The Wipeout Affair by Rachel Neuburger Reynolds

Now, I really liked the first book of the series:

I had left reading the first book too late, so when I saw the second was out I jumped at it and finished it as soon as I could. It was shorter than the first (or felt like it) but lacked the sparkle of the first. If you check my previous review out you will know how much I enjoyed the first. I have to begin by saying that I only gave this book three stars because I ended up comparing it with the first.

Lexie has made a permanent move to the place where she narrowly escaped mortal peril. The sun, sand and the people drew her back. She has to juggle two part-time jobs to make ends meet but she is liking the person she is. She refuses to be officially deputized but when another murder occurs, she wants to get to the bottom of it out of a feeling of obligation to the victim. She starts to see everyone with a suspicious eye and this spoils more than a single day for her. She has to deal with all sorts of crazy situations but it is ultimately her who identifies the missing link that pins the culprit down. This last bit is rare in the cozy scene sometimes, as the lead protagonist bumbles her way into the solution. In this book, however, she works her way painstakingly through every single clue. There are some good back and forths between the characters we have already been introduced to. This and the overall narration is the highlight of the book.

I recommend starting this series. The author is skilled and Lexie is fun but also real as she struggles with the decisions she has made. I look forward to what she does next.

I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is completely based on my own reading experience.