Southpaw

Hearts of Thunder Duology #1

by Tabby R.H.

A suspicious death at an affluent family business unearths a network of secrets, lies, & buried history.

Caught up in it all against their will are four individuals:

a salesman,
an artist,
an IT manager,
and a house-cleaner.

As the secrets deepen and they each become targets, this unlikely foursome must come together to unravel it all.

They each hold pieces of the sinister puzzle and the body count will continue to climb unless they overcome their insecurities and band together.

Genres: Contemporary, Mystery, Christian, Fiction, Christian Fiction

450 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2023

About the author

Daughter of the High King • Lover of hygge & Middle Earth • old soul

Reviews

[Alissa J. Zavalianos]

4.5 ⭐️

Wow, what a ride! I honestly didn’t know what to expect with this story, but it was packed with lots of action and family drama. I’m not usually one for thrillers, but I’ve been learning to enjoy them more, and this book was no exception!

Tabby is a fantastic writer, and her characters really were what made this story shine. I ADORED Marian—her quiet confidence isn’t something you see very much these days. And Garrison was awesome! I’m a huge fan of a broken hero with a troubled past, and I thought Tabby pulled that off so well.

The faith content was refreshing, and it was really sweet to see Marian and Garrison “running together” and Erin’s heart change, too!

I’m curious as to what will happen in Wolfgang now! *Sigh* Poor Russell needs a happy ending!!

I will say that keeping all the Holts in line was a bit confusing since they all shared what felt like the same name, but that’s a me thing 😂

Overall, I really enjoyed this story! There were SO many beautiful quote-worthy moments, very indicative of the author’s heart and wisdom. Well done, Tabby!💛

Content:
Sweet and wholesome romance
Violence; guns, knives, lots of blood (but not explicit)
Animal death (I’m still NOT okay about this 😭)
Lots of suspense and underhanded business

[Caitlin Miller]

This book is raw, real, relatable, and all-around just really amazing. Tabby’s writing is so seasoned, and I’m amazed this is her debut novel because she just seems so experienced with storytelling. I absolutely cannot wait for the continuation of this series because I definitely need more of these characters in my life! So many quotables in this is book that are rich and full of so much truth.

You nailed this book, Tabby 🫶🏻



P.S. Marian and Garrison have my heart 🥺

[Tabby R.H.]

It's amazing how the Most High can use words you wrote a few years ago to bring comfort & courage to your soul when you need them most 😭 SO grateful for the privilege to bring Garrison, Marian, Russ, & Erin to life & to tell their stories in a way that has made myself & those who've read Southpaw, brave. Even when our hearts are breaking, there is still Hope. Jesus Christ is with us until the stars burn...& that means forever 🖤

[Morgan Giesbrecht]

“Broken hearts still beat, and sometimes it sounds like thunder.”
.
.
THIS BOOK! 😍 I’ve already read it twice in the last four days. It kept me up late, and my heart was simultaneously broken & put it back together. 😭💛

Enter Southpaw. A world of glittering façades & lavish dinner parties & chilling murder. And heart with a deep longing for connection & friendship & belonging.

I tried to read slowly, but was so gripped by the story, I instead flew through the pages & way past my bedtime. And when I finished, I had a good cry. (Both times.)

As a cosy mystery, the intricate plot was everything my mystery-loving heart wanted. The themes were beautiful & the faith elements were woven in so naturally.

The cast of characters is large, but the 4 MCs—Garrison, Marian, Erin, & Russell—irrevocably stole my heart! (And I have a soft spot for Uncle K, too…) ☺️ This foursome group are people I want to be friends with, go to coffee with, & chat about life with over steaming cups of tea. They’re realistic & flawed & oh so relatable.

I smiled & laughed & cried. This story made me want to be braver than I am. And I cannot wait to see what lies ahead for these precious characters in book 2!

Well done, Tabby—so proud of you. 💛

____

2024 Reread

Have I mentioned how much I love this book? 😭 It breaths hope in my lungs and infuses courage in my veins. 🖤

[Lexi Dacy]

I adored this book! Tabby was able to infuse so many things I love into a story and also capture a feeling that I’m always yearning for in books. She’s created a world I want to step into that oozes atmosphere with characters that I would LOVE to meet who jump off the page! This book felt mysterious, heartfelt, thoughtful and deeply beautiful. It’s not just a murder mystery, it an exploration of characters development as they go through really difficult seasons in their lives. The redemption and hope that they each find through their intertwined lives was refreshing and I wish I could read more books like it. Tabby RH has captured a certain magic in these pages and I hope she writes more because I just love her heart! 🖤

[Cheyenne Langevelde]

4.5 stars

The Good:
I was very worried about this book, as I usually am about people I greatly respect and admire, because I want so very much to like their book—and am terrified of being disappointed. Good news is that this book was not disappointing at all.

I greatly enjoyed this variation from my usual reading, as it's a contemporary murder mystery, but with Christian themes of love and courage amid the grittier reality of the story. The characters were definitely the strong suit, with Tabby masterfully creating a large cast and maintaining distinctness among all the characters, while still making them feel very much alive and real. I especially enjoyed watching the characters grow over the course of the story (though Garrison and Marian did seem rather rushed at the end...). I did have to check with the family tree at the beginning several times, as there were multiple characters with K in their first name, but I also have to do that with other books sometimes too, and appreciated that there was a family tree in the first place. Also, the action was very well done, and as someone who struggles with that, I was glad to read action fight scenes that I could actually follow and understand!

I also enjoyed the themes and the way the Gospel was presented throughout the story in a non-cheesy way, but in a manner that was real and very much like my own testimony.

The Bad:
Not too much to say here, except this story needed a tad more development in terms of the plot and the Holt Unlimited business. Since this is the most major facet on which the book was hinged, it didn't make sense for it not to be at least hinted at, let alone not explained at all. I'm grateful that the author did spoil to me what it was, because I was greatly confused haha.

The only other thing to really speak of...is that this book *could* have done with tighter editing and proofreading. There were instances where a lot of phrases were repeated throughout the book to the sense that it started to get old, or scenes where a bit more conciseness would have really made it shine. However, that is the pitfall of most debut authors (myself most definitely included), and just something that generally gets better with more experience.

The lack of proofreading was a distraction though, with things as simple as missing punctuation or simple formatting errors to things such as totally inaccurate dates at the beginning of chapters. I only mention this because I was surprised due to following the lovely author on Instagram and her mentioning how it went through 5 rounds of proofreading (which is more than I've ever seen done!).

What the Reader Thought:
I was scared about this story, but it ended up being way better than I anticipated, and I am wholeheartedly looking forward to Wolfgang whenever it comes out. Tabby shows a lot of potential, and I'm excited to follow her along her writing journey! This was a wonderful mystery, though the darker themes definitely made me more careful to be in a more positive mindset when reading. Definitely recommend if you enjoy mystery/thriller!

[Brooke J Katz]

SouthPaw is a a novel that will stay with me long after I've finished the last page. A novel filled with secrets, a powerful family, backstabbing, faith and hope in the darkness. The characters are rich, the setting vivid. I really enjoyed being drawn in instantly in the first few pages. I savored every page.

I love how developed the characters are, each are so strong in their own way that they leap off the page becoming people you take with you. People with real insecurities. People who have good and bad qualities.

I love the faith elements in the story. A Christian novel that's real and genuine, it shines through in the faith Marian and Garrison hold.

Violence and Death surround the holt family and while their may be blood but it's never grotesque. Tabby does a phenomenal job writing intense scenes without gore.

This story brings you into this world of power, money, vengeance but it shows you the light in all the darkness.

It gave me mafia, Dallas, poldark vibes but with strong, good and real Christian faith woven in.

I cannot wait to dive into the next book when it comes out. Tabby has easily become a new favorite author of mine. Thank you for writing such a remarkable novel.

[R. L. Peterson]

5 stars. But that’s not near enough for this book. Goodreads, we need more stars.

Y’all this book, I can’t even begin to put into words…it was a slow paced book, but it never felt like it could have been condensed. Information was fed slow, steady and at just the right moments. It was such a satisfying read 😭 AND I NEED THE SEQUEL LIKE YESTERDAY!

Marian is by far my favorite character. In an out of context way, I relate to her a lot and honestly, it was painful…but in a good way. And Erin, yes girl, I feel ya sista…

I lied though, Garrison is actually my favorite. He’s so changed and so desperate to put his past behind him and I wish more Christians were like him. A genuine beautiful, redeemed soul. Sadly, most Christians, or those who claim the name, do nothing to improve themselves and rebel against God’s plan for their lives in favor of their “rights,” and “free-will.” Garrison is an inspiration 🖤💛🖤

Aesthetics were on point, and I can’t wait for book two!

My singular complaint is that the random, though few, British spellings pulled me out of the story. And since the story was set in America, idk, it threw me. Other than that, this book was perfection 🥹

[Elisabeth Brown]

lovely writing

My thoughts, in no particular order or coherence:

-I knew I was going to love Tabby’s writing voice from having read her thoughts on Instagram, and I’m happy to report that her fiction carries the same honest, earnest tone.

-I don’t read much in this genre, so I don’t want to be too quick to judge something that may be more normal for a thriller—
(Slight spoiler ahead)
—but I’m of the opinion that a former hit man should be in jail. He’s reformed and forgiven and that’s lovely! But still, you should turn yourself in, bud.

-I adore Marian and want to be her best friend.

-still a bit confused by the prologue and I need to reread it now that I’ve finished the book

-will definitely read more by this author

-I wish the interior formatting had been a bit more polished

[Laurel Luehmann]

My gracious…the plot and these CHARACTERS.😍😭✨

[Jordan Comeaux]

As always, it takes me a long while to process a book I’ve read and I like to think on them a long while to give them a review I think they’re worthy of.
Guess I’m a lot like Marian in that way, I take a bit to process things and like to think over them.

But I’m more like Garrison, I knew I was going to love him, knew it from the very beginning before this work was even published, and I was not disappointed.
Just didn’t know how MUCH I would love him or how much I’d understand him.
(All of the fan-girling was certainly NOT in vain haha)

As a fellow writer some of my favorite thing about reading is being inspired by other writers and their words, everything about Southpaw and the characters has inspired me to pick up my pen (or laptop) and write even more!!
I think all works of art should inspire works of art, and I think an artist did their job and did it well when their art inspired someone’s else’s.

I almost finished this in only two sittings which is very rare for me now, I couldn’t put it down!
I also found myself continuously thinking about the characters while I was not reading which is something I know I do when I’m enjoying a book or falling in love with characters.

Some favorite quotes:

“… but words failed him as they always did.”
(One of the things that make me and Garrison the same)

“You should’ve thought twice before you made a good man go to war.”
(I think I almost died for this)

“Loneliness dying.”

“I will burn her if she touches you.” (But make it brothers. DYING. !!)

[M.T. Solomon]

Well written dialogue is hard. Tabby makes it look - and sound - easy. Enjoyed the multiple POV. You really grow to care about these characters.

[Kristy]

So before we delve into it, I’d firstly like to say congratulations to Tabby for getting a book published! That’s an amazing feat in life.

Let’s, begin.

It started out okay, but then as I progressed to read I wasn’t sure about this one.

Hope was a continual aspect of the book (the author unwaveringly and unrelentingly grounded that as her theme), and it was refreshing to read something with Christian elements in it, however…I found it was lacking. Christian protagonists felt weak in their faith rather than being on fire for Christ.

Tabby was good at writing characters+emotions and character driven melodrama, but the plot felt riddled with some unfilled holes that needed filler. For the assembling of it seemed off if it's intended to be a mystery or thriller. I didn’t really get that ‘thrilling’ part. A background of Marians parents would have been helpful, for instance, are they strong believers? Are they both Christians? Do they go to a bible believing church that only preaches the truth? And how about Garrison? Did he not have anyone to keep him accountable, or check in on him during his seven years? Did he not have a mentor to guide him in his Christian walk, or help strengthen his faith? And also, if he was an assassin, did he have to spend time in jail? Was he in jail? And where did he get saved? Putting in his testimony would have been some nice icing to the cake.

The prologue is confusing and I think the book could have done without it and jumped into the beach scene with Russell, Zack and his wife.

The plot of the story didn’t actually feel like it was moving ahead until 100 pages in, which was a slight bummer. I felt there was more of an emphasis on character’s emotions rather than pulling the plot ahead with the use of the characters.

As I read further into the story I found the characters to be whinny. Some of them I liked, but, for a new adult I found they didn’t quite think/ feel/ behave maturely enough for me to think of them as anything but teenagers.

250 pages in and finally we see characters physically working together to investigate the mystery, not just verbally, hence we see the plot moving somewhere.

Her writing is lovely and she uses adjectives where it is needed, not an over abundance of them. A little more descriptions for the characters would have been helpful. She writes beautifully about the October weather, which I loved and had tabbed away in the book.

Overall: I think the story had potential, greatly, but it wasn’t thought through enough to have the bud of potentiality blossom to compliment Tabby’s talented writing skills to its full extent. I found this one to be lacking. If you like melodramas, slow plots, cold & autumn atmosphere settings, and a simple mystery, then perhaps this one is more for you.

[ThoughtLaden]

Ok, I’m very annoyed at Goodreads now, because my review was basically done and then I somehow deleted it. Grr. Anyhow, here’s take two (three actually, since I also lost my draft in Instagram).
*Make that take four, because my phone died while I was typing it up in notes.🤦🏽‍♀️

Initial thoughts:
I really looked forward to this read, since I love Tabby’s blog and insta posts, and I mean, the cover is simply lovely. That said, I learned the hard way with a different debut that it is heart-crushing to want to love a book because you already love the author and not be able to, so I try to make it a point to suppress my expectations.
All that to say, I came into this somewhere between excited and neutral, and I think that’s about where I was after reading, but with a new set of characters to be attached to, and cliff hanger to internally scream at. Haha. Overall, I enjoyed it. It took me a little while to get into the style and keep all the characters straight (referenced the family tree frequently at first), but after that I was hooked.

Positives:
Marian and Garrison were definitely my favs, though Russ is also up there. Marian’s moments were such perfect “character realisms” as I like to term them (aka the little moments/quirks that make people unique and characters feel real). I also appreciated how Garrison’s arc was handled, and he and Marian were lovely together. I may or may not have been rooting for them from the beginning… also, I need to see more of Russ and a certain someone else, because the subtlety with which it was playing out was perfect. Which brings me to the next segment.

Negatives:
Someone else mentioned that Garrison’s and Marian’s relationship seemed rushed near the end, and I would have to agree. In general, the more subtly relationships play out, the more natural they feel, the more I enjoy them, and usually that involves time. Plus, (this is just a personal pet peeve) I don’t like the idea of encouraging rushed romance. Don’t take umpteen years, but please take the time to truly get to know someone.
I did have an astonishing amount of self control when putting this down at night (like, even when there were a mere couple chapters left), so take that as you will.

General reader ranting:
Ok, so, not to name names, but I was very irritated at a certain friend of Russ’ and Erin’s, and felt so bad for a different one. Iykyk. Also, I’m just gonna say flower shop + intrigue and leave it at that.🧐

[Stephanie - Books Less Travelled]

I read this one, I loved this one... But then I was convicted about this one, too. The Invictus poem, the 'inner wolf', the darkness.

[Megan Wilcox]

TABBY 😭
I need the next half of this duology PRONTO
I just gotta know what's going to happen. 👀👀👀

[Judith DeStefano]

4 1/2 stars.

Southpaw features four main characters: Erin, Russell, Marian, and Garrison. These thirty-somethings are all facing difficult circumstances, but only two of them have faith in God to sustain them. But wait, don't chalk this book up to a coupling-off romance. This book has suspense, mystery, family hierarchy/business/power, assassins . . . and a romance that is NOT about physical tension/description stuff. (Thank You!) Actually, the romance takes a while to pick up and (spoiler) by the end of the book, there is only one couple.

These characters are caught in a web they wish they could escape. Whether its past choices, family ties, or being duped--now they face a life-and-death situation. So, do they get swept under or does God and friendship pull them through?

Clarity note; Don't be confused by all the "K" names. Uncle K is the same person as Uncle Kennedy. KJ is Russel and Marion's cousin. Uncle Kyle is KJ's father. Uncle Kevin is Russel's father.

Content note: There is some slang: bloody, hang it, sheesh, blasted / "For the love of . . . " is used without actually taking God's name in vain. Alcohol is served and drunk, though our two Christian protagonists do not drink it.

[Sierra Klotz]

It’s been a long time since I’ve read any sort of Christian fiction and so I’m not as familiar with that genre as I was in the past. Tabby is someone I have known for years and I know how much she enjoys writing and reading and to see her achieve a dream is incredible. The story is very good, very attention grabbing and keeping. There are a lot of characters, though, and sometimes it is difficult to keep track of all of them throughout the book. The book is written well, it is easy to follow, and while there some parts and characters I enjoyed more than others, Tabby’s passion is clear throughout the story

[Claire Erasmus]

I loved how relatable the characters were in this story. Their struggles with being lonely and wanting to live according to biblical principles in a cutthroat and hostile environment were encouraging. If you enjoy Christian suspense with Mafia-type plots and nonpreachy themes, this is the story for you.

[Blake Barrington]

4.5 stars.

This is definitely in my top ten of the year and possibly in my top five.

I've been following the author on Instagram for some time before she released this novel, and I was waiting eagerly for it. Every aesthetic reel and quote she shared spoke to me deeply. A part of me was honestly afraid that it might let me down, because I have a bad tendency to get let down when I over-hype something for myself.

I'm very glad to report that was not the case!

The author weaves together a four-pointed tale worthy of any thriller, while also maintaining an unerring reminder that there is light in the darkness and evil, even if it wins for a moment, will never win forever. While her work is rooted in Christianity, her characters are never caricatures of good and evil, nor are they necessarily black and white.

Though never failing to remind you that evil and sin are despicable, the author shows her character's struggling, questioning, and failing. Charming characters aren't immune from serious flaws. Evil characters are cruel, cold, arrogant, and self-righteous in their own power. There is true evil in this book, but never glorified or acceptable.

My favorite characters would probably be Russell and Marian. Russell really goes through it in this book and I truly look forward to seeing where he goes in the sequel. He's gone through so much growth, but he has much farther to go.

Marian is possibly the most "me" character I have ever read in a book. Her shyness, her fear of not being enough, her anxieties, her softness, all of it spoke to my soul in reading about her. I love her and I'd be lying if I said I was afraid for her--and truthfully, Erin and Garrison and Russell--as the story moves onward. Some evil has been stopped, yes, but they haven't destroyed the root of it.

The only reason I rated it 4.5 rather than 5 outright is because some of the actions scene near to the end lost me a little. That could just be me; I'm not good with action scenes and tend to start skimming them, then miss crucial details, then get lost until I reread and...yeah, it might just be a "me" problem. Because of this, I rated it 5 stars, because it's a small thing and it's a personal issue more than a structural problem.

If you like Christian work that is strong without "talking down to you" or simplifying the world, moving characters, realistic relationships, dramatic evil and escapades, and--let's be honest--an enjoyable luxury vibe that offers a little escapism thrown in, get this book tomorrow!

[Katrina Van Grouw]

I ended up reading the better half of this book in 4 hours of entranced reading, staying up till 1:30am because I couldn't put it down. Tabby R.H. weaves a gripping story dealing with family relationships, the hurt and pain others cause us, and ultimately how we find true peace and happiness: by serving God and finding a community of people that uplift and support us. Filled with gorgeous metaphors and sweeping prose, this book is a delight for the literary minded and also very plot oriented, allowing suspense and intrigue to envelop the reader into the white collar crime world of an influential family. This book has a LOT of characters, yet they are distinct from each other. One of my favorite book tropes is when you initally start with many characters that seem to have no connection to one another, but everything starts falling into place with new revelations. For a first novel, Tabby writes with clear and mature pacing and her plot is carefully layered and researched, with no holes. I look forward to the next book coming out this December.
For those interested in contemporary Christian fiction that doesn't reek of cowboys, helpless damsels and gratuitous romance while only hinting at a relationship with Christ; this is an author to look out for. Bravo!

[Maxine Randall]

The first time I've picked up a book in my favorite genre in such a long time turned out to be a real treat. I usually like to be challenged more in figuring out what is really the root issue and who the real villains are, but then again, maybe I still don't know! Being a tad let down there was made up for by the wonderful complexities of the characters. As did many others, I became invested in Garrison and Marion. I want to know more of his background, however, especially how he came to the Lord, got out of his sordid past, and the circumstances of coming to work at Holt. Why did KJ in particular hire him of all people?. Tabby has such a beautiful writing style. I loved the various POVs mixed in so well. I was sad when I came to the end, which only happens when I've had a captivating adventure in a book. I'm definitely looking forward to the next one! What a great job for a first novel! As a proofing issue, not a writing one, there were a few notable discrepancies in some time elements. I tend to be picky about pieces fitting together perfectly and many wouldn't even notice because it doesn't detract from the good plotlines. All in all, this was a pretty amazing first effort and the world has yet another gifted author to be excited about. And the fact that it's a Christian one, makes it all the better. I was especially thankful for the gospel witness the book presented so tastefully. Well done!

[Noemia]

This mystery is exciting and an interesting read. It is about a twisted family who live for money and ambition disregarding everything even the lives of human beings. Amidst this dark reality, unlikely individuals come together to protect and encourage one another. This book also highlights the healing power of the gospel. The only hope is Jesus Christ. This theme runs like a golden thread through the dark plots.

[Samantha Voltmer]

I went to high school with the author of this book and was so excited to read it! A wonderful debut novel.