Below the Tree Line by Susan Oleksiw is the first book in the NEW “Pioneer Valley” mystery series. Publisher: Midnight Ink, coming September 8, 2018
In the Massachusetts countryside, family secrets run deep . . . but an outside threat could uproot them all
Felicity O’Brien hopes the warning shot fired from her porch is enough to scare off the intruder who’s been snooping around her family’s Massachusetts farm. Days later, when two young women are found dead nearby, Felicity can’t figure out how the deaths are related, and even her inherited healing touch isn’t enough to ease the community’s pain over the tragic loss.
Felicity does know that somebody wants something bad enough to kill for it, but all she has is the neglected property her parents passed down to her. Joining forces with her friend Jeremy Colson, Felicity tries to uncover the truth and save herself and her land from those who are capable of unthinkable harm.
I found this to be a fascinating tale that started out slow but as the story progressed, the pacing picked up and I could not put it down until I knew the intended outcome.
The visually descriptive narrative spoke for itself as the author wove a tightly-drawn mystery filled with intrigue as it kept my interest and suspense as I did not know what was being done to whom. Little did I know the author spared no expense in how this drama was documented from the first shot to the wayward car being driven to the young women sitting by the tree to the words spoken by Felicity’s father to nefarious doings that lead to the actions perpetrated by unknown forces where the land and the trees hold a secret left to be discovered. The tempo increased as the story came to its conclusion with a surprising twist at the person responsible. I liked how it ended with new opportunities and adventures for Felicity. This was an enjoyable tale and I look forward to the next book in the series.
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FTC Full Disclosure – I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.