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The Stonebridge Mysteries #1
Double Indemnity
Sam Flynn dreamed of being a journalist until a car accident killed his parents and put his brother into a long-term coma. Now Sam spends his days as a landscaper toiling in the New England sun and his nights drunk in bed with the closest warm body. In his limited spare time, he writes about Stonebridge’s local crime and politics on his blog “Under the Bridge.”
Then Sam’s favorite client is found dead in her home—shortly after telling him someone has betrayed her trust. Sam can’t believe her grief-stricken husband Nathan would be a suspect, but the investigation hones in on him. Sam has always admired handsome Nathan from afar, but now he puts his libidinous feelings aside to help clear his name. However, the closer he gets to Nathan, the more he’s told to keep away from him and the investigation—by the fatherly police chief, by an officer on the case who's hated him since school, and by Nathan himself.
Sam’s determined to expose the real reason his friend died and clear Nathan’s name—even if it’s the last thing he does. Which, considering how fast the death toll is increasing in Stonebridge… it might be.
Then Sam’s favorite client is found dead in her home—shortly after telling him someone has betrayed her trust. Sam can’t believe her grief-stricken husband Nathan would be a suspect, but the investigation hones in on him. Sam has always admired handsome Nathan from afar, but now he puts his libidinous feelings aside to help clear his name. However, the closer he gets to Nathan, the more he’s told to keep away from him and the investigation—by the fatherly police chief, by an officer on the case who's hated him since school, and by Nathan himself.
Sam’s determined to expose the real reason his friend died and clear Nathan’s name—even if it’s the last thing he does. Which, considering how fast the death toll is increasing in Stonebridge… it might be.
214 pages, Paperback
First published January 26, 2015
3 people are currently reading
726 people want to read
About the author
Maggie Kavanagh
7 books49 followersMaggie Kavanagh writes gay romances that explore flawed, human characters finding love. A recent Yankee transplant to Los Angeles, she's still a New Englander at heart. She went to graduate school for English literature and reads and writes voraciously, whenever she can get a moment alone. You can find her in the wee morning hours typing away with coffee at hand and cat in lap, happily embodying the romance writer cliché.
While she focuses mainly on contemporary romance, don’t be surprised if a historical or supernatural tale slips into the mix, as she’s always eager to discover different genres. More fiction is forthcoming soon, so stay tuned!
While she focuses mainly on contemporary romance, don’t be surprised if a historical or supernatural tale slips into the mix, as she’s always eager to discover different genres. More fiction is forthcoming soon, so stay tuned!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
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August 28, 2020
*letting this speak for itself*
August 22, 2022
Mystery, murder and mayhem combine into the adventure of a lifetime for Sam Flynn. His life took an unexpected turn for the worse when Sam began caring for his younger brother, Tim, who was left in a coma after the accident that claimed their parent's lives. His dreams of becoming a journalist are set aside and he now works as a landscaper. Consumed with guilt and dedicated to his brother's care, Sam doesn't have time for a real relationship and instead makes do with casual hook-ups... and drooling over the very married Nathan from afar. When Nathan's wife is unexpectedly murdered, and all signs point to Nathan as the killer, things don't quite add up to Sam's way of thinking. After all, a part of him never stopped hungering for that unique high that investigative journalism provided, and he can't stop worrying over this case. It's more a murder/mystery than a romance with a plot that twists and turns from start to finish. The characters are engaging, although it took me a while to decide about Sam. Author, Maggie Kavanaugh gave us the rougher side of Sam in this one but threw in enough of his good side that we were able to develop compassion as well as curiosity about this character and want to learn more about what makes Sam tick. I will get the second book in this series.
March 14, 2015
Mystery, murder and mayhem combine into the adventure of a lifetime for Sam Flynn. His life took an unexpected turn for the worse when Sam began caring for his younger brother, Tim, who was left in a coma after the accident that claimed their parent's lives. His dreams of becoming a journalist are set aside and he now works as a landscaper.
Consumed with guilt and dedicated to his brother's care, Sam doesn't have time for a real relationship and instead makes do with casual hook-ups... and drooling over the very married Nathan from afar. When Nathan's wife is unexpectedly murdered, and all signs point to Nathan as the killer, things don't quite add up to Sam's way of thinking. After all, a part of him never stopped hungering for that unique high that investigative journalism provided, and he can't stop worrying over this case.
