Doctor and mystery investigator extraordinaire Hope Sze finds herself investigating a century-old mystery as a weekend trip to an old prohibition era inn hosting a fictional villain convention leads to the discovery of bones, and a threat to those staying in the inn in author Melissa Yi’s “White Lightning: Prohibition and Predators: A Mystery Across the Centuries with a White Knuckle Finish You Won’t Believe (Hope Sze medical mystery Book 9)”.
The Synopsis
FROM HOOCH HIGHWAY TO HOMICIDE
Hope Sze escapes for a romantic weekend away at the Rumrunner’s Rest, a Roaring Twenties inn once celebrated both for Prohibition’s best alcohol and the smoothest jazz bands north of the Detroit River.
Then a convention of fictional villains overrun the tavern, her friend glimpses a ghost, and Hope uncovers a grisly surprise in the fireplace that may be related to Al Capone, the infamous gangster.
At least two people disappeared from this very inn, and one soul will not rest in peace.
Tonight, unless Hope unravels a century’s worth of clues, death will collect several more lives. Including the one, she holds most dear.
The Review
This was a perfect mystery read! The author continues to enthrall and entertain readers with the perfect balance of mystery, history, and engaging character-driven narrative to really entice and bring readers to the edge of their seats. The inclusion of prohibition-era history, from the prohibition bars that were so popular a century ago, to Al Capone and a character’s possible relation to him, really elevated the actual mystery that this story held.
What stood out to me though was the character development. It was incredible to see these characters evolve and grow as the story progressed, especially going into the 9th story in this growing mystery series. From the medical aspect of the character’s perspective on the mystery of these grisly findings inside of the inn’s chimney to the sudden appearance of an old flame who turned Hope’s world upside down years ago to the question of whether or not history and our ancestry can have any sort of impact on our world today, each character really exhibited chemistry and balance with one another, as did the growing shroud of shocks and thrills to the novel.
The Verdict
A masterful, heart-pounding, and brilliant medical thriller and mystery read, author Melissa Yi’s “White Lightning” is a must-read novel of 2021 and the perfect next installment in Hope’s growing mystery series. The historical nature of the character’s in the flashbacks and how they relate to the modern-day mystery really add extra depth to the novel, making this a thrilling fall and winter read. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
