As with most murders, there’s more than one victim. When Samantha Atterman arrives in the remote town of Columbus Cove, she brings little more than her recently divorced mother and a lifetime of goodbyes. Growing up as a military brat taught her how to survive new places—but nothing prepared her for the suffocating isolation of this forgotten town. Loneliness settles in like the ocean fog, thick and inescapable. Then she meets Channing Ashford. Charming, handsome, and seemingly too perfect to be real, Channing feels like something out of a romance novel—until a brutal murder shatters the quiet heart of Columbus Cove. In a town this small, tragedy doesn’t just ripple. It engulfs. As suspicion spreads and long-buried secrets claw their way to the surface, Samantha and Channing find themselves pulled into an investigation that threatens more than their budding relationship. Because in Columbus Cove, nothing stays hidden forever—and some truths are deadlier than the crime itself. 5-start review By Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite Between the Shades of Light and Dark by Kathleen Lopez is Book 1 in The Shuller Series. After her parents' marriage falls apart, Sam and her mother move to Columbus Cove, a sleepy, remote town. Being the youngest in town, Sam feels isolated and soon develops an interest in Channing, the newest resident in town. Things seem to be going well until murder comes knocking on the door. As Sam and Channing find themselves in the midst of the investigation, they start to uncover secrets about the Cove, secrets of wealth, greed and payback. More than one person will lose their lives and more than one will be accused before the real culprit can be uncovered. Between the Shades of Light and Dark (The Shuller Series) by Kathleen Lopez was a gripping read. It started a little slow but it wasn't long before the pace picked up and the story was off and running. There is plenty going on here, with the romance between the two main protagonists, murder, and mystery. The characters are well developed and likable, easy to relate to as well. I liked the way the mystery was drawn out throughout the book, the clues drip-fed and keeping the suspense going. There is a twist or two to the plot and I suspect these may lead to the next book in the series. I thoroughly enjoyed this story; it had all the elements of a great murder mystery set in a small town that makes it all the more real. Creative writing and telling stories was always a passion of mine. My first book, Between the Shades of Light and Dark, initially started as a homework assignment in college. I had always intended to write murder mysteries. My characters are not based on anyone particular, but are collections of personality quirks I've come to experience. The settings are amalgamations of places I dreamt up with a hint of places from my past. I try to make my characters real enough for the reader to care; they need to be more every day than fantasy for the reader to want to read about them. Each story should be a journey.