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The Grace McDonald #1
Fall From Grace
"Some marriages end with a bang ..." Grace McDonald feels blessed: she has a strong marriage, healthy kids, and satisfying work as a therapist. And she has no idea how easily is can all be lost. "Some marriages end with a whimper..."
For Mandy, marrying a hunk like Danny Rivers is a dream come true. So, when Danny treats her badly, she does what millions of women do to keep their families intact... she makes excuses and puts up with it. Until, one day, she reaches out for help. "But in every marriage, without exception, the beginning of the end is a secret... "
"From Grace" crosses genres. It is a psychological thriller, but where characters trump action. At the core is a murder, but more compelling is what happens to an array of relationships --- friendships, families, therapist/client --- in the aftermath. Pitting integrity against DNA and intuition against evidence, "Fall From Grace" challenges our middle class illusions of control and assumptions about who will stand by us when we're faced with the unthinkable.
In "Fall From Grace, " Book One of the Grace McDonald series, both Grace and her young, divorced client are tested, culminating in consequences both cataclysmic and bittersweet. Author Susan Kraus introduces readers to a protagonist and ensemble cast that will compel a return visit.
For Mandy, marrying a hunk like Danny Rivers is a dream come true. So, when Danny treats her badly, she does what millions of women do to keep their families intact... she makes excuses and puts up with it. Until, one day, she reaches out for help. "But in every marriage, without exception, the beginning of the end is a secret... "
"From Grace" crosses genres. It is a psychological thriller, but where characters trump action. At the core is a murder, but more compelling is what happens to an array of relationships --- friendships, families, therapist/client --- in the aftermath. Pitting integrity against DNA and intuition against evidence, "Fall From Grace" challenges our middle class illusions of control and assumptions about who will stand by us when we're faced with the unthinkable.
In "Fall From Grace, " Book One of the Grace McDonald series, both Grace and her young, divorced client are tested, culminating in consequences both cataclysmic and bittersweet. Author Susan Kraus introduces readers to a protagonist and ensemble cast that will compel a return visit.
- GenresRomance
280 pages, Paperback
First published August 20, 2014
72 people are currently reading
187 people want to read
About the author
Susan Kraus
8 books8 followersI love writing, I love telling stories -- other people's stories and also the stories that I imagine. I believe that everyone has important stories even if they're never expressed, but remain secret, locked deep in our bones and heart.
I love creating characters so real that my readers want to have coffee with them.
Writing for me is a long-postponed 'dream.' After decades of life as a social worker. therapist, mediator, mom, spouse, volunteer, cook, housecleaner and taxi driver) I'm finally DOING it. And because I'm making up for lost time, my writing is kinda compulsive.
At times I think about what my life would have been if I'd 'demanded' the time to write. But I had kids to support, a family that required my focus. To say "I want to be a writer" was too risky, too selfish. And it's also hard to know because those 40 years as a therapist, then mediator, were years I listened to other people's stories, helped them rewrite their past, choose a different narrative, even create a happier ending. Maybe I would have written more, but would it have been shallow? Less complex? Less 'real'?
I write what I know. Just like Grisham and Turow write about law, my main protagonist is a therapist and custody mediator. She is flawed. She is challenged. She is intuitive, smart, but also insecure. She does not have good 'boundaries' --but she cares greatly. Even dares greatly.
All of my characters are somehow flawed as well, because we, as humans, screw up sometimes. And only narcissists do not regret some behaviors, do not care how they hurt others.
Because I'm a social worker, my novels cannot be just about a crime.. The "why" they did it is always more important than "who" did it. The characters drive the plots. Action is often internal, not a 'car chase' (although, I must say, the car chase in book #1 is pretty terrifying.) And the abduction in book #3? Each book tackles different social or relationship issues, from multiple POVs.
Because I'm an Indie writer, with a small publisher, I do not have PR. Zero advertising. Seriously, not a single ad anywhere. Sales are lousy. But EVERY review -- from Kirkus or Indie Reader or other review sites that do cover Indie authors --- has been positive. Just two weeks ago, my last novel, "When We Lost Touch," (covering the first 18 months of COVID) received 1st Place in Indie Reader's Discovery Awards 2024 for Socially Conscious Fiction. I think of that book as 'Contemporary Historical Fiction' because it is-- but no category for that.
I've been detached from Goodreads, maybe a little intimidated or anxious about putting myself 'out there.' But that's going to change. I want you to read me and so I have to come out of my basement.
Check back once in a while to keep me honest?
Thank you. Books are empty words without the readers who bring them to life. I hope you read my 'words' and that they mean something to you.
I love creating characters so real that my readers want to have coffee with them.
Writing for me is a long-postponed 'dream.' After decades of life as a social worker. therapist, mediator, mom, spouse, volunteer, cook, housecleaner and taxi driver) I'm finally DOING it. And because I'm making up for lost time, my writing is kinda compulsive.
At times I think about what my life would have been if I'd 'demanded' the time to write. But I had kids to support, a family that required my focus. To say "I want to be a writer" was too risky, too selfish. And it's also hard to know because those 40 years as a therapist, then mediator, were years I listened to other people's stories, helped them rewrite their past, choose a different narrative, even create a happier ending. Maybe I would have written more, but would it have been shallow? Less complex? Less 'real'?
I write what I know. Just like Grisham and Turow write about law, my main protagonist is a therapist and custody mediator. She is flawed. She is challenged. She is intuitive, smart, but also insecure. She does not have good 'boundaries' --but she cares greatly. Even dares greatly.
All of my characters are somehow flawed as well, because we, as humans, screw up sometimes. And only narcissists do not regret some behaviors, do not care how they hurt others.
Because I'm a social worker, my novels cannot be just about a crime.. The "why" they did it is always more important than "who" did it. The characters drive the plots. Action is often internal, not a 'car chase' (although, I must say, the car chase in book #1 is pretty terrifying.) And the abduction in book #3? Each book tackles different social or relationship issues, from multiple POVs.
Because I'm an Indie writer, with a small publisher, I do not have PR. Zero advertising. Seriously, not a single ad anywhere. Sales are lousy. But EVERY review -- from Kirkus or Indie Reader or other review sites that do cover Indie authors --- has been positive. Just two weeks ago, my last novel, "When We Lost Touch," (covering the first 18 months of COVID) received 1st Place in Indie Reader's Discovery Awards 2024 for Socially Conscious Fiction. I think of that book as 'Contemporary Historical Fiction' because it is-- but no category for that.
I've been detached from Goodreads, maybe a little intimidated or anxious about putting myself 'out there.' But that's going to change. I want you to read me and so I have to come out of my basement.
Check back once in a while to keep me honest?
Thank you. Books are empty words without the readers who bring them to life. I hope you read my 'words' and that they mean something to you.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
November 27, 2019
Tightly plotted and full of suspense, Fall From Grace is a great read. I especially liked how the main character's profession as a therapist shapes the plot. She's a believable, sympathetic character and I quickly got invested in her story. The book explores how the justice system can fail defendants and how we are less rational that we think we are in evaluating what we observe. Kraus' background as a therapist makes this an unusual and engaging read. Highly recommended!
October 25, 2022
Grace McDonald is a therapist who's accused of murder. As readers, we know who really did it, but will this seemingly perfect crime get solved? It was nerve-wracking, whether the tension was in the courtroom or during a chase or while encountering the villain's delusional thoughts and duplicitous actions.
The author has written non-fiction for over 25 years and is an award-winning travel writer. This experience makes for a rock-solid debut novel. I look forward to reading the rest of the series, when Grace has a grandson with autism.
This book is only 99 cents on Amazon - why not buy it today?!
The author has written non-fiction for over 25 years and is an award-winning travel writer. This experience makes for a rock-solid debut novel. I look forward to reading the rest of the series, when Grace has a grandson with autism.
This book is only 99 cents on Amazon - why not buy it today?!
May 15, 2015
This is a mystery/thriller centered on a therapist, Grace, whose husband gets killed by a vindictive ex-husband after she counsels a woman before and during a divorce (this is not spoiling anything; it's a Columbo-style crime where we know who did it and how from the beginning). The plot is pretty interesting -- the frame-up tactic is quite clever -- and the book moves at a good pace.
But the characters all seem two-dimensional. This appears to be another author who has succumbed to "likable-protagonist syndrome" and doesn't give the main character any complexities or flaws. We know Grace is not guilty and we know she'll come out of this OK, but she's just not very interesting. The writing is competent but pedestrian: too much telling and not enough showing. Plus, it needs a better copy editor.
Overall, the book is OK. I don't regret the time I spent reading it but I won't be reading the next one.
But the characters all seem two-dimensional. This appears to be another author who has succumbed to "likable-protagonist syndrome" and doesn't give the main character any complexities or flaws. We know Grace is not guilty and we know she'll come out of this OK, but she's just not very interesting. The writing is competent but pedestrian: too much telling and not enough showing. Plus, it needs a better copy editor.
Overall, the book is OK. I don't regret the time I spent reading it but I won't be reading the next one.
February 13, 2025
3.5 stars. This was an intense thriller (?) about a therapist, her client, and the client's bitter husband. Grace is our therapist. She's happily married with 2 kids and a successful therapy career. She has a client with a controlling and awful husband and she empowers the woman to make the best decisions for her. She leaves her husband and the husband tries to deny the divorce, saying Grace manipulated her. The case is dropped so the husband decides to take matters into his own hands and kill Grace's husband. He's very methodical about it and as an EMS worker, he volunteers to take blood and he takes some of Grace's blood and frames her. She is convicted of killing her husband until the very end. We get a large cast of characters (Graces BFF, her kids, etc.) and we really get to know everyone in such few pages. There are a lot of very unrealistic plot points, but I was entertained throughout and would like to finish the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2020
“Fall from Grace” is a crime/legal/psychological thriller unlike any I’ve read. Told from the points of view of several well-developed characters, it explores the relationships of various couples, families and friendships. There’s a plethora of medical, scientific, forensic, and legal detail in the book. I can’t stop myself from searching for inconsistencies when I read thrillers, but Susan executed it perfectly. I don’t want to give too much away, but this book repeatedly caught me by surprise, and I loved the ending.
August 12, 2021
*obligatory “Susan is my boss, but she’s not paying me to gush about her books” disclosure*
God, I absolutely adore this book. Probably one of my favorites of the year. Susan is amazing at weaving together plots and creating a suspenseful story. I just HAD to know what happened next and I couldn’t read the pages fast enough! Murder mysteries aren’t usually my thing, but damn, Susan is a master at her craft. Also, the amount of research that went into this is INSANE. Now go pick it up! You won’t be disappointed.
God, I absolutely adore this book. Probably one of my favorites of the year. Susan is amazing at weaving together plots and creating a suspenseful story. I just HAD to know what happened next and I couldn’t read the pages fast enough! Murder mysteries aren’t usually my thing, but damn, Susan is a master at her craft. Also, the amount of research that went into this is INSANE. Now go pick it up! You won’t be disappointed.
March 14, 2022
Fall From Grace is a story about a therapist and her husband. It’s also the story of one of Grace’s clients, a shy woman named Mandy having somewhat run-of-the-mill marital problems. But nothing is what it seems and when someone close to Grace is murdered, both she and Mandy become linked in ways they never expected. The story took me on a thrill ride with lots of action, drama, and surprises. It was more of a thriller than I anticipated, which was a delight. I enjoyed the well-drawn characters, fast-moving story, and the psychological suspense. Definitely picking up the next book in the series.
January 29, 2022
Very good book
I really enjoyed this book very much. A therapist is accused of killing her husband and she swears she is innocent. Another woman has been verbally abused by her husband. They get a divorce and the husband blames his wife's therapist. This book will pull you in and not let up till the end. The story flows so smoothly, but has a lot if emotions. I am looking forward to reading more in this series.
I really enjoyed this book very much. A therapist is accused of killing her husband and she swears she is innocent. Another woman has been verbally abused by her husband. They get a divorce and the husband blames his wife's therapist. This book will pull you in and not let up till the end. The story flows so smoothly, but has a lot if emotions. I am looking forward to reading more in this series.
February 11, 2022
a page turner
The suspense and humanity are incredible in this book. Regular sessions with a therapist sets the ball rolling all the way uphill to a murder! The twists and turns were unexpected and beyond my imagination. This was one book where I couldn’t see ahead to the resolution of the therapist spending the rest of her life in jail. This is one murder mystery that proceeds along different routes from the usual murder mystery books.
The suspense and humanity are incredible in this book. Regular sessions with a therapist sets the ball rolling all the way uphill to a murder! The twists and turns were unexpected and beyond my imagination. This was one book where I couldn’t see ahead to the resolution of the therapist spending the rest of her life in jail. This is one murder mystery that proceeds along different routes from the usual murder mystery books.
May 30, 2020
This book brings on a new way to look at how someone can he framed for a heinous crime. While I have some personal issues with how the multiple character POVs were handled, and how the excitement dropped off once the beginning part was over. It was, overall, a decent reading experience, with solid main characters and an interesting plot line. A perfect ending to my May reading month.
February 15, 2022
Great book. The writing is a bit unconventional in that POV changes between characters within chapters, descriptions are seldom as detailed as I'd like and sometimes setting and context are left to the imagination. But the plot is so good, the emotions are so real and the characters suck you into their story so completely that you won't want to put it down.
July 8, 2023
Liked this ebook but there was no mystery to crime so just a matter of following how it was solved. And didn't especially like Grace that much so don't think will continue series. About how Grace is psychiatrist who helps Mandy realize she needs to leave her husband. But husband blames Grace for end of marriage and takes revenge.
February 11, 2022
Intense
Well written story about a professional counselor who is arrested for the murder of her husband, while the real murderer floats about everything he did to frame her. Great read
Well written story about a professional counselor who is arrested for the murder of her husband, while the real murderer floats about everything he did to frame her. Great read
February 19, 2023
a great reading experience
This book was fraught with emotional ups and downs, humanity at its weakest and at its strongest. An innocent woman, haste in the judicial system, and gut feelings make this a warm thrilling read.
This book was fraught with emotional ups and downs, humanity at its weakest and at its strongest. An innocent woman, haste in the judicial system, and gut feelings make this a warm thrilling read.
February 23, 2023
Spooky
The lengths a twisted mind can go to punish an innocent woman whose n only crime was to teach a victim of spousal abuse to stand on her own and get a new life. Great plot. Conrad Samayoa.
The lengths a twisted mind can go to punish an innocent woman whose n only crime was to teach a victim of spousal abuse to stand on her own and get a new life. Great plot. Conrad Samayoa.
July 8, 2017
Pretty good. Only my dislike of knowing whodunnit held the rating down. 3.5 star
June 25, 2020
Great legal/crime thriller... couldn't put it down!
May 23, 2023
This was a very intense drama. Enjoyed the quick movement from one story segment to another. Family dynamics make this relatable.
September 21, 2023
Fall from Grace
A very good read. I did not read these three books in order. I am glad that I read this one last. I had a better understanding of all the characters.
A very good read. I did not read these three books in order. I am glad that I read this one last. I had a better understanding of all the characters.
November 21, 2014
Well deserving 5 star review at http://mysterysequels.com/fall-from-g...
This is not your typical crime mystery book. Sure there is a crime committed, but the story crosses genres easily and smoothly. It is also part psychological thriller, part family drama, part legal mystery, with a bit of chilling thrill in it for good measure.
Grace McDonals is a psychiatrist, a therapist who loves her job and her clients. She has a great marriage and two grown up kids who are already in college away from home. She lives in a small and friendly fictional town in Kansas. A middle aged woman content with her cozy family life.
All this changes when she gets a new client, Mandy, who is not quite sure why she seeks therapy from Grace, but knows that she needs to change something in her life. With the help from Grace, she comes to the conclusion that she has to divorce her abusive husband. Although that might come with its own dangers. Afterall Danny, her husband, might not take this very well…
I don’t want to give away more of the plot, to avoid spoilers, but when you read the book, you are basically privy to everything. You know who the bad guy is, you are in his mind when he does the bad things and you know his (twisted) reasoning. You are privy to basically everything what happens at every moment.
The author has a great way with words and the writing is strong, flowing smoothly, with no hiccups and glitches in phrasing like you see usually with new authors.
I’m reading now the second book because I can’t wait to see how what happened in the first book to Grace will changed her in the sequel. Will she grow stronger for it, and in what way?
This is not your typical crime mystery book. Sure there is a crime committed, but the story crosses genres easily and smoothly. It is also part psychological thriller, part family drama, part legal mystery, with a bit of chilling thrill in it for good measure.
Grace McDonals is a psychiatrist, a therapist who loves her job and her clients. She has a great marriage and two grown up kids who are already in college away from home. She lives in a small and friendly fictional town in Kansas. A middle aged woman content with her cozy family life.
All this changes when she gets a new client, Mandy, who is not quite sure why she seeks therapy from Grace, but knows that she needs to change something in her life. With the help from Grace, she comes to the conclusion that she has to divorce her abusive husband. Although that might come with its own dangers. Afterall Danny, her husband, might not take this very well…
I don’t want to give away more of the plot, to avoid spoilers, but when you read the book, you are basically privy to everything. You know who the bad guy is, you are in his mind when he does the bad things and you know his (twisted) reasoning. You are privy to basically everything what happens at every moment.
The author has a great way with words and the writing is strong, flowing smoothly, with no hiccups and glitches in phrasing like you see usually with new authors.
I’m reading now the second book because I can’t wait to see how what happened in the first book to Grace will changed her in the sequel. Will she grow stronger for it, and in what way?
January 15, 2015
Really enjoyed this book! I lent it to a friend, and she loved it, too. I was a bit skeptical at first because the book looked a little different from the books that are published by big publishing houses, and I wondered if it would be of lesser quality as a result. But I was very pleasantly surprised. The story grabbed me right from the start and held my interest throughout. The author has a background as a psychologist, and she did her homework in terms of being familiar with the workings of the court system, witnessing autopsies, and such.
The author Susan Kraus was able to bring a level of understanding and humanity to all the characters, including the "bad guy," without getting bogged down in too many details or excessive descriptions of scenery. There is just enough of that sort of thing without going overboard. By that I mean: Some books get carried away with lots of flowery copy and literary allusions. And that's fine, if you are in the mood for lyrical language, but sometimes you are just in the mood for a book that gets right to the point of the story, and that is what this book is like.
In other words, it's a fun, easy read, and it moves along quickly.
In fact, I enjoyed the book enough that I just ordered the second book in the "Grace MacDonald" series. I hope Susan Kraus will continue to write more books about this character.
The author Susan Kraus was able to bring a level of understanding and humanity to all the characters, including the "bad guy," without getting bogged down in too many details or excessive descriptions of scenery. There is just enough of that sort of thing without going overboard. By that I mean: Some books get carried away with lots of flowery copy and literary allusions. And that's fine, if you are in the mood for lyrical language, but sometimes you are just in the mood for a book that gets right to the point of the story, and that is what this book is like.
In other words, it's a fun, easy read, and it moves along quickly.
In fact, I enjoyed the book enough that I just ordered the second book in the "Grace MacDonald" series. I hope Susan Kraus will continue to write more books about this character.
January 3, 2015
The mystery isn't to find out who committed a crime, it's to discover how or if justice will be served. The author has a deep knowledge of human motivations, and she keeps the reader in suspense with the twists in various characters' actions and reactions to revenge, political ambition, apathy, intuition, love, determination, heroic action (to name a few). I must admit, I felt distracted by the short scenes involving the diverse characters at the beginning of the book. After a few chapters, however, the back-and-forth technique added so much to the psychological thrill that I found myself reading on and on to find out what was happening in the various realms of Grace, Mandy, Danny, and the minor characters--intriguing characters all. Fall From Grace is a can't put down mystery.
January 1, 2015
This book certainly kept me captive. At first, I didn't like Grace and I'm not sure why. While I did enjoy reading it, there are a couple things that bothered me. The transition from "guilty to innocent" was too fast. It seemed that the author got bored and just needed to get from point A to point B. Also, I wish that there had been better communication between Grace and Adam. Nothing was resolved. As a mother, this made me very sad and broke my heart. It's like Alex just disappeared from the story. Not good!! And what did Katrina do with her kids when she was hanging out with Grace all the time, lock them in her closet? I guess I'm just detail oriented, heh? Oh well. . .
January 6, 2015
It took me a bit to really get into the book but when I did, boy did I get into it, in fact I burnt my finger cooking (since I was reading as I was doing it). Knowing what you find out in the beginning gives the entire book a fast paced feel. You are desperate for the truth to come out, heart stricken over the reaction of the friends and family and fully committed to seeing how it all plays out. In addition, I love that Susan Kraus takes the time to explain the science etc. in a way that is not overdone or too clinical. There are some unfinished story lines that I look forward to finding out about in book 2.
December 26, 2014
A book that quickly sucks you in and is hard to put down.
I rated 4 out of 5 as I liked the plot of the story. It was a very easy read. It had a great murder cover up. I felt the book missed the five star rating as I wanted the story to allow Danny to make a few mistakes around Mandy and for Mandy to be picking up clues regarding her ex-husband's involvement in the murder vice a light bulb moment. Regardless, the book was still good and I would highly recommend it to readers of murder mysteries.
I rated 4 out of 5 as I liked the plot of the story. It was a very easy read. It had a great murder cover up. I felt the book missed the five star rating as I wanted the story to allow Danny to make a few mistakes around Mandy and for Mandy to be picking up clues regarding her ex-husband's involvement in the murder vice a light bulb moment. Regardless, the book was still good and I would highly recommend it to readers of murder mysteries.
February 17, 2016
Fall From Grace
This is a complex story involving many characters and several plots. It is part murder mystery, part domestic violence and counseling issues , part forgiveness and reconciliation. A realistic look at real life situations, it takes the reader to some places you may have been or may not want to go but it will keep your interest and has some valuable lessons to teach.
This is a complex story involving many characters and several plots. It is part murder mystery, part domestic violence and counseling issues , part forgiveness and reconciliation. A realistic look at real life situations, it takes the reader to some places you may have been or may not want to go but it will keep your interest and has some valuable lessons to teach.
January 27, 2015
I generally don't like mysteries, shy away from murders, but want to read my friends' books. I knew Susan was a good writer but didn't imagine anyone could get me to like mysteries and/or murders. Well, she did it. Amazing tale brilliantly told. I can see this made into a top selling film. Grisham, move over. You have competition.
February 8, 2016
a story of Grace, a therapist, and her patient, Mandy, and how their lives intertwine. Grace has what she thinks is a perfect life with her husband. Mandy breaks free from her dominate, self-centered husband and starts anew, but has grown increasingly afraid of him. Her husband plans to get even with Grace, who he blames for the divorce. Because of it, lives change.
June 3, 2016
This murder mystery was different in that, as the reader, you know who the killer is. The mystery is wondering if the wrong person will pay for the crime & if the true murderer will ever be caught!!
Parts of this book (in the beginning) jumped around too much between characters, but I hung in there and really enjoyed it. Towards the end, there was so much emotion I couldn't put the book down!!
Parts of this book (in the beginning) jumped around too much between characters, but I hung in there and really enjoyed it. Towards the end, there was so much emotion I couldn't put the book down!!
December 16, 2014
Great book
I really enjoyed this book. I thought the details in both the medical and legal fields were well thought out and researched. There were enough plot twists to keep it a page turner. I look forward to more in this series.
I really enjoyed this book. I thought the details in both the medical and legal fields were well thought out and researched. There were enough plot twists to keep it a page turner. I look forward to more in this series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews