The Silent Boy

Sloane & Maddie, Peril Awaits #1

by Cheryl Bradshaw, Janet Fix

Private Investigator Sloane Monroe is about to face the most challenging case of her life, and this time, it hits a little too close to home.

In the dirty hallway of a local tavern, six-year-old Louie Alvarez plays with his race cars, waiting for his mother to take him home. A scream rips through the air. Louie freezes, then turns, staring at the room at the end of the hallway where the sound had come from.

His mom was in that room.

Louie inches toward the door and peeks through the crack. Inside, his mother begs for her life, but it’s far too late. Her fate has already been sealed. As a gunshot sounds off, a terrified Louie drops his race cars. In an instant, all eyes are on him, and there’s only one thing he can do now—run.

The Silent Boy is the first book in the Sloane Monroe spinoff series, Sloane and Maddie: Peril Awaits, written by New York Times & 11-time USA Today bestselling author Cheryl Bradshaw and longtime editor Janet Fix. Together they’ve created a pulse-pounding, page-turning mystery series you’ll love. Grab your copy today and get swept up in a twisty tale of secrets and lies that will have you up reading all night.

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

176 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 30, 2021

About the author

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

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

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

Book series in order by Cheryl Bradshaw:

Georgiana Germaine (Mystery Series)

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

Sloane Monroe Mystery/Thriller Series

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

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

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

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

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

Addison Lockhart Ghost Mystery Series

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

Stand Alone Mystery/Thriller Novels

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

Reviews

[Mickey · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Louie heard the sound of footsteps rushing toward him. He tried to run and couldn't. His legs were stiff and immovable. It was like they'd been superglued to the floor. For all his clever sneaking around in the past, this moment was a bad time to fail. Louie wished he'd never crept to the door in the first place. He wished he'd never looked inside. But he had, and it was too late now. They were coming for him."

Ahh, this was such a good book. I flew through this one today, in just over two hours. A quick, easy read that apparently is a follow on to a previous series that I am now going to have to read before continuing this series. I can't wait to see what Maddie and Sloane get up to next.

[Lise · Rating 4 out of 5]

A traumatic event leaves a young boy literally speechless. Can his aunt and her best friend unravel the mystery and bring comfort to the child?

This was a fun, beachy type of read. I loved the characters and the plot moved along nicely.

I'm quite ready to follow Sloane and Maddie on their adventures! Looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Kellie O'Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a quick review as I don't have much time. A very good murder mystery and solid mystery that keeps you turning the pages! I really enjoyed reading this one and I couldn't guess the murderer! The characters are fully developed and believable.

Enjoy and Happy Reading 💫

[Sharyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great spin-off of Cheryl Bradshaw's Sloane Monroe series. Maddie is a complex and entertaining character and she and Sloane make a great sleuthing team. Both characters are well fleshed out, and their friendship is not only palpable but innovative and enterprising. They make for a great ride and a totally enjoyable read.

[J. Leigh Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Looking for a great new series?
The Silent Boy is the debut book in the Sloan & Maddie Peril Awaits series and will have you hooked from the first page. Think mystery, murder and a small town chock full of secrets and lies. Join two longtime friends as they navigate a serious wrench thrown into their vacation plans and be prepared to have your heart strings tugged just a bit. Dust off your “who-dun-it” thinking cap for this one. Well written, fast paced, impossible to put down. Make room on your bookshelf next to Hercule Poirot, Nancy Drew and Miss Marple—you’ll want to order the next in this fantastic new series by Cheryl Bradshaw and Janet Fix the minute you read the last page.

[Neil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book a spin-off from the Sloane Malone series. In this book Louie witnesses his mother's murder and is consequently so traumatised that he stops talking. Sloane and her friend Maddie, who is Louie's aunt are determined to find the killer. The book is a real page turner and unpredictable, very worth reading.

[T'Shura Sinclair · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read

[Brittany hooper · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the murder mystery. Was shocked at the story but enjoyable read. It took me a while to get into it. I never was super excited about it.

[Lee Enderlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another Self-published Effort That Comes Up Short

Not a very well written book. The dialogue is stiff and unnatural. Nobody talks the way the characters in this book do. Worse, everyone in this book talks the same way except for the boy of the title who hardly talks at all. That aspect of the plot came across as gimmicky and implausible because if the boy did talk, the story would be two pages long. Also, for the most part, there is a dreary sameness to all of the adult characters.
The writing in general outside of the dialogue is often stilted and awkward and occasionally unnecessarily wordy.
The main character is neither likable nor interesting. She has a bull-in-the-china-shop method of detecting that isn't very entertaining to read. She is neither clever nor fleshed out as a complete character. The entire work is typical of the usual amateur day at the self-publishing e-house that is all too prevalent nowadays. Two stars only became I've unfortunately read worse.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are familiar with the Sloane Monroe series, you will enjoy this spin-off series. It's similar in fashion, except now Sloane is somewhat retired from the PI business, so she is 'off the clock.' This book was a little shorter than the other series and it didn't get too complicated, but there were still several suspects to the crime and you never knew what was going to happen. In fact, there were many instances that with what was said or thought, it made me think something was going to happen, but it ended up just being casual talk. (Not sure if this was intentional by the authors to keep us guessing or if it was just over imagination on my part... overanalyzing all the time.) Maddie (the former Medical Examiner) and Sloane are on a girls getaway when tragedy strikes. Hitting a little close to home. Sloane being Sloane, doesn't just sit and wait around for the Police to handle things, she decides to give them a helping hand whether they want it or not. There is not much violence other than the original crime. It is a pretty clean read in most regards. No sexual content, no major violence, no strong language. It reads easily and quickly. It's written from Sloane's POV. While you do not need to have read any of the Sloane Monroe books to follow along with this one, this one doesn't get too in depth with the character development. You know enough about them, but if you have read the other series, you will know a little more about their backgrounds and such (Sloane's and Maddie's that is, as the other characters are all new.)

[Jean M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sloane & Maddie head to Florida on a well deserved vacation. They are staying at an Inn called Lynn’s inn, even though Maddie's sister lives in town, they decided not to stay with her so they could have a little more freedom. When they go into town, Sloane finds a little boy running scared. She stops him and tries to help him but he is terrified and won’t talk. Maddie was surprised to see Sloane with her nephew. What’s happened to Maddie's sister? It’s a very interesting mystery. You won’t be disappointed.

[Regina Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love the Sloane Monroe series then you will love this book. I love when Sloane and Maddie get together. You cant help but love Maddie's personality, she just makes you smile. You have to love Sloane and how she never gives up even when they tell her to back down. This book made me sad but happy at the same time. Go give this book a read and you'll