Title: One Got Away by S.A. Lelchuk
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 304 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
PI Nikki Griffin – a badass bookseller who punishes abusers – is back in S. A. Lelchuk’s One Got Away…
Nikki Griffin, a private-investigator when she isn’t running her small bookstore, is on a case. The matriarch of one of the wealthiest San Francisco families has been defrauded by a con-man, and her furious son enlists Nikki to find the money. And find the con-man.
Nikki isn’t a fan of men who hurt women. Her secret mission, born of revenge and trauma, is to do everything she can to remove women from dangerous situations—and to punish the men responsible.
As Nikki follows the trail toward the con-man, she realizes that no one involved is telling her the whole truth. When the case overlaps with her attempt to protect a woman in trouble, and Nikki’s own life is put in danger, Nikki has to make terrible choices about who to save—and how to keep herself alive.
Review:
One Got Away by S.A. Lelchuk is a fast-paced mystery featuring a strong woman lead. Although this newest release is the second installment in the Nikki Griffin series, it can be read as a standalone.
Nikki Griffin co-owns a prosperous bookstore in Berkeley, CA. She is also a private detective with a unique sense of justice. Her latest case appears to be a straightforward investigation, but Nikki is in for a surprise when it takes a dark turn. Not one to back off from uncovering the truth, she convinces another member of the very wealthy Johannessen family it is in their best interest to keep her on the payroll. Nikki has no idea where her quest for the truth is going to take her, but she is not going to stop until she has uncovered every secret the Johannessen is trying to keep hidden.
Nikki is intrigued when Martin Johannessen hires her to investigate his octogenarian mother’s latest man toy Dr. Geoffrey Coombs. Martin believes Coombs has taken advantage of dear old mom since she has given him quite a bit of money. As soon as Nikki begins looking into Coombs, he takes off. With a little bit of help from an observant twelve-year-old, she locates Coombs and insinuates herself into his evening. But Nikki finds herself in a precarious situation as Coombs turns the tables on her and his recent past catches up with him. Will Nikki unearth the truth about who is targeting the Johannessen family? And more importantly, why?
One Got Away is a multi-layered mystery with a clever storyline. Nikki is a smart and gutsy woman who is more than capable of taking care of herself. The plot is engaging with plenty of action. With a brilliant series of shocking revelations, S.A. Lelchuk brings this riveting mystery to an unexpected, yet completely satisfying, conclusion. I completely enjoyed and highly recommend this second installment in the Nikki Griffin series to fans of the genre.
