By Deborah Goodrich Royce
An Interesting and Intriguing Mystery
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SUMMARY
The Wife - Linda Alonsos and her husband, Miguel, live on Reef Road in Palm Beach during the Pandemic with their two young children. Linda’s mother has passed away, and her father is in assisted living facility struggling with dementia. Linda and Miguel’s marriage has been strained lately. When Miguel and her children go missing, Linda’s life turns upside down.
The Writer - The writer is sitting on a nearby beach when two teenage boys find a severed hand that has washed ashore. She is a middle-aged woman obsessed with solving the 1948 murder of her mother’s childhood best friend. The writer believes Linda may be able to help her with information about the murder, and she furtively endeavors to get as close to Linda as possible.
REVIEW
Reef Road is an interesting and intriguing mystery. The story starts off slow but becomes a page-turner halfway through. When the lives of The Wife and The Writer collide, it's non-stop scheming. It's a unique and convoluted thriller.
The unsolved real-life murder of Noelle Huber in 1948 inspired the story. Noelle was the best friend of author Deborah Goodrich Royce’s mother. This story examines how a crime affects the families of those directly involved.
Royce’s book themes typically examine questions of identity. Previous novels have included Finding Mrs. Ford (2019) and Ruby Falls (2022). The cover for Reef Road is absolutely stunning.
Thanks to Netgalley, publisher Post Hill Press and publicist Kathie Bennett for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I met author Deborah Royce at the start of her lengthy book tour for Reef Road. If she visits a location near you, I highly encourage you to attend. She is a fantastic storyteller.
Publisher Post Hill Press
Published January 10, 2023
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com
