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The Bliss Legacy #1
Killing Bliss
One night. Two bullets. Three runaways.
Addy Michaels, living her careful life on a forgotten back road, thinks she's safe--that the past and its corpses are long buried. Surely after fifteen years the cops have quit looking for the street kids believed to have kidnapped a baby and killed their prostitute foster mother¬, Belle Bliss.
Addy couldn't be more wrong.
A cold case.
Hot again, when the missing child's grandmother hires renowned profiler Cade Harding to find her grandson. Cade tracks Addy to her safe haven in a remote area of Washington state. Their attraction to each other is immediate, dangerous, and badly timed because...
Cade isn't alone.
A twisted killer
Faceless and unknowable, a murderer follows in Cade's footsteps--on the hunt for anyone who can tell the truth about killing Bliss.
All roads lead to Addy.
Addy Michaels, living her careful life on a forgotten back road, thinks she's safe--that the past and its corpses are long buried. Surely after fifteen years the cops have quit looking for the street kids believed to have kidnapped a baby and killed their prostitute foster mother¬, Belle Bliss.
Addy couldn't be more wrong.
A cold case.
Hot again, when the missing child's grandmother hires renowned profiler Cade Harding to find her grandson. Cade tracks Addy to her safe haven in a remote area of Washington state. Their attraction to each other is immediate, dangerous, and badly timed because...
Cade isn't alone.
A twisted killer
Faceless and unknowable, a murderer follows in Cade's footsteps--on the hunt for anyone who can tell the truth about killing Bliss.
All roads lead to Addy.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2005
56 people are currently reading
367 people want to read
About the author
E.C. Sheedy
34 books51 followersI live on Vancouver Island in the moody, green, and rain-washed Pacific Northwest. So when I'm seriously story challenged (too often!) I often walk the beach and commune with the stunning and multi-talented Mother Nature. (Make that beg for inspiration!) If that doesn’t work, a few minutes thinking about the quirks and foibles of human nature usually does the trick.
I dislike cooking.
I dislike nosy people.
I dislike too many rainy days in a row.
I dislike snakes.
And the only word I hate is hate.
I love reading, writing, my sons, my sister, my twin granddaughters, my Rhodesian Ridgeback, Boon--and most of all my first and last husband, Tim.
You can follow me on Twitter, if that's something you tend to do. @EC_Sheedy I also mess around on Tumblr. That's here: http://ecsheedy.tumblr.com/
I dislike cooking.
I dislike nosy people.
I dislike too many rainy days in a row.
I dislike snakes.
And the only word I hate is hate.
I love reading, writing, my sons, my sister, my twin granddaughters, my Rhodesian Ridgeback, Boon--and most of all my first and last husband, Tim.
You can follow me on Twitter, if that's something you tend to do. @EC_Sheedy I also mess around on Tumblr. That's here: http://ecsheedy.tumblr.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
January 18, 2022
Great story, fast paced finished it in a day.
Picked up this story a while back, when it was offered for free.
Did not see the whodonit till it all came out. If I was abetting man, I would have lost. Lists of twist and turns both a sad and happy ending but a good ending.
The only down side was that at time the story did not flow smoothly into the next section. Probably was just overlooked, most of the story was transitioned well with some type of divider.
Picked up this story a while back, when it was offered for free.
Did not see the whodonit till it all came out. If I was abetting man, I would have lost. Lists of twist and turns both a sad and happy ending but a good ending.
The only down side was that at time the story did not flow smoothly into the next section. Probably was just overlooked, most of the story was transitioned well with some type of divider.
September 26, 2025
ACTUAL RATING: 5/5 stars.
BOOK COVER/DESIGN: 8/10 stars. I thought the cover was really pretty! I love the font used, as well. A friend of mine commented that it has such a beautiful cover, too.
GENERAL REVIEW/THOUGHTS: I bought this book without realizing that this is part of the "series" of EC Sheedy's romantic suspense stories. And I absolutely loved it! The story was gripping and fast - paced, without the romance element appearing to be forced into the story. It all fit perfectly! I loved the character developments and the intriguing plot! I was quite shocked to find out that But then, I thought it made perfect sense and was necessary for that "street kid" image. I feel for the characters deeply. It was so well - written that I feel their pain from running and hiding for most of their lives. The ending made me happy and sad, too. Sad over I cried my tears for her. I do hope Addy and Gus keep in touch, now that It's the least they could do in her memory. Their time with Belle Bliss made me feel enraged. It only proves that some people don't deserve to be parents, and that's the harsh truth of this world. EC Sheedy will always be one of my favorite authors.
RECOMMENDATION: If you're a fan of suspense, this story's for you. For mature readers only.
BOOK COVER/DESIGN: 8/10 stars. I thought the cover was really pretty! I love the font used, as well. A friend of mine commented that it has such a beautiful cover, too.
GENERAL REVIEW/THOUGHTS: I bought this book without realizing that this is part of the "series" of EC Sheedy's romantic suspense stories. And I absolutely loved it! The story was gripping and fast - paced, without the romance element appearing to be forced into the story. It all fit perfectly! I loved the character developments and the intriguing plot! I was quite shocked to find out that But then, I thought it made perfect sense and was necessary for that "street kid" image. I feel for the characters deeply. It was so well - written that I feel their pain from running and hiding for most of their lives. The ending made me happy and sad, too. Sad over I cried my tears for her. I do hope Addy and Gus keep in touch, now that It's the least they could do in her memory. Their time with Belle Bliss made me feel enraged. It only proves that some people don't deserve to be parents, and that's the harsh truth of this world. EC Sheedy will always be one of my favorite authors.
RECOMMENDATION: If you're a fan of suspense, this story's for you. For mature readers only.
August 16, 2015
It has been several years since I have read anything by this author. I don’t know how I could have missed this series since Killing Bliss (The Bliss Legacy, Book 1) is a reissue by E.C. Sheedy. Believe me, time has not changed this story from being a great one from an accomplished story teller.
How could I have forgotten that E. C. Sheedy could write such totally riveting, page-turning stories? Killing Bliss is no exception. It has an exciting plot with enough hints as to the true murderer that the reader is not surprised but there are other very, very surprising twists to the story. It is heavy on the suspense and by today’s standards light on romantic details. There is no crude language to describe sex which is so much the vogue these days. In fact, I found that to be a refreshing.
The characters are fleshed-out, well developed with the ability to do good and bad, turning this story into a psychological thriller as much as it is a cold case/ missing child investigation. While all loose ends are neatly tied up at the conclusion, I couldn’t help but want to know more about Gus.
A very fine read, a very fine read indeed.
4.5 Stars
The publisher through Net Galley provided a copy.
How could I have forgotten that E. C. Sheedy could write such totally riveting, page-turning stories? Killing Bliss is no exception. It has an exciting plot with enough hints as to the true murderer that the reader is not surprised but there are other very, very surprising twists to the story. It is heavy on the suspense and by today’s standards light on romantic details. There is no crude language to describe sex which is so much the vogue these days. In fact, I found that to be a refreshing.
The characters are fleshed-out, well developed with the ability to do good and bad, turning this story into a psychological thriller as much as it is a cold case/ missing child investigation. While all loose ends are neatly tied up at the conclusion, I couldn’t help but want to know more about Gus.
A very fine read, a very fine read indeed.
4.5 Stars
The publisher through Net Galley provided a copy.
September 30, 2015
A quick easy read. This was my bedtime read - it never left the bedroom and was only read in snippets before sleepy time. The characters were all likeable, the sex scenes weren't overly gratuitous, and the ending had a bit of a surprise in it. As much as there was a fair chunk of characters, it wasn't too difficult to keep them all straight in your mind. The love affair didn't seem forced or unreal. It was a pretty interesting take on murder and intrigue :)
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March 9, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/9/2020)! 🎁
February 15, 2021
This book was absolutely fantastic. There are very few books these days that are true "page turners" but this is one of them! Real characters, twists and turns galore and an extremely satisfying ending. Will be reading more of this author.
August 3, 2013
I loved this book when I read the initial release in 2005, and I'm loving it all over again now reading the Kindle edition.
EC Sheedy has a wonderful knack for a beautiful turn of phrase that has served her well in romance. In her romantic suspense novels, EC reveals a talent for spooky atmospheres and gritty, street-wise characters.
The author is one of the Pen Warriors, a group including myself and 4 other writing friends. At our regular writing retreats, I have the great pleasure of hearing scraps of her stories before they come out. That wets my appetite for the real thing - and I'm heading back to my eReader right now to read a few more pages before my family come for a Sunday night dinner.
Vanessa
EC Sheedy has a wonderful knack for a beautiful turn of phrase that has served her well in romance. In her romantic suspense novels, EC reveals a talent for spooky atmospheres and gritty, street-wise characters.
The author is one of the Pen Warriors, a group including myself and 4 other writing friends. At our regular writing retreats, I have the great pleasure of hearing scraps of her stories before they come out. That wets my appetite for the real thing - and I'm heading back to my eReader right now to read a few more pages before my family come for a Sunday night dinner.
Vanessa
August 6, 2015
4 Stars for Killing Bliss
After 3 foster children are part of a murder/missing toddler crime scene at their foster home, they spend the next 15 years in hiding with new identities. Fast forward to present day and the grandmother of the missing toddler makes one last effort to find her grandchild.
I was really pulled into this plot and enjoyed the two main characters, Addy,one of the foster children and Cade, a writer and ex-cop who works through the cold case to look for what others may have missed.
I liked the group of characters in this story and the way the author revealed their lifes. I also enjoyed the author's style of writing. I would recommend this book and look for more stories by this author.
Thanks to Net Galley and the author for the opportunity to read this book.
After 3 foster children are part of a murder/missing toddler crime scene at their foster home, they spend the next 15 years in hiding with new identities. Fast forward to present day and the grandmother of the missing toddler makes one last effort to find her grandchild.
I was really pulled into this plot and enjoyed the two main characters, Addy,one of the foster children and Cade, a writer and ex-cop who works through the cold case to look for what others may have missed.
I liked the group of characters in this story and the way the author revealed their lifes. I also enjoyed the author's style of writing. I would recommend this book and look for more stories by this author.
Thanks to Net Galley and the author for the opportunity to read this book.
June 9, 2019
Frustratingly, this author always misses out on a 5* review from me because of presentation issues and not her stories !! It's such a shame she doesn't get a great editor or proofreader on board. It would make such a difference, although I imagine some issues are formatting mistakes, too.
I liked a lot of the characters in this one and it's nice that there are 2 further books featuring some of them. For some reason, I did struggle with Gus and Bliss-I kept getting them confused in my head and had to go back and reread parts a few times once I'd realised I had it wrong. Could just be an old-age thing, of course, or maybe because Bliss often appears as Frank. This is a twisty 'n turny offering and held my interest all the way through. For once I managed to figure out where things were going a few times, which is a rarity ! Although Cade manages to locate people wanted in a cold murder case pretty rapidly; it didn't appear to be a killing anyone was particularly involved in investigating, let alone prosecuting. Another thing I wondered about with one character was how quickly she trusted somebody she'd only just met when she'd just spent the last decade at least living off the grid, so to speak....something I was happy about is a dog called Redge features, and he doesn't get killed, abused or maimed as is so often the case. I dread seeing a dog appear in a book as I just know something bad will happen to it ! Another character called Lund I'd have liked to see more of as he was (to me) a real overlooked hero and we didn't get to learn that much about him and I thought Gus was an all-round good egg as well. There were some touching moments along with some amusing lines amid the murders ! One sniffy incident for me was the reference to Zuke at the end.....
I'm pleased she included an epilogue as she could've left things at the end of chapter 26 but instead chose to resolve things more comprehensively which I think was a better way to complete it.
Now silly errors.....on route and not en route, beede-bright not beady-bright, dam not damn, an black wraith and not a black wraith (!!) then ass and not as ! However, they paled when I saw Arid Gus written.....that puzzled me till I realised it should've read And Gus !! Now, if you look at that, it could be a copy-typing mistake (??) but surely all of these faults should be getting spotted before publication.
A few times fullstops were just missed altogether (then a couple were randomly added for no reason), the same goes for speechmarks then paragraph breaks were omitted as well. That was off-putting as I'd suddenly find myself in a totally different scene altogether with different characters. Annoyingly, on one page she writes arrivals' but on the second mention on the very same page dropped the apostrophe. Then with this paragraph-I'll let you spot this error......it made me roll my eyes in frustration. "....you put with a snake-mean women who didn't give a damn about him, a woman who ignored his screams....."
