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Sam Parker Mysteries #1
Malicious Intent
Samantha Parker is not a cop or a private investigator. She's a nosy paralegal with a talent for snooping, so when a handsome stranger walks into her office and gives her twenty-five thousand dollars to have her find out who is following him, she can't resist taking his case, even if she doesn't believe him.The background check on Ronald Gregory proves that he has been in trouble with the law before. Upon discovering this, Sam seriously considers telling him to take his money and get lost, but she has two problems. The first is that she's broke and on the verge of eviction by her cranky old landlord, Mrs. Bennett. The second reason, which is equally important, is that she is extremely attracted to this hunk. On the other hand, she also finds it all very suspicious that he came to her when he could have easily gone to a professional investigator. That thought alone won't release itself from her brain, but she wants answers and is determined to get them.In order to get a handle on Ronald, Sam decides to follow him for a while. It is during this time that she observes that he hangs out with some pretty shady characters. When Sam asks him about them, he tells her that they are like family and have always been there for each other, until now. He explains to her that his "friends" are involved in drug dealing, money laundering, robbery and murder. Although he is not happy about the arrangement, they are still his friends so he continues to allow them to use his business to hide their criminal activities. They know he no longer wants to be involved in their dealings, and their relationship has become strained to say the least. As time goes on, Ronald senses he is being ousted. He knows what they are capable of and becomes convinced they are plotting a way to kill him and take over his business. But he is determined to take them down before they have a chance, and wants Sam to help.When Sam doesn't hear from him again, she can't understand why and decides to take things into her own hands and goes out looking. That's when the search takes a turn from finding out who is following Ronald, to finding Ronald himself. She just never imagined it would lead her to the mob, murder and into the arms of the crime boss himself.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 9, 2005
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6 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 15, 2019
Upon finishing Chapter 2, I almost put this book down and declare, it's “just not my cup of tea”. If I had it would have been one of my greatest travesties of the year! I am so glad I continued. I think that because it was very different to the material I would normally find myself reading, I was about to commit a grave sin and prejudice the book before the story really started playing out! I am so glad I gave myself a wake up call and persisted!
Maria has created a larger-than-life character in Sam Parker, that is your everyday hot-blooded young woman, but with an unquenchable thirst for the truth, and a curiosity that consistently gets her into trouble. She seems so real that you can picture her in your head during the course of the story. There's also her appreciation for the male physique, which I wasn't really into at the start but when you consider it from the opposing view of a male looking at a female image then why shouldn't she have these thoughts? All I can say is that this girl must have more cold showers than I ever had!
This brings me to the thing that I enjoyed most of all about this novel - it is narrated in the first person by Sam Parker herself. This gives us access to her innermost thoughts and feelings at the time, and can be somewhat basic and primitive as you may imagine.
Sam receives twenty-five thousand reasons to accept a case from a client who wants her to find out which of his life-long friends wants to kill him. With the aid of her friend, Private Investigator, Frank, and his associate, Chuck, a Special Investigator for the cops and the FBI, the case takes many twists and turns, and actually overlaps a long term case of theirs, becoming quite sinister. The pair are like Sam's big brothers, making them very protective of her throughout. Through Sam's private analysis and banter, we learn about Frank's inability to preserve a marriage, and Chuck's quirky behavior whenever Sam's around. Through the many developments in the story that are perfectly executed, you get to a point, many times, where think you may have solved the case, only to find another twist has come to play.
I highly recommend that all who love a good mystery and some well timed suspense read this novel. I am so glad I continued because it was such a good, honest, and at times humorous read. This has to be one of the most delightful surprises of my year. It left me glad that I didn't work everything out in the narrative, that it had substance to keep me intrigued, and somehow it finished on a note that had me actually feeling good for the experience of reading the work. I will be moving on to read the two following books as quickly as time permits.
DO NOT LEAVE THIS WORK ON THE SHELF, IT IS A REALLY GREAT READ!
Maria has created a larger-than-life character in Sam Parker, that is your everyday hot-blooded young woman, but with an unquenchable thirst for the truth, and a curiosity that consistently gets her into trouble. She seems so real that you can picture her in your head during the course of the story. There's also her appreciation for the male physique, which I wasn't really into at the start but when you consider it from the opposing view of a male looking at a female image then why shouldn't she have these thoughts? All I can say is that this girl must have more cold showers than I ever had!
This brings me to the thing that I enjoyed most of all about this novel - it is narrated in the first person by Sam Parker herself. This gives us access to her innermost thoughts and feelings at the time, and can be somewhat basic and primitive as you may imagine.
Sam receives twenty-five thousand reasons to accept a case from a client who wants her to find out which of his life-long friends wants to kill him. With the aid of her friend, Private Investigator, Frank, and his associate, Chuck, a Special Investigator for the cops and the FBI, the case takes many twists and turns, and actually overlaps a long term case of theirs, becoming quite sinister. The pair are like Sam's big brothers, making them very protective of her throughout. Through Sam's private analysis and banter, we learn about Frank's inability to preserve a marriage, and Chuck's quirky behavior whenever Sam's around. Through the many developments in the story that are perfectly executed, you get to a point, many times, where think you may have solved the case, only to find another twist has come to play.
I highly recommend that all who love a good mystery and some well timed suspense read this novel. I am so glad I continued because it was such a good, honest, and at times humorous read. This has to be one of the most delightful surprises of my year. It left me glad that I didn't work everything out in the narrative, that it had substance to keep me intrigued, and somehow it finished on a note that had me actually feeling good for the experience of reading the work. I will be moving on to read the two following books as quickly as time permits.
DO NOT LEAVE THIS WORK ON THE SHELF, IT IS A REALLY GREAT READ!
February 17, 2019
A new rookie PI with instincts!
Sam Parker is new to the world of detecting and I like how she is finding her way. The characters have a depth that creates twists to stimulate the reader's sense for a challenging mystery. If you enjoy discovering a new mystery series with multi-faceted characters who take you along on the ride and surprise you before you get off, Malicious Intent is a good fit. I am off to get Book 2!
Sam Parker is new to the world of detecting and I like how she is finding her way. The characters have a depth that creates twists to stimulate the reader's sense for a challenging mystery. If you enjoy discovering a new mystery series with multi-faceted characters who take you along on the ride and surprise you before you get off, Malicious Intent is a good fit. I am off to get Book 2!
June 27, 2017
I had the pleasure of meeting this lovely author while on vacation. The character, Sam, is sassy, independent and smart. Can't wait to read the next one!!
April 4, 2019
Enjoyable read with Great characters and plot. I had no idea of who was really the bad guys until the end.
May 23, 2019
What an amazing mystery. Ana isn’t even a detective but when a stranger offers her a lot of money to do detective work, she can’t pass up the offer. First book for me by this fabulous writer.
May 9, 2020
This was a really great book from an author, I have never read before, but will read more now. Especially the Sam Parker ones. This book gave you lots of characters, but told enough about them to keep up it is fast-paced action with lots of twists and turns. I kept trying to figure out who the bad guy(s) or girl(s) were. I never figured it out but was real happy at the end. I can’t imagine anyone who loves mysteries especially with a female lead character could pass this one up. I am so glad I didn’t.
March 8, 2020
Readable and exciting; Maria Murdock is a master at raising the heartbeat and quickening the breath with superb chapter-end suspense. Whether to risk cardiac arrest or read on is a difficult decision for timid readers. Only Samantha’s occupation as snoopy paralegal is less convincing.
February 14, 2021
Amazing scenes and dangerous characters wonderfully crafted into a story of intense and gripping questions that will have you perplexed and scratching your head from the very beginning of this book. Unique and Original and Highly Recommended.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews