The Raven’s Cry by Kim Herdman Shapiro

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Release: March 14, 2023

Synopsis: After a life-threatening and traumatic event causes Kate to leave her job as a reporter in Afghanistan, she finds herself as the head of the brand new Wynter Island news station. The island seems like the perfect place for her to recover and build a new life. It is quiet, quaint, and peaceful. At least until she finds the dead body of her ex-boyfriend floating in the water by her cottage. Kate is the prime suspect. Will she be able to discover who is responsible, or will she take the fall for Wynter Island’s murderer?

Review: I would rate this book 3 out of 5 stars. The story was definitely interesting, but I felt that the plot got a little lost as the author attempted to weave in every island resident as a potential suspect. Also, I was pretty off-put by Kate’s advances on Michael, even though he is married with a son and she has met his wife multiple times. I think I would have been okay with it if Kate had not acted on her feelings, but for her to actively pursue a married man after having been cheated on herself felt wrong. I appreciated Kate’s drive and initiative in trying to solve the mystery of the murder, but it was also taken a bit too far at times. She seemed to think she was entitled to know about the personal lives of everyone around her, regardless of whether it was relevant to her investigation. Other than that, I thought it was a very interesting mystery with multiple well-written plot twists.

If you are a small-town mystery lover, then this is the book for you!

Thank you to Kim Herdman Shapiro and NetGalley for the chance to read an ARC of The Raven’s Cry.