Happy Friday Everyone :)
I'm so thankful you all decided to join me today on The Preppy Book Princess, and I'm excited to share with you all about an awesome book I recently finished.
This one was truly unlike anything I'd ever read before, and I could barely bring myself to put it down.
I think you're all going to end up enjoying it just as much as I did, and so let's jump right into the review.
Death and a Crocodile by Lisa E. Betz:
Source: Complimentary Copy Provided by the Publisher
Publisher: Crosslink Publishing
Publication Date: February 9th, 2021
Genre: Christian Fiction/Historical Fiction/Mystery/Suspense
About the Book:
Award-Winning Author Lisa Betz Pens Debut Novel Death and a Crocodile Available Now from CrossLink Publishing
“Everything I love in historical fiction―a feisty heroine, a fascinating setting, and mysterious goings-on. Betz’s story is an intriguing journey into ancient Rome, with a character facing challenges similar to our own.” --Tracy Higley, historical fiction author of The Incense Road Reading, PA–
Award-winning author and professional writer Lisa Betz spins a fast-paced, humorous mystery set in ancient Rome in her debut historical novel, Death and a Crocodile, the first in a new series, now available from CrossLink Publishing.
Betz, a former engineer turned writer who runs the popular blog, Live Intentionally, and manages a community of writers at Almost an Author, weaves together eccentric characters, historical details, and an unrepentant, sausage-snatching cat to keep readers guessing.
“When I first began to dabble with writing, I thought I wanted to write middlegrade fiction,” says Betz. “It was only recently that I decided to attempt writing a historical mystery. I would have never guessed five or ten years ago that I would enjoy writing a mystery series with a snarky female lead.”
In Death and a Crocodile, Betz takes readers inside Rome, 47 AD, shortly after the time of Christ. At this time in history, sensible women don’t investigate murders, but Livia might not have a choice. When Livia’s father dies under suspicious circumstances, she sets out to find the killer before her innocent brother is convicted of murder. She may be an amateur when it comes to hunting dangerous criminals, but she’s determined, intelligent, and not afraid to break a convention or two in pursuit of the truth. Livia and her spunky maidservant, Roxana, pound the ancient Roman pavements in search of the killer, with the help of a reluctant lawyer, a lovelorn merchant, and a handful of loyal servants. Livia’s also adopted a radical new faith that encourages her to believe a woman and a handful of servants can solve a murder. Can she uncover the culprit before powerful men realize what she’s up to and force her to stop? Or will her snooping land her in deadly peril?
While writing, Betz drew inspiration from her 35 years of leading Bible studies and hopes to both entertain and encourage her readers through her books. She started her writing journey more than 25 years ago, when she was looking for something new and creative to try while raising small children. A class in creative writing sparked her interest, but she never dreamed that class would be the first step to a career as a novelist.
“Books can bring light by showing us things we didn’t know before or clarifying what used to be confusing,” says Betz. “Books can expand our universe in many ways, taking us into the lives of people in different cultures, different lands, different times, different societies. Books are powerful, because they can change lives.”
About the Author:
Lisa E. Betz worked as an engineer, substitute teacher, and play director before becoming an award-winning mystery writer. She draws inspiration from thirty-five years of leading Bible studies to create fast-paced mysteries set in the first-century world of the early church.
Lisa brings her analytic mind, quirky humor, and creative soul/unconventional mindset to all she writes. She is passionate about inspiring others (real and fictional) to become their best selves, living with intention, authenticity, and purpose.
In addition to historical novels, she has written humor articles, over seventy drama sketches, one full-length play, and a short non-fiction book. Her first mystery novel was a finalist in the ACFW Genesis contest and Death and a Crocodile was named the Gold Medal winner in the 2021 Illumination Book Awards in the Mystery/Thriller category.
She serves as Managing Editor of Almost an Author, a website by and for writers, where she also writes a monthly column called “The Intentional Writer.” She enjoys speaking to groups large and small on topics related to Roman history, writing, intentional living, and faith. When not writing, or speaking, she can be found volunteering at The Village Library of Morgantown or experimenting with ancient Roman cooking.
She resides in Pennsylvania with her husband of thirty plus years and a rambunctious cat named Scallywag who may be the inspiration for the unrepentant, sausage-snatching Nemesis.
For more information on Lisa, visit www.lisabetz.com
My Review:
As soon as I picked up Death and a Crocodile, I knew I had a found a book that I was going to barely be able to put down. It's truly unlike anything I'd ever read before, and I adored Livia's independence, her faith, and her determination to see a true killer brought to justice and her innocent brother to be cleared of any wrongdoing.
The setting of this historical fiction novel transported me right to ancient Rome, and it was interesting to get to read about a time period in history that I hadn't read too much of before. The reader will literally feel like they are right alongside Livia and Roxanna visiting suspects, dining on ancient Roman delicacies, and living for Christ during a tumultuous period in Christian history.
The mystery kept me guessing, I loved the eclectic cast of characters and the fact that each one had my suspicions raised at one point or another. I adored the flow of the novel, and the fact that it's perfectly paced and never feels rushed or like it drags at any point of the story. The ending actually left me completely surprised, which I loved, and I'm ecstatic that this is going to be a series as I definitely need to know more about Livia's continuing story.
I highly recommend picking this one up if you're a fan of historical fiction, and it's unique, original and thought provoking. Lisa E Betz is a talented storyteller that is able to keep her readers thoroughly engaged, and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
Final Rating: 5/5.
Thanks so much to Crosslink Publishing for allowing me to read and review this!
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher (Crosslink) in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not required to give a positive review.
Thanks so much for reading guys! Have a great rest of your day :)
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