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Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine – Review by Corine Lombardi-Quiles

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved this book, it seemed like a good reference to the court process.
It was informative and entertaining.
I give this four stars only because it seemed a bit slow in the middle.
This kept me guessing the entire time though and the character development in our female MC.
Oh the secrets that emerge,
Let’s just say she handled it well.
I personally would have minded my business cause it got real.
Most of the book she gave me Kate Beckett vibes.
The twists and turns can’t be explained without spoilers but you definitely need to read this.
I didn’t read the first book but I wasn’t lost.
I love the defense attorney, I would definitely read I book from his point of view.
This author keeps you on edge and I love the legal plot.
It wasn’t over dramatic it was just enough.
I would read this again and recommend it for book club.

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Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine – Review by Lindsay Peck

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The mystery level is great in this book! I really enjoyed reading this one. I kept thinking I knew who it was but I was wrong. You learn a few legal things in this book and definitely makes you think about what’s going on. I recommend this read and can’t wait for the next!!

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Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine – Review by Jaimie Salmon-Colburn

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lauren is a struggling Stenographer who becomes desperate for free lance work. She ends up taking a job with her ex husband and she dreads the very idea working for him. A job is a job though, so she pushes through. She is reporting on the biggest murder trail in the town, but it’s not her job to prove a man’s innocence. Against her own judgment she starts looking into the case a bit more. She ends up discovering things about her past that she wishes she hadn’t. Will she be able to prove who the real killer is? Will the real killer find her before she has a chance to save the man on trial? Her search has put many people in the line of fire and with a second death, she knows she’s running out of time. Will she put a stop to killer or will the killer put a stop to her! If you like mystery crime thrillers you have got to read this set! I haven’t read to many myself, but I will now! I hope for a book three!!

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Reviewed by: @jaimie0459

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine – Review by Amanda DelFemine

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lauren is working freelance at the moment taking depositions and then takes a job helping out her ex husband in court. How bad can that be right? The trial is for a hot murder case and she has to report on it. As Lauren is going through the trial she thinks that they may be trying the wrong person. The story unravels as she finds out about her mother and why her father kept her leaving such a secret.

I cant wait to read more from these author she kept me entertained and guessing.

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Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine – Review by Samantha Bassett

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Shadows of Doubt: A Crawford Mystery by Merissa Racine is a very interesting story. I really like Lauren and her fun way of getting into the trouble she finds as a court reporter.

I was slowly pulled more and more into this story, wanting to see how things would turn out. I thought Lauren was such a good man character. For me, she brought the story to life and added so much to it. She was engaging throughout and just a likable character.
The book is full of twists and turns, which really keeps you involved in the book. This is a great story that I thoroughly enjoyed.

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Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine – Review by Vanessa Watts

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you made it to this book hopefully you read the first one titled, “Silent Gavel” first. The book can be a standalone but it ways make more sense if you read the first one before this. You can get a better feel for the characters and understand why things are happening as they are.
In this second installment we once again follow Lauren Besoner as she tries to rebuild her life after past events left her with too much trauma and needing to seek professional help. This time she is doing freelance work after leaving her last post of official court reporter due to the fact that she could not see working under her ex-husband Tony. She gets called in to report for a deposition of contested mental capacity of the chief of police’s mother regarding the ranch and all her assets. Shortly after she receives a call because the report is no longer needed to to the death of Ms. Archer. The police arrest a suspect quickly but after talking to her friend Dominick Lauren believes that once again the police have the wrong person. Lauren gets called in to be court reporter for her ex-husband in the case as the official reporter is on maternity leave. From the start things are not adding up for Lauren and she decides to do some sleuthing because she believes justice is owed and won’t rest if someone innocent is locked up. Throughout this book things about Lauren’s past are brought to light and she must learn that they do not define her, and she shouldn’t be judged for the actions of others. In this case is Lauren right about the accused? Can she make it through this trial without getting put on another killers hitlist? Put your sleuthing hat back on for this installment to see if you to can figure out who the killer is in time!

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Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine – Review by Nina Maes

Great flowing story line. Page turner, will keep you on the edge of your seat. Legal thriller, with lots of twist and turners. Love story with mystery and action packed pages.
Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Great flowing story line. Page turner, will keep you on the edge of your seat. Legal thriller, with lots of twist and turners. Love story with mystery and action packed pages.

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Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine – Review by Jennifer Gordon

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An intriguing and engaging murder mystery thriller, and once again the author had me gripped from page one. I enjoyed being back with Stenographer Lauren Besoner, and in this story she goes from reporting the words in a murder trial to trying to prove that the man on trial is actually innocent. Lauren is reporting on the biggest murder trial that Crawford has ever seen and the judge also happens to be her cheating ex husband, Tony. Lauren’s instincts are that the wrong person is on trial for the murder, and she soon has to decide whether to put her job and her life at risk to ensure that justice is served, or carry on and say nothing.
Lauren decides to discover the real murderer and when a second murder occurs she realises that there is more to the case than even she thought. As she searches for the truth secrets from her own past are exposed, but she’s determined to find the real killer. This legal thriller had me fully immersed, as the courtroom setting and all its drama was brought vividly to life by the authors knowledgeable and descriptive narrative. Lauren is once again a realistic and likeable main character who brings the story together. The exciting storyline and plot twists kept me guessing until the end as to the identity of the killer. This was a real page turner of a read and I really hope there will be a third book in this series.

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Shadows of Doubt: A Crawford Mystery by Merissa Racine – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Stenographer Lauren Besoner is back and this time she is working freelance, but she is desperate to earn some money, so when an opportunity comes up to report on murder trial in her own home town of Crawford, she jumps at the chance. The only drawback is that she has to work with her ex husband and she isn’t looking forward to that in the slightest, she only hopes that she can put her negative feelings aside so that she can do her job successfully.

As she arrives at the courthouse ready to set up, she has to go to her old office and with it her ex colleague, who seems to be as useless as before, however, eventually, she sorts out the paperwork, powers up and connects her machines. She is surprised to hear who the victim and accused are and how quickly it has been brought to trial and as the testimonies start, she is wondering whether they have accused the right person.

The more she thinks about it, the more things start to not add up and as she starts to investigate further herself, she is more than sure of her convictions, especially when a second murder occurs. As she asks her own questions and puts together her own evidence, she has to ask herself whether it is really worth jeopardising her job to prove somebodies innocence and are the secrets it is dredging up from her past life going to remain hidden to all but her?

Will Lauren be able to convince anyone of her way of thinking, or is she going to find herself another heap of trouble? This is another thrilling mystery full of hidden truths and contentious behaviour which will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine – Review by Finley K. James

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Much like the first book, this one is just as engaging. The characters are as well-crafted and written as they were in the prequel, and the story keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. There was the same amount of depth and research that went into this book as in the first. I spent no time being bored with this book—it was all non-stop thrills and intrigue. I didn’t want to stop reading! The chemistry between the characters and the turns along the way make for a very entertaining story. The fact it can be read as a standalone is simply a bonus.

@finleykjames

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Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine- Review by Taylor Bell

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book! This is the second book in the series and although I haven’t read the first one, I really enjoyed this! It kept me hooked from page 1 and I couldn’t wait to get more into it. I was completely invested in the story and I loved the courtroom feel to it. I definitely hope for a third book at some point! Highly recommend for any mystery/thriller lovers!

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Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine – Review by Donna Dawkin

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book 2 finds Lauren free-lancing as a court stenographer after the events of Book 1, if you have the chance, read them in order to understand exactly what she went through.

When she finds herself temping with her ex-husband residing as judge over another murder in town, Lauren starts questioning staying on in Crawford… Even though she keeps trying to make healthy choices, continuing to work alongside the ex might not be one of them.

Romantic interest simmers along beside the twisting plot full of suspects and intrigue.. we keep hoping. Though you won’t get any spoilers out of me.

An excellent second book in what I hope will be just the beginning of many adventures for Lauren.

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Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine – Review by Jennie Betchel

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is a sequel, but can be read without reading the first book. This book is a suspenseful mystery that kept my attention and made me want to keep reading. The author describes characters and settings with enough detail I could picture the scenes in my mind. I especially loved the attention given to food; I felt as though I were dining and experiencing the meals with the characters. As far as the mystery, I was happy the author kept me guessing who the killer was. Pick this one up if you are looking for a great mystery with a shocking ending.

Reviewed by @jrussia82

 

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Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine – Review by Paula R Sayers

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lauren is a court reporter for a deposition that catches her attention. Lauren ends up as the court reporter for the trial the deposition was taken for. She cannot get over the feeling that Daniel is innocent of murder and someone else is out there. When Maverick, Lauren’s Border Collie, discovers a dead body in the woods, things begin to heat up. This second installment in the Crawford Mysteries kept me hooked. It is a definite page turner!

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Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine – Review by Anantha Rusum

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I found this book a very enjoyable mystery read. Lauren Besoner is a free lance court reporter. Her financial situation lands her with a job of a substitute stenographer, with her ex-husband , a judge. Handling one of her cases, she finds herself drawn to a certain murder case, where an elderly woman is murdered. Is the accused truly guilty? Lauren senses something is not right and begins her own investigation. Hidden ugly secrets are revealed. Are the secrets ready to be spilled out in open, or some of them are best kept buried?
This is a very nice mysterious read, I loved every bit of it. I like courtroom mysteries and this was
real fun !

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Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine – Review by Dani Honeycutt

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The first book definitely made me want to read this book. This book was packed with a lot more law and politics than I really prefer to read. Even though I don’t like much law, the author really did a good job about keeping the story line moving along and keeping me interested. I really love how the story and characters pick up almost right where they left off in the first book. Im excited to see how the author continues to evolve the characters. I can’t wait for the next book.

Reviewed by @danihoneycutt

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Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine – Review by Liz Vrchota

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the Crawford Mystery series and I would recommend that you read book one before devouring this one as that one sets up our characters and gives us a bit of the low down on what to expect as far as the mysteries and the way things will go. I love how this examines mysteries from the court stenographers point of view. It is kind of the unsung part of the court process that has always intrigued me a bit. I really enjoy reading about it and how this plays into things. I am a huge crime thriller person so these books are always a thrill for me to read and have lots of my favorite things in them. I would highly recommend them for the true crime junkie. I look forward to seeing what else is to come in the series.

Review by @lizaileen
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Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine – Review by Jo Frizzell

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was just as amazing as the first one! Lauren’s continued growth and her attitude and sass just kept me, and all the other characters, on our toes. Seeing the development in the relationship between Lauren and Sam from the animosity in Silent Gavel to the flirtationship and friendship they build is so real. I adore the relationship between Lauren and Kate, familial relationships like that are amazing because everyone needs that person they can look up to. This author is phenomenal with the relationships she builds between her characters and I look forward to reading more about Crawford, and Lauren especially.

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Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine – Review by Dawn Mitchell

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book bounced a little too much for me but kept my interest through every twist an turn. Im also glad that even though I read book one first you can read this as a standalone also. Hoping for a 3rd in the series! Im glad they continued the story with Lauren and Sam.

#DawnMitchell

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Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine – Review by Amanda Swindle

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

No spoilers, but DEFINITELY pick up Silent Gavel (Book 1 in this set) before reading this one, you will thank me. This book continues where the last left off, with Lauren, the court stenographer. Lauren is in a predicament and lack of finances leads her to accept work under her ex-husband, who is a new judge. Now she is faced with past conflicts and things may not be as they appear to be at face value. When Lauren realizes the wrong the wrong person is being accused, she must decide if she will do the job she was hired for, or try to seek out the real killer. Hang in there with the lengthy court testimonies, it will be worth it, and make sense later! I will be awaiting the next one for sure! Well done!

Review by: @zoltrixes

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Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine – Review by Sarah Vanscoy

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Shadows of Doubt” by Merissa Racine is very intriguing mystery novel. Lauren is a court stenographer who freelances. Due to financial stress, she temporarily begins working with her ex-husband, the judge, while his regular stenographer is on maternity leave. As trial begins for a very high profile case, Lauren begins to doubt that the accused is guilty and begins to search for answers. This is the second book in the series, but can be read as a stand-alone novel. I enjoyed the character development and the mystery, and look forward to reading the other books in this series!

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Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine – Review by Chrissy Spulak

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine is the second installment in the Crawford Mystery series. In book 2 we continue to follow Lauren, court stenographer, further into her new job as she now works for her ex-husband who takes his place as judge. This time, when her town of Crawford is faced with a murder, she must either do what she is being paid to do, or go with her gut instincts. I totally appreciate the portrayal of strong and smart women protagonists, and Lauren has quickly become a favorite of mine. I started out with little knowledge of legal matters, but had no problems becoming engrossed in this story from book 1. The author is knowledgeable of the legal process, but writes it in a way that is engrossing, as well as believable. I fully recommend this series and hope there is a book 3!

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Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine – Review by Ashley Hasting

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I did not know the life of a stenographer till now. Lauren is now freelancing with her stenographer position. She was doing a deposition for a Lady who ended up dying the next night. Now she is back in the court scene since the person who took her position had a baby and on maternity leave. Lauren is back to investigating while doing her job to help figure out what happened to her. During all of this, she still is haunted from what happened in the first book, and unraveling secrets she didn’t think would ever come out. She gains friends with a little drama while keeping her family relationships close. This is a great mystery series.

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Reviewed by @ash18235

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine – Review by Kylean Sprosty

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another page turner! Lauren is smack dab in the middle of another mystery.  I love how Merissa Racine makes the whole story so realistic: in how Lauren follows the clues and in how she builds her story.  I could read a dozen more Crawford Mysteries (and another dozen after that)! An amazing author who writes great characters! One of my absolute new favorites.

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Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine – Review by Deanna Franks

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine

The story follows Lauren, a stenographer in small town Crawford, Wyoming, who uses the insight from her position to find the justice she wants to see served – but can her suspicions prove to be true before her friend’s nephew is charged with murder?
I had my suspicions on whether he was innocent or not. Merissa Racine does an incredible job making you go back and forth on your opinion.
What I wasn’t prepared for was for Lauren to uncover the truth at the perfect time.
The tension leading up to the final moment is absolutely delicious. This book will have your mind racing to find the killer and the motive but nothing can prepare you for the truth.

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Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine – Review by Jessica Heatherly

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Shadows of Doubt was such a great read! The main character, Lauren, was very relatable and it was easy to root for her as she navigated her new life as a single woman. The story was fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat with all of its twists and turns. As soon as I thought I had this one figured out, something else happened to make me realize Merissa Racine was still two steps ahead! The ending was definitely a shocker and I hope there are more installments of the Crawford Mystery series.

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Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine – Review by Karen Pearman

Shadows of DoubtShadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the second book in this mystery series by this author. I found it to be just as enjoyable and suspenseful as the first one. In fact, maybe just a little bit more. I love mystery novels. I especially love mystery novels with women doing the investigating. More so when they are not “the investigator” but go out on their own to solve the crime. I thought that this story was very well written. I was on the edge of my seat throughout most of it. I couldn’t put it down, so I was up almost all night reading just to finish this book. I love the way she captivates the reader with her characterization that literally makes me feel like I am writing the story. I must admit that the ending was so not what I was expecting it to be and that blew me away because it was such a plot twist. I highly recommend you pick up this book. But, before you do, make sure that you read book one in the series. I feel as that will be beneficial to you to know and understand the story and characters.

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Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine – Review by Erica Shoebridge

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a very good crime mystery, I really enjoyed it. There is a lot of detail in the plot, but it is never difficult to keep it all straight, nor veering into boredom with monotony. I do find other books bore me with too many details, but this one was just right. The twists of the plot were very interesting, and definitely kept me guessing. Racine’s writing style is very engrossing, and seemed very realistic in the level of detail about Lauren’s stenography job and how the courtroom works. Great job!

Reviewed by @ericalorraine
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Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine – Review by Jaime Owens

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Merissa Racine has written an incredible thrillery cozy mystery. The MC Lauren is a stenographer, who is a very well-developed character. I have not come across a cozy mystery where the MC was in this career. It was a very interesting look into the career. The mystery was well thought out. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

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Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery) by Merissa Racine – Review by Dani Dando

Shadows of Doubt (A Crawford Mystery)Shadows of Doubt by Merissa Racine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a really enjoyable read. I found the mystery really interesting and even though I haven’t read the first book in the series I did not feel lost in any way, the characters were likable and fun to read and felt real and relatable.

Lauren is a stenographer in need of a bit of cash, and as such ends up accepting a job offer from her ex-husbands who is acting as a judge on a pretty mahoosive case. Faced with a little choice Lauren takes the job, only to quickly realise that some shady shenanigans may be afoot and that the things going down the courtroom may only be the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

I really enjoyed this and thought that Racine’s writing was gripping. Really recommend this for anyone that loves a good mystery.

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