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Maggie Blackthorne #1
Dead Point
Introducing LaVonne Griffin-Valade’s debut novel, and the first in the gripping Maggie Blackthorne series. Fans of Sheriff Walt Longmire will fall in love with Sergeant Maggie Blackthorne, the spirited protagonist with a tragic past and an acid wit.
When Maggie Blackthorne returns to her hometown after nearly twenty years to serve as an Oregon State Police Sergeant, she expects to deal with the usual suspects — drunk drivers, oxy slingers, and the occasional rural scofflaw.
But after she stumbles upon the bullet-ridden bodies of twin brothers, she realizes she’s stepped into something much more sinister. With little homicide experience, Maggie and her partner, Trooper Hollis Jones, find themselves thrust into a murder investigation.
And when a third man turns up dead, the pair fears it’s only a matter of time before the killer strikes again. As they race to piece together what happened, Maggie and Hollis discover a tangled web of theft, deceit and deals gone bad.
Faced with multiple motives and several persons of interest, Maggie and Hollis finally catch a break — but are they willing to risk everything to put the murderer behind bars?
When Maggie Blackthorne returns to her hometown after nearly twenty years to serve as an Oregon State Police Sergeant, she expects to deal with the usual suspects — drunk drivers, oxy slingers, and the occasional rural scofflaw.
But after she stumbles upon the bullet-ridden bodies of twin brothers, she realizes she’s stepped into something much more sinister. With little homicide experience, Maggie and her partner, Trooper Hollis Jones, find themselves thrust into a murder investigation.
And when a third man turns up dead, the pair fears it’s only a matter of time before the killer strikes again. As they race to piece together what happened, Maggie and Hollis discover a tangled web of theft, deceit and deals gone bad.
Faced with multiple motives and several persons of interest, Maggie and Hollis finally catch a break — but are they willing to risk everything to put the murderer behind bars?
- GenresMystery
390 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 15, 2021
779 people are currently reading
313 people want to read
About the author
LaVonne Griffin-Valade
7 books32 followersLaVonne Griffin-Valade was born and raised in the high desert country along the John Day River of eastern Oregon. It’s a vast and luminous landscape made up of wind-sculpted fossil beds, pine and juniper forests, grasslands, indigo mountains, and river-fed valleys—a place that stoked her imagination and inspired her to become a lifetime writer of short stories, essays, poetry, and novels.
LaVonne has carried her love of language, story, and imagery wherever life has taken her, whether it was the eastern Oregon high desert, the islands of Saipan, Guam, and American Samoa, Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, New York, Washington D.C., or western Oregon’s green, lush Willamette Valley. She has participated in dozens of classes and workshops offered by fiction writers, poets, memoirists, and essayists including John Beer, David Biespiel, Emily Chenoweth, Paul Collins, Martha Gies, Karen Karbo, Nam Le, Michael McGregor, Tom Spanbauer, Kim Stafford, Lidia Yuknavitch, and Leni Zumas.
Along the way LaVonne earned a Bachelor’s degree in Humanities (English/writing focus) from Western Oregon State University and was an elementary school teacher for a time. Switching gears, she worked with homeless and runaway youth for several years connecting them with shelter and providing life skills training. She went on to earn a Masters of Public Administration from Portland State University while working for the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory in Portland, Oregon where she trained educators in educational equity and penned various professional articles.
In her penultimate career change, LaVonne became a government performance auditor in the Multnomah County Auditor’s Office in Portland, first as a staff auditor for eight years and then as the elected Multnomah County Auditor. She then ended her long auditing career as the elected Auditor of the City of Portland. After leaving office, she pursued an MFA in fiction writing from Portland State University and graduated in 2017.
LaVonne’s debut novel, DEAD POINT, featuring Oregon State Police Sgt. Maggie Blackthorne, was released by Severn River Publishing on June 15, 2021. The release date for Book #2 of the Maggie Blackthorne saga, MURDERERS CREEK, is November 23, 2021.
LaVonne’s personal essays have appeared in Oregon Humanities Magazine, and her short story “Eureka” was published in the 2019 Clackamas Literary Review. Based on an excerpt of DEAD POINT, she was a finalist for the 2018 Fellowship for Emerging Writers at Fishtrap’s Writing and the West.
LaVonne lives in Portland, Oregon and works as a fulltime writer.
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LaVonne has carried her love of language, story, and imagery wherever life has taken her, whether it was the eastern Oregon high desert, the islands of Saipan, Guam, and American Samoa, Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, New York, Washington D.C., or western Oregon’s green, lush Willamette Valley. She has participated in dozens of classes and workshops offered by fiction writers, poets, memoirists, and essayists including John Beer, David Biespiel, Emily Chenoweth, Paul Collins, Martha Gies, Karen Karbo, Nam Le, Michael McGregor, Tom Spanbauer, Kim Stafford, Lidia Yuknavitch, and Leni Zumas.
Along the way LaVonne earned a Bachelor’s degree in Humanities (English/writing focus) from Western Oregon State University and was an elementary school teacher for a time. Switching gears, she worked with homeless and runaway youth for several years connecting them with shelter and providing life skills training. She went on to earn a Masters of Public Administration from Portland State University while working for the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory in Portland, Oregon where she trained educators in educational equity and penned various professional articles.
In her penultimate career change, LaVonne became a government performance auditor in the Multnomah County Auditor’s Office in Portland, first as a staff auditor for eight years and then as the elected Multnomah County Auditor. She then ended her long auditing career as the elected Auditor of the City of Portland. After leaving office, she pursued an MFA in fiction writing from Portland State University and graduated in 2017.
LaVonne’s debut novel, DEAD POINT, featuring Oregon State Police Sgt. Maggie Blackthorne, was released by Severn River Publishing on June 15, 2021. The release date for Book #2 of the Maggie Blackthorne saga, MURDERERS CREEK, is November 23, 2021.
LaVonne’s personal essays have appeared in Oregon Humanities Magazine, and her short story “Eureka” was published in the 2019 Clackamas Literary Review. Based on an excerpt of DEAD POINT, she was a finalist for the 2018 Fellowship for Emerging Writers at Fishtrap’s Writing and the West.
LaVonne lives in Portland, Oregon and works as a fulltime writer.
Click FOLLOW for instant notification of new releases.
Join her mailing list for bonus content and book updates: https://bit.ly/Griffin-Valade
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
May 18, 2021
A gripping debut novel with a strong and interesting female protagonist. I liked the gritty mood and that it takes place in the dry Oregon desert. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Severn River Publisher for the opportunity to read this book and share my honest opinion.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Severn River Publisher for the opportunity to read this book and share my honest opinion.
January 18, 2025
This was an interesting mystery set in small town Oregon with a strong main character.
I liked Maggie, our main detective. She's strong-willed, no-nonsense, and has a very good head and heart for police work. I liked how much she knew her town and how easily she gave us our first few characters in an easy, quick to read way.
It's surprising to know this is a debut. The author seamlessly opened a town to us, a group of characters and then kicked up the tension with a double murder. I love reading books that mention locations in Oregon that I know, like Lake Oswego, so it's added fun to read something so local.
The conclusion was solid and I liked how it all wrapped up. Definitely a series I'd keep reading.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
I liked Maggie, our main detective. She's strong-willed, no-nonsense, and has a very good head and heart for police work. I liked how much she knew her town and how easily she gave us our first few characters in an easy, quick to read way.
It's surprising to know this is a debut. The author seamlessly opened a town to us, a group of characters and then kicked up the tension with a double murder. I love reading books that mention locations in Oregon that I know, like Lake Oswego, so it's added fun to read something so local.
The conclusion was solid and I liked how it all wrapped up. Definitely a series I'd keep reading.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
May 18, 2021
A gripping debut novel with a strong and interesting female protagonist. I liked the gritty mood and that it takes place in the dry Oregon desert. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Severn River Publisher for the opportunity to read this book and share my honest opinion.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Severn River Publisher for the opportunity to read this book and share my honest opinion.
August 18, 2021
Finally, I read the first in a new series instead of bouncing in at some point into it!
This is the first Maggie Blackthorne novel, and a terrific story it is. Sgt. Maggie Blackthorne finds a pair of ne'er do well brothers poaching a deer. She's unable to bring them in,and intends to turn it over to the Fish & Game officer who shares the Sheriff's Office space in the sparsely populated and large county that is their jurisdiction. Before she can do that, however, she receives a panicked call from one of the brothers that ends abruptly with a gunshot.
Blackthorne finally finds the location from which the brothers have called only o find both them and their dog murdered. Thus begins a rather engaging mystery, with a female main character who doesn't feel the need to pretend to be younger than she is, or waste time looking in a mirror every chapter and fretting she looks any differently than she does. It's rather refreshing, really.
She does have an abusive ass of an ex-husband who is also now her boss. He turns up a couple of times,but he works in another city and fortunately, we don't have to see much of him. In the course of her investigation, it turns out a new man - someone she's known for practically forever - has some romantic interest in her,and refreshingly, it isn't a jump into bed on the first date sort of thing. Instalove just isn't for me except in certain genres where it's expected.
The investigation itself winds on, putting Blackthorne and her squad into contact with quite a number of possibly suspects, including some oddball man and his sons (and a couple of tough guys), who want to raise cattle naturally, an incapacitated patriarch, as well as a couple more dead bodies.
Blackthorne is dogged and intelligent, and the book finishes up well enough for me to look for the sequel.
A solid four out of five stars.
Thanks to Severn River Publishing and NetGalley for the reading copy.
This is the first Maggie Blackthorne novel, and a terrific story it is. Sgt. Maggie Blackthorne finds a pair of ne'er do well brothers poaching a deer. She's unable to bring them in,and intends to turn it over to the Fish & Game officer who shares the Sheriff's Office space in the sparsely populated and large county that is their jurisdiction. Before she can do that, however, she receives a panicked call from one of the brothers that ends abruptly with a gunshot.
Blackthorne finally finds the location from which the brothers have called only o find both them and their dog murdered. Thus begins a rather engaging mystery, with a female main character who doesn't feel the need to pretend to be younger than she is, or waste time looking in a mirror every chapter and fretting she looks any differently than she does. It's rather refreshing, really.
She does have an abusive ass of an ex-husband who is also now her boss. He turns up a couple of times,but he works in another city and fortunately, we don't have to see much of him. In the course of her investigation, it turns out a new man - someone she's known for practically forever - has some romantic interest in her,and refreshingly, it isn't a jump into bed on the first date sort of thing. Instalove just isn't for me except in certain genres where it's expected.
The investigation itself winds on, putting Blackthorne and her squad into contact with quite a number of possibly suspects, including some oddball man and his sons (and a couple of tough guys), who want to raise cattle naturally, an incapacitated patriarch, as well as a couple more dead bodies.
Blackthorne is dogged and intelligent, and the book finishes up well enough for me to look for the sequel.
A solid four out of five stars.
Thanks to Severn River Publishing and NetGalley for the reading copy.
May 12, 2021
After twenty years of police work Maggie Blackthorne returns to her home town as a sergeant with the local police force. Dead Point is the first book in a brand new series from LaVonne Griffin-Valade. The community isn't very prosperous and there are a lot of cut backs and bad times all over. Not to mention Maggies dark history. Two brothers with no apparent income or home is found shot to death next to their 50000 $ pick up truck, but is it theirs?
I love small town mysteries and this is a great one. Dark, funny and with some thrills thrown in. The setting and characters are very well put together and the struggles to investigate crime over large distances with few resources and far between officers makes for an interesting story. I can't wait for the next book in this new series.
As usual I must thank @netgalley @severnriverpublishing for making this wonderful book available to me.
I love small town mysteries and this is a great one. Dark, funny and with some thrills thrown in. The setting and characters are very well put together and the struggles to investigate crime over large distances with few resources and far between officers makes for an interesting story. I can't wait for the next book in this new series.
As usual I must thank @netgalley @severnriverpublishing for making this wonderful book available to me.
September 21, 2024
Rural Eastern Oregon is the both patrol area and home stomping grounds for Sgt Maggie Blackthorne who is living down the demons of her past and now faces her first homicide investigation. LaVonne Griffin-Valade is an utterly new to me author whose series caught my eye in one of those ‘if you enjoyed this…’ seller algorithms when I was visiting an online book seller. If I ever try to say that sort of marketing doesn’t work for me, just whisper Maggie Blackthorne because I thoroughly enjoyed this first in series.
Dead Point introduces Oregon State Trooper Maggie Blackthorne who grew up in a small town in rural eastern Oregon, left for a time, and is now back still working through her past and trying to start new once again. Maggie has two failed marriages, her mom’s suicide, her dad’s alcoholism, physical abuse from her second spouse, and her own battle with substance abuse always riding her and she’s facing it down in a small community among people who know much of it. She works in a small substation office with one deputy whose good at online investigation and is one of the few who has her six, her close friend and fellow State Police Academy classmate who faces the hardship of being African American married to a Native American in a mostly white community and her sometimes second deputy is the local fish and game warden.
None of them have murder investigation experience, but a double murder shocks the community and Maggie, Hollis, and Mark must work the case with some help from a State Police detective and Pathologist. Maggie’s knowledge of the community means she knows the victims, the witnesses, and the suspects very well. Motives are plenty, evidence is slowly stacking up, and the witnesses are reluctant or outright lying, but Maggie is hanging tough and working long hours to break the case even as the murdering isn’t done.
I enjoyed getting to know Maggie and I appreciate she’s an underdog with struggles and I appreciated the small town rural setting and culture. The story is as much about Maggie, her relationship with her past and the community, her tentative try at a new romance with an old friend, and how the case is getting her out of the funk of her mind and more into her community. She’s got her mom’s old friend renting her a utility apartment above her second hand store, an old senior cat, and she’s close to ‘Holly’ her deputy so they are a well-oiled unit going into the investigation.
Dead Point offers a good murder mystery, but also the set up for the series with recurring characters from the community and law enforcement behind Maggie. There is good suspense and moments of heartracing action, but also introspection as Maggie’s character develops. Just the way I enjoy when I pick up a mystery series. Those who enjoy rural police procedurals with solid character and background development should definitely give this one a go.
My full review will post at Books of My Heart on 9.11.24
Dead Point introduces Oregon State Trooper Maggie Blackthorne who grew up in a small town in rural eastern Oregon, left for a time, and is now back still working through her past and trying to start new once again. Maggie has two failed marriages, her mom’s suicide, her dad’s alcoholism, physical abuse from her second spouse, and her own battle with substance abuse always riding her and she’s facing it down in a small community among people who know much of it. She works in a small substation office with one deputy whose good at online investigation and is one of the few who has her six, her close friend and fellow State Police Academy classmate who faces the hardship of being African American married to a Native American in a mostly white community and her sometimes second deputy is the local fish and game warden.
None of them have murder investigation experience, but a double murder shocks the community and Maggie, Hollis, and Mark must work the case with some help from a State Police detective and Pathologist. Maggie’s knowledge of the community means she knows the victims, the witnesses, and the suspects very well. Motives are plenty, evidence is slowly stacking up, and the witnesses are reluctant or outright lying, but Maggie is hanging tough and working long hours to break the case even as the murdering isn’t done.
I enjoyed getting to know Maggie and I appreciate she’s an underdog with struggles and I appreciated the small town rural setting and culture. The story is as much about Maggie, her relationship with her past and the community, her tentative try at a new romance with an old friend, and how the case is getting her out of the funk of her mind and more into her community. She’s got her mom’s old friend renting her a utility apartment above her second hand store, an old senior cat, and she’s close to ‘Holly’ her deputy so they are a well-oiled unit going into the investigation.
Dead Point offers a good murder mystery, but also the set up for the series with recurring characters from the community and law enforcement behind Maggie. There is good suspense and moments of heartracing action, but also introspection as Maggie’s character develops. Just the way I enjoy when I pick up a mystery series. Those who enjoy rural police procedurals with solid character and background development should definitely give this one a go.
My full review will post at Books of My Heart on 9.11.24
June 16, 2021
This story starts with an Oregon State Police Sargent -Maggie Blackthorne – witnessing twin brothers in the act of butchering a poached deer. The action rolls into a murder and the ensuing investigation which brings a number of other issues in the small community to light, followed by a suspicious suicide of a local rancher. If this isn’t enough action, there is so much tension between various characters especially Maggie and her direct supervisor/ex-husband that the story never has a chance to let up. To be clear, this isn’t a complaint, just a heads-up that should you choose to read Dead Point you may need a seatbelt. If you like a really good murder mystery and plenty of action, then grab a copy of Dead Point I think you will be pleased. I received an Advance Reader Copy and chose to provide this review.
June 16, 2021
I absolutely fell in love with Maggie , such a strong person. Even though being a detective is new, she tries hard. Fast paced and worth the read.
March 23, 2024
Dead Point started off great & I loved Maggie Blackthorne & her quirky little town in eastern Oregon. I liked every aspect about this book but the premise - the mystery & the case. After all the story buildup in the previous chapters, I really hoped I was heading into a captivating & twisted ending to solve who killed the Nodine brothers but that sadly was not the case. Unlike the starting of this book, the ending was neither surprising nor exciting for me and hence was a bit of a letdown. However, this book gives you a lot of insight into Maggie's past, and how it affects her present. It definitely seems like a book you want to read in order to get the full picture & follow this promising series. The characters were great in this book - loved every single one of them. While initially I found myself getting overwhelmed with the number of characters introduced,I quickly got used to it . The best part of this book are the picturesque descriptions of Oregon & the eccentric group of characters living or working this small town.
Thank you NetGalley, Severn River Publishing & LaVonne Griffin-Valade for this arc!
Thank you NetGalley, Severn River Publishing & LaVonne Griffin-Valade for this arc!
May 28, 2022
I found myself another author who I will surely read again, especially considering this is her debut novel. I really liked the MC, Maggie Blackthorne, who goes back to her hometown to run from some family issues and make herself a new life. She is the new sergeant in the small Oregon town, so she expects the typical small town crimes; however, she "stumbles" across the murder of twin boys and thus begins the crux of this book. Add Trooper Hollis Jones and it becomes even more interesting. As their investigation ensues, they find that many (if not most) of the people won't talk to them about it so that made me wonder why not because Maggie is no stranger to the townspeople.
I liked Maggie a lot because she is a strong female character and speaks her mind. She's come from a past that could make her very vulnerable and susceptible to certain character types but she's not fooled by others. I liked most of the other characters as well because they felt very realistic and not contrived.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Severn River Publishing for an e-ARC of this book for my opinion and honest review.
I liked Maggie a lot because she is a strong female character and speaks her mind. She's come from a past that could make her very vulnerable and susceptible to certain character types but she's not fooled by others. I liked most of the other characters as well because they felt very realistic and not contrived.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Severn River Publishing for an e-ARC of this book for my opinion and honest review.
April 29, 2024
Interesting first book in a series
This book was interesting and compelling enough to make me want to continue on with the series. The characters are different and as I got to know them through the course of the book I was drawn in.
Maggie is a bit of a puzzle. There’s a lot of baggage in her background and a lot of holes to be filled in. I’m not quite sure how long she’s been an Oregon State Trooper and she certainly seems to be lacking in several areas. She’s a Sargent so she’s been around long enough to be promoted but she acts like a rookie at times. It was kind of annoying. I really liked her partner Hollis and hope we get to know more about him as the series continues.
There were several other secondary characters who helped propel the storyline and provided more interest and story depth.
The crime mystery is fairly easy to figure out but there are some good twists in the plot. The big crisis moment is convoluted and involves some pretty poor police work and some elements that aren’t fully explained but I guess that can be set down to dramatic license. A huge situation at the end is unforgivably bad though and appears to only serve the purpose of creating a pithy and dramatic ending for the book. I found it annoying and unnecessary.
This book was interesting and compelling enough to make me want to continue on with the series. The characters are different and as I got to know them through the course of the book I was drawn in.
Maggie is a bit of a puzzle. There’s a lot of baggage in her background and a lot of holes to be filled in. I’m not quite sure how long she’s been an Oregon State Trooper and she certainly seems to be lacking in several areas. She’s a Sargent so she’s been around long enough to be promoted but she acts like a rookie at times. It was kind of annoying. I really liked her partner Hollis and hope we get to know more about him as the series continues.
There were several other secondary characters who helped propel the storyline and provided more interest and story depth.
The crime mystery is fairly easy to figure out but there are some good twists in the plot. The big crisis moment is convoluted and involves some pretty poor police work and some elements that aren’t fully explained but I guess that can be set down to dramatic license. A huge situation at the end is unforgivably bad though and appears to only serve the purpose of creating a pithy and dramatic ending for the book. I found it annoying and unnecessary.
May 3, 2021
I’ve been looking for other mysteries set in small towns. Seven River Publishing and NetGalley offered the perfect opportunity.
Maggie Blackthorne returns to her hometown in Oregon after twenty years, hoping to piece together her wrecked life. She has no significant ambitions beyond that. She expects her job as sergeant to fill her time with drunk drivers, deer poachers, and overall petty crimes. Gladly, life had a different idea. After spending the first 10% of the book obsessing over a pair of deer poachers, she discovers their bodies and is plunged into a murder investigation.
Click here for a more detailed review!
The Characters
The story is told from Maggie’s perspective. The author did a great job at creating this character. She has a strong voice, consistent throughout the book. While I appreciate the author’s skill in creating the character, it doesn’t mean I liked Maggie. I didn’t.
Everyone, even herself, says that she’s very intelligent and good at her job, but I’ve seen no evidence of that. She had almost no involvement in obtaining the clues. Either people decided to come forward with information out of the blue, other characters pointed out she missed important clues, or one of her troopers discovered important information.
The Best Part of “Dead Point”
Since I’ve only discussed Maggie in the previous section, I should mention the others. The book is full of relatable, fleshed-out characters. I loved Trooper Jones. He was smart, dedicated, and indispensable. I liked Maggie’s love interest, although I wish the character went in a different direction. Most characters behaved like real people. As I was reading, I could easily imagine real people saying those things in real life.
I enjoyed the fact that even though the story had a romance component, it didn’t focus on it too much.
The mystery part had me guessing until the end. But…
And Now the Bad News
…I was disappointed when the guilty party came to light. In fact, I was thinking as I was reading, Could this character be the killer? No, it would be too obvious and dull. Guess who the killer was. Yep, that character. There are many ways the ending could’ve been much more impactful. I was under the impression that the author grew too attached to the characters and picked the one she disliked most to be the killer.
Who Would Enjoy Reading “Dead Point?”
Fans of mystery who don’t mind bad language.
Readers who enjoy a strong female lead.
Maggie Blackthorne returns to her hometown in Oregon after twenty years, hoping to piece together her wrecked life. She has no significant ambitions beyond that. She expects her job as sergeant to fill her time with drunk drivers, deer poachers, and overall petty crimes. Gladly, life had a different idea. After spending the first 10% of the book obsessing over a pair of deer poachers, she discovers their bodies and is plunged into a murder investigation.
Click here for a more detailed review!
The Characters
The story is told from Maggie’s perspective. The author did a great job at creating this character. She has a strong voice, consistent throughout the book. While I appreciate the author’s skill in creating the character, it doesn’t mean I liked Maggie. I didn’t.
Everyone, even herself, says that she’s very intelligent and good at her job, but I’ve seen no evidence of that. She had almost no involvement in obtaining the clues. Either people decided to come forward with information out of the blue, other characters pointed out she missed important clues, or one of her troopers discovered important information.
The Best Part of “Dead Point”
Since I’ve only discussed Maggie in the previous section, I should mention the others. The book is full of relatable, fleshed-out characters. I loved Trooper Jones. He was smart, dedicated, and indispensable. I liked Maggie’s love interest, although I wish the character went in a different direction. Most characters behaved like real people. As I was reading, I could easily imagine real people saying those things in real life.
I enjoyed the fact that even though the story had a romance component, it didn’t focus on it too much.
The mystery part had me guessing until the end. But…
And Now the Bad News
…I was disappointed when the guilty party came to light. In fact, I was thinking as I was reading, Could this character be the killer? No, it would be too obvious and dull. Guess who the killer was. Yep, that character. There are many ways the ending could’ve been much more impactful. I was under the impression that the author grew too attached to the characters and picked the one she disliked most to be the killer.
Who Would Enjoy Reading “Dead Point?”
Fans of mystery who don’t mind bad language.
Readers who enjoy a strong female lead.
June 16, 2021
This is an interesting and fast-paced murder mystery that takes place in a small town in Oregon. I liked Maggie and her team, who investigated the three murders, and I got caught up in the suspense from the very beginning of the story to the end. I also liked Duncan, his laid-back style, his good-guy persona, and his relationship with Maggie.
There were several things, however, that kept me from giving this 4 or 5 stars, and were the reason(s) why I will most likely not search out future books from this author. First, there was too much bad language throughout the book, and I do not consider myself too easily offended. But I thought it was both excessive and unnecessary, and it constantly distracted me from the story. Second, there were way too many characters to keep up with, so I was continually trying to rack my brain to remember who a character was and their place in the plot and/or their relationship to other characters.
Both of these things slowed down my progress, and in my opinion, made the story seem much longer than it should have. Overall, this was a good first effort by the author. I received a copy of this book from SRP Mystery and Thriller Books, and I have given my voluntary and honest opinion.
There were several things, however, that kept me from giving this 4 or 5 stars, and were the reason(s) why I will most likely not search out future books from this author. First, there was too much bad language throughout the book, and I do not consider myself too easily offended. But I thought it was both excessive and unnecessary, and it constantly distracted me from the story. Second, there were way too many characters to keep up with, so I was continually trying to rack my brain to remember who a character was and their place in the plot and/or their relationship to other characters.
Both of these things slowed down my progress, and in my opinion, made the story seem much longer than it should have. Overall, this was a good first effort by the author. I received a copy of this book from SRP Mystery and Thriller Books, and I have given my voluntary and honest opinion.
June 12, 2021
I love to find a new author and main character, especially when that character is a female officer. Sergeant Maggie Blackthorne is an interesting combination of intelligence and strength. She has returned to her rural hometown after twenty years expecting to deal with minor crimes, but that doesn’t happen. She receives a phone call that has Maggie and her partner, Trooper Hollis Jones, thrown into the murder investigation of twin brothers. They soon find that most people aren’t willing to talk to police, even those who have known her since she was a child. As they search for evidence, the theft from a local store as well as missing cattle become part of the investigation. When the danger to her escalates, will she survive? I love the way the author has developed the main characters revealing their integrity as well as their imperfections. Maggie’s possible romantic involvement, after two divorces, was especially enjoyable. I look forward to the next book in this series! I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)
April 9, 2021
Maggie Blackthorne has returned home after almost 20 years to a small town in Oregon as Sheriff. After 2 divorces, coming home means to deal with the memories she ran from, her mother, Zoey’s, suicide, and her dad, Tate, who drank himself too dead.
Not much going on in the sleepy town, or …. After a tip about a call about 2 men poaching a deer, twins she has known growing up, they get away, and then a call from one of them that they are in trouble … dead bodies, missing cattle, … State Homicide Detectives are spread thin, so Maggie with her partner, Hollis Jones, become the primary investigators. Small town living, old acquittances, secrets, new comers, …
Great debut novel, hard to put down, and the ending definitely makes you wish book 2 was out! Looking forward to more Maggie Blackthorne investigations.
Thank you NetGalley and Severn River Publishing for an early read for my honest opinion.
Not much going on in the sleepy town, or …. After a tip about a call about 2 men poaching a deer, twins she has known growing up, they get away, and then a call from one of them that they are in trouble … dead bodies, missing cattle, … State Homicide Detectives are spread thin, so Maggie with her partner, Hollis Jones, become the primary investigators. Small town living, old acquittances, secrets, new comers, …
Great debut novel, hard to put down, and the ending definitely makes you wish book 2 was out! Looking forward to more Maggie Blackthorne investigations.
Thank you NetGalley and Severn River Publishing for an early read for my honest opinion.
April 25, 2021
This debut novel felt more like an established series than an introduction to a new one. Maggie Blackthorn is a veteran cop, an sergeant with the Oregon State Police, that has returned to her hometown to protect and serve. An orphan--both parents died during her adolescence--and twice-divorced, it's interesting that she's drawn back to the small town where she grew up.
Maggie doesn't want to be a detective, but gets pulled into a murder investigation when two brothers show up dead in her jurisdiction. With the state police spread thin, Maggie is thrust into leading the inquiry on her home turf, and must deal with a complicated roster of suspects.
I enjoyed this book for its strong female lead, the supporting cast of characters, and the overall ambience. Highly recommended, and I'm waiting eagerly for the next book!
Thanks to Severn River Publishing for access to a digital ARC on NetGalley.
Maggie doesn't want to be a detective, but gets pulled into a murder investigation when two brothers show up dead in her jurisdiction. With the state police spread thin, Maggie is thrust into leading the inquiry on her home turf, and must deal with a complicated roster of suspects.
I enjoyed this book for its strong female lead, the supporting cast of characters, and the overall ambience. Highly recommended, and I'm waiting eagerly for the next book!
Thanks to Severn River Publishing for access to a digital ARC on NetGalley.
June 18, 2021
Thank you @netgalley and Severn River Publishing for the advance eBook in exchange for my honest review.
Reminiscent of old westerns mixed with a murder mystery, this book was full of twists and turns, and has a complicated plot that kept me thinking. The characters are well developed, with a small time town and all that entails. The writing was detailed, yet not plodding, and as a bonus all the loose ends were tied up. I can't wait to read the next novel from this author.
After 20 years away, Maggie moves back to her hometown in Oregon as a State Police Sergeant. With two marriages behind her, Maggie just wanted to lose herself in her work, which is hard to do when one of your ex's is your superior officer. When a simple poaching for food leads to three homicides, Maggie and her partner Hollis Jones, a new father who should be on family leave, find themselves thrust into an investigation that neither one is fully prepared for.
Reminiscent of old westerns mixed with a murder mystery, this book was full of twists and turns, and has a complicated plot that kept me thinking. The characters are well developed, with a small time town and all that entails. The writing was detailed, yet not plodding, and as a bonus all the loose ends were tied up. I can't wait to read the next novel from this author.