Do please invest in a better proofreader, Ms Sheedy, or ask me next time (though I'm only your run-of-the-mill reader, not in the publishing business) !!
I liked a lot of the characters in this one and it's nice that there are 2 further books featuring some of them. For some reason, I did struggle with Gus and Bliss-I kept getting them confused in my head and had to go back and reread parts a few times once I'd realised I had it wrong. Could just be an old-age thing, of course, or maybe because Bliss often appears as Frank. This is a twisty 'n turny offering and held my interest all the way through. For once I managed to figure out where things were going a few times, which is a rarity ! Although Cade manages to locate people wanted in a cold murder case pretty rapidly; it didn't appear to be a killing anyone was particularly involved in investigating, let alone prosecuting. Another thing I wondered about with one character was how quickly she trusted somebody she'd only just met when she'd just spent the last decade at least living off the grid, so to speak....something I was happy about is a dog called Redge features, and he doesn't get killed, abused or maimed as is so often the case. I dread seeing a dog appear in a book as I just know something bad will happen to it ! Another character called Lund I'd have liked to see more of as he was (to me) a real overlooked hero and we didn't get to learn that much about him and I thought Gus was an all-round good egg as well. There were some touching moments along with some amusing lines amid the murders ! One sniffy incident for me was the reference to Zuke at the end.....
I'm pleased she included an epilogue as she could've left things at the end of chapter 26 but instead chose to resolve things more comprehensively which I think was a better way to complete it.
Now silly errors.....on route and not en route, beede-bright not beady-bright, dam not damn, an black wraith and not a black wraith (!!) then ass and not as ! However, they paled when I saw Arid Gus written.....that puzzled me till I realised it should've read And Gus !! Now, if you look at that, it could be a copy-typing mistake (??) but surely all of these faults should be getting spotted before publication.
A few times fullstops were just missed altogether (then a couple were randomly added for no reason), the same goes for speechmarks then paragraph breaks were omitted as well. That was off-putting as I'd suddenly find myself in a totally different scene altogether with different characters. Annoyingly, on one page she writes arrivals' but on the second mention on the very same page dropped the apostrophe. Then with this paragraph-I'll let you spot this error......it made me roll my eyes in frustration. "....you put with a snake-mean women who didn't give a damn about him, a woman who ignored his screams....."
Do please invest in a better proofreader, Ms Sheedy, or ask me next time (though I'm only your run-of-the-mill reader, not in the publishing business) !!
February 1, 2023
Cade Harding is a profiler/professor/former police officer who is blackmailed by his aunt, Susan Moore, into locating her grandson, Josh.
Josh was placed in foster care with Belle Bliss fifteen years ago, and vanished. On the night that he disappeared, Belle was murdered. Her son, Frank, blamed three foster kids, for the murder: Addy Wartenski, Dianne Lintz and Gus Vanelleto. The three kids went on the run. Cade turns up clues that lead him to a resort/motel run by Addy Michaels. He is certain that she is Addy Wartenski. Despite his wife having died of cancer a year or so previously and no one ever being able to live up to her (sigh), Cade develops lust/love for Addy.
Meanwhile, Frank Bliss is out of jail. He's coming for Addy, Dianne and Gus. He tracks down Dianne first, who is now a prostitute by the name of Fallon West. She starts heading Addy's way, and Frank is following her. Also thrown into the mix is Wayne Grover, who placed the kids and baby Josh with Belle Bliss that fateful night.
Middling romantic suspense tale. There's some initial intrigue over what happened fifteen years ago and how all the characters tie into it, but getting to the answers pretty much results in a holding pattern for the entirety of the book. For the most part the book isn't much more than Fallon evading Frank Bliss, and calling Addy with updates as she makes her way to Addy's resort, and Addy imploring Fallon to either not kill Frank or not do something stupid. The plot just had little momentum.
The romance didn't exactly bowl me over. I'm really not one for the dead first wife trope. Cade states no one will ever replace his dead wife or be better than her. He just finds Addy hot and wants to fuck her, and it feels like he randomly falls in love with her simply because she's there.
I like romantic suspense with a bit of a harder edge than what you get in Harlequin Intrigue and Harlequin Romantic Suspense these days, which this managed to deliver, but the plot was undercooked to the point where proceedings really began to drag.
Josh was placed in foster care with Belle Bliss fifteen years ago, and vanished. On the night that he disappeared, Belle was murdered. Her son, Frank, blamed three foster kids, for the murder: Addy Wartenski, Dianne Lintz and Gus Vanelleto. The three kids went on the run. Cade turns up clues that lead him to a resort/motel run by Addy Michaels. He is certain that she is Addy Wartenski. Despite his wife having died of cancer a year or so previously and no one ever being able to live up to her (sigh), Cade develops lust/love for Addy.
Meanwhile, Frank Bliss is out of jail. He's coming for Addy, Dianne and Gus. He tracks down Dianne first, who is now a prostitute by the name of Fallon West. She starts heading Addy's way, and Frank is following her. Also thrown into the mix is Wayne Grover, who placed the kids and baby Josh with Belle Bliss that fateful night.
Middling romantic suspense tale. There's some initial intrigue over what happened fifteen years ago and how all the characters tie into it, but getting to the answers pretty much results in a holding pattern for the entirety of the book. For the most part the book isn't much more than Fallon evading Frank Bliss, and calling Addy with updates as she makes her way to Addy's resort, and Addy imploring Fallon to either not kill Frank or not do something stupid. The plot just had little momentum.
The romance didn't exactly bowl me over. I'm really not one for the dead first wife trope. Cade states no one will ever replace his dead wife or be better than her. He just finds Addy hot and wants to fuck her, and it feels like he randomly falls in love with her simply because she's there.
I like romantic suspense with a bit of a harder edge than what you get in Harlequin Intrigue and Harlequin Romantic Suspense these days, which this managed to deliver, but the plot was undercooked to the point where proceedings really began to drag.
April 25, 2020
15 years time for the truth
Three street kids ran for their lives. The girls Beauty and Wart were together Gus went by himself. Susan has been searching for her Grandson. She talked her nephew into helping her. He seemed to be getting closer than the PI's before him. Maybe she will find out what happened that night.
A EC Sheedy is a masterful story teller. I was over half done before I knew it.
Three street kids ran for their lives. The girls Beauty and Wart were together Gus went by himself. Susan has been searching for her Grandson. She talked her nephew into helping her. He seemed to be getting closer than the PI's before him. Maybe she will find out what happened that night.
A EC Sheedy is a masterful story teller. I was over half done before I knew it.
March 3, 2019
Blazing Read
This book was amazing. Three kids caught up in the system and having to fight there way out. A system that to this day still has its flaws. I love how the characters where developed. How they stuck with each other through the system until that horrid day. This is a must read. Great ending to a terrible beginning. Please grab this book you want be disappointed.
This book was amazing. Three kids caught up in the system and having to fight there way out. A system that to this day still has its flaws. I love how the characters where developed. How they stuck with each other through the system until that horrid day. This is a must read. Great ending to a terrible beginning. Please grab this book you want be disappointed.
January 25, 2023
After a murder, friends going missing, and a killer on the loose, who can you trust? The characters were beautifully described and developed by Ms. Sheedy, which kept the reader guessing until the exciting climax.
May 7, 2021
Great read
Thoroughly enjoyed this mystery that really wasn't solved until the very last moment. But it kept me reading right the way through, just like a good story should.
Thoroughly enjoyed this mystery that really wasn't solved until the very last moment. But it kept me reading right the way through, just like a good story should.
December 25, 2023
Another 5 star read by EC Sheedy. SO glad Jessica recommended this author.
September 20, 2015
Killing Bliss is the story of three teenage street/foster children caught at a murder scene and the twists and turns they took to avoid being caught, as they were falsely accused of the murder. Another foster child goes missing from the foster home the night of the murder, a toddler that just disappeared.
