Trial by Twelve by Heather Day Gilbert

This is a delightful mystery. The characters are believable and well developed. The plot is a bit of a stretch, but was still fun to read.

Tess is helping her husband pay off his student loans by being a receptionist at a new age spa in the hills of West Virginia. When the spa owner decides to put in a new pool, excavation workers uncover a female skeleton. Then another is uncovered. Then a fresh body is dumped in the hole. It is clear a serial killer is on the loose.

Tess is a Glock carrying mother who agrees to help the detective find the killer. Before too long, death strikes closer than Tess would like and it becomes evident she is the next woman in the killer's sights.

Tess is a great heroine. She is a loving mother who appreciates a job that allows her to spend as much time with her family as possible. She has a great mother-in-law who loves to babysit, a hardworking husband who loves her, and wonderful friends.

The location for the action is in the coal mine area. Description of the area is one aspect of the novel I thought was lacking. I would have liked to know a little more about the area, perhaps what the trees look like, the hills, etc.

The plot was just a little bit unrealistic. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed the book. The dialog was very good and Tess' interactions with her friends are well done and believable. This is a good mystery and I'll be looking for more from this author.

Heather Day Gilbert enjoys writing stories about authentic, believable marriages. She was born and raised in the West Virginia mountains, is a graduate of Bob Jones University, is married and has three children. You can find out more at http://heatherdaygilbert.com.

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 284 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through The Book Club Network for the purpose of an independent and honest review.