Going to the Bad by Nora McFarland

Going to the Bad: A Lilly Hawkins Mystery by Nora McFarland is the newest book in the series featuring a TV news photographer. Lilly is a seriously funny and structured character that truly deserves a serious based on her. If you’re a fan of the series, or new to it, this book will give you suspense, and a good old fashioned mystery case to follow along with Lilly.

Book Description

“Working as a TV news photographer at her hometown television station, Lilly has documented Bakersfield’s most violent crimes and tragic accidents. To stay sane and avoid burnout, she’s developed a wicked sense of humor and a very thick skin. For her, a vicious shooting is just another day on the job. But what if the victim is someone she loves? Thrown off balance by the brutal attack on her uncle Bud in her own home, Lilly decides to handle the tragedy the only way she knows how. Using all her TV station’s resources and her own considerable skills, Lilly dives headlong into the investigation. But even with the assistance of her well-meaning but eccentric coworkers, this story may prove her last. Because as Lilly untangles a history of her uncle’s misdeeds and betrayals, a clever killer is preparing to strike again. Can she break the story in time to prevent another murder, or will Lilly be the next victim?” – Going to the Bad

My Thoughts

Going to the Bad is a well written novel that follows Lilly Hawkins trying to find the murderer of someone in her own family. She is used to covering the news, and shootings and murders is nothing new, but when it is her uncle murdered in her own home, it is very different. Lilly uses the resources at her disposal to hunt down the killer before they strike again. This time, it could be that the killer is actually targeting her. Can she figure it all out before she is the next victim?

The author’s personal experience working as a TV news photographer definitely shines through in her writing. Her perspective on it gives a very in-depth and realistic viewpoint to the characters and the storyline.

Overall, I found this to be a very enjoyable read. There are a few places in it that could have moved faster, but it didn’t happen too often to be annoying. It also is written over a two day timespan, and the author does very well with such a short timeframe. I think that people who like mystery and suspense novels featuring a female heroine will enjoy it.

* Thank you to the publisher of Going to the Bad, Touchstone, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.