The ZigZag Girl

by

Ruth Knafo Setton

Atmospheric noir crime fiction with paranormal elements.

The ZigZag Girl by Ruth Knafo Setton is a wonderfully moody and atmospheric crime novel with unique paranormal elements, and the engaging young narrator, Lucy Moon, drew me in and under the book’s spell from the start. When the third member of their magic act, Vanessa Kim, fails to show up for a performance, Lucy Moon and Stormy Weather are worried that the mysterious new man in Van’s life is responsible, but despite their unease, the show must go on. However, when her naked body is revealed inside the prop saw box during the highlight of the show, Lucy recognizes a clue the killer left behind as one meant solely for her. 

Lucy is a unique and engaging heroine, and I was invested in her story from the beginning. She’s smart but vulnerable with a past shrouded in secrets and mystery. While her public announcement that she is going to track down her friend’s murderer was an impetuous, emotional outcry, it was the truth, and she never wavered from her mission, even as the stakes got higher and more deadly. 

The author weaves a compelling tale in the eerily moody, atmospheric setting of the Atlantic City Boardwalk and the dark, mysterious Midnight Hotel, and brings in a variety of suspicious characters to keep things interesting and muddy the waters. The storytelling was vivid, placing me in the scene alongside the narrators as if I were experiencing the action firsthand. This is a gripping modern rendition of noir crime fiction with unusual and unique magic and paranormal elements: a true page-turner! 

I recommend THE ZIGZAG GIRL to readers of mysteries and thrillers who enjoy elements of magic and the paranormal in their tales. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.