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Mex Anderson #2
Trafficked
Three young women, girls really. Your neighbor? Your daughter? You?It happens here, not just "over there."Caught up in a cruel system fueled by lust and money, all three must find the courage within themselves to survive. And Mex Anderson must come to terms with his own loss and face his own demons head on—or he might not have the strength to save them.Award winning author Peg Brantley brings us another story that inspires thought and conversation. Asked to comment on TRAFFICKED, Peg says it’s her hope that one day this novel will go from the contemporary thriller category to historical.At the back of the book is a resource section for those who need it, and for those who wish to make a difference.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 23, 2017
253 people are currently reading
304 people want to read
About the author
Peg Brantley
10 books143 followersAn award winning atuhor, Peg Brantley is proud to be a member of Sisters In Crime and Colorado Authors' League. She and her husband make their home southeast of Denver, and have shared it with the occasional pair of mallard ducks and their babies, snapping turtles, peacocks, assorted other birds, foxes, a deer named Cedric and a bichon named McKenzie.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
February 2, 2018
Not a story for the faint-hearted. This audiobook is about human trafficking and follows the story of three young girls. They are all different ages and from different backgrounds, but all suffer at the hands of their captors, plus they have to deal with the knowledge of the betrayal by someone they trusted.
Mex is the man who is drawn into the case by the wealthy family to investigate the disappearance of their daughter. He soon realises there are other missing girls and makes it his goal to get them back.
Overall I enjoyed the way the story was told and the narrator did a good job. I felt the male character voices could have been a little more masculine, especially Mex. But it didn't put me off continuing. Well worth a listen.
I was given a copy of this audiobook for an honest review.
Mex is the man who is drawn into the case by the wealthy family to investigate the disappearance of their daughter. He soon realises there are other missing girls and makes it his goal to get them back.
Overall I enjoyed the way the story was told and the narrator did a good job. I felt the male character voices could have been a little more masculine, especially Mex. But it didn't put me off continuing. Well worth a listen.
I was given a copy of this audiobook for an honest review.
February 22, 2020
This novel details fictionalized stories of young people who were forcibly taken by sex traffickers. However, it is also based on accounts of some survivors of this terrible "business". It's a disturbing story, and would not appeal to the faint-hearted, yet it sheds light on a serious problem that exists in our society.
June 12, 2017
This was an incredible book. Not an easy book to read by any means, considering the subject matter, but a very well-written and articulate account of three girls who found themselves caught up in human trafficking. My heart broke for them all, and I can see just how easy it is for traffickers to take advantage of the vulnerable.
The author did an amazing job of researching this difficult subject and I am sure that many tears were shed by her when uncovering some of the stories of these (mostly) children. I really enjoyed that she put a little snippet about a true case at the beginning of every chapter, it really brought it home to me that human trafficking goes on every hour of every day, and most of us are totally unaware of it.
In amongst the stories of the three girls, was the story of Mex and Cade, which was also quite an interesting one. This was no sweet and easy love story, Mex in particular has really been through the mill. I loved the relationship these two had though and I really hope that there will be another book after this one, I really want to read more about them.
This is a highly recommended book from me.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book and all opinions expressed are my own.
The author did an amazing job of researching this difficult subject and I am sure that many tears were shed by her when uncovering some of the stories of these (mostly) children. I really enjoyed that she put a little snippet about a true case at the beginning of every chapter, it really brought it home to me that human trafficking goes on every hour of every day, and most of us are totally unaware of it.
In amongst the stories of the three girls, was the story of Mex and Cade, which was also quite an interesting one. This was no sweet and easy love story, Mex in particular has really been through the mill. I loved the relationship these two had though and I really hope that there will be another book after this one, I really want to read more about them.
This is a highly recommended book from me.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book and all opinions expressed are my own.
February 2, 2018
I enjoyed this book very much. It was eye opening that Trafficking is still going on in this country. What these girls went through in this book. It was not an easy book to read but I enjoyed it. The investigators conviction to find and help these girls made the story more compelling to me. I am glad I was asked to listen to this audiobook. Even though there is sadness in this story, there is hope, strength and so much more. *This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.*
November 10, 2017
This book is about human trafficking, specifically sex trafficking of minors. And the setting is not in some third-world country but in the land of milk and honey-the US.
The hero of this story is Mex Anderson. A private investigator who was tasked to find three girls. Jayla is fifteen. A smart kid from a poor family. Her mom can't survive without a man. Alexis is seventeen. A daughter of a rich businessman and a drunk mother who can't even take care of herself. Olivia is twelve. A middle child who is hungry for attention. These three will tell their horrendous experiences under their horrible captors. Mex, along with his smart girlfriend Cade and his friend, Darius, who is a writer with a lot of useful connections, will find these girls and get them home.
This story implied that this is not Mex, Cade and Darius first rodeo. They have done this assignment before but the difference is it was not human trafficking. Saving girls from sex trafficking is a total different playing field which they found is very dangerous and very rampant. These three people will come to deal with a totally different specie of human evil. Good thing they are a lot smarter.
Oh, what horrors this book has divulged. No one is safe from human trafficking. Boy or girl, white or black, rich or poor. And you can't trust anyone. These three girls trusted the wrong people which led them to a nightmare they never even imagined. What saved them was their belief that even if their bodies and will were broken but their souls are still intact. Their souls belong only to them. They refuse to surrender everything to their captors and those that violate them.
Books like these are what everyone should be reading. I think teens and those unsuspecting kids who are most likely the target should read this book so they will be aware. So they won't fall prey to those people who are likely to take advantage of their innocence and trust. Parents should read this too. This is a very educational story. It is not a bedtime story but I guess we are all better aware than sorry. It is indeed a difficult and scary time that we live in. We can't even trust some of those we call friends just like what happened to one of the characters in this story.
I give this book 5/5 stars. This is a very brave undertaking. Taking on stories of this subject is dangerous. You have to balance both fiction and reality to make the story believable and credible. Putting in the news article excerpts added in the weight of truth and stab of reality to the whole thing. Reading this did not feel like reading fiction at all, it was like listening to a painstaking recounting of a very traumatic experience. I was like praying each time that Mex will find these girls before they totally give up and lost it.
Congratulations Miss Peg Brantley. A very well-written and scary tale but is a good doze of very hard facts. I hope this story will serve as an eye-opener to those who are still unaware of these unforgiving and indiscriminate traffickers. That parents and kids will always be very vigilant and aware of their surroundings and of the people around them. That those who were unfortunate victims of these soulless traffickers and pimps will have more strength and hope that whatever happened to them was not their fault and they should not blame themselves. They were victims and these devils deserved to be hanged over and over again for the nightmares and evils they have done. They are unforgivable.
I feel like that every day. It's like I work toward this one life and then a gust of wind comes along and pushes me towards another one, scraping off a part of me every time.
- Peg Brantley, Trafficked -
The hero of this story is Mex Anderson. A private investigator who was tasked to find three girls. Jayla is fifteen. A smart kid from a poor family. Her mom can't survive without a man. Alexis is seventeen. A daughter of a rich businessman and a drunk mother who can't even take care of herself. Olivia is twelve. A middle child who is hungry for attention. These three will tell their horrendous experiences under their horrible captors. Mex, along with his smart girlfriend Cade and his friend, Darius, who is a writer with a lot of useful connections, will find these girls and get them home.
This story implied that this is not Mex, Cade and Darius first rodeo. They have done this assignment before but the difference is it was not human trafficking. Saving girls from sex trafficking is a total different playing field which they found is very dangerous and very rampant. These three people will come to deal with a totally different specie of human evil. Good thing they are a lot smarter.
Oh, what horrors this book has divulged. No one is safe from human trafficking. Boy or girl, white or black, rich or poor. And you can't trust anyone. These three girls trusted the wrong people which led them to a nightmare they never even imagined. What saved them was their belief that even if their bodies and will were broken but their souls are still intact. Their souls belong only to them. They refuse to surrender everything to their captors and those that violate them.
Books like these are what everyone should be reading. I think teens and those unsuspecting kids who are most likely the target should read this book so they will be aware. So they won't fall prey to those people who are likely to take advantage of their innocence and trust. Parents should read this too. This is a very educational story. It is not a bedtime story but I guess we are all better aware than sorry. It is indeed a difficult and scary time that we live in. We can't even trust some of those we call friends just like what happened to one of the characters in this story.
I give this book 5/5 stars. This is a very brave undertaking. Taking on stories of this subject is dangerous. You have to balance both fiction and reality to make the story believable and credible. Putting in the news article excerpts added in the weight of truth and stab of reality to the whole thing. Reading this did not feel like reading fiction at all, it was like listening to a painstaking recounting of a very traumatic experience. I was like praying each time that Mex will find these girls before they totally give up and lost it.
Congratulations Miss Peg Brantley. A very well-written and scary tale but is a good doze of very hard facts. I hope this story will serve as an eye-opener to those who are still unaware of these unforgiving and indiscriminate traffickers. That parents and kids will always be very vigilant and aware of their surroundings and of the people around them. That those who were unfortunate victims of these soulless traffickers and pimps will have more strength and hope that whatever happened to them was not their fault and they should not blame themselves. They were victims and these devils deserved to be hanged over and over again for the nightmares and evils they have done. They are unforgivable.
I feel like that every day. It's like I work toward this one life and then a gust of wind comes along and pushes me towards another one, scraping off a part of me every time.
- Peg Brantley, Trafficked -
September 16, 2017
“Trafficked” by Peg Brantley is the second in the Mex Anderson series. It is not necessary to have the previous book to understand this one. Any background information is included in the narrative, and there is no unnecessary summarizing of the previous book.
I start with a caution; this book deals with a difficult social problem, and it is not easy to read. “Trafficked” is frightening in its realism and disturbing in its implication for the world in which we live. Every day children, mostly girls, disappear in THIS this country, and are dragged into the disturbing world of prostitution and drugs. The problem is upsetting, and mainstream media mostly overlook it; all the more reason to read about it.
The book is disturbing because the girls themselves write it in three first person narratives. Jayla Imani Thomas, fifteen, is smart, from a poor part of town, and used to fending for herself. Alexis Emily Halston, seventeen, has everything money can buy except involved parents. Olivia Emma Campbell, twelve, just wants someone to pay attention to her. All three fall victim to human traffickers.
In between the chilling narratives by the girls, is the story of Mex Anderson who searches for them. I will not give away the plot, but the atmosphere is frantic and the pace is rapid as leads go nowhere and the pressure to find the girls before it is too late escalates. In the midst of this, Mex has personal struggles of his own to juggle.
Brantley researched this difficult subject well. At the start of each chapter, she reminds readers that this happens here, in the United States, every day, by inserting quotes on human trafficking from newspapers and investigative reports, or case histories from other documented sources.
This is not an easy book to read. By mixing engaging fiction with startling reality, Brantley produced an exceptional book. Her well-articulated and yet sensitive treatment of three girls who found themselves caught up in human trafficking make it a book that everyone, parents and especially teens, should read.
I start with a caution; this book deals with a difficult social problem, and it is not easy to read. “Trafficked” is frightening in its realism and disturbing in its implication for the world in which we live. Every day children, mostly girls, disappear in THIS this country, and are dragged into the disturbing world of prostitution and drugs. The problem is upsetting, and mainstream media mostly overlook it; all the more reason to read about it.
The book is disturbing because the girls themselves write it in three first person narratives. Jayla Imani Thomas, fifteen, is smart, from a poor part of town, and used to fending for herself. Alexis Emily Halston, seventeen, has everything money can buy except involved parents. Olivia Emma Campbell, twelve, just wants someone to pay attention to her. All three fall victim to human traffickers.
In between the chilling narratives by the girls, is the story of Mex Anderson who searches for them. I will not give away the plot, but the atmosphere is frantic and the pace is rapid as leads go nowhere and the pressure to find the girls before it is too late escalates. In the midst of this, Mex has personal struggles of his own to juggle.
Brantley researched this difficult subject well. At the start of each chapter, she reminds readers that this happens here, in the United States, every day, by inserting quotes on human trafficking from newspapers and investigative reports, or case histories from other documented sources.
This is not an easy book to read. By mixing engaging fiction with startling reality, Brantley produced an exceptional book. Her well-articulated and yet sensitive treatment of three girls who found themselves caught up in human trafficking make it a book that everyone, parents and especially teens, should read.
December 27, 2017
Sex trafficking is one of those topics "nice" people don't want to think or talk about; it's more comfortable to pretend that sort of thing is so distant from our own lives that it has very little real meaning. Sure, it happens in third world countries or in really bad areas of countries like our own, but it doesn't affect us, right? Yes, we know all about prostitution and how rampant that is, even close by sometimes , but that's not really sex trafficking, right?
Wrong, so wrong.
The three girls depicted here could be your neighbor, your own child's best friend, the daughter of the organist at your church. In other words, they're completely normal girls who, for one reason or another, are at risk, and Jayla is on the verge of being dragged into the life when we first meet her. The betrayal by her friend might seem dramatic license but it happens a lot more than we want to think.
Mex and Cade have a story of their own and Mex, in particular, knows the pain of loss. The two of them have emotional ties and things they're trying to work through but, with the help of Mex's friend, Darius, they are intent on saving these three girls. Of course, the upshot of any saving they can do is that there are many, many more girls like them still trapped in a horrific existence.
Although this is certainly a bleak topic and there's a lot of darkness in the story, there's one thing that brings a light of hope and that's the girls' resilience, their determination that they will not lose their souls. I really think Trafficked should be on every middle and high school reading list so that these kids (and it's not just girls) can have some sense of the dangers out there. Well done, Ms. Brantley!
Wrong, so wrong.
The three girls depicted here could be your neighbor, your own child's best friend, the daughter of the organist at your church. In other words, they're completely normal girls who, for one reason or another, are at risk, and Jayla is on the verge of being dragged into the life when we first meet her. The betrayal by her friend might seem dramatic license but it happens a lot more than we want to think.
Mex and Cade have a story of their own and Mex, in particular, knows the pain of loss. The two of them have emotional ties and things they're trying to work through but, with the help of Mex's friend, Darius, they are intent on saving these three girls. Of course, the upshot of any saving they can do is that there are many, many more girls like them still trapped in a horrific existence.
Although this is certainly a bleak topic and there's a lot of darkness in the story, there's one thing that brings a light of hope and that's the girls' resilience, their determination that they will not lose their souls. I really think Trafficked should be on every middle and high school reading list so that these kids (and it's not just girls) can have some sense of the dangers out there. Well done, Ms. Brantley!
August 4, 2017
One of the joys of being a book reviewer is suddenly discovering a brilliantly, talented author like Peg Brantley. Brantley is a crime fiction writer with three previous books to her credit. If Trafficked is any indication of the kind of writing one can expect in those other books, you’ll be wanting to check them out as soon as your heart and head calm down after you finish Trafficked.
On her author’s website at www.pegbrantley.com, Brantley states she couldn’t understand why her stories were referred to as “thrillers”. Well that is exactly what Trafficked is. Even more specifically, it’s a psychological thriller that will leave you chilled, shaking your head at the ugly and heartbreaking reality of the sexual trafficking of young people, particularly, in this case, females.
Trafficked completely fits the description of a thriller as stated on the home page of Brantley’s site:
… thrillers are typically the most emotional, focusing on the fear, doubt and dread of the hero as she faces some form of what Dean Koontz has deemed ‘terrible trouble.’
There’s actually several heroes facing “terrible trouble” in Trafficked: Mex Anderson, the private eye hired to locate the privileged but ignored 17-year-old daughter of a wealthy business man; Mex’s estranged sister, Sedona, who cannot redeem herself despite the help she gives Mex; Cade, Mex’s woman; Darius, Mex’s right hand man; and Rachel, a former prostitute who will be key to the eventual rehabilitation of the three, trafficked females, Jayla, Alexis and Livvy. These three young women each emerge from Trafficked with lives forever changed, but each in her own way, a heroic survivor of “terrible trouble”.
It’s human nature to want to tune out the constant media reports of the sexual trafficking of children and teens: it’s a reality many would prefer to pretend doesn’t exist, or that they tell themselves only happens in other people’s lives, in other countries, other cultures. Well reading Trafficked will convince you otherwise. It will make you more wary and you need to be. The victims in Trafficked hail from Denver. Alexis comes from a wealthy family, spends her time working out and has money to burn; 15-year-old Jayla, a good student hoping to make something of her future, comes from a poor background where her single mom has too many mouths to feed; and Livvy? she’s your typical 12-year-old teen, sharing secrets with her BFF, but looking for romantic love in the wrong place: the internet. What makes these three females coming from such varying backgrounds so appealing to, and such easy marks for predators? Read Trafficked to find out. These girls could be one of your daughters…a chilling reality revealed brilliantly by Peg Brantley.
The author states on her site that in fiction based on social issues, it’s the “characters that drive the story”. That is definitely true of Trafficked and just one of the reasons this book is so hard to put down. The other reason is tied to what Brantley says here about what happened to her as she did her research for this book:
“The research for this story about buried me. Not only was there a lot of material, it was horrific. While I write fiction, and can tell it the way I want to tell it, what I was reading was real and not the way anyone wants it. I thought of these enslaved people and the heroes who never stop fighting to free them, and it was almost more than I could bear.”
Readers of Trafficked, will, like the author, find what they read is almost more than they can bear. It would be lovely to be able to close the book and say, “That was a great read! Thankfully, it’s only fiction!” But you won’t say that as Brantley also prefaces each chapter with snippets from newspaper, book and various reports on trafficking that will alarm and frighten you and make you want to put your arms around your children and make sure you always know where they are, who they are with and what they are doing.
But more important is the one question we all need to ask ourselves when it comes to our children: in our ever busy lives chasing what we think our families need, are we giving them what they really need? If we are, then maybe we will spare them the “terrible trouble” that Alexis, Jayla and Livvy faced in Trafficked. Add this book to your reading list today. You’ll be glad you did.
©Viga Boland
No Tears for My Father: A true story of incest
Don't Write Your MEmoir without ME!
On her author’s website at www.pegbrantley.com, Brantley states she couldn’t understand why her stories were referred to as “thrillers”. Well that is exactly what Trafficked is. Even more specifically, it’s a psychological thriller that will leave you chilled, shaking your head at the ugly and heartbreaking reality of the sexual trafficking of young people, particularly, in this case, females.
Trafficked completely fits the description of a thriller as stated on the home page of Brantley’s site:
… thrillers are typically the most emotional, focusing on the fear, doubt and dread of the hero as she faces some form of what Dean Koontz has deemed ‘terrible trouble.’
There’s actually several heroes facing “terrible trouble” in Trafficked: Mex Anderson, the private eye hired to locate the privileged but ignored 17-year-old daughter of a wealthy business man; Mex’s estranged sister, Sedona, who cannot redeem herself despite the help she gives Mex; Cade, Mex’s woman; Darius, Mex’s right hand man; and Rachel, a former prostitute who will be key to the eventual rehabilitation of the three, trafficked females, Jayla, Alexis and Livvy. These three young women each emerge from Trafficked with lives forever changed, but each in her own way, a heroic survivor of “terrible trouble”.
It’s human nature to want to tune out the constant media reports of the sexual trafficking of children and teens: it’s a reality many would prefer to pretend doesn’t exist, or that they tell themselves only happens in other people’s lives, in other countries, other cultures. Well reading Trafficked will convince you otherwise. It will make you more wary and you need to be. The victims in Trafficked hail from Denver. Alexis comes from a wealthy family, spends her time working out and has money to burn; 15-year-old Jayla, a good student hoping to make something of her future, comes from a poor background where her single mom has too many mouths to feed; and Livvy? she’s your typical 12-year-old teen, sharing secrets with her BFF, but looking for romantic love in the wrong place: the internet. What makes these three females coming from such varying backgrounds so appealing to, and such easy marks for predators? Read Trafficked to find out. These girls could be one of your daughters…a chilling reality revealed brilliantly by Peg Brantley.
The author states on her site that in fiction based on social issues, it’s the “characters that drive the story”. That is definitely true of Trafficked and just one of the reasons this book is so hard to put down. The other reason is tied to what Brantley says here about what happened to her as she did her research for this book:
“The research for this story about buried me. Not only was there a lot of material, it was horrific. While I write fiction, and can tell it the way I want to tell it, what I was reading was real and not the way anyone wants it. I thought of these enslaved people and the heroes who never stop fighting to free them, and it was almost more than I could bear.”
Readers of Trafficked, will, like the author, find what they read is almost more than they can bear. It would be lovely to be able to close the book and say, “That was a great read! Thankfully, it’s only fiction!” But you won’t say that as Brantley also prefaces each chapter with snippets from newspaper, book and various reports on trafficking that will alarm and frighten you and make you want to put your arms around your children and make sure you always know where they are, who they are with and what they are doing.
But more important is the one question we all need to ask ourselves when it comes to our children: in our ever busy lives chasing what we think our families need, are we giving them what they really need? If we are, then maybe we will spare them the “terrible trouble” that Alexis, Jayla and Livvy faced in Trafficked. Add this book to your reading list today. You’ll be glad you did.
©Viga Boland
No Tears for My Father: A true story of incest
Don't Write Your MEmoir without ME!
June 29, 2017
Trafficked
is a rather intense novel that will leave you thinking about it for days after you turn the last page or close your Kindle. And so it should. Modern slavery and sex trafficking exist probably in the city you live in and yet hundreds of thousands of ordinary people are oblivious to the fact that it does exist. It is insidious and horrific for those enmeshed in its clutches and whether you read this book or not, you need to be aware of it and tell at least one other person about it. Become concerned; become an influence to eradicate it. I received a free advance copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second Mex Anderson novel by Peg Brantley and it centres around three children of diverse ages and backgrounds. Each of them gets caught up in a total nightmare through no fault of their own and by different scenarios. Each is believable and each is totally scary. It could happen to someone you know.
Jayla Thomas — Denver, Colorado — is a hard-working, black high school student with straight "A"s. Her mother has "boyfriends" and doesn't want her around when they drop by so she has a variety of places she can crash. One such place belongs to Chris. Chris seems like a nice guy who digs computers but he has got involved in online betting and he's jammed up. He owes big time. He can get out from under if he sets Jayla up for a college prank. He's pretty sure it isn't a college prank but doesn't want to think about what it might really be. This is his ticket out.
Alexis Halston — Denver, Colorado — is 17 years old and totally fit. She comes from a wealthy family where her father only has time for business and her mother is boozed up most of the time. She has great wheels, and looks and acts worldly wise and independent. Her trainer, Donny, moves from gym to gym every few months, zeroes in on someone with money, strikes up a relationship, and bilks them. But Alexis doesn't come into her money until she's 21 and Donny has already invested too much time in her to wait, so he's ready to sell her. It's all set.
Olivia — Aurora, Utah — is 12 years old, has a best friend Maddy, and wants to be a vet. Being a kid sucks and she wishes she were grown up. She meets Ian on Facebook when she's at Maddy's. They meet and soon, Ian is the most important person in her life. But Ian is not who he seems and fortunately for Livvy, Maddy is more street-wise and distrustful than she is.
Mex and his friend, Cade, have rescued kidnap victims before. Together they work with police and social work contacts, the Internet, and their wits to track victims and rescue them. The three victims are being used by different pimps from the sleazy back alley type to the wealthy psychotic. All are being brutalized. Each story is interwoven with chapters following their pursuit by Mex, Cade, and their friend, Darius. Their trails lead in more than one direction, one, out of the country. Each chapter begins with a quote from a book, newspaper, or famous person. Some of the facts are shocking. Most of them are grim. My favourite is from Nelson Mandela, There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way it treats its children.
This is a taut story, full of tension and eliciting disgust. It is a story that had to be told. Never doubt that it is based in reality and never doubt that you can make a difference. Be sure to read the author's note at the end and check out the resources as well. I would add this site, Free the Slaves, to the list, and urge you to become aware and involved. (I know I said that already but it can't be said enough.) Trafficked is now available in ebook and soon in paperback. An excellent book!
This is the second Mex Anderson novel by Peg Brantley and it centres around three children of diverse ages and backgrounds. Each of them gets caught up in a total nightmare through no fault of their own and by different scenarios. Each is believable and each is totally scary. It could happen to someone you know.
Jayla Thomas — Denver, Colorado — is a hard-working, black high school student with straight "A"s. Her mother has "boyfriends" and doesn't want her around when they drop by so she has a variety of places she can crash. One such place belongs to Chris. Chris seems like a nice guy who digs computers but he has got involved in online betting and he's jammed up. He owes big time. He can get out from under if he sets Jayla up for a college prank. He's pretty sure it isn't a college prank but doesn't want to think about what it might really be. This is his ticket out.
Alexis Halston — Denver, Colorado — is 17 years old and totally fit. She comes from a wealthy family where her father only has time for business and her mother is boozed up most of the time. She has great wheels, and looks and acts worldly wise and independent. Her trainer, Donny, moves from gym to gym every few months, zeroes in on someone with money, strikes up a relationship, and bilks them. But Alexis doesn't come into her money until she's 21 and Donny has already invested too much time in her to wait, so he's ready to sell her. It's all set.
Olivia — Aurora, Utah — is 12 years old, has a best friend Maddy, and wants to be a vet. Being a kid sucks and she wishes she were grown up. She meets Ian on Facebook when she's at Maddy's. They meet and soon, Ian is the most important person in her life. But Ian is not who he seems and fortunately for Livvy, Maddy is more street-wise and distrustful than she is.
Mex and his friend, Cade, have rescued kidnap victims before. Together they work with police and social work contacts, the Internet, and their wits to track victims and rescue them. The three victims are being used by different pimps from the sleazy back alley type to the wealthy psychotic. All are being brutalized. Each story is interwoven with chapters following their pursuit by Mex, Cade, and their friend, Darius. Their trails lead in more than one direction, one, out of the country. Each chapter begins with a quote from a book, newspaper, or famous person. Some of the facts are shocking. Most of them are grim. My favourite is from Nelson Mandela, There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way it treats its children.
This is a taut story, full of tension and eliciting disgust. It is a story that had to be told. Never doubt that it is based in reality and never doubt that you can make a difference. Be sure to read the author's note at the end and check out the resources as well. I would add this site, Free the Slaves, to the list, and urge you to become aware and involved. (I know I said that already but it can't be said enough.) Trafficked is now available in ebook and soon in paperback. An excellent book!
June 14, 2017
I first discovered Colorado author Peg Brantley when I submitted an audition to narrate her novel Red Tide (Aspen Falls Thrillers Book 1). I didn't get that particular job, but I did enjoy reading Red Tide for my own pleasure. Eventually, we became Facebook friends and have corresponded often. Recently I was asked if I would be willing to be an early reader of her latest work TRAFFICKED. I agreed. So with my very own ARC, I sat down and read it in a weekend.
This is the worst kind of horror novel one can read. Not because of monsters under the bed or hiding in the closet. The monsters are people you trust and are friends with. Peg creates a scary look into the world of Sex Trafficking as it takes place, not in the foreign lands you normally hear about, but here in America. And for that reason, the stark reality of the story, it is a difficult read. But it is an important read. There are three girls who have fallen victim to traffickers and each has their own believable backstory. Peg has obviously done her homework. We learn that "the girls" are simply viewed as a business asset to be used until they are no longer needed.
It is up to Mex Anderson, the private investigator with plenty of baggage of his own, to find and rescue the girls. This turns out not to be an easy task. Mex is as flawed a character as you'll ever meet.
During the course of TRAFFICKED, you'll learn just how pervasive trafficking is...at the head of each chapter, there is a quote or a statistic. These are real events, and they will put a scare into you. For this reason, it may not be for the very squeamish.
Is this a perfect book? No. But it's very close. Were there a .5 option, TRAFFICKED would have received 4.5 stars from me. Peg has when all is said and done, written an important book. It is investigative reporting masked as a novel. It's the kind of novel that must be read by parents, caregivers, and teachers to learn what to look for.
The dangers are real.
The monsters are real.
Download as soon as you can.
This is the worst kind of horror novel one can read. Not because of monsters under the bed or hiding in the closet. The monsters are people you trust and are friends with. Peg creates a scary look into the world of Sex Trafficking as it takes place, not in the foreign lands you normally hear about, but here in America. And for that reason, the stark reality of the story, it is a difficult read. But it is an important read. There are three girls who have fallen victim to traffickers and each has their own believable backstory. Peg has obviously done her homework. We learn that "the girls" are simply viewed as a business asset to be used until they are no longer needed.
It is up to Mex Anderson, the private investigator with plenty of baggage of his own, to find and rescue the girls. This turns out not to be an easy task. Mex is as flawed a character as you'll ever meet.
During the course of TRAFFICKED, you'll learn just how pervasive trafficking is...at the head of each chapter, there is a quote or a statistic. These are real events, and they will put a scare into you. For this reason, it may not be for the very squeamish.
Is this a perfect book? No. But it's very close. Were there a .5 option, TRAFFICKED would have received 4.5 stars from me. Peg has when all is said and done, written an important book. It is investigative reporting masked as a novel. It's the kind of novel that must be read by parents, caregivers, and teachers to learn what to look for.
The dangers are real.
The monsters are real.
Download as soon as you can.
May 23, 2017
What a thought provoking book!! Imagine your 12 year child being coerced into meeting someone that they thought would be their first true love! Meeting that person for the first time, having them treat your child with kids gloves, buying them clothes, meals, etc., and then stealing their virginity! Then kidnapping your child and forcing her or him into human sex trafficking. All the while, you are absolutely helpless. The authorities can only do so much, because once the children are under the protection of pimps, they become lost and sometimes are never found. This book was written to describe the lives of three young girls, Jayla, Livvy, and Alexis, ranging from the age of 12 up to 15 years of age, and all with a variety of ethnic backgrounds and cultures. The book follows each girl throughout their kidnapping and captivity into sex trafficking. I had known about sex trafficking; however, I did not know that it was to such a magnitude as this book states. The money that is funneled for sex trafficking is astounding. The author also gives detailed information on how these young people are taken and what is involved in trying to rescue them. This book tells the real story that many people shy away from because it is so horrific and it happens every minute of every day! The public really needs to be made aware of human sex trafficking and what to look out for. It could happen to someone close to you, relative, friend, or co-worker. No one is immune!! The characters in this book are very realistic and the reader can almost relate to their emotions. What will happen to Jayla, Libby, and Alexis? Will they be able to get away from their captors? What will become of them?
May 25, 2017
I have never read any books from this author before, I volunteered to read a free copy for a review - I can't say i enjoyed the book, as the subject matter is not enjoyable, but I did find it a good read, which dealt well with a difficult topic of child sexual abuse, through human trafficking and modern slavery. I try not to read book previews before starting a book and I was glad I did not in this case, as the subject area is a bit to close to my working life for me to want to read it in my leisure time, However, I am really glad I read it. The book had graphic parts in it, and these were difficult to read, clearly the Author has a good knowledge of the subject, and managed to write a difficult subject without it being to gruesome throughout, that said, she also managed to get across the desperation and degradation involved in human trafficking, and presented a realistic view that for some people, they are left with no hope, identity or ability to escape. If you are looking for a happy ever after book, this is not it, if you want to read a book and learn something, which may provoke thought and encourage you to safeguard your own children, have a wider awareness of issues, indicators to look for in other vulnerable children, its a good read.
May 18, 2017
Ms. Brantley does an excellent job of writing with sympathy and passion about one of the worst crimes in the history of mankind! Her characters are real and believable and the situations they find themselves in equally so. I thoroughly enjoyed the pieces of news coverage or reports collected that preceded each chapter. She leaves those who read this book with specific ideas on agencies to contact and ideas to fight such a horrendous way of using those who cannot protect themselves for the perpetrators to make money with no exercise of kindness, conscience or morals. This book is educational but also written in a way where you care about those at risk. Not necessarily an easy read, but well worth the effort if you refuse to be judgmental and are responsible enough to care about making this world a better place to live for all!
I received an advance copy of this eBook in exchange for my honest review of it.
I received an advance copy of this eBook in exchange for my honest review of it.
May 25, 2017
This book kept me up way too late one night. Once I started it, I couldn't put it down until I knew what happened to the 3 girls who are the center of the story. Peg Brantley has continued the characters of Mex Anderson and Cade LeBlanc from her excellent THE SACRIFICE, but it is the girls caught in the horrific web of sex trafficking that compel your interest. Their individual characters are carefully drawn with details that make them very real and sympathetic.
Ms. Brantley has done extensive research on her subject, and the plight of these girls is drawn from the true stories and statistics that should horrify and outrage us all. She starts each chapter with excerpts from her research and includes a list of resources for further education and opportunities to help.
I highly recommend this book. It is a suspenseful story with an important message and takes the reader into a world that I suspect many of us did not know existed.
Ms. Brantley has done extensive research on her subject, and the plight of these girls is drawn from the true stories and statistics that should horrify and outrage us all. She starts each chapter with excerpts from her research and includes a list of resources for further education and opportunities to help.
I highly recommend this book. It is a suspenseful story with an important message and takes the reader into a world that I suspect many of us did not know existed.
October 31, 2017
I grew up knowing that slavery was a thing of the past, at least in the U.S. Until I heard about human trafficking. Even then, I thought of Eastern Europe or Southeast Asia. But no. The town I live in tops the list of most sex trafficking because it is so centrally located. Brantley has written a lively detective story that shows the horrors of this world without leaving her readers a hopeless mess. We meet three women from three different backgrounds who are sold into sex slavery in three of the ways that are common in this world. Riches, street-smarts, watchful friends--none of these things save these girls. But Mex Anderson and his team do. This book is fast-paced and well written. I recommend it to anyone interested in strong female characters, the sex slave trade, or good detective fiction.
May 19, 2017
This book should be read by every adult. The title says it : Trafficked But entails from all walks of life in the USA being sold, stole, traded, trafficked, CHILDREN. The author starts each chapter with actual facts. You get to know 3 individual girls through out the book. This does happen all over the world, I know for a fact here in Atlanta its a hub also. Kudos to Peg Brantley for shinning the light on this horrific subject and for providing resources at the end of the book for anyone who wants to get involved, from monetary, to volunteer, to assist in contacting politicians, etc. Its there
I received this ARC from Peg. I had not read book one in the Mex Anderson series, but book 2 Trafficked shares what happens, and that is also gut wrenching. Based on reality, softened the edges just a little to make the hard facts more palatable.
READ THIS BOOK
I received this ARC from Peg. I had not read book one in the Mex Anderson series, but book 2 Trafficked shares what happens, and that is also gut wrenching. Based on reality, softened the edges just a little to make the hard facts more palatable.
READ THIS BOOK
May 26, 2017
This is a book that will shake you up.I found it very disturbing as it brought me home to the fact that no one is actually safe.....but for the Grace of God this could be about our child. Peg Brantley has done an excellent, heart-wrenching 'expose'. The story is well- scripted, and the statistics given alongside make you realize the enormity of this horrific situation and the fact that this is just the story of three of them. Their backgrounds, home environments, personalities, ages, are all dissimilar. And we thought slave trafficking was something of the past....of long ago!! This book is an eye opener, something that will make you sit up!! This book deserves much more than the five stars i have given it.
May 20, 2017
This book will make you think and hit you in the gut! Human trafficking is a $38 billion / year business and the victims are lured, sold into or forced into the business and treated as slaves, property, insignificant, a paycheck for their pimps! Mex Anderson is a private investigator who has to try and find several girls who have gone missing. Their treatment is deplorable and I found I could not put the book down because I needed to see if the girls would be found and saved. Had me wondering if this is what happened to Natalie Holloway who went missing from Aruba while on a senior school graduation trip in 2005.
April 3, 2019
This is a fantastic story. I was skeptical because I hadn’t read the first Mex Anderson novel and I didn’t want to be lost. Glad I took a chance because I wasn’t lost at all. It serves quite well as a stand-alone, so if you haven’t read the first one don’t let that dissuade you. The only “drawback” is that now I really want to read the first one. So maybe just read the first one first, which is presumably good, and then this one, which is definitely good, even though it stands alone just fine.
Extra props to the author who treated this delicate (but important!) subject in just the right way. The story shines a light into the dark corners of this epidemic without exploiting the fragility of the subject- not an easy task.
Highly recommended- An easy 5 stars.
Extra props to the author who treated this delicate (but important!) subject in just the right way. The story shines a light into the dark corners of this epidemic without exploiting the fragility of the subject- not an easy task.
Highly recommended- An easy 5 stars.
February 9, 2018
"Trafficked: A Mex Anderson Novel" (2018) by Peg Brantley is an engrossing story about a pair of romantically involved private investigators who, along with a novelist, try to rescue three young girls abducted and sold as prostitutes. While the rescuers’ activities are told in the third person, all three victims’ stories are told in the first person, making their ordeals more harrowing. Strongly recommended.
May 28, 2017
This book is about trafficking right here in America. It's one of those topics that's difficult to read about, but one we all need to educate ourselves about. I had no idea how bad it was until I read this. The book is well written, it follows the stories of a few young people forced into this lifestyle. While the book is fiction, the end of every chapter gives us stories about factual cases that have happened, which I found extremely informative.
It's a tough reality to face up to these types of stories, but Peg Brantley does it with great compassion and sensitivity.
It's a really good book about an issue that needs more publicity. I was very moved by it. I highly recommend it.
It's a tough reality to face up to these types of stories, but Peg Brantley does it with great compassion and sensitivity.
It's a really good book about an issue that needs more publicity. I was very moved by it. I highly recommend it.
August 16, 2017
Trafficked is a well written and well researched book. The nuggets of information at the beginning of each chapter grab your attention and make you think about how pervasive this particular form of evil is. It was a difficult book to read, being about sex trafficking of young children, but impossible to put down. The characters, from the children who were put into the sex trade to the people trying to rescue them, were well drawn and sympathetic. I had not previously read a book by Peg Brantley, but this will not be the last one.
May 14, 2018
Ripped from the headlines--quite literally; each chapter heading includes actual headline stories showing the issue is increasingly putting our children at risk. We are essentially given three case studies, written as fiction, in a gripping and terrifying drama which crosses borders with no regard for age, gender, and socio-economic strata. Compellingly read by Sandra Murphy [AUDIO].
June 11, 2018
Not just another thriller about human trafficking
I've known about the very sad evil of sex trafficking, and have read several novels about it, but none that go as deep into the personal despair that takes over the unfortunate victims. I was personally devastated at the end of the book, by the unimaginable and horrible things some people can do to others. But... I was also uplifted some to find that there are people and organizations really fighting to stop this evil, doing all they can to educate, to counsel, and to prosecute. This story will give you great insight into just how big a problem trafficking really is. Thanks, Ms. Brantley, for writing it!
I've known about the very sad evil of sex trafficking, and have read several novels about it, but none that go as deep into the personal despair that takes over the unfortunate victims. I was personally devastated at the end of the book, by the unimaginable and horrible things some people can do to others. But... I was also uplifted some to find that there are people and organizations really fighting to stop this evil, doing all they can to educate, to counsel, and to prosecute. This story will give you great insight into just how big a problem trafficking really is. Thanks, Ms. Brantley, for writing it!
June 8, 2017
Another excellent book by Peg Brantley. Do your self a favor and read all of her books
October 9, 2017
Powerful
A disturbing but very real view of what's happening right here in America as well as all over the world. A real eye opener
A disturbing but very real view of what's happening right here in America as well as all over the world. A real eye opener
May 17, 2018
This book while difficult to read is amazingly well written. Human trafficking in Colorado prior to reading this was unbelievable. This book is not for the faint of heart. It is scary and is made more so because of the clear research put into the book.
I feel honored to call Peg Brantley my friend.
I feel honored to call Peg Brantley my friend.
July 20, 2017
Very real stories Some made me almost cry and others made me mad. All made me think big time
April 30, 2018
Three young girls get kidnapped and are forced into sex-trafficking. One of the girls
fathers enlists Mex Anderson and his partners Acadia and Darius to help free them. Can
they be rescued?
Harrowing reading, ripped from the headlines. Each chapter is headed by a news article, or
some statistic about human trafficking. The end of the book is suffixed by a glossary of acronyms,
and resources to help the young girls and boys in their plight. Should be required reading.
I was given a copy of this book for my honest review.
fathers enlists Mex Anderson and his partners Acadia and Darius to help free them. Can
they be rescued?
Harrowing reading, ripped from the headlines. Each chapter is headed by a news article, or
some statistic about human trafficking. The end of the book is suffixed by a glossary of acronyms,
and resources to help the young girls and boys in their plight. Should be required reading.
I was given a copy of this book for my honest review.
April 28, 2018
I really liked this book. It was well written, the pace was good. I like the characters and want to read the first Mex Anderson book. I appreciate the research the author did to make this book accurate. I also want to know what happened to the girls in the book in the future!
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