A Different Kind of Reunion

JoAnne
Guidoccio
Genre: 
Mystery

Twenty years ago, Gilda Greco was teaching eighth grade in a small Canadian town and just recently has received word of the death of one of her former students. Because of odd circumstances and a missed email, Gilda is “invited” back to the tiny corner of the world to join in on a séance to find the truth. Seeing so many of her students now as adults has Gilda remembering who they were twenty years ago, but with a murderer in her midst, she cannot be blind to who they are now. Her teacher’s instincts are still sharp, but this time they lead her into mortal danger.

A compelling murder mystery with characters one can’t help but adore and a storyline that sets the reader’s fingers on fire trying to get to the next page fast enough. Although these characters are dying to jump off the page, there are a few  flaws, such as unrealistic behavior and having a character’s depth merely hinted at. Also, the protagonist likes to hear her own inner dialogue to the point it interrupts not only conversations but also the flow of the story. However, the mental illnesses a couple of the characters are fighting is quite well-written and relatable. There is a clear forward momentum with the book and although it has a nicely wrapped ending, the audience is left pleading for more. 

Yannie Sorensen