A J Rivers The Girl in Cabin 13

Somehow, mystery and crime thrillers seem to be my theme for 2022. I bought a copy of A J Rivers The Girl in Cabin 13 for my new Kindle. The selection of this book primarily centered around my becoming fascinated with the title and cover. I had no idea the novel was a part of the Emma Griffin FBI mystery series. Great. I found this book intriguing. Now, I have to read the entire series. I can’t resist knowing what happens to the characters. At least Rooster won’t be mad at me for adding to my secret stash under the stairs. I’ll combine them to the stack collecting on my Kindle.

Quick summary of A J Rivers The Girl in Cabin 13

After losing control on her last undercover assignment, special agent Emma Griffin finds herself riding the desk. Her boss offers her a way back into the field. Creagan sends her to the tiny Virginia community Feather Nest. People in the small town have mysteriously come up missing. She must go undercover to find the answer to the vanishing.

It doesn’t take long for things to heat up once Emma enters Cabin 13. A man drops dead on her front porch, and she’s hasn’t even unpacked her bags. Police Chief LaRoche forces her to come to his office to make a statement. He informs her she has to remain in Feather nest until the officers complete their investigation. She decides to spend the time waiting at Teddy’s, a local bar, figuring it would be a good place to get information. As soon as she walks into the local tavern, Emma meets Jake Logan. He is the bar owner and soon becomes Emma’s love interest.

Worldbuilding and the characters in A J Rivers The Girl in Cabin 13

Emma isn’t in town long before a romance develops between her and Jake. I’m sure the FBI frowns on an undercover getting involved with a local. Jake’s father’s body gets dug up from the town cemetery. I wasn’t sure how this would fit into the plot, but a sketchy reason is given later.

None of the police officers in town know that Emma is undercover. This lack of knowledge is good because Chief LaRoche becomes Emma’s prime suspect. Her suspicions are heightened after she visits a hotel in a small town close to Feather nest to get information about the man who dropped dead on her front porch. Chief LaRoche happens to be there with his side woman, and two shots are fired at Emma in the parking lot. 

Emma gets close to the killer. She becomes trapped in a macabre room in an abandoned house. The reader expects her to escape because The Girl in Cabin 13 is the first book in the series, but there is always the possibility she won’t.

How the story evolves in A.J. Rivers The Girl in Cabin 13

The town of Feather Nest has a lot of secrets. I thought the worldbuilding River’s used describing life in a small community realistic. I could imagine the mountains, woods, and buildings in my mind. The characters were also very realistic. I worked for a police chief in my former work life, which reminded me of LaRoche. I pictured him every time the Feather Nest Cheif entered the story. The character of Emma seemed alright, but I wondered how she could be so emotional at times. Officers are taught during training how to divorce themselves from situations. An FBI undercover would have to be good at keeping her emotions close to her bulletproof vest. The only character I didn’t buy was Jake. He was almost too sicky-sweet to be real. This character was almost too good to be true, but it worked for the story in the end.

A dramatic shift in voice occurs when the story switches from the present to Emma’s past. The story voice centers around the first-person narrative during Emma’s time in Feather Nest—the voice shifts to the third person when revealing Emma’s childhood. I found this a little jarring at times.

Overall opinion of A J Rivers The Girl in Cabin 13

I liked A.J. Rivers The Girl in Cabin 13. It’s the first book in the Emma Griffin FBI Mystery series. I already ordered the second book, and it’s on my Kindle waiting to be read. I found the story suspenseful and easy to read, but at times unbelievable. These qualities are a plus for any mystery. There is an odd twist at the end I saw coming, but I won’t say more about it because I don’t want to spoil it for anyone.

Who is Molly Shea?

Molly Shea is an accomplished fictional short story writer from Indiana who writes short stories and novels about a fictional town called Tecumseh.  To read more of her short stories and adventures, click here.

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