The Murder Club (Pike, Wisonsin 5) by Alexandra Ivy -review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 20, 2024

Over the years, small-town Pike, Wisconsin, has seen its share of shady characters, murderers, and serial killers—and not all of them have landed behind bars. For some folks, solving cold cases from the safety of the virtual world is a harmless diversion—but the stakes can be deadly . . .

An online crime-solving group is just the kind of adventure Bailey Evans needs. She loves her nursing career and small-town life, but her days are predictable. Her confidence bolstered by having her sheriff cousin Zac nearby, Bailey’s up for some innocent fun and intrigue. . . . Until she starts receiving unnerving Once the game begins, there’s no backing out of The Murder Club. Then the game gets real . . .

First, Bailey is shut out at work after an elderly patient dies and leaves her a shocking inheritance. Then a priceless necklace from an anonymous source arrives in her mail—along with a bone-chilling threat. Determined not to involve expectant father Zac, Bailey contacts an expert the charming Las Vegas businessman who’s never left her mind . . .

Dom Lucier knows real gems—and Bailey is the most precious thing he’s seen since they met at her best friend’s wedding. Returning to Pike to trace the jewelry’s bloody history, Dom helps Bailey kick open a murderous cold case. But as death and disaster escalate, they’ll need a new strategy to escape a killer who won’t be satisfied until the streets of Pike are soaked in blood . .

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REVIEW:THE MURDER CLUB is the fifth instalment in Alexandra Ivy’s contemporary, adult PIKE, WISCONSIN mystery, suspense series . This is pawn shop owner/ television personality Dom Lucier, and registered nurse Bailey Evans’ story line. THE MURDER CLUB can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty . Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary . Bailey is Sheriff Zac Evans’ (UNSTABLE #3) cousin.

Told from omniscient dual third person perspectives (Dom and Bailey) following several intersecting paths, THE MURDER CLUB follows in the wake of the death of a local nursing home resident, a death blamed on our story line heroine. Months earlier Bailey Evans met television personality Dom Lucier at the wedding of mutual friends (Kaden and Lia: Desperate Acts #4), and his arrival in Pike, Wisconsin coincides with Bailey’s life spiralling out of control. Dom Lucier is temporarily living at Kaden’s place in Pike where he will seek out the woman who stole his heart but Pike’s reputation as the murder capital of America is about to push our couple together in more ways than one. Enter Bailey Evans. Bailey is a nurse who loves her clients but the death of a resident, and her subsequent inheritance of several thousand dollars places our heroine at the top of the list when several other items go missing, and the nursing home owner refuses to listen to reason. With the help of Dom, Bailey goes in search of the truth, a search that has more twists and turns the deeper our couple dig into the investigation. With everyone having a motive, and a potential stalker targeting our story line heroine, Dom and Bailey begin an investigation of their own only to discover there are more players and suspects than they could have ever imagined.

The world building is detailed and complex as the number of potential suspects, clues and possible red herrings enter into the investigation. As a former member of an online Murder Club, a group that re-investigates murders and deaths that were never solved, Bailey finds herself in a threatening situation when she refuses to ‘play the game’, a game playing out in Pike, Wisconsin. As the number of victims begin to amass, Bailey and Dom’s search reveals a web of vengeance for sins of the past.

The relationship between Bailey and Dom is one of friendship that will quickly turn into something more. Bailey is in need of protection, and Dom volunteers to guard the woman with whom he is falling in love. There are no $ex scenes , everything is implied.

THE MURDER CLUB is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, jealousy, obsession and murder, friendships and love. The premise is intriguing but not believable on so many levels-in this I struggled to accept the concept of our couple as the principle investigators. The characters are energetic; the romance is limited, but I felt no palpable sexual attraction.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Don’t Look
Faceless
Unstable
Desperate Acts
Redemption 4.5 (Peril Anthology)

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy