Bobby Hawke and Landon Smith are on a drive to the ocean. Landon has just completed her first day at a new university and is nervous about the challenges ahead. The last thing she needs is for Dylan Tremblay, a local police officer, to pull them over and deliver some disturbing news. This is only the beginning. When a friend of Landon’s is attacked in a public setting during the day, Landon finds herself in a dilemma. Should she become involved or leave the matter in the hands of the police? The race for justice begins in this page-turning novel.

Bitter Truth is the third book in the Green Dory Inn series. While reading the books in sequence provides a fuller understanding of the characters, plus a sense of belonging to an ongoing story, Bitter Truth can stand alone.

Janet places clues and red herrings in such a way that readers have the fun of guessing and then backtracking on their sleuthing conclusions. While the ending is definitely a surprise, there are clues subtly planted in the novel.

A delightful character in the third Green Dory Inn novel is Moxie, a pampered Chihuahua who not only provides comic relief but manages to find himself in less than savoury circumstances.

The novel is set in the beautiful county of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, with the hospital scenes at the South Shore Regional Hospital in Bridgewater. The characters in the Green Dory Inn series are so vivid that one day when my husband and I were in Bridgewater, I saw a police car, and thought. “Oh, that must be Dylan!” The scenes in the hospital brought back warm memories for me because, in July of 2020, I practically tripped over myself, racing into the lobby and up the elevator, to be present for the birth of our first grandchild.

Mentioning my grandson may seem irrelevant to the novel, but it isn’t completely. This child brought hope during the dark months of the pandemic. Janet tackles tough issues such as unspeakable loss, human trafficking, and the sometimes conflicting principles of forgiveness and justice. She also offers great hope through the powerful, healing love of Jesus, through whom we find new birth and life in the midst of bitter truth.

Janet is an Atlantic Canadian writer from Nova Scotia. She has a number of writing credits, including the Redemption’s Edge series, and several devotional books entitled, A Year of Tenacity: 365 Daily Devotions and Tenacity at Christmas: 31 Daily Devotions for December. Check out her website at janetskethcley.ca for purchasing details and information on her books.

I highly recommend this novel to anyone wanting an exciting mystery, with unforgettable characters, and the ever-present awareness of redemption.  Discussion questions are available for individual or group study.

I have received a complimentary copy of the book from the author with no requirement to write a review. My opinions are my own.