Title:	Desolate Shores
	Author:	Daryl Wood Gerber
	Published:	August 13, 2019, Beyond the Page Publishing
	No. of Pages:	266
	Cover Price:	$15.99 Paperback, $4.99 Kindle

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Aspen Adams is the new protagonist in award-winning author Daryl Wood Gerber’s Aspen Adams series. Desolate Shores is the first novel in the series. Aspen discovers the body of her best friend along the shores of Lake Tahoe, and from past experience knows that the sheriff and other local law enforcement won’t do a thorough investigation. Aspen is determined to find her friend’s killer and makes the investigation her priority. Unfortunately, Aspen has a deadbeat sister who has dropped the ball with her daughter, so Aspen is also trying to do the right thing with her beloved teenage niece. Aspen’s investigation is not without danger, so she has to be careful.

Gerber is an excellent author. She not only writes thrillers, such as this one, but also several cozy series that are fun and light. Her storytelling ability has won her several awards, and with good reason. This novel has enough ups and downs that readers will often be on the edges of their seat. Gerber does an excellent job developing her characters. Aspen Adams seems like a real person with real problems in her family as well as challenges in her daily life. This makes it possible for readers to relate to her and Gerber does the same with the supporting characters. Readers will find that Daryl Wood Gerber’s skills are evident in this novel. Her storytelling skills, character development skills, and an imaginative storyline make for a good novel for every reader who enjoys a good novel with building suspense.

This is a good choice for thriller aficionados, and the protagonist is likable enough that readers will be excited for the next installment in the series.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.