Friday, May 9, 2025

A Murder in Zion by Nicole Maggi

 

A Murder in Zion by Nicole Maggi - 356 pages

Emmeline Helliwell, special agent with the National Parks Service is returning home to Utah to heal and regroup after her mother's death.  Her intent is to turn in her badge and take over her mother's bakery for a much quieter life; but when the dead body of a childhood friend turns up in the Narrows, the case is too personal for her to turn down.  This thriller takes Emme deep into Zion National Park to find clues to how and who the killer or killers are.  On top of dealing with the heartache of losing her mother, Emme is also dealing with her younger sister who finally shows up at their home with her past emotional trauma.  

Emme and her younger sister are dealing with an abusive childhood past (by their father) and trying to sort through their mothers belongings all while being pulled closer and closer into the sights of a killer. As more dead bodies start to pile up, Emme along with her sister, a pod-caster, another agent, and family friend work tirelessly to stop a killer who may be tied to a reclusive group that lives within Zion.

The author does a great job of projecting the image of Zion and the Narrows throughout the book.  All in all I liked the book, though I felt certain parts were drug out a bit.  To me this was more a thriller instead of a true mystery.  I didn't feel there was much guessing in who the killer/killers were.  No twists or surprises that I didn't expect.  This is the first in this series for Nicole, not sure if I will read the next?


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