Murder Doesn't Take A Holiday

DI Leo George and Jess have been a couple for 2 months and are on their first weekend away. They attend Leo’s student’s reunion in a luxury resort. Their getaway is brutally cut short when Leo’s boss calls him back. Not far from their country club is an unattended death. At first, it looks like a simple suicide cut Leo suspects foul play. The victim used to work in the club and according to her friends and colleagues showed no signs of depression or suicidal tendencies. As if that is not enough, one of Leo’s friends is found dead in his camper that’s parked in a field adjacent to the country club. When it’s clear he died of carbon dioxide poisoning, his girlfriend is arrested by one of Leo’s colleagues. Leo himself can’t go near the investigation but his friends hire Jess to exonerate Rainbow. There are now 2 murders that are disguised as suicides, are they connected? How and Why? Or is it a coincidence?

This is the 4th story in this series but can be read as a standalone. It takes place in February of 2020 at the start of the pandemic and there are a few references to the increasing risks.
There’s a rather long introduction before something happens. But as this is a whole new set of characters (Leo’s friends from his student days) it’s maybe necessary. Once the first murder has happened, things start rolling and get the momentum that’s hard to stop. It’s as suspenseful as the previous ones and
Jess seems a lot more mature and less irresponsible than in the previous books. She appears to be less prone to rash and stupid decisions. That is until she makes an almost unforgivable ‘mistake’.
One of the characters in this book is a really unpleasant woman. Not only is she rumoured to have poisoned a dog but she had her car declawed as well. And that while she claims to be a cat person! I must say that the author makes it clear that something like that is illegal in the UK and cruel. I do have a cat myself and I watch daily how he uses his claws just as it would be hands and fingers. So, I wanted that person to be the killer in order to have her locked up, but I couldn’t find a motive for the second murder though. Is she guilty after all? You must find out yourself.
We also witness the first lover’s tiff between Jess and Leo and it’s but the question if they can overcome this.
I was invited by Harper Collins, One More Chapter to read this ARC and this is my honest and unbiased review of it.