Marissa Ellwyn has spent the better part of the last two years wondering where her father might be. His secretive lifestyle and cryptic postcards have shaped her into the woman she is today–one incredibly determined woman. When she plans a secretive getaway of her own with her sights set on finally discovering her father’s whereabouts, she can’t possibly imagine what awaits her. Will she find her father in paradise? Or will he continue to outwit everyone, including his own daughter? Marissa’s journey to discover his truths is really just beginning.

Salt Island, the second book in the E&A Investigations Series by Lisa Towles, follows private detective Marissa Ellwyn as she sets out to find her missing father. For two years, she has received periodic postcards from him, and enough is enough–she has to know the wheres, whys, and hows of his disappearance. Towles does a phenomenal job of setting up Marissa’s adventure and integrating elements and characters from Book 1. Readers will quickly feel caught up and while this is a second installment, it can easily be read as a stand-alone novel. The introduction of an additional storyline centered around her detective business gives this incredible novel an added layer of mystery and suspense.

Towles’s books are consistently thrilling. It is difficult to find well-written mysteries or thrillers that combine an engaging storyline with excellent character development, but Towles manages to do just that in one neat package. The rapport shown between Marissa and her partner Derek is unmatched. I love reading their interactions and watching them try to outthink one another. It’s a relatable match and one that is both fitting for the plot and believable as a pairing.

Towles is a master when it comes to parallel storylines. Following two simultaneously evolving storylines can be tricky and, if they are not well-thought-out and well-written, readers can quickly lose interest and trust in the author’s ability to pull it all together. I have to say, I was curious from the beginning and truly wondered how Towles would follow the targeting of Jack Darcy and his company while at the same time keeping readers engaged in the plot point focused on her missing father. She does it, however, and does it with ease.

The E&A Investigations Series by Lisa Towles, are always winning choices when it comes to selecting mysteries. Readers will find the quick pace and snappy dialogue in Salt Island refreshing. Above all else, Marissa Ellwyn is a character who jumps off the pages and into readers’ hearts. Her earnest search for truth will grab readers and make them instant fans of Towles’s work.

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/11/22/salt-island/