The Shadow Box
Author: Luanne Rice
Publisher: Amazon Publishing
Date Published: 2/1/21
Pages: 367
Genre: Domestic Thriller
Synopsis
After artist Claire Beaudry Chase is attacked and left for dead in her home on the Connecticut coast, she doesn’t know who she can trust. But her well-connected husband, Griffin–who is running for governor–is her prime suspect.
Just before the attack, Claire was preparing for an exhibit of her shadow boxes, one of which clearly accuses Griffin of a violent crime committed twenty-five years ago. If the public were to find out who her husband is, his political career would be over. Claire’s certain her husband and his powerful supporters would kill her to stop the truth from getting out.
When one of Claire’s acquaintances is murdered, the authorities suspect the homicide is linked to the attack on Claire. As the dual investigations unfold, Claire must decide how much she’s willing to lose to take down her husband and the corrupt group of elites who will do anything to protect Griffin’s interests and their own.
Review
This was my second Luanne Rice book. The Shadow Box had a lot of potential with multiple storylines and complex characters. There were several heart-racing moments that kept me engaged most of the time.
However, the thrilling moments crossed over into contrived and far-fetched a few too many times for me and the plot began to feel like a made for TV movie. I’m not a fan of those so this was a deal breaker for me.
The writing was fine but the characters were nothing special. I usually love multi-POV plots but this one felt very formulaic. When done well, multiple POV’s can add depth to the plot and characters but here, it felt more like a way to dress us book lacking substance.
This wasn’t a DNF for me and in the end I found it to be a solid read but nothing to get overly excited or rave about. I loved the first Luanne Rice book that I read and despite feeling pretty neutral about The Shadow Box, this one won’t be my last by her either.
Thank you to TLC Book Tours and Amazon Publishing for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
