by Sandra Murphy

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase it from Amazon.

Beth Rivers is in a witness protection of her own devising in Benedict, Alaska, one of the smallest and most remote places anyone could think of as a new home. It’s nearing summer and folks are coming into town, socializing more, and tourists are back. She’s in hiding from the man who kidnapped her. He’s never been found but she knows his mission is to kill her.

Beth also found her father or rather he found her. She’s still angry but also wants to get to know him. Her mother remains in the wind. It’s complicated as they say. Beth is still living at the halfway house, having mistaken it for a hotel when she first arrived. She just never left.

In July, the sun is out and tour boats are on the water so Beth decided it was safe for her to go along. Passing one of the islands, a bloodied woman is on the shore, waving for help. She claims she was kidnapped three days before, brought to the island by her kidnapper who was then killed by a bear.

The woman confides in Beth that she’s in witness protection but doesn’t want to call the police because they know and don’t like her. Sympathetic, Beth tries to help. When another kidnapping happens soon after, Beth and the police chief are sure the crimes are connected. Solving these cases won’t be easy.

This is book five in the series (all available in audio too). While readers may think Beth’s unsolved attack is taking too long, there are enough murders and mayhem in Benedict that Beth’s situation simmers in the background. I like Beth. She’s got her quirks and secrets but is a loyal friend, best-selling writer of thriller books, under a pen name of course, and she’s grown to love a solitary-ish life in Alaska. Shelton’s descriptions of Alaska give readers a sense of place without overwhelming amounts of detail. If you’re looking for a good mystery and friendly (for the most part) characters, reading about Alaska in a July setting is a good choice (otherwise there would be a lot of snow!).

Shelton is a prolific writer and has penned these series: the Farmers’ Market (six), Country Cooking School (five), Dangerous Type (three), and Scottish Bookshop (eight) mysteries, plus one young adult book.

You can click here to purchase the book from Amazon.

To enter to win a copy of Lost Hours, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “hours” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen March 23, 2024. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify.

Sandra Murphy lives in the shadow of the Arch in St. Louis Missouri. She’s editor for Peace, Love, and Crime: Crime Stories Inspired by the Songs of the ’60s, with twenty-two cozy stories. She also edited A Murder of Crows, twenty-one stories featuring animals and crime (no animals were harmed). She also writes for magazines, newsletters, and the occasional guest blog. Both anthologies are available at the usual outlets, print or ebook.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.