Where the Blame Lies

by Mia Sheridan

 

Released – 15 September 2019

 

Available Now!
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Blurb

Abducted.
Terrorized.
Imprisoned.

At nineteen-years-old, college student Josie Stratton was kidnapped by a madman and held shackled for ten months in an abandoned warehouse before she finally escaped her hellish prison.

Eight years later, when the body of a young woman is found chained in the basement of a vacant house, Cincinnati Police Detective Zach Copeland is instantly reminded of the crime committed against Josie Stratton. Zach was just a rookie on the perimeter of that case, but he’s never forgotten the traumatized woman with the haunted eyes.

As more information emerges, the crimes take on an even more sinister similarity. But Josie’s attacker died by suicide. Does the city have a copycat on its hands? A killer who picked up where the original perpetrator left off? Or are they facing something far more insidious?

Josie has spent the last eight years attempting to get her life back on track, but now there’s a very real chance she could be the unknown suspect’s next target. As Zach vows to keep her safe, and Josie finds herself responding to him in a way she hasn’t responded to any man in almost a decade, the investigation takes on an even more complex edge of danger.

As past and present collide, Josie and Zach are thrust toward a shocking and chilling truth. A revelation that threatens not only Josie’s life, but everything she’s been fighting so desperately to reclaim.

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Review

5 stars!

I love reading mystery/suspense novels because when they are done right, they keep you captivated, invested, and guessing until the very end. Add in romance and you get one of my favorite book genres. Where the Blame Lies gives us everything I want and more in a romantic suspense novel. The terrifying subject matter, well-developed storyline, surprising twists, and beautiful romance make this novel a riveting page turner and a new favorite.

This book starts out with an abduction that will crush you. For ten months, nineteen-year-old Josie lives a nightmare. Hope fades when she is constantly mentally, physically and sexually abused; however, when she finally escapes, she is a changed woman and has something to fight for as she tries to reclaim her life.

Starlight in a blackened sky. Blinking to life where before only darkness existed.

Only a rookie at the time of Josie’s abduction, Detective Zach Copeland will never forget the woman he watched over in the hospital after she escaped her attacker. There was something about her that stuck with him. Eight years later there is another crime that is so similar to Josie’s he has no choice but to see her again. The only difference between the two cases is that while Josie escaped, this victim was not as lucky. Everything points to a copycat since Josie’s attacker died by suicide but when Josie is targeted again things don’t add up. Zach has to solve the crime before it is too late, and he will do anything to keep Josie safe.

I loved Josie’s strength and bravery. She finds good in the bad and I admire her for all she has endured and how she has come out on top. She is truly extraordinary. Zach is also amazing. He is a good man with a pure heart and I loved that he saw Josie as a survivor, not a victim. He is there for her and will protect her no matter the cost, and I loved his determination and his drive to find the killer.

The romance between Josie and Zach builds beautifully and I believed their connection. It felt real and I liked that they didn’t act immediately on their attraction but rather let their friendship grow first. They are open with each other and talk through their fears, and their honesty is heartwarming while they face challenges head on. I was rooting for them from the start because they both deserve healing and a happily ever after.

The romance is wonderful but it was the mystery and suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat and made this book unputdownable. It is not for the faint of heart but it is not as dark and gritty as I expected. It is refreshing that this story can still cause heart pounding fear and intense emotion without being overwhelmingly graphic.

Told in third person point of view, we get both past and present, and love how the story unfolds. It is well thought out and wonderfully crafted with a complex storyline. Only giving us small pieces of the overall picture at a time, it made me desperate for more with each turn of the page. I had so many theories and the moment I thought I had figured out the identity of the assailant another twist or new revelation would shock me in the best possible way. The creativity and thought put into this novel that makes it unpredictable and I loved that I didn’t figure things out prematurely.

Overall, Where the Blame Lies is a fast-paced read filled with mystery, suspense, twists, and romance, and I loved it! A definite must read for romance and suspense lovers alike!!

*ARC generously provide by the author in exchange for an honest review*

 

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