“A page-turning cozy with a dollop of noir . . . quirky characters and a Los Angeles setting that comes alive . . . Silverman has penned another winner.” –Dianne Emley, Los Angeles Times-bestselling author When radio reporter Carol Childs is called to a crime scene in the Hollywood Hills at five thirty in the morning, she’s convinced it must be a publicity stunt to promote a new movie. That … promote a new movie. That is, until she sees the body hanging from the center of the Hollywood sign. The police are quick to rule it a suicide, but something doesn’t add up for Carol. Particularly after a mysterious caller named Mustang Sally confesses to the murder on the air and threatens to kill again.
With the help of an incorrigible PI, her best friend, and a kooky psychic, Carol is drawn into the world of contract killers and women scorned. As she races to find the real killer, she finds herself faced with a decision that will challenge everything she thought she knew.
“Grips a reader from the first page, offering an addictive mix of wit and suspense. Silverman is a master at crafting ripped-from-the-headlines storylines that feature a smart, appealing protagonist. Room for Doubt leaves no doubt this is one of the strongest contemporary mystery series out there.” –Ellen Byron, USA Today-bestselling author of the Cajun Country Mysteries
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A body has been found hanging from the Hollywood sign, and radio reporter Carol Childs is sent to the scene. The police have ruled it a suicide, but Carol thinks something else is going on. Before the weekend is over, Carol is contacted by a PI who shares her belief that there is more to this death. Then a caller to Carol’s new late Sunday show all but confesses. What is really going on?
From this intriguing premise, we get another fun mystery filled with plenty of suspense. I did have some issues with some moral issues brought up in this book, which is funny because I am on the opposite side of things on some TV shows I watch. A psychic we met in the first book is back, but I was happy that her “ability” only played a small part in the book. In fact, I enjoyed seeing her again since she is a fun foil for Carol. I really liked the cast of characters as well. There were some timeline issues in the middle of the book, but overall, they were a minor annoyance.
I have not read this author before and this is the 4th book in the series. It didn’t matter, I still understood the characters and how they related. I may not know all the background but I was still able to enjoy this book. I wasn’t sure I was going to like it, but as I continued to read, I became engrossed in the story. There are some grammar problems and such. For instance she gets a call at 5:55 am and then complains it’s not even 5:00 am. Sorry, but it is 55 minutes past 5:00 am. That aside, I liked Carol and her crew. Her boss Tyler is a twerp, but that’s OK. The story has some twists to it that made me change my mind on the killer. You do know who the killer is fairly early in the story, but it is the background of the killer that makes the tale interesting. I would read more by this author.
This is the fourth Carol Childs book in the series. I’ve read them all, but I think this was by far the best. It was a different twist on the usual storyline of finding out who committed the crime. This one brings in a gray area, thus the title, between right and wrong. It’s very well written including some of the same quirky characters from the other stories along with a new possible love interest. It keeps you interested from the beginning, right up until the end.
“Room for Doubt” earns 5/5 Call-in Callers with Cryptic Comments!
I am new to Nancy Cole Silverman’s Carol Childs series…where have I been, you ask? I have the first three books and always meant to read them due to the many 5-star reviews. ‘Better late than never’ with this fourth book, a perfect place to start: Police cover up? Multiple murder investigations? Vigilantes? Who knew talk radio could be so…dangerous! I never felt left out of any backstory or character connections having not read the previous books, and although a couple of references about previous cases were made, there were no spoilers for this newbie. The story was very exciting kept me engaged with a bit of humor to help cut the intensity. I found Nancy’s characters well developed and varied from responsible to quirky, meticulous to passionate. My favorite is Carol Childs, a strong-willed woman, and enjoyable following her interactions with Misty Dawn, a quirky homeless woman who has ingratiated herself into Carol’s life as a self-proclaimed psychic, and Garhardt “Chase” Chasen, a ruggedly handsome private investigator who seems to stir up more than Carol wants to deal with. The setting of LA and issues raising a sixteen year old and the ins and outs of ‘talk radio’ play out in the background along with addressing issues with abused women. This issue is not easy to bring into the cozy genre, but Nancy does it well. I am hooked and need to head back and read the rest of the series.
“Disclosure: A review copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher Henery Press through NetGalley. However, all of the above opinions are my own.”