This for me was an enjoyable murder mystery, with a good dose of who-dun-it. I read it quickly  and  the story line held my attention. The author is a good story teller, and created some engaging characters.

The Plot:

Murder in the vail follows the story of a wealthy widow Sally, with a bunch of brats for kids! They want her money. Each and every one of them has a motive for murder. Even down the the house keeper.

The family get together for Christmas, and a few days before they have their usual family drama, which leads Sally to announce that she is donating 95% of their estate (three BILLION dollars) to charity. As you can imagine her spoilt children who received twenty five mil each already, (and spent it), are not too impressed. Everyone of them has some kind of financial difficulty or need, be it work wise or drug wise. So, like I was saying Christmas drama plays out and there’s a murder, Sally’s son Stephen’s wife. Then Sally (the widow) is the next victim… almost, she survives the attack. Very cleverly.

I won’t give out too many spoilers as to what plays out next, but after one murder and Sally surviving an attempted murder, Sally’s daughter Gwen  disappears  Christmas morning. Everyone freaks out, but she skied down the hill for help. The family are snowed in  over Christmas  with one dead body in the freezer, all phone lines are down with no internet either. They’re up in the mountains. Once she finds help  everyone is questioned, DNA taken, the usual police routine plays out. They make an arrest… do they have the right person? We as readers are led down the path to think of course they do , there’s DNA evidence duh.

As  a  suspense writer myself  I was reading closely, I knew there had to be more than what meets the eye here, surely it can’t be this simple?? I was asking myself what did I miss? Where did this author lead me up the path setting me up for X when really it’s Y. I found nothing, I kept reading but I suspected one character in particular more than the others.  I got to the final chapters and that’s where my mouth dropped, that’s when I said this author is a brilliant story teller. My suspicions turned out to be right, but  there is a brilliant twist with it. I won’t spoil it and say what I thought was right, just read it and find out! And find out the brilliant twist.

Overall I am giving Murder In The Vail  four well deserved stars, as it is a well written book, a good dose of who-dun-it and mystery,  I was engaged. I liked how some of the characters (mainly Sally’s children) seemed to grow. Gwen turned from a spoilt brat into a very strong and independent woman with *face palm* a job, once she ditched her no good husband , who wanted her for money- that I salute. Lance also seemed to grow as a man after all the drama with his family. He learned how to earn a buck for himself. I loved Yvette’s character all the way through as well she made me giggle. She is the perfect pretty face with a brain kinda woman, everyone thinks she’s just a Playboy bunny but she’s a smart one. Her ending really made me smile, this is Lance’s wife.  I also liked their relationship too. I would have loved a quicker pace in some parts, but don’t get me wrong this  book is well worth a read the ending is surprising.  I would read more books from this author. Good job!

Right on to the next book !