Our first romantic suspense pick

A few people in the book club expressed an interest in trying new genres of romance together, and after a bit of voting and feedback, we decided to give romantic suspense a shot. We picked Indigo Ridge by Devney Perry, and I was bombarded with feedback about how exciting the book turned out to be, and how easy it was to read in a single sitting.

I had never tried this genre before, so I went into the experience not knowing what to expect. This book reminded me of why I loved reading Agatha Christie and watching Murder, She Wrote as a kid. It was exciting from the very first chapter, but it wasn’t quite as dark or terrifying as detective shows can sometimes be. I initially joked that Indigo Ridge was a bit like True Detective, but sexier…but now I think this felt a bit more like being transported back to watching a cop show in the 90s. There was some violence, but it would definitely be ok to air on late night television. The mystery plot was surprising in places, but easy enough to follow. I was invested, but I didn’t feel like I needed to sleep with a light on afterward. It was the perfect speed for me.

The romance itself was almost a sub-plot, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t really enjoy watching the characters grow closer while trying to solve the case. And I love a good he-runs-in-to-rescue-her moment. Gah!

If you are new to the genre, I would highly recommend this as a starting place. I would also recommend Devney Perry books in general. A few of us book club girlies did a buddy read of Shield of Sparrows and Rites of the Starling this spring, and the resulting voice notes we sent to each other shrieking with enthusiasm speak for the experience. We LOVED it. Her books in particular make for a great buddy reading experience, so if you are going to pick them up, I’d highly recommend inviting a friend and settling in. You’ll have plenty to shout about.