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Coral Moon, Kanner Lake Series #2 By Brandilyn Collins / Zondervan Corp. Reviewed by Cara PutmanThis book is a tight read that races to the end.Friday I received my copy of Brandilyn Collin's latest book Coral Moon. I'd finished reading it by Saturday night -- another day a casualty to her seatbelt suspense. In Coral Moon we return to Kanner Lake, the fictional setting for Violet Dawn. This time Leslie Williams, the reporter who tracked down the killer in Violet Dawn, walks to her car one morning and finds a body propped in the passenger seat. The rest of the book rocks through to the end as the town braces for more bodies. The police race to find a suspect when there are few clues. And all clues point to a dead man being the killer. Yep, a dead man. Now this is not your typical CBA suspense. I'm not much into ghost stories, but this one has a twist that kept me reading. And Brandilyn laces it all together in the end with a cleverness that kept me shaking my head. The clues were there, the red herrings sprinkled in, and even when I started to guess who was behind it all, I quickly talked myself out of that conclusion. The ensemble cast prevents deep characterization of all but the main characters. Even with that constraint, I like the way she built on what we knew of the town and its residents from the first book, but wrote Coral Moon in such a way it stands completely on its own. This book is a tight read that races to the end. As with Violet Dawn, it happens on a tight timetable, though this one is expanded to almost one week and the body count is higher. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait for the third installment Crimson Eve. |
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About Cara Putman View this review and more at: carasmusings.blogspot.com |
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Coral Moon, Kanner Lake Series #2 By Brandilyn Collins / Zondervan Corp. Reviewed by Karri ComptonI reveled in the action presented as well as a not-so-easily-guessed plot path.Beautiful Kanner Lake, Idaho may be a tourist paradise, but its peaceful feel has already been ruined once by murder. Now a serial killer may be on the move. Star reporter Leslie Brymes senses something sinister one morning as she readies for work. She can't explain it so she ignores it. Her worst fear is realized when she discovers a dead body in her car, note pinned to the torso. Who would do such a thing, and who will be the next victim? This novel reads more like a thriller than the previous installment, Violet Dawn. Collins picks up the pace of the story as well as sheds light on more of Kanner Lake's characters, such as S-Man Ted Dawson, Chief Vince Edwards and a few new ones. I reveled in the action presented as well as a not-so-easily-guessed plot path. Plot, characters and theme felt more real to me than the last book-made more sense. Don't know what could be creepier than spiders or dead bodies? A warning-you will find references to occult activity in this novel. The topic is handled well, not overdone, and adds great impact to the story. Collins teases members of her beloved BHCC (Big Honkin' Chicken Club) because they're too timid to read her scary tales. I don't think her books are all that scary, but I'll read practically anything, so I may not be the best judge. However, I've decided there needs to be a new club, the CSMC (Can't Scare Me Club). Go ahead and wow us, creep us out, keep us awake. We'll love every minute of it. If you're one of those people, you're sure to love Coral Moon. |
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About Karri Compton View this review and more at: www.kcreviews.blogspot.com |
©2006-09
Susan Sleeman
Susan Sleeman
is the author of Nipped in the Bud, available May of 2009 from Heartsong Presents: Mysteries, an imprint of Barbour Publishing.
