Book Review: Rearview Mirror by Stephanie Black

I'm a big fan of all Stephanie's books, and this one didn't disappoint. In part, however, it was because it included so many elements I'm familiar with, and appreciate, in her work.

She usually has a large cast of characters, and on this case there were so many that I had to keep flipping back to remind myself who they were and how they were connected together. But it means that she can use them to full advantage to place plenty of red herrings, and it sets the scene and breaks up the action extremely well. (It's something I struggle with in my own books, so I admire the way she can juggle so many different personalities and voices.) The heroine was a little too self-effacing and saccharine sweet for me to warm to her particularly, and my favourite character was Carrissa who was flawed, and yet somehow still very likeable.

Another thing I appreciate about Stephanie's work is that the people who are murdered are usually bad types, so I don't waste my sympathy on them. Not evil, nasty criminals, necessarily, but overbearing and controlling mothers, obsessive psycho-stalker types, and guys who flirt with married women with no thought to the sanctity of marriage. I like my murder-mystery-thrillers light rather than heart-rending, and every little helps. Yes, I know that's a little odd.

Although, to my mind, this isn't Stephanie's best (I think that honour goes to Methods of Madness) that's only because she sets her own bar so very high. It remains one of the best LDS novels currently on bookshelves, and her writing is effortless and perfect. Highly recommended, and I won't be surprised if Stephanie wins yet another Whitney award.