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Hobby Lobby Mysteries #1
The Exchange
Battered physically and psychologically in the wake of a horrific car accident, Erika Wernick takes a leave from her post as a reporter at the Seattle Times to return home to Big Bear Lake to recover.
Intent on nothing more than holing up in the mountains to let herself mend, she is begrudgingly pulled along by her uncle to join him and his friends for their morning coffee at the local shop.
Thinking it is nothing more than a few recent retirees in need of filling the time, it isn’t until she arrives that she discovers the gathering is of a much different nature. Joining her uncle, the former town sheriff, is Craig Cobb, a past detective with LAPD, and Lou Tobias, a medical examiner from nearby Riverside. Together, the three men form the Hobby Lobby, a term of affection given to the group that meets each morning to help each other through the various hobby cases each picked up over the course of their careers.
Initially seeing the men as nothing more than a curiosity, it isn’t until Erika learns of the tragic death of a former classmate that she begins to put stock into what they do. Seeing a lot of herself in the girl she hasn’t spoken to in years, she begins to prod at the supposed suicide, looking past the macabre surface at the details surrounding the incident.
Details that hint of far greater influences beginning to circle the idyllic mountain town than any of them could have ever imagined…
Intent on nothing more than holing up in the mountains to let herself mend, she is begrudgingly pulled along by her uncle to join him and his friends for their morning coffee at the local shop.
Thinking it is nothing more than a few recent retirees in need of filling the time, it isn’t until she arrives that she discovers the gathering is of a much different nature. Joining her uncle, the former town sheriff, is Craig Cobb, a past detective with LAPD, and Lou Tobias, a medical examiner from nearby Riverside. Together, the three men form the Hobby Lobby, a term of affection given to the group that meets each morning to help each other through the various hobby cases each picked up over the course of their careers.
Initially seeing the men as nothing more than a curiosity, it isn’t until Erika learns of the tragic death of a former classmate that she begins to put stock into what they do. Seeing a lot of herself in the girl she hasn’t spoken to in years, she begins to prod at the supposed suicide, looking past the macabre surface at the details surrounding the incident.
Details that hint of far greater influences beginning to circle the idyllic mountain town than any of them could have ever imagined…
430 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 23, 2018
2989 people are currently reading
404 people want to read
About the author
Dustin Stevens
86 books318 followersI originally hail from the midwest, growing up in the heart of farm country, and still consider it, along with West Tennessee, my co-home. Between the two, I have a firm belief that football is the greatest of all past-times, sweet tea is really the only acceptable beverage for any occasion, there is not an event on earth that either gym shorts or boots can't be worn to, and that Dairy Queen is the best restaurant on the planet. Further, southern accents are a highly likeable feature on most everybody, English bulldogs sit atop the critter hierarchy, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with a Saturday night spent catfishing at the lake.
Since leaving the midwest I've been to college in New England, grad school in the Rockies, and lived in over a dozen different cities ranging from DC to Honolulu along the way. Each and every one of these experiences has shaped who I am at this point, a fact I hope is expressed in my writing. I have developed enormous affinity for locales and people of every size and shape, and even if I never figure out a way to properly convey them on paper, I am very much grateful for their presence in my life.
To sum it up, I asked a very good friend recently how they would describe me for something like this. Their response: "Plagued by realism and trained by experiences/education to be a pessimist, you somehow remain above all else an active dreamer." While I can't say those are the exact words I would choose, I can't say they're wrong. I travel, live in different places, try new foods, meet all kinds of different people, and above all else stay curious to a fault.
Here's hoping it continues to provide us all with some pretty good stories...
Since leaving the midwest I've been to college in New England, grad school in the Rockies, and lived in over a dozen different cities ranging from DC to Honolulu along the way. Each and every one of these experiences has shaped who I am at this point, a fact I hope is expressed in my writing. I have developed enormous affinity for locales and people of every size and shape, and even if I never figure out a way to properly convey them on paper, I am very much grateful for their presence in my life.
To sum it up, I asked a very good friend recently how they would describe me for something like this. Their response: "Plagued by realism and trained by experiences/education to be a pessimist, you somehow remain above all else an active dreamer." While I can't say those are the exact words I would choose, I can't say they're wrong. I travel, live in different places, try new foods, meet all kinds of different people, and above all else stay curious to a fault.
