Murder at Sunrise Lake by Christine Feehan -Dual Review & Excerpt

Posted on by

Murder at Sunrise Lake by Christine Feehan – Dual Review

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / Apple / BAM / Book Depository

 

Description:
It starts in her dreams. Hideous flashes from a nightmare only she can stop. Images of a murderer stalking the ones she cares about most…

Stella Harrison thought she got away from the traumas of her past. Running the Sunrise Lake resort high in the Sierra Nevada mountains has brought her peace, even though she doesn’t truly share her quiet life with anyone. Not even Sam, the hired handyman that notices everything and always seems to know exactly what she needs.

Stella doesn’t know anything about Sam’s past, but somehow over the last two years his slow, steady presence has slipped past her defenses. Still, she knows she can’t tell him about her recent premonitions. So far there’s been no murder. No body. No way to prove what’s about to happen without destroying the life she’s built for herself.

But a killer is out there. And Stella knows that this time she’ll do whatever it takes to stop him.

 

 

Barb’s Review:
Murder at Sunrise Lake by Christine Feehan is a different kind of story that we are not used to from her, being a mystery thriller, with some paranormal element. Stella Harrison, our heroine, runs a successful resort at Sunrise Lake in the small cozy Sierra Nevada mountains.  Stella suffered nightmares as a child, giving her visions of a murder about to happen, which turned out to be her father being a serial killer.  After a couple times, the visions stopped until she was a teenager, and it started again, until the murderer was found.  Moving to the mountains brought her peace and quiet, as well as happiness for years; she became a loyal mainstay to the locals.  Stella also had a great group of female friends, who came to love their small town and each other.

After so many years, Stella begins to have the nightmares again, which she keeps a secret from everyone. Sam, who works for Stella, discovers about her nightmares, and not only is he a handyman, but he also becomes her protector; as he has over the two-year period of working at the resort, and is slowly falling for her.  Stella has become very comfortable and safe with Sam, and she also finds herself strongly attracted to him.  Sam is an ex-military, whose background is working for the government when needed, and uses his expertise to help Stella try to decipher the clues in her nightmares. One thing they both realize, is her nightmares are based on someone she knows or has touched; like her father.  Sam was a wonderful hero, though he was quiet and stayed mostly in the background among other people, his devotion and protector to Stella was amazing.   I also loved Stella’s dog, Bailey, who was not only wonderful, but also very protective.

What follows an exciting suspenseful mystery, with both Sam and Stella working together to try to find the killer before they kill again, knowing that they are getting closer and the murderer may just be targeting Stella.   What I loved about this story was the amazing wonderful friends that all came to this small town at various times, and bonded together.  Stella surrounded herself with women who were equally smart, savvy, and strong; Raine, Zahra, Harlow, Vienna, Shabina.   It was great to spend time with them all whether at the bar, or at each other’s homes; with each having their own past issues, giving their own perspective, and also trying to help Stella.

Murder at Sunrise Lake was a very good murder mystery, filled with action & suspense, as well as a slight paranormal element. I will say that there were times the story slowed down, maybe eliminating some of the extra non-essential details.  Overall, this was a great story, with a terrific couple, fantastic friends and other secondary characters. I wholly suggest you read Christine Feehan’s foray into the murder mystery genre.

 

Sandy’s Review:

MURDER AT SUNRISE LAKE by Christine Feehan is a contemporary, adult, romantic, suspense, slightly paranormal, thriller focusing on vacation resort manager Stella Harrison, and groundskeeper Sam Rossi.

WARNING: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from third person perspective MURDER AT SUNRISE LAKE follows the search for a serial killer in the fictional resort town of Knightly, on Sunrise Lake in the Sierra Nevadas. Stella Harrison has future sight; a precognitive ability of foreknowledge. In the days before a serial killer takes down his next victim, Stella’s nightmares worsen to reveal the probable location and method of each of his kills but Stella’s abilities are also tied to a horrific childhood wherein she had personal knowledge of the kind of monster that was currently taking down the people in her beloved town. Always at her side, Sam Rossi, a man whose past is awash in government secrets and military assignments, ensures that our heroine is always protected and there whenever Stella’s nightmares and dreams reveal a little more about another kill. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Stella and Sam, as our couple begin to amass a series of clues that quite possibly points to one of their own.

We are introduced to a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including a few ‘Mafia’ members that may or may not have a future story line: nurse/photographer Harlow Frye; café owner Shabina Foster; computer IT expert and contracted government employee Raine O’Mallory; surgican nurse Vienna Mortenson; nurse Zahra Metcalf; Dr. Denver Dawson; Deputy Sheriff Griffen Cauldry; Sam’s father Don Marco Rossi, and underboss Lucio Vitale. There is definitely a prior history between Lucio and Raine.

