THE WICKED HOUR

 4 stars out of 5

In the end, I enjoyed getting to know Detective Natalie Lockhart through this book, the second in the series. But I also know my enjoyment was dampened because I had not read the first one - and I strongly advise new-to-the-series readers to start there.
 

Natalie lives and works in Burning Lake, New York - a place that becomes a tourist mecca during its Mardi gras-style festivities at Halloween. Natalie herself is something of a heroine, following her much-publicized shooting of a serial killer sometime earlier. Apparently, she's never quite come to terms with that killing - nor with other events involving her sister and some school-age friends that are not fully explained here (I assume they were detailed in the first book). As part of her healing process, I suppose, it also seems as though she's had an affair with half of the town's eligible men (which at times tends to muddle her thoughts as well as how she does her job).

One of the events on Halloween night is a violin-playing contest, and this year is no exception. All goes well until it doesn't; the body of a young woman is found in a dumpster. She was one of the contestants - and, as it turns out, not the only violin virtuoso to have gone missing over the years. As the investigation progresses, a number of suspects emerge - some of whom force Natalie to question those she trusts. All this is complicated by her former relationship with her boss, Lt. Luke Pittman; she blames herself for breaking things off but doesn't know how or if they can get back to that status once again.

Woven into the story is a thread of witchcraft; it seems quite a few of the townsfolk are "into" it - some more seriously than others. There's no real evidence up front that the practice is in any way related to the young woman's death, but it's another avenue that must not be overlooked. Also woven into the story are glimpses of events from the first book, such as the sudden disappearance of one of Natalie's childhood friends who also happened to have been a budding violinist.

As I said at the beginning, I would have enjoyed this one much more had a more thorough background from the first book been provided. That said, it's good enough on its own that I won't hesitate to read the next one (the ending here, which was a bit unexpected, increased my anticipation). Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

The Wicked Hour by Alice Blanchard (Minotaur Books, December 2020); 304 pp.