THE HIVE

4 stars out of 5

Think Mary Kay Ash on steroids: Such is the life of Marnie Spellman, who made a fortune in direct sales of her bee-inspired beauty creams and lotions as well as a loyal following of believer-buyers from her farm on an island in the Pacific Northwest (with some help from TV home shopping network appearances). Marnie, it seems, claims that a swarm of bees lifted her off the ground - yes, really - and in the process encouraged her to found a cosmetics empire and teach women how to beecome the best that they can bee. To help with that, she rallied together a group of devoted worker bees dubbed (though not by her) the Hive.

Although a misstep or two whittled her empire down a bit over the years and the members of the original Hive have scattered to the four winds, Marnie remains committed to rebuilding - and to forgetting a few dark "secrets" that marked the early years - all the while hoping and praying (to her female God) that her devotees would forget as well.

But the past seems to be on a collision course with the present, as the naked body of a young journalist is found at the bottom of a ravine. Police officer Lindsay Jackman, who is still mourning the recent suicide of her mentor-partner, is assigned to the case. In fairly short order, she learns that the dead woman was planning to write an expose of Spellman Farms and its charismatic founder. Then, she learns that another woman with a connection to the Spellman empire was found dead 20 years earlier. Could the two murders somehow be related?

Chapters switch time frames frequently, which always makes a story seem a bit disjointed to me. But the technique does allow readers to see what went on in the lives of the worker bees and at the farm at various times - all of which, of course, build up background and provide possible "connections" that in this case happen at just about every twist and turn. It's also a good way to slip in clues as to how the whole story will play out (and ultimately end). Speaking of the end, there's a handy dandy epilogue in this one that ties up loose ends - some of which were a little surprising (and at least one that was very disappointing to me given everything that happened).

All in all, an enjoyable and well-thought out story. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

The Hive by Gregg Olsen (Thomas & Mercer, June 2021); 475 pp.