I enjoyed this book. I like the main character and appreciate that she was able to overcome massive challenges in her life. Quite a few things aren't terribly believable, but I'm okay with that as long as the story is enjoyable. It's likely I'll read the next book in the series. ( )

Dead Girl Running (Cape Charade #1) by Christina Dodd is my second book by this author I have also read Because I’m Watching back in 2016 which I loved. I have to say that it was nice to read a book that was the first of a series, since my first book was a third in the series. I have come to enjoy this author more than I thought I would considering I am a very picky person when it comes to my books. Unique, inventive, captivating - this plot is all that and part Gothic, part assumed identity, part amnesia victim, part who done it and totally fascinating. I really don’t know what I expected but I loved what I got. Kellen Adams has been the assistant manager of Yearning Sands, a high end destination resort on the Washington coast for a few months. She has been many things in her life and lived many places and all she wants now is a place to call home. Kellen becomes a jack of all trades when the owners of the resort go on vacation. Everything is fine until a body washes up on shore and the peaceful place because full of buzzing energy and smuggling art that has everyone on their toes. Everyone is a suspect in my eyes and Kellen’s past comes forward in flashes making the reader want to keep going just to see what’s going on and who done it. Fantastic read from start to finish. The only question I have is what is next? ( )

This is my first Christina Dodd novel, and I was not disappointed. I have the entire trilogy, received from Harlequin Reader Service over several months. My version also had the novella Hard to Kill at the end.

I read Hard to Kill first since it is technically a prequel, and was a little confused when she mentioned Gregory because I didn't know who that was. I didn't look at how many pages there were, but I would guess maybe 50 or so. It was a nice little side story. It didn't really add anything to her backstory other than going into her discharge from the US Army. If you have the edition with this novella attached, then by all means, read it. If you have to pay to read it, you can pass it by, you wouldn't really be missing anything.

Now on to the main event. Kellen is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. There are so many layers to her, you were constantly learning something new about her and her history. From her name, to the bullet scar on her forehead, to her forgotten past, there was always a tidbit of her coming into view. She has found a home at Yearning Sands Resort, and brought in some of her military friends. She had thought she could trust all of them, but now everyone is a suspect and she's not so sure. Around every corner is a new surprise, a new twist, a new turn. It really keeps you guessing on who or what is going on. I was a little confused more than once, but that's part of the game of finding a killer, right?

There are quite a few characters, and sometimes I didn't really know who people were, but for the most part it was easy enough to follow along and remember who was who. It didn't really take away from the story, it was pretty easy to keep track of the main characters, but when a side person spoke, sometimes I was just like, who is that again?

All in all, a great book, I could hardly put it down and even when I did, I was still thinking about it, trying to piece together the clues to figure out who the culprit was. If you like mystery, suspense, whodunit, or puzzle stories, then this is definitely for you. This would be good for fans of Tana French or Karin Slaughter. ( )

Dead Girl Running
4 Stars

Series note: This is set in the same world as the Scarlet Deception and Virtue Falls series. While there are one or two intertextual references, these are very minor and the characters and events in the book are completely original. Thus, it can be read without any prior knowledge of the other series.

Christina Dodd is a master at characterization. She immerses the reader in her characters' life experiences and makes it impossible to not empathize and sympathize with them. The heroine in this book is no exception. Kellen Adams, a military officer turned resort manager, has a troubled and traumatic past that is slowly revealed as the story progresses. As her secrets are exposed, her strength of will and resilience come to the fore and make her even more appealing.

The mystery surrounding the discovery of a skeleton on the resort's grounds is a mix of traditional genres, i.e., a gothic horror atmosphere with an Agatha Christie-like who-dun-it. Readers follow along as, amidst a stormy background, the identity of the victim becomes clear and the suspects and motives start lining up. While the explanation is a bit convoluted, the investigation itself is entertaining with some surprising twists along the way.

The romantic elements are the weakest part of the book. Despite the chemistry between Kellen and her love interest, their relationship remains underdeveloped and much of it is presented in flashback format. It remains to be seen whether this will improve in subsequent installments of the series.

Overall, a compelling beginning to the series and I look forward to finding out what Dodd has in store for her heroine next.





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Good book as to plotting and writing style etc. CD usually writes romantic suspense but there was no romance in this one. It ended right in the middle of something. This is only the first book in a series and I assume conversations and explanations that I was looking forward to will be in the next book. Well written but I’m gonna reserve judgement until I’ve read the whole series. Two months before the next one comes out. I guess at this point my biggest feeling is one of disgruntlement. I feel a little empty like I didn’t get the fulfilling read I was looking for. ( )