Review – The Rise of the Red Queen by Bourne Morris – Great Escapes Book Tour

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Meredith “Red” Solaris has been the interim Dean for the School of Journalism at Mountain West University following the death of the previous dean. The university is now ready to permanently fill the position. Most think Red chosen but she isn’t so sure. The interview process has been very different from what she expected.  She has also learned that one her students is missing. The student’s grandfather reported her missing to the police but got nowhere so he is hoping the school will help him find her. Red just happens to be pretty close to a certain detective and she hopes he will look at the case a little closer. On top of all that she has a pair of feuding professors and the tension between them seems to be escalating.

I have to say I was on the edge of my seat through most of this story. The story has three separate plot lines but they end up all eerily connected.

I already appreciated the characters of Red and Detective Joe Morgan. Smart characters who sometimes go a little off track. Joe wants Red to let him handle things and he gets very upset when she goes off on her own. Red acts before she thinks things through and sometimes she puts herself in places she shouldn’t be. But she thinks she is making the right moves and Joe thinks he is, so it makes their relationship difficult. The addition of Wynan Congers, a retired cop from Vegas and the missing students grandfather, added nicely to the mix. Someone else to talk over the case with and his connections come in handy. Morris has created characters wonderful characters that have their flaws but it makes them so much more real.

The college setting makes everything complex. Like a small town they have their own rules. The author gives us a clear vision of the difference between regular life and a college life. For students that are now adults their comings and goings are not monitored so a student not attending class for a day or two doesn’t send up any red flags. For the professors the pressure to publish and participate in conferences is great. Sometimes it causes people to reach their breaking point. For administrators there are many that are out of touch with what is really happening at their school. They are so far removed from the students or they are so focused on the face the schools presents it can be downright dangerous. Ms. Morris wraps it all together into an excellent  story while drawing attention to what is happening at college campuses today.

This is a story with an edge. A slice of life with something always happening. The characters have grown since The Red Queen’s Run and I am sure they will continue to grow in the next installment. I love where this series is heading.