Sweet Spot: A Ghostwriter Mystery
by Kemper Donovan
Our thematic book club for October left the selection of
books wide open with “Fall into Reading.” That wasn’t too hard for me, and I
selected the novel “Sweet Spot.”
Belle Currer is a ghostwriter. The subject of her latest book
is Genevieve Caraway, the victim of a brutal abduction as a teenager, who
managed to survive and even thrive after her trauma. She even wrote her own
self-help memoirs about it. This time, though, they want a ghostwriter to help
bring a new level of professionalism and make it a bit more “high-brow.”
The majority of the story takes place in Utah at a desert
compound where Genevieve lives with her family, called Sweet Spot.
“But out West, at Sweet Spot, murder and I would reach a
whole new level of intimacy.”
There are quite a few interesting facets to the story, right
from the start.
Belle hopes to reestablish a spark with former flame Denny. He
shows up to the diner, but he’s engaged to Genevieve’s best friend, Abi, and is
really there to interest Belle in the ghostwriting job.
She accepts the situation, and the job, but now she is on
the prowl for someone to drown her sorrows with because she had felt like Denny
was the one who got away.
Of course, Abi turns out to be super nice and friendly. ‘She
beamed at me. “I’m so glad you’re finally here. Genevieve and I’ve both been
big fans of yours since Daisy Lester.”’
In her loneliness, Belle turns to Luke, a corrections
officer with beautiful blue eyes her editor set her up to interview for the
book. He works with the man who kidnapped Deidre.
In another twist, the woman who helped her husband hold
Genevieve hostage and abuse her, Deidre, is being released from prison. She
turns up at Sweet Spot wanting to talk to Genevieve but is turned away.
However, the next morning Deidre is found dead inside the “impregnable
compound.”
Belle, as the narrator, has a nice level of snark to her voice,
but my absolute favorite character is the police detective, Kay. She’s a spunky,
pregnant, Mormon described as a bit rodent like in appearance due to protruding
teeth. “Such animals have the appearance of friendliness because they’re cute,
but in reality, they’re ruthless.”
The cast at the compound are distinctive and interesting.
There’s Genevieve and her jock husband with their son, a violin prodigy. The
housekeeper is a very religious woman, Rose, who Genevieve’s mother brought in
a little while after Genevieve went missing. Her father is there with his
boyfriend, Kenji, and Abi is also staying there. Each have their own issues and
story line.
There are some good twists and turns along with a good level
of description. I’ve never been out west but the description of the desert in
Utah is vivid enough to make me feel like I can see it.
I admit I figured out who did it before the reveal but the
reveal itself, and the resolution, were a surprise and extremely inventive.
Perhaps a touch rushed, but maybe that was how quickly I was reading.
I definitely want to read more by this author. 4.5 out of 5
stars.
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