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Mira Chambers #3
Leopard Dreaming
Mira Chambers has an infallible talent for solving mysteries ... but using it always gets her into worse trouble.
Having spent half her life in asylums, Mira discovers a sense of self-worth, finally, in helping victims of crime. When the matron who helped Mira to regain her independence is abducted, she attempts to save her with the help of ex-army lieutenant, Adam Lockman. But Freddie Leopard, a dangerous sociopath, tries to destroy Lockman′s reputation... and Mira.
Cut off and alone for the first time in her life, Mira is swept into a world of international conspiracies and betrayals, where her dream of achieving a normal life is constantly thwarted by the far darker desires of her enemies.
Layers of secrets unravel as her world falls apart - until the ultimate sacrifice presents a chance to save her friend and revisit her lost love in the ′echoes of yesterday.′
Having spent half her life in asylums, Mira discovers a sense of self-worth, finally, in helping victims of crime. When the matron who helped Mira to regain her independence is abducted, she attempts to save her with the help of ex-army lieutenant, Adam Lockman. But Freddie Leopard, a dangerous sociopath, tries to destroy Lockman′s reputation... and Mira.
Cut off and alone for the first time in her life, Mira is swept into a world of international conspiracies and betrayals, where her dream of achieving a normal life is constantly thwarted by the far darker desires of her enemies.
Layers of secrets unravel as her world falls apart - until the ultimate sacrifice presents a chance to save her friend and revisit her lost love in the ′echoes of yesterday.′
544 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2012
1 person is currently reading
533 people want to read
About the author
A.A. Bell
3 books159 followersWINNER of the Prestigious 2011 Norma K Hemming Award for Excellence in Science Fiction and Fantasy Themes (of race, gender, class, sexuality, disability etc) for DIAMOND EYES.
FIRST Writer to Win the Award TWICE! (Second time for Hindsight, in 2012)
An earlier draft of DIAMOND EYES also won HIGHLY COMMENDED in the 2009 FAW Jim Hamilton Awards for an unpublished manuscript in any genre.
FIRST Writer to Win the Award TWICE! (Second time for Hindsight, in 2012)
An earlier draft of DIAMOND EYES also won HIGHLY COMMENDED in the 2009 FAW Jim Hamilton Awards for an unpublished manuscript in any genre.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 16, 2013
The third installment in the Mira Chambers story sees Mira and her friends on the trail of Kitching, a man responsible for kidnapping Freddy Leopard - a resident of Serenity and Maddy Sanchez - the matron. Both have formed a strong bond with Mira over the preceding two novels (DIAMOND EYES and HINDSIGHT), as such Mira, loyal and dedicated to her friends no end, commits to doing whatever it takes to return them to safety. Even if that means putting herself in harms way.
With Lockman aiding her hunt for Maddy and Freddy, the former military trained and self confessed guardian of Mira not only adds another dimension to the story but exemplifies Mira's continued growth and path towards normalcy since leaving Serenity. My only gripe with these two is the continued romantic tension which had a tendency to detract from the story.
The arms race for Mira as a powerful military weapon is still evident throughout this latest instalment, yet author A.A. Bell manages to keep both Garland (military general) and Kitching (rogue bad guy) on equal footing for her services. Having the ability to see the past by virtue of the fragile X syndrome allows Mira to ability to view past crimes which prove to be invaluable to military intel.
Kitching hatches his plot early and uses some crafty devises to throw off the scent of his true intention - namely a murder and elaborate scheme to weaponise and reproduce Mira's ability.
There are some great twists and turns in LEOPARD DREAMING. As the title suggests Freddy Leopard plays a large part. Having the ability to hear the future, makes him a prime target for Kitching - that combined with Mira's ability to see the past makes them pivotal to Kitching's plans.
A.A. Bell also introduces an interesting family dynamic that will throw readers off balance and breathe a breath of fresh air into some of the characters. I won't detail it any further as to avoid spoilers.
Whilst I enjoyed LEOPARD DREAMING, the romantic overtones (and multiple instances thereof) did play a little on the natural progression of the story. Despite this, the pacing was fine and plotting well suited to Mira's plight. I look forward to reading what A.A. Bell comes up with next.
This review also appears on my blog: http://justaguythatlikes2read.blogspo...
With Lockman aiding her hunt for Maddy and Freddy, the former military trained and self confessed guardian of Mira not only adds another dimension to the story but exemplifies Mira's continued growth and path towards normalcy since leaving Serenity. My only gripe with these two is the continued romantic tension which had a tendency to detract from the story.
The arms race for Mira as a powerful military weapon is still evident throughout this latest instalment, yet author A.A. Bell manages to keep both Garland (military general) and Kitching (rogue bad guy) on equal footing for her services. Having the ability to see the past by virtue of the fragile X syndrome allows Mira to ability to view past crimes which prove to be invaluable to military intel.
Kitching hatches his plot early and uses some crafty devises to throw off the scent of his true intention - namely a murder and elaborate scheme to weaponise and reproduce Mira's ability.
There are some great twists and turns in LEOPARD DREAMING. As the title suggests Freddy Leopard plays a large part. Having the ability to hear the future, makes him a prime target for Kitching - that combined with Mira's ability to see the past makes them pivotal to Kitching's plans.
A.A. Bell also introduces an interesting family dynamic that will throw readers off balance and breathe a breath of fresh air into some of the characters. I won't detail it any further as to avoid spoilers.
Whilst I enjoyed LEOPARD DREAMING, the romantic overtones (and multiple instances thereof) did play a little on the natural progression of the story. Despite this, the pacing was fine and plotting well suited to Mira's plight. I look forward to reading what A.A. Bell comes up with next.
This review also appears on my blog: http://justaguythatlikes2read.blogspo...
May 17, 2019
Leopard Dreaming (Book three of the Mira Chambers Series.) by A.A. Bell
This book is fast paced and exciting and of the three books it is the most frustrating at times. Mira Chambers seems to live in a land of grey where there is a thin line between the good guys and the bad guys and they may even be trying to obtain similar goals. The bad guys don't seem to care much about who gets hurt in the process. The good guys are not much better. This is typical of the genre of suspense thriller and spy novels. What's usually most frustrating about these types of novels is that the hero ends up coming off as a somewhat amoral type of person.
I'm definitely never sure about Lockman.
Lockman seems like such a nice person when dealing with Mira and then he goes into his protective mode and all bets are off. He does seem to display some restraint, but I wonder if that's just mostly because of Mira. This Mira influence on him could get them both killed.
Mira and Lockman are pointed at the scene of a crime. Mira is not sure what she needs to know here, only that someone was murdered and she knows who the murderer is. As things unfold it would seem that this is all part of a plot that Kitching has going. Mira has virtually wiped out his money laundering operation so he needs a new one and the killer is connected to the banking industry. It appears he wants to use Mira's talent to look in the past and get enough clues to blackmail this person.
Kitching is holding Madonna Sanchez and Freddie Leopard; Mira is tempted to make a deal with him. The problem is that Kitching has already proven several times over that he can't be trusted- no matter what he promises. This time there is much more revelation about Kitching, Freddie, and Mira-things that will send their pasts all rushing together.
Mira is fast falling for Lockman and wondering how to handle her feelings and her past with Ben Chiron. Despite her misgivings about Lockman's past and who he truly is, she's come to rely on him. It going to take a lot to get them through things this time and Lockman may be the only person she can rely on.
General Garland is supposed to be the good guys, but everything she does is motivated by her agenda even when it seems like a kindness. Mira finds herself refusing the gifts and help Garland gives because she doesn't want the type of involvement that she's working towards.
Kitching has Freddie who can hear the future and so Mira has to rely on sign language and other obfuscations to communicate with those helping her. Ultimately Mira is left to her own resources and any attempts she can make to connect with people without giving away everything that she's planning. She has to play Kitching's game and hope she will survive.
In the end the stakes are much higher than expected and Mira is going to be expected to pay a much higher price than she ever planned.
You will have to read this to find out how it all works out.
This is a great Thriller Suspense novel and is perfect for those who like a good Spy novel. The good news is that this wraps up the trilogy.
Thanks, A.A. Bell for a intense but fun read.
J.L. Dobias
This book is fast paced and exciting and of the three books it is the most frustrating at times. Mira Chambers seems to live in a land of grey where there is a thin line between the good guys and the bad guys and they may even be trying to obtain similar goals. The bad guys don't seem to care much about who gets hurt in the process. The good guys are not much better. This is typical of the genre of suspense thriller and spy novels. What's usually most frustrating about these types of novels is that the hero ends up coming off as a somewhat amoral type of person.
I'm definitely never sure about Lockman.
Lockman seems like such a nice person when dealing with Mira and then he goes into his protective mode and all bets are off. He does seem to display some restraint, but I wonder if that's just mostly because of Mira. This Mira influence on him could get them both killed.
Mira and Lockman are pointed at the scene of a crime. Mira is not sure what she needs to know here, only that someone was murdered and she knows who the murderer is. As things unfold it would seem that this is all part of a plot that Kitching has going. Mira has virtually wiped out his money laundering operation so he needs a new one and the killer is connected to the banking industry. It appears he wants to use Mira's talent to look in the past and get enough clues to blackmail this person.
Kitching is holding Madonna Sanchez and Freddie Leopard; Mira is tempted to make a deal with him. The problem is that Kitching has already proven several times over that he can't be trusted- no matter what he promises. This time there is much more revelation about Kitching, Freddie, and Mira-things that will send their pasts all rushing together.
Mira is fast falling for Lockman and wondering how to handle her feelings and her past with Ben Chiron. Despite her misgivings about Lockman's past and who he truly is, she's come to rely on him. It going to take a lot to get them through things this time and Lockman may be the only person she can rely on.
General Garland is supposed to be the good guys, but everything she does is motivated by her agenda even when it seems like a kindness. Mira finds herself refusing the gifts and help Garland gives because she doesn't want the type of involvement that she's working towards.
Kitching has Freddie who can hear the future and so Mira has to rely on sign language and other obfuscations to communicate with those helping her. Ultimately Mira is left to her own resources and any attempts she can make to connect with people without giving away everything that she's planning. She has to play Kitching's game and hope she will survive.
In the end the stakes are much higher than expected and Mira is going to be expected to pay a much higher price than she ever planned.
You will have to read this to find out how it all works out.
This is a great Thriller Suspense novel and is perfect for those who like a good Spy novel. The good news is that this wraps up the trilogy.
Thanks, A.A. Bell for a intense but fun read.
J.L. Dobias
September 28, 2022
Oh, why did it have to end! I loved this series so much I only wish there was more. I'm so happy Mira finally got to be happy with a guy who is absolutely perfect for her. I cried rivers when Freddie and the Matron died. I thought he was like evil all the way through but when I found out what he was really trying to do I finally started to like that crazy old man and then he and the Matron die anyway. Still, mostly everyone got their happy ending as far as we know. That's why I wish there were more books. I'm curious if anything else gets in Mira's way. Not that I don't think she'd fight through it to get everything back her way. She is by far my favorite character from any series I have read so far! *Whines* Why can't there be more I don't want this ride to be over yet! T-T Its not often that I love any book let alone an entire series as much as I have loved this one. I recommended it to all my friends too in hopes that they'll love it as much as I did. I'll probably re-read this many more times in the future. Is this out in hardcover or paperback? I have the ebook versions but I would LOVE to have physical copies for my personal library. :)
August 5, 2015
What a stunning conclusion to this wonderful trilogy by A.A.Bell. I've loved reading Mira's story and seeing how things turn out - there's so many ways in which this story twisted about and I didn't predict most of what ended up occurring. I loved the way Ben grew as a character although I think overall he's a bit too much of a goodie-goodie. I *loved* Gabby, loved the way Mira was supported by people in the end and not just her own determination to stand up to/for things. Also interesting the way the conclusion plays out! I really hope it works out for her - and surely that's a sign of a good ending where it seems like just as much a new beginning?
July 13, 2014
excellent plot, I didn't want the book to end.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews