Book Review: The Echo Killing

THE ECHO KILLING | Christi Daugherty
(Harper McClain #1)
03.12.2019 | Minotaur Books
Rating: 4/5 stars

Savannah may be known for its picturesque architecture and parks, but just like every town there are crimes that occur in this city. The darker side of Savannah is where Harper McClain thrives. She is a crime reporter for the local newspaper. She spends her nights following crimes and the police running the investigations. Harper is hot on the trail of a homicide when she starts to feel deja vu. This crime is hitting too close to home.

Harper’s mother was murdered when she was just a young girl. The killer was never found and that unsolved murder has haunted Harper for years. Marie Whitney’s murder is almost an echo of her mother’s. A female victim found naked in her kitchen with multiple stab wounds. There is no trace of any evidence to lead the police to a suspect. Why would someone kill Marie Whitney? Why would her death and crime scene be so similar to Harper’s mother?

Earlier this year I received an ARC for A BEAUTIFUL CORPSE, which is the second book in Daugherty’s Harper McClain series. I was instantly hooked on Harper McClain’s badass female lead to the book and knew I wanted to go back and read the first in the series. A recommendation from a fellow blogger led me to the decision to listen to this book on audio and I could not have loved the experience more! The narrator to THE ECHO KILLING truly brought to life Harper, as well as the deep South atmosphere that the series thrives on.

THE ECHO KILLING is our first introduction to Harper McClain. Daugherty does not shy away from giving us the full picture to her main star. We experience Harper in her daredevil, no holds barred persona as she works as a crime reporter. Instantly the reader is in sync with Harper’s passion and starts to feel equally as invested in the case Harper is working. At the same time the reader is allowed hints at Harper’s softer side, the side that makes her thrive and rise above. Allowing Harper to be such a well-rounded main character is what truly invested me in this series. I’m interested not in simply the crimes that Daugherty crafts, but the character at the heart of the series.

Aiding to my love of this series is the atmospheric qualities that Daugherty gives to the Savannah that Harper knows and loves. You can feel the small town vibes of those she is closest to in the town, which translates further into the impact that whatever crimes Harper is investigating have on those around her. The reader can feel the heat and the authenticity of the deep South and the mindset that comes with living in that particular area of the United States.

If you’re looking for a new series to get hooked on, I highly suggest putting Daugherty’s Harper McClain series on your radar!

This book is available to buy from: Amazon | Book Depository

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