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Megan Scott/Michael Elliott #5
Broken Trust
Hotel rooms often come with perks. A corpse isn’t one of them.
Ghostwriter Megan Scott and investigative reporter Michael Elliott discover the body of a young woman in their Ottawa hotel room. Not what they expected on a business trip to Canada’s capital. She’s wearing a black lace teddy. A carafe of red wine and two glasses sit on a table. A closer look inside her purse reveals thousands of dollars, three business cards, and a supply of pills.
The detective initially writes off Becca Landry’s death as an open-and-shut case of overdose, but Frank Landry, an ex-military, believes his wife was murdered. Convinced that autopsy results will prove him right, he fears the police will soon target him as a prime suspect. He asks Megan and Michael to investigate.
As they dig deeper, they unearth shocking links that expose the dark underbelly of a city where widespread fraud, illegal drug trafficking, and a sense of entitlement defy the system. Elusive conspirators up the stakes and threaten to block their efforts at any cost.
How can Megan and Michael ensure their trust in each other is enough to save them on a perilous quest for a cold-blooded killer?
Ghostwriter Megan Scott and investigative reporter Michael Elliott discover the body of a young woman in their Ottawa hotel room. Not what they expected on a business trip to Canada’s capital. She’s wearing a black lace teddy. A carafe of red wine and two glasses sit on a table. A closer look inside her purse reveals thousands of dollars, three business cards, and a supply of pills.
The detective initially writes off Becca Landry’s death as an open-and-shut case of overdose, but Frank Landry, an ex-military, believes his wife was murdered. Convinced that autopsy results will prove him right, he fears the police will soon target him as a prime suspect. He asks Megan and Michael to investigate.
As they dig deeper, they unearth shocking links that expose the dark underbelly of a city where widespread fraud, illegal drug trafficking, and a sense of entitlement defy the system. Elusive conspirators up the stakes and threaten to block their efforts at any cost.
How can Megan and Michael ensure their trust in each other is enough to save them on a perilous quest for a cold-blooded killer?
- GenresMystery
258 pages, Paperback
Published November 2, 2017
7 people are currently reading
556 people want to read
About the author
Sandra Nikolai
15 books576 followersSandra Nikolai is the author of the Megan Scott/Michael Elliott Mystery series featuring a sharp-eyed ghostwriter and a daring investigative reporter who face life-threatening situations as they track down criminals. The series is available in ebook, paperback, and audiobook formats. Sandra also writes the Amber McNeil Mystery series featuring a psychic consultant who works in the cold case unit of a police force.
Visit Sandra's website at www.sandranikolai.com to join her mailing list and receive the first three chapters of False Impressions and Fatal Whispers, plus short story Timely Escape free! Follow Sandra on Instagram @sandranikolaiauthor or connect on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SandraNikola...
Visit Sandra's website at www.sandranikolai.com to join her mailing list and receive the first three chapters of False Impressions and Fatal Whispers, plus short story Timely Escape free! Follow Sandra on Instagram @sandranikolaiauthor or connect on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SandraNikola...
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 1, 2023
The growing opioid crisis inspired me to use it as a backdrop for my mystery novel, BROKEN TRUST. As the author, I won't leave a review for this book. Instead I'll post an excerpt from the first chapter. In this scene, my sleuths Megan and Michael enter their hotel room and make a grim discovery. As told from Megan's point of view:
I flicked on the light, then sauntered along the narrow entrance into the room. On a table by the window sat a carafe of wine and two glasses. “Look, Michael. Room service left us some wine.”
Something else caught my eye, and I looked to my right. A woman was sprawled motionless on the bed, her complexion pasty, her eyes glazed over!
I screamed, dropped my bag, and ran back toward Michael, almost knocking him over.
He grabbed me by the arms, steadying us. “Megan, what—”
“There’s a woman on the bed.” I trembled, struggled to catch my breath. “I think she's dead!”
He released his hold on me and pressed forward.