Asked to find his cousin's grandson, Cade Harding is asked by his mother's cousin, the missing toddler's grandmother to find what happened to Josh Moore, the missing toddler from the night when he went missing fifteen years earlier on the night of the murder. Cade finds Abby at Star Lake Motel that she owns and operates in a remote area of northern Washington State. The twist and turns of the characters from the night of the murder started all over again with the release of Frank Bliss, the son of the murder victim from prison until all was revealed at the end of the story.
The character development was excellent, the story kept the reader guessing to the end as to who did it and what happened to the toddler, Josh Moore and the romance between Cade and Ally was unexpected, sweet and very well done.
Asked to find his cousin's grandson, Cade Harding is asked by his mother's cousin, the missing toddler's grandmother to find what happened to Josh Moore, the missing toddler from the night when he went missing fifteen years earlier on the night of the murder. Cade finds Abby at Star Lake Motel that she owns and operates in a remote area of northern Washington State. The twist and turns of the characters from the night of the murder started all over again with the release of Frank Bliss, the son of the murder victim from prison until all was revealed at the end of the story.
The character development was excellent, the story kept the reader guessing to the end as to who did it and what happened to the toddler, Josh Moore and the romance between Cade and Ally was unexpected, sweet and very well done.
June 19, 2016
Okay so I was very surprised with this book. I started reading and felt that at first it was going to be a pretty great book, then as I continued to read, maybe not so much. I am not one to give up on a book unless it is just overall awful. So I kept reading and really glad I did. I thought it was a really good book and the writing style was unique and interesting. There were a couple of characters in the book I was just to smack b/c they seriously got on my nerves, but the other characters worked really well. The insta-love not so much my favorite either but it was done a lot better than others I have read (reason for drop in the star plus the couple characters that were really annoying were just way too much for me to deal with). Overall, I am looking forward to reading more by this author and would recommend.
August 3, 2015
I got this book from Netgalley
A gripping and very captivating read! That starts with the murder of a foster mother and a missing baby.
Fast forward 15 years, and the truth of what happened is still not known. Murder, deceit, mystery, love and when the truth came out! I was shocked!
E.C Sheedy writes a good romantic suspence. I would definitely read the next 2 books in the Bliss Series
A gripping and very captivating read! That starts with the murder of a foster mother and a missing baby.
Fast forward 15 years, and the truth of what happened is still not known. Murder, deceit, mystery, love and when the truth came out! I was shocked!
E.C Sheedy writes a good romantic suspence. I would definitely read the next 2 books in the Bliss Series
September 11, 2015
The mystery of who murdered their foster mother as three street kids go on the run and their story as they become adults in hiding from the world. Romantic as the PI goes searching for them and information on a missing child. But as their past comes together for a final confrontation will truth prevail? And if so whose truth? I cannot wait to get my hands on the rest of the trilogy.
June 14, 2016
I really liked the the way the author developed the story. I didn't figure it out until the killer was revealed. Some characters were better developed than others and I wish the author had given us a better understanding of Gus. The way the different personalities dealt with so differently with shared circumstances was even more interesting than the murder plot.
April 29, 2014
really enjoyed this, compelling characters, really good plot line and a story that you could follow. I do like a suspense and this was perfect add in loads of drama, tears and a bit romance, all good. I've read a few of this authors books there all very readable, definitely worth a go.
September 19, 2015
It seems I'm in the minority, but I didn't love this book. I did generally like the plot, but I wasn't a fan of all of the POVs and found myself skimming through some of them. I also wasn't the biggest fan of the ending.
July 10, 2008
Another easy read - but a real page turner. Lots of twists.
June 24, 2012
An easy read but an interesting one. I can hardly put the book down. :)
June 17, 2012
Killing Bliss by E. C. Sheedy
This was a very good story.
This was a very good story.
December 4, 2012
A book that will make you grip to your arm chair. It's not just about killing, it has a story that will keep you on reading it! A great book!
September 1, 2015
A murder, missing friends and someone is out to murder again, who to trust? Who to trust? And a love story thrown into the mix for an exciting book.
August 4, 2014
It has a lot of good parts, but it's a bit sloppy and gives far too much away in the various POVs. Ruined a lot of the fun.
June 10, 2015
Enjoyable read. Had me on the edge of my seat the whole read and guessing who done what up until the end. Looking forward to the next books in the series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews