Book Review: Dead in the Water by Annelise Ryan

Dislosure / Disclaimer: I received this ebook, free of charge,from Kensington Publishing, via Netgalley, for review purposes on this blog. No compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it

Deputy coroner Mattie Winston is starting to feel like she’s in way over her head . . .

Synopsis:

As the single mom of an energetic toddler and an investigator working for the medical examiner’s office in small-town Sorenson, Wisconsin, Mattie is used to her life being a juggling act. But now that she’s moved in with Detective Steve Hurley and his teenaged daughter Emily, and has started planning their wedding, her home life is looking more like a three-ring circus. And with her boss and friend, Izzy, suddenly having a health crisis, she could not be more grateful for the newest staff member in the ME’s office, Hal Dawson.

All too quickly her gratitude turns to shock when a floating body found trapped against a dam turns out to be Hal, but the cause of death isn’t drowning—his throat’s been slashed. Hal was supposed to be fishing on his day off with his girlfriend. And when their empty boat is found in a nearby lake, the whereabouts of the woman becomes an even more urgent question.

To find out what really happened to her coworker, Mattie may need to rock the boat. But a killer is just as determined to keep the truth from ever surfacing, even if that means making Mattie the next one to go under.

About Mattie:

You betcha! Wisconsin RN, Mattie Winston, is wryly cynical, politically incorrect, and inherently nosy, traits that suit her well when she trades in her hospital scrubs and OR table for a plastic apron and autopsy table. As a Deputy Coroner, she still gets to use her slicing and dicing skills, but now instead of saving people's lives, she is dedicated to finding out how and why they died. It's a whole new world for Mattie, one that includes a hunky homicide detective, one toddler and one teenager at home.

Review:

This is the 8th book in the series, and I'm sad to say, the first one I have read! Which does seem odd, as this series is JUST the type I love to read, when I need a mystery that us also a quick read! this book starts with one murder and ends up with 3. Are they related or just bad coincidence? When Mattie realizes the personal connection, she gets out of the lab and teams up with Hurley to sift through the past to see if it is affecting the future. All while trying to plan an impromptu wedding. Will the past come back to haunt the living? Will the wedding happen, or will another murder interrupt it? This is a fun read that will have you guessing and re-guessing, as you rapidly turn the pages!

About the Author:

Annelise Ryan is the pseudonym for the author of the Mattie Winston Mysteries and another mystery series. She has written more than 200 published articles, worked as a book reviewer for Barnes & Noble, and is an active member of Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. She currently works as a registered nurse in an ER. She can be reached at www.mattiewinston.com.