Book Review: Lost Legacy by Annette Dashofy (Zoe Chambers Mysteries #2)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Strong characters and story pull us in

Cons: More mature than many of the cozies I read, but completely worth it

The Bottom Line:

Farmer’s suicide

Unearths secrets from the past

Compelling story

Suspicious Suicide Unearths Questions from Zoe’s Past

It was beyond time for me to make a return visit to Zoe Chambers, paramedic in the rural areas of Pennsylvania.  After all, I loved the first book in the series when I read it last year, and I am several books behind.  I was looking forward to another engrossing book when I picked up Lost Legacy, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Zoe answers a 911 call to find a farmer has hung himself from the rafters in his hay barn.  Zoe is immediately reminded of the death of her great-uncles, one of whom hung himself in that very barn decades ago.  Is it a coincidence, or is there something more sinister going on?

Naturally, Zoe shares her questions with Police Chief Pete Adams.  Pete’s initial investigation turns up several surprises including a note hinting that something else from Zoe’s past isn’t what it seems.  Is the modern death a murder or suicide?  How does any of this tie to Zoe’s family?

Once again, this book really is as much Pete’s story as it is Zoe’s.  They share time as our third person narrators, and they each have sub-plots involving their parents that help us get to see another side of them.  They are strong leads that fully pull us into the story.

The rest of the cast is just as well defined.  We have a few returning characters, some of which are given a chance to shine here; others are more background players this time.  And the characters introduced in this book fit perfectly into the story as fully fleshed characters.

The story is gripping, with lots of questions that we need answers to.  I was always reluctant to put the book down when real life got in the way of my reading time.  Yet with all the questions circling around, we still get resolution to everything by the time the book ends.  There was one plot point where I was ahead of Zoe, but I understood her thinking and why she was clinging to her thoughts.

This book definitely falls on the traditional side of the mystery spectrum.  There is a smattering of foul language in the book, and a couple of scenes are right on the edge in terms of the details that we are given.  Likewise, this book digs up some serious issues for both Zoe and Pete.  But all of this helps make them more real characters for us.  I’m just letting you know so you are prepared for something more serious when you pick up this book.  Because you do need to pick up this book.

Lost Legacy delivers on the promise of the first Zoe Chambers mystery and continues to bring us wonderful characters in a strong mystery.  This is yet another series where I need to return sooner rather than later in order to find out what happens to these great characters next.

Check out the rest of the Zoe Chambers Mysteries.

This review is part of this week's Friday's Forgotten Books.