Book Title: A Cruel Light
Author: Cyndi MacMillan
Narrator: Nan McNamara
Publisher: Dreamscape Media- Crooked Lane Books
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Day Today Tuesday April 4, 2023
My Rating: 4.2 Stars

Story takes place a small town in Northern Ontario, Canada.
Protagonist Annora Garde is a master art conservator and is called to Bliss River to help solve a 60 year old ‘cold case mystery’.
Rosemary was only eight years old when she was murdered in 1957.
Mac the local Chief of police believes that clues to solving and finding her killer lie beneath a recently found secret mural which is covered in dirt. Annora is a friend of the town’s mayor and called to uncover and restore the rest of the mural.
The narrator Nan McNamara did a great job in performing the characters; her voice made the characters convincing.

I love mysteries and although this is a bit difference it completely held my interest.
In fact, I enjoyed it far more than I thought. I am good with paranormal

Want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for granting me this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for April 4 2023

Wonderful! This was such an enjoyable read. I loved how the author wove the different elements together, mystery, thriller, romance, and a bit of supernatural coming together to create an interesting tale.

I especially loved the process of restoration on the mural, something that appeals to both my artist's and lover-of-the-past's heart. What a wonderful vocation, although to be quite honest, this is one image I don't think I would have liked to work on. For various reasons, the pony being the main one. I also loved Mac, he's a great character, as is Annora, although she could be a bit silly at times. The narrator was spot on.

Thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for my ARC.

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.

While the narrator was great, I just couldn’t get into this one. I listened up to 33% and decided it wasn’t for me, I’m sure others will love it though.

I just could not get into this one... it was slow and kind of confusing. I really wanted to like it but it wasn't for me.

The detailed descriptions often enriched by charming evocative art-themed metaphors (perfect for the topic the plot revolves around) make the narrative style really interesting but unfortunately I found the main character dull and flat, the dynamics between characters pretty unnatural and the development of the plot feels unclear, it doesn't really flow.

The narrator has a really pleasant voice and makes the story more enjoyable.

What a ride! I couldn’t put the darn thing down!

We follow Annora and Mac as they try to solve a gruesome murder that happened over 30 years ago. They thought the case to be cold till a construction project uncovers a mural that may hold all the answers.

Though the character traits were vague and shallow, MacMillian more than made up for it with how descriptive she was with the characters surroundings. She grabs the reader in by painting a beautiful and sometimes very gruesome picture of what the character is seeing or experiencing. It’s like I can smell the Lavender perfume or see the light shining through the window just so. This paired very well with the thriller/murder mystery/romance/paranormal plot line she built. I was hooked right from the beginning. I do wish we had more than one pov in the story but I thought MacMillian did really well at keeping me interested on Annoras thoughts.

Nan McNamara did an amazing job at bringing our leading lady, Annora, to life.

This genre bender is very fast paced and you won’t regret picking it up! I am very excited to see what other books MacMillian has in store for us.

Thank you to Net Galley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to listen to the audio of A Cruel Light by Cyndi ManMillan.
A young girl was brutally killed, and the killer walked free for years. There appeared to be no clues… until a time-ravaged painting of the deceased was discovered during renovations of the old parsonage. The Inspector, Scott “Mac” MacGowan calls in Conservator Annora Garde to clean the painting and uncover the hidden clues to help put her soul to rest.
The book has blended all my favorite things (mystery, thriller, paranormal) and put them into an interesting story. Annora is a strong, independent female who has traveled the world and worked on various commissions, but when she takes on the painting of Rosemary, she never anticipated what would happen. The killer had been so close and watching and would do anything to keep their secret- including killing again. “Mac” is a local inspector and single father and quickly finds himself rescuing Annora more than once. The reveal at the end takes you by a surprise, which I am always grateful for.
There is a lot of action and suspense in this book that I just wanted to keep listening and Nan McNamara does such an amazing job narrating the book that I was instantly drawn into the book.

The writing was good however I felt like too much was going on. A romance, an old murder, new murders, fires, it just seemed like too much. If only one or two things were focused on I feel like the story would be a little easier to follow.

I am a pretty big fan of this book. I really appreciate the tone and how atmospheric the book is. Thank you so much for the e arc.

Both Mac and Annora are likeable characters and it's clear they like each other right away. I wouldn't have minded no romance but these two do seem to have strong chemistry and are in the right place at the right time, despite the horrific past of the town and the horrific things that begin happening after Annora's arrival. I especially liked the focus on the restoration of the painting. The work reminds me of an archeologist painstakingly digging through the rubble of nature and time to try to find little pieces of insight that might lay below it all.

Nan McNamara was a good choice of narrator because her narration fits Annora so well. She's a grown woman, independent, very focused on her career, dealing with the past with professional help. And now, she's faced with a puzzle she doesn't want to quit until she solves it. Steadfast and determined, she's going to find out what this girl in the painting wants her to know. I didn’t expect the killer to be who it was. I really liked this book. I didn’t want it to end. The story was well written and I devoured it from the very first page I was completely hooked. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

This book had an amazing premise that really sucks you into the story. I love the concept of art imitating life. I like that we can identify the growth of our characters based on the choices they make throughout the story. I really enjoy the mention of new nations people in this novel Creating a more inclusive environment. The story was extremely descriptive and the gore, and it was really well done and I appreciated that the core was done somewhat off book so it wasn’t extremely discomforting. I really enjoyed the ride that this book took me on, and I highly recommend for those who love thriller novel’s.

A Cruel Light is a very enjoyable read that reminds me of Simone St. James' mysteries. Annora Garde is an art conservator who has been hired to uncover a mural that may lead to the murderer of a cold case from decades prior. The writing is very poetic and the story is a slow burn, making it stand out from so many other mysteries. I really liked the storyline of having someone who restores art for a living being utilized so help with a cold case. The characters and story drew me immediately. Overall, an intriguing and satisfying read. I listened to the audiobook, which was well-narrated by Nan McNamara, who perfectly embodied Annora.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for providing this ebook/audiobook ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.

Publication date: April 4, 2023

Annora is a conservator hired to restore a painting in a small town in Ontario as the police believes it holds the key to solving a cold case in which a girl was murdered.

It starts to become clear that many in the town don’t want Annora here, restoring the painting means the renovation to the building it’s in are put on hold and holding up contracting jobs for the townspeople.

As more clues are uncovered someone will do whatever it takes to stop Annora and Mac, local police assigned to the case. from find out the truth.

This book was entertaining and as someone from Ontario I always love reading books close to home. As someone who has read a lot of thriller and mystery novels this one has a unique plot that really keeps you guessing. The characters are well developed although I didn’t necessarily feel a connection or like I was rooting for any of them particularly.

The narrator has great pacing and shows enough emotion without being over the top.

Very solid debut novel. I am not sure how the physical print version reads but I definitely recommend the audiobook to those who listen to their books.

Thank you netgally, the author and dreamscape media for the #gifted ALC in exchange for my honest review. I really enjoyed recognizing the locations mentioned in the book and that it was short and sweet twisty book. Definitely exceeded my expectations. Will absolutely recommend this book when friends are looking for thriller recommendations.

What a great premise!

A cold case murder has new evidence in the form of an old mural. As restoration progresses, more clues... and dangers... are revealed.

I really enjoyed the delivery in this book, as MacMillan does a great job of walking the fine line between "can't put this down" and "too much going on".

This was trending a 4* for me, but I was lost at the end. I mean, with such a tight story, I feel a stronger climax was demanded, but that's just me! Still a nice read.

My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I don't want to say this story was boring, because it wasn't. There was plenty going on and quite a bit more action than I expected. However - I never really felt connected to the story or the characters.

I think part of the problem was that the characters were supposed to be, I'm guessing, late 20's to mid 30's range. But the way they were written, felt like they were more in their 50's or 60's. Just took me out of the story I think.

I liked learning the painting restoration process. I liked the way the story did unfold, but the very ending was a bit...out there. Far fetched. It did wrap up nicely, so I appreciated that.

This book would only be a low level recommendation for me.

A Cruel Light by Cyndi MacMillan
Narrated by Nan McNamara

A small town in Canada has a horrible murder in its past. Long ago a girl was brutally murdered and someone was imprisoned for her murder. But years later that conviction was overturned and the town has to live with the thought that the murderer could be living among them, if the murderer is still alive. Now something has happened to stir up memories of the past and it's clear that someone is trying to prevent the truth from getting out.

The renovation of the old parsonage has uncovered a portrait of the girl who was murdered long ago. Time and the elements have obscured most of the painting so Inspector Mac MacGowan has brought in Conservator Annora Garde to uncover the secrets of this painting since it appears to be a sort of confessional work of art by the person who murdered the girl. Almost as soon as Annora arrives and starts working on the painting, strange things begin happening. The crumbling parsonage is eerie enough but Annora, with her own sad past still alive in her heart and mind, can't help seeing suspicious happenings everywhere. But then it's not hard to be suspicious as events ramp up to make it clear someone doesn't want the painting to be saved.

Both Mac and Annora are likeable characters and it's clear they like each other right away. I wouldn't have minded no romance but these two do seem to have strong chemistry and are in the right place at the right time, despite the horrific past of the town and the horrific things that begin happening after Annora's arrival. I especially liked the focus on the restoration of the painting. The work reminds me of an archeologist painstakingly digging through the rubble of nature and time to try to find little pieces of insight that might lay below it all.

Nan McNamara was a good choice of narrator because her narration fits Annora so well. She's a grown woman, independent, very focused on her career, dealing with the past with professional help. And now, she's faced with a puzzle she doesn't want to quit until she solves it. Steadfast and determined, she's going to find out what this girl in the painting wants her to know.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this ARC.

When renovation begins on a building in a small town, a portrait of the victim of the town's most heinous crime is uncovered and Inspector MacGowan is convinced the portrait may hold the clues that will crack the case. With the help of world-renowned art conservator Annora Garde, Mac tries everything to finally put the case to rest....even when it puts them both in danger.

The first 3/4 of this book were definitely a slow burn, but I did find the art of restoring old paintings to be interesting. However, as someone with a Master's Degree in forensic science, I did find the whole business of comparing the art styles of different people as well as the relevance of their previous work to be kind of ludicrous. While it might help them make some educated guesses about their suspect in the way a criminal profiler might, it wouldn't hold water in any court. That being said, I'm sure in the 1980s DNA seemed like a quack science as well so I tried to keep my disbelief at bay.

The end of this book got a little out there for me, but overall I really enjoyed this story. The blend of investigation and personal growth/development/relationship was perfect. I never felt like it was too detailed like a police procedural but also never rolled my eyes like I was reading a romance novel.

This book has an unusual plot. A child was murdered years ago. A painting is found in an old parsonage. An old parsonage was being restored when a decades old mural of a young girl that was brutally murdered was found. Annora Garde is a Fine Arts Conservator.; she restores old paintings. Annora is hired to clean the painting and discover what lies beneath. The local police, Inspector Scott MacGowan believes the painting is the answer to the unsolved cold case.
The author has certainly developed an unusual plot. However, it didn’t appeal to me. I never connected to the characters. By the halfway point I really didn’t care. The narrator does a great job.
Since this is a negative review I will not post it in any of the usual places.

I really enjoyed reading A Cruel Light. The mix of gothic vibes with a slow, suspenseful mystery was perfect. The prose was flowing and atmospheric. The focus on art was beautiful. Despite being duction this book did have a lot of real facts about places, art, and more. The attention to detail was great. I loved the paranormal aspect to this story. The light romance added another great layer to this story. There was just a lot to love in A Cruel Light.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.