Relative Evil

West by Southwest #3

by Debra Erfert

Inspired by her father and his pretty young wife, novelist Claire Abney allows her imagination to run wild and pens a best-selling thriller. However, as Glen Abney suffers multiple freak accidents, she wonders exactly where the prose stops and reality begins.

Claire screens her family from the prying eyes of success with a masculine pen name and her handsome editor, her shill for photo ops and book signings. But her father’s unexpected death, and bungled attempts on her own life, force her to admit the strategy may have backfired. Now, with the help of her brother and Max, her dreamy frontman, she must separate truth from fiction. Before life imitating art becomes deadly.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery

266 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 22, 2014

About the author

Debra Erfert lives in the southwest desert city of Yuma, Arizona with her husband, a retired police lieutenant, where the average summer temperatures are well above 100 degrees--truly hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk. After raising two Eagle Scout sons, she now spends her time writing and shooing her polydactyl cat away from her keyboard. She's an award-winning artist who discovered she could use words to create pictures instead of just oils.

January 21st The Royals of Monterra: IT TAKES A SLEUTH, a mystery NOVELLA was released by Kindle Worlds. Her romantic mystery, CHANGES OF THE HEART is available for pre-order until February 2nd, 2016. She has a full-length novel, the first book in a trilogy WINDOW OF TIME, released in January 2016. RELATIVE EVIL, a romantic suspense, was published by Xchyler Publishing. Her short story, THE MEASURE OF LOVE, came out the winter of 2014 in Michael Young’s ADVENT ANTHOLOGY III. She also had a short story included in the VALUE STORIES FOR A YOUNG WOMAN anthology, published by Walnut Springs Press. Her short story, SCARED STIFF, was published in TOTALLY CLICHÉ.

Reviews

[Heena Rathore Rathore-Pardeshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can read the original review at JC's Book Haven

NOTE: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Good
Relative Evil is a brilliant read! The plot is very intriguing and the characters are subtle but well-developed. This book very well delivers what it promises, a powerful mystery. Connecting with the lead, Claire Abney, was so easy that at times I felt 'one' with her. The plot is absolutely outstanding. I loved how the situations in Claire's life start to look like the ones in her book, but not in a way that makes everything predictable. Just the right amount of things happen to draw your attention close to the answer but not to make the book too predictable.
I also liked the fact that the main protagonist is a novelist, which I guess for any reviewer is a very close-to-heart subject. For me, less emotional content worked best for Relative Evil.

The Bad
There was nothing in particular to not like in this book!

The Romance
The love between Claire and Max starts building slowly and the author has kept it very light on the 'romantic' front, it's more of a cute love. Clair's brother always made sure that Max stays away from her that way! In a way, by keeping the romance mild, Debra has done justice to the book, keeping the entire focus of the reader on the mystery only.

Conclusion
An excellent read with a very intriguing story. I'll recommend it to all the thriller-readers and also to them who like NA. As the main protagonist is a novelist, so anyone related to the field might find it interesting. This book is worth the time and the oh-so-precious money!

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Relative Evil by Debra Erfert is a page-turner that you just can not stop reading! The character of Claire Abney is so likable and believable. There are levels to the plot and twists which surprised me as I read the book. Claire is an author who supplements her income by editing for other writers. She has had small successes with two books but she continues with the romance genre she enjoys.
A life changing event happens which turns her world upside-down. He father elopes and marries a very young woman only ten months after the death of Claire’s mother. Claire and her three brothers are shocked. Claire is upset, but because she loves her father she refrains from letting him know about her disappointment. Three months after the marriage, her father has an accidental fall and breaks his arm. This is his second fall since he married Adelaide, He had broken his leg six weeks before. As Claire is at the hospital watching Adelaide care for her dad, she gets an idea for a book. What if a stepmother has Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy and focuses on her new husband? How would this scenario play out for a book?
I won’t post spoilers, but Claire does not have any idea what is about to unfold in her life. Oh Goodness! Now starts a roller coaster of events which will make you sometimes smile and at other times almost cry. This book will touch on so many emotions, and I loved it!
I enjoyed Debra Erfert’s Windows series and this book is even better. Enjoy!

[Kelly Tyree · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It was one surprise after the other and was exciting right up to the end.

Claire Abney is an author. She gets called to a meeting where her father introduces her and her brothers to his new wife who he just met and is only a few years older than her. Then her father gets has one accident after the other where he is hurt. Claire begins to suspect her father's wife is hurting him intentionally. She writes a book under a pen name about the situation. Her editor, Max Chase, decides to pose as the author of Claire's book. Max and Claire begin to work together at the signings of the book. As they do this they begin to have strong feelings for one another. As their romance begins to take off, Claire finds herself in real danger. Several attempts on her life occur and she relies on Max and her brother, who is a police officer to protect her. When Claire's father dies unexpectedly of a heart attack, Claire begins to investigate her father's wife. As she does this each step she uncovers leads her to more danger.

The book is really well written and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

[K B · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars
I purchased the romantic suspense The Silk Strangler Shane Investigations Book 2 Debra Erfert and this review was given freely.
Private Investigator Candice Shane,her boyfriend Phoenix Police Detective Alexander Delaney, and her mentor Gil team up to solve the mystery of married women who are strangled with identical paisley silk scarves. This full length novel is action packed and suspenseful with a smart leading character who has good people skills, is observant, is prone to taking chances and a danger magnet. However, the protective loving care of Alex, Daniel and Meagan balance out the darkness.

[Lois Welsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book grabbed my attention from the beginning and held it all the way through.

I knew what Claire was going to write about by the third or fourth page.

Claires Stepmother is a real piece of work. Give a new meaning to the word Evil.

I like the characters in the book and the way locations are described.

[LoisBow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again, oh, my!

I didn't think it could get any better but I was wrong. This is another great suspenseful romantic clean story.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. One of the best suspense filled books I have read in a long while. Unfortunately I thing what happened in this story probably happens more than we think.

[Bookish Indulgenges with b00k r3vi3ws · Rating 3 out of 5]

Claire Abney is a romance novelist. Inspired by her father’s new marriage, she decides to write a suspense novel based on Munchausen syndrome. She does her research well and publishes her story under a male pen name to avoid letting her family in on her suspicion and to avoid conflict. She ropes in her editor to help maintain the façade. But all is not well within the family. Her father falls victim to several apparently innocent accidents. Claire then loses her father to death and fiction soon starts to resemble real life too much. Is Claire and the rest of her family safe?

The author gives us a sudden start by throwing in several of Claire’s family in the first incident. Instead of slowly building up each character she introduces us to them and then proceeds to divulge their various shades to us. The best characters have shades of grey while the worst ones have their moments in the light. Claire is a strong and intuitive person, a good protagonist, one that I enjoyed rooting for. However, I would certainly have liked to know more about what made some of the characters tick.

The plot while seems simple at first glance, it too has various shades like the characters in it. I loved how the author fleshed out the motivations and the quirks of each character that made them believable and just perfect fit into the novel at the same time. The narration style may seem a bit abrupt at the beginning but soon gets into a familiar rhythm. Overall, an page turner and entertaining.


http://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2014/08/Rel...

[Diane Jortner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Relative Evil successfully combines murder, mystery, family dynamics, suspense, action and romance. It has a little something for everyone and plenty edge of the seat intrigue to keep me engaged. Moving the characters throughout the Southwest brings a vastness to the story. Debra Erfert creates characters who are believable, and she introduces them and their layers slowly, hinting at tidbits so as to not let out the ending too soon. The tension builds, as it should in a suspense story.
The main characters are heroic, but still retain their flaws, and the antagonist is evil, but still hints of humanity. The protagonist has tenacity to learn the truth, her romantic insecurities, and her stubborn streak make her a believable and lovable character.

It took me a couple of chapters to get used to the switches from first person to third person, but once I did, I understood the reasoning and it worked.

As a conservative reader, I appreciated that the novel includes all the elements I require to keep me reading late at night, but it did not include those words or unnecessary parts which would make me put it down.


I received an early copy of this novel from my friend the author. She did not ask for a review, but I wanted to share my thoughts I enjoyed it so much.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Debra Erfert's debut novel, RELATIVE EVIL, is rollercoaster of suspense and romance. Main character, Claire Abney, is a mid-list romance novelist, but when she meets her father's new wife who happens to be thirty years younger, it gives Claire an idea for a suspense plot. Her healthy father suddenly has unexplained injuries and illnesses, and Claire researches Munchausen syndrome to create a compelling story, but she uses a pen name in order to hide her suspicions from her family. When fiction begins to imitate real life, Claire discovers that all of the research she did might possibly save her own life. RELATIVE EVIL is impossible to put down. The fast-paced plot will keep you turning the pages and anxious to fit all of the pieces of the plot together. With romance plus adventure, RELATIVE EVIL also includes just enough creepiness to keep the light on as you read.

[H.B. Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Debra Erfert's debut novel, RELATIVE EVIL, is rollercoaster of suspense and romance. Main character, Claire Abney, is a mid-list romance novelist, but when she meets her father's new wife who happens to be thirty years younger, it gives Claire an idea for a suspense plot. Her healthy father suddenly has unexplained injuries and illnesses, and Claire researches Munchausen syndrome to create a compelling story, but she uses a pen name in order to hide her suspicions from her family. When fiction begins to imitate real life, Claire discovers that all of the research she did might possibly save her own life. RELATIVE EVIL is impossible to put down. The fast-paced plot will keep you turning the pages and anxious to fit all of the pieces of the plot together. With romance plus adventure, RELATIVE EVIL also includes just enough creepiness to keep the light on as you read.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll be really embarrassed if someone pops by my house to visit unexpectedly, but I finished a great book today! It's a slower beginning compared to Window of Time, but somewhere around chapter three I was hooked. The romance subplot was a really nicer breather between intense scenes and, like Window of time, the characters were realistic and added a fun quality to the storyline. My favorite aspect about Relative Evil was the constant sense of danger. I never felt like Claire was safe and that worry about what might happen to her (or her Max, her romantic interest) drove me to read straight through until the last page.
This book is perfect for anyone who has a sweet spot for cozy mysteries and doesn't want to sleep at night.

[Dionne]

I loved this one! I truly could not put it down and could not believe all the twists and turns in this one. I only put it down to stop food from burning or doing things the family thought they just could not wait on. I am looking for more from you!!!!

[Julie]

Review to come.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put it down. Great thriller with an undercurrent romance. Keeps you guessing as more is revealed. Love the wordplay with the title too.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story that gets creepier the more you get into it, with a main character who isn't the stereotypical girlie Woodside, but a strong lady who takes charge. A fun read.