Another solid entry in what's been a very dependable, well-written series. The mystery itself was a little predictable, but I can't be certain the author didn't intend that, as the clues weren't subtle; a story about PIs wouldn't really work with subtle and still be fair to the readers.
There's some character development in this one, as well as references to a previous plot that make this less than ideal as a standalone, and it's wroth the time to start at the beginning with book 1.
I continue to really enjoy this series; Boyer doesn't overplay the ghost, and keeps the mysteries solvable by strictly corporeal measures.
The plots are always well done, though this one's solution sort of felt like it came out of left field. Looking back at the end, I can see where the author placed the 'clues' (though they wren't really clues) but I'm not sure really works, and it left questions for me. Still, I really enjoyed watching Liz and Nate go about solving the crime, absolving their client of a false accusation. And the Talbot family had a few moments in the spotlight to let their crazy flag fly, which I always enjoy.
The inside flap of my book says there's already a ninth book out, so maybe I won't have to wait longer than the slower than usual post before I can jump back in.
Well "Lowcountry Boomerang" was a really great installment into the life and work of private investigator Liz Talbot. Happily married to Nate, and running their PI agency. The eighth installment has the usual, a curious murder case, Colleen still the island protector and keeping an eye out for Liz and Nate. And Liz's father and his dog doing something ridiculous. I really needed a comfy book this weekend, and this one fired on all cylinders for me. I also like that for once, Boyer seems to be setting up something to the future of the series. So I am curious about that. The only reason why I am giving this four stars though is that there is a huge plot hole (okay maybe two now that I think about it) that are never resolved. I am curious if Boyer will do so in the next book or what. It's so weird too since there seemed to be something sinister going on with both sub-plots.
"Lowcountry Boomerang" has Liz investigating when hometown boy turned Hollywood star Darius DeAndre Baker is arrested for the murder of his high school girlfriend, Trina Lynn Causby. Trina was an investigative reporter, and there's a possibility the new case she was working on could have led to the murder, but after a secret is revealed concerning Trina and Darius and the fact they argued before her murder, has the police settled on him as their prime suspect. When Colleen tells Liz to take the case since Darius is going to be someone important to the island of Stella Maris (yeah that whole thing is going on still) Liz and Nate start trying to figure out who wanted Trina dead and why.
Liz is stressed in this one. She knows the money that she needs to pour into her grandmother's old home is a lot and she doesn't know how they can get that money. Nate seems fairly unconcerned about it though and one wonders what is going on there. I am imagining some big secret being revealed that he's a millionaire or something, but I found it curious that Liz and Nate don't sit down and actually thoroughly discuss their finances.
I did like that we get more Nate and Liz togetherness in this one. They do split up their work, but they get back together throughout the book to start discussing suspects and motives. One of my favorite things was them going undercover and going out drinking with two potential witnesses.
Liz's father continues to be a mess. I am curious though about where the marriages/partners are going to be for Liz's brother Blake. Poppy seems a bit....eh honestly.
The writing was good though seriously though, two huge plot holes get ignored for the resolution of the case which felt like a reach to me at times, but I just went with it. The flow was really good throughout the book. I'm glad that Boyer chose to focus on the mystery instead of peppering Liz with dreams and or her obsessing about keeping Stella Maris from being developed. It's brought up here, but is not central to the main story. I also liked that Boyer discusses how Trina being white and Darius being black was not something that her family was willing to deal with via a marriage. The book head on discusses racism and doesn't try to just pooh pooh the thing away.
I loved the setting of Stella Maris, but also enjoyed Boyer being more descriptive about the lowcountry and Charleston in this one.
The ending as I said, hints at a future for Liz and one of her relatives, am very curious on how that is going to go.
Without a doubt, my choice will be mystery. I can't handle horror (gore or psychological) because I enjoying sleeping and like to do it often. Usually when asked which squares to omit for my bingo card, all my choices are horror. With that being said, there are particular reasons for each of the subgenres of mystery, and those reasons can be contradictory.
Literary mystery - read solely for the puzzle. Most literary characters are either dull or alpha-holes. And since they are usually stand alones, I don't have to be around the characters in subsequent books. Lowest spot on my subgenre preferences, only one I would recommend - In Her Bones by Kate Moretti.
Police procedurals - although I have shared ups and downs with the quality of each book in recent years, my favorite series is still In Death by JD Robb because I get both a great puzzle and characters I can return to again and again (after all, there are 49 books in the series, not counting the novellas). I have been meaning to try more, but the ones at the library are usually male asshole as the main character variety.
Cozy - this subgenre is my jam. Tourist Trap Mysteries by Lynn Cahoon, the first few Liz Talbot books by Susan Boyer, the PJ Sugar trilogy by Susan May Warren, the Debutante Mysteries by Susan McBride, Magical Cats by Sofie Kelly, and the High Heels series by Gemma Halliday are my favorites. Fast reads and a bit more adventurous, so not as interested in the puzzle as I am in the characters and their hijinks and the world building. A big part that plays into my wanting to read cozy mysteries is that I can get my contemporary romance fix as well, since most contemporary romance genre books leave me cold. Plus no gore even though there is usually dead body somewhere (other crimes are hard to come by). I do admit some books go into the too silly for suspension of disbelief territory.
Historical - this subgenre is my newest path through mystery. I like these books because I (usually) get a strong female character plus rich historical details in addition to the mystery. Not as silly as cozies, not as serious as literary. A nice even balance between characters, world building, and puzzle solving. Again dead bodies everywhere yet no gore. So far I am enjoying the Mirabelle Bevan series (although they are hella expensive, so I have only read the first two) and the Maggie Hope series.
Romantic suspense - this used to be a big subgenre for me, but I feel the quality of the work in general has gone down a lot (too much sex, too little puzzle). I can't really suspend my disbelief of the MCs deciding that when the bad guys are chasing them right now would be a good time for sex. Geez, can't the MCs wait until the police come and arrest bad guys and take your statements, then have sex? Now I just read the yearly romantic suspense from Nora Roberts and call it good.
Classical mystery/horror - only read during Halloween bingo.
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