DERAILED (A Kelly Pruett Mystery #1) by Mary Keliikoa will be published on May 12th 2020 by Epicenter Press.
Following her father’s death, Kelly Pruett takes over his private detective business. For her first major case, she is hired to discover the truth about a young woman’s death. The young woman was struck by a train while intoxicated. The police have ruled it an accident, but the woman’s mother is convinced it was murder. The deeper Kelly digs into the young woman’s life, the more mysteries she uncovers and the more suspects she finds who had a motive. Kelly also uncovers more secrets in her own life. With the killer after her, Kelly needs to figure out the killer’s identity before she becomes another victim.
DERAILED is a thrilling first novel for the series. Kelly Pruett knows the basics of being a private detective, but she is also learning as she goes. At times she is in over her head, but she refuses to give up because she wants to keep her father’s business alive. The mystery plot is full of twists, turns, and red herrings. The victim is very multi-dimensional, and the unraveling layers of her life kept me intrigued. Kelly is also a great main character. Her personal life adds a compelling secondary plot line. I’m looking forward to the next novel in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.