Book Review: The Good Girl by Christy Barritt

Christy Barritt is an award-winning mystery and suspense author who has been on my radar with her Squeaky Clean mysteries. With The Good Girl, I think it’s time Christy Barritt ends up on your radar.

From Amazon:

Tara Lancaster can sing Amazing Grace in three harmonies, two languages, and interpret it for the hearing impaired. She can list the Bible canon backward, forward, and alphabetized. And the only time she ever missed church was at seventeen because she had pneumonia and her mom made her stay home.
But when her life shatters around her and her reputation is left in ruins, Tara decides escape is the only option. She flees halfway across the country to dog-sit, but the quiet anonymity she needs isn t waiting in her sister s house. Instead she finds a knife with a threatening message, a fame-hungry friend, a too-hunky neighbor, and evidence of…a ghost?
Following all the rules has gotten her nowhere. And nothing she learned in Sunday School can tell her where to go from there.

This was an easy mystery to dive into. A good girl who does all the right things and ends up devastated and scandalized? A sister as opposite as can be? Those are the marks of a great story and Christy gives the reader so much more with Tara’s crisis of faith and her journey through scandal, divorce, a murder mystery, a visit to a psychic to learn more, and yep, a ghost.

The paranormal theme is part of the mystery and also leads Tara to confront her good girl faith reputation that lies shattered in another city, another life. Joining her on the journey is Cooper, a widower with his own faith story. Candy, a quirky friend Tara might not have known in her old life. A house that has more secrets than Tara. And plenty of suspects to a murder.

I enjoyed this because as much as the suspense ramps up with each scene, so does the chemistry and potential for romance. But wait, that’s not all. The faith search is profound and poignant. As the one known as the good girl, I related to Tara’s pain and anger. Good girls hurt, and for me, that’s when true faith, whatever measure there is, shows up. Tara’s experience is rich, and I believe if you have questions or spiritual wounds, The Good Girl might not solve just one mystery. Perhaps, it might solve yours, too.

To purchase, click here.

I received this as an ebook from the author in exchange for an honest review.

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