“The River Ghost” marks the fifth entry in Dawn Merriman’s Rylan Flynn mystery series. Merriman once again crafts a suspense-filled and enthralling story that is sure to please fans of crime fiction interwoven with supernatural aspects.
Title: The River Ghost
Author(s): Dawn Merriman
Series: Rylan Flynn #5
Also in this series: The Spirit Girls, The Shadow Girls , The Whisper House , The Haunted Child
Published by Hachette UK - Second Sky on November 15, 2024
Pages: 234
Genre(s): paranormal cozy mystery
Source: Kindle Unlimited, Netgalley
Format: eBook
Purchase: Amazon|Audible
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I’m Rylan Flynn. I hunt for ghosts and restless spirits, and solve the mysteries that make them haunt the living.
As I drive across an isolated bridge way out in the woods, a bright light blinds me. But it isn’t a car approaching. It’s a ghost, with a deadly secret to reveal.
I follow the spirit down to the river. There, below the water, I find the body of a young woman. A small square of skin is missing from her hip, and I’m certain she was murdered.
Detective Ford Pierce rushes to join me. Our friendship is turning into something deeper, and there’s nobody I would rather have by my side.
But when Ford sees the body his face turns pale. The girl in the water is his cousin, Kenzie Cross.
As a family member, Ford is forbidden from investigating. But he’s determined to find the killer, and he wants my help. Even if that means working outside the rules.
When the police discover that Kenzie had a secret boyfriend from a strict religious family, they’re certain this is a simple case. But I find evidence that links Kenzie to another mysterious death—years ago, beneath the very same bridge.
I’ve never worked so closely with Ford before, and the danger of the case puts a strain on our new relationship. Can we learn to work together, before another innocent life is taken?
Packed with mysteries, hauntings, shocking twists, and slow-burn romance, the Rylan Flynn series is a paranormal adventure perfect for fans of Noelle W. Ihli, Heather Graham, and Wendy Wang.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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The story kicks off with Rylan stumbling upon a body beneath a bridge in the woods, a chilling find made even more intriguing by the assistance of a ghost. The plot thickens when it’s revealed that the deceased is none other than the cousin of Detective Ford Pierce. Tied by blood to the victim, Pierce finds himself sidelined from the case. But determined to stay in the know, he recruits Rylan to help him unravel the mystery.
In addition to the mystery surrounding the death of Ford’s cousin there were other story threads, all of which entails an encounter with ghosts There is an ongoing story thread, that has me totally invested in the series. I so look forward to learning what will concerning this particular thread.
The blossoming romance between Ford and Rylan has been a delightful journey to follow. As their bond strengthens, they seem to be thriving, yet a looming question remains: Will their love endure Rylan’s tendency to court danger? The anticipatory answer to this question will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
The resolution of the mystery left readers satisfied, yet the overarching story arc remains open, promising more intrigue to come. “The River Ghost” proved to be a delightful and breezy addition to the series, offering a blend of suspense and charm that fans have come to appreciate.
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About Dawn Merriman
Dawn Merriman writes creepy small town murder mysteries from her small farm in northeast Indiana where she lives with her husband and teenage children. You can often find her with muck boots on her feet and a story in her head. She enjoys animals, auctions, snorkeling and archaeology. Dawn Merriman grew up a small town farm girl, on a small time pig farm in Indiana. She spent her young adulthood sitting on her bedroom floor scribbling stories in notebooks. She won the “Northeast Indiana Young Writers” award as a sophomore in high school. After battling severe depression, she wrote her debut novel “How Murder Saved My Life” as therapy, mixing her love of murder mysteries and farming with climbing out of the darkness of illness.
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