Bloodlines by Lynn Lipinsk
Bloodlines by Lynn Lipinski published by Majestic Content Los Angeles, entertained me by keeping me guessing. I gave it five stars.
This suspense-filled mystery has fully developed characters. They demonstrate the foibles of human nature in that they could not live up to expectations.
Zane is unsure of what to expect about the investigation into his mother's death. He became a suspect & is uncertain as to his own guilt or innocence.
"Zane stood in the morgue, his mother's charred skin burning his eyes & assaulting his nose with its not quite unpleasant smell of burnt flesh. It was her, & also not her, but he knew the only path out of the room & away from this awful sight was to identify her." I had not imagined anyone describing the smell of burnt flesh in this manner. I've found it to be a completely nauseating smell.
"Back in the waiting room, Zane stood there, his back to the pastel art, his arms wrapped around his chest, unable to figure out what to do next. He rolled the damp tissue into a tight ball as if to destroy the evidence of his grief."
He grew up without his father. "If growing up without a father was a dull ache that never went away, then losing his mother suddenly & unexpectedly was a twisting knife to the gut." It was a lot for a 26 year old man to process.
He had lived at the Majestic Trailer Park with his mother & 14 year old sister, Lettie. He returned there to see if there was anything salvageable from the burned trailer. "Crunchy brown leaves littered the ground like scabs. Proof that the Majestic did not inspire homeowner's pride was everywhere. Propane tanks left outside to rust, leaves clogging rain gutters, cars on cement blocks & faded Christmas decorations that had been up since four Christmases ago. At least it was finally October & they were almost in season again."
He had to tell his sister about their mother. It was not an easy job. "'Mama's gone,' he said. The profound weight of the loss hit him again, this time combined with the realization that he was the closest thing Lettie had to a parent right now." He needed to guard & protect her. The thoughts weighed him down. He felt alone, adrift, afraid.
They learned that their mother was not who they had believed her to be. There were further life-threatening discoveries to make. Can they learn who killed their mother before they are killed?
I received a free kindle copy from NetGalley. That did not influence my opinion for this review.
3
 Paperback - Lynn Lipinski)
