"Burned Bridges" By John Gilstrap: Review/Giveaway

Review by Sandra Murphy

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase it. 

Irene Rivers rose up the ranks until she became the director of the FBI. She stayed in the job until 18 months ago when she was able to prove President Anthony Darmond was corrupt. His impeachment torpedoed her career as well as Darmond’s and his cronies. Depending on who you talk to, Irene’s either a national hero or the spawn of Satan. Really, she’s just a homebody now, living what Kelly, daughter #2, calls the Green Acres life, in an inherited farmhouse with adjoining land. Irene’s orphaned nephew, 12-year-old Wyatt, lives with them. Daughter #1, the oldest, lives in Northern Virginia.

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Irene is surprised to see Wyatt, his black Labrador Ruger, and a sheriff’s department Ford stirring up dust coming up the driveway. Wyatt illegally drove his ATV on a public road but after the sheriff leaves, Wyatt tells Irene he had to do it—he’d found a body.

Body might be a generous term as it isn’t as far gone as a skeleton but is less than mummified. It’s obvious by the clothing it’s been hidden a while. On what is now Irene’s property. So much for keeping a low profile. The media is gonna love this.

Word does get out and it’s a toss up whether Irene is the topic or the body. The worst of it is when someone is killed long ago and the body is hidden, the killer wants it to stay hidden. Once found, a killer will go to great lengths to make sure the secret remains secret. 

When records are altered or disappear, the body is mis-identified, more bodies are found and they’re not ancient history, but no one is talking, Irene knows she’s involved in another coverup. Before, she had the FBI to call on along with other not-so-formal avenues of assistance. No longer.

She’s on her own.

Readers of the Jonathan Grave (and Big Guy) series will recognize Irene (code name Wolverine) and will like the way her personal life and former FBI training now mingle. This is the first Irene, a new series. I’m looking forward to many more. Gilstrap has written 26 other books so the odds are good that Irene will be around for a good while—and maybe meet up with Jonathan Grave and the Big Guy again? I hope so! For a thriller to perk up summer reading, this is the book to choose.

To enter to win a copy of Burned Bridges, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "bridges,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen June 21, 2025. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors! 

You can click here to purchase this book.

 

Sandra Murphy lives in the shadow of the Arch in St. Louis Missouri. She writes about eco-friendly topics, pets and wildlife for magazines and reviews mysteries and thrillers for KRL. A collection of her short stories, published by Untreed Reads, From Hay to Eternity: Ten Tales of Crime and Deception can be found at all the usual outlets. Each one is a little weird and all have a twist you won't see coming.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.