Title: Tree Pose

Author: Susan Rogers and John Roosen

Genre: Mystery / Suspense / Romance / Thriller

 

Tree Pose by Susan Rogers and John Roosen is the third in the Yoga Mat Mysteries series, which continues to follow the blossoming romance between Ric and Elaina. Set against the backdrop of Tasmania—which is supposed to be a getaway for the couple—instead, their adventure turns into a series of misfortunes and growing concerns that Ric’s past is catching up with him. As the mystery grows, the stakes do as well in a race against time and truth.

As the third novel in its series, Tree Pose continues as an already thrilling ride, although a reader can certainly pick up this book and enjoy it as a standalone. However, to experience the full picture of the longer story arc, as well as get to know the characters better, reading the first two books helps. Rogers and Roosen continue to build romance, suspense, mystery, and thrills as the third novel unveils its plot, thus adding to what they have already crafted in books one and two.

Choosing to write a series is a smart move on the part of the authors, as any reader who enjoys one of the books is highly likely to want to read the others. Plus, the fact that Rogers and Roosen can captivate an audience beyond a single novel speaks to their ability to tell a solid story.

As the series builds, so do the motives, intrigue, and stakes. Writing in multiple genres is no easy feat, yet Rogers and Roosen continue to inspire and entertain readers with complex plotlines, interesting and well-developed characters, and concerning trials. If a fourth book is to follow, any fan of the series is sure to want to grab a copy.

Ric and Elaina’s relationship was built on tentative trust, initially, and now it is over a year later. They were thrown into solving a mystery, working closely together, yet Ric has not been completely open and honest with her. Any relationship that stands a chance at surviving in the long-term needs trust, so Ric’s guilt for not telling Elaina everything about his past is real and relatable. We feel his growing concern as events more or less force his hand, and we also feel badly for Elaina because she is a sweet and lovely woman who deserves to know the truth. Rogers and Roosen have created realistic characters, who, even though their lives may be filled with more intrigue and excitement than most of us experience, we can still understand their feelings and motives.

The authors subtly introduce an element of human trafficking early on, then cleverly integrate it into the plot. Even though human trafficking is introduced within the first quarter of the story, there isn’t much mention of it until about halfway into the narrative, thus more scenes showing it would have created a stronger element in the story. This is a relevant and unfortunate reality in our world right now, and it was used to great effect in this book, reminding us of the horrors of human trafficking.

On the subject of motives, the villain is sympathetic, yet ruthless. A complicated antagonist adds layers to the plot and further expands upon deep character building. Overall, the quality of the writing is superb.

Tree Pose is a multi-genre story that will enthrall romance and mystery lovers alike. For anyone looking to immerse themselves in a quality series, the Yoga Mat Mysteries is a fun, thrilling ride. Rogers and Roosen are masters at crafting both complex characters and plots that all come together in a captivating climax and a satisfying conclusion.

 

 

This Editorial Review was written by the Book Review Directory staff. To receive a similarly honest, professional review for one of your own books, click here.