The Bell Tolls (A Hollis Morgan Mystery #5)

Hollis Morgan has worked hard to overcome her criminal past.  Pardoned for her crimes, she has become a successful lawyer and is in love with the man of her dreams.  Life is good until the death of one of her clients, Matthias Bell.  In charge of executing the rich man’s will, Hollis is unprepared for the tangled web of blackmail and deceit spun by the dead man.  Unraveling the mystery that was Bell’s legacy will take every ounce of spiritual and moral courage that Hollis has.

”The Bell Tolls” is a story full of suspense, with an intelligent and richly rewarding plot.  Hollis Morgan is an engaging character, whose struggles to overcome obstacles is relatable and real.   There are enough subtle twists and turns in this nicely paced story to keep the reader in suspense. 

The reader would have benefitted from more development of Matthias Bell’s character as well as more insight into Hollis’ conflict with her family, as these subplots are essential components of character motivation and background. Conversely, the inclusion of a subplot involving a client named Kiki and her family does little to add to the overall story.  A little trimming would benefit this book immensely. Ms. James’ strengths are her strong writing skills and character development. Overall readers will enjoy “The Bell Tolls” and Ms. James has a winning series with the future adventures of Hollis Morgan!

Gwenellen Tarbet