Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Book Review: Hell and High Water

I have had quite a few days and I feel like I'm completely clueless and I don't have my life together. I mean, I probably don't, but I like to pretend I totally do. Our school has switched to virtual classes for the rest of November and I am on day two and yeah... it's fun. *sarcasm* The great thing is that we are in a great school district and my kids all have amazing teachers so it could definitely be worse. The struggles aren't because of them, it is fully me. I was telling someone that I just can't prioritize and organize things like a normal person so I am anxious all day thinking I'm really messing things up (even though I'm not... I don't think) and then I get more anxious because now I feel late to things, etc. It's terrible. I'm a mess. HA!

Hell and High Water - Keenan Powell

Alaskan attorney Maeve Malloy isn’t sure she’s cut out to be a lawyer anymore. She takes a kitchen job at a remote lodge, hiding her past from her new friends. Just as a storm rolls in, a tourist is murdered. With no escape or rescue in sight, the police ask Maeve to investigate. Her cover is blown and her new friends aren’t so friendly anymore. To find the killer, she must expose their deepest secrets, sort lies from truth, love from hate, and the innocent from the guilty.
Disclaimer- this is book 3 in the Maeve Malloy Mystery and I haven't read books 1 and 2, and while it isn't important, I think it would be beneficial. Hell and High Water starts with Maeve, a disgraced former lawyer, picking up her life and going to Alaska to work in a lodge and reevaluate her life. I really wish I had read books 1 and 2 because I wanted to know how she got to this point and I felt like maybe I missed some key pieces of her personality. 

Even with that, I really liked this book. I was drawn in immediately, and the author does a fabulous job at keeping you invested in the story and it really was nonstop momentum throughout. It didn't have unnecessary fluffy filler (which is a huge pet peeve of mine, don't make a story long for the sake of being long) and I felt like I couldn't put it down, I just wanted to know who the heck our killer was. But I also found myself really rooting for Maeve because she's a really flawed character but I don't know, I feel like we all feel the way she did at some point in our lives. 

I also really liked that she was a recovering alcoholic and I think the author did a great job writing from that perspective. As someone who doesn't drink because I just don't want to, I really understand some of Maeve's feelings. There was a moment early on where someone bumps into her and spills a little beer on her and that was an issue for her. She wasn't rude and didn't say anything but she had to change her shirt because just the smell could be challenging for her. I think it was things like that really nailed the character profile. 

I loved the Alaskan setting, I really don't know why that isn't a more commonly used setting, it's perfectly moody. It's kind of depressing (sorry, Alaskan friends, it really is), and it is a perfect read as we head into colder months and our moods are heading down, you really feel like you're a part of the story. 

Thank you to TLC Book Tours for having me on this tour, but also Keenan Powell and Level Best Books for getting me a copy for review. If you are looking for a cozy mystery to get into, I highly suggest this one!

2 comments:

Why Girls Are Weird said...

I've never been much into Alaska before until I read The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker. Now I'm OBSESSED. Totally checking this book out for the location alone!

Keenan Powell said...

So glad you enjoyed my book! Thanks for the review!