Joanne Keder’s novel, Welcome to Piney Falls, is an exhilarating mystery novel that delves into the history of a small town overlooked by most people. That is until Lanie comes along. Follow the stories of two powerful women, connected across time. Fiona Flanagan, a Scottish immigrant, marries and moves to America in the 1900’s. Lanie Anders, a businesswoman turned author, abandons her successful carer in marketing to rediscover herself. Upon her arrival in Piney Falls, she soon realizes is far from normal. She soon finds herself tangled in a curious cult and suspicious suicides.

In this piece, Joanne Keder, clearly demonstrates her knack for witty dialogue and a solid setting. The location is so tangible you’ll hear the sound of the rushing water and smell the Hemlock as you hike up Piney Falls with Lanie. I was also entertained by all the strange and memorable characters. From a nudist named November to a baker who names his pastries after constellations (sounds like they are out of this world, right?) In fact, the author captures their essence in such a lifelike way, you will wish they were real.

While the setting and characters are clearly defined, I did feel that the writing was a bit unclear and long winded in rare moments. The chapters were also surprisingly short, so some scenes felt rushed. It would have been a joy to spend more time sitting in the scenery of this small town. The story is also very plot-focused, as is often the case in a mystery novel. All that said, Keder does have talent when it comes to creating cliff hangers. I breezed through the book in no time at all to find out what happened next.

For the first novel in the series, it does a good job of sticking to the classic mystery novel genre. It starts and ends in a satisfying way and keeps you guessing. The themes of female empowerment and personal growth were also heartwarming and relatable as a reader.

If you want an easy to read mystery novel with quirky characters then Welcome to Piney Falls is the novel for you.

Pages: 224 | ASIN: B083FF56FZ