Disco Dead by Marcia Talley
Series Name: Hannah Ives Mystery #19
Genre: Cozy
Release: November 1, 2022
A trip to the local cemetery draws Hannah into a puzzling case stretching back forty years.
It may seem creepy, but Hannah Ives enjoys her expeditions to the local cemetery to help people find their deceased relatives. Usually a quiet affair, Hannah is surprised when she encounters Isabel ‘Izzy’ Randall laying flowers on the grave of Amy Madison, a college senior who was killed in 1978. Last seen in a popular Annapolis disco bar, Amy’s murder remains unsolved.
Hannah’s interest in the case leads her to join Silent Sleuths, a small, passionate group of ‘citizen detectives’ dedicated to trying to solve cases like Amy’s, and their research soon suggests that Amy may have been the first of several victims targeted by a serial killer. As DNA from the scene of the murder throws up surprising results, their investigation takes them down unexpected avenues. Is Amy’s killer still alive, or has an untimely death taken them beyond justice?
Dru’s Short Musing:
A routine trip to the cemetery puts Hannah in the path of Isabel Randall and thus began an interesting foray into a cold case murder and DNA.
The first chapter hooked me, and I could not put this book down, quickly becoming a page-turner as I had to know who did what to whom and why. The author did a great job in providing the right amount of detail to keep me engaged throughout the multi-plot storyline. The set up was brilliantly done and I enjoyed following the intricacies of the DNA clues and the research involved in making this a compelling and comfortable read. There were a few plot twists that put things in perspective and clarified the pivotal roles played by Izzy, Mark, Jack, and Hannah. The military jargon and know-how were interesting as well and kept the drama moving forward. The pacing was on par with how well this story was being told and I applaud the author on a job well done, especially with the trail that led to the killer’s identity. One of my favorite scenes was when Hannah went out and bought herself a new laptop because she was hogging the computer in the house. I adore the relationship between Hannah and Paul and how they support each other, and I liked the chapter headings that were song related. I hope we get to see more exploits with the Silent Sleuths. This was a terrific read and I look forward to more adventures with the Hannah and her friends.
FTC Full Disclosure – I received a digital ARC of this book from the author.