Jensen Beach, Florida is a quaint coastal town once revered as the “land that time forgot.” The place where big city dwellers come for vacation. It was once known for its beautiful sandy beaches, breezy ocean air, pleasant year-round weather, frilly cocktails, hometown boutique shops and restaurants, and ocean activities. The town is also home to some unsavory characters and its many hidden skeletons—literally.
When Aunt Adeline goes missing, it is up to her niece, Charlotte, to uncover the clues of her deeply hidden family secrets and the town she calls home. Enjoy the dual narrative from both Aunt Adeline’s and Charlotte’s point of view. Discover secrets the She Shed holds, the importance of friendship, and the true meaning of family.
The mystery’s standard fare here, but that doesn’t take away from the fun of unraveling Adeline’s past, particularly when Charlotte stumbles onto a cryptic poem and video log of her aunt’s seeming confession. While she’s deciphering her aunt’s clues, Charlotte gets caught up with local cop Derek—but just as things start to heat up between the two, Charlotte gets an ominous warning that there’s more to Derek than meets the eye. That suggestion sets up the novel for an unconventional twist in the end (some readers may be discomfited by revelations that keep it all in the family), but Orr keeps readers spinning with some considerable things-are-not-as-they-seem unveilings throughout.
The She Shed’s draw is undoubtedly Orr’s quirky characters. Adeline’s closest friends—“old-school Grateful Dead hippie” Randall, gal pal Millie, and the enigmatic, angry Betty—add plenty of fuel to the small-town fire, as does the questionable mayor, who’s formed his own vigilante squad to “protect women” but seems desperate to cover up the town’s slaveholding secrets at the same time. Readers will appreciate Orr’s tidy wrap-up of the murders, and most of the characters earn the happy ending they deserve; the town, however, turns out to be “full of skeletons—literally.” Backmatter includes entertaining recipes from one of the story’s main players.
Takeaway: A small-town mystery full of quirky characters and plenty of plot twists.
Great for fans of: Tracy Rees’s Hidden Secrets at the Little Village Church, Sheila Connolly’s Many a Twist.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B
Marketing copy: A
Best selling children’s author, and thriller novelist, Leah Orr is killing it with her newest novella, "The She Shed." This 220 page, three hour mystery was written especially for readers who enjoy a mystery, but have limited time to read.Jensen Beach, Florida is a quaint coastal town once revered as the “land that time forgot.” The place where big city dwellers come for vacation. It was once known for its beautiful sandy beaches, breezy ocean air, pleasant year-round weather, frilly cocktails, hometown boutique shops and restaurants, and ocean activities.The town is also home to some unsavory characters and its many hidden skeletons—literally.When Aunt Adeline goes missing, it is up to her niece, Charlotte, to uncover the clues of her deeply hidden family secrets and the town she calls home.Enjoy the dual narrative from both Aunt Adeline’s and Charlotte’s point of view. Discover secrets the She Shed holds, the importance of friendship, and the true meaning of family.Leah’s new book joins the bookshelf with Orr’s other thrillers, "The Executive Suite and The Bartender," along with four children’s books, "Messy Tessy," "It Wasn’t Me," "Kyle’s First Crush" and "Kyle’s First Playdate." Because Orr’s youngest daughter, Ashley, is afflicted with Cystic Fibrosis, proceeds from the sale of her books are generously donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.Between profits from Orr’s books and participation in local CF events over the past 20 years, Orr has raised more than $1,300,000 for CF research. CF is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of nearly 70,000 children and adults worldwide and Orr’s personal goal is to not only raise awareness of the disease, but also raise money to help find a cure.Leah has recently been featured on ABC’s Health Watch, NBC Today South Florida, CBS South Florida, CBS This Morning Virginia, NBC the 10! Show Philadelphia, Fox 4 News Morning Blend, National Syndicated, “The Daily Buzz,” and Lifetime TV’s “The Balancing Act.”Leah has been featured in publications such as: Forbes Magazine, Medical News Today, The Miami Herald, The Sun-Sentinel, etc. Orr’s daughter, Ashley, was also a recipient of Oprah’s generosity in “The Big Give.”Orr and her husband were nominated as one of Florida’s Finest Couples by the CF Foundation, and included in “In The Spotlight” on CFF.org.Leah was also nominated as one of Broward County’s top 100 Outstanding Women. Orr grew up in Boston, MA, and is a graduate of The University of Miami."The She Shed" is available through local bookstores, Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and wherever books are sold. More information can be found at www.leahorr.com.
