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A car found at a park, a woman’s body inside.It appeared Dr. Amy Babbitt had a good life. Did she commit suicide, or did someone want her dead?

As Denver Homicide Detective Sarah Spillman delves into Amy’s life, the details don’t add up, but the suspect list does. Everyone is keeping secrets, and someone is willing to kill to keep theirs hidden. And as Sarah investigates, she must confront her own dark past.

Revenge is a dish best served dead …

235 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 15, 2021

1205 people are currently reading
71 people want to read

About the author

Renee Pawlish

113 books346 followers
From the time she was ten and tried to write her own detective series in the fashion of the Hardy Boys, Renée Pawlish has been developing her craft. Along with creative writing classes, Renée studied great writers like Dashiell Hammett, Rex Stout, Stephen King, Sue Grafton and many more. Once Renée graduated from college, she began her first novel. Now, all these years later, she has penned numerous books in a variety of genres.

Renée was born in California, but has lived most of her life in Colorado. When she's not hiking, cycling, or chasing ballplayers for autographs, she is writing mysteries and thrillers. She also has some middle grade novels waiting to be published.

Renée loves to travel and has visited numerous countries around the world. She has also spent many summer days at her parents' cabin in the hills outside of Boulder, which was the inspiration for the setting of Taylor Crossing in her novel Nephilim: Genesis of Evil.

The Reed Ferguson Mystery Series
This Doesn't Happen In The Movies
Reel Estate Rip-off

The Nephilim Trilogy
Nephilim Genesis of Evil
Books Two and Three soon to be released

The Noah Winter YA Adventure Series
The Emerald Quest

Take Five
A short story collection that includes a Reed Ferguson tale.

The Sallie House: Exposing the Beast Within
A non-fiction book about one of the most haunted houses in America.

To learn more you can follow her on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/reneepawlish....

on her blog:
http://tobecomeawriter.wordpress.com/

on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/reneepawlish

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5 stars
563 (59%)
4 stars
291 (30%)
3 stars
78 (8%)
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10 (1%)
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3 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
Profile Image for Albert.
134 reviews1 follower
April 15, 2021
Renée Pawlish has another hit series on her hands. She got me hooked with the Reed Ferguson stories, then drew me in further with her Dewey Webb historical mysteries. Now she is on her fourth novel of the Sara Spillman detective series.
Ms. Pawlish has shown her versatility in being able to write stories in both the private and police detective sub-genre of mystery, and be entertaining in both.
In her newest Sarah Spillman story the detective is called in on what looks like a suicide, but Sarah suspects different. The story brings out a topic in the medical area that we should all be concerned with, potential bias on a doctor’s part that could affect the medicine, and its effectiveness, we are prescribed by the people we trust.
As usual with her series, she continues the ongoing story of the main characters and we learn more of her relationship with her sister and what really happened in their college years.
She packs a lot into a single story, but makes it work. I really enjoyed the story and recommend it to anyone.
116 reviews
April 15, 2021
Dead? But is it really suicide?

Although initially it looks like Dr. Amy Babbitt has killed herself, Detective Sarah Spillman and her partners doubt that is how she really died. Interviewing Amy's friends, co-workers and other doctors that are working on a new drug trial together, Det. Spillman collects the clues and gathers evidence pointing to murder, not suicide.

With many potential suspects, from a one night stand to work colleagues, and most behaving in suspicious and uncooperative ways, there is much to sift through to get to the truth. Complicating matters for Det. Spillman is one of the suspects is someone from her past, someone that she fears interviewing.

Renee Pawlish is excellent in creating believable characters, injecting humor and humility in the good guys. She also has you rooting for Detective Spillman and her partners to collar the bad guys.

Although this could be read as a standalone book, it would enhance the readers understanding of the character and her past by reading the previous books in the series.
61 reviews1 follower
April 16, 2021
The 4th installment of the Sarah Spillman certainly keeps you turning the pages. This series just keeps getting better - I'm looking forward to the next one. The returning characters are so well depicted that you feel you know them. Even minor characters get full personality and description. As with most mysteries, I try to figure out whodunit, but this one kept me guessing. Every time I was sure I knew, another clue arrived to make me change my mind. I highly recommend this series - you can start with this one as a stand alone, but it's definitely worth it to go back and read them all. Pawlish's other series are also very, very good starting with Reed Ferguson, then the 40's spin off Dewey Webb
52 reviews
April 16, 2021
This new installment of the Detective Spillman series does not disappoint. Piecing together the clues and following where they lead, no matter what, Sara comes face-to-face with her past. We finally learn what really happened years ago with her sister. As for the case, her tenacity pays off in the end. I love the character building and the study in relationships. Life is messy and the Spillman series is not confined to the precinct. With so many suspects, this mystery leaves you guessing until the end. I also like that there is no explicit language in these mysteries. Even though I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review, I still highly recommend this series.
Profile Image for Roger.
5,649 reviews28 followers
Read
April 16, 2021
Deadly Revenge (Detective Sarah Spillman Mystery Series Book 4), my forty-seventh read from author Renee Pawlish. I read it in just a few hours. Great characters, great storyline, a must-read! Yeah, it is that good! As Pawlish expands her writings over 3 primary characters it has improved all three. I've said it before but this may be her best book yet. A Renee Pawlish book is like a visit with an old friend. “I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. I look forward to the next book in this series when it's published. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
Profile Image for A.J. Lange.
Author 11 books18 followers
June 19, 2021
Careless mistakes

I like Sarah Spillman as a protagonist, but I struggle with some of the procedural mistakes and too simple conclusions. This book used the wrong character’s name at a key point, which has happened in a previous book too. There were also dangling plots left at the end, which annoys me, even if it was obvious all along who our killers were (seriously no mystery here). Sure I know xyz character was never really a contender but if you waste dozens of pages on them and their mischief, then conclude their part.
Profile Image for Janet Graham.
2,506 reviews12 followers
July 2, 2023
Suicide or is it Murder?
This is the fourth book in a series that should be read in sequence. Each book contains a complete mystery, but there are character backgrounds and story arcs that are best in publication order. This police procedural involves the suspicious death of a doctor. As the detectives remove each layer of the onion, many irregularities come to light. The story will keep your interest, but not make you have nightmares. I have been binge-reading the series and am enjoying it to bits.
Profile Image for Betty.
161 reviews
April 16, 2021
Renee Pawlish's latest installment in the Detective Sara Spillman Mystery series is a definite “must read”. Deadly Revenge has no shortage of suspects in the death of Dr. Amy Babbitt. With Sara, Ernie and Spats on the case, lots of clues come to light. There are so many twists and turns that you are kept guessing til the last chapter. I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review. I highly recommend this as well as any book by Renee Pawlish.
Profile Image for Bev.
3,272 reviews98 followers
April 16, 2021
Sarah Spillman is working on a case that ties into her past. Not only hers but her sister's also. What does an apparent suicide of a doctor have to do with her and her sister? It is all laid out for you in the story, in a way that gives you more insight to the characters. I like how we get to 'know' the characters and what made them become the adults they are in this story. Eagerly waiting for the next installment. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
Profile Image for Becky .
599 reviews16 followers
April 15, 2021
Ms. Pawlish has another Sarah Spellman hit on her hands. The very enticing beginning hooked with the mysterious anonymity of it, something that usually turns me off. It was done so skillfully that I just had to keep reading, and I am very glad that I did as the story was very good.
8 reviews
April 18, 2021
Investigating a suspected suicide, Detective Spillman learns the victim was involved in a clinical drug trial with questionable results and one of the suspects has a connection with her sister. The storyline keeps you guessing. No blood or guts, just a good mystery story.
Profile Image for Cynthia A.
692 reviews
May 3, 2021
Money causes problems

I enjoyed this book. From beginning to end I wanted to know who the murderer was. Story flowed smoothly. This detective is very dedicated and doesn’t miss clues.
Profile Image for Jean .
668 reviews21 followers
June 17, 2021
I like the Detective Sarah Spillman series by Renee Pawlish. I really liked this particular book. Good plot, fairly realistic police procedural, interesting detectives, lots of suspects, and lots of ways the case could go … what’s not to like?
101 reviews
January 19, 2024
DEADLY REVENGE is a great read

Another great read with an excellent ending. The entire series is worth reading. I enjoy the strong characters and the manner in which Pawlish wraps her stories around her plot.
155 reviews
April 6, 2024
Good series

This is 4 in the series and I'm glad I'm reading them in order. Each one could be a standalone, but I feel I'm getting more of the characters this way. Enough clues that you can see what's coming, but at least up to #4, you don't know who the killer really is.
Profile Image for Renee Boomershine.
38 reviews
April 15, 2021
This is the fourth book in the Detective Sarah Spillman series. This is another good mystery from Renee Pawlish.
Profile Image for Marla.
583 reviews5 followers
November 16, 2021
Great book! I can’t wait to start the next one!
Profile Image for taffykathiegmail.com.
578 reviews
January 11, 2022
The past will catch up to you. Face it!

This story out you right in the middle of actions that happened years ago. Forgiveness for such atrocities is in the balance.
179 reviews1 follower
February 5, 2022
Page turner.

Good story keeps you going. Plot is interesting and keeps you guessing dun it. Near the end you can follow the plot to the end but need to see how it really ends.
18 reviews
December 15, 2022
review

As usual this was a very interesting and entertaining read. It kept my interest and me guessing which doctor’s committed the murder.
347 reviews
December 22, 2022
Detectives

Proving murder has to be really herd to do. Not sure how accurate Renee Pawlish's rendition is bit she writes a powerful story! Read!! I enjoyed.
563 reviews6 followers
September 3, 2024
Really enjoyed this one. A little misdirection
with the emails, but a page turner just the same.
Glad Sarah was able to get part of the demons
from college put to rest.
Profile Image for Susan.
2,474 reviews13 followers
April 19, 2025
I enjoy the characters in this series and the way the books are written. This one involves a group of crooked doctors, a murder, and the hunt for answers. I found it very entertaining.
544 reviews1 follower
December 17, 2025
I liked this book and the tie-in with the past. Very poetic!
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews

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