by Jennifer Berg – Elliott Bay Mysteries: Book 1
Book Blurb:
Seattle 1955.
When a wealthy matriarch dies under questionable circumstances, Inspector Michael Riggs is assigned to the high-profile case. Riggs is determined to prove himself, but the dead woman’s family closes ranks, and Riggs soon learns that even his police chief expects him to fail. Refusing to let the case go cold, Riggs follows the clues to the dead woman’s estranged daughter-in-law, Victoria. Victoria is an unlikely society wife who evokes strong emotions within the family. Riggs needs more time, but when a second body is found in an upscale penthouse, the chief decides to pull Riggs from the case. Racing against the clock, Riggs teams up with Victoria—a gamble that could solve the case—unless Victoria is the killer.
My Review:
This novel and this author were a great find. The Charlatan Murders is the first book in the Elliott Bay Mysteries and introduces Inspector Michael Riggs, a determined but cautious protagonist. Riggs, along with Junior Inspector Fisher, a rookie, more interested in “dames” that duty, run to ground the suspects in the murder of Mrs. Abbott. And then there is the family. I loved these characters with their secrets. Berg does a masterful job of unfolding the clues. The pacing worked for me, as did the intrigue. I’ll be looking for the next book in this series.
Buy a copy of The Charlatan Murders
Meet Jennifer Berg:
Jennifer Berg is an American mystery writer whose novels are set in the 20th Century. Her Elliott Bay Mystery series is being published by Level Best Books. This series is set in 1950s Seattle and currently features: The Charlatan Murders, The Blue Pearl Murders, and The Hatbox Murders. Jennifer is also the author of The Jazz Club Mysteries – set in San Diego during the 1940s, as well as other short stories and stand alone projects. She attends multiple author and book events each year and her first short story, Schemes in the Dark, was published in California Schemin’ — Bouchercon Anthology 2020.
Jennifer is a member of Sisters in Crime, the Crime Writers Association, and a former board member of the Southern California Chapter of Mystery Writers of America. A native of the Pacific Northwest, Jennifer graduated from the University of Washington and spent much of the last twenty years in Southern California. She currently lives in Bavaria, Germany.
Visit Jennifer’s website: https://jenniferberg.me/
