MY REVIEW:
“Murder at the Courthouse” was a delightful change of pace. A cozy mystery set in the quaint and laid-back small town of Hidden Springs, this story goes to show that you may not know everyone as well as you think you do.
Hidden Springs is a place where everyone knows everyone else but the discovery of an unknown dead man on the courthouse steps rocks the town. As deputy sheriff Michael Keane works to solve the crime, he hopes it was committed by an outsider passing through town. He can’t imagine that someone he actually knows could be guilty of murder but something has several residents acting out of character. He hopes it isn’t an indication of their guilt. Subsequent events add to the mystery and the pressure is on to solve the crime.
With easy to like characters in a small-town setting, “Murder at the Courthouse” was a fun read with plenty of drama, action, mystery, and humor. Not much romance here – only a few mentions of a preacher woman Michael was seeing and then a childhood friend shows up that indicates the possibility of future romance between them. I suspected one of the characters about halfway through the book and my hunch proved to be right but oh the revelations I would have missed if I had decided to stop reading at that point. There are some major surprises in store that are farther reaching than just the murder at the courthouse.
I loved “Murder at the Courthouse” and am certain that others who love cozy mysteries will love it as well. I personally cannot wait for the next installment.
This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Welcome to Hidden Springs
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Michael Keane’s stressful days as a Columbus police officer are done. He’s ready to relax into his new position as deputy sheriff in his sleepy hometown. Nothing ever happens in Hidden Springs, Kentucky–and that’s just fine with Michael.
Nothing, that is, until a dead body is discovered on the courthouse steps. As Michael works to solve the case, it seems that every nosy resident in town has a theory. When the sheriff insists Michael check out one of these harebrained theories, his surprising discovery sends him on a bewildering search for a mysterious killer that has him questioning everything he has ever believed about life in Hidden Springs.
Bringing with her a knack for creating settings you want to visit and an uncanny ability to bring characters to life, A. H. Gabhart pens a whodunit that will keep you guessing.
Read an excerpt from “Murder at the Courthouse” HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ann H. Gabhart is the bestselling author of Angel Sister, Small Town Girl, and Words Spoken True, as well as several Shaker novels–The Outsider, The Believer, The Seeker, The Blessed, and The Gifted–and The Heart of Hollyhill series. She lives with her husband a mile from where she was born in rural Kentucky. Learn more at www.annhgabhart.com.
