Title: Sweet After Death by Valentina Giambanco
Alice Madison Series Book Four
Publisher: Quercus
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 400 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
Something evil has crept into the small, tranquil community of Ludlow, deep in the mountains of Washington state.
In the dead of winter, homicide detective Alice Madison is sent to the remote town of Ludlow, Washington, to investigate an unspeakable crime.
Together with her partner, detective sergeant Kevin Brown, and crime scene investigator Amy Sorensen, Madison must first understand the killer’s motives, but the dark mountains that surround Ludlow are the perfect refuge for anyone trying to keep their secrets.
When the killer strikes again, the three Seattle police officers find themselves under siege. And as they become targets, Madison and her team realize that in the freezing woods around the pretty town, a cunning evil hungers for their deaths.
Review:
With an atmospheric setting and a puzzling crime to solve, Sweet After Death by Valentina Giambanco is multi-layered and compelling murder mystery. This fourth installment in the Alice Madison series can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend the entire series.
Seattle Homicide Detective Alice Madison, her partner Detective Sergeant Kevin Brown and Crime Scene Investigator Amy Sorenson volunteer to assist a small town police force investigate the murder of one of their residents. Ludlow, WA is near the Canadian border and Sheriff Will Sangster and his two deputies welcome the Seattle cops’ expertise. No one can come up with a reason for Dr. Robert Dennen’s and Madison and her team first focus on collecting evidence at the crime scene. They have barely begun their investigation when another resident is gunned down in cold blood in a very public setting. The evidence begins to point towards Jeb Tanner, who lives off the grid with his kids, but the link is tenuous at best. However, Alice is concerned for the safety of the Tanner children but will she find a way to save them from their abusive father? More importantly, will Alice, Kevin and Amy unmask the killer before he/she strikes again?
Despite feeling out of their element, Madison, Sorensen and Brown immediately go to the crime scene. The team is dismayed by the poor scene containment and with bad weather setting in, they know it is imperative to work quickly to gather evidence before it is lost or destroyed. With precious little new information, Alice turns to Dr. Dennen’s office in hopes of uncovering new leads. Discovering a vital clue that lets her know she is on the right track and with the help of Dr. Eric Lynch, she finds yet another perplexing bit of information. Will this surprising detail turn into the break the team needs to crack the case?
Alice is a bit unsettled by the isolated location and she begins dreaming about long ago events. Both longtime readers and newcomers to the series will be thrilled with this new insight into Alice and her mysterious background. She is also growing more comfortable in her secret yet undefined relationship that grounds her while Alice is out of her usual environment.
Sweet After Death is a captivating police procedural that features a fast-paced and clever storyline. The characters are well-drawn, multi-faceted and likeable. The investigation moves at a brisk pace and Valentina Giambanco brilliantly keeps the perpetrator’s identity and motive for the murders carefully concealed until the shocking denouement. The change in location and new characters help keep the Alice Madison series fresh and interesting. Old and new fans are sure to enjoy this fantastic mystery.
