Sandra Ruttan "Harvest of Ruins"

Eerie looking cover, and more of that on the inside pages. This was my first read on a work penned by Sandra Ruttan, and it definitely will not be my last. “Harvest of Ruins” is one of those multi-layered works that is haunting, highly emotional, and engrossing. Ruttan handles a very tense subject well, and carries us the reader through a journey of pain with a very deft guiding hand. Generally I try to stay away from novels with material that is too heavy; reading for me is fun, and so escaping to a universe filled with anguish is not high on my list. I am glad I made this journey though. Ruttan’s writing ability mesmerized me; her rich prose drew me in, and my thumb kept clicking my Kindle, taking me deeper and deeper into the intense world she built. I think one sign of a good read is if stays with you for a bit afterward, whether it is a whimsical smile or just a pause in thought, I have had that with “Harvest of Ruins”. Basically I didn’t let my distaste for a heavy read “ruin” this one. Enjoy.Here is what lies between the virtual covers:

“Detective Sergeant Hunter McKenna is on trial, charged with negligent homicide after her investigation into the suspicious death of a local teenager led to more deaths and personal tragedy.

Hunter faces accusations in the courtroom, and is tormented by her own guilt over personal choices she’s made. The community’s grief demands someone to blame, and Hunter can’t deny she’s haunted by regret.

As her partner, DS Noah Wilmott, continues to investigate, he wonders if the nightmares plaguing his partner are really Hunter’s subconscious, piecing things together, or something more, and when he follows a hunch it leads to answers that will stun a community. “