Saturday, October 31, 2020

Cold Conviction by Daryl Wood Gerber

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 seriesDesolate 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.


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