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Sam Smith Mystery #2
Love and Bullets
"If you like psychological detective stories with a touch of humour and romance, you will love Sam Smith." It had been a week since the incident at the abandoned quarry, a week since I'd shot and killed someone, a week since my ex-husband had been murdered. It had been an emotional week. But life goes on. I'd been hired to discover who was sending death threats to Dr Ruth Carey, a controversial psychiatrist. The trail led to two high-powered villains and soon the death threats were aimed at me, threats that increased following two murders. Meanwhile, after years of domestic violence, I was trying to make sense of my private life. Dr Alan Storey, a prominent psychologist, claimed that he loved me, and I was strongly attracted to him. But the years of domestic abuse had scarred me emotionally and I was reluctant to commit to a relationship. Love and Bullets is the story of a dramatic week in my life, a week of soul-searching, self-discovery and redemption.
- GenresMystery
ebook
First published February 14, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
January 6, 2018
The tone of book two of the Sam Smith mystery series is darker and more serious than book one. We go deeper into female detective Sam Smith’s head, her self-doubts and her fears. In this installment, Sam is hired to find out who’s sending death threats to a despicable psychiatrist.
The author takes on a couple of challenging themes: recovering from an abusive relationship (Sam’s dead ex-husband was abusive,) and the psychological impact of a psychiatrist who preaches eugenics and racial hatred to vulnerable patients.
Her history with a violent husband makes Sam skittish about a new relationship. A big part of the novel deals with her personal story. I found this thread to be believable.
The mystery of the death threats against the eugenics proponent was also interesting. Although it strained my suspension of disbelief that the mobsters Sam comes into contact with were as cooperative as they were. Still, that storyline became more interesting as I continued swiping my Kindle.
A very readable book with memorable characters.
The author takes on a couple of challenging themes: recovering from an abusive relationship (Sam’s dead ex-husband was abusive,) and the psychological impact of a psychiatrist who preaches eugenics and racial hatred to vulnerable patients.
Her history with a violent husband makes Sam skittish about a new relationship. A big part of the novel deals with her personal story. I found this thread to be believable.
The mystery of the death threats against the eugenics proponent was also interesting. Although it strained my suspension of disbelief that the mobsters Sam comes into contact with were as cooperative as they were. Still, that storyline became more interesting as I continued swiping my Kindle.
A very readable book with memorable characters.
July 24, 2016
This is the second Sam Smith Mystery by Hannah Howe that I've read and the more I read of this talented author, the more I enjoy her stories. Her "hero" Samantha Smith is a character that is so easy to identify with, as a reader, whatever your gender. Her emotions and her entire life it seems has been fashioned by her experiences, which have made her very flawed and yet very relatable. Her childhood; the alcoholic mother, the abandoning father and finally the ex-husband who beat her mercilessly have all combined to create a woman so insecure in herself that she is continually battling to prove herself to the world and her own mind. As a private detective, she is a woman living in a man's world. Perhaps that's part of the reason she chose this profession - because it gives her the boost her fragile ego needs, especially when she is successful at it, which she usually is. Sam is scared to give herself emotionally and completely to another man - she truly fears she brings out the worst in people and any man in her life, no matter how well it starts, will inevitably end up acting violently towards her. It is hard not to like, admire and empathise with Sam Smith. Howe has created a wonderful character here and it is easy to see how a long-running series can be fashioned around Sam Smith. Great Job!
In Love and Bullets, we see Sam tentatively crawling around the edges of a possible relationship with Alan, a widower, and his sixteen-year-old daughter Alis. This is a compelling side to the real story in which Sam is hired to find out who has been sending threatening letters to a prominent psychiatrist, who is a proponent of the theory of "eugenics", which roughly explained is the idea of Darwin's natural selection, applied compulsorily to humans - weeding out the weak and infirm and stopping them from breeding; the creation of a "master race" of humanity through genetic selection. This whole aspect of the story as both fascinating and abhorrent and just added to my enjoyment of the mystery.
I love Howe's uncomplicated, forceful writing. There are few flowery phrases - like Sam Smith, her words are hard, clear and to the point. I rarely do this in reviews, but there was one sentence I really wanted to highlight, as for me it summed up the clarity and cleverness of Howe's narrative: "She had cried the rain,but there was still plenty of sunshine in her life and that sunshine would produce a rainbow." Cliched and trite, hmmmm.......maybe, but I love it.
As you may have guessed by now, Love and Bullets: A Sam Smith Mystery, by Hannah Howe, was an out and out winner for me. I have no hesitation in awarding this story five great stars and can assure Ms Howe, this will not be the last Sam Smith Mystery I read. A fantastic story by a wonderful author. Thank you for the enjoyment.
In Love and Bullets, we see Sam tentatively crawling around the edges of a possible relationship with Alan, a widower, and his sixteen-year-old daughter Alis. This is a compelling side to the real story in which Sam is hired to find out who has been sending threatening letters to a prominent psychiatrist, who is a proponent of the theory of "eugenics", which roughly explained is the idea of Darwin's natural selection, applied compulsorily to humans - weeding out the weak and infirm and stopping them from breeding; the creation of a "master race" of humanity through genetic selection. This whole aspect of the story as both fascinating and abhorrent and just added to my enjoyment of the mystery.
I love Howe's uncomplicated, forceful writing. There are few flowery phrases - like Sam Smith, her words are hard, clear and to the point. I rarely do this in reviews, but there was one sentence I really wanted to highlight, as for me it summed up the clarity and cleverness of Howe's narrative: "She had cried the rain,but there was still plenty of sunshine in her life and that sunshine would produce a rainbow." Cliched and trite, hmmmm.......maybe, but I love it.
As you may have guessed by now, Love and Bullets: A Sam Smith Mystery, by Hannah Howe, was an out and out winner for me. I have no hesitation in awarding this story five great stars and can assure Ms Howe, this will not be the last Sam Smith Mystery I read. A fantastic story by a wonderful author. Thank you for the enjoyment.
July 20, 2016
I love the way Hannah Howe combines her mysteries with romance and social issues. The mystery in Love and Bullets kept me guessing and in particular I enjoyed the portrayal of Alis and her realistic attitude towards Sam. Sam's the star though and her narration is witty, insightful and at times poignant. Fantastic series, fantastic author!
July 30, 2020
Don’t let the boring name fool you. Sam Smith is definitely an exciting character. Join me as I watch her get into scrape, after scrape.
July 2, 2017
Move over Sherlock, Sam Smith PI is here
I read and enjoyed the first book in the series, 'Sam's Song', so I looked forward to 'Love and Bullets', and I wasn't disappointed. In this episode, we learn a bit more about Sam Smith's character, which I think has developed very well. She is complex and fascinating, and sometimes infuriating. Sam is a clever and determined PI who is hired by a man to discover the source of death threats made against his wife, and what a character the wife turns out to be! The characters that surround the mystery are well drawn, believable and sit comfortably in their situations. The plot is solidly constructed and kept me turning the pages. The author's writing is easy to follow with nice touches of humour to raise a smile along the way. Good news, there are nine more in the series and I'm looking forward to them. Highly recommended.
I read and enjoyed the first book in the series, 'Sam's Song', so I looked forward to 'Love and Bullets', and I wasn't disappointed. In this episode, we learn a bit more about Sam Smith's character, which I think has developed very well. She is complex and fascinating, and sometimes infuriating. Sam is a clever and determined PI who is hired by a man to discover the source of death threats made against his wife, and what a character the wife turns out to be! The characters that surround the mystery are well drawn, believable and sit comfortably in their situations. The plot is solidly constructed and kept me turning the pages. The author's writing is easy to follow with nice touches of humour to raise a smile along the way. Good news, there are nine more in the series and I'm looking forward to them. Highly recommended.
December 21, 2017
This is a good, fast-paced story about a vulnerable yet tough private detective called Samantha. There have been threats to a well-known psychiatrist whose interests lie in eugenics; the latter was fascinating and horrible. Sam is asked to find out about the threats...
The writing style suited the genre, the characters were realistic and believable and the subject matter was horrifying and a great focus to despise. Samantha is a complicated and likeable protagonist. It had a great sense of humour and, overall, was a worthy read. Ten billion green bottles, ha!
Good for those who enjoy crime thrillers with a 'human' perspective.
The writing style suited the genre, the characters were realistic and believable and the subject matter was horrifying and a great focus to despise. Samantha is a complicated and likeable protagonist. It had a great sense of humour and, overall, was a worthy read. Ten billion green bottles, ha!
Good for those who enjoy crime thrillers with a 'human' perspective.
December 23, 2018
What a delightful series this is turning out to be! Book 2, Love and Bullets is an intelligently written story with a plot full of twists and turns and an endearing protagonist. One can't help but appreciate the depth and skill of this author's writing. I highly recommend this entertaining and hard to put down, curl up for the evening kind of read.
February 20, 2020
"Less convincing than the first book"
I hoped things would continue in the same vein as in 'Sam's Song' but although Sam's character was still gutsy, troubled and with a wry sense of humour, the supporting cast in this one were grotesque. The eugenics theme and the elitist manner of Ruth Carey and Boris St John were too grotesque for me to engage in. I wanted to pull the trigger myself. Perhaps a later book in the series get me back on track.
I hoped things would continue in the same vein as in 'Sam's Song' but although Sam's character was still gutsy, troubled and with a wry sense of humour, the supporting cast in this one were grotesque. The eugenics theme and the elitist manner of Ruth Carey and Boris St John were too grotesque for me to engage in. I wanted to pull the trigger myself. Perhaps a later book in the series get me back on track.
January 3, 2019
Boring Name!
Don’t let the boring name fool you. Sam Smith is definitely an exciting character. Join her as she stumbles into scapes after scrapes.
Don’t let the boring name fool you. Sam Smith is definitely an exciting character. Join her as she stumbles into scapes after scrapes.
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May 3, 2019Por fin terminé esta traducción!! ahora solo queda releer y editar para poder enviarla y esperar a que sea publicada. Qué bien se siente terminar un trabajo después de meses...
September 4, 2020
This book takes place a week after the first, Sam’s Song. Sam is still coming to grips with the fact that she’s killed someone and that her abusive ex-husband is dead (that’s not the person she killed, although it would have been understandable if she had). She’s also trying to come to grips with the fact that a handsome psychologist, Alan Storey, says he loves her. I have to admit that it did seem like Alan said that way too early in their relationship, but love at first sight does happen. Besides, he seems to have a very good understanding of himself and others, so that’s even more reason to believe he knows the truth of what he says.
Sam is hired to investigate threatening notes that another psychologist, Ruth Carey, has received. Dr. Carey’s husband has hired her over the protests of his wife, and Sam is pretty sure Dr. Carey knows who is threatening her. Ruth Carey is a very despicable character who runs a foundation advocating eugenics. Sam doesn’t like her, but she has a job to do, and when Dr. Carey is kidnapped from almost under her nose, Sam leaves no stone unturned in the hunt for her.
I’m not going to say more for fear of spoilers, but suffice it to say that Sam grows in each book (I started the series with later books) and the cast of supporting characters are all as well drawn as Sam is. Good characters, plenty of action, and a bit of mystery that has to be solved—what else can you want in a good read?
Sam is hired to investigate threatening notes that another psychologist, Ruth Carey, has received. Dr. Carey’s husband has hired her over the protests of his wife, and Sam is pretty sure Dr. Carey knows who is threatening her. Ruth Carey is a very despicable character who runs a foundation advocating eugenics. Sam doesn’t like her, but she has a job to do, and when Dr. Carey is kidnapped from almost under her nose, Sam leaves no stone unturned in the hunt for her.
I’m not going to say more for fear of spoilers, but suffice it to say that Sam grows in each book (I started the series with later books) and the cast of supporting characters are all as well drawn as Sam is. Good characters, plenty of action, and a bit of mystery that has to be solved—what else can you want in a good read?
June 15, 2017
From talented mystery author Hannah Howe comes Book Two of The Sam Smith Investigative Mysteries, Love and Bullets. Set in Cardiff, we follow Sam through the aftermath of having shot dead a notorious criminal.
Sam is a complex and at times volatile individual that is more vulnerable than she first appears. She was easy for me to relate to, with a down to earth personality and a scarred past.
I found this to be a good length read with a steady pace and intriguing plot. Ruth, the wife of a wealthy professor whom Sam is hired to protect, was beyond infuriating. Her character represented all that I hate in a person, from bigotry to racism and worse besides. It was easy to wish the worst on her without feeling a shred of remorse for the character.
With deranged psychiatry patients, plenty of gunfights, action and humour, this made for a truly amazing sequel. Sam is an enigma- the real mystery of this gripping series. I intend to follow her journey to the end and hope that her character is able to find solace in a brighter tomorrow.
I would rate this book as 5 stars.
Recommended for lovers of mystery and crime novels.
April 24, 2018
Having read several books by this author, I was delighted to see I had overlooked this one. I quickly purchased it and began the read. As with all her writing Howe doesn’t hold back on tackling serious subjects: an abusive relationship, racial hatred, trust issues with venturing into a new relationship, etc. Being that I’m a health care provider, I was especially drawn to the character, a psychiatrist who is abducted during the story. Sideline characters are well cast: Alan—Sam love interest—and his daughter, the bon-bon munching detective, the lascivious connection who helps her meet people of interest, and the husband of the psychiatrist. And as always Sam’s character burns from the page with interrogations, wit, and human portrayals of her emotional side. I love the bridge metaphor her love interest uses and how Sam refers back to it. And I also love how self-denigrating Sam is—the result of an abusive mother and ex (dead) husband. This was another entertaining, well-written, intelligent, prose by Hannah Howe with all loose ends neatly tied up to a very satisfying ending. Now off to see if there are any more of her books I haven’t yet read.
November 18, 2017
I really enjoyed the first part in this series and couldn’t wait to start Love and Bullets. Sam is fast becoming my favorite PI. In this part she is hired to look into death threats against Ruth Carey. As the layers are peeled back Sam finds herself in the middle of a messy situation, involving way more than death threats with ties to dangerous criminals.
There is more development of Sam in this part, and some growth in her regarding her broken bits, though she still has work to do there. I find it refreshing that the answers to both her case and her life don’t come easy. I also really liked seeing more about Alan and his daughter Alis.
As before, the details are vivid enough that I easily slipped into the story. The pace is beautiful, the plot intense. I found myself holding my kindle closer to my eyes as if that would get me to answers sooner somehow.
I hope to get to part three very soon, and highly recommend this series.
There is more development of Sam in this part, and some growth in her regarding her broken bits, though she still has work to do there. I find it refreshing that the answers to both her case and her life don’t come easy. I also really liked seeing more about Alan and his daughter Alis.
As before, the details are vivid enough that I easily slipped into the story. The pace is beautiful, the plot intense. I found myself holding my kindle closer to my eyes as if that would get me to answers sooner somehow.
I hope to get to part three very soon, and highly recommend this series.
July 30, 2019
Another epic adventure for our intrepid heroine as she discovers who is sending threatening letters to her latest client's wife. Super sleuth Sam is once again hot on the heels of the kidnappers and goes in all guns blazing, but perhaps she should have learned from previous investigations and brought in some back up...
As with the previous book, there is a brilliantly devious plot, and the author does a terrific job of bringing out the emotions and tensions involved in Sam's private life while intertwining them seamlessly with the current case. But rest assured, nothing is ever going to be simple for this bundle of vulnerability.
All in all a fantastic read. Will be buying more of this series of standalone stories.
As with the previous book, there is a brilliantly devious plot, and the author does a terrific job of bringing out the emotions and tensions involved in Sam's private life while intertwining them seamlessly with the current case. But rest assured, nothing is ever going to be simple for this bundle of vulnerability.
All in all a fantastic read. Will be buying more of this series of standalone stories.
August 11, 2020
Another great detective story in the Sam Smith Mystery Series
Having read and thoroughly enjoyed the first book in the Sam Smith Mystery Series, I bought Love and Bullets. And I was right; this was another great detective story mixed with romance and sprinkled with humor.
Samantha “Sam” Smith is a brave, smart, and beautiful young woman who, however, has trust issues due to an abusive mother and a violent ex-husband. She works as a private investigator, and what she lacks in experience and physique, she makes up for in ingenuity and determination.
I’m looking forward to reading more mysteries in the series.
Having read and thoroughly enjoyed the first book in the Sam Smith Mystery Series, I bought Love and Bullets. And I was right; this was another great detective story mixed with romance and sprinkled with humor.
Samantha “Sam” Smith is a brave, smart, and beautiful young woman who, however, has trust issues due to an abusive mother and a violent ex-husband. She works as a private investigator, and what she lacks in experience and physique, she makes up for in ingenuity and determination.
I’m looking forward to reading more mysteries in the series.
August 4, 2018
In this second in the Sam Smith Mystery series we continue to get acquainted with our PI main character, who certainly has a lot of personal baggage. Still, she has no fear in taking on less than agreeable clients. In her personal life she is still trying to learn to trust her aspiring suitor. A decent mystery. We'll see how her story line continues to develop.
December 3, 2018
Another fun ride through murder and mayhem
This second in the series of Sam Smith mysteries is as entertaining and engaging as the first. As an enquiry agent, or private eye, Sam is determined, fearless and flawed. Following her as she solves the mysteries and works through the damage caused by her past creates a page-turning story that leaves the reader wanting more.
This second in the series of Sam Smith mysteries is as entertaining and engaging as the first. As an enquiry agent, or private eye, Sam is determined, fearless and flawed. Following her as she solves the mysteries and works through the damage caused by her past creates a page-turning story that leaves the reader wanting more.
March 31, 2018
Love and Bullets
The uneasiness with relationships continued. She's in love with Alan but is scarred by her past. Her job pits her against the mob which she comes out unscathed. Sam Smith enquiry agent.
The uneasiness with relationships continued. She's in love with Alan but is scarred by her past. Her job pits her against the mob which she comes out unscathed. Sam Smith enquiry agent.
July 22, 2019
Great Series
The second book in this series is as good as the first. Sam's struggle to put her past into perspective while running her private eye business is well written and well developed. Looking forward to the next book.
The second book in this series is as good as the first. Sam's struggle to put her past into perspective while running her private eye business is well written and well developed. Looking forward to the next book.
April 26, 2020
Hearty Heroine battles herself & the Bad Guys
This story a lot of psychology to deal with - for our PI, Samantha,. The crimes and the criminals were diversified. But Sam digs through and down, and it all ends well. Hopefully.
This story a lot of psychology to deal with - for our PI, Samantha,. The crimes and the criminals were diversified. But Sam digs through and down, and it all ends well. Hopefully.
August 27, 2025
Sam finds all sorts of trouble
Sam is very resourceful and also easily believes that she is incompetent. Her actions prove her wrong as she faces multiple gangsters and comes out on top. Her uncertainty gets in her way.
Sam is very resourceful and also easily believes that she is incompetent. Her actions prove her wrong as she faces multiple gangsters and comes out on top. Her uncertainty gets in her way.
October 18, 2018
now i am hooked. This was such a great, easy and creative book. i was hooked after the first page.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
May 4, 2020
Non-stop thriller...
Love and Bullets is an extremely well paced thrill ride about a troubled private detective and the relationships she cant seem to accept. The prose shifts between the non-stop action of her solving her case and her relationship with a man she keeps running from and his daughter. I wont spoil the end but the plot thickens and becomes heavy, driven by tense moments and dramatic decisions before the climatic ending.
Love and Bullets is an extremely well paced thrill ride about a troubled private detective and the relationships she cant seem to accept. The prose shifts between the non-stop action of her solving her case and her relationship with a man she keeps running from and his daughter. I wont spoil the end but the plot thickens and becomes heavy, driven by tense moments and dramatic decisions before the climatic ending.
May 12, 2016
4.5 Stars
The sequel gets off to a slow start with the first chapter being a recap of book one’s events. And the second chapter being an off-kilter rendezvous with the presumptive boyfriend. I also noticed right away that the humor was toned down relative to book one, which was actually one of my favorite features of this installment’s predecessor. That said, the book rallied fairly early on and was a solid bout of entertainment thereafter. One of the things the author retained, which I liked, was the curt, Sam Spade-style storytelling. It gives the story good forward momentum by cutting out everything not directly related to the case, and a hard-boiled flavor. The author also scores major points for tackling the controversial subject of Eugenics head on in an engrossing manner. Turns out the woman Sam is hired to protect from harm and to look into who is sending her death threats is the one espousing very racy views on Eugenics. Just listening to one lecture and Sam is tempted to take out her gun and shoot the woman herself.
Another sign that the author is evolving her writing with each installment is that I found the characters in this story immediately more engrossing, and well-rounded. I was also fascinated by the husband-wife dynamic. The husband who hires Sam to protect his wife is a decent, endearing man while his wife is a complete racist, Nazi-bitch. So just figuring out what drives the attraction of this odd couple is part of the fun of the story.
This is an enjoyable one for compulsive mystery and comedic-mystery readers.
The sequel gets off to a slow start with the first chapter being a recap of book one’s events. And the second chapter being an off-kilter rendezvous with the presumptive boyfriend. I also noticed right away that the humor was toned down relative to book one, which was actually one of my favorite features of this installment’s predecessor. That said, the book rallied fairly early on and was a solid bout of entertainment thereafter. One of the things the author retained, which I liked, was the curt, Sam Spade-style storytelling. It gives the story good forward momentum by cutting out everything not directly related to the case, and a hard-boiled flavor. The author also scores major points for tackling the controversial subject of Eugenics head on in an engrossing manner. Turns out the woman Sam is hired to protect from harm and to look into who is sending her death threats is the one espousing very racy views on Eugenics. Just listening to one lecture and Sam is tempted to take out her gun and shoot the woman herself.
Another sign that the author is evolving her writing with each installment is that I found the characters in this story immediately more engrossing, and well-rounded. I was also fascinated by the husband-wife dynamic. The husband who hires Sam to protect his wife is a decent, endearing man while his wife is a complete racist, Nazi-bitch. So just figuring out what drives the attraction of this odd couple is part of the fun of the story.
This is an enjoyable one for compulsive mystery and comedic-mystery readers.
February 6, 2016
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys character led contemporary fiction.
This is the second book in the Sam Smith series but works perfectly as well as a stand alone. As with the first book it has great readability with a story and dialogue that flows naturally. What do I mean by readability? I'm never confused or lose interest in the story and I look up with surprise and realise a couple of hours have passed while I've been reading.
I prefered this one slightly more than the first but as I intend making my way through the series I'll leave my final judgement on my favourite to the end. In my review of the first book I concentrated on the central character of Sam but the beauty of this series is it has many clever levels so I'll concentrate this review on the style of the book.
The series has the feel of the great American Private Investigator novels and films of the 1950s and 1960s based in America and yet at the same time deals with very up to date issues and strongly puts Cardiff and the surrounding countryside on the map. I think the author is quite unique in her style and this really is a series deserving of greater recognition.
My final word - I already have the third book in the series on my kindle.
This is the second book in the Sam Smith series but works perfectly as well as a stand alone. As with the first book it has great readability with a story and dialogue that flows naturally. What do I mean by readability? I'm never confused or lose interest in the story and I look up with surprise and realise a couple of hours have passed while I've been reading.
I prefered this one slightly more than the first but as I intend making my way through the series I'll leave my final judgement on my favourite to the end. In my review of the first book I concentrated on the central character of Sam but the beauty of this series is it has many clever levels so I'll concentrate this review on the style of the book.
The series has the feel of the great American Private Investigator novels and films of the 1950s and 1960s based in America and yet at the same time deals with very up to date issues and strongly puts Cardiff and the surrounding countryside on the map. I think the author is quite unique in her style and this really is a series deserving of greater recognition.
My final word - I already have the third book in the series on my kindle.
September 8, 2016
This is the second book in the Sam Smith series by Hannah Howe that I have read.
This detective mystery was set in Wales and the author's descriptions of the scenes and places that Sam visited were indeed vivid. I formed distinct pictures in my mind as I read.
I was never bored and the story held my interest from beginning to end.
In spite of her insecurities and mixed emotions, Sam is a top-notch private investigator although she calls herself an enquiry agent.
Her determination to help her client discover the truth drives her to be successful each time.
In this book, she was hired by the husband of a psychiatrist to find out who was making death threats against his wife.
Sam put her own life at risk to discover the truth.
The touch of humour throughout the book makes the story vibrant.
This book was well written and It was a joy to read such a story narrated by the main character herself.
I truly enjoyed it .
I can visualize Hannah Howe’s stories about Sam Smith as a TV Series.
I look forward to reading more of this author’s work.
I recommend it to all who like psychological detective stories with a touch of humour and romance.
This detective mystery was set in Wales and the author's descriptions of the scenes and places that Sam visited were indeed vivid. I formed distinct pictures in my mind as I read.
I was never bored and the story held my interest from beginning to end.
In spite of her insecurities and mixed emotions, Sam is a top-notch private investigator although she calls herself an enquiry agent.
Her determination to help her client discover the truth drives her to be successful each time.
In this book, she was hired by the husband of a psychiatrist to find out who was making death threats against his wife.
Sam put her own life at risk to discover the truth.
The touch of humour throughout the book makes the story vibrant.
This book was well written and It was a joy to read such a story narrated by the main character herself.
I truly enjoyed it .
I can visualize Hannah Howe’s stories about Sam Smith as a TV Series.
I look forward to reading more of this author’s work.
I recommend it to all who like psychological detective stories with a touch of humour and romance.
June 4, 2019
Another Great Mystery...
This book picks up where the first story left off. It’s a week after the events at the quarry and Sam has returned to work. She agrees to accept a man as a client who believes his wife is being threatened. Once again Ms. Howe does a great job on character development. Her client is a nice, likable guy but his wife is a nut. Dr. Ruth Carey is heavy into Eugenics and judges everyone she meets – especially the nosy private investigator her husband hired. Sam finds herself hating her client, but is determined to do her job and solve the mystery anyway.
As much as I enjoyed the story, it was a little harder for me to get into than the first installment. Rather than immediately jumping into the mystery, the beginning of the book is spent recapping events from book one, then Sam and Dr. Alan go on vacation... which gives insight into Sam’s state of mind but delayed the suspense and intrigue for me. All in all, it was a good read and I would highly recommend it. Looking forward to reading the next installment.
Melanie P. Smith
This book picks up where the first story left off. It’s a week after the events at the quarry and Sam has returned to work. She agrees to accept a man as a client who believes his wife is being threatened. Once again Ms. Howe does a great job on character development. Her client is a nice, likable guy but his wife is a nut. Dr. Ruth Carey is heavy into Eugenics and judges everyone she meets – especially the nosy private investigator her husband hired. Sam finds herself hating her client, but is determined to do her job and solve the mystery anyway.
As much as I enjoyed the story, it was a little harder for me to get into than the first installment. Rather than immediately jumping into the mystery, the beginning of the book is spent recapping events from book one, then Sam and Dr. Alan go on vacation... which gives insight into Sam’s state of mind but delayed the suspense and intrigue for me. All in all, it was a good read and I would highly recommend it. Looking forward to reading the next installment.
Melanie P. Smith
October 21, 2015
Let me begin by saying how much I love this series. Hannah Howe is a fabulous writer, bringing her characters to life in such a way the reader gets to know them and truly care about them. Love and Bullets, book 2 in the Sam Smith series, begins where Sam's Song left off. Sam is dealing with the emotional fallout of her last case, which ended in bloodshed and death. As Sam deals with the ghosts of her past, she also walks a tightrope of attraction for Dr. Alan Storey, a psychologist who seems to be the perfect man. But Sam fears to get close to him: is Alan to good to be true? Should she sever the budding relationship before she gets hurt? As a reader, my heart ached for her and all the trauma she'd been through in her life. As Sam works a harrowing case involving eugenics, kidnapping, and murder, she draws closer to Alan and his daughter, learning to trust her heart. I can't wait to read the next in the series!
November 16, 2015
In Love and Bullets Sam Smith is again faced with a mixture of emotions. The detective is still coming to terms with the fallout from book one in the series. In Love and bullets, Hannah Howe cleverly uses Sam's new employer, Doctor Ruth Carey, to revisit her emotions.
I found this book centred more on Sam - although the case was a well thought out one and investigated and oxecuted in a great way - I didn't have a problem with this because I am getting to know Sam Smith and it augurs well for all future books in this series.
There is enough backdrop to the first book in the series to make this one a standalone. My advice is take the plunge and read Sam's Song first to enjoy the writing style of Hannah Howe and the beginning of what is turning out to be a great series. I can't wait to download book three.
I found this book centred more on Sam - although the case was a well thought out one and investigated and oxecuted in a great way - I didn't have a problem with this because I am getting to know Sam Smith and it augurs well for all future books in this series.
There is enough backdrop to the first book in the series to make this one a standalone. My advice is take the plunge and read Sam's Song first to enjoy the writing style of Hannah Howe and the beginning of what is turning out to be a great series. I can't wait to download book three.
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