The Dead Season by Tessa Wegert – a Review

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Description:
Senior Investigator Shana Merchant has spent years running from her past. But she never imagined a murder case would drive her to the most dangerous place of all–home.

After leaving the NYPD following her abduction by serial killer Blake Bram, Shana Merchant hoped for a fresh start in the Thousand Islands of Upstate New York. Her former tormentor has other plans. Shana and Bram share more than just a hometown, and he won’t let her forget it. When the decades-old skeleton of Shana’s estranged uncle is uncovered, Bram issues a challenge: Return home to Vermont and solve the cold case, or the blood he spills next will be on her hands.

As Shana interviews members of her family and the community, mining for secrets that could help her solve her uncle’s murder, she begins to realize how little she remembers of her childhood. And when Bram grows impatient and kidnaps again, leaving a trail of clues Shana alone can understand, she knows his new victim will only survive if she wins the psychopath’s twisted game. In order to solve one mystery, Shana must wade into her murky past to unravel another.

Review:

The Dead Season by Tessa Wegert is the 2^nd book in her Shana Merchant series.  I read the first book in this series, and enjoyed it very much; especially the heroine, Shana Merchant. The Dead Season is another exciting mystery thriller with emphasis on Shana, as she becomes embroiled in a cold case that is totally centered on her family.  Shana suffered with PSTD (she had been kidnapped two years ago, but escaped after 8 days, witnessing three innocent deaths), which caused her move to a quieter small town Thousand Islands in upstate N.Y. She is currently on suspension to pass a psych exam to be able to return to work.

Shana is called by her family to return home, since the body of her uncle, missing for twenty plus years, has been found, and evidence proves it was murder.  She begins her own investigation to find out the truth about her uncle’s disappearance, meeting with members of her family (cousins, aunts, friends).  

When her partner Tim, calls for some help with a missing young boy, Shana quickly returns and discovers a shocking revelation.  Seems her former kidnapper has dropped clues for Shana, which involves the missing boy, as well as her receiving a challenge to find the murderer of the Uncle, or the boy may die. Shana does have a secret, which she has told no one.  Her kidnapper, Bram, is someone she cousin she played clue like games, but when she got older, she stopped playing them and now her kidnapper is baiting her. Because Tim and her boss, Mac are deeply involved in this case, with their own personal lives becoming too close to home, Shana must reveal the truth about who her kidnapper was.

What follows is an exciting story line with our heroine deep into trying to solve two different cases, though partially tied together.  Shana is a wonderful, strong, savvy detective, who uses her expertise to find the secrets of the past; as well as stop Bram from killing the boy. To tell too much more would be spoilers.

The Dead Season was very well written by Tessa Wegert, with an exciting, gripping thriller all the way, as well as the many twists and turns that kept throwing us off. If you have not read the first book, this does read very well as a stand alone; but I do suggest to read the first book to learn more about Shana, and her new teammates. If you enjoy an old fashion mystery thriller, look no further than the The Dead Season.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher