Defending Wellton by Kelli Kretzschmar ~ Book Review

Synopsis

Wellton, Arizona. Population 2,864… and falling. Something - or someone - is killing the kids in town, and the Wellton Police Department is called in to investigate the untimely deaths.

Officer Trent Buckley has lived in Wellton since the day he was born, and he’s been trying to get out of the small, dead-end town ever since. Just when he has a shot at a transfer to Tucson, a disturbing case lands in his lap, one that has him working with Yuma Sun reporter – and ex-lover – Sarah Goodwin. Trent is forced to push aside his resentment for Wellton and settle his own personal demons to focus on keeping more kids from dying in his town.

Chief John Walker has lived in Wellton for over thirty years. When kids start getting sick and dying, it takes all his courage to face his own past and solve the case. With the help of his best cop, Officer Buckley, Walker is determined to stop the deaths in his town, and keep them both alive in the process.

As the pair discovers what, or who, is behind the mysterious deaths, will two small-town cops be able to stay alive long enough to put a stop to it before any more kids have to die?

About the Author:

Kelli Kretzschmar, author of the mystery novel Defending Wellton, researched the novel by visiting Wellton, Arizona, and interviewing several officers of the Wellton Police Department. Kretzschmar says, “I needed to actually experience the feeling of the small town in order to capture Trent’s frustration in feeling stuck there. And speaking with the Wellton Police Department proved invaluable and has given me a lot of material for a second book in the Wellton series.”

Kretzschmar resides in Rancho Santa Margarita, California with her husband and three children. Although this is her first published novel, she says there will be more to come. “Writing is an exciting hobby,” says Kretzschmar. “I have lots of characters in my mind that are ready to come to life on paper. Currently, I’m working on three more novels and expect my next to be released this winter.” When asked to describe what she enjoys most about writing, Kretzschmar states, “There's a point I get to in the process of writing when the characters just start acting things out on their own, and I'm just there to record it all on paper.”

A full-time Marketing Manager for a high-technology company, Kretzschmar finds time to write between an active schedule of work, family life, and practicing her most recent passion, Krav Maga. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Cal State Long Beach.

Review:

Defending Wellton is a superbly written mystery. Kretzschmar is a wonderfully descriptive author and her writing style is a great match for this genre. The plot twists and turns and takes you in places that you never expected. The climax of the book had me sitting on the edge of my seat nervously flipping pages in my e-reader to find out what happened. The love story, while secondary to the main plot of the book, was interwoven beautifully and was very well done. Defending Wellton is a great book for any mystery fan to read and although the subject matter (the death of innocent children) is not pleasant, the author doesn't dwell on the deaths but uses them to further the plot. I read the book in 2 sittings, though the prologue and first chapter didn't hook me at first, I'm glad that I kept going because the action picked up in chapter 3 and kept me reading long after I should have been asleep! Once you start Defending Wellton, you will find yourself invested in the characters and the town and will be as worried as if this mystery were happening in your backyard. Overall, Defending Wellton is a great choice and I look forward to more mysteries with Trent and Sarah in the future.

~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Jenn.. A copy of the book was received in exchange for an honest review.*~