Something’s Going On Here – Ruth Cherry, PhD | Reviewed by: Christina Avina, Hollywood Book Reviews

There has always been quite a fine line between chaos and order in the Universe. Far more often than not, a person’s life will find the carefully laid plans gone awry, leading one to see the order they tried to impose on their life being turned upside down chaos itself. Trying to find that balance of chaos and order is something everyone in the world has struggled with, and sometimes one has to accept when chaos takes control over the order of your daily routine.

In author Ruth Cherry, PhD’s Something’s Going On Here, the author takes readers on an enlightening journey of chaos versus order. When a retired English teacher moves to the Central Coast of California at his cousin’s insistence, he seeks nothing more than to get away from the life he once knew and live a peaceful life of structured order. Yet life gets in the way, as gunshots in the night lead him to be pulled into the role of sleuth by his cousin and the local mystery enthusiasts of his new community. As secrets are revealed and the layers of the mystery begin to reveal themselves, retired English teacher Nick learns more about himself and the bond between psychological and spiritual understanding about our own lives.

The author did such a great job of crafting a thought-provoking and insightful mystery read. The sleuth aspect of the narrative and the almost casual way the author approaches the mystery from the beginning was immediately charming to read. The mystery and suspense intensify however a few pages into the narrative, and the clash of the suspense and action as it ramps up with the development of the protagonist was what kept me hooked on the narrative. The author was able to capture the small-town life and the secretive nature of people’s lives that often comes with small-town life so perfectly, which added a heightened nature to the mystery and narrative overall.

This is the perfect read for those who enjoy mystery novels, especially those who enjoy suspense and psychological thriller reads, as well as small-town dramas and action novels. As someone who enjoys these mystery and sleuth style narratives, I was instantly drawn to the everyday man aspect of the protagonist and main investigator as well as the social and power dynamics that get shaken up by this mystery as Nick begins to unravel this mystery.

Captivating, mind-bending, and entertaining, author Ruth Cherry, PhD’s Something’s Going On Here, is a must-read mystery and suspense book. The amateur detective quality of the protagonist’s journey and the cozy mystery really will keep readers invested in the emerging story, and the fast-pace of the narrative will allow readers to not only absorb the plot of the story, but the message of empowerment which comes with the themes of this novel.

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