A Sophie Medina Mystery Book 3
Book Blurb:
Photojournalist Sophie Medina must figure out how the death of a Supreme Court justice and the murder of a homeless man are related before she becomes an assailant’s next target.
International photojournalist Sophie Medina and her old school friend Father Jack O’Hara are out for a run on Capitol Hill when they find the body of Associate Supreme Court Justice Everett Townsend lying in an alley, barely alive. Townsend, a diabetic, later dies in the ER from complications due to hypoglycemia.
His tragic death has unexpected repercussions for Sophie when Javi, a young homeless man of Sophie’s acquaintance, is murdered. Before he died, Javi told her a shocking story about Townsend that could have a devastating impact on the nation’s highest court – and on the American justice system – if word got out.
Unable to persuade anyone that what she learned is true and on the run from whoever is protecting Townsend’s dark secret, Sophie searches a collection of her photographs of Washington D.C.’s homeless community, looking for evidence before everything blows up in her face . . .
His Review:
Discovering a body in an alley can be a very inconvenient event. Calling the police to report the event casts the net of suspicion over you. Sophie identified the body as belonging to Mr. Townsend.
His widow, eager to get his affairs in order and the will settled asked for an immediate release of the body and subsequent cremation! One day later the ashes were delivered back to the widow and the case closed!
Sophie was certain of her identification of the victim, but doubt was cast on her veracity. Is it possible the judge could have been misidentified? Cremated remains are hard to get identification from and so the will was in the process of being settled.
Sophie’s childhood sweetheart has become a Catholic priest and a confidant. Father Jack is trying to help her through this tough situation but there are too many sticking points. Will they be able to confirm the identity of the deceased even over the objections of the spouse who does not want probate to drag on? Read this book and enjoy the twists and turns. 4.5 stars – CE Williams
I always enjoyed the author’s wine country cozy mysteries, the last being The Vineyard Victims, and thought this time the CE might enjoy her book from a more serious series.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.
Rosepoint Publishing: Four Stars 
Book Details:
Genre: Political Thrillers & Suspense, Amateur Sleuth Mysteries, Amateur Sleuths
Publisher: Severn House
ASIN: B0BMB18746
Print Length: 304 pages
Publication Date: May 2, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link(s):
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
The Author: Ellen Crosby‘s newest book–BLOW UP–is the third book in a mystery series featuring international photojournalist Sophie Medina. It will be published in the US, UK, and as an ebook on May 2, 2023 and is the first book in that series since 2016; MULTIPLE EXPOSURE and GHOST IMAGE, the first two books, were re-released in 2022. She has also written 12 Virginia wine country mysteries and MOSCOW NIGHTS, a standalone. Before writing fiction, Crosby worked as a freelance reporter for The Washington Post, an economist at the US Senate, and Moscow reporter for ABC Radio News. She lives with her husband in the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. after spending many years living abroad in England, France, Switzerland, Spain, Italy and the former Soviet Union. Learn more at http://www.ellencrosby.com and on social media.
©2023 CE Williams – V Williams
Rosepoint Publishing 