Title: The Tangled Web
Author: Phyllis Falls Rogers
Publisher: AuthorHouse
IBSN: 978-1467834117
Pages: 264
Genres: Mystery
Reviewed by: Lisa Brown-Gilbert
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Pacific Book Review
As the story begins, what appears to be a death from natural causes turns out to be oddly more than what one would expect. The mystery starts when Hank Jasper, the known-to-all richest man in the small, quiet town of Bibly, is found dead inside a local church. As clues and evidence are uncovered by the local authorities, Police Chief Mack Schofield and his assistant Chief Investigator Sid Maxton, piece together the scenario that Hank Jasper must have been the victim of a cold blooded murder. Trying to resolve a crime with no clear motive nor persons of interest, they knew the solution needed to be found quickly. Schofield and Maxton must work their way through a growing, tangled web of deceit, lies, greed, lust and innocence in a race against time as the two have to quickly get to the truth, because all of a sudden, another person is viciously attacked.
Meanwhile, as the wily investigators dig deeper for answers as to why someone would want to kill Hank Jasper, they open a virtual Pandora’s Box of long hidden secrets coming to the forefront involving multiple townspeople. As secrets abound and feelings emerge, strangers, friends, neighbors and acquaintances are forced to confront issues and emotions lurking in their past that haunt their present.
As a debut novelist, Author Rogers does a good job at presenting an earthy, and albeit emotion packed story that touches the heart, as well as tweaks the nerves, as you follow her realistic characters in this personality driven read. Although this is a mystery genre read, there is a psychological aspect that stands out as it comes across as a story that is more about unraveling the mystery of human nature than it is about the twists and turns of a murder mystery. However, both elements are well done in the book, which makes The Tangled Web an engaging and very worthy read.
Overall, I enjoyed The Tangled Web because of the fresh writing style and quick pace. I found it to be a well-done and thoughtful narrative that housed intriguing characters, a well spun mystery and a heart-felt touch of humanity. I certainly recommend this book for anyone looking for a good mystery story – as this is definitely one for the personal library. It has made me an instant fan of Phyllis Falls Rogers’ writing skills, and I hope to see more from her in the future.