BOOK REVIEW #THE BLUFF # DOMESTIC THRILLER #CRIME #PATHWAYS PUBLISHING #BONNIE TRAYMORE #PSYCHOLOGICAL FICTION

 MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW

Kate moved from the bustling city of Manhattan to the tranquil town of Crest Lake six years ago, seeking a quieter life and a fresh start. She had her share of worries—finding a job, adjusting to a slower pace, and navigating her relationship with Ryan Breslow, a charming photographer. Yet, she never anticipated the ground beneath her would become a literal and figurative threat.

A year ago, Ryan's tragic death in a car accident left Kate reeling. Still grappling with her grief and the desire to escape the painful memories, Kate aims to sell her house and leave Crest Lake behind. However, her plans are thwarted as the house edges dangerously close to a crumbling bluff that has affected the entire lakefront community.

Tensions escalate as the town debates how to address the erosion problem. The situation takes a darker turn when a contentious vote on the issue is marred by the murder of Kate's adversary on the shoreline committee. With her property now practically unsellable and the community in turmoil, Kate finds herself entangled in a complex web of secrets and suspicions.

As Kate navigates the escalating crisis, she must unravel the mystery behind the murder and confront the truth about her own life and relationships, all while grappling with the ever-present threat of the crumbling bluff.

The Bluff is a well-paced, compelling Psychological thriller with believable motivations and actions from the characters. It happens that the two homicides in the plot occur in same connected manner and leave evidence and accusations seems unexpected.

Thanks to Netgalley and Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pathways Publishing for an advance copy for my honest review.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pathways Publishing (September 1, 2024)

Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 1, 2024

BOOK DESCRIPTION

“Traymore masterfully ratchets up the tension little-by-little until the shocking, explosive end."--Tracey Devlyn, USA Today bestselling author

“What do you have to lose, Kate?” Ryan asked me, as we stood on the bluff looking out on Lake Michigan.

Turns out, almost everything.

When I first moved from Manhattan to this small town six years ago, I worried about many things. I worried about finding a job. I worried that I’d be bored. I worried that my relationship with charming photographer Ryan Breslow was moving too fast. But I never worried about whether the ground beneath my feet would crumble—both literally and figuratively.

My marriage didn’t go as I’d imagined. A year ago, Ryan met his untimely death in a car accident that’s still under investigation. Isolated and alone, all I wanted was to sell my home and leave Crest Lake and its painful memories behind.

But with my home inching ever closer to the edge of the crumbling bluff, the property has become unmarketable. All of us on the lakefront have lost chunks of property, and tempers are at a boiling point about what to do next.

And now, on the evening of a contentious vote about how to fix this pressing issue, my nemesis on the shoreline committee has been murdered. I know how it looks, but it’s not what it seems. But I have to get my plan passed and cash out.

Because I do have secrets.

And they won’t stay buried forever.