In Azalea, Mississippi, the only thing hotter than the summer days are the men of the King family.When the patriarch Randall King is found dead, Detective Arabella Matthews will race the clock to stop the killer from striking again. Benton, the eldest of the King siblings, has to decide if he wants to cooperate with the feisty detective or conduct his own investigation. The more he finds out … out about his father–and the closer he gets to Arabella–the more he wants to keep her safe. But the killer has different plans . . .
(This book was previously titled The Elder.)
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Cinq étoiles mystérieuses. Ce livre est un thriller merveilleux. C’est à lire absolument!
“I’m a man of many talents.”
Wow! The Elder by talented Celia Aaron is a fantastic oeuvre d’art. This book was a suspenseful journey that left me wanting more. This time Celia Aaron delivers an original masterpiece that has all the elements that would make it a great movie. The book literally blow my mind. I couldn’t stop reading it. I was hooked from the first pages.
All the time I was at the edge of a heart attack. The author made fell deep in the story with her addictive and mysterious plot. Each chapter kept me on the edge of my seat biting my nails. I felt my heartbeat speed like les ailes d’un colibri. There is nothing that can compare with the delight I felt while I read this book.
I wonder what inspires Celia Aaron to write and create such amazing books. Each one is better than the others, it is like her writing is improving every time. She is too talented and I am glad I found her books a year ago. Since that, her books has become my own personal kind of drug. Her character are complex and strong.
The Elder is the first installment of the Mississippi King Series and it tells us Benton and Arabella’s story. He is the elder of the King Family and she is a feisty detective. They came from different worlds but a murder will bring them together. They will have to work together in order to destroy a web of lies and betrayal that were build over Azalia, Mississippi.
Arabella is a strong woman whose career is dangerous. She is a detective, (a good one). She will take the case of the murder of the patriarch of the King family and this will put her in danger. The mysterious web of lies will make her not trust anyone but the man who is the eldest of the King family.
“Benton King had plenty of layers, and only the very topmost one was well-starched and straight-laced. The rest of him was a mystery.”
Benton is a cocky attorney whose life was centered on his career. His life was turning dark. His father’s murder will destroy the opinion he had of him. He as the new head of the family will control the damage so his little brother and sister don’t take the shame of the lies that can destroy their father’s image. Porter and Charlotte are now his priorities. He doesn’t know who to trust. The assigned detective to his father’s case will change his life for good.
Murders, lies, betrayal, deception and love are the main topics of this book. All mixed in a wonderful storyline. I had a wonderful time reading and I want to repeat the experience. This is the kind of book that you wish it will never end.
I love that the heroine, Arabella, is not the typical damsel in danger she is stronger than that and she is capable of taking care of herself. She has a sharp mind and she can smell lies from kilometres. Her life will change the moment she trust Benton.
“I don’t need you to save me, Benton. I’m not that kind of woman. Never have been.”
She is self-sufficient and beautiful. However sometimes a girl just needs to feel the warmth and comfort of another human being. And Benton seems a good option for that work. I highly enjoy the interaction between Arabella and Benton. They have a powerful chemistry. They are fire and together will burn everything until they find out the truth hidden in all the lies.
“There could’ve been a full-on firefight outside, but I could only focus on the woman in my arms.”
If your soul craves a good thriller, this book is perfect for you. It is a brilliant story. It will captivate you. Celia Aaron did it again. I can’t wait to read Porter’s book. He is such a funny and intriguing man. I wonder if Charlotte also will have her own book.
4 Stars
Small town Azalea, Mississippi doesn’t know what has hit them! The King family is the top notch of this small town. The men are highly sought after from the single ladies in town. When the patriarch of the family turns up murdered in his own law office, the town goes into overdrive to find out who is responsible for the killing.
Arabella is familiar with Azalea. She spent many days driving around wishing she was part of the families from the other side of the tracks. Having grown up with nothing, she admired what the higher ups of the town had. Now the lead detective for this murder mystery, it’s her turn to finally shine. If she can solve this case!!
Benton King is the son of Randall King who was found murdered. Following in his father’s footsteps, he is also a very successful lawyer. Walking into find his father murdered in his own office, it has unleashed a madness to find out who did this.
