Title: Murder Finds A Home
Author: Winnfred Smith
Publisher: Westwood Books Publishing, LLC
ISBN: 978-1643619842
Pages: 300
Genre: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Reviewed by: Aly Avina
Hollywood Book Reviews
When you think of a suspenseful mystery or thriller type of novel, you think of the lead character as being the dark and broody type with more edge than is always necessary. In Winnfred Smith’s book Murder Finds A Home, he has his protagonist — John Stone — fit into a completely different type of mold. The Georgia business owner who moonlights as a P.I. of sorts for his old friend Elliot in this story has a much more lighthearted and enigmatic, charming personality than those we are typically used to in books of this genre. It is a wonderful departure from thrillers of the past and only helps to strengthen the storytelling.
John Stone goes to Los Angeles after receiving an emergency phone call from his friend, Elliot, who is a wealthy real estate investor who manages a homeless shelter there. He calls his old pal Stone when the young man managing the shelter was found murdered and the police are doing nothing to investigate the homicide. This spurs John into action and he’s on the next flight to LA. While on this flight, more trouble comes his way in the form of a young college girl he attempts to help and the subsequent blackmail that soon follows. The two parts of the story unravel simultaneously throughout this book and leave you constantly guessing at the new twists and turns that come your way.
John Stone is an incredibly likable and heroic character to have as Winnfred Smith’s lead, and the writing itself is evenly-paced and will have you turning the page faster and faster as it builds up to the climax of the story. The heroism and swagger emanating from Stone make it easy to see why he is popular with women. And the romantic elements of this novel are perfectly interwoven into the main plot of the story. The final reference to Casablanca, in particular, ties the story’s many elements together seamlessly.
As a fan of the suspense and thriller genre, I can say this book hit all of my marks for what I look for in a great mystery. The twists and turns are prominent but not overzealous, the lead character is heroic without being too dark or damaged, and the added bonus of a beautiful romance only made me enjoy this novel even more. The best part is there are likely more John Stone books to come in this series, which will let us all reunite with this amazing character and the latest puzzle he must piece together. Grab your copy of Murder Finds A Home by Winnfred Smith today!