Book Review: Defending Wellton by Kelli Kretzschmar

Title: Defending Wellton
Author: Kelli Kretzschmar

About the Book: Wellton, Arizona. Population 2,864… and falling. Something - or someone - is killing the kids in town, and the Wellton Police Department is called in to investigate the untimely deaths.

Officer Trent Buckley has lived in Wellton since the day he was born, and he’s been trying to get out of the small, dead-end town ever since.  Just when he has a shot at a transfer to Tucson, a disturbing case lands in his lap, one that has him working with Yuma Sun reporter – and ex-lover – Sarah Goodwin.  Trent is forced to push aside his resentment for Wellton and settle his own personal demons to focus on keeping more kids from dying in his town.

Chief John Walker has lived in Wellton for over thirty years.  When kids start getting sick and dying, it takes all his courage to face his own past and solve the case.  With the help of his best cop, Officer Buckley, Walker is determined to stop the deaths in his town, and keep them both alive in the process.

As the pair discovers what, or who, is behind the mysterious deaths, will two small-town cops be able to stay alive long enough to put a stop to it before any more kids have to die?

Purchase Links:

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My thoughts: Starting off with the death of a child was a sure fire way to reel me in.  With that little tragedy you get catapulted into Wellton and begin to meet the people.  Trent seems like a good guy, but appeared older than his years to me.  He is dedicated to his job as a Wellton police officer, but is driven to start his life somewhere else.  Except for a couple of close friends, he is somewhat of a loner.  His high school girlfriend ripped his heart out when she left, and he now has commitment issues. Together with John Walker, the police chief, they are trying to figure out why seemingly healthy children are dying from cardiac arrest.

I like the way the author lays the framework for the story, planting pieces of the puzzle, before you even know there is a puzzle.  It is not just a mystery though, there is also deception and a sideline of romance.  I think this is a terrific first novel and will definitely look for my by Kelli Kretzschmar.  I would love to see another one with these characters in it!

~I received a complimentary eCopy of Defending Wellton from Reading Addiction Blog Tours in exchange for my unbiased review.~

About the author:  Kelli Kretzschmar, author of the mystery novel Defending Wellton, researched the novel by visiting Wellton, Arizona, and interviewing several officers of the Wellton Police Department.  Kretzschmar says, “I needed to actually experience the feeling of the small town in order to capture Trent’s frustration in feeling stuck there.  And speaking with the Wellton Police Department proved invaluable and has given me a lot of material for a second book in the Wellton series.”

Kretzschmar resides in Rancho Santa Margarita, California with her husband and three children. Although this is her first published novel, she says there will be more to come.  “Writing is an exciting hobby,” says Kretzschmar. “I have lots of characters in my mind that are ready to come to life on paper.  Currently, I’m working on three more novels and expect my next to be released this winter.” When asked to describe what she enjoys most about writing, Kretzschmar states, “There's a point I get to in the process of writing when the characters just start acting things out on their own, and I'm just there to record it all on paper.”

A full-time Marketing Manager for a high-technology company, Kretzschmar finds time to write between an active schedule of work, family life, and practicing her most recent passion, Krav Maga. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Cal State Long Beach.

Author Links:

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