A Death On Sunday
By Tish Owen
ISBN# 9781937778200
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Jerjen
A Death on Sunday by Tish Owen is a mystery/suspense read that has a lot of positive things going for it. It is funny, sad, suspenseful and has paranormal elements.
Tess is a private investigator who has a close-knit family. On a Sunday afternoon while enjoying time with that family, a gunshot breaks the peaceful afternoon and when she investigates, she finds her best friend shot dead. She and her brother, the county sheriff, do not think it is a hunting accident. They do not know why anyone would want Chick, the victim, dead but they intend to find out.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation send two field officers to investigate the murder. Agent Lyle, the female field officer, takes an instant dislike to Tess, and the feeling is mutual. While ineffectually investigating the shooting, the two officers decide that Tess shot Chick because of drug dealings that they were involved in. Instead of looking for the real killer, they are spending all their time building a case against Tess. To say that Tess is angry about that would be an understatement. Tess and her family must work even harder to find the real killer to clear Tess’s name and get justice for Chick.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very descriptive when writing and this allowed me to really picture the action as it was unfolding. Much of the time I felt like I was right there, almost being able to taste the food and smell the fragrances. I really enjoy that when I am reading.
Another thing I enjoyed about this book is the characters and their development. They felt like they were real people to me and the book had a southern charm to it that seemed authentic. I especially enjoyed Tess. She is spunky and stubborn and quick witted and tenacious. There are parts in the book where she prays to St. Anthony and St. Jude to help her out. This made me laugh out loud because it reminded me so much of my brother, who calls on St. Anthony often. I feel like the characters are people I already know or would like to get to know better.
I think the book is well written and the plot very well thought out. I enjoyed the paranormal aspect of the book (Tess can see and talk to ghosts) but I wish that there had been a little more of it in the book. That is probably because that is one of my favorite types of books to read. She spends a little time talking to Chick but it is really a very small percentage of the book. Hopefully there will be more books about Tess written and that will be developed further.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted mystery/ suspense book. I believe this is the first fiction book that Tish Owen has written and I am truly impressed with her debut novel. I am looking forward to reading more of her work when it is available.
