AUTHOR’S ENJOYABLE DEBUT PROMISES MORE TO COME

Give Out Creek

J.G. Toews

Mosaic Press

What would you do if one of your friends was suddenly discovered dead?

Character Stella Mosconi finds out the answer to that unthinkable question in the book Give Out Creek by debut author J.G. Toews.

Set in the author’s British Columbia town of Nelson, the crime thriller details the mysterious death of one of Mosconi’s friends and fellow book club members. Mosconi, a reporter at the small town’s newspaper, invests almost everything she has in order to help solve the mystery of who killed Lillian Fenniwick.

But, as Mosconi searches for the truth, delving into her personal past with a town police officer in the process, another member of Mosconi’s inner circle ends up dead. What unfolds is a tale of crime, passion, friendship, family and, as is often the case with a crime story, jealousy.

This entertaining read, which was shortlisted for the 2016 Arthur Ellis Award for Best Unpublished Crime Novel, takes readers on an enjoyable journey to discover the truth behind two untimely deaths.

There are several intriguing storylines raised within the 260page book that go unexplained, leaving the reader to guess the truth behind them — such as what happens to Max Huber? And did something happen between Jade and Joe? — but the fact that Give Out Creek is the first in a new series by Toews of Stella Mosconi mysteries is likely to blame.

There will surely be much more explained — not to mention much more mystery to enjoy — in the coming books.

J.G. Toews’ debut novel is an entertaining yarn set in Nelson that involves crime, jealousy, and family.