Review: Too Much For One Book
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 04 7, 2012
Carrie Anderson works in the IT department of the Fairview Mountain Resort and, as a favor to management, is asked to locate summer employee, Gwen Smith who has disappeared. Fairview, like any resort, accepts the sometimes fickle nature of seasonal employees especially those biding their time between college semesters. In their experience, those that don't show up for work have probably moved on to greener pastures. Gwen's father insists she's not the type to take off without telling anyone and although Carrie doubts it's anything out of the norm, she agrees to investigate.  Carrie's status as a local who has worked in various capacities at the resort gives her contacts that others don't have. She's trusted and even the most tight lipped people feel comfortable talking to her.  Carrie also spends part of her time working with a group of people who extract victims of domestic violence, relocate them to safety, and give them the necessary legal advice.The problem with this book is that it tries to do too much and as a result the pacing suffers.  What should be an engaging suspense novel becomes a chronicle of Carrie's daily activities right down to raking the leaves on her lawn.  There are multiple story lines involving PTSD, domestic violence, police corruption, a missing persons case, drug dealers and a budding romance.  As a result, the novel is choppy and doesn't have a clear focus.  There is enough material for two books and therein lies the problem.  A good agent or editor should have encouraged Valerie Douglas to release this as a two book Carrie Anderson series.The book is written in first person POV which isn't everyone's cup of tea.  I liked Carrie's "voice," but it couldn't overcome the plodding pace of the novel.  I struggled to get through it and found myself checking my progress far too often.I recommend you give this one a pass and read Valerie Douglas' novelLucky Charminstead.