About the Book
Book: A Shadow on the Snow
Author: JPC Allen
Genre: YA Mystery
Release date: December 1, 2021
Nineteen-year-old Rae Riley can barely believe her gamble paid off. After spending seven months investigating the identity of her father and whether he tried to murder her mother, Rae has been accepted by her dad, Sheriff Walter “Mal” Malinowski IV, and his immediate family with open hearts. And for the first time in her life, Rae is making friends, jamming with three cute cops who play outlaw country music.
But someone is leaving Rae threatening notes, reminding her of her late mother’s notorious past when Bella Rydell wrecked homes and lives during the few years she lived in rural Marlin County, Ohio. Fearing the threats will make Mal and his family reject her, Rae investigates the mystery on her own. But her amateur sleuthing may cost her the father she’s always wanted when the stalker changes targets and takes dead aim at Mal.
Click here to get your copy!
About the Author
JPC Allen started her writing career in second grade with an homage to Scooby Doo. She’s been tracking down mysteries ever since and has written mystery short stories for Mt. Zion Ridge Press. Her Christmas mystery short story, “A Rose from the Ashes”, was a Selah-finalist at the Blue Ridge Mountains Writers Conference in 2020.
Online, she offers tips and prompts to ignite the creative spark in every kind of writer. She also leads workshops for tweens, teens, and adults, encouraging them to discover the adventure of writing. A lifelong Buckeye, she has deep roots in the Mountain State. A Shadow on the Snow is her first novel.
My Thoughts
What a pleasant surprise. Honestly, when I started reading, I thought I was going to suffer through the whole story. Can we say waaay too many characters? The family tree utterly befuddled me. It was a definite rough start, but about halfway through, it was as if someone had flipped a switch. Suddenly, I became invested in the suspense and grew to love the characters. Who hated Rae's mother that much to threaten her and then target her sheriff father? And why?
Rae Riley has to face some ugly facts about her mother's past, and in a small, close-knit town, it can be hard to keep those painful memories secret. While facing rejection for her mother's sins and trying to get to know her brand-new family, she starts receiving threatening notes to leave town before she meets her mother's fate.
Rae's determination to find her stalker contrasts with her uncertainty about being accepted if her dad finds out about the trouble following her. There is a lot of pain and darkness, yet the beauty in this book is watching Rae learn what it means to belong to a family, let her guard down, and trust in people again.
I would highly recommend reading the short story prequel to this book first if you can. I wish it were already part of this book because it can get so confusing without that necessary background.
Blog Stops
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, December 18
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 18
Nancy E Wood, December 19
Texas Book-aholic, December 20
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 21
Inklings and notions, December 22
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, December 23
Bigreadersite, December 23
Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, December 24 (Author Interview)
Vicarious Living, December 25
For Him and My Family, December 26
deb’s Book Review, December 27
Locks, Hooks and Books, December 28
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, December 28
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, December 30 (Spotlight)
Blogging With Carol, December 30
Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, December 31
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, JPC is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card, a signed copy of Christmas Fiction Off the Beaten Path, a signed copy of A Shadow on the Snow, and a bookmark based on the artwork of an Ohio artist!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.