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Anna Sweet Mystery
Too Close to Home
This high-interest, low-vocabulary novella is intended for adult basic education (ABE) and English as a Second Language (ESL) readers. Sometimes home is not a safe place to be. PI Anna Sweet is hired to look out for
Max, a troubled teenage runaway. For Max, the woods provide safety and shelter.
Until he is discovered. Max’s parents declare him mentally unfit and try to lock him
up. But Anna holds the secret to his freedom.
Anna agrees to take on another case, as a favour to Gail, a childhood friend. Gail,
who lives overseas, is worried. Gail’s grandmother has strangers living in her home
and is not answering her calls. Anna agrees to drop by the house and stumbles
across a body. Sometimes, favours can go horribly wrong. Anna juggles both cases
while hiding a decision that will change her own life forever.
Max, a troubled teenage runaway. For Max, the woods provide safety and shelter.
Until he is discovered. Max’s parents declare him mentally unfit and try to lock him
up. But Anna holds the secret to his freedom.
Anna agrees to take on another case, as a favour to Gail, a childhood friend. Gail,
who lives overseas, is worried. Gail’s grandmother has strangers living in her home
and is not answering her calls. Anna agrees to drop by the house and stumbles
across a body. Sometimes, favours can go horribly wrong. Anna juggles both cases
while hiding a decision that will change her own life forever.
59 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 18, 2019
3 people are currently reading
18 people want to read
About the author
Brenda Chapman
40 books356 followersI'm an Ottawa author with 18 published novels in the mystery genre, both adult and YA. I am currently writing two adult mystery series: The Stonechild and Rouleau police procedurals from Dundurn include Cold Mourning (2014), which was shortlisted for an Arthur Ellis Award for crime novel of the year, Butterfly Kills, Tumbled Graves, Shallow End and Bleeding Darkness. Turning Secrets, 6th in the series, will be released spring 2019.
The Anna Sweet mysteries are novellas from Grass Roots Press for adult literacy or those wanting a quick read. My Sister's Keeper and No Trace were both shortlisted for an Arthur Ellis award and The Hard Fall and No Trace were shortlisted for the Golden Oak award.
Previous published fiction includes: the Jennifer Bannon mysteries for ages 10+, a full length adult murder mystery In Winter's Grip (Dundurn 2010), and a Rapid Reads mystery The Second Wife (Orca 2011), which was shortlisted for a Golden Oak award. Second Chances, a YA novel for ages 13+ was released by Dundurn in September 2012.
The Anna Sweet mysteries are novellas from Grass Roots Press for adult literacy or those wanting a quick read. My Sister's Keeper and No Trace were both shortlisted for an Arthur Ellis award and The Hard Fall and No Trace were shortlisted for the Golden Oak award.
Previous published fiction includes: the Jennifer Bannon mysteries for ages 10+, a full length adult murder mystery In Winter's Grip (Dundurn 2010), and a Rapid Reads mystery The Second Wife (Orca 2011), which was shortlisted for a Golden Oak award. Second Chances, a YA novel for ages 13+ was released by Dundurn in September 2012.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 13, 2021
https://openbooksociety.com/article/t...
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra
Too Close to Home is the 8th book in the Anna Sweet Mystery series by Brenda Chapman. Once again, a novella that grabbed my interest and did not let go until the end.
Gail (a friend of Anna’s) does not live in the country and is worried about her grandmother so she asks Anna to check up on her. Anna has agreed to find out what happened to the grandmother and during the process – ends up with a mystery as to who is living in the grandmother’s home and where is she? And who are these people living at the house? Very odd indeed.
At the same time Anna is looking out after Max, a troubled teen living in the woods. Anna frequently buys him a meal or two and makes sure he has adequate clothing for the local climate. But the family of Max is set on having his freedom taken.
As Anna unravels and solves these mysteries, she is also dealing with the absence of her beau who is in New York at a movie premiere. In this story, we have a couple of interesting mysteries/situations for Anna to work on, but also the wrapping up of many family storylines (her father and his girlfriend – will they move, what is Anna’s beau’s secret, and what happens to Anna’s sister). All story arcs are nicely wrapped up and thus – a pleasant way to end this series, at least it feels like the end to me.
If you like novella’s with a bit of mystery, set in picturesque Ottawa – then the Anna Sweet Mystery series is a definite must!
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra
Too Close to Home is the 8th book in the Anna Sweet Mystery series by Brenda Chapman. Once again, a novella that grabbed my interest and did not let go until the end.
Gail (a friend of Anna’s) does not live in the country and is worried about her grandmother so she asks Anna to check up on her. Anna has agreed to find out what happened to the grandmother and during the process – ends up with a mystery as to who is living in the grandmother’s home and where is she? And who are these people living at the house? Very odd indeed.
At the same time Anna is looking out after Max, a troubled teen living in the woods. Anna frequently buys him a meal or two and makes sure he has adequate clothing for the local climate. But the family of Max is set on having his freedom taken.
As Anna unravels and solves these mysteries, she is also dealing with the absence of her beau who is in New York at a movie premiere. In this story, we have a couple of interesting mysteries/situations for Anna to work on, but also the wrapping up of many family storylines (her father and his girlfriend – will they move, what is Anna’s beau’s secret, and what happens to Anna’s sister). All story arcs are nicely wrapped up and thus – a pleasant way to end this series, at least it feels like the end to me.
If you like novella’s with a bit of mystery, set in picturesque Ottawa – then the Anna Sweet Mystery series is a definite must!
February 15, 2023
Short story but always enjoy her books
April 18, 2023
Very short, just chosen for the name
July 17, 2023
Short and to the point. It didn’t drag out which is great. If you’re looking for a quick and fast paced read, this is it.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews