The Trouble With Paradise (A Madeline Dawkins Mystery Book 4) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Jennifer Gordon

The Trouble with Paradise by Cynthia Hamilton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is book four in Cynthia Hamilton’s ‘Madeline Dawkins Mystery’ series and having read and thoroughly enjoyed the previous three books I was really looking forward to this latest instalment and was definitely not disappointed. This series just keeps getting better and better, Madeline is a great main character and heroine of the stories and I felt like I was back with an old friend whilst reading this novel. In, ‘The Trouble with Paradise’ a person from Madeline’s past threatens her future and everything she has built for herself since leaving her husband and becoming a private investigator. Her latest cases along with partner Mike Delaney come personally from the Santa Barbara D.A. and include the case of a widow who is insistent that she did not kill her much older husband. The other is a widow who does not agree that her husband took his own life. Whilst sifting through the greed and betrayal involved in these cases to determine the truth, Madeline is reminded of her own past. Meanwhile, Madeline’s ex husband comes back into her life wanting to clear the name of an inmate, Lindsay Bartholomew who is adamant that she has been set up and is not guilty of the crimes she’s in prison for. Not believing her ex husband could be a changed man, Madeline focuses on her investigations. It soon becomes clear that if the killer is not already in prison then he is still free and will continue his murder spree to remain safe himself.
This story had me hooked from page one and kept me guessing until the last page, it has a fast paced and exciting storyline. The novel is full of drama and suspense, and I like how the author weaves the personal aspects of Madeline and Mike’s lives into the murder, mystery, crime story. It can be read as a standalone story, however the reader would understand more of Madeleine’s backstory if they have read the previous books in the story.
I definitely recommend this novel and think that it is a five star read.

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