The Redgrave Murders is one of those books you start reading and can't put down until the very end. Well-written with interesting characters makes this a must-read.

Synopsis:
When her father is murdered, Evie must prove her boyfriend innocent and find the real criminal before he kills again. Loss is inevitable, as Evie Hampton knows all too well. But despite losing her mother to cancer and her older brother to war, she knows she's one of the lucky ones. After all, she still has her father, a distinguished professor of medieval history. And she has Gary Redhawk, the man she loves despite the emotional scars he carries from the Second World War--and despite her father's opposition to their relationship.

When Evie's car suddenly careens off the road, she chalks it up to poor maintenance or sheer bad luck making another appearance in her life. Little does she know a host of hardships is just beginning--the car was her father's, and the brake lines were deliberately cut. Someone wants them dead--but why?

All fingers point to Gary, a man with a troubled past and no solid alibi, but Evie is unwilling to believe he's involved. Determined to uncover the truth, she begins to piece together a startling picture of deception and vice. But as she closes in on the truth, it is clear that someone is determined to silence her--and the next attempt on her life may be a deadly success.

This was a god book which kept me guessing until the end. It was hard to put down and I enjoyed the mystery elements.

This book was so good! It kept me guessing until the very end! A. L. Sowards always does such an excellent job with her books and this one was no different. Her storytelling is so engaging and I love all the historic detail. Watching Gary and Evie's relationship develop was so fun and I really related to Evie's journey to find out who she really was and be confident in who she is.

This book was a huge surprise to me and in a very good way. I didn't expect to become so completely engrossed in Evie's story and not only her relationship with her boyfriend Gary, but the murders that keep happening around her. As soon as I thought I had a part of the puzzle figured out, or I thought I knew who was behind it, the Sowards would throw another curve ball my way. This is a true whodunit and kept me on my toes and page turning until the very end. I highly recommend The Redgrave Murders to any mystery/suspense fan, you will not be disappointed! I received a copy of this book for free, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I lean more to 3 1/2 stars. I rounded up because the suspense was excellent. I didn't have the murder figured out at the end, but I was not surprised, which is good. I enjoyed the layers of details and the mystery aspect.

I also really liked the aspects that dealt with PTSD from WWII. We hear all about it with the recent conflicts but not so much from back then. This was a nice take on WWII. Sowards historical details were excellent. She captured the climate and setting of 1940s very well. She used the correct terminology for words that now would be considered politically incorrect. She addressed the stigmas of race with a Caucasian and Native American. She also addressed shame from PTSD (and she never called it that but used the current terms) that was prevalent in the 1940s.

I didn't enjoy the romantic aspect as much. I'm too much of a pragmatist, I guess. The conflict of race in a relationship back in the 1940s was a leap too far. I never believed that the protagonist would have actually made the same choices the main character did in the 1940s, especially in a small town. I also felt she was a bit whiny at times.

But, like I said, the rest of the book was excellent. I've never read any of A.L. Sowards, and I look forward to reading more of her work. Thank you to Net Galley and Covenant Communications for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

From page one the author weaves together a story that will put readers on the edge of their seat and leave them guessing what will happen next. There are twists and turns in the story that readers will not be able to guess, especially when it comes to who the murderer is. Sowards is a talented writer the brings her story and characters to life off the pages, creating a story in which readers feel almost as if they are a bystander within the story. This romantic suspense story will keep readers awake late into the night, anticipating the turn of every page until the last one is turned and the cover closed. Readers will not want to miss this exciting new book from this fantastic author!

Genre: historical, romantic, suspense, mystery
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Publication date: July 1, 2019
Number of pages: 272

A.L. Sowards always does a fantastic job of transporting me back in time, creating a world that isn't always common for the era. In this case, post World War II in New York state, Evie and her Native American boyfriend find themselves in the middle of a serious murder mystery. I was captivated from start to finish and loved every minute of trying to figure out this story.

Evie and Gary are great characters, who don't fit the typical mold and relationship that one would picture of the time. They are such a great balance and support for each other, especially as Evie's loved ones start dying. Evie works so hard to prove Gary's innocence when signs show otherwise and I loved how she takes matters into her own hands, showing her incredible strength and determination. Characters like hers are some of my favorites--strong, yet vulnerable, and completely resilient. Honestly, I think I would melt into a puddle of anxiety with what Evie and Gary go through.

The romance is a great supplement to this thriller and I couldn't help but to cheer them on and hope for them to defy society. The climax of the story was chilling and intense and the ending left me completely satisfied.

Content: mild romance (some implications and light innuendo); mild+ violence (deaths/murders, attacks, kidnapping, etc)

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*

I received an advance digital copy of this book from the author, Covenant Communications and NetGalley.com. Thanks to all for the opportunity to read and review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Redgrave Murders is a good read. Strong, well developed characters. Well planned storyline, touching on the trials of soldiers returning home from war. Set post WWII, the book is well researched and beautifully written. Some will scoff at the damsel in distress beginning, but it works into the balance of the love interests. Parts did drag a bit for me, hence the 4 star rating.

4 out of 5 stars. Recommended reading.

Very interesting and an easy read. I liked the mystery and plot. I am a big fan of the setting which was in the 40s along with the characters.

Romance, clean; adult themes discussed so PG 13; murder mystery
Evie and Gary's romance, the murder of her father, Gary's demons from his past and from his military service, the murder of her Aunt, leaving her almost alone and hurting while trying to save Gary. I loved the letters from the past that started each chapter, and gave some final clues to the identity of the murderer, but also a glimpse into Evie's family.
Suspenseful, romantic and tender, hurting, healing, and hopeful. Truly a great read. Evie and Gary were my favorite kind of hearts, honest, hurting, hopeful, and caring for each other. Sticking up for, defending, supporting each other through all of their hardships as they fought to keep their love, and keep each other alive. Fun period suspenseful murder mystery with a dash of romance.

This is more steeped in unknown history than the rest of Sowards novels. The mystery is well done with plenty of twists and turns.

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was a historical fiction/mystery novel set just after WWII in NY state. I liked the suspense of this novel and how the author slowly brought in details to help solve the mystery. The social factors, like of prejudice of American Indians, was well done in this novel. I will continue to read works by this author. Well done!

Calling all you lovers of suspense and mystery. I've got a great book recommendation for you. The Redgrave Murders! Wow. From the very beginning of the book the reader is introduced to Evie Hampton in a slight moment of peril. And the moments of peril and suspense just keep coming throughout the whole book. Even when you (or rather, I) think you know whodunnit you're still left guessing with the twists and turns thrown out at you.

And the murders can be a little heartbreaking. Don't let down your guard because anyone can be struck down at any time. Stay away from dark shadows, don't be alone and watch your back at all times!

I love a good murder mystery and was very happily engrossed in reading this one! My daughters joined in and loved it just as much. They were not happy campers when it was time to pause in our book time. They all cried, "mom, just one more chapter, please?" Isn't that wonderful? Having them all enjoying the same book as me. I thought so. We were all making our guesses as to whodunnit and biting our nails when the tension was building. We all might have cried a couple times over some of the characters. But we cheered mightily at the end when the bad guy was apprehended and all was set to rights again in Evie's world...well as much as it can when there are murders happening all around you.

If you enjoy murders but need a little sweet romance thrown in, never fear, Evie and Gary Redhawk have a great story! They have a lot of opposition standing in their way but I loved Evie's character for standing strong and not letting the town and others dictate what and who should be a part of her life. Good job Evie! Both her and Gary were great characters. I loved watching the further development of their story. Gary has been through some very hard situations and has come out stronger. He still has moments of weakness but I loved watching Evie being a constant in his life and her discoveries of his true self, and not shying away from Gary were great!

Definitely a must read! Especially if my daughters were all hooked on it as well! 5* massive stars from the fans in my household and me!

Content: Clean. Some moments of peril, death, PTSD, some kissing but nothing further, some mild talk (as a remembrance) about a pedophile but nothing graphic. This book deals with a couple harder topics but they were addressed really well. I had my daughters reading along with me and didn't feel like it was overly graphic for them, and I'm pretty conservative in what I allow them and myself to read.

I received a copy from the publisher, Covenant Communications, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the book are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

This book is hard to put down! I like that the mystery is not conventional and keeps the readers on their toes. The heroine is also not conventional, and easy to like. Over all, an excellent, suspenseful read!

Sometimes it is not the big picture but what is happening within that frame that makes a story work for you. This is a story of two people with different past working for a common future. The murder mystery brings them to understand each other better but the core is this solid relationship and their struggle to make it work. I really liked the way this was written and the way the author handled the issues if war , race , health and the effects of war.

I first read a book by A. L. Sowards a couple of years ago and I'm never disappointed in her books. This one is a little different than her historical war novels, as this one is what I would consider a suspense (the author calls it a historical mystery) which takes place in a small town after WWII.

Evie has already lost her mother to an illness and her brother died in WWII before the book starts, so it's just Evie and her dad, who's a professor at Redgrave University where she works in the bursar's office. She's dating Gary, a Native American and veteran of the war who suffers from what we know of as PTSD. Evie's life is good until the brakes on her dad's new car fail and she barely escapes having an accident. This is just the beginning--a few days later her dad is found dead in their home and the police's main suspect is Gary.

Like all of this author's books I've read, this story pulled me in right from the start. I learned how life was for those returning from the war. Times were still tough for a lot of people without enough jobs and those who fought trying to recover from the horrors of war. There were no treatments or support groups for those who suffered from shell shock (the term used back them) or PTSD. Evie's relationship with a Native American was also looked down upon at this time (1948), even though he was a hard worker and was attending school using the GI Bill.

I liked Evie. She knew even though Gary had issues because of the war he wouldn't kill anyone. So when he was arrested she immediately acted to at least get him released on bail, then did her own sleuthing to find someone who had a motive. I found that unexpected for a woman in 1948. I didn't figure out who was behind the murders until right before Evie put it all together.

I really liked this book--the cover, the story, the characters in the story. It all made for a great whodunnit. Thanks to Covenant Communications via NetGalley for my copy to read. All thoughts expressed in my review are my own.

I received an ARC copy from the publisher and thought I'd share my honest opinion. :)

This was a really good book. I loved the setting and the characters, and the suspense of trying to solve the case kept you reading and trying to figure it out yourself. The first scene of the book, with Evie in the car, seemed a little too early for me since I didn't yet have any emotional attachment to her yet, but looking back now I don't think there could have been a better way for the book to start. I especially enjoyed the letters before each chapter to help characterize Evie and her brother Clive. All in all, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who would ask.

Murder, Mystery, and Romance…

Unlike many of the novels by A.L. Sowards, this one is not set on the battlefield. It takes place back at home, at the end of WWII. But the war still haunts the people and events of this book.

I love a good mystery/suspense, and at its heart, that’s what this story is—but there’s also a strong romance running through it. It deals with so many themes: loss, grief, betrayal, prejudice, interracial relationships. And then there’s the mystery of who is killing people Evie’s hometown.

This book started a little slow for me. If it starts slow for you, DON’T GIVE UP! Keep going. Within a few chapters I was hooked. I liked the characters, although I felt Evie was a bit naive.

I really liked the twists and turns of the mystery. I thought I knew who it was several times. One of my guesses was correct, but I wasn’t sure until the reveal. Love it when that happens!

While it made me sad, I thought Sowards handled the prejudice against the Native Americans very well. It was true to the era and heart-breaking, but also wonderful when it was overcome.

There is no swearing, but some alcohol use. There’s just enough kissing to entice romance readers. Moderate violence—it is a murder mystery, after all.

I give it 4 1/2 STARS and recommend it to ages 14+.

A.L. Sowards has done it again. She has written a book that I could not put down. I have read seven books written by her and all have been a 4 or 5-star rating. She really is that good.

This story was a different genre, but it was set in the same general time period as some of her books. Usually, she writes war stories, this time she wrote a suspense novel. She used one of the supporting characters in a previous book and it set after he has come home from WWII. He is dealing with PTSD and trying to figure out who is setting him up for murdering his girl-friends father, and then a couple of more people. For a small town that sees little crime, there are several murders. Gary's girlfriend is Evie. The story is mainly told from her perspective. She is in love with a Native American and it was interesting to see the twist in culture and prejudice it causes.

I loved learning some of Evie's family history from the letters from her brother who was killed during the war. A.L Sowards was able to use her historical fiction genius as she told about the war on the Pacific Ocean.

If you haven't read one of her books, YOU SHOULD! I will continue to be a fan and try to pick up a copy of everything she writes in the future. This story does contain non-graphic violence.

Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book was way more than I was expecting. It has history and lots of mystery and intrigue. There were twist and turns I didn’t see coming. I was glued to the story from the beginning until the end.