You Should Have Known by Rebecca A. Keller

 

 You Should Have Known by Rebecca A. Keller. 2023, Crooked Lane, an imprint of The Quick Brown Fox and Company. Adult fiction. Mystery.

When Francine Greene, age 72, is talked into moving into the senior adult assistive/independent living facility, Ridgewood, she struggles to make friends. Her son and  daughter are attentive to her, but it's hard to get over the death of her teen granddaughter four years before. When Francine recognizes someone from the past who is probably connected to the crime, it's hard to think of anything else. She vows to get revenge.

While it may be true that few really notice the elderly, when Francine plots to switch up the medicines of others with leftover prescription drugs from her own beloved dead husband, the story takes a sinister turn. She is a believable, vulnerable character. The residents are described with respect and small details make them seem like readers know these people. 

This is a debut novel and bodes well for the author. Although readers may think the letters to or from her cousin will add new details, not really. Although a possible romantic interest with handsome Evan is hinted at, Francine's problems take precedence. If all families were as connected with seniors in placement, life might be diffferent. Let's hope this author keeps going!