This was a really good mystery. The characters are strong and believable. The story moves quickly and keeps you guessing. A definite departure from the author's usual cozy mysteries! Really enjoyed it!
I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
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"Fan Mail" by Daryl Wood Gerber is the fabulous follow-up to "Desolate Shores", which I read and loved in 2019. Going into this book, I was hoping I'd love it as much as the first one, and I did...maybe even more. "Fan Mail" offers the reader:

1. Great characters! Aspen, our heroine, is wonderful. She simultaneously comes across as likable, intelligent, brave (but not stupidly so), and honorable. She works as a PI-in-training for her aunt's agency, and is gradually honing her investigative skills. Combined with her past career as a psychologist, Aspen has all the tools needed to effectively unravel mysteries. Love interest Nick (police detective), Max (Aspen's aunt), and Candace (Aspen's niece) are also nicely drawn and intriguing in their own right. Several of the secondary characters/suspects really shone in the story, being quite well-developed as characters so that the reader gets to know them while Aspen investigates their connection (if any) to the crimes.

2. The location! "Desolate Shores" is set in the Lake Tahoe area. The author describes the setting (and specific locations within that setting) so perfectly, I can see everything clearly in my mind's eye. I've added Lake Tahoe to the list of places I'd love to visit someday. The setting is distinctive enough to almost seem like a separate character in the story. Personally, I love it when a novel's setting is so vivid I actually remember the location after I've finished. This one will stay with me for a long time!

3. The mystery itself! This book features a serial killer who is still actively committing crimes, so the stakes are high. Aspen knows the first victim, and is drawn into the investigation further when a friend starts receiving notes believed to be from the killer. With the multiple victims, there are plenty of suspects, as well as the whole "are all of these crimes related" question. Aspen is proving to be a thorough and relentless investigator, and I find her method of looking into things very appealing.

4. Candace! Aspen's niece is a lovely girl, and it was nice to see her living with her aunt permanently in this book. I also enjoyed seeing how she's gaining confidence in herself as a person, even as she navigates the trials of middle-school life. May she find a better boyfriend in the next book....Aspen should dig up some dirt on the current one, and blackmail him out of Candace's life.

All in all, this is a wonderful book, and I can't say enough good things about it. Read it...you will NOT be disappointed. I love everything that Daryl Wood Gerber writes, and recommend that all fans of the mystery/suspense genre acquire one (or more) of her books as soon as possible.

Five out of perfect slices of provolone! ( )

Fan Mail by Daryl Wood Gerber is the second novel An Aspen Adams Novel of Suspense series. It can be read as a standalone for those who have not indulged in Desolate Shores. Fan Mail is a complex novel full of twists and surprises. Aspen Adams quit her job as a therapist to work for her aunt’s detective agency. Aspen has a long way to go before she gets her license, but she is learning the ropes. Then her gynecologist is killed after leaving Aspen two messages that were cut off. A local restaurant owner is murdered soon thereafter. Gloria Manning phones Aspen because she received odd letters after each crime. Gloria is used to fan mail as a news anchor, but these notes scare her. She wants Aspen to get answers. Aspen starts questioning the numerous suspects. Unfortunately, the killer is just beginning. Fan Mail is a fast paced suspense novel that will have you on the edge of your seat. I like that there are cozy moments tossed in. Aspen is learning to be a private investigator by working at her Aunt Maxi’s agency. I like Aunt Maxi with her no nonsense approach. She is careful to give Aspen rules (not that she always pays attention). Candace, Aspen’s niece, lives with her and is now thriving. Candace is mature for her age and provides good insights into the murders. Nick Shaper is Aspen’s boyfriend and a detective with Placer County Sheriff’s office. He has mixed emotions about Aspen’s getting involved in these crimes. He appreciates her helpful information, but Nick does not want anything to happen to her. The characters are developed and realistic. There are multiple murders along with taunting notes and other nefarious activities in Fan Mail. There are multiple suspects for Aspen to wade through, but the clues are meager. Readers will have a hard time pinning down the guilty party unless you pay close attention to the clues. It is a complex mystery that continues to evolve as the story progresses. I enjoyed all the action along with the tense atmosphere. You never knew what the perpetrator was going to do next. I like Daryl Wood Gerber’s descriptive writing which brought the story alive for me. Fan Mail is an absorbing novel with an active adolescent, multiple murders, a dashing detective, a crafty killer, and a resolute rookie investigator. ( )

Fan Mail is the second book in the Aspen Adams Suspense series and is I think even better than the first book. Daryl Wood Gerber has a knack for keeping you on the edge of your seat with her spine tingling suspense in this book.

Aspen once again is thrust into the middle of an investigation with one right after another murder and her client Gloria is getting mysterious notes that are tied to the murders. How are they all tied together and can Aspen help Gloria find who is sending her the notes and why? Aspen needs to find answers but can she or will her snooping put her in danger?

I like how this book has many outstretching fingers connected to a central person. You find so many questions just like Aspen and her boyfriend Nick do with so many possibilities. I like a story that keeps you wondering and guessing to the end. So many suspects could be the murderer but the end was surprising. This is a page turner that you will not want to put down.

I really enjoyed this book and recommend it if you like suspense.

I received an ARC from the author to read for my honest opinion and review. ( )