Ebook326 pages4 hours
Empty Houses
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
2/5
()
About this ebook
Mystery series debut: Newly arrived in Arizona, Kate finds her hideaway shattered by the murder of two tourists—and Kate fears she may be next.
Dudley, Arizona, is an isolated desert town that attracts people who need to escape: Kate Waters flees there following an abusive relationship and Phoenix cop Malcolm MacGregor comes to recover from the death of his wife. No one knows why Carrie and Wes Cooper arrived. But when they are shot dead, the police try to protect the tourist trade by making a quick arrest—without asking too many questions.
Having met Carrie briefly, Kate is still unsettled by the encounter—and convinced that the wrong man has been arrested for the crime. Was the shooting random, or is there something in the victims’ history back east that would explain it? When she teams up with Malcolm MacGregor, Kate uncovers disturbing links between her own past and Carrie’s. Is Kate herself at risk?
The first in the Kate Waters series by the author of the Chloe Newcomb mysteries.
Dudley, Arizona, is an isolated desert town that attracts people who need to escape: Kate Waters flees there following an abusive relationship and Phoenix cop Malcolm MacGregor comes to recover from the death of his wife. No one knows why Carrie and Wes Cooper arrived. But when they are shot dead, the police try to protect the tourist trade by making a quick arrest—without asking too many questions.
Having met Carrie briefly, Kate is still unsettled by the encounter—and convinced that the wrong man has been arrested for the crime. Was the shooting random, or is there something in the victims’ history back east that would explain it? When she teams up with Malcolm MacGregor, Kate uncovers disturbing links between her own past and Carrie’s. Is Kate herself at risk?
The first in the Kate Waters series by the author of the Chloe Newcomb mysteries.
Author
Betsy Thornton
Betsy Thornton is the author of six Chloe Newcombe mysteries and one standalone. Her sixth novel, A Song for You, was nominated for the Mary Higgins Clark Award. She has lived in Bisbee, Arizona for the past twenty-five years.
Related to Empty Houses
Related ebooks
Of Trust & Heart Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Years After You Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Lady Must Decline Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsIn the Shadow of Arabella: Regency Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Shadow of His Past: A Sweet Mystery Romance: Spirits in Waiting, #2 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Demon Bunny of Ipswich: A Berkeley Blackfriars Story Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsKnit One, Die Two Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Meet Me In Paris Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mail Order Bride - Harriet's Destiny: Faith Creek Brides, #6 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Not Anyone's Wife Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsStar Keeper Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Woman With Secrets Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5False Name Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBring Into Bondage Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSecond Chance Bride Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Heated Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Kiss in the Rain Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsOne Night With His Virgin Mistress Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Stay My Hand Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNever Kissed Goodnight: Leigh Koslow Mystery Series, #4 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5When the Dead Cry Out: A Novel Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Lone Wolf Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Girl of Silver Clouds: Holiday Romances, #4 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAgainst The Edge Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Marriage of Equals: An emotional, passionate Regency romance Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNicetown: The Matt Bell Mysteries, #1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSocial Graces Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRevolutionary Magic Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Family Matters: The Harry Starke Novels, #6 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSubsequent Wife, The Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Mystery For You
None of This Is True: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Summit Lake Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Kept Woman: A Will Trent Thriller Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Hidden Staircase: Nancy Drew #2 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Hunting Party: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5False Witness: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pretty Girls: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Life We Bury Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Paris Apartment: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Did I Kill You?: A Thriller Novel Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Last Flight: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Write a Mystery: A Handbook from Mystery Writers of America Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Club: A Reese's Book Club Pick Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Pharmacist Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone: A Murdery Mystery Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Finlay Donovan Is Killing It: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pieces of Her: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The River We Remember: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Murder of Roger Ackroyd Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Jack Reacher: A Mysterious Profile Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Good Daughter: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Big Sleep Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Obsessed: A gripping psychological thriller full of twists Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Dean Koontz: Series Reading Order - with Summaries & Checklist Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Dark Side: A Collection of Mysteries & Thrillers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The People Next Door Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Still Life: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Iron Lake (20th Anniversary Edition): A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related categories
Reviews for Empty Houses
Rating: 2.1666666666666665 out of 5 stars
2/5
3 ratings1 review
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Having read and enjoyed all of Thornton's Chloe Newcombe mysteries which are also set in Dudley (a thinly disguised Bisbee), I was excited to see this first book in a new series. As I've come to expect from Thornton, the setting is vivid and adds so much texture to the story. In addition, the mystery kept me guessing from beginning to end. However, all the various parts of the book never really gelled into an enjoyable read for me. Thornton inserts derogatory comments about Arizona SB1070 (the highly inflammatory immigration law) and the state's (lack of) gun control. I happen to agree with her on both counts, but if she feels that way about guns, why does one come in so handy in one particular scene? It certainly could have been written differently. Although the book is listed as a "Kate Waters" mystery, Kate does very little investigating in the book. Instead it's MacGregor's expertise that is put to good use. I liked MacGregor even though he seems to be one of those men who are drawn to damsels in distress. He's a good investigator and a nice guy.Kate Waters is certainly a damsel in distress. A very annoying one. I have to admit that she is the main drawback in this book. The woman has just escaped from an abusive relationship. She lives in fear that her ex will find her. She is extremely paranoid. All that being said, then why on earth did she go do something and leave her house unlocked for the entire day because she knows a friend will be stopping by? That almost beggars belief. And-- once again-- if Kate is so paranoid, why can she never remember to charge her cell phone? A bit difficult to call for help if her phone's dead, isn't it?I did enjoy the mystery in Empty Houses, and as always, I can't get enough of the setting, but with Kate Waters as the main character, I doubt very much that I'll continue with this series. What a shame.
Book preview
Empty Houses - Betsy Thornton
d book_preview_excerpt.html u|]Hr_:p#Uh43+yG#Yҽ},E >쿷s2 /RPUYqd??Srչu.!WP)]ja~ypM|äkya~ ՛)pP1Oa.~Z&<RuS_MmW_.6աKiU8TSw1?>õ)M|_}c891)WiT/p=qjcwO%uT5s_|2AhP?T1IB}C6Tc4O+TG-+<7 7~SC;AX㔫#Gqv~v"R>aj$G|LN'ۯ:
V0Ūv|!xruk,G~ S0ЅMC>uឹO-4POly4w@АAKO~O3E~i9E|uhpLqJ]\Oii4-6;imIc]DUJϵwgI@xTc.&@ZF(L!憇oXBᾆR8}j㿇v1V?
vg|c(_B~9s=sfߠu86+J}U@\Bjj¤*._a~TQF]?TΩiZ)Ǔi-1lgsyeԱz+ݱZ .6CXl?RX(Y85$fIjLnzUR˸0O;l;X_a8MA3Nmqc1wW)KQ
r9VYվ^NrW՛d.mSX4E_y\EaEKT2x$lbJB%8ih CCn<`/(' GJMKȷF0ċgV]@AB..*3! 3NB-thn6R(LR7>2 r{_[Čv>]T0?#ϡS=/WW<>D!I ͺòp˰\5 cOm viqΓsz1
i紓.D Kgw
_lD_ZM|x,cwtik3|f|ٿbnqt( (0v/G J)Q܅!
w":31`
~Ca1\íVRh" WvI0qJCO='ժ.MZʴ\ab51[\
TnO\bBϖ\y
uh'ZG}^PgmmD]
0]F5Nӄ~x6sKS_*|k90ךMτ=gقUyќHG`8vPdNpxhy(r;Ξs#]hiP\Fw*U مu;jӸ][ΘF6,>1fɰ