“Breaking News: Local Heiress Dead” by Charlotte Morganti

Breaking News: Local Heiress Dead

Charlotte Morganti
Halfdan Press (2024)
ISBN:  978-1998136018
Reviewed by Stephanie Elizabeth Long for Reader Views (06/2024)

Olivia Mercier is still reeling from the betrayal of her husband with her best friend, Shauna Wylie. After learning about their sordid affair, she ended a thirty-year friendship and kicked out her husband, Dom, in one fell swoop.

Now, Shauna’s body has been recovered from Donner Lake, encased in a cement barrel, and somehow, the police are pointing fingers at Olivia. The scorned woman is shocked to learn that according to Shauna’s will, Olivia stands to inherit millions of dollars. Between the scorching betrayal and a large sum of money, Olivia is the prime suspect.

The only way Olivia is going to escape being charged for this deplorable murder is to take matters into her own hands and use her sleuthing skills to find the cold-blooded assailant.

“Breaking News: Local Heiress Dead” by Charlotte Morganti is a cleverly written whodunit about a seriously unlucky journalist whose marriage and friendships have been decimated. All evidence is pointing towards her for a murder charge (talk about kicking someone when they’re down!). Between sifting through a laundry list of possible suspects, someone sending her cryptic texts related to the investigation, and dodging her cheating husband’s attempts at getting back together, Olivia needs to catch a break! She has a sinking suspicion that the killer may be someone in her inner circle.

This cozy mystery has it all: small-town sleuthing, quirky characters, and an absorbing investigation that will appeal to readers who love piecing together puzzles. Every chapter was like playing a game of Clue. As Olivia skillfully eliminated possible suspects, my heart thundered with anticipation, and I read more fervently. Moreover, Morganti has done an excellent job of foreshadowing and dropping subtle hints that are cleverly woven into the mystery, which proves her talent for writing novels of this genre.

In addition to scratching my itch for an immersive mystery, Morganti focused on developing character relationships and highlighting Olivia’s opposing feelings regarding Shauna’s death. How can you properly grieve when anger and deception mar your memories? That inner conflict was well-illustrated, uncovering how Olivia flip-flopped between banishing feelings and wanting to do right by her late best friend.

Drama, crime, and secrets—Charlotte Morganti’s “Breaking News: Local Heiress Dead” has it all, and readers will be wrapped up in Olivia’s quest to clear her name. The tough-as-nails journalist takes sleuthing to another level, making her a root-worthy protagonist.