Shadowed Seats

Thank you to R&R Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book! I voluntarily leave this review!

Oliana dreams of going to school for Drama and pursuing her passion for acting alongside her best friend Devin. But when tragedy strikes, Oliana finds herself investigating Devin’s death. People are claiming it was suicide, yet the clues say otherwise. And the closer Oliana comes to finding out the truth, the deadlier it will become for her.

Despite being under a hundred pages, there is a lot going on in Shadowed Seats. Marguerite Ashton immediately sets the stage for Oliana’s somewhat disjointed home life and dives into dark family secrets. While I wish readers could have seen more about Oliana’s brother who is the center of some issues, I understood the focus was to remain on Oliana. I do hope in future novellas we see more of her brother Daniel.

Marguerite Ashton knew exactly what to present to the reader to make an impactful emotional scene. There was so much care taken to show Oliana and Devin’s friendship. I do wish Devin’s final moments had been written in a way to slow down time and allow the reader to process what they were feeling a bit more. Oliana is certainly determined to prove what happened to her best friend, and I believe she channels her grief into actions. Sometimes it is easier to keep busy than dwell on grief, but seeing her grieve in a bit more detail would have elevated the scene even more.

Oliana doesn’t hesitate to dig into whatever she can to uncover the truth of Devin’s death. Even if it means dumpster diving and being covered in day old spaghetti. But with each new clue, the threat to her also increases. The tension ramps up as Oliana comes closer to the truth and whoever is behind Devin’s murder begins to target Oliana as well. Readers will be absorbed in the murder mystery and demand answers.

Shadowed Seats is a quick mystery read that contains an underlying message about bullying and how damaging it can be both online and in person. I would recommend this to older young adult readers who enjoy murder mysteries. I certainly can’t wait to see what happens in book two!

This is a fast mystery. One minute you are mired in family drama and then bam you are in a murder mystery. Mind you this story is only 63 pages, but Marguerite Ashton knows how to pack the pages.

There are several difficult topics ranging from alcoholism within the family, teen pregnancy, off-page rape from a family member, and a murder. Whew.

Shadowed Seats is filled with darkness even when the mystery is solved. Ashton really knows how to hook a reader. This book is the first in the “Oliana Mercer” series and I'm interested in seeing where Ashton leads us next.

I received a free copy of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.