Death by Revelation

The shadows of a run-down beachfront apartment hide a woman's crouching form, strangled and dead by her own hand.
For Bella Marx, still recovering from her husband's death, the unnerving encounter delivers a hard, destabilizing blow. And what brought about the decision to die?
When a disturbing manuscript found among the dead woman's effects hints at the involvement of an outsider in this most final of decisions, suspicion becomes obsession.
From Venice Beach to Berkeley and San Francisco's western edge, Bella Marx follows a tenuous thread of taunting and sinister clues in a journey of revenge and self-discovery.Suicide can be murder.

from Kirkus Reviews:

A writer's obsession leads to revenge in this debut mystery novel...In a quirky and arresting cast, the moody ocean, shadowy hills, and fickle weather of California make the setting one of Wood's best supporting characters. Gloomy mornings and punishing rains reflect the heaviness found in much of the narrative. The gripping mystery's reveal is handled splendidly, following a delicate dance of prodding questions and half answers. It provides closure without a clichéd fairy-tale ending, underscoring the reality of a world that encompasses grayness and moral ambiguity.

A well-plotted tale about family secrets with a plethora of suspense and intrigue.