Fighting For Anna by Pamela Fagan Hutchins / Reviewed by Robert Selby
Fighting For Anna
By Pamela Fagan Hutchins
SkipJack Publishing
$12.99
ISBN 978-1939889391
Published 11/04/2017
Book of the Day
In this, the eighth installment of the What Doesn’t Kill You series, Fighting For Anna, author Pamela Fagan Hutchins, leads the reader on a wild beast chase from the opening paragraph. The beast, in this case, is an adorable mutt that has led our Michele Lopez Hanson and her kids to the scene of the murder of her elderly neighbor, Gidget. Who, coincidently, had recently hired Michele to write her biography. In this small Texas town, it appears there are as many folks who want to see Gidget’s story told as there are those want to keep it secret.
Hutchins weaves a tale that elicits a feeling of immense awe in the reader. With powerful and intriguing prose, she pulls the reader through each twist and turn of the novel’s ever-evolving plot. There’s always another clue to be uncovered—some blatant that unfold over the course of a few pages. Other clues—often those most key to the story—float by in a line or two.
Hutchins proves herself to be as good as any writer in her ability to create well-rounded characters, all of them imbued with distinct traits that make each respective character unique from the other. From the potential love interest with glowing black skin and dreadlocks to his waist to the brilliant—yet clumsy and bumbling—attorney who is supposed to be representing our protagonist (though whether his intentions are honorable becomes increasingly dubious as the story progresses), each character will astound readers. Hutchins' ability to give her characters such depth makes for a compelling narrative. Her cultivation of so many varied characters makes it near-impossible for even the savviest sleuth to determine who-done-it.
Fighting for Anna is riddled with surprises and compelling dramatic twists. Mystery, murder, and mayhem are around every corner. Hutchins’s ability to bring her characters to life in such a way that makes nearly each of them memorable is worth the read in and of itself. Anyone who enjoys a well-written suspense that will defy expectations until the last page should pick up this book.
And, really, what story isn’t remarkable that includes Andy Warhol as a love interest?
Robert Selby is a screenplay writer, book reviewer, and volunteer at Killer Nashville