She threw open the door, running to the crib. When she looked inside, she gasped. The world around her went silent. Inside, there was nothing but a small stuffed elephant. Where was her baby?
When young, single mother Hannah is found murdered by the banks of a twisting Oklahoma creek, her one-year-old daughter sleeping in a stroller near her body, the small town of Dead Woman Crossing reels in horror.
Detective Kimberley King, recently relocated from New York to Oklahoma, with her young daughter Jessica, can’t ignore the similarity of Hannah’s death to the case of Katie James, the woman that the town of Dead Woman Crossing is named after. Katie was murdered in front of her small daughter in 1905, on the banks of the same creek, and it seems that someone is drawing inspiration from the crime. Could this killer be a copycat?
But as she interviews suspects, Kimberley is met with blank faces and closed lips. In a small town, people won’t talk and when she pursues a promising lead, her own family turns their back on her. Kimberley isn’t afraid to ask questions, but when she receives a threatening note, she realizes that, as a single mother to a young daughter, she might be putting herself dangerously in the killer’s sights …
A gripping, atmospheric crime thriller inspired by true events, about a town on the edge of collapse and a murder that shakes the community. Dead Woman Crossing is perfect for fans of Rachel Caine, Lisa Regan, and Jane Harper.
My Rating:
Favorite Quotes:
Kimberley looked down, noting everything she had in tow— a diaper bag, a stroller, a tote bag, a backpack and Jessica. “They say it takes a village to raise a child, but I think it takes a caravan of random products.”
In a small town like Dead Woman Crossing, gossip was like an airborne virus. Difficult to contain and easily transmitted. They were all infected.
Henry Colton is a dickwad. His name stuck out like a mule in a dress…
There weren’t any murders after that. He went inactive, as many serial killers do, as if taking lives was their job and they needed time off.
My Review:
Oklahoma is one of those states that doesn’t really stand out to most Americans. Nothing much has sprouted from there other than crops, oil, idiot politicians, a few country and western singers, and hmm… me. Other than an old Rodgers and Hammerstein musical and being able to hum a bit of the State song, most people draw a blank at the mention. With that in mind, color me stunned and outright startled when I noticed the main character was not only leaving her job as a detective at NYPD to start a more low-key career as a Chief Deputy near the old family manse but would be working in the very same tiny inbreed rural hamlet of my youth. Oh, my! What a surprise!
The author accurately captured the disconcerting small-town flavor down to the time-warped narrow-minded bigotry and misogyny, down to the very nub of hypocritical arrogance, condoned corruption and nepotism, domestic violence, and female boredom; and also reinforced my smugness at the brilliant decision to move far, far away. While I didn’t find it an enjoyable experience to reside there, as despite the old cliche – it wasn’t even a good place to be from, the breadbasket/short-grass country provided the perfect backdrop for Ms. Adler’s active and suspenseful murder mystery.
I do loves me a kick-ass heroine and I adored Kimberly King as well as her brilliant office genie and my new favorite grandmotherly octogenarian, Barbara. Kimberly held her own and doled out her own brand of sass while doing so. The writing was easy to follow with welcome hits of wry humor mixed in with insightful observations and perceptive character descriptions and depictions. I will be eagerly watching to see what and whom Chief Deputy King stirs up next.
Always great to discover a kick-ass heroine. Sounds like a good read.
I love the sound of this book. Dj, you’re making me add yet another book to my never-ending TBR, and I’m not even mad! 😀
Great review. The book sounds really good.
I don’t read a lot of detective books but this one sounds so good!
Amazing review my friend, this is the first time I have heard or seen this book and it looks and sounds absolutely fantastic and right up my alley. Thank you so much for sharing your awesome post and for putting this book on my radar.
I too feel book would be better. Hopefully
Excellent review.
This looks amazing! Books set in small towns are some of my favorites 🙂