Bitter Pill

by Stacey Kade

The truth is a bitter pill...

Rennie Harlow is having a bad year. She had a handsome husband, a good job, and a renovated condo in Chicago. Now, thanks to one "exotically beautiful" paralegal, she’s divorced, faking her way through a writing career, and living above her hypochondriac mother's garage. And she’s back in Morrisville, the small town she couldn't leave fast enough at eighteen. On top of all of that, she just found Doc Hallacy, the local pharmacist, dead behind his counter. The worst part is, he's the third body she’s stumbled across this year.

Jake Bristol has lived in Morrisville his whole life. A former bad boy turned sheriff, he doesn’t believe Rennie just has bad luck or bad timing. He thinks she’s too nosy for her own good. The last thing he needs is her messing around with his murder investigation so that she can freelance for the Morrisville Gazette. But as they both delve deeper into Doc's death, they find things don't add up. This isn't a robbery gone wrong or the work of a desperate junkie. Someone has a secret they're killing to keep. The only question is—who's next?

Genres: Mystery, Adult, Romance, Contemporary, New Adult, Suspense

211 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 28, 2013

About the author

**Stacey Kade also writes as S.A. Barnes. Her latest release is DEAD SILENCE, coming from Nightfire Books on 1/25/22.**

The daughter of a minister and a music teacher, Stacey Kade grew up reading Harlequin romances on the sly in the basement. Kade is the author of two young adult series (The Ghost and Goth trilogy and the Project Paper Doll series) and two young adult contemporary standalone novels. 738 DAYS and STARLIGHT NIGHTS, her contemporary romance duo for adults, both received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly.

Kade lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, Greg, and their three dogs.

Reviews

[Tatiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

За что я люблю Кейд - так это зато, что она умеет создавать атмосферу в своих книгах, в которую ты окунаешься без оглядки.

Bitter Pill - это не любовный роман: не ждите треугольников, постельных сцен, драматических любовных признаний, банальных сцен. Своего рода романтик в книги есть и на мой взгляд он идеален.

В книге много "черного юмора" от лица главной героини, который я нашла очень забавным, легким. Это не тот тип юмора, от которого хочется смеяться во весь голос, но тот типа от которого губы растягиваются в глуповатой ухмылке. Ренне отмачивает ироничные, жизненные замечания, которые просты, близки и понятны. Будь ты хоть американцем, японцем или русским - смысл ясен и понятен. Это приятно, не люблю читать книги перенасыщенные юмором, который я просто не могу понять.

В книги есть труп, убийство. И собственного, книга о том, как Ренне, которая найдет этот самый труп, будет искать убийцу. В книге не будет экшен сцен - это тонкий, скорее даже психологический триллер. Кейд очень классно создает общество небольшого городка, где происходят действия, где все друг друга знают и каждый за глаза что-то говорит о другом.

И, конечно, книге есть Бристол... Да, Бристол, шикарный мистер шериф. Честно скажу даже зная стиль Кейд, после третей главы у меня появились грязные фантазии о шерифе, даже несмотря на то что он был женат :D Очень мне понравилось напряжение, атмосфера, когда читаешь и ждешь...- ну когда же Бристол, ну когда ты ...ну давай же сделай первый шаг .... :D

Жаль, Стэйси Кейд не написала продолжение этой истории, я бы с удовольствием почитала еще про приключения Ренне и мистера шерифа.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit this book, I wasn't 100% sure what to expect as this was me trying to clear my old books off my kindle and the few Stacey Kade I had read previously I had enjoyed and were YA books. Also with this cover, I had assumed it was an angsty YA read and possibly had to do with drugs /suicide with the title but I was wrong and proves not to assume about a book due to it's cover. Bitter Pill by Stacey Kade turned out to be a cozy mystery where we meet divorcee Rennie Harlow whom seems to attract dead bodies as she has a knack for finding them. In a way Rennie reminded me of Lori Loughlin's character in the Hallmark Mysteries series - Garage Sale Mystery. The book starts with her going to pick up her mum's presciption only to find the Doctor dead. This leads her to another encounter with the Sheriff whom Rennie knew from high school. There is definitely chemistry between the pair, the downside is that the sheriff is married and has a daughter. I do hope in future books that the pair might be able to end up together. Bitter Pill follows the adventures of Rennie helping the sheriff solve the crime but as they get deeper, it soon turns out that they may unravel a bigger mess that has many people in the town on edge and if Rennie isn't careful, she may find herself the next victim as there are people out there who will kill to keep their secrets hidden rather than the exposing that Rennie will do if they come to light .
If you are on the lookout for a cozy mystery, then check out Stacey Kade's Bitter Pill which unlike the saying , the book is an easy swallow.

[Jennavier · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm curious if this is one of Kade's earlier works from before she got published. While it's a lot of fun, there's a lot of stuff that doesn't work. If feels like a series but I'm glad it's not.

[Jami · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book with a decent mystery. However, there were multiple references to the main character finding two dead bodies in the past; I thought there was a prior book about this, but as far as I can tell, there isn’t; I found that a bit distracting. Overall, it kept my interest.

[Stacee · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

I really enjoyed this story. It was a quick, entertaining read that left me wanting more. No, really. I hope there's more [and I'll be bugging Stacey about this] because the ending nearly had me screaming. If it wasn't for the "The End" on the bottom of the page, I would have thought there was a problem with my e-book...

MCs:

Rennie: Recently divorced, Rennie comes back to her small town home to live with her mom. She's quick to find trouble and whether she likes it or not, realizes that she has feelings for the very married sheriff. I feel like Rennie is the type of girl who would get arrested when she goes out with a group of friends, but not for anything serious. It would be for something trivial law like wearing flip-flops while walking down a sidewalk on a Tuesday afternoon. Does that make sense?

I loved being in her head. She's hurting over the situation that she's in, but by the end of the book, I knew that she was strong enough to get through it all. Even if we don't get anything else from these characters, I'm certain that Rennie is going to prevail in whatever she does.

Bristol: He is a good, strong man. A stand up man with convictions. Bristol loves his job, the law in general, and seems to see most of his life in the same sort black and white. Except when it comes to Rennie, she's very much a grey area. The sparks between Rennie and him are very apparent and even if he's aware of the town whispering, he never shows it. I would have loved to have gotten even one chapter from his point of view [hint, hint], I'm very interested in the maybe history he and Rennie had...

There weren't swoons in the conventional way, but there were some moments where I gasped at what was happening. But, as River Song says, spoilers.

Secondary Characters:

Max: Editor of the town newspaper and Rennie's sort of boss. He's a Morrisville transplant and definitely gives off the vibe of "big, bad city guy". But, under all of that gruff exterior, there's a bit of a gooey inside. His exchanges with Rennie are interesting. His respect for her writing shows and sometimes it felt like there was a sort of father/daughter relationship, but it was the mood swings and erratic behavior that kept me curious.

The Rest of the Town: There's quite a mix of people in the small town of Morrisville and while we only got snippets of most of them, there are a few that I should have added to this. However, I don't want to spoil anything, I want you to experience them for yourself and trust no one. Perhaps you'll be able to pick out the killer. ;)

Plot & Pacing:

Well, it doesn't get any faster than starting the book out with having the MC find a dead body. This book is fast paced from the get go. There were several components happening all at the same time. Not only is it a whodunnit, but there's a real exploration of different types of relationships that made for some interesting scenes. There were some definite twists that I didn't see coming. I spent the entire book thinking I knew who was behind all of it and I was way way off.

Rec It?

Absolutely. If you're looking for a fun murder/mystery with a sharp, trouble finding heroine and a smoldering, but straight laced sheriff, this one is for you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Huge thanks to Samantha at CLP blog tours for providing the book in exchange for an honest review. This review can also be found on my blog at Adventures of a Book Junkie

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bitter Pill is an entertaining mystery that follows the adventures of freelance writer and amateur sleuth Rennie Harlow, who has a knack of getting herself into trouble and finding dead bodies.

After four years of marriage and living in Chicago, Rennie Harlow's husband attorney Jeffrey Michael divorces her gets remarried three days after the divorce is finalized to Maria, his former legal assistant / mistress. Scorned and bitter, Rennie returns to her small hometown of Morrisville, Illinois, to restart her life. Living with her mother in an apartment above the garage, a year has passed since her return to Morrisville, and it has been anything but smooth ... especially when it comes to getting herself in the middle of trouble when she finds three local townspeople dead, and has a major crush on the town's married Sheriff, Jake Bristol. Written in the first person narrative, Rennie takes the reader along for the ride as she discovers the body of local pharmacist, Doc Eugene Hallacy, and is determined to investigate the murder and find the killer.

Bitter Pill is a fun fast-paced mystery that easily draws the reader into the story from the beginning. Author Stacey Kade weaves an intriguing whodunit that features Rennie's amateur sleuthing adventure to solve the mystery of Doc Hallacy's murder. The author does a great job of providing the reader with a small town full of secrets, and enough suspenseful twists and turns that keeps them guessing the identity of the murderer until the surprising conclusion. And if that isn't enough to peak your interest, the author provides a backstory into Rennie's marriage/divorce, her relationship with her hypochondriac mother, and her crush on the town's Sheriff.

Rennie is a bit of a mess, but she's a realistic and sassy lady who is easy to relate to, you can't help but like her. I really enjoyed that the story was told in the first person narrative, it was fun to follow Rennie on her amateur sleuthing adventure; and I really enjoyed the subtle crush, sexual tension, and humorous interactions that she had with Sheriff Jake Bristol. Add in Rennie's lovable Greyhound Fritzy and some quirky townspeople with secrets and issues of their own, and you get a thoroughly entertaining whodunit that will have you trying to solve the mystery along with Rennie and Jake!


Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...

[Christina Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so surprised by Bitter Pill, and definitely in a good way. I was expecting another book with heavy romance, but light everything else, and while those types of books are fine and I usually really enjoy them, Bitter Pill was such a breath of fresh air. This story does have romancy elements but it’s so so much more. With a strong likeable lead character, and an edge-of-your-seat mystery, Stacey Kade wrote an incredibly satisfying read that I didn’t want to end.
Bitter Pill is basically a mystery novel surrounding the death of a local pharmacist. Rennie Harlow is our lovely lead who found Doc dead in his shop, and while she should just let the heartbreakingly handsome sheriff handle the investigation, she doesn’t. As a freelance writer trying to make a living, Rennie takes it upon herself to discover who to killer is, and hopefully she can do this without becoming the next body found.

Rennie Harlow is kinda awesome. She’s sassy, smart, brave, and pretty much every other good adjective you could come up with. All of these qualities made it fun to be in her head, and to see the world through her eyes. Add in the fact that after all the crap that she’s been through lately (finding out her husband was cheating on her, divorcing said husband, taking care of her hypochondriac mother, and oh yea…finding dead people) and she’s still standing makes Rennie the ultimate female lead.

Like I mentioned early, this book is kinda light on the romance. While the reason for the lack of kissy mushy stuff is reasonable; it is the one thing that I would have liked more of in this book. We find out quite early on that Rennie has a huge crush on the local bad boy turned sheriff, Jake Bristol. This is all well and good except for one little fact, Jake is married. Reading Rennie and Jake’s scenes could be hard because I wanted them to be together so bad, but then I wouldn’t because if they do get together then he would be cheating on his wife and that would make him a big ole’ dirtbag like Rennie’s ex. Gah, where is my happily ever after when I want it?

Bitter Pill was such a fun and entertaining read, and I would love if Stacey would continue the story with another book. There are still so many things I want to know, and I don’t think these characters are done telling their story. I need Rennie to have a happily ever after, and I think Jake deserves some happiness too.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have yet to read a Stacey Kade book that I haven’t enjoyed, and Bitter Pill, her first foray into the NA/Adult genre, didn’t disappoint me.

Bitter Pill is a quick, but humorous murder/mystery with a great lead character who cannot seem to stay out of trouble. She has a knack for finding dead bodies (something I’m glad I’ve never possessed) and romantic chemistry with the sheriff, who is out of her reach, since he is married. Author Kade leads readers through the mystery like a pro and had me guessing who the killer was from start to reveal.

Rennie is a great main character. She has a big heart and is just trying to get her life together, but she always seems to stumble upon trouble. I enjoyed reading the story from her point of view and also how she related to the rest of the characters. Besides the romantic tension with the sheriff, I liked how she interacted with the rest of the characters in Bitter Pill.

I really liked Bitter Pill and am hoping I will have the chance to read more about Rennie Harlow in the future. The ending of the book is definitely a cliff hanger, which I usually dislike intensely, but since this is suck a short story, my guess is this is a water tester to get reaction from readers and see if there is an audience. At least I hope so! I’d love to find out the real ending and have some of my questions answered that were left hanging at the end of the story.

[hpboy13 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stacey Kade is incapable of writing a bad book. Like, if I asked her to write a bad book, she’d probably struggle. I got this book because I was in severe withdrawal after finishing her Project Paper Doll series, and I was not disappointed. Bitter Pill, while being an adult book, contained much of the same charm her other books did.

The book reminded me most of all of Veronica Mars; since that show was one of the best things ever, I mean that as the highest of compliments. The heroine, Rennie, is cynical and jaded, with a propensity for finding trouble and a talent for solving mysteries. Stuck in a small, dreary, and judgy town, she manages to keep getting mixed up in murders just because she’s observant enough to find the corpses.

It’s a fun book that really makes you root for the heroine. I wish it were a bit longer, as I felt the supporting characters could have used a bit of fleshing out. I also think this would make a great series (or TV show), as there’s a lot of groundwork laid for longer character arcs, and plenty of potential for further mysteries.

[Mona · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've enjoyed Stacey's YA books so I thought I'd try out her contemporary mystery-that-borders-on-romance. All I can say is: Stacey, you'd better be writing, girl, 'cause I want to know how this turns out! I want to know what happens with Rennie!! Does she get custody of the kids? Does Jake leave his wife? Does some other guy come along for Rennie? Do the secrets get spilled? Inquiring minds want to know!

Get crackin' on the next one.

ETA - I started this book after watching The Voice and read til midnight. Woke up at 2:00 a.m. and read until 4:00. Started back on it at 7:30 and read until I finished it. I couldn't stop thinking about it. LOL

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! It reminded me of Star Wars A New Hope. The story is engaging, the backstory hits just the right balance (and hints at some great stories), and the ending is satisfying while still leaving storylines for a sequel. Wish there was a sequel!

[Juniper Shore · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've read either of Stacy Kade's young adult series ("The Ghost and the Goth" and "Project Paper Doll") you're probably expecting something similar here. Prepare to be surprised. Bitter Pill is an adult novel about a divorced woman in a small Indiana town. There's nothing supernatural about the story, but there is a lot of romantic longing and a fairly exciting mystery.

The book is written in the first person and Rennie is an engaging narrator. There are a few elements of chick lit here--her frustrated crush on the town sheriff, for instance--but for the most part it's a straightforward mystery. In her capacity as a reporter, she interviews friends and enemies of the deceased and closes in on the killer while the law is just a step behind.

There are lots of details that make the setting come alive and even the secondary characters are well-realized. The romance gets a little tiresome after a while and Rennie comes across as a little bit too superwoman, but those are minor quibbles and probably necessary for the plot. And I appreciate reading a book that's complete in one volume.

One criticism: the story clearly feels like the third installment in a series, complete with references to earlier cases, but as far as I can tell it's a standalone. I'm not sure if Kade actually wrote some earlier books that never saw publication or if she's just leading us on. Either way, she should hold off on revealing the ending of those cases (you know, just in case they're ever written and published).

[Tony Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rennie Harlow is having a bad year. She had a handsome husband, a good job, & a renovated condo in Chicago. Now divorced she is back in Morrisville where she grew up living in her mother’s garage apartment. Her ex & his new wife are expecting twins. Rennie goes to the pharmacy to pick up a narcolepsy prescription Dr. Murphy prescribed for the hypochondriasis mother. Worst case scenario she finds Dr. Hallacy the pharmacist, dead behind the counter. To top it off this is the 3rd dead person Rennie has comes across dead this yr.

The sheriff Jake Bristol (married) thinks she is getting to nosey & just wants something to write (freelance) about in the Morrisville Gazette. As the 2 team up do their own murder investigation they began to ponder who the serial killer is & who will be the next victim?

Will the murder of Dr. Hallacy finally be solved? Who will be brought to justice for the crime?
What will happen to Rennie’s love life?

I love the book cover, the font, paper & writing style. This is a crime, mystery book filled with suspense, unanswered questions & lots of twists/turns. Easy to read/follow from start/finish. Never a dull moment. A whole lot of great characters & suspects to keep track of. No grammar errors or out of line story sequence. This would make an awesome crime, mystery movie. No doubt in my mind this is very easy for me to rate it at 5 stars.

Thank you for the autographed free book
Tony Parsons MSW

[Hajar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read Stacey Kade 738 Days and this is my second book from her. Even though Bitter Pill synopsis tells about the mystery happens but it is more focusing about Rennie's life.
Rennie is a divorcee reporter who happens to have such a bad luck to meet the dead. She came back to her hometown after divorce to took care of her mother.
One day.she happens to meet another dead and that when the story began.Rennie has a huge crush from the Sheriff in town and while the work together,there are so many things happens in between.It so happen in such a small town.Everyone likes to gossip and yes,the sheriff is married.

I feel bad reading this even though the mystery really eating my out. It was Rennie's life makes me feel how she can really stand and fight really bad back from the people who is belittling her. She has her own way but it does makes me want more about her to find her own happiness instead for this book to stop as a standalone. Alas, there are reasons maybe why the author decided like that so it is not really fully satisfaction for me. I am looking forward to read more from Stacey :)

[Jacque · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rennie Harlow grew up in a small town and moved to Chicago after high school. She graduated from college, got married, and had a great job. Life was moving along smoothly until she discovered her husband was having an affair with his paralegal. She moved back to her hometown and is now living in the apartment above her mother's garage while working as a freelance writer for the local paper. As if being divorced and returning home isn't scandal enough, trouble constantly surfaces around her. She has discovered not one, but three dead bodies over the past year and the townspeople are definitely talking.

I have enjoyed all of Stacey's book, but I would have to list this one towards the top. 738 Days is probably my favorite with Bitter Pill a close second. I would recommend this book to any reader and not just someone looking for a mystery. I flew through this book in only a couple of days and was definitely surprised by the ending. It wasn't at all predictable and was highly entertaining from start to finish.

My full review is on my blog: https://jacquesbooknook.blogspot.com/...

[Ariel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rather adore Stacey Kade. I have yet to read a book by her that I haven't just loved, and this one is no exception.

this was a pretty short one, and as a result left me with a few questions, but it wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

Did she end up giving her ex-husband his alimony money back? I really hope not! He's a douche.

Does she and the sexy Bristol ever get together, despite his marital status? Please say yes!

Does Mrs. Bitchy ever get her comeupance for tying that poor dog to a tree? Yuuuuuuuuuup. (Please say yes.)

I really liked it though! I want to know more about the backstory, about how she got her start, about those other cases (especially the librarian one) that were mentioned but never thoroughly expounded on.

Hopefully Ms Kade will write more books about Rennie.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

My thanks go to Stacey Kade, author of Bitter Pill and Goodreads First Reads Giveaway for my copy of this mystery book.

Rennie Harlow the main character came across as a real person and the feel of the small town, how a person feels as an outsider was done perfectly. The twists in solving the mystery of the third body Rennie has found since she came back to the town where she grew up felt more real than the way it is done on TV. Sheriff Jake Bristol and solving Doc's murder with his fascination with how Rennie thinks, felt real for a nice guy in a bad marriage doing the right thing for the sake of his child. The last twist at the end was fine until the reader was left with not knowing what is going to happen to the four innocent children? Bitter Pill was a realistic short mystery book with a good main character in a realistic mid-west small town.

[Heather Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Boy, does Rennie have trouble follow her? This was a fun, quick read that definitely will hold a reader’s interest. The mystery itself was intriguing and after finishing it I was surprised I didn’t solve it. The clues were definitely there, but not “in your face” nor did the murderer come out of left field. I enjoy the small town feel in books and really getting to know the characters. Because of this, I ended up feeling disappointed in the character(s) that deceived me and the town. These are all good qualities to a mystery. What could have made it better - everything with the murder wrapped up a little to neatly, but on the plus side new questions aroused making the reader wonder if there will be a sequel one day. The strange thing is the aspect I have the most problem with is the cover – in my eyes, that is not Rennie.

[Samantha March · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stacey Kade is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours and Bitter Pill
This book starts right off the bat with Rennie finding a dead body, and the action doesn’t seem to stop from there. I believe this is part of a series, because every once in a while there is a storyline mentioned that seems to be old news, and I would love to get my hands on more from Rennie’s life. The book is fast-paced and I thought the mystery aspect was great. Through each plot twist my opinion on the killer switched, and I’m happy to say I was pretty surprised when I figured it out right near the end. I love a good well-written mystery, and I would recommend Bitter Pill.
4.5 stars

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book free through goodreads first reads

I must say, I really really enjoyed this book!! From the beginning I was pulled into the story line. I love the depth of the characters, and really like Rennie! I love a quirky female lead!!

Rennie finds herself at the center of trouble, heart ache, and town gossip, all while doing her own sleuthing to discover a murderer.

This is a fun and interesting read and I REALLY REALLY hope we hear more from these characters!!

[Whit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it! A real page turner! I received this book, free, in a Goodread's First Read's Giveaway. Thank You! Rennie is back home after a bitter divorce. But she does not find much peace in this small town full of devious, secretive and dishonest characters! In addition, Rennie has a major crush on Bristol, the very married sheriff! Oh boy, Rennie is in deep trouble!

[Shay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bitter Pill is a page-turning small-town mystery, of the sort where everyone thinks they know each other’s business, but as Rennie delves into the mystery of Doc Hallacy’s death, she stumbles over more Morrisville secrets than she can shake a cane at. read more

[Stef Wade · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun who-dunnit novel with a little feminine twist. It kept me engaged the entire time. My only beef with this book was that even if I was paying the closest of attention, I don't think I couldn't have guessed the killer. I feel like that part of the story needed some more subtle developing.

[Louise Wardell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Goodreads for the opportunity to read this book. I really enjoyed the story. I didn't figure out the killer until the end. Rennie had some bumps in life then keeps finding dead bodies. She is a great character with a big heart.

[Jackie · Rating 1 out of 5]

It started off great but quickly turned boring once you realize the main character is lusting after the married cop. rennie comes across dead body number 4 and all she can do is fantasize about a man. give me a break.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really liked this book. It was a short read, but kept you engaged. A mystery with a side of mild romance. I'm hoping with the ending there is a follow up cause it would be a shame for rennie's story to end like that. She needs a HEA and I hope there will be more super sleuthing for her.

[Letticia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always loved Stacey Kade's works. "Bitter Pill" is wonderful read and I hope a new series for her. The character, Rinnie, I just so smart,lovable and heartbreaking.This was a perfect good read!

[panda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is awesome. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading and Rennie made me laugh out loud.

[Julie]

dnf

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Possible snippet review to come.