A thoroughbred race horse collapses and dies after finishing last in a race he was favored to win. Hours later the stallion’s trainer, a young woman with a promising career, is found dead on a suburban Chicago beach.

A woman to blame? The police draw a facile solution – murder/suicide. Mike Hegan, a veteran police detective being forced to retire on medical disability, refuses to believe the official version. His search for the truth leads him to a promontory on a Caribbean island where scores are settled and lives lost.

It’s been a while since I have indulged in reading a good
mystery and I made it my goal to read more mysteries in 2015.  When I read the synopsis for A Woman to
Blame, I thought this would be a good start to achieving my goal. Based on what
I read I honestly believed that this would be an exciting and entertaining
read. The fact that I had no knowledge of the author did not deter me from
making my choice.  The incentive for me
was that this book involved the hero solving a murder and I could not wait to get
in between the pages.  After completing
this title I knew I had made a good choice and I would definitely read more of
this author’s work.

A Woman to Blame had me hooked from the first page and it
had me eagerly turning the pages as I attempted to figure out who did it. There
were many suspects and just when you think you have it figured out, Mr. Panettiere
throws in a twist that has you questioning your initial deductions.

The characters are colourful and interesting and the way
they are portrayed kept me on my toes. 
The male protagonist is Mike Hegan a veteran cop who was forced into
retirement as a result of an injury he received off-duty.  He, however, was not willing to turn his badge
until he solved the murder of Ariel Sutherland. To say he was obsessed with
this case is an understatement.  He is
willing to risk life and limb to prove that she is a victim of foul play and
not suicide as the powers that be would want the public to believe. Mike is not
the type of cop who sees things as being black and white, instead he thinks
outside the box. He is a strong believer that all is not as it seems. This is
what makes him a good investigator.  He
is joined in his quest by the victim’s sister Portia Sutherland.

Portia is determined to avenge her sister’s murder.  She is stubborn and she has an acerbic
attitude as such, she did not have much friends. However, Mike was not going to
let that deter him has he needed her help in solving this murder.  They are complete opposites with the same
goal.

The story possesses all the elements that makes it a good
suspenseful read.  The plot is well paced
and there are enough twists to make your head spin. This is a great read and
the best I have read so far in 2015.  The
only problem I had and it prevented me from giving it 5 stars is the editing.
There were several typos and grammatical errors.

If you enjoy a good mystery and you are looking for a story
that will keep you guessing at every turn, then A Woman to Blame is the script
for you.

DISCLOSURE:

 I received a complimentary copy of this book
in exchange for an honest review.

About The Author