This one was not a good book for me. Overall, the book was too messy. There are a ton of characters of whom the vast majority are very unlikeable. The book has a trio of children that are said to be anywhere from four to six years of age (depending at which point you're reading) but those same children are written more like teenagers at points. I feel like if some parts of the story were slowed down, it could have been more enjoyable. I did like the mansion and its surroundings but given that beautiful cover, I was expecting something a little more southern gothic. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Hard to put this one down. I really felt for these characters, especially Rachael. A lot of twists and sadness in this story, and one I highly recommend. Creepy at times, but a page turner.

I have to say that the author that wrote this book is very imaginative and detail oriented. In the first chapter, a little boy falls overboard into a alligator infested lake, and from there the story unfolds. Pearl River Mansion is a old world mansion with plenty of gloom behind the walls. The cast of characters provides a storyline for all readers., and they mesh together for a page turning story.

The south is a unique place and the people of the south are set in their traditions. Families go back centuries and secrets are hidden and many.
Take a trip south with the Chandler family and sit back for a book worth reading. Compromise and compassion are two words the Chandlers are not. The twins are the stars of the show and couldn’t be more different. A full range of emotions will make a debut as you read the words on the pages. There are parts of this storyline that are disturbing and horrific, but that leads to a very well rounded and robust experience.

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to review this book, I loved and hated it. Enjoy!

OMG!!!!! This book was so great. I couldn't put it down. I would love to see a book written that takes the story a little further and show how the little girls life was affected from what she went through. It needs a warming about child abuse though because if someone that went through abuse it might bring up memories.

Great book with lots of twists and turns. Good style of writing and kept me wanting to read more. Enjoyed the characters and the story flowed well

Pearl River Mansion by Richard Schwartz started a bit slow but picked up after a bit. This book has some very mature topics that may be a trigger for some people: cheating, abuse, deception, and murder. Along with the many topics, there A LOT of characters and many of these characters have awful traits and are not hard to hate. This can get confusing if you are a fast reader. However, the author did wrap up the story in a way that was satisfying for the reader. All in all, this was a good summer day or rainy evening read.

***** I received an ARC from NetGalley, the publisher, and the autor for my honest review. *****

This book is 2nd in the series but can be read as a standalone ( I did ). The book started a little slow for me but all of a sudden, wham! I was hooked. I wouldn't recommend this book to the faint of heart, some of the subject matter is disturbing. Infidelity, abuse, murder, lies, deceit, and snobbery are predominant in this book. Frankly, I really enjoyed it.

Tyler Chandler comes from a well to do family. His Mother had only ever wanted a daughter and all she got was Tyler. Now Tyler is married with a set of twins, one boy and one girl, and finds himself only caring for the boy. While he shuns his Mother’s money, Joan Chandler knows that it can buy people, things and her own way and she is not afraid to wield that power.

When Tyler’s wife is bitten by water moccasins and dies on the river, he agrees to let his mother adopt his daughter and takes his son to live with him and his new girlfriend. But his late wife’s family also wants to adopt the young girl and try to kidnap her. When the young girl disappears, Tyler is actually heartbroken and vows to find his daughter and become the father he should be to her. Unfortunately, some things never change and actions speak louder than words as the story unfolds.

While I found the book to be engrossing, I also struggled with the hard, cold reality of some humans. It’s just fiction, but it’s based on some kernel of truth that we have seen and your heart aches as you hope for good to prevail over evil. A good book for mystery fans to add to the summer reading list.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

Sarah and Tyler Chandler's marriage is in trouble. After Sarah's tragic death, Rachael, one of their twins, goes to live with her grandmother. Tensions build between Sarah's family and Tyler's mother, and tragedy strikes again. Where is little Rachael? That's where Jack Kendall and Stacy Young come in. Can they find little Rachael in time, or is it already too late?

I gave this book 2 stars, only by virtue that I actually finished it. So, so much happened in this book, and yet it felt like nothing at all happened. This book quite simply dragged on for DAYS. The narrative is predominately driven by dialogue,, and there is a LOT of it. However the dialogue is not well done, and doesn't feel like anything actual people say. It's stilted, over dramatic, or even too heavy on homilies. I know dialogue is imperative to a good story, but when that's the only thing moving a story forward, it's hard to read.

Second, I didn't like a single character. There was no complexity to the characters, or development. There's bad or good, and no in between. Tyler is especially horrible, with absolutely no redeeming qualities. Jack is almost too perfect or nice, and all we really know about Stacy is that she is curvy and smart. I kept waiting to care about someone, ANYONE in this book, but it never happened. There was never any arc or tension in the book. It simply plodded along in a steady line.

This book was long. According to Goodreads, it's 624 pages. There's no reason to have it be this long. I understand that it has to tie back to others in the series, but there was just so much that happened in the book that just didn't need to be talked about. It's too stilted and dry to be an enjoyable read.

All in all, I hate to say it, but reading this book is akin to eating dry toast with no water.

While browsing Netgalley I came across this gorgeous cover! Upon reading the description I knew I had to read it and I am so glad I did!

I have to be honest and say I had never heard of author, Richard Schwartz, prior to reading and had no idea this was Book 2 of The Underdog Detective Series. Though it is the second in a series, the books seem to be "stand-alone" and not reading the first had no bearing on whether I could follow this plot line.

The story starts when we meet Sarah, wife to Tyler and mother of 4 year old twins, Rachael and Cody. They live in a trailer, and life is anything but pleasant. Tyler does what he pleases, Sarah will do anything for Tyler (including mistreating her children), and it's clear Cody is the favorite child while Rachael, because she is a girl, is just a mere afterthought.

Tyler comes from wealth. Considerable wealth. He grew up at Pearl River Mansion, a Civil War mansion surrounded by gorgeous, lush gardens and a river full of wildlife, including alligator,s that control the water. His mother, Joan, is controlling and used to getting her way. She uses her wealth to control the narrative of everyone around her. For this reason Tyler chooses to not accept her money and make a way for his life on his own.

Life changes when Tyler and Sarah take the twins to visit Joan at Pearl River Mansion for the weekend. Tragedy occurs that weekend and the aftermath will effect the lives of many.

This book had so many twists and turns. I had no idea how sucked in I would get, but I loved it! Just when I thought that surely I was getting towards the end, I would see that I was no where close to the conclusion. Murder, abuse, infidelity, and family drama at it's highest level are what fill the pages.

The author was flawless in creating characters that I loved and hated. I felt like I truly got a grasp of everyone's personality. The scenery described was detailed and though I have never been to Mississippi, I had no problem imagining the multiple settings described throughout.

They ending was surprising and satisfying. I honestly kept wondering how this would all conclude, butI wasn't left feeling disappointed in the least. If you are looking for a good read, especially during these quarantine times, look no further! This is a must read! You will not be disappointed!

This was a 5 star read! Thanks to Netgalley and Mascot books for allowing me an e-galley to read and give my honest review. This book is set to be released here in the U.S. on July 7, 2020. To be honest, I have only seen it for pre-order on Amazon but I hope that this wonderful novel will be available everywhere books are sold soon!

Happy Reading!

Pearl River Mansion is book 2 in a series but fine to read as a stand alone (I did). What a great read. I couldn’t put it down. There’s something for everyone - murder, suspense, greed, entitlement, wealth, love and family.

There are characters to love and those to despise. It’s fast paced drama that will have you rooting for the ‘good guys’. Highly recommended and totally enjoyable. I look forward to reading others in the series.

Many Thanks to Net Galley, Mascot Books and Richard Schwartz for a chance to read and review this book.

#PearlRiverMansion #NetGalley

I picked this book solely because of its gorgeous cover. The image of a forlorn child with a backdrop of sprawling mansion really had me intrigued. As the story begins, we are introduced to the main family members, Joan, the matriarch of the family, Tyler, the spoiled immature son, Sarah his meek wife, and the twins Cody and Rachel. 20% into the story, too many things have happened in supersonic speed, that a reader is left gaping. How can the death of one person cause such humongous repercussions? That’s exactly what we get to see in this brilliant story.

Book 2 in the Underdog Detective Series, Richard Shwartz has wonderfully managed to eke out an emotional tale of a child of 4 years who suffers severe trauma from the people responsible for her care. Jack and Stacy as the private investigators become involved in the missing child case and it was heartening to see the roles played by the caretakers Regina and Gibbs with his grandson Jayden who offers some warmth to the lonely Rachel.

The issues being discussed in this book is quite vast, like wealth, privilege, class and racism, snobbish attitude towards the domestic help, then of course the abuse for Tyler, for Sarah, for Rachel, each part of the story actually makes the reader emotional.

