Shadowed Witness

The Secrets of Kincaid, #2

by

Angela Carlisle

Exciting and mysterious tale of romantic suspense.

Shadowed Witness is the second book in author Angela Carlisle’s fresh and satisfying Christian romantic suspense series, The Secrets of Kincaid, and features a young photographer struggling with health issues who may have been the only witness to a terrible murder. Allye Jessup was leaving her studio for the night when she heard odd noises coming from the rear of the building. Going to investigate, she steps around the corner just in time to see a man beating and kicking a limp figure on the ground. Spotting her, the man attacks her, too, and she later regains consciousness, lying at the bottom of the staircase to her second-story studio, being helped by the mayor of Kincaid, whose office is next door to her building. Although Allye knows what she saw, Mayor Jennings is just as adamant that she must have fallen down the stairway and imagined it all. 

Allye Jessup is a kind and relatable young woman trapped in a bad situation. Not only is she physically ill from some as-of-yet undiagnosed malady, but she’s the only witness to a murder that no one else believes happened. An old friend, Detective Eric Thornton, wants to take her at her word when bruising from her attacker’s hands around her neck appear the following morning, and eventually discovers enough independent evidence to indicate that she’s not hallucinating. Her gaslighting at the hands of some of the characters was difficult to watch, but it made for an intriguing part of the story. 

While the book is the second in the series, readers new to The Secrets of Kincaid should be able to read and enjoy it as a standalone. Initially, I felt like I had walked into the middle of the story. The relationships between characters seemed well established, far beyond the introductory stage, with a lot of backstories left untold. However, as details from the past were woven into the present story, that feeling dissipated, and I felt caught up. 

The suspense builds as unexpected and downright weird things happen, causing the main character to question her sanity at times, and it was heart-wrenching to watch as her health deteriorated more and more. The tension between Allye and Eric is irresistible as they figure out their feelings for one another, as they unravel what’s behind the secrets in Kincaid. 

I recommend SHADOWED WITNESS to readers of romantic suspense, especially those looking for an inspirational theme. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.