A gripping mystery with ever-escalating stakes that readers won’t be able to get enough of.
Southern Cross by P. L. Doss is the fourth installment in the Joplin/Halloran Mysteries series, plunging readers into the North Georgia mountains where a weekend escape turns into a deadly investigation. In August 2016, Hollis and Carrie Joplin join their friends, the Hallorans, at Wolfscratch to beat Atlanta’s oppressive summer heat, only to stumble upon the body of Eric Jaeger, a parolee under the supervision of Maggie’s cousin, Tullie Fitzgerald. Though local authorities are quick to label the death accidental, Carrie’s autopsy exposes unmistakable signs of homicide, including a tattoo of the Southern Cross—a Confederate medal of honor. Tasked by Tullie to investigate, Joplin uncovers tangled family connections: her mother’s ties to the United Daughters of the Confederacy and her brother’s potential involvement with Jaeger. The inquiry draws them into the orbit of The Cause, a white supremacist faction intent on revisiting Civil War grievances. With the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Joplin and Halloran trace a conspiracy linked to a reenactment at Tunnel Hill, uncovering a plot where extremist ideology threatens to spill fresh blood on historic soil. What begins as a suspicious death becomes a high-stakes confrontation with domestic terrorism, testing their courage and resolve at every turn.
P. L. Doss knows how to craft a highly intriguing mystery novel that perfectly balances small-town intimacy with large-scale suspense. Readers will be drawn into the interesting historical backdrop within this installment, where the Confederate-era details are both chilling and illuminating. These elements unfold in a totally natural way with fantastic pacing that complements the mystery. The attention to logic, detail, and procedural accuracy is impressive, and Carrie Joplin’s forensic expertise adds realism and tension to scenes so that readers can follow alongside every meticulously laid clue. This allows the plot to build steadily toward an impressive climax with twists that feel satisfying yet vastly unexpected, and are sure to keep readers engaged until the very last page. Atmosphere plays a crucial role in developing the story’s mood and pace, and the setting in the Georgia mountains feels vivid and immersive. It matches the dialogue in tone and is packed to the brim with authentic Southern nuance. And beyond all these wonderful ingredients, there’s even more to dive into with the novel’s hearty themes and core message, as the interplay of history and modern extremism feels timely and unsettling. The personal stakes of realistic characters enrich the mystery’s emotional depth to keep the cast, as well as audiences, totally involved at every moment. A very satisfying continuation of the Joplin/Halloran series, Southern Cross is a gripping mystery with ever-escalating stakes that readers won’t be able to get enough of.
