Road Kill (Sidney Reed Mystery, #2) by R.J. Norgard

Road Kill by R.J. Norgard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

With its intriguing plot, non-stop action, and great characters, Road Kill is a stellar follow-up to the author's debut novel, Trophy Kill!

Road Kill, the second book in R.J. Norgard’s stunning new Sidney Reed Mystery series, is full of action and suspense. Once again, Sidney conducts a realistic investigation, going step-by-step through the information the defense team has on hand. And even though it initially looks straightforward and routine, I enjoyed how things suddenly went from 0 to 60 due to a simple, innocuous notice in the local newspaper.

Norgard’s dialogue consistently shines. Sidney is a wisecracker and his deadpan delivery had me laughing. However, some of his inner commentaries cracked me up just as much. Yet, the witty banter doesn’t all fall to Sidney; even the bad guys get some truly stellar lines. Speaking as a father, Rance Cooley pulls no punches about one of his good-for-nothing sons, Ray, and his observation is hilarious.

Still, Sidney is hanging in there. He’s a vulnerable and tortured man still trying to get his life back on track after the suicide of his wife earlier in the year. You can’t help but feel for the man as he works his way through his pain and sadness. I was glad to see he's starting to direct some of his anguish toward a different direction rather than self-recrimination, and that he's questioning the suicide.

I was happy that we got better acquainted with the Anchorage newspaper reporter, Maria Maldonado; my inner matchmaker appreciates the possibilities there. But I’m even more satisfied that she is portrayed as an independent, strong, capable person and not just a convenient love interest.

Even more so than the first book in the series, the Alaskan setting plays an essential role as Sidney’s case progresses. The glimpses of Anchorage, its history, and actual locations, even the mentions of streets and the views of the Alaskan terrain, gave the story something extra, and I so enjoyed it.

With its intriguing who-done-it mystery, heart-pounding action, and great characters, I recommend ROAD KILL (and this series) to mystery readers who enjoy private-eye-led cases and stories set in Alaska. I'm already looking forward to the next book, Winter Kill, which was teased at the end of this one.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.

View my original Reedsy Discovery review!