Review: Lay Death At Her Door – Elizabeth Buhmann
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| Paperback: 314 pages Publisher: Red Adept Publishing (May 10, 2013) Language: English ISBN-10: 1940215005 ISBN-13: 978-1940215006 |
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Characters:
Kate Cranbrook
Miles “Pop” Cranbrook
Elliott Davis – College Professor
Jules Jefferson – Man imprisoned for rape and murder.
Synopsis:
Kate Cranbrook is 42 years old. Twenty years ago she testified in court against Jules Jefferson. The trail was for rape and murder. He was convicted and sent to prison. She lied. Now Twenty years later, he’s being released and her past starts to unravel.
Review
I really enjoyed this story. The character of Kate was not one you could like. She was a compulsive liar. She seemed to see beauty in someone until she didn’t get her way, then they became ugly and evil. She has a lot of underlying jealous feelings as well. While all that tends to make her a character the reader can’t like, she’s a well developed character, and the story itself is fascinating. As the story progresses, we see all the intricate spider web of lies that Kate has formed over the years start to fall apart. The more her lies and world crumbles, the more desperate she becomes to maintain control. This can often lead to tragic consequences.
Reading through, one cannot determine when Kate is telling the truth and when she is lying. The unreliable narrator is used in novels such as Huck Finn and Moll Flanders, and, in this case Ms. Buhmann uses it to her advantage in telling this story. Right off the bat you know the narrator can’t be trusted, so anything she says after that is suspect. This helps to lend the air of mystery to the story.
The supporting characters are well developed and their backgrounds play out through the narrative, particularly the Pops and Kate characters. There are twists and turns and surprises around ever corner, leading to a logical conclusion. I recommend this book for those who love mysteries or psychological dramas.
Due to the content, I’d say it’s for older teens and adults. But pick up a copy, give it a read, and stop back by and let us know what you thought about it.
About the Author
Elizabeth Buhmann is originally from Virginia, where her first novel is set, and like her main character, she lived several years abroad while growing up. She graduated magna cum laude from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, and has a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Pittsburgh.
For twenty years, she worked for the Texas Attorney General as a researcher and writer on criminal justice and crime victim issues. Elizabeth now lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband, dog, and two chickens. She is an avid gardener, loves murder mysteries, and has a black sash in Tai Chi.
*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Ms. Buhmann and Red Adept Publishign for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.
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