As the story unfolds, the web gets woven…Randall King was involved in some pretty illegal doings. It’s not just Randall though, the others in this small town, who you think are innocent… You will come to find out that every small town has their fair share of crooks.
Working together day after day, Benton and Arabella find that even though they had different lives growing up, they seem to work very well together…both in solving the murder mystery and between the sheets. When it all comes together, will the two of them last long after their first case together?
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Loved it. Authentically Southern with a solid romance woven into a fast-paced small town suspense. Moar please!
This book was a great read, lots of suspense.
Mississippi King was a great read for me. I enjoyed the story being told in the first person with the two main characters. It gave me a whole different perspective.
A new author for me in the romantic suspense genre whom I am very pleased to have discovered!
Murder to start off with. The investigation was interesting. Love in the middle of all that. Wow. Happily ever after ending.
If I hadn’t just read The Cloister series then this would be a higher rating.
I loved the mystery. I didn’t figure out most of the what was going on which I liked. The plot was thought out. Plus it has a HEA. I wonder if there will be a book on Porter and Charlotte. If there is I hope Charlotte ends up with Logan.
Arabella and Benton are an amazing couple. I like the slow burn they had going. It made everything tense but in a good way.
I am moving on to another Celia Aaron book. I think I have two or three of her books on my TBR left.
On to the next one.
This was on of those recommended books when I was reading some seriously smutty smut. So I downloaded via KU, not really thinking about it. Well this isn’t smutty at all. It’s a mystery/thriller with one frantic quick steamy scene and some super minor sweet moments. With that said, it was a great book. It’s got a couple plot twists, great characters, and details are consistent and add to the depth of the story.
Wow, what a thrill ride! This first book is a wonderful start to Celia Aaron’s new Mississippi Kings series. It is filled with mystery, murder and suspense with some slow burn romance as well. When arrogant, sexy Attorney Benton King discovers his father has been murdered in his office, he will stop at nothing to find his killer, while protecting his other clients. If that means sticking close to the beautiful, clever, headstrong Detective Arabella who is investigating this case, that is what he must do. Arabella doesn’t think Benton is guilty, but she isn’t convinced he is telling her the whole truth. As she keeps him close, the body count mounts, and the case grows more complicated. The closer they get to the truth, the more their lives are in danger. There are twists and turns that keep you fully engaged, trusting no one! I loved the growth of Benton and Arabella’s relationship allowing time to really trust each other. This is an intriguing story, with complex characters, and a thrilling conclusion that will take you by surprise! I love the start of this series and look forward to more from the Mississippi Kings!
Oh..My God…..this story….total southern comfort wrapped in a mystery with a dash of hot & spicy! Wow, just wow…..so much detail…engaged from the start with a bang & kept me anxiously reading to figure out who was behind what!!! Had flashbacks of True Blood with all the southern charm & descriptions of the small town and it’s people. Such characters…. Benton…mmmmm the elder King;) responsible, intelligent, commanding……he exudes confidence in all things. Arabella ….such a strong yet feminine love interest…so perfect…..and the chemistry…the build-up-pure perfection! Porter…the younger more deviant & charming King….the Sheriff….puh-lease say his book is next & that it will involve improper use of hand-cuffs?;) I am in LOVE with the Kings, and can’t wait for more of them!!
The Elder is all mystery and suspense. It kept my attention and kept me guessing what was going to happen next. Romance was not the main part of the story which was nice, a little change for me was good. There is flirting between the two main characters which blossoms into love at the end of the story.
This being my first read by Celia Aaron, she did not disappoint. The Elder was an enjoyable read for me, I appreciate the attention Celia put in the story and going over the two alibis that were mentioned in the beginning of the story at the end. She did not leave us readers hanging and wondering the outcome and truth about these two alibis.
-Review done for Janise’s Jivin Book Blog-
I am steadily becoming a huge fan of Celia Aaron and although I’m not the biggest fan of anything involving murders and mystery, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I didn’t love it as much as her previous books I’ve read, but there seriously isn’t a genre this woman can’t write. I have to admit I was immediately pulled into this mystery from the very beginning. As so many of Randall King’s secrets get revealed and his son Benton begins to wonder how much truly knew about his father, I was completely wrapped up into this mystery.
I liked that there was more to both Benton and Arabella than each of their first assumptions about each other. I think Aaron did a great job with Arabella’s character. She was strong-willed and smart. Despite her being a woman and people looking down on that fact, she never let it get to her, especially the fact that she is black. I respect that the author did not skim over that fact and actually talked about the things that not only a woman with authority in a male dominated job goes through, but also a woman of color. The story was really good and keeps you on the edge of your seat. It was also very funny and while the romance wasn’t the focus point of the story I still really liked the slow burn of it.
This was a fantastic book and I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed it considering I don’t really like much mystery & thrillers. But this book has so much going for it and its for me to put down any Celia Aaron book. The characters are great and the story is even better.
So this book is a murder mystery with a love story wrapped in. This booked reminded me of Tami Hoag’s writing.
With a “beloved” member of the community being murdered and having a hidden life. The cops have very little to go on and the family doesn’t seem to want to help or know anything.
Detective Arabella Matthews is a single mother and head detective in this town. She is a no-nonsense kind of person. She has no time for love or peoples crap. When she and her partner Logan are called into the King lawyer office to find the senior King murdered and the two sons the prime suspects.
Benton King is a lawyer at his fathers firm. Porter is the County Sheriff. There is also a sister Charlotte in the King family. As all the King family seems close none of them seem to know what is going on with their father.
Arabella and Benton decide to work together to find his fathers killer. While everyone tries to figure out what is going on, Arabella and Benton start having feelings for each other. But it is very subtle. And that is what I liked about this story. I voluntarily read an advance reader copy for my honest review.
The Elder is a heart stopping suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat! I couldn’t put this book down, I was glued to my kindle screen trying to figure out who the murderer was. So much suspense and intrigue surrounds this entire story and leaves you breathlessly turning pages. The Elder shows us true suspense with every page, throw in some chemistry between Arabella and Benton and I was hooked.
Benton just found his father murdered, Arabella is the lead detective on the case. Both clash at the start. It’s a race to find a killer as more bodies drop. Benton and Arabella’s chemistry from the start is noticeable. Arabella is an independent, tough as nails detective. Benton is a stuck up, cold lawyer. Both seem to melt in each other’s company. I won’t give much more away about them or the plot, just know you are in for a hell of a ride!
I loved everything about The Elder and didn’t want it to end. I was pulled in from page one and just couldn’t look away. So many secrets to uncover left me feeling like I was watching an old episode of Murder She Wrote. I enjoyed every word. I’m a big fan of romantic suspense and Celia Aaron does them true to the genre. She had me gasping and scratching my head in confusion at the right parts. I’m definitely excited to see if there will be more from this world!
A must read!
This read was the perfect combination of suspense, passion and angst. There’s nothing better than a unique, twisted, murder mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
This complex murder mystery was full of fantastic unexpected twists and turns. The story takes place in the southern town of Azalea which became a character in and of itself. The plot was intriguing and exciting. As each layer of mystery is unfolded we learn more about the family secrets, lies and betrayals the “good folk” of Azalea are embroiled in. Social class, old boys club politics add to the suspense and entanglement in this “who dunnit” mystery.
The characters were well developed and likable. I enjoyed the sharp fun banter and sexual tension between Detective Arabella and Benton King, the eldest son of town patriarch Randall King.
As they try to solve the recent wave of murders in their sleepy town, they begin to uncover things about their town, their families and themselves.
The edgy twists and turns and the slow burn between Arabella and Benton had me glued to the pages as I was trying to guess the outcome.
Omg… and what an outcome it was!
4.5 stars!
I love reading Celia Aaron’s books. She puts so many wonderful layers into things and you have to dig down to find the truth of the story and go on the same adventure and journey that her characters have to go through to find the truth. It makes for some delicious stories to read.
Benton King opens the door to his father’s office at their shared law firm to find that his father has been shot dead. When he calls the police, he gets Detective Arabella Matthews. Their small town of Azalea only has a few police officers, and of the 2 detectives in the police force, she’s the senior. Benton has a significant stick shoved up where the sun doesn’t shine and he’s just positive that she won’t be able to solve the murder of his father.
