Not my favorite crime novel of the month, but it was on sale and filled the blank between more meaty books. It does have an interesting premise and the execution of that premise was good, but after that it falls flat for some reason.

Krista Larson is the new police chief in her rural Illinois home town and although she’s quite young for that job, she’s smart and is following in the footsteps of her now retired and recently widowed father. She’s quite capable.

*******
Girl Most Likely
by Max Allen Collins
2019 / 272 pages
Read by Dan John Miller – 7h 26m
rating – B- / procedural
*******

The high school class of 2008 (or so) is celebrating its 10 year reunion and the local tourist hotel is booked for the event. One of the alumni is now a celebrated investigative television news reporter who was a bit too popular in school. After the reunion she’s found dead.

An interesting device here is to have the murderer describe some of his actions in second person present tense. The reader doesn’t know who is narrating, only that it’s the killer.

Krisen’s father is pressed into service to help with het interviewing of all the guests and others who were in attendance, partners, teachers, hotel staff, etc.

The book is fast paced there’s a bit too much violence against women for my tastes. The characters are flat and the writing is mediocre. I’d say read it only if you’re hard up.