Brides of the Storm (Book 2 of the Galveston Hurricane Mystery Series) by Amanda Still: A Book Review

Brides of the Storm (Book 2 of the Galveston Hurricane Mystery Series)
Author: Amanda Still
Genre: Mystery & Suspense, Paranormal, Historical Fiction
Publisher: Gone Feral Publishing
Release Date: May 6th, 2013
Pages: 360
Source: This book was given to my by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: One Too Many Brides One bride died a year before the wedding, drowned in the waters of the Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900. One fell in love and expects a quiet wedding and a peaceful life. They are both surprised when the confused groom is suspected of a brutal murder. The gruesome death of a local prostitute occurred just after the "dead" wife returned to town. Are the two events connected? Dash, a female attorney, must find out the truth to bring peace to her own home as her adopted daughters are now torn between their love for her and suspicion that their original mother did not die in the storm, but might return. As Dash hunts a killer, she finds the dead are more help than the living in this dangerous pursuit. BRIDES OF THE STORM is the second book in the ECHOES OF THE STORM, Galveston Hurricane Mystery Series.

      My Review: This book is part of the series, Galveston Hurricane Mystery Series, but it is also a stand-alone mystery novel. The novel takes place after the hurricane disaster in 1900. The series is narrated by Dash, a female attorney, who helps solve murder crimes with a Scottish private-detective, Barker. The novel starts off with Dash's friend, Winnie, who is getting ready to marry Abelard, a wealthy anatomy professor. However, Abelard's wife that was believed to be dead from the hurricane suddenly comes back to reclaim Abelard as her husband. Meanwhile, Dash and Barker have discovered the gruesome murder of a prostitute. Could these two events somehow be connected?

     I found the setting of Galveston to be an interesting idea for a mystery series. The Galveston hurricane was the deadliest hurricane in American history that caused a lot of deaths and destruction in the city. Because of the chaos, it is a great feast for the setup of these murder mysteries. The author, Still, does a great job in portraying how the devastation of the hurricane impacted her characters and the setting. Dash is emotionally-damaged from the storm because it killed her husband and her neighbors. In the novel, other characters have also lost someone precious to them, and each of them tries their best to rebuild their lives again, but the ghost of the storm still haunts their everyday lives.

     Dash is a likable heroine. She is compassionate, loyal, selfless, and spirited. She is a moralist, and sometimes can be judgmental, outspoken, and stubborn, when something contradicts with her morals. She is very loving and motherly to her adopted daughters and tries her best to be accepted by her girls, who still long for their real mother. Dash is also highly intelligent, which is why she and Barker make a great team. Both are them highly observant, intelligent, and evenly-matched. They help each other and make observances that sometimes the other does not see. They both need each other to help solve the crime.

     Overall, this novel was a fun fast-paced thriller. There are thrills at every turn, and the reader will find it hard to put this novel down. The novel is filled with suspense, romance, paranormal, and humor. The dialogue is witty, and the setting and characters are well-developed. In fact, this novel left me waiting for more. I liked this book so much that immediately after I finished it, I bought the kindle version of the first novel, Echoes of the Storm (Book 1 of the Galveston Hurricane Mystery Series). I am looking forward to reading it and the other forthcoming novels in this series. Brides of the storm will appeal to fans of Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, Monk, and anyone who loves mystery.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars