MYSTERY
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Debbie
Wiley
Book Reviews |
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Untitled watercolor of a man reading a newspaper, about 1863, by Henry
Louis Stephens.
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The Diana of Versailles
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BOOK
ILLUMINATIONS
From Debbie Wiley Book Reviews
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Twenty-Five Years
Ago Today
by Stacy Juba
The
newspaper research was supposed to be for a fluff piece. Kris Langley
has to come up with eight historical facts for each edition of the
newspaper, along with her other duties of proofing obituaries,
answering phones, and announcements. Instead, Kris is captivated by the
unsolved murder of Diana Ferguson, a case that reawakens her own guilt
over the death of her cousin. The mystery behind the death of Diana may
cost Kris everything. What will happen when the murderer’s identity is
uncovered?
Relationships and character development are key to the success of
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO TODAY. Stacy Juba does a beautiful job at
depicting the emotional complexity of the various relationships,
whether it’s the strain between Kris and her mother or the one Kris
develops with Irene, Diana’s mother. The emotional ties make this a
heart-wrenching tale as the reader is drawn into the pain and anguish
felt by families after a murder. We see characters devastated by their
loss, endlessly seeking a resolution, while others plod through their
daily interactions, seemingly oblivious and yet still hurting deep
inside. Perhaps the most fascinating part, however, is seeing the
effects of guilt, whether real or imagined, and how they plague the
survivors.
Stacy Juba evokes a wide range of emotions in this poignant tale. The
mystery itself is well done while the structure of the novel itself
makes the reading flow smoothly. The tidbits starting each chapter add
a nice touch as TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO TODAY is one of those books you
pick up and don’t want to put down till the very end!
Publisher: Mainly Murder Press
(October 2009)
Reviewed
by Debbie, Debbie Wiley Book Reviews
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