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The Doorknob Society #4
The Detective Inspectors
Chloe Masters life is in disarray. Her best friend Edgar Magnus has been kidnapped by her mother. The Detective Inspectors of the HVO have been compromised and appear to be helping in the crime. All but one that is, Declan Hardcastle, a young DI who is more than willing to help Chloe in her quest. But is he looking for more than just friendship?
Her friends are spread far and wide; Jess has begun her apprenticeship in Paris while Slade is working for the Impossible Engineers. Nightshade has returned but is he the same man? Can he truly be trusted?
When Chloe learns Edgar’s location it's a race against time. She needs to stop her mother’s pernicious plans and save Edgar while keeping everyone else she loves alive. But the question becomes... does Chloe plan on getting out alive?
Her friends are spread far and wide; Jess has begun her apprenticeship in Paris while Slade is working for the Impossible Engineers. Nightshade has returned but is he the same man? Can he truly be trusted?
When Chloe learns Edgar’s location it's a race against time. She needs to stop her mother’s pernicious plans and save Edgar while keeping everyone else she loves alive. But the question becomes... does Chloe plan on getting out alive?
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 11, 2013
4 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
About the author
M.J. Fletcher
20 books145 followersMJ Fletcher was born in New Jersey and now lives by the beach with his very understanding wife and daughter. He has been writing since he first stapled pages together as a child and called them a book. He finally realized his ambitions when his comic book series Adam Zero The Last Man of Earth was published by Ronin Studios. His other comic book work includes Digital Webbing Presents and The Hero Initiative. His first novel The Doorknob Society released in 2012 was nominated for a Cybil award in the young adult category. He has continued writing the Doorknob Society Saga his rollicking steampunk adventure series as well as working on numerous other writing projects.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
March 29, 2016
Joy and sadness
This book was so emotional, there are bright spots among the sadness. Chloe keeps getting stronger and more courageous, and finds she likes having her friends around.
This book was so emotional, there are bright spots among the sadness. Chloe keeps getting stronger and more courageous, and finds she likes having her friends around.
January 31, 2013
Review: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars
Contains spoilers from the previous books
The Detective Inspectors is the fourth book in The Doorknob Society saga and was kindly provided to me by the author, MJ Fletcher in exchange for my honest review.
I am a huge fan of The Doorknob Society saga and the fantasy world Fletcher has created. It is full of life with amazing characters that I have become truly invested in, ongoing drama, action and a really sweet romance which has been a slow and believable progression.
Chloe Masters was more gun ho in this book, she stands up for what she believes in, she is caring and protective of her friends and family and will do anything possible to put a stop to her mother and the First Kind. In this installment we see her leading her friends on a dangerous mission to locate and rescue Edgar Magnus who was kidnapped in the previous book; the Detective Inspectors HVO have been compromised and she is also sought after and more well known because of her Polymorph abilities which she continues to learn more about.
The plot flowed well and I liked the change of setting; the many twists and turns we are given truly surprised and shocked me which is usually hard to do when you are four books into a series but I like where the story is going and how Chloe is now embracing her powers and becoming more of a leader.
Without giving away any spoilers, I am pleased with the romance and how it has progressed from book one until now – we have a possible three love interests, James Nightshade, Michael Slade and Declan Hardcastle, one I didn’t feel was necessarily needed but I liked that we finally have a clear choice and Chloe is happy.
Each of the secondary characters play an important role in this series, a few standout as favourites such as Nightshade, Edgar, Jess and Val but they are each endearing in their own way; we have a few returning baddies which are also written well and their fight is one I am curious to see played out.
Mr. Fletcher’s writing holds my attention as does the wonderfully gripping story he has created, there is something new with each book; it is all fresh and unique and brings new mystery and intrigue to the ongoing saga as we continue learning about each of the societies.
Overall, The Detective Inspectors is another action-packed and enjoyable read. I am eager to see where Mr. Fletcher will take us on our next journey now the team have been declared outlaws.
Books in Order:
1. The Doorknob Society
2. The Impossible Engineers
3. The Mapmakers Union
4. The Detective Inspectors
Thank-you to MJ Fletcher for providing me with a copy of The Detective Inspectors, I am definitely excited to read the next book in this amazing series.
Contains spoilers from the previous books
The Detective Inspectors is the fourth book in The Doorknob Society saga and was kindly provided to me by the author, MJ Fletcher in exchange for my honest review.
I am a huge fan of The Doorknob Society saga and the fantasy world Fletcher has created. It is full of life with amazing characters that I have become truly invested in, ongoing drama, action and a really sweet romance which has been a slow and believable progression.
Chloe Masters was more gun ho in this book, she stands up for what she believes in, she is caring and protective of her friends and family and will do anything possible to put a stop to her mother and the First Kind. In this installment we see her leading her friends on a dangerous mission to locate and rescue Edgar Magnus who was kidnapped in the previous book; the Detective Inspectors HVO have been compromised and she is also sought after and more well known because of her Polymorph abilities which she continues to learn more about.
The plot flowed well and I liked the change of setting; the many twists and turns we are given truly surprised and shocked me which is usually hard to do when you are four books into a series but I like where the story is going and how Chloe is now embracing her powers and becoming more of a leader.
Without giving away any spoilers, I am pleased with the romance and how it has progressed from book one until now – we have a possible three love interests, James Nightshade, Michael Slade and Declan Hardcastle, one I didn’t feel was necessarily needed but I liked that we finally have a clear choice and Chloe is happy.
Each of the secondary characters play an important role in this series, a few standout as favourites such as Nightshade, Edgar, Jess and Val but they are each endearing in their own way; we have a few returning baddies which are also written well and their fight is one I am curious to see played out.
Mr. Fletcher’s writing holds my attention as does the wonderfully gripping story he has created, there is something new with each book; it is all fresh and unique and brings new mystery and intrigue to the ongoing saga as we continue learning about each of the societies.
Overall, The Detective Inspectors is another action-packed and enjoyable read. I am eager to see where Mr. Fletcher will take us on our next journey now the team have been declared outlaws.
Books in Order:
1. The Doorknob Society
2. The Impossible Engineers
3. The Mapmakers Union
4. The Detective Inspectors
Thank-you to MJ Fletcher for providing me with a copy of The Detective Inspectors, I am definitely excited to read the next book in this amazing series.
September 9, 2013
The fourth in this five part series by MJ Fletcher, this book continues the story of Chloe and her stalwart band of friends battling the First Kind not only for their lives, but the continued existence of their world (and ours) as they know it.
Driven by revenge over the death of her father and the kidnapping of Edgar, Chloe rallies her team of Jess, Slade and Nightshade to her side. Even her best “normal” friend Val, plays a more active role in the series. The knowledge that Nightshade still does not remember they both love each other eats at her continually even with the introduction of a suitable alternative match in Declan, a witty and handsome Detective Inspector. He helps keep her spirits up, but even their first date manages to go awry in the worst possible way.
Past and future intertwine as Chloe discovers familial relationships she never knew she had. These are handled well and enrich the story in surprising ways.
The action really picks up when they figure out where Edgar is being held and the team, with the blessing of Gavin and Emory, launch a rescue mission. That mission is further complicated with the discovery that the First Kind are in possession of more than one Artifact thus putting the entire plan in jeopardy.
I am always impressed by the way Mr. Fletch handles writing in the first person without painting himself into a corner. It is very difficult to do and I applaud him. In addition, each book has improved on the previous one which I love to see. There are occasions when the answers are pretty obvious and I’m surprised none of the characters put two-and-two together since they are all pretty bright. (Think “forget-me-knots.”)
What’s more important is the fact that it is a real page turner and I looked forward to reading it every night. I highly recommend this YA series and look forward to more.
Driven by revenge over the death of her father and the kidnapping of Edgar, Chloe rallies her team of Jess, Slade and Nightshade to her side. Even her best “normal” friend Val, plays a more active role in the series. The knowledge that Nightshade still does not remember they both love each other eats at her continually even with the introduction of a suitable alternative match in Declan, a witty and handsome Detective Inspector. He helps keep her spirits up, but even their first date manages to go awry in the worst possible way.
Past and future intertwine as Chloe discovers familial relationships she never knew she had. These are handled well and enrich the story in surprising ways.
The action really picks up when they figure out where Edgar is being held and the team, with the blessing of Gavin and Emory, launch a rescue mission. That mission is further complicated with the discovery that the First Kind are in possession of more than one Artifact thus putting the entire plan in jeopardy.
I am always impressed by the way Mr. Fletch handles writing in the first person without painting himself into a corner. It is very difficult to do and I applaud him. In addition, each book has improved on the previous one which I love to see. There are occasions when the answers are pretty obvious and I’m surprised none of the characters put two-and-two together since they are all pretty bright. (Think “forget-me-knots.”)
What’s more important is the fact that it is a real page turner and I looked forward to reading it every night. I highly recommend this YA series and look forward to more.
July 6, 2015
My original two complaints, editing and swearing, are ever present for this book but I found I was able to ignore them for the content.
One of my favorite themes in this book is the redemption of the relationships. It’s interesting watching her learning that relationships-romantic, friendship and family- are messy and yet still worth fighting for. The mediums through which she learns those lessons are intense.
I found Nightshade’s amnesia a great tension builder for the relationship and his new relationship with another girl as a result of it devastating. Probably more so than it was intended to be. The introduction of a third love interest, Declan felt like a bit much but I liked his character and role.
Still, I found the process of their reconciliation to be fascinating amidst the struggle to trust for both personal and mission reasons. I had a literal laugh out loud moment in this book with Val’s character. When a book can make me do that, it’s a keeper.
Jess’ development was probably my favorite as a character in this book. I could see her as a standalone character in another series. Chloe has become a much softer character though still impulsive, but I appreciate her even more as less brassy. Nightshade becomes an even more complex character. The arch-enemies as secondary characters have interesting development on their own and I was interested to see just how they would be defeated since they were quite resilient and clever foes.
I’m impressed by how many fight/battle sequences I’ve read without getting bored of them up to this point in book 4 of the series.
I did not hesitate to buy the last installment in the series, The Skeleton Key Guild, though I suspected how it would end. Watching all of the characters complete their development was enough entertainment and worth it to me.
March 1, 2013
Wow…just wow. This book left me breathless.
At the beginning, I really thought I was going to lose my mind. Nightshade is back, which should have made me jump for joy, because, well, I absolutely love him, but he was different. Changed. And it ripped out my heart. After the last book, I was desperately looking forward to the awesome connection he had with Chloe and it just wasn’t there. But… what Fletcher did with my favorite characters was even better. More fulfilling, that’s for sure, and in no time I was lost in the magnificent world of The Doorknob Society Saga.
Chloe just can’t get a break. But then, when you are in the middle of a war between good and evil, I guess it’s to be expected. Chloe’s mother killed her father, stole the love of her life, and if that isn’t bad enough, her mother is hell bent on killing her. Edgar has been captured, and after what happened to Nightshade, Chloe’s little group of friends will not rest until they save him.
Just like the others, this segment of The Doorknob Society Saga is action packed. Chloe is still as impulsive as ever, and that characteristic alone kept me on the edge of my seat as I absorbed the pages as quickly as I could. There were lots of unexpected twists and turns that had me gasping out loud and made my heart race. The suspense, the action, the romance; every piece was there, weaved together wonderfully.
The ending was bitter sweet; a perfect mix of heartbreak and love. I had tears, I laughed…it was just perfect. This series just keeps getting better and better with every book.
May cannot come fast enough. I need the next book now. If you haven’t read this series yet, then go get it! I mean it, go get it now! Seriously, what are you waiting for? It’s awesome!
At the beginning, I really thought I was going to lose my mind. Nightshade is back, which should have made me jump for joy, because, well, I absolutely love him, but he was different. Changed. And it ripped out my heart. After the last book, I was desperately looking forward to the awesome connection he had with Chloe and it just wasn’t there. But… what Fletcher did with my favorite characters was even better. More fulfilling, that’s for sure, and in no time I was lost in the magnificent world of The Doorknob Society Saga.
Chloe just can’t get a break. But then, when you are in the middle of a war between good and evil, I guess it’s to be expected. Chloe’s mother killed her father, stole the love of her life, and if that isn’t bad enough, her mother is hell bent on killing her. Edgar has been captured, and after what happened to Nightshade, Chloe’s little group of friends will not rest until they save him.
Just like the others, this segment of The Doorknob Society Saga is action packed. Chloe is still as impulsive as ever, and that characteristic alone kept me on the edge of my seat as I absorbed the pages as quickly as I could. There were lots of unexpected twists and turns that had me gasping out loud and made my heart race. The suspense, the action, the romance; every piece was there, weaved together wonderfully.
The ending was bitter sweet; a perfect mix of heartbreak and love. I had tears, I laughed…it was just perfect. This series just keeps getting better and better with every book.
May cannot come fast enough. I need the next book now. If you haven’t read this series yet, then go get it! I mean it, go get it now! Seriously, what are you waiting for? It’s awesome!
April 3, 2013
WOW.. An action packed, bittersweet addition to the Doorknob Society Saga. We see Chloe continue to grow and learn to exercise her immense polymorph powers.
I'm happy NIghtshade is back, just love this character.
The main focus of this book is getting Edgar free from the clutches of the evil ones. Yup, we once again meet Chloe's mom. We also meet up with some old characters and a few new ones.
The book is named after the HOV because Edgar is locked within the ranks of the HVO prison.
Without giving too much away, I just want to say....WOW, this story gets better with each book. Chloe and company are amazing characters, who do amazing things. Nightshade is under the influence of a forget me not. I felt Chloe's pain while she watched him hook up with another girl. I literally yelled at the book- NO, NOT HER!!! NIGHTSHADE, THINK, REMEMBER!!! I can't remember the last time I yelled at a character while reading a book...oh yea, it was while reading THE MAPMAKERS UNION. Oh well..
The next volume in the series, The Skeleton Key Guild is the the final installment. We will see an end to the good vs evil battle. I'm torn. I want to read the book, but I don't want this series to end. I've come to love these characters.
M.J. Fletcher is an amazing author. The imagination he's shown, the characters he's created.. I am in awe of his talent. I look forward to the last book, and other works from Mr. Fletcher.
I give this book 5 stars because I can't rate books any higher, but believe me, this is one of the best series I've read in recent memory.
Thank you Mr. Fletcher for creating such a marvelous series.
I'm happy NIghtshade is back, just love this character.
The main focus of this book is getting Edgar free from the clutches of the evil ones. Yup, we once again meet Chloe's mom. We also meet up with some old characters and a few new ones.
The book is named after the HOV because Edgar is locked within the ranks of the HVO prison.
Without giving too much away, I just want to say....WOW, this story gets better with each book. Chloe and company are amazing characters, who do amazing things. Nightshade is under the influence of a forget me not. I felt Chloe's pain while she watched him hook up with another girl. I literally yelled at the book- NO, NOT HER!!! NIGHTSHADE, THINK, REMEMBER!!! I can't remember the last time I yelled at a character while reading a book...oh yea, it was while reading THE MAPMAKERS UNION. Oh well..
The next volume in the series, The Skeleton Key Guild is the the final installment. We will see an end to the good vs evil battle. I'm torn. I want to read the book, but I don't want this series to end. I've come to love these characters.
M.J. Fletcher is an amazing author. The imagination he's shown, the characters he's created.. I am in awe of his talent. I look forward to the last book, and other works from Mr. Fletcher.
I give this book 5 stars because I can't rate books any higher, but believe me, this is one of the best series I've read in recent memory.
Thank you Mr. Fletcher for creating such a marvelous series.
January 24, 2013
**My full review here!**
If you have read my previous reviews for this series, then it is no shock that it is one of my all time FAVORITE series. Not for nothing, but I'm an AVID reader of 10+ years; I've read countless books. When I say a book or series is one of my fav's, then it is {in MY opinion} an amazing-what-are-you-waiting-for?-read-it-NOW book/series. That said......
Poor Chloe! She just can't catch a break; her mom killed her dad and kidnapped one of her best friends, Nightshade is back but doesn't remember her, AND he is now dating her nemesis. Slade (her ex boyfriend) wants her back, and a new guy, Declan wants a shot with her, too. As if that isn't enough to deal with, Chloe is moving to London with Val to start her apprenticeship with her uncle, while continuing with her polymorph training with Gavin. Of course, all this would be an EASY workload for Chloe, but she never did have good luck. Chloe is forced to move up her timetable for rescuing Edgar after a very public fight with her mom, which draws the attention of the First Kind.
Insane supernatural fights, gremlins, and romance make The Detective Inspectors HVO another awesome adventure in the series. If anyone knows someone in Hollywood, feel free to let me know....I want these books made into movies. I think they'll be bigger than The Hunger Games. Seriously.
If you have read my previous reviews for this series, then it is no shock that it is one of my all time FAVORITE series. Not for nothing, but I'm an AVID reader of 10+ years; I've read countless books. When I say a book or series is one of my fav's, then it is {in MY opinion} an amazing-what-are-you-waiting-for?-read-it-NOW book/series. That said......
Poor Chloe! She just can't catch a break; her mom killed her dad and kidnapped one of her best friends, Nightshade is back but doesn't remember her, AND he is now dating her nemesis. Slade (her ex boyfriend) wants her back, and a new guy, Declan wants a shot with her, too. As if that isn't enough to deal with, Chloe is moving to London with Val to start her apprenticeship with her uncle, while continuing with her polymorph training with Gavin. Of course, all this would be an EASY workload for Chloe, but she never did have good luck. Chloe is forced to move up her timetable for rescuing Edgar after a very public fight with her mom, which draws the attention of the First Kind.
Insane supernatural fights, gremlins, and romance make The Detective Inspectors HVO another awesome adventure in the series. If anyone knows someone in Hollywood, feel free to let me know....I want these books made into movies. I think they'll be bigger than The Hunger Games. Seriously.
June 18, 2013
( This review was originally posted over on my blog, Book-A-Holic )
The adventure continues in book 4 of the Doorknob Society Saga. Hidden secrets and exciting events unravel leaving us in a swirl of hot events. Again, I was blown away by the creativeness of this author because the story never lacked of intense incidents, always keeping you at an edge.
Despite the plot being eventful and all, I find myself really wanting to reach it's end. I feel it was a lot that I am excited about how it will end and when and to just see Chloe and the others in peace after all that running, fighting and stuff. However, this book, I felt was more of a filler, I mean, even with the really active plot which became the normal thing in this series. So I feel that it was just preparing us for the next and final book which I am super excited to read.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book, although, I did enjoy the first 3 books slightly more. Action-packed plot with a whole lot of great stuff going on. I recommend reading it - of course if you read the previous books which I seriously recommend because it was such an enjoyable series!
The adventure continues in book 4 of the Doorknob Society Saga. Hidden secrets and exciting events unravel leaving us in a swirl of hot events. Again, I was blown away by the creativeness of this author because the story never lacked of intense incidents, always keeping you at an edge.
