Black Diamond Death

Sloane Monroe #1

by Cheryl Bradshaw

From a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author...enter the world of Sloane Monroe in Black Diamond Death...

"In a panic I gasped for air, but there wasn't any. I tried to cry out, but I was alone. And in my hysteria it hit me: I had felt a similar feeling before - like my body was giving out on me, and I knew what it meant. I was dying."

Enter the world of Sloane Monroe in Black Diamond Death...

A SKIER CRASHES

On the slopes of Park City, Utah's newest ski resort a woman is found dead. At first glance, it has all the makings of an accident. But what if wasn't? What if she was murdered?

A SECOND BODY IS FOUND

Just as Private Investigator Sloane Monroe feels she's close to solving the case, a second dead body is found. With the killer aware that Sloane will stop at nothing to find him, her life is in danger, her every move being tracked. Will Sloane uncover the truth before he strikes again?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Ebooks, Suspense

241 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 9, 2011

About the author

Cheryl Bradshaw is a New York Times and 11-time USA Today bestselling author writing in multiple genres, including mystery, thriller, romantic suspense, supernatural suspense, and poetry. She is a Shamus Award finalist for best private eye novel of the year, an eFestival of Words winner for best thriller, and has published over fifty books since 2011.

Raised in Southern California, she now lives in North Texas. When she's not writing, she loves jet-setting to new countries, exploring the outdoors, and playing with her grandbabies.

For a free eBook, click here: http://cherylbradshaw.com/get-a-free-...

Book series in order by Cheryl Bradshaw:

Georgiana Germaine (Mystery Series)

1. Little Girl Lost - USA Today Bestseller
2. Little Lost Secrets
3. Little Broken Things
4. Little White Lies
5. Little Tangled Webs
6. Little Shattered Dreams
7. Little Last Words
8. Little Buried Secrets
9. Little Stolen Memories
10. Little Empty Promises
11. Little Hidden Fears

Sloane Monroe Mystery/Thriller Series

0. Silent As the Grave (prequel to series)
1. Black Diamond Death
2. Murder in Mind
3. I Have a Secret
4. Stranger in Town - Shamus Award Finalist
5. Bed of Bones - USA Today Bestseller
6. Hush Now Baby - USA Today Bestseller
7. Gone Daddy Gone - USA Today Bestseller
8. Smoke and Mirrors - USA Today Bestseller

Sloane Monroe Stories - Mystery Novella Series
(with characters from the main series)

1. Deadly Sins: Sloth
2. Deadly Sins: Wrath
3. Deadly Sins: Lust
4. Deadly Sins: Greed
5. Deadly Sins: Envy
6. Deadly Sins: Pride

Sloane & Maddie Peril Awaits - Mystery Series
(Spinoff Series with Sloane Monroe & her sidekick Maddie)

1. The Silent Boy
2. The Shadow Children
3. The Broken Soul
4. The Widow Maker
5. The Familiar Stranger

Addison Lockhart Ghost Mystery Series

1. Grayson Manor Haunting
2. Rosecliff Manor Haunting
3. Blackthorn Manor Haunting
4. Belle Manor Haunting
5. Crawley Manor Haunting

Stand Alone Mystery/Thriller Novels

1. Eye for Revenge - USA Today Bestseller
2. The Perfect Lie
3. Hickory Dickory Dead - USA Today Bestseller
4. Roadkill - USA Today Bestseller

Reviews

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mysterious Tension!

Backstory:

Sloane Monroe is a private investigator and when a woman by the name of Audrey hires her to find out what happened to her sister, Charlotte, Sloane thinks it is a closed case as the coroner's report states that Charlotte was in a skiing accident. Audrey convinces Sloane that it was no accident as Charlotte had plans to meet up with Audrey and Charlotte had information that could break something wide open, but the chance never came for Charlotte to reveal all as she ended up dead on the slopes.

