Title: It All Falls Down by Sheena Kamal
Nora Watts Series Book Two
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 336 pages
Book Rating: B
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss
Summary:
The brilliant, fearless, deeply flawed Nora Watts—introduced in the “utterly compelling” (Jeffery Deaver) atmospheric thriller The Lost Ones—finds deadly trouble as she searches for the truth about her late father in this immersive thriller that moves from the hazy Canadian Pacific Northwest to the gritty, hollowed streets of Detroit.
Growing up, Nora Watts only knew one parent—her father. When he killed himself, she denied her grief and carried on with her life. Then a chance encounter with a veteran who knew him raises disturbing questions Nora can’t ignore—and dark emotions she can’t control. To make her peace with the past, she has to confront it.
Finding the truth about her father’s life and his violent death takes her from Vancouver to Detroit where Sam Watts grew up, far away from his people and the place of his birth. Thanks to a disastrous government policy starting in the 1950s, thousands of Canadian native children like Sam were adopted by American families. In the Motor City, Nora discovers that the circumstances surrounding Sam’s suicide are more unsettling than she’d imagined.
Yet no matter how far away Nora gets from Vancouver, she can’t shake trouble. Back in the Pacific Northwest, former police detective turned private investigator Jon Brazuca is looking into the overdose death of a billionaire’s mistress. His search uncovers a ruthless opiate ring and a startling connection to Nora, the infuriatingly distant woman he’d once tried to befriend. He has no way to warn or protect her, because she’s become a ghost, vanishing completely off the grid.
Focused on the mysterious events of her father’s past and the clues they provide to her own fractured identity and that of her estranged daughter, Nora may not be able to see the danger heading her way until it’s too late. But it’s not her father’s old ties that could get her killed—it’s her own.
Review:
It All Falls Down by Sheena Kamal is an intriguing quest for the truth about troubled young woman’s family. This second installment in the Nora Watts series can be read as a standalone but I highly recommend reading The Lost Ones for important background information.
Nora Watts is taking caring of her friend Sebastian Crow as he battles cancer when she is approached one night by a veteran who tells her startling details about her father Sam Watts’ military service. With most of her family history unknown due to her father’s death and her mother’s abandonment, Nora is desperate to learn as much as she can about this new information. Since Sam was part of the Canadian government’s practice of removing Indigenous children from their families, Nora’s search for answers about her father’s past begins in Detroit, MI, where he was adopted as a child. Armed with nothing more than an address on a handful of post cards, Nora learns little about Sam but she uncovers shocking information about her mother, Sabrina. With someone gunning for her for unknown reasons, Nora refuses to give up her attempt to unearth the truth about her family’s past.
Nora is still a loner who refuses to back down when trouble finds her. Long haunted by the horrific memory of discovering her father’s lifeless body when she was an child, she is eager to discover anything she can about his past. Nora is stubborn and tenacious as she follows even the smallest detail she uncovers about Sam. Disappointed her investigation leads to scant information about Sam, Nora is absolutely stunned when her inquiries turn up shocking news about her mother.
Back in Vancouver, Nora’s former AA sponsor, private investigator Jon Brazuca is hired by Bernard Lam to investigate the overdose death of his pregnant mistress Clementine. Not exactly enthusiastic about his newest case, he nonetheless exercises due diligence as he begins trying to identify Clementine’s drug dealer. Jon’s investigation takes an alarming turn and he is very concerned for Nora’s safety.
It All Falls Down is an intricately plotted and even paced mystery. Interwoven into the storyline are true to life events that add a compelling layer to this complex and fascinating story. Sheena Kamal brings the novel to a suspense-laden conclusion. An outstanding addition to the Nora Watts series that old and new fans are sure to enjoy.
