The First to Die - by Suzanne Trauth (Paperback)

About the Book

A suspicious death forces Connie to face a tortured past and guilt over concealing a devastating secret. She questions where she belongs and who she can trust He mother was the first to die...but not the last.

Book Synopsis

Connie Tucker, a free-spirited beach bartender, has been estranged from her family in New Jersey ever since her actress mother, Simone, disappeared one night during a violent storm at the theatre where she was rehearsing. Uncontrollable and in a rage at the loss of her parent, fifteen-year-old Connie is exiled to California, due to her delinquent behavior, to live with an aunt she doesn't know.

Fifteen years later, Simone's murdered remains are discovered at a construction site and Connie returns to the east coast for the funeral-she owes it to her mother. The cold case unit will take over now and solve the crime. But then she discovers a message her mother left behind. It feels like a dispatch from the grave.

Connie must face her tortured past, the guilt of concealing a devastating secret, and the part she played in her mother's disappearance. Unearthing buried family history and childhood demons, she confronts the agonizing reality that she doesn't know where she belongs, where to call home. Who to trust. When a second suspicious death occurs, Connie races to unravel the events of the night Simone disappeared. Her mother was the first to die...but not the last.

Review Quotes

"The suspense had me on the edge of my seat, turning the pages as quickly as possible. I found it nearly impossible to put the book down-I was too afraid I'd miss something important. The writing style was so engaging that I felt as though I was right beside Connie during her investigation...and the ending was stunning. I never expected to discover the killer's identity and was genuinely shocked by the final reveal." -- Alma Boucher for Readers' Favorite - Five Stars

"More than a mystery, The First to Die-by turns puzzling, surprising, and poignant-is a story about loss, about connection, and how little we sometimes know about the people we feel closest to."-- Bill Mesce, Jr., author of Median Gray.

"Beautifully written and plotted, The First to Die left me breathless. The compelling main character, the excellent storytelling, the roller coaster investigation, and the drive to a satisfying ending, result in an unputdownable novel. Don't miss it." -- Catherine Maiorisi, author of the NYPD Detective Chiara Corelli Mysteries.

"The author effectively weaves in plenty of suspense as the storyline unfolds. The First to Die serves up a twisty mystery along with a race against time." -- Amy Wilson, Novels Alive

"The First to Die is a story of handling everything thrown at you, including the loss of a loved one, and how it all shapes your future. The need to find the truth so that you can hopefully find peace, wrapped into a heck of a compelling mystery that I found incredibly hard to put down." -- Escapes With Dollycas Into A Good Book

"The First to Die weaves together two timelines that converge with increasing force as the novel reaches its thrilling climax. The First to Die is a tale of deception and determination, revenge and redemption. The external conflicts Connie faces mirror her internal demons, and the resolution of both is a page-turning read." -- Lori Robbins, the Amazon bestselling author of the On Pointe and Master Class mystery series.