Monday With Kaye: "Ties That Bind" by Natalie R. Collins (Reviewed by Kaye George)

This Monday for her “Monday With Kaye” segment the subject is the TIES THAT BIND by Natalie R. Collins. Unlike many of the books Kaye George has recently reviewed this book, published in 2012, is a standalone. That can be a bad thing if you are only into series. Of course, if you like the book this author has quite the list of other potential reads …

Ties That Bind by Natalie R. Collins

This stand-alone mystery thriller takes places in Utah, so of course it deals with Mormons. But it also deals with their social and cultural issues from the vantage point of an author who grew up in that faith, which is what made this such an interesting read for me.

The sleuth, a police detective named Sam, is the first woman detective in the history of the small town of Kanesville, where she grew up. She has a hard enough time being a female in the male-oriented society, rife with overt sexists. But she’s also dealing with old family problems, the death of her sister when she was a girl. Her grief, still very much alive, manifests itself as eating and sleeping problems. Detective Ray Jones, her partner nicknamed D-Ray, is a good friend to have, her only ally on the force.

A series of deaths by hanging eerily echo the suicide of Sam’s sister so many years ago. Evidence is found however, that throws these recent verdicts into doubt. Not everyone believes—or wants to admit—that a serial killer is operating in the tightly controlled community, but Sam does. She also knows it’s up to her to figure out exactly what’s happening.

Collins’ other books deal with the Mormon culture also, but they are not part of a series except in a loose sense—no recurring sleuths. The author gives us a riveting read and a glimpse inside a culture I know so very little about. I’ll bet you’ll enjoy this book as much as I did.

Reviewed by Kaye George, author of Smoke for Suspense Magazine