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Kristine Langley is obsessed with murder. This obsession stems from a tragic and traumatic event that occurred when she was twelve-years-old. Kris has always blamed herself for her twelve-year-old cousin's disappearance and brutal murder.

For the past two decades, she has kept a guilty secret to herself: she was actually the last person to see Nicole alive; and a childish argument was the reason why Kris had left her cousin to walk home alone. She has allowed the guilt of her actions that day pervade every aspect of her life. Her family may never realize the full extent of Kris' guilt, but she is determined to find some way to make amends for her mistake.

Kris has since become an editorial assistant and obituary writer for a Massachusetts newspaper. She enjoys her job - for the most part - and the schedule works very well for her. While compiling items from the microfilm to run in the "Twenty-Five Years Ago Today" town history column, Kris stumbles across an unsolved murder. She grows increasingly fascinated with the case of a young cocktail waitress who was bludgeoned to death and dumped in the woods.

Determined to solve the case and thus atone for Nicole's death, Kris immerses herself in the decades-old mystery of what happened to twenty-one-year-old Diana Ferguson. As Kris investigates the case further, Diana becomes more to her than just a murdered cocktail waitress; she was also an extraordinarily talented artist who expressed herself through haunting paintings based on Greek mythology. The more that she learns about Diana, Kris begins to feel a deep connection to her.

Yet there is also a certain amount of backlash to her sudden interest in such a cold case. Not only does Kris face resistance from her own family as well as her managing editor, she also clashes with Diana's hostile and highly suspicious nephew, Eric Soares - who is beyond certain that Kris only seeks to exploit his family for the sake of getting a story. However, as time passes, she and Eric can no longer deny the chemistry flaring between them.

Kris soon learns that old news never leaves the morgue and that yesterday's headline can easily turn into today's obituary notice. Because discovering what actually happened to Diana Ferguson on that long-ago night could be dangerous. Finding out the truth about what happened that night twenty-five years ago may just shatter Kris' present; costing her everything that she has come to cherish: her love, her career, and ultimately, her life.

I have had this book on my TBR pile for quite some time. I actually don't know why I have waited so long to read it. This is the second book that I have had the pleasure of reading by Ms. Juba, and must say that I absolutely loved the story and characters. I really found myself connecting with Kris and many of the other characters. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading intriguing character-driven mysteries with fast-paced plots. I give this book an A+!

FINDING ANSWERS AT HER OWN RISK....

Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2012

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Kris Langley loves working nights because she has trouble sleeping. Needing to leave the 9 to 5 life brought her from New York, and what her mother still thinks was a promising career, back to the small Massachusetts town where she grew up. Her mother and older sister are doctors and never stop reminding Kris that she has fallen flat of her potential.

In the bowels of the newspaper business, writing obituaries and nosing through history via microfilm, Kris stumbles upon something that intrigues her and thrusts her right into an investigation. On her own time, she begins checking out leads of a cold case. Twenty-five years ago a young girl was brutally murdered...and finding out what happened to Diana Ferguson becomes her mission.

Her instincts lead her onto some intriguing pathways, bring her into the Ferguson family's world, and toward some previously unexplored connections to the case. She also begins to fall in love. But can she trust that love, or is the object of her affection using her? How do certain individuals figure into the events of that night, and how will she find the answers? And while she is nosing things out, will the resurrected secret of her own childhood threaten the balance she has found?

Kris was one of those characters I could identify with right away. She knows that it's better to do what you love, even if it seems like a wrong choice for others. I could see the other characters clearly, too, and recognize qualities in people I've met over the years: the uptight editor Jacqueline; Bruce, the pompous reporter; and Dex, the aging editor who is her mentor. They were not one-note characters, however, and watching each of them in action filled out the scenes and made the newspaper staff come alive.

I started to figure out the person who did it about halfway through, but then, in the end, I was thrown an unexpected curve. The kind of mystery I enjoy, Twenty-Five Years Ago Today was definitely a 4.5 read.

Joyce Metzger

OBIT TRIBUTE

Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2013

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Kris Langley is an editorial assistant on a Massachusetts daily. She writes obits, and searches for items for a column entitled, "Twenty-five Years Ago Today." She has learned of a long ago, unsolved murder, then launches into her own form of non-official investigation. The mystery was best left alone, but Kris had to learn, that all intrigues will sometimes sparkle, but often, they just remain lifeless.
Diana Ferguson was an artistic cocktail waitress, obsessed with Greek and Roman mythology. The deadline read: "Body Found In Fremont State Woods." Diana had been found bludgeoned to death.
Memories flooded Kris about her cousin, Nicole, and numbed her inside. The pervert, Randolph Coltraine, lured Nicole, then trapped her in his cellar. He dumped her body in a gully like a bag of garbage.
Fate had guided Kris to the microfilm. Unraveling one murder could atone for the other. Diana's survivors were waiting for her. Diana had died in the winter. Her body was stuffed in a garbage bag, and thrown against the ground.
In Greek Mythology, Pandora had opened a jar and the plagues escaped. The only one still in the jar was Hope. Diana had painted her version of this story on canvas. A monster with a capital M had not been caught. Sweetness turned deadly sour? Alex Thaddeus, a young History professor who looked like a Greek God, and had slept with Diana, had broken every code of ethics. She was Diana with a bow in her painting and she had fallen in love with Apollo. She gave him the painting for his engagement.
Some how the pieces didn't fit together. A vital piece was missing.
This is a mesmerizing story. It unfolds cleverly and mysteriously. Stacy Juba writes well. Readers should search for more of her work.

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Paul Kendall

Time does not heal all wounds

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 25, 2011

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Twenty Five Years Ago Today
by Stacy Juba

Kris Langley a journo at a local paper comes across a tragic cold case while looking through the old micro film records of news events twenty and five years ago. Kris reads, "Missing bar maid murdered", the victim Diana Ferguson was only 21 years old when she was killed. That was twenty five years ago. so the killer 25 years ago would be 46 years now, if the killer was also 21 years old way back then.

Kris becomes obsessed and quickly gets caught up in a complex web of mystery, red herrings, dead ends, office politics and clueless cops. All this is set inside a newspaper office so it's interesting right from the kick off. Kris has an almost impossible task, but she is determined to bring the killer to justice, she even goes as far as risking her future as a journalist.

No witnesses, no forensic evidence from the killer, unbelievable I know and police can't trace 69 last caller calls, all hard to believe but that's the police for you. Accidentally the killer seems to have committed the perfect murder. Avid readers of murder mysteries books know there is no such thing as the perfect murder.

The cop is Lieutenant Gerald Frank, his best line has nothing to do with the case, his story about a man who killed another man over a turkey leg was surreal. Franks words of wisdom and his insights into crime statistics are an early clues so get ready here is an example; Murder victims more often than not are killed by some they know .. Erm ...there are a hand full of people in the victims life, so why the hell didn't Gerald solve the case in the first week? Well if Lietentnant Frank is say 40 now he would have been only 15 years old at the time of the murder, so I will let him off. There are so many red herring that Kris could set up a fish stall at the local market if journalism doesn't pan out.

I jest you not, Stacy bless her...packs hundreds of moral themes and dilemmas into her books. Then there is the ancient mythology, one clue about the ending is fury. what is the worst crime ? A crime that deserves fury? The killer has committed such a crime. Stacy is on twitter @stacyjuba and she asked me to comment on the ending in a tweet.. it won't spoil it. But In their youth's the killer and victim were too young to handle betrayal. I liked the mythology inserts they add to the moral thread that Stacy weaves through, then snaps in all of her brilliant books, jealousy, adultery, lying, cheating all have consequences in a Juba book. I guess that's why I like them. Ok It's entertainment but I loved it. I look forward to the next book. I have read three of Stacy's books to date. This review was of the kindle edition. It's highly recommended.

Paul Kendall (Leeds UK)

Amazon Customer

good

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 24, 2017

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ok not sure what was going to happen. liked it Thank you

Luchitita

Vingt-ans aujourd'hui

Reviewed in Canada on September 27, 2014

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Oui, j'ai bien aimé le tour qu'a pris le récit et les mentions des événements qui se sont produits durant ces vingt-annnées.

Tanya

Worth a read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 13, 2013

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Enjoyed the story, but found the ending a little bit too much and a bit OTT however the plot line was well thought out and the book basically well written

Amazon Customer

Four Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 26, 2017

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Enjoyable read.

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