XYZ Affair

Dani Quinn’s life isn’t going as planned. At forty-four, with two failed marriages behind her, three kids and a dog, she is forced to move back to her hometown and into her parent’s house. At least she has a job at the local university. But then there are the bones discovered on campus that were never reported to the police - a mystery well worth solving in Dani’s eyes. The last thing she needs is her mother pushing a man at her, but neighbor Chris Gorham is hard to deny.

The beginning of the book can’t help but pull the reader into Dani’s life.  Unfortunately, there were too many different ideas pushed into a single book. The story of a woman with three kids coming back to town, improving the relationship with her parents, coming to terms with her career and falling in love would make a fine story on its own. The fact that Dani also happens to be a mystery writer seems to serve as a reference for her to get involved in the suspense plot. Speaking of which, it’s not strong enough to stand on its own, and only takes the attention away from the relationships of the characters.  The bond between Dani and her kids, for instance, feels neglected. Nevertheless, it’s still an interesting story that compels the reader to follow it to the finale!

Ana Smith