The Redgrave Murders: A Romantic Suspense Novel By A.L. Sowards-Blog Tour Review & Giveaway

Product Details

• Title: The Redgrave Murders
• Author: A.L. Sowards
• Genre: Romance/Suspense
• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc. (July 1, 2019)
• ISBN-10: 1524409456

***"I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own."***

Book Summary

When her father is murdered, Evie must prove her boyfriend innocent and find the real criminal before he kills again.

Loss is inevitable, as Evie Hampton knows all too well. But despite losing her mother to cancer and her older brother to a war, she knows she's one of the lucky ones. After all, she still has her father, a distinguished professor of medieval history. And she has Gary Redhawk, the man she loves despite the emotional scars he carries from the Second World War--and despite her father's opposition to their relationship.

When Evie's car suddenly careens off the road, she chalks it up to poor maintenance or sheer bad luck making another appearance in her life. Little does she know a host of hardships is just beginning--the car was her father's, and the brake lines were deliberately cut. Someone wants them dead--but why? All fingers point to Gary, a man with a troubled past and no solid alibi, but Evie is unwilling to believe he's involved. Determined to uncover the truth, she begins to piece together a startling picture of deception and vice. But as she closes in on the truth, it is clear that someone is determined to silence her--and the next attempt on her life may be a deadly success.

My Review

I've read many books by this author. Most of the other books were about characters in the middle of a war. The battle scenes were some of the best I'd ever read. I loved how this new book dealt with the after-effects of WWII. 

The Redgrave Murders, of course, is full of suspense right from the start. This novel was one that I sat down to read and only put it down to eat. This is what I love about Summer reading. One of the most engaging aspects of this novel are the letters at the beginning of each chapter that main character Evie and her brother Clive wrote to each other during the war. It filled in important character development on Evie's part and also showed family dynamics that play out within the novel.

One of the main characters, Evie's boyfriend Gary Redhawk, was a minor character in a previous novel the author wrote. I remembered the scene from the other book that he described in this novel. Gary is a Seneca Native American. He was my favorite character in this book. I feel his character was written realistically showing the plight of Native Americans at this time in history. This novel also does a great job of showing how the horrors of war caused PTSD in so many of the returning soldiers. He and Evie are good together and the romance part is secondary to the murder mystery that keeps you as a reader on your toes. There are so many suspects that stand out as you read each chapter. I quite enjoyed figuring out who ultimately was the person behind all of the terrible crimes.

This book is not a fast-paced book but keeps you enthralled none the less. The Redgrave Murders was a winner for me. 

There are a few scenes of violence with this being a murder mystery, a little kissing, and a lot of breathtaking action scenes. This book would be appropriate for older teens, and adults.

Meet Author: A.L. Sowards:

 "Books have always been an important part of my life. I remember writing self-illustrated storybooks at my grandparent’s house when I was in elementary school (none of those made it to publication for many good reasons) and attending my first writer’s conference when I was in third grade.


  As a reader, I enjoy a variety of books. As a writer, I create historical novels with a wholesome mix of action, adventure, and romance. My novels include a Whitney Award winner and several Whitney finalists.

I grew up in Washington State, then came to Utah to attend BYU. I’m still in Utah, where I live with my husband, three children, and an ever-growing library. I'm usually reading a couple books at once and working on multiple writing projects too. Other than that, my life is pretty ordinary. I'm grateful for that. I'll let the characters in my books have all the adventures."

Learn more about A.L. Sowards and her books at her website HERE: https://alsowards.com/

Purchase a copy of The Redgrave Murders HERE:  https://amzn.to/2XGaAOp

 What the Author Had to Say...

“‘The Redgrave Murders’ is a historical mystery set in a small town shortly after World War II,” Sowards said. “It’s a whodunit with strong romantic elements and multiple ties to the recent war. It’s set in 1948 and follows Evie Hampton. When her father is murdered and her boyfriend blamed for it, Evie sets out to prove her boyfriend innocent and find the real criminal before he kills again.”

One of the characters in “The Redgrave Murders” was in one of Sowards’ previous books. 

“When I started the concept for ‘The Redgrave Murders,’ I knew I wanted the boyfriend, Gary Redhawk, to have a POW experience in his backstory,” said Sowards. “He was a minor character in a previous novel, so I already knew a little about him. But the more I researched likely education for a Native American in the 1930s, the more I realized that being a POW would be only a small slice of the trauma in Gary Redhawk’s backstory. I love it when my research turns up elements that add so much to a story.”

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