Category Archives: Alice Blanchard

Review: The Witching Tree by Alice Blanchard

Title: The Witching Tree by Alice Blanchard
Natalie Lockhart Series Book Three
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 336 pages
Book Rating:

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Welcome to Burning Lake, a small, isolated town with a dark history of witches and false accusations. Now, a modern-day witch has been murdered, and Detective Natalie Lockhart is reluctantly drawn deep into the case, in this atmospheric mystery from Alice Blanchard, The Witching Tree.

As legend has it, if you carve your deepest desire into the bark of a Witch Tree, then over time as the tree grows, it will swallow the carvings until only a witch can read them.

Until now.

Detective Natalie Lockhart gained unwanted notoriety when she and her family became front and center of not one, but two sensational murder cases. Now she’s lost her way. Burned out and always looking over her shoulder, Natalie desperately thinks that quitting the police force is her only option left.

All that changes when a beloved resident—a practicing Wiccan and founder of the town’s oldest coven—is killed in a fashion more twisted and shocking than Natalie has ever seen before, leaving the town reeling. Natalie has no choice but to help solve the case along with Detective Luke Pittman, her boss and the old childhood friend she cannot admit she loves, even to herself. There is a silent, malignant presence in Burning Lake that will not rest. And what happens next will shock the whole town, and Natalie, to the core.

Review:

The Witching Tree by Alice Blanchard is a riveting mystery that is incredibly fast-paced.

Detective Natalie Lockhart is unofficially living with her wealthy boyfriend Hunter Rose. After being the center of intense media coverage during her previous cases, she is considering her future as a police officer. With a looming deadline approaching for her decision, Natalie puts her career choice on the backburner when well-liked Wiccan Veronica Manes is murdered in a particularly horrific manner. Her boss, Lieutenant Detective Luke Pittman, puts her in a secondary role during the investigation. Natalie works long hours as she follows the evidence she hopes will lead to Veronica’s killer.

Burning Lake, NY has a long history steeped in witchcraft so Natalie begins with the two predominant covens in town. The members are helpful but no one is aware of anyone who would want to harm Veronica. Natalie turns her attention to the town lore about the infamous Witching Tree and she finds a puzzling detail. But does this discovery have anything to do with Veronica’s murder?

Another possible lead involves a pair of drifters who recently skipped out on paying the local minister their back rent. Natalie is very uneasy about what she uncovers at the abandoned home. Searching for information about the couple, she unearths a startling link that takes the case in a possibly new direction.

The Witching Tree is an absolutely engrossing mystery with a well-executed storyline. Natalie is at a crossroads in both her professional and personal lives but she is unable to make a decision about either of them. Veronica’s murder investigation consumes her as she follows each piece of evidence no matter where it takes her. With stunning plot twists and clever red herrings, Alice Blanchard brings this suspense-laden mystery to a shocking conclusion. The cliff-hanger ending and unanswered questions will leave readers very impatiently awaiting the next installment in the Natalie Lockhart series.

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Filed under Alice Blanchard, Contemporary, Minotaur Books, Mystery, Natalie Lockhart Series, Rated B+, Review, Suspense, The Witching Tree

Review: The Wicked Hour by Alice Blanchard

Title: The Wicked Hour by Alice Blanchard
Natalie Lockhart Series Book Two
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 304 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

From the award-winning author of Trace of Evil, a detective dealing with the scars of her past must solve a seemingly unconnected string of murders, and face the impossible question of what to do when the killer may be hiding amongst the ones you know, in Alice Blanchard’s The Wicked Hour.

“Readers will welcome a return to Burning Lake with Natalie at the helm.”—Associated Press

“Lockhart is a relatable new heroine on the police-procedural scene, and one who will appeal to readers of Tana French.”Booklist

The day after Burning Lake’s notorious, debauched Halloween celebration, Detective Natalie Lockhart uncovers a heartbreaking scene—a young woman, dead and lying in a dumpster. There’s no clue to who she is, save for a mystifying tattoo on her arm, and a callus underneath her chin. She’s not from around here. No one knows who she is.

As Natalie retraces the young woman’s steps leading up to her death, she uncovers a deeper, darker horror—a string of murders and disappearances, seemingly unconnected, that may have ties to each other—and explain the abrupt disappearance of her best friend years ago.

As she digs deeper within the mind of the hunter, Natalie finds a darkness she could never have imagined. And as she draws closer to the truth, the killer is weaving a trap for her that may prove inescapable.

Review:

The Wicked Hour by Alice Blanchard is an intriguing mystery. The second installment in the Natalie Lockhart series, I highly encourage reading book one, Trace of Evil¸ for important backstory.

Like the rest of Burning Lake’s residents, Detective Natalie Lockhart is relieved their yearly Halloween celebration has come to a close. Needing to keep busy, she volunteers for early morning clean up duty in the downtown area.  Following the discovery of the remains of a naked young woman, Natalie is working hard to identify the victim.  Realizing a vital clue from the outset, Natalie soon learns that another missing person might be linked to her victim. With the assistance of her friend and boss Lt. Luke Pittman, Natalie follows the scant leads she uncovers in hopes of catching the killer.

