Book Haunt

In 1956, Betty Broadbent lives in the small seaside village in St. Steele helping her alcoholic mother, Delores run a boarding house. Reporters have converged on the town and filled the boarding house. They are in town to cover the brutal murders of several young women. Betty finds herself mysteriously drawn to a reporter named Gallagher and they've soon forged a strained friendship. As Betty's relationship with Gallagher unfolds, they find themselves caught in a lie that condemns an innocent man.

Decades later in a different city, a woman named Mary picks up a newspaper to find that "The Cornish Cleaver" otherwise known as the man condemned of the murders in St. Steele, has been released from prison. Mary's guilt over the part she played years ago in condemning an innocent man is much worse than the diagnosis of cancer she has just received.

I was taken in by the mystery and Betty's story immediately. The story wound from the past to the present seamlessly and the mystery held through to the final pages. This book is heart-wrenching and very beautifully written. I will definitely be looking to read more from Laura Powell.

I want to thank the publisher (Freight Books) for providing me with the ARC through Netgalley for an honest review.