In the Belly of Jonah is a debut mystery by Sandra Brannan. Like her protagonist, Sandra worked in the mining business, and she has incorporated her knowledge of the business into the story. One gets the feeling that much about Liv Bergen, the main character, is like that of the author from her looks to her personality.
Liv Bergen owns a limestone quarry, and when one of her college summer workers is murdered by what turns out to be a serial killer, Liv is drawn into the investigation. The murder is gruesome, and the murder weapon a mystery.
Liv has a keen intelligence, and her thoughts are invaluable to the investigation. When her college friend, now an FBI agent and profiler, becomes part of the investigation, Liv is included. Another agent, Streeter Pierce, also arrives in Fort Collins, and although Liv and Streeter never meet they begin to form a relationship that is certain to continue in future books in the series.
The killer is bold and daring, and soon everyone's life, including Liv's, is in danger.
Although Sandra Brannan reveals the killer's identity fairly early in the book, the suspense continues. The plot is well created, and the book is written so the tension permeates the pages until the very end.
The alternating narrative, Liv's story in first person and the rest in third person narrative, works well. However, the reader is left wanting to know Liv better. Because this is the first in the Liv Bergen mystery series, one can hope that her character, as well as that of Streeter Pierce, is more fully developed in books to come.
Visit Sandra Brannan's website for more information about future books and appearances. In between writing and making author appearances, Sandra Brannan runs a division of the mining company that was founded by her grandfather, father and uncle in 1944.
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