Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Solstice

SERIES:  The Lake Prophet Mysteries

AUTHORS:  Eli Easton & RJ Scott

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:  274 pages

RELEASE DATE:  July 28, 2023

BLURB: 

From the dramatic peaks of the Olympic mountain range to the small town of Prophet, murder is only a footstep away.

Gabriel is a former undercover cop haunted by the things he’s seen and done. He returns to his small hometown of Prophet, taking on the role of sheriff, hoping to mend his fractured relationship with his estranged brother and rebuild his life. But when a chilling murder occurs at Sentinel Rocks, a sacred Makah site on Lake Prophet, Gabriel’s dreams of peace and reconciliation are shattered.

Gabriel navigates a web of intrigue, where suspects abound; from local tribal elders to fervent Solstice worshippers and even those hunting the elusive Big Foot. When the brutal murder leaves Duke, a loyal Labrador retriever, as the sole witness, Gabriel stumbles upon an unexpected ally—a local animal behaviorist named Tiber.

Tiber, a newcomer to Prophet, seeks refuge in this remote haven, attempting to escape his own inner demons. Armed with his extraordinary ability to communicate with animals, he offers his expertise through video consultations, helping pet owners with their beloved companions. While he attributes his gift to his academic background in Animal Behavior, there is a mystical Navajo heritage at play that he cannot deny.

With the relentless rain washing away sins and good intentions alike, Gabriel and Tiber must begin to confront their own vulnerabilities and unravel the truth.

REVIEW: 

Gabriel Thompson has returned to his small home town.  He had a career at LAPD, but something went wrong and now he’s home.  He’s taken over the Sherriff’s office and he’s hoping to mend his relationship with his family. He’s hoping for a quiet life in a quiet town to get his life back on track.  So far it’s not going well. Not only is his brother barely speaking to him, but now he’s got a dead body.  In the National Forest.  With no help in sight from the Feds.  Oh and his only witness might be a dog?  Not a great start.

When Gabriel and his deputy Devin are unable to corral the deceased’s dog, he is pointed in the direction of a guy who is known as the dog whisperer in Prophet.  When he does to ask for Tiber Russo’s help, he gets a pretty frosty reception.  While Gabriel knows nothing about the man, he’s both intrigued and inconveniently also very attracted.  But he’s desperate and so Tiber accompanies him.  And then he agrees to keep Duke, the aforementioned dog after making sure he hasn’t been injured during whatever happened to his owner.  Despite already having a full house, Tiber can’t bear the thought of a terrified and grieving animal not getting the right care.

Gabriel and Tiber keep managing to run into each other.  Tiber really wants to help Duke and the Sherriff find out what happened, but he’s got his own stuff to deal with and he will NOT get involved with anyone ever again.  He’s already made that decision.  He’s done with men and he’s not sure how he’s going to keep the very attractive Gabriel in the friend zone.  He’s left his hometown of Portland for a real reason and he’s not going to risk upsetting the balance he’s made for himself here.  He also sees the stress that Gabriel is under and it’s in his nature to help so he’s torn.  But he refuses to put himself in a situation where he would have to move again. He’s happy with his land and his animal pack and his privacy.   He’s absolutely not willing to give that up.

Things keep taking stranger and stranger turns in the investigation.  There are so many wildcards.  Duke is recovering and Gabriel is hoping that Tiber can get him to the point where maybe he can help narrow down the suspects.  Amazingly he does and this helps with the case and also brings Gabriel and Tiber closer too.  But there are still a lot of dark places – particularly for Gabriel.  Tiber wants to help, but he’s unwilling to put himself in a situation with the potential to upset his life again.

This is an excellent start to this new mystery series.  I thoroughly enjoyed the heck out of this story.  The authors set the stage for what I’m hoping is going to be a very interesting series in this small Olympic Peninsula world that includes a whole roster of intriguing characters and as yet unrevealed backstories that definitely weigh down our two MCs.  I get the feeling that there are layers and layers to what has happened to both Gabriel and Tiber in the past that makes them the men they are when they meet in this book.  I cannot wait to uncover these wrinkles and find out what really drives them 🙂  Here in this first story, we get some small glimpses – a couple of phone calls that reveal some of what has been hinted at through the dual POVs of Gabriel and Tiber.  Tiber is able to share more of his story than Gabriel.  Gabriel’s story is definitely more involved and dangerous and tied to his time at LAPD and his undercover work.  It’s also something that may keep Tiber from pursuing anything other than friendship with Gabriel.  As an empath, he has to protect himself on some level.  It’s also something of an impediment to Gabriel’s goal when he moved back to prophet – to reconnect with his family.   He makes some very small inroads here, but it’s going to be slow going and he’s going to have to find his way carefully.

Everything in this story worked for me.  The two MCs are compelling characters on their own.  Their first meeting is less than cordial and it takes them some time to get on some sort of footing where Tiber isn’t snapping at Gabriel.  Gabriel was hoping for a nice quiet life and to be able to get his relationship with his family back on track.  The possible murder within the first few months is not something he had counted on and in some ways has taken him back to some dark places.  The mystery was really well done and there were plenty of viable suspects, so things could have gone multiple ways.  I kept thinking I knew what happened but was surprised by the way things turned out.  Then there is Tiber’s ability to connect with the animals that he cares for – both as clients and as his pack.  His compassion and care for Duke, the deceased’s pet, was so beautifully written.  For anyone who has watched a pet suffer after their person is gone, Duke’s reaction would not come as any surprise.  I was quite moved by this story and how Tiber worked with Duke.  This is truly a mystery with romantic elements rather than a true “romance.”  But we are just at the beginning of this journey, so who knows?

If you’re a fan of well-written mysteries, what I anticipate to be a slow-burnish type series with interesting characters and a setting that is literally a separate character in itself, then I think you will really enjoy this book.   Highly recommended and I can’t wait to see what comes next 😀

RATING: 

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