Monday, October 14, 2024

Reading Between the Lies

Title: Reading Between the Lies
Author: Lynn Cahoon
Published: August 6, 2024 by Kensington
Format: Kindle, Paperback 201 Pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Survivors' Book Club Mystery #4

First Sentence: Rarity Cole loved date night.

Blurb: Bookshop owner Rarity Cole is living her best life after surviving cancer—hosting book clubs, classes, and parties at her store, The Next Chapter, and giving back to her community in Sedona, Arizona. But an awkward outing to an art gallery is about to add a dark slant to the picture . . .

Rarity is grateful for many things and people in her new life, including her friend Shirley, who is helping to provide backpacks and supplies for kids going back to school. But Shirley needs a big favor. With her husband in a memory-care home, she wants to attend an art opening with a male friend but fears local gossip. She asks Rarity, her friend Sam, and their boyfriends to come along as cover. It would be fun if not for the fact that the two couples are barely speaking…

The evening proceeds without any social disasters. But the featured artist—who struck Rarity as more of a spoiled playboy—is later found dead with an arrow in his back. Any lingering tensions must be set aside so the amateur sleuths can find an archer who may have taken the idea of pointed criticism a bit too literally. (GoodReads)

My Opinion: Reading Between the Lies by Lynn Cahoon left me feeling quite disappointed. I’m unsure if my tastes have evolved or if Cahoon’s writing has declined, but her recent books, including this one, haven’t resonated with me. The story feels more like a rough draft, filled with disjointed ideas and tangents, rather than a polished narrative with engaging characters and a plausible plot.

Given that Cahoon has published over 40 books and is an award-winning author, I expected much more. Unfortunately, I only made it halfway through Reading Between the Lies before resorting to skimming the rest. By the end, I was indifferent to the plot, the characters, and the setting.

I think I’ve reached my limit with this series. However, I plan to give her Tourist Trap series one more chance before deciding whether Lynn Cahoon remains on my TBR list. Here’s hoping for a return to the engaging storytelling that initially drew me to her work.

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