Angels Burning

In Tawni O'Dell's Angels Burning, this story is so mesmerizing and gripping on how a senseless tragedy can shock a small town. It all started for finding a dead body of a young girl for Chief Dove Carnahan of the Buchanan PD. Not only she was dead, she was also burnt as well. It was up for Dove to get to the heart of the matter and find out who killed Camio Truly and why. Besides all of this, she deals with an unpleasant visit from Lucky, an ex-con who's been released from prison for her mother's murder. He believed he's innocent and wants to sue Dove and her half-sister Neely for lying at court. While Dove looked into the shaky background of the Truly family, a poor redneck family who's a close-knit family, they gave her a hard time and point the finger to Zane Massey, Camio's boyfriend. One by one, she picked up the pieces of Camio's last hours before she was killed and took a real closer look on who her family is. At this time, Champ, her half-brother, dropped by to pay her a short visit with his nine-year-old son, and then later disappears unexpectedly. He'd been living a hard life with a drinking problem. Dove and the Buchanan PD figured one of the Truly family members as the culprit when they learned about Camio's little secret to disturb more than a hornet's nest. In the end, the truth would be revealed on what happened to Dove's mother and who killed Camio and why with a twisted ending.

This was a twisted and dark psychological thriller about a shocking murder in a small town. I did feel for Dove as she handled a family crisis and a disturbing crime to darken her doorstep. She didn't let anyone intimidate her or give her a hard time when she did things by the book.  I do like her casual relationship with her colleague Nolan and how she got along with Neely so well. I did feel bad for Camio for losing her life for a senseless crime committed by someone she loved. I did like the scenic picturesque location of Buchanan PA for this novel from every intricate stop along the town's landscape and beyond. This would make you want to bite your nails, hold your breath, and shake your head a few times with non-stop action, drama, suspense, and plenty of mystery to keep you guessing straight to the end.

One of Us

Welcome to the dark side of town in Tawni O'Dell's latest thriller, One of Us. For Lost Creek, a small mining town in Pennsylvania, it had been haunted by a grisly history. More than fifty years ago, eight rebellious Irish miners were once hanged by the gallows from Walker Dawes. Residents of the town believed it was haunted from ghosts, especially from their descendants. This tale was told in present-day by two people who have been affected by the town's hidden secrets, past and present, with flashbacks of their former lives. It all started when Sheridan "Danny" Doyle, Prosperity McNab's great-great grandson, a prestigious forensic psychologist from Philadelphia, who came home to visit his 94-year-old grandfather. He also hailed from a dysfunctional family and a lot of heartache. When he visited the gallows near the mine, he came across a dead body. For Danny and his mentor, Rafferty "Rafe" Malloy, it was up to them to find out who's behind the recent spree in their neighborhood. On the flip side of the coin was Scarlet Dawes, the grand-daughter of Walker Dawes the first, the richest family in the small town who had an agenda of her own and stirring up a lot of trouble. When the past collided with the present, a whole lot of mayhem and family secrets were unearthed to shake this town up. When Danny figured it out the disturbing truth, his life was at stake. There's a shocking twist you didn't see coming in the end!

For starters, you really do care for Danny and his family in a small mining town. We become shocked on how he overcame obstacles to make a life for himself. I felt bad for his mom and didn't care much for his worthless father. As for Scarlet Dawes, I didn't like them either. Even when she revealed her true intentions, it sent chills down my spine and left me on edge. I knew she was nothing but trouble. I loved the scene in Ireland at the end and the small mining town itself, except for the gallows.  This is as dark as it can be.

Ready to take on a difficult case? Give this one a quick read!