Review: A quiet town with a questionable past
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 16, 2013
In this, the first full instalment of the Jade Snow, accidental spy series, we follow our protagonist Jade Snow as she embarks on her new life in quaint Stepford, Berkley, a small town with a questionable past. On the advice of her new career-minded husband, pregnant Jade prepares for a quiet life away from the city, only to find herself entangled in a decade's old conspiracy of Stepford's elite.Like many a good mystery, the story is based on the premise that an innocent girl has been raped, an innocent man convicted, while the guilty parties escape without punishment. At the heart of the story is Jade's developing friendship with ageing pillar of the society Adelaide and her son, convicted Jason, a kind-hearted, misunderstood sheep in wolf's clothing whose recent return to Stepford following a full term behind bars has captivated the rumour mongers. As their friendship develops, Jade begins to suspect that Jason was the victim of a miscarriage of justice. Following a series of coincidences and various leads, Jade becomes convinced that there is treachery afoot and attempts to get to the bottom of things, determined to leave no stone unturned.For me, the book was enjoyable for many reasons. Ms. Ray does a great job developing intrigue and maintaining it and the plot develops nicely throughout. Her easy to read, well-written narrative draws the reader in early on and allows for a close rapport with a likeable protagonist. The author describes the settings and scenarios in vivid detail, and, coupled with a strong female cast, it is not difficult to imagine the bustling, but quaint, Stepford as it would appear in real life. Better yet, it allows the personality of the characters to come through in clear detail. As a first person narrative, the standard follow the clues scenario develops into something of a personal crusade for the protagonist and the author's ability to explore the mental abilities, and limitations, of her heroes, villains and victims allows for some delightful character development.Recommended for fans of the first person narrative.