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Reviewed by Chinazo Anozie for Readers' Favorite
Jill is a retired asset from a covert government agency. After many years of being in the field as one of their best agents, she’s finding it hard to let go of that part of her life but she has to, or there will be consequences. The agency keeps very close tabs on her to ensure she doesn’t lose it and go on a killing spree. They’ve set her up in a plush suburban house to enjoy retirement. Unfortunately for Jill, the married couple opposite her house, Phil and Nancy, have her internal alarms going off. Although she can’t pinpoint it, Jill suspects there’s something off about Phil—enough for her to consider snooping around their house. In The Shady Oaks Division by L. M. Coppa, Jill will have to decide if she’ll ignore her intuition or risk losing it all on a hunch that might be wrong.
I understood how Jill felt about being retired, especially contrasting it with how active she was previously. Going from constantly working to looking for activities to fill her time couldn’t have been easy. Coppa does a great job of depicting this with flashbacks to Jill’s past life and her present restlessness due to her empty hours. I was rooting for her and desperately hoped she wouldn’t slip up, especially with her close shaves at the bar and supermarket. I loved that she had someone like Jackson looking out for her and didn’t give up on her. I also loved the book’s poignant ending. I was happy Jill found peace in her own way, and despite how shocked I was with the ending, I also understood it to be completely right for Jill, as you could never fathom what she had in mind. I can see The Shady Oaks Division becoming a movie.