My stomach did flip-flops, but like a gawking passenger at an accident scene, I couldn't avert my eyes. I took a step closer. The faint trace of the young woman’s perfume lingered in the air, negating the fact that her heart had stopped beating.
Who was this woman?
How had she died?
And how did she get into our room?
Michael turned on the bedside lamp, leaned over the body.
The woman had shoulder-length blonde hair and wore a revealing black lace teddy. Her makeup, though expertly done, failed to conceal the paleness of her skin or the blue tinge of her lips. Her mouth was partially open, as if she’d died before she could utter her last words.
Unnerved, I shifted my gaze to the contents that had spilled from a small purse beside her. A tube of lipstick, a driver’s license, several business cards, and a plastic sleeve containing blue pills. A cell phone lay within inches of her outstretched hand. Her nails were painted in red and white stripes—the colors of the Canadian flag. She wore a wedding band on her left hand.
Michael gently put his fingers on her wrist and confirmed my deduction. “I’m not getting a pulse. Call the cops!”
I drew in a quick breath. My hands shook as I fumbled in my handbag for my cell phone.
This shocking turn of events was not on our agenda.
🎧 Available in audio! 🎧
Narrated by Kelli Tager!
Apple audiobooks: https://apple.co/3QL1PA2Audiobooks.com: https://bit.ly/42bwMBR
Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/3XtqVGd
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3NkLK1a
Chirp: https://bit.ly/3CQfTlN
Google Play: https://bit.ly/3GIjZOe
Hoopla: https://bit.ly/3oYx6FK
Scribd: https://bit.ly/3VlSC3c
I flicked on the light, then sauntered along the narrow entrance into the room. On a table by the window sat a carafe of wine and two glasses. “Look, Michael. Room service left us some wine.”
Something else caught my eye, and I looked to my right. A woman was sprawled motionless on the bed, her complexion pasty, her eyes glazed over!
I screamed, dropped my bag, and ran back toward Michael, almost knocking him over.
He grabbed me by the arms, steadying us. “Megan, what—”
“There’s a woman on the bed.” I trembled, struggled to catch my breath. “I think she's dead!”
He released his hold on me and pressed forward.
My stomach did flip-flops, but like a gawking passenger at an accident scene, I couldn't avert my eyes. I took a step closer. The faint trace of the young woman’s perfume lingered in the air, negating the fact that her heart had stopped beating.
Who was this woman?
How had she died?
And how did she get into our room?
Michael turned on the bedside lamp, leaned over the body.
The woman had shoulder-length blonde hair and wore a revealing black lace teddy. Her makeup, though expertly done, failed to conceal the paleness of her skin or the blue tinge of her lips. Her mouth was partially open, as if she’d died before she could utter her last words.
Unnerved, I shifted my gaze to the contents that had spilled from a small purse beside her. A tube of lipstick, a driver’s license, several business cards, and a plastic sleeve containing blue pills. A cell phone lay within inches of her outstretched hand. Her nails were painted in red and white stripes—the colors of the Canadian flag. She wore a wedding band on her left hand.
Michael gently put his fingers on her wrist and confirmed my deduction. “I’m not getting a pulse. Call the cops!”
I drew in a quick breath. My hands shook as I fumbled in my handbag for my cell phone.
This shocking turn of events was not on our agenda.
🎧 Available in audio! 🎧
Narrated by Kelli Tager!
Apple audiobooks: https://apple.co/3QL1PA2Audiobooks.com: https://bit.ly/42bwMBR
Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/3XtqVGd
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3NkLK1a
Chirp: https://bit.ly/3CQfTlN
Google Play: https://bit.ly/3GIjZOe
Hoopla: https://bit.ly/3oYx6FK
Scribd: https://bit.ly/3VlSC3c
March 26, 2018
Review on Amazon.com
November 15, 2021
Interesting murder story. You may think that you have all figured out in one direction and in the end the real story might not be so simple (no spoilers! ehe he).
