Sandra Orchard: Over Maya Dead Body

By Kelly Bridgewater

FBI Special Agent Serena Jones arrives on Martha's Vineyard with her family, ready for a little bit of R&R and a whole lot of reminiscing as they celebrate the engagement of an old family friend. But crime doesn't take a vacation, and she's soon entangled in an investigation of a suspicious death tied to an antiquities smuggling ring.

When her investigation propels her into danger, Serena must stay the course and solve this case before anyone else dies. But just how is she supposed to do that when the two men in her life arrive on the scene, bringing with them plenty of romantic complications--and even a secret or two?

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My Thoughts:

Romantic suspense is a great genre filled with a little bit of romance between the hero and the heroine and a non-stop action story usually filled with a hunt for a murder or justice. With Sandra Orchard's story Over Maya Dead Body, she brings in repeatable characters like Serena Jones and her two sidekicks Nate and Tanner who both choose to like Serena. The romance picks up as the story moves along, bringing me along for the ride as Serena has to choose between two men who make her heart thump. One more than the other.

As for the plot, it is different by the type of mystery it is. It is predictable in the romance and the mystery solving aspect. I knew there would be a point where Serena's life would be in danger about ninety-five percent into the novel. The man she choose would be the one that she would be excited that saved her. The plot is very formulaic for this type of novel, which is fine because a lot of readers like their story to fit a certain formula when reading a novel. The plot read like a mystery with Serena hunting for clues and interviewing different people to try to solve the mystery, but the art aspect didn't seem to be all the important to the story, at least in my humble opinion.

The spiritual element really isn't there either, even though it is published under the Christian genre, so if a reader is scared away by the title of Christian fiction, this isn't one of those books that the reader can shy away from.

Overall, with an original mystery and a predictable romance, the repeatable characters of Serena Jones will capture the hearts of Orchard's story with an ending begging to go forward with a fourth installment. I believe fans of cozy mysteries and romantic suspense would enjoy this novel. If you are a fan of Irene Hannon or Terri Blackstock, I believe you would enjoy this novel too.

I received a complimentary copy of Over Maya Dead Body by Sandra Orchard from Revell Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars