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Revenge in 3 Parts
She fought for justice. Now she seeks revenge.
In this gripping psychological thriller and debut noir that takes the reader from Paris to Portland, Oregon, and finally to Kauai, criminal attorney Angeline Porter is forced to fight crime outside the law. Angeline thrives on crime--righting wrongs, fighting for justice, putting away murderers. But after rebuking the sexual advances of the head of her firm, plus putting away his friend, a serial rapist, Angeline is disbarred.
When Angeline's beautiful, but troubled sister Sophie commits suicide, she seeks to right the myriad of injustices that provoked her sister and acts to avenge her death.
Guilt for not protecting Sophie drives Angeline to investigate, and after discovering Sophie had a secret life, Ang knows she's in danger. She will lose everything, including her husband, as she battles an FBI agent, a stalker, an international crime extortionist racket, and an obsessively friendly neighbor. To maintain her grip on reality, she drinks, pops meds, and smokes in order to battle secretive, powerful forces that will do anything to stay on top.
Taut and intense with heart-pumping twists, Revenge in 3 Parts uses classic noir language laced with modern tropes--a hacker named Snoop, the Ashley Madison dating site, and Snapchat--and burns with contemporary femmes-noir energy creating a new crime genre and heroine for a disturbed modern age.
Finalist for the 2019 Nancy Pearl Book Award
In this gripping psychological thriller and debut noir that takes the reader from Paris to Portland, Oregon, and finally to Kauai, criminal attorney Angeline Porter is forced to fight crime outside the law. Angeline thrives on crime--righting wrongs, fighting for justice, putting away murderers. But after rebuking the sexual advances of the head of her firm, plus putting away his friend, a serial rapist, Angeline is disbarred.
When Angeline's beautiful, but troubled sister Sophie commits suicide, she seeks to right the myriad of injustices that provoked her sister and acts to avenge her death.
Guilt for not protecting Sophie drives Angeline to investigate, and after discovering Sophie had a secret life, Ang knows she's in danger. She will lose everything, including her husband, as she battles an FBI agent, a stalker, an international crime extortionist racket, and an obsessively friendly neighbor. To maintain her grip on reality, she drinks, pops meds, and smokes in order to battle secretive, powerful forces that will do anything to stay on top.
Taut and intense with heart-pumping twists, Revenge in 3 Parts uses classic noir language laced with modern tropes--a hacker named Snoop, the Ashley Madison dating site, and Snapchat--and burns with contemporary femmes-noir energy creating a new crime genre and heroine for a disturbed modern age.
Finalist for the 2019 Nancy Pearl Book Award
292 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 14, 2018
4 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Valerie J. Brooks
7 books57 followersI write about strong, gutsy women who make mistakes and have lots of baggage. As the saying goes, and I’ve expanded upon, “Well-behaved women seldom make history—or good novels.”
A lifelong writer and reader, I read everything from Daphne du Maurier to the latest Scandinavian crime writers. My English war bride mom and my artistic army officer dad raised me and my two siblings in ultra conservative New Hampshire during the 1950-60s. Growing up in puritanical New England, I was drawn to the gothic, to secrets, mystery, and the dark side of human nature. As my English mum once said, “You’re a good girl who wants to be bad.” Now I have the perfect conduit for my “bad girl” side—writing noir.
I’ve received an Elizabeth George Foundation grant and the Monticello Award for Fiction. I served as fiction editor at Northwest Review for four years, as a member on the board of directors for Oregon Writers Colony, and was co-founder of the Willamette Writers Speakers Series. My work has appeared in Scent of Cedars: Promising Writers of the Pacific Northwest (Russell Dean & Company) and France, a Love Story (Seal Press/Avalon).
If I were hypnotized and regressed, I probably would have been a psychiatrist or a witch.
A lifelong writer and reader, I read everything from Daphne du Maurier to the latest Scandinavian crime writers. My English war bride mom and my artistic army officer dad raised me and my two siblings in ultra conservative New Hampshire during the 1950-60s. Growing up in puritanical New England, I was drawn to the gothic, to secrets, mystery, and the dark side of human nature. As my English mum once said, “You’re a good girl who wants to be bad.” Now I have the perfect conduit for my “bad girl” side—writing noir.
I’ve received an Elizabeth George Foundation grant and the Monticello Award for Fiction. I served as fiction editor at Northwest Review for four years, as a member on the board of directors for Oregon Writers Colony, and was co-founder of the Willamette Writers Speakers Series. My work has appeared in Scent of Cedars: Promising Writers of the Pacific Northwest (Russell Dean & Company) and France, a Love Story (Seal Press/Avalon).
If I were hypnotized and regressed, I probably would have been a psychiatrist or a witch.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 18, 2018
What I really enjoyed about REVENGE IN THREE PARTS was that – without sacrificing any sense of character at all – the plot moves at such a dazzling speed. Part of that is this is three novellas running together, so there are three distinct plots. But read as a whole, it still flows brilliantly – despite our protagonist’s life being in such a different place a third of the way through the book to how it is at the beginning. Even with that, it still makes perfect sense.
A large part of that is in Angeline, we have an absolutely brilliant central character. Brooks has created a great heroine – smart, resourceful, ruthless, but also undeniably flawed. She is never passive. Even when things happen to her, she never just sits back and takes them. She always responds, and it’s the way she responds (and the mistakes she makes in responding) that keep her journey so incredibly readable.
Angeline’s beloved sister has killed herself and Angeline believes she knows who’s responsible for the despair which led to her sister’s destruction. But is everything as it seems? And thus begins a genuinely surprising zig-zag plot (most of these zigs caused by Angeline herself) in a fantastic thriller debut.
A large part of that is in Angeline, we have an absolutely brilliant central character. Brooks has created a great heroine – smart, resourceful, ruthless, but also undeniably flawed. She is never passive. Even when things happen to her, she never just sits back and takes them. She always responds, and it’s the way she responds (and the mistakes she makes in responding) that keep her journey so incredibly readable.
Angeline’s beloved sister has killed herself and Angeline believes she knows who’s responsible for the despair which led to her sister’s destruction. But is everything as it seems? And thus begins a genuinely surprising zig-zag plot (most of these zigs caused by Angeline herself) in a fantastic thriller debut.
January 7, 2023
Unique with the varied plot lines, but each piece fits together into a thrilling whole. Crime noir at its best.
November 27, 2018
What a page-turner. I loved the pace of this thriller, which was certainly not slow, but also not too fast, creating an invigorating read. Angeline’s thought process pulled me right in, her contemplations and questions becoming mine. Despite being griped with fear, anxieties, guilt, and second-guessing herself, Angeline wastes no time acting on her hunches to right a wrong (or has she?). Disturbing carnal urges ad to the suspense, and vices are readily available to assuage her pain. Paris is a magical setting for this crime and the balmy beaches and precarious cliffs of Kauai the perfect setting for the twists and action to follow. All I can say is Valerie J. Brooks better get cracking on a sequel.
January 13, 2019
Bravo to Mademoselle Valerie! She takes us for a dark and delightful romp through the City of Light, then transports us to Portland, OR, the hippest city in the Pacific Northwest, and completes our adventure in Kauai, the crown jewel of the Hawaiian Islands. The writing crackles and the story is intriguing, with brilliant twists that made me gasp. Thanks to her tough and sexy character, Angeline, I am researching the hotels where she stayed and interesting, out of the way things to do for future travel to all three cities. Valerie has a special gift in creating character in the places themselves and finding the noir underbelly in the geography and culture of these three very different cities. How refreshing to discover a great new writer in the noir genre. More please!
Karla Droste
Karla Droste
December 18, 2018
I'd never read noir before. I found I liked it. The Angeline character was real and memorable, someone I could relate to and have a conversation with. I also really liked the travel elements and sense of place in the book(s). I read this book in the original three-part release and look forward to reading it all in one go. I'm also waiting for the next book! Bring on Book 2.
December 25, 2018
I just polished off Revenge in 3 Parts and I loved it! A well-told page turner that follows a kickass female protagonist through many noir-ish twists and turns. Loved her voice, her stamina, and her grit. She and I could be friends. :) My only "complaint" - I didn't want it to end. Sequel, please!
January 28, 2019
A very sophisticated page turner. It kept me engaged from beginning to end. A unique and non-formulaic thriller. The rich descriptions of the different settings where the story takes place just adds to the reading pleasure - almost a travelogue. If you like mystery and unpredictability you are going to enjoy this novel.
January 28, 2019
This is a fast, exciting read. Nothing at all predictable here! I read each part separately as they were put online, but I think reading it all at once would be great... I couldn't wait to see what happened next. Easy style, fun travelogue, a great travel read now that it's in softcover. Enjoy!
March 18, 2023
This book has a very original plot and is filled with twists and turns, making it entertaining to read. The characters, however, seem a little off, and the main character isn't as smart as she should be.
April 20, 2023
This is the first book by Ms. Brooks that I have read, but it won't be the last. It is intense, fast-paced, heart-pounding, heart-breaking, suspenseful, full of characters who aren't who they say they are, with plenty of action, and revelations that were totally unexpected. There is a constant feeling that Angi's life is about to blow up in her face at any moment without having any idea what will set it off. I enjoyed the fact that the setting for the story moved from the Pacific Northwest to Paris, and to the Hawaiian Islands. Ms. Brooks does a great job of describing the setting so well the reader feels as if they are there. But at the same, not in such minute detail that it slows down the story. Of course, I'm not sure anything could slow down the pace of this story. It takes off from the very first pages and rarely slows down.. And whatever you do, don't start this book unless you have a solid block of uninterrupted time. Having to put it down will make you crazy.! I highly recommend this book.
I received a review copy from the author at my request via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
I received a review copy from the author at my request via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
October 15, 2018
I read this book when the three parts were single novellas. Every one was terrific. The last part in Kauai was especially terrifying. The writing style is excellent. Ms. Brooks grabs you in Paris and doesn’t turn you lose. The first part was a surprise. I received it free as part of my Prime membership and I am glad I selected it. The story kept you on the edge of your seat until the very end. I kept hoping that Angeline would see her mistakes and just move on BUT she had to go through the process in her own way. The ending was a surprise. Good writing and challenging series. She travels to Paris as part of the story but at the end of the book, the author gives lots of tips for where to go in Paris, where to eat, and in general makes the reader want to go to Paris. The 2nd part in Portland, Oregon, Well, this was the 2nd book in the Angeline series and I sure hope I never meet Ang. She is a former lawyer who is caught up in some really bad events. Her sister dies, then her husband is injured seriously by her but accidentally, then he dies. She is seeking to get money by hiring out as an escort and then extorting money from the men. she needs the money to get her husband an operation to save his life. She continues on her merry way until she finds out that she is being stalked because of a plot her sister got involved in. The third part in this series is set in Kauai, Hawaii. Angeline is hiding out got escape her past. Things don’t go as she hopes but the stories are riveting and you will be glad you got this new consolidated version. Angeline is not someone you want to meet but she is an awesome character in these three thrillers.
November 6, 2022
Brooks gives readers a flawed heroine bent on revenge. The novel is an exploration of the main character, Angeline. Her life changes incredibly when she finds her sister dead from suicide. She is determined to find out who was responsible for her sister's desperate act. Her initial actions precipitate a cascade of events, each one revealing a new truth. She heads ever deeper into a web of misinformation, deceit and lies.
I had difficulty initially liking Angela. She was a mixture of periodic strength with overarching weaknesses. She drank to excess. She was frequently disoriented in her being, numb to the world, distracted when talking with a person, slowed by indecision, fumbling her plans. As the novel progressed, Angela got off her meds and became more focused. I liked her a bit by the end. Much of the character development was through desperate thinking rather than heroic action.
Brook's writing style is quick and clipped. Sentences are short. It makes for a plot that keeps moving even though much of the text is Angela thinking about the future and the past and other possibilities. There are plenty of twists and turns and nearly unbelievable characters revelations. The novel is an interesting study of what can happen when a person takes the law into their own hands.
I think Angela is just getting in her stride. I trust there will be future novels featuring her and I look forward to seeing how she stabilizes into a flawed yet worthy heroine.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.
I had difficulty initially liking Angela. She was a mixture of periodic strength with overarching weaknesses. She drank to excess. She was frequently disoriented in her being, numb to the world, distracted when talking with a person, slowed by indecision, fumbling her plans. As the novel progressed, Angela got off her meds and became more focused. I liked her a bit by the end. Much of the character development was through desperate thinking rather than heroic action.
Brook's writing style is quick and clipped. Sentences are short. It makes for a plot that keeps moving even though much of the text is Angela thinking about the future and the past and other possibilities. There are plenty of twists and turns and nearly unbelievable characters revelations. The novel is an interesting study of what can happen when a person takes the law into their own hands.
I think Angela is just getting in her stride. I trust there will be future novels featuring her and I look forward to seeing how she stabilizes into a flawed yet worthy heroine.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.
October 12, 2020
Revenge in 3 Parts is about a former criminal attorney, Angeline Porter, with an unconventional approach to justice. Not everyone is going to agree with her choices, and I screamed “No, no, no, don’t do that!” in multiple places in the book, and of course she did those things anyway, but that’s what makes her a fascinating protagonist. Angeline is a bold character. She thinks on her feet, makes decisions too fast, and has to dig herself out of the mires of the consequences. She’ll shock you, befuddle you, and still make you root for her to prevail.
As the book opens she’s lost her sister to suicide and pursues revenge against her sister’s French lover, whom she holds responsible. This takes her to Paris to find him. Just when she thinks she’s won and she can relax, she learns about her sister’s hidden secrets. Sophie has stolen millions of dollars from Angeline’s husband’s company. In true psychologic thriller fashion, revelations gush out like water from a fire hose and Angeline reels to keep up. Her plans for revenge must shift at each new twist – because it’s Revenge in 3 Parts, of course. I was repeatedly stunned by the plot twists as the novel spun out, taking us from Paris, to Portland, Oregon, to Hawaii for the shocking finish.
As the book opens she’s lost her sister to suicide and pursues revenge against her sister’s French lover, whom she holds responsible. This takes her to Paris to find him. Just when she thinks she’s won and she can relax, she learns about her sister’s hidden secrets. Sophie has stolen millions of dollars from Angeline’s husband’s company. In true psychologic thriller fashion, revelations gush out like water from a fire hose and Angeline reels to keep up. Her plans for revenge must shift at each new twist – because it’s Revenge in 3 Parts, of course. I was repeatedly stunned by the plot twists as the novel spun out, taking us from Paris, to Portland, Oregon, to Hawaii for the shocking finish.
April 1, 2023
Thanks to Netgalley and Black Leather Jacket Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Ang travels from Portland to Paris in disguise to seek revenge on the man she believes led her sister to suicide.
3.5 stars.
I was sucked into requesting this book because it takes place in Paris and Kauai. I thought the author did a good job of describing those places and that part felt authentic. But I felt Ang made some strange decisions throughout and that is what stopped me from throughly enjoying this book. It was short and pretty fast paced. There were twists and times I was surprised by a reveal, but I couldn’t get past some of the decisions Ang was making so it was an ok read overall.
Ang travels from Portland to Paris in disguise to seek revenge on the man she believes led her sister to suicide.
3.5 stars.
I was sucked into requesting this book because it takes place in Paris and Kauai. I thought the author did a good job of describing those places and that part felt authentic. But I felt Ang made some strange decisions throughout and that is what stopped me from throughly enjoying this book. It was short and pretty fast paced. There were twists and times I was surprised by a reveal, but I couldn’t get past some of the decisions Ang was making so it was an ok read overall.
