Widow's Tale

Hard to put down

This is the fourth Maureen Miller novel I’ve read, so I knew before I even started what to expect. And I wasn’t disappointed. Widow’s Tale is a fast-paced, easy read that I found hard to put down (I read it in two sittings). For me, the author’s strengths are her sense of place – I felt as if I was right there on the rugged cliffs of Maine – and her fine balance of mystery and romance/sexual tension. Highly recommended.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Widows tale- fantastic

I couldnt put this book down. Gripping suspense mingled with romance had me hooked from page one.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

***** A Hauntingly Thrilling Romantic Read, August 9, 2009

Widow's Tale has so much going for it that it's hard to speak of it all. It's a beautifully written romance that has a fantastic murder mystery mixed in. The author will pull you right in from the first chapter and doesn't let go. The setting in Maine makes you want to go there, visit the pub and have a drink with those characters. It's like you can see and small the ocean or the storm when it blows in. Very realistic descriptions.

The characters are also so well written that you feel as if you've known them. Serena and Brett will soon become your favorite romance couple and you feel for each of them as the book goes along. There's romance, mystery, excitement and so much more in this book that it's a must read.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Experience the Suspense!

Widow’s Tale by Maureen Miller – Lovely!! A romantic suspense that draws you in. Not only that, but the growing mystery, tension and suspense are mirrored by weather and elements in such a way that you’ll feel the ice, and the cold and the desolation. I loved the way Ms. Miller used those elements to deepen the suspense in this book.

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I just loved Maureen’s voice and her visual descriptions that could warm you up, or strip you down to feel the icy cold, and leave you feeling ultimately satisfied with the ending.

Maureen Miller's Widow's Tale is a tale for a long, cold winter's night...

Storyline:

...in front of a roaring fire with a many cups hot cocoa topped with extra marshmallows!

Our hero, Brett Murphy, is every girl's dream, but he has a problem with our heroine, Serena Murphy. Besides the fact that they are related by marriage, there is more between them than first meets the eye. Serena's deteriorating state is lost on him at first when he comes to town asking questions about his brother's mysterious disappearance. In his eyes, the residents of Victory Cove are all suspects including Serena. Serena, on the other hand, seems to have a death wish regarding her brother-in-law, which appears to be insurmountable. She has her own ideas about her husband's disappearance which leads the reader to assume that she is either deranged or at the very least deserving of Brett's suspicions. As the story develops and the mystery unfolds, so does their on again, off again relationship. In the end, it was not what either of them expected. Her warm descriptions of O'Flanagan's Tavern has me yearning for a trip up the eastern seaboard and a bottle of Allagash beer.

Grammar/Spelling:

I found very few typos and/or grammatical errors in Widow's Tale. Maureen put together an excellently edited work with no more errors than a reader might expect to find in a Danielle Steele novel.

Character Development:

The characters are very well developed over the course of the novel with emphasis on the two main characters, Serena and Brett. Her descriptions of them paint wonderful pictures of two very real persons with real issues and real emotions.

Two secondary, but very distinct personalities were also well portrayed. My personal favorite was Harriett, who ran a local fishing tackle and charter boat operation. She is a very colorful character that added a touch of humor to the situation.

Writing Style:

Ms. Miller's writing style is fresh and clean with little if any distraction from the storyline. The action flows as smooth as melted chocolate. Mmmm. And is just as sweet. She draws the reader into a frenzied state of anticipation and then backs off (I would say just like a good lover, but that might offend someone.) She knows how to bring her characters and scenes to life without exaggeration or graphic displays of affection. Certainly, she is able to turn out a grand romance with style, mystery and adventure woven into the tapestry.

The dialog is realistic and believable and quite colorful according the coastal folks in the area.

Continuity:I did not notice any problems with time-lines other than the fact that it seemed we would never get to the nitty-gritty and that just keeps the reader interested.

Overall Rating: 5-

Overall, I gave the book good marks in everything from plot to grammar and spelling. Widow's Tale does justice to the romantic suspense genre and is well worth the reader's time. I would recommend it to everyone who likes romance stories tied into quaint settings, mysteries, thriller and just a bit of ghost suspense thrown in for a very pleasing experience.

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