No Turning Back, by Tracey Buchanan

Yes, it's true, I haven't posted any book reviews in over two years, and while I have every intention of catching up (on key titles only, not every single book I've read), THIS one deserves a post of its own.

I just finished reading a netgalley.com ARC of Tracy Buchanan's No Turning Back. It's not my usual genre of choice (contemporary romance); it's a mystery. But WHAT a mystery!

I totally admit that I had no suspicion of the plot twist that wrapped up this story! NOT A CLUE!

Here we go...  Anna Graves is a mom, recently back at her job as a radio show talk host after a lengthy maternity leave. While out walking along the beach with her baby daughter, she is attacked by a crazed young man, Elliot Nunn, and instinctively acts to save her child. In doing so, she's responsible for the death of the young man.

Of course it's self defense, but as other teens turn up murdered in her small town in manner eerily similar to the victims of a serial killer years before, Anna becomes the prime suspect.

The author cleverly entwines Anna's life with the brother of the teen she killed, and although her instincts are to trust him, he's from the wrong side of the tracks and circumstances lead her to suspect a member of his family might be the killer.

When I tell you that I didn't expect the killer to be __________, that is the most underwhelming way of saying OMG, I HAD NO EFFIN' CLUE!!!

I did a little digging to see if Ms. Buchanan had some other books for me to read... She does so I will be queuing them up, for sure!