Nightshade

In Susan Wittig Albert's Nightshade, the 16th installment in the China Bayles mystery series, this tale dealt with hard core topics and bitter rivals that came from the past. After China's friend Ruby grieved the loss of her lover Colin, China dealt with her half-brother's mysterious visit to see her. She didn't know him about him, until it was too late. When her husband Mike McQuaid was supposed to met him to talk about reopening the investigation on their father's murder, Miles ended up a victim himself. Devastated, both Mike and China dealt with the blow, when they tried to figure out the connections between cold cases from the past and how it was connected to his death, while they assorted out his estate and affairs. For Mike McQuaid, he met Ellie Hanson, Miles's aunt, who grew her own tomatillo farm and had her own bone to pick against her own cousin. And somehow the family tree connection branched off to them and there, when she stored China's father old burnt-old Cadillac. Together they tied off the loose ends to make some sense of things, before things had gotten heated and darn right ugly with the shocking truth in the dark. 

This was another gripping and startling mystery that gets right to the core and the heart of the matter. I cared for China and Mike's relationship and how they put the pieces together to solve this unsolved mystery. I'm glad that Sheila and Ruby could put their differences together and become friends again.  I adored the Pecan Springs area in Texas along with its iconic landmarks for a picturesque and vivid locations and settings. This would take you for a great ride with plenty twists and turns on this page-turning emotional roller coaster ride. It has great suspense, intrigue, non-stop action and plenty of action with great factual tidbits on the plant nightshade.

Would you be wise to watch your step with Nightshade today?