Here's hoping it continues to provide us all with some pretty good stories...
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
August 30, 2019
That was better than I thought it would be and better than it sounds. Something a bit different and quite relatable. Nothing hard boiled just a decent mystery.
November 2, 2018
I love the way you write!
The Exchange is a terrific story and I enjoyed reading it very much. I've read quite a few of books by Dustin Stevens and liked every one.
The Exchange is a terrific story and I enjoyed reading it very much. I've read quite a few of books by Dustin Stevens and liked every one.
December 2, 2018
Erika Wernick is nagged into going to the local cafe to join her uncle, a retired town sheriff and his group of retirees. She thinks they just sit around and talk about the "good ole days" but she soon finds that this is not the case! They have formed what they call the Hobby Lobby, where they take cold cases and try to figure them out. After all who better than a retired sheriff, police detective and medical examiner. It's like a group of the TV shows, McCloud, Quincy, and any other cop show you want to add your favorite character from. When Erika gets more involved into the Hobby Lobby and what case they are working one, things hit close to home....too close. I loved the characters, the story line kept you interested and wanting more! I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of the book. Get it you won't be sorry!
December 2, 2018
Powerful and poignant
Dustin Stevens delivers yet again with this novel set in an idyllic rural area threatened by corrupt developers trying to monopolize the market. The twisted web gains the attention of a retired group known as the hobby lobby through a supposed suicide that looks suspicious. The twists and switch backs in this plot hiding the nefarious activities are interwoven with a tale of companionship, honor and love.
No spoilers here. Just know that any Dustin Stevens novel is a wild ride and well worth the five star rating. Happy reading.
Dustin Stevens delivers yet again with this novel set in an idyllic rural area threatened by corrupt developers trying to monopolize the market. The twisted web gains the attention of a retired group known as the hobby lobby through a supposed suicide that looks suspicious. The twists and switch backs in this plot hiding the nefarious activities are interwoven with a tale of companionship, honor and love.
No spoilers here. Just know that any Dustin Stevens novel is a wild ride and well worth the five star rating. Happy reading.
June 27, 2023
Remember when you were a kid, and you didn’t want to try a new food because the name sounded funny, and your mom would say, “Just try it, you’ll like it”.
So you did, and you LOVED it.
This was my exact experience with “The Exchange”—but no mothers involved…
The name “Hobby Lobby” just really put me off. And then the description of these retired oldsters investigating old cases—it just conjured up images of Angela-Lansbury Murder-She-Wrote-busybodies snooping around—just so wrong.
What an idiot.
You’d think after 50 Dustin Steven novels under my belt I’d have known better (“The Exchange” was literally number 51) but man, some prejudices are as tough to overcome as they are irrational.
Let me briefly tell you why this turned out to be one of my favorite Stevens novels ever, and why I can’t wait for the upcoming release of the long awaited second book in the series, “Badger Games”, coming in August.
While the cast of characters is comprised of retired law enforcement workers, they are all interesting, unique people that contribute both important details and color to the story. But the heavy lifting of the story is done by a young, 30-something reporter, struggling with the common themes of self-discovery, self-worth, doing what’s right at great personal expense—all that good stuff.
The ”Exchange” also delves into common Stevens themes of small town corruption by outside forces, the perversion of the American Dream by makeshift immigrant families that had to forge their own path battling discrimination and their own humble origins, but lose their true values along the way. And what really makes this book unique is it expands even wider by involving National politics, and how it can influence even small-town politics and daily lives—and surprisingly, vice versa, including national law enforcement in the form of the FBI.
“The Exchange” tackles some familiar thematic territory, but in a more complex and on a larger scale than many other novels. It does all this while sacrificing none of the sneaky Stevens emotional engagement and page turning thriller elements, ultimately creating a deeply emotionally satisfying, exciting, and thought-provoking novel.
Take it from mom, and me—try it, you’ll love it.
So you did, and you LOVED it.
This was my exact experience with “The Exchange”—but no mothers involved…
The name “Hobby Lobby” just really put me off. And then the description of these retired oldsters investigating old cases—it just conjured up images of Angela-Lansbury Murder-She-Wrote-busybodies snooping around—just so wrong.
What an idiot.
You’d think after 50 Dustin Steven novels under my belt I’d have known better (“The Exchange” was literally number 51) but man, some prejudices are as tough to overcome as they are irrational.
Let me briefly tell you why this turned out to be one of my favorite Stevens novels ever, and why I can’t wait for the upcoming release of the long awaited second book in the series, “Badger Games”, coming in August.
While the cast of characters is comprised of retired law enforcement workers, they are all interesting, unique people that contribute both important details and color to the story. But the heavy lifting of the story is done by a young, 30-something reporter, struggling with the common themes of self-discovery, self-worth, doing what’s right at great personal expense—all that good stuff.
The ”Exchange” also delves into common Stevens themes of small town corruption by outside forces, the perversion of the American Dream by makeshift immigrant families that had to forge their own path battling discrimination and their own humble origins, but lose their true values along the way. And what really makes this book unique is it expands even wider by involving National politics, and how it can influence even small-town politics and daily lives—and surprisingly, vice versa, including national law enforcement in the form of the FBI.
“The Exchange” tackles some familiar thematic territory, but in a more complex and on a larger scale than many other novels. It does all this while sacrificing none of the sneaky Stevens emotional engagement and page turning thriller elements, ultimately creating a deeply emotionally satisfying, exciting, and thought-provoking novel.
Take it from mom, and me—try it, you’ll love it.
January 24, 2019
Interesting plot
I downloaded this book because it was set in my area of Southern California, and I always like reading stories set in my neck of the woods. The plot is interesting and ties together well, although the end feels rushed. I do feel that the characters are a bit one dimensional. We get snippets of the past events that shape the main characters, but never the whole story. For instance, the main character, Erika, was in a bad accident, but you only hear bits and pieces about it, even though it is such a big part of her life, and is in fact the reason she came to Big Bear, starting the whole story-ball rolling. The reason I only gave this three stars was because of the poor editing. Character names get flip-flopped, extra words are interjected, similar words are traded for the actual words - Rhonda “squeezed” away (squeaked away on her work shoes maybe, or even slipped away, walked away.) At one point Maynor becomes Myron. The biggest goof was describing an oval shaped rug as “ovular”, meaning ovum or egg, female reproductive cells in plants. Come on. Bad proofreading will cause me to quit a book halfway. No excuse. For this reason I won’t be reading anymore books by this author.
I downloaded this book because it was set in my area of Southern California, and I always like reading stories set in my neck of the woods. The plot is interesting and ties together well, although the end feels rushed. I do feel that the characters are a bit one dimensional. We get snippets of the past events that shape the main characters, but never the whole story. For instance, the main character, Erika, was in a bad accident, but you only hear bits and pieces about it, even though it is such a big part of her life, and is in fact the reason she came to Big Bear, starting the whole story-ball rolling. The reason I only gave this three stars was because of the poor editing. Character names get flip-flopped, extra words are interjected, similar words are traded for the actual words - Rhonda “squeezed” away (squeaked away on her work shoes maybe, or even slipped away, walked away.) At one point Maynor becomes Myron. The biggest goof was describing an oval shaped rug as “ovular”, meaning ovum or egg, female reproductive cells in plants. Come on. Bad proofreading will cause me to quit a book halfway. No excuse. For this reason I won’t be reading anymore books by this author.
May 11, 2024
I've loved all the stories that I have read by this author. When Dustin Stevens writes, I read! As others have mentioned, Hobby Lobby, made it sound as though it might be a little too tame for my taste. I am happy to say, I was not disappointed at all.
Erika injured in a car wreck goes home to mom to heal from her injuries and finds out that a girl she had worked with on her high school paper, had committed suicide. After running into the girl's mom at the graveyard while visiting her father, Erika's curiosity is piqued.
Erika's uncle (retired Sheriff) and a few other retired fellas spent their retirement analyzing old cases, ones their minds still held onto, that where either not solved, or they felt that something was off about the resolution. Erika presented the Hobby Lobby with this suspicious "suicide" and it was off to the races.
The plot and many twists where all tied up in a neat bow at the end.
I will say that it was a bit hard for me to get the characters straight in my mind. I feel there could have been a bit more character development up front. I am not the most comprehensive reader, so part of that is my own issue. I'm glad I got past my initial impression based on the cover of the book or I would have missed out on another great story by Dustin Stevens.
Erika injured in a car wreck goes home to mom to heal from her injuries and finds out that a girl she had worked with on her high school paper, had committed suicide. After running into the girl's mom at the graveyard while visiting her father, Erika's curiosity is piqued.
Erika's uncle (retired Sheriff) and a few other retired fellas spent their retirement analyzing old cases, ones their minds still held onto, that where either not solved, or they felt that something was off about the resolution. Erika presented the Hobby Lobby with this suspicious "suicide" and it was off to the races.
The plot and many twists where all tied up in a neat bow at the end.
I will say that it was a bit hard for me to get the characters straight in my mind. I feel there could have been a bit more character development up front. I am not the most comprehensive reader, so part of that is my own issue. I'm glad I got past my initial impression based on the cover of the book or I would have missed out on another great story by Dustin Stevens.
June 13, 2023
Just finished reading this as part of the ARC team and promised to give an honest review so here goes. I couldn't put it down. Set in lovely Big Bear California 2 retired law enforcement officers and a retired medical examiner meet each day at the local diner to go over "hobby cases" which are basically cold or closed cases which don't really sit well with them. Add Big Ern's niece, a journalist who is back in her hometown recouping from a major car accident and well you can take it from there. This case is not really a cold case being as it was only 6 months prior happened but when these 4 started looking into it it grew into a suicide that couldn't have been a suicide as well as a politician (surprising huh?) and a hit man working for 2 scary individuals. Like I said, I couldn't put it down and now Mr. Stevens has a second book coming out in August featuring the Hobby Lobbys and I can't wait. Maybe we'll find out who the guy is who is always sitting at the counter.
September 17, 2023
It started slowly for me but once it picked up steam it was full speed ahead!
I have read other books by this author so I decided to give this one a try. It started really slowly and muddled for me. So many character introductions, so much POV switching, lots of info I felt like I was missing. It gradually got better as I got in the groove with all the different characters/POVs. Once we got into the meat of the story and there was more doing than telling I felt attached to the story and once the action picked up it was full steam ahead. The last twenty percent I couldn’t put the book down and stayed up until 4 am to finish it.
I felt there were quite a few information gaps. I wanted to know more about the characters which would help inform me in terms of their actions and choices. I also wanted a much more definitive ending, perhaps an epilogue giving the final resolutions.
I enjoyed the premise and I look forward to seeing what the next book holds.
I have read other books by this author so I decided to give this one a try. It started really slowly and muddled for me. So many character introductions, so much POV switching, lots of info I felt like I was missing. It gradually got better as I got in the groove with all the different characters/POVs. Once we got into the meat of the story and there was more doing than telling I felt attached to the story and once the action picked up it was full steam ahead. The last twenty percent I couldn’t put the book down and stayed up until 4 am to finish it.
I felt there were quite a few information gaps. I wanted to know more about the characters which would help inform me in terms of their actions and choices. I also wanted a much more definitive ending, perhaps an epilogue giving the final resolutions.
I enjoyed the premise and I look forward to seeing what the next book holds.
January 11, 2021
I'm confused. I felt like I had come into the middle of a story here somehow. Then I realize that this book is part of a series, although I can't find any other books in the series. Yet I have this feeling that something should have come BEFORE this story. I wanted to know more about Erika's accident. It played a role in this book, but I never really got it. And the Hobby Lobby gang. I want to know more about how that got started. I didn't really get to know the characters that well. And the story was a bit disjointed -- I usually like books with shorter chapters, which this one had, but the chapters bounced between these short scenes that left me a bit confused at times. Also, the book needs a good editing! Weird choices of words sometimes, etc. That said, overall it was a decent book with an interesting, if somewhat confusing, plot. I just feel there's a lot missing.
July 3, 2023
I have to agree with Bruce Bockman - when I first heard the nickname Hobby Lobby, I wasn't really very enticed and didn't know what to expect with what I thought was a standalone adventure. Now that it's been outed that a second book is on the way, I realized it must have something good going for it.
Indeed! Once again, Stevens finds a way to make a compelling tale by spinning multiple separate threads which coalesce into a tale of greed, violence, and finally justice for the wronged. The Hobby Lobby turns out to be a crack crew of retirees, and along with young reporter Erika eventually put it all together so the good guys come out on top.
A definite page turner, you won't go wrong with this fast paced read and I'm now anxiously awaiting the second book in the series! Highly recommended.
Indeed! Once again, Stevens finds a way to make a compelling tale by spinning multiple separate threads which coalesce into a tale of greed, violence, and finally justice for the wronged. The Hobby Lobby turns out to be a crack crew of retirees, and along with young reporter Erika eventually put it all together so the good guys come out on top.
A definite page turner, you won't go wrong with this fast paced read and I'm now anxiously awaiting the second book in the series! Highly recommended.
November 17, 2018
This is my first Dustin book and it wasn't bad. Erika is so troubled at some points I felt bad she had so much stuff to sort out to be whole. I felt there was going to be more to her car accident. There was some twist in the story that honestly had me spooked. In a good spooked way. I know that night time reading was limited. There was a few different characters in the story and I questioned how they where going to fit together. I wish it didn't take so long but it worked out in the end. The end was fast moving and wow. Some people I would have liked to see more of.
It took a minute for me to get into this book. But, once I did I am glad I read it. I look forward to checking out more of Dustin's books in the future. I received this book as a ARC for a honest review.
It took a minute for me to get into this book. But, once I did I am glad I read it. I look forward to checking out more of Dustin's books in the future. I received this book as a ARC for a honest review.
June 30, 2023
Hobby Looby Book1
The Exchange is a book that was written in 2018.
The setting is a small mountain town called Big Bear Lake. Erika Wernick returns home to recover from a horrendous car accident, and agrees to meet her Uncle and two of his retired buddies. These guys refer to themselves as the Hobby Lobby and spend time reviewing unsolved cold cases.
The group decide to investigate a young reporter whose death was ruled a suicide.
This book is filled with twists and turns, which we are familiar with and have come to expect with Stevens crime series.
After 6 years, Stevens has written another adventure of the Hobby Lobby gang, Badger Games. I can't wait to read this next book in the series.
The Exchange is a book that was written in 2018.
The setting is a small mountain town called Big Bear Lake. Erika Wernick returns home to recover from a horrendous car accident, and agrees to meet her Uncle and two of his retired buddies. These guys refer to themselves as the Hobby Lobby and spend time reviewing unsolved cold cases.
The group decide to investigate a young reporter whose death was ruled a suicide.
This book is filled with twists and turns, which we are familiar with and have come to expect with Stevens crime series.
After 6 years, Stevens has written another adventure of the Hobby Lobby gang, Badger Games. I can't wait to read this next book in the series.
June 9, 2020
I had a hard time getting into, The Exchange, and found that it jumped around a lot and didn't hold my interest like I'd hope. The story line and characters had good potential....Erika was a journalist who was severely injured in an accident, however it seemed like that whole back story was pretty vague. She came home to family and the mountains to recover mentally and physically. Eventually, she's talked into sitting in with a group of retired folks who look into cold cases, as a way to bring herself out of her slump and depression. Erika gets the group involved in a local case that was deemed a suicide, opening a can of worms that brings danger right to her doorstep.
October 22, 2023
Did anyone edit this book???
I must say that I was hesitant to start this book because of its subtitle- The Hobby Lobby Mysteries. I do not agree with that store's corporate policies but the book was free and it wasn't based on the craft stores.
That being said, there were so many grammatical errors in just the first few pages that I bailed. For example, "Faint and indiscreet, she ..." No, the light was faint and indescreet, not the character. Then, "In the six weeks she had been back, there was not a single morning that Erika had managed to sleep through the night." That is so mangled that I'm not going to waste my time trying to untangle it!
I must say that I was hesitant to start this book because of its subtitle- The Hobby Lobby Mysteries. I do not agree with that store's corporate policies but the book was free and it wasn't based on the craft stores.
That being said, there were so many grammatical errors in just the first few pages that I bailed. For example, "Faint and indiscreet, she ..." No, the light was faint and indescreet, not the character. Then, "In the six weeks she had been back, there was not a single morning that Erika had managed to sleep through the night." That is so mangled that I'm not going to waste my time trying to untangle it!
November 27, 2018
Page turner thriller.
A friend recommended this book and I am glad she did! I enjoy finding new authors and I liked this book a lot.
The story has a nice flow even if it starts with separate “scenes” that don’t seem to have any connection with each other.... just what you would expect when watching a movie. They gradually get linked until the end when it becomes whole and it all makes sense.
What I also liked was how small gestures and reactions are described, little things that are usually implied but help visualize the interractions as if you were in it, not just reading about it.
A friend recommended this book and I am glad she did! I enjoy finding new authors and I liked this book a lot.
The story has a nice flow even if it starts with separate “scenes” that don’t seem to have any connection with each other.... just what you would expect when watching a movie. They gradually get linked until the end when it becomes whole and it all makes sense.
What I also liked was how small gestures and reactions are described, little things that are usually implied but help visualize the interractions as if you were in it, not just reading about it.
December 2, 2018
Vigilante Justice Thriller
Erika Wernick home recovering from Nan accident asks her Uncle Ern and his Hobby Lobby friends Lou Tobias and Craig Cobb to help her look into Callie Smith's suicide. Callie's mother Maeve doesn't believe she would have done that. FBI Agent Dallas Raines wants to get the man responsible nfor killing his partner Cale Lunardi. Well written book will keep you engaged from beginning to the end. Story is full of emotions. Despair, hope, anger and happiness fill the pages. A wonderful read.
Erika Wernick home recovering from Nan accident asks her Uncle Ern and his Hobby Lobby friends Lou Tobias and Craig Cobb to help her look into Callie Smith's suicide. Callie's mother Maeve doesn't believe she would have done that. FBI Agent Dallas Raines wants to get the man responsible nfor killing his partner Cale Lunardi. Well written book will keep you engaged from beginning to the end. Story is full of emotions. Despair, hope, anger and happiness fill the pages. A wonderful read.
June 25, 2023
With an interesting mélange of characters, it was fun to read a story that takes place in my back yard. After reading The Exchange, I did need to look at the About section on author Dustin Stevens to decide why a few of his depictions of Southern California did not mesh with my own experience - - - and I see why some of his views may differ. That said, this book is engaging. As a big fan of detective stories, Dustin did a great job of bringing seemingly unrelated happenings into a story rich with intriguing connections. I'm looking forward to Badger Games, releasing in a couple of months.
July 26, 2023
A newspaper reporter in Seattle was involved in a serious wreck and moves back home to the mountains of San Bernardino with her mother to finish her recuperation. She ends up getting involved with her uncle and friends who are retired law enforcement in the small town. A girl she knew committed suicide earlier and her mom asked Erika if she would look into it because she did not believe her daughter would do that. As this story unwinds we find twists and turns as they try to figure out what happened to the friend she knew. No spoilers this is a real page turner you will very much enjoy !
January 14, 2019
The Exchange
Can't say I could get into this one. Sorry, there was just too much jumping about before connecting the dots one might say! Didn't even get back to one of the characters that should have been done earlier on. The suspense was like nowhere unimportant cliff hangers at the end of a chapter. Pretty cold for me I suppose but I have read thousands of books and want to be honest with my opinion. Yours may be totally different!
Can't say I could get into this one. Sorry, there was just too much jumping about before connecting the dots one might say! Didn't even get back to one of the characters that should have been done earlier on. The suspense was like nowhere unimportant cliff hangers at the end of a chapter. Pretty cold for me I suppose but I have read thousands of books and want to be honest with my opinion. Yours may be totally different!
July 13, 2019
Slow Start too much jumping around
This book is ok not worth the read; I finish because I started it. The author jumps around too much; I understood the intent but the story line was too far away to link. The actually linking of the jumping around didn’t happen until the ending. In the beginning I was actually forgetting the characters name because the book takes too long to draw you in.
This book is ok not worth the read; I finish because I started it. The author jumps around too much; I understood the intent but the story line was too far away to link. The actually linking of the jumping around didn’t happen until the ending. In the beginning I was actually forgetting the characters name because the book takes too long to draw you in.
April 3, 2020
Great engaging story almost couldn't put it down
How do authors think of characters and plots I guess it is the mark of a good author that each and every one of his series of books with the same characters is fresh and new and so well worth reading I read the Reed and Bills series one after the other wanted more but ended up with this one I was not disappointed just as inventive and progressive brilliant now onto another
How do authors think of characters and plots I guess it is the mark of a good author that each and every one of his series of books with the same characters is fresh and new and so well worth reading I read the Reed and Bills series one after the other wanted more but ended up with this one I was not disappointed just as inventive and progressive brilliant now onto another
June 13, 2023
Another home run…..how did I miss this book? Started last night and was annoyed that I had errands to run which interrupted my reading. Dustin does such a great job developing the characters and in this book there is an FBI agent working then there is the Hobby Lobby group adding the intrepid reporter working a case…when the leads start to develop, you can not turn the pages fast enough. So ready for the next book.
August 7, 2023
This is a new series by Dustin Stevens and it promises to be be a great one. I couldn't put this one down!
An injured reporter, two retired cops and a retired ME team up to investigate the death of a young reporter who apparently committed suicide in their small town. Very quickly things start to not add up for this group. It also doesn't take long for the situation to turn very serious and potentially deadly. A fast paced pace, action packed story that I highly recommend.
An injured reporter, two retired cops and a retired ME team up to investigate the death of a young reporter who apparently committed suicide in their small town. Very quickly things start to not add up for this group. It also doesn't take long for the situation to turn very serious and potentially deadly. A fast paced pace, action packed story that I highly recommend.
Read
November 5, 2025The book was a major disappointment. I’ve read another by this author and was favorably impressed, but this one… The author seems to try too hard to write cleverly. It didn’t work for me. Wrong choices of words and phrases, abrupt chapter endings, details of unimportant settings— it was painful to keep on reading, though I endured. This was a forgettable book except for the inordinate amount of irritation it caused me.
November 28, 2018
I had a little trouble getting into this book at first (why I gave it 4 stars), but then it occurred to me that this book has more depth to it than some of the others that I tend to read on my Kindle and I actually enjoyed it. Reminded me more of the books I used to take out of the library on a regular basis.
I look forward to reading more from Dustin in the future.
I look forward to reading more from Dustin in the future.
June 25, 2023
Erika is back home in Big Bear when she discovers a high school friend has died from apparent suicide. Red flags go up in every direction when she is asked by her friend’s mom to look into what happened. Ericka teams up with the Hobby Lobby crew to figure out what happened to her friend. What started out as just a trip home turned into much more. Great book!
August 12, 2023
Hobby Lobby mysteries Book 1
This book was so intense! That Maynor character was as evil as they come. He made me a little sick to my stomach esp with the family of the concert pianist. The best part is knowing there is a Book 2! Erika is a good solid character. It will be fun watching her progress in the upcoming books. Another hit series for Dustin Stevens.
This book was so intense! That Maynor character was as evil as they come. He made me a little sick to my stomach esp with the family of the concert pianist. The best part is knowing there is a Book 2! Erika is a good solid character. It will be fun watching her progress in the upcoming books. Another hit series for Dustin Stevens.
August 15, 2023
Who can argue with success?
The author’s bio says he’s had 60 books published. Let me just say there could be more proof-reading. A few sentences are crafted awkwardly, and there are some typos. Spoiler alert - the FBI agent who was killed - the circumstances and motive were not fully explained. It’s a major plot point.
The author’s bio says he’s had 60 books published. Let me just say there could be more proof-reading. A few sentences are crafted awkwardly, and there are some typos. Spoiler alert - the FBI agent who was killed - the circumstances and motive were not fully explained. It’s a major plot point.
August 21, 2023
Erika, a reporter, moves back to a small town to recover from an accident. Her uncle and his friends are researching cold/old cases and rope her into helping them investigate a suicide of a fellow reporter that Erika knew. Corruption, murders, blackmail. First in this series and I will definitely read the next one. I rate this a 5.0.
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