I decided to return to the Charlie Mack Motown Mystery series to cover Find Me When I’m Lost. After enjoying the previous release of Judge Me When I’m Wrong, I was curious to see what Charlie and the gang was up to. Though this is the fifth book in the series, it wasn’t necessary to read the prior books to understand what was happening or who the characters were, so I can encourage this to be read as a standalone.
Here’s the premise –
Charlie is hired by her ex-husband’s wife, Pamela, to figure out what happened when her brother is found shot dead in his apartment. Charlie’s ex, Franklin, is the lead suspect as he fled the scene of the crime. Though he may appear guilty, Charlie and Pamela both know that Franklin is no killer. Charlie takes on the case so that she can prove his innocence, but power and influence have more ranking than Charlie bargained for. Charlie and her team face numerous bullets to assure that justice prevails.
My favorite thing about this book is the team dynamic. I said it in my last review, I want to work for Mack Investigations. Everyone is skilled, intelligent, and knows how to implement creative problem solving. I felt like I was watching an episode of Criminal Minds when they were all in a room together. I especially liked how the characters had such different personalities but were able to work well together. It’s the level of professionalism I wish I saw in real life more often.
Something that didn’t work for me too well was the jealousy that Charlie’s partner, Mandy, expelled because Charlie was helping her ex-husband. Given the severity of the situation and how loyal and considerate Charlie always seems to act towards Mandy, I wasn’t sure where the level of concern was coming from. I can understand the general insecurity, involvement with exs can bring out negative feelings in current partners for obvious reasons, and there was a moment in the beginning of Charlie’s relationship with Mandy when she chose Franklin for comfort over Mandy, but that was three years prior. Mandy wasn’t in the book too much, but it felt like a lot of her dialogue was her being insecure about the situation. I think more could have been rounded out with this aspect of the story. I should state that I am not married nor am I a jealous person, and maybe if I were these things, I’d feel differently. I did feel that Mandy’s insecurity added more pressure to the situation and it showed strength in Charlie’s character that she didn’t let it affect her job.
There was a good amount of action peppered throughout the story. I won’t give away any spoilers, but shoot outs were of plenty. I loved when the POV switched to a female badass police officer who took risks under less than ideal circumstances. This book is full of heroes and small details that bring every character to life.
Again, I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but I do want to note that a much larger conversation could be had regarding the power and influence dynamic that occurs in this book. Having just watched the Jeffery Epstien Filthy Rich documentary on Netflix, I find it incredibly disheartening and aggravating how the system can bend towards celebrities and billionaires. It was cathartic to at least read a book in which justice swiftly prevails.
Don’t miss out on another adventure with Charlie Mack and her team in Find Me When I’m Lost
Follow Cheryl A. Head on Twitter: @cheaddc