Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes

Artist Kate Devereau hides from her painful past,

happy to paint her life away.

But life hasn’t finished with her yet.

Two men search for her,

and one of them wants her dead.

Kate cannot hide forever,

Sooner or later, one of them will find her,

And she will live her last life…

An Incredible 4* Review

In Nine Lives, we meet Kate, a fifty-nine-year old artist who has had a wretched string of luck when it comes to men, and who is now going through the motions of a day-to-day existence. She has health issues, smokes too much, and is plagued by an inner voice that constantly monitors her decisions.

Much of the story is written in expository style, admittedly not something I am used to. The reader is treated to a lot of background information about how Kate’s life has evolved and how each day unfolds. She’s made mistakes, bad choices she now recognizes, and has been taken advantage of by more than one man. Kate hopes the worst is behind her—especially now, with a female mentor and friend who offers the steadfast support she has been lacking. Sadly, there are still hurdles to overcome, the toll of which becomes evident when several in Kate’s orbit meet with foul play.

The writing is crisp, the descriptions vivid. Dialogue, when it appears, is well done, although the bulk of the book relies on narrative. I did find several of the scenes difficult to read and had to skim them. That aside, the author did an excellent job in creating a thoroughly reprehensible villain, who I couldn’t wait to see reach a justifiable end.

This book is a slow burn, very dark, with a somber tone. It creeps along like a slowly oozing poison or slithering snake that strikes with deadly precision in its concluding moments.