Take My Hand: A Novel

by Marguerite Mooers

The cold case of a murdered boy named Ethan LeBrun is the last thing Detective Chris Bellini wants on his watch. It’s far too close to home, where he’s raising a granddaughter of about the same age. However, his discomfort with the case amps up to sheer terror when he places himself and his young girl in danger of being the killer’s next victims. Can he solve the case before the craven predator strikes again?

Take My Hand: A Novel is the new murder mystery by Marguerite Mooers that follows a seasoned detective on the hunt for a murderer who has masterfully eluded apprehension for years. When Lorna Watson, a teacher at a medium-security prison, discovers new information about the puzzling kidnapping and killing of Ethan, she shares it with the detective. Soon thereafter, her husband, who is struggling with Alzheimer’s disease, vanishes from his nursing home. Could his disappearance be connected with Lorna’s newfound knowledge of sinister old deeds?

With razor-sharp intrigue and an entertaining measure of comic relief, this mesmerizing story of chilling crime and correctional punishment will transfix anyone who likes a whodunit with a romantic twist.

232 pages, Paperback

First published August 8, 2014

About the author

I spent most of my career working as a teacher in a medium security prison in Upstate New York. Now retired, I live in mid-Florida where I am enjoying life and I continue to write. I have just finished my eighth novel "The Whistleblower" which I think is one of my best.

Reviews

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth reading

Another excellent book by Marguerite Mooers, well worth reading. Set in the Adirondack mountain, a little boy is kidnapped and died. Ten years later a police officer reopens the cold case.

[Tania · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love great detective novels with good character development and high stakes. This fulfilled that completely. Chris Bellini is an honest detective that is raising his grand-daughter, Amelia, when he is called to investigate a cold case about a boy who was killed. His relationship with Amelia was so cute to watch, and played heavily into the high-stakes of the investigation. The investigation, though, leads Chris into a web of lies and family secrets that had me chomping at the bit to find the truths too. I really didn't see the twists coming (which is hard for a book to be successful at with me) and was genuinely worried about Chris and Amelia at the climax at the end of the book. This was a really great read. Five stars!

[Norma Budden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed Take My Hand. It hooked me from the moment I was introduced to Detective Chris Bellini and met his granddaughter, Amelia. When Chris was given an assignment to look into a cold case involving a murdered little boy, I knew I would be glued to the story - and I was was right.

An excellent pace...down-to-earth characters and an engaging story which seemed far too real. The only problem I had was that it needed a better editing job, thus the four stars.