Review: Engaging  and Unique
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 29, 2010
Swan Song by Lee Hanson and Eli BlydenThis is the second book in the Julie O'Hara series, coming after Castle Cay. And to say that I was impressed is an understatement.  I haven't had the pleasure of reading "Castle Cay" (and when it comes out in Kindle format I will...hint, hint!) and was worried that I might have a bit of trouble with this second novel, not knowing the characters or the author's style.  But I shouldn't have worried.  There will be no problem for you should you chose to start with this book as I did.Julie O'Hara is a body language expert; one who has mainly worked with lawyers to aid in picking juries. Now Julie will be using her unique skills in solving what appears to all to be a suicide.  After all, she is the first one to have found the victim and has seen the scene a little differently than the police did.This novel had me hooked right from the start and the idea behind Julie and her career is a unique one (at least for me), since I've mainly only seen "body language experts" being used as secondary or tertiary characters. In my opinion this was a very fresh and clever way to leap into the mystery/suspense genre.  This was plotted very tightly, with only just enough red herrings as was absolutely necessary.  It took me by surprise when the true assailant was finally uncovered.  The characters Julie and her boyfriend Joe, a private detective and her partner in this book, are engaging and very likeable.The only flaw in this novel was that the dialogue between some of the characters seemed a bit stilted or stiff, but I think with further novels that issue will be cleared up.Lee Hanson is an author to watch and I can't wait to read the next novel in this series.