What I’m Reading~Burying Daisy Doe, A Star Cavanaugh Cold Case by Ramona Richards. The book kept me up reading way into the night. I liked Star Cavanaugh’s determination from the get-go. The story switched back and forth from present-day to 1954 drawing the reader into the original crime. It made the story so interesting.
Before I get to the review, I’d like to say something about the double rainbow photo. A friend took it this weekend down in Ocala, Florida. A plane just landed right where the rainbow ends. Every time I see a rainbow, I remember this verse.
Now for what I’m reading~Burying Daisy Doe–Ramona Richards did a great job of capturing a small town run by one powerful family. I’ve seen what she described in the book happen, but eventually, all evil comes to an end.
Here’s the back cover copy:
Every small town has one unsolved case that haunts its memory, festering for generations below the surface with the truth of humanity’s darkness. Star Cavanaugh is obsessed with the one that tore her family apart.
Over sixty years ago, Daisy Doe was murdered and discarded outside Pineville, Alabama. She was buried without a name or anyone to mourn her loss. When Star’s father tried to solve the case, he was also killed. Now a cold-case detective with resources of her own, Star is determined to get to the bottom of both crimes. But she’ll have to face an entire town locked in corruption, silence, and fear–and the same danger that took two other lives. The only people in town she can trust are her grandmother and the charming Mike Luinetti, and both of them trust a God Star isn’t sure she believes in. Can Christians so focused on the good really help her track down this evil?
With an irresistible combination of sharp suspense, faith, humor, and authentic regional flavor, Burying Daisy Doe will draw fans of Terri Blackstock, Margaret Maron, Jaime Jo Wright, and J. T. Ellison.
My Take:
This was so interesting. Ramona Richards created strong characters in Burying Daisy Doe. Especially Star and Roscoe Carver. After Star, he was the “star” of the book. Just about everyone in the small town of Pineville, Alabama hides a deep, dark secret. Even Mike Luinetti, the chief of police. Bound-and-determined not to fall in love with Mike, Star avoids him as much as possible. And Richards keeps the reader guessing until the end who the guilty party is.
The story goes back and forth from 1954 to the present time. Roscoe Carver knows what happened to Daisy Doe (the name comes from the daisy in the Jane Doe’s hair). He also knows how her son and a Secret Service agent were murdered thirty years later. Their bodies were found in the same place as Daisy Doe. The son was looking into his mother’s case when he stumbled onto a money laundering and counterfeiting ring and he brought the Secret Service agent into it.
It’s now almost thirty years later and Star, a trained police officer now working as a private investigator looking into cold cases, is trying to solve the case her father couldn’t. It almost costs her her life. This is a story I believe all readers of romantic suspense and mystery will love!
You can purchase Burying Daisy Doe here.
Leave a comment and I’ll enter you in a November drawing for a book from my library. If you’re reading a cold case, do you like to go back and forth from the time of the murder in the cold case to the detective in the present time? Why or why not?
Last week’s winner of If We Make It Home is…Patty!
Check out my blog this week: What I'm Reading--Burying Daisy Doe by Ramona Richards! You might win a book from my library if you leave a comment! #amreading #freebook Share on X
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Comments 35
I love double rainbows! They’re like an extra measure of God’s grace.
I do like cold case mysteries, and I think switching between the time of the crime, and the present investigation is a good way to bring the context to the reader. This looks like a really interesting book. I hope there will be a Nook version soon.
By the way, I just finished “Dead Man’s Watch” by Kay DiBianca. It is every bit of good as her excellent “The Watch on the Fencepost”. Pat, you keep finding new favorite authors for me. Thank you!
And you just made my day, Tim Johnson. Thank you.
Pat, The idea of a cold case story toggling between present and past is interesting to me. I’m going to take a look at Burying Daisy Doe. It sounds intriguing. Thanks for the recommendation.
Author
This was a great story, Kay. And I thought Tim’s comment might please you. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Author
Maybe Ramona’s book will be on Nook soon, Tim! Glad you liked Dead Man’s Watch! I love double rainbows, too!
I definitely want to read this book. Thanks for making us aware.
Author
It’s a great book, Delores! Glad you stopped by.
Thanks for the beautiful rainbow – a reminder of how much God loves us!
I enjoy the back and forth of a cold case – a bit like the True Colors series from Barbour Publishing without the back and forth. This book sounds most fascinating and one that I’m sure I would enjoy. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Author
It is a fascinating book, Betti. I think you’ll enjoy it. And I love rainbows!
Double rainbows are rare and so special. This sounds like a great book and has mostly five star reviews. I checked it out. I think a good way to tell about a cold case is to go back and forth from past to present.
Author
Gloria, I loved this story, and I love all of Ramona Richards’ books! Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you, Pat! I truly appreciate your comments and for sharing this.
Author
Glad to, Ramona! And thanks for joining us!
Beautiful photo and scripture, Pat! Our God is a covenant keeper!
Ramona Richards is a new author for me. Thank you for the recommendation.
Happy Weekend!
Author
Yes, He is, Caryl! So glad you stopped by.
One of my favorite novels is “Full Disclosure” by Dee Henderson. A main character, Ann Silver, helps police departments solve cases that have gone cold–very interesting!
Author
I have to read that, MS Barb…I have it on my bookshelf to read…just keep forgetting I have it. lol. Thanks for stopping by.
Thats a gorgeous photo!
Author
I’ll tell my friend, Megan. I think double rainbows are so special.
“Full Disclosure” is one of my favorites, too. I loved the Ann Silver character. She just keeps popping up in other Henderson books, too.
Author
Now I know I have to get it out and read it. lol. Thanks Tim!
Thank you for sharing a new author to me. I enjoy going back in the past and then to the present. Thank you for sharing.
Author
I think you’d like Ramona’s book, Lucy! Thanks for stopping by.
thanks for the review! book sounds interesting!
Author
It is interesting, Shelia! Thanks for joining the conversation!
Sounds like an interesting read. The double rainbow photo is neat. Ocala is where I grew up and graduated from high school there.
Author
Really, Sally Jo! My friends there love it. I hope to get to Ocala sometime this year. 🙂
The rainbow pic is gorgeous. So glad God is faithful to His covenants. This sounds like a really good read. Going on my list. Oh to have more hours to just curl up and read. Thanks for the opportunity to win a book. (My sister and I just finished listening to your entire Justice series while on a road trip and back and forth to work. We sat in my driveway last night finishing the last one lol. Sooo good. )
Author
Thanks, Toni! And you’ve made my day! I’m so glad you enjoyed my Justice series!!
The book sounds great! Dual time writing makes a cold case more interesting.
Author
I think so, too, Joan. I’ve toyed with writing a dual timeline, but so far haven’t gotten the go-ahead from my publisher. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
So I’m curious about your dual time and publisher comment. As I’m not familiar with the publishing world I hope my question doesn’t sound bad but why do you have to have their permission to write a book like you want?
Author
Toni, I can write any book I want, but I work with my publisher on the types of stories they want. Right now I think they have an author who writes the dual timelines, so they would prefer I write the kind of stories I’ve written. 🙂 When I submit my proposal for my next series, I write four paragraphs giving the details of each story.
Love the picture and verse. I snapped a shot of a double rainbow several years back but it was not as sharp and clear as this one. Your friend did a fine job taking the picture and God did a beautiful job creating the double rainbows!
I probably have mixed feelings on those cold case stories. Most of the time it works for me. On a few occasions, I think the story bogged down with too much time spent on the historical part of the story. Nothing specific comes to mind right now though. I guess it’s too late at night. 🙂
Beautiful photo. I love seeing rainbows. It sounds like a very interesting book. Thank you for sharing.
Author
Thank you, Diana! Rainbows are so special. Thanks for stopping by!