Assessment:
Plot/Idea: Phillips’s novel is quickly paced and very meticulously plotted. A seamless storyline depicts the devious machinations of a criminal set against a beautiful Northern California backdrop.
Prose: The prose is at once beautifully crafted and, when necessary, blunt and suspenseful. Main character Rocky’s first-person narration captures the character extremely well.
Originality: A classic murder mystery unfolds, but readers find an unconventional protagonist in the 55-year-old female boxer Raquel “Rocky” Nelson. This paired with the beautiful atmosphere and tension closing in from different parts of Rocky’s life set the novel apart.
Character/Execution: The characters in A Deadly Combo are memorable and convincing. Readers will find Rocky to be a clever yet flawed protagonist, and find the seemingly uncatchable murderer to be a villain to reckon with. Secondary characters serve the tale extremely well, coming across as essential puzzle pieces to the narrative.
Blurb: A compulsively page-turning mystery that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
Date Submitted: April 03, 2023
Phillips scores a knockout with her debut Rocky Nelson Boxing Mystery. In A Deadly Combo Rocky investigates a murder in order to exonerate her sister, whom she knows is innocent. Full of action and surprises. Highly recommended.
- Terry Shames, author of the award-winning Samuel Craddock Series
