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Sarah Woods Mystery #1
An Appointment with Murder
It is a quiet Friday night in Bridgeport, New Hampshire and massage therapist Sarah Woods is working late at her office. She checks her room. Everything is ready as she waits for her client Jeff Gardner to arrive. However, the night does not proceed as planned when Sarah discovers a shocking reality. A dead body. Terrified, Sarah finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. But, who can she trust when it becomes apparent that the crime is not what it seems.
152 pages, Paperback
First published November 16, 2011
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553 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
November 26, 2011
Massage, Masturbation, Murder. When Sarah finds her assistant has been strangled in the short time she was in the back with a client she doesn't know who she can trust. Who would have done such a horrible thing? Was it a random killing or someone she knew? Although the police are investigating Sarah can't seem to stay out of it and embarks on a journey to find the killer.
A fast paced story that keeps you guessing until the very end. I enjoyed it very much and look forward to more from this author.
Highly recommend.
A fast paced story that keeps you guessing until the very end. I enjoyed it very much and look forward to more from this author.
Highly recommend.
June 4, 2013
This is the kind of book that I used to give a 3 too, and call it a good book, recommendable.
It's also the kind of book that caused me to revisit my rating system so i could do it justice rather than a dis-service. People tend to not understand and, I didn't want my personal rating to add low marks to an enjoyable good book because i can be finicky.
This isn't a complicated read, and it's very pleasant read. It may be a murder mystery, but the characters are nice, realistic, like your friends next door or would like to have next door. There were some errors in the kindle version I read, but, I got through them. I might nit-pick some of the word choice, if I'm feeling particularly picky.
or
I could just tell you that it was a fun, comfortable read. A cozy mystery with warm friendly characters, a hint of adventure but nothing too crazy or overwhelming. I liked Sarah and enjoyed that she's not perfect, nor is her life, her relationships, etc, but she manages keep going, make things work, raise a son, and flirt things she shouldn't be flirting with.
An Appointment with Murder isn't an adrenalin pumper and it's not dark and deep and even though it has some things that help us look at our culture and beliefs, these are just part of a pleasant tapestry and I didn't get the feeling there was some powerful philosophical look at society here. It's just pleasant, adult, and nudges boundaries yet stays in the realm of good judgement.
Summary- Recommended. A cozy mystery for adults, that pushes boundaries but stays in decent territory. This is a light read with characters that you can like, but it's not a perfect read. There are some formatting problems and errors in the kindle copy, and room to second guess the author, if your into that, but, my recommendation is to leave that chip at home, relax and let the soothing cozy mystery message some tension away for a few hours. Just enjoy something pleasant while you read it and you will be rewarded with a pleasant read.
It's also the kind of book that caused me to revisit my rating system so i could do it justice rather than a dis-service. People tend to not understand and, I didn't want my personal rating to add low marks to an enjoyable good book because i can be finicky.
This isn't a complicated read, and it's very pleasant read. It may be a murder mystery, but the characters are nice, realistic, like your friends next door or would like to have next door. There were some errors in the kindle version I read, but, I got through them. I might nit-pick some of the word choice, if I'm feeling particularly picky.
or
I could just tell you that it was a fun, comfortable read. A cozy mystery with warm friendly characters, a hint of adventure but nothing too crazy or overwhelming. I liked Sarah and enjoyed that she's not perfect, nor is her life, her relationships, etc, but she manages keep going, make things work, raise a son, and flirt things she shouldn't be flirting with.
An Appointment with Murder isn't an adrenalin pumper and it's not dark and deep and even though it has some things that help us look at our culture and beliefs, these are just part of a pleasant tapestry and I didn't get the feeling there was some powerful philosophical look at society here. It's just pleasant, adult, and nudges boundaries yet stays in the realm of good judgement.
Summary- Recommended. A cozy mystery for adults, that pushes boundaries but stays in decent territory. This is a light read with characters that you can like, but it's not a perfect read. There are some formatting problems and errors in the kindle copy, and room to second guess the author, if your into that, but, my recommendation is to leave that chip at home, relax and let the soothing cozy mystery message some tension away for a few hours. Just enjoy something pleasant while you read it and you will be rewarded with a pleasant read.
July 11, 2012
An Appointment with Murder is a short story/novella written by Jennifer L Jennings. This is evidently the first book in a planned series of mysteries featuring Sarah Woods.
Sarah owns and operates a legitimate massage therapy business. One evening while staying late for a regular customer, Sarah's new assistant Beth is murdered. Sarah's business will get a bad name if Sarah can't figure out who murdered Beth and why. So, Sarah works with the police, and with Beth's friends and relatives to find out the shocking truth about Beth's murder. ( I hope Max, Beth's brother, makes into any future Sarah Woods novels)
On the personal front, Sarah's home life is in a rut. Her teenage son Brian doesn't need her as much, and her husband Daniel is inattentive. Sarah longs for some excitement in her life. When the murderer of Beth is caught, Sarah finds she may have an opportunity to add the excitement to her life she needs. Stay Tuned.
I hope there are more Sarah Woods mysteries. This was a good one. It is short, but that wasn't a bad thing in this case. I don't go in for much filler and this book gets to the point with action and dialogue. It was easy to indentify with Sarah and her home life, and the temptations she faced. They Mystery was solved in a way that didn't insult my intelligence. I also didn't guess who the killer was!! I enjoyed this short story and hope the series will take off!
Sarah owns and operates a legitimate massage therapy business. One evening while staying late for a regular customer, Sarah's new assistant Beth is murdered. Sarah's business will get a bad name if Sarah can't figure out who murdered Beth and why. So, Sarah works with the police, and with Beth's friends and relatives to find out the shocking truth about Beth's murder. ( I hope Max, Beth's brother, makes into any future Sarah Woods novels)
On the personal front, Sarah's home life is in a rut. Her teenage son Brian doesn't need her as much, and her husband Daniel is inattentive. Sarah longs for some excitement in her life. When the murderer of Beth is caught, Sarah finds she may have an opportunity to add the excitement to her life she needs. Stay Tuned.
I hope there are more Sarah Woods mysteries. This was a good one. It is short, but that wasn't a bad thing in this case. I don't go in for much filler and this book gets to the point with action and dialogue. It was easy to indentify with Sarah and her home life, and the temptations she faced. They Mystery was solved in a way that didn't insult my intelligence. I also didn't guess who the killer was!! I enjoyed this short story and hope the series will take off!
November 12, 2020
Sarah Woods was a massage therapist and owner of her clinic. One late night, she finds her receptionist dead on her desk. A murder at her massage clinic. But who could’ve done it? Her fiancé? An old lover?
A well-written and captivating mystery!
A well-written and captivating mystery!
August 20, 2012
Sara Woods, a message therapist, owns her own business, works hard and lives well. Her husband is not very attentive and she is lonely but she still loves him and she has a teen son. She is staying late for a client. When the client gets there she is ready for him. He is in the other room getting ready when she hears a commotion up front where her secretary is. When she finds her secretary slumped on the desk, she leans over to feel for a pulse, thinking she is just messing with her. Someone comes up and hits her on the head. When the paramedics are called and arrive. Sara finds her secretary dead and no idea of why. She is found by Max, her secretaries brother, with even more questions than answers. The questions keep Sara going to try to find the killer of her employee and friend. But will Sara find the answers she seeks & will the killer ever be found?
If you want a good mystery, this is a really good story. The mystery is one to keep you guessing to the very end. Mysteries, I normally have a hard time with but i really wanted to see who the killer was and didn't figure it out till the end. The character of Sara is a smart successful women that you almost feel connected with. You are the silent companion that is along for the ride. Jennifer creates a story in which keeps you thinking and interested from pg one. The only problem I had with the novella was that I want more. We will see if Jennifer can keep up the suspense and the mystery in another novella An Act of Deceit!
come check out this review and much more at juliesbookreview.blogspot.com
If you want a good mystery, this is a really good story. The mystery is one to keep you guessing to the very end. Mysteries, I normally have a hard time with but i really wanted to see who the killer was and didn't figure it out till the end. The character of Sara is a smart successful women that you almost feel connected with. You are the silent companion that is along for the ride. Jennifer creates a story in which keeps you thinking and interested from pg one. The only problem I had with the novella was that I want more. We will see if Jennifer can keep up the suspense and the mystery in another novella An Act of Deceit!
come check out this review and much more at juliesbookreview.blogspot.com
January 9, 2012
On just another regular day, massage therapist Sarah Woods finds her secretary murdered in her office right before the last appointment of the day. Throughout the book she is determined to find out who her killer was, and why she was murdered. Sarah Woods encounters many people such as her secretaries brother, secret investigators, and many more interesting people during her investigation.
I thought this book was very interesting, to put it plainly. Lots of surprises, twists and turns, and a very interesting ending. There really weren't any points I thought were boring, and the book was short enough that It didn't take a long time to finish, which is usually the way I like to read. I think this book would be good for someone who doesn't like to read really long books like me, as well as for people who like to read mystery books and like a past pace.
If I were to rate this book from 1-10, I would give it an 9, because considering I haven't read that many books this was probably one of the most fast paced, interesting, and enjoyable books I've read. It had my attention for most of the entire book, but yet there weren't huge words that hurt my brain anywhere in there but yet it was still very descriptive.
I thought this book was very interesting, to put it plainly. Lots of surprises, twists and turns, and a very interesting ending. There really weren't any points I thought were boring, and the book was short enough that It didn't take a long time to finish, which is usually the way I like to read. I think this book would be good for someone who doesn't like to read really long books like me, as well as for people who like to read mystery books and like a past pace.
If I were to rate this book from 1-10, I would give it an 9, because considering I haven't read that many books this was probably one of the most fast paced, interesting, and enjoyable books I've read. It had my attention for most of the entire book, but yet there weren't huge words that hurt my brain anywhere in there but yet it was still very descriptive.
September 21, 2012
Sarah has started a reputable massage business in a small town with her two staff members Gabby and Beth helping to keep the sleaze out. With a regular needing a late appointment Beth and Sarah stay late to repay the loyalty. With time running by Sarah checks how he's coming along in the shower and when she comes back to reception, Beth is dead.
An investigation with no leads is under way and instead of sitting back and responding to the shock and grief Sarah takes things into her own hands and follows up on the niggly little details than just don't quite sit right with her. Things are further thrown into the air when Beth's brother Max comes to town.
Sarah is in her 40's with an un-attentive husband and rapidly growing teenage son so life could definitely use a shake up, which most can relate to. She's getting older and doesn't want to just settle anymore.
The clever writing leaves you in suspense throughout with the killer not being revealed until the last moment. The dialogue between the characters seems real and easy with the banter flowing well.
Great little mystery to ease you into the Sarah Woods series.
An investigation with no leads is under way and instead of sitting back and responding to the shock and grief Sarah takes things into her own hands and follows up on the niggly little details than just don't quite sit right with her. Things are further thrown into the air when Beth's brother Max comes to town.
Sarah is in her 40's with an un-attentive husband and rapidly growing teenage son so life could definitely use a shake up, which most can relate to. She's getting older and doesn't want to just settle anymore.
The clever writing leaves you in suspense throughout with the killer not being revealed until the last moment. The dialogue between the characters seems real and easy with the banter flowing well.
Great little mystery to ease you into the Sarah Woods series.
January 3, 2016
Back and forth on whether to rate a "1" or a "2". I did finish it and I had purchased a box set with the author's first three books of this series. I did manage to finish all three books, which were all very short, thankfully, and all three combined were about the length of one normal book. This was like watching a bad movie on TV late at night. You don't really want to keep watching, but you want to know what happens.
Hopefully this author gets better, but I don't think I will ever personally find out. Two things I observed.... The first being that there were random things that happened that had nothing to do with anything else in the book, which left me frowning and asking, "What was THAT all about!?" And the second was similar - just sleazy incidents thrown in that took away from the book and the story and they were over as soon as they were mentioned. It was almost as though someone handed her a card with an incident listed and said here, put this in your book and the author couldn't really incorporate it into the story, so she just picked a random spot and typed those words in the book. Crazy.
Hopefully this author gets better, but I don't think I will ever personally find out. Two things I observed.... The first being that there were random things that happened that had nothing to do with anything else in the book, which left me frowning and asking, "What was THAT all about!?" And the second was similar - just sleazy incidents thrown in that took away from the book and the story and they were over as soon as they were mentioned. It was almost as though someone handed her a card with an incident listed and said here, put this in your book and the author couldn't really incorporate it into the story, so she just picked a random spot and typed those words in the book. Crazy.
March 7, 2012
A friend of mine met Jennifer (the author) at a local fair and, after talking with her a bit, bought this book for our book club (Jennifer even signed them all!) I understand she is a lovely lady - she even offered to attend our book club meeting. Maybe another time, that will work out.
This book was enjoyable, but very light. The character development and plot were thin, but I did finish it. It was entertaining and while the development was light, I really did enjoy the characters. I just wanted more. I hope that she continues this series, and grows as a writer.
This book was enjoyable, but very light. The character development and plot were thin, but I did finish it. It was entertaining and while the development was light, I really did enjoy the characters. I just wanted more. I hope that she continues this series, and grows as a writer.
May 17, 2013
This is a story that would be good as you lay by the pool or at the beach, wanting something fun to read, but not too intensive. I wouldn't say I love the characters just yet, but the story kept me up from sleeping and I ended up reading the whole thing in one sitting. I have the 4th installment already, and am just wondering if I want to take the plunge to buy the other 2 stories first. If i ever get through my to read list, this would not be a bad pick up. I wish the author luck and fortune in her writing career.
March 20, 2016
This a cozy murder mystery with not too much sex or violence. It takes place in Bridgeport, New Hampshire. Sarah Woods is an above board massage therapist(no sex). She is working late and finds her receptionist murdered. She decides to investigate what happened on her own. She finds that her receptionist Beth had secrets that may have caused her death. I did not suspect the real killer until almost the end. I give it 4 out of 5 stars. I am counting this towards New Hampshire in my GR US state challenge. I bought this book for free during an Amazon flash sale.
April 15, 2012
This was a very quick read, which I like! It is the perfect murder mystery since I didn't find out who did it until the end of the book. I had my thoughts, but of course was wrong! I'm not one for getting the "who done it" correct, so this made the book even more fun to read. It wasn't perfect, but it was only a debut. This author is one to watch out for! I look forward to reading more books by this author.
April 15, 2013
3.5+ stars
Enjoyable 1st book in a series where a massage therapist starts working with a PI.
Not so sure about the dance with her marriage - her husband may or may not be cheating on her, but their marriage needs help. And the main character is entertaining her own thoughts about a hot guy.
But the book kept my interest. The 3rd book in this series was being offered as a free Kindle book, but I can't stand coming in the middle of a series.
Enjoyable 1st book in a series where a massage therapist starts working with a PI.
Not so sure about the dance with her marriage - her husband may or may not be cheating on her, but their marriage needs help. And the main character is entertaining her own thoughts about a hot guy.
But the book kept my interest. The 3rd book in this series was being offered as a free Kindle book, but I can't stand coming in the middle of a series.
April 25, 2012
I won this as part of the goodreads giveaways. I thought this book was very good. I loved the characters and unlike many other mysteries I was a bit surprised at the culprit. I love the fact that Sarah has absolutely no idea what she is doing but still strove on. A short, easy, and fun read.
March 20, 2012
Really enjoyed this book! Thanks for the great giveaway! I am looking forward to reading more books by Jennifer L. Jennings! Already downloaded An Act of Deciet and gonna start it today!
May 12, 2012
Aside from a few grammatical errors this was a fun, short read. Pace was great and the mystery pretty solid. Both my husband and I enjoyed this book.
June 18, 2012
Good first of series. Even better as it was a free Kindle download.
September 10, 2018
Sarah Woods Mysteries Book 1: An Appointment For Murder (22 chapters) — Jennifer L. Jennings Sept. 4-6, 2018
Sarah, who operates a therapy massage shop discovers her favorite receptionist, Beth, dead and she looks into trying too figure out whodunit.
I really enjoyed the supporting characters in this story until the twist at the end, which really disappointed me. Partly because the character was a lesbian and the ending seems stereotypical and partly because now I realized I was stuck with a lot more books in this series to read! If I had just downloaded this first book, I probably would not have read anymore in the series.
Other than that twist, this is a great book. It reads fast; has a good plot; a believable protagonist and is completely.
If you are looking for a quick read, a little romance, with a dash of cozy, this is the book for you. (The read range is a misnomer. All the put together it could be read in one day or over two nights, easy.)
Two stars.
Sarah, who operates a therapy massage shop discovers her favorite receptionist, Beth, dead and she looks into trying too figure out whodunit.
I really enjoyed the supporting characters in this story until the twist at the end, which really disappointed me. Partly because the character was a lesbian and the ending seems stereotypical and partly because now I realized I was stuck with a lot more books in this series to read! If I had just downloaded this first book, I probably would not have read anymore in the series.
Other than that twist, this is a great book. It reads fast; has a good plot; a believable protagonist and is completely.
If you are looking for a quick read, a little romance, with a dash of cozy, this is the book for you. (The read range is a misnomer. All the put together it could be read in one day or over two nights, easy.)
Two stars.
November 10, 2020
Sarah owns a small massage shop. It's just her, another masseuse, Gabby, and receptionist Beth.
It's all above board with nothing sleazy about it.
And then Beth is murdered, Sarah finds the body and gets clocked over the head.
Who did it, and why?
Oddly enough, while the murder is the driving force in the book, I found myself more attracted to the sub-plot - Sarah is unhappy in her marriage to Daniel, she feels stifled and, in one of the more unusual pages of the book, she more or less blackmails her doctor for meds - they had sex a while back. There's also Beth's brother Max ...
I would have really liked to see more of Sarah's feelings explored but it was not to be.
I reckon I'll move on to the next book in the series but it is not a driving force, more a vague curiosity.
It's all above board with nothing sleazy about it.
And then Beth is murdered, Sarah finds the body and gets clocked over the head.
Who did it, and why?
Oddly enough, while the murder is the driving force in the book, I found myself more attracted to the sub-plot - Sarah is unhappy in her marriage to Daniel, she feels stifled and, in one of the more unusual pages of the book, she more or less blackmails her doctor for meds - they had sex a while back. There's also Beth's brother Max ...
I would have really liked to see more of Sarah's feelings explored but it was not to be.
I reckon I'll move on to the next book in the series but it is not a driving force, more a vague curiosity.
May 14, 2018
'An Appointment With Murder' was a great, read. The story line pulled me in and it kept my attention throughout. Definitely full of mystery. The characters were great. Sarah is quite the lead. She is smart and a pretty good person overall. I look forward to reading more.
July 27, 2020
Quick, well paced mystery. When the receptionist at a massage therapy office is found dead, Sarah (the owner) is on a mission to find out who killed her employee and knocked her over the head. Some minor editing issues.
October 24, 2017
Really quick, simple easy read. It was okay. Dont know how many, or how often I could handle these.
August 26, 2023
Great read.
March 2, 2017
First time reading this author. The main character is a massage therapist. I wasnt enthralled with her; as an owner/practitioner of my own health care business, i felt her attitude toward work and her clients made her someone I would not want to do business with. I would be really unhappy if my massage therapist held these attitudes. The mystery itself seemed unlikely. I admit to not having the highest standards when it comes to suspense and mystery books, but i cant recommend this book.
May 18, 2013
I got this book as part of a 2-book set on Amazon. I love series with interesting characters whom I can get to know and watch evolve over time. I also love strong but flawed female sleuths. This series has both!
I liked getting these first two stories as a boxed set because once I was hooked on Sarah Woods, I could immediately read her next adventure. I think I preferred the first story slightly better, probably because I was just being introduced to Sarah's life and her issues and dilemmas.
She's a massage therapist who's feeling dissatisfied with her marriage and a little burned out in her work. Her job has been made much easier, however, since she hired a new assistant. That is until the assistant gets herself murdered right there in the office. Sarah's life isn't so boring anymore.
Both mysteries were intriguing with lots of twists and turns and satisfying endings (I totally didn't see them coming). This was a great value and I look forward to finding out what happens next in Sarah's life.
I liked getting these first two stories as a boxed set because once I was hooked on Sarah Woods, I could immediately read her next adventure. I think I preferred the first story slightly better, probably because I was just being introduced to Sarah's life and her issues and dilemmas.
She's a massage therapist who's feeling dissatisfied with her marriage and a little burned out in her work. Her job has been made much easier, however, since she hired a new assistant. That is until the assistant gets herself murdered right there in the office. Sarah's life isn't so boring anymore.
Both mysteries were intriguing with lots of twists and turns and satisfying endings (I totally didn't see them coming). This was a great value and I look forward to finding out what happens next in Sarah's life.
January 2, 2013
First of the Sarah Woods mysteries. I don't think I'll be trying the others. It wasn't badly written and there weren't too many typos and formatting errors. 'Slapping me hard me across the face' etc. and the amusing, 'When gabby left' which was apt since Gabby was gabby, but a lot of what happened or what the characters did was unbelievable. The least of these being items like, busy Det. Flynn nipping round to the salon merely to bring Sarah up-to-date with his progress and cameras planted showing no funny stuff, as if that proved that no funny stuff might be going on. I can see that female readers might like this more than males who might consider that Daniel could well be better off missing SW mystery number two as well.
This seemed like a poor man's (or woman's of course) Hetty Coffey mystery number one, without the light and humorous touch Jinx Schwartz's main character has that takes the edge off the mean streak.
This seemed like a poor man's (or woman's of course) Hetty Coffey mystery number one, without the light and humorous touch Jinx Schwartz's main character has that takes the edge off the mean streak.
October 21, 2012
Appointment with Murder:
Sarah Woods is a massage therapist, not a detective. But when she discovers her receptionist strangled to death she can’t seem to leave it to the police. In fact, she’s got enough curiosity to kill ten cats. Sarah meets Max, the sexy older brother of the dead woman, and he is just as determined as her to find answers. There is a definite spark between the two in spite of the slight age difference and the fact that Sarah is a married woman. This book kept me enthralled to the end, and in spite of my best efforts I was still surprised to discover who the culprit was.
Sarah Woods is a massage therapist, not a detective. But when she discovers her receptionist strangled to death she can’t seem to leave it to the police. In fact, she’s got enough curiosity to kill ten cats. Sarah meets Max, the sexy older brother of the dead woman, and he is just as determined as her to find answers. There is a definite spark between the two in spite of the slight age difference and the fact that Sarah is a married woman. This book kept me enthralled to the end, and in spite of my best efforts I was still surprised to discover who the culprit was.
October 4, 2014
A good story
I enjoyed this book although I thought it a bit short. The story was interesting and there was a twist and surprise at the end. If you're looking for a hard boiled, straight up procedural, his would not be for you. It's a cozy with a little hard edge, mixed with a little romance and humor.
The author does a great job with character development. I really got a sense of each person. In my opinion you can't care what happens in the story if you don't care about the people. These people are believable and I especially enjoy Sarah, the protagonist... Honest, funny, and very genuine. I'm looking forward to the next book.
I enjoyed this book although I thought it a bit short. The story was interesting and there was a twist and surprise at the end. If you're looking for a hard boiled, straight up procedural, his would not be for you. It's a cozy with a little hard edge, mixed with a little romance and humor.
The author does a great job with character development. I really got a sense of each person. In my opinion you can't care what happens in the story if you don't care about the people. These people are believable and I especially enjoy Sarah, the protagonist... Honest, funny, and very genuine. I'm looking forward to the next book.
June 11, 2016
c2011: FWFTB: massage, receptionist, cousin, detective, amateur. Right - this was a kindle freebie. The writing style is not bad at all. But the plot, characters and dialogue all need a little bit of work. I liked that the protagonist was more mature than most but didn't like her background- in a stale marriage and a typical teen. This sets up a few red herrings but despite some highly unlikely events I don't believe that the real murderer was ever in doubt. Would recommend to those of the normal crew who can still get it for free and who have a couple of hours to spare. "'Somewhere in a distant galaxy, far, far into the future, this day will be a source of fond memories.'"
January 1, 2016
Sarah Woods runs her own massage therapy business. Her husband travels alot and her teenage son is busy with his own activities so having her own business has been a nice diversion. When her receptionist is killed she begins to wonder if it isn't time to give up this line of work. She is curious as to why someone would want to kill Beth and does some snooping on her own.
This was just an okay story for me. The one unique thing about this with the female lead character is that there wasn't a romance between Sarah and the detective. In fact the detective had a extremely minor roll.
This was just an okay story for me. The one unique thing about this with the female lead character is that there wasn't a romance between Sarah and the detective. In fact the detective had a extremely minor roll.
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