Devil’s Gold
Amanda McKinney
Publication date: February 13th 2018
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Thriller

Despite being chronically late, occasionally disheveled and a tad disorganized, Dixie Knight is one of the top private investigators in the country, and when a young woman goes missing in the small, Southern town of Devil’s Den, Dixie takes the case. She expected it to be another ordinary missing person case—until Lizzie Meyers is found naked and beaten to death at a local, seedy motel.
While visiting relatives on his two-week leave, Marine Liam Cash bumps into Dixie at the local bar, and his attraction to her is immediate. When Liam connects Dixie’s current case to two unsolved murders in his hometown, he steps in to help find the killer, and keep her safe, whether Dixie wants him to or not.
After another woman is found brutally beaten, Dixie turns the town upside down trying to solve the mystery—could it be the rumored witch that lives in the mountains; the rich, neurotic doctor’s wife; or the perky, blonde receptionist at the local medical clinic?
Time is running out and Dixie knows she has to put the pieces of the puzzle together before another body turns cold in Devil’s Den.

WELCOME, to Black Rose Investigations. Devil's Gold is the perfect introduction to this captivating novella series (Black Rose Mystery) that embraces suspense and mystery like no other. Smart, full of energetic thrills and chills, it is the perfect read for a winter's night. Amanda McKinney crafts a novella that is so much more than its size; something about it lulls you into a false comfort only to tug you, face first, into the central mysteries.

Where many novellas fail to capture your attention long term--in some cases, they're as forgettable as they are short--but McKinney is a true professional and keeps readers on the edge of their seat for as long as possible. There's this tense sort of anticipation throughout the novel that keeps you focused and presses against your heart like a gentle thud. Devil's Gold is one of the best novellas I've had the pleasure of reading in a very long time and is truly a blast from start to finish.

I'm sure that comparisons will be made towards a lot of previous works of fiction, however, Devil's Gold is entirely its own. This is, of course, entirely due to the delectable prose and quick pacing of McKinney's pen. There's something in it for everyone and the way everything unfolds is fast, smart and truly thrilling.

To make matters even more exciting, the characters are fantastic. These aren't run of the mill, blink and you'll miss it characters who we only are slightly acquainted with. There's connection, history and depth that ties straight into the mystery, dialogue and plotline. I was surprised by just how much emotion and development we can pack into a novella length mystery, and Amanda McKinney does not disappoint.

(I love Dixie and Liam, if you were wondering!)

Overall, I just enjoyed the entire atmosphere set within Devil's Gold and was pleasantly surprised in the fact that a novella packed as much of a punch as this one did. It was a fast read that left me with nothing but pure desire for the next installment. It's safe to say that Amanda McKinney is an author readers should be looking out for in the future.

Author Bio:
Amanda McKinney, author of Sexy, Suspenseful Mysteries wrote her debut novel, LETHAL LEGACY, after walking away from her career to become a writer and stay-at-home mom. When Amanda isn’t tending to her two beautiful boys, she’s hidden behind her computer screen crafting page-turning murder mysteries, peppered with titillating love scenes. Having been born and raised in the south, Amanda’s books are set in small, country towns and reflect southern culture at its finest.
Amanda’s debut novel, LETHAL LEGACY, was released in January 2017, followed by the first two books in the BERRY SPRINGS SERIES, THE WOODS and THE LAKE. The third book in the series, THE STORM is scheduled to be released in the Winter of 2017.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook