am fond of these trio female characters who have their own flaws and secrets, especially Sloane who is deaf and communicates with ASL, and yet they are strong together!… (altro)

One Perfect Morning is a pleasant thriller, perfect if you're looking for an easy read on a rainy weekend, like I was.

It's well known by now that I will read almost anything as long as there's a big secret involved - I'm a real sucker for them. And this book really delivered on that: there were more secrets than I could keep track of! Mackenzie, Robin and Lily are three best friends who keep a whole lot from one another, and I really enjoyed slowly discovering all their secrets. Some of them were quite predictable, others really surprised me, but all of them together made for a really twisty read. I enjoyed the alternating POVs as well, allowing us to take a glimpse of each woman's mind.

The book didn't have a whole lot more going for it though. Most of the characters felt more like stereotypical depictions rather than well-rounded individuals. This was particularly true of the three main characters: two housewives with no discernible interests beyond their homes, children and shopping, and one overly emotional, adulterous Italian - really? I feel like there was so much unrealised potential with these characters, and while they do improve towards the end of the book, it was too little, too late.

I also found the blurb to be slightly misleading. Yes, there is a murder but that's not really what drives a wedge between the friends. In fact, the event causing the rift happens way before murder is even contemplated and is much more complex. A lot of difficult topics are touched on throughout the book, including sexual abuse and consent, domestic violence and drug addiction. Some of them were explored more than others, and while I always appreciate complex issues such as these being portrayed and discussed in books, at times it felt as though they were just too many at the same time, and there just wasn't enough space to deal with all of them.

Overall, this was a pleasant enough read. All the secrets were enough to keep me engaged and entertained, and the ending was certainly one I'd never seen coming. While I had some issues with it, they didn't put me off and I would be interested in reading more from this author.

CW: violence (including domestic violence), toxic relationship, sexual abuse, drug abuse

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House of Ruin by Pamela Craine is a 2022 Tabella House publication.

This novella length story centers around the murder of an entire family back in the 1980s, and is a companion piece for "A Slow Ruin", which makes mention on this crime.

If you were curious about these murders and wished for more details- here's your chance.

But- If you haven’t read “A Slow Ruin” yet- though I do recommend it- this book can definitely be read as a stand-alone.

The Eyler family is murdered in their home in 1982 and the case has remained unsolved for forty years now. But, the estate manager, has agreed to be interviewed. He reveals the most likely suspects- the wife’s lover, the butler, the gardener, etc., each of whom had a strong motive for exacting revenge on the entire family- but which one of them did it?

An Agatha Christie style murder mystery- a quick, absorbing read, and a fun whodunit!!

4 stars… (altro)