A very complex and intensely related tale of lost innocence, Pearl River mansion is definitely a story to savor. But there are still parts of it that had a lost feeling .The first part with Pamela and Tyler and Sarah’s death was literally zip, zap, zoom that I never felt the loss or grief, it is only when Jack and Stacy are introduced that the story picks up pace. Stacy was the most lovable character with her passion and kindness shining thru till the end.

Warning to readers who cannot abide child beating, there’s an intense scene which can be disturbing for some.

This book was a little slow to get going but once it hooked you in it deliverered
I enjoyed the descriptive setting of this book and being a non American was drawn into a way of life that was quite an eye opener.
The characters became very real. The story was a little far fetched but the twists and turns were very well explained.
I also enjoyed this style of writing. I would recommend this book as a good read

Intricate and complex story ,with a bit of everything. The characters were all brilliant.I look forward to the next instalment.

The cover and name of the book intrigued me. R Schwartz does a good job of informing the reader of all the cast of characters and the landscape of the mansion. You could see foreshadowing for the child Rachel but not able to dictate the outcome.
It's a long easy read. You love and strongly dislike characters.. I do recommend the book especially if you like soap operas.
Happy reading!

Pearl River Mansion ⁣⁣⠀
Richard Schwartz ⁣⁣⠀
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I was attracted to Pearl River Mansion the moment I saw the cover. It had a ominous vibe that immediately made me want to read it. ⁣⁣⠀
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I had no idea what I was getting into when I opened this book. This was a gut wrenching story about a little girl, Murder, abuse and the worst family drama you can imagine. Get ready to ugly cry, big crocodile tears. ⁣⁣⠀
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Rachael has lived all of her short life so far being the outcast, an unloved child simply because she was a girl. After the tragic loss of her mother, her father makes it clear that she is not wanted. A nasty custody battle ensues from both sides of the grandparents to adopt Rachael. Both sides are willing to go to horrible extremes to make Rachel theirs. ⁣⁣⠀
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Through out this book there is so much addressed that helps make the story an amazing read. Wealth, privilege, racism, and class are a major factors that mold the characters and their actions. ⁣⁣⠀
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This book made me cry, it made my heart hurt. There were times I was so appalled that I wanted to scream and throw this book! It brought out every single emotion a person could have. There were times I was happy crying, because there are parts that are so filled will love, it was hard to get through them with out a tissue box. ⁣⁣⠀
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This was an emotional book that delivered in every way possible. It had all the feels, it was suspenseful, it was dark, there was joy, it made me laugh, it made me cry. I did not expect the level of depth in this book when I picked it. I’m in awe at the amount of emotion this book inspires. The author has a true talent for writing. ⁣⁣⠀
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Pearl River Mansions is a must read. ⁣⁣⠀
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Although not my usual genre, this book was a real page turner, and I'm glad I gave it a chance. Highly recommended.

Pearl River Mansion by Richard Schwartz has levels of drama and suspense all the way through the story. It is a very entertaining book that kept me reading non-stop for hours! The plot is set in Mississippi and Arkansas.
Joan Chandler is accustomed to living in wealth and privilege at Pearl River Mansion, and does not hesitate to let her adult son Tyler know he has been a disappointment to his family. He married Sarah without his parents blessing because she was pregnant. After the twins are born he keeps Sarah busy not only with the babies, but she must be at his beck and call when he is home. I really disliked the character of Tyler! Poor Sarah, the event which happens to her is terrible.
The character of Pamela was a bit strange. Is she a gold-digger or just selfish and naïve?
Mr. Gibbs and Regina find themselves entangled into a situation with Mrs. Chandler which could put them in jail. The treatment of Rachel by her mother, father, brother Cody, and her grandmother will make your heart hurt for the child.
Jack and Stacy are clearly the heroes of this story. Once they realize an injustice has been done, they go forward to correct the problem. Sarah's sister, Emily, seeks their investigation services to find answers which will help her mother and uncle.
I don't want to post spoilers, but there are so many conflicts, deceits, and lies told by nearly everyone until you wonder how Rachael will ever survive. There are scenes in the story that are humorous, too.
Publication Date: July 7, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Started this book because description sounded interesting. I read the first three chapters and decided that I did not like it. Also, it was the second of a series and I had not read the first one.