FICTION

Bitter River

by Julia Keller
Minotaur: St. Martin's. (Bell Elkins, Bk. 2). Sept. 2013. 400p. ISBN 9781250003492. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 97812500022455. MYS
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Keller's follow-up to A Killing in the Hills finds Ackers Gap, WV, prosecuting attorney Bell Elkins in something of a holding pattern. She's in a secret, casual relationship with a much younger man; her beloved daughter is living in Washington, DC, with Bell's ex-husband and his girlfriend; and Bell's still fighting the good fight against the prescription drug abuse that's destroying good men and women in her hometown. Then the body of a bright, beautiful, pregnant teenage girl is found in the river and evidence shows she was strangled first. Keller handles the main plot deftly, juggling suspects and motives with confidence and dexterity until the final reveal. Unfortunately, a somewhat ludicrous subplot involving an Iraqi terrorist and an old friend of Bell's defies credibility.
VERDICT Even an imperfect Keller novel is still well worth readers' time. Recommend to mystery lovers who enjoy richly drawn settings and whip-smart heroines.
Reviewed by Stephanie Klose, Library Journal , Aug 30, 2013
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