Pretty Dead (Elise Sandburg #3)

The city of Savannah itself wasn\’t quite as much of a character as in the last book, but it\’s still a solid, gripping thriller. The way it ends indicates that there may be more books to come in this series, and I hope that\’s true. Elise has a lot on her plate in this one, a serial killer on the loose, her father back from the dead, a boss and a mayor that don\’t like her, and a partner that seems to be going a bit off the rails. She\’s suffering from some PTSD too, related to the time when she was kidnapped. I had my suspicions about the killer early on, then changed my mind and back again. I liked how the crossword puzzle addiction that Elise and David shared was woven into the storyline. As with the previous books in the series, the supporting characters are strong and colorful, my favorite being a Gullah woman named Strata Luna. Hopefully, I\’ll see them all in the next book.

While there were a few curves I didn\’t anticipate, there were very few. I knew who the killer was as soon as he was introduced. Again I am wondering where the Elise from the first book has gone. This new personality she\’s had over the last 2 books is obnoxious. I really hate the lack of trust she has for David when he always has her back no matter what. I was hoping for a romantic angle between the 2 of them but bot now. He deserves better than her.

\”Daily, the city took her breath away. Different times, different views, different lighting. But always an appreciation of the brick sidewalks edged with wrought iron and draped in pink blooms. The steeples and palm trees against the bluest sky and the whitest clouds. Fountains and street musicians and ships docked in the harbor. All of those things filled her heart and made her glad she hadnt left…\” Thr 3rd and last in the Elise Sandburg series set in Savannah Georgia. Another great psychological crime thriller written in true Anne Frasier style. I loved the interaction and complex relationships in this book. I fell in love with David Gould all over again and found myself cheering for Jackson Sweet, the conjurer and estranged father of Elise. This series took advantage of the eerie and eccentric aura of Savannah perfectly. A great read.

I haven\’t admit, though, that I get tired of all these .detective mysteries in which the two partners are deeply attracted to one another but are so neurotic about events in their past lives, that they are unable to get together. And, there are myriads of misunderstandings that keep them apart. Or perhaps I have read too many modern detective stories. That being said, this story kept me on edge, even though I guessed, early on, who the serial killer is. I recommend the three books in the series.

This series gets better with each book, and keep the reader guessing. The further development of relationships between the core group of characters is believable, and adds another dimension to the story. We also start seeing beyond the surface of supporting characters and get deeper into their history, especially Strata Luna. The one part that did not ring true in this book was Elise\’s out of character behavior toward her partner. It just didn\’t seem believable, and that distracted from the story. I won\’t spoil things by saying what it was, but fortunately things were resolved and the storyline got back on track. The ending was unexpected, and has the seeds of a story for the next novel. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series to see if Frasier follows through on this ending, or goes in a different direction.

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