What do you think?
Rate this book
Veronica "Ronnie" Ingels/Dawson Hughes #1
Harmful Intent
Librarian Note: Alternate Cover Edition for ASIN: B00K3Y7X4Y.
Betrayal runs in private investigator Veronica "Ronnie" Ingels' family. So, why is she surprised when her husband of one year cheats on her? The real shock is his murder, with the local lawman pegging her as the prime suspect.
Ronnie Ingels is a Brooklyn bred private investigator who travels to west Texas, where her cheating husband is murdered. As she hunts the killer to clear her name, she becomes the hunted.
Deputy Sergeant Dawson Hughes, a former Army Ranger, is a man folks want on their side. Only he's not so sure at first, he's on the meddling New York PI's side. As the evidence points away from her, he realizes the more she butts in, the more danger she attracts to herself.
Sweet, askance romance, warm intimacy, sophisticated themes presented tastefully.
Betrayal runs in private investigator Veronica "Ronnie" Ingels' family. So, why is she surprised when her husband of one year cheats on her? The real shock is his murder, with the local lawman pegging her as the prime suspect.
Ronnie Ingels is a Brooklyn bred private investigator who travels to west Texas, where her cheating husband is murdered. As she hunts the killer to clear her name, she becomes the hunted.
Deputy Sergeant Dawson Hughes, a former Army Ranger, is a man folks want on their side. Only he's not so sure at first, he's on the meddling New York PI's side. As the evidence points away from her, he realizes the more she butts in, the more danger she attracts to herself.
Sweet, askance romance, warm intimacy, sophisticated themes presented tastefully.
- GenresMystery
220 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 3, 2013
3 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
About the author
Nike N. Chillemi
11 books91 followersNike N. Chillemi writes contemporary, classic murder mysteries/detective novels. Plenty of twists and turns, action, a dash of grit, wry humor as her characters navigate through situations and relationships. There's usually a national security/public safety underlying theme to her work with an uplifting message. She likes her bad guys really bad, her good guys smarter and better. Her newest endeavor is ACTS OF MALICE.
Nike is the founding board member of the Grace Filled Fiction Spotlight (formerly the Grace Awards) and its Chair, a platform to promote excellence in Christian fiction. She has been a judge in the 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017 Carol Awards in the suspense, mystery, and romantic suspense categories; the Genesis Awards in 2018; First Impressions 2019, and an Inspy Awards 2010 judge in the Suspense/Thriller/Mystery category. She has written book reviews for The Christian Pulse online magazine. Her blog delves into murder mystery/suspense writing as well as the challenges of life. She lives in NE coastal Florida with one small dog and five cats, is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). https://nikechillemi.com/
Nike is the founding board member of the Grace Filled Fiction Spotlight (formerly the Grace Awards) and its Chair, a platform to promote excellence in Christian fiction. She has been a judge in the 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017 Carol Awards in the suspense, mystery, and romantic suspense categories; the Genesis Awards in 2018; First Impressions 2019, and an Inspy Awards 2010 judge in the Suspense/Thriller/Mystery category. She has written book reviews for The Christian Pulse online magazine. Her blog delves into murder mystery/suspense writing as well as the challenges of life. She lives in NE coastal Florida with one small dog and five cats, is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). https://nikechillemi.com/
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
January 11, 2015
A solid mystery story with a sprinkle of romance.
Read full review in the 2014/2015 Holiday issue of InD’tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2014/2015 Holiday issue of InD’tale Magazine.
October 20, 2017
What a dang good read! New York PI, Ronnie Ingels flees a cheating husband and ends up in Texas where "ain't" is as common as "caint." Unfortunately, her man had chosen the same location to meet his new gal, but his trip was short-lived.
Switching to investigator mode as she researches the death of her husband, Ronnie has a run-in with local law enforcer, Dawson Hughes. Deputy Dawson is the type of guy who would normally make a woman swoon, well, maybe not a newly widowed, tough PI like Ronnie.
Author Niki Chillemi takes us, I mean her characters, through a variety of places near Abilene, giving us a taste of the local culture, which I always enjoy in my fiction. Her bad guys were fun to hiss at and her good guys re-enforced my faith in the goodness that remains in our country.
With the author's zany humor filling the mouth of her characters, this story was a delight to read. I smiled a lot in the last two days. Yes, it only took two days to read. This novel couldn't have come at a better time for a quick getaway from a testy week. Thank you Niki.
Switching to investigator mode as she researches the death of her husband, Ronnie has a run-in with local law enforcer, Dawson Hughes. Deputy Dawson is the type of guy who would normally make a woman swoon, well, maybe not a newly widowed, tough PI like Ronnie.
Author Niki Chillemi takes us, I mean her characters, through a variety of places near Abilene, giving us a taste of the local culture, which I always enjoy in my fiction. Her bad guys were fun to hiss at and her good guys re-enforced my faith in the goodness that remains in our country.
With the author's zany humor filling the mouth of her characters, this story was a delight to read. I smiled a lot in the last two days. Yes, it only took two days to read. This novel couldn't have come at a better time for a quick getaway from a testy week. Thank you Niki.
November 9, 2017
What fun! A crime fiction book!
Chillemi brings to life the characters in her books, and Ronni Ingels is one to root for.
Crushed at the betrayal of her best friend forever and her LOVED husband's compromising "love," Ronni has another tsunami wave hitting her when she's the lead suspect in said "loved" husband's murder. Fortunately, Ronni is nothing if not an excellent, hands-on detective. From Ronni's funny comments, thoughts, and detective skills to Deputy Sergeant Dawson Hughes strong personality and by-the-books work, these two make an excellent couple of detectives.
Exexpected packages, blind alleys that lead no where, a stubborn detective who irritates the other constantly, and a smidgen of interest in the other all make for a draw-you-in book that will have you reading long after you should have been in bed. Nike's characters are strong, likeable, and often times quirky and funny, who you'll root for--or hate, her plots are twisted and interesting, and the danger and grit are the real-meat of any true crime fictionistic reader.
Highly recommended!
Chillemi brings to life the characters in her books, and Ronni Ingels is one to root for.
Crushed at the betrayal of her best friend forever and her LOVED husband's compromising "love," Ronni has another tsunami wave hitting her when she's the lead suspect in said "loved" husband's murder. Fortunately, Ronni is nothing if not an excellent, hands-on detective. From Ronni's funny comments, thoughts, and detective skills to Deputy Sergeant Dawson Hughes strong personality and by-the-books work, these two make an excellent couple of detectives.
Exexpected packages, blind alleys that lead no where, a stubborn detective who irritates the other constantly, and a smidgen of interest in the other all make for a draw-you-in book that will have you reading long after you should have been in bed. Nike's characters are strong, likeable, and often times quirky and funny, who you'll root for--or hate, her plots are twisted and interesting, and the danger and grit are the real-meat of any true crime fictionistic reader.
Highly recommended!
December 11, 2017
New York City PI, Veronica "Ronnie" Ingels has grit, wit and an uncanny sense of timing, not always working to her benefit. Looking forward to a real vacation by way of invitation of her best friend, Ronnie’s turbulent flight lands her in Texas, where she gets more than what she bargained for—a murder, a cowboy deputy with a glint in his eyes and a treacherous blond betrayal. Her week vacation turns into a hash slinging job, waiting for answers to a murder she wishes she never uncovered. The unlikely duo of Brooklyn and Texas sheriff team up, rubbing off the unrefined edges of two broken hearts. The two get caught down a few rabbit holes, which eventually lead them to the unseemly underbelly of the small Texas town, an upscale spa and of course a Texas diner, where coffee flows freely all morning long. Scattered with quirky characters, a good helping of humor and a whole lot of twists and turns, Harmful Intent delvers on the promise of good clean reading entertainment.
September 20, 2020
I enjoyed the setting and characters in Harmful Intent. I am re-discovering Westerns, especially contemporary, and this crime drama set against the Abilene area entertained me. I kept turning pages on this who-dun-it, but it wasn't until the end when I finally figured out the killer, AFTER the reveal. Yes, lots of twists and turns to throw readers off track making it so much fun to read. If you like Western settings and a good who-dun-it, you'll like Harmful Intent!
December 15, 2017
Pretty good
This was the first work of this author's I have read. The back and forth view point style of writing took a little getting used to. It was difficult at times reading a back and forth first person account from two people.
The story was good enough for me to want to read the next book in the series.
This was the first work of this author's I have read. The back and forth view point style of writing took a little getting used to. It was difficult at times reading a back and forth first person account from two people.
The story was good enough for me to want to read the next book in the series.
January 30, 2021
An Action Packed Read
Harmful Intent is quick paced, action packed read that keeps the reader engaged and reading to figure out who murdered Ronnie’s husband. The twists and turns gripped my imagination as I tried to work out who the murderer was. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a classic mystery!
Harmful Intent is quick paced, action packed read that keeps the reader engaged and reading to figure out who murdered Ronnie’s husband. The twists and turns gripped my imagination as I tried to work out who the murderer was. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a classic mystery!
December 30, 2017
The main characters are well-developed and the storyline kept me turning pages until the very end. I'm hoping to see some sparks fly between Private investigator Veronica "Ronnie" Ingels and Deputy Dawson Hughes in the next installment of the series. Well done, Nike.
Read
March 15, 2017PI Veronica “Ronnie” Ingels is a prime suspect in her cheating husband’s murder.
She travels to Texas to investigate and hunt down the hunter, only to be the hunted.
She and Deputy Dawson Hughes team up to find the murderer.
My Thoughts:
I love a story with strong characters. Ronnie had tenacity, spunk, and determination. The characters were funny, with a little bit of quirkiness added in. The bad ones were deceptive and cunning.
The plot being exciting, kept the pages turning. The descriptions placed me in the story.
If you like mysteries, you’ll love this book. I did.
She travels to Texas to investigate and hunt down the hunter, only to be the hunted.
She and Deputy Dawson Hughes team up to find the murderer.
My Thoughts:
I love a story with strong characters. Ronnie had tenacity, spunk, and determination. The characters were funny, with a little bit of quirkiness added in. The bad ones were deceptive and cunning.
The plot being exciting, kept the pages turning. The descriptions placed me in the story.
If you like mysteries, you’ll love this book. I did.
September 8, 2014
Brooklyn PI Veronica "Ronnie" Ingels is self-confident, determined, and she knows how to stand up for herself – at least when she's on her home turf. When she discovers her husband's infidelity, she flees to Texas to process the hurt before she has to face him, only to become a person of interest in his murder.
Local Deputy Dawson Hughes doesn't think Ronnie had anything to do with her husband's death, and they develop an uneasy working relationship to find the killer. Hughes is picking up the pieces after a messy divorce, and Ronnie's reeling from the double blow of betrayal and widowhood, but there are definitely sparks between these two.
Harmful Intent is the start of a new, contemporary series from Nike Chillemi, a departure from her 1940s-era Sanctuary Point romantic suspense series. I'm intrigued by her vision for this new series, featuring couples who will sometimes appear as minor characters in other couples' stories. The plots are suspense with romantic threads, but weaving across these threads are others from the characters' past hurts. Each of the main characters carries, like many readers, wounds from their childhood which keep them from being all they could be.
Ronnie's father cheated on her mother, and realizing she married the same type of creep herself helps Ronnie to understand her mother differently. This type of character growth is organic to the story, never overshadowing the suspense plot.
Harmful Intent is not an overtly Christian book, although there are faith overtones. Ronnie and Hughes each find themselves in places in life where faith doesn't come easy.
Ronnie and Hughes are well-matched sparring partners, and I think if they can work through the issues keeping them apart, they'll make a truly happy couple. We'll have to wait for the next installment to find out, since Harmful Intent takes place over a short period of weeks after Ronnie's cheating ex's death.
For more about author Nike Chillemi and her books, visit her website: nikechillemi.wordpress.com
[Review copy from my personal library.]
Local Deputy Dawson Hughes doesn't think Ronnie had anything to do with her husband's death, and they develop an uneasy working relationship to find the killer. Hughes is picking up the pieces after a messy divorce, and Ronnie's reeling from the double blow of betrayal and widowhood, but there are definitely sparks between these two.
Harmful Intent is the start of a new, contemporary series from Nike Chillemi, a departure from her 1940s-era Sanctuary Point romantic suspense series. I'm intrigued by her vision for this new series, featuring couples who will sometimes appear as minor characters in other couples' stories. The plots are suspense with romantic threads, but weaving across these threads are others from the characters' past hurts. Each of the main characters carries, like many readers, wounds from their childhood which keep them from being all they could be.
Ronnie's father cheated on her mother, and realizing she married the same type of creep herself helps Ronnie to understand her mother differently. This type of character growth is organic to the story, never overshadowing the suspense plot.
Harmful Intent is not an overtly Christian book, although there are faith overtones. Ronnie and Hughes each find themselves in places in life where faith doesn't come easy.
Ronnie and Hughes are well-matched sparring partners, and I think if they can work through the issues keeping them apart, they'll make a truly happy couple. We'll have to wait for the next installment to find out, since Harmful Intent takes place over a short period of weeks after Ronnie's cheating ex's death.
For more about author Nike Chillemi and her books, visit her website: nikechillemi.wordpress.com
[Review copy from my personal library.]
August 23, 2014
NY PI Veronica "Ronnie" Ingels discovers her husband has been having an affair - with her supposed best friend. Then someone kills him! The police suspect Ronnie but Deputy Sergeant Dawson Hughes is sure she isn't the culprit. As they each work to discover the truth, friendship grows and seems to be ready to bloom into romance. But something in Ronnie's past holds her back, something she doesn't understand.
This is a fun mystery/suspense novel with lots of action and a snarky female lead who readers will be able to instant connect with. Ronnie is Brooklyn born and raised but this "adventure" takes place in Texas. She's completely out of her element which lends humor to some scenes. The crime investigation part of the story is well-researched and believable. The romance aspect is low-key. Neither character comes on too strong or too fast, making it a refreshing read.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes mystery/suspense or romantic suspense stories.
This is a fun mystery/suspense novel with lots of action and a snarky female lead who readers will be able to instant connect with. Ronnie is Brooklyn born and raised but this "adventure" takes place in Texas. She's completely out of her element which lends humor to some scenes. The crime investigation part of the story is well-researched and believable. The romance aspect is low-key. Neither character comes on too strong or too fast, making it a refreshing read.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes mystery/suspense or romantic suspense stories.
July 20, 2015
She finds much more than she bargained for and seems to be irritating Deputy Hughes on a regular basis. This is not just a murder mystery, there’s laughter as Ronnie meets Hoot and Bertha, Deputy Hicks and other equally quirky characters. There is also a romance in bloom as Ronnie and Dawson find their initial revulsion to each other rapidly disappearing.
This is also an unusual story in that the POV, or point of view, is in the first person, from the two protagonists. Each chapter has a heading telling you which character is doing the talking. As any author will tell you, POV can make or break a story. This unique approach is brilliant and lets the reader literally ‘read’ the minds of the two main characters.
The story is ‘clean’, meaning no profanity, gratuitous sex or extreme violence. This allows the reader to concentrate on the mystery, laughter and romance. There are more stories to come in this series, and I cannot wait. Solid 5 Stars
May 8, 2014
Poor Veronica "Ronnie" Ingels. Stuck working a nasty private investigator beat in Brooklyn and returns home to discover her husband has been cheating on her. To make matters worse, she can't take out her anger against him because he was found murdered half way across the United States.
Ronnie's troubles don't end there. When she arrives in Texas to investigate her husband's murder, she becomes the deputy's number one suspect.
In time, the deputy's investigation reveals this out-of-state, city, female private investigator may be innocent. Unfortunately, she may be in danger of being fitted for her own coffin.
You'll enjoy Harmful Intent by Nike Chillemi. It is a well written and an entertaining whodunit.
Ronnie's troubles don't end there. When she arrives in Texas to investigate her husband's murder, she becomes the deputy's number one suspect.
In time, the deputy's investigation reveals this out-of-state, city, female private investigator may be innocent. Unfortunately, she may be in danger of being fitted for her own coffin.
You'll enjoy Harmful Intent by Nike Chillemi. It is a well written and an entertaining whodunit.
May 13, 2014
Ronnie Ingles is a toughened PI from Brooklyn who finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation in Texas. Unfortunately for her, its her own cheating husband who has been murdered. She and Deputy Dawson Hughes team up to solve the case, albeit sometimes reluctantly, but not before another murder happens and Ronnie’s own life is put in jeopardy. This engaging ‘who-dun-it’ is unconventional in that it is told in first person from both Ronnie and Dawson’s point of view. The characters are quirky, charming, and often humorous, and there is plenty of action and grit. I highly recommend this story for readers who enjoy a good detective story, well rounded yet fallible characters, and vivid descriptions. As a side note, ‘foodies’ will like this one, too.
September 28, 2014
This book was a very pleasant surprise. I never know what to expect when starting a book from an author I have not read before. The style, voice and pace of this book were all just right for me. I love mysteries. I especially love mysteries where there is an obvious suspect, but absolutely no credible evidence to support the gut of the detective. In this case, one of the lead protagonists is the wife of the murder victim which also places her front and center as a suspect since she had just discovered... Well, I don't want to spoil that surprise for you. You'll just have to pick it up and find out for yourself. There are plenty of blind alleys and false leads. There are also good doses of danger and romance. A pretty healthy mix of ingredients for a really good book.
July 9, 2014
Author Nike Chillemi’s latest novel, HARMFUL INTENT is bound to make you laugh as the story weaves itself between dead bodies, jilted lovers, and Texan justice. A New York female Private Eye returns to Texas and finds herself in a world of trouble. This story will captivate you from the very first page.
October 26, 2016
A cute honky took love story
Ronni is a PI who hails from NYC who finds out her husband is having an affair. She decides to go and see her friend Cassidy who lives in Texas. When Ronni gets there, she gets a not so nice surprise. Read for yourself and enjoy!
Ronni is a PI who hails from NYC who finds out her husband is having an affair. She decides to go and see her friend Cassidy who lives in Texas. When Ronni gets there, she gets a not so nice surprise. Read for yourself and enjoy!
October 18, 2014
If you like snark and humor (think Janet Evanovich) interwoven in your crime novels, you'll love this book.
April 1, 2017
I don't know why but I could not get into this book. I did finish it. I read a book in between reading this so it didn't keep me turning pages. The writing was ok, not great. It seemed at times a bit all over the place. This may be my problem so I'm not saying you won't enjoy the book. It just didn't click for me. After her husband cheats on her and is murdered she is attracted to someone else in a few days? No. There is also at least one swear word.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews