TLC Book Tours – The Widow’s Watcher by Eliza Maxwell

More books! I never tire of these fun book tours because you can see a variety of different reviews as you follow along 🙂

Thanks to Lake Union and TLC Book Tours for the free copy in exchange for my honest review!

THE WIDOW’S WATCHER – Eliza Maxwell (out now)

Book Description:

From Eliza Maxwell, the bestselling author of The Unremembered Girl, comes a gripping novel about the mysteries that haunt us and the twists of fate that can unravel them…

Living in the shadow of a decades-old crime that stole his children from him, reclusive Lars Jorgensen is an unlikely savior. But when a stranger walks onto the ice of a frozen Minnesota lake, her intentions are brutally clear, and the old man isn’t about to let her follow through.

Jenna Shaw didn’t ask for Lars’s help, nor does she want it. After he pulls her from the brink, however, Jenna finds her desire to give up challenged by their unlikely friendship. In Jenna, Lars recognizes his last chance for redemption. And in her quest to solve the mysteries of Lars’s past and bring him closure, Jenna may find the way out of her own darkness.

But the truth that waits threatens to shatter it all. When secrets are surrendered and lies are laid bare, Jenna and Lars may find that accepting the past isn’t their greatest challenge. Can they afford the heartbreaking price of forgiveness?

My Thoughts: 4/5 stars!

A thriller set in Minnesota? I’m in! THE WIDOW’S WATCHER by Eliza Maxwell takes place in my home state (and current state) of Minnesota and I think she did a fantastic job transporting the readers there – a mystery set in the dead of winter is one that sets the tone for the novel.

We come across an unlikely friendship pairing, Jenna and Lars. Lars is a reclusive man that keeps himself isolated after a horrific crime took his family away from him. One day, his path crosses with Jenna out on the frozen waters of a nearby lake. He intervenes and finds that this could be his one shot at redemption. Jenna finds herself tangled up in the decades-old mystery that has taken hold of Lars’ life, but she can’t seem to pull herself away from this new and unlikely bond.

I will say that this is more about the characters than about the mystery. While the mystery element is there I would definitely consider this more of a character study. The pacing is quick and the chapters are short, so this is a very binge-worthy read! You’ll find yourself connecting with the characters and becoming so invested in them. Typically the mystery genre you’re so wrapped up in the crime and solving it that the characters aren’t always as memorable, but not in this case!

Next time I’m at the book store, I’ll have to stop and grab some more of Eliza Maxwell’s work.

About the Author:

Eliza Maxwell is the author of The Unremembered Girl, The Grave Tender, and The Kinfolk. She writes fiction from her home in Texas, which she shares with her ever-patient husband, two impatient kids, a ridiculous English setter, and a bird named Sarah. An artist and writer, a dedicated introvert, and a British cop-drama addict, she enjoys nothing more than sitting on the front porch with a good cup of coffee.

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