A Matter of Trust

Mia Quinn #1

by Lis Wiehl, April Henry (Contributor)

"When life is murder, who can you trust?"

One minute Mia Quinn is in her basement, chatting on the phone with a colleague at the prosecutor's office. The next minute she hears a gunshot over the line, and Mia listens in horror as her colleague and friend Colleen bleeds to death.

Mia's a natural for heading up the murder investigation, but these days it's all she can do to hold her life together. As a new widow with a pile of debts, a troubled teenaged son, and a four-year-old who wakes up screaming at night, she needs more time with her family, not less--and working Colleen's case will be especially demanding. But Colleen was her friend, and she needs to keep her job. So Mia reluctantly teams up with detective Charlie Carlson to investigate. But the deeper they dig, the more complications unfold--even the unsettling possibility that someone may be coming after "her."

Lis Wiehl's signature plot twists and relatable characters shine in this absorbing series debut . . . with an intriguing cameo from her best-selling Triple Threat series.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Christian Fiction, Suspense, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller

320 pages, Hardcover

First published March 19, 2013

About the author

Lis Wiehl is a New York Times bestselling author of both fiction and nonfiction books, a journalist, an attorney, and a legal expert. She is the former legal analyst for Fox News, former co-host of WOR radio's “WOR Tonight with Joe Concha and Lis Wiehl,” and was an anchor for the Law & Crime network (a multi-media live trial network). Lis Wiehl hosted the podcast Pursuit of Justice with Lis Wiehl and until recently was an adjunct professor of Law at New York Law School. Lis is the author of eighteen books, including the first in The Hunting Series, Hunting Charles Manson: The Quest for Justice in the Days of Helter Skelter, out in paperback from Thomas Nelson/HarperCollins on June 25, 2019.

Lis Wiehl is one of the nation’s most highly regarded commentators and legal experts. After graduating from Harvard Law School, Wiehl practiced law in a private law firm in Seattle where she also wrote by-lined articles on legal issues for The New York Times. From there she went on to become a third generation federal prosecutor (her grandfather and her father — an FBI agent — were also federal prosecutors) in the US Attorney's Office in Seattle. She served as the Deputy Chief Investigative Counsel for Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee during President Clinton’s impeachment. From 1995 to 2001, she was a tenured law professor at the University of Washington School of Law in Seattle, where she ran the Trial Advocacy Program, which won several national awards during her tenure.

During her time at the University of Washington, Wiehl also stepped deeper into journalism by working as a reporter and legal analyst for NPR's All Things Considered, MSNBC/NBC News, and locally at KIRO, the CBS network affiliate in Seattle. After MSNBC and National Public Radio, Wiehl moved to the Fox News Channel where she served as a legal analyst and reporter for over fifteen years. During her time at the Fox News Channel, she appeared on numerous shows including The O'Reilly Factor, Your World with Neil Cavuto, The Kelly File with Megyn Kelly, Lou Dobbs Tonight, and the Imus morning show. Wiehl also hosted the Legal Lis radio show and the Wiehl of Justice podcast.

In 2005, Wiehl released her first book, Winning Every Time: How to Use the Skills of a Lawyer in the Trials of Your Life. Two years later she released The 51% Minority: How Women Still Are Not Equal and What You Can Do About It which was awarded the 2008 award for Books for a Better Life in the motivational category. Since then, Wiehl has continued to write bestselling books of fiction and non-fiction.

Lis Wiehl continues to appear in the media as a legal expert and commentator for organizations including CNN, CBS, NBC, and NPR among others. She regularly lectures at colleges and universities, appears as a keynote speaker, and speaks at bookstores, conferences, and literary festivals.
Wiehl earned her Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School, her Master of Arts in Literature from the University of Queensland, and a bachelor’s degree from Barnard College, Columbia University.

Lis Wiehl currently lives near New York City.

For more information please visit www.liswiehlbooks.com.

Reviews

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Quickie Review

After trudging through several mediocre books in the past few weeks--see my previous reviews--this was exactly what I needed. Fast-paced, wonderfully written, easily readable, suspenseful...what more could you want? Lis Wiehl has joined the likes of Frank Peretti, Ted Dekker, and Jack McDevitt by becoming one of my favorite authors!

Content Concerns: As usual for Ms. Wiehl's works, this one is quite edgy. Violence is depicted and referenced throughout, and homosexuality, suicide, sex crimes, and such are all discussed. If that's too much for you...stay away.

Score: 4.75/5

[Patrice Hoffman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have completed the first book I've read by this author Lis Wiehl, A Matter of Trust. This novel is a fast paced thriller mystery that I found to be pretty interesting. After the death of her husband, Mia Quinn is thrust back into her role as a prosecutor in an effort to support her family. Massive debts and the constant struggle between work and her two children is more than enough reason for Mia to be overwhelmed as if it weren't enough, her good friend Colleen is murdered while they are on the phone. Stunned, she listened to the sound of death.

Mia is back in the saddle investigating the death of her close friend as well as Colleen's case. Colleen was working on a case of teenagers who bullied a fellow classmate to the point where it's criminal. It's obvious that both cases hit home for Mia since her son Gabe is around the same age as the dearly departed and of course the other involves her friend. There's actually a lot of death that Mia deals with around her but she is strong and passes each obstacle in a real and believeable manner. I think she's a great character and I'm sure the future novels featuring her will go deeper into her character.

What I liked most about this read was the plot twists and turns. I thought I had her love interest figured out but I didn't. For that I am happy- whew! There were actually a few things I didn't see coming which I really appreciate because I read a lot of mysteries but when they start becoming too obvious, the thrill is gone for me. Wiehl also throws in a lot of information that makes it obvious to the reader that she knows what she's talking about. Information such as how to read a witness, police procedurals, and other investigative techniques.

Although Mia is a well-developed character that I believe we've only scratched the surface with her. Her storyline so far is pretty intense and I don't think this book goes into her grief for the death of her husband the way it could have. That may be something the author is waiting on jumping into especially since I find there are many things left wide open regarding his death and other circumstances. One other thing that really had me a little frustrated was that this book had so many discussion worthy topics mentioned such as gun control, cyber-bullying, miscarraiges of justice, and death but never really focused on either in great detail.

In conclusion, this was a great way to introduce a new series featuring this character. The writing was good, the characters all interesting, and there were enough holes (not the bad type) left to be filled with future installments. This author's fans will not be disappointed

[D.B. Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sometimes slow mystery with a good plot and likable characters. I'll definitely be looking for the next book in the series.

[Mary Ronan Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I no longer remember where I heard about this Lis Wiehl murder mystery, A Matter of Trust, but I'm grateful to the blogger who mentioned it. What a stunner.

Things I particularly like about this mystery:

It takes place in Seattle. Coffee at Starbucks in Pioneer Square.
Mia Quinn is a real and likeable protagonist
The antagonism between Mia and the detective assigned to the case with her is realistic and its outcome unpredictable
The subplot about school bullying and the consideration of the price bullies should pay for their conduct is thoughtful
I like Mia's children, who are real and whose problems are understandable
You don't have to be Hercule Poirot to figure out who did what to whom and why

Her husband died recently and Mia considers herself lucky to get her old job back as a prosecutor in King County. She isn't on the job long when one of her colleagues is murdered and the elected prosecutor assigns Mia the case. Did he do this because he thought she would be more dedicated because the dead woman was a friend? Or does he want her in place to take the blame if the murder is still unsolved by election day?

As Mia works on this demanding case she is also trying to bring to justice some high school football players who have bullied a boy who killed himself. As she slowly puts that case together she has to deal with her own football-player son who is becoming increasingly difficult to manage now that there is no man in the house to back up her discipline.

[Christian Fiction Addiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A Matter of Trust" is a non-stop action ride that will have your pulse accelerating from the first chapter! It's every bit as good as the previous books written by Wiehl and Henry, and features my favorite character created by Wiehl thus far. Mia Quinn is bright, competent, and gutsy, and yet she also is fully human and makes mistakes, wishes she were a better parent, and sometimes struggles to know how she'll handle everything life throws at her. As such, she's a character that readers will instantly be able to connect with, and she's so likeable that they will be cheering her on as she works to unravel the truth and find justice. I loved the two parallel plot lines that are woven together in this book, the first involving finding out who murdered Mia's friend and co-worker Colleen, and the second involving holding a group of high-school bullies accountable for contributing to another student's act of suicide. The combination makes for a compelling read with plenty of suspense, some deeply emotional scenes, and several twists and turns that will keep you turning the pages. The possibilities of future romance for Mia that are developed in this novel were also a nice touch, and it will be interesting to see what develops.

Readers who love a well-written suspense novel are absolutely going to love "A Matter of Trust". I found it impossible to put down, and I am eagerly anticipating the next installment in the series. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of publicist Laura Wallar with HarperCollinsCanada, Ltd. Available from your favorite book retailer from Thomas Nelson, a division of HarperCollins.

[Tawallah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this based on reading some Christian thrillers - Fear Has No Name and Critical Pursuit; it was one of the recommended books to try.

This is the first in a series of a prosecutor, Mia Quinn. She is a witness to the death of friend and colleague Colleen. The authors use their knowledge as former prosecutors to simplify the judicial process and dispel myths. In this novel character development is strong with a hint of a love triangle. There are at least three subplots which may be a weakness as the major one was as fully fleshed out.

This is billed as a Christian thriller, not quite accurate for this one. But it is clean and deals with issues such as single parents, honesty and dealing with the past.

I really enjoyed this introduction to the series, realistic and engaging writing. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more of this series. Solid 3.5 rating.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This book from 2013 is the start of Mia Quinn mysteries.

Mia Quinn is a prosecuting attorney in Seattle with a 14 year old son Gabe and 4 year old daughter Brooke. She has just returned to the job after a five year absence because she is a widow with a stack of bills.

On the phone with a friend and fellow prosecutor Colleen, she hears gunshots. Colleen is dead. Several years ago, another prosecutor was killed in a similar manner. Mia has to work with Detective Charlie Carlson to solve the crime.

Although I didn't notice much suspense, the book was well written with no bad language. The story explores suicide, homosexuality, bullying, night terrors, and crushing debt. I liked the way the bullies were dealt with. I didn't figure out the killer until the author reveal but looking back, there was one clue that could have raised my suspicions. The question I ended up with -- will Mia like Charlie or Eli?

[Victor Gentile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lis Wiehl with April Henry in their new book, “A Matter Of Trust” Book One in the Mia Quinn Mystery series published by Thomas Nelson introduces us to Mia Quinn.

From the inside jacket flap: When life is murder, who can you trust?

One minute Mia Quinn is in her basement, chatting on the phone with a colleague at the prosecutor’s office. The next minute there’s a gunshot over the line, and Mia listens in horror as her colleague and friend Colleen bleeds to death.

Mia’s a natural for heading up the murder investigation, but these days she has all she can do to hold her life together. As a new widow with a pile of debts, a troubled teenaged son, and a four-year-old who wakes up screaming at night, she needs more time with her family, not less—and working Colleen’s case will be especially demanding. But Colleen was her friend, and she needs to keep her job. So she reluctantly teams up with detective Charlie Carlson to investigate Colleen’s death. But the deeper they dig, the more complications unfold—even the unsettling possibility that someone may be coming after her.

Lis Wiehl’s signature plot twists and relatable characters shine in this absorbing series debut . . . with an intriguing cameo from her best-selling Triple Threat series.

Yay, a brand new series from the writing team of Lis Wiehl with April Henry. Welcome Mia Quinn. Mia is a highly relatable character, she is a widow, has lots of debts, is trying to raise her son and is forced back into the work force. A murder is committed right before her ears, she is on the phone at that time, and she is given that assignment as well as a few others. I needed Mia to figure out who the murderer was because I sure couldn’t. “A Matter Of Trust” is an excellent murder mystery filled with marvelous characters, great plot twists, suspense and thrills. This is an exciting book, extremely well paced and suspenseful. I am enjoying this series and look forward to the next book.

If you would like to listen to interviews with other authors and professionals please go to www.kingdomhighlights.org where they are available On Demand.

To listen to 24 hours non-stop, commercial free Christian music please visit our internet radio station www.kingdomairwaves.org

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Terri Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book by Lis Wiehl that I have read and I loved it. Mia Quinn is an assistant district attorney with a lot on her plate. Her husband died months ago, she had had to return to work after years of playing mommy to Gabe, 14, and Brooke, 4, she has discovered that her husband had them in huge debt (he had wanted for her to be a stay at home mom when Brooke was born but didn't bother to tell her how deep in hock they were due to his not earning enough and taking on debt), and now her best friend and mentor Colleen from the prosecutor's office is murdered while she is on the phone with her.

Now, Mia must navigate the troubled waters of a working mom whose husband left her in such financial trouble she can't make ends meet and might lose the home and vehicle, a troubled son who wants to fit in at high school so badly he gets suckered into the in-crowd of football players who are thieves and worse, a little girl who wakes up screaming and is like a zombie, and two cases to handle- Colleen's death and the case of a 13 year old boy so badly abused at school and online for being thought gay that he committed suicide- by the same boys who are her son's new friends. She is working with Charlie, a homicide detective whose actions she didn't understand (he was trying to protect an innocent party) led to her losing a case.

The story was exciting with a lot of action. The mysteries were intertwined effortlessly with Mia's problems with finances and the kids and her grief over her dead husband and her dead friend. I loved watching the story unfold. Recommended!

[Mike (the Paladin) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad book. There is a "mystery" interspersed with quite a bit of domestic struggle, political dialogue, and struggles of day to day life.

I've read several books by Ms. Wiehl and this is the first in another series. I find that this one is more involved in the struggles of the protagonist's everyday life and that the "mystery" takes somewhat of a back seat to this part of the book.

I myself do prefer more plot driven books. Still Ms. Wiehl does this sort of thing well and it's a very readable book.

You'll see again some of what is Ms. Wiehl's view of things. Very faulty men and strong women struggling against the world men have "trapped" them in somewhat. The writers nonfiction is very much concerned with the glass ceiling still being a problem for women, thus men don't often come out looking very well in the books of hers I've read. Still it's not something I can't stand, it just gets a bit...painful for me at times.

The book is well put together and while I found a lot of the internal struggles and emotional turmoil not to be something I read for it doesn't ruin the book for me. I'm sure many will like the parts of the book that weren't my favorite far more than me. Try it if you like mysteries or the emotional struggle school of literature. I can go a high 3 stars here.

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2YDX2O0...
Review on my blog: http://christianbookshelfreviews.blog...

2.5 stars

A Matter of Trust is the first book I've read by Lis Wiehl and, while it's definitely not a favorite, I did still like the book.

The first and last few chapters of this book were really good and very suspenseful, but the middle of A Matter of Trust, when the story seemed to be more about relationship and family issues with little to no suspense, was kind of boring to me and I had a hard time connecting with it.

The mystery was good and I didn't guess who Colleen's killer was until a couple chapters before the reveal. I found it interesting how Mia was working on two different cases at the same time - made for an unique story.

Overall, A Matter of Trust was a nice one-time read. If you tend to like slower-paced books with suspense and some legal aspects, I think you might enjoy A Matter of Trust. I don't know whether or not I'll be reading the next Mia Quinn book.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book for my review. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 1st book in the Mia Quinn series by Lis Wiehl. I had already read the 2nd book in the series which I really enjoyed so I had high hopes for this one. I enjoyed the characters and the style in which it was written but I didn't feel that the plot was quite strong enough to warrant a higher rating. I will definitely continue with the series though as I feel the characters have a lot more to give and I do enjoy Lis Wiehl's writing.

[Annie · Rating 2 out of 5]

didn't grab me...:(

[Julie Graves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mia's husband has recently passed away. Before he died he was keeping secrets from Mia. After his death Mia is left with more bills than she can handle. Having quit work to raise her children, Mia is now going back to work as an attorney for the district attorney's office.

When she is on the phone with a co-worker and friend the unthinkable happens. Mia hears a gunshot and then her friend barely breathing. Mia leaves her son Gabe on the line to listen if Colleen says anything as Mia rushes to her house. Colleen slowly dies as Gabe is listening.

Mia's current case that she is investigating is a group of high school bullies who's threats and torment has led to a student committing suicide. When the DA asks Mia to investigate Colleen's murder she is reluctant to give up the bullying case and also reluctant to spend more time away from her kids. Mia doesn't know what else to do though in order to pay all of the bills that are coming in so she agrees to team up with Charlie from the local law enforcement office. Charlie has been married 3 times and gets on Mia's nerves but he is a good police officer even if he is a bit high-handed.

Mia and Charlie make a good team and are soon hot on the killer's trail. Mixed in with their investigation is Mia's home life that sometimes seems to be falling apart. Her son is 14 and trying to fit in to high school and her 4 year old daughter Brooke has been having screaming episodes in the middle of the night. Sometimes Mia barely feels like she is keeping her head above water. And then there is her father who seems to have had a change in his life. From being absent when Mia was a child he is now wanting to be there for her and his grandchildren. Claiming to have a changed life in Christ, Mia has a hard time trusting him from his past track record and she definitely doesn't know how she feels about his new interest in church.

I really enjoyed A MATTER OF TRUST. The mystery kept my attention along with all of Mia and Charlie's interactions together. There is a potential for a couple of romantic relationships in future novels. I believe this is the first book in the Mia Quinn Mystery series. There were a couple of times that I felt that I was missing part of the story. I felt like I was coming into the middle of something that the author thought I should already know. In my opinion it detracted a little bit from the story but I was able to catch up with what was going on eventually. Other than that, this was a solid mystery and I definitely will plan on reading the next book in the series. I reviewed The Triple Threat series by this author last year and really enjoyed those. If you like mysteries I definitely recommend A MATTER OF TRUST and The Triple Threat series.

[Vera Godley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Matter of Trust is the first in a series - "A Mia Quinn Mystery." It opens with the main character, Mia, engaged in a phone conversation with her friend. While talking, Mia hears a gunshot and then silence. She flees to the scene leaving her teenage son with the responsibility of caring for her young daughter.

Mia is a member of the prosecution's staff and is given the task of solving the case of her friend's murder, who was also a member of the prosecution's staff. This case seems to be tied in with one which also involved the murder of another member of the prosecution's staff.

This book is a mystery. It is also the tale of Mia who is struggling personally with the recent death of her husband who left her with a large debt and their children. But it also involves social issues of school bullying and the ramifications of which that can be life threatening.

The story moves quickly, is engaging, captures your imagination, and has a twist at the end to surprise you. I find it interesting to delve into the mystery genre from time to time, and it is a pleasure to read one written by a Christian author that is a "safe read" avoiding the pitfalls of foul language and scenes about which we do not wish to read.

A big applause to author Lis Wiehl for this book and I certainly look forward to reading the sequels of it.

Author Bio: Lis Wiehl is a New York Times best-selling author, Harvard Law School graduate, and former federal prosecutor. A popular legal analyst and commentator for the Fox News Channel, Wiehl appears weekly on The O’Reilly Factor, Lou Dobbs Tonight, Imus in the Morning, Kelly's Court and more.

April Henry is the New York Times best-selling author of mysteries and thrillers. Her books have been short-listed for the Agatha Award, the Anthony Award, and the Oregon Book Award. April lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and daughter.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review from BookSneeze on behalf of the publisher, Thomas Nelson, and the author, Lis Wiehl.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another book I found through Kindle offers, a first in a new series. Set in Seattle, prosecutor Mia Quinn was just starting to get comfortable back in the courtroom when her good friend and mentor was shot while on the other end of the phone. When she's made lead prosecutor in the case, Quinn's life becomes full to bursting as the demands of prior cases, her 2 kids, her commitment to teach at an area law school and finding the person at fault for her friend's murder simultaneously demand 110% of her time.

