The Root of Murder

Lovers in Crime Mystery, Book 4

By: Lauren Carr

Narrated by: Mike Alger

Homicide Detective Cameron Gates learned long ago that there is no such thing as a typical murder case. Each mystery is special in its own right - especially for the family of the victim.

The homicide of a successful executive, husband, and father seems open and shut when the murder weapon is found in his estranged son-in-law’s possession. The circumstantial evidence is so damning that when her stepson, J.J. Thornton, agrees to act as the defendant’s public defender, he assumes his first murder case will be a loss. Only the report of a missing husband proves that this case is not as open and shut as it seems.

Strap on your seat belts for a wild ride in this mystery rooted in decades of deception that sprouts into murder.

©2019 Terri Lynn Zaleski (P)2019 Terri Lynn Zaleski

The Root of Murder

The Root of Murder is the fourth installment from Lauren Carr’s Lovers in Crime Mysteries series. Oh my goodness! The more I read her books, the more I absolutely love her. She is beginning to be one of my top go to authors. I want to read all of her books. The Root of Murder is giving me yet another reason why I feel that way.
The Root of Murder catches readers up with couple Homicide Detective Cameron Gates and Prosecuting Attorney Joshua Thornton. I love these two together. They are a great team and so fun together. Joshua’s son, JJ, becomes a defensive attorney for his first murder case and is determined that he will not lose this case. It was great to see how they were able to investigate and solve it.
The Root of Murder is full of mystery and suspense, action and adventure, along with fun and laughs. I loved the huge twist in the story that I had no way of predicting. I was kept on the edge of my seat wondering what in the world could happen next. I was left guessing with “who done it” up until the end. What a surprise!
I had the pleasure of listening to the audio version of The Root of Murder. Once again, Mike Alger, does a fabulous performance bringing this book to life. His voice and the book are the perfect fit.
I am giving The Root of Murder a well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend this book, as well as, the others in the Lovers in Crime Mysteries series. I believe that readers will not be disappointed! I love it!
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.

Crime Fighting Duo

When a burning body is found in a farming couple’s field, that turns out to be just the tip of the iceberg and there is no simple resolution to be found. The accused son-in-law is a mess of a human being, drowning in substance abuse to the point that he can’t possibly help with his own defense and Cameron has a niggling feeling that something isn’t right with this case. Considering the shortcomings of most vastly overworked public defenders, criminal attorney J.J. agrees to offer his services as public defender for Derek Ellison’s case.

Then a husband is reported as missing and there are hints that there could be a connection to the murder. Cameron and her new partner, Tony, are led hither and yon following improbable paths that are as convoluted as clues can get. Fortunately, author Lauren Carr has method in what looks like madness so I was never too far behind; still, I didn’t identify the killer till near the end.

Meanwhile, the Thornton family is wrapped up in J.J.’s and Poppy’s upcoming wedding, especially the search for the dress of Poppy’s dreams. The hardcore crime fiction reader might think that’s unnecessary fluff but, trust me, it isn’t and we learn a lot more about this appealing family and their love for one another, underpinning the deep professional trust between Joshua and Cameron. They’re all much more fortunate than the other families in this story and this is a compassionate look at what can go wrong…and, ultimately, how things can be made right. (I also thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Admiral, the Great Dane-Irish Wolfhound, Maine Coon Irving, and especially Charley, a rooster with attitude.)

I’m running out of ways to say how much I like Mike Alger as the narrator but the truth is he’s top-notch with various voices and interpretations of tone and emotion. He never seems to hit a weak spot 😉

Carr weaves multiple pieces into an elaborate tale

The murder of John Davis is an open and shut case…until it isn’t. It’s open and almost shut, then opened and almost shut again. Repeat, repeat, repeat! I’ve read a bunch of Lauren Carr’s murder mysteries, but I think The Root of Murder may hold the record for the number of dead-end paths that I merrily followed and the number of times I was incorrect as to figuring out the killer’s/killers' identity. Why am I so gullible?! Lauren Carr is a master of misdirection, and I drink the delicious Kool-Aid every time.

“I don’t believe in coincidences.”

As is typical in a Carr mystery (The Root of Murder is the fourth book in the Lovers in Crime series), no time is wasted, and readers have a dead body within the first few pages. Lieutenant Cameron Gates is on the scene and with the help of her husband, attorney Joshua Thornton, and his son J.J. Thornton, a young criminal attorney, the trio tracks down leads and suspects, discovers a gazillion motives, and even opens an old case file when it seems John Davis’s murder may have ties to deaths in the past.

I recently read and reviewed the second book in this series, Real Murder, and it’s clear A LOT happened in book three, Killer in the Band. None of it was critical to understanding The Root of Murder, but in reading with my ears, I was a little confused at first with a few of the new characters. (Those who read with their eyes will find several pages that share the cast of characters and who they are.) I am quite interested in filling the gap and hope to go back and read books one and three in the series!

In addition to the author’s excellent ability to weave multiple story pieces into one big, elaborate tale, what I enjoy about this book and the Lovers in Crime mysteries is the relationship between Cameron and Joshua. They are not youngsters navigating a marriage and relationship. They are mature characters who have life experience under their belts, including prior marriages and a blended family, and there is chemistry there that adds depth and authenticity to them as a couple. (And I appreciate that we get hints at their friskiness, but the details are left behind closed doors.) It’s refreshing to see a passionate middle-aged-ish couple who are a powerhouse together but who also each have their own high-profile careers and pursuits.

Carr also does a great job with giving her readers a break from the intensity of the murder plot lines by threading in secondary stories that are high interest but not stressful – and in The Root of Murder, there’s a small paranormal element thrown in and of course, comic relief mostly provided by animals with personalities big enough to take over the page. (Charley, the watch rooster, is my new favorite.) There are plenty of elements for readers to enjoy in The Root of Murder, and I’ll continue to read books by Lauren Carr – and she’s a prolific writer, thank goodness, so that’s an easy thing to do.

ABOUT THE NARRATION. Mike Alger has been the narrator for all of Carr’s books that I’ve listened to, and I think he keeps getting better. He has an even delivery, he keeps the voices for the multitudes of characters separate and unique, and he does an admirable job with female voices so that they don’t sound ridiculous. (They do sound like a man voicing a female, but it works.) I listened at my usual 1.25x, which is perfect for me and keeps the pace where I like it. I ended-up buying the eBook and using Whispersync to go back and forth between formats, and I HIGHLY recommend that for people who enjoy audio but can’t always listen.

Thank you to iRead Book Tours and the author for providing me a digital Audible audio download in exchange for my honest opinion – the only kind I give.

Another Amazing Story from Lauren Carr

The head of a family is dead and the son in law is discovered holding the murder weapon. It seems like an open and shut case and the possible first loss for JJ Thornton. But as Cameron Gates starts investigating she discovers that there is so much more to this story than just the initial murder. There is a second murder to investigate and so much more happening.

I absolutely love Lauren Carr’s books. Although I have yet to read most of the books in the Lovers in Crime series I am already familiar with the different characters in Lauren’s other series. I love how this book is written where you can just jump into the middle of the series and not be completely lost. Although I admit you miss out on a lot of the connections with everyone.

Once again we have a cleaver mystery that is wrapped up in lots of hidden clues and other drama and events. You really have to pay attention if you think you might guess the killer. I’m warning you now; it’s a lot harder than you think to catch one of Lauren’s killers.

If you love good mysteries that will keep you up late, guessing about the killer and motive and being wrong, and rushing to the next book to stay in this world with great characters, look no further. I recommend checking out Lauren’s books. You don’t have to read them in order but you will enjoy them more. I love the audio books and think Mile Alger is the perfect person to narrate all of her books.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to listen to and post an honest review.

Hooray!

Hooray! Joshua Thornton and Cameron Gates are back! This is a favorite series of mine written by Lauren Carr. A prosecutor and a homicide detective, a husband and wife. Excellent characters, animals to cheer you up, and a complex mystery with plenty of suspects. The accused looks guilty, but both Joshua and Cameron have their doubts. Enter son J. J., the attorney. Is it as clear cut as it seems, or do events long past hold the answers?

We are pleased to be part of the virtual book tour for The Root of Murder, hosted by iRead Book Tours. We were provided a copy of the audio version of this book as part of the tour. You can find our full review at Mystery Suspense Reviews.

You won’t want to miss this one!

The Root of Murder

Detective Gates is called out in the middle of the night for a burning body in a field. Sadly it turns out to be the husband/father they loved. Everyone thinks the case is open and shut, but as people start to talk and things begin to unfold this case gets more and more in depth. And around every corner is a new suspect. The attorney brought in to defend the ex son in law turns out to be the best detective on the case! He and his fiance bring a lot to the story and keep you entertained with their farm life and the case! Another great listen by Lauren Carr.

The Root of Murder

The Root of Murder (A Lovers in Crime Mystery #4) by Lauren Carr was the fourth book in what was an amazing series. I was sad to get to this book as it meant I was done with reading the series. By the time I finished this book I was left hoping that Lauren Carr would decide to expand upon this series in the future!
I loved how JJ was back again in this book and the interaction between him and Cameron was great! I loved how the character interactions all felt realistic, emotional, and unscripted. This is the sort of book that would make for a great movie!
I also really liked how Lauren Carr avoided most of the more gory aspects involved in murder mysteries in not just this book, but all of the books in this series there were no gross moments that some books have nor any gory or horror language!

Another Great One

First I have to say that Lauren Carr is an amazing writer. Now with that out of the way, I couldn't put this one down. So we know the son in law did not commit the murder but who did? This keeps you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.

Another great mystery by Lauren Carr

I am a huge fan of Lauren Carr. I love being a member of the family to her different series. Each new book to any of her different series drags you into the family. All of her series do link together in some way. So you are never lost trying to figure out who is who in her books. They play some part no matter how big or small in every book and cross series as well. I love that each of her books from any of the series can also be read read as stand alones or out of order and you will not be confused. IT is better to read them in order just so you get to know new characters that are introduced but that is total optional. Also her books are not usually the plain old mystery. In all of her books every time I think I know who done it, Lauren tosses in a twist here and a turn there until there are actually quite a few suspects at once. I feel like I am one of the characters investigating the crime.

Lauren's books are also what I consider clean reads there are very little if any colorful words, very few sex references and no in depth erotic scenes.

The Root of Murder is the 4th book in the A Lovers in Crime Mystery Series. Cameron Gates is a homicide Detective and is married to Joshua. She gets a call in the early morning hours of a body burning in a field. She quickly finds out while investigating that people are not always what they seem. When they find ut that their victim is living a double life things get way out of the ordinary. Their victim has 2 wives and 2 families. Right after his daughters meet and confront him is when he turns up on fire int he field. The list of suspects gets quite long, took me until the last few chapters to actually figure out who was the murder.

Another great book by Lauren that I would highly recommend. I did listen to the Audiobook. The book is narrated by Mike Alger as with I think all of her books, at least the ones I have listened to and there have been many. Mike does a great job bringing Lauren's books to life.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

It's a Gem!

The Root of Murder by Lauren Carr is outstanding. I loved how she wove several storylines into one, like a multi-faceted jewel. The symbolism in this book is awesome. There are so many endearing characters in this book, both two legged and four-legged. The author is able to write mystery, romance and humor all together. I loved the fact that I hadn't guessed the correct killer. There are so many suspects and red herrings, and they all come together in the end. Mike Alger is perfect in his performance. I could hear exactly who was speaking. He adds the right emotions to his voice. This book is both a standalone listen and part of a series. Characters from previous books by the author are injected in this clean listen. The author has an incredible talent for writing a clean story and lets the listener's imagination take over on the ...
I was honored to receive this review copy audiobook and have voluntarily written this review. This book is so good! I loved it!