BAD THINGS

A string of connected murders in a small town reunites two former sweethearts in this romantic thriller.

A reunion between former high school friends known as the A-Team ends up in a mysterious death and sends Edwards Bay into a tailspin of gossip, rumors, and even violence. Kerry Monaghan is awoken in the middle of the night by a frantic phone call from Diana Conger. Kerry’s stepbrother, Nick, is dead. A night of partying led to disastrous consequences, with Diana being painted as a killer, but that theory quickly loses steam once Diana is found dead, strangled in her apartment. As bodies start piling up, secrets come to light about the A-Team: their affairs, their vices, and so much more. Local cop Cole Sheffield suddenly has his hands full. The suspense is at the forefront, with great focus given to outlining all of the complex dynamics between friends, lovers, and family. Kerry and Cole’s romance feels lackluster when compared to the attention and detail given to the escalating number of murders. Dramatic and tense, the book delivers as a thriller with dark hometown secrets filled with drugs, sex, and lies, but the weak romance negates a believable happy ending for Kerry and Cole. Those hoping for an emotional payoff amid all the jealousy and backstabbing might be left underwhelmed, as there is no complement or balance to the onslaught of drama plaguing a rather large cast of characters. Not Bush’s (Jealousy, 2018, etc.) best. Longtime fans might insist on reading this one, but newcomers to romantic suspense should give it a pass.

A salacious mystery with a middling romance.