Cracked

Cracked #1

by Barbra Leslie

After her stormy marriage ends, Danny Cleary jumps down the rabbit hole into a world of crack cocaine – delivered to her door by a polite but slightly deranged dealer. But when Danny’s twin sister Ginger is murdered, Danny and her rock musician brother fly to California to find their nephews – and the people who killed their sister. Fighting her addiction, nosy cops and crazy drug dealers, she kicks ass and takes names, embracing her inner vigilante in a quest to avenge her sister and save her family.
 
Cracked is a darkly comic roller-coaster ride to redemption as Danny struggles with bad guys and her own demons to find out who killed her twin.

Genres: Mystery Thriller, Canada

320 pages, Paperback

First published November 24, 2015

Reviews

[Joy (joyous reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

DANNY CLEARY is an unapologetic mess. After her marriage ended, she flitted from alcohol abuse to the oblivion that only drugs can provide. She has no intention of getting clean. Not even when she got a phone call informing her that her twin sister, Ginger was found dead in a seedy motel. Far from the rich neighborhood where she and her perfect family lived.

Armed with the determination to find her killers, Danny, and her brother set out to exact revenge to those responsible. In California, they'll find their brother in law in jail under suspicion of murder, their nephews missing, and a trail of clues that will lead them to her ex-husband's shady past.

DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE

Reading pulp fiction is always a different experience. Everything is raw and visceral; bloody with a tinge of humor only a few of us would be able to get. Cracked is exactly that. It was dark and ripe with violent tendencies. The heroine works hard to appeal to the reader's sympathetic side and was somewhat successful for the most part. While I tend to be unforgiving with characters who knowingly walks the path of destruction, I am a bit more generous with those who has gone past the point of no return. Danny, bless her, has fully owned being an addict. It's the fuel that drives her- the spark that electrifies her. Knowing fully well that it could kill her one day.

This book is not for the faint of heart. It is not afraid to show all its dirty parts. It's an honest portrayal of a woman whose weakness could very well be what keeps her alive. In that, it's a dangerous novel, but only to those with no appreciation of what being human is like. Barbara Leslie is a woman who knows a thing or two about being an addict. As someone who's well on her way to recovery, she's been in that position before; where the need to use wars with the need to survive.

[Chana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast paced and brutal. It never lets up, it never gets boring, the writing is really good. I was taken with it from the first page.
Danny Cleary is a crack addict and hasn't talked to her twin sister recently.
Then Danny gets a call that her twin sister has died, and not just died but was murdered in a low rent motel in a seedy neighborhood. Danny vows vengeance and she goes all out. It is never obvious who the bad guys are until they do bad, so that keeps the suspense up. The plot is very clear and linear, but never simple. This book is full of action but it covers the emotions as well.
Violent, action-packed, suspenseful, funny, well-written. If you like this type of book then I recommend this one. Personally, I thought it was great!

A lot of readers are saying how they got this book free on a Goodreads Giveaway. Alas, I did not. I found this book at a LIttle Free Library here in Seattle. I will pass it on to another reader who will appreciate this book.

[Nick Pengelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been extremely fortunate to read an advance copy of this amazing new crime thriller from Barbra Leslie. Danny Cleary is a truly awesome creation, and one I hope we are going to see a great deal more of. I love noir and my detectives hard boiled; I broke my teeth on Hammett and Chandler. Long have I regretted their passing and wished that we could have just one more story from either - albeit with some strong female leads. Barbra Leslie and her Danny Cleary have fulfilled that dream - in spades!

[Judy Zacher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Danny Cleary is an endearing character despite her addiction to crack cocaine. She is a smart-mouthed, wise-cracking heroine who will go to great lengths to find her twin's killer. I read this book in a couple of days - just couldn't put it down.

[Mallory · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book as part of a Goodreads Giveaway and I'm so happy I did. So since it was free, here's my (short) review:

It's really hard to write a proper review of this book without including spoilers, which I don't want to do because no one should ruin the amazing plot twists in this book!

Danny being a addict (drug of choice: crack) added an interesting element to the story, and her mysterious ex-husband did as well (we don't find out his back story until later in the book, the author leaves you hanging quite a while on this one). Some of these crime thriller novels can be so predictable but this one was not. Just when you think you know a character, you find out who they really are and it blows your mind! I don't want to give anything away about Dave, but I seriously hope he plays a big part in the next book, which I definitely plan on reading. November 2016 hurry up!! (Also, if Barbra Leslie happens to read this- please add your sequel to your Goodreads page so I can make sure to add it to my to-read list!).

[Cin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I totally enjoyed reading this captivating and exciting novel. Unexpected storyline. Strong characters. The beginning of the story didn't make me excited, but then it turned out to be one of the best novels I have read this year. Recommened this novel to my friends.

I received a free copy of this book from the Goodreads First Reads program.

[Patricia Atkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved the book kept me guessing to the end..danny is a crack addict and she gets an eye opener when her twin sister ginger is murdered than she finds out gingers husband is charged with the murder than her sisters twin boys get kidnapped.danny must pull herself together and find the person or persons responsible for her sisters murder......

[Linda Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

No spoilers review of the best crime thriller I've read this year http://lindasbookbag.com/2015/11/20/c...

[Vicky Boyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this; it's dark and fast paced, the action is non-stop, and nice to find a narrator that is flawed and human.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barbra Leslie is likened to Janet Evanovich, an author whose books I enjoy very much. Cracked is the first of a new series of books that feature an extremely flawed heroine, Danny. Danny had a fantastic life until her marriage fell apart and she went from being somebody who was a fitness fanatic to somebody who was addicted to crack. When she gets a telephone call that her twin sister is found dead in a seedy hotel she is desperate to find out why whilst maintaining her habit.
Danny is fully aware of all her flaws, doesn’t try to blame other people for them and struggles immensely with guilt when she finds out that the reason her sister died was that she was trying to understand why Danny had become an addict. Devoted to Ginger, her nephews and a younger brother she is hell bent on getting answers and revenge.
At times, it was totally unbelievable but it was also a lot of fun. The characters were likeable despite their flaws and showed that despite addiction they were also loyal. There were quite a few ‘baddies’, some of them unexpected.
My impression was that there would be a continuing storyline throughout the series. There was no cliffhanger ending but there were a few unanswered questions that I hope will be resolved in the second book Rehab Run. I have this book also and hope to read very soon.
With thanks to Titan Books for both books received.

[Allan Dyen-Shapiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first third of this novel was absolutely terrific. Ultra-high intensity, a different plot twist at the end of every chapter, almost like one of those adventure novels serialized in early 20th century magazines. And the protagonist was very well drawn. Rich girl turned crackhead, intellectual enough to be reflecting upon it. The love and ties to her family were believable.

But, alas, this pace was unsustainable. After a while, it turned a bit more predictable. And it wasn't an idea book--it didn't say much of anything about drug addiction, privilege, religion--anything it could easily have commented upon.

In novella length, this certainly would have merited five stars out of me. I just think it went on too long after the reader already sympathized with the character and worried about her fate.

But overall, an enjoyable read.

[Denise · Rating 2 out of 5]

A quick, easy read, but the story has more holes in it than Swiss cheese. The story is too fantastic to be believable and she leaves a trail of wounded and dead bodies as she hunts for her sister’s children. Suddenly, money is no object as everyone around her is wealthy and she will inherit - their wealth is never explained, nor is her need to look like a trashy, drug-laden version of her former self. The Drugs. The Drugs. The Drugs. Her ever present addiction and focus on Crack is ever present, but one second she is taking a hit off of a crack pipe, the next second, she springs into action and kicks someone in the face, stealing his gun and being a super-hero. Really? I won’t be reading the sequels, she is not a heroin I care about or believe in.

[Reet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Danielle Cleary Is the character with the most white privilege; constantly going around with drugs in her body and in her purse, constantly around cops, and not once does she get arrested for drugs. This is a story about a family from Maine, but whose members are also in Orange county, and Toronto. The first time I read that she swore to kill whoever killed her twin, I thought: "yeah right, little white girl." Well as it turns out, she is a pretty badass fighter, which is a good thing, seeing as how she's got all kinds of people coming after her and her family, constantly. Drama like you're watching"How to get away with murder."

[Judy LeBlanc · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is not my normal kind of read, but oh my what a great read. A little dark, almost a Canadian version of Salander without the gritty violence. There is some blood spilled, drugs are consumed, a couple of dead bodies for good measure but what a ride! Looking forward to the next one in the trilogy. Danny is a woman with a mission and doesn't let anyone mess with her family and get away with it. She doesn't let a little thing like the law get in her way. Now if only she can stay clean.

[Kyla Belvedere · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, because of standards, I must first say that I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway.

And even though this isn't my usual style of book, I loved it. I couldn't put it down. It was exciting and modern and fresh. Now, I am pretty sure that Leslie has never met a crack addict in her life, but still, I was able to suspend disbelief and get caught up in this fast moving mystery.

I will be checking out the sequel for sure!

[Hannah McKinnon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read a crime story for ages and this was brilliant fun.

Danny, the protagonist, is smart-mouthed and sassy, but also a total mess. Making her a crack addict was a genius idea as it added extra layers of complexity to the characters and the story.

This is a fast-paced, enjoyable read, with twists and turns galore.

Looking forward to the next installment already!

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received the book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.

Was quite a page turner. Very fast moving and even though I kept thinking that Danny needed to get clean, she handled thing pretty well anyway. Looking forward to reading the second book in this series.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in a day, just could not put it down. I thank Goodreads for this giveaway. It is hard to imagine a drug addicted tear away to care about others, but Danny will prove you wrong. I loved the hard boiled approach taken to find her sister's killer.

[Carly - Resident Supergirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow I was on the edge of my seat this entire book, very captivating read and would really love to see this turned into a film! Also an interesting perspective into the illusive world of drugs and their hold on those that become addicted.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book with rather messed up characters. Story progressed well and the main character Danny is a hot mess who is strong and I look forward to reading more books with her as the lead.

[Sara Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book on GoodReads and found it a very compelling and action packed read. Well written!!!

[Susan W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly enjoyable. Love Danny, she will be fine!

[Craigtator · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not exactly Shakespeare, but if you want a quick action packed read with an interesting crack addicted first person narrator, this is the book for you.

[Kassi Gruenberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite honestly, one of the best books I've ever read. I couldn't put it down.

[Peyton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only question you should be asking yourself why are you not reading this book?

Not only are the characters developed well expressed. The plot twists and the action involved in this authors writing are unparalleled.

Drug addictions, family secrets, vengeful murder, heartwarming love, and illustrated writing.

THIS. BOOK. IS. AMAZING.

Please do yourself a favor and buy this book.
I purchased my copy on thriftbooks.com for like $5.
I’d pay full price for it, no doubt about it.

There is also an amazing article on the author by the Toronto Star, it will give you a good luck at the mind of Barbra Leslie leading up to and during the writing process.

“You are Superman.”

[mint🍵 · Rating 4 out of 5]

cracked was such a spontaneous purchase and therefore pretty much like nothing i ever read, but i really really enjoyed it. first of all the mc was much older than me but i still felt connected and liked her a lot. i think it was because it was so well written, like her voice was so easy to read and enjoy. second, this story was full of action, drugs and mystery, i thought i knew where it was going but i never did, and it had so many of those moments where a character shows up and you’re like “damn! their a traitor??” or “oh shit! i forgot about that guy” which we all know i love. danny was so fun, my favourite (actual) crackhead :)

[Malachi Antal · Rating 5 out of 5]

finally a worthwhile heroine written with ambiguity on her street whoring.



Toronto in the mix, pour yourself a Jack & Coke, sprinkle a line..it's going to be a bumpy ride.

[Rennie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A thrill a minute with character-shifting characters on every page but it was fun to read. Don't look for plausibility although if you read this genre much, you are probably already pretty comfortable with letting that go. The witty dialogue and relationship between Danny and her brother Darren was well done and I will likely read the next one in the series.

[Reagan Muchow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this. But after I finished I realized it started kind of slow and ended kind of slow too. The twists were fun and unexpected and I felt I was being lead in a bunch of different directions.

But I also feel like the main point of the plot is that the main character is on crack and that covers up some of the plot.

Otherwise exciting and a fun read.
Nice length too

[Nicole Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in four intervals. 70 pages. 70 pages. 50 pages. The rest of the book. Three pages in I text my sister and said, "Hey!! I have another book for you! I'll send it when I'm done in a few days." I'm excited to start reading the second book.