Review by TeachinTeens -- Bad Karma by Debi Chestnut
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Review by TeachinTeens -- Bad Karma by Debi Chestnut
[Following is a volunteer review of "Bad Karma" by Debi Chestnut.]
When Zoey’s childhood fell apart, her Uncle Felix was there to wipe away her tears and give her the strength to go on. Following in his footsteps, she solves mysteries as an information professional. The biggest mystery of all though comes with the unfortunate news of her beloved uncle’s death. He leaves her not only his house and new kitten Karma, but also the clues needed to solve his last case and his own murder. Soon, Zoey finds herself under the scrutiny of a dangerous killer, who continues to stalk and threaten her. Afraid to become his next victim, she must rely on the aid of the detectives Seth and Jax as well as her mysterious neighbor Jason. Any of the men could be her next love or her doom.
I read Bad Karma in only a matter of days; the action just does not stop! Every day of Zoey Callaway’s life introduces a new clue to keep the story building. Though romance is not a central element of Bad Karma, there is enough interest in the characters of Seth and Jason to keep a bit of tension in their interactions. Additionally, Zoey knows better than to trust a handsome face, so there is always suspense in hoping her conversation with one or the other won’t suddenly turn deadly.
To avoid spoilers, I won’t specify whom the killer turns out to be. However, I was disappointed to discover that there was no real way I could have guessed the killer. The author, Debi Chestnut, intentionally plants misdirects so that different people look to be guilty at various points in the story. While Zoey recognizes the possibility that one of the new handsome men in her life could be the killer, her interactions with them are unfazed. She continues to wander into desolate places with them, discuss her new findings, and invite them into her home. Inexplicably, the killer does not take advantage of any of these opportunities. None of the clues she finds are responsible for her identifying the killer, so it is impossible for the reader to unravel the mystery with her. The motive and only necessary clue are all revealed only when the killer himself is; Chestnut could easily have written any of the suspects into this scene with the same end result.
I rate this 3 out of 4 stars. There certainly is never a dull moment, which is absolutely essential to a mystery novel. Further, it has been edited fairly well to avoid spelling mistakes with only occasional grammar errors. However, the male characters are all interchangeable as either the love interest or as the killer. Chestnut did not choose which was which until the exact moment the killer was unveiled with no earlier clues woven into the plot.
Any thrill lover will find Bad Karma a quick, energetic read. However, given this is more about the thrill than it is the mystery, readers who are hoping to be their own detectives had best look to other whodunits with more intricate and valuable clues.
******
Bad Karma
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
When Zoey’s childhood fell apart, her Uncle Felix was there to wipe away her tears and give her the strength to go on. Following in his footsteps, she solves mysteries as an information professional. The biggest mystery of all though comes with the unfortunate news of her beloved uncle’s death. He leaves her not only his house and new kitten Karma, but also the clues needed to solve his last case and his own murder. Soon, Zoey finds herself under the scrutiny of a dangerous killer, who continues to stalk and threaten her. Afraid to become his next victim, she must rely on the aid of the detectives Seth and Jax as well as her mysterious neighbor Jason. Any of the men could be her next love or her doom.
I read Bad Karma in only a matter of days; the action just does not stop! Every day of Zoey Callaway’s life introduces a new clue to keep the story building. Though romance is not a central element of Bad Karma, there is enough interest in the characters of Seth and Jason to keep a bit of tension in their interactions. Additionally, Zoey knows better than to trust a handsome face, so there is always suspense in hoping her conversation with one or the other won’t suddenly turn deadly.
To avoid spoilers, I won’t specify whom the killer turns out to be. However, I was disappointed to discover that there was no real way I could have guessed the killer. The author, Debi Chestnut, intentionally plants misdirects so that different people look to be guilty at various points in the story. While Zoey recognizes the possibility that one of the new handsome men in her life could be the killer, her interactions with them are unfazed. She continues to wander into desolate places with them, discuss her new findings, and invite them into her home. Inexplicably, the killer does not take advantage of any of these opportunities. None of the clues she finds are responsible for her identifying the killer, so it is impossible for the reader to unravel the mystery with her. The motive and only necessary clue are all revealed only when the killer himself is; Chestnut could easily have written any of the suspects into this scene with the same end result.
I rate this 3 out of 4 stars. There certainly is never a dull moment, which is absolutely essential to a mystery novel. Further, it has been edited fairly well to avoid spelling mistakes with only occasional grammar errors. However, the male characters are all interchangeable as either the love interest or as the killer. Chestnut did not choose which was which until the exact moment the killer was unveiled with no earlier clues woven into the plot.
Any thrill lover will find Bad Karma a quick, energetic read. However, given this is more about the thrill than it is the mystery, readers who are hoping to be their own detectives had best look to other whodunits with more intricate and valuable clues.
******
Bad Karma
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Soul Seeker by Kaylin McFarren
