The Loon's Song by Kim Herdman Shapiro

It seems going back to your hometown isn’t a good idea. When famous actress Rosalie Morgann returns to Wynter Island after seventeen years, her reception is far from welcoming. Having left behind a string of broken marriages and resentful women on the island for a successful career in Hollywood, Rosalie’s sudden desire to come home is met with hatred and suspicion. There is no shortage of suspects when she is poisoned on-air at the beginning of the local television interview she insisted on doing. What did Rosalie want to tell the islanders, and who wanted to silence her?

Having read the first book in the Wynter Island series, I slipped comfortably into the second one, returning to the charming fictional B.C. island with its colourful characters. Although the author provides just enough background to allow The Loon’s Song to be read as a standalone novel, I would recommend reading The Raven’s Cry first to get the full immersive experience. Author Herdman Shapiro’s description of the landscape and the elements that affect the island’s population will draw you into the natural beauty off the coast of B.C. where television station manager Kate Thomas has chosen to make her home. Shapiro’s characters, a diverse blend of lovable locals, make Wynter Island a quaint, cozy community. If only people didn’t get murdered there.

There is more to this traditional murder mystery than the solving of a crime. Kate’s involvement in finding Rosalie’s killer puts her investigative reporter skills to use in an amateur sleuth role. Along with this are numerous side stories about the island’s characters, with revelations about each of them, making the reader part of their world. A touch of romance adds interest to the well-executed murder story-line. As well as piecing together the clues to solve the crime, readers will be rooting for the characters to find love.

A perfect mystery for fans of the genre, The Loon’s Song is an enjoyable read, one that will make you feel a part of the world of Wynter Island. Pick up your copy and take the virtual trip. You’ll want to return to the next book in the series.