Review of Killing Your Best Friend
Posted: 30 Oct 2021, 22:21
[Following is a volunteer review of "Killing Your Best Friend" by Valda Taurus.]
Ax Gray already has one murder charge under his belt. When Ax’s best friend shows up dead 15 years later, it doesn't take the police long to accuse him of committing this murder as well. Only three people think Ax might be innocent: his wife, his neighbor Tammy, and Detective Mohr. Throughout his investigation of the murder, Mohr uncovers hidden truths about Ax’s past that seem incongruent with his current charge. Will Detective Mohr be able to prove Ax’s innocence? Or will a convicted murderer return to prison once again? Those questions and more will all be answered in Valda Taurus’s novel Killing Your Best Friend.
This novel had many great things going for it. Worldbuilding and character development - with the main characters, at least - were both excellent. I especially enjoyed Ax’s backstory of trauma and previous killing. It allowed for a unique plot line of proving innocence rather than proving guilt. While I enjoy a mystery that solves the case from scratch, not every real-life mystery plays out that way and doing it this way allowed for a different insight into the world of detective work.
While not a major issue, one thing I'm not entirely thrilled about is the revelation of Detective Mohr having a photographic memory. It’s a commonly used cliche in many detective novels and feels like a bit of a cop-out at this point. I get that it makes it easier to track information without having to justify where the information came from when it is drawn into the final revelation of the mystery, but it's not something I personally find an interesting character point.
Overall, I loved this novel. There were a couple of minor issues here and there, but nothing major that completely threw me off the story. I happily rate Taurus’s novel 4 out of 4 stars.
As far as the recommended audience, I think that just about anybody could find something to enjoy within this novel. There is mystery, romance, thrill, adventure, drama, and several different psychological aspects that could appeal to a wide audience. While categorized as a murder mystery, Killing Your Best Friend is also so much more.
******
Killing Your Best Friend
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Ax Gray already has one murder charge under his belt. When Ax’s best friend shows up dead 15 years later, it doesn't take the police long to accuse him of committing this murder as well. Only three people think Ax might be innocent: his wife, his neighbor Tammy, and Detective Mohr. Throughout his investigation of the murder, Mohr uncovers hidden truths about Ax’s past that seem incongruent with his current charge. Will Detective Mohr be able to prove Ax’s innocence? Or will a convicted murderer return to prison once again? Those questions and more will all be answered in Valda Taurus’s novel Killing Your Best Friend.
This novel had many great things going for it. Worldbuilding and character development - with the main characters, at least - were both excellent. I especially enjoyed Ax’s backstory of trauma and previous killing. It allowed for a unique plot line of proving innocence rather than proving guilt. While I enjoy a mystery that solves the case from scratch, not every real-life mystery plays out that way and doing it this way allowed for a different insight into the world of detective work.
While not a major issue, one thing I'm not entirely thrilled about is the revelation of Detective Mohr having a photographic memory. It’s a commonly used cliche in many detective novels and feels like a bit of a cop-out at this point. I get that it makes it easier to track information without having to justify where the information came from when it is drawn into the final revelation of the mystery, but it's not something I personally find an interesting character point.
Overall, I loved this novel. There were a couple of minor issues here and there, but nothing major that completely threw me off the story. I happily rate Taurus’s novel 4 out of 4 stars.
As far as the recommended audience, I think that just about anybody could find something to enjoy within this novel. There is mystery, romance, thrill, adventure, drama, and several different psychological aspects that could appeal to a wide audience. While categorized as a murder mystery, Killing Your Best Friend is also so much more.
******
Killing Your Best Friend
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon