Murder Beyond the Precipice by Penny Goetjen ~ #BookReview for #RBRT #Murder & Mayhem in Maine #FridayReads

Author: Penny Goetjen

Published: October 2018 by Secret Harbor Press

Category: Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Murder, Book Review

The Livingston family is no stranger to tragedy. Losing both parents at a young age in what authorities ruled an accident, Lucretia Livingston, the sole heir to the estate, is left to pick up the pieces. But many locals question the circumstances surrounding their deaths and if the family’s wealth was an irresistibly seductive motive for crossing the line.

Elizabeth Pennington returns to the coast of Maine after receiving an unexpected wedding invitation. Hoping to surprise her friend, she arrives unannounced at the Livingston Estate-turned-inn, only to discover no one knows her whereabouts. Just as disconcerting is the disappearance of the innkeeper’s young bride, Lucretia. Frantic for answers, Elizabeth becomes tangled in a tortured trail of deception, betrayal, love lost and murder.

This is the follow up to Murder on the Precipice but can be read as a standalone.

Elizabeth Pennington is building up an interior design business in Connecticut. She taking her first holiday since opening—a weekend break in Maine to attend an old school friend’s wedding. I gathered that Elizabeth’s family had an inn on the Maine coast where a tragedy occurred and she hasn’t been back since. So together with her black Lab, Buddy she set out on their journey.

Elizabeth has booked The Inn at Boothbay Harbour for her stay. When she arrives she’s dismayed to find the inn is undergoing renovations and also the owner, Lucretia Livingstone, has disappeared. Not only that, the wedding is cancelled due to the groom going missing as well. The inn and grounds are eerie with a sinister vibe. Elizabeth’s natural inquisitiveness lands her and Buddy in more than one spot of bother. 

“Now, ma’am, let me give you a piece of friendly advice. You seem like a sweet lady, and I wouldn’t want you to stir up any trouble by digging into something that was meant to be kept private.”

“I…uh…I’m not sure what you mean.” She didn’t really care for his condescending attitude.

He shook his head slightly. “Just be careful where you look and how far you push, okay? Trust me.”

The descriptions of Elizabeth’s journey, although very evocative, slowed the plot a little and personally I would have preferred a more concise account. I must also admit, I didn’t quite see the point of the Rashelle thread as it didn’t go anywhere and didn’t seem relevant to the main storyline (except as a further reason for Elizabeth’s trip.) Rashelle spent the whole story locked in a cellar—accidentally or on purpose wasn’t clear. A couple of other threads were left unresolved, perhaps to be picked up in the next book?

Murder Beyond the Precipice would appeal to readers who prefer a slower paced book. I found the length of some of the descriptive prose and passages of introspection, concerning the events of the first book and Elizabeth’s lack of a love life, took me out of the main story arc. However, there is more than one murder, red herrings and several twists which keep those parts of the plot moving along, plus a nod to the paranormal—always something I enjoy.

I chose to read and review Murder Beyond The Precipice for Rosie Amber’s book review team, based on a digital copy kindly supplied by the author. 

Book links ~ Amazon UK | Amazon US

About the Author

National award-winning author Penny Goetjen writes murder mysteries where the milieus play as prominent a role as the engaging characters. A self-proclaimed eccentric known for writing late into the night, transfixed by the allure of flickering candlelight, Ms. Goetjen embraces the writing process, unaware what will confront her at the next turn. She rides the journey with her characters, often as surprised as her readers to see how the story unfolds. Fascinated with the paranormal, she usually weaves a subtle, unexpected twist into her stories. When her husband is asked how he feels about his wife writing murder mysteries, he answers with a wink, “I sleep with one eye open.”

Author links ~ Website | Twitter | Facebook