Someone is killing alumni of a fraternity —and homicide detective Dean Warren has no idea why. As he unravels the mystery of two murders, and more that follow, his search for a serial killer leads to a long list of suspects and several dead ends. Dean has always captured the killer quickly, so what is different this time? In the process of solving the mystery, he forges a friendship with Lydia James, the ex-wife of the first victim. It doesn’t take long for him to be distracted from his quest. She is all he can think about. Their sons, Toby and Ethan, are best friends, so the four quickly become like a family unit, doing everything together. Dean knows he will capture the murderer eventually, but he wonders how to capture Lydia’s heart. It will be no little feat. Her ex-husband’s chronic infidelity has left mincemeat of her heart. Their sons want them to marry—to create a real family— but first Lydia has to come to terms with her past. She has to forgive before she can love again.
The Dean Warren Mysteries will be a series of three or more novels.
Linda Owen has a long history as a professional writer and English teacher. She has written articles for hundreds of publications. She received a master of divinity degree from Perkins School of Theology (SMU) and served briefly as a chaplain and a pastor. She also wrote Bible study curriculum for the United Methodist Publishing House. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association. Her other novels include Emergency Care and Lady President. She lives in San Antonio with her husband Ervin.
My Impressions:
A police officer with God-gifted intuition is the main character in Linda Owen’s novel Fatal Fraternity. This mystery follows Dean Warren, a Texas police detective, in his pursuit of a killer that is targeting long time friends. Suspects with multiple motives keep the detectives on their toes in this twisting, turning novel. A quick read, it would be a good accompaniment for a weekend getaway.
I liked main character Dean. He is a man of faith with true compassion for those left in the wake of the murders he is investigating. His giftedness in discerning the truth is a great plot point, but one I wish would have been developed a bit more. I found the mystery to be truly puzzling, never knowing just whodunit. Romance finds its way into the story, as well, as Dean and the first victim’s ex-wife connect. The author explores the issue of forgiveness and the healing it can bring even when we choose to forgive those who can’t or won’t say they are sorry. There were a couple of things I found a bit convenient to the plot that probably wouldn’t really occur with real police work, but they didn’t detract from the overall storyline.
If you like police-based mysteries with a thoughtful faith message, then check out Fatal Fraternity.
Audience: adults.
To purchase, click HERE.
(Thanks to the author for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
Recent Comments