Derailed Plot

Derailed Plot

by Summer Campbell

After finding her husband in bed with another woman, Astrid decides to accept an offer to review a transcontinental train across Spain while she reexamines her life. However, when she becomes the prime suspect in a murder, she finds herself trying to find the real culprit before she is handed over to the Spanish policia.

Although this book claims to be a cozy murder mystery, the murder does not happen until chapter 6 (out of 15). The beginning of the book focuses more on Astrid reexamining her life and getting to the train. It is also very difficult to feel immersed in the story. Beginning on page one, the book is full of scenes where the narrator tells us what has just happened during the scene break instead of showing it as it happens. Combined with the occasional errors in grammar and tense, I had a difficult time being engaged in the story.

And the scene where Astrid goes clothes shopping with a complete stranger in a Madrid airport? That felt a little weird to me.

While the story felt rushed, the ending felt incomplete. Although I could understand whodunit (and made the connection before the main character), I had trouble understanding the why. And the reader is left wondering whether Astrid will return to her husband at the end of the story, as Astrid remains undecided.

Ultimately, I walked away feeling underwhelmed. I would rate this story three quills and place it on my bottom shelf.