TLC Tour Review: The Shadow Box by Luanne Rice

Title: The Shadow Box

Author: Luanne Rice

Year Published: 2021

Category: Adult fiction (mystery)

Pages: 368

Rating: 5 out of 5

Location (my 2021 Google Reading map): USA (Connecticut)

FTC Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher for a fair review

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): After artist Claire Beaudry Chase is attacked and left for dead in her home on the Connecticut coast, she doesn’t know who she can trust. But her well-connected husband, Griffin--who is running for governor--is her prime suspect.

Just before the attack, Claire was preparing for an exhibit of her shadow boxes, one of which clearly accuses Griffin of a violent crime committed twenty-five years ago. If the public were to find out who her husband is, his political career would be over. Claire’s certain her husband and his powerful supporters would kill her to stop the truth from getting out.

When one of Claire’s acquaintances is murdered, the authorities suspect the homicide is linked to the attack on Claire. As the dual investigations unfold, Claire must decide how much she’s willing to lose to take down her husband and the corrupt group of elites who will do anything to protect Griffin’s interests and their own.

Purchase Links Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Connect with Luanne Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Review: Ok. Luanne Rice has written 37 (!) books before this one and it turns out, she is an alumnus of my college: Connecticut College. How have I not heard of her before? I am embarrassed!

Anyway, back to the book itself. Wow. This is such a good book! I am bummed that I had to wait almost a week to post it since it's part of a tour. But, finally. Here's the published post.

This book is full of tension (like butterflies in my stomach, can't wait to find out who did it tension). The chapters are told from multiple points of view, depending on whose story needs to come out at the time (and I love multiple POV), but we mostly hear from Claire, the victim on page one. I loved that past deeds by various characters came out, threading their way into relevance in everyone's present.

It was also fun to have a book set in the area where I went to college and to hear the towns (New London, Mystic) and geographical features (Long Island Sound, the Thames River, Block Island) as the backdrop to the action. And action there is. The first sentence has Claire wondering if she is dead or dying. Bam! Right out of the gate this book grabs the reader so hold on for the ride.

I woke up at 3:30am and my first thought was "oh, I can't sleep, that means I can read Shadow box!" I definitely want to read more of Luanne Rice's books now. Have you read any of them? If so, which ones do you recommend?

Challenges for which this counts:

Alphabet (Author): "R"
Cloak and Dagger
Literary Escapes--Connecticut
Popsugar--A prompt from a previous Popsugar challenge (2020--an author with more than 20 books)