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A review by jenstarkey
In the Waning Light by Loreth Anne White
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I appreciate it, as always!
I moved this week. The house is a shambles. My husband and I have been turning corners in the kitchen, unaware of where we put the knives, or the ground cinnamon, or the plates.
But still, I read. I had to. Loreth Anne White is quickly becoming one of my favourite mystery authors, and after A Dark Lure, I knew that In the Waning Light was at the top of my must-reads list.
This tale is captivating. It has one of my book kinks - a tragic past following the heroine into the future - immediately I was hooked. This book is unputdownable. It's the story of Meg Brogan, a true-crimes author who returns to her childhood home to write about her own sister's brutal murder. As a teen, Sherry Brogan was viciously raped and strangled. On that night, Meg was also hurt and almost died - but her memories have been washed away, like a footprint at high tide.
Upon her return, it becomes evident that the residents of Shelter Bay are unimpressed with Meg digging around in the past. Some violently so. As Meg peels the onion of her sister's murder, she also finds herself again - in love and life, reconnecting with her first boyfriend, Blake Sutton. Although the romance is lovely AND sexy (a rare thing), it's her relationship with Blake's son Noah that I found most touching. This young boy, so desperate for affection and grieving so intensely for his mother - he's heartrending, and Meg engages with him in such a way that tells the reader she is truly a good person. Brave, strong, compassionate and pretty badass.
I guessed who murdered Sherry mid-way through, but I did NOT guess the reasons behind it, nor the circumstances. It's a shocker, and it's brutal and upsetting and horrifying. Loreth Anne White is not afraid to go into the darkness, nor is she afraid to take you there with her. Her sense of place is astounding. It's one of her biggest talents as an author.
I would be remiss if I didn't point out some repetition in the phrasing and prose. When I was in creative writing class, my teacher told me that although she loved my poetry, she found I had a few favourite words and phrases, and fell back onto them time and time again. White does this often - with things like "bowels", "black and inky", "black and oily" and "chinkled". It's a little distracting - because the phrases are so raw and distinctive.
Overall, highly recommended. I cannot wait for the next mystery from White. She's truly talented and creates worlds that you can reach out and touch, taste, feel and experience.
I moved this week. The house is a shambles. My husband and I have been turning corners in the kitchen, unaware of where we put the knives, or the ground cinnamon, or the plates.
But still, I read. I had to. Loreth Anne White is quickly becoming one of my favourite mystery authors, and after A Dark Lure, I knew that In the Waning Light was at the top of my must-reads list.
This tale is captivating. It has one of my book kinks - a tragic past following the heroine into the future - immediately I was hooked. This book is unputdownable. It's the story of Meg Brogan, a true-crimes author who returns to her childhood home to write about her own sister's brutal murder. As a teen, Sherry Brogan was viciously raped and strangled. On that night, Meg was also hurt and almost died - but her memories have been washed away, like a footprint at high tide.
Upon her return, it becomes evident that the residents of Shelter Bay are unimpressed with Meg digging around in the past. Some violently so. As Meg peels the onion of her sister's murder, she also finds herself again - in love and life, reconnecting with her first boyfriend, Blake Sutton. Although the romance is lovely AND sexy (a rare thing), it's her relationship with Blake's son Noah that I found most touching. This young boy, so desperate for affection and grieving so intensely for his mother - he's heartrending, and Meg engages with him in such a way that tells the reader she is truly a good person. Brave, strong, compassionate and pretty badass.
I guessed who murdered Sherry mid-way through, but I did NOT guess the reasons behind it, nor the circumstances. It's a shocker, and it's brutal and upsetting and horrifying. Loreth Anne White is not afraid to go into the darkness, nor is she afraid to take you there with her. Her sense of place is astounding. It's one of her biggest talents as an author.
I would be remiss if I didn't point out some repetition in the phrasing and prose. When I was in creative writing class, my teacher told me that although she loved my poetry, she found I had a few favourite words and phrases, and fell back onto them time and time again. White does this often - with things like "bowels", "black and inky", "black and oily" and "chinkled". It's a little distracting - because the phrases are so raw and distinctive.
Overall, highly recommended. I cannot wait for the next mystery from White. She's truly talented and creates worlds that you can reach out and touch, taste, feel and experience.