A Wonderful Cozy Mystery With A Great Twist
5 Stars * * * * *
DJ Owen is a new author and her talent to tell a well-balanced mystery without extreme gore or violence was just what I had in mind. I’m usually hesitant to read those types of books because I have a low tolerance for violence, unless it is well-justified. I was not disappointed one bit, and rather amused by the book blurb, so I gave her book a chance and loved it.
Alex is a single mom and since the unsolved murders of parents and her husband, she and her daughter rely on her sister as Alex travels to find her own ‘justice’ in the world by targeting serial rapists and killers to prevent them from hurting anyone else. I know…I was hesitant about this story-line, too, until I read further into the story. It seemed a bit redundant, at first, for her to be a killer and to be going after other killers. But it’s also clear that her conscious is traumatized from the deaths of those closest to her. She will do anything to protect even a stranger from being attacked and feels deep remorse about her actions. In a way, this is a psychological thriller, but on the lighter side.
Kyle is a cop who steps in to help with Alex’s fifteen year old daughter, Amy, when Monica (Alex’s sister), is abducted by a dangerous psycho. I won’t say anything more, because it would tell too much, but the twist at the end was great. It is a short and cozy mystery, so expect predictability. But this book packs a punch with suspense, thriller, a sprinkled in love story, family, and friendship. It is well worth your time to read this book if you like any or all of those elements. For me, it was just enough suspense to keep me intrigued without grossing me out. I loved it.
A side note: this story also contains the first chapter of the next book, Journey to Redemption, of the Alex Warren Novels series by DJ Owen.
Reviewed by Laurie Kozlowski – also posted to Smashwords
* Being that this book is a new release and isn’t yet on Goodreads or Amazon, I’ve only posted a review to Smashwords, in addition to this blog post.*
‘A Journey To Murder’ On Smashwords (Epub available download for Nook or read it directly, online)
Book Blurb
Alex Warren is a single soccer-mom and freelance writer with a mission — to help prevent the weak from being victimized. Traveling in her Winnebago, she seeks out those who would harm others to prevent them from hurting another person. She begins to fall for a Sheriff’s Deputy causing her to rethink her life when her only sister is kidnapped. Will she save her sister, or are both doomed?
About DJ Owen
DJ currently lives in Louisville, Kentucky. She published her first newspaper at age six, interviewing her family members, typing her own stories and articles, drawing her own comics, and selling one copy of her one and only issue for a nickle.
She has always loved the written word, reading everything she could get her hands on. She started out with The Bobsey Twins, then moved to The Hardy Boys. She never really cared for Nancy Drew, but did read them if she had nothing else around. Eventually she discovered Black Beauty, and as she moved into junior high and high school she began reading encyclopedias for fun. She would read Popular Science and Mechanics Illustrated magazines, and then would read her mother’s Ladies’ Home Journal and Redbook… (Bio continued on her blog.)
Read her entire bio at her blog, HERE.
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