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Lori Anderson #3
Deep Dirty Truth
A price on her head. A secret worth dying for. Just 48 hours to expose the truth…
Single-mother bounty hunter Lori Anderson has finally got her family back together, but her new-found happiness is shattered when she’s snatched by the Miami Mob – and they want her dead. Rather than a bullet, they offer her a job: find the Mob’s ‘numbers man’ – Carlton North – who’s in protective custody after being forced to turn federal witness against them. If Lori succeeds, they’ll wipe the slate clean and the price on her head – and those of her family – will be removed. If she fails, they die.
With North due in court in forty-eight hours, Lori sets off across Florida, racing against the clock to find him and save her family. Only in this race the prize is more deadly – and the secret she shares with JT more dangerous – than she ever could have imagined. In this race only the winner gets out alive…
Brimming with tension, high-stakes jeopardy and high-voltage action, and a deep, emotional core, Deep Dirty Truth is an unmissable thriller by one of the freshest and most exciting voices in crime fiction.
339 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 5, 2018
46 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
About the author
Steph Broadribb
14 books318 followersSteph Broadribb was born in Birmingham and grew up in Buckinghamshire. A prolific reader, she adored crime fiction from the moment she first read Sherlock Holmes as a child. She’s worked in the UK and the US, has an MA in Creative Writing (Crime Fiction) and trained as a bounty hunter in California.
Her latest novel is DEATH IN THE SUNSHINE - the first book in her new Retired Detectives Club series featuring four recent retirees living in a luxury 55+ resort community in Florida, USA.
Her other novels include the Lori Anderson bounty-hunter series and the Starke/Bell psychological police-procedural books (writing as Stephanie Marland). Her books have been shortlisted for the eDunnit eBook of the Year Award, the ITW Best First Novel Award, the Dead Good Reader Awards for Fearless Female Character and Most Exceptional Debut, and longlisted for the Guardian Not The Booker Prize.
She provides coaching for new crime writers via www.crimefictioncoach.com.
You can find out more about Steph at www.stephbroadribb.com, and get in touch via Facebook (@CrimeThrillerGirl) and Twitter (@crimethrillgirl).
Her latest novel is DEATH IN THE SUNSHINE - the first book in her new Retired Detectives Club series featuring four recent retirees living in a luxury 55+ resort community in Florida, USA.
Her other novels include the Lori Anderson bounty-hunter series and the Starke/Bell psychological police-procedural books (writing as Stephanie Marland). Her books have been shortlisted for the eDunnit eBook of the Year Award, the ITW Best First Novel Award, the Dead Good Reader Awards for Fearless Female Character and Most Exceptional Debut, and longlisted for the Guardian Not The Booker Prize.
She provides coaching for new crime writers via www.crimefictioncoach.com.
You can find out more about Steph at www.stephbroadribb.com, and get in touch via Facebook (@CrimeThrillerGirl) and Twitter (@crimethrillgirl).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
December 30, 2018
"Deep Dirty Truth" is the third in the engaging, exciting and utterly explosive Florida bounty hunter, Lori Anderson series written by Steph Broadribb and is absolutely BRILLIANT! This book works well as a standalone too, as all the major information you need to become acquainted with from the series is in the first few pages and this helps to bring you up to speed or refresh your memory.
I truly love this series and the female protagonist Lori Anderson. The author has created a fantastic character and together with her former mentor and lover JT, we have excellently written action packed thrillers with a romantic and highly emotional element too.
Now that single mother Lori has finally got her family back together again, her world is shattered when she is snatched by the Miami Mob who want her dead. However, if she agrees to capture and bring back their numbers man "Carlton North" who's currently in FBI protective custody they'll wipe the slate clean of the price on her and her family's head. It's a race against time where only the winner will live.....
We are catapulted straight into the captivating story from the opening pages, dramatic tension, adrenaline fuelled action which literally leaves you breathless and biting your nails. Lori is on fire in this book and I thoroughly enjoyed reading how she planned to get the mob off her back yet keeping herself and her loved ones safe.
With such fantastic storylines and totally lovable characters this series is begging to made into a movie, it's ready made for Hollywood and I would truly love to see Steph Broadribb's work on the big screen!
I look forward to there being another in the series where this time Lori hunts down the Chicago mob. I can't recommend these books enough, they are fantastic and worth every single second spent reading them!
Another well earned 5 stars!
I truly love this series and the female protagonist Lori Anderson. The author has created a fantastic character and together with her former mentor and lover JT, we have excellently written action packed thrillers with a romantic and highly emotional element too.
Now that single mother Lori has finally got her family back together again, her world is shattered when she is snatched by the Miami Mob who want her dead. However, if she agrees to capture and bring back their numbers man "Carlton North" who's currently in FBI protective custody they'll wipe the slate clean of the price on her and her family's head. It's a race against time where only the winner will live.....
We are catapulted straight into the captivating story from the opening pages, dramatic tension, adrenaline fuelled action which literally leaves you breathless and biting your nails. Lori is on fire in this book and I thoroughly enjoyed reading how she planned to get the mob off her back yet keeping herself and her loved ones safe.
With such fantastic storylines and totally lovable characters this series is begging to made into a movie, it's ready made for Hollywood and I would truly love to see Steph Broadribb's work on the big screen!
I look forward to there being another in the series where this time Lori hunts down the Chicago mob. I can't recommend these books enough, they are fantastic and worth every single second spent reading them!
Another well earned 5 stars!
January 11, 2019
Book Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com
Bounty hunter Lori Anderson is enjoying life with her family and trying to put the past behind her. Unfortunately, the Miami Mob Boss is not finished with her yet and she has a debt to pay. Snatched from the street after taking her daughter to school, Lori is given an ultimatum, die now and her family dies too, or do a job for the mob and they all walk free.
Lori doesn’t have much choice and although the job is a tough one, finding the mob’s numbers man, Carlton North, who is in protective custody with the FBI and about to give evidence against the mob and bring him home, Lori is sure she can pull the job off and save her family.
However, the job turns out to not be as straight forward as she first thought, can Lori deliver Carlton North and save her family or are the odds stacked against her too great?
Deep Dirty Truth is the third part of the Lori Anderson series and the first one from the series that I have read. Although it is number three it can be read as a standalone and there was enough information dotted throughout to be able to understand what happened in the past to lead up to the predicament Lori finds herself in.
When I began reading the first thing I noticed was how well Lori’s voice came across. The book has been written in the first person, mainly from Lori’s point of view, and she is not only one kick-arse female, but she also won’t take any rubbish from people and she is fiercely protective of her family. She came across as such a genuine person you’d be forgiven for forgetting she is a fictional character.
The plot is fast-paced and there was something exciting happening on every page. The book makes you feel like you are having a pure adrenaline rush from beginning to end. It genuinely felt like I was holding my breath at times. Deep Dirty Truth is dramatic, dangerous and very impressive and I hope to go back and read the other two in the series soon.
Bounty hunter Lori Anderson is enjoying life with her family and trying to put the past behind her. Unfortunately, the Miami Mob Boss is not finished with her yet and she has a debt to pay. Snatched from the street after taking her daughter to school, Lori is given an ultimatum, die now and her family dies too, or do a job for the mob and they all walk free.
Lori doesn’t have much choice and although the job is a tough one, finding the mob’s numbers man, Carlton North, who is in protective custody with the FBI and about to give evidence against the mob and bring him home, Lori is sure she can pull the job off and save her family.
However, the job turns out to not be as straight forward as she first thought, can Lori deliver Carlton North and save her family or are the odds stacked against her too great?
Deep Dirty Truth is the third part of the Lori Anderson series and the first one from the series that I have read. Although it is number three it can be read as a standalone and there was enough information dotted throughout to be able to understand what happened in the past to lead up to the predicament Lori finds herself in.
When I began reading the first thing I noticed was how well Lori’s voice came across. The book has been written in the first person, mainly from Lori’s point of view, and she is not only one kick-arse female, but she also won’t take any rubbish from people and she is fiercely protective of her family. She came across as such a genuine person you’d be forgiven for forgetting she is a fictional character.
The plot is fast-paced and there was something exciting happening on every page. The book makes you feel like you are having a pure adrenaline rush from beginning to end. It genuinely felt like I was holding my breath at times. Deep Dirty Truth is dramatic, dangerous and very impressive and I hope to go back and read the other two in the series soon.
December 19, 2018
DEEP DIRTY TRUTH is a fast-paced crime thriller by Steph Broadribb, and the third book in the Lori Anderson Series. Although I had not read the previous two books in the series, this novel will read perfectly as a stand-alone.
Lori Anderson is a strong female protagonist…that does things her way. Single-mother bounty hunter Lori Anderson has finally got her family back together, but her happiness is soon to be destroyed.
Right at the beginning of the novel, Lori is abducted by the Miami Mob - and they want her dead. But instead, they offer her a job to locate a Mob member by the name of Carlton North, who is currently in protective custody to provide federal witness against them.
If Lori succeeds, she and her family will be released…if not they will all die.
But this is not an easy assignment…as North is due in court in forty-eight hours. Lori sets off across Florida, racing against time to find him and save her family. The imagery is vivid, the descriptions of the everglades, enables you to sense the atmosphere of the various meeting places.
The dialogue is so natural and well written, you can imagine the voices.
Strong writing, believable characters, brimming with tension and a fast- paced action plot, Deep Dirty Truth is a crime thriller sure to please.
Many thanks to Orenda Books for providing me with a digital copy.
Lori Anderson is a strong female protagonist…that does things her way. Single-mother bounty hunter Lori Anderson has finally got her family back together, but her happiness is soon to be destroyed.
Right at the beginning of the novel, Lori is abducted by the Miami Mob - and they want her dead. But instead, they offer her a job to locate a Mob member by the name of Carlton North, who is currently in protective custody to provide federal witness against them.
If Lori succeeds, she and her family will be released…if not they will all die.
But this is not an easy assignment…as North is due in court in forty-eight hours. Lori sets off across Florida, racing against time to find him and save her family. The imagery is vivid, the descriptions of the everglades, enables you to sense the atmosphere of the various meeting places.
The dialogue is so natural and well written, you can imagine the voices.
Strong writing, believable characters, brimming with tension and a fast- paced action plot, Deep Dirty Truth is a crime thriller sure to please.
Many thanks to Orenda Books for providing me with a digital copy.
December 16, 2018
Lori Anderson is a single mom ... and a bounty hunter.
She's abducted after leaving her daughter at school, thrown into the back of a van, blindfolded, handcuffed, and driven miles and miles away. Whoever wanted her sent 4 men .. they knew how dangerous she could be. She's surprised when their destination is reached. She's guided into a bathroom, told to clean up, and they even left a dress for her to put on.
When she finally sees the man responsible for her abduction, she knows she is a dead woman.
This man is the head of the Miami Mob ... and he's got a price on her head .. and the heads of the people closest to her. But then he offers her a job ... he wants her to find a man who is in the federal witness program .. and turning evidence the man sitting in front of her.
If she can locate him .. and report back ... he will wipe the slate clean and drop the price on her head.
What this man doesn't know is that Lori has a secret ... a secret involving the man he wants her to find.
This was a rip-roaring ride, action-packed, and a real page turner. Although 3rd in a series, this one reads easily as a stand alone ... but as always, I recommend starting at the beginning. There are few hints in this book that refer back to the previous books, but not so much as to take away the enjoyment from reading this one ... and whetting your appetite to see how it all began.
Many thanks to the author / Orenda Books for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
She's abducted after leaving her daughter at school, thrown into the back of a van, blindfolded, handcuffed, and driven miles and miles away. Whoever wanted her sent 4 men .. they knew how dangerous she could be. She's surprised when their destination is reached. She's guided into a bathroom, told to clean up, and they even left a dress for her to put on.
When she finally sees the man responsible for her abduction, she knows she is a dead woman.
This man is the head of the Miami Mob ... and he's got a price on her head .. and the heads of the people closest to her. But then he offers her a job ... he wants her to find a man who is in the federal witness program .. and turning evidence the man sitting in front of her.
If she can locate him .. and report back ... he will wipe the slate clean and drop the price on her head.
What this man doesn't know is that Lori has a secret ... a secret involving the man he wants her to find.
This was a rip-roaring ride, action-packed, and a real page turner. Although 3rd in a series, this one reads easily as a stand alone ... but as always, I recommend starting at the beginning. There are few hints in this book that refer back to the previous books, but not so much as to take away the enjoyment from reading this one ... and whetting your appetite to see how it all began.
Many thanks to the author / Orenda Books for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
January 29, 2019
I think my obsession with Lori Anderson is pretty well known by now, but in case you missed me raving about the first two books in this superb series, here’s my thoughts on Deep Down Dead and Deep Blue Trouble. I also need to remind you that reading this series in order is imperative AND it’s one of my favorite series of all time, total must reads.
As a female, I love nothing more than reading about a total badass character that’s multidimensional and so wholly developed and Lori Anderson is the epitome of a strong, sassy, sharp woman. Her mama bear instincts are so relatable to me, although I’m not near as tough as she is, but I can really understand her innate desire to protect her daughter no matter what. Besides Lori and her daughter the rest of the cast is just as deeply drawn, although JT may seem like a closed book, with each book in the series I feel like more layers to his personality are being peeled back. Red is also back, much to my delight and there’s a new addition with North and I’m super curious to see how he may or may not appear in the future.
This book was just as whip smart and lightning fast as the first two, there’s an intensity to Broadribb’s writing that makes you hold your breath for the entirety of the story. The action starts on page one and never stops, period, so when you start this one, settle in and get ready for one hell of a ride. Another must read for thriller fans, and again, I’ve gotta add that I NEED a Lori Anderson movie!
Deep Dirty Truth in three words: Electrifying, Fierce and Compelling.
As a female, I love nothing more than reading about a total badass character that’s multidimensional and so wholly developed and Lori Anderson is the epitome of a strong, sassy, sharp woman. Her mama bear instincts are so relatable to me, although I’m not near as tough as she is, but I can really understand her innate desire to protect her daughter no matter what. Besides Lori and her daughter the rest of the cast is just as deeply drawn, although JT may seem like a closed book, with each book in the series I feel like more layers to his personality are being peeled back. Red is also back, much to my delight and there’s a new addition with North and I’m super curious to see how he may or may not appear in the future.
This book was just as whip smart and lightning fast as the first two, there’s an intensity to Broadribb’s writing that makes you hold your breath for the entirety of the story. The action starts on page one and never stops, period, so when you start this one, settle in and get ready for one hell of a ride. Another must read for thriller fans, and again, I’ve gotta add that I NEED a Lori Anderson movie!
Deep Dirty Truth in three words: Electrifying, Fierce and Compelling.
January 18, 2019
Clammy hands, pulse racing, energy tank empty. Am I ill? No! These are the symptoms of the aftermath of reading Deep Dirty Truth because Lori Anderson is back with a BANG!
In this third instalment, Lori is forced to make a deal with the devil. I mean, the mob. This would be the Old Man, who’s been after Lori since her husband Tommy died. If it wasn’t clear from this little tidbit, you should really read the previous books if you haven’t done so already. Anyway, the FBI have the mob’s “numbers man”, Carlton North, in custody. If Lori can find him and bring him back to the mob’s compound, the price on her head and the heads of JT and Dakota will be removed.
Cue a bunch of backstabbing, lies and deceit. I mean, if you can’t trust the mob, who can you trust? Oh … wait. Never mind. From quite early on, you’re left with this sinking feeling of “this is not going to go well”. And guess what? It doesn’t! But what a bloody awesome and thrilling ride it is! The mob, gators, high-speed boat chases, kayaks, shoot-outs … what more could you possibly want?!
Deep Dirty Truth is action-packed from the word go! There were times I felt like asking for a time-out so I could have a moment to catch my breath. Yet, with a heartbeat going faster and faster and hands gripping the book ever tighter, I couldn’t stop reading. It left me utterly exhausted but oh so incredibly satisfied.
Lori remains one of the most awesome female main characters in the book world right now. She’s fierce, determined, resourceful and quick to think on her feet. She is always able to pull herself back up after being knocked down, ready to kick some serious ass and always ready to do whatever it takes to keep her family safe. Speaking of her family, I love how the relationship between JT and Dakota is developing. Such a pleasure to behold and it often put a huge smile on my face.
This series has been a total blast from the very first book and Deep Dirty Truth is without a doubt THE BEST ONE YET! Oh yes! I said it! Fast-paced, with characters to get invested in and root for and edge-of-your-seat action galore, this is sheer entertainment of the highest level! Stock up on snacks and maybe an oxygen tank and enjoy the rollercoaster ride! Your legs may feel like jelly at the end of it, but it’ll be worth it!
In this third instalment, Lori is forced to make a deal with the devil. I mean, the mob. This would be the Old Man, who’s been after Lori since her husband Tommy died. If it wasn’t clear from this little tidbit, you should really read the previous books if you haven’t done so already. Anyway, the FBI have the mob’s “numbers man”, Carlton North, in custody. If Lori can find him and bring him back to the mob’s compound, the price on her head and the heads of JT and Dakota will be removed.
Cue a bunch of backstabbing, lies and deceit. I mean, if you can’t trust the mob, who can you trust? Oh … wait. Never mind. From quite early on, you’re left with this sinking feeling of “this is not going to go well”. And guess what? It doesn’t! But what a bloody awesome and thrilling ride it is! The mob, gators, high-speed boat chases, kayaks, shoot-outs … what more could you possibly want?!
Deep Dirty Truth is action-packed from the word go! There were times I felt like asking for a time-out so I could have a moment to catch my breath. Yet, with a heartbeat going faster and faster and hands gripping the book ever tighter, I couldn’t stop reading. It left me utterly exhausted but oh so incredibly satisfied.
Lori remains one of the most awesome female main characters in the book world right now. She’s fierce, determined, resourceful and quick to think on her feet. She is always able to pull herself back up after being knocked down, ready to kick some serious ass and always ready to do whatever it takes to keep her family safe. Speaking of her family, I love how the relationship between JT and Dakota is developing. Such a pleasure to behold and it often put a huge smile on my face.
This series has been a total blast from the very first book and Deep Dirty Truth is without a doubt THE BEST ONE YET! Oh yes! I said it! Fast-paced, with characters to get invested in and root for and edge-of-your-seat action galore, this is sheer entertainment of the highest level! Stock up on snacks and maybe an oxygen tank and enjoy the rollercoaster ride! Your legs may feel like jelly at the end of it, but it’ll be worth it!
November 17, 2018
It is so good to be back with Lori again. She has her man back and life is as normal as it’s ever going to be. Or should I say was. When it comes to Lori’s world, nothing is ever normal for long.
Without a doubt this is my favourite book in the series so far. I absolutely loved the story line. The mafia, a dead line to get a job done otherwise her own life, and that of her daughter’s and JT’s lives, are at risk. It makes for some seriously compelling reading.
North is a great character and I really took to him. Even though he has been on the opposite side of the law, I couldn’t help liking him. There is something almost admirable about him and I was desperate for Lori to come up with some way for all of them to come out of the situation they are in, alive.
The setting for the story was just great with not only the mafia being a threat, but the gators also. It made the story more sinister and I wasn’t sure which way would be the best way to go if you were going to get caught by one or the other. Either way the chances of getting out alive are pretty slim!
Deep Dirty Truth is an exhilarating and addictive read. Every time I put the book down to do stuff in the real world, I couldn’t wait to pick it back up again to see what else was in store for the characters and myself. A compelling and thrilling read with a kick ass protagonist readers are going to love.
My thanks to Orenda Books for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
Without a doubt this is my favourite book in the series so far. I absolutely loved the story line. The mafia, a dead line to get a job done otherwise her own life, and that of her daughter’s and JT’s lives, are at risk. It makes for some seriously compelling reading.
North is a great character and I really took to him. Even though he has been on the opposite side of the law, I couldn’t help liking him. There is something almost admirable about him and I was desperate for Lori to come up with some way for all of them to come out of the situation they are in, alive.
The setting for the story was just great with not only the mafia being a threat, but the gators also. It made the story more sinister and I wasn’t sure which way would be the best way to go if you were going to get caught by one or the other. Either way the chances of getting out alive are pretty slim!
Deep Dirty Truth is an exhilarating and addictive read. Every time I put the book down to do stuff in the real world, I couldn’t wait to pick it back up again to see what else was in store for the characters and myself. A compelling and thrilling read with a kick ass protagonist readers are going to love.
My thanks to Orenda Books for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
November 18, 2018
Visit the locations in the novel hereBook set in Florida USA
Lori how I have missed you! At the start of the book, things seem to be working out for her at last. Life is getting as near to normal as it can be when you're a bounty hunter that is. JT is back on the scene and Florida life is treating them well.
But...
" I never saw it coming. Got totally blindsided. That's the God's honest truth."
That's the first line in the book but it's also a good summing up of my review of this book to be honest! Totally didn't see how it would play out and where Lori would take us next. But what a ride that was! Totally worth the sweat I worked up whilst reading, travelling fast with Lori and spending the time of the book on the road and in the humid Everglades.
Lori has a job to do in tracking down someone the Mob want back. Someone who used to work for them and who is now 'helping' the FBI in proctective custody. Lori gets the job if she wants to stay alive....
I don't know who is more scary - the Mob, the man Lori is looking for or the aligators who swim alongside the boat as they are chasing a trail in the Florida everglades. Tell you what - the scene setting here is superb. I have been to the everglades and felt the fear, heat, humidity and heard the whir of the engines. All brilliantly brought to life here.
The brilliant thing with Lori is that she really has her work cut out and her characters tested in ways not many women especially in books are. I even admired one of the mob in a way for his gritty determination and role in the whole episode. The character development of a man we don't really see until later on in the book is brilliant - we know him as Lori does even before we see him.
The Florida heat, the role of the bountyhunter and the alligators really ramp this thriller to the next level. Add the Mafia, the FBI and well, it skyrockets.
Normal life whilst reading this book is hard to deal with. Humdrum compared to what happens in Deep Down Dirty!
January 14, 2019
I remember the first time I met Lori, I was totally overwhelmed and blown away. She is one of my favourite characters from the book world and I can’t squeal loudly enough to express my absolute delight to say hello to her again in this third book in the series Deep Dirty Truth. I’m reliably informed this can be read as a standalone but I implore you to start at the beginning with Deep Down Dead, that one alone is such an adrenaline ride, so I think it’s possibly safe to say read that to assess if your nerves will cope with book three!
Just as it looks as if Lori has dealt with all the strife in her life and can finally settle down to some semblance of normal life, wham all hell breaks loose and ‘mom’ style Lori is abducted on the school run.
What the frick is happening now, can she possibly survive any more action in her life, if she doesn’t play by the rules it could end up with her and her precious family dead. It’s a huge price to put on anyone but Lori is gutsy enough to follow through on the demands and once again the reader is subjected to the break neck journey of survival, this time we have alligators thrown in to the mix as the Everglades whizz by, surely Lori could wrestle an alligator or two or is that just my high opinion of her!!
To be honest anything I can say will never do enough justice to this story, the author has got under the skin of all the characters and breathed life into them so they all fulfil their roles perfectly, whether they be good or bad. It’s fair to say each time I compile a top of the year book list you can bet your life it will include a Lori adventure because there isn’t much else available to top it.
Once again thanks to the author, publisher and Anne from Random Things Book Tours … I haven’t read an Orenda published book I didn’t enjoy yet. I read and reviewed voluntarily.
Just as it looks as if Lori has dealt with all the strife in her life and can finally settle down to some semblance of normal life, wham all hell breaks loose and ‘mom’ style Lori is abducted on the school run.
What the frick is happening now, can she possibly survive any more action in her life, if she doesn’t play by the rules it could end up with her and her precious family dead. It’s a huge price to put on anyone but Lori is gutsy enough to follow through on the demands and once again the reader is subjected to the break neck journey of survival, this time we have alligators thrown in to the mix as the Everglades whizz by, surely Lori could wrestle an alligator or two or is that just my high opinion of her!!
To be honest anything I can say will never do enough justice to this story, the author has got under the skin of all the characters and breathed life into them so they all fulfil their roles perfectly, whether they be good or bad. It’s fair to say each time I compile a top of the year book list you can bet your life it will include a Lori adventure because there isn’t much else available to top it.
Once again thanks to the author, publisher and Anne from Random Things Book Tours … I haven’t read an Orenda published book I didn’t enjoy yet. I read and reviewed voluntarily.
January 28, 2019
For a reader to follow a series, they have to find something specific in it. Something that makes them tick. That addictive X factor that makes sure you always come back. The Lori Anderson series is no exception. But there are many reasons why I am always ready for a rendezvous with Steph Broadribb’s female character.
In no particular order (except for the cowboy boots, because PINK COWBOY BOOTS!): Cowboy boots. Adrenaline. Fast cars. Faster decision-making. Bad surprises. Blood. Good surprises. Betrayal. Rules. Plans. Characters to die for. Dilemmas. Guns.
Steph Broadribb writes stories like no-one else. She then shuts them up in a barrel of powder and it explodes in your face as soon as you open the first page of the book.
Having breathing issues? Grab oxygen before you start reading.
Heart problems? Take your pills!
Insomnia? You picked the right novels because once you start, there’s no way your eyes are going to turn away from the fountain of excitement and chills.
Three books and Lori Anderson is a legend. Not the hero-I-can-do-anything kind. No, she’s a woman, she’s a lover, she’s a mother, she’s a friend… and she’s bounty hunter. Now I have a thing for women who have the balls to choose this path. I want to be Lori when I grow up.
No, seriously.
And not just because I want a taser and a sexy-as-hell ex…
So, I hear you say ‘why?’
Can I make this answer simple? Let’s try. Lori is one of those women who has the most amazing strength, and life (or rather her sadistic creator (Love you, Steph!!! xD) gives her no choice but to find it deep within herself to survive.
We learn early on in Deep Down Dead that Lori was like many women before her and unfortunately, like many women these days. But instead of ending up in some stats on a bureaucrat’s desk, a ‘chance’ encounter changes her life for the better and the worst. What makes Lori special is the choices she makes. Sure, she’s pushed to the edge so many times that one can wonder just how much she can take, but that’s EXACTLY IT. She can take it. She takes it all, wanted or not. From a victim to a woman standing on her own two feet, carrying scars, guilt, and, let’s be honest, bad luck, she walks tall and doesn’t shy away from what needs to be done without ever, ever becoming cold and harsh. Oh, she may seem that way to those coming after her, or strangers, or whoever crosses her path when she’s on a mission, but the author makes sure that Lori’s biggest strength, her humanity, never fails her. That’s what makes her a super-hero to me. Lori follows rules, or at least, her head does, but her heart is never far away. In a dark and grey world where justice involve guns and nothing is fair, I can only fall for a woman trying to make a difference.
No, Lori doesn’t want to make the world a better place. She didn’t receive a text from the whatever Heavens to save our planet from evil. She wants to earn a living and take care of her daughter. But in doing so, she reminds us of the importance of the choices we make when dealing with a crap hand during a poker game.
Did I say I love Lori Anderson? Like, I want us to go fire-training together.
Dakota Anderson. Don’t believe that because a kid is involved, you won’t get gun blazing and blood oozing from big holes. If Lori is a grownup with balls, then Dakota is the smaller version of her kickass mother. Sweet, clever, but vulnerable, Dakota brings life to the novels. Lori is driven by her love for her daughter. Now, let me tell you something. I’ve heard many times that this kind of element doesn’t belong in action thrillers. I laugh at this. Action thrillers need a motive, a powerful engine to go all the way without losing readers who want more meat to their books than just guys punching each other. I’ve also heard that only mothers would really react to a parent-child trope. So, women without kids have no feelings? Men don’t have emotions? If executed the way it should be, anyone can feel the terror of a mother away from her daughter, or the mountain of courage and will she’ll show to keep her safe. Steph Broadribb, on top of being fantastic at making me jump from my seat and scream ‘Nooooooooo!!!!!!!’ during hot scenes (talking about dangerous chapters, not erotica stuff!), also does characterisation and matters of the heart perfectly. I felt for Dakota, I went through hell with Lori trying to do what she thought was best. My heart leapt from joy and felt as heavy as stone. The unremitting worry stayed by my side as I fought for those two to be reunited, reading as fast as my tired eyes would allow me to reach a happy ending…
Now, one thing that Steph Broadribb doesn’t actually do is happy endings!!! I’m not saying everybody dies and you spend your hours crying. But with each novel comes new problems. Never had I seen layers of action, character history, and intricate missions been so beautifully put together. It reminds me of those Final Fantasy games where you have no choice but to put one foot in front of the other other to reveal a map that grows wider as you go, with more bad guys, more quests, more complicated puzzles to solve. When you think it’s over, someone laughs at you and throws you into another level with new monsters to fight. Although it might not be so fun for Lori, I just adore this endless forest she’s stuck in. With every novel, we unravel new sides of her, of Dakota, of JT (I know, I haven’t talked about him in this review but I feel he’s the kind of guy you need to meet to really understand who he is. Or try to.) and boy aren’t they a great team to spend time with!
The Lori Anderson series wouldn’t be what it is without relentless action never letting up, big guys to deal with, and mobs to run from. You know about those trains with no brakes that keep going and going, always faster, more dangerous with every turn? That’s what the author has created. You don’t need a dead corpse on every page to keep the tension up. Nothing works better than a high dose of activity and then a welcome respite. This way, your brain goes from figh or flee to huge brain waves performance, and I do love my action when it’s all in the head. Good bounty hunters will tell you that all is in the preparation. Being able to deliver is great, but without a plan, you’re screwed. Of course, nothing is ever black and white… Plans evolve as events unfolds and you can find no flaws in Steph Broadribb’s masterful and evil plots.
Deep Dirty Truth hits the ground running and that’s the way we want it. Even though I was expecting it, seeing her family life being trashed by a job ‘offered’ by the Miami mob had be both shamelessly excited and desperately praying it wasn’t true. That’s the beauty of it. I root for Lori with all my strength, but I never want to see her take the door out. And this third novel hints at the matter… What is it with Lori that takes her to the centre of storms? Yes, outside forces are playing a part, but isn’t there something in her that loves this life, too? No time to think about this, as she’s snatched from her complicated new balance with JT and her life with Dakota to wreck an FBI protective custody operation and steal a guy the mob wants to have back. There’s no way out for Lori and another setting appears: Lori on one side, JT and Dakota on the other. Both boats floating on uncertain and hazardous waters.
I’ll admit, I was dubious about the FBI thing… How could a single woman, however good, could pull off an extraction mission? Now I feel guilty about judging Lori so quickly. I’m not saying no blood gets spilled and unicorns help our bounty hunter escape all trouble. It’s not the house’s way of doing things! The explosions of biscuits in my hand as I was reading prove I was totally shocked and absolutely in love with Lori and the way she handled things. To spice things up, the guy everyone seems to want is an old acquaintance, bringing back links to the previous novels and digging a little deeper into Lori’s flesh and mind. I love the fact each book contains events that happen so close to each other because, just like in Lori’s life, you don’t have time to process everything at once, you get the info, and you think later because GUNS!!!! And betrayals. Or are they? And then peace. Or so you think! Then you think again and you learn. You put the pieces of the puzzle together, and the picture broadens with each chapter. Magic, isn’t it?
Deep Dirty Truth is the proud third instalment in a punchy, crazily-fast paced kickass series you NEED TO READ.
January 12, 2019
This book, this series, it gives you a reading high like you’ve never experienced! The plot is adrenaline fuelled, action-packed, a thriller full of heart, and in this third instalment, the stakes are higher than ever!
As this is the third instalment in the series, it is recommended that you read the first two books in order to gain maximum enjoyment from this one, while each ‘job’ is different, as you’ll find with most series, the storyline is continuous. Deep Down Dead, and Deep Blue Trouble, are both five star reads also, so you’re in for some stellar reads if you’re just starting this series. Also, bonus points for the continuous use of ‘Deep’ in the titles.
More bonus points for incorporating the title of the book into the plot, call it a weird reader quirk, but I love when authors do that. In this novel, there is indeed a deep dirty truth to be uncovered, but just how deep, how dirty? You’ll have to read this one for yourself to find out!
One of the things that was missing in the last instalment was Dakota, Lori’s daughter, she didn’t feature as much as I’d hoped, but in Deep Dirty Truth, you get a full dose of Dakota, and I love every minute in this child’s presence! You also have the return of Red, a private investigator, and good friend to Lori; if you read book series, it doesn’t need explaining how fantastic it is when a character you adore makes a return appearance. I really hope he becomes a staple feature in this series, he’s a member of the family now, it’s Lori, JT, Dakota and Red – I’m invested in the lives of them all!
Now, let’s talk about Lori, we should just put and ‘S’ on her chest and call her superwoman! For anyone who enjoys strong female protagonists, you’ll love Lori, a bad-ass bounty hunter, who will go to the ends of the earth to keep her family safe. Yes, events are dramatic, but this is a high-octane thriller, and dramatics is what gets the adrenaline pumping, what makes you devour the pages of this novel, the need to know what happens to Lori, is her family safe!?
Last, but by no means least, we have JT, he’s the perfect guy for Lori, but their relationship is anything but perfect, there’s a lot of history and a lot that needs to be worked out, but it couldn’t be any clearer that these two were made for each other. But, what really stands out in this novel, is that JT isn’t Lori’s hero, he doesn’t swoop in and save her from ‘the bad guys’, she’s not a ‘damsel in distress’ – there’s an equality here, and Lori can damn well save herself, in fact, asked JT about Lori’s ability to save him!
I think it’s clear to see that I love everything about this book, the thought that went into crafting it, right through to its superb tension-filled, adrenaline-fuelled, heart-pounding delivery! There’s danger, excitement, risk, and so much heart in this novel – it’s perfect for crime thriller fans who love an action-packed plot.
*My thanks to the author, and publisher (Orenda Books) for providing me with a copy of this title*
As this is the third instalment in the series, it is recommended that you read the first two books in order to gain maximum enjoyment from this one, while each ‘job’ is different, as you’ll find with most series, the storyline is continuous. Deep Down Dead, and Deep Blue Trouble, are both five star reads also, so you’re in for some stellar reads if you’re just starting this series. Also, bonus points for the continuous use of ‘Deep’ in the titles.
More bonus points for incorporating the title of the book into the plot, call it a weird reader quirk, but I love when authors do that. In this novel, there is indeed a deep dirty truth to be uncovered, but just how deep, how dirty? You’ll have to read this one for yourself to find out!
One of the things that was missing in the last instalment was Dakota, Lori’s daughter, she didn’t feature as much as I’d hoped, but in Deep Dirty Truth, you get a full dose of Dakota, and I love every minute in this child’s presence! You also have the return of Red, a private investigator, and good friend to Lori; if you read book series, it doesn’t need explaining how fantastic it is when a character you adore makes a return appearance. I really hope he becomes a staple feature in this series, he’s a member of the family now, it’s Lori, JT, Dakota and Red – I’m invested in the lives of them all!
Now, let’s talk about Lori, we should just put and ‘S’ on her chest and call her superwoman! For anyone who enjoys strong female protagonists, you’ll love Lori, a bad-ass bounty hunter, who will go to the ends of the earth to keep her family safe. Yes, events are dramatic, but this is a high-octane thriller, and dramatics is what gets the adrenaline pumping, what makes you devour the pages of this novel, the need to know what happens to Lori, is her family safe!?
Last, but by no means least, we have JT, he’s the perfect guy for Lori, but their relationship is anything but perfect, there’s a lot of history and a lot that needs to be worked out, but it couldn’t be any clearer that these two were made for each other. But, what really stands out in this novel, is that JT isn’t Lori’s hero, he doesn’t swoop in and save her from ‘the bad guys’, she’s not a ‘damsel in distress’ – there’s an equality here, and Lori can damn well save herself, in fact, asked JT about Lori’s ability to save him!
I think it’s clear to see that I love everything about this book, the thought that went into crafting it, right through to its superb tension-filled, adrenaline-fuelled, heart-pounding delivery! There’s danger, excitement, risk, and so much heart in this novel – it’s perfect for crime thriller fans who love an action-packed plot.
*My thanks to the author, and publisher (Orenda Books) for providing me with a copy of this title*
January 29, 2019
‘A price on her head, and just 48 hours to expose the truth, and save her family’
I’m sure you all heard me roar when I heard Steph Broadribb and Orenda Books had a new book en route in this fabulous series that has just grabbed my attention completely. I love Lori Anderson, this butt-kicking, hard-ass bounty hunter who fears nothing or no-one.
LORI ANDERSON IS BACK…
Lori Anderson is in a comfortable place. Her on and off partnership with JT is currently on and her daughter, Dakota, is happy. All three are living in, an almost, carefree bubble, with Lori always conscious that trouble is never too far from their door. JT is recovering from serious injuries inflicted during a previous job and Lori is only too happy to look after JT and look out for her family of three.
But trouble always finds Lori and before she knows it she is bundled into the back of a van one morning after dropping Dakota off at school. Hooded and tied up, Lori fights her inner fear and quickly attempts to assess this unnerving predicament she finds herself in. Arriving at a remote location, the hood is eventually removed and Lori discovers that it is the last place on earth she wanted to find herself…..it is the home of the head of the Miami Mob, Old Man Bonchese.
‘He’s been head of the Bonchese family for more than thirty years, ever since his papa was executed gangland-style outside one of their clubs. Under the Old Man’s direction the Miami Mob’s empire has grown ever bigger, and the business it does has gotten more twisted. No matter what he looks like, he’s a monster’
Lori has a decision to make. The Old Man is looking for the return of his ‘numbers man’, Carlton North, who is currently under the guard of the FBI. North is about to ‘talk’ as a federal witness against the mob and Lori’s job is to find him and bring him back to the Family, where he belongs. Carlton North is like a son to the Old Man and he is willing to trade with Lori. There is historical bad blood between Lori and the Miami mob with an outstanding price on Lori’s head. If she brings back North, her life is her own.
‘You get him free and bring him back and I’ll consider your debt paid. A son saved for one lost. A twist on an eye for an eye.’
And if I don’t?
You die…..’
Lori has 48 hours to find North and bring him home but where is he holed up and how can she locate his safe-house?
Now here’s the thing, when I read a Lori Anderson book, I read it in what I imagine her accent would be, I have her whole look visualised in my mind and I kind of immerse myself completely in her story. As Lori races against the clock in a gripping high-octane chase, my heart races along with her. This is the Miami Mob we’re talking about here so expect explosions, shoot-outs, dead bodies, blood, sweat, adrenaline pumping action and gators…..yes we return to the Everglades, a place I expect I will NEVER set foot in…EVER!!
While Lori races against the clock, it is up to JT to protect Dakota. As Lori’s job gets complicated, very complicated, JT is soon running to keep Dakota safe. Boat chases, bullets, sharks….yes Deep Dirty Truth has it all and I just love it.
Lori Anderson is tough. Life has hardened her making her an enemy not to be disregarded. As she battles the sinister and complex twists to this rescue, Lori soon realises that she is fighting against more than one foe. With JT and Dakota gone off-radar, Lori is prepared to take on anyone and anything and will not be silenced, as she intends seeing this job through to the end and ensuring her family is safe. She needs the price lifted off her head and she will face down anyone who gets in her way.
Deep Dirty Truth is a thrilling and electrifying ride with a gripping plot-line and THE MOST exciting female protagonist I think I have EVER come across. Think sweaty palms and heart-pumping moments as you get sucked into this page-turner, with barely a moment to catch your breath. In case you haven’t figured it out already, yes I recommend all three books in this series and am silently tapping my fingers awaiting Book 4….. *tap, tap, tap*
I’m sure you all heard me roar when I heard Steph Broadribb and Orenda Books had a new book en route in this fabulous series that has just grabbed my attention completely. I love Lori Anderson, this butt-kicking, hard-ass bounty hunter who fears nothing or no-one.
LORI ANDERSON IS BACK…
Lori Anderson is in a comfortable place. Her on and off partnership with JT is currently on and her daughter, Dakota, is happy. All three are living in, an almost, carefree bubble, with Lori always conscious that trouble is never too far from their door. JT is recovering from serious injuries inflicted during a previous job and Lori is only too happy to look after JT and look out for her family of three.
But trouble always finds Lori and before she knows it she is bundled into the back of a van one morning after dropping Dakota off at school. Hooded and tied up, Lori fights her inner fear and quickly attempts to assess this unnerving predicament she finds herself in. Arriving at a remote location, the hood is eventually removed and Lori discovers that it is the last place on earth she wanted to find herself…..it is the home of the head of the Miami Mob, Old Man Bonchese.
‘He’s been head of the Bonchese family for more than thirty years, ever since his papa was executed gangland-style outside one of their clubs. Under the Old Man’s direction the Miami Mob’s empire has grown ever bigger, and the business it does has gotten more twisted. No matter what he looks like, he’s a monster’
Lori has a decision to make. The Old Man is looking for the return of his ‘numbers man’, Carlton North, who is currently under the guard of the FBI. North is about to ‘talk’ as a federal witness against the mob and Lori’s job is to find him and bring him back to the Family, where he belongs. Carlton North is like a son to the Old Man and he is willing to trade with Lori. There is historical bad blood between Lori and the Miami mob with an outstanding price on Lori’s head. If she brings back North, her life is her own.
‘You get him free and bring him back and I’ll consider your debt paid. A son saved for one lost. A twist on an eye for an eye.’
And if I don’t?
You die…..’
Lori has 48 hours to find North and bring him home but where is he holed up and how can she locate his safe-house?
Now here’s the thing, when I read a Lori Anderson book, I read it in what I imagine her accent would be, I have her whole look visualised in my mind and I kind of immerse myself completely in her story. As Lori races against the clock in a gripping high-octane chase, my heart races along with her. This is the Miami Mob we’re talking about here so expect explosions, shoot-outs, dead bodies, blood, sweat, adrenaline pumping action and gators…..yes we return to the Everglades, a place I expect I will NEVER set foot in…EVER!!
While Lori races against the clock, it is up to JT to protect Dakota. As Lori’s job gets complicated, very complicated, JT is soon running to keep Dakota safe. Boat chases, bullets, sharks….yes Deep Dirty Truth has it all and I just love it.
Lori Anderson is tough. Life has hardened her making her an enemy not to be disregarded. As she battles the sinister and complex twists to this rescue, Lori soon realises that she is fighting against more than one foe. With JT and Dakota gone off-radar, Lori is prepared to take on anyone and anything and will not be silenced, as she intends seeing this job through to the end and ensuring her family is safe. She needs the price lifted off her head and she will face down anyone who gets in her way.
Deep Dirty Truth is a thrilling and electrifying ride with a gripping plot-line and THE MOST exciting female protagonist I think I have EVER come across. Think sweaty palms and heart-pumping moments as you get sucked into this page-turner, with barely a moment to catch your breath. In case you haven’t figured it out already, yes I recommend all three books in this series and am silently tapping my fingers awaiting Book 4….. *tap, tap, tap*
January 8, 2019
I was so excited to get a copy of the third instalment of the Lori Anderson series that I had to read it on the same day it arrived! I’m completely obsessed with Lori and her life and couldn’t wait to find out what would happen to her next. What would happen between her and JT? Would they ever get a nice quiet life together and be a normal family? Well now, where would the fun be in that?! Ofcourse their involvement is always going to be a little bit different after what they have already been through together so I do recommend you begin at book one in the series to get the most from their relationship.
To be honest, at the start of Deep Dirty Truth Lori is actually managing to do the regular “mom things” with her daughter…this is until she’s kidnapped by the mob whilst on the “school run”. Now this mob family want her dead but Lori has some damn fine skills and they need them! So instead of killing her, they offer her the chance to a job to do for them ( although there’s not much of an opportunity to say no to be fair!) If she brings in Carlton North (who’s being held by the FBI against his will to testify against the family) then the price on her head will be dropped and Lori, and her little family, will be free from further threats to their lives. But if she fails….they die. So Lori sets off to find North but it looks like the truth of the situation is rather different from the one Lori was expecting.
This is probably my favourite storyline so far for Lori and JT. It was an action packed, twisty thriller that grabbed me by the arm, yanking me into the plot immediately. I’ve always had a #girlcrush on Lori and more than ever I loved watching the way she negotiated herself out of some rather sticky situations, always with the safety of the lives of those she loves at the forefront of her actions. Steph Broadribb knows her characters so well now that she knows exactly what makes them tick and how they react to certain situations. This means that you feel as though you are in the middle of the drama as it unfolds for Lori-it’s a real experience reading one of Stephs books and it’s one I hope will go on for a few more books yet!
All The Stars for Deep Dirty Truth! It’s a gutsy, relentless and substantial book with a heart of gold-rather like Lori herself. And I hope she comes storming back in another adventure very soon.
To be honest, at the start of Deep Dirty Truth Lori is actually managing to do the regular “mom things” with her daughter…this is until she’s kidnapped by the mob whilst on the “school run”. Now this mob family want her dead but Lori has some damn fine skills and they need them! So instead of killing her, they offer her the chance to a job to do for them ( although there’s not much of an opportunity to say no to be fair!) If she brings in Carlton North (who’s being held by the FBI against his will to testify against the family) then the price on her head will be dropped and Lori, and her little family, will be free from further threats to their lives. But if she fails….they die. So Lori sets off to find North but it looks like the truth of the situation is rather different from the one Lori was expecting.
This is probably my favourite storyline so far for Lori and JT. It was an action packed, twisty thriller that grabbed me by the arm, yanking me into the plot immediately. I’ve always had a #girlcrush on Lori and more than ever I loved watching the way she negotiated herself out of some rather sticky situations, always with the safety of the lives of those she loves at the forefront of her actions. Steph Broadribb knows her characters so well now that she knows exactly what makes them tick and how they react to certain situations. This means that you feel as though you are in the middle of the drama as it unfolds for Lori-it’s a real experience reading one of Stephs books and it’s one I hope will go on for a few more books yet!
All The Stars for Deep Dirty Truth! It’s a gutsy, relentless and substantial book with a heart of gold-rather like Lori herself. And I hope she comes storming back in another adventure very soon.
February 5, 2019
What a story. This was actually the first book in the series that I read. I had heard so many good things, I knew I had to check it out. And I’m glad I did. One of the best crime thrillers I’ve read in years. I was rooting for Lori immediately, realized that she had a gritty past and was tough as nails, and I was gripped from page one.
Lori is tough, a hard-hitting bounty hunter with the brains and street savvy to back it up. She has a unique voice which gives the story a special tone. Her inner dialog shows that she is a super woman of sorts. Not just a survivor, but a fighter. Lori is a mother of a young daughter, in a relationship with the man she loves despite the potential for dysfunction. She is trying to settle down with her new family, but her life always seems to get in the way. Lori doesn’t just strive to survive or to get herself out of this impossible situation. She sets out to do the right thing, to set things straight and to protect her family. She is selfless and fierce in her pursuit of justice. Lori’s first person anecdotes mixed with her overall resilience have made her one of the best female protagonists I’ve read in a long while. The book begins with Lori living with her lover and daughter but she is never quite comfortable in this role; used to tracking down and fighting bad guys, she compares her new found domestication to playing house. The reader quickly senses that she is restless—and then, within hours she is kidnapped by a mob boss. This is great stuff.
Lori’s toughness pulls her through but it’s her street savvy that wins the day and makes her so layered and interesting and kept me turning the pages. I hope there is more of Lori. I will go back and read the first two books (in fact, I can’t wait.) This is a character that a twenty-five book series could be written on and still all the layers would not be pulled away. I’m on team Lori and I plan on staying here for as many books as Broadribb will turn out. Bravo.
Lori is tough, a hard-hitting bounty hunter with the brains and street savvy to back it up. She has a unique voice which gives the story a special tone. Her inner dialog shows that she is a super woman of sorts. Not just a survivor, but a fighter. Lori is a mother of a young daughter, in a relationship with the man she loves despite the potential for dysfunction. She is trying to settle down with her new family, but her life always seems to get in the way. Lori doesn’t just strive to survive or to get herself out of this impossible situation. She sets out to do the right thing, to set things straight and to protect her family. She is selfless and fierce in her pursuit of justice. Lori’s first person anecdotes mixed with her overall resilience have made her one of the best female protagonists I’ve read in a long while. The book begins with Lori living with her lover and daughter but she is never quite comfortable in this role; used to tracking down and fighting bad guys, she compares her new found domestication to playing house. The reader quickly senses that she is restless—and then, within hours she is kidnapped by a mob boss. This is great stuff.
Lori’s toughness pulls her through but it’s her street savvy that wins the day and makes her so layered and interesting and kept me turning the pages. I hope there is more of Lori. I will go back and read the first two books (in fact, I can’t wait.) This is a character that a twenty-five book series could be written on and still all the layers would not be pulled away. I’m on team Lori and I plan on staying here for as many books as Broadribb will turn out. Bravo.
January 19, 2019
A page-turning thriller set in FLORIDA
Deep Dirty Truth is the third book in the Lori Anderson bounty hunter series. It is every bit as good as the first two – Deep Down Dead and Deep Blue Trouble. I was looking forward to it immensely, and consumed it in an afternoon and an evening. ‘A book you can’t put down’ is a much overworked phrase – but Deep Dirty Truth comes pretty close to it.
It is a standalone, but very much follows on from the first two. We see Lori, her man JT, and their daughter Dakota on her next stage of their life adventure. Lori is kidnapped and forced to work for the notorious Miami Mob to track down and free their money man, Carlton North, who is being held by the FBI and is about to appear in court. The lives of JT and Dakota are threatened if she doesn’t deliver Carlton back to the Mob within 48 hours. But, of course, there are double crossings and dodgy deeds within the Mob itself that threaten to thwart her. Nothing is as it first seems… She and Carlton are in a mad dash across Florida not knowing whom they can trust.
The book ends with a pulsating shoot out between the FBI and the Mob at the fortress house of the Mob leader, Old Man Bonchese. It is bloody.
What makes Deep Dirty Truth (and, indeed, the other Lori Anderson books) so great is Steph’s writing style. It is fast and furious and deeply American. Which is a tad odd considering she is delightfully English… But she did spend time in the States training to be a bounty hunter, and attended a taser training session to gain the experience… which may well be a clue.
At the end of the book, we are set up for the next in the series – an adventure in Chicago. Which is pretty much exactly what I said at the end of my review of Deep Blue Trouble! Deep Dirty Truth clearly intervened… But I do think we now have a firm indication as to where the next Lori Anderson story will be set.
I’m very much looking forward to it… I’ll keep an afternoon and evening free.
Deep Dirty Truth is the third book in the Lori Anderson bounty hunter series. It is every bit as good as the first two – Deep Down Dead and Deep Blue Trouble. I was looking forward to it immensely, and consumed it in an afternoon and an evening. ‘A book you can’t put down’ is a much overworked phrase – but Deep Dirty Truth comes pretty close to it.
It is a standalone, but very much follows on from the first two. We see Lori, her man JT, and their daughter Dakota on her next stage of their life adventure. Lori is kidnapped and forced to work for the notorious Miami Mob to track down and free their money man, Carlton North, who is being held by the FBI and is about to appear in court. The lives of JT and Dakota are threatened if she doesn’t deliver Carlton back to the Mob within 48 hours. But, of course, there are double crossings and dodgy deeds within the Mob itself that threaten to thwart her. Nothing is as it first seems… She and Carlton are in a mad dash across Florida not knowing whom they can trust.
The book ends with a pulsating shoot out between the FBI and the Mob at the fortress house of the Mob leader, Old Man Bonchese. It is bloody.
What makes Deep Dirty Truth (and, indeed, the other Lori Anderson books) so great is Steph’s writing style. It is fast and furious and deeply American. Which is a tad odd considering she is delightfully English… But she did spend time in the States training to be a bounty hunter, and attended a taser training session to gain the experience… which may well be a clue.
At the end of the book, we are set up for the next in the series – an adventure in Chicago. Which is pretty much exactly what I said at the end of my review of Deep Blue Trouble! Deep Dirty Truth clearly intervened… But I do think we now have a firm indication as to where the next Lori Anderson story will be set.
I’m very much looking forward to it… I’ll keep an afternoon and evening free.
January 27, 2019
Review to follow
January 5, 2019
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
After all the drama and trauma of her recent past, Lori is taking only easy assignments -- her life needs to coast for a bit. Naturally, that's not going to work too well (why would we read about that? Also, why would Broadribb be nice to her now?) -- she'd kidnapped by the Miami Mob and we readers have to be braced for all sorts of nasty things to happen to her. And while it is nasty -- no one is prepared for what happens to her.
They want her to do a job for them. If she succeeds, they offer to wipe the slate clean. If she fails (or refuses), she, Dakota and JT are dead. Honestly, there's a pretty good chance they'll die no matter what, but there's a chance with the former. All she has to do is retrieve the "numbers man" for the family, currently under FBI protection before he testifies against the family in a couple of days. It's pretty cool to see how good Lori does at this until things go horribly, horribly wrong (not much of a spoiler, really -- the book isn't going be too suspenseful if she has an easy time of it).
Meanwhile, JT and Dakota run to safety -- which goes only slightly worse than Lori's assignment. JT isn't anywhere near as healthy as he should be to handle this kind of thing -- but he doesn't have much of a choice. It's his little girl, what else can he do? It's great to see JT in action like this. But at some point, at the rate things are going for her, Dakota's going to end up catatonic or like the little girl in Logan. My money's on the latter.
So we've got the Mob on one hand, the FBI on the other, and a distinct lack of options for this family -- it's all about survival. The longer you're alive the more opportunities will present themselves to extricate yourself from this Catch-22. As much as Lori (and JT and Dakota) is tough and resilient, it's her ability to improvise, to think quickly and to pounce on the chances that life gives her that makes her an action hero to pay attention to.
A female bounty hunter with skills and the kind of grit you want to see in an action hero, Lori is a great character. The physical toll on her in this novel is up there with the psychological toll previous adventures have taken on her -- not that she gets out of this one emotionally/mentally unscathed (nor did she get out of the previous adventures without a physical injury or 8). She's smart, determined and prepared to dish it out as well as take it.
I walked away from book 2, Deep Blue Trouble with a pretty strong idea about what book 3 was going to be about. I was wrong, but I'm pretty confident that I know what book 4 will be about (at least initially). I'm very glad to be wrong, actually -- because this was a lot of fun, and sets things up to be a more satisfying version of the story I imagined Broadribb would be telling. I'm eager to find out how wrong I am about book 4 (because I will be).
I've spent about a month working on this post in fits and starts, because I'm having a hard time saying something about this book that I didn't say about the other two. Broadribb started off strong -- a veteran from the get-go, and the other two have been of the same quality. Consistency is great when you're a reader -- but it's hard to write about. So I give up -- I'm not going to have anything insightful to say or any dazzling or penetrating analysis to offer. I'll keep it basic -- Deep Dirty Truth is a good, fast-paced, white-knuckle ride written by someone who knows what she's doing. Go read it.
---
After all the drama and trauma of her recent past, Lori is taking only easy assignments -- her life needs to coast for a bit. Naturally, that's not going to work too well (why would we read about that? Also, why would Broadribb be nice to her now?) -- she'd kidnapped by the Miami Mob and we readers have to be braced for all sorts of nasty things to happen to her. And while it is nasty -- no one is prepared for what happens to her.
They want her to do a job for them. If she succeeds, they offer to wipe the slate clean. If she fails (or refuses), she, Dakota and JT are dead. Honestly, there's a pretty good chance they'll die no matter what, but there's a chance with the former. All she has to do is retrieve the "numbers man" for the family, currently under FBI protection before he testifies against the family in a couple of days. It's pretty cool to see how good Lori does at this until things go horribly, horribly wrong (not much of a spoiler, really -- the book isn't going be too suspenseful if she has an easy time of it).
Meanwhile, JT and Dakota run to safety -- which goes only slightly worse than Lori's assignment. JT isn't anywhere near as healthy as he should be to handle this kind of thing -- but he doesn't have much of a choice. It's his little girl, what else can he do? It's great to see JT in action like this. But at some point, at the rate things are going for her, Dakota's going to end up catatonic or like the little girl in Logan. My money's on the latter.
So we've got the Mob on one hand, the FBI on the other, and a distinct lack of options for this family -- it's all about survival. The longer you're alive the more opportunities will present themselves to extricate yourself from this Catch-22. As much as Lori (and JT and Dakota) is tough and resilient, it's her ability to improvise, to think quickly and to pounce on the chances that life gives her that makes her an action hero to pay attention to.
A female bounty hunter with skills and the kind of grit you want to see in an action hero, Lori is a great character. The physical toll on her in this novel is up there with the psychological toll previous adventures have taken on her -- not that she gets out of this one emotionally/mentally unscathed (nor did she get out of the previous adventures without a physical injury or 8). She's smart, determined and prepared to dish it out as well as take it.
I walked away from book 2, Deep Blue Trouble with a pretty strong idea about what book 3 was going to be about. I was wrong, but I'm pretty confident that I know what book 4 will be about (at least initially). I'm very glad to be wrong, actually -- because this was a lot of fun, and sets things up to be a more satisfying version of the story I imagined Broadribb would be telling. I'm eager to find out how wrong I am about book 4 (because I will be).
I've spent about a month working on this post in fits and starts, because I'm having a hard time saying something about this book that I didn't say about the other two. Broadribb started off strong -- a veteran from the get-go, and the other two have been of the same quality. Consistency is great when you're a reader -- but it's hard to write about. So I give up -- I'm not going to have anything insightful to say or any dazzling or penetrating analysis to offer. I'll keep it basic -- Deep Dirty Truth is a good, fast-paced, white-knuckle ride written by someone who knows what she's doing. Go read it.
January 8, 2019
I must firstly apologise to every other book I will read in 2019 as I don't think I'm going to love another as much as I have DEEP DIRTY TRUTH!!
I've said it before and I'll continue to say it until there is a court order against it... I think I'm a little bit in love with Lori Anderson! It's very rare for me to have this kind of reaction to a female protagonist. My list of female heroes is rather short - Sarah Connor will always remain on the top stop, but Lori is a very close second. She's a badass!
In DEEP DIRTY TRUTH I feel a progression in Lori's character from what we saw in the first two instalments. Despite what she is tasked with by the Miami Mob, the time she has to succeed and the consequences of if she fails, Lori remains calm, collected and focus. Sometimes eerily so. It reminds me of the contrast we see in Sarah Connor between the first two Terminator movies. A woman determined to do what it takes to protect her family. It's not about her any more. Her daughter, Dakota depends on her to be around and this is very much forefront in everything Lori does.
Alex Monroe remains one of those characters that I can't quite decide on yet how I feel about. He has the ability of popping up when you least expect it and saving the day/offering assistance to Lori - but in the next breath can piss you off by playing both sides to his advantage, leaving Lori in the shit. Although he spends most of this book helping Lori - Alex still has his own agenda. An agenda which I'm sure is going to be explored in the next book in this series.
The introduction of Carly was a pleasant surprise! An integral character, lending herself to Lori when help is desperately needed, we start to learn more about Carlton North - this adding those extra secretive layers to the Miami Mob. It's my wish/hope that for the next story, not only will we get more JT and Lori action (work action...not 'that' action.!) but that we learn more about Carly and her background and how she became the woman we meet in this book.
Short, sharp chapters keep the action moving at a steady pace without losing momentum and that ending has left the story wide open for Lori and JT's next challenge and I CANNOT wait to read what happens next!
A HUGE thank you to Orenda Books and the wonderful Steph Broadribb for gifting me a copy of DEEP DIRTY TRUTH. Despite what some may believe, this review has not been swayed in light of this!
** All reviews can be found on The P.Turners Book Blog **
I've said it before and I'll continue to say it until there is a court order against it... I think I'm a little bit in love with Lori Anderson! It's very rare for me to have this kind of reaction to a female protagonist. My list of female heroes is rather short - Sarah Connor will always remain on the top stop, but Lori is a very close second. She's a badass!
In DEEP DIRTY TRUTH I feel a progression in Lori's character from what we saw in the first two instalments. Despite what she is tasked with by the Miami Mob, the time she has to succeed and the consequences of if she fails, Lori remains calm, collected and focus. Sometimes eerily so. It reminds me of the contrast we see in Sarah Connor between the first two Terminator movies. A woman determined to do what it takes to protect her family. It's not about her any more. Her daughter, Dakota depends on her to be around and this is very much forefront in everything Lori does.
Alex Monroe remains one of those characters that I can't quite decide on yet how I feel about. He has the ability of popping up when you least expect it and saving the day/offering assistance to Lori - but in the next breath can piss you off by playing both sides to his advantage, leaving Lori in the shit. Although he spends most of this book helping Lori - Alex still has his own agenda. An agenda which I'm sure is going to be explored in the next book in this series.
The introduction of Carly was a pleasant surprise! An integral character, lending herself to Lori when help is desperately needed, we start to learn more about Carlton North - this adding those extra secretive layers to the Miami Mob. It's my wish/hope that for the next story, not only will we get more JT and Lori action (work action...not 'that' action.!) but that we learn more about Carly and her background and how she became the woman we meet in this book.
Short, sharp chapters keep the action moving at a steady pace without losing momentum and that ending has left the story wide open for Lori and JT's next challenge and I CANNOT wait to read what happens next!
A HUGE thank you to Orenda Books and the wonderful Steph Broadribb for gifting me a copy of DEEP DIRTY TRUTH. Despite what some may believe, this review has not been swayed in light of this!
** All reviews can be found on The P.Turners Book Blog **
January 17, 2019
https://beverleyhasread.wordpress.com/
Hi Lori, it’s great to have you back. 😘
We first met Lori Anderson in Deep Down Dead and Deep Blue Trouble and in this book, Deep Dirty Truth, the third book in the series, Lori’s life seems quite settled. That is until she is kidnapped one morning after dropping her daughter, Dakota, off at school. She owes the Miami Mob and with them using both her life and the lives of her other half, JT and their daughter as collateral, she doesn’t have much choice but to do their bidding.
Lori is fast becoming one of my favourite protagonists, she is strong, fearless and feisty and is unafraid to get her hands dirty. A seriously kick-ass woman I adore her, her fast mouth and her unapologetic nature. In this book the Miami mob want her to find Carlton North, one of their most senior people who is in FBI custody and return him to the fold. Of course, rather than just asking her they blindfold her and bundle her into a van, lock her in a warehouse, terrify the life out of her and take her to see the head of the Mob who makes it known she can’t really say no to his request.
This is a fast paced book packed full of action and short, snappy chapters that keep you turning the page. The hunt for Carlton North doesn’t go quite according to plan and there is subterfuge, plotting and dangerous times galore for Lori. I quite liked North, despite him being a dubious character, but he is written so well that I felt I knew him very quickly and I liked that he seemed to respect Lori.
This is such a great series of books and they just get better and better. It can be read as a standalone but I would recommend reading the previous two books to get to grips with some of the history particularly between Lori and JT. I love these two and the push and pull of their relationship is written so beautifully and honestly. Theirs is a love story with many complexities and Deep Dirty Truth finds them tentatively finding their way as a family of three. It would be easy to write it as a Happy Ever After (and I am really, really rooting for this!) but I also really enjoy their power play and often with Lori and JT it isn’t always what is said that is important. It is the quiet moments, the glances and the silences between words that speak volumes in this relationship. Exquisite.
My only problem now is that I have to wait to see where Lori goes next, I think I know, but with Lori there is always a surprise just lurking around the corner.
Hi Lori, it’s great to have you back. 😘
We first met Lori Anderson in Deep Down Dead and Deep Blue Trouble and in this book, Deep Dirty Truth, the third book in the series, Lori’s life seems quite settled. That is until she is kidnapped one morning after dropping her daughter, Dakota, off at school. She owes the Miami Mob and with them using both her life and the lives of her other half, JT and their daughter as collateral, she doesn’t have much choice but to do their bidding.
Lori is fast becoming one of my favourite protagonists, she is strong, fearless and feisty and is unafraid to get her hands dirty. A seriously kick-ass woman I adore her, her fast mouth and her unapologetic nature. In this book the Miami mob want her to find Carlton North, one of their most senior people who is in FBI custody and return him to the fold. Of course, rather than just asking her they blindfold her and bundle her into a van, lock her in a warehouse, terrify the life out of her and take her to see the head of the Mob who makes it known she can’t really say no to his request.
This is a fast paced book packed full of action and short, snappy chapters that keep you turning the page. The hunt for Carlton North doesn’t go quite according to plan and there is subterfuge, plotting and dangerous times galore for Lori. I quite liked North, despite him being a dubious character, but he is written so well that I felt I knew him very quickly and I liked that he seemed to respect Lori.
This is such a great series of books and they just get better and better. It can be read as a standalone but I would recommend reading the previous two books to get to grips with some of the history particularly between Lori and JT. I love these two and the push and pull of their relationship is written so beautifully and honestly. Theirs is a love story with many complexities and Deep Dirty Truth finds them tentatively finding their way as a family of three. It would be easy to write it as a Happy Ever After (and I am really, really rooting for this!) but I also really enjoy their power play and often with Lori and JT it isn’t always what is said that is important. It is the quiet moments, the glances and the silences between words that speak volumes in this relationship. Exquisite.
My only problem now is that I have to wait to see where Lori goes next, I think I know, but with Lori there is always a surprise just lurking around the corner.
March 26, 2020
The author gets really ambitious in this book, when Lori gets blackmailed into doing a job for the head honcho of the Miami Mob, a man whose vendetta has been haunting her since the events of book one and who she needs to get off her back if she is ever going to manage a quiet life with JT and their daughter, Dakota. That possibility seems to get further and further away throughout the course of this novel, as Lori is once again separated from JT and her daughter, chasing down a mobster-turned-rat, with only 48 hours to find him.
Steph keeps finding ways to ramp up the stakes with every book, and finding new ways of testing Lori and her loyalties. She has to, once again, involve herself with Alex Munroe, the FBI agent who has his own agenda and whose motives she can never 100% trust. Again, nothing is as straight-forward as it seems and she has to evaluate whose side she is really on, whilst only truly being able to rely on herself to get everyone out of trouble.
This is a fantastic book for anyone who loves a gangster story, and there is the most marvellous battle towards the end that would grace the screen of any mob movie you ever saw. In fact, these books would make perfect films, I would definitely go and watch them (IF Sam Elliott is playing Red – see above – non-negotiable!) but, until that happens, the story completely comes alive on the page and is surely something you should all be reading to take your minds off the current situation we find ourselves in. Anything more completely unlike what you are currently experiencing locked in at home in the UK you’ll be hard-pushed to find, and it will sweep you out of reality for a little while, without requiring you to strain yourself, the author has done all the heavy lifting in the flow of the writing. I still find it hard to believe she is from Buckinghamshire!
Steph keeps finding ways to ramp up the stakes with every book, and finding new ways of testing Lori and her loyalties. She has to, once again, involve herself with Alex Munroe, the FBI agent who has his own agenda and whose motives she can never 100% trust. Again, nothing is as straight-forward as it seems and she has to evaluate whose side she is really on, whilst only truly being able to rely on herself to get everyone out of trouble.
This is a fantastic book for anyone who loves a gangster story, and there is the most marvellous battle towards the end that would grace the screen of any mob movie you ever saw. In fact, these books would make perfect films, I would definitely go and watch them (IF Sam Elliott is playing Red – see above – non-negotiable!) but, until that happens, the story completely comes alive on the page and is surely something you should all be reading to take your minds off the current situation we find ourselves in. Anything more completely unlike what you are currently experiencing locked in at home in the UK you’ll be hard-pushed to find, and it will sweep you out of reality for a little while, without requiring you to strain yourself, the author has done all the heavy lifting in the flow of the writing. I still find it hard to believe she is from Buckinghamshire!
January 15, 2019
When you start one of Lori’s adventures, you know that there will be action, bullets and an addictive plot to keep any reader glued to every page of the story till the end; because if you haven’t read any of the Lori Anderson adventures, what are you waiting for?
Lori’s adventures are all connected, and this one maybe is the most crucial book of the stories so far, after the two previous books with a lot of twisted stories, she will have to face her past, the mob will want “eye for an eye” for her husband’s death. And she will have to go against her own rules if she wants to keep her family safe; but Lori will never disappoint her fans. She is brave, bold and loyal to her loved ones; she is not perfect, but at every turn she has to face she wakes up stronger and ready to fight again, she is just a fiction character but we should remember her in our worst moments, even if our life is difficult, we never have to resign to fight!
When I start reading one of the Lori’s books I try not to read the argument before, simply enter to the story and let the adrenaline flow through my body page after page, I can assure you you’ll not get bored! That’s why I am not talking much about this book’s plot, I don’t want to do any spoilers! This case is more personal than the others, and we’ll read more about the relation between JT (Lori’s partner) and her daughter Dakota, there’s friendship and some drops of romance in the book too, but a lot of bullets and blood.
Ready to get deep dirty before discovering the truth?
Lori’s adventures are all connected, and this one maybe is the most crucial book of the stories so far, after the two previous books with a lot of twisted stories, she will have to face her past, the mob will want “eye for an eye” for her husband’s death. And she will have to go against her own rules if she wants to keep her family safe; but Lori will never disappoint her fans. She is brave, bold and loyal to her loved ones; she is not perfect, but at every turn she has to face she wakes up stronger and ready to fight again, she is just a fiction character but we should remember her in our worst moments, even if our life is difficult, we never have to resign to fight!
When I start reading one of the Lori’s books I try not to read the argument before, simply enter to the story and let the adrenaline flow through my body page after page, I can assure you you’ll not get bored! That’s why I am not talking much about this book’s plot, I don’t want to do any spoilers! This case is more personal than the others, and we’ll read more about the relation between JT (Lori’s partner) and her daughter Dakota, there’s friendship and some drops of romance in the book too, but a lot of bullets and blood.
Ready to get deep dirty before discovering the truth?
December 10, 2018
Well, Lori is back at being her badass self! From the mob to running amuck the Everglades! This was fast paced and I enjoyed it! Thanks to Orenda for this early copy! #teamLori
January 20, 2019
Fantastic - full review to come
Also on www.momobookdiary.com
Also on www.momobookdiary.com
April 1, 2021
It was okay and it was fest paced also I think it better if it was TV show. the characters were okay but I didn't care about them and it bit dull and slow also it was heavily on action. I didn't really like the cover of the book.
February 1, 2019
Long sigh.... just boring to be honest. Non stop action that can get numbing really quick. Por suerte es corto, loro.
April 26, 2021
First half was jumbled - second half was standard gangster chase story. Sorry, can't recommend but I was sucked in by the already high rating.
February 3, 2020
BROADRIBB’S THIRD BOOK WILL TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY.
I noticed over Christmas that American TV’s love affair with remakes is continuing unabated. In the past couple of years we’ve seen the updated return of Hawaii Five-O and more recently the return of McGyver. Now, both of these have more or less kept to the basic premise of their originals, Steve Garret still says “book him Dano...” now and then and McGyver still wears a well worn leather jacket and fixes most problems with his trusty Swiss Army Knife, much to the delight of Victoronix. But what has shocked me most over the festive season is seeing the trailer for the new Magnum PI!!!! The actor playing him is some unknown and he doesn’t even have a big bushy mustache. Also adding fuel to my ire is the fact that “Higgins” originally played by the diminutive actor John Hillerman, has been replaced by a young blonde… Sacre Bleu!!
But don’t worry because this month’s first book review, and the first review of the new year, sees the return of a sassy female bounty hunter / private investigator. Its Lori Anderson, the creation of real life Brummie bounty hunter and author, Steph Broadribb. The book is Deep Dirty Truth and is published by Orenda (www.orendabooks.co.uk) on the 5th January.
Lori is just getting her life back together when she is kidnapped while on the school run and taken across country to Miami, where she is forced to dress in a skimpy dress and sandals, then frog marched marched up to meet her captor. Its “The Old Man” head of the notorious mob family the Bonchese’s. These two have history, he’s put a price on Lori and her family’s head after she shot her abusive husband and trusted Bonchese lieutenant in cold blood a number of years ago. He offers her the opportunity of lifting the bounty on her head if she rescues a fixer of his, Carlton North. The only problem he’s being held by the Feds, prior to testifying in court in 48 hrs time. Reluctantly she takes the job, but when she finds out where North is being held with the help of a shady FBI source, she and North are ambushed and double crossed by “The Old Man’s” son, who is trying to depose him, leaving a couple of federal agents dead. Now Lori and North are on the run from the law and the Mob. Can she get Carlton North back to “The Old Man” in one piece, stay one step ahead of the Feds, as well as protecting her family who are also being hunted by the mob?
This book is a real fire cracker and takes off from the first page. If you are into one session reads this is right up your street. I was one hundred pages in after opening the book, before I had to step away to take a deep breath and re-hydrate myself. Broadribb’s writing style is full on and unrelenting, but having reviewed her debut novel over a year ago and got blown away by that I wasn’t expecting anything less.
As for the characters, there’s only really one and that’s the main protagonist Lori Anderson. She’s a tough talking, hard fighting woman who can look after herself but she’s not made of Teflon, because she bleeds and hurts, not just physically but emotionally, especially when her family are in danger.
As for the support cast, they aren’t exactly cut outs either, they are well rounded and acutely defined. If anyone comes across as a support cast its Lori’s love interest JT and their daughter Dakota. The chapters which feature them come across as more of a distraction than a way of building tension. Never did I feel like they were ever in any danger, unlike in the previous books.
Another slight niggle for me is Lori’s cellular phone. She needs a new one, like yesterday. The story is set in present day, but her phone never seems to last longer than a couple of hours, my phone can last up to 24 hours with moderate usage.
This is English Author Steph Broadribb’s third Lori Anderson book. Her others are Deep Down Dead (2016) and Deep Blue Trouble (2017). The Lori Anderson series was inspired by her training as a bounty hunter in the States. She also writes under the pseudonym Stephanie Marland and her first novel a twisting crime thriller My Little Eye was published in April 2018. Her follow up to that, titled You Die Next, will be published in April 2019. Steph was born in Birmingham and later grew up in the English county of Buckinghamshire, where she still lives surrounded by horses, cows and chickens. She’s also a keen blogger and writes under the other alter ego, Crime Thriller Girl (www.crimethrillergirl.com).
If you are looking for a fresh female lead to take you through first few weeks of the new year, whose perilous adventures are always edgy and original from the get-go, then Lori Anderson is your girl. So, I suggest if you haven’t read any of the previous Lori Anderson Books, then download the first in the series or head down to your local bookshop and get a copy.
reviewed by: Adrian Murphy at www.thelibrarydoor.me
I noticed over Christmas that American TV’s love affair with remakes is continuing unabated. In the past couple of years we’ve seen the updated return of Hawaii Five-O and more recently the return of McGyver. Now, both of these have more or less kept to the basic premise of their originals, Steve Garret still says “book him Dano...” now and then and McGyver still wears a well worn leather jacket and fixes most problems with his trusty Swiss Army Knife, much to the delight of Victoronix. But what has shocked me most over the festive season is seeing the trailer for the new Magnum PI!!!! The actor playing him is some unknown and he doesn’t even have a big bushy mustache. Also adding fuel to my ire is the fact that “Higgins” originally played by the diminutive actor John Hillerman, has been replaced by a young blonde… Sacre Bleu!!
But don’t worry because this month’s first book review, and the first review of the new year, sees the return of a sassy female bounty hunter / private investigator. Its Lori Anderson, the creation of real life Brummie bounty hunter and author, Steph Broadribb. The book is Deep Dirty Truth and is published by Orenda (www.orendabooks.co.uk) on the 5th January.
Lori is just getting her life back together when she is kidnapped while on the school run and taken across country to Miami, where she is forced to dress in a skimpy dress and sandals, then frog marched marched up to meet her captor. Its “The Old Man” head of the notorious mob family the Bonchese’s. These two have history, he’s put a price on Lori and her family’s head after she shot her abusive husband and trusted Bonchese lieutenant in cold blood a number of years ago. He offers her the opportunity of lifting the bounty on her head if she rescues a fixer of his, Carlton North. The only problem he’s being held by the Feds, prior to testifying in court in 48 hrs time. Reluctantly she takes the job, but when she finds out where North is being held with the help of a shady FBI source, she and North are ambushed and double crossed by “The Old Man’s” son, who is trying to depose him, leaving a couple of federal agents dead. Now Lori and North are on the run from the law and the Mob. Can she get Carlton North back to “The Old Man” in one piece, stay one step ahead of the Feds, as well as protecting her family who are also being hunted by the mob?
This book is a real fire cracker and takes off from the first page. If you are into one session reads this is right up your street. I was one hundred pages in after opening the book, before I had to step away to take a deep breath and re-hydrate myself. Broadribb’s writing style is full on and unrelenting, but having reviewed her debut novel over a year ago and got blown away by that I wasn’t expecting anything less.
As for the characters, there’s only really one and that’s the main protagonist Lori Anderson. She’s a tough talking, hard fighting woman who can look after herself but she’s not made of Teflon, because she bleeds and hurts, not just physically but emotionally, especially when her family are in danger.
As for the support cast, they aren’t exactly cut outs either, they are well rounded and acutely defined. If anyone comes across as a support cast its Lori’s love interest JT and their daughter Dakota. The chapters which feature them come across as more of a distraction than a way of building tension. Never did I feel like they were ever in any danger, unlike in the previous books.
Another slight niggle for me is Lori’s cellular phone. She needs a new one, like yesterday. The story is set in present day, but her phone never seems to last longer than a couple of hours, my phone can last up to 24 hours with moderate usage.
This is English Author Steph Broadribb’s third Lori Anderson book. Her others are Deep Down Dead (2016) and Deep Blue Trouble (2017). The Lori Anderson series was inspired by her training as a bounty hunter in the States. She also writes under the pseudonym Stephanie Marland and her first novel a twisting crime thriller My Little Eye was published in April 2018. Her follow up to that, titled You Die Next, will be published in April 2019. Steph was born in Birmingham and later grew up in the English county of Buckinghamshire, where she still lives surrounded by horses, cows and chickens. She’s also a keen blogger and writes under the other alter ego, Crime Thriller Girl (www.crimethrillergirl.com).
If you are looking for a fresh female lead to take you through first few weeks of the new year, whose perilous adventures are always edgy and original from the get-go, then Lori Anderson is your girl. So, I suggest if you haven’t read any of the previous Lori Anderson Books, then download the first in the series or head down to your local bookshop and get a copy.
reviewed by: Adrian Murphy at www.thelibrarydoor.me
January 15, 2019
Lori Anderson is one of my favourite protagonists and having loved her previous escapades in Deep Down Dead and Deep Blue Trouble, I couldn't wait to see what awaited her in Deep Dirty Truth. For newcomers to the series, this third book can easily be enjoyed as a standalone - although I would strongly recommend also reading the previous two as they're brilliant!
Steph Broadbribb doesn't give poor Lori much respite before she's back in the midst of trouble but that's not really surprising as she is a woman who just can't seem to avoid danger. There's no gentle build-up here as Lori is kidnapped within just a few pages of the novel and from there on the frenetic pace barely lets up as she finds herself on the run from numerous adversaries. She has only recently resumed her relationship with JT but their reunion is still shaky with both guilty of hiding their true feelings for one another. When she is forced into a job to spring a Mob man from protective custody she realises it may threaten their relationship but also knows that if she refuses then the threat to them all will be far worse. Deep Dirty Truth should probably come with a health warning as the action-packed plot takes Lori (and the readers!) on a tense and potentially lethal race against the clock to deliver her man before the deadline expires.
One of my favourite aspects of this series is that the motivation behind Lori's actions is so authentic. Not many of us are highly trained bounty hunters but most people will be able to empathise with her raw determination to protect those she loves. As a long time single mum to her daughter, Dakota she is used to making decisions alone which stands her in good stead when she needs to react quickly to ever-changing situations and she certainly needs to utilise all her skills in this high stakes, deadly mission. The scenes where she doesn't know if JT and Dakota are safe and is unable to communicate with them are heartrending and I could almost feel her fear in the pit of my stomach. Lori isn't an adrenaline junkie; she's a woman who is prepared to put her own life at risk to protect her daughter and lover.
Deep Dirty Truth is a thrilling action story but it also explores some fascinating questions about morality. Lori isn't working for the Miami Mob by choice but as the book progresses she has to pick her side and it's not as straightforward as right or wrong. These are complicated, flawed characters and the world they live can mean choosing alliances is akin to being caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. As the novel raced towards its pulse racing conclusion I couldn't tear my eyes from the pages. The engrossing storyline is matched - as ever - by Steph Broadribb's vivid descriptions which bring Florida to life. There's one scene in particular which I won't say much about other than it involves a risky trip through the mangroves and I could almost feel the humidity and smell the pungent air. I nearly had to read it peeking through my fingertips as the ominous sense of danger here is almost palpable.
Deep Dirty Truth is exactly what I'm looking for in an action thriller; it is tense, exciting and surprising but is also packed with perceptive characterisation, an atmospheric sense of place, some witty touches of black humour and real emotional depth. There's clearly more trouble ahead for Lori and as much as she deserves a break, I can't wait to find out what happens in the next book in what is definitely a must-read series for me.
Steph Broadbribb doesn't give poor Lori much respite before she's back in the midst of trouble but that's not really surprising as she is a woman who just can't seem to avoid danger. There's no gentle build-up here as Lori is kidnapped within just a few pages of the novel and from there on the frenetic pace barely lets up as she finds herself on the run from numerous adversaries. She has only recently resumed her relationship with JT but their reunion is still shaky with both guilty of hiding their true feelings for one another. When she is forced into a job to spring a Mob man from protective custody she realises it may threaten their relationship but also knows that if she refuses then the threat to them all will be far worse. Deep Dirty Truth should probably come with a health warning as the action-packed plot takes Lori (and the readers!) on a tense and potentially lethal race against the clock to deliver her man before the deadline expires.
One of my favourite aspects of this series is that the motivation behind Lori's actions is so authentic. Not many of us are highly trained bounty hunters but most people will be able to empathise with her raw determination to protect those she loves. As a long time single mum to her daughter, Dakota she is used to making decisions alone which stands her in good stead when she needs to react quickly to ever-changing situations and she certainly needs to utilise all her skills in this high stakes, deadly mission. The scenes where she doesn't know if JT and Dakota are safe and is unable to communicate with them are heartrending and I could almost feel her fear in the pit of my stomach. Lori isn't an adrenaline junkie; she's a woman who is prepared to put her own life at risk to protect her daughter and lover.
Deep Dirty Truth is a thrilling action story but it also explores some fascinating questions about morality. Lori isn't working for the Miami Mob by choice but as the book progresses she has to pick her side and it's not as straightforward as right or wrong. These are complicated, flawed characters and the world they live can mean choosing alliances is akin to being caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. As the novel raced towards its pulse racing conclusion I couldn't tear my eyes from the pages. The engrossing storyline is matched - as ever - by Steph Broadribb's vivid descriptions which bring Florida to life. There's one scene in particular which I won't say much about other than it involves a risky trip through the mangroves and I could almost feel the humidity and smell the pungent air. I nearly had to read it peeking through my fingertips as the ominous sense of danger here is almost palpable.
Deep Dirty Truth is exactly what I'm looking for in an action thriller; it is tense, exciting and surprising but is also packed with perceptive characterisation, an atmospheric sense of place, some witty touches of black humour and real emotional depth. There's clearly more trouble ahead for Lori and as much as she deserves a break, I can't wait to find out what happens in the next book in what is definitely a must-read series for me.
January 9, 2019
I'm grateful to Orenda for inviting me onto this book's blogtour and especially to Steph herself for sending me a PERSONALLY DEDICATED copy of the proof.
This might be a good place to confess that I'm a fully signed up member of #TeamLori so this might not be the most objective review on the world. On the other hand I wouldn't be reviewing this if I didn't think it was amazing.
Right, what do we have here? First, some backstory. Lori Anderson, single mum to daughter Dakota, works as a bounty hunter in Florida. It's a dangerous living, but she needs to earn as Dakota is in remission from leukaemia and needs ongoing treatment. Recently things have been particularly difficult because her work, and her history, have brought the attentions of the Miami Mob, ruthless killers who want revenge for Lori's killing ten years before of her abusive husband, a Mob lynchpin. But she's also got together again with Dakota's father, legendary bounty hunter JT, also wanted by the Mob - so there's that.
All of this unfolded in the first two books, Deep Down Dead and Deep Blue Trouble, and I won't say any more about the detail of what happened because spoilers - if you haven't read these books you should, so go and do that, right? If you have, you can carry on.
So where were we? Back to Deep Dirty Truth, I think.
Broadribb doesn't mess around with her opening. Going about her normal business in the opening chapter, wishing a couple of pages, Lori's been abducted, bound and hooded and slung in the back of a van. The head of the Mob, Old Man Bonchese, wants to make her an offer (that she can't refuse, naturally). She's to "rescue" one of his men, Carlton North, who's in FBI witness protection. Succeed, and her debt is written off. Fail and she's dead.
As are Dakota and JT.
It's a daunting task, taking Lori into immense danger while stoking up her fears for her recently united, oh-so-fragile family.
And Lori, being Lori, swallows the danger, lays her plans, and sets to work.
One of the things I adore about these books by Broadribb is her portrayal of this capable, determined woman, Lori. The closest character I can think of as a comparison if you haven't read the books (in which case you shouldn't be reading this, should you?) is Villanelle in the BBC's Killing Eve series. Not in the sense that Villanelle is a deranged killer - Lori is the very opposite - but in the practical, dauntless competence she shows. (And yes, she is breaking inside, not least at the danger to her family, but the job's got to be done, OK?)
Steph Broadribb
The story is basically a chase, from danger into danger, Mob on one side, FBI on the other, and accompanying Lori, the equivocal figure of North himself who is playing his own game, with his own allies and assets. It's soon clear, if we ever doubted, that simply fulfilling Bonchese's terms won't be enough (for Lori OR her family). Somehow, she has to square all the factions involved here and do it while the subject of a giant manhunt with her picture on TV and in the Press and every hand against her. On the way she'll have to face her deepest fears (there are ALLIGATORS in this book! Again!)
Sorting this means she needs to discover that deep, dirty truth of the title - a truth that'll put all her troubles of the past ten years in a new light...
In a sense this is a classic template for a thriller - there are echoes of The Thirty Nine Steps, for example - a protagonist who's cut off suddenly from her own life, forced to live by her wits and with only limited time to put things right. Not by any means a new idea. Yet just as in music, so here the constraints of a classic form show Broadribb at the top her game, keeping this pacy, relentless novel rattling along at almost breathtaking speed and building tension on tension as the bodycount increases.
It's very much a Lori focussed story - while we do see what's happening with JT and Dakota, and there is some action for them, that's quite subsidiary (though I think the consequences may matter in future books - there is some definite Feelings stuff going on for Lori and JT...) making for a very linear plot, which also stokes the atmosphere considerably.
In all, a superb addition to the Lori canon.
This might be a good place to confess that I'm a fully signed up member of #TeamLori so this might not be the most objective review on the world. On the other hand I wouldn't be reviewing this if I didn't think it was amazing.
Right, what do we have here? First, some backstory. Lori Anderson, single mum to daughter Dakota, works as a bounty hunter in Florida. It's a dangerous living, but she needs to earn as Dakota is in remission from leukaemia and needs ongoing treatment. Recently things have been particularly difficult because her work, and her history, have brought the attentions of the Miami Mob, ruthless killers who want revenge for Lori's killing ten years before of her abusive husband, a Mob lynchpin. But she's also got together again with Dakota's father, legendary bounty hunter JT, also wanted by the Mob - so there's that.
All of this unfolded in the first two books, Deep Down Dead and Deep Blue Trouble, and I won't say any more about the detail of what happened because spoilers - if you haven't read these books you should, so go and do that, right? If you have, you can carry on.
So where were we? Back to Deep Dirty Truth, I think.
Broadribb doesn't mess around with her opening. Going about her normal business in the opening chapter, wishing a couple of pages, Lori's been abducted, bound and hooded and slung in the back of a van. The head of the Mob, Old Man Bonchese, wants to make her an offer (that she can't refuse, naturally). She's to "rescue" one of his men, Carlton North, who's in FBI witness protection. Succeed, and her debt is written off. Fail and she's dead.
As are Dakota and JT.
It's a daunting task, taking Lori into immense danger while stoking up her fears for her recently united, oh-so-fragile family.
And Lori, being Lori, swallows the danger, lays her plans, and sets to work.
One of the things I adore about these books by Broadribb is her portrayal of this capable, determined woman, Lori. The closest character I can think of as a comparison if you haven't read the books (in which case you shouldn't be reading this, should you?) is Villanelle in the BBC's Killing Eve series. Not in the sense that Villanelle is a deranged killer - Lori is the very opposite - but in the practical, dauntless competence she shows. (And yes, she is breaking inside, not least at the danger to her family, but the job's got to be done, OK?)
Steph Broadribb
The story is basically a chase, from danger into danger, Mob on one side, FBI on the other, and accompanying Lori, the equivocal figure of North himself who is playing his own game, with his own allies and assets. It's soon clear, if we ever doubted, that simply fulfilling Bonchese's terms won't be enough (for Lori OR her family). Somehow, she has to square all the factions involved here and do it while the subject of a giant manhunt with her picture on TV and in the Press and every hand against her. On the way she'll have to face her deepest fears (there are ALLIGATORS in this book! Again!)
Sorting this means she needs to discover that deep, dirty truth of the title - a truth that'll put all her troubles of the past ten years in a new light...
In a sense this is a classic template for a thriller - there are echoes of The Thirty Nine Steps, for example - a protagonist who's cut off suddenly from her own life, forced to live by her wits and with only limited time to put things right. Not by any means a new idea. Yet just as in music, so here the constraints of a classic form show Broadribb at the top her game, keeping this pacy, relentless novel rattling along at almost breathtaking speed and building tension on tension as the bodycount increases.
It's very much a Lori focussed story - while we do see what's happening with JT and Dakota, and there is some action for them, that's quite subsidiary (though I think the consequences may matter in future books - there is some definite Feelings stuff going on for Lori and JT...) making for a very linear plot, which also stokes the atmosphere considerably.
In all, a superb addition to the Lori canon.
January 2, 2019
This was my first read by Steph Broadribb, and although the third in the Lori Anderson series, I loved every tense page, I was entertained and thoroughly engrossed from the opening scene. I will certainly be starting at book one as soon as possible!
If you enjoy Thrillers that are full of action, kickass female leads and short punchy chapters, then this needs to be on the top of your TBR pile, you won’t regret it!
Despite this being the third book in the Lori Anderson series, I didn’t find it difficult to follow or understand what was happening. Previous situations were explained enough to make this story make sense, but not so much that there were constant recaps, or the previous books being spoiled more than necessary. The recap sections are brief and to the point, allowing the reader to connect or reconnect with the characters and understand the reactions and emotions in each given situation.
The writing style is incredibly powerful and emotive, I could feel my heart-rate kicking up a notch so many times on Loris behalf! And as fast as I read, I found myself wanting to read faster and faster because I NEEDED to know how Lori was going to handle this situation.
I adore JT. No really. I want a JT in my life. He’s sweet, but strong, and just so damned adorable! And although the Characters are each far from perfect, they just seem perfect for one another. The sections about JT and Dakota are wonderfully done, JTs confusion and frustration at the situations, the worries of what’s going on clearly seen in his behaviour. Such an introvert, it was nice to see things from his perspective as well as Loris.
I feel like I would have benefited from having read the previous books, from the viewpoint of getting to know the Characters and their history better, but I feel as though I adore them already, and I know and appreciate enough of their history to get each situation, and I enjoyed this so so much, I can’t wait to recap with the previous two and then reread this! Steph Broadribb has certainly just become a favourite Thriller Author for me.
The plot line was individual and had me guessing (and getting it wrong) several times, at no point have I felt that the story slowed pace at all. The descriptions are wonderful, the sentence structures masterfully kicking up the tension by several notches, letting you mellow out a bit, then throwing you right back into the thick of it. The story draws to a close in a way that for me, was perfectly matched to the Characters, powerful, tense and beautiful at the same time! I’m already excited for the next in the series!
If you haven’t given this Genre a try before, I thoroughly recommend this Author to hook you into it. I’ve never come across such powerful storytelling before! And I can’t wait to see what comes next, I am well and truly, and very happily #TeamLori
If you enjoy Thrillers that are full of action, kickass female leads and short punchy chapters, then this needs to be on the top of your TBR pile, you won’t regret it!
Despite this being the third book in the Lori Anderson series, I didn’t find it difficult to follow or understand what was happening. Previous situations were explained enough to make this story make sense, but not so much that there were constant recaps, or the previous books being spoiled more than necessary. The recap sections are brief and to the point, allowing the reader to connect or reconnect with the characters and understand the reactions and emotions in each given situation.
The writing style is incredibly powerful and emotive, I could feel my heart-rate kicking up a notch so many times on Loris behalf! And as fast as I read, I found myself wanting to read faster and faster because I NEEDED to know how Lori was going to handle this situation.
I adore JT. No really. I want a JT in my life. He’s sweet, but strong, and just so damned adorable! And although the Characters are each far from perfect, they just seem perfect for one another. The sections about JT and Dakota are wonderfully done, JTs confusion and frustration at the situations, the worries of what’s going on clearly seen in his behaviour. Such an introvert, it was nice to see things from his perspective as well as Loris.
I feel like I would have benefited from having read the previous books, from the viewpoint of getting to know the Characters and their history better, but I feel as though I adore them already, and I know and appreciate enough of their history to get each situation, and I enjoyed this so so much, I can’t wait to recap with the previous two and then reread this! Steph Broadribb has certainly just become a favourite Thriller Author for me.
The plot line was individual and had me guessing (and getting it wrong) several times, at no point have I felt that the story slowed pace at all. The descriptions are wonderful, the sentence structures masterfully kicking up the tension by several notches, letting you mellow out a bit, then throwing you right back into the thick of it. The story draws to a close in a way that for me, was perfectly matched to the Characters, powerful, tense and beautiful at the same time! I’m already excited for the next in the series!
If you haven’t given this Genre a try before, I thoroughly recommend this Author to hook you into it. I’ve never come across such powerful storytelling before! And I can’t wait to see what comes next, I am well and truly, and very happily #TeamLori
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