The plot thickens and the two men are continuously thrown together during the course of the investigation. Sam can't seem to shop his initial infatuation from growing into caring, and maybe something more, while Nathan, consumed by his grief, sends mixed signals.
Despite the evidence that implicates Nathan in his wife's murder, Sam just can't believe it was him. Are his emotions overtaking his common sense? Sam takes matters into his own hands, seeking out the truth once and for all, but quickly discovers that the recent crime spree in their small town is just the tip of a dangerous iceberg of malicious intent.
DOUBLE INDEMNITY is a fast paced murder/mystery with a well developed plot that twists and turns from start to finish. The characters are engaging, the setting is perfect, nothing is as it seems, and the balance between danger and romance is sharp as a knife. Kavanagh's writing style is well honed delivers an adventure that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. DOUBLE INDEMNITY is an exceptional debut novel with attention to detail that equals that of well established authors. I'm thrilled to give it my highest recommendation and am eagerly anticipating future releases.
My OFFICIAL REVIEW written for Carly's Book Reviews
Consumed with guilt and dedicated to his brother's care, Sam doesn't have time for a real relationship and instead makes do with casual hook-ups... and drooling over the very married Nathan from afar. When Nathan's wife is unexpectedly murdered, and all signs point to Nathan as the killer, things don't quite add up to Sam's way of thinking. After all, a part of him never stopped hungering for that unique high that investigative journalism provided, and he can't stop worrying over this case.
The plot thickens and the two men are continuously thrown together during the course of the investigation. Sam can't seem to shop his initial infatuation from growing into caring, and maybe something more, while Nathan, consumed by his grief, sends mixed signals.
Despite the evidence that implicates Nathan in his wife's murder, Sam just can't believe it was him. Are his emotions overtaking his common sense? Sam takes matters into his own hands, seeking out the truth once and for all, but quickly discovers that the recent crime spree in their small town is just the tip of a dangerous iceberg of malicious intent.
DOUBLE INDEMNITY is a fast paced murder/mystery with a well developed plot that twists and turns from start to finish. The characters are engaging, the setting is perfect, nothing is as it seems, and the balance between danger and romance is sharp as a knife. Kavanagh's writing style is well honed delivers an adventure that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. DOUBLE INDEMNITY is an exceptional debut novel with attention to detail that equals that of well established authors. I'm thrilled to give it my highest recommendation and am eagerly anticipating future releases.
My OFFICIAL REVIEW written for Carly's Book Reviews
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February 26, 2015I have some exciting news some of you might be pleased to hear. I didn’t want to make the announcement until I knew for sure, but . . .
You haven’t heard the last of Sam and Nathan! These characters still have a story to tell and adventures to share as their relationship grows, and I’m thrilled to announce Double Indemnity’s sequel, Inner Sanctum, will be released from Dreamspinner later this year. I hope you will join me on their continuing journey. Stay tuned for more details!
You haven’t heard the last of Sam and Nathan! These characters still have a story to tell and adventures to share as their relationship grows, and I’m thrilled to announce Double Indemnity’s sequel, Inner Sanctum, will be released from Dreamspinner later this year. I hope you will join me on their continuing journey. Stay tuned for more details!
February 9, 2015
2.5 stars
Hmmm … it has been days since I finished reading this book and I still have no idea how I feel about it. It’s not a stellar or memorable read for me but I can’t say that it’s a total failure either. But the book did let me down in a big way and that had me contemplating about the rating. The thing is, I approached this book with my mind set to expect the story being a “murder mystery” book. Especially because the blurb gives the impression that Sam would be dealing a lot with investigating the death of his favorite client, with him being a writer of a blog as well as sometimes at the Gazette as well.
Unfortunately, I didn’t feel that the story successfully delivered. I’ve read quite a number of murder mysteries in my younger years. I devoured Agatha Christie books. I like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s (though the writing’s not exactly that accessible for me). And of course, when it comes to more recent authors, I love Dennis Lehane, Michael Connelly, and Robert Crais. So having familiarity with these books, I had expectations. One of them being a true progress of INVESTIGATION. True, this story is also marketed as romance, but I was saddened that I didn’t exactly get the scenes of Sam INVESTIGATING the murder.
