Killer Motives: A Hudson Valley Mystery

by Bonnie L Traymore

Overview

Victoria's life isn't as perfect as it seems. But with two homicide detectives on her doorstep, it's about to get a lot worse.

Still reeling from the shocking discovery that her husband is having an affair, Victoria struggles to process the mind-blowing news that Nick's lover is dead-murdered in cold blood on the very same evening she uncovered the truth.

And now two detectives are on her doorstep, waiting to question both of them. Is she a suspect?

As she sets out to clear herself and find out the truth, she's faced with two terrifying possibilities-either her husband is a murderer or someone is out to get them.

Meanwhile, with little hard evidence and no shortage of suspects with 'killer motives, ' Detectives Jack Stark and Lexi Sanchez are under intense pressure to solve the high-profile murder case that rocks the picturesque village of Tarrytown just as the town is gearing up for the area's annual Halloween festivities and an influx of tourists.

Conflicted and emotionally raw, she sets out to find the truth about what happened that night.

But does she really want to know?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781685159085
Publisher:	Bonnie Traymore
Publication date:	04/15/2022
Pages:	294
Sales rank:	1,053,854
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.62(d)

Editorial Reviews

2022-07-06
A homicide investigation throws a married couple’s relationship into question in Traymore’s debut mystery.

In Sleepy Hollow, New York, Victoria and Nick Mancusio are a wealthy couple who’ve been married for 10 years, recently not so happily. The quiet, affluent neighborhood is rocked when newcomer Angie Hansen is found dead in her new home. It’s quickly revealed that Nick was the realtor who sold her the house and that the two were engaged in an affair. Det. Jack Stark and his partner, Det. Lexi Sanchez, begin to gather potential suspects; was the murderer a jilted wife, a possessive lover, a stalker, or someone seeking revenge? Gossip, distrust, and paranoia spread through the town, and Victoria and Nick choose to take matters into their own hands to clear their names, culminating in an emotional finale. Traymore effectively showcases the characters’ personalities and relationships, mainly through dialogue: “What we have now is an arrangement, not a marriage. Do we have an understanding?” “Sure. Nice move Victoria. You have me right where you’ve always wanted me. By the balls.” As a result, the various players’ decisions and actions remain clear and consistent throughout the narrative even if the description feels minimalistic. The plot explores themes of marriage, trust, and forgiveness, and although the plot feels fairly standard for the genre, it still resolves in a satisfying manner, with all the story threads neatly tied up. The pacing is steady, as well, maintaining a decent level of suspense without ever feeling overwrought or melodramatic.

A by-the-numbers but still engaging procedural whodunit.

Kirkus Reviews