Gabby St. Claire is determined to get back in the saddle again.
While in Oklahoma for a forensic conference, she meets her soon-to-be stepbrother Trace Ryan, an up-and-coming country singer. Trace shares that a woman he was dating went missing a month ago, and he suspects a crazy fan girl may be behind her disappearance.
Gabby can’t pass up the opportunity to investigate. But her schedule is tricky as she tries to juggle her conference, navigate being alone in a new place, and locate a woman who may not want to be found.
She discovers that sometimes taking life by the horns means staring danger in the face, no matter the consequences.
Other Books In the Series: Hazardous Duty Suspicious Minds It Came Upon a Midnight Crime Organized Grime Dirty Deeds The Scum of All Fears To Love, Honor, and Perish Mucky Streak Foul Play Coming soon: Dust and Obey
Christy Barritt is an author, freelance writer and speaker who lives in Virginia. She’s married to her Prince Charming, a man who thinks she’s hilarious—but only when she’s not trying to be. Christy’s a self-proclaimed klutz, an avid music lover who’s known for spontaneously bursting into song, and a road trip aficionado. She’s only won one contest in her life—and her prize was kissing a pig (okay, okay… actually she did win the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Suspense and Mystery also). Her current claim to fame is showing off her mother, who looks just like former First Lady Barbara Bush When she’s not working or spending time with her family, she enjoys singing, playing the guitar, and exploring small, unsuspecting towns where people have no idea how accident prone she is.
This one may be my favorite of the series so far. It might be because romance was back burner (though there was a whole storyline of a jerk who made a pass but nothing obscene happened). The mystery was complex and though I had my suspicions at the beginning, they played out in a great way.
There was also a good spiritual plot of Gabby learning to trust God with her future yet also take the steps she needed to.
Finished 1/4/15 I know I sound like a broken record when it comes to this series but it is my all time favorite Christian mystery/suspense series. Christy Barritt has developed the characters so well that in my mind they are more than fictional, but almost real. In this story, Gabby is in Oklahoma attending a workshop/conference for forensics. She has the opportunity to meet up and coming country music sensation, Trace Ryan, who will soon be her step brother. Trace has been dealing with a stalker and his girlfriend disappeared weeks ago with no trace. Gabby attempts to solve this mystery while keeping up with the conference and trying to figure out her own tangled up life and work through her feelings for Riley, her former fiancé.
Re-reading on audio. Such a great series! Christy, if you see this review, we need more Gabby in our lives! My favorite of all of Barritt’s series.
As a reader, I usually get bored with series around book five or six. This has not happened to me yet with "The Squeaky Clean" mysteries. I'm ready for book ten to come out already :). Author Christy Barritt does an amazing job of keeping the suspense up as Gabby St. Claire continues to struggle with finding herself. I feel like I've gone on this journey with Gabby and I want to keep going until she's got everything figured out--what she wants to do when she grows up and whether she's going to get her happily ever after.
It's almost humorous the way Gabby stumbles onto the solutions for the cases she somehow entangles herself in but she always gets the right suspect in the end. Until we meet again Gabby St. Claire....
I did like this story better than Foul Play, but I still miss Riley in the Gabby and Riley equation. They balance each other. It was nice to get to know Gabby’s soon to be step brother.
I’d never read a book about a crime scene cleaner so this was fascinating. Sounds a bit gruesome, but honestly, it wasn’t in the least. It was just the business she was in for years. This was more of a forensic case, not about a dead person, but a missing one. More detective work, but Gabby St. Claire was not a detective.
She was in Oklahoma City to attend a forensic conference and to meet her future stepbrother, a country star named Trace Ryan. His mother was marrying her father. He wanted to meet her, but he had an agenda, a request. He asked her to use her forensic knowledge to find a girl he dated a few times but who disappeared without a trace.
This turned out to be complicated and at times dangerous, but the author has a cute sense of humor, so much of it was lighthearted.
Very enjoyable. More than enjoyable because I don’t give five-stars lightly. The author added a lovely faith element that both Gabby and Chase shared. It was sweet. And they learned to care for each other as future relatives.
Number 9 in the Squeaky Clean Christian mystery series. I've had to skip a couple that I was not able to find free or on Prime. This one was my Prime free book for the month of August. I believe I'm running out of these and her next series, the Holly Ann Paladin ones are not available on Prime (and I've not seen them offered for free, just a reduced price). I shall miss reading these when I'm done....
This book, number 9 in the series, was my first one to read by this author. References were made to characters from previous installations, but I felt the book was a good stand alone. The plot line contained many twists and turns, and in all the twisting two characters were left dangling. Did Georgia live or die (or did I miss that part)? And was the manager a dirt bag or not? Those are just things I was not clear on. Overall it was a good read and I will probably read some more in the series as I have time.
I really enjoy the main character of this book, Gabby St. Claire. She has a determined spirit. While attending a forensic conference, she visits her soon to be stepbrother and the adventure begins. Gabby has a heart to want to help people and that is what gets her involved with the situation her stepbrother, Trace, is in. I like the way the author blends the mystery with personal issues that Gabby is facing. Once again, the reader gets to know Gabby on a deeper level. The mixture of suspense, love and “who done it” makes this story a definite fun read!
In a way, I feel like Gabby is Angela Landsbury on Murder She Wrote. Seriously, how many crime scenes, murderers and havoc can one person see and experience in life? Most people don’t have one of these things happen to them. But you have to put that aside and realize, it’s fiction and anything can happen. And it makes for some quick, good reads. I only have one more book to go in the series, and I can honestly say, I’m going to miss Gabby and her snoopy antics.
I liked this book better than the past two. For one thing there is not as much Garrett in this one. I don't really like Gabby and Garrett together since I think her heart belongs to Riley. This one has a change of scenery. She travels to Oklahoma for a forensic conference. She also meets her future step-brother Trace who is a country music singer. Trace knows her reputation and he want her to help find a missing girlfriend. There is also a stalker female fan involved. Is the stalker responsible for the missing girlfriend? There is also a side story of a lecherous professor who has the reputation of hitting on students. Gabby looked up to this professor and did not know about his reputation until it was too late. Lots of twists and turns in this story. I was surprised at the twist at the end of the story as to who the guilty party was.
Christy Barritt wove an appealing story dealing with making decisions and prioritizing. Should Gabby St Clair put herself first or the needs of others as she has much or her life? Once again Christy weaves life truths into the story line reminding us that God uses the storms of our lives for our good even when we don’t see it. I look forward to reading the side book about Riley.
While I enjoyed the overall plot, including the change of scenery and new characters, I had a really hard time following much of this book. There were so many confusing things. I have a feeling, it underwent some rewrites that were not fully checked for continuity. It didn't stop me from reading but it dis drive me crazy.
I really enjoyed this story with Gabby completely out of her usual setting and without any of her usual sidekicks. It was fun to meet her future step-brother and to have him be such an all-around good guy to her. I was more nervous for her in this book than I have been in any previously except maybe the serial killer one so that's saying something.
Another wonderful clean cozy mystery. Such a joy and pleasure to read. There is plenty of suspense, drama , humor and romance in the story. The ending blew x me away! I never saw it coming. I was so far off base about who the killer was that I was embarrassed. This was one of the best books in the series.
Only Gabby could go out of town and run into all of the things that happen in this book. Oh and if you think you know who the real perpetrator is think again you won't see this one coming. Christy is such a talented mystery writer.
I am a huge fan of Christy Barritt's mystery and suspense books. I have read the previous books in her Squeaky Clean mystery and love the heroine of Gabby St. Clair. In this book, Gabby St. Clair travels to Oklahoma to meet her about to be step-sibling, Trace, who is an up and coming country music star. While the story doesn't really have a romantic string through the plot, the story does show Gabby questioning her ability to keep Riley or any guy for that matter. She connects with her brother and is grateful for a chance at a family.
Barritt's writing is clear and concise. All of the story is told in first person narrative. Our viewpoint is from Gabby. Barritt never runs off into a minor character's perspective. Writing in first person is tricky, at least, from my personal experience because you want to head hop into the other characters, but Barritt stays true to the nature of Gabby St. Clair.
As for the mystery, Barritt does a good job at creating one. She allows Gabby's skin to stand on end when she thinks someone is falling her. I love falling the trail of clues as Gabby keeps questioning people and even skipping her own conference that she paid for to ask a person of interest something that she believes will draw her closer to the conclusion. I couldn't pinpoint who the bad guy was, but I had a suspicion it had to be at least, one of these three people. So I had a hard time figuring out who it was. Good job, Christy.
Christy Barritt does it again in her latest attention to the Squeaky Clean Mysteries, Broom and Gloom, with a captivating plot, additive characters, and the feeling of wanting to belong. Barritt did not disapoint. I will be recommending this book to everyone.