Kathy Reviews: Cadence Beach by Linda Juliano

ASIN #: B00769JS7E

File Size: 312 KB

Copyright: February 5, 2012

Publisher: Linda Juliano

Book Summary:

(Taken from Smashwords)

Soon after Josie Gianni moves to Cadence Beach, Oregon, she's immediately thrust into a strange and chilling interplay with a demented stalker who believes the soul of the wife he murdered has returned through Josie.

Fueled by jealousy and fear of betrayal, the stalker's intentions grow increasingly dangerous when Josie forms a relationship with Gordon Forrester, the aloof, attractive owner of the local bookstore.

Will Josie fall victim to the madman's destructive behavior as he attempts to reclaim his wife's soul, or will she escape from the grip of his delusional driven reality?

Kathy's Review:

This is a quick read - I got through it on a lazy Sunday - that will keep you on the edge of your seat, as long as you don't think too hard about the plot or ask too many questions. You'll see some of my questions in parenthesis as the review goes on. Allan Roth murders his wife in cold blood after catching her in the act of cheating on him. It's apparent that Allan has a few screws loose after he buries his dead wife in the backyard (how did no one see him? Aren't people going to notice she's missing and immediately suspect him? The author tries to explain this away by saying that he told her to ditch her friends, but clearly if she was cheating on him, she had contact with people other than her husband.) and tries to find her re-incarnated soul in another woman.

Enter Josie - when Allan sees her, he knows the soul of his deceased wife, Suzanne, has taken up residence inside of her. (I thought that re-incarnated souls we reborn into babies, but what do I know.) Josie moves to Cadence Beach, Oregon, after needing a fresh start. Allan just picks up and follows her there (Doesn't he have a job? No one asking questions after his wife disappears and he skips town?)

After these initial questions, I was able to enjoy the story. The characters are done well, and the action continues to build as Allan's sinister plans develop. I think this is about one edit away from being really good. Some minor holes in the plot that need to be filled in, and some grammatical "oops" need attention. I would also like to see a little more of Allan's behavior before he killed his wife so the reader can understand just how demented he really is. But without hesitation, I'd recommend this book!