I am so happy to be back with some familiar friends and am looking for another mystery to solve. Blood Loss by Ashley Fontainne and her mother, Lillian Hansen, is the second Magnolia story, based on a true one, and I don’t want to miss a thing.

We pick up where Blood Ties ended, but I believe you can read this as a stand alone. If this is your first foray into the Magnolia series, I do recommend starting at the beginning.

The Magnolia has become Karina’s home. She and her mother inherited the home for the elderly and it seems like mysteries and danger arise from the house itself.

Karina’s nightmare awakens her, but it’s nice having her hunkie boyfriend at her side. Bo tells her the nightmares will pass.

“They’re all dead thanks to you, so that makes you the predator, not the prey.”

Karina is a strong, determined ex cop, as is her mother. They have put that behind them, but it’s a good thing they have those skills to draw on.

She’s tough, snarky and has a potty mouth. Pull a gun on her and she’ll blow your head off, but she has a big heart and guards it well.

Death by dick wouldn’t fly anyway, though it would be a memorable obituary for sure, going viral in hours. (Karina’s thoughts about Bo’s insatiable libido).

I laughed out loud when I read her version of the song You Don’t Own Me.

Karina has me cracking up throughout the pages and I love being inside her head.

It is that kind of writing that gives Ashley’s stories a fun and humorous bent and keeps me coming back for more. I think humor goes hand in hand with romance and mystery.

My first big surprise I never saw coming. No warning, but at least it’s all good.

“Like the Good Book says, the love of money is the root of all evil. And it’s a thick root that runs deep into bloodstained dirt.”

Government conspiracies? Never underestimate the power of greed. Some will stop at nothing.

A home for old folks…not surprising there are skeletons in the closet and secrets hidden. In 1957 two women vanished without a trace and the game is afoot.

Karina misses the rush of the hunt, so when the mystery appears, she jumps on it, regardless of being warned off. It’s just not in her nature. She cannot resist the mystery and I know she will find danger.

I’m onto you Ashley. The second surprise is about Karina. I didn’t see this one either and I love when the author can surprise me. Ashley Fontainne has that ability, and so much more. She draws me into the story quickly and easily. The characters become my friends. I worry about them, want the best for them, and if I could climb into the pages of the book, I would help them. As it is, all I can do is read…

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Blood Loss by Ashley Fontainne. ( )

I was kind of expecting and hoping for this book to be a bit scary. In fact, it was lacking in suspense. Yet, what kept me staying with this book until the end were the characters. The residents of the Magnolia, Karina, LiAnn, their parents, and Gram. It was for the characters that were intriguing that it was like I was part of this family. As far as the story was involved, it was fine.

Just like the author's, this was the first time that I heard the name Maud Robinson Crawford. Maud is who this story is loosely based on. In real life she disappeared and her case has not been solved. Which, as this story is a "what if", Maud's case was solved, I felt like the authors could have dressed up the story a bit more. The case as told by the residents of Magnolia was slow and not a lot of action happening. Although, the authors did fine wrapping up the story in the end. ( )