I thought Sam spent too much time either lamenting about the mysterious Nathan or busy drinking. There was nothing that showed me that Sam used his brain or showed passion for being an amateur sleuth to find out what happened. I didn’t get that grit determination from him. I felt that the murder and the deaths of the other characters stayed firmly in the background – which was a bit strange since one of the victims was a police officer. Usually the department would take that kind of death more seriously.
In addition, Sam found out who the culprits were by way of ‘accident’! It was disappointing because I guessed about the villains – I had my clues – a few chapters before he did!!
Now about the romance … unfortunately, I also found it uninspiring. Nathan was introduced to us, readers, as being married to a woman. Then when his wife was killed, we found out that Nathan had been contemplating his sexuality. However, the set-up to Nathan switching teams was not too my liking … I don’t want to spoil too much but it had something to do with his ‘secret’ job and ‘acting’ for the sake of it. To me, it was flimsy at best. The fact that the story was also written mainly from Sam’s perspective made Nathan a detached character all throughout. I wish I could say that I liked him, but I couldn’t. I just didn’t feel enough connection to him. I also didn’t feel the chemistry needed between Sam and Nathan. None at all.
So in the end, those reasons made me decide that it was not enough to be in my ‘okay’ category. It was definitely not what I expected and I felt let down. As always, rating is subjective and your mileage may vary. Others might enjoy this more than I did.
Hmmm … it has been days since I finished reading this book and I still have no idea how I feel about it. It’s not a stellar or memorable read for me but I can’t say that it’s a total failure either. But the book did let me down in a big way and that had me contemplating about the rating. The thing is, I approached this book with my mind set to expect the story being a “murder mystery” book. Especially because the blurb gives the impression that Sam would be dealing a lot with investigating the death of his favorite client, with him being a writer of a blog as well as sometimes at the Gazette as well.
Unfortunately, I didn’t feel that the story successfully delivered. I’ve read quite a number of murder mysteries in my younger years. I devoured Agatha Christie books. I like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s (though the writing’s not exactly that accessible for me). And of course, when it comes to more recent authors, I love Dennis Lehane, Michael Connelly, and Robert Crais. So having familiarity with these books, I had expectations. One of them being a true progress of INVESTIGATION. True, this story is also marketed as romance, but I was saddened that I didn’t exactly get the scenes of Sam INVESTIGATING the murder.
I thought Sam spent too much time either lamenting about the mysterious Nathan or busy drinking. There was nothing that showed me that Sam used his brain or showed passion for being an amateur sleuth to find out what happened. I didn’t get that grit determination from him. I felt that the murder and the deaths of the other characters stayed firmly in the background – which was a bit strange since one of the victims was a police officer. Usually the department would take that kind of death more seriously.
In addition, Sam found out who the culprits were by way of ‘accident’! It was disappointing because I guessed about the villains – I had my clues – a few chapters before he did!!
Now about the romance … unfortunately, I also found it uninspiring. Nathan was introduced to us, readers, as being married to a woman. Then when his wife was killed, we found out that Nathan had been contemplating his sexuality. However, the set-up to Nathan switching teams was not too my liking … I don’t want to spoil too much but it had something to do with his ‘secret’ job and ‘acting’ for the sake of it. To me, it was flimsy at best. The fact that the story was also written mainly from Sam’s perspective made Nathan a detached character all throughout. I wish I could say that I liked him, but I couldn’t. I just didn’t feel enough connection to him. I also didn’t feel the chemistry needed between Sam and Nathan. None at all.
So in the end, those reasons made me decide that it was not enough to be in my ‘okay’ category. It was definitely not what I expected and I felt let down. As always, rating is subjective and your mileage may vary. Others might enjoy this more than I did.
May 22, 2015
Two means it was ok, ok?? I love mysteries and I love romance but this one, neither of those things worked for me. It happens. It was ok.
March 8, 2015
I really enjoyed this story. The mystery was well written. I loved Sam and enjoyed the slow burn of his relationship with Nathan - it was believable given the circumstances and would have felt wrong if they'd been too quick to get physical. The ending was more satisfying than I was expecting based on some of the other reviews. I felt that they were left in a good HFN place that was fine with me, but I also now know that there is a sequel in the pipeline and I am really looking forward to reading more of these two because they're great together. I'm looking forward to seeing where the author takes them next!
March 2, 2015
Thoroughly enjoyed this well written story about two people - one a mess and adrift in life and the other getting there - who get thrown together because of a terrible event. The tension between them was thick (...), especially when talking about Nathan's training. But they have a lot of baggage between them and Nathan is as much - if not more - of a mystery to Sam as the murder. It was dark at times, but there's a wonderful sprinkling of humour throughout to stop it from getting oppressive.
This isn't Agatha Christie or any traditionally penned mystery novel. If anything, it's the Watson perspective with Sherlock largely out of the picture. Sam isn't a detective, amateur or otherwise, and essentially exists in limbo while working as a landscaper. His struggle to find his footing is as much a part of the story - and rightly so - as the murder.
Thrilled to see that the next book featuring these will be out later this year. Looking forward to it!
This isn't Agatha Christie or any traditionally penned mystery novel. If anything, it's the Watson perspective with Sherlock largely out of the picture. Sam isn't a detective, amateur or otherwise, and essentially exists in limbo while working as a landscaper. His struggle to find his footing is as much a part of the story - and rightly so - as the murder.
Thrilled to see that the next book featuring these will be out later this year. Looking forward to it!
February 2, 2017
A very captivating and entertaining story. It had a very nice balance between crime/mystery and the development of the relationship. Nevertheless, something was missing for 5*, but perhaps the follow-up will be that good.
February 8, 2015
What an amazing read! When I ordered this book I knew this was way more than a typical m/m romance, but it exceed all my expectations!
Maggie Kavanagh combines a crime story, a soul-journey and hot romance all in one book, keeping it perfectly balanced and so well thought-through! The mystery side is absolutely captivating, thrilling really! I was hooked till the very end, coming up with theories and trying to figure out the case.
The development of the main character was a heart-touching side of this brilliant tale. Sam is real and makes you want to just go and hold him, slap him, help him. The way he is stuck with his life and has to push himself to go on, made me all teary and I just had to hope he'd find the right direction and have enough strength and enough luck in his life to keep his course.
And then the romance part - I particularly loved this side of the story because it, again, felt very real, and very mature. This is so much more than a boy meets boy story! The characters are non-schematic and the reader never knows what comes next, also relationship-wise.
The sex - oh dear Lord - the sex was so amazingly written, so, so hot, with little hints of d/s (although this is NOT a bdsm story!) that literally made me gasp. I loved how bold and confident the boys were. And all the UST only made it better!
I've finished this story in barely 2 days and immediately wanted more of it - I would be jumping with joy if this book had a sequel - with even more exploration of the sex preferences and a new thrilling case to solve!
A MUST READ! <3
Maggie Kavanagh combines a crime story, a soul-journey and hot romance all in one book, keeping it perfectly balanced and so well thought-through! The mystery side is absolutely captivating, thrilling really! I was hooked till the very end, coming up with theories and trying to figure out the case.
The development of the main character was a heart-touching side of this brilliant tale. Sam is real and makes you want to just go and hold him, slap him, help him. The way he is stuck with his life and has to push himself to go on, made me all teary and I just had to hope he'd find the right direction and have enough strength and enough luck in his life to keep his course.
And then the romance part - I particularly loved this side of the story because it, again, felt very real, and very mature. This is so much more than a boy meets boy story! The characters are non-schematic and the reader never knows what comes next, also relationship-wise.
The sex - oh dear Lord - the sex was so amazingly written, so, so hot, with little hints of d/s (although this is NOT a bdsm story!) that literally made me gasp. I loved how bold and confident the boys were. And all the UST only made it better!
I've finished this story in barely 2 days and immediately wanted more of it - I would be jumping with joy if this book had a sequel - with even more exploration of the sex preferences and a new thrilling case to solve!
A MUST READ! <3
April 10, 2015
Sam Flynn once wanted to move to the big city and make a name for himself, but when tragedy struck, taking his parents and leaving his brother in a vegetated state, Sam did what he had to do. He stayed to take care of his brother.
After the death a friend and client Sam knows something fishy is going on and the people that the police thinks did it, Sam believes is innocent. Sam and Nathan form a tentative friendship, with both of them wanting each other.
What happens when Nathan is taken away for murder? Will Sam by and let Nathan be taken away or will he fight for his innocence?
Double Indemnity has it all, a sexy semi loner guy and a sexy FBI agent. It is jammed pack with mystery and suspense, forbidden lust and romance. It caught me in its grasp at the first sentence and when everything started hitting the fan, I definitely wanted to know what would happen next. Most of the people that were involved in the crime shocked the heck out of me. Loved it.
I can’t wait to read more from Maggie.
Nessa's Book Reviews
After the death a friend and client Sam knows something fishy is going on and the people that the police thinks did it, Sam believes is innocent. Sam and Nathan form a tentative friendship, with both of them wanting each other.
What happens when Nathan is taken away for murder? Will Sam by and let Nathan be taken away or will he fight for his innocence?
Double Indemnity has it all, a sexy semi loner guy and a sexy FBI agent. It is jammed pack with mystery and suspense, forbidden lust and romance. It caught me in its grasp at the first sentence and when everything started hitting the fan, I definitely wanted to know what would happen next. Most of the people that were involved in the crime shocked the heck out of me. Loved it.
I can’t wait to read more from Maggie.
Nessa's Book Reviews
September 5, 2022
3.5 rounded down
Solid mystery.
Careless men betray themselves.
Sins of omission.
Solid mystery.
Careless men betray themselves.
Sins of omission.
January 18, 2016
Well this was a surprisingly engaging read - once the precipitating murder happened, things started getting interesting and pacing picked up somewhat. Amateur sleuth's with feet of clay are always good reading material for me and I came to really care about what happens to Sam and his brother. Am now onto book 2 in the series.
March 24, 2015
My first book by Maggie and I really enjoyed it. Grew quite fond of Sam and Nathan and company and am thrilled to hear that their story is going to get a sequel. Looking forward to reading more about them and more of Maggie's work.
February 15, 2015
This is primarily a romance with a mystery sub-pot. I liked Sam a lot, I like flawed characters :-) the mystery was sort of obvious, but there were still a few unexpected developments.
February 4, 2015
Very well written, fast pace murder mystery. Two good characters Sam and Nathan.
January 14, 2016
4.5 Stars
I really like this story. It was more than it a romance, it was more than a murder mystery. It was a well thought out novel with characters that were so thoroughly developed that I felt like I knew them. The primary and secondary characters were all either totally likable, or so awful you wanted to strangle them, but they both gave enough substance to the story to keep me entertained. I was so totally entertained I wanted to immediately go onto book two, but knew that I needed to write my review before I got everything all mangled in my head. Knowing that Sam and Nathan star in the next book, and that they further develop their budding relationship makes me eager to get my thoughts down on paper so that I can get back to reading.
I saw one review that said they were going to pass on this book because the romance was secondary to the mystery. I totally disagree. The romance and the mystery are intertwined and one wouldn’t exist without the other. Neither took precedence, and I would categorize this more as a romantic mystery. Highly entertaining, fast paced, but without rushing into anything.
Nathan is gorgeous and mysterious. Sam finds himself falling into lust with the man, but the fact that he’s a grieving widow, and that his dead wife is someone that Sam liked, makes it kind of hard to follow through on their mutual attraction. When these two get together, it is really hot and steamy, and worth the wait. It was probably a good thing there was a mystery to solve because otherwise my Nook would have melted.
So basically, in this first installment, Sam and Nathan are trying to avoid their attraction for each other while the murder of Nathan’s estranged wife is being solved. That doesn’t work out too well for them, sexy time is important after all, but they do give us just enough to see the relationship slowly building and gives us, the reader, something to look forward to. Trust me when I say, this is more than a mystery and that the romance is everything I like in my MM stories, and more.
The Blogger Girls
I really like this story. It was more than it a romance, it was more than a murder mystery. It was a well thought out novel with characters that were so thoroughly developed that I felt like I knew them. The primary and secondary characters were all either totally likable, or so awful you wanted to strangle them, but they both gave enough substance to the story to keep me entertained. I was so totally entertained I wanted to immediately go onto book two, but knew that I needed to write my review before I got everything all mangled in my head. Knowing that Sam and Nathan star in the next book, and that they further develop their budding relationship makes me eager to get my thoughts down on paper so that I can get back to reading.
I saw one review that said they were going to pass on this book because the romance was secondary to the mystery. I totally disagree. The romance and the mystery are intertwined and one wouldn’t exist without the other. Neither took precedence, and I would categorize this more as a romantic mystery. Highly entertaining, fast paced, but without rushing into anything.
Nathan is gorgeous and mysterious. Sam finds himself falling into lust with the man, but the fact that he’s a grieving widow, and that his dead wife is someone that Sam liked, makes it kind of hard to follow through on their mutual attraction. When these two get together, it is really hot and steamy, and worth the wait. It was probably a good thing there was a mystery to solve because otherwise my Nook would have melted.
So basically, in this first installment, Sam and Nathan are trying to avoid their attraction for each other while the murder of Nathan’s estranged wife is being solved. That doesn’t work out too well for them, sexy time is important after all, but they do give us just enough to see the relationship slowly building and gives us, the reader, something to look forward to. Trust me when I say, this is more than a mystery and that the romance is everything I like in my MM stories, and more.
The Blogger Girls
March 6, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. It is a good combination of romance and mystery. The story is told from Sam's pov and he is a bit of a hot mess. He has a comatose brother in a long term care facility that he stresses about paying for. He drinks too much and has emotionless sex, often with his best friend/business partner. He has been crushing on the husband of one of his clients. When the client is murdered he becomes involved with the husband, Nathan, and starts his own amateur investigation into the crime. Sam is a very sympathetic character. Even when he is messing up you can't help but like him. He and Nathan are definitely hot together. I would love to read more about them as a couple. The mystery aspect of the story was very interesting and had a satisfying and believable solution.
February 26, 2017
The first two words that come to mind for this book was slow and bland. That pretty much describes the first half of the story... but then things start to pick up and we finally see some chemistry between the two MCs. The mystery part was a bit of a letdown, I guess I was expecting some "action"... but, instead, I got a slightly whiny, often drunk "wanna be" writer that does landscaping for a living and an FBI agent that is married to a very nice woman. I must admit that this is NOT your usual start to a M/M romance novel... hmmm...
Moving on to Inner Sanctum... hoping things get a bit more exciting in this one! *grin*
Moving on to Inner Sanctum... hoping things get a bit more exciting in this one! *grin*
January 12, 2016
I found this to be an enjoyable start to a new series. This story is more mystery than romance but the building of a good love story is there. It was a slow burn and it worked well with the story elements. I thought the way it all unfolded was very believable. Sam isn't a perfect guy. He has some issues but he's upfront and honest and I thought it made his character one I could relate to in some ways. I wasn't sure about Nathan at first but he grew on me and I really liked him by the end of the book. There are a host of good side characters who's presence adds to the story. I thought this was a good, solid start to a new series and I'm looking forward to the next book.
February 2, 2016
This is the first book I read from author Maggie Kavanagh and I have to say I love her writing. The story of Sam and Nathan, the way they learned from each other and worked through the difficult times makes it worth reading.
Also love the mystery and the friendship between the characters of the book.
Also love the mystery and the friendship between the characters of the book.
January 27, 2015
Seriously, that was enjoyable. The MC'S. .. phew phew phew they really did it for me. I wanted more from them! But, sadly it ended...
4.4444444 stars!
4.4444444 stars!
January 18, 2016
The mystery was weak, the romance wasn't really a big part of the story which left me with ... not much. I never got involved in the characters or the story.
February 18, 2015
3.5 star review by Amber
Totally torn with this story, I did like it. No doubt about it, this was great writing and I loved the mystery aspect. It totally had me sucked in and I wanted to see this to the end.
But on the other hand, hmmm…I don’t even know where to begin. Was this even a romance?? I guess, maybe. We had to work, and work hard for every interaction between Sam and Nathan. And while their minuscule time together was passionate and amazing, was it worth all the grief? In my mind this was a mystery/suspense first…and then the romance sort of filtered in. I don’t know…I feel so unsatisfied. The physical attraction was unbelievable between these two but I felt we weren’t given the opportunity to see their feelings really develop.
Sam Flynn is part owner of a landscape company and on the side runs a blog. He never lacks a bedmate choosing random hookups frequently. The only family he has is a brother who has been in a coma for years. He also harbors an attraction to one of his married clients, but since he’s married and seemingly straight he never acts on the attraction.
Things start getting interesting when one of his clients is murdered. The wife of the man he’s been lusting after.
Nathan Walker just lost his wife and he is visibly devastated by this. He sets out trying to figure out who killed his wife and why. Sam wants to help Nathan but Nathan wants Sam out of harm’s way.
Their attraction for each other is immediate. Even when Nathan is married you can see him battling an attraction. What I wanted to see was more of the feelings between these two. There’s concern, there’s an unbelievably hot attraction, but nothing more. Overall it left me wanting more.
I wanted romance, mystery, and suspense but this story left me wanting more. I was unsatisfied so I can’t recommend it. But I think if you like more mystery/thriller type books, this one’s for you.
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
Totally torn with this story, I did like it. No doubt about it, this was great writing and I loved the mystery aspect. It totally had me sucked in and I wanted to see this to the end.
But on the other hand, hmmm…I don’t even know where to begin. Was this even a romance?? I guess, maybe. We had to work, and work hard for every interaction between Sam and Nathan. And while their minuscule time together was passionate and amazing, was it worth all the grief? In my mind this was a mystery/suspense first…and then the romance sort of filtered in. I don’t know…I feel so unsatisfied. The physical attraction was unbelievable between these two but I felt we weren’t given the opportunity to see their feelings really develop.
Sam Flynn is part owner of a landscape company and on the side runs a blog. He never lacks a bedmate choosing random hookups frequently. The only family he has is a brother who has been in a coma for years. He also harbors an attraction to one of his married clients, but since he’s married and seemingly straight he never acts on the attraction.
Things start getting interesting when one of his clients is murdered. The wife of the man he’s been lusting after.
Nathan Walker just lost his wife and he is visibly devastated by this. He sets out trying to figure out who killed his wife and why. Sam wants to help Nathan but Nathan wants Sam out of harm’s way.
Their attraction for each other is immediate. Even when Nathan is married you can see him battling an attraction. What I wanted to see was more of the feelings between these two. There’s concern, there’s an unbelievably hot attraction, but nothing more. Overall it left me wanting more.
I wanted romance, mystery, and suspense but this story left me wanting more. I was unsatisfied so I can’t recommend it. But I think if you like more mystery/thriller type books, this one’s for you.
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
May 2, 2019
I liked it.
I need another book to connect to them as a couple.
Sam trying to figure out the mystery was interesting, if fumbling.
Sam has a drinking problem. His friends are starting to feel the impact, but don't really call him on his shit. It's like they are fed up, but not ready to say so.
I needed more of Nathan to form an opinion. I'm glad the story continues with the same MC's.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ehhhh. The mystery falls short. I can't connect to the characters.
Sam's drinking is the most interesting aspect.
I'm not a healthcare professional, but I do work in healthcare.
Any type of long term life support is horrifying.
Short term, ok, but long term is scary shit.
I don't know anyone who has ever worked in healthcare, direct or indirect care, who would ever approve of allowing themselves to be put onto a long term feeding tube.
I slightly remember some future aspects of the next book, so I should complain, but if it were me, PULL THE PLUG.
That said, I wouldn't say I really disliked this book. It was entertaining, and I wanted to connect, I just need more. I wish I remembered the other books in the series, but I don't recall much. Not enough for me to remember them fondly.
I need another book to connect to them as a couple.
Sam trying to figure out the mystery was interesting, if fumbling.
Sam has a drinking problem. His friends are starting to feel the impact, but don't really call him on his shit. It's like they are fed up, but not ready to say so.
I needed more of Nathan to form an opinion. I'm glad the story continues with the same MC's.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ehhhh. The mystery falls short. I can't connect to the characters.
Sam's drinking is the most interesting aspect.
I'm not a healthcare professional, but I do work in healthcare.
Any type of long term life support is horrifying.
Short term, ok, but long term is scary shit.
I don't know anyone who has ever worked in healthcare, direct or indirect care, who would ever approve of allowing themselves to be put onto a long term feeding tube.
I slightly remember some future aspects of the next book, so I should complain, but if it were me, PULL THE PLUG.
That said, I wouldn't say I really disliked this book. It was entertaining, and I wanted to connect, I just need more. I wish I remembered the other books in the series, but I don't recall much. Not enough for me to remember them fondly.
September 24, 2015
Sam, one of Double Indemnity's protagonists is a multi-faceted character. Whilst he enjoys one-night stands, he is also a hard-worker; he is a blogger, gardener and part-time journalist; definitely nosey and intent on justice; a drinker in unrequited love with his employer's husband and a frequent visitor to the care facility where his brother lies in a vegetative state. So, despite Sam's flaws, Maggie Kavanagh ensures that he is a character we enjoy spending time with and whose story we want to follow.
Double Indemnity is less a romance and more of a mystery. Following the trauma of losing his wife, we remain unsure whether Nathan's friendship with Sam will develop and this uncertainty only grows after Nathan reveals his double life.
Maggie Kavanagh's writing style fits perfectly with the plot of Double Indemnity. The pace builds at moments of suspense and this is interspersed with romantic or humorous relief.
Admittedly I was a little puzzled by the later events in the story but I still enjoyed Double Indemnity and now anticipate reading its sequel.
Double Indemnity is less a romance and more of a mystery. Following the trauma of losing his wife, we remain unsure whether Nathan's friendship with Sam will develop and this uncertainty only grows after Nathan reveals his double life.
Maggie Kavanagh's writing style fits perfectly with the plot of Double Indemnity. The pace builds at moments of suspense and this is interspersed with romantic or humorous relief.
Admittedly I was a little puzzled by the later events in the story but I still enjoyed Double Indemnity and now anticipate reading its sequel.
May 13, 2019
Reread - May 2019
Tried to read BK3 but so long since I read this series that I had to start again. A slow-building romance as both MC's have a lot going on in their lives!! Sam relies on alcohol to get him through life, the stress of losing his parents and looking after his comatose brother. He is also a part-time journalist and has a journalists nose that leads him into trouble. Nathan is a FBI agent and often away on a case. The two meet when Nathan's wife, policewoman Emma, is murdered not long after Sam has been talking to her.
I enjoyed the story and hopefully this time will manage to read the next two books in the series in the near future.
Tried to read BK3 but so long since I read this series that I had to start again. A slow-building romance as both MC's have a lot going on in their lives!! Sam relies on alcohol to get him through life, the stress of losing his parents and looking after his comatose brother. He is also a part-time journalist and has a journalists nose that leads him into trouble. Nathan is a FBI agent and often away on a case. The two meet when Nathan's wife, policewoman Emma, is murdered not long after Sam has been talking to her.
I enjoyed the story and hopefully this time will manage to read the next two books in the series in the near future.
January 27, 2016
Reviewed for Prism Book Alliance
Double Indemnity by Maggie Kavanagh first came to my attention when it was released back in January. At the time, however, I had a lot of review books on my plate, and I never managed to get around to it. However, DI has a sequel coming out soon, and Ms. Kavanagh approached Prism about a review for that title. I was curious enough that I had to go back and read this one, of course.
For Complete review see Prism Book Alliance: http://www.prismbookalliance.com/?pos...
March 27, 2019
Well written and intriguing story. The mystery part wasn't very mysterious, but the characters are well developed and likeable. I will read the next one in this series to see how the relationsships develop.
February 3, 2016
Loved
I absolutely loved every word of this book Sam is a great guy even with his flaws,the mystery in this had me guessing and as I have already said I love it. Going to buy book two now x
I absolutely loved every word of this book Sam is a great guy even with his flaws,the mystery in this had me guessing and as I have already said I love it. Going to buy book two now x
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