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The Wrong Woman

Review

The Wrong Woman

THE WRONG WOMAN is a gripping murder mystery that introduces readers to Kendall Beck, an FBI agent whose best friend and roommate, Gwen Tavich, is brutally murdered.

Detective Adam Taylor is investigating both Gwen’s death and a recent murder that appears to be linked to a serial killer known as the Reaper. Kendall is looking into the disappearance of five-year-old Emily Williams when Gwen goes missing. We think of the book’s title as we ask ourselves if Gwen was mistakenly killed because she was driving someone else's car. Was she indeed “the wrong woman”?

"THE WRONG WOMAN is a thrilling story with nonstop action and suspense.... I can't wait for another emotion-filled murder mystery with admirable protagonists who are a bit mysterious themselves."

It turns out that during her college days, Kendall tried to save someone from a serial killer. But she ended up getting shot, and the victim was snatched up again. Kendall was left for dead, but she survived and resolved to dedicate her life to taking bad guys off the streets by becoming an FBI agent.

Gwen and her fiancé own a restaurant, which becomes important in solving the mystery. Kendall’s best male friend is Quentin, from whom we sometimes get strange vibes. When Gwen is found dead, we wonder if her death is part of the serial killer case. But her fiancé is acting suspiciously, and there are other suspects to consider.

Author Leanne Kale Sparks leaves us with many questions about Kendall's past: What happened to her own fiancé? Did he really commit suicide when he seemed to be so happy? Who exactly is the Reaper? I reread the prologue, the only section written from the serial killer's point of view, and was struck that it left me with more questions and suspicions.

Contrary to the publisher’s blurb about the book, Gwen’s secrets don’t really seem to be “dark.” And after her death, bodies don’t “start piling up,” though questions about links to prior murders do arise.

Still, THE WRONG WOMAN is a thrilling story with nonstop action and suspense. I am looking forward to the next entry in the series, which Sparks has confirmed is forthcoming. I want to see if some of my questions about Kendall, Adam and Quentin are answered. And I can't wait for another emotion-filled murder mystery with admirable protagonists who are a bit mysterious themselves.

Reviewed by Pamela Kramer on March 25, 2022

The Wrong Woman
by Leanne Kale Sparks

  • Publication Date: February 8, 2022
  • Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
  • Hardcover: 320 pages
  • Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
  • ISBN-10: 1643859412
  • ISBN-13: 9781643859415