Redemption

Be on your guard and trust your instincts, for things are not always what they appear to be. Such was the case in a seemingly idyllic affluent community, the setting for Nancy Geary's second novel "Redemption" - a solid whodunit in the 'old school' style that will keep you guessing until the end.

When the beautiful, pampered debutante, Hope Lawrence, is found dead the day of her wedding, her visiting cousin Frances Pratt must work with the local police to unravel what is supposedly a clear-cut case of suicide. Little prepares Frances for what she discovers - shameful family secrets, and shrouded goings-on which the community itself is hiding behind its opulent veneer.

As a seasoned mystery fan, who hankers for a good Hercule Poirot or Sherlock Holmes adventure, I admit to being fastidious over the quality of mysteries that I read. Modern-day thrillers in particular, are usually of little interest to me. However, Geary's suspenseful page-turner is a refreshing exception. While skillfully setting the scene for a most intriguing murder case, Geary weaves the tale so cleverly, it cannot fail to capture the reader almost immediately. The cast of convincing characters, each with a definite skeleton is his/her personal closet, is brought to life with amazing detail yet with an ease that makes them credible.

Everything else aside, Geary's novel has the added value of being highly readable. It is easy to become enveloped in the plot in just one sitting, pulled along by the delicious suspense and momentum found within its pages. I reached the last chapter of "Redemption" in few days, complete with accelerating pulse, perspiring hands, and a flurry of speculation. Well done, Geary.

Dont want to spoil the mystery but detective Frances is back better than ever and Geary's writing is gripping and, as before with her last book Misfortune, completely accurate about a social group and a family gone amuck. Hard to put down, the story weaves a tale of horror that does not resort to the typical grizzly of some murder stories but rather relies on the complexities of human psychology. GREAT read, should be made into a movie.Miramax, check it out

Be on your guard and trust your instincts, for things are not always what they appear to be. Such was the case in a seemingly idyllic affluent community, the setting for Nancy Geary's second novel "Redemption" - a solid whodunit in the 'old school' style that will keep you guessing until the end.

When the beautiful, pampered debutante, Hope Lawrence, is found dead the day of her wedding, her visiting cousin Frances Pratt must work with the local police to unravel what is supposedly a clear-cut case of suicide. Little prepares Frances for what she discovers - shameful family secrets, and shrouded goings-on which the community itself is hiding behind its opulent veneer.

As a seasoned mystery fan, who hankers for a good Hercule Poirot or Sherlock Holmes adventure, I admit to being fastidious over the quality of mysteries that I read. Modern-day thrillers in particular, are usually of little interest to me. However, Geary's suspenseful page-turner is a refreshing exception. While skillfully setting the scene for a most intriguing murder case, Geary weaves the tale so cleverly, it cannot fail to capture the reader almost immediately. The cast of convincing characters, each with a definite skeleton is his/her personal closet, is brought to life with amazing detail yet with an ease that makes them credible.

Everything else aside, Geary's novel has the added value of being highly readable. It is easy to become enveloped in the plot in just one sitting, pulled along by the delicious suspense and momentum found within its pages. I reached the last chapter of "Redemption" in few days, complete with accelerating pulse, perspiring hands, and a flurry of speculation. Well done, Geary.

i loved the second of nancy geary's books. it was even better than the first, misfortune. i read the book in a long weekend as i could not put it down. you feel for frances. death is sad but to have 2 people you know murdered in your lifetime is beyond what most of us could comprehend. memories we all have as a child are not all they seemed to be when you look back or, when you try to go back as an adult. all of us have had a happy memory smashed just like frances. the details in the book about the murder scene and suspects could only come from someone who has once worked in a profession that has dealt with the darker side of life. i loved redemption and canot wait for the third of nancy geary's books. thank you nancy geary for a wonderful book.

Nancy Geary's latest mystery/drama follows former prosecutor turned women's abuse counselor Frances Pratt to the beautiful and ritzy Manchester-by-the-Sea in New England. Fans will applaud the return of Frances who was first featured in Geary's first novel, Misfortune.

In this mystery, Frances has been invited to her cousin Hope's wedding and is looking forward to a nice vacation, see her cousin get married and visit family she hasn't see in over 10 years. The story shifts characters points of view from chapter to chapter and it seems every one of them have secrets they have been keeping pretty well hidden...until now.

Hope is to marry into the rich and prominent family of Jack Cabot. She has a bit of a shady past, some of which is known by the people of Manchester and some that is not.

Meanwhile, Jack is getting pressure by his parents to get Hope to sign a pre-nuptial agreement. Jack is the only heir to the Cabot estate and Mr. and Mrs. Cabot see Hope as a threat.

Frances shares many great memories from childhood of her family and their beautiful piece of heaven by the sea. She's overwhelmed and surprised to find out upon her return that everyone has turned into one big dysfunctional family with many skeletons in their closets.

Then, while expecting to see the bride walk down the aisle, the wedding takes a drastic turn when it's announced that it has been cancelled due to a death of a relative. Frances finds herself back in detective mode when it turns out the death is really, in fact, a murder.

Redemption is a terrific follow up to her first novel, Misfortune. The drama, mystery, murder and family secrets in are riveting and well-written.