Hit List

by Darcia Helle

Would you give up your sanity in order to forget?

Sanity is not something you lose, like your car keys or that elusive sock in the dryer. That's what Ian believed before his mother stepped over the edge from sane to crazy.

No one is able to give Ian a reasonable explanation. Corinne suffers from severe memory loss, odd behavior, and paranoid delusions. Or at least Ian had been told they were delusions. After all, who would be hiding outside watching his mother? And why?

Ian hires private investigator Lucianna Martel to retrace the events of his mother's last sane day. During Lucianna's investigation, she and Ian learn that Corinne may not be so crazy after all.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller

ebook

First published May 30, 2009

About the author

Dusty corners of the mind intrigue me.

I'm an armchair explorer; book in one hand, mug of tea in the other.

Connect on Instagram: http://www.Instagram.com/DarciaHelle

Reviews

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm already a fan of Darcia Helle's books, and 'Hit List' was just as good as the others I've read. I love the author's style of writing; the dark humour, the suspenseful plots and the unexpected twists and turns. 'Hit List' is a dark and gritty tale but it is not a depressing read. A tale dealing with the subjects of mafia style gangs, child prostitution and mental illness could easily become a disturbing read, but Helle manages to balance the story charmingly with the inclusion of a romantic side plot, and a host of entertaining characters. The end result is that 'Hit List' reads like a masterfully crafted psychological thriller interspersed with a healthy dose of romance and comedy. It's a study into the psychology of crime. What makes someone kill? How far would one person go to get revenge?
The story begins when Corinne McCormick, an ordinary middle aged woman with no history of mental illness, suddenly loses her mind. She begins to act very strangely, as if she is suffering a nervous breakdown. Her son, Ian, refuses to believe that she could just go crazy overnight. He is determined to find out if there is something more sinister going on. He needs to find a reason why his mother has suddenly lost her sanity. He hires a private investigator and that's when things start to take a very dramatic turn.
This story will keep you hooked and entertained. Despite the dark themes contained in the book, the use of violence is expertly restrained. There is no gratuitous violence in this book. The violent scenes are definitely terrifying, but crafted in a way that is realistic but not obscene. Many bestselling crime authors could learn a thing or two from Ms. Helle as to how to construct such scenes. Helle has found just the right balance. If you like mysteries, thrillers, or crime fiction, you will love this book. Highly recommended.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of vivid character development in this tale of intrigue and suspense. The dialog is realistic and the narrative unfolds at a steady pace, offering plenty of twists and turns. An enjoyable mystery with a satisfying conclusion!

[LK Griffie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What would you do if you came to visit your mother one day and found her huddled in the closet, rocking back and forth, clutching a baby blanket tightly in her hand? And how does the confused and fearful woman connect to a mafia like-gang, drugs, a baby ring, sleazy cops, and an unknown assassin? These are questions which send Ian McCormick on a quest to find out, and he's scared to death he won't figure out the answers in time.

After he found his mother, Corrine, that fateful day, Ian moves in with his mother to care for her. While she does have times of lucidity, she frequently reverts into her own world, losing track of time and rationale, to the point where Ian feels like he will go crazy trying to deal with her. He has been faithfully taking her to a psychiatrist, Dr. Endicott, whom Corrine refers to in her own mind as Dr. Hartley from The Bob Newhart show. Dr. Endicott counsels Ian to find a happy place in his mind and go there when the stress becomes too much.

Ian stopped trying to make sense of the words. Now and then she fell into this pattern of incessant chanting. Repeating words and phrases until he wanted to rip out his eardrums to keep from hearing another sound. Eventually she would stop as quickly as she’d begun.


At times they even had normal conversations. Oddly enough, those were the times that hurt the most. Because that’s when he remembered what his mother had been like before their world had been tipped upside down.

Corrine is convinced that someone is watching her and tells Ian about the men who watch her from across the street. At first Ian believes these men to be a figment of his mother's imagination and part of her psychosis, but then wonders if she may be telling the simple truth. After several months of dealing with the problem of his mother's insanity he wonders what could have caused such a drastic and seemingly overnight change. Since therapy has produced no appreciable results in over the months, Ian decides to take matters into his own hands and hires a private investigator to piece together the past to see if they can determine the catalyst for the change in Corrine. Enter Lucianna Martel, the private investigator, and her uncle Vinnie. As the investigation proceeds, Ian and Lucianna discover there is more going on than meets the eye, and thugs and cops alike may be part of a hit list which includes Corrine.

Hit List is a good suspenseful read, and Darcia Helle does a masterful job at painting the character of Corrine in the depths of her insanity. The story primarily alternates between Ian's point of view and Corrine's point of view, with some sections written from Lucianna's point of view. The sections you spend with Corrine are well done, and as the reader you experience Corrine's confusion, and her knowledge which surfaces periodically that she is blocking out a life-changing event. Unfortunately, once the reason for Corrine's behavior is known, it is a little bit of a let down, as Helle has done such a good job in penning Corrine's fear of remembering and apparent paranoid delusions, the cause simply does not support the results. Despite this, the read up to the reveal is compelling and will keep you turning the pages to find out what happens next.

[Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books that is simply impossible to put down......

Ian comes home from work one day to find his mother huddled in the bottom of the wardrobe clutching a pink baby's blanket, convinced that someone is out there, watching her.
No one is able to give Ian a reasonable explanation. The psychiatrists tell Ian that Corinne is suffering from severe memory loss, odd behavior, and paranoid delusions.
After all, who would be hiding outside watching his mother? And why?
As a last resort Ian hires private investigator Lucianna Martel to retrace the events of his mother's last sane day in the hope he can find what has triggered her insanity. During Lucianna's investigation, she and Ian learn that Corinne may not be so crazy after all.

This is an easy but engrossing read.
Thanks for the great roller coaster ride Darcia. I'll be reading more from you.

[Lindsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Opening scene was great but quickly went down hill. Poor writing. And when Ian thought to himself something along the lines of "would there ever come a day when he wouldn't do anything to make her (Luciana) smile?" I almost threw up. He'd known her a week.... just plain silly.

[Charles Weinblatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hit List is a thrilling story of suspense, intrigue and crime. Author Darcia Helle weaves an elaborate plot of murder, mental illness, passionate love and crooked cops. Revolving around a woman who is believed to be psychotic, Hit List is replete with action, anxiety and adventure. Helle carries the reader through a chilling escapade of crime, conspiracy, passion and homicide.

Ian’s mother, Corrine, chanting and rocking, sometimes catatonic, appears to suffer from mental illness. She presents all of the mannerisms of psychosis and paranoid schizophrenia. Corrine’s apparently irrational fears and free-floating anxiety seem to be the result of a ravaging psychosis. Or, are they? Only her son, Ian, believes that something might be amiss. He hires a beautiful, vivacious private investigator, Lucianna, to resolve the unanswered, bothersome questions. But, Ian soon finds himself infatuated with the voluptuous private eye.

Lucianna, gruff and all business on the outside, is fragile and vulnerable on the inside. Plagued by the murder/suicide of her own parents, Lucianna is compelled to determine the truth in the case of Corrine. All the while, she is drawn in by the allure of Ian. Something disturbing, deep within the story, draws Lucianna to the case. As she becomes emotionally involved with Ian, the two characters are enveloped first with passion and later with love. Surrounded by treachery and fear, they draw upon each other for strength. Add to the mix, a shady psychiatrist named Endicott, unethical, eavesdropping cops and a crime organization, bent upon eliminating anyone with potential knowledge of their illicit efforts.

Helle’s effort is compelling, thrilling fiction, with persuasive mystery, convincing characters, ubiquitous trepidation, and a breathtaking conclusion. This tale is wrapped together into a taught package of excitement and intrigue. Helle has created a powerful page-turner, with gripping tension; it contains a gripping timeline and malevolent criminals eager to prey upon an innocent man’s mother.

Helle creates masterful scenarios with engrossing dialog to weave a frightening tale fraught with continuous peril. This novel flies along with engrossing and entertaining dialog. Just when you begin to believe that you comprehend the plot, there is a twist or turn carrying the rapt reader in a different direction.

While some authors create vibrancy via description, Helle uses dialog to carry the story forward. She accomplishes this with exceptional writing and imagination. Helle is masterful in storytelling via dialog.

Hit List is a fast-paced, suspenseful adventure, compelling the reader to continue turning the pages. Helle’s character formation is top notch, with vibrant context, exceptional dialog and a moving narrative. This is a book difficult to put down.

Congratulations to Helle for her captivating detective story. One can only anticipate the cinematic appearance of this frightening, entertaining yarn.

Charles S. Weinblatt
Author, Jacob’s Courage
http://jacobscourage.wordpress.com/

[Svetlana Kovalkova-McKenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like everybody else, I have my favorite detective novel authors: Dan Brown, Anne Stuart, Robert B. Parker (only his first 10-12 books or so), Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Robert Crais, Michael Connelly, James Lee Burke, David Baldacci, Christine Feehan and a few others.
Those among you familiar with these authors can appreciate the mastery with which they craft their books. Most of the books written by them would get 10 out of 10 from me.
When I started reading “Hit List” by Darcia Helle, I quickly realized that this book is placing very high on my list. While no one can come close to Agatha Christie, James Lee Burke and Conan Doyle, she was standing tall right next to Robert Crais, Michael Connolly, Anne Stuart, Christine Feehan and Robert B. Parker.
It was definitely better than “Silver Falls”, the last book by Anne Stuart, and right behind her famous Ice Series. Better than everything Parker wrote in the last seven years, and holding its own against Baldacci, Connelly and Sandra Brown.
The story is so well written, and it keeps you guessing until the very end. The characters are literary marvels, no clichés here. Dialogue is authentic, pace is great, there are little smart observations on life scattered throughout the text that make you think you and the author are old pals trading remarks about life over coffee.
My favorite part of it all is the plot: A woman living alone one day goes crazy! The parts of the book that we see out of her head are the best! Her grown son moves in to help take care of her. He resents it somewhat, it is hard to see mom reduced to a drooling idiot, but then it strikes him: What if she is not crazy? What if someone is really out to get her, watching her, planning revenge? He hires a private investigator Lucianna to find out….. the story skyrockets from there.
It is a great read, very well put together, full of unexpected twists and turns. I see bestseller stamped all over this one!!!!!!!!!!!
Congratulations to the author on such a stunning beginning of her writing career.

[David Jarrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

The three-star rating, saying I liked this book is misleading. There are aspects of it I liked and those I did not. On the positive side, the author's characterization of a mentally ill woman, Corinne, is outstanding, demonstrating her familiarity and knowledge of the subject. In addition, one character, Vinnie by name, who was intended to be only secondary in nature is so well done that he, in my opinion, becomes the only true protagonist in the story.

On the other side of the coin, the novel is billed as a thriller -- in my view, it definitely is not. It reads like a typical romance novel with some thriller elements thrown in, most of them during the last twenty-five or thirty percent of the story. The pace of the first two-thirds of the book is very slow, and the depiction of the two protagonists; Ian, the hunky son of a mentally deranged woman and Lucianna, the sexy female P.I. he hires to find the source of her mental problems, to me is juvenile and reminiscent of the bodice-rippers that are seen everywhere these days. Ian spends too much time raking his fingers through his hair and thinking about how he'd like to bed Lucianna, and she, in turn spends too much time tucking curls of hair behind her ears and thinking about his muscular body. Then, in the last third of the story, the pace accelerates frantically, twisting and turning to the point that it is hard to follow what has really happened. Other than Corinne and Vinnie, I found the characters to be stereotyped, and there are so many of them and so many subplots that one begins to lose track of the story itself.

I would have given this book two stars except for the excellent portrayal of Corinne, and the story-saving character of Vinnie. I wanted to like this book and give it more stars, as I know it is one of the author's earlier books and she worked hard on it, but three stars is the best I could do.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darcia Helle has given us a well told story and a lesson on dealing with a parent who has possible dementia.

Ian McCormick's mother, Corinne, has had a bad fright. Now she has gone into periods of mental withdrawal. She thinks she sees people watching her and lives in periodic denial of reality.

The psychiatrist Ian had been bringing Corinne to doesn't seem to be helping so in despiration he hires a private investigator, Lucinella "Lu" Martel.

During this time we overhear two men, Nico and one of his employees disgussing if Corinne really knows anything.

Lucianna finds that Nico is the subject of a police investigation. In addition, a detective Graham has been watching the house. Lu gets the license on his car and confronts him. She leans nothing from Graham but does learn that Nico is the head of a gang called Unit K that deals with young children, some runaways, for pornography and young hustlers and that before Corinne had her fright she dated a man named Sam Evans who worked for Unit K.

Whar are the connections between the police watching the house, Nico, Unit K and a middle age woman? These are the things that Lucianna must uncover as her attachment for Ian grows.

The author has done a fine job of tieing the ends together, giving the reader some interesting plot twists and exploring the relationship between Ian and Lucianna. In addition Helle brings out an important point in an adult child who cares for a parent with possible dementia in their home rather than have the parent placed in an instution.


Well done.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a debut writer on my part I was surprised by the book. Usually when I read a new author I enjoy their writing but with this book I didn't want to put it down for all the twists and turns in it. In my opinion Ms. Helle is right up there James Patterson and Iris Johanson. She took time with the development of her characters.

It's a book about a mother and son. The mother has a traumatic episode and blocks everything out. The son hires a psychiatrist to find out the reason(s) why and what caused it. The father hasn't been in the picture for many years. You have your likable and unlikable characters. There is even a few parts that you can laugh out loud (well I did). I look forward to reading more books by her.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hit List (Darcia Helle) is a roller coaster of suspense. Ian's mother (Corinne) appears to have gone crazy, lost her mind. She has memory loss, bouts of paranoia and insists she is being watched. But Ian questions his mother's insanity.

He hires private investigator Lucianna, to find out exactly what happened that last sane night. Ian begins to find that his mother may not be the "crazy lady" she appears to be.

Just when you think you have it all figured out a new surprise pops out at you. Fast paced thriller at best. I highly recommend this all night read. I look forward to reading more of Darcia Helle's books.

[Stacy Juba · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book with its blockbuster premise. What do you do if your sane mother one day loses her mind? Ian hires a beautiful investigator to look into his mother's disturbing behavior. I was reluctant to put the book down, wanting to know where the story was going. Darcia Helle takes readers down a road of twists, turns and dark family secrets. The story also has a sweet romance. I didn't figure out where the plot was going, yet all the clues were there. What is the hit list and why are people being targeted? Do they deserve it? Read this book to find out the answers - you won't be disappointed.

[Julie Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to be given this book and, wow, it was an excellent, well written read.

Without giving away too much, I will say that this story is filled with suspense, surprises, wonderful, believable characters (good & bad)- all set within a great plot.

I particularly liked Lucianna - a good strong female lead, clever, resourceful, kind, and with a huge heart, yet down to earth enough to know what needs to be done, however distasteful.

Certainly a book worth reading if you love a fabulously told crime thriller.

I have read other stories by this author, but for me, this is my favourite so far.

Highly recommended.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ian's mother, Corinne, used to have a 'normal' life. Then it seems as if she has gone over the edge; curled up in a ball in her closet, babbling and paranoid. Ian has taken her to a psychiatrist but she doesn't seem to be getting better. At his wit's end, he decides to hire a private investigator after his business partner suggests it. Lucianna and her Uncle Vinnie start digging into Corinne's life. What they find will definitely surprise you. This book has many twists and turns and just when I thought I had it all figured out, another twist changed my mind.

I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

[Delores · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author does an excellent job with the development of the character Corrine, but I would have enjoyed the other characters more if they were more fully developed. Ian and Lucianna have great chemistry and the relationship between Ian and Corrine is touching.

Although it starts slow, the book picks up toward the end. The author explains the mysteries, but everything comes together too fast for me…it felt choppy and incomplete.

“Hit List” is the November book-of-the-month for our Psychological Thriller group. Although, this was a good read, I don’t consider it a psychological thriller, but rather, a romantic mystery.

[Georgiann Hennelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sanity is not something you lose, But one day something happen to Ian,s mother Corinne and she has suffered a severe memory loss, she believes someone is watching her , Ian thinks it is just delusions, But when the doctor Ian hired to help her isn,t getting any results he decides to hire a private investigator. Then things go from bad to worse. a real page turner kept my interest from beginning to end.

[Georgiann Hennelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sanity is not something you just lose one day, Corinne Ian,s mother is suffering from severe memory loss and delusions. She believes someone is watching her. But Ian never see,s anyone. So he hires Lucianna Martel to retrace his mother,s last sane day. To try to figure out what is going on has his mother stepped over the edge from sane to crazy or is someone really watching her.

[Sandra McLeod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although there's a little more violence than I usually like in my mysteries, this is still a great read! The plotting is WONDERFUL. Every time I think I know what to expect, Ms. Helle adds a new twist that takes me by surprise. Once I got into this book, I couldn't put it down!

[Linda Gleaves · Rating 2 out of 5]

The cover drew me to this book, but the book was disappointing.

[Susan Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

My taste in mysteries is pretty eclectic, ranging from cozy to hardboiled with all the subgenres in between. Recently, I was in the mood for a fast-moving story with a darker edge, and I found Hit List by Darcia Helle.

At the start of the book, Corinne McCormick, an attractive, outgoing, middle-aged woman, has abruptly lost her connection with reality. One day she’s fine, the next day, her son Ian finds her terrified, crying and unable to communicate. The therapist Ian takes her to see says that Corinne is repressing a traumatic event she can’t bear to let surface, but Ian is bewildered. Corinne is an ordinary woman, living an ordinary life. How could she have experienced something so horrific it plunges her into mental collapse? He feels helpless as the strong, confident mother he’s always known slips farther and farther away from him. In desperation, he hires private investigator Lucianna Martel to find out what triggered his mother’s mental collapse. That answer, he hopes, will provide the key to restoring her sanity. The fast-paced plot takes off from there.

Darcia Helle does a great job of managing multiple points of view and deftly handling several plot lines. There are plenty of surprises in the story—the kind that you hope for but don’t always get. The kind that make you realize how premature your “A-ha! I know what’s going on!” moment was, as you’re suddenly thrust in a totally unexpected direction.

This author is especially good at creating characters who act and react in ways that are consistent with their personalities. The mother-son relationship between Corinne and Ian is touching, and the attraction between Lucianna and Ian adds another layer for readers who enjoy a little romance with their mystery thrillers. Hit List is the first Darcia Helle book I’ve read, but it won’t be the last.

[M. Sprouse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Darcia Helle has a commendable thriller here with a fair amount of romance. I struggled a little to get through the first half of the book. I'm not really a romance reader so even though it seemed fairly realistic, I felt it had a slow beginning. In the second half, to say the action sped up, is an understatement. I really enjoyed this novel then. Vinnie was great, maybe a series with him, even a prequel? I'd be an avid fan of the Vinnie series by Darcia Helle. Greg the counselor also was extremely interesting and I would have liked to seen more ink devoted to him. The several twist at the end were particularly interesting, you really couldn't nail the whole thing down until the final few pages.

Rating this was very tough, I'd like to have given it three and a half stars. The beginning was slow and seemed a little predictable, it took some patience on my part. The last half had some excellent action, though at times it seemed every thing fit together too perfectly all at once. So maybe two stars for the beginning and four for the end, and compromise with three? I'll also fall back on the Goodreads system and have to say I "liked it" more than "I really liked it".

[Reba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darcia Helle doesn't write a bad book

Although Ms. Helle writes about hard topics, eg, child porn, vigilante justice, etc., and her books contain hard scenes, she manages to combine humor and compassion in her characters.
In "Hit List" we meet Lu, Vinnie, Ian and Corinne, along with many others. Many people are looking for a killer, and what is it, exactly, that drove Corinne completely over the edge? A convoluted and well told thriller that keeps you in limbo until the final pages.

[Annette Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately this book is spoilt by frequent coarse language and blasphemy. I say spoilt because it’s obvious this authour has a very good talent for writing intriguing plots with great characters.

[Linda B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Product Description
Sanity is not something you lose, like your car keys or that elusive sock in the dryer. That's what Ian believed before his mother stepped over the edge from sane to crazy. No one is able to give Ian a reasonable explanation. Corinne suffers from severe memory loss, odd behavior, and paranoid delusions. Or at least Ian had been told they were delusions. After all, who would be hiding outside watching his mother? And why? Ian hires private investigator Lucianna Martel to retrace the events of his mother's last sane day. During Lucianna's investigation, she and Ian learn that Corinne may not be so crazy after all.
My Review
I have been fortunate lately to find books to review that I really enjoy. Hit List by Darcia Helle is one of those books. I love stories that emphasize strong family relationships. Corrine is suffering from a mental illness, and despite advice to have her institutionalized, Ian has chosen to care for her at home. There is also a nice romance that develops during the story.

Although I didn’t quite buy that the mental illness was brought on by the sudden event, it doesn’t matter. The book is good enough to give the author license to bend our imagination a little. She did prove the old saying, “Even paranoids have enemies! ” There is a lot of bad language, but in fairness, it is just the bad guys (I’m mean REALLY bad guys) that use it. There are lots of twists in this interesting story that will surprise the reader and keep you wondering until the end.

[Jayda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars


Corinne and Ian are in some deep shit. Thank god Lucianna and her uncle Vinnie are here to swoop in like some badasses and solve this case.

