All things work together for the good for those who believe. Too bad Maura Garrison, a private investigator, isn’t a believer. The murder she was hired to solve hinges on its parallel in the Old Testament book, Judges, but she was just dumped by her pastor-husband so the Bible is the last thing she wants to turn to for answers. Rick Styles, Maura’s husband, is a popular marriage and family … family counselor with a thriving writing and speaking side business. He’s also the member of a city council committee dedicated to getting homeless children off the streets of Portland, Oregon, a worthy goal that seems to have attracted the attention of a sick and twisted killer.
She’s working the hardest case she’s ever faced during the hardest time of her life with few friends she can count on and only her cat Rhoda for support. Solving this crime means digging deep into issues Maura wants desperately to avoid, will she be able to see her way through this tangle in time to stop a serial killer?
The Book of Judges: A Maura Garrison Mystery is classic Christian murder in the spirit of Chesterton, Sayers, Peretti, and Rushford.
Hilton’s prose is beautiful and clever. She draws readers into the story with vivid descriptions of places and emotion states. –The BookLife Prize
Hilton opens up a thought-provoking mystery in The Book of Judges, exploring the idea of forgiveness and belief through Maura’s personal relationships. A must-read for mystery lovers! –Reader’s Favorites
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I just finished The Book of Judges by Traci Tyne Hilton and I can’t wait to read the second book in the series! Once I started reading it, I didn’t want to put it down. One of the main things that I look for in a suspense novel is, “how long did it take me to figure out who is the culprit?”. In the Book of Judges, I didn’t figure it out until I was told! The main characters were well presented, and I was able to relate to them. I also like that it wasn’t a cliffhanger but at the same time, it was! To clarify, enough questions were answered that I was content with the ending, but there were enough unanswered questions that I want to read the next book.
I absolutely loved this book! It drew me in from the very beginning & kept me hooked! I couldn’t wait to get to the next chapter. There were so many twists & turns, I was anxious to get to the next plot twist. But I have to say, I never saw this ending coming! I was also curious, so after I finished the book, I read the entire book of Judges in the bible. I can’t wait for the 2nd & 3rd books to come out! I’ve already pre-ordered books #2! Good writing Traci!
Maura Garrison, Private I, is one tough lady so when she finds another woman in her bed, she leaves and takes her husband’s cat with her. That would be great if she wasn’t allergic to cats. She temporarily moves into her office hoping to get a case to make some money. Most of her business is suspicious husbands and/or wives but what gets dropped in her lap is a murder, a very gruesome murder.
Things don’t get any better during the investigation because she is also dealing with an unreasonable landlord, another murder, and she still needs to figure out what to do about her marriage.
This book was hard to put down and the ending blew me away. I am so excited that a sequel is coming.
I received a free e-book in exchange for this honest review.
This brand-new series serves up cozy mystery fun with a side of insight. Maura doesn’t let the killer get away with murder or Christians to get away with hypocrisy or complacency. This is a definite “don’t miss” book, and I’m eager to read the next book in the series.
I received a free digital copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.
I was given an ARC of this book and didn’t know what to expect. All I can say is “wow”! The main character Maura is facing her worst nightmare; a cheating pastor-spouse. To try to occupy her time and not focus on what is happening in her personal life, she is hired as a private investigator in a case that involves the Old Testament and unknowingly her spouse.
What I love most about this book was the author’s depiction of Maura. The character was faced with having to look at all she believes (believed) in, find the strength to persevere, determine who/what she could put her trust in, and work to uncover the reasons why a beloved individual was murdered.
I found that I could not put the book down and am happy to hear that this is just the first in a new series.
Do you love a good book? What about a killer mystery?
Traci Tyne Hilton has written the first book in her new series: The Book of Judges (Maura Garrison #1), which is just to die for, seriously it is that good. I was fortunate to receive an e-book copy of this new title for an honest review.
I have enjoyed reading several of her cozy mysteries, but The Book of Judges is much edgier and has plot twists that are intriguing until the very end. Maura, the main character, will have you riding the emotional roller coaster of her life as she navigates through a rocky marriage, her career as a private investigator, and learning to understand what she believes.
The story is written as first-person through Maura’s eyes with her sarcastic coping and quirky inner narrative the reader is allowed insight to the PI’s investigative process, as well as, her struggles with life. I liked the detail of the characters and the development of the setting, but the most enjoyable part was reading the interactions of the characters as Maura sought a killer while trying to keep her life from falling apart. The only thing I found a bit disappointing was the lack of background on the main character’s occupation as a P.I., which would help give insight to Maura’s investigative nature.
The author has done an excellent job of holding the reader’s interest as she moves through Maura’s inner dialogue and the entertaining interactions with other characters. Right from the start, there is a little surprise then just as you settle into solving the mystery *BAM* she hits you with a “didn’t see that coming” plot twist. I can’t wait until the second book in the series is released since there are still questions to be answered!