A Thin, Dark Line by Emma Elliot

Title: A Thin, Dark Line
Author: Emma Elliot
Publication Date: August 30, 2012
Source: ARC from Publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):

 When Cormac O'Malley--Dogwood, Ohio's former bad boy and a man just released from prison--returns and shows up on her doorstep, librarian Eloise Carmichael hires him as a handyman despite warnings and misgivings. After a body is found at the library, Eloise becomes obsessed with the mysteries surrounding a murder that took place fifteen years ago. But as the body count rises and family secrets are brought to light, Eloise and Cormac realize the only hope for redemption--and love--lies in each other.


                                 Review

Don't forget to check out my interview with the author!

I knew after reading the summary that I had to read this book. Some summaries make you think, “eh, yeah it doesn’t sound so bad I’ll look it up when it comes out”, but then others, like this one, make you think, “how can I pimp myself out to get this book now?” 

Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, I didn’t have to do any pimping. Why? Because the lovely ladies I had contact with at TWCS Publishing House were generous enough to give a poor reviewer a copy of this great book without my having to do any begging. Oh, and I was prepared to beg, ladies.

Okay, fine I’ll admit it: as soon as my eyes fell on the word “ex-con” I didn’t see anything else and that’s what made me want this book so bad. Big surprise, I have filthy fantasies about ex-cons. You can bet your ass if I read a summary about a romance with an ex-con I’ll want it – and some I wish I hadn’t wanted so bad because they suh-uck, especially the ones that try to  mix a romance and a murder mystery. With baited breath I started A Thin, Dark Line and…

Adored it.

Turning 30 has Eloise Carmichael convinced she’s stuck in a rut, and on a whim – and against the advice of everyone in her life – hires newly released ex-con (swoon!) Cormac O’Malley to be her handyman at the local library where she works.

I started this book convinced I had it all figured out. I was positive it would be revealed Cormac was wrongly accused and imprisoned for another man’s crimes. Um… yeah, not quite. He did in fact commit the murder he was accused of and that was the first thing in the book that surprised me – and I love that Elliot went that route. So often authors of romance/mysteries try to make the ex-con a good guy by making the story about proving his innocence and he just happens to fall in love along the way with (of course) the woman helping him. Huge points to Elliot for not going this route! The innocence route, that is.

I really loved how the author kept me guessing about who was committing the new murders in town. She had me guessing from one character to the next and it wasn’t until the end when Eloise has her confrontation with her father that it finally hit me who it had to be all along. The suspense was wonderful.

What I really liked about this book was the romance – or lack thereof. The book is labeled romance, but really, as much heat as there was between Eloise and Cormac, and as much as he was there for her and she for him when they needed each other, there wasn’t a whole lot of romance in the book. It focused mainly on the mystery of the murders, and no one was distracted by jumping each other. (Yes, I can’t believe I just said I’m glad there was no sex in a book. WTF?) Of course there are some moments between the two, but not as much as I thought there would be going into this novel. Again, another surprise.

If you’re looking for a good mystery with a little heat thrown in once in a while, then I definitely recommend you pick up A Thin, Dark Line.

*** I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Follow the rest of the blog tour at these stops

Saturday, August 25 - My Fiction Nook - - Review, Interview and Giveaway

Sunday, August 26 -  Sherry Gomes Blog - Interview and Giveaway

Monday, August 27 -  Self Publish or Die Blog -  interview and review

Tuesday, August 28 - Passion for Pages Blog  - Review and Interview

Thursday, August 30th - Books and Kisses Blog - Spotlight Review/ Interview
Friday, August 31 -A Book and a Review Blog  - Interview and giveaway.