My Thoughts on Shadowed Witness by Angela Carlisle

 

About:

A haunting attack. A killer in the shadows. A protective love.

Murder--that's what photographer Allye Jessup knows she witnessed as she departed her studio one evening. Waking with bruises on her neck and a foggy memory, she believes she survived an attack, but everyone seems to think she simply sustained a head injury from falling down the stairs outside her studio. Plagued by an undiagnosed health condition, she is torn between the haunting reality of what she may have seen and the possibility that her mind is playing tricks on her.

Without proof the other victim ever existed, Detective Eric Thornton can hardly declare the area a murder scene. Still, he adds Allye's report to his already full caseload. But when new evidence surfaces to support her claims, Eric must stay one step ahead of a ruthless killer and uncover the truth before the suspect closes in on Allye again.

My Thoughts:

This story really pulled me in, not just for the mystery and the danger, but also our heroine's unknown illness. Allye Jessup is having some health issues that the author keeps under wraps for most of the story. So, while Allye is trying to find out who is attacking and threatening her, she has the mystery of her illness in the back of her mind as well. That only seemed to really up the stakes, and along with Allye I felt the tension and the stress seeping through the pages. 

Detective Eric Thornton has known Allye for a while, and knows she is not a liar and doesn't make things up. He just doesn't understand why her stories are not matching up to the evidence. He is also very concerned for a couple of boys whose lives have been caught up into a nightmare after their mother's accidental overdose. There are way too many drugs coming through their small town.

This story really reminded me of the old movie, Gaslight, which is where we get the term gaslighting. This was at times very chilling and eerie as there are so many hidden things going on. Another great mystery from this author that kept me up way past my bedtime.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review, and all views and opinions are my own.