Sloane is hesitant to even try to investigate a case that looks to be "cut and dried" but Sloane decides that it couldn't hurt to check a few things out so she begins her investigation. She ends up stepping on toes at the police department with the Chief and a couple of other detectives, but she wants to see if there is anything to what Audrey is saying about her sister.

As time goes on, Sloane finds out there is something going on and then she has a prime suspect that could have killed Charlotte, but then he ends up dead, which sends Sloane into a tailspin as if the prime suspect is dead then who killed Charlotte. Sloane is now walking on eggshells trying to discover who it could be and hoping that she does not become a target herself!

That is about all I can give on a taste without giving away spoilers, so if you want to learn more than you will need to read the book!

Thoughts:

This was my first time reading this author within a crime fiction series. I have read this author before in a paranormal suspense series and really liked her writing style. This book reminded me of the series by author, Sue Grafton as I read her books way back in the middle 80's and early 90's. I was very impressed by how quick I was pulled into the storyline as right away something happens and I didn't have time to breathe as the story started to become a snowball rolling down a hill as the more I read the story the more something else seemed to happen.

I have found a new crime series to sink my teeth into and I didn't realize it but I own all eight books in the series so I can just go from one to the other as I go along. This book did not end on a cliff hanger so it seems the books could be read out of order, but I think I will read them in order anyway as there might be things that happen with the main character. I will eventually step into book two as I am curious to what kind of situation that Sloane Monroe will find for herself next. Giving this book four Skiing Sleuth stars!

[Avid Series Reader · Rating 1 out of 5]

Black Diamond Death by Cheryl Bradshaw is book one of the Sloane Monroe series set in modern-day Park City Utah. I was attracted by the Park City setting, my love of skiing, and because “black diamond” is the trail marker for expert ski slopes. Unfortunately, after the prologue the book has nothing whatsoever to do with skiing. It doesn’t even need to be set in Park City, only somewhere with snow on the ground, so the author can illustrate how quirky her protagonist is (she wears flip-flops in the snow).

Sloane Monroe investigates a skier death because the skier’s sister insists it was no accident. The ski resort certainly does not want publicity, and the police don’t want a case, so Sloane faces opposition in her quest for information. She discovers a violent ex-fiancé, and the crime seems fairly obvious. However she has no proof. So she continues investigating and discovers other crimes plus a more likely suspect. The mystery is believable and the case progresses at a reasonable pace.

Sloane’s boyfriend Nick is a policeman. I enjoyed the description of a cute trick Nick taught Sloane’s dog, Lord Berkeley:
“Nick cocked his thumb and trigger finger and aimed straight at him. ‘Pow!’ Lord Berkeley fell to the ground. He tilted his head to the side and closed his eyes and gave up the ghost. He remained still for a few dramatic moments until Nick gave him the okay signal and then sprung back to life to claim his treat, a pint-sized bone of beef.”

The book desperately needs editing. Awkward sentences stop the story flow completely. Words are used incorrectly. If grammar and style do not matter to you as a reader, skip the rest of this review and go ahead and try the book.

“Sepia tone photographs adorned the walls of the Daily Mining Company circa 1890 and Historic Main Street before the fire scintillated in 1897 and destroyed over 200 business and homes.” The author is probably trying to tell us:
1. the walls of the ski resort were adorned with sepia photographs
2. the photographs depicted the Daily Mining Company and Historic Main Street , circa 1890
3. a fire in 1897 destroyed over 200 businesses and homes

I never did figure out what the author meant by this: “In the corner of the room a fire beguiled me to absorb its warmth. I removed my gloves and stuck both hands inside.” Where did the protagonist stick her hands?

“I allowed time for my fingers to thaw and then fell in line at the front desk.” I found this sentence really odd. I can relate to having cold hands entering a ski lodge, but I can’t imagine standing still to wait for my fingers to warm up –before– getting in line to wait (again) for service at the front desk. It would make more sense to say her fingers gradually thawed while she waited in line at the front desk.

“I pushed though the entrance door and was met with a forceful tug that launched me forward and brought me up close and personal to a familiar face on the opposite end.” Does this mean someone she knew grabbed her as she came out the door?

“The morning sun shone its rays through the trees and melted away pieces of fallen snow that had rested on its branches.” The sun doesn’t have branches.

“In the summer month’s water skiers, boaters, and fisherman filled the lake, but in winter it turned solid white and was ensconced with snow.” Multiple problems: Wrong use of the possessive, singular should be plural, wrong use of ensconce.

“I mulled it over for a few minutes before I constituted a response.” Constituted?

I wonder what this slang phrase spoken by a waitress means? “Keep your alans on.”

More odd phrasing:
- “The check came and I stood, or tried to stand, and in the process I noticed my vision had changed since I first arrived.”
- “It took a moment, but somewhere in Nick’s head a light went on.”
- “My stomach twisted with disquietude and I watched through squinted eyes. Both outstretched hands launched their fingers in the air to protrude the ball forward and two seconds later, the Lakers were in control.”
- “He shook his head and picked his drink back up and ingurgitated all of it.”
- “The sun blazed down and its warmth coalesced on my skin.”

“The next morning I exercised my options and phoned a friend.” The story is not referring to stock options, just saying the protagonist phoned a friend. No one I know says “I exercised my options” before telling me what they did.

“I recognized the sound of Maddie chomping away on a piece of gum like a cow chewing its cud.” (mixed metaphors)

“I filled her in on the details and got her up to speed.” (redundant)

“I transferred the weight from one of my butt cheeks to the other. It didn’t help.” This paragraph is inserted into a description of a meeting with the ski resort owner. There is no previous mention of any condition that would possibly be alleviated by shifting weight in a chair. It’s a curious sentence, and pointless to include it in the story. The weird phrasing continues: “Marty’s eyes broadened. He leaned all the way back in his chair and hung there for a brief time before he moved his body forward again.” A more succinct and normal way to express this: “Marty reared back, eyes wide.”

Wonder if “crin” was the intended word, and if so, what does it mean? “Zoey peeled back the corner of a crin red curtain and watched us approach.”

Black Diamond Death was available free from Amazon in a Sloane Monroe trilogy: Black Diamond Death, Sinnerman, and I Have a Secret. I read Black Diamond Death all the way to the end because it meets the criteria for several reading challenges I’m in: e-book, first of a series, new author, colors, etc. Due to the lack of editing in Black Diamond Death, I do not plan to read more by the author.

[RW Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sloane Monroe, the private detective in Cheryl Bradshaw's series is a fully developed, complicated character. She hates the cold, but lives in a ski town. She craves love and affection (who doesn't?), but can't commit. The loss of her sister is a major motivator in her life.

When a skier crashes and dies, the police rule the death as an accident. A suspicious sister hires Sloane to investigate. Sloane discovers the death to be a murder and the game is on. Monroe is more bulldog than brilliant, and most of the clues come to her. That's ok. Bradshaw spins a good story with solid characters and pacing. If you enjoy a good cozy, give Bradshaw a try.

[Leslie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5*

My thoughts: This was an okay mystery but not one in which there are clues for the reader. I felt that the personal life of the narrator took up too much of the story and Sloane came across more as opinionated than headstrong to me.

[Robin Loves Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Black Diamond Death, Sloane Monroe #1, by Cheryl Bradshaw, Charlotte Halliwell dies on a ski slope. She was an exceptional skier, however, and her sister Audrey doesn't believe it was an accident. While it is obviously true that skiing accidents do happen, Audrey feels as if her sister was just too skilled. She hires Sloane Monroe, P.I., to investigate.

From the very beginning, Sloane agrees with Audrey. Now she begins the daunting task of exposing the killer. All the while, Sloane knocks heads with Detective Drake Cooper. He truly believes that it was an accident, and he doesn’t want Sloane nosing around. It helps that Sloane is dating Detective Nick Calhoun, as he helps to smooth things over with Detective Cooper.

So Sloane barges forward, and searches out possible suspects. The most likely suspect is Charlotte’s ex-boyfriend. He has a bad reputation with women, and Sloane is determined to pin the murder on him. But she is a consummate professional, and investigates other possible suspects, as well as all angles.

This story kept me guessing until the very end. Nothing was quite as it seemed, leading to a surprising conclusion. I am looking forward to reading all of the books in the series. As a matter of fact, I purchased the remaining books and I’m about to dive into Book 2.

[Antigone Walsh · Rating 2 out of 5]

A private investigator finds that there is more to an accident on a ski slope. A realtor and experienced skier inexplicably collides with a tree on a slope causing her death. Although dismissed as an accident, doubts about the incident lead the decedent's sister to hire Sloane, the PI. Sloane soon finds intrigue including a wealthy, violent cad of an ex, and competition at the victim's realty office. But will she be able to nab the killer before the death toll rises?

I found this book dull and predictable. The writing is far from sterling and the characters are superficial at best. Sloane's own personal tragedy is not fully explained. Although she plays the strong independent commitment-phobe it helps to have a hunky detective boyfriend, the chief of police and a burly investigator as surrogate father figures. The read was far from riveting and the killer's motivation was shaky at best. Not impressed.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A skier dies on the slopes at Park City, Utah and a female PI gets involved. She kind of reminded me of Grace Hanadarko from the tv show Saving Grace. Well written story, with you feeling like you are in the cold enviroment. I loved the twists and turns to the story and was surprised as to who did it and the ending was a surprise twist too. Would love to read more stories with Sloane Monroe the female PI!

[Lynelle Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up the series box as a freebie a long time ago, and over the years I gathered quite a collection of the author's books in this way. I think it was because of the excellent reviews mostly that I downloaded them, but whatever the reason, I'm glad I did. The few bad ones were, in my opinion, people that didn't take the time to read the book—book trolls with no valid excuse and thumb sucked a review.
This year, I decided to read some of these books and so far, I'm not disappointed with the choice on my TBR list.
This is a fast-paced private investigator story, well written with a steady buildup to the end. It has the reader on the edge guessing until the last chapter.
The underlining romance between Sloane and Nick is another noteworthy happening. For some reason, I feel sorry for Nick as he tries hard to stay true to the relationship while Sloane is on a path of self-discovery and helping others. It all stemmed from her own sad past, which propels her to continue in her quest to help women in dangerous situations.
The suspense a gradual build to the end that kept you engaged and the bad people revealing themselves.
I like the cliffhanger book one ended in and can't wait to get to book 2 in the series. Hoping that it would continue. Because I am a romantic by heart, I really Nick and Sloane can work it out as well. If not, that will also be okay.

[rebecca O. webber · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to find a new series with a strong female detective. So, I really wanted to like the first book in the Sloane Monroe series. The problem is there’s not much “there” there. It was weak by my standards. That said, I have read several authors who improved as they progressed. I will read the next book and continue to assess the quality of plot and characters.

[ANNESANGINE · Rating 4 out of 5]

Editing

Needed a good editor for grammar, spelling and continuity. Too obvious that Vicki was guilty because she was always described as unattractive

[Heidi Tieszen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good but not great

Good book but a little slow. Story didn't grasp my attention like some other books do. But still a good read.

[Toni Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book #1, in the Sloane Monreo Mystery

This is a refreshing and original mystery that has a good balance between action and detective work. The theme of this novel surrounds the real estate business and most of the players are one way or the other involved in the business or are in law enforcement. The main character, Sloane Monroe, is a private investigator and we follow her through this simple but captivating case as she pokes her nose into other people’s business…

I was captivated by this easy and fast moving saga where Sloane is hired to find who may have wanted Charlotte Halliwell dead. The investigators deemed her death accidental, one of the many accidents seen on the slopes of a ski resort. But Charlotte’s sister says otherwise and wants Sloane to get to the bottom and find the killer.

This mystery kept me guessing till the end where the truth was uncovered. This story is not taxing. The language is simple yet well done and to the point. I enjoyed passing time reading how Sloane did her investigating. Nothing is what it seemed and with the twists that kept derailing her at every turn, determined Sloane kept going. She is one feisty P.I. that will get her man or woman….. and along the way will give us hours of entertainment.

Ms. Bradshaw spins a good story with good characterization. Enjoy.

[David Freas · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was only so-so.

Part of the problem for me was a gap in main character Sloane Monroe’s back story: how and why she became a PI. Her sister was murdered, her killer never caught. It’s sufficient motivation but I doubt Utah lets anyone go into business as a PI without some training or prior experience. It would have been nice to know how she got it.

Bradshaw has some leaps in her storytelling, too. At one point, Sloane goes to a potential suspect’s house but we don’t know how Sloane knew where she lived (unless I missed the information earlier in the book).

Sloane wears flip-flops even in winter. It’s enough of a quirk to make her interesting but an odd choice of footwear for someone who hates cold as much as she professes to.

The story – Sloane investigates the death of a realtor on a ski slope – was well thought out and with enough twists to make it engaging. But, as I’ve noticed in so many mysteries lately, Sloane stumbles around blindly until everything suddenly falls into place near the end. And I guessed the guilty party long before Bradshaw revealed it.

I’ll read more books in this series should they come my way but I won’t actively hunt them.

[J.L. Rallios · Rating 3 out of 5]

Granted it was an entertaining mystery over all, but it fell short in many ways for me. The romance part was pretty lame. I couldn't identify with Sloane's reluctance - or rather, the story failed to capture my sympathy of her reluctance to "shack up" with her boyfriend -- how romantic (sarcasm)! Everybody seems to think that living together before marriage is just okay, but really it's just a norm before marriage. So it is realistic, but it doesn't capture my empathy for the characters, but of course that is just based on my point of views and a morality that most everybody sadly seems to think out-of-date. I also didn't care for the profanity, which I admit was pretty sparse by comparison to other stories out there. Anyway, enough of my complaints on the moral (or lack of) issues, the story itself lacked description so I rarely felt like I was there. The dialogue and pacing were good, while some of the wording could've used more editing. The mystery was okay, nothing very special or very surprising.

[Selaya Morton · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a while since I read a pure mystery, seeing as how I like to hang out with elves, dragons, witches and assorted other Fae beings, so I wasn't really sure what to expect from this novel. Honestly, I am always a little doubtful of stories that start off - or end up - with a lead character describing their own death (think of the movie "Legend" from 2015). Straight-up though: I liked it immensely. I think it is because I feel that I can identify, just a little, with the character of Sloane. No, I'm not a P.I. but there are certain similarities between our chosen careers. We both need to be objective, forthright and analytical while also maintaining a measure of compassion for our clients. Just like Sloane, I have been "charitably" described as stubborn but find that sometimes you need that quality to get things done! I'll definitely be back for more.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 1st book of the series introduces the main character Sloan and recurring characters which will show up in future stories.

This story started out with the accidental death of a skier. Sloan is hired to investigate this death by the skier's sister who does not believe that it was accidental. The Police have defined it as an accident and are not pursuing it any farther. When Sloan requests assistance by Maddie to have an autopsy performed, the cause of death was through poisoning. Sloan, against the advice of the Police Chief, looks to find any clues to help her find the killer. With dogged persistence, she is able to find out who killed the skier, and along the way, there are other killings which she also brings resolution to.

I enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone who like a good mystery/thriller.

[Melanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I actually got the three-book set to read on my Kindle, but I gave up after the first book.

The plot line was OK, but it really needed an editor. Did she self-publish? Some of the characters' actions didn't seem to work and the main character's friend in pigtails and a hot pink tight track suit smacking her gum seemed ridiculous, not sexy, as the narrator said she was supposed to. Really the biggest problem for me was that there were so many typos, misused words, and odd details and metaphors that it was distracting.

If you're not as much of a stickler for such things you might enjoy the mystery. But it wasn't for me.

[Cindy Segal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two problems

Having read hundreds of mysteries, I knew that the main suspect probably wasn't the killer. I felt that very little was done to present or develop alternative suspects and that Sloan actually did very little to solve this case. In the last few chapters she looked at some files and had her answer. My bigger issue is that the only time I have stopped reading an author was when a murderer was not punished for the crime and the main character didn't do anything about it. I have two of the series which I got for free but will not be spending any money to read the rest of the series.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story was good, a solid mystery with decent characters, but there were so many punctuation errors throughout the book that I knocked off a star. I had a hard time overlooking them. Correct use of apostrophes and question marks really isn't that difficult. I wanted to get out a red pen, but that wouldn't work so well on the Kindle. I was also annoyed by the main character's body snarking on other women. Comparing one to a small elephant, really?!

[Brett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cheryl Bradshaw gives us an entertaining tale set in Park City, Utah. However the writing is somewhat predictable -> the author seeming more content to be a competent technician rather than a creative risk taker. I enjoy reading crime fiction novels set in the U.S. west states where I grew up; the best of these books provide geographic flavor about the novel’s venue. Reading Black Diamond Death didn’t give me any insight about Park City.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

This is a great murder mystery. She's a P. I. dating a detective. Still hasn't gotten over her sisters death 2 years earlier. But her new client sister was just murdered and doesn't believe it an accident. Didn't know real estate equals murder.

[Yvonne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring Boring and Boring

I usually read one to two books a week. In three weeks I only managed to get through 26 chapters. I just couldn't stay awake nor try any longer. Not my cup of tea.

[Kathleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I should have known better - a free book on line with a female protagonist named "Sloane Monroe".

Needed a grammar editor for one thing that I can not get past......

Story was just not believable nor were the characters interesting.

I gave it a 2 because I did finish it.

[☼♎ Carmen the Bootyshaker Temptress ☼♎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story

Many twisted things go on in this book but it does keep your interest right from the beginning. You'll enjoy the twist of what really happens and may also entice you to read the next.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wouldn’t continue the series

This book was ok. It did keep me wondering who the killer was,but I really didn’t care for the main character. Her boyfriend and best friend both seemed like cardboard cutouts.

[Sherry Calabrese · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slow

G
This is my first book by this author and I found it to be slow and not very exciting.

[Shannie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Had me guessing until the end! Love! Great start to a new series!

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was okay and I have several by this author which I got free. I don’t plan to read anymore of them and am grateful not to have paid for them.

[Ken Finlay · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Black Diamond Death" introduces readers to Sloane Monroe P.I.
She's asked by the sister of a dead estate agent to investigate the circumstances surrounding her death.
It soon becomes apparent that it was no accident - it was a calculated murder.
The who and the why prove difficult to ascertain despite Sloane's best efforts.
The book could have done with a tighter edit. Two example:- "A crotchety silver-haired man a few seats over gave me the stank eye." Stink eye. And "The paramour of my collection ..." Paramour is the wrong word.
It seems, some of the time that the author has a thesaurus open while writing, not necessarily a bad thing in skilled hands, and does not choose wisely.
The murder is eventually solved more by happenstance than anything else.
A second murder proves to be a red herring put in to allow for a new character to feature in future book.
It's a solid but somewhat unsatisfactory read.
2.5 Stars raised to 3 Stars.

[Ferne Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book. I read the prequel to the series and I was hooked. This is the first story I have read by Cheryl Bradshaw but I will read the whole series. Sloane is a private investigator. She is hired by the sister of an experienced skier who died on the slope after running into a tree. The police said it was an accident, but the coroner, who is a friend of Sloane's says murder. The story and the investigation leads to a past lover with abusive tendencies. There are a few twists and turns, it's not quite an edge of your seat book but you will be hooked at the very beginning and will want to keep reading. The characters are wonderful and I love the interaction between Sloane and the police as well as the friendship between Sloane andvthe medical examiner. The end is a bit of a shocker. I highly recommend this book. If you are not sure, start with the prequel, Silent as the Grave. You will want more.