Prior to starting Pasadena, people had been comparing it to Veronica Mars, and I absolutely agree. If you love the noir, dirty underbelly side to mystery shows, Pasadena is exactly what you need. The story opens with Maggie’s death which the authorities rule a suicide, but which her best friend, Jude, rules a murder. As Jude lines up the potential suspects behind the complex person that was her closest friend, she grapples with her own history of sexual assault and family conflict.

I love the characters in Pasadena. They are nuanced, and all have a potential motive for wanting Maggie gone. The cast is also beautifully diverse. Jude’s friend, Joey, is one of my favorite characters with his sweet, quiet charm and loyalty. However, Jude’s tough attitude and hard-hitting grief also makes her stand out as a phenomenally written character.

While I am blown away by the characters, the mystery plot fell a little flat for me. I thought the first third or so created a compelling case with a variety of sneaky suspects, but the build up slowed after a while, and the ending twist was a little disappointing.

This quick, engaging story takes readers to the dark side of a town called Pasadena where friendships might be as thick as blood but often lack honesty.

Originally posted at The Forest of Words and Pages: http://www.forestofwordsandpages.com/2016/09/blog-tour-pasadena-sherri-l-smith/