Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Murder at the Courthouse (Hidden Springs Mystery #1) by A. H. Gabhart













Title: Murder at the Courthouse (Hidden Springs Mystery #1)
Author: A. H. Gabhart
Pages: 336
Year: 2015
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Revell
Format: eBook (also available in paperback)

About the book:

     Michael Keane’s stressful days as a Columbus police officer are done. He’s ready to relax into his new position as deputy sheriff in his sleepy hometown. Nothing ever happens in Hidden Springs, Kentucky – and that’s just fine with Michael.

     Nothing, that is, until a dead body is discovered on the courthouse steps. As Michael works to solve the case, it seems that every nosy resident in town has a theory. When the sheriff insists Michael check out one of these harebrained theories, his surprising discovery sends him on a bewildering search for a mysterious killer that has him questioning everything he has ever believed about life in Hidden Springs.

     Bringing with her a knack for creating settings you want to visit and an uncanny ability to bring characters to life, A. H. Gabhart pens a whodunit that will keep you guessing.

My review:

     An incredibly well developed cozy mystery!

     This is the first book that I have read by Ann (A.) H. Gabhart. She has a marvelous talent for creating realistic settings and characters that just welcome the reader into their midst.

     Hidden Springs, Kentucky is a delightful small town where everyone knows everyone else. It is filled with a lot of very quirky characters. Michael Keane is a solid man with very clear thinking and a desire to sort out the mystery that has been dumped in his lap. He wants to keep all the residents of Hidden Springs safe.

     There is a nice balance of humor and concern for safety. The humor comes from the different personalities and all their little habits. The concern is based mainly in not believing that anyone in their little town could commit murder.

     There were a lot of twists to the story that really kept me guessing throughout the book. Each character was presented in such a way that I felt that I knew them and I couldn’t believe any of them capable of committing murder either. I actually felt shocked at the outcome and heartbroken at the feeling of betrayal by the lies that had been perpetrated.

     I will definitely be looking forward to reading the rest of this series. I will also look for any other books written by this author. This wonderful book is getting a rating of 5 stars from me. I’m highly recommending it.

     You can learn more about Ann’s books on her website at: http://www.annhgabhart.com/

1 comment:

  1. I've heard about cozy mysteries. I really need to check one out.

    ReplyDelete