Title: The Shadow Box
Author: Luanne Rice
Narrator: Nicol Zanzarella, Jim Frangione
Published: February 2021, Brilliance Audio / Thomas & Mercer
Length: 10 hours 36 minutes / 368 pages
Source: Audio – via Brilliance Publishing / Print via Amazon Publishing
Summary:
The Amazon Charts bestselling author of Last Day
delivers a haunting thriller about how far one wife is willing to go to
expose the truth—and the lengths someone will go to stop her.After
artist Claire Beaudry Chase is attacked and left for dead in her home
on the Connecticut coast, she doesn’t know who she can trust. But her
well-connected husband, Griffin—who is running for governor—is her prime
suspect.
Just before the attack, Claire was preparing for an
exhibit of her shadow boxes, one of which clearly accuses Griffin of a
violent crime committed twenty-five years ago. If the public were to
find out who her husband is, his political career would be over.
Claire’s certain her husband and his powerful supporters would kill her
to stop the truth from getting out.
When one of Claire’s
acquaintances is murdered, the authorities suspect the homicide is
linked to the attack on Claire. As the dual investigations unfold,
Claire must decide how much she’s willing to lose to take down her
husband and the corrupt group of elites who will do anything to protect
Griffin’s interests and their own.
My thoughts: After reading Luanne Rice’s book last year, Last Day, I was curious to see if her books were going to take a new direction and I’m happy to say yes. She has moved into the mystery/psychological thriller genre and I am all for it! This latest one is the second one in this genre and it totally delivers!
What I loved about this particular book is how we start with a violent crime and are then left to work out the pieces. Who left Claire for dead and why? The book moves back and forth in time and I loved trying to work out just what was going on. There are a lot of characters here, yet I never once felt lost as everyone is so richly developed and stands on their own. There are so many potential suspects and I loved that not only was there the current crime to solve but a murder happens that same day and then there is of course a potential link to a murder from years ago.
One
of the things I’ve always loved about Luanne Rice’s books is that she
sets her books in small towns and you can count on her characters
keeping secrets. That is definitely the case here. Right from the start, I
was pulled into the story and that pull never let up. I loved the way this book kept me engaged completely, building the suspense so that I did not want to walk away. I loved all the different points of view and really felt that I was part of the investigation myself. There are quite a few twists and turns and while you may think you know where things are headed, you definitely don’t know everything.
If you enjoy a good, smart mystery, definitely give this one a try.
Audio thoughts: This is the type of book that translates really well onto audio and is one where you definitely need lots of time to listen to because you aren’t going to want to stop listening! I thought both narrators did a great job and their pacing and intonation were spot on. They really brought this audiobook to life and I found myself listening to the book in just one day because I could not put it down.
About the author: Luanne Rice is the New York Times bestselling author of
thirty-five novels that have been translated into twenty-four languages.
In 2002, Connecticut College awarded Rice an honorary degree, and she
also received an honorary doctorate from the University of Saint Joseph.
In June 2014, she received the 2014 Connecticut Governor’s Arts Award
for excellence as a literary artist.
Several of Rice’s novels have been adapted for television, including Crazy in Love, for TNT; Blue Moon, for CBS; Follow the Stars Home and Silver Bells, for the Hallmark Hall of Fame; and Beach Girls, for Lifetime.
Rice is a creative affiliate of the Safina Center, an organization
that brings together scientists, artists, and writers to inspire a
deeper connection with nature?especially the sea. Rice is an avid
environmentalist and advocate for families affected by domestic
violence. She lives on the Connecticut Shoreline.
Author links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Buy links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million
I have never read Luanne Rice, which is hard to believe, but I feel like I need to pick this one up. Thank you for being on this tour! Sara @ TLC Book Tours