Reef Road by Deborah Goodrich Royc

 Inspired by the actual murder of her mother’s friend, Deborah Goodrich Royce begins Reef Road with a severed hand washing ashore in wealthy Palm Beach, Florida, on May 9, 2020. Due out in January, the psychological thriller unfolds Inspired by the actual murder of her mother’s friend, Deborah Goodrich Royce begins Reef Road with a severed hand washing ashore in wealthy Palm Beach, Florida, on May 9, 2020. Due out in January, the psychological thriller unfolds a tale of two women: the first an unnamed writer obsessed with the unsolved murder of her mother Beth’s best friend in 1948, the second an anxious wife named Linda whose husband Miguel has seemingly kidnapped their two young children.

The writer lives alone with an aging dog, and she knows all about Linda’s life. When the two meet, the writer thinks that Linda’s father knows all about the murder of her mother Beth’s friend, and she eventually reveals what she wants from Linda. Linda feels more and more that the relationship with the woman who turns out to be named Noelle is inappropriate as Noelle seems to be stalking Linda and her family.

All is not as it appears to be. Noelle is desperate to “solve” the murder of her mother’s childhood friend as she says “I grew up under the shadow of a dead girl.” Her development was stilted as her mother didn’t allow Noelle to play outside unsupervised or to enjoy such activities as sleepovers with her friends. Linda, already fraught about her missing children, may have made a big mistake in trusting others.

Always with the pandemic playing in the background, the story reaches an unexpected climax as the truth about Linda’s life becomes unraveled as the severed hand becomes a part of her story with Noelle a witness to it all.

Deborah Goodrich Royce writes thrillers that involve “puzzles of identity.” She is also the author of Finding Mrs. Ford and Ruby Falls. Royce is a former actress having starred as Silver Kane on All My Children and having appeared in several feature films and TV movies.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting November 28, 2022.

I would like to thank Permuted Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

 a tale of two women: the first an unnamed writer obsessed with the unsolved murder of her mother Beth’s best friend in 1948, the second an anxious wife named Linda whose husband Miguel has seemingly kidnapped their two young children.

The writer lives alone with an aging dog, and she knows all about Linda’s life. When the two meet, the writer thinks that Linda’s father knows all about the murder of her mother Beth’s friend, and she eventually reveals what she wants from Linda. Linda feels more and more that the relationship with the woman who turns out to be named Noelle is inappropriate as Noelle seems to be stalking Linda and her family.

All is not as it appears to be. Noelle is desperate to “solve” the murder of her mother’s childhood friend as she says “I grew up under the shadow of a dead girl.” Her development was stilted as her mother didn’t allow Noelle to play outside unsupervised or to enjoy such activities as sleepovers with her friends. Linda, already fraught about her missing children, may have made a big mistake in trusting others.

Always with the pandemic playing in the background, the story reaches an unexpected climax as the truth about Linda’s life becomes unraveled as the severed hand becomes a part of her story with Noelle a witness to it all.

Deborah Goodrich Royce writes thrillers that involve “puzzles of identity.” She is also the author of Finding Mrs. Ford and Ruby Falls. Royce is a former actress having starred as Silver Kane on All My Children and having appeared in several feature films and TV movies.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting November 28, 2022.

I would like to thank Permuted Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.