Who Killed Lilly Paine: Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles
by K.D. McNiven
Review by S. S. Bazinet

Description: Can Maddy solve the case, confront her past demons, and finally find peace?

Deputy Detective Madeline (Maddy) Dawson returns home to take a new job with Magnolia Bluff’s Sheriff’s Department. But when she discovers the body of a family friend in Miller Creek, Maddy finds her life turned upside down.

While navigating a tough case offering little evidence, Maddy becomes a target. As she and fellow detective Clay Monroe set out to investigate, she is confronted with dead ends, relationship issues, attempts on her life, and demons from her past. Can Maddy overcome the war raging inside as she desperately searches for answers in this challenging and dangerous case?
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Review: An intriguing mystery that will keep you reading!

I’ve read a number of the books in the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles. They’re all set in a small Texas town, and there’s a certain allure in knowing many of the townsfolk and their roles in the community. The books are written by different authors who give the reader a new lens through which to see this quaint settlement. Each book involves an element of mystery and usually murder.

Author, K.D. McNiven, brings us a new and sensitive look at what can go on behind the scenes of a quiet community. Her character, Deputy Detective Madeline (Maddy) Dawson, is a very troubled woman. She’s trying desperately to shut out her past and begin anew. However, she’s quickly thrust into an extremely difficult situation. Her neighbor’s daughter, Lilly Paine, has been murdered, and Maddy is the person who finds Lilly’s body. Already on emotional overload, Maddy is deeply affected at the discovery. Lilly and her family are close friends, and Maddy is determined to find the killer in the midst of her grief.

McNiven does a great job of portraying a protagonist who feels forced to hide her past from a sense of guilt and fear of what others will think of her. However, Maddy, is also a very caring person who wants to be her best while doing her job and interacting with co-workers, friends and family. In the case of Lilly Paine’s murder, Maddy has few leads to follow. Maddy and her partner Detective Clay Monroe use all the available means of expanding their search. The twists and turns are many, but the pair are dedicated. As they meet each new challenge, Maddy is being stalked. But who’s after her? Is she the next target on the murderer’s list?

McNiven’s characters are portrayed in a way that feels real and up to date in today’s world. She delves into the role of social media and into the world of teens trying to navigate their way to adulthood. She skillfully portrays the personal angst that many people experience, and what can result when they try to handle their feelings alone. WHO KILLED LILLY PAINE is an intriguing mystery and another wonderful book in the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles series.

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