No Safe Place by Robin Mahle
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing…
Detective Rebecca Ellis has some big shoes to fill. Her father was the legendary detective, Hank Ellis, now retired from the Bangor Police Department. Emerging from his shadow hasn’t been easy.
So when she’s assigned to work with new hire, Detective Euan McCallister, Ellis is determined to keep their investigation right on track.
The explosive fire in a church parking lot looks straightforward at first. Claire Allen, a volunteer at the church, burned to death in her car. But then Ellis discovers the seatbelt had been rigged, trapping Claire in the inferno. This was no accident. It was murder.
Why was Claire at the church that night? Who would want her dead? In the race to find the truth, Ellis unearths a horrifying secret that takes the investigation into very dangerous territory.
Soon, Ellis will learn that in the search for this particular killer, there is no safe place.
About the author
Robin Mahle has published more than 30 crime fiction novels, many, of which, topped the Amazon charts in the US, Canada, and the UK. Also a screenwriter, she has adapted some of her works into teleplays, which have gone on to place in film festivals nationwide.
From detectives to federal agents, and from killers to corruption, her page-turning tales grab hold and refuse to let go. Throw in tense action and thrilling twists, and it becomes clear why her readers come back for more.
Robin lives in Coastal Virginia with her husband and two children.
No Safe Place is Robin Mahle's first book with Inkubator Books.
Follow her at:
Twitter : https://twitter.com/robinmahle
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/authorrobinmahle/
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/robinmahleauthor/
Website : www.robinmahle.com
Review
‘No Safe Place’ is a brilliant start to a new series based in a small city in Maine! I found it to be nuanced, empathetic, full of tension and twists and turns. I read the full book in two sittings and didn't want to leave the world of Detective Rebecca Ellis.
Rebecca Ellis is a detective in her local force and she has big shoes to fill as her father Hank was once a leading detective there before his retirement. She has been partnered up with a new guy Euan McCallister who has transferred down from Boston. When a car is set on fire in a church car park with its owner trapped inside it they soon realise that they have a murder case on their hands. But why was the victim, Claire, at the church that night? Their investigation soon takes them down a twisted path and into a crime they didn't expect!
I loved Rebecca Ellis as a character, a tough female protagonist with empathy and a troubled past. I liked her backstory as a kid and it was a good touch making her love (and frustration) for her family part of the narrative. Especially, when she is living under the shadow of her father’s reputation of being a legend! I also like the beginning of what I can see being a great partnership between her and Euan. I can't wait for the author to dive more into his backstory!
This was a fast-paced book that really allowed me the tension to build up as we were getting to know the characters and the players in the mystery. I will say that I did guess who the baddie was going to be but that didn't affect my enjoyment of the book. And I really did enjoy it. The narrative did turn down a dark corner towards the halfway point but it was done with empathy and sympathetic touch.
Roll on book two!
