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Cause of Death
Cause of Death
Cause of Death
Ebook371 pages3 hours

Cause of Death

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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**Book 3, Southern Secrets, will be available April 2014**
**Book 2, Damage Control, is available now**

A Serial Killer. Black widow spiders. A race to catch the perp before he strikes again.

Meet Robbery/Homicide Detective Annie Avants and her partner, Detective Tom Weston of the Kern County Sheriff's Office in Bakersfield, California.

In this dusty farm community, someone is abducting and killing young Hispanic females. His weapon of choice - black widow spiders.

Can these two dedicated Detectives catch this serial killer with the help of their peers and friends, Deputy District Attorney Jesse Greyeyes and Technical Investigations Chief Laine DelMonte?

Cause of Death is a spine-chilling thriller that keeps you guessing right up to the last minute - and makes you wonder about the "normal" people in YOUR daily life.

Damage Control (Det. Annie Avants Series #2) available now!

LanguageEnglish
PublisherRenee Benzaim
Release dateApr 29, 2013
ISBN9781301939114
Cause of Death
Author

Renee Benzaim

Renee Benzaim was born in Wenatchee, Washington, but grew up in Northern California. She wrote her first short story when she was in the third grade and discovered her love of putting words on paper.Her novels include the popular Detective Annie Avants crime fiction series, which is set in Kern County, California. Annie has become very popular with readers and some call her the next "Nancy Drew". She will publish the fifth novel in this series in the Summer of 2016.Her other books include Coyote's Song, the story of a five-year-old Miwok Indian girl who disappears. Ten years later, a reknowned writer sets out to solve the mystery of Evangeline's disappearance.In addition, Renee has written three non-fiction books: How to Make Compost; Salsa!; and Can Men Get Yeast Infections?She lives with her husband in a home and gardens surrounded by a stone wall. This small piece of paradise is the home of an ever=growing number of cats and one shaggy dog.

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    In Cause of Death, Detectives Avant and Weston are out to find a serial killer who tortures victims with black widow spiders prior to their deaths. There are also a few side stories which add to character and plot development as well as hinting at potential upcoming romances in future volumes.Aside from a few typos and spacing issues, which could be due to the fact I was reading an ARC, the text and story line flows very well with exhilarating action.There were a couple of details that seemed to switch or get confused at one point, but as they were minor details they weren't distracting to the story line.The characters were very authentic and true to life. The villain was not one dimensional which I greatly appreciated. The details for the investigations, scenery, and story in general were vivid and imaginable.Overall, an enjoyable read!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Police procedural Cause of Death is the first mystery / thriller for author Renee Benzaim, and the first entry in the Det. Annie Avants series. This exciting book is fast-paced, easy to follow, with engaging characters and a highly suspenseful storyline. I couldn't put it down. I didn't put it down, and read it straight through in a day. I just had to find out whodunit!The story is told from alternating points of view of different characters, including Annie, the victims, and even the perpetrator. The reader knows, from the beginning, how the murders are committed, but not why or by whom. The reader is with each victim, as she is nabbed by the perp. The reader is with the detectives, as they pursue their leads and hit dead-ends. The author includes several red herrings to mislead the reader, and a dead goldfish, so beware.As one would expect in the first book in the Det. Annie Avants series, Annie is the main character, and a very likable one at that. Annie's part is well written, with enough back-story for the reader to really get to know her. The relationships between Annie and her friends / co-workers are complex and interesting, due to the back-stories the author reveals about the other characters.I look forward to reading more about Annie and company in future books in the series. The eBook edition of Damage Control, the second book in the series, is expected to be published by 8/30/13, and the paperback edition by 9/15/13. I rated Cause of Death five stars. I give it my highest recommendation, for anyone who enjoys police procedural mysteries or suspense / thrillers.

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Cause of Death - Renee Benzaim

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