Prayers For The Dead

Hidden deep within underground caves, caves that should have been closed off, archeology students find a dead body.  Detective McLean begins his investigation only to realize it is the body of a missing journalist.  The murder appears to be a part of a ritual, but of what kind.  McLean has the uncanny feeling that there is something more hidden within this murder than what it appears to be.  As he follows his instincts and with the help of a remarkable and unlikely allies, the detective begins to track down this killer.  One who believes he answers to a higher power, one who believes he is doing good rather than evil.




This is a book that I had the honor of receiving from the publisher through NetGallery (if you haven't checked out NetGallery do so it's pretty great).




The story starts out very strong with the murder which readers see happen when they read the prologue.  Then the strength of the novel continues until the end.  There are moments when it feels like the story wavers a little bit and has elements that feel like they don't make sense to the story, but that doesn't take away from the story itself.  The story itself is an easy read, there isn't much that goes deeper than what the author is telling us which is a good thing.  Oswald takes time to get readers familiar with his characters especially if they hadn't read one of the previous novels before.  I like that I was able to pick up this book and read it without prior knowledge of these characters.


The characters are strong and interesting, it is easy to relate to them and hope things work out the way you want them to as the reader (some stories it doesn't which makes for a great novel).  There is a nice blend of both science and paranormal throughout this book that really keeps you guessing and entertained. Some things were a little humorous that you don't see in other mystery books such as the use of poop as evidence, but it makes you wonder how often everyday cops have to analyze poop in order to solve a crime?  Gross right, but funny nonetheless.


I simply loved reading this book and hope to go back and read the previous novels and eagerly anticipate the next one.  I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a good book to read regardless of genre preference.  I would give this a rating of 4 out of 5 simply because there were moments when it seemed like the story lulled.

Shallow End

Jane Thompson has just been released from prison, for a crime she didn't commit.  Just a month after her release the body of a teenage Devon was found and Jane is the prime suspect because he accused her of having a relationship with him when he was 12.  Detectives work hard to find who the killers of this boy are when everyone else is determined to believe Jane is culprit.  When things seem to be at a dead end they discover information that will not only solve this case, but prove Jane's innocence all along, including her innocence for the crime she served for.  Will the detectives be able to put together all the pieces and close this wild goose chase of a case?  Or will the killer walk away free?


I had the honor of receiving this book from the publisher/author through netgallery, and I couldn't have been more excited to read it.


The book setting is constant dark and dreary, there is always the sense that it could be raining or about to rain which adds to the atmosphere of the story.  We see a broken woman trying to piece her life together only to be accused of a crime once again and the need to prove her innocence.  The end was incredibly surprising that my jaw just dropped when I read it.  Chapman created such a suspenseful novel that I cannot wait to read more from her.


The beginning felt like I had read or heard the story before, probably because I just finished watching a TV show that had a storyline along the same lines.  But Brenda Chapman then takes that story and twists it into something completely unique and original.  She built suspense through the whole book that I couldn't wait to find out who the killer was, I thought I had it figured out by I was way wrong.  I love when books lead you to think one thing and then turns it completely in a different direction.

The characters were beyond complex and developed.   My heart went out to Rouleau, Gundersund, and Stonechild as they each had something I was able to relate to happening in their own lives.  Things they could not overlook, but at the same time had to put on the back-burner because of the investigation.  There were some things I wanted more of such as Stonechild's niece Dawn and the idea that someone was in Stonechild's home when she wasn't there.  Maybe her finding a glass left out or a plate in the sink.  Something to heighten that thrill.


I highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves a good mystery thriller.  I give this a resounding 4 out of 5 mainly because it was slow to start, but it does really begin to pick up with the investigation.