Happy Halloween!
Book Summary
Cold Conviction by Daryl Wood Gerber has Aspen Adams getting a phone call in the middle of the night from her
sister, Rosie. She wants Aspen to
investigate their parents’ deaths and finally get closure. It has been fourteen year since their parents
were murdered and it continues to haunt both sisters. Rosie has struggled with addiction all these
years. She believes if the case is
resolved, she would be able to get clean.
Aspen can tell how much this means to Rosie and agrees to investigate. Rosie also reveals a secret that she has kept
that leads Aspen to a surprising discovery in a treasured item. The next day, Aspen along with her boyfriend,
Nick Shaper head to Atherton, California where the family lived when the deaths
occurred. Aspen gets a chance to speak
with retired Detective Sergeant Evers who took extensive notes and has files
from the case. She then begins speaking
with the various suspects in the case along with people who knew her
parents. Aspen get s a call from one of
the original suspects who has information to share. Unfortunately, the man is murdered before he
can share it. When a second person individual
related to the case is attacked, Aspen knows she is on the right trail. Aspen will need to be careful, or she could
end up the next victim.
My Thoughts
Cold Conviction by Daryl Wood Gerber is the 3rd An Aspen Adams Novel of Suspense. It can be read as a standalone, but I believe
you will understand Aspen (and the other characters) better if you read the
books in order. Aspen Adams is a complex
woman with a big heart. Aspen is a
private investigator working for her Aunt Max and raising her niece,
Candace. Candace is doing much better now
that she has a stable home life, but she does not give up hope that her mother
will change. The author has created
realistic, developed characters. I thought
Cold Conviction was well-written with steady pacing. The mystery is multifaceted with the suspense
ramping up as Aspen gets closer to the solution. Aspen went about the investigation in a
methodical manner. The details are revealed
a little at a time. I enjoyed following
Aspen as she worked to resolve the case making sure to leave no stone unturned.
The reveal scene was action packed and I liked how everything came
together. I was, though, left with an
unanswered question or two. I was able
to arrive at the resolution for this whodunit early in the book because the
evidence pointed in one direction. As
more details were revealed, it confirmed what I had deduced. I would have liked for the mystery to be more
of a challenge for the reader to solve. As
Aspen was away from Lake Tahoe for most of the book, I missed the interactions
between her and the other characters. They
appear now and then plus there are phone calls, but it is not quite the
same. I am a fan of Aunt Max and Candace. Aspen’s relationship with Nick is progressing
nicely. Nick is so different from Aspen’s
ex-husband, Damien who makes an appearance.
He is sleaze with a capital S. I
loved the descriptions of Grandma Patrice’s artwork especially her puzzle
boxes. Cold Conviction is my favorite
book in this series. I look forward to
Aspen Adams next adventure. Cold Conviction is a dynamic tale with a strident sister, a nasty neighbor,
melancholy memories, a benign beau, storage shed mementoes, a controlled killer,
and a determined daughter.
Cold Conviction is available from Amazon* along with the other two novels in An Aspen Adams Novel of Suspense series. Desolate Shores and Fan Mail are the titles of the first two Aspen Adams novels. I will be back tomorrow with The Blended Quilt by Wanda E. Brunstetter & Jean Brunstetter. I am still sorting through the items in my home. In the future, I should do this every few years instead of every twenty. I hope you have a frightening Halloween! Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!
Kris
The Avid Reader
*This
post contains affiliate links. As an
Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
