One by One

Dani Ross Mystery #1

by Gilbert Morris

One secret links twelve strangers. One secret that could cost them everything. Danielle Ross's life keeps slipping out of control. First she must abandon her education to take over her ill father's floundering detective agency. Then, while pursuing a new case, Dani becomes a victim herself. She awakens in a strange place and finds herself surrounded by eleven other people. Among them are a doctor, a dancer, a German submarine commander, and a former Death Row inmate--all clueless as to why they have been brought together. The culprit relentlessly insists they are united by one dark secret and that their lives depend on their confessing it. Can Dani find the link between these strangers before time runs out?

Genres: Christian Fiction, Mystery, Christian, Fiction, Audiobook, Contemporary, Suspense

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

also published under the name Gilbert L. Morris

Gilbert Morris was one of today's best-known Christian novelists. He lived in Gulf Shores, Alabama, with his wife, Johnnie. He is the father to Lynn Morris and Alan Morris

Series:
* Adventures of Kerrigan Kids
* American Century
* Appomattox Saga
* Barney Buck
* Bonnets and Bugles
* Cheney Duvall, M.D. (with Lynn Morris)
* Cheney and Shiloh: The Inheritance (with Lynn Morris)
* Chronicles of the Golden Frontier
* The Creole (with Lynn Morris)
* Danielle Ross Mystery
* Daystar Voyages
* Dixie Morris Animal Adventures
* Far Fields (with Robert Funderburk)
* House of Winslow
* Jacques and Cleo: Cat Detectives
* Katy Steele Adventures (with Alan Morris)
* Lady Trent Mystery
* Liberty Bell
* Lions of Judah
* Lone Star Legacy
* Omega (with Lynn Morris and Alan Morris)
* The Price of Liberty (with Robert Funderburk)
* Reno Western Saga
* Seven Sleepers
* Seven Sleepers: The Lost Chronicles
* Singing River
* Spirit of Appalachia (with Aaron McCarver)
* Too Smart Jones
*

Reviews

[Lovely Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️

I really enjoyed this ‘retelling’ of sorts, of Agatha Christie’s “and then there were none” (with a sprinkling of her “murder on the orient express”)

[Morgan Yoder · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! My only problem with it is the chapters were way to long.

[Sharon Easterling · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so much fun to read. I enjoyed reading Nancy Drew books growing up and this book reminded me some of those. It was so nice to read a mystery without bad language in it. I can't wait to read the second in the series. Very Good!

[Bice · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sorry just could not even finish it! So you get kidnapped with some other women and all of you are calm, cracking jokes, taking bubble baths?!! Did not seem real. I am at the age that if a book feels like a wasted read early on will stop.

[Stacia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't really enjoy the majority of the book. I don't really like the main character and found her to be arrogant. To me, it didn't really read like a mystery should and the first 1/3 was very slow moving and somewhat pointless to the story. The most enjoyable part was the "Here's what happened"-type wrap up. I wouldn't recommend this book at all. I just have a bad habit of finishing books unless they are absolutely unreadable.

[Shelbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed listening to this on audiobook. A few theological shortcomings, but very interesting characters! I adore Ben Savage, Danielle laid-back and sarcastic employee. Danielle is a great main character, too--sometimes I want to shake her because she's being so mean, but others I'm very proud of her growth. I'm looking forward to hearing about her next adventure in the second book of the series.

[Kaitlyn Krispense · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Dani, love Ben, and the plot was super intriguing - although the backstory seemed to take up an unnecessary amount of the plot.

[Hanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly recommended by my sister, but I was still wary of the sort-of contemporary setting. No worries, though, my very-sensitive nature was barely penetrated, and the virtues of the book overshadowed the occasional rock concert and passenger jet.

Setting: Sometime in the 1980s, mainly in New Orleans--but other areas of the United States are also varyingly significant. The greater geographical setting isn't a big part of the story, but the smaller experiences of Dani Ross (relating to the mystery) are impressively detailed. The exact date of the story is not specifically mentioned, but bygone memories of World War II are fairly important, and a former Nazi soldier is an elderly man. There are few inclusions of modern technology or lifestyles.

Characters: It's a very interesting set of characters, each with their own quirks and distinguishing features. Dani isn't the most lovable character, but I very much enjoyed the conclusion to her character arc, and the revelations about her problems, although they weren't demonstrated so clearly, are written well. Of course this will be progressed throughout the series ...

I very much like Ben Savage, his little quirks, and quiet knowledge. His mysterious character is nicely unfolded throughout the mystery, but knowing Gilbert Morris, his character arc is far from being over.

There are a good number of supporting characters, but none of them (excepting Rosie) attracted me much. Dani's family seems a bit too modern (and by modern I mean '80s, haha), and the victims are generally unlikable (understandable, to be sure, and therefore well-written). Some of the victim characters blend in with each other, because they don't have prominent roles, and fewer personality traits than others.

Plot: Very good mystery, and one to which I didn't guess the answer. A few similarities to a certain popular Agatha Christie novel, but instead of Christie's humanistic worldview, it's Gilbert Morris' explicitly Christian overtones. And aside from the first chapter (does that even relate to the plot at all??), it is a generally well-paced, interesting book.

Faith Content: Very strong Christian, and particularly Morris' Conservative, values are represented (thankfully, or Dani would have bugged me even more with her feministic type of perspective). An amusing quirk of Gilbert Morris' writing (relating to death and salvation) is also demonstrated. However, this is primarily a mystery plot, and not a faith-centered plotline, so nothing is really resolved in that area. But to me it it's not lacking.

[Elizabeth Meadows · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never read anything by Gilbert Morris before, but I remember my mother having some of his books on her shelf. I first ran across these books while working book sales at our library. They were being discarded because they were not in good enough condition to sell even. I thought they looked interesting so I kept them. I guess the condition of books should have told me that they were well read, but for some reason I didn't expect much from this first one.
I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Most of the Christian fiction that I've read has been historical romance. This had a tiny bit of romance but it was mostly intrigue with a Christian message woven throughout.

It did drag a little in the middle, but overall I found the book very compelling.

[Aspen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought it was cheesy and well stupid. I didn't even finish it! I got 7/8 th of the way and just stopped. The plot wasn't that great and it made no sense. But I did really like characters. Dani was awesome and so was the cop dude that was her helper I guess the word is. The thing I hated most about the book was that at the end everybody was killing everybody and everybody was suspicious. I wasted a whole day!!!! Sorry but I wasn't impressed. I love Gilbert Morris! So don't give up on him!

[Gerry · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story line was really good.
I've never read anything by Gilbert Morris so I don't know if this is typical of him, but it was very religious. I don't really mind that, it just surprised me.
Danielle is a seminary student. She's very caring but at the same time, she was not very personable.

[Rachel Crump · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a Christian and I couldn't handle the Christian overtones in this book. It was predictable, and the writing wasn't very good. The main character Dani was completely unlike able. No way I'll read any more in this series.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are interested in a good Christian mystery series, I highly recommend the Danielle Ross Series!

[Kelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

gaping plot holes, continuity issues, no relatability to characters or causes. not impressed at all.

[Paige Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

This story hit all the right notes for me. Still, there's some casual misogyny in this book that's downright infuriating. But if you can get passed it, you're in for a treat. Our main character here, who looks a little like the actress, Connie Britton, on the cover is a preacher/investigator. Two jobs that you would think would be contradictory. But it's one of the things that made her and her employee, Ben, seem so real. Ben is an acrobat and an investigator. Just the way he's described goes against common norms of the ripped, Jason Statham and chiseled, The Rock, character, that would dominate a story like this. I especially appreciated the comfort that God was able to give the characters in this harrowing situation. Positive christian themes. This would've been a 5 star read were it not for the end, where the misogyny is in full swing again. We got a break during the kidnapping, but it comes back with iterations like, love me, Ben, if you don't like who i am, I'll change.

[Ramon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as part of a used book subscription. When I received the book I was kind of disappointed because the book looked old and the pages were yellowed. I looked at the publication date and noticed it was published in 1991. I see the book is now out of print. Another reason I was disappointed was that it was a mystery book. I have never been good at picking up the subtlety to solve the mystery. The book itself was good. It started out very predictable were the daughter comes home to help her Father's business since he had a Heart attack. I was sucked in at the beginning were Dani fends off a self centered guy who tries to hook up with her, then the twists that happened since that I could not have imagined. I also liked the Christian aspect and how Dani's faith was important throughout the book.

[Darren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is going to be a wonderful series. This is only the first book, I am going to read the series as one giant book! It is that good! Dani finds herself at the beginning of a new chapter in her life. She is going back home to help her family, but what seems to be something simple turns out to put her on a path that she never thought she would take. Despite the minor surprises along the way, she finds herself in a situation, with 11 other people, that she definitely did not see coming. She not only needs to figure out why they have been brought together, but how are they going to... you need to read this and see what I mean. You will not be disappointed. I absolutely love her strength in God, and when she has doubts she turns to Christ.

[Lee Young · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gave it two stars. One for the fact that it had a lot of REAL Christianity in it and one for the narrator.

The setup and idea was great, but the execution was horrible. The dialogue was stilted and too melodramatic. The people's reactions were sugarcoated. I'm sorry, but there had to have been some PTSD involved. But, for Ben and Dani, it was as if they'd come back from summer camp.

And, other than which minor characters were going to be picked off next, there was little suspense. Also, the killer was so easy to pick out, it was almost anticlimactic.

The author needs to stick to romance novels.

[Violet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slightly cringey Christian version of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. It started off super boring and I wasn't a huge fan of the main character. I didn't see the first murder coming, so that was a nice twist and the suspense was pretty well done. I would have liked to have more clues toward the solution left throughout the book; when it was revealed I felt like there were a lot of things contributing to the solution that I hadn't seen, but maybe I wasn't reading carefully enough. I do think the Christian message was worked into the plot well; I didn't feel like I was reading a sermon disguised as fiction.

[Cinnabug · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very unexpected and unusual storyline. I enjoyed the way all the different types of characters were put together in one place and were forced to interact with one another and work together as they tried to solve the mystery of why they were where they were, and how to escape from their situation. The characters were imperfect, unique and interesting. I liked that the MC, Dani, had many faults, but as she became aware of them she tried to improve herself. I also enjoyed how she used opportunities as they arose to talk about her faith and lead others to God.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the first few pages I was a little disappointed. I thought the characters were a bit ... stiff; that the dialogue was a little stiff. But, I continued reading and am very glad I did! It didn't take long for the story to grab me and I had to keep reading. I have just started reading the second book in the Dani Ross series and expect it to be just as good as the first.

[Becky Ballentine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unlikely plot and stereotypical characters. Given it was written in 2000 sadly the villain’s is still appropriate for the current political situation.

Definitely heavy on Christianity, not subtle. Wish I had researched more before reading. Probably won’t read more from this author. Better than I could have produced but still disappointing.

[Lola · Rating 2 out of 5]

When her father becomes ill, Dani Ross returns home to run her father's detective agency.
When she goes to meet a new client she is abducted & drugged. When she becomes conscious, she is in a silo with eleven people, all being held prisoner.
They learn their captor is insane

[Jaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this Christian mystery. I've read others in the series so I already liked the main characters Dani Ross and Ben Savage. I really liked the storyline in this episode. The connections made at the end when the mystery was solved was a fun twist. I read the entire book in one day.

[Katrina Bores · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like the whodunit mystery books , this one is for you. All strangers pulled together with one common thing. They’re out to find the killer before he or she strikes. Didn’t see who it was until they were revealed.

[Cord · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story. The Kindle version is not typed out professionally.

Capital letters are not used in the right places.

The story is captivating. There is humour and seriousness in this book. He has given us a lot to ponder on spiritually.

[LauraEli614 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow! This was really bad. I read the first 11 chapters and just couldn’t bring myself to continue. People have been kidnapped and don’t seem to be phased by it. The character development just isn’t there.

[Sarah Creeley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just okay for me. It felt like it dragged. In addition, the main reason for the story seemed like a late addition. It didn't flow with the story. I did like the faith elements in the book. There's no language. There's little romance. There is some violence.

[Sheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent series, wonderful lessons in everyone

[Jeanne Modisett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It has a lot of suspense and light romance.