Review: Dead Even

Title: Dead Even

Series: Mattie Winston Mystery #12

Author: Annelise Ryan

Release Date: March 30, 2021

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Find it here: Goodreads

Synopsis from Goodreads: In her previous career as a nurse, Mattie Winston’s job was to keep death at bay. Now, as a medicolegal investigator, she’s required to study death intimately—to figure out causes and timing, and help deduce whether it was natural or suspicious.

In the case of Montgomery “Monty” Dixon, a well-to-do Realtor, there can be little doubt: Broken pool cues do not embed themselves. Monty’s body is found in the game room of his lavish house, the walls adorned with photos of Monty and various celebrities. But as Mattie and husband Steve Hurley, a homicide detective, both know, money and connections can’t protect anyone from a killer.

The first suspect is Monty’s wife, Summer, who claims to have been at a cooking class at the time. When that alibi is served up as a fake, Summer moves to the top of the suspects list, but is soon joined by Monty’s ne’er-do-well son, Sawyer, who has racked up gambling debts he hoped his dad would pay off. Monty’s twin brother is engaging in shady financial deals. An affair, a Ponzi scheme, a disputed inheritance . . . there are as many motives as suspects, and soon Mattie and Hurley have turned up other, possibly related deaths.

Balancing a high-profile case with the demands of their increasingly stressful household isn’t easy. It’ll take all of Mattie’s skill—along with a lucky break or two—to stop a killer from racking up another victim.

My Review: I love this series and this book was just as good as the rest of the series. It's a series that skirts the line of a cozy mystery but still stays in that category. I really love Mattie as a main character. She's so real and so imperfect in a great way that I always enjoy these books. This mystery was well done with just enough details and twists to really keep you guessing the whole story. I am already looking forward to the next book so here's hoping it's not too long of a wait!

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All opinions are my own.*