Review copy was received from Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Secrets of Still Waters Chasm by Patricia Crisafulli Series: Ohnita Harbor #2
Published by Woodhall Press on September 5, 2023
Genres: Mystery, Thriller
Pages: 220
Format: Paperback
Source: Author
Goodreads
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple
On a beautiful September afternoon, a hike through the pristine wild of Still Waters Chasm become a path of mystery and deadly danger for Gabriela Domenici and her boyfriend, Daniel Red Deer. First, they take a side trail to an inexplicable construction site in the middle of the woods, where every tree has been cut down and a huge truck bearing strange-looking equipment is parked in the middle. As they continue their hike to the lake, they find a man convulsing with his last breaths, not far from the lifeless body of a woman. After going for help, Gabriela and Daniel return to the scene—only to find the two people and their canoe and gear are gone. It seems impossible that two bodies could revive and leave on their own, but there is no other explanation.
When she conducts a library outreach program in the rural Town of Livery, near Still Waters Chasm, Gabriela discovers a community that is both curious and suspicious. There, she meets Lucinda Nanz, an herbalist whose encyclopedic knowledge of plants for help and harm is both fascinating and troubling, and Wendy Haughton, a young woman who desperately wants to sell an old drawing of unknown origin so she can escape her abusive husband. Despite the state police's warnings to stay out of the investigation, and Daniel's urging to not get involved, Gabriela cannot stay away from Livery and Still Waters Chasm—which puts her on a collision course with yet another murder and people who will stop at nothing to prevent her from getting too close to the truth that could destroy chasm.
An autumn hike through the Upstate New York woods leads a librarian to a vanishing pair of bodies and a twisting trail of secrets that might get her killed. Patricia Crisafulli is a new to me author, but I was intrigued when I was presented with the opportunity to read her latest mystery.
The Secrets of Still Waters Chasm is the second entry in the Ohnita Harbor mystery series. It showed evidence of following up on a previous solved mystery for the heroine and for an ongoing personal story for the heroine and side characters, but I had no trouble getting up to speed and reading this out of order.
It’s been a few months since Gabriella’s last venture into danger and this beautiful autumn day she is hiking with new boyfriend, Daniel Red Deer, who wishes to show her a beautiful lake he has enjoyed in his past. However, Gabriella spots a recently cleared area with heavy machinery and then they find the dying man on the shores of the lake.
Gabriella is a caring woman and can’t pass up a person in need. She tends to leap into situations which is how she is now fighting anxiety attacks from her last dangerous mystery adventure, but still needing to get answers to the situation at Still Waters. Then, she gets asked by an abused wife to help her authenticate a family heirloom document to help her raise the money needed to get away from her husband. Oh, and that mystery in the woods spills into the community when she finds the link to further dangerous secrets involving some powerful people who won’t let their plans be thwarted.
While Gabriella’s gutsy leap in where angels fear to tread didn’t impress me, I could see her soft heart and need to get to the bottom of things was driving her. She persists even when a state police Trooper Morrissey warns her off his case and Daniel is none too pleased with her ignoring the dangers of going against a killer and also a man who doesn’t want interference with his abused wife. After all, Gabriella does have work of her own, a young son, and her mother to think about.
I really loved the attention to detail particularly this beautiful rural setting, the community along Lake Ontario with the Castle-shaped library where she works, the side characters like the teamaker and friend who were reputed to be green witches. Gabriella’s research involving Wendy’s family drawing and Robert Fulton was also a neat side mystery.
Things got exciting near the end and had a good wrap up with a few interesting surprise reveals. I found it a satisfying mystery and have the desire to go back for book one now. Recommend the series to those who enjoy rural settings for cozy mystery with a bright and curious librarian for an amateur detective character.
As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing.Sophia is a prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many wonderful books, authors, and narrators.Few genres are outside her reading tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and romance.Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.
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Ooo! You should read book 1.
Definitely, Carole!
That sounds really interesting. I like the mystery.
I thought so, too. 🙂
Interesting. I look forward to reading your review of the first title when you have time to read it.
Yeah, I have no idea when I’ll get to it, but its on the list. 🙂
Sounds like a great new mystery series. I would wish the heroine to be more careful in her investigations, though.
It was definitely a nice find. Yeah, these gutsy heroines that rush in get my heart racing.
This sounds interesting and I like the sound of the main character. I’ll have to pick up the first book.
Yes, it had me wanting the first book, too. 🙂