Book Blurb:
In the peaceful California coast city of Playa Maria, CRIME WRITER ZOEY KOZINSKI joins a local police officer for a ride-along in hopes of breaking through her writer’s block. But during a routine traffic stop, the cop is shot, the victim of a brutal homicide.
Zoey realizes she is the only witness and the number one target on the killer’s hit list. PTSD kicks in, sending her into a tailspin. It doesn’t help that she lives on an illegal cannabis farm and that her estranged mother has just arrived. Even the police officer’s widow points a finger at the writer, claiming she was a distraction, and the police department knew it.
Lurking on the fringes is a man who stopped briefly at the crime. Good Samaritan or sinister suspect? For her safety, Zoey needs to find out.
My Review:
I’m fence-sitting on this one. I liked it okay, but didn’t really feel compelled to sit down and finish it up.
It’s one of those that gives you the who as it hooks. That doesn’t mean it’s all over. No. Zoe is up to her eyeballs in the thick of it, having witnessed the killing of the police officer who allowed a ride-along for Zoe, who is experiencing writer’s block.
Unfortunately, not only does she witness the killing, but she is, in turn witnessed. Not the best thing if she wanted to remain hidden and anonymous. Of course, her notes for her book appear to implicate her in the murder of the officer (something his widow latches onto—her being a deadly distraction)…and I always hate that obvious assumption. We know there are so many ways these days to prove it wasn’t her.
Zoe might have had some additional development, although she is not one-dimensional and she has an interesting friend in Harvey. I love the location, beautifully depicted in description as well as the town’s inhabitants. Once she realizes she has been exposed, things get dicey and ramps up the suspense considerably.
You can’t say it isn’t entertaining. I love those small California coastal town settings; they create such a vibe, but you’d better know the town better than the perp if you’re to survive! If you enjoy suspense thrillers, you may very well give this one a try.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. The thoughts expressed here are my own.
Rosepoint Rating: Three point Five Stars 
Book Details:
Genre: Murder, Psychological Thrillers, Murder Thrillers
Publisher: Level Best Books
ASIN: B0FMGNWM2D
Print Length: 307 pages
Publication Date: September 9, 2025
Source: NetGalley
Title Link(s):
Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
The Author: Vinnie Hansen fled the South Dakota prairie for the California coast the day after high school graduation.
A reading addict since childhood, Vinnie is now the author of the Carol Sabala mysteries. The seventh installment in the series, Black Beans & Venom, was a finalist for the Claymore Award. She’s also written two stand-alone novels titled Lostart Street and One Gun as well as over 60 published short stories. Her flash fiction, “Bad Connection,” won the 2015 Golden Donut Award from the Writers’ Police Academy.
Vinnie is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and the Short Mystery Fiction Society.
Still sane after 27 years of teaching high school English, Vinnie has retired and lives in Santa Cruz, California, with her husband and the requisite cat.
©2025 V Williams
Rosepoint Publishing 