Title: In The Snows of Haz
Author: Maxine Janerka
Genre: Fantasy/Mystery
Rating: 4 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Review copy provided by Enchanted Book Promotions in exchange for an honest review.
When a wealthy stranger from the capital is murdered in the isolated, snowbound town of Haz Gate, suspicion falls on a local boy. When she jumps to his rescue, schoolteacher Linna Nyx has to dig through deceptions thicker than the snow in midwinter to piece together the truth, and comes face to face with a killer who would destroy not only her own peaceful existence, but the very order of the Empire itself.
In The Snows of Haz is a short, quick novella, that introduces readers to the mysterious town of Haz Gate. We meet characters like Esmine, who is suspected of murder when a wealthy stranger from the capital gets killed. We also meet Linna Nyx, a schoolteacher turned sleuth who has to dig through many deceptions to piece together the truth.
The protagonists are a strange duo, but that’s what makes the book work, and makes it unique. I particularly enjoyed the setting of Haz, the mysterious vibe that settled over the entire town, and the many deceptions and secrets it’s hiding. I enjoyed the characters too, in particular Linna, but I felt like some of the secondary characters could be fleshed out more. Maybe in a second book?
This was a dark, mysterious and suspenseful read with solid writing. Because it’s only a novella, it didn’t take too long to finish the book, but it did keep me on the edge of my seat. I look forward to reading more books from this author.
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