A Review of Prime Suspect by Cole Baxter

This is the first time I’m reading a novel by Cole Baxter. What drew me in was the title and the book cover. When the story opens, we meet Laurie Whitman, a battered wife who was pronounced dead in the hospital. She then wakes up alive in the morgue surprising Dr. Mario Grace who was about to perform an autopsy on her. She didn’t want to be found especially by the man who put her there…her husband, Devon. So, Dr. Grace and his wife decide to keep her safe until she is ready to resurface. While recuperating under their care, Devon is killed in a house fire. This is odd because Devon was once a firefighter and a fire safety advisor.

We then meet Blake, an ex-police officer turned a private detective, who is hired by an anonymous person to find out what happened and keep it out of the press. The problem is Blake drinks too much and is still mourning the loss of his partner and lover, Lola who was shot in the line of duty. Blake now has to work with his friend Sam from the Seattle police force who has a new partner, Anna to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

Overall, Baxter did a good job telling the story from Laurie’s and Blake’s POVs as well as showing them as broken people who eventually got together. Although there were times when the story became repetitive, I enjoyed seeing Laurie gain confidence and power after the abuse. It was also nice to see her be able to trust and open herself up to love again with another man - Blake.

Additionally, I found the twists in the story about Devon and his family interesting as they helped to shed light on his character (I won’t give anything away). Nevertheless, I wanted a bit more tenseness in the story which I thought would’ve heightened the stakes. And yes, I would read another novel by Cole Baxter.

Some of my favorite lines:

Sam shook his head. "Doesn't matter," he replied. "What matters is that you find out the real story. Because when Laurie was brought into the hospital, her husband said that there was a break-in and that she was raped and strangled."

"But that doesn't add up?" I asked.

He pointed toward the medical files in the folder. "Doesn't quite seem to," he said. "She didn't struggle for a lot of the trauma."

"Interesting," I replied. "So, she's recovered, and what is she doing now?"

"Writing books about being abused by her husband," he said.

My jaw dropped. "Oh. Oh. But . . ."

"But her husband is dead," he said. "From a fire."

"So, did she murder him?"

Rating: 3 stars

Comments

Interview with Jacqueline Seewald, Author of THE INHERITANCE

Author’s Bio: Multiple award-winning author, Jacqueline Seewald, has taught creative, expository and technical writing at Rutgers University as well as high school English. She also worked as both an academic librarian and an educational media specialist. Sixteen of her books of fiction have previously been published to critical praise including books for adults, teens and children. Her short stories, poems, essays, reviews and articles have appeared in hundreds of diverse publications and numerous anthologies. What inspired you to write your book? I enjoy writing romantic mystery fiction. The idea for this particular novel just seemed to evolve organically from my imagination. Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult? I would have to say reading the Bible was influential. As far as regular books go, I’m a big fan of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Is this your first book? How long did it take to start and...

It’s A Book Thing Presents: An Interview with Debbie Stokes, author of The Stranger He Knew

Author’s Bio: Debbie Stokes was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. She has always had a desire to be a published author of a fiction novel, but fear stopped her. She often shares how her story ideas come to her in her dreams, and how she jumps up to write them down. Finally, one day, she pushed past her fear and allowed her vision to come to past. She is now a published author, and The Stranger He Knew is her first book. Debbie is a former CEO, blogger, and interviewer for her previous women's empowerment blog called, 3 Women Voices, where she shared empowering stories of how people overcame odds to live their best lives. She is also a former contributing writer for FEMI Magazine, a cultural lifestyle magazine, where she interviewed and shared people’s stories. When not writing, she enjoys singing, dancing, inspiring others, and spending time with family. Deliah Lawrence: What inspired you to write your book? Debbie Stokes: That is a funny story. One d...

National Poetry Month’s Feature: Poet Jahi Trotter

Poet’s Bio: Jahi Minkah Trotter was born in Atlanta, GA, and moved to Alabama when he was six years old. He has been writing poetry since he was 11 years old. He has written two poetry books: It Was Already Written (2016) and Adapting To Life: Poems and Quotes by Jahi Minkah Trotter (2020). He developed a love for filmmaking while receiving his bachelor's degree in social science. Jahi decided to continue his quest for filmmaking at Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta, GA. During his final two years at SCAD, Jahi was encouraged by his professors to go into acting while continuing to work behind the camera as well. This was a crucial time for Jahi. He lost his father in 2019 a month before taking an elective acting class that lead him into acting. He lost his mother in 2021 and continues to act and create films, including his thesis film "The Last Job," in which he acted and starred in. Jahi graduated with a master's degree in film and television from S...

Vocal Expressions

Search This Blog