Investigative reporter, Tyler Bonnar, has the unfortunate luck of discovering the body of a casino mogul in the river by his summer home.

This is the first book for me by this author and I found it a slog to get through. While this story is a murder mystery, I found most of the read meandered through Tyler’s daily life. Tyler fishing with his friend, Sanjay. Tyler visiting with his kid, Randy. Tyler and his romantic interest, Hannah, a free lance reporter, holidaying with their respective children. While Tyler and Hannah band together to ask questions re the 2 dead bodies discovered in the river, it doesn’t seem to lead anywhere. The ah-ha moment comes rather suddenly and seemingly without any investigation leadup.

For those who are sensitive to animal involvement, there is a rather gruesome and bloody scene with a raccoon that seemed rather gratuitous.

This read was not for me.

First its the body of the casino developer, then its the body of another woman who disappeared a few weeks before. Trying to see the link includes a journalist, a returning son of the area among others. It's a fun story, set in a beautiful location. Trying to figure out whodunnit, secrets and rumors about people in the town are revealed.

The story had a nice buildup, but not sure about the way it was all wrapped up- it seemed a bit rushed.

A mystery about the discovery of two bodies in Lake Britton, a vacation enclave in Shasta County, California, brings together Tyler Bonnard, a San Francisco Chronicle reporter, and Hannah Bergren, a freelance reporter with a mysterious link to one of the dead bodies. This is tight and well-written suspense featuring many distinct characters found in small town, off the beaten track communities. Tyler’s problems with his ex-wife and Hannah’s past reveal interesting details about their personalities. If you enjoy mysteries, this is a definite read. I received an ARC from NetGalley and the opinions expressed are my own.

Rex Royale by Jack Erickson.
When the decomposed body of a charismatic Las Vegas casino mogul is recovered from a northern California lake resort, a reporter and free lance writer investigate. They discover the community’s dark secrets; missing women, arsons, police corruption, and rogue backwoodsmen in a remote hunting lodge. A startling discovery reveals a decades old murder committed by one of the community's leaders.
I really enjoyed this book. Tyler Harriet and Hannah were my favourite characters. Lots of action. I couldn't put it down. 5*.