Deviations

I read the first book in this series ([b:Big Sick Heart: A Detectives Seagate and Miner Mystery|9567795|Big Sick Heart A Detectives Seagate and Miner Mystery|Mike Markel|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347497837s/9567795.jpg|13561393]) a year ago, and I was afraid I wouldn't remember enough to enjoy the second as it was intended. I was wrong; within the first five minutes, I was completely caught up with everything I needed to know, and full engulfed in Karen Seagate's second adventure.

I say Karen Seagate because her partner, Miner, plays only a cameo role in this one. Similar to the first one, it has more to do with our heroine's personal struggles than the mystery itself, which serves as a backdrop.

Seagate is as enigmatic as always. She's an alcoholic, for example, but she hates smokers. I've never heard of an alcoholic who hates smokers. Maybe it's an American thing, with all their particular hatred for tobacco these days, but I suspect it's deliberate on the part of Mike Markel. Seagate is also tough-as-nails, but she expresses a deeply human and emotional side throughout the story, like most addicts, I guess.

I don't want to downplay the actual mystery. It's full of suspense and intrigue, and has an ending that I truly didn't see coming, but it does a great job of forcing Karen Seagate to move forward in her life, and moves us forward in our understanding of who and what she is.

The story is a masterpiece, and I'm adding the next one to my to-read shelf as we speak!