Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Book Review: Frightened to Depths by K. B. Jackson (Cruising Sisters Mysteries #3)

Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: Characters we love in another strong mystery
Cons: All cons frightened away
The Bottom Line:
Victim a werewolf?
Puzzling, fun mystery
With great characters




Nothing to Be Frightened About Here

It’s been six months since the release of the third Cruising Sisters Mystery, and the fact that I’m just now picking up Frightened to Depths is only a reflection of how many other books have been calling my name this year. It was certainly worth the wait since I enjoyed it. 

When this book opens, it’s been a year since Charlotte McLaughlin’s husband died, leaving her a cabin aboard a luxury full time cruise ship. No, she knew nothing about this cabin since it was where he’d meet up with his mistress and their child. But Charlotte and her sister, Jane, have moved in and enjoyed exploring the world in style. 

When Charlotte and Jane’s cruise ship docks for a couple of days in New Orleans, they run into an old crush of Jane’s. He joins them aboard the ship, along with a band reuniting with a former member. But when that band member is shot with a silver bullet under a full moon, Jane’s new beau looks like a suspect. After all, he is writing a book about New Orleans's werewolf legend. Will finding the truth cost Charlotte her relationship with her sister?

While the set up may sound complicated, the book does a good job of easing us back into Charlotte and Jane’s world while introducing us to the suspects and victim. It isn’t long before the murder happens, and the plot introduces us to some nice twists before we reach the logical climax. 

Even though we are on a cruise ship, we don’t see too much of some of the supporting players. It was a bit disappointing, but only a small disappointment. The main characters are all here, and I appreciated the growth we saw in some of their relationships. The suspects were just as strong, and did their job keeping us guessing perfectly. 

I have to give a special shout out to Charlotte and Jane’s relationship in this book. While the story is told from Charlotte’s point of view, Jane’s point of view is well represented. We understand where both of them are coming from as they try to navigate the strain they go through here. I really enjoyed it and what it showed us about both of their characters. 

The only thing I’m frightened of at the end of this book is that this might be our last visit with the characters. If Frightened to Depths does turn out to be the end of the series, fans will be happy with how they sail into the sunset. But I’m hoping we will get more with them. 

No comments:

Post a Comment

Thanks for stopping by. In order to combat spam, I moderate most comments. I'll get to your comment as soon as I can.