Antiquities expert Annalisse Drury and tycoon Alec Zavos are at an impasse in their relationship when Alec refuses to clear up a paternity issue with an ex-lover.
Frustrated with his avoidance when their future is at stake, Annalisse accepts an invitation from an acquaintance to fly to New Zealand—hoping to escape the recent turbulence in her life.
But even Annalisse’s cottage idyll on the
family sheep farm isn’t immune to intrigue.
Alec sends a mutual friend and detective, Bill Drake, to follow her, and a local resident who accompanies them from the Christchurch airport dies mysteriously soon after. A second violent death finds Annalisse and Bill at odds with the official investigations.
The local police want to close both cases as
quickly as possible—without unearthing the town’s dirty secrets.
As she and Bill pursue their own leads at serious cost, the dual mysteries force Annalisse to question everything she thought she knew about family ties, politics, and the art of small-town betrayal.
MY REVIEW:
As the synopsis above says, Copper Waters is a mystery story involving two deaths under strange circumstances. The main character, Annalisse, travels to New Zealand tracking down the secrets of her family, but she ends up getting so much more than she bargained for. While this book is part of a series, this is the first book within it that I've read. There is a LOT that has happened to Annalisse and her boyfriend, Alec, leading into this book. There are plenty of instances where past events are referenced, but there does seem to be enough info provided to get the point across that they've been through a lot and been in a lot of danger. While it's likely best to come into this book with the rest of the series read, it's not required to enjoy it. I had a great time reading it and I would love to read the other books to see how Annalisse reached this point.
Annalisse is a rather strong heroine, though she does have her flaws. She is a bit impulsive and she definitely digs into places that she likely shouldn't. Nonetheless, she is likable and relatable. Her hesitations are definitely realistic and her desire to know the truth is a required quality for a mystery heroine to have! Alec infuriated me at times, but what I liked best about each of the characters is that you can see where they're all coming from. You can tell the hang ups, you can feel the tension, you question what they're doing and may feel light frustration about it, but you know it's all coming from good, emotional places.
Something I really appreciate about this book is the way it didn't give me everything too fast. The clues for the mystery are paced out very well. I had certain suspicions, but I wasn't able to piece things together until almost the end. I have read several stories where I have the hints too soon and I have things figured out before I've hit the halfway point. While that's sometimes fun, it isn't what I always want. I want tension and intrigue and more puzzles to stump me. This book forced me to be patient and curious about each bit of information. It made me wait and work to get the final clues I needed. I definitely appreciate the pacing and the way it held my attention so effectively.
Another thing I like about this story is the setting. It helped with wondering how things would wrap up since it happens in a different country. Not knowing the legal system and the dynamic of Temuka kept me wondering how things would end. This really helped to keep me invested and curious throughout the case - especially towards the end. New Zealand is also a place that hasn't been a frequent setting in my reading lately, so that made it a fun change of pace and a fun literary vacation spot!
All in all, Copper Waters is an enjoyable time. I do think my reading experience would be slightly enhanced if I'd been able to read the previous books in the series as I'd likely have a bit more attachment to Annalisse and Alec (as well as a full comprehension of the past events). However, I also like where I jumped in and wasn't overly impeded by starting here. Overall, I give Copper Waters a Lone Star rating of ✯✯✯✯ stars! I recommend this book to mystery readers, particularly those who want to take a big step outside of the US.
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Terrific review! And I'm right there with you that the author paced the book perfectly to not overwhelm the readers. I'm looking forward to the next installment in the series. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy you found the Copper Waters mystery challenging and an enjoyable read! Thank you for the nice review. I hope you'll pick up the first book in the series, Stolen Obsession, and find out what you've missed with Annalisse and Alec. See the island of Crete and Turkey in the meantime! The couple has encountered a lifetime of villains and misdeeds in two short years! More to come...
ReplyDeleteTerrific review. You certainly hit the best parts of the book with a thoughtful response.
ReplyDeleteGreat review! Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDelete