Chief Maggie Riley Book 1
Rain hammers the earth and a vicious wind rattles the trees. Then lightning strikes, the flash illuminating a young girl staggering out of the woods, her brown eyes wide with fright, a silent scream on her lips…
There’s a storm approaching the tiny Maine town of Coyote Cove when Chief Maggie Riley comes across the body of a man, blood seeping from stab wounds into the damp forest floor. As she desperately struggles to secure the evidence before the rain hits, Heather, a local teenage girl, emerges from the woods, shivering and unable to talk.
Maggie, once a high flying big-city detective, lost everything when her four-year-old brother went missing five years ago. Heart-broken, she’s never stopped searching for him: but now she is plunged back into the world she left behind.
The victim, Maggie discovers, knew secrets about everyone in isolated Coyote Cove. It seems there are more local suspects in this case than people she can rule out. And with Heather still traumatised, Maggie struggles to unravel her strange appearance at the crime scene. Until, following a faint, bloody trail deep into the forest, she’s horrified to unearth what the terrified girl’s been hiding…
But when Heather is kidnapped, the battle to identify the killer becomes a race to save an innocent girl’s life. And with the whole town terrified, Maggie is shocked to uncover that this twisted killer is much closer to home than she’d ever imagined. Battling her own demons and memories of her missing brother, how far will Maggie have to go to save Heather? Or will another innocent young life be lost forever…?
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Review
I have the habit to let the publishers and authors know on social media the book I am currently reading.
Often authors react saying they hope I en joy the book. This also happened with this one. My answer was that I found it a very intriguing story. I was about half way through the story at that point and now I have finished it the feeling has not changed.
The author really hold the readers in her grip by only giving us a little sneak here and there and each time I was hoping she would reveal all the secrets, but nope, she did not. lol I am still wondering and pining after the big revelations, but I suppose I will have to wait to discover more about Maggie and Steve in her next book. I love this, but it’s a little frustrating because I am dying to know. 😉
The name of the village Coyote Cove fits perfectly. Coyotes are also a bit sneaky, mysterious and not very trustworthy and that characterises a lot of the villagers too.
I loved the short chapters and the different points of view. I could not make my mind up about who the culprit was. There are some really good actors here who put you on the wrong foot very easily.
I loved everything about this book and I cannot wait for the next one. I just have to find out what is going on. It drives me crazy, but those are the best books. 5 stars
Thank you
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About the author
With degrees in Crime Scene Technology & Physical Anthropology, Florida author Shannon Hollinger hasn’t just seen the dark side of humanity – she’s been elbow deep inside of it! She finds writing to be a much cleaner way to spend her time than the autopsy suite. Most days it smells better, too.
Her debut novel, the psychological thriller Best Friends Forever, will be released in January 2023 and is the first of a five-book deal with publisher Bookouture.
Her short fiction has appeared in Suspense Magazine, Mystery Weekly, and The Saturday Evening Post, among a number of other magazines and anthologies, and her story Lady Killer was a finalist for the 2021 Al Blanchard Award sponsored by the New England Crime Bake.
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Author Links
https://www.facebook.com/thiswritersays
https://www.instagram.com/thiswritersays
Website: www.ShannonHollinger.com
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Book Links
https://geni.us/B0BZZHKKQGsocial
Audible:
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