The Case of the Amorous Assailant by Terry Ambrose

Series Name: Beachtown Detective Agency Mystery #1
Genre: Private Investigator
Release: October 18, 2022

New PI Jade Cavendish’s investigation into a cheating husband takes a bizarre turn when she uncovers a plot to commit murder.

The Amorous Assailant has frustrated police for months. His MO is always the same. He binds his victims with red silk, kisses them, and leaves them with a red rose. Women throughout the city are worried they’ll be his next victim.

Novice PI Jade Cavendish isn’t one of them, though. After inheriting the Beachtown Detective Agency, she’s worried about landing a paying client. Any client. She’d even settle for a dognapping.

Gina Rose, a wealthy young heiress, has a problem. Her new husband, a man she thought was her perfect match, is bleeding her dry. When Gina hires Jade to prove her husband is defrauding her, Jade quickly learns he’s a terrible businessman. His investment properties are oozing money like open wounds.

On the surface, it appears Gina simply has bad taste in men. But Jade refuses to give up on her client so easily. Her investigation pulls her into a world filled with greed, one where secrets are a way of life, events are not always what they seem, and lies conceal deadly realities—including the Amorous Assailant’s true motive.

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Dru’s Short Musing:
A new private investigator is in town and her name is Jade who inherits her father’s detective business and immediately broke his #1 rule. But what this brings is an intriguing tale of subterfuge and when Jade delves into his shenanigans, she finds a web of deceit and secrecy.

This book was enjoyable and quickly became a page-turner as I had to know what was going to happen next. The mystery was nicely done with a solid plot, a small suspect pool, well-planted clues, and a few red herrings that kept me in the game. The pacing was on par with how well this story was being told and I liked the comfortable tone that made it easy to follow along with what the author intended. The visually descriptive narrative and engaging dialogue made the story feel alive with its action-packed drama. I really liked how this was staged from beginning to end. I also enjoyed the relationship that Jade has with her parents and the role they play in this story. This is unlike other PI books I’ve read – this one having a cozy edge to it, and I like it. I hope there will be more adventures with Jade and her friends in this exciting new series.

FTC Full Disclosure – I received a digital ARC of this book from the author.