Leslie Kirby

[Disclaimer: This review is based on an uncorrected proof copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.]

Lauren Rose feels like her life is coming together. She just moved to Phoenix to start her medical residency, and is once again living closer to her sister and their grandmother. While residency will certainly be stressful, being near family and putting school behind her means a welcome change. But when her sister, Liz, is found murdered at her home, Lauren begins to realize that maybe things won't go as well as she hoped. Still somewhat new to the city, she doesn't know many people and finds herself seeking support from her late sister's husband, famous baseball player Jake Wakefield. She doesn't know Jake very well, either, but he's a shoulder to lean on when the police begin to suspect Lauren of the brutal crime...

I'm all about a well-written mystery and I'm all about this one. The characters have depth, the relationships are dynamic, and it's so easy to get immersed in this world. There were many times I found myself getting frustrated with a character or circumstances or worried about what I thought was going to happen. The writing definitely helped me connect with the book, for sure. And while I saw some of the writing on the wall a bit early on, there were still enough twists and turns here to keep me guessing about some things right up until the very end.

There's a good focus here on the investigation and courtroom proceedings, though mostly from Lauren's perspective. If you enjoy police/legal procedurals like me, you'll definitely enjoy this book!… (altro)

A very smart and nicely done mystery about young woman whose sister (who is married to a star pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks) is murdered in what was apparently in the commission of a robbery. I was engaged in the character's lives and did care about justice prevailing for all involved. The author writes very clearly and paints a good visual image. My only slight criticism is that I thought the court case toward the end went on a bit too long. Nevertheless, I feel Ms. Kirby has a great future in the mystery genre.… (altro)

I love a good legal thriller so I was really excited to read The Perfect Game. The wife of a famous baseball star is murdered. The two main suspects are her husband, Jake, and her sister, Lauren. Jake and Lauren bond over their grief and a shared love of baseball which just complicates everything. The media takes full advantage and starts to paint Lauren as the jealous sister who wanted her sister's life. Did Lauren really murder her sister?

I enjoyed this book but there were a couple of things lacking for me. First, Lauren does some incredibly stupid things and is definitely lacking in common sense. Why in the world would you ever start a romance with your murdered sister's husband?? Even if there's an attraction there, it's inappropriate. As a character, she seemed very intelligent and seemed to have a good head on her shoulders so her relationship with Jake didn't seem to fit. Then again, grief can change how a person would normally act, so there's that. Second, I did not like the ending. The culprit got what they deserved but the way it happened didn't sit well with me. I didn't feel like what happened was in character for anyone involved. I felt like the details of the ending were there more for shock value than as a real resolution.

Despite those things, the book was enjoyable. It moved along quickly and there were a couple of nice twists. I did figure out what was going on pretty early on, but that didn't hinder my enjoyment at all. Fans of baseball will enjoy some of the scenes and conversations but those who are not fans, like myself, won't be turned off by them. The courtroom drama is not quite on par with legal thriller authors like John Grisham but it was still very exciting and those were my favorite scenes.

Overall, this was a solid read that I really enjoyed. Exciting legal drama, murder mystery, quick pace and some interesting twists. This is worth picking up if you enjoy the genre.

Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.… (altro)