Is it unlikely that all of these things would happen at the same time? Sure, but speaking from personal experience, there are certain times when the tag line "when it rains, it pours" is the only way to describe what's going on. I was willing to believe that all of these pressures hit at once because I enjoyed learning how Quinn dealt with them all.

I enjoyed this book a lot and am somewhat chagrined to admit that finding out more about Wiehl -- specifically that she's been a Fox News legal analyst since 2001 -- is making me question how much I want to read the next book in the series. I'm hoping that my enjoyment of her characters and writing style ultimately overcome my prejudices.

[Ronna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prosecutor, Mia Quinn, is a new widow with a teen-aged son and a four year old daughter. While talking on the phone to her best friend in the office, Coleen, Mia hears a shot then nothing but strange breathing from Coleen. Coleen's death resembles another prosecutor's death from many years ago. Mia and detective Charlie Carlson are teamed up to investigate the possible connection between these two deaths. But having a teen-aged son can cause problems of in itself.

I liked the interaction of all the characters in this book. The problems and situations were very realistic. Wiehl was able to follow three cases seamlessly and interestingly within this one story. Great start for a new mystery series! I listened to this on Audible and found it added to the enjoyment of this book.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book. If there were more stars I would have given more. That being said, I have only read one of the Triple Threat novels but seem to like that better. This is a great start to a series and I will read them as well. I thought the matter of bullying was handled great. The whodunit was not who I thought...but I was close!

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this series is going to be better than the Triple Threat Series. I like the diversity of characters and the crossover character. Very fun!

[Kathie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first mystery from this author. It was really good.

[Emily Louwsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am rating myself 4 stars because I figured out the killer by page 135. GO ME!!!!

[Barry Martin Vass · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. In Seattle, Washington, Mia Quinn is going through a "rough patch" in her life. Her husband recently died in a one-car accident, and as the weeks and months go by, she realizes that his business was failing and he had been playing fast and loose with the bills for a very long time; she and her two children are nearly bankrupt. Luckily she is able to get her old job back as a prosecutor in the King County District Attorney's Office, and the story starts there. One night she is talking to another prosecutor on the phone, Colleen Miller, also Mia's mentor, when Colleen is shot dead in her home. There are very few clues and no suspects. Mia is ultimately assigned the case by the District Attorney, working side-by-side with Seattle Police Detective Charlie Carlson, an old nemesis she still doesn't really trust. Author Lis Wiehl is a former federal prosecutor herself, and she tells an interesting story here. One of the backstories in this novel is the rise in juvenile crime, including school bullying, Facebook stalking, cyberbullying, and the increasing destruction flash mobs can cause. One of the overriding themes of A Matter of Trust is that appearances can be deceiving, and that trust often has to be earned rather than simply given away. A disturbing novel for disturbing times.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is number one of a 3 book series and I did like it, but not very much. I couldn't relate to Mia Quinn, the prosecutor main character; she just was not sympathetic for me. At times during the story I couldn't care about her at all. The mystery plot was good and kept the story moving. I didn't see who really did it until the reveal; that was well done, and believable too. It was annoying to see Mia hyped up to the readers as some kind of super hero because she was a single mom with a demanding job and issues/worries about her kids (just not interesting or fun reading for me). I did it and many of my friends did it, and I see no reason to devote so much of the novel to that. The character of Charlie, the police detective, was well done, and I found myself liking him more than Mia. Finally, there was some vague preaching about the need for understanding that guns are needed by the general populace because the criminals have them. It was not terribly overt, but I caught it and it was annoying. The author is a regular on Fox news, so we already know where she stands. We don't need it in her fiction, I think. Just my own thoughts. So, while the mystery was well plotted and I did like how that part ended, I probably will not be reading #2.

[Felicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely love this book! I cannot say enough positive things about it.

For starters, I'm all about mystery/thriller/suspense novels. The thrills in this book were great and this is one time that instead of trying to determine who the killer is, I instead just sat back and let the story unfold. I was still surprised by the results!

Furthermore, I love the characters as they are. I think they are raw and real. I also think this book deals with difficult topics, like death and being a single parent. Also, bullying and self esteem issues within males were prominent themes. (I think this is a big deal because we typically hear about these types of things with females, often forgetting that these are also issues amongst males.)

Finally, I appreciate that there is a little hint of romance for Mia. Obviously, she is a somewhat damaged character. However, it's encouraging to think that maybe she will get back on her feet and choose between 2 suitors. (Let's all start picking sides now!)

Well done!

[Ellen White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mia she is likable, and trying to hold it together for her two children. Gabe is fourteen and pushing her buttons, while he is trying to fit in at school , football and taking care of Brooke his four year old sister. He is challenging Mia at every turn. A phone call with Colleen, and her not answering turned her world upside down. Giving phone to Gabe to see if she answers, Mia goes to her friends house and met with police had responded after getting her call. Her boss asks her to work with Charlie who is investigating, to see what happened. She also is working on the death of a young kid from being bullied. Is there a connection to a cold case of another prosecutor death.
A story that shows a young mother and her love of being a mother. A widow finding she didn’t know her husband the last few years, and a post office box of what that revealed. A good mystery with a tense plot to the end.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so good, I had to immediately read the next two in the series. The characters are well drawn, flaws and all. I could relate to Mia as a fellow working mother. All i know about crime and legal procedures comes primarily from reading and tv, but these scenes ring true. The way the truth is slowly revealed is well paced. The plot is not predictable and the twists are hinted at but not obvious. I look forward to reading this and the sequels again, as i really like the characters. One of the best things is that it is clean, i.e., no sex scenes, no foul language, no characters jumping into bed. There are descriptions of violence or other bad behavior, so it intended for an adult audience, but it doesn’t leave a bad taste in my mouth. I also love that there are positive references to faith, church and Scripture verses, but they are woven in very naturally.

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mia had just lived through the death of her husband. Found out things about him that she never would have thought were going on. Then while she was on the phone with her good friend/coworker her friend/coworker was shot while Mia listened. Mia raced over to her friends home only to race back to her home in terror afraid her children were in trouble.
Mia had to deal with her teenage son who was experiencing peer pressure, her four year old daughter with night terrors, reuniting with her father, a new job, the death of her husband, and friend.
There was hints of future relationships with either Eli or Charley who were two completely different men in many ways.
If there is another about Mia, Charley, and Eli then I will certainly listen to it.

[RC Prentice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skillfully plotted, with two situations of “trust", both of which are woven into two murders, the narrative poses the question of how, or if, the murders of two individuals in the same structural position, five years apart, might be related. The reveal is clever and tilts this police-procedural mystery in an unanticipated direction. Also clever is the clue to who is the perp, but the tell and the motive were, I thought, a bit contrived, and as are so many mystery thrillers, the resolution is flawed by the perp confessing all, presenting the requirement of two additional and easily detectable murders. For me, these last “I-don’t-know-how-I’m-going-to-account-for-what-has-been-driving-the-entire-narrative-and-get-the-per-identified copouts brought it down from four stars to three.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've mentioned before that I'm not a fan Christian fiction, but this novel barely fit into the genre. Does it mention God? Yes. Does it refrain from sex scenes and swearing? Yes. Does it mention church? Yes. That's really about as far as it goes.

I enjoyed the characters. I felt the author did a good job of describing in a real way the struggles of a recent widow trying to balance going back to work, raising kids (or rearing children for the more proper grammar police) and dealing with debt.

The mystery aspect was also quite good. I did guess the "who done it" part before the end, but it was still an enjoyable read.

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd never heard of or read anything by this author when I picked up this hardback on a super sale. Now, I think I'll read more of Wiehl's books. A gripping story with unexpected turns. At times I felt there was too much going on and too many story lines but It was easy to keep each line straight. I like mysteries where the reader can't readily anticipate the ending and questions every character's actions and motives as you are reading--and even then you don't find the answer you may have expected.