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The Drusilla Thorne Mysteries #1
You Know Who I Am
Drusilla Thorne's husband Colin walks out on their marriage of convenience with style: he disappears right in the middle of their magic act. Before he vanishes, though, he steals a bracelet from her, a bracelet that could tip off the people who’ve been searching for Drusilla and her younger sister Stevie for years. Drusilla won’t allow that to happen.
When she finds Colin in Los Angeles, he’s dead. Before dying, he got the both of them involved in a nasty game of Hollywood blackmail. The investigating detective finds out her identity is as fake as her marriage was and he’s determined to find her guilty of something. Her lawyer might have more allegiance to the shadowy figure footing the bill than to her. And her sister does something Drusilla can only hope they live to regret.
Drusilla had better figure out who killed Colin before everything comes apart and the police figure out who she really is.
When she finds Colin in Los Angeles, he’s dead. Before dying, he got the both of them involved in a nasty game of Hollywood blackmail. The investigating detective finds out her identity is as fake as her marriage was and he’s determined to find her guilty of something. Her lawyer might have more allegiance to the shadowy figure footing the bill than to her. And her sister does something Drusilla can only hope they live to regret.
Drusilla had better figure out who killed Colin before everything comes apart and the police figure out who she really is.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 13, 2013
133 people are currently reading
1049 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
July 16, 2014
I received a copy of this book directly from the author after Netgalley archived it prior to my being able to download it. While this was greatly appreciated (and VERY cool!), it didn't affect my opinion of this book in any way, and this is an unbiased review. Promise!
This was an excellent book! While it is not normally a type of book I read (with a lead female protagonist), it was well-written, well-developed, and kept me in rapt attention. The story itself was very tight and had a strong noir feel to it, a genre that I do read often and enjoy. I especially like Stevie, the main character's younger sister, who is a hyper-introvert with photographic memory and incredible memory retrieval and language skills. The back story was good, and it was well developed, too, and played an important part of the plot.
Betrayals, surprises, and a shock ending make this a very satisfying read, and I'm looking forward to the next book the series.
This was an excellent book! While it is not normally a type of book I read (with a lead female protagonist), it was well-written, well-developed, and kept me in rapt attention. The story itself was very tight and had a strong noir feel to it, a genre that I do read often and enjoy. I especially like Stevie, the main character's younger sister, who is a hyper-introvert with photographic memory and incredible memory retrieval and language skills. The back story was good, and it was well developed, too, and played an important part of the plot.
Betrayals, surprises, and a shock ending make this a very satisfying read, and I'm looking forward to the next book the series.
June 19, 2015
Drusilla was a magicians assistant and when her husband disappears and is found dead- a race to clear her name starts. Her sparky sister hires an attorney Nathaniel to help find out who did kill him and clear Drusilla's name.
There are lots of twists and turns in this book- making it an enjoyable read.
With many thanks to the publisher All Night Reads and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book.
There are lots of twists and turns in this book- making it an enjoyable read.
With many thanks to the publisher All Night Reads and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book.
July 27, 2014
2 stars.
Perhaps Drusilla is not for me. I really could not stand her and while I finished the story it was only because I wondered about Stevie.
Perhaps Drusilla is not for me. I really could not stand her and while I finished the story it was only because I wondered about Stevie.
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August 5, 2017I've read the author online for years and when I saw that she had a book for free on Amazon, I downloaded it. I'm glad I didn't pay for it: it was a quick read and diverting but one, a mystery, not my taste, and two, its protagonist has as severe a case of protagonistitis as I have ever come across. Drusilla is beautiful and eagle-eyed*, so genetically lucky; intuitive; good at self-defense, with lightning-quick reflexes, developed and honed in an unstated Mary Sue way; skilled at adopting accents, though not as adept as the author thinks; and lucky again in a Henry James kind of way. James bestowed money upon his characters so that he could explore human emotion without the hindrances of practicality -- an unnatural situation in which only unnatural emotions can unfold -- and similarly Patterson's Drusilla has a sidekick who can do what she cannot (and, like Encyclopedia Brown's Sally, gets no credit) and she (Drusilla) lucks into housing by merely batting her eyes. Yawn. I imagine Drusilla will continue to live where she does because the geography is convenient for Patterson, the way Thomas Magnum got to live in Robin's Nest because the geography suited his network, not because any poker game** ever had stakes like "indefinite use of house and car."
* So eagle-eyed that she can detect that a door is locked (location 1236).
(I see by my comparisons that I'm not unfamiliar with mystery as a genre, just with adult mysteries written after 1980. **Wikipedia informs me that I misremember the basis of Magnum's occupancy but the given premise is still ridiculous so my point remains.)
There were, perhaps inevitably for a first, self-published novel, bits to cringe at, though to Patterson's credit, very few. A man in his own office "moved as if he owned the room" (1313) He ... does own the room? The sidekick is a polymath but even so, that's quite an education to have acquired while living as they do. I'm pretty sure Patterson meant "sister" when once she writes "brother" (1059). There is no reason to affect the British accent in narration ("car park") when the spelling is Usan. She describes two men as "a blonde and a brunet" (1251). Someone refuses to help the protagonist at 16 then after eleven years of silence comes unbidden to her aid.
I know a little about Patterson's personal life, and a primary impression is that she is accustomed to more than sufficient income though affecting not to care about same. I perceived that as well in the protagonist, which could be my projection. But I don't think so.
* So eagle-eyed that she can detect that a door is locked (location 1236).
(I see by my comparisons that I'm not unfamiliar with mystery as a genre, just with adult mysteries written after 1980. **Wikipedia informs me that I misremember the basis of Magnum's occupancy but the given premise is still ridiculous so my point remains.)
There were, perhaps inevitably for a first, self-published novel, bits to cringe at, though to Patterson's credit, very few. A man in his own office "moved as if he owned the room" (1313) He ... does own the room? The sidekick is a polymath but even so, that's quite an education to have acquired while living as they do. I'm pretty sure Patterson meant "sister" when once she writes "brother" (1059). There is no reason to affect the British accent in narration ("car park") when the spelling is Usan. She describes two men as "a blonde and a brunet" (1251). Someone refuses to help the protagonist at 16 then after eleven years of silence comes unbidden to her aid.
I know a little about Patterson's personal life, and a primary impression is that she is accustomed to more than sufficient income though affecting not to care about same. I perceived that as well in the protagonist, which could be my projection. But I don't think so.
March 13, 2013
A good start to a new series. Dru is an engaging lead character with a likable balance of strength and vulnerability. The only drawback i felt was too much backstory, presented in fragments. That will not stop me from picking up subsequent titles, though. A strong story overall!
August 27, 2018
The resolution to the mystery left me a little confused, but I think Drusilla is a fantastic character. I can't wait to see what she gets up to next.
April 20, 2015
You Know Who I Am, a Drusilla Thorne mystery
by Diane Patterson
This is the first in this series, which at this point is only 3 books long. I am always hopeful for finding yet another wonderful character in a series that I can follow, and struck it lucky here.
Patterson draws an intriguing vision of a very complex character in her main character, Drusilla. Written from a first person POV, Drusilla dominates the novel's landscape, coloring every step, every action, every location with her drive and passion. She and her younger sister, Stevie, have been on the run for eleven years at the time the story opens, constantly changing personas and finding shelter and sustenance through wit and determination. At the opening of the story, Drusilla's marriage-of-convenience is ending in a pretty spectacular way, as her magician husband hurls knives at her as she is firmly attached to a spinning wheel in their Las Vegas nightclub act. (Interestingly, I know a dancer who works at the real Marrakech in LV -- a quite different place than the one Patterson paints!) When her husband disappears before the show ends, it sets Drusilla and her sister off on a headlong race to find him. And find him they do, in Los Angeles. The only problem is that Drusilla walks into the scene of his murder, which has been skillfully set up to make her the number 1 suspect. In attempting to unravel who killed him and framed her, she discovers a very unsavory plot dealing in the blackmail of certain Hollywood movers and shakers and the sexual abuse of an underage TV star. Will Drusilla be able to prove her innocence and continue to protect herself and her sister?
While I loved almost everything about this book, there was one thing I didn't like. The lack of concrete backstory. While any reader should be able to figure out that Drusilla and Stevie are on the run from Drusilla's father, and that the reason has to do with events that happened to both Drusilla and Stevie as children, which evidently lead to Drusilla's killing of one of the perpetrators (and, evidently, scotching her uber-influential father's important business deal in the process), the reader finds this out in dribs and drabs throughout the novel, and is often left scratching his/her head as to the desperation Drusilla feels in keeping Stevie's and her locations secret. Even after finishing the novel, there seemed a disconnect when trying to piece together the backstory. Luckily, the present story was meaty enough to make accepting that lack of historical connotation acceptable. I understand that the third offering in the series, The Sound of Footsteps, is a prequel to this first novel. Hopefully, it will clear up some of the questions about what, when, who, and why.
Other than that, the proofing and editing was great -- no grammar errors, misspellings or awkwardly composed prose. The pacing was smooth and quick, the danger to multiple characters exciting, the cast of characters well fleshed out, and the character, although not altogether on the up and up, extremely easy to identify with. All in all, the novel is a quick read, if for no other reason than the reader is so loath to put the book down!
by Diane Patterson
This is the first in this series, which at this point is only 3 books long. I am always hopeful for finding yet another wonderful character in a series that I can follow, and struck it lucky here.
Patterson draws an intriguing vision of a very complex character in her main character, Drusilla. Written from a first person POV, Drusilla dominates the novel's landscape, coloring every step, every action, every location with her drive and passion. She and her younger sister, Stevie, have been on the run for eleven years at the time the story opens, constantly changing personas and finding shelter and sustenance through wit and determination. At the opening of the story, Drusilla's marriage-of-convenience is ending in a pretty spectacular way, as her magician husband hurls knives at her as she is firmly attached to a spinning wheel in their Las Vegas nightclub act. (Interestingly, I know a dancer who works at the real Marrakech in LV -- a quite different place than the one Patterson paints!) When her husband disappears before the show ends, it sets Drusilla and her sister off on a headlong race to find him. And find him they do, in Los Angeles. The only problem is that Drusilla walks into the scene of his murder, which has been skillfully set up to make her the number 1 suspect. In attempting to unravel who killed him and framed her, she discovers a very unsavory plot dealing in the blackmail of certain Hollywood movers and shakers and the sexual abuse of an underage TV star. Will Drusilla be able to prove her innocence and continue to protect herself and her sister?
While I loved almost everything about this book, there was one thing I didn't like. The lack of concrete backstory. While any reader should be able to figure out that Drusilla and Stevie are on the run from Drusilla's father, and that the reason has to do with events that happened to both Drusilla and Stevie as children, which evidently lead to Drusilla's killing of one of the perpetrators (and, evidently, scotching her uber-influential father's important business deal in the process), the reader finds this out in dribs and drabs throughout the novel, and is often left scratching his/her head as to the desperation Drusilla feels in keeping Stevie's and her locations secret. Even after finishing the novel, there seemed a disconnect when trying to piece together the backstory. Luckily, the present story was meaty enough to make accepting that lack of historical connotation acceptable. I understand that the third offering in the series, The Sound of Footsteps, is a prequel to this first novel. Hopefully, it will clear up some of the questions about what, when, who, and why.
Other than that, the proofing and editing was great -- no grammar errors, misspellings or awkwardly composed prose. The pacing was smooth and quick, the danger to multiple characters exciting, the cast of characters well fleshed out, and the character, although not altogether on the up and up, extremely easy to identify with. All in all, the novel is a quick read, if for no other reason than the reader is so loath to put the book down!
February 13, 2017
Drusilla is a magician's assistant, the magician being her husband, Colin. When Colin is found dead after leaving her, she begins an investigation to discover who murdered him and why.
As the story unfolds we learn that Drusilla is caring for her sister, or half sister, Stevie who is very intelligent yet emotionally unstable. Something terrible happened in their past that sent them on the run for the past eleven years.
There are a few women who are suspects to the murder and a bit of blackmail is involved as well.
A very enjoyable who done it. I would like to read more Drusilla stories.
As the story unfolds we learn that Drusilla is caring for her sister, or half sister, Stevie who is very intelligent yet emotionally unstable. Something terrible happened in their past that sent them on the run for the past eleven years.
There are a few women who are suspects to the murder and a bit of blackmail is involved as well.
A very enjoyable who done it. I would like to read more Drusilla stories.
July 24, 2016
Drusilla Thorne is in trouble. Her husband is dead and she is the main suspect, but the more she learns about her husband and the events leading to his death, the more she realizes there are lots of suspects, and the more danger she finds herself in.
I struggled with how to rate this book. One on hand it is a well written, fast-paced mystery with a lot packed into a short book. The mystery is solid with lots of twists and turns that kept me guessing. The main character is intriguing and manages to be both likable and uncomfortable at the same which is a tough balance to create.
What I didn't like about the book was the main character's mysterious past or more correctly the lack of clarity on the main character's past. Throughout the book there are hints that Drusilla has been through much more than the readers know. Hints that she has dark secrets in her past, but by the end of the book they are still just hints. Maybe future books will define these secrets further, but I was disappointed that more of my questions weren't answered in this book.
I struggled with how to rate this book. One on hand it is a well written, fast-paced mystery with a lot packed into a short book. The mystery is solid with lots of twists and turns that kept me guessing. The main character is intriguing and manages to be both likable and uncomfortable at the same which is a tough balance to create.
What I didn't like about the book was the main character's mysterious past or more correctly the lack of clarity on the main character's past. Throughout the book there are hints that Drusilla has been through much more than the readers know. Hints that she has dark secrets in her past, but by the end of the book they are still just hints. Maybe future books will define these secrets further, but I was disappointed that more of my questions weren't answered in this book.
March 25, 2013
It's great to find more fiction with strong but engaging female protagonists (read: not the cliched "I was hurt so I'm keeping everyone at an arms distance, but see how tough I am in my brusque efficiency and professionalism"). While I did find the book a bit slow for me to get into at first, I found myself pulled along by the interactions of the main character, Dru, with everyone else in the book and, oddly, the LA setting. This wasn't a nail biting, dark suspense novel. Its flip, fun, and a quick read with quirky characters that I want to learn more about. Looking forward to the next book!
March 25, 2013
Clever and dark and fun. Lots of twists I didn't see coming. And I love the narrator's sardonic voice. I also love the main character's protective relationship with her sister, and what a back story! I can easily see it unraveling and deepening over the course of a series.
May 3, 2021
I would give 5 stars but there were just a few editing errors. I love, love, love Drusilla, she kicked asses. I loved that there was no romance. I hope to read the second book if the price goes down.
July 28, 2018
Drusilla Thorne's husband, Colin, walks out on their marriage of convenience right in the middle of their magic act in Vegas. He steals a bracelet from her that could tip off her Mafia father who has been searching for Drusilla and her younger sister Stevie for 15 years. If found, Druscilla fears he will kill her because she interfered with some big mafia job that lost him big money. When she finds Colin in Los Angeles, he’s dead. Before dying, he obtained child porn photos that could put important people in Hollywood behind and Drusilla has to find out who is blackmailing who and how did Colin get these photos. I enjoyed Drusilla and her sister, Stevie for they were quirky and not your typical characters who have no faults. These two definitely full of faults and I found it refreshing not to read about perfect people. 8 Stars (7.18 to 7.26.18)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2017
a truly dark tale that could not have been written much better. I love books that are fast paced like this one, who keep me at the edge of the seat, and never let me know what will happen next. If you like intense thrillers, then this book is for you.
I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
June 14, 2018
Oh Boy!
I really enjoyed the authors style of writing. I really enjoyed the characters and I actually hope that there's a continuation of this story. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes drama and suspense . The twists and turns this book takes definitely made you not want to put it down so thank you it was a very very entertaining read.
I really enjoyed the authors style of writing. I really enjoyed the characters and I actually hope that there's a continuation of this story. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes drama and suspense . The twists and turns this book takes definitely made you not want to put it down so thank you it was a very very entertaining read.
November 13, 2018
Dru has such observation skills learned the hard way but they server her well.
February 8, 2020
Excellent story. I had a hard time remembering all the characters, and there were a lot of twists and turns so it got very confusing at times, but I really enjoyed the story.
October 23, 2023
3.5 rating almost a 4. I want to continue in this series this one was interesting.
March 2, 2020
Drusilla and Stevie head to Los Angeles to get her bracelet back and divorce her green-card marriage husband. But on their arrival murder and mayhem start to explode. Wow!
October 19, 2018
Bravo! A good fast read! now i am hooked. This was such a great, easy and creative book. i was hooked after the first page.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
July 20, 2014
Book 2 & 3 reviewed at: Editingeverything.com
Short train rides to work were not meant for books like this. Nope.
Dru and Stevie are sisters on the run, and they have been for about 10 years, since the night Dru killed someone, possibly in her sister’s (or her own) defence. They’ve drifted from the UK to Europe and are now in the US, where Dru is a magician’s assistant in Vegas. She’s married to said magician, Colin in what she believes is a marriage of convenience. But nothing in Vegas is what it seems, not even Colin, the one person she thought she had figured out.
When he dumps her, onstage no less, and takes with him evidence of her true identity Dru and Stevie embark on a search for him that takes them to LA, only to find Colin murdered. And, like Vegas, nothing is what it seems in LA.
From this point on, the book becomes a superb murder mystery, forcing Dru to navigate Hollywood and Colin’s extra-marital love life. There are aspiring actresses, casting couches and a horrifying stage mom to contend with along the way to finding Colin’s killer – and in the end, Colin died for a very simple and much more intimate reason that Dru and readers ever realised.
This book kept me engrossed from beginning to end – I picked it up because the blurb hinted at Dru’s past and the role it would play in the story, but the mystery of Colin’s death turned out to be as engrossing as Dru’s past. Colin was a bastard, a charming one but a bastard nonetheless. He used women to his advantage, and it was his charm that tended to blind them to him, including Dru to some extent.
She is uncompromising and fiercely protective of Stevie, as much as she goes through bouts of resenting Stevie and the responsibility of that comes with in essence, being her carer. She has been making the big decisions and taking care of them for so long that part of her has become steel because she’s had to be. What other choice did she have? But, in with that steel and determination is an inkling of vulnerability – with Stevie, most of all.
While Dru is sharp and jaded, Stevie is a balm over her voice in the book. She’s been emotionally fragile, since they went on the run, and Dru knows she needs help, but they just haven’t stayed still long enough for Stevie to get help. The thing is, Dru wants to think that of Stevie – it’s easier to deal with taking care of her instead of actually working through their past and seeing Stevie for who she is – or who she can be.
Ah – their past. What a tangled web that is – there are just enough hints of the past to give readers a picture of who and what Dru and Stevie are escaping, but, I suspect Dru is far more a product of the past she’s been running from than she wants to admit. She’s cold, calculating and and a bit conniving because nothing will stand in the way of her endgame.
The pacing in this novel is relentless, which fits well into Dru’s POV – she doesn’t stop doing anything in her search for Colin’s killer and to clear her name before it gets plastered everywhere. I cannot wait to see where this story goes – there’s an intriguing timetable built into the end of this novel that bodes well for future instalments.
And, don't worry about this being book 2 -- book 1 is a pre-equal, so you're safe if you prefer reading things in order. I think I'll review book 3 next week.
Short train rides to work were not meant for books like this. Nope.
Dru and Stevie are sisters on the run, and they have been for about 10 years, since the night Dru killed someone, possibly in her sister’s (or her own) defence. They’ve drifted from the UK to Europe and are now in the US, where Dru is a magician’s assistant in Vegas. She’s married to said magician, Colin in what she believes is a marriage of convenience. But nothing in Vegas is what it seems, not even Colin, the one person she thought she had figured out.
When he dumps her, onstage no less, and takes with him evidence of her true identity Dru and Stevie embark on a search for him that takes them to LA, only to find Colin murdered. And, like Vegas, nothing is what it seems in LA.
From this point on, the book becomes a superb murder mystery, forcing Dru to navigate Hollywood and Colin’s extra-marital love life. There are aspiring actresses, casting couches and a horrifying stage mom to contend with along the way to finding Colin’s killer – and in the end, Colin died for a very simple and much more intimate reason that Dru and readers ever realised.
This book kept me engrossed from beginning to end – I picked it up because the blurb hinted at Dru’s past and the role it would play in the story, but the mystery of Colin’s death turned out to be as engrossing as Dru’s past. Colin was a bastard, a charming one but a bastard nonetheless. He used women to his advantage, and it was his charm that tended to blind them to him, including Dru to some extent.
She is uncompromising and fiercely protective of Stevie, as much as she goes through bouts of resenting Stevie and the responsibility of that comes with in essence, being her carer. She has been making the big decisions and taking care of them for so long that part of her has become steel because she’s had to be. What other choice did she have? But, in with that steel and determination is an inkling of vulnerability – with Stevie, most of all.
While Dru is sharp and jaded, Stevie is a balm over her voice in the book. She’s been emotionally fragile, since they went on the run, and Dru knows she needs help, but they just haven’t stayed still long enough for Stevie to get help. The thing is, Dru wants to think that of Stevie – it’s easier to deal with taking care of her instead of actually working through their past and seeing Stevie for who she is – or who she can be.
Ah – their past. What a tangled web that is – there are just enough hints of the past to give readers a picture of who and what Dru and Stevie are escaping, but, I suspect Dru is far more a product of the past she’s been running from than she wants to admit. She’s cold, calculating and and a bit conniving because nothing will stand in the way of her endgame.
The pacing in this novel is relentless, which fits well into Dru’s POV – she doesn’t stop doing anything in her search for Colin’s killer and to clear her name before it gets plastered everywhere. I cannot wait to see where this story goes – there’s an intriguing timetable built into the end of this novel that bodes well for future instalments.
And, don't worry about this being book 2 -- book 1 is a pre-equal, so you're safe if you prefer reading things in order. I think I'll review book 3 next week.
May 2, 2013
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
First Lines: My first clue that Colin was somewhat angrier than he had let on came when the Bowie knife landed next to my right ear.
Rating: 3.75/5
Review:
I loved the book! It was an engaging read and kept me guessing till the very end. It was very well written, and oh so quotable. Now, the characters:
She's kickass and sassy and smart and basically awesome. Her narration was sardonic and hilarious. Like this:
Also, some of the best last lines I've read:
First Lines: My first clue that Colin was somewhat angrier than he had let on came when the Bowie knife landed next to my right ear.
Rating: 3.75/5
Review:
I loved the book! It was an engaging read and kept me guessing till the very end. It was very well written, and oh so quotable. Now, the characters:
"You're playing with fire."Drusilla Thorne, everyone.
"It's my favourite form of exercise."
She's kickass and sassy and smart and basically awesome. Her narration was sardonic and hilarious. Like this:
"This should be amusing. Or some definition of amusing. Not the one I generally use, of course."I liked her relationship with her sister, Stevie. And also, I liked Stevie. I hope there's more of her in the next book. We only get a few glimpses of their past, but it's enough to explain why they're so intent on running away from it. Hope the next one's just as good!
Also, some of the best last lines I've read:
July 8, 2013
Drusilla and her husband Colin have a magic act in Las Vegas. When she decides to leave him, he cuts out in the middle of their act, leaving her to pick up the pieces he left behind. She, along with her sister Stevie, manage to track him down to Los Angeles. When she thinks she will be able to confront him, she finds him dead in Diane Paterson’s YOU KNOW WHO I AM. Dru now has to find out who killed him while dealing with her past, the cops, and the bad guys who followed her to LA from Vegas.
I like Drusilla and her sister Stevie. Dru has provided a fairly stable home life for her sister though they have been on the run for 11 years. Now in LA they have to stop running. The past is catching up with them. Dru has choices to make. Will she cave or will she keep Stevie with her? Dru is a strong woman who handles things on a one thing at a time basis. She is fighting for her life as she tracks down the murderer of her husband. Many questions come up about her past that the detective in charge wants answered but Dru is closed-mouthed. There is an attraction there but Dru knows how to squash it.
The murder mystery was good. I was hooked and managed not to get it right. There were other mysteries that came up. These characters are not a savory bunch of people with which to hang. They are all ready to hang the others out to dry. Talk about cut throat.
I want to know more about Dru and Stevie’s pasts. I hope there are more stories coming with Dru as the main character. She is colorful, quirky, and tough.
I like Drusilla and her sister Stevie. Dru has provided a fairly stable home life for her sister though they have been on the run for 11 years. Now in LA they have to stop running. The past is catching up with them. Dru has choices to make. Will she cave or will she keep Stevie with her? Dru is a strong woman who handles things on a one thing at a time basis. She is fighting for her life as she tracks down the murderer of her husband. Many questions come up about her past that the detective in charge wants answered but Dru is closed-mouthed. There is an attraction there but Dru knows how to squash it.
The murder mystery was good. I was hooked and managed not to get it right. There were other mysteries that came up. These characters are not a savory bunch of people with which to hang. They are all ready to hang the others out to dry. Talk about cut throat.
I want to know more about Dru and Stevie’s pasts. I hope there are more stories coming with Dru as the main character. She is colorful, quirky, and tough.
August 15, 2014
Really like this second installment (read the prequel) of the Drusilla Thorne Mysteries. Drusilla gets more well-rounded time here as I anticipated, as does her little sister, Stevie.
Drusilla is part of a Las Vegas magician's act, having married the star of the show for strictly for convenience purposes. When her husband goes missing and ends up murdered, the race to clear Drusilla's name begins. After all, most murders are usually committed by the spouse, aren't they?
Enter Nathaniel, the smooth-talking, perfectly tailored attorney her sister called to arrange for when the heat from the LA PD centered on Drusilla. We also have one hunky detective, an aged, has-been actor who provides shelter and eyes the sisters from afar, and a jacked-up Las Vegas beefcake who keeps showing up at the wrong times. Oh, and I almost forgot the young rival vying for the cameras and the media attention surrounding Drusilla wherever she goes.
Then there's that pesky past that keeps showing it's teeth.
Great cast of characters, intricate plot, and an ending that I didn't quite have all figured out (which is pretty hard to find) lead me to assign a rare five stars!
Drusilla is part of a Las Vegas magician's act, having married the star of the show for strictly for convenience purposes. When her husband goes missing and ends up murdered, the race to clear Drusilla's name begins. After all, most murders are usually committed by the spouse, aren't they?
Enter Nathaniel, the smooth-talking, perfectly tailored attorney her sister called to arrange for when the heat from the LA PD centered on Drusilla. We also have one hunky detective, an aged, has-been actor who provides shelter and eyes the sisters from afar, and a jacked-up Las Vegas beefcake who keeps showing up at the wrong times. Oh, and I almost forgot the young rival vying for the cameras and the media attention surrounding Drusilla wherever she goes.
Then there's that pesky past that keeps showing it's teeth.
Great cast of characters, intricate plot, and an ending that I didn't quite have all figured out (which is pretty hard to find) lead me to assign a rare five stars!
July 4, 2014
You Know Who I Am
Diane Patterson
Publisher: All Night Reads
A wonderful murder, mystery thriller that has twists and turns everywhere. The story was written well, that I didn’t guess the killer, until it was revealed in the end.
I enjoyed the character development, particularly the strong and engaging female protagonists. Even with her faults and past issues Drusilla appears as a tough, multi-layer character, that Patterson will reveal more of in later books.
Just as damaged is Drusilla’s sister Stevie, who has her own issues and problems.
The story is set in Los Angeles, where Drusilla finds her husband’s dead body, and is the prime suspect. She needs to discover who the real murder is, and as she digs, she discovers a long list of suspects.
An enjoyable mystery, that starts a new series off. I will be interested to read the next of Patterson mysteries.
Diane Patterson
Publisher: All Night Reads
A wonderful murder, mystery thriller that has twists and turns everywhere. The story was written well, that I didn’t guess the killer, until it was revealed in the end.
I enjoyed the character development, particularly the strong and engaging female protagonists. Even with her faults and past issues Drusilla appears as a tough, multi-layer character, that Patterson will reveal more of in later books.
Just as damaged is Drusilla’s sister Stevie, who has her own issues and problems.
The story is set in Los Angeles, where Drusilla finds her husband’s dead body, and is the prime suspect. She needs to discover who the real murder is, and as she digs, she discovers a long list of suspects.
An enjoyable mystery, that starts a new series off. I will be interested to read the next of Patterson mysteries.
September 13, 2014
“You know Who I Am” is a fast-moving romp through Los Angeles. Diane Patterson has brought together elements of a mystery, a murder, characters with colorful backgrounds and a witness on the run. The reader is brought into the action and is filled in on the go as the protagonist, Drucilla Thorne, uncovers evidence about her husband's murder.
The characters are interesting and fun as you get to know them however, the story moves too fast to really develop a foundation. The book was a pleasant, light-hearted read that ended before any real commitments were made by the characters or this reader. Hoping this author takes the time to build background into her next story which I look forward to reading.
The characters are interesting and fun as you get to know them however, the story moves too fast to really develop a foundation. The book was a pleasant, light-hearted read that ended before any real commitments were made by the characters or this reader. Hoping this author takes the time to build background into her next story which I look forward to reading.
September 8, 2015
The story in this book is really good, really held my interest. The one thing that I found annoying is that it subtly referred to things that happened in the past to the main characters, but never gave concrete info about these events. It alluded to the fact that Drusilla & Stevie may have been victims of sexual abuse as children, but never came out and said it. Since these were events that would have explained the characters more, then I think there should have been more info about their back-stories available. A bit too much ambiguity.
Other than that, the story was great & I loved the characters.
Other than that, the story was great & I loved the characters.
June 2, 2013
It took me a while to dip into the story. The beginning was very confusing and there weren't much links and hints. By and by I was able to connect the loose ends and from that point I enjoyed the reading. Dru has not only to solve recently mysteries but also to get back her stable life. With the help of her sister as well as different characters along the story she finally was able to solve the puzzles. It was a fast-paced reading and it kept me guessing until the very last page who the murderer was.
(3 1/2 stars)
(3 1/2 stars)
July 14, 2014
we learn more about Stevie and Drusilla' s backstory except for who exactly drusilla' s real dad is...the one who wants her dead. in addition we find out who killed her nominal husband, Colin and meet drusilla' s stepdad who wants to drag Priscilla unwillingly back to New York and her despised mother leaving Stevie vulnerable to their vengeful father. she blackmailed her stepdad and stays with Stevie to protect her. this is an enticing series about complex people...and complicated lives. plus murder, blackmail, betrayal...
January 29, 2015
I started this book immediately after finishing the first one in the series and tonight I'll be starting on the next one. I absolutely LOVE these characters! I want to be like Drusilla when I grow up--oh, wait, that ship has sailed. Oh, well, I'll just live vicariously through her. I love the way Diane Patterson makes Drusilla and her sister, Stevie, so mysterious as far as their backgrounds go. The story of their lives is as exciting and as much a mystery as the main plot of the book. Please keep them coming, Ms. Patterson!
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