Crime Beat Girl

Debbie Bradley Crime Mysteries #1

by Geri Dreiling

WINNER of two 2020 American Fiction Awards:
Mystery/Suspense: Hard-Boiled Crime
Mystery/Suspense: Multi-cultural & Diverse.

A girl is dead. A boy is locked up. Can Debbie Bradley discover the truth before more lives are lost…maybe even her own?

A series of deadly shootings. An outbreak of stolen cars. When journalist Debbie Bradley returns home to St. Louis, the summer crime wave has started. And she’s in the center: A witness, a reporter, a target.

Debbie’s reasons for leaving behind her promising career in Washington D.C. were complicated. Her mother, a prominent lawyer, was diagnosed with cancer. Her engagement was cooling. When she got offered a job in St. Louis that she hadn’t been looking for, Debbie recognized an opportunity. Or an escape.

But she didn’t expect to come home and see a girl die. Debbie never planned to investigate a boy behind bars. And she didn’t anticipate colliding with hostile cops and wary politicians.

As her work gains attention, Debbie gathers enemies. Will her assignment to cover the St. Louis crime beat be her last?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller

258 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2020

About the author

I'm an award-winning journalist as well as a lawyer and professor. I'm an avid runner and a decent gardener in my free time. My two kids are now all grown up and doing amazing things. I live in St. Louis with my husband and our lovably complicated rescue Schnoodle, Charlie.

Reviews

[Píaras Cíonnaoíth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crime Thriller writing at its best...

If you enjoy reading crime fiction, you'll appreciate Crime Beat Girl by award-winning author Geri Dreiling. Crime Beat Girl is an exceptionally well written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The threads of storytelling are expertly woven in this suspenseful crime thriller that will guarantee the attention of the reader.

The book description gives a sneak preview: ‘A girl is dead. A boy is locked up. Can Debbie Bradley discover the truth before more lives are lost…maybe even her own? … A series of deadly shootings. An outbreak of stolen cars. When journalist Debbie Bradley returns home to St. Louis, the summer crime wave has started. And she’s in the center: A witness, a reporter, a target… Debbie’s reasons for leaving behind her promising career in Washington D.C. were complicated. Her mother, a prominent lawyer, was diagnosed with cancer. Her engagement was cooling. When she got offered a job in St. Louis that she hadn’t been looking for, Debbie recognized an opportunity. Or an escape… But she didn’t expect to come home and see a girl die. Debbie never planned to investigate a boy behind bars. And she didn’t anticipate colliding with hostile cops and wary politicians… As her work gains attention, Debbie gathers enemies. Will her assignment to cover the St. Louis crime beat be her last?’

I enjoyed the story, character development, and dialogue. There were plenty of plot twists that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book’s mystique. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of the story in my head to see if I could figure more out. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much. It’s a well written crime thriller with perfect pacing.

Crime Beat Girl had every element a good story should have. A solid plot, attention to detail, but best of all fleshed out, well-written and well-rounded character development. There’s an abundance of well-illustrated scenes that make you feel you are right there in the story, and that’s something I look for in a good book.

If you are looking for a well-written suspenseful crime thriller with amazing characters and a gripping plot then Crime Beat Girl will not leave you disappointed. Recommended to all fans of mystery, thriller and suspense. A well-deserved five stars from me.

[Foxy Vixen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this as a Free ebook from Amazon, thanks so much. This takes place in St. Louis, MO
There’s a saying that you can never go back home, well, in this case it may not be true. Debbie goes back home to take care of her quite independent mother, who is being treated for breast cancer.
Debbie finds herself in very messy situations which leaves her editor calling her ‘Crime Beat Girl.
Good book, storyline follows the craziness that is happening on our Metro streets today.
Debbie is staying at her Mother’s old Victorian house which led to this quote.
‘Old houses, like old ladies, refuse to remain silent.’
Happy Reading.

[S.A. Krishnan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the story.
Debbie is a reporter who has come home to look after her mother after a break up with her fiance. In her home town, she suddenly becomes a witness to a murder.
The story after that was thoroughly exciting and thrilling. As a detective, Debbie makes excellent deductions which was all the more fun to read.
Loved the mystery.

[Sandra Lopez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Debbie Bradley was a reporter looking to make a difference and seek justice. After a great gig in DC, she was back in her hometown working the small press. On her way to an interview, she becomes a witness and participant of a car accident, which led to her editor giving Debbie the new role of tracking the crime in St. Louis and calling it “Crime Beat Girl.”

The reader soon dives deep into an array of judiciaries, politics, protocols, and data. Debbie certainly has a nose for sniffing out a good story and getting to the bottom of things. As she looks more into the young boy who was being charged for the car wreck, one statement struck her: This was no accident. What really happened then? “Who were the good guys and who were the bad guys?”

Debbie has a knack for showing up at every crime scene with her notebook, camera phone, and a truck load of questions. She was the Crime Beat Girl in action. It’s an interesting gig that hooks the reader, keeping pace as she follows several crimes in the story. She was “working on nothing and everything,” and, with the help of her lawyer mother, she can dig further into the truths. I enjoyed the loving squabbles between mother and daughter—2 stubborn, smart, and fiercely independent women. The court scenes can be a little dry and tedious, but, overall, this was an interesting ride along a plucky reporter.

[Ivana S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a rollercoaster! “Crime Beat Girl” is a book written by Geri Dreiling. It is an action packed tale that keeps you sitting at the edge of your seat, reading pages like an addict! I couldn’t stop reading it.

The story is narrated in the third person and it tells the story of Debbie Bradley a journalist that after a break up with her fiancé, leaves her career​ behind, and because her mother is diagnosed with cancer, she returns to St. Louis where her mother lives to have a fresh start. But everything will be complicated when she is the witness of the murder of a girl. Is she in danger too? Is she a possible target? What should she do?

It is a mysterious, strange and, at one point, worrying situation that due to the amazing writing style of the author makes you feel immerse in the story, feeling what the character is living. In fact, the story soon gets the reader involved.

All in all, this is a thought-provoking book, perfect for these days. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys thriller books.

[Mia C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Crime Beat Girl” is a book written by Geri Dreiling, award-winning alt-weekly journalist, lawyer and currently teacher of media law and media ethics.
The cover of the book is very attractive and just by reading the title readers know that this will be a gripping crime story. The protagonist is called Debbie Bradley, a woman who left a promising career in Washington DC due to several reasons, most importantly, her mother was diagnosed with cancer and her engagement was cooling. She found a way out: accepting a job in St. Louise. What she did not imagines was that as soon as she arrived she was going to face the murder of a girl.
The story is very good thought about and the plot develops smoothly. The author has a very good writing style which i enjoyed from beginning to end. Characters are well developed and described. I liked this story very much, once I started reading, I could not put it down. I will certainly recommend reading Crime Beat Girl.

[Pearl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this book stunned me in so many levels. I'm a fan of crime mystery stories so I was really excited to dive into this book. It didn't fail me from the beginning up to the last because it was amazingly written. The writing style of Geri Dreiling totally knocked me off my feet!

Crime Beat Girl offers a state of the art mystery story that keeps you guessing what will happen next. I felt an adrenaline rush chapter by chapter. And oh, I absolutely loved the heroine Debbie Bradley. She is strong, reliable, and a real badass. Her investigating skills also amazed me to no end.

Plot wise, it was good. And aside from that, I loved that the book was an easy and fast-paced read with no nonsense twists. After reading this book, I realized I needed to read more books like this because it's totally enjoyable and with a great storyline.

[Al · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It had a lot of different things going for it. Obviously the first is the story. Or actually multiple story threads with different mysteries involved, although ultimately they do tie together. Then we’ve got the issues with our protagonist Debbie, both dealing with her mother’s illness and trying to figure out what direction she wants her life to go romantically and career-wise. Last, we have the setting of St Louis, a city that is unique in so many ways, much of this coming through in the story.

If you’re into female sleuths, prefer Woodward and Bernstein to Perry Mason, or just like a good mystery or thriller, Crime Beat Girl would be a good choice. I’m hoping to read about other adventures in the future from Debbie.

**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **

[ELISABET · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would recommend this novel to action fans, especially women, who want to be inspired by a female referent, as I was with the main character, Debbie Bradley. When I got to know Debbie´s personality, I fell in love with her. I think that the characters are described in a great way. I identify myself a lot with several emotions they express.
This action novel tells the story of a journalist, who was a crime witness when she just arrived home in St. Louis. So, she got into the discovering of the truth behind that tragic fact. It is a contemporary story and it is full of intrigue, mystery, twists and turns. So, I believe that it was a delightful reading.

[Reader Views · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drawing on her personal career as a journalist and lawyer, author Geri L. Dreiling immerses readers in Debbie’s life as a crime beat journalist returning home to help her well-known attorney mother navigate breast cancer treatment.

“Crime Beat Girl” kicks off as reporter, Debbie, returns to her hometown of St. Louis to care for her mother recently diagnosed with breast cancer. After dropping her fiancé and journalistic life in D.C. she doesn’t quite know what to expect of her new career in St. Louis as a writer for a print and online magazine, edited by a high school contact. However, as she arrives in town Debbie happens to be eyewitness to an out of control Audi driver as he plows down and kills one teen pedestrian. From there, her role as a reporter quickly becomes clear as she’s thrust into crime beat reporting as St. Louis’ summer of crime begins to kick off. As the story continues to unravel, Debbie seeks avenues to work her way up the food chain of “sources” in the mayor’s office, police department and community. But, will Debbie be able to stay on the fray as an innocent reporter, or will her eyewitness accounts and efforts to obtain sources put her at risk?

As a Midwesterner myself I deeply related to Debbie’s internal draw back to St. Louis. While Debbie recognized that D.C. would always have the more important stories, it was endearing that Dreiling gave readers an accurate and humbling account of Debbie’s desires and draw to remain in the community she grew up in, reporting on stories important to her and those she has come to love, respect, and befriend. Dreiling also did a fantastic job of weaving her own skills as a journalist and lawyer within the pages of her book. The conversations regarding the constitution and the friendship made between Debbie, a reporter, and Chase, a lawyer from a family of lawyers, not to mention the relationship between Debbie and her own lawyer mother are all the more realistic because of Dreiling’s own background within both.

“Crime Beat Girl” gives readers hints of a classic crime/detective mystery from the unique perspective of a reporter rather than the typical detective. What many would consider a “wrong place, wrong time” occurrence, a reporter finds to be “right place, right time” and seizes the opportunity thus propelling us through the entirety of this read. Crime, drama, and law run rampant throughout this book with a layer of mother-daughter emotion adding a layer of nuance to the page as the story within wraps neatly and rapidly into a bow.

[Jill Rey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drawing on her personal career as a journalist and lawyer, author Geri L. Dreiling immerses readers in Debbie’s life as a crime beat journalist returning home to help her well-known attorney mother navigate breast cancer treatment.

“Crime Beat Girl” kicks off as reporter, Debbie, returns to her hometown of St. Louis to care for her mother recently diagnosed with breast cancer.  After dropping her fiancé and journalistic life in D.C. she doesn’t quite know what to expect of her new career in St. Louis as a writer for a print and online magazine, edited by a high school contact.  However, as she arrives in town Debbie happens to be eyewitness to an out of control Audi driver as he plows down and kills one teen pedestrian.  From there, her role as a reporter quickly becomes clear as she’s thrust into crime beat reporting as St. Louis’ summer of crime begins to kick off.  As the story continues to unravel, Debbie seeks avenues to work her way up the food chain of “sources” in the mayor’s office, police department and community.  But, will Debbie be able to stay on the fray as an innocent reporter, or will her eyewitness accounts and efforts to obtain sources put her at risk?

As a Midwesterner myself I deeply related to Debbie’s internal draw back to St. Louis.  While Debbie recognized that D.C. would always have the more important stories, it was endearing that Dreiling gave readers an accurate and humbling account of Debbie’s desires and draw to remain in the community she grew up in, reporting on stories important to her and those she has come to love, respect and befriend.  Dreiling also did a fantastic job of weaving her own skills as a journalist and lawyer within the pages of her book.  The conversations regarding the constitution and the friendship made between Debbie, a reporter, and Chase, a lawyer from a family of lawyers, not to mention the relationship between Debbie and her own lawyer mother are all the more realistic because of Dreiling’s own background within both.  

“Crime Beat Girl” gives readers hints of a classic crime/detective mystery from the unique perspective of a reporter rather than the typical detective.  What many would consider a “wrong place, wrong time” occurrence, a reporter finds to be “right place, right time” and seizes the opportunity thus propelling us through the entirety of this read.  Crime, drama and law run rampant throughout this book with a layer of mother-daughter emotion adding a layer of nuance to the page as the story within wraps neatly and rapidly into a bow.

[Wendy Beckman · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Old houses, like old ladies, refused to remain silent."

Crime Beat Girl by Geri Dreiling is a delightful read in the contemporary cozy genre. Reporter Debbie Bradley goes back to her home in St. Louis to be near her mother, who is dealing with breast cancer. Stolen cars, stolen guns, and stolen hearts are deftly woven throughout the plot as the police struggle to deal with an increase in gun violence and car thefts. I have read a lot of mysteries, especially the cozies, but this ending was a total surprise to me.

Geri Dreiling's writing is tight and clever, without drawing undue attention to the writing itself. A couple of times we have a little too much exposition where two characters reveal backstory in conversations about things that both characters already knew. I was delighted to see one of my father's favorite wisecracks: "Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get me." I also enjoyed the alliteration sprinkled throughout, such as where a character "climbed the cracked concrete steps with crumbled edges."

She also has clearly done her homework about St. Louis, guns, and drugs. She also makes keen observations about the rich and famous: "[P]hilanthropy is Febreze for rich people, they use it to get rid of the stench of corruption. Either that, or it's about status: See how rich I am because I can give so much away?...Philanthropy is the modern version of sack cloth and ashes. Show the world just how pious you are."

Being a writer and editor myself, I go nuts when I see mistakes that an editor should have picked up. Thankfully, there were few errors here. One that makes me chuckle (because it's happened to me) is where the author thanked her editor/proofreader in the misspelled "acknowledgements." The author probably didn't share that page with her proofreader. (I was once thanked in a "Forward.")

I hope this book is followed by many more!

[Darryl Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A small time news reporter fights big time corruption and murder in a small town.



Debbie Bradley is a young and successful journalist, based in Washington D.C. When her mother is diagnosed with breast cancer, she returns to her home town, St Louis, and takes a job with a local newspaper, inheriting the journalistic title of Crime Beat Girl. An incident involving a young boy who tragically crashes a car and that she is witness too, takes some unusual twists that point to corruption at the highest levels of governance in the small town. Soon she finds herself fighting for her life as she uncovers compromising information in her investigations and attracts the attention of local authorities. Fortunately, she also has some unlikely allies to help her, but they may not be enough to save her. This is a thriller with all the usual twists that one can expect in a small town. However, Debbie is an unusual and persistent hero whose force of personality makes the plot absorbing and exciting to read. Written in a superbly engaging manner, this is a novel that creates the expectation that there should be more to follow in a series that will be just as engaging and compellingly thrilling, and a protagonist with unusual survival and investigative skills.

[Rebecca]

Captivating!

This book is addictive to read. The main character Debbie is very like-able and has a go-getter personality. Her attitude about finding out the truth and her investigative energy made me so interested in what was happening next as if I was Debbie herself. She has a charisma to her that you would think she is a real person, which is really difficult to write so it’s a testament to the author. Debbie moves to a smaller big city as they call it in the book and finds herself in a difficult situation of being a witness to a crime and the reporter who was there at the scene first. She has to juggle between being ethical and trying to find out as much as she can about what happened so that she can follow her heart and write up the story for her true passion of investigating. She juggles her personal life struggles with her mom being very sick and her love life as well. I really enjoyed the development of the story and the ending made it all worth it. If you like crime and investigation, this is a really good read.

[Brian Aird · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the Wrong Place at the Right Time

Crime Beat Girl by Geri Dreiling is an engaging, fast paced and adventurous read about a young journalist's return to her home city.

Debbie Bradley is a self-made, strong and very capable young woman who has had the benefits of a wonderful nurturing family whose parents were both litigators and defenders of those who were victims of discrimination or abused by big corporations. Currently living in Washington, DC, life is good. She is following a career path of being an investigative reporter and takes great pleasure in getting away from her desk and digging for the truth.

However, her mother back in her hometown has been diagnosed with breast cancer and Debbie decides to return to River City to be with her mother during this time of uncertainty.

She has gotten employment. It is with a magazine that publishes "puff pieces" but the editor is looking to add more journalistic articles to the magazine. Ms. Bradley has been offered this job in order to fulfill this added dimension to the magazine.

Consequently, the stage is set for Debbie Bradley to become Crime Beat Girl. It is a column title that doesn't necessarily resonate with her idea of the modern-day woman, but one that she can live with especially as things begin to heat up with criminal activity that is escalating in her hometown. Those criminal activities include stolen vehicles; a young woman being killed and drive-by shootings.

Crime Beat Girl soon finds herself immersed into the very center of this criminal activity as not only a witness, but a crime reporter and a target. Added to the mix, within the first two days of being on the job, she has managed to not only "go crossways" with the police chief but the mayor of her hometown as well.

Crime Beat Girl by Geri Dreiling is an exciting narrative that is sure to engage the reader. It is replete with adventure, suspense and all the trappings of public corruption in which the only question remaining is how high up do the tentacles reach.

Another nice touch in the novel is the rekindling of a mother and daughter's relationship.

Additionally, the ending is nicely done in which all of the answers are provided with surprise twists and turns.

[Pegboard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crime Beat Girl by Geri Dreiling is a fast mix of suspense and crime. Debbie Bradley comes home to Saint Louis to work for her mentor at his magazine, when all goes crazy before she is even settled. A near car accident leaves one dead and a teenager in jail. Next day she covers a shooting. Crime beat girl is Debbie's blog, keeping people posted of the crime around them. But it also makes Debbie visible to those who do not like reporters, those who have something to hide, and those who have been exposed. And one of these has Debbie in their cross hairs.

Geri Dreiling combines layers of mystery and surprises in Crime Beat Girl. Debbie Bradley is a complex character with a lot going on in her life. The pace goes quickly from one event to another with detail description. As a reporter, Debbie is very persistent and finds ways to get the answers, much to the police displeasure. She often gets in Detective Flannery's way, which at times is humorous.

[Susan B · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great crime mystery book this is! Chapter after chapter, the story of a young reporter called Debbie Badley gets more intriguing.
The plot has been crafted in a way that it is impossible not to get hooked by the different sequences of events that unfold in a natural, but sometimes unexpected way. Who is bad and who is not was what kept me entertained until the last minute.
Author Dreiling has proven her writing style is on point since she has been able to develop 22 chapters of pure action experience by characters that have been portrayed in an amazing way.
I absolutely love this kind of book, I always look for those in which I can be able to delve into the unknown, so that the text itself leads me to an equally unknown and, thus, unexpected ending.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Journalist sleuths are one of my favorite characters. Crime Beat Girl is an enjoyable read. The characters are believable and grew on me. I liked the relationship between Debbie and her mom. The setting was a little underwhelming, but I felt like the plot and characters carried the story. This felt like a little bit more visceral Hallmark movie and I mean that as a compliment! It was a small-town story with likeable characters. The plot was at times predictable in that Debbie always seemed to be in the right place at the right time with her camera and reporter's notebook, but that can be expected of mysteries and thrillers ... how else will the mystery be solved?
While a lot of thrillers can be plot heavy and light on character development, Geri Dreiling manages in Crime Beat Girl to allow the characters' interactions to show the developing/changing relationships while at the same time maintaining plot momentum. In my experience as a reader, this is not easy to do.

[Dani Savante · Rating 5 out of 5]

A captivating story
“Crime Beat Girl”, written by Geri Dreiling, is a fascinating novel that develops in a wonderful way the work done by journalists and crime investigators.

Its protagonist, journalist Debbie Bradley, leaves the big city and moves to her old hometown in St Louis to deal with a family problem. She is convinced that this is an opportunity to set aside stress and the hustle and bustle of city life. However, when a terrible murder takes place, she will have to investigate and find the killer.

I love murder mystery stories and that is why I got hooked by this book from the first pages and I couldn’t stop reading. I liked Debbie’s character, a strong and independent woman who faces several challenges and dangers to find out the truth. The book is skilfully written and I think this is mainly due to the ability of the author to employ her personal experience when narrating the story.

[Carol M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action-packed and drama scenes are present from the very beginning in this intriguing thriller. The main protagonist is Debbie Bradley, a detective who goes back to her hometown where she accepts a new job with the intention of taking care of her sick mother. Yet, her plans change when she becomes the witness of a shooting. The plot is captivating and fast- paced. The author Geri Drelling has done a wonderful job in creating a suspenseful atmosphere throughout the story. I was fully immersed in the story! My favourite parts are the unexpected twists! It is a highly recommended crime novel for teenagers and adults as well! 5 stars!

[EarnedIt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast-paced thriller

Crime beat girl is an action-packed thriller. It starts with showing the advantages of having a social or professional network, which demonstrates the amount of corruption that can blind people with power. Sadly, this fictional story shows some truth in how non-privileged people with stereotypes are framed or lured into attempting crimes, which acts as a cover for the true perpetrators: the rich and powerful. Those who are privileged and well-connected are easily able to escape accountability for their crimes.
It's also interesting to read a thriller novel from a journalist's point of view.
Well written novel that will keep you interested.

[Melissa Hernandez-Alvarez · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mostly enjoyed this book. It was fast-paced and a good mystery/thriller overall. I did not see many of the twists and turns towards the latter half of the story. It was great seeing a journalist grow in her career even if she did seem a bit naive. I enjoyed nearly all of the supporting characters and thought they held up well. Except for Christian. I really think he didn't need to be there in this story. It seemed "too much" with the crimes, writing, her mom, building relationships, etc. she had to deal with at home. Also, I really did not enjoy how these folks were described because when we first see them, we know nothing what they look like. It's not hard to say white, black, brown, etc. We only get them for a few, and it was frustrating. How do they look like? It was nice seeing her understand where she came from - money, resources, etc. - as it did provide her a chance to grow as a human being. You don't see that everyday. It was a little weird seeing words from today's political climate - "libtard," "fake news," etc. I don't know. While not everything was wrapped up nicely with a bow, it does provide the glimpse of a sequel to the story. I'm intrigued to see what happens next for Debbie.

[Bridget Marzette-Bender · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the fact that the story took place in my home town of St. Louis. One of the judges she was referring to in the book, I could have sworn she was talking about Judge Jimmie Edwards. I like that the author incorporate some real issues that are still happening in STL; crime, gun control, towing company scandal and poverty. It seems to me that Debbie was in the wrong place too many times. Overall, I enjoyed the story.

[Susel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved reading this entertaining mistery novel written by the very accomplished author, Geri L. Dreiling. What I enjoyed the most about this book is that it has a strong and interesting female lead character. Debbie Bradley, is a journalist who moves back to St. Louis to help her mother and start a new job, but she finds herself in a much more complicated and fascinating story.
I really liked the relationship that Debbie has with her mother, they are true friends and they are always supporting each other. The descriptions in this novel are rich and accurate, and the plot itself unfolds nicely as you witness the trials and tribulations of all involved. I truly recommend this book and hope to read more from this amazing author very soon!

[Alfredo R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best crime story of the decade

“Crime Beat Girl” is a story about a girl who decides to go back to her birth town, not knowing the dangers she will have to face.

Debbie Bradley is a detective who happens to be at the wrong place at the right time. She gets back to her hometown because she was trying to escape an inauspicious reality, and she finds herself sailing too close to the wind.

I liked the book because it portrays a strong, independent woman as a main character. In addition, the situations this character goes through are nerve-racking, which kept me spellbound till the very last word.

It was money well spent!

[Mindi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. I genuinely believe the author had good intentions, however, the product was problematic for me. The stereotypes, fat-phobia, and micro-aggressive writing of black characters were the main problem. The lead character is out of touch, meant to be a 28-year-old young progressive journalist but her thoughts and speech patterns suggest a much older and less aware person, I would guess the author is likely of another generation. The story was engaging and could have been great, but I found myself cringing at the writing and unrealistic bordering on ignorant plot points such as “community guns”. The idea behind the story was promising but it fell flat and had too many problems for me to enjoy it or choose to read the next installment.

[Sandra Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this!

Young woman returned home , to care for her sick Mom. She gets a job on the local paper. Exploring crime in the city.
Got too close for comfort, and things happened.

[Nikita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five Stars

One of the best books I have ever read! Highly recommend it! I only leave positive feedback and reviews when the product meets my expectations. If this review has been helpful, please click “yes”, or if I've left anything out, feel free to ask.

[The Reviewera · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't thought this book will going to be this good. It was , as you might expect , entertaining , a total different piece of thrill and adventure from every aspect.
It sets a very high bar for whatever he does that comes next.
Must Read

[Bonnie Trasamar]

A great read!