This gripping mystery novel follows Detective Ellen McClure as she hunts a cunning and sadistic killer who thrives on manipulation and psychological games. The story delves into the mind of the killer, who has spent months gaining the trust of a potential victim, Connie Taylor, while secretly harboring a deep loathing for her. As the killer’s twisted plan to torture and murder Connie unfolds, Ellen races against time to uncover his identity and stop him before he strikes again. The novel weaves suspense, dark psychology, and high-stakes investigation into a chilling narrative.

A version of this review previously appeared in Shelf Awareness and is republished here with permission.

"For the second time in as many weeks, I cross the spine of Shatter Hill at midnight and spot fire at the crossroad below." Melisende Dulac had a difficult past before moving from the East Coast to the Oregon high desert, where she transports bodies for the funeral home run by her disappeared husband's aunt and uncle. Now her present is treacherously close to eclipsing it.

What she saw at the scene of the first crossroad fire put Mel at odds with numerous locals, including the sheriff's department. Her precarious situation is further jeopardized by what she finds at the second: multiple cars and bodies, a gun, a horse, a head, a newborn baby and a glimpse of a woman who might be the Shatter Hill Spirit. Guided by the voice of her beloved brother Fitz, who died 17 years ago, Mel fights back against forces that have put her, an outsider, in the crosshairs.

The plot of W.H. Cameron's Crossroad is a stellar foundation for all the splendid extras layered on top. The author splices in Mel's history at a pace that whets readers' appetite for more. But the true tour de force is Cameron's character work. Mel is exquisitely drawn, and Cameron insightfully cultivates a supporting cast that further defines her. Appealing in their own right, they help push past and present forward to a conclusion that is resoundingly satisfying. Crossroad is marked by dark humor, grace and seeds of connections that hopefully signal a path to more Melisende Dulac.

STREET SENSE: I love Bill Cameron's writing. His plots are always intriguing, but it's the thoughtfulness and character work that always knocks my socks off. He also puts sincere thought into his chapter titles, and I always appreciate the fun of feeling the penny drop as I read and figure it out. If you're a fan of character driven stories, try some of his work.

A FAVORITE PASSAGE: I grew up an orphan in my own home, a guest who had overstayed her welcome. There were days when all I wanted was to know if I existed--a question Cricket and Stedman would never answer. They'd forget to account for me at meals, to pick me up if I stayed after school. When they went out, I never knew when they'd return. I was nine the first time they left me an entire weekend. I ate cereal and read Katherine Paterson.

A few short beauts in a book full of 'em:

"Desperation is forebear to many an unconsidered decision."

"You can't call yourself a mortician till you've slept in a casket."

People exhaust me. It's probably why I prefer working with the dead.

COVER NERD SAYS: Bill's books have some of my favorite covers and this one is no different. Usually dark and mysterious with a flash of danger. Fire, blood, some dangerous splash of what lies within. On this one, I love how the starry sky plays with the title font. Super well done.

Mellie’s working as an apprentice undertaker when she comes across a horrible automobile accident at a nearby Crossroad. Three people are dead, one is barely hanging on, and a newborn is found alive on the Oregonian desert floor. When the bodies disappear, Mellie is suspected. Mellie decides to investigate to clear her name.

There are enough plots here for a whole series of books. Mellie has quite a history that needs to be fleshed out. Troubled childhood, ghostly brother in her head, missing husband, and several broken relationships all haunt Mellie. There are enough secrets and crimes going on in small, rural Barlow County that they need to triple the local police force.

Even with all that plotting and conniving going on, Crossroad sometimes lags. In addition, with the exception of Mellie, most of the characters feel paper-thin. They feel almost like stereotypes only used to move the plot forward. This book was not a favorite of mine but you may enjoy it. 3 stars.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Melisande Dulac is just trying to build a life for herself after several disastrous wrong turns. Apprentice mortician might not be a job for everyone, but it’s a chance Melisande didn’t expect to get, and she’s determined to repay the faith shown in her. Only problem… well, there are a lot of problems, but a series of events which would seem to point the finger of blame squarely at her for a crime she doesn’t even understand leave her no choice. She has to try and figure out what’s really going on, and just why the bodies keep piling up… before she becomes one of them.

Mel’s relationship with her girlfriends, her love for quirky-pun mortician shirts, the way she can’t resist getting involved in the investigation and the way she talks to her brother Fitz (a ghostly presence in her own mind) all make her feel so real. She’d hit absolute rock bottom before ending up in Oregon, but she’s a fighter. Offered a chance, she seizes on with both hands and refuses to let go, even when things look hopeless.

I’m not sure if this is going to be the first in a series, but honestly, I’d really enjoy reading more about Melisande. She’s bisexual, which is something pretty rare to find in heroines in the mystery genre, and there were elements of her past which weren’t fully explored, like why she had a relationship with Helene but then ended up marrying Helene’s brother. And just what did happen to Mel’s husband, anyway? That particular mystery is never explained at all, which makes me think that could be a theme for a later book in the series.

With that said, the actual crimes in this book do get solved very satisfactorily, and very cleverly, with some twists I didn’t see coming at all until they were revealed. Yes, I wanted to read more about Melisande’s own personal dramas, but I don’t think the fact that some things were kept back detracted from this book at all. They made me want to go looking for a second book in the series, and if there was one available at the time of writing this review, you better believe I’d have bought it and read that one too. This grabbed me that much; I really loved it and I’ll be looking out for more of the author’s work. Five stars.

I really, really wanted to like this book, but it was a struggle to get through from the first pages. The story moves along rather slowly, and the backstory of the main character is dragged out in alternating chapters, so the time line goes backwards in time to the present chapter to chapter. The main character has had a lot happen to her and she’s just not the cheeriest sounding person, and her personality just made the story rather dull for me. It makes for an interesting mystery though, and I would be willing to try another of the author’s books in the future to see if things are different.

As a mystery this is a very different and a little strange story. It's also a little slow, but it actually fits the setting and the characters, and maybe surprisingly, I liked the book a lot.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, W. H. Cameron, and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

New to the world of W. H. ‘Bill’ Cameron, I was not sure what to expect, but the dust jacket blurb had me wanting to uncover all the nuances of this book. After some troubling times in Boston, Melisende ‘Mel’ Dulac is given a generous opportunity by her estranged husband’s family. She travels to Oregon and is accepted without issue. Unsure what else to do, she takes a job working alongside them as an apprentice undertaker, which has many interesting stories that come along with it. When she witnesses the town football star in the midst of raping a girl, she presses to have charges brought, which does not ingratiate her with many of the townsfolk, but Mel is not all that bothered. However, when she comes upon a multi-vehicle crash along that same stretch of road a few days later, she is forced into action and discovers an abandoned newborn on the side of the road. Rather than doing the dutiful thing, she leaves it, which catches the local paper’s headlines and she is thereafter branded uncaring. However, when she goes to show a family member the body of one of the accident victims, it has gone missing. Could she have misplaced the body and let it disappear? Things only get worse when, at the crematorium, all the bodies from the wreck have apparently been incinerated, leaving no evidence on which the authorities can work. Stripped of the county contract for body removal, Mel turns to seeing who might be trying to run her out of town. Between this and her constant conversations with her deceased brother, Mel cannot tell what is real and how active an imagination she might have. Other things begin happening and it would seem she is again the target some some wrongdoing. Trying to clear her name turns out to be Mel’s main goal, as well as learning more about this rural community and who might have lost a newborn on the side of the road. The mysteries continue to pile up, as Mel seeks to define herself. Those who enjoy slowly revealed thrillers with extensive flashbacks will surely find something in this piece. I was not entirely sold, though am not soured at the same time.

With no previous work to gauge my sentiments, I have to use this piece as the sole yardstick to determine how I feel about Cameron’s work. There is surely a great deal going on within it, with some strong writing and decent character revelations. Melisende has a pile of issues that could—and should, perhaps—be the topic of its own book. From a lacklustre childhood in which her parents all but abandoned her when her brother died, to a marriage that flew off the rails and saw her institutionalize before her husband disappeared, Melisende has lived a full life and is not yet thirty. Her coming West is likely an attempt to reinvent herself, through she is far from docile and quiet while meeting new people. Her gritty attitude surely works in her favour, though she is trying to step on toes and take no prisoners, which is surely not how things are done in Oregon. There is so much for the reader to take in about Melisende that I almost wonder if Cameron ought to have scaled back or, should he have plans for a series, to slowly pepper throughout the narrative of a few books. Others serve as interesting place-settings in the larger plot reveal, complementing and impeding the protagonist throughout. There is a little mystery, some coming of age, and even a few attempts at trying to mend fences, all developed as Melisende crosses paths with others. While some readers panned this book harshly, I found there to be some decent writing and a strong plot throughout. It dragged significantly in the opening portion, but was also weighed down with many flashback portions—some in the middle of a chapter of present-time events—that surely added some confusion for some readers. I can see a great story in here, but some of it needs to be left out or spread into a few books. Melisende is intriguing and I would read more involving her, though I wonder if Cameron wanted to toss it all onto the wall to see what might stick. A mix of chapter lengths kept things moving at times when the pace had almost reached January molasses, which helped me forge ahead and keep an open mind. I’d try another book because of the subject matter, but I really hope many of the constructive comments are incorporated, as I have no patience for a repeat.

Kudos, Mr. Cameron, for this decent mystery. I trust you’ll find your way, as Melisende is, with your next publication.

This one started out slow and then picked up and was going really well for a while (I practically tore through 40%-80%) but then it just got so messy. There was way too much happening, too many intersecting storylines, so much going on that it went from "unlikely but okay" to "downright impossible" as the revelations poured in.

Also, can we please please please retire the broken woman trope? Melisende was like... 20 maybe as old as 25 and she'd already 1) been married, 2) been dramatically left by her husband, 3) been committed to involuntary psychiatric care... Beyond that would be spoilers so I'll stop, but it's a lot. And we still didn't get a sense of what she was like just before the events of the story - how far she fell. She existed as a child and in the present with only these weird, vague phone calls in between. It made what should have been a pretty big plot point fall kind of flat.

I will say that I like the premise of Mel being an apprentice mortician and how the small town, the environment, and her tenuous relationship with the locals played into the story. I just wish it took a step back from sensational and stayed firmly rooted in a deeper and more meaningful reality.

This book had a great plot but I never really connected with the characters do I didn’t fully buy in. Overall though it was a satisfying read.
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a challenge to read with confusing plot lines and a really slow pace. None of the characters evoke much sympathy so it’s difficult to maintain interest in the outcome. The book did not deliver what the novel’s blurb teased.

I really struggled with this book and to be quite frank I’m surprised I actually finished it. My main problem was I struggled to follow the plot line which was really complex and even after reading the book there are a lot of unanswered questions. There was also a lot of characters in this book and I found it really difficult to follow who was who.

I was not a big fan of the lead character’s personality and I’m sure you had to wait more than half of the book to get her backstory which did in a way help explain her personality.

It’s a shame as I was looking forward to reading this book having read the synopsis.

I’d like to thank NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Melisende suffers from psychological trauma that makes for an interesting main character with a back story explaining her erratic behaviour and conversations Mel has with her deceased brother.
When the centre piece of a story is a mortuary, crooked cops, abandoned babies, a vehicle named the stiff and a printed t shirt with "take the fun out of funerals' prepare for the unexpected.
There are plenty of twists and turns to muddie the waters along the way with a great list of characters and a clever plot making this an excellent thriller. The way a thriller should be written.
This is a honest review NetGalley / Crooked Lane books

Melisende Dulac Bouton’s husband, Geoffrey, is missing. With no place to go, she joins his family in Barlow County at their family mortuary. On the way to transport a recently deceased woman, Meli comes across a horrible accident involving several cars and victims. There is one adult survivor at the scene and in the field near the accident she finds a newborn baby. She transports the bodies to the morgue then later to the funeral home, only to find the bodies missing the next day. Where are the bodies and where did the baby come from? A complex mystery, sometimes difficult for me to follow, with characters that had secrets to hide and protect. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

I was really surprised going into this book as I wasn't too sure what to expect. Its a great mystery and has everything you need. A small town, a ghost legend. its the perfect recipe.

I really like this book and was pleasantly surprised throughout with the twists and turns. I thought the characters were interesting and the story was very catching. At times I was a bit confused when a new character was brought it with little explanation but overall things were cleared up and the story was just entertaining.

Thanks to Netgalley, W.H. Cameron, and Crooked Lane Books.

This is a twisted mystery. There is a lot going on in this story and a large cast of characters. The main character is wholly unlikable, but that adds so much to the story in a sort of weird way. There is a lot of action and suspense that keep the pace moving. There are some very unexpected twists along the way. Overall this is a really intriguing read.

Crossroad by W.H. Cameron

description: On a desolate road in the Oregon high desert, an apprentice mortician stumbles upon a horrific car crash--and into a vortex of treachery, long-buried secrets, and growing menace.

This is one of those that I had no problem finishing, but didn't love. There were parts that I found really interesting, but Melisende isn't the most appealing character even when you can understand her backstory.

NetGalley/Crooked Lane Books
Mystery/Thriller. Dec. 10, 2019.

The overall story was very interesting. I think it dragged out a bit in the beginning, but I'm glad I stuck with it. The ending was satisfying, albeit a little bit crazy. I felt like it did take a little too long to get to Mel's backstory and what happened between her and her parents. I also never really felt like the backstory between her and Helene was adequately explained. It would have been nice to get some further detail on that.

This mystery is one that will pull you in. The small-town setting, the mysterious local ghost legend and the question over what really happened at the crossroads will keep you intrigued right until the end. The plot is excellent and the setting is wonderful. Unfortunately, the characters make it more difficult. The main character, Melisende, is extremely unlikable. It is difficult to empathize with her and her awkward history. There seems to be no reason for her overly mysterious history - her brother's death and 'presence' in her head is awkward and without any real reason. Both her missing husband - it is never really clear why/how he went missing - and her subsequent breakdown seem to have no purpose either, except to serve as a reason of why she comes to the town in the first place. Even that is not totally clear until the end. The relationships between the characters are virtually non-existent as Melisende is unnecessarily rude to everyone which contributes to her unlikability. It is a shame since it seems in such a small area, being an outsider would have been sufficient reason to alienate her from others, rather than making her so unlikable and unnecessarily complicated. If you can get past Melisende, it is a great story.

I tried really hard to like this book but the very unlikeable characters were too distracting and made it almost impossible, But having said that, the mystery itself, the location and the overall plot were very well written and while I didn't love the book, I couldn't put it down. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.