November 2, 2022
To say Valerie J. Brooks’ novel, Revenge in 3 Parts, is a page-turner doesn’t do it justice. And justice is the name of this game for Angeline Porter, a woman who makes no excuses for any and all actions needed to find out who killed her sister. Book one of the trilogy kept me on edge wondering what Ang was going to do at any given moment. Don’t waste your energy trying to predict what’s on the next page. You’re going to need every ounce to get to the last one. Just enjoy it with the full abandon of putting your faith in a great read. And even though you are on a twisting, wet road on a rainy night, you’ll get home safely in the end. Well, maybe not safely … but home. Three cheers for the Femme Noir!
October 19, 2018
Awesome first novel by Ms. Brooks! I LOVED it! It kept me wanting more as I followed our heroine on her journey. I won't give anything away (I hate that) nor will I rehash the back cover (why bother, you can obviously read that!) What I WILL say is, run, don't walk to your local bookstore and buy this book! Or Amazon if you play that way! If you love mystery, suspense, women, women involved in a good suspenseful mystery, this is the novel for you! Ang (our heroine) will have you rooting for her immediately. Is she someone you know? Someone you'd like to? Is she you? Read on sister! You'll thank me later!
April 5, 2019
I found myself fully immersed in Angeline's world nearly from the start! Only out of obligation to reality did I put down the book. I was excited to find out what would happen next and almost sad that the book ended. I say almost because I like how Valerie ended the story; leaving that little bit of mystery open for the next installment yet enough closer to feel satisfied that the book did, in fact, have an ending. I look forward to reading the rest of the series as it gets published.
(review is cross-posted)
(review is cross-posted)
August 9, 2020
A very satisfying read. I'd felt a bit smug at first because not even half way through Part One I believed I'd figured it out (which initially left me disappointed, too). However, the writing was so well crafted and enjoyably pace, the characters so on-the-mark that I continued on, and quickly realized the skill of this author. She'd gone far beyond me in concept, my initial assumption had been dead wrong, the main character stayed perfectly attuned to her core to the very end.
Will love another one!
Will love another one!
March 13, 2023
Angeline Porter isn't your typical heroine. She will stop at nothing--including murder--to get revenge for her sister's death. How she commits these murders will hold the reader on the edge of his seat. Then once the bad guy is dead, the reader wonders, "Now what?" And the story takes an unexpected twist that will leave the reader breathless. The story moves fast, and all the twists and turns make this a good read. And the best part? There are two more in the series! Yessss!!!
April 11, 2019
Kept me entralled
The odd thing is that in all my years of reading fiction, I have never been drawn to murder & mystery. But Revenge in 3 Parts kept me on the edge of my seat ( so to speak) and totally enthralled. I was right there!
The odd thing is that in all my years of reading fiction, I have never been drawn to murder & mystery. But Revenge in 3 Parts kept me on the edge of my seat ( so to speak) and totally enthralled. I was right there!
November 24, 2019
I devoured this. Noir/thriller isn’t usually my choice genre but I was given this as a gift. I really enjoyed it. There are some issues with timeline in the first part that threw me off, but the story was so compelling I just went with it.
April 5, 2019
I started reading this book because the author is my friend and finished it because I couldn't put it down. Best breakout noir novel ever!
December 1, 2020
Suspenseful, full of lots of plot twists and surprises. I wish it didn't end with a cliff hanger, but it was a great read!
February 17, 2021
A compelling read. I did not the ending
April 28, 2023
This story grabs you with an impressive twisty plot that won't let go. The heroine is a smart criminal defense lawyer who figures stuff out, but her sanity is under enough stress that you're never quite sure if you can trust her. And the trail of events forces you to constantly recalcuate what you thought was going on. An accomplished thriller.
June 30, 2023
I’m looking forward to seeing where the author takes us with the next two books in the series as it felt like this was really the start of something. The protagonist is annoyingly real in the way which she makes mistakes and this was both engaging and jarring in equal measure. Overall, though, she is a character I want to see more of.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews