Books & Spoons Review for PINE LAKE by Amanda Stevens

27/9/2017

SLEEPWALKING WITH DANGER

The murder of security expert Jack King's girlfriend has haunted him for fifteen years. Returning to Pine Lake, Texas, where the townsfolk still consider him suspect, might not be the smartest move, but a killer seems to be holding up a mirror to his past.

The same witness to this new murder was also present the night Jack's girlfriend dieds...but both times, she was sound asleep... Sleepwalking has gotten Olive Belmont into some sticky situations. Being the witness to both murders may have put her on the killer's list.

Even so, she doesn't think the killer is Jack and is willing to help him. But will putting his past to rest ease her mind or leave her with even greater nightmares?

With the vivid, expressive images the author lured me into the tale and kept the interest elevated with the eerie, mystical atmosphere filled with secrets and veiled truths.
The story gave out strong 'Twin Peaks' vibes like I experienced with the original series. Every single person in town seems to have something to hide, secrets they could kill for to keep hidden. There is no one to trust, there is no one to have your back, each person is going for their own ultimate goal, and collateral damage is just part of the game.
Jack King is a cool-headed hero. He is determined to find the truth about the murder 15 years ago, the murder that changed his life for good. The old bitterness from being accused to be the killer of his girlfriend is still buried deep in his soul, the new doubts about her character and the possible truth about the events occurring in high school leave a sour taste in Jack's mouth.
Olive Belmont is not sure if she can trust the man she had a teenage crush on 15 years ago. He appears sincere yet the cold look in his eyes at times gives her chills. Olive was the outsider in high school yet now she seems to have the keys to all the murders, from the past and the present, if only she could remember.
I liked the chemistry between Olive and Jack, the passion and attraction are tangible. They obviously care and cherish each other, they want to protect each other from the threats surrounding them, yet the story leaves them more of a 'happy for now in a long distance fling' type of a relationship. The story felt at times a bit emotionless, cold and calculated.
The animated, dramatic images the author draws into the reader's mind made the story flow effortlessly off the pages and gave the story intensified, profound ambiance that kept me captivated until the end
~ Four Spoons