KILLER MOTIVES

A homicide investigation throws a married couple’s relationship into question in Traymore’s debut mystery.

In Sleepy Hollow, New York, Victoria and Nick Mancusio are a wealthy couple who’ve been married for 10 years, recently not so happily. The quiet, affluent neighborhood is rocked when newcomer Angie Hansen is found dead in her new home. It’s quickly revealed that Nick was the realtor who sold her the house and that the two were engaged in an affair. Det. Jack Stark and his partner, Det. Lexi Sanchez, begin to gather potential suspects; was the murderer a jilted wife, a possessive lover, a stalker, or someone seeking revenge? Gossip, distrust, and paranoia spread through the town, and Victoria and Nick choose to take matters into their own hands to clear their names, culminating in an emotional finale. Traymore effectively showcases the characters’ personalities and relationships, mainly through dialogue: “What we have now is an arrangement, not a marriage. Do we have an understanding?” “Sure. Nice move Victoria. You have me right where you’ve always wanted me. By the balls.” As a result, the various players’ decisions and actions remain clear and consistent throughout the narrative even if the description feels minimalistic. The plot explores themes of marriage, trust, and forgiveness, and although the plot feels fairly standard for the genre, it still resolves in a satisfying manner, with all the story threads neatly tied up. The pacing is steady, as well, maintaining a decent level of suspense without ever feeling overwrought or melodramatic.

A by-the-numbers but still engaging procedural whodunit.