Flutter out now from OCS Publishing; 318 pages
Content Warning: Death, murder, violence, gore, death of a parent, sexual assault
About the Author: “Mel is an indie author and producer who tells stories through film and fiction. She works alongside her husband, a fellow filmmaker, bringing character-driven stories to life on the page and screen. When they’re not creating, they’re usually off on adventures with their two dogs” (Bio from author’s website).
Find Melody Percario on the following platforms:
In the small, quiet town of Gilia Dune, there’s a serial killer on the loose. Named the Poppy Killer, the murderer leaves orange poppies on their bloody victims as a calling card and disappears without a trace. One night, when Daphne Pencast happens upon the body of her teacher in the cemetery, it becomes apparent that she is the other common thread between the victims. As the daughter of the mayor, the hired security around Daphne confines her, and the protection tightens as the killer’s obsession with her becomes known. One of these people is her bodyguard, Gabriel, an old friend and now crush. As Daphne comes face-to-face with the killer, the supernatural secrets of her town and the murderer’s motives start to unravel, making her question everything she knows.
When I picked up this book, I wasn’t expecting this small-town murder to turn into such a large-scale war between supernatural creatures—the “angels”—that Daphne is in the midst of. It threw me for a loop at first, and while, in concept, the shift was interesting, I don’t know if I was ever completely on board with the story after that. Certainly, there were aspects of the story that kept me reading. For one, Daphne and her friends are on the cusp of adulthood, and their struggles with growing up, facing loss, being an adult, or even being human against the backdrop of fantasy give the story emotional weight. The quick narrative pacing also felt natural, which emphasized the tension and high-intensity scenes that propelled the story. However, without any major character developments, Daphne and the cast fell flat, even as the action escalated. What’s more, sometimes the characters’ attitudes felt incongruous with the situation at hand, like Daphne’s witty remarks to the killer after witnessing him murder people she knows in front of her. At times, I was also confused by the angels, as their powers, conflicts, and motivations became increasingly complicated. This led to an undeveloped plot I didn’t always understand. Deciding who Daphne can trust is also central to the novel, yet the novel’s romance is uncomfortable and problematic. Ultimately, while I love small-town mysteries and found the book’s angel representation engaging, I won’t readily pick up the sequel in this series.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and OCS Publishing for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Danielle Hartshorn, Pine Reads Review Writer and Editor