The Missing Housewife (A Steve Wade Mystery #2)

Iris
Wynne
Genre: 
Mystery

Steve Wade is an ex-cop turned PI, whose reputation within and without the police department is one of getting things done, occasionally skirting legal. When someone’s trip to China shows possible proof of mistaken identity that resulted in a murder conviction, the family of the man in prison wants his name cleared. After initially hesitating to get involved, Steve and his friends still in the police force realize there were too many mistakes made, and set about righting the wrong - but hunting down drug addicts and the world they inhabit is a dangerous game.

 

Book two in a series about Steve, this is a twisting, turning tale of whodunit. Readers will sympathize with Martin, the man accused of murder. Steve and his group of family and friends surrounding him are tight knit at the outset of the novel. The downside for a new reader is that there could be confusion about who is who and why they are so close, as no background is given. While the description is rich and wonderful, much of it is absolutely not needed. Readers trying to put threads together will find there aren’t threads at all, just information. In any tale, all scenes, descriptions, and backstories should be 100% relevant to the plot or subplots, but there are entire scenes which serve no purpose to moving the story forward. Verb tense errors and basic errors are enough to make a reader trip. The characters themselves are wonderful, and the basic plot is so full of surprises, it is well worth keeping. With a solid edit, this story could easily be a 5 star whodunit.

 

Julie York