The couple of "investigators" is a nice pair and they do compliment each other. This was the first book in the serie I listen/read and I didn't find anything lacking from previous stories nor did I get any significant spoilers, so you can read them in any order with no problems.
The only thing I didn't like so much was a tendency to do recaps of the events and facts so far. Though they are useful, in this book they were sometime a bit excessive.
The narration was very good with a female narrator as the story is told from the female perspective in the first person, so I do recommend.
The couple of "investigators" is a nice pair and they do compliment each other. This was the first book in the serie I listen/read and I didn't find anything lacking from previous stories nor did I get any significant spoilers, so you can read them in any order with no problems.
The only thing I didn't like so much was a tendency to do recaps of the events and facts so far. Though they are useful, in this book they were sometime a bit excessive.
The narration was very good with a female narrator as the story is told from the female perspective in the first person, so I do recommend.
July 5, 2023
This is the fifth book in the series, but can be read as standalone.
The hotel room had all the amenities... Toilet paper and towels in the bathroom. Wine on the table. Dead woman on the bed. Wait...what?
Megan and Michael find themselves involved in another murder mystery when they check-in to their hotel and find their room already occupied. This story felt more twisty than the others. Nothing and no one was what they initially seemed. I had my suspicions about the murderer, but wouldn't have been able to prove anything, so I enjoyed following all the clues — especially the tantalizing false trails.
Kelli Tager performed the story, and did another great job making the novel a pleasure to listen to.
The hotel room had all the amenities... Toilet paper and towels in the bathroom. Wine on the table. Dead woman on the bed. Wait...what?
Megan and Michael find themselves involved in another murder mystery when they check-in to their hotel and find their room already occupied. This story felt more twisty than the others. Nothing and no one was what they initially seemed. I had my suspicions about the murderer, but wouldn't have been able to prove anything, so I enjoyed following all the clues — especially the tantalizing false trails.
Kelli Tager performed the story, and did another great job making the novel a pleasure to listen to.
August 13, 2021
Sandra Nikolai has done it again, so my review of the last book in this series is worth repeating. I like this duo of Megan and Michael. Even though they're not actually detectives, Nikolai manages to weave a credible mystery for these characters to solve. And Kelli Tager performs these and all the characters very well.
I suspected the outcome before the reveal, but it was fun getting there anyway. Thankfully, the story ended quite satisfactorily with no loose ends.
Note: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
I suspected the outcome before the reveal, but it was fun getting there anyway. Thankfully, the story ended quite satisfactorily with no loose ends.
Note: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
August 23, 2022
Received as an audio review copy from Story Origin, this is an honest review. Narrated by Kelli Tager comes a rather intriguing story as a business trip for Megan and Michael gets a whole a lot more crazy when their hotel room comes with a dead woman. There's never a clean murder that this duo finds themselves deep into; it's always a mire of clues and dangers. And his case of Becca Landry is the toughest test for them with many shocking leads to that makes this case explosive fun. Highly recommended.
August 30, 2022
I enjoyed the narration of Kelli Tager
Loved this murder mystery. Megan and Michael are on a business trip . There is a mix up with the hotel room. One big mix up a dead body..Megan and Michael have to get to the bottom of it. things out too. A mystery about greed and corruption , drugs . Kept me on my toes
Loved this murder mystery. Megan and Michael are on a business trip . There is a mix up with the hotel room. One big mix up a dead body..Megan and Michael have to get to the bottom of it. things out too. A mystery about greed and corruption , drugs . Kept me on my toes
September 17, 2022
Just when you think this series cannot get better, it does. This audiobook has suspense in spades, romance, action - everything you can possibly want in a mystery. It really is excellent.
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
August 7, 2021
( Format : Audiobook )
"You are my ticket out of here."
review to follow
"You are my ticket out of here."
review to follow
July 8, 2024
This book was interesting. I did enjoy listening to it. The author kept you on your toes and guessing as always.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews