Does a spoiled, privileged college dropout have the wherewithal to be responsible enough to care for his sister and uncover a murderer?

Jeremy Stroeb, a college dropout trying to find himself in Europe, refuses to come home despite pleas from his parents and sister. But his plans change when his mother and father are murdered in their Miami Beach home soon after the family returns from visiting Jeremy in Europe.

Jeremy's parents, Rachel, a CPA, and Daniel, a professor, had recently changed their wills naming Jeremy as guardian to his younger sister, Elise.  So instead of escaping to Europe, Jeremy decides to stay in Miami Beach and try to find out who killed his parents and why. He manages to get a job at his mom's firm and enrolls in the university where his father worked. But he is dogged by his uncle, who will become Elise's guardian should Jeremy fail in his duties.

Author Sharon Potts offers several suspects for the crime, including colleagues of both Rachel and Daniel. As Jeremy delves into his parents' lives, he discovers secrets that shake him to the core. He may just find a new love interest, too.

I found myself disliking Jeremy for his self-centeredness at the beginning of the novel. But his character did grow and I have to remember he's pretty young. The risks Jeremy takes reflect his youth, impulsiveness and naivete.

Sharon Potts has written a gripping tale of family and intrigue which will appeal to all mystery readers. I look forward to her next release.

Reviewed on 05/22/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Darcy Odden

 Sharon Potts has written a coming of age novel combined with a mystery that definitely works. The story starts with the violent murder of Rachel and Daniel Stroeb. They leave two children, Jeremy, a 23-year-old son who is living out of the country and has never settled down and Elise, a high school student. Jeremy had flight trouble and so missed the funeral but this tragedy forces him to take responsibility and he assumes the guardianship of Elise against the wishes of his uncle. The problem is Jeremy has not really grown up himself. He has good intentions, enrolls in the school where his father was a professor to finish his degree, and gets a job at the accounting firm where his mother was a CPA. However, it soon becomes apparent to him that his real goal is to solve his parents’ murders.

Jeremy becomes involved with his father’s administrative assistant who willingly helps him by giving inside information. His father was an activist and Jeremy begins to think that maybe his father’s enemies killed his parents. However, Jeremy becomes even more confused as he learns some things about his father he wishes he never knew and breaks off the relationship with the assistant.

Meanwhile, Elise is spending a lot of time with Carlos, her boyfriend because Jeremy is never home and she does not like to be in the house where the murder took place. Jeremy attempts to be there but really wants to find out who murdered his parents. At the accounting firm, he gets to know those who worked closest with his mother and learns there were inconsistencies in the accounts of the business that Carlos’ father owns. Is there someone at the firm who was willing to kill his parents to keep accounting secrets? Again, Jeremy finds out something about his mother that surprises him and he realizes that both of his parents were human.

In the midst of all this, we see Jeremy growing up, taking care of his sister, loving his grandfather, making mistakes but as he is finding out information about his parents, he is learning more about himself. Elise also realizes that she remembers more from that fateful night than she thought and she is in real danger. Can they figure out who is the murdered before he comes after her? Potts has written a suspenseful story that keeps you guessing throughout. She also has created interesting characters in Jeremy and Elise who you are rooting for as you see them growing up throughout the story. This is a fine debut novel and I hope she continues to write.

Reviewed on 04/11/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Janice Hidey

 Jeremy Stroeb is a lot like many kids his age who are living a comfortable life. With parents who have more than enough money to support his wanderlust, his world of rebellion and backpacking anywhere his heart took him in defiance of his parents so called “sell out world” hits hard when he receives the news that his parents have been brutally murdered in their bed and that his sister Elise is now his responsibility. His parents had named him and not his Uncle Dwight to be her guardian, angering his uncle beyond belief. 

Reviewed on 03/12/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Susan Pettrone

 This book had it ALL.  The thrills, the action, mystery, murder – even love. 

Jeremy Stroeb is the quintessential “rich kid”.  His parents are hard workers who got where they are through determination and love of what they do.  Jeremy doesn’t know what he wants to do.  On the outside he seems to be a slacker living off his parent’s money.  On the inside – he’s still just a confused kid whose last wish is to be his parents.  He wants to be his own person.

Jeremy’s parents are brutally murdered, leaving him and his younger sister behind.  He is forced to grow up when it seems that either his sister and his parent’s legacy ends up in his greedy uncle’s hands or his sister ends up with him.  In conjunction with this, he wants to know what happened to his parents.  To figure this out, he decides to get an internship at his mother’s company and enroll at the college where his father taught.

He thinks he knows his parents, but does he really?  Jeremy has no idea that his grown-up decision to be a man and find out who killed his parents will put his own life in danger.   No one is who they seem to be.  Everyone has a secret.  Someone has a secret that ended in his parent’s death.  Jeremy learns about himself in this book.  Who is he?  What does he want out of life?  Does he even HAVE a life? 

This is finding oneself to the extreme.  I was surprised by this book.  It wasn’t what I thought it would be at all.  There were twists and turns I never saw coming.  There were plots going on that the author sprung on the reader at the last possible moment.  I had to keep reading to see what or who was around that corner.  I enjoyed it, and I think you will, too.

Reviewed on 01/21/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Bethany Showell

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Rachael, a partner in an accounting firm and Daniel Stroeb, a college professor, are murdered in their Miami Beach home leaving their two children, Jeremy and Elise, alone. Jeremy is a college dropout roaming around Europe and Elise is a teenager who has been severely traumatized by finding her parents after their murder. Now, Jeremy must return home to take care of his sister but finds it difficult to change his self centered ways. Jeremy soon decides to try to find out who his parents really were and who would want to kill them. But as he discovers, there are many possibilities and he has no idea who he can trust.

Ms. Potts has woven a very readable murder mystery that will keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat till the very end with this tale of a family in crisis and a young man who must grow up quickly. The story is told from Jeremy’s point of view so his character is developed along with his parents as he searches for the truth. After reading Ms. Potts’ biography, I feel the author has accomplished her goal of writing the story that has been brewing with a lifetime of family stories, mysteries and childhood fears while growing up in New York. And on a personal note, I am always fascinated to find how the title of books ties in to the story. I found that this title is actually a little deceptive but you will have to read the book to find out what I mean.

I would recommend this book for high school age and above readers that love a good mystery. This book is not a hard core murder-horror story, but an enjoyable mystery with an excellent rhythm and good character development that will appeal to all ages.

Reviewed on 08/09/2009 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Rebecca Cox