Despite the plot being eventful and all, I find myself really wanting to reach it's end. I feel it was a lot that I am excited about how it will end and when and to just see Chloe and the others in peace after all that running, fighting and stuff. However, this book, I felt was more of a filler, I mean, even with the really active plot which became the normal thing in this series. So I feel that it was just preparing us for the next and final book which I am super excited to read.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book, although, I did enjoy the first 3 books slightly more. Action-packed plot with a whole lot of great stuff going on. I recommend reading it - of course if you read the previous books which I seriously recommend because it was such an enjoyable series!
May 25, 2013
Chloe goes through an intense journey in this fourth installment of the Doorknob Society. It is emotional, physical, psychological, and a test of her powers.
She is focused on saving Edgar from her mother's clutches. She needs the emotional closure of avenging her father's death. She yearns to get past Nightshade forgetting about their relationship. It's a tall order for a young woman.
This book is well written and exciting to read. The perfect addition to the series.
This book is not for young readers. There is violence, profanity, and sexual situations.
She is focused on saving Edgar from her mother's clutches. She needs the emotional closure of avenging her father's death. She yearns to get past Nightshade forgetting about their relationship. It's a tall order for a young woman.
This book is well written and exciting to read. The perfect addition to the series.
This book is not for young readers. There is violence, profanity, and sexual situations.
June 4, 2013
In "The Detective Inspectors", Chole is more mature and stands up for what she believes in but still can't catch a break. The plot flows smoothly in a nice fast pace and the main focus is on freeing Edgar. Each book in this saga just gets better and better with MJ Fletcher's amazing characters and intriguing story line. Highly recommended to all magickal, mystery suspense fans and I suggest reading the books in order.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the author which was provided for an honest review.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the author which was provided for an honest review.
January 25, 2014
I would buy ALL these in paperback IF HE'D GET AN EDITOR!!!! This series is a "steampunk Harry Potter". But the poor editing/total lack of editing damn near kills it all! I want to pass these along to my sons, but do not want to subject them to the errors. I want to get them INTO reading, not frustrate the crap out of them. As an adult, I can look past the errors, but when I spend more time highlighting errors than reading, it makes it hard to stay in the book. Seriously, get an editor!!! I would recommend this series to everyone within my world IF they get edited!
January 18, 2014
The story continues with more battles between the Old Kind and the First Kind. The story continues to have twists and turns that keep the reader interested. Things keep happening that are truly unexpected. The main characters keep evolving, and their relationships continue to grow and develop. I love these books, and would definitely recommend them to friends.
July 11, 2014
I think these books just keep getting better and better! The story is amazing and the character's lives are never easy. Impossible missions continues to be the name of the game as Chloe and her friends keep fighting for what is right and each other. To make things even harder they never know who they can trust, sometimes that includes each other.
March 23, 2015
I appreciate the story for its twists and turns and for how Chloe can keep on going despite all the bad things that happen. I like the character and her fierce determination. The story is creative and exciting. There are a lot of fights, but it does fit in with the storyline. It amazes me that people can live like that and still survive.
January 17, 2013
Not my favorite out of all the books so far. It answered a lot of important questions. IT is a good read and well worth the wait!! I did cry... A LOT! I would, if I knew how, give this book 4.5 stars.
MJ, well done.
MJ, well done.
July 18, 2015
Another great book! Aside for the the editing and some more swearing than the previous books, I highly recommend this! So much action going on, and I could feel what the characters were feeling throughout the book as well. What we wouldn't do for friends, right?
February 5, 2013
Cannot wait for Book 5! I cannot go this long without these characters! I miss them! MJ Fletcher is excellent at character development and you become truly invested in them!
February 14, 2013
This was a nice quick read. I was so happy that Nightshade is back and Chloe and him had their back and forth going which I love. I'm curious to see what will happen in the next one.
January 11, 2025
So so good!! My favorite so far!
May 14, 2017
I love this series
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews