Double Progression: A Kelsey James Fitness Mystery: Book Two

Kelsey James is a fitness instructor at Fox Fitness who knows how to get the best from her clients/students. Kelsey is attentive and personable, and is as much a friend as she is a trainer. When she notices something is off with her client, Jennifer, she is willing to listen with a sympathetic ear. Jennifer has suspicions that something is going on with her husband, Grayson. Grayson has been out of town at random intervals, and Jennifer worries that Grayson is having an affair. Jennifer has confided in the right person, as Kelsey is a part-time investigator with past success in solving the enigmatic.

Kelsey begins a cursory investigation and learns that Jennifer’s concerns are valid, as Grayson has been unemployed for a lengthy stretch of time, making his trips seem even more suspicious. Jennifer’s curiosity leads her to conduct an unorthodox investigation of her own, involving her and her identical twin sister switching places in an attempt to glean information from the other’s spouses about Grayson. Unfortunately, Jennifer is unaware that Grayson isn’t the only person in her family keeping secrets, and some nefarious business lies behind it all.

Kelsey’s concern for Jennifer only increases as she gets pulled further and further into Grayson’s secret world. The heart of a cop beats inside Kelsey, and while she is a trusting person, she also knows when to be skeptical of someone’s motives. There are people in proximity to Jennifer and Grayson who pose a danger, and this becomes more evident when a dead body turns up where Grayson was seen. Kelsey will need to proceed with both stealth and expeditiousness in helping her latest client.

The genuine and charismatic Kelsey James returns in the terrific sequel Double Progression”. Kelsey James is a refreshing take on the amateur sleuth character, a person who treats her clients with empathy and concern. Kelsey’s latest case offers a study in contrasts, as her client Jennifer is suffering under the weight of secrets and lies from those closest to her, whereas Kelsey’s family is close-knit and devoted to each other. Author Kristina Fox adeptly sets the tempo for this clever mystery early on as Kelsey’s perceptiveness allows her to pick up on Jennifer’s anxiety. As the story progresses, Fox throws in more than a surprise or two to keep the reader guessing at the eventual outcome. Double Progression is filled with interesting characters, tantalizing plot twists, and a more than satisfying conclusion. Fox continues to impress with her narrative weaving.