The story was like finding an old necklace in the dirt just to keep digging deeper and stumble across the entire jewelry box. It got crazier and crazier as more information was learned and the puzzle pieces started to fit in place. Not only that but, there was some romance that slithered in and it was actually good. It was developed properly and it was sweet.

Most of us know that the story was intriguing but a small problem occurred. There were a few repetitive moments in some scenes of character actions and dialogue however, it's a minor thing. I also seen another reader say they were let down with the way Corinne was behaving after finding out the reason why. I wouldn't say it was a total letdown but it did throw me slightly off because her behavior reflected a psychotic like disorder while it seemed more realistic for her to be, maybe, depressed, which is also very serious but different. For example, having her holed up in her room, and not wanting to really talk to anyone because of anger, shock, disgust, sadness and possibly a little guilt (even though she had nothing to be guilty about). However, i'm not a psychiatrist or an expert, not even close, so i wouldn't know.

Other than that, it was great. And though Ian was a good character, Lucianna stole the show. I could see her having her own private investigator series featuring Vinnie and Ian (post marriage).

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book on Goodreads from the author not long ago. I was intrigued by the concept; a woman seemingly goes crazy after a traumatic event that no one else understands, but her loving son believes her delusions are real and hires a private detective to figure it all out.

I have to admit that I was not expecting too much out of this book...and I was surprised. I found the story to be well written and offered plenty of twists to keep me off balance. There is a twist or two that may be considered a bit of a stretch, but they somehow work.

One major criticism I have is that the son and the PI have this adolescent attraction that can be very distracting if you let it. I was able to ignore all the tingling and lustful thoughts they were having and enjoy the story itself.

All in all, not bad. It could have easily turned into a romance novel, but the author kept to the story and produced a good thriller.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author, Darcia Helle, was kind enough to write a nice note to me in this book before sending it to me after I won it through Giveaways. Overall, I did like it. Not enough, though, to give it more than 3 stars. The characters were a tad boring; most of them were the same as anyone you would read about in any mystery/romance novel. And they seemed to just be going back and forth and back and forth. They'd have a conversation in one scene, and then, another scene would happen, and then the third scene was someone from the first conversation relating it to another person. A lot of repetition. But the story was exciting, and I was definitely not prepared for the twist. The end got a bit confusing. Too many people in the same place all at once. And, really, what are the odds that every person involved would show up in the same place? Seemed a bit far-fetched. So, three stars; a decent story for the mystery/romance genre, but with flat characters and a thrown together ending.

[J.P. McLean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Page Turner

“Hit List” was the November book selection for the Goodreads Psychological Thrillers Group.

In “Hit List,” Ian McCormick’s mother, Corinne, suffers a psychotic break. He moves in with her to help her recover, but when Dr. Endicott, the psychiatrist he hires, isn’t able to help her, Ian hires a private investigator, Lucianna Martel, to figure out what happened to her. Sparks fly immediately between Ian and Lucianna, adding a romantic element to this tense thriller. As the mystery unfolds, new clues come to light, the mystery deepens and more questions surface.

Helle’s done a superb job of keeping the tension high throughout. The characters are colourful and the dialogue well written. If I had one criticism, it would be that I wasn’t sold on the reason for the mother’s break from sanity. However, it wouldn’t stop me from recommending “Hit List.”

If you enjoy thrillers, “Hit List” is a page-turning read you won’t want to miss.

[Carol MacInnis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful book by Darcia Helle. 'Hit List' kept my attention from page one right to the end! Ian McCormick's Mother had fallen into a trance-like state that took over her. Now Ian has moved back in with his Mother to help her cope with the day to day things as well as get a psychiatrist's help. Ian, still not sure whether his Mother is seeing things or not has decided to hire a Private Investigator (Lucianna Martel) to help figure out why/how his Mother got to this state. As the story unfolds, questions and people are popping up from every avenue and the plot thickens with every turn of the page. A fabulous read!

[Marti · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was going to read a number of chapters a day, starting on November 2nd, but it is now the 4th, and I have finished the book, wanting to know--what happens next. It is strange how the mother, Corinne could be sane one day, and practically babbling the next. Who or what caused it? The shrink her son took her to was making no progress. Her son Ian contacted a professional investigator, only to fairly quickly fall in love with the woman, Lucianna. Lucianna fortunately had an uncle who was very good at finding things out. I did not do a body count, but the corpses did pile up somewhat. The ending wasn't pretty, but made a certain amount of sense. THis is quite an entertaining story.