Looking for your next suspense thriller that brings you edge of your seat with intrigue, and a cozy small town feel? Look no further dear reader! Why? Because the Underground Authors present to you – Welcome to Magnolia Bluffs: The Ransom Enigma by Breakfield and Burkey, book 27 in the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles. Yes readers, book 27. So, you know that this must be one riveting series.
The Ransom Enigma sets the stage with its cover by drawing the eye with a variety of details. Starting from the top you’ll notice rows of 1s and 0s, similar to writing computer code. Is this a hint of a bigger (or smaller) element of the story? You’re guess could be pretty spot on, but we won’t let that secret slip just yet.
You’ll notice that the numbers flow over an outdoor scene with outdoor furniture and a fire pit burning bright. This scene leads us to believe a party has taken place. However, you’ll notice a note with a glass of wine spilling across it. Has this illicit note brought the party to a screeching halt? Or has it simply ruined our main characters’ ideal evening? One thing is sure, the stage is being set, and we’re now ready to dive in.
The Ransom Enigma by Breakfield and Burkey is the 27th installment in the Magnolia Bluffs Chronicles. This book kicks things off with a late day in July. JJ and Jo have finally finished up with the build of their dream home. This place is to be their sanctuary away from the world where few people know who Jo truly is. For readers who are new to this series, Jo is a famous supermodel.
The big plan now? To throw a big welcome party and invite everyone to their new home. The good news? The evening goes off without a hitch. Lots of people show up, they all have a good time and enjoy themselves. The problem comes as things are winding down. A mysterious envelope left in the living room is the first clue that things are about to go south.
What’s in the envelope? A “ransom” note. Someone has done their “homework” and has worked out who Jo really is. So, they’ve taken it upon themselves to threaten the woman with exposure unless she pays them a hefty sum. Who is this mysterious person and why are they threatening Jo? Well, that is the mystery enigma of it all. Really nice how the title of the story – The Ransom Enigma ties into the story so quickly.
JJ, Jo’s husband, sets things in motion to track down the blackmailer. Of course, he’s been told by Sheriff Tommy to not go all “lone cowboy” and do something stupid that will get him thrown in jail or worse. However, when JJ’s body is found at the scene of a murder, unconscious, it looks bad for him. However, Jo knows that there is no way JJ could have committed the murder. Now, it’s up to her, with some help to prove her husband’s innocence, stay a step ahead of a killer, and help bring peace back to her beloved community.
The Ransom Enigma is told from the third-person point of view. This story primarily focuses on Jo as she seeks answers concerning her husband and what happened to him. However, she’s not the only character authors Breakfield and Burkey choose to focus on. This story will shift between a variety of the other characters who call Magnolia Bluffs home. The characters that are focused on are either crucial to solving the mystery/crime or are closely connected to Jo in some form or another.
The Ransom Enigma, for readers who are not familiar with these characters or the overall storyline, may struggle with the first few chapters. Settling in with characters who are already established can be a touch difficult, but once you fall in stride with the story you’re going to be swept away into the story.
Authors Breakfield and Burkey write a range of characters who all come off as highly realistic. You can almost believe that you could travel to Magnolia Bluffs and meet them and spend the day with them if you so chose to do. It’s really nice. The characters behave true to form which goes to make this book come across a nice amount of realism.
Sheriff Tommy, with the discovery of JJ’s body at the scene of the crime, unconscious, but alive has no choice to put him as a suspect at the top of the list. As to be expected when someone has a close relationship with the sheriff in a small town, Jo takes offense. She simmers down when the entire scene is explained to her, but one must admire how Jo holds fast to her beliefs that her husband would never do anything so drastic.
The Ransom Enigma beautifully blends small-town coziness into this story with intense drama and suspense. The killer(s) are hidden from view by authors Breakfield and Burkey until the right time to reveal them. Even the victim’s identity is held back for a time to draw readers in with the questions of – “Who is the blackmailer?” and “Why did this person do this?”
Piece by piece The Ransom Enigma reveals its secrets and starts to come together like a large puzzle. With each granule of information you gather, you add it to the collective to see how it all comes together and work to see the picture as it unfolds.
The Ransom Enigma is a game of cat and mouse. But instead of just one mouse, there are several. Innocents are being drawn into this twisted web of danger as many unsuspectingly help a killer get closer to tying up loose ends. But it’s not just the killer(s) you have to worry about. There is a leak at the Sheriff’s office that is creating problems there, too.
Readers who enjoy suspense thrillers are going to absolutely devour this book. You’re getting a blackmailer, Russian gangsters, dirty politicians, and edge-of-your-seat drama. Each character in this story brings their own amount of drama to the story which helps to take it to the next level.
While The Ransom Enigma has a slow-ish start, once you find your stride with the story, you’re not going to want to put it down. Readers who are familiar with the series will find the story engaging from beginning to end. This book is part of a series, but that doesn’t mean that you have to have read the previous books to be able to enjoy this installment. If anything you’ll find yourself being drawn to go back to the beginning to see how it all begins.
Pros:
- Engaging storyline
- Nice attention to detail
- Suspenseful
- Page-turner
- Realistic characters
Cons:
- Rough beginning for readers not familiar with the series
Scribble's Worth 
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