MURDER AT SUNRISE LAKE is a character driven, complex and detailed story wherein the author introduces numerous characters whose backgrounds and histories are heart breaking, painful and sad. From our story line couple, to most of their friends, each has a story that would break all but the strongest. Christine Feehan pulls the reader into an intriguing, suspense-filled and haunting story of obsession and power, vengeance and betrayal, murder and hate.

For fans of Christine Feehan, MURDER AT SUNRISE LAKE is an about-face: there are no erotic $ex scenes, everything fades to black or is mostly implied. There were a few awkward moments of the women acting a little TSTL (too stupid to live) but thankfully smarter heads, or the author, prevailed. I am not sure if the author has plans for future instalments but there are several characters with stories to tell.

 


 

As a rule, Stella knew everything there was to know about her employees, but not Sam. When she’d asked him to work for her, he had been a little reluctant. In the end, he had said he’d work for cash only. Under the table. She didn’t usually go for that. She kept everything strictly legal, but she was desperate for a really good worker who knew the kinds of things Sam knew. At the time, nearly every cabin needed renovations. Electricity, plumbing, walls crumbling. So much work. Motors on the boats. She needed him more than he needed her. She’d hired him thinking it would be for a short period of time. That short period had turned into over two years.
She stayed silent. Took another drink of coffee. Kept looking at the lake. What was there to say that didn’t make her look as if she were losing her mind? Nothing. There was nothing she could say. Even if she revealed her past, blew her carefully constructed lie of a life, what would be the point? There was no proof, and she doubted if she could get any proof that accidents weren’t going to be accidents and a serial killer was on the loose. As of that moment, even the fisherman hadn’t been found dead because no crime had been committed—yet. The killer would strike in two days. She needed to drive around the lake and look for the location.
“Been here over two years now, Stella. You never once locked that door. You don’t snap at the workers, especially if they make a mistake. That’s not your way.”
She didn’t look at him again. Instead, she kept her eyes on the lake. The tranquil lake that was so deep and could hold countless bodies if someone weighed them down. Above the lake the mountains rose with all the beautiful trees. So many places to bury bodies no one would ever find. Hot springs. Some of the hot springs were hot enough to decompose a body.
Without thinking, she pressed her fingers to her mouth the way she’d done when she was a child to keep from blurting out anything she shouldn’t say. A habit. A bad habit she’d worked to get over, and now it was back. Just that fast. Her fingers trembled and she wanted to sit on them. She hoped he didn’t notice, but he saw everything. She knew he did. Sam was that type of man. She dropped her hand back into Bailey’s fur. Buried her shaking fingers deep.
“Satine, you want help, I’m right here, but you gotta talk. Use your words, woman.”
“Did I really do that? Snap at someone because they made a mistake?” She did turn her head and look at him then. “Did I do that to you, Sam?”
His tough features softened for just a moment. Those dark eyes of his turned almost velvet, drifting over her. Unsettling her. “No, it was Bernice at the boat rentals the other day.”
Stella pressed the heel of her hand to her forehead. She had done that. Not yelled. But definitely been snippy. Okay. More than snippy. She was not a boss to be snippy or short with her employees. Bernice Fulton was older and had worked for her for over five years. She would take it to heart. “I’ll talk to her.”
That day was unusually hot when everyone had been expecting the cooler fall weather. Because it was, those staying in the resort had rushed to rent the boats, wanting to be out on the lake. Unfortunately, that included people who didn’t have the least idea how to run a boat, or dock one. Both Sam and Stella spent the better part of the evening rescuing very drunk parties of four, six and couples, as well as a single mom and her two very young children, who, thank heavens, were wearing life vests.
Fishermen had been complaining all day, a steady stream of grouchy, irritable or downright furious, mostly men acting superior, although most of them knew her now. They’d come to respect her over the years. Still, they weren’t immune to the unexpected high temperatures. Humidity when there was usually dry heat, and all the crazy tourists who didn’t have the first clue about how to navigate boats on the lake. Nor did those tourists even seem to have any manners when it came to sharing the lake with those fishing.
Stella had been yelled at, called names and insulted many times, mostly in reference to her IQ and ability to run a fishing camp—which Sunrise Lake was not, but she didn’t correct anyone.

From MURDER AT SUNRISE LAKE published by arrangement with Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Copyright © 2021 by Christine Feehan.

 


Christine Feehan is a #1 New York Times bestselling author multiple times over with her portfolio including over 70 published novels, including five series; Dark Series, Ghostwalker Series, Leopard Series, Drake Sisters Series, the Sisters of the Heart Series and Torpedo Ink. All of her series have hit the #1 spot on the New York Times bestselling list as well. Her debut novel Dark Prince received 3 of the 9 Paranormal Excellence Awards in Romantic Literature (PEARL) in 1999. Since then she has been published by various publishing houses including Leisure Books, Pocket Books, and currently is writing for Berkley/Jove. She also has earned 7 more PEARL awards since Dark Prince.

Follow: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

 

 

 

 

 

Share

13 thoughts on “Murder at Sunrise Lake by Christine Feehan -Dual Review & Excerpt”

Leave a Reply