On a school camping trip, fifth graders experiment with a dangerous new hallucinogen and die in a horrific accident, their deaths shattering the quiet town. Assistant Superintendent Ken Parks, hoping to redeem a fatal mistake from his past, grasps the opportunity to conduct the district investigation of how students are getting the drugs. Almost before he begins, the cops make a stunning arrest. But Parks battles on, convinced the real pusher is still out there, poisoning more kids until he receives an anonymous threat: if he continues, those close to him will pay. Is Parks willing to risk those he loves for a chance at redemption?Four kids dead. Can Assistant Superintendent Ken Parks unmask the drug dealer poisoning his students before more kids die?
My Review
Cruel Lessons is a thriller with a mystery at the heart of it. It isn't a murder mystery as such, although there are certainly deaths and ones related to the mystery. It's the kind of read that will keep you turning the pages and guessing (often wrongly) where it will go next.
There perhaps should be a warning with this book, the victims are children, mostly pre-teens who are engaging in troublesome but not entirely unexpected teenage behaviour. Someone is taking advantage of that though and putting them at serious risk.
I considered various people that might have been behind it as I read this book. I did settle on the right person once or twice, but not firmly and I changed my mind a few times. It was a gripping read though and one that kept me guessing.
I was a little confused about the period, I believe it was the mid-nineties which mostly made sense. There were a few things that seemed to be too modern, with the internet and email playing a big role here. I know that it was around back then, just not quite as wide spread and accepted as it appears to be here. Or perhaps that's my memory playing tricks on me.
This was a well-written and entertaining read. I'd certainly be interested in more from this writer in the future.
Bio
Dr. Randy Overbeck is an award-winning
educator, author and speaker. As an educator, he served children for more than
three decades and has turned that experience into captivating fiction, authoring
the bestselling series, the Haunted Shores Mysteries, winner of nine national
awards. This past fall, the Wild Rose Press released his newest work, an
atmospheric amateur sleuth mystery, CRUEL LESSONS, which has captured two
national awards already. He hosts the popular podcast, “Great Stories about
Great Storytellers,” which reveals the unusual and sometimes strange
backstories of famous authors, directors and poets. He is also a speaker in
much demand, sharing his multi-media presentations, “Things Still Go Bump in
the Night,” “A Few Favorite Haunts,” and “Everything You Wanted to Know About
Publishing” with audiences all over the US. As a member of the Mystery Writers
of America, Dr. Overbeck is an active member of the literary community,
contributing to a writers’ critique group, serving as a mentor to emerging
writers and participating in writing conferences such as Killer Nashville and
the Midwest Writers Workshop.
More info about his novels, programs and
podcast can be found at his website www.authorrandyoverbeck.com
.
randyoverbeck@authorrandyoverbeck.com
513-633-2838
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