{"id":857,"date":"2024-10-31T15:41:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-31T15:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/?p=857"},"modified":"2024-10-31T15:41:00","modified_gmt":"2024-10-31T15:41:00","slug":"book-review-the-queen-that-wears-the-crown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/?p=857","title":{"rendered":"Book Review: The Queen That Wears the Crown"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-text-color has-large-font-size\"><strong><em>The Queen That Wears the Crown<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-regular-font-size\">by Horane Smith<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Genre:<\/strong> Mystery, Thriller &amp; Suspense \/ Caribbean Fiction<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>ISBN: <\/strong>9781998753352<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Print Length:<\/strong> 320 pages<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Publisher:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/baymarpublishing.com\/\">Baymar Publishing<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ub-buttons align-button-center orientation-button-row ub-flex-wrap wp-block-ub-button\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-container\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/40m3AKx\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"ub-button-block-main ub-button-medium ub-button-flex-medium\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-content-holder\"><span class=\"ub-button-icon-holder\"><\/span><span class=\"ub-button-block-btn\">Buy from Amazon<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<p><\/p><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"ub-button-container\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/a\/5423\/9781998753352\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"ub-button-block-main ub-button-medium ub-button-flex-medium\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-content-holder\"><span class=\"ub-button-icon-holder\"><\/span><span class=\"ub-button-block-btn\">Buy from Bookshop<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<p><\/p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><em>Reviewed by Alexandria Ducksworth<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"ub_advanced_heading wp-block-ub-advanced-heading\"><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong>A compelling Caribbean mystery equipped with plenty of secrets and backstabbing<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Three young girls are missing in Jamaica\u2019s Parrot Valley, and social activist Carmen Young is doing everything in her power to bring awareness to the situation. But problems escalate when two people die during a protest. And to top it off, Carmen\u2019s fianc\u00e9 Julian is arrested in America with a murder of his own. What else could even go wrong?\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Detective Benjamin Rhodes is on the protest murder case. A tip from the town drunk leads him to the town\u2019s dark underbelly and to the truth of both mysteries.<\/p>\n<p>Author Horane Smith has created a thrilling mystery in this lush Caribbean landscape. <em>The Queen That Wears the Crown <\/em>is like an intoxicating combination of escapism and reality. Everything seems to be happening at once, and it isn\u2019t without its accompanying action. There\u2019s the case of the missing girls, the protest deaths, and Julian\u2019s arrest, but there\u2019s also much more beneath the surface. Smith successfully reveals that even the smallest quaint towns have their dirty laundry.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>There are tons of shady activities and characters lurking around Parrot Valley. Brook Cunningham is the town\u2019s known rich son and definitely one of those characters. Carmen\u2019s engagement to Julian means nothing to Brook; he\u2019s been vying for her hand for years. Brook is no saint despite the town seeing him as one, and he ends up playing a devious role in this plot.<\/p>\n<p>Human trafficking is a major theme in <em>The Queen That Wears the Crown. <\/em>Carmen\u2019s ambition and resilience are essential attributes to a situation that feels hopeless. Through Carmen\u2019s quest to uncover the truth behind disappearances and murders, the novel explores how corruption seeps into small-town life, making the fight for justice an uphill battle. Carmen\u2019s role highlights the complexities of activism in a community where trust is fragile and those in power may not have the people\u2019s best interests at heart.<\/p>\n<p>Horane Smith paints a vivid picture of Parrot Valley\u2019s social issues. Themes like deportation, economic struggle, and rising crime contribute to the story\u2019s tension, highlighting the town\u2019s fractured state and the challenges its residents face in the wake of tragedy. This backdrop enriches the novel\u2019s themes greatly.<\/p>\n<p>Carmen Young is a smart protagonist with a strong will to fight for people\u2019s rights, but her personal goal is simple: settle down with Julian after he graduates from college in America. While she has a strong head on her shoulders, readers may find her sudden distrust of Julian after his arrest somewhat unbelievable. They\u2019ve been together for 15 years. Sure, the sudden surprise is devastating, but it feels off-base for her to turn her back with so little proof.<\/p>\n<p><em>The Queen That Wears the Crown<\/em> filled with secrets waiting to be unlocked. All I could think of while reading was the British TV show <em>Death in Paradise<\/em>. Parrot Valley is filled with colorful characters, from the persistent detective to the town gossiper. Every chapter leads readers deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole of the town\u2019s mysteries.<\/p>\n<p>Horane Smith succeeds in crafting this satisfying island thriller. Those who love good tropical locations with their mysteries will relish all the good that <em>The Queen That Wears the Crown<\/em> has to offer.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ub-buttons align-button-center orientation-button-row ub-flex-wrap wp-block-ub-button\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-container\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/40m3AKx\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"ub-button-block-main ub-button-medium ub-button-flex-medium\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-content-holder\"><span class=\"ub-button-icon-holder\"><\/span><span class=\"ub-button-block-btn\">Buy from Amazon<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<p><\/p><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"ub-button-container\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/a\/5423\/9781998753352\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"ub-button-block-main ub-button-medium ub-button-flex-medium\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-content-holder\"><span class=\"ub-button-icon-holder\"><\/span><span class=\"ub-button-block-btn\">Buy from Bookshop<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<p><\/p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Thank you for reading Alexandria Ducksworth\u2019s book review of<em> The Queen That Wears the Crown <\/em>by Horane Smith! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ub-buttons align-button-center orientation-button-row ub-flex-wrap wp-block-ub-button\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-container\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/independentbookreview.com\/category\/book-review\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"ub-button-block-main ub-button-medium ub-button-flex-medium\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-content-holder\"><span class=\"ub-button-icon-holder\"><\/span><span class=\"ub-button-block-btn\">Book Reviews<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<p><\/p><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"ub-button-container\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/independentbookreview.com\/category\/blog\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"ub-button-block-main ub-button-medium ub-button-flex-medium\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-content-holder\"><span class=\"ub-button-icon-holder\"><\/span><span class=\"ub-button-block-btn\">IBR Blog<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<p><\/p><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"ub-button-container\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/independentbookreview.com\/writers-only\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"ub-button-block-main ub-button-medium ub-button-flex-medium\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-content-holder\"><span class=\"ub-button-icon-holder\"><\/span><span class=\"ub-button-block-btn\">Resources for Writers<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<p><\/p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/independentbookreview.com\/2024\/10\/31\/book-review-the-queen-that-wears-the-crown\/\">Book Review: The Queen That Wears the Crown<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/independentbookreview.com\/\">Independent Book Review<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Queen That Wears the Crown by Horane Smith Genre: Mystery, Thriller &amp; Suspense \/ Caribbean Fiction ISBN: 9781998753352 Print Length: 320 pages Publisher: Baymar Publishing Buy from Amazon Buy from Bookshop Reviewed by Alexandria Ducksworth A compelling Caribbean mystery equipped with plenty of secrets and backstabbing Three young girls are missing in Jamaica\u2019s Parrot [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":858,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-857","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bookreviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/857"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=857"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/857\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/858"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=857"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=857"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=857"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}