Genre: International Mystery / Crime / Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Ewephoric Publishing
Date of Publication: October 7, 2022
Number of Pages: 340
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A rural New Zealand vacation turns poisonous.
Antiquities expert Annalisse Drury and tycoon Alec Zavos are at an impasse in their relationship when Alec refuses to clear up a paternity issue with an ex-lover.
Frustrated with his avoidance when their future is at stake, Annalisse accepts an invitation from an acquaintance to fly to New Zealand—hoping to escape the recent turbulence in her life.
But even Annalisse’s cottage idyll on thefamily sheep farm isn’t immune to intrigue.
Alec sends a mutual friend and detective, Bill Drake, to follow her, and a local resident who accompanies them from the Christchurch airport dies mysteriously soon after. A second violent death finds Annalisse and Bill at odds with the official investigations.
The local police want to close both cases as quickly as possible—without unearthing the town’s dirty secrets.
As she and Bill pursue their own leads at serious cost, the dual mysteries force Annalisse to question everything she thought she knew about family ties, politics, and the art of small-town betrayal.
Are you looking for a tourism ad for New Zealand with a side of murder and sheep husbandry? Then COPPER WATERS is the book for you! There is sweeping scenery (Annalisse takes 400+ pictures on their first day!), amazing food (all the seafood!), and a side of dead bodies, all for your personal entertainment.
Ms. Bell’s writing is very descriptive. From Annalisse’s and Bill’s arrival in New Zealand, we have lovely scenery, lakes, mountains, quaint cottages, and small-town restaurants. I don’t even like eating mussels, but Annalisse’s enjoyment of them made me what to give them another try.
The plot of COPPER WATERS twists and turns expertly. Bill and Annalisse become entangled with local police, politicians, and small town characters while they try to unravel and solve two accidents. Or maybe two murders. The solving of these mysteries is the dominate driving plot of the novel.
The pacing in this novel is slower than the others, with more introspection and less action. The internal contemplation gives us a better look into Annalisse, her feelings, and motivations. This glimpse into Annalisse’s thoughts left me frustrated that Annalisse would not or could accept the action of others are not a reflection of her own actions. But these glimpses also show growth over her actions in the previous novels, which I can appreciate.
This time around, the romance between Annalisse and Alec is struggling. The two argued before Annalisse left for New Zealand, leaving their issues unresolved. In the first half of the novel, Alec’s presence is brief and mostly via telephone. But luckily for us readers, Alec is a romantic and flies off to make up with Annalisse! Once Alec arrives on the scene, the plot of the novel picks up speed considerably. We also see how the relationship between Annalisse and Alec has progressed over the series.
A bright side for me in this series is Bill Drake, Private Eye. I was thrilled at his introduction in the previous books. And even more excited to find that Bill is a major character in COPPER WATERS. Bill’s investigative skills are needed once again. But even more, Bill’s ability to negotiate police interviews is crucial. The facts, and just the facts!
If you, like me, have ever found yourself thinking, dang, the characters in mysteries certainly end up around a lot more dead bodies than the average person, it turns out Annalisse agrees with you!
“After meeting Alex two years ago, the tragedies have been piling up enough to give me a complex if I think about it too hard, so I try not to and dwell on the positive.”
This is one of my favorite scenes in the whole book. It’s like Ms. Bell is speaking directly to me, addressing my random thoughts!
While COPPER WATERS is the fourth novel in the series, this can be read as a standalone. Ms. Bell provides plenty of back-story to recap the previous plots. Or check out the whole series, which I recommend!
Overall, I appreciated the character growth in COPPER WATERS. And the reveal of the murderer came out of left field as a complete shock to me! Check out this novel if you enjoy twisty plots with a side of beautiful scenery and character growth.
Thanks to author Marlene M. Bell and Lone Star Book Blog Tours for providing this opportunity to review COPPER WATERS. I received the novel free in exchange for my honest review.
Marlene M. Bell is an eclectic mystery writer, artist, photographer, and she raises sheep in beautiful East Texas with her husband, Gregg, three cats and a flock of horned Dorset sheep.
The Annalisse series — mysteries with a touch of romance — has received numerous honors including the Independent Press Award for Best Mystery (Spent Identity) and FAPA (Florida Author’s President’s Gold Award) for two other installments, Stolen Obsession and Scattered Legacy. She also penned the first of her children’s picture books, Mia and Nattie: One Great Team! based on true events from the Bell’s ranch. The simple text and illustrations are a touching tribute of compassion and love between a little girl and her lamb.
$50 VISA Card, 100% New Zealand wool throw, leather bucket bag, signed ARC paperback of Copper Waters, Hagestad hammered copper water bottle, Lucy Pittaway notebook
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A thoughtful review of Copper Waters and a wonderful ending to the Lone Star Review Blog Tour! Thanks so much for picking up on the many subtleties in this 4th installment of the Annalisse series. Will book #5 break down Anna’s defenses when it comes to Alec? We’ll have to see how Bill Drake affects the couple’s issues. Bill is also a favorite character of mine, and I like how he keeps investigations from going haywire in each book. Lynn, thanks for joining this tour and reading the series! Marlene M. Bell recently posted…Promoting Your Book Internationally
A thoughtful review of Copper Waters and a wonderful ending to the Lone Star Review Blog Tour! Thanks so much for picking up on the many subtleties in this 4th installment of the Annalisse series. Will book #5 break down Anna’s defenses when it comes to Alec? We’ll have to see how Bill Drake affects the couple’s issues. Bill is also a favorite character of mine, and I like how he keeps investigations from going haywire in each book. Lynn, thanks for joining this tour and reading the series!
Marlene M. Bell recently posted…Promoting Your Book Internationally
Thanks, Marlene!
LOVE this review and think you hit all the nails on the head! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Kristine!
Great review! The book sure made me want to visit New Zealand, too.
Lisa @ The Plain-Spoken Pen recently posted…Can’t-Wait Wednesday: I Love It When You Lie by Kristen Bird
Thanks, Lisa!