After 20 years away, Maggie moves back to her hometown in Oregon as a State Police Sergeant. With two marriages behind her, Maggie just wanted to lose herself in her work, which is hard to do when one of your ex's is your superior officer. When a simple poaching for food leads to three homicides, Maggie and her partner Hollis Jones, a new father who should be on family leave, find themselves thrust into an investigation that neither one is fully prepared for.
July 9, 2021
This is the first in the Maggie Blackthorne series. This dark gritty mystery starts off with Maggie finding two boys cutting up a deer and the author doesn't leave out the graphic scenes in front of her character.
The story has many different characters inducing Maggie Working with her ex husband.
The story is intense and doesn't have light moments of the darkness that will consume the story. The story could use a list of characters at the beginning to keep tract of the endless characters that come and go though the story. Lastly I am not a prude but there was a lot of swearing. I do not understand the reason for this because the talent of the author ability to tell a story is spot of and yet she uses endless amounts of swearing that just wasn't needed.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of Dead Point.
The story has many different characters inducing Maggie Working with her ex husband.
The story is intense and doesn't have light moments of the darkness that will consume the story. The story could use a list of characters at the beginning to keep tract of the endless characters that come and go though the story. Lastly I am not a prude but there was a lot of swearing. I do not understand the reason for this because the talent of the author ability to tell a story is spot of and yet she uses endless amounts of swearing that just wasn't needed.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of Dead Point.
September 28, 2023
Decent Police Procedural.
Overall this was a decent, if somewhat bland, police procedural. I loved the author’s detailed descriptions of the Oregon back country. She really brought the land with all of its beauty and desolateness to life. The plot was well developed with numerous twists and turns and a bevy of intriguing characters. Unfortunately, the writing was listless and bland. The main character was never properly fleshed out and we were given snippets about Maggie’s past at the most inopportune times. Instead of adding to the story, these abrupt changes in the narrative were a major distraction. After an interesting start, the plot dragged for about a third of the book and then the author wrapped things up in rush at the end. The reader was left with many unanswered questions that will hopefully be addressed in the next book. 2.5 stars out of 5.
Overall this was a decent, if somewhat bland, police procedural. I loved the author’s detailed descriptions of the Oregon back country. She really brought the land with all of its beauty and desolateness to life. The plot was well developed with numerous twists and turns and a bevy of intriguing characters. Unfortunately, the writing was listless and bland. The main character was never properly fleshed out and we were given snippets about Maggie’s past at the most inopportune times. Instead of adding to the story, these abrupt changes in the narrative were a major distraction. After an interesting start, the plot dragged for about a third of the book and then the author wrapped things up in rush at the end. The reader was left with many unanswered questions that will hopefully be addressed in the next book. 2.5 stars out of 5.
September 15, 2021
There is something endlessly compelling about a slow burn neo-western thriller.
I read this almost immediately after watching Mare of Easttown and I've got to say I'm a fan of these small town crime stories.
After twenty years away, Maggie Blackthorne has come home, accepting a job as an Oregan State Sergeant. She's anticipating the usual small city crimes: drugs, drunks and deer poaching. When she responds to a call about two men skinning a deer it starts a domino effect involving stolen cars, grisly murders, missing cattle, and a string of dangerous suspects. Full of interesting characters, this was a super fun book.
3.5 Stars rounded up. Thank you to NetGalley and Severn River Publishing for an ARC of this title. I'll definitely keep this series in mind.
I read this almost immediately after watching Mare of Easttown and I've got to say I'm a fan of these small town crime stories.
After twenty years away, Maggie Blackthorne has come home, accepting a job as an Oregan State Sergeant. She's anticipating the usual small city crimes: drugs, drunks and deer poaching. When she responds to a call about two men skinning a deer it starts a domino effect involving stolen cars, grisly murders, missing cattle, and a string of dangerous suspects. Full of interesting characters, this was a super fun book.
3.5 Stars rounded up. Thank you to NetGalley and Severn River Publishing for an ARC of this title. I'll definitely keep this series in mind.
May 25, 2021
I read another book from the same publisher a couple months back and found a lot of similarities between the heroine, the setting, the secondary characters, coming back to a harsh home, etc. However, while I liked that book, I liked this one more and I'm not sure why. It just had me flipping the pages fast and reluctant to put it down.
The blurb said "tragic past and an acid wit." True Maggie has had a hard life and the latest hardship is tantalizingly left dangling perhaps for the next book. I didn't get the "acid wit" though.
Definitely looking forward to book 2, Murderers Creek.
I received an advanced readers copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
The blurb said "tragic past and an acid wit." True Maggie has had a hard life and the latest hardship is tantalizingly left dangling perhaps for the next book. I didn't get the "acid wit" though.
Definitely looking forward to book 2, Murderers Creek.
I received an advanced readers copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
June 16, 2021
Maggie, a Police Sergeant, initially tries to write up brothers for illegal hunting, but discovers these brothers were caught up in something dangerous, which ultimately costs them their lives. This leaves Maggie to undertake her first homicide investigation, trying to get to the bottom of this twisted mess.
I didn't realise (until now, when writing this review) that this was a debut novel! I never would have known. The plot was intense, but intriguing and well written, and the main characters were complex but interesting. I hope there'll be more in this series, I would love to keep following Maggie on her journey.
I didn't realise (until now, when writing this review) that this was a debut novel! I never would have known. The plot was intense, but intriguing and well written, and the main characters were complex but interesting. I hope there'll be more in this series, I would love to keep following Maggie on her journey.
August 13, 2021
Yay! A new author to add to my library
This is the authors debut book. The sad part about that is that I have to wait until November to get the next book in the series. This is a book that I couldn’t put down and it was a good excuse to enjoy the bedrest my doctor ordered.
Not only is there an Ebb and Tide to the story but it was one of the most natural endings I think I’ve ever read. As anxious as I am to read the next book it just wasn’t a choppy ending. It really was part of the Ebb and Tide of the story. I’m excited to read the next installment and any other books she has coming out. Don’t miss this author you won’t be disappointed.
This is the authors debut book. The sad part about that is that I have to wait until November to get the next book in the series. This is a book that I couldn’t put down and it was a good excuse to enjoy the bedrest my doctor ordered.
Not only is there an Ebb and Tide to the story but it was one of the most natural endings I think I’ve ever read. As anxious as I am to read the next book it just wasn’t a choppy ending. It really was part of the Ebb and Tide of the story. I’m excited to read the next installment and any other books she has coming out. Don’t miss this author you won’t be disappointed.
May 24, 2021
Intriguing crime thriller!
When Oregon State Police Sergeant Maggie Blackthorne moved back home after twenty years she was not expecting to have to deal with a double homicide and enough intrigue and danger to rival big-city cases.
This is the first book I have read by this author and I am impressed. LaVonne Griffin-Valade’s writing style and plot twists kept me hooked from the first page. I received a free copy but my review is honest and voluntary. This well-written crime thriller has enough action and intrigue to satisfy any reader.
When Oregon State Police Sergeant Maggie Blackthorne moved back home after twenty years she was not expecting to have to deal with a double homicide and enough intrigue and danger to rival big-city cases.
This is the first book I have read by this author and I am impressed. LaVonne Griffin-Valade’s writing style and plot twists kept me hooked from the first page. I received a free copy but my review is honest and voluntary. This well-written crime thriller has enough action and intrigue to satisfy any reader.
June 10, 2021
Maggie Blackthorne returns to her small home town as a police sergeant. She is looking for the twins that poached a deer, when one of them calls her to meet and talk. Maddie hears gun shots and the line goes dead. She arrives at the meeting place to find the twins and their dog dead. And then another murder made to look like a suicide. Maggie has to deal with an ex husband who is now a superior officer who does not make her job any easier. She needs to find the killer. A really good murder mystery.
Read
June 26, 2021Dead Point (Maggie Blackthorne Book 1), my first enjoyable mystery read from author LaVonne Griffin-Valade. Well-written with intriguing characters and a captivating storyline. “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'll definitely be reading more from this author and look forward to the next book in the series, Murderers Creek (Maggie Blackthorne Book 2), coming out in November of this year. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
February 8, 2022
good start to the series
Oregon State Police Sergeant, Maggie Blackthorne, runs the small station in her hometown. It’s normally quiet, except when a tip leads her to a couple of poachers. Things really heat up when those poachers are murdered…and one calls her just before the killing! Maggie and her team assist the overworked homicide detective in solving the murder. I loved Maggie! She’s full of wit and doesn’t back down from trouble. Looking forward to the next book.
Oregon State Police Sergeant, Maggie Blackthorne, runs the small station in her hometown. It’s normally quiet, except when a tip leads her to a couple of poachers. Things really heat up when those poachers are murdered…and one calls her just before the killing! Maggie and her team assist the overworked homicide detective in solving the murder. I loved Maggie! She’s full of wit and doesn’t back down from trouble. Looking forward to the next book.
May 3, 2021
I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next one. Maggie is a strong women with a gut wrenching past that she is trying to move past. She is also in the beginning of a romance that should help balance out her life.
This book has a few strong characters and with some quick wit thrown in that will have a reader wanting more. I'd like to thank .Severn River Publishing for the advance copy.
This book has a few strong characters and with some quick wit thrown in that will have a reader wanting more. I'd like to thank .Severn River Publishing for the advance copy.
June 20, 2021
I’d actually round my rating up to a 3.5. This is a decent start to this series. The storyline surrounding the investigation was good but seemed a a bit drawn out at times. Character development was a bit weak in my opinion. I would want a bit more background to give more character depth and to get better understanding of motivation. Hopefully as the series progresses we’ll get to know the characters better.
February 15, 2023
very good western cop mystery
When you live in the middle of nowhere eastern Oregon life for a State cop can get pretty wild. Maggie catches 2 murdered men, then later another one. The landscape is really spectacular and the author does a good job with it. The story gets complicated. There is a lot of rustling cattle and stealing art to go with the murders. Wonderful colorful characters.
When you live in the middle of nowhere eastern Oregon life for a State cop can get pretty wild. Maggie catches 2 murdered men, then later another one. The landscape is really spectacular and the author does a good job with it. The story gets complicated. There is a lot of rustling cattle and stealing art to go with the murders. Wonderful colorful characters.
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