Book Review: Isabella Moon

Reviewed By: Gina Metz - RAM

Isabella Moon     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Laura Benedict
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Thriller   Paranormal
Ballantine Books, 2007, 368 pps.

Laura Benedict has produced a gripping story in her first novel, Isabella Moon. Set in the small town of Carystown, Kentucky, it is the story of a murdered child and a woman trying to outrun the horrors of her past.

Isabella Moon was nine years old when she disappeared in Carystown. Two years later, she appears as a ghost to lead Kate Russell to her grave. Kate Russell moved to Carystown just before the disappearance of Isabella Moon to try to begin a fresh start at life.

Kate feels compelled to tell the Sheriff, Bill Delaney, where she believes Isabella is buried and how she came by the knowledge. With tales of a ghost leading her to the grave, the sheriff does not really take Kate seriously at first and even wonders about her sanity.

As the death toll continues to rise in Carystown, with a teenager dropping dead and Kate’s best friend’s mother getting murdered, Sheriff Delaney decides to investigate Kate’s story. When Isabella’s small body is found, Sheriff Delaney starts to have serious suspicions about Kate and starts investigating her past.

Neither Kate nor the residents of Carystown are able to keep the past buried. It appears that there are many secrets in Carystown and it is just coming to the attention of the Sheriff that he has more criminal activity going on than he could have ever imagined.

Isabella Moon is a compelling read that kept me up half the night to finish it as quickly as I could. I would highly recommend this book to mystery lovers. I will impatiently await Laura Benedict’s next novel.

Gina Metz - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Gina Metz - RAM