MYSTERY

A Final Reckoning

by Susan Moody
Severn House. Nov. 2013. 236p. ISBN 9780727882882. $28.95. M
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Chantal Frazer's life was upended when her older sister Sabine, who was working as an au pair for a wealthy British family, was murdered in a brutal attack that also claimed three young victims. The children's mother was convicted of the crime and sent to a mental hospital; another child survived and went on to live "normally." Now, two decades later, Chantal is inexplicably drawn back to the haunted home that recently has been transformed into a beautiful boutique hotel. Chantal wants to understand her sister's plight better. Surprisingly, Gavin Vaughn, the survivor, comes back to visit at the hotel's grand opening, along with other key players from that sad page in the home's history. As in all good gothic thrillers, suspicions hover, the house holds clues, and Chantal makes some dangerous choices.
VERDICT Moody's (Losing Nicola) stunningly gothic psychological stand-alone mesmerizes from page one. Bring out your art history notes so you can keep pace with the clues in this intricately structured romantic suspense title. Readers may figure out the real story before the heroine does, but just knowing the endearing Chantal is in danger makes for an addictive read.
Reviewed by Teresa L. Jacobsen , Oct 01, 2013
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