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Lindsey & Ike #1
Really, Truly Dead
An amateur sleuth and her dog return home to a town of secrets … and an ugly murder In this novella, science writer Lindsey McKay takes a leave of absence from her job and returns home with her dog to save the family newspaper. She left Danville ten years ago and she trusts she can wrap this up quickly. She promises her Atlanta boss she’ll return in two-weeks. Sheriff Ike Harper is thrilled at Lindsey’s homecoming. She’s the gal who got away, and now he has a second chance at the woman he’s always admired. Lindsey encourages her father to fight for the paper’s survival, but he won’t cooperate. Meanwhile, the murder of a local judge is a boon for the newspaper, but it’s too late. With her leave running out, neither the tragedy nor Lindsey’s hard work can save the failing business. Then the sheriff arrests her father for the murder, and she faces a new challenge. Determined to clear her father’s name, Lindsey stirs up a hornet’s nest of trouble. Will saving her father’s life cost Lindsey hers?
- GenresMystery
93 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 10, 2017
About the author
Maggie Toussaint
42 books402 followersA scientist by training, a romanticist at heart, Maggie Toussaint loves to solve puzzles. Whether it’s the puzzle of a relationship or a who-dun-it, she tackles them all with equal aplomb and wonder. Maggie writes romantic suspense, contemporary romance , and science fiction for Muddle House Publishing, cozy mystery for Camel Press, Henery Press, and Muddle House.
She has five published romantic suspense novels: House of Lies (won the 2006 Readers Choice Award for Best Romantic Suspense), No Second Chance (won 2 cover awards), Seeing Red (LASR book of the week), Muddy Waters ( Beacon finalist), Hot Water (EPIC finalist, cover art winner), and Rough Water.
Her mystery titles include In For A Penny, On the Nickel, Death, Island Style, Murder in the Buff, Dime If I Know, No Quarter, Gone and Done It, Bubba Done It, Doggone It, Dadgummit, Confound It, Dreamed It, All Done With It, Seas the Day, Spawning Suspicion, and Shrimply Dead. She also wrote a romantic mystery novella series, The Lindsey & Ike Mysteries.
Her next release, SNUFFED OUT, is tentatively scheduled for January 2023 under the pen name of Valona Jones.
Her works blend mystery and romance, often with a dash of humor.
She's a member of Southeast Mystery Writers of America, Sisters In Crime, and Guppies. She was awarded the WRW Magic Crystal Award in 2004. She also won Silver Falchion Awards, the National Readers Choice Award and the EPIC ebook Award. She's been a finalist for Georgia Author of the Year three times.
Visit her at www.maggietoussaint.com
She has five published romantic suspense novels: House of Lies (won the 2006 Readers Choice Award for Best Romantic Suspense), No Second Chance (won 2 cover awards), Seeing Red (LASR book of the week), Muddy Waters ( Beacon finalist), Hot Water (EPIC finalist, cover art winner), and Rough Water.
Her mystery titles include In For A Penny, On the Nickel, Death, Island Style, Murder in the Buff, Dime If I Know, No Quarter, Gone and Done It, Bubba Done It, Doggone It, Dadgummit, Confound It, Dreamed It, All Done With It, Seas the Day, Spawning Suspicion, and Shrimply Dead. She also wrote a romantic mystery novella series, The Lindsey & Ike Mysteries.
Her next release, SNUFFED OUT, is tentatively scheduled for January 2023 under the pen name of Valona Jones.
Her works blend mystery and romance, often with a dash of humor.
She's a member of Southeast Mystery Writers of America, Sisters In Crime, and Guppies. She was awarded the WRW Magic Crystal Award in 2004. She also won Silver Falchion Awards, the National Readers Choice Award and the EPIC ebook Award. She's been a finalist for Georgia Author of the Year three times.
Visit her at www.maggietoussaint.com
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 20, 2017
Although this turned out to be a short book, it was packed full of sleuthing, family, and the job of running the small town newspaper. Add to that a returning daughter, a handsome sheriff who is interested in that returning daughter, and a smart dog who finds clues. When Lindsey comes home because her father had a car accident and got a DUI, it is the start of a very action packed trip. There is murder-adultery-and a newspaper that needs reviving immediately! She makes headway with the paper with a little hard work, but her father is another story. He refuses to face his mistake of driving while under the influence, and he refuses to go to work. Before long he is arrested in the murder of the town's judge. Then the entire family gets involved trying to find out who really did it and get him out of jail.
The author moves the story along quickly, yet it doesn't feel rushed. The characters are well developed and feel like old friends you have known for a while. This enjoyable book alluded to affairs, but wasn't offensive or tawdry. The only thing I would have liked would have been a little more history about Lindsey and Ike, and why Ike has an adorable 5 year old son but no wife. I look forward to reading the next book in the series!
The author moves the story along quickly, yet it doesn't feel rushed. The characters are well developed and feel like old friends you have known for a while. This enjoyable book alluded to affairs, but wasn't offensive or tawdry. The only thing I would have liked would have been a little more history about Lindsey and Ike, and why Ike has an adorable 5 year old son but no wife. I look forward to reading the next book in the series!
July 6, 2018
A dying business and her father accused of murder are not what she expected.
A short read but a full one. Great characters and a plot that will keep you guessing until the end. Coming home finds her battling to save not only the family business but also to save her father out of jail. Can she connect the clues to get to the real culprit and also to keep her heart safe from her first love? Terrific.
A short read but a full one. Great characters and a plot that will keep you guessing until the end. Coming home finds her battling to save not only the family business but also to save her father out of jail. Can she connect the clues to get to the real culprit and also to keep her heart safe from her first love? Terrific.
January 1, 2018
This book was an easy read. I didn’t feel it was super well written.
Lindsey works in Atlanta but after her dad is arrested for driving under the influence she goes home to South Georgia to take care of him and the family newspaper.
Sexual tension with the sheriff is apparent from the beginning. The judge is murdered with Lindsey’s father knife and she decides he’s innocent.
Her father has been drinking a lot since her brother died at sea 10 years ago and her mother left somewhat recently.
There are a ton of affairs going on in the little town and the judge got around. He also liked to rub his roses on women.
Ellen works at the paper and her ex husband has issues. He follows her around and finds out she’s having an affair with the judge as well.
Lindsey is dumb and not careful and ends up in Ellen’s ex husband’s boat looking for clues and he finds her throws her into the sea to drown and leaves. He blackmailed the judge for having an affair with his ex wife (despite many affairs he knows his wife is unhappy and will take all his money if they divorce) and the judge brags about the sex to Thomas (Ellen’s ex) who then kills the judge.
Of course Lindsey solves it all, is rescued from the ocean and goes on a date with the sheriff. Though it sounds like more than just a date.
Lindsey works in Atlanta but after her dad is arrested for driving under the influence she goes home to South Georgia to take care of him and the family newspaper.
Sexual tension with the sheriff is apparent from the beginning. The judge is murdered with Lindsey’s father knife and she decides he’s innocent.
Her father has been drinking a lot since her brother died at sea 10 years ago and her mother left somewhat recently.
There are a ton of affairs going on in the little town and the judge got around. He also liked to rub his roses on women.
Ellen works at the paper and her ex husband has issues. He follows her around and finds out she’s having an affair with the judge as well.
Lindsey is dumb and not careful and ends up in Ellen’s ex husband’s boat looking for clues and he finds her throws her into the sea to drown and leaves. He blackmailed the judge for having an affair with his ex wife (despite many affairs he knows his wife is unhappy and will take all his money if they divorce) and the judge brags about the sex to Thomas (Ellen’s ex) who then kills the judge.
Of course Lindsey solves it all, is rescued from the ocean and goes on a date with the sheriff. Though it sounds like more than just a date.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2019
Science writer Lindsey McKay takes a leave of absence from her job and returns home with her dog to save the family newspaper. She reunites with old flame Sheriff Ike Harper, but the relationship gets complicated when he charges her father with the murder of a local lothario judge. She knows her father didn’t have it in him to murder, so she uses her journalistic skills to find out who really did.
Generally not a fan of romantic suspense – it mostly just annoys me because I find it’s a romance novel dressed in mystery clothing – but this story was a pleasant surprise. The mystery held my interest, and the author didn’t beat me over the head with the romance angle. It was just part of the normal course of events and made the characters seem more real. There’s a lot going on in that small town, with people who seem upright on the surface having eye-popping secrets.
This is a novella, so it’s a quick read. There’s a couple of chapters of book 2 at the end of book 1, which whetted my appetite for book 2.
The author also writes the excellent Dreamwalker mystery series, the Cleopatra Jones mysteries, the Mossy Bog romantic suspense stories, the Seafood Caper mysteries, and a science fiction series under the name of Rigel Carson.
Generally not a fan of romantic suspense – it mostly just annoys me because I find it’s a romance novel dressed in mystery clothing – but this story was a pleasant surprise. The mystery held my interest, and the author didn’t beat me over the head with the romance angle. It was just part of the normal course of events and made the characters seem more real. There’s a lot going on in that small town, with people who seem upright on the surface having eye-popping secrets.
This is a novella, so it’s a quick read. There’s a couple of chapters of book 2 at the end of book 1, which whetted my appetite for book 2.
The author also writes the excellent Dreamwalker mystery series, the Cleopatra Jones mysteries, the Mossy Bog romantic suspense stories, the Seafood Caper mysteries, and a science fiction series under the name of Rigel Carson.
May 16, 2017
Lindsey, a journalist, returns to her hometown only to find her father arrested for the murder of the town judge. The man didn’t lack for enemies. He was about to put the local shrimpers out of business by not renewing their dock lease. He owned a sleazy motel and had a mistress or two on the side. But it doesn’t look good for Lindsey’s father, who was having an affair with the judge’s wife. Meanwhile, the sheriff has his eyes on Lindsey, and those heated glances he gives her have nothing to do with the case and everything to do with romance. Can she solve the case and clear her father’s name so she can follow her heart?
August 11, 2017
Felt it a little too quick. Would have liked more story! That's a good thing. I enjoyed the writing style. A nice evening read.
December 22, 2017
good story
February 27, 2017
Really, Truly Dead is one of those books that makes me hope the series continues for a long time. I connected with the characters and look forward to getting to know all of them better. I saw this book listed as a novella one place but it doesn't seem like one. I read a fully plotted mystery with a complex plot and felt that I got to know several of the characters as well as with any good book. The lives of most of the characters are as different and complicated as in real life.
Lindsey returns home to cover the family newspaper when her father, an alcoholic, is in an accident. Shortly after her return a wealthy and extremely man is murdered and her father is the top suspect.
Lindsey returns home to cover the family newspaper when her father, an alcoholic, is in an accident. Shortly after her return a wealthy and extremely man is murdered and her father is the top suspect.
February 14, 2017
A pleasant mystery that is a little easy to guess
This is a well written story, but there wasn't much mystery to it. There was a lot of writing about the town and it's residents, but a lot of that didn't seem, to me, to move the story along. The dead ends were ok, because the reader wasn't expected to know the answers from the beginning. If you want a fast read that contains a little romance and a small town feel, you will enjoy this book.
This is a well written story, but there wasn't much mystery to it. There was a lot of writing about the town and it's residents, but a lot of that didn't seem, to me, to move the story along. The dead ends were ok, because the reader wasn't expected to know the answers from the beginning. If you want a fast read that contains a little romance and a small town feel, you will enjoy this book.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews