I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Death is Personal: A Murder Mystery Novella
by Sally Dallas
on January 22, 2021
Genres: Crime Thriller
Pages: 74
Format: Kindle
Goodreads
BookBub
Get Your Copy at: Amazon
A quick read crime thriller, with a dash of cozy mystery, refreshingly free of graphic violence and profanity.
Four deaths in four months is not a coincidence. The police only classified one as a murder, but Pam Guerrero, retired reporter and self-appointed head of the Neighborhood Watch Program, knows different. There’s a serial killer on the loose!
Pam’s husband, a retired cop, thinks she’s a busy-body, and that her suspicions are unfounded. When she hacks into the security cameras of her neighbors who met their demise, she discovers a common thread. Then she inadvertently finds the murder weapon, becoming the ‘most wanted’ by the assassin, who’ll stop at nothing to prevent her from delivering the evidence to the police.
Getting no support from her philandering husband, she recruits the help of her neighbor, Stan, a gruff old man whose wife was victim number three. He has a vested interest in finding the killer, and regards his own life as disposable, so dangerous antics ensue. Will Pam be the neighborhood hero, or the next casualty?
Death is Personal by Sally Dallas is a nice short read to get your mind working.
Will Pam be able to convince the others in her neighborhood that there is a killer in their midst?
Pam Guerrero
Pam Guerrero is our main character and the one we follow as we try to figure out who is doing these killings. We see how life is for the wife of a retired cop who has also retired herself but is working on a travel blog. Pam is a good character even though it seems like she has a bit too much time on her hands, but I get that since it doesn’t seem like she is in a good marriage. She is a good character, and we can see how she grows into a more confident woman in this novella.
The Mystery
Over the course of four months in a neighborhood in La Jolla, California, where many rich folks live, there have been four deaths within those four months. Pam’s neighbor Marvin Fitzgerald is the first, and then slowly, three more happen. She is distraught at what is happening in her neighborhood. So, to fix it and have something to do with her life. Pam has appointed herself to go around and solve the crimes. In these seventy-four pages, we get a lot out of what happened with Pam’s neighbors, and I never thought of who did it. Well done on that, Ms. Dallas.
Four Stars
Death is Personal by Sally Dallas, who does a great job writing this novella and making the characters relatable. I do have to say that I couldn’t fathom if something like that happened in my neighborhood. Pam and the other neighbors are the ones I feel sorry for with everything that happened in their neighborhood. I am giving Death is Personal four stars and recommend it to anyone that wants a quick, intriguing read.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Death is Personal by Sally Dallas.
Until the next time,
Happy Reading!
About Sally Dallas
After a successful career as a Vice President for a large international bank, I trade small business lending for creative writing. Years of experience in the corporate world and entrepreneurship have given me a unique perspective in developing multifaceted characters; relentless, assertive women who are not deterred by adversity.
My novels focus on the strengths and vulnerabilities of independent women and the consequences of their choices. Conflicted characters who navigate the triumphs and tragedies of life with resilience and tenacity. Every incident, every twist and turn, every relationship, could have happened – to your mother, your daughter, your sister, yourself.
As the CEO of Pacific Premier Publishing, I enjoy the challenge of marketing my novels as much as I do creating them. Book sales enable me to provide funding to charities that empower women and promote world peace. That’s how I measure my writing success.
My husband of forty plus years and I enjoy spending time with family, traveling, camping, kayaking, skiing, fishing and wine tasting. With three sons and four grandchildren, I am truly the most blessed person on the planet. My claim has not been verified, nor has it been disputed.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2021 Goodreads Reading Challenge
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