Saturday, July 18, 2020

Bitter Roots: not the mystery I was expecting...and not in a good way


Bitter Roots by CJ Carmichael is the first book in the Bitter Root mystery series. In the small town of Lost Trail, Montana appears to be an ideal western town with its laid-back and simple way of life. When a shocking murder is discovered the day after Halloween. Zak Waller is the town’s dispatcher for the sheriff department and gets the call that will shake the town to its core. The victim is Riley Concurran, a 22-year-old woman, who is new in town. Sheriff Archie Ford quickly determines the suspect is an unknown outsider who has probably left town. But Zak doesn’t think so and does he’s own investigating. Even in a small town, everyone has their secrets and will do what it takes to protect it. Is the killer among them? Will Zak uncover the truth?


The synopsis for this book grabbed my attention and even compared it to Broadchurch, a British detective show, and I was intrigued. Unfortunately, Bitter Roots fell flat. The investigating into the murder of this young woman takes a back seat to the town people’s issues and secrets. It was boring, slow, and repetitive. With nothing really going on until the last few chapters when everything was put into high gear. Although, I liked Zak, the other characters were boring and even irritating. Especially Deputy Nadine Black, who I immediately disliked when she is introduced and never redeemed herself to be likable. The story was more of a suspenseful romance than a murder mystery, which is bogged down with so many storylines and characters that it was difficult to finish. Unfortunately, I do not recommend Bitter Roots.

Bitter Roots
is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

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