Title: Missing Her
Series: Anna Sweet Mystery
By: Brenda Chapman
ISBN: 9781771530101
Author Website: brendachapman(.)ca
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra
Summary:
Shelley Vincent has been missing for over a year. Her fiancé, Albert Romaine, is desperate to find out what happened to her. With Christmas less than a week away and no plans to speak of, PI Anna Sweet is happy to take the case. But as Anna digs deeper into Shelley’s past, she uncovers more questions than answers. Why would a woman with everything to live for simply disappear? Was Shelley murdered? And if so, why didn’t the police find her body? Anna begins to have a bad feeling. She learns that her every move is being tracked…and she fears a killer is closing in. Whoever holds the key to Shelley Vincent’s disappearance isn’t talking–and Anna Sweet is running out of time.
Review:
Missing Her is the 6th book in the Anna Sweet Mystery series by Brenda Chapman. This addition to the series is another example of why I like Brenda Chapman’s writing. The mystery is complex (especially given the length of the book) but at the same time easily followed, though I have yet to figure out the whodunit until all is revealed at the end.
In Missing Her, Shelley Vincent is a bride-to-be busily preparing for her wedding. And then she vanishes. Shelley’s family and fiancé (Albert Romaine) have previously hired a PI in conjunction with the OPD (Ottawa Police Department) investigation – but to no avail. Albert is desperate for one last try to find Shelley – to have a definitive answer as to whether she is still alive or not.
Besides investigating – Anna is also working through (one can hope anyways) her insecurities with respect to her relationship with Nick. It is tough having a relationship where one person is frequently leaving town for work – and surrounded by the beautiful people in said work (Nick is an actor). We also learn of further developments in the relationship of Anna’s sister and her husband…and their young son Evan. I am happy that Anna lives with her dad and that he is very interested in making sure Evan is okay.
The path that Anna forges is neither straight nor easily traversed but with her sleuthing skills and persistence…well…that is for you to find out by reading this delightfully intense and well crafted novella.
Some of the tangent story lines as well as why Shelley went missing are quite deep. Luckily for the reader, it is handled with finesse and care by Ms. Chapman.
If you are in the mood for a mystery, with vibrant characters, a lovely location (okay I am biased) written by a great writer – then Missing Her is for you!
