Book Review – Hell to Pay by Pamela Fagan Hutchins

I would not be lying if I said that I was hooked on to Hell to Pay from the first chapter itself. Half way through the book, I had already started thinking like Emily. Making the characters seem extremely lively and realistic is just one of the good things about Hell to Pay.

Emily, a bright paralegal, is almost in a picture perfect life. About to be married to her gorgeous boss, Jack and adopt a lovely girl, Betsy, she seems to have it all. But then her client Phil’s friend Dennis is found dead in the parking lot of Phil and his fiancé Nadine’s (who is also Emily’s close friend) adult novelty store. The adoption of Betsy is also jeopardized when her foster parents file for an adoption petition. The cops charge Phil with Dennis’s murder when it is found that both of them were arguing about something in the parking lot the same night Dennis is murdered. Jack who has proposed to Emily has acting weird and has been working on an “old case” which he refuses to disclose to Emily. The plot thickens when Phil goes into a coma.

For those who have read Hutchins earlier may be aware of her fast paced and tight story-telling style. For me, it was a first and I had my adrenaline pumping all throughout the read. There might be some connection with the older books in this series but you do not feel lost even if you start with this one. I loved Emily’s characterization. She sounds like somebody you might want to have as a friend.  Smart, witty, considerate and rational Emily struggles to choose between her heart and her mind.

This nail-biting mystery thriller is bound to keep you up at night and forget everything around you. The plot is multi-layered and keeps getting more and more intriguing. However, the smooth writing makes sure that you don’t get lost in the many layers. It’s highly recommended for those who love intelligent thrillers and mysteries.

My Rating:

About the Author: Writer of overly long e-mails, romantic mysteries, and (possibly) hilarious nonfiction. Resides deep in the heart of Nowheresville, TX and way up in the frozen north of Snowheresville, WY. Passionate about great writing and smart authorpreneurship as well as long hikes with her hunky husband and pack of rescue dogs, her Keurig, and traveling in the Bookmobile. (Source: http://pamelafaganhutchins.com/publications/fiction/)

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