This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite
Lethal Relations by Lo Monaco is a murder mystery told from the first person point of view and by the main character, a private investigator named Theresa (Terry) Strong. The murder itself is unique in that all of the characters have close degrees of separation. The deceased, Fred Greene, has allegedly been shot and killed by his lover Barbara (Barbie) Metcalf. Her lawyer, Donald (Don) Remick - who is brother to Metcalf and related to Greene through his wife, Evelyn - has hired Strong to help him exonerate his sister. To complicate matters further, Fred Greene's son is in a relationship with Don Remick's daughter. It's left to Terry, who has her own relationship issues to sort through, to try to untwist a case that appears to be a clean shot...until the karate-ace and private investigator finds a new twist that, if she's not careful, could tangle her up in it as well.
Lethal Relations is a highly entertaining mystery with the added benefit of a female lead who is both strong and smart, but who also has just enough of her own issues to further fatten an already nice, thick plot with an absorbing subplot. Lo Monaco writes with wit and authenticity, giving Terry a voice that instantly engages. I loved the convoluted web of relationships and, as Monaco deftly unpeeled each layer, I was certain I had the mystery sorted out myself. Imagine my surprise and delight when a spanner is thrown in to create an energetic twist, something that even a prolific reader and lover of whodunits isn't expecting at all. This was an easy five stars from me and I look forward to having more adventures with Terry Strong going forward.
