What Comes Around

By Annette Dashofy

The thirteenth contribution to the Zoe Chambers Mystery series is What Comes Around, a mystery that meets all of my expectations. The protagonist Zoe Chambers, the Monongahela Count Coroner, continues to have conflict with the arrogant and unpopular Dr. Davis, who acts in the role of Chief Deputy Coroner. In their rural area he is the main forensic pathologist.

There are three different crimes that Zoe and her husband Pete, the local police chief, are having to deal with: the brutal murder of a woman who came to town to talk with Zoe, a vehicular attack on a retired forensic pathologist, and a suicide attempt. Zoe is also asked to look into a cold case. She and those law enforcement officers working with her must be getting close to an answer because life gets more dangerous for them. 

Investigating these crimes leads to four whiteboards at headquarters with multiple cross-references as the police try to sort out victims, criminals, leads, and motivations. Needless to say, with this many threads, there are numerous clues along with dead ends as some of those interviewed are lying. There are characters whose lives hang in the balance, and the reader is brought along for the well-told  adventures. What Comes Around is the kind of mystery that keeps me going from one chapter to another as Dashofy sustains a fast pace with hooks leading to the next chapter.

An additional mystery is on a personal level for Pete and Zoe when a beautiful young woman arrives in town and requests Pete’s help. Something is just not right about her and about the stalker she claims is following her. 

I recommend this book and this series. I plan on reading the 5 books I have missed, not to fill in blanks on the characters, but to devour those tales. I love a good mystery!

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Fiction, Mystery, Women’s Fiction

Notes:  1.#13 in the Zoe Chambers Mystery Series. It could be read as a standalone. I have read 8 of the books in the series and haven’t been hindered in my enjoyment or understanding by not having read all of then. I held off for a while in reading the series, starting with #5, because I couldn’t imagine wanting to read about a paramedic/coroner. It turns out that this series is not too graphic in terms of the bodies which was my main concern.

    2. Contains some language, but it is not gratuitous, and there are no sexual encounters.

Publication:  May 7,2024—Level Best Books

Memorable Lines: 

Pete grabbed for his shoulders, but he juked out of Pete’s grasp. All four of the other officers dived at him, wrapping him up in their arms. For a scrawny kid, he managed to drag all of them a few more feet before they could stop him.

He hoped Abby could unearth this woman’s background online so he could determine what was going on with her. His gut told him she didn’t have a stalker. Nor did he buy Baronick’s ridiculous theory about her stalking Pete. But there was something going on with her. He just didn’t know what.

 She flashed back on the awareness of being airborne. The jolt and metallic crunch of the impact. The stomach-curdling sensation of rolling, being flung around inside, pinned by the seatbelts and air bags.