On the Sly by Wendy Koenig ~ a Review

by MK French

Bar owner Sylvia Wilson arrives at work and finds the body of a former police officer. This makes her the primary suspect, so she decides to investigate on her own. The actual killer indicates that she and her loved ones might be next if she continues.

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January 2023; Indie; 979-8370385704
ebook, print (295 pages); mystery

On the Sly is the first of the Sylvia Wilson mysteries and takes place in St. Louis. As the sister of a cop and daughter of a former cop, she knows a bit about the procedures involved when the body is found and she's questioned. Doing her own investigation starts off in an accidental way, and continued because she's the prime suspect when it's clear that no one else knew the security code to her bar. Along the way are subtle and not-so-subtle threats to Sylvia and those she cares about as she tries to do scut work to determine the killer's identity, and becomes lethal when she does.

Sentences and chapters are short, giving us the feel of speed and movement as the investigation goes on. The rapid pace helps suck me in, as well as the fun supporting characters. Sylvia has a great relationship with her brother and her aunt, her best friend and employee, and her on/off boyfriend. While she's not a cop, she wants to take a more proactive approach, looking into the security feeds, asking questions to determine the identity, and taking on Krav Maga to defend herself if the opportunity arose. She's not infallible and does get hurt both emotionally and physically by the entire episode. I really liked Sylvia and was rooting for her through the entire novel. She's a great heroine, and I look forward to seeing other novels in this series.

Buy On the Sly at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.

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