Review: Sarah Solos
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 18, 2013
Carter, Sarah's mentor, is hired by a widow to investigate the murder of her husband, shot during the robbery of the family's art gallery. The same robber hit two other nearby galleries, taking little of value. Police have no eyewitnesses, a poor description of the getaway vehicle, and are not making progress on the case. The killer obtained little of value during the robberies, raising questions about his judgment and motives for such a violent crime for so little gain.Sarah and Carter contact and interview a long list of people with first-hand knowledge of the victim, including compulsive gamblers, a bookie, neighbors, other gallery owners, customers, and various lowlifes. Progress is slow. Midway through, Carter advises Sarah he is leaving town for a time, she should continue solo. Carter is vague about his absence, atypical for a guy who usually worked closely with Sarah.Sarah continues, pursuing leads, making new contacts, the investigation heats up, and she soon homes in on and confronts the killer. The conclusion has a surprising twist that will force readers to think twice before condemning.Another end twist is Carter's belated reappearance. What does it signify that he has let his protégé do most of the heavy lifting while he was absent? As a reader of Sarah's mysteries, I was delighted she had finally flown solo.As in other Sarah Woods novels, the story moves along at a fast pace, with solid dialogue and good descriptions, suspense building as fresh clues pop up and new suspects appear. Highly recommended, as always.