Natalie is struggling in the aftermath of a previous case that thrust her in the limelight and left her reeling after a shocking discovery. Keeping occupied is the only thing that helps keep her from dwelling on her memories.  Natalie is also a little off center at work since her relationship with Luke and another co-worker are somewhat strained. She hopes to recapture their once easy camaraderie but she is making little progress.

Natalie’s current case reminds her of the circumstances of her best friend Bella Striver’s disappearance twelve years ago. Pushing aside her concerns about Bella, Natalie follows the little information she has on the victim.  She begins by retracing the woman’s steps on the night she died. She soon learns very unnerving details that bring her face to face with someone else from her past and another person with whom she implicitly trusts. Uneasy about the direction her investigation is going, Natalie nonetheless explores all leads regardless of her personal feelings.

The Wicked Hour is an engrossing police procedural that is interesting yet a little slow paced. Natalie is quite introspective as she tries to move forward and heal the rifts in her personal and professional lives. With a very unexpected plot twist,  Alice Blanchard brings this engaging mystery to a surprising conclusion.  A great addition to the Natalie Lockhart series that will leave readers eager the next book in the series.

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Filed under Alice Blanchard, Contemporary, Minotaur Books, Mystery, Natalie Lockhart Series, Rated B, Review, Suspense, The Wicked Hour

Review: Trace of Evil by Alice Blanchard

Title: Trace of Evil by Alice Blanchard
Natalie Lockhart Series Book One
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 375 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

From Alice Blanchard, the author of the New York Times Notable mystery novel Darkness Peering comes Trace of Evil, first in an evocative new series about a small New York town, its deeply held secrets, and the woman determined to uncover them, no matter what the cost.

There’s something wicked in Burning Lake…

Natalie Lockhart is a rookie detective in Burning Lake, New York, an isolated town known for its dark past. Tasked with uncovering the whereabouts of nine missing transients who have disappeared over the years, Natalie wrestles with the town’s troubled history – and the scars left by her sister’s unsolved murder years ago.

Then Daisy Buckner, a beloved schoolteacher, is found dead on her kitchen floor, and a suspect immediately comes to mind. But it’s not that simple. The suspect is in a coma, collapsed only hours after the teacher’s death, and it turns out Daisy had secrets of her own. Natalie knows there is more to the case, but as the investigation deepens, even she cannot predict the far-reaching consequences – for the victim, for the missing of Burning Lake, and for herself.

Review:

Trace of Evil by Alice Blanchard is an eerie, suspense-laden mystery.

Rookie Detective Natalie Lockhart’s first murder case hits close to home. The victim is Daisy Buckner, wife of fellow detective Brandon and best friend to Natalie’s sister Grace. Daisy is a popular, well-liked teacher so it is unfathomable that she has been murdered. The main suspect in the case is one of her students, but Natalie is not completely convinced he is their murderer. Her investigation leads to her beloved niece Ellie and her circle of friends, India, Sadie and Berkley. With the whole town grieving, there is added urgency for Natalie and the rest of the detectives to close the case.

Natalie is the daughter of a cop who taught her a lot about being a police officer. She has worked hard to move up through the ranks and she is currently working on a series of cold cases.  She has found some very odd evidence that she believes is linked to her investigation. But after Daisy’s murder, Natalie is laser-focused on finding her killer.

Natalie quickly learns Daisy and Brandon’s marriage was not quite as perfect as everyone believes. Brandon’s actions are not exactly helping him look innocent, but Natalie is willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. While he is not able to shed much light on who might have wanted to kill Daisy, Natalie’s sister Grace does offer some important information. But will this unexpected lead unmask a murderer?

Natalie’s home town of Burning Lake is steeped in a history of witchcraft. Many of the teenagers dabble in Wicca, including Grace and Natalie. They both abandoned Wicca as teens but the tradition still continues in the present day. Natalie is dismayed to discover Ellie and her friends have formed a coven. Certain discoveries at Daisy’s home point to Wicca, but none of the teenagers are eager to answer her questions. Is their reticence just normal teenager behavior? Or is there a more sinister reason for their continued silence?

Trace of Evil is an engrossing police procedural that is quite atmospheric. The small town is somewhat insular and everyone seems to know their friends’ and neighbors’ secrets. Is it possible one of the people in their midst is a murderer?  With astonishing twists and startling turns, Natalie uncovers the shocking truth about who killed Daisy.  I enjoyed this first installment in Alice Blanchard’s Natalie Lockhart series and highly recommend the mystery to fans of the genre.

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Filed under Alice Blanchard, Contemporary, Minotaur Books, Mystery, Natalie Lockhart Series, Rated B, Review, Suspense, Trace of Evil