I’m happy to be bringing you my review for Cousin Ash by S.E Sheperd on behalf of Hobeck Books. Thanks to Rebecca Collins and Adrian Hobart for the copy of the book to bring you my review.
‘RUN FOR IT!’
Were they also Ash’s last words?
A chance meeting with a school friend of Lottie’s brings Hannah a new case. She’s confident Sandlin Private Investigations can find out who’s responsible for the recent threats at Eliza’s house. But, as she and Lottie begin to unravel the facts of the present case, they also find themselves involved in a longstanding mystery.
Three cousins, once as close as siblings.
Ash, the black sheep
Grieving Ash loved her dad deeply, but swore no one else understood her. She’s been missing for twelve years, and is now presumed dead.
Eliza, the peacemaker
Eliza, rebuilding her life after heartbreak, inherits everything.
Scott the ‘baby’
Scott, broken and bitter, inherits nothing.
What made Auntie Miriam so angry that she left nothing in her will to Scott? And why did Scott and Eliza make a pact all those years ago never to admit the truth about the disappearance of their cousin Ash?
Ash may be presumed dead, but somehow, she’s still causing trouble. Ultimately, the case can’t be solved without answering the question – what really happened the last time the three cousins were all together in Lullaby Woods?
The second book in a series that I am just jumping into now. I have no clue how I missed the first one, but I shall be on the lookout. Saying that, I don’t feel like I missed anything important, so all was well.
Three cousins, Ash, Eliza and Scott spent their childhoods as close as possible, until Ash went missing. Fast foward to Ash’s mother’s death and Eliza is left everything, including the house. Scott isn’t impressed as he thinks he should have half as he is as equally entitled. He happens to need it as well. Eliza’s ex-husband is another one who isn’t happy.
Eliza bears the brunt of everything and I felt for her. Not only did she have to cope with the pressure from everyone constantly, but she has to try to deal with her own grief from three miscarriages and then the divorce from her husband.
Just as she thinks things can’t get any worse, she begins to think she is being followed, so hires a private investigator to find out. But, what will P.I Hannah Handlin discover? Maybe more than anyone bargained for.
Eliza is a character that my heart went out to. A woman with the world on her shoulders who proved every minute of the day just how strong she was. Hannah and her friend Lottie have a great friendship and I liked to see that. Nowadays too many women are too hypocritical. It reminded me of my best friend and I at times.
Every character is strong,multi layered and vivid. Be it for good or bad. I wasn’t keen on Scott or Eliza’s ex, both out for what they could get. All interesting characters that intrigued me enough to want to find out what happened to them all.
A story that I genuinely wanted to keep reading and one that held twists I wasn’t expecting too. A great recommended read from me.
Buy Link https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B9T99QTT/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_137ZWDK1F9W4VF8WFWX7
Author Bio
Sue Shepherd was born in Harrow, she then spend several years living in Hertfordshire before taking a leap of faith across The Solent to the picturesque Isle of Wight. Sue lives with her husband, two sons, and their two dogs, a Standard Poodle named Forrest, and a Cavachon called Sky.
Sue’s passions in life are: her family, writing, the sea-side and all the beautiful purple things her sons have bought her over the years.
Now writing under the name S E Shepherd, Sue’s first suspense novel, Swindled, Book 1 in The Sandlin PI Series was published in September 2021 by Hobeck Books. The second in the Sandlin PI Series, Cousin Ash, was published in August 2022.
Sue has also written three RomComs, ‘Doesn’t Everyone Have a Secret?’ which reached the top ten UK Kindle chart in 2015, ‘Love Them and Leave Them.’ and ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Head.’
Ask Sue to plan too far in advance and you’ll give her the heebie-jeebies and she’d prefer you not to mention Christmas until at least November!
You can catch up with Sue Shepherd in the following ways –
Twitter: @thatsueshepherd
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SueShepherdWrites
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