Arabella has worked really hard to get to the point where she is now. She’s a good cop and she knows it. When she gets called to the King and Morris law firm to handle a murder, she knows that she can run the case and find the killer. It doesn’t matter what the lawyer has to say or his mostly incompetent yet oddly lovable brother, who is the county sheriff, or their sister has to say. None of the Kings are going to stop her from finding out what’s going on. Benton keeps trying to shove his way into her case, but she’s not going to let that stop her either.
There is so much intrigue and suspense in this story. I never knew who was going to do what or why they were doing it. That’s so awesome. I love reading mysteries, but sometimes I end up figuring out who did it and why they did it before the big reveal. I prefer to find out the who and why organically. So, the fact that Celia Aaron can keep me guessing that way is just awesome. The connection between Arabella and Benton is great, even though he kind of got a little overprotective sometimes, trying to get in between Arabella and her duty. But other than that, it’s a good connection.
Small town police, small town politics, money laundering, corruption and big city crime…homocide this book has it all. Evenly paced action, lots of plot twists and an excellent cast of characters give a complete reading experience.
Benton King; stoic, by the book attorney and Arabella Matthews, police detective from the wrong side of the tracks team up to initially solve his father’s murder. But soon the body count multiplies faster than they can keep up with. The more pieces of the puzzle they figure out the less it makes sense. Meanwhile Arabella slowly but surely works her way under Benton’s skin and into his heart. He’s determined to be by her side to keep her safe no matter what.
How does one solve a murder in a small southern town where everyone knows everyone else, and they all have secrets to hide? How well do your really know your neighbors, your friends, your family? What are you willing to expose to find the truth? Who care you trust?
Enter into this dark, stormy, humid, and atmospheric story and follow along as two mismatched people follow the clues to solve the murder of the century in this small quite town. Secrets will be exposed, lies will be told, lives will be lost, and passion will be ignited.
This is the story of a rich man’s murder and the secrets that must be exposed to find the truth.
Annabella is a strong, slightly broken woman who has worked her entire live to be what she has become; the lead detective on this murder case. She is strong and determined, resilient and confident. She knows her limits and abilities and is the best of women. Her clashes with Benton are because of personality and power; she holds it and he wants it. She does not back down, follows the truth no matter where it takes her, and will sacrifice what she must.
Benton is straight laced, ridged, stuffy and untrusting. He has lived his entire life in the pursuit of acceptance from his father. When his father is murdered, he feels it is his job to get to the bottom of what happened because no one else will work as hard or care as much. This is where a lot of the conflict between him and Annabella comes into play.
The secondary cast of charters, Porter, Charlotte, Winston, Randell, Logan, and others makes this story complex and multifaceted. The interweaving of their lives, their choices, and more importantly their secrets makes the mystery feel impossible. Each character was well developed, complex and important to the story line; nothing was wasted in here, every action was important.
The cast of characters along with the plot will keep you guessing and have you on the edge of your seat and just when you think you know something, bam, the story takes a different turn…“secrets. So many secrets.” The details are so well formed that everything flows together as there is action and heart racing scenes.
My only quarrel with this story is that it is considered a slow burn romance; but I felt it was a mystery with a bit of romance in it: 85% mystery and 15% romance. I wanted more romance interwoven into the story then I got. There were some great moments that I felt were passed up and could have really brought the romance closer to the surface. This is purely a personal preference and my own opinion. The story was wonderful the way it was written, I just wanted more. If you enjoy murder mysteries then this is a great one to read, I recommend it.
So many suspects, so little time, in this good old fashioned whodunit.
The Elder, the first book in this new series by Celia Aaron, is the game of Clue come to life. First, the patriarch of the King family, in his office with a gun shot to the head and it’s game on. Mystery and murder ensue, throw in a dash of romance and steamy, sexy time and well, Azalea, Mississippi just got really interesting.
The Elder is Benton King and Arabella Matthews’ story, but I’m pretty sure we haven’t seen the last of them. The delightful pool of side characters and King siblings add another layer of entertainment that make this story interesting and fast paced. Kudos for the honorable mention of Blackwood, LOL…crazy must be a prerequisite for this neighborhood.