A Killing Tide (Columbia River Thriller) [Formato Kindle]

Many times, a writer's first novel is good, but can have inconsistencies that are hopefully addressed as the author matures in his or her craft. Maybe one of the characters is underdeveloped. Or a weird glitch in the plot happens that doesn't make sense. Or too much backstory might be crammed into the present tense.

Fortunately for her readers, P.J. Alderman's first novel, A Killing Tide, doesn't suffer first-time jitters. In this suspense novel with a strong romantic subplot, Alderman introduces diverse characters, mixes them up with plots upon subplots, and sets it all against the backdrop of small-town Astoria, Oregon. Better still, she makes it work.

The book's heroine Kaz Jorgenson is a woman who, despite her plushy job as a consultant to Fortune 500 companies in San Francisco, has salt water running through her veins and the love of the ocean in her heart. When Kaz is called home to Astoria to help brother Gary Jorgenson with hot water he's drowning in, she stumbles into more than she'd bargained for. Like . . . a family friend murdered. Like . . . one of her family's trawlers set on fire to cover the dirty deed. Like . . . her brother disappearing and becoming the number-one suspect in the case.

Enter Michael Chapman from Boston who is Astoria's new fire chief and a trained arson investigator to boot. While trying to solve the murder-arson-disappearing brother mystery, he becomes attracted to Kaz. But Michael doesn't want to get involved with Kaz because she's the number-one suspect's sister. And Kaz doesn't want to get involved with Michael because she thinks he's out to bust her brother.

But the book is about more than the hero and heroine playing cat-and-mouse with one another while they sort out their emotions. Michael and Kaz's growing relationship fits seamlessly into the overall whole, making this not a love story with a plot stuck around it for fun, but an intense mystery in which two people are trying to find the truth about a murder, and love develops as a consequence.

Another plus are Alderman's highly likeable characters. Michael is a flawed, tortured hero, but the reader isn't constantly beaten over the head with it. Michael acts like a normal individual who is working through his trauma, rather than someone who constantly descends into sackcloth and ashes for what he did in the past. And Kaz is a strong woman with a good heart who carries her own share of guilt. But again, Alderman achieves balance with her. She isn't some impossible heroine fulfilling some impossible ideal. She's a flesh-and-blood person who -- surprise! -- stumbles occasionally.

Adding to the richness of the novel are the secondary characters. Kaz's best friend Lucy is extremely well-defined; and this writer hopes Alderman will consider a sequel with her in it. Bjorn and Chuck, two of Gary's staunchest allies, are also wonderfully developed and almost strong enough to carry the book on their own. Even Zeke, Michael's German Shepherd, has a winning personality and charm to add a few humorous moments to an otherwise intense story.

In short, Alderman has done very well with this debut novel. If the adage is true that there's nowhere to go but up, her next effort should be well-anticipated and just as strong.

Only for family would Kaz Jorgenson leave her consultanting job in San Francisco to return to her hometown of Astoria, Oregon, but she drops everything when her twin brother Gary needs help. However, her greeting upon her arrival is a fire on one of her family's fishing ships. Once the blaze is contained a bigger shock hits home when the corpse of family friend Ken Lundquist is found on board. The police suspect Gary, who has vanished, killed him and set the fire to hide the evidence.

Michael Chapman left scandal and a suspicious death behind in Boston when he came to Astoria as the new fire chief. He is also an experienced trained arson investigator, who begins making inquiries into the deadly blaze. He and Kaz are attracted to one another, but neither plans to act on their feelings. He refuses to have anything to do with the sister of the prime suspect especially after the fiasco back in New England with his former fiancée; she assumes he wants to hang her brother so she rejects Michael in order to not betray Gary.

The key to this exhilarating romantic whodunit is the strong cast starting with the lead couple who have flaws, struggle with feelings and the investigation, and fear what they will eventually uncover. In other words, they seem very real. The support characters also feel genuine whether they are friends of the family or Gary (mostly seen through the eyes of others). A KILLING TIDE is a strong investigative romance that will bring kudos to new author P.J. Alderman.

Harriet Klausner

One of the things I like when reading debut authors is they almost always come up with a new angle to tell their stories. In this debut I found that to be true, offering both a fresh voice and an exciting and thrilling edge-of-the seat read.

Kaz Jorgensen had an extremely successful consultation business in California but when a phone call from a childhood friend warned her of trouble brewing in and around her twin brother Gary, she hastened her return home. What she found was a shadow of the former caring and loving brother she once knew, emotionally shut-off - even from her. Kaz began to realize just how dangerous the situation was after one of their two boats was set on fire. With a body on board and her brother missing, all fingers pointed towards his guilt. Why even the newly hired, very sexy new fire chief seemed to think her brother guilty.

Michael Chapman had come to Astoria, Oregon to bury the past. A quiet seaside fishing town held appeal over the frantic pace of Boston and the memories of losing his fiancé to a fire he was too late to prevent. He knew he shouldn't get involved with the sister of a suspect but his attraction could not be denied. So when attempts on Kaz's life began, Michael was not about to let another woman die under his watch.

*** I loved this story - it was fast paced, exciting and fascinating. Alderman's descriptions of the Pacific Northwest town of Astoria, Oregon and the hazards of navigating a boat over the Columbia bars to the open sea of the Pacific were skillfully crafted and absolutely riveting in intensity. Kaz was a remarkable heroine. Not only a highly successful negotiator in the boardroom, but an immensely gifted ships captain whose navigational skills were well respected by her male counterparts. The author brilliantly developed her as a very strong kick-butt heroine fighting to overcome her own fears and guilt over letting her parents die and not about to lose her brother to trumped up charges.

Michael was also a strong lead. Intelligent and capable with his arson smelling canine partner Zeke. He also provided a wonderful romantic element for Kaz employing witty dialog foreplay in building up steam for some lovely sensual interludes in between them dodging physical attacks. Bottom line is Ms. Alderman penned a terrific suspense her first time out utilizing a plethora of prospective suspects culminating in a terrific and intensely thrilling finale. Romantic suspense lovers rejoice - there's a new kid on the block with a fresh new voice!

Marilyn Rondeau, RIO - Reviewers International Organization