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About Three Authors: Poison Pen
Three aspiring authors struggle to recover from the devastation of a colleague’s murder. Can these women find love amidst mayhem, or will they learn writing can be murder?
Robin refuses to leave the house, Daphne has OCD, and Beth falls asleep at the most inopportune moments. When evidence in a colleague’s murder points to Beth, the three decide there’s only one thing they can catch the real killer. Without telling the men who love them, they set out to do just that. But can they interfere in a murder investigation without running afoul of the law? Can they identify the killer before they become his victims? A "howcatchem" rather than a "whodunit," Poison Pen is a stand-alone romantic suspense novel. Poison Pen is #12 on ReadFreely’s list of the 50 Best Indie Books of 2018.
Fast-paced Poison Pen will leave you as breathless as going over Niagara Falls in a barrel. Get Poison Pen now.
Robin refuses to leave the house, Daphne has OCD, and Beth falls asleep at the most inopportune moments. When evidence in a colleague’s murder points to Beth, the three decide there’s only one thing they can catch the real killer. Without telling the men who love them, they set out to do just that. But can they interfere in a murder investigation without running afoul of the law? Can they identify the killer before they become his victims? A "howcatchem" rather than a "whodunit," Poison Pen is a stand-alone romantic suspense novel. Poison Pen is #12 on ReadFreely’s list of the 50 Best Indie Books of 2018.
Fast-paced Poison Pen will leave you as breathless as going over Niagara Falls in a barrel. Get Poison Pen now.
242 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 5, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 1, 2018
This author knows her stuff. Her writing has akways impressed me no matter the subject matter. The characters grow throughout the book and they, along with her writing style make for very enjoyable reading
June 13, 2018
I have hit a run of good books lately and this one was right up there for entertainment. Very much a throw back in one sense in that I found the story familiar in a good way. I couldn't put my finger on it but essentially I think it boils down to it being a clever mystery story. Despite the familiarity which made me settle in with ease, this is very much an original. Sharp, clever, crisp dialogue with a story that will keep you guessing this was a definite five star read for me. Val Tobin is fast rising up my list of favourites. If you enjoy a good who done it then this is the one for you.
June 13, 2018
“Writing can be murder” the author advises us on the cover of Poison Pen, so we know what to expect when we begin reading it. However, unlike many a traditional whodunit, we know exactly who done it within the first chapter, and from then on it is a matter of will the murderer get away with it and could the wrong person end up being accused? Cleverly plotted and superbly written – I would expect nothing less from Val Tobin having read a number of her books now – this novel is guaranteed to keep the reader intrigued. Although careful attention is paid to creating a credible and satisfyingly complex plot, it’s not your average murder mystery, as the author explores the neuroses and motivations of all the different characters, including the somewhat hapless yet endearing police detective who bumbles up a few blind alleys and initially seems fixated on believing the culprit is Beth – who we as the reader know for sure is not the killer. But will he stop drawing the wrong conclusions from the trail of false clues laid down by the pen-pushing poisoner and discover the truth – or will Beth and her two author friends beat him to it and perhaps one or all of them become the murderer’s next target in the process? You will have to read it to find out the answer. The only clue I’m going to give is that Val Tobin is an author to watch, and if you haven’t read any of her other novels, start now!
May 17, 2018
Set in a small town on the Canadian side of the Niagara River, Val Tobin's latest release explores the tensions and petty jealousies between the members of a writers' group. The group leader is a successful author who is unstinting in his support for the members, helping them to find outlets for their work. One member is less than grateful and decides the group would be better off without its leader.
This is not a 'who dunnit' – we know from the outset who committed the murder, how and why. The book is concerned with the impact of the tragedy upon the members of the group and the realisation that the perpetrator is probably one of them.
There is a good deal of romance here, too, including between one of the group members and the police detective investigating the case. There is a tense climax when two female members try to expose the perpetrator only to be kidnapped by him. After this the romance really hots up.
An entertaining read, well plotted, with good character development.
And I have to congratulate Ms Tobin on the strength of her editorial/reading team. I have a keen eye for those annoying little mistakes that escape the proof reader but I did not spot a single one in this book – unlike the previous book I read which came from a prestigious Irish publishing house yet had such errors every few pages.
Highly recommended to anyone who likes mystery and romance. You will also pick up a lot of background information on how the publishing industry works and the hoops authors have to go through to achieve success, something Ms Tobin knows all about.
This is not a 'who dunnit' – we know from the outset who committed the murder, how and why. The book is concerned with the impact of the tragedy upon the members of the group and the realisation that the perpetrator is probably one of them.
There is a good deal of romance here, too, including between one of the group members and the police detective investigating the case. There is a tense climax when two female members try to expose the perpetrator only to be kidnapped by him. After this the romance really hots up.
An entertaining read, well plotted, with good character development.
And I have to congratulate Ms Tobin on the strength of her editorial/reading team. I have a keen eye for those annoying little mistakes that escape the proof reader but I did not spot a single one in this book – unlike the previous book I read which came from a prestigious Irish publishing house yet had such errors every few pages.
Highly recommended to anyone who likes mystery and romance. You will also pick up a lot of background information on how the publishing industry works and the hoops authors have to go through to achieve success, something Ms Tobin knows all about.
May 23, 2018
Three very troubled authors, Daphne, Beth and Robin, are completely thrown when the leader of their Writers Group – the truly successful one amongst them – is poisoned. Daphne, the murdered man’s sister, is banished from her home during the investigation. Beth comes under suspicion when certain items are found in her garage. Any one of the group, with knowledge researched for books, could be guilty, but who has a motive and what is it? Can they trust each other or will doubt split friends, and potential lovers, apart?
December 23, 2019
This murder mystery lets you know from the start who the killer is, as you read along, you'll watch as the cop and three women writers try to discover his identity. I used to quite often look at the end of a story to find out "whodunit," so I could follow along, picking up the clues, so this was a fun experience to watch the characters try to figure out what I already knew.
The characters themselves were "characters," for sure, with unique quirks and personalities that made them come to life. Throw in a bit of romance for the lovely ladies, and you get a story that'll keep you turning the pages. If you're an author or have author friends, you'll pick up on many of the joys and woes of the art. One scene I especially liked was when one of the male characters was picking up books at a fair. He wasn't into romance.... You know, a guy thing. So he thinks: "If romance was what she wrote, then romance was what he’d read. Ian selected the most action-packed of the romance covers. A wolf stood under a full moon in the background. Maybe it was a nature story." Nature story! Smile. He's in for a surprise.
The characters themselves were "characters," for sure, with unique quirks and personalities that made them come to life. Throw in a bit of romance for the lovely ladies, and you get a story that'll keep you turning the pages. If you're an author or have author friends, you'll pick up on many of the joys and woes of the art. One scene I especially liked was when one of the male characters was picking up books at a fair. He wasn't into romance.... You know, a guy thing. So he thinks: "If romance was what she wrote, then romance was what he’d read. Ian selected the most action-packed of the romance covers. A wolf stood under a full moon in the background. Maybe it was a nature story." Nature story! Smile. He's in for a surprise.
June 4, 2019
Compelling story with unbalanced characters that are quirky & fun...
The story begins with a well-thought-out murder scene. In addition to a good suspense, we are given a brief snapshot into the killer’s motivations and delusions. I was hooked immediately and it made me want to read further to see how the investigation would unfold. Rather than a whodunit mystery, this story was laid out as a police procedural. We were able to follow the investigation step-by-step to learn how the police — and others involved — worked to catch a killer. The scenes progressed realistically in a compelling manner that drew the reader in. I liked how the suspense was on what the suspect would do next, rather than who the killer was.
From the first page of the story, we begin to get a clear idea of just how messed up all of the characters in this story truly are. The killer is delusional, the three friends; Daphne, Beth, and Robin are quirky and lovable; but, suffer from their own individual idiosyncrasy that makes them endearing and delightful. If you are looking for a fun, quick summer read, I’d definitely recommend you give this one a try.
Melanie P. Smith
The story begins with a well-thought-out murder scene. In addition to a good suspense, we are given a brief snapshot into the killer’s motivations and delusions. I was hooked immediately and it made me want to read further to see how the investigation would unfold. Rather than a whodunit mystery, this story was laid out as a police procedural. We were able to follow the investigation step-by-step to learn how the police — and others involved — worked to catch a killer. The scenes progressed realistically in a compelling manner that drew the reader in. I liked how the suspense was on what the suspect would do next, rather than who the killer was.
From the first page of the story, we begin to get a clear idea of just how messed up all of the characters in this story truly are. The killer is delusional, the three friends; Daphne, Beth, and Robin are quirky and lovable; but, suffer from their own individual idiosyncrasy that makes them endearing and delightful. If you are looking for a fun, quick summer read, I’d definitely recommend you give this one a try.
Melanie P. Smith
June 9, 2018
Good Book
I really enjoyed this book. Have not read anything by this author before but will definitely read their other books..
I really enjoyed this book. Have not read anything by this author before but will definitely read their other books..
March 7, 2019
Writing can be murder…
An aspiring writer’s envy becomes murderous. A famous author found dead from poison. Who did it?
Story is told from multiple POV’s—from character’s experiencing life’s struggles. His sister, Daphne, is worried she’ll be blamed for his death. After all, she was the sole heir to his fortune. Personally, I thought the killer was Conrad because of his obsession with Daphne and jealousy of Leon’s writing success, and those were the killer’s thoughts in the beginning. If I was right, then the plot surely took a predictable trail.
In the midst, we have an anal detective sifting through boring clues, trying to find the killer, which was a bit daunting at times. The investigation felt pretty long. Everyone seemed to be a suspect, which seemed kind of wasteful especially since I already had the killer in mind. Story certainly became more convoluted as you progressed, which was a killer on my interest. Suddenly I really didn’t care who killed the egotistical bastard.
An aspiring writer’s envy becomes murderous. A famous author found dead from poison. Who did it?
Story is told from multiple POV’s—from character’s experiencing life’s struggles. His sister, Daphne, is worried she’ll be blamed for his death. After all, she was the sole heir to his fortune. Personally, I thought the killer was Conrad because of his obsession with Daphne and jealousy of Leon’s writing success, and those were the killer’s thoughts in the beginning. If I was right, then the plot surely took a predictable trail.
In the midst, we have an anal detective sifting through boring clues, trying to find the killer, which was a bit daunting at times. The investigation felt pretty long. Everyone seemed to be a suspect, which seemed kind of wasteful especially since I already had the killer in mind. Story certainly became more convoluted as you progressed, which was a killer on my interest. Suddenly I really didn’t care who killed the egotistical bastard.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews