Hard Rain - Samantha Jayne Allen

 Hard Rain - Samantha Jayne Allen

Release Date:  April 18, 2023

She read

This is the second in the Annie McIntyre Mystery series.  Although I did read the first one, this works well as a standalone. 

Annie has returned to her hometown of Garnett in hardscrabble Texas where she has joined her family’s private investigation business. When there is a catastrophic flood, an old school friend contacts her to find a man “who looks like Jesus”and saved her from drowning. Annie’s investigation leads to her discovery of a murder and begins to reveal the underbelly of the town’s drug problems as well as raises questions about the local church leaders.

Well plotted, and a bit of a slow burn, the writing is atmospheric and descriptive.  It is a good character study of small town Texas.  I could see the river swelling and receding, picture the beautiful bluebonnets, smell the approaching rain and the night blooming jasmine. 

It was nice to see Annie growing in her new profession…now, if she would just learn some self defense methods…..

Thanks to #netgalley and #stmartinspress #minotaurbooks for the ARC.

****