Deadly Desire

Detective Sarah Spillman #11

by Renee Pawlish

What happens when desires turn deadly?

Denver homicide detective Sarah Spillman will find out.

248 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 7, 2024

About the author

From the time she was ten and tried to write her own detective series in the fashion of the Hardy Boys, Renée Pawlish has been developing her craft. Along with creative writing classes, Renée studied great writers like Dashiell Hammett, Rex Stout, Stephen King, Sue Grafton and many more. Once Renée graduated from college, she began her first novel. Now, all these years later, she has penned numerous books in a variety of genres.

Renée was born in California, but has lived most of her life in Colorado. When she's not hiking, cycling, or chasing ballplayers for autographs, she is writing mysteries and thrillers. She also has some middle grade novels waiting to be published.

Renée loves to travel and has visited numerous countries around the world. She has also spent many summer days at her parents' cabin in the hills outside of Boulder, which was the inspiration for the setting of Taylor Crossing in her novel Nephilim: Genesis of Evil.

The Reed Ferguson Mystery Series
This Doesn't Happen In The Movies
Reel Estate Rip-off

The Nephilim Trilogy
Nephilim Genesis of Evil
Books Two and Three soon to be released

The Noah Winter YA Adventure Series
The Emerald Quest

Take Five
A short story collection that includes a Reed Ferguson tale.

The Sallie House: Exposing the Beast Within
A non-fiction book about one of the most haunted houses in America.

To learn more you can follow her on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/reneepawlish....

on her blog:
http://tobecomeawriter.wordpress.com/

on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/reneepawlish

Reviews

[Fritzi Redgrave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of Deadly Desire by Renee Pawlish


From the intense and bewildering first chapter until the puzzlements that still linger at the last written word, reading this story is a wholly satisfying read. Of all the characters, scenerios and mysteries in Pawlish's books, this may the best story yet. It is simply a wow!of a book!


A depressed woman with hallucinations and confused thinking is found with a gun shot wound to her head. It was ruled a suicide, but was it? Most of the evidence points to the fatal wound being self inflicted, but there are doubts. Fortunately, Sarah Spillman is the lead investigator on the case and we all know that when Sarah is involved, nothing is overlooked; the tiniest detail will not go unnoticed.


Pawlish's studied character development and her encompassing scenarios put the reader solidly at the scene and interacting with the characters as the story unfolds.


If you know Pawlish's stories, you will know that her mysteries are well thought out, have characters that you will come to know well and are always a good read. If you have not followed Renee Pawlish's works, you are in for an amazing treat.


If you like mysteries of intrigue, uncertainty, twists and turns, you will like this one. I could not more highly recommend this one.


Fritzi Redgrave

[Patricia A. Gross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah Spillman is a homicide detective. She and her team are called in for an apparent suicide. Even through the deceased has attempted suicide previously and was known to have suffered from severe depression, Sarah felt something was off. They were encouraged to hurry the process due to a backlog of cases. No spoilers here.

This series by Renee Pawlish is extremely good. The series regulars are fully drawn and not just vague characters. Her coworkers as well as her family are woven into the story seamlessly without making them seem like an afterthought or an intrusion into the mystery.

As in all of her books, you will be kept guessing about whodunit, but expect it to be a surprise. There are no red herrings, the clues are there. The story is engrossing, and moves quickly - a real page-turner! Pawlish is one of my favorite authors and I can highly recommend all of her series. Each book stands alone, but if you read the series in order, you can see the characters evolve. I received a early copy of this book in return for an unbiased review as I have for other authors

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deadly Desire (Detective Sarah Spillman Mystery Series Book 12), my sixty-fourth read from author Renee Pawlish. Spillman is her oldest character other than Reed Fergusone, serving as a contact & secondary character in his early books, waiting patiently until being given her own book and ultimately series. This edition of Detective Spillman takes her on a what appears to be a suicide & isn't reolved until the 98th percentile of the book. As Pawlish expands her writings over 4 primary characters it has improved all four. A Renee Pawlish book is like a visit with an old friend. “I received a Kindle copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. I look forward to the next book in this series as well as anything written by her. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detective Sarah Spillman is one of my favorite characters! All of the books can be read as standalone novels, but I have enjoyed seeing the development and growth of all the characters in this series...including Sarah's brother, Hunter. (I've been worried about him!)

In Deadly Desire, Sarah and her team must unravel the secrets and lies surrounding their latest victim. Was it suicide or a carefully crafted murder? Sarah is determined to get the answers. I found the ending of the book to be totally unexpected!

If you are looking for a well written police procedural without any explicit language, the Detective Spillman series fills the bill. I highly recommend all of Ms. Pawlish's books!

[Albert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah is back to try and solve another death. This is a case that appears to be suicide to all, but Sarah has her doubts. A lot of police work on her and her partners' parts gets a lot of information, but is it enough? That's why you need to read the book. It will be well worth it.

Although it is not necessary to have read the previous Sarah Spillman stories, it would definitely be worth it. You would also be able to better understand the backstory of the characters with more appreciation. Ms. Pawlish does an excellent job of providing enough to understand, but if you have become attached to the characters, you would appreciate the added information.

I highly recommend this story.

[Sheree · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Deadly Desire by Renee Pawlish you are given a straight forward police procedural featuring Detective Sarah Spilllman in her twelfth of a series. It may be straight forward, but that doesn't mean it is without intrigue and twisty turns!

Confronted with what appears to be a suicide, there is just something that gives Spillman a niggle it may not be as cut and dried as that. With solid detective work done by Spillman and her team of detectives the answers to this latest case being suicide or homicide are determined.

Another entertaining addition to the Sarah Spillman series.

[Janet Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an Intriguing Story!
This is a great mystery! This series is set in Denver, CO, and concerns a homicide detective. As with most series, it is better when you read the books in order. You get more continuity with the characters and their relationships. Our heroine is the lead investigator on a suicide death. Things get complicated. Especially when they find many people telling lies and half-truths. These are clean books with no foul language, little violence, and no on-screen intimacy. The mysteries are always tight and often have a surprise ending.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deadly Desire is Renee Pawlish’s latest Sarah Spillman mystery. When called to the scene of an apparent suicide, Detective Sarah Spillman is not immediately convinced that the evidence is consistent with suicide. Sarah becomes like a dog with a bone; unable to close the case until she can prove what really happened. As usual, Renee Pawlish gives the reader lots of twists and turns to keep them wondering to the last page. Will make a good beach read.

[Peg Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

True to form, Renee Pawlish once again surprises her readers. Sarah Spillman and her team of detectives, are tasked with proving if Gloria Lott was murdered or committed suicide. In Deadly Desires, Renee Pawlish deals with topics pertinent to our times - unhealthy relationships, depression, mental illness, suicidal tendencies.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great new Sarah Spillman story. A woman is found dead, apparently a suicide, but was it really? As Sarah investigates further, her gut tells her there's more to the story. I enjoyed this book. As always, there's good character interactions, and they are enjoyable characters.

[Renee Boomershine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah Spillman is back. The story starts with an apparent suicide that is suspicious. As always the story and characters pull you in However this time there is an unexpected twist at the end. I would highly recommend this book.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fooled again

Thought I knew who the killer was and Pawlish did it again. Live these books. Good characters and storylines. I like how the personal stories intermingle with the murder stories.

[Russ Leavitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good series that I normally get five stars but up until the last page it was a great read and then…….it ended. Crime not solved nothing about another book coming out with this. Very confusing.

[Margaret H. Grimes · Rating 1 out of 5]

It wasn’t as good as usual. All that went on was the detectives going back and forth talking to neighbors of apparent suicide victim. Not really believable. A police dept would not spend all of those man hours on a “suicide”.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

a great police procedural

Did she kill herself, or was she murdered? That’s what Detective Sarah Spillman wants to find out for sure. This was an great police procedural story, and a bit of mystery too. I liked it.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would not recomment this book to someone suffering from depression. It's a depressing book about a depressed suicidal victim. However, I do like the continuing characters and the story shows how much work the police can put into a case and not get a prosecution. 3 stars from me.

[Mark Bagley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Read

This book centers on Sarah’s attempt to protect a teen girl who runs away from while not possessing any street smarts or even basic life skills.

[Nora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun book!