The Mountains Bow Down by Sibella Giorello

A cruise to Alaska promises plenty of time to delight in nature's beauty. The majestic mountains and geological opportunities beg to be enjoyed. Or so FBI Agent Raleigh Harmon thinks. Raleigh's plans to mine for gems and relax on her vacation go horribly askew when a passenger is murdered aboard the cruise ship. The ship's security chief enlists Raleigh to assist in the investigation. To complicate matters, Raleigh's mother's health quickly digresses, her aunt's friend's behavior annoys everyone, and Special Agent Jack Stephanson joins the investigation. With only five days to solve the murder, Raleigh struggles with the challenges before her. Will she solve the murder? Will her mother recover? And Stephanson is not quite as bad as she remembered...

The Mountains Bow Down by Sibella Giorello is the fourth book in her Raleigh Harmon series. I did not have the advantage reading the previous books. However, enough information was given that I had sufficient background information on Raleigh and the supporting characters. I suspect there would have been more information about her fiance in the previous books. The book ended with several loose ends. Raleigh's mother's health and Raleigh's relationships with her fiance and Jack Stephanson will likely be addressed in the next book.

I enjoyed reading The Mountains Bow Down. Kudos to Giorello for creating a plot that was catchy and unpredictable. Raleigh's character is especially well-written. I appreciated that Giorello's treatment of Raleigh's mother's illness was sadly authentic, but also sympathetic. The only character I disliked was the very New Age Claire. It is reasonable that the author meant for this to happen as Claire is deeply integrated into the story. I just found her annoying.

I recommend this book to those who enjoy mystery and suspense fiction.

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About the author: Sibella Giorello grew up in Alaska and majored in geology at Mount Holyoke College . After riding a motorcycle across the country, she worked as a features writer for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Her stories have won state and national awards, including two nominations for the Pulitzer Prize. She now lives in Washington state with her husband and sons. Find out more about Sibella and her other books at her website: http://www.sibellagiorello.com/.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."