Murder in the Cove.

Lisa Arsenault is a high-school English teacher who is involved in
several ministry campaigns to increase literacy.

In this whodunit set in Newfoundland, the unexpectedly early release of a convicted sex offender and attempted murderer sets in motion a train of events that lead to tragedy, redemption, rekindled romance, and the solving of a decades-old murder.

Eight years previously, the then 17-year-old Klee was abducted and held in a remote cabin by a psychopath. She managed to escape without physical injury and brought with her to safety a fellow captive local girl who had been raped and tortured and left for dead. The other girl also survived but was so psychologically damaged that she committed suicide several years later. Klee has her own demons to contend with as she blames herself for the girl’s suicide and has vivid memories of the horrific night in the cabin. When the murderer is himself shot, Klee is one of the suspects. Running parallel with these events is the on-again, off-again romance between Klee and her high-school sweetheart that is constantly being derailed by a jealous rival, who gets pregnant by him to force him into marriage. She then becomes homicidal and attacks Klee.

Although there’s a lot going on, the format is well-organized with flashbacks to the crime and its aftermath juxtaposed with their effects in the present; the past and present dovetail and there is no disconnect. The characters tend to be sketchily drawn, but there is enough of substance for the reader to engage with.

Character descriptors, and, indeed, the tone of the novel, have a distinct Harlequinesque feel. The book could be described as a cross between a Harlequin Romance and a murder mystery. Lengthy, detailed descriptions and elevated vocabulary are lacking. In fact, there is some sloppy writing in places, and awkward wording. At one point a character is described as having “ogled” Klee; the verb ogle is incorrectly used, as the context has absolutely no sexual connotation.

This is a short novel, fast-paced and quickly read. It’s enough of a page-turner to keep the reader interested, is liberally sprinkled with clues, and has something of a surprise ending.