Review: Braking Points by Tammy Kaehler

A Mysterious Review of …

Braking Points by Tammy Kaehler. A Kate Reilly, Racing Mystery.

Review summary: The cast of characters in this racing-themed mystery are really quite extraordinary. Not surprisingly, the pace of the story is fast, too, quickly moving from one scene to the next, never veering far off-track, as it were. There is a nice balance of suspense and adventure to the story, one that will have readers anxiously anticipating the metaphorical finish line of the book. (Click here for text of full review.)

Our rating:

Braking Points
Tammy Kaehler
A Kate Reilly, Racing Mystery
Poisoned Pen Press (April 2013)

Publisher synopsis: Kate Reilly can't remember a worse time in her life, on-track or off. She wrecks her racecar at Road America in Wisconsin, sending a visiting NASCAR star to the hospital, and loses her cool on-camera, only to end the day by discovering her boyfriend with a friend of hers. A dead friend.

With little time to grieve, Kate finds herself the pariah of the racing world, the target of vicious e-mail messages, death threats, and a frenzy of blame on racing sites and blogs, including an influential, anonymous blogger who's trying to get her fired. But nothing is as bad as knowing her friend's killer is still out there — and aiming at Kate.

She's riding a roller coaster of emotion, juggling an exciting new sponsor, a boyfriend she's not sure she can trust, and new-found family she doesn't want to claim. Dodging unfavorable media attention and a pit reporter with a bias against women in racing, Kate redeems herself by delivering stunning performances behind the wheel at the next race: Petit Le Mans, the ten-hour endurance classic.

The championship race weekend and an undercurrent of threats on all sides rev Kate's nerves to their limits. From on-track action, to sponsor parties, to the Series awards banquet, she's part of the action, uncovering motives, secrets, and powerful ambitions. Ultimately she learns no one can escape the past — but only a murderer is driven by it.