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A review by isalaur
Arsenic and Old Lies by S.C. Wynne
fast-paced
4.0
This third book in the series has a comfortable feeling to it. It is a good old fashioned whodunit with mystery murder, lots of clues, red herrings, and jeopardy for one of the MCs.
Max is starting to get comfortable in this new small town and in his relationship with Royce. Of course, that’s the kiss of death as everything starts to unravel.
The mystery is really not difficult to figure out and it is super annoying that Royce is so dense. Not the brightest bulb in the pack our sheriff. Then we double down when Max also misses an obvious clue that is smacking him in the face. It’s so irritating.
<SPOILERS AHEAD!>
While the murder and mystery propels the story a big part of the book is what is going on with Max and Royce’s relationship. It was heart wrenching and all my sympathies were with Max. The crisis seemed a bit contrived to me though not completely unrealistic. Royce suddenly becoming so impatient seemed out of character when his patience and caring had been so emphasized in the first two books. Royce’s “I’ll deal with it later” attitude is a bit off putting, as is his casual attitude about interviewing witnesses. He can’t deal with Max because he has a case to solve but he lets a key witness dictate when she’ll come in for an interview...days later?!
Despite the issues outlined above I did enjoy the book, I am firmly Team Max and actually kind of pulling for him to go back to LA and stick it to Royce. I read the blurb for book 4 which I’m bummed I have to wait for. I’m already irritated at the premise of that book as the whole “financial difficulties” for Max makes no sense if he was the in demand star cardio thoracic surgeon in LA we were told he was. There’s no way a practice in a town of 1000 people in Texas would drain his funds...he doesn’t even own the property...or a car, or more than a suitcase worth of personal items. But I guess we shall soon see.
Max is starting to get comfortable in this new small town and in his relationship with Royce. Of course, that’s the kiss of death as everything starts to unravel.
The mystery is really not difficult to figure out and it is super annoying that Royce is so dense. Not the brightest bulb in the pack our sheriff. Then we double down when Max also misses an obvious clue that is smacking him in the face. It’s so irritating.
<SPOILERS AHEAD!>
While the murder and mystery propels the story a big part of the book is what is going on with Max and Royce’s relationship. It was heart wrenching and all my sympathies were with Max. The crisis seemed a bit contrived to me though not completely unrealistic. Royce suddenly becoming so impatient seemed out of character when his patience and caring had been so emphasized in the first two books. Royce’s “I’ll deal with it later” attitude is a bit off putting, as is his casual attitude about interviewing witnesses. He can’t deal with Max because he has a case to solve but he lets a key witness dictate when she’ll come in for an interview...days later?!
Despite the issues outlined above I did enjoy the book, I am firmly Team Max and actually kind of pulling for him to go back to LA and stick it to Royce. I read the blurb for book 4 which I’m bummed I have to wait for. I’m already irritated at the premise of that book as the whole “financial difficulties” for Max makes no sense if he was the in demand star cardio thoracic surgeon in LA we were told he was. There’s no way a practice in a town of 1000 people in Texas would drain his funds...he doesn’t even own the property...or a car, or more than a suitcase worth of personal items. But I guess we shall soon see.