An utterly Canadian murder mystery packed with vivid characters autumn atmosphere local lore and captivating prose I loved being transported to lakeland with clever Charley and her crew Serpentine and sophisticatedShudder Pulpdelivers on every level and will hook fans of Agatha Christie and Louise Penny alike

In the second outing of the Charley Scott mystery series Westermann displays a deftness for peeling back the layers of smalltown Canadian intrigue thats on par with Louise Pennys Inspector Gamache series The body drops early on a curmudgeonly character no one is particularly sorry to see dead But when the death is revealed to be a case of dry land drowning a decadesold lake monster hoax suddenly takes on a dangerous life of its own Throughout Westermann pulls off an ambitious juggling act highlighting the beauty and mystery of the vast Canadian landscape while also evoking the claustrophobia of living in a tiny dot of a civilization with unknown nefarious forces lurking in your midst The quality of Westermanns writing sets her books apart from most contemporary mysteries each sentence is a joy to read