Review: Drowning Repunzel by Annette Gisby

Happy Monday everyone!  Today I am reviewing Drowning Repunzel by Annette Gisby.  This was a wonderful keep you guessing suspenseful thriller.  Be sure to check out the rest of my review after the excerpt.

Title: Drowning Rapunzel

Author: Annette Gisby
Genre: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Pink Petal Books

Cover Designer: Valerie Tibbs

Format: Ebook

Length: 217 pages

Book Description:

Recently released from a mental institution, Beth Gregory accepts a job as a live-in secretary/PA to the reclusive painter Josh Warrington. Beth’s long red hair fascinates him from the first moment he sees her and Josh wants her to be his Rapunzel for a series of fairy tale paintings he’s working on.

Beth has two major fears: that she will be sent back to the mental hospital and the visions which landed her there in the first place will return. They do; this time giving her glimpses of murders before they happen. Beth becomes the main suspect in the murder investigation and then she has the most disturbing vision of all: she will become the next victim…

Excerpt:

An avenue of ash trees stood like sentinels on each side of a pebbled path, which in turn led the eye to the large fountain at the end of the avenue. Cherubs were busy spitting droplets of water high into the air, before they fell with a splash into the bowl below.

“It’s beautiful,” breathed Beth.

“Behind the fountain is the lake,” said Josh. “Would you like to see it?”

“Oh, I’d love to,” said Beth and started walking down the steps. The sun was just beginning to get a little higher in the sky and she could feel the warmth on her back. She hoped they wouldn’t stay out too long; her pale complexion made her prone to sunburn. Josh followed her down to the path and they strode briskly towards the lake.

They saw Ian when they’d reached the fountain; he was further down the garden, mowing the lawn on a red sit-on lawnmower. He waved at them, before turning and heading off in the opposite direction to them. Beth had never been inside a garden this big before, the small patch of grass and weeds at her aunt’s hardly qualified compared to this.

The lake was as smooth as a sheet of glass, a few orange specks of sunlight reflected on the surface. On the opposite bank was a white wooden boathouse and jetty. Tied to the jetty was a small rowing boat, hardly moving at all in the water. Beth went closer to the lake, wanting to take a closer look. Small waves lapped against the shore with a gentle swish and she felt like she could stay there all day.

She looked round to talk to Josh, but he was nowhere to be seen. “Josh?” she called. No answer. The sky suddenly darkened, a blanket of grey clouds obscured the sun, and she shivered. “Josh?” she called again, worried now. Where had he gone? He was right behind her a minute ago. The waters of the lake began to move, whipped up in frenzy by the sudden wind; the boat bobbed as though it was being pushed by invisible hands.

There’s something in the lake.

The thought appeared out of nowhere and she took a step back, away from the water.

But something had other ideas. Her feet seemed to move of their own accord, taking her further towards the shoreline. The waves weren’t so gentle now and she felt her heart beating erratically against her chest. She didn’t want to be here. She didn’t want to look.

But look she did. She saw a face in the water. A face pale and grey; the red hair a stark contrast against the sallow features. She opened her mouth to scream, feeling chilled to the bone.

The face in the water wasn’t hers.

Review:

Drowning Repunzel was a wonderfully written romantic suspense novel.  I haven’t read a book in a while where I couldn’t figure out who the “bad guy” is.  This one kept me guessing until the very end.  I constantly switched who I thought the killer was and who I wanted Beth to end up with.  I would have to say my only real criticism about this book is I wish it had been a bit longer.  I wish I had seen more of Josh and Beth’s romance and relationship develop.  The suspense/thriller part of the book was very well done and like I said earlier will keep you guessing til the very end, but I would have like to have seen a bit more of the romance.  I am a bit of romantic at heart so that may just be my preference.  Overall, this was a fantastic read that read quickly and smoothly.  I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good whodunit with some kissing thrown in.

I’d like to thank FMB book tours for letting me host this book today.  If you’d like to learn more about Drowning Repunzel you can go to Barnes and Noble, Amazon or any other book retailer.

About the Author:

Annette Gisby grew up in a small town in Northern Ireland, moving to London when she was seventeen. She writes in multiple genres and styles, anything from romance to thriller or erotica to horror, even both at the same time.

When not writing, she enjoys reading, cinema, theatre and travelling the world despite getting travel sick on most forms of transport., even a bicycle. Sometimes you might find her playing Dragon Quest or The Sims computer games and watching Japanese Anime. She lives in Hampshire with her husband, a collection of porcelain dolls, cuddly toys and enough books to fill a library. It’s diminishing gradually since the advent of ebooks, but still has a long way to go.