Thanks so much to Anita’s Haven for this wonderful review of my latest book, “Riddle”. Please take time to check out her site as well as the review. Anita Kovacevic is an accomplished author herself.
Source: RIDDLE by E. H. Newton – my review
Four things drew me to this book – the fabulous title, recommendations from some friends, an amazing cover, and the teaser chapter posted on the website. It was intriguing, and the author’s style seemed so easy to read through and visualize, carrying hints of picturesque bitterness and ominous gloom which confirmed Riddle was not your typical romance, but much more. If you take the time to read the foreword, which I do, out of respect for any author, you will be on the hero’s side from the beginning, and I thank the author for a glimpse into social matters.
The main character is Kort, Native American uprooted and adopted, mistreated from childhood, and later convicted of murder under unclear circumstances. The fact that he returns to the town which accused him, speaks volumes by itself, but keeps you wondering if he came back for justice or vengeance. Meeting the heroine, Grace, made me like her immediately — there is just something likeable about people who help others on gutt instinct, not calculating the odds and interests. With Norma, Tony and Agnes the story begins to spin in directions that remind me a bit of Twin Peeks, and your mind starts making assumptions, and all the what-ifs crawl in, keeping your interest.
Although the book needs slight editing and proofreading, which will certainly be dealt with soon, it truly lures you into its riddle. The scene with 2 significant letters waiting for the pizza to be finished was where you really get that fan feeling and want to shout at the characters ‘Darn the pizza, what’s in the envelopes?!’ The physical fight between the killer and a police deputy is really striking. I did guess the killer (the analogies are a nice touch), but the author led the story skillfully to its climax and untangled it fully, with a surprise waiting in the prologue. The final pages of chasing down the culprit had me on my toes, and the unravelling of the workings of the crazy criminal mind is shockingly vivid.
When you feel like reading a book which feels like watching a good mystery, with strong hints of romance and scary thriller scenes, this is the book for you. Strong characters on both sides (if you’re going to have a villain, make him/her memorable, right?) will have you rooting for and against them, happy to know there is always a happy ending. Or is there;)?
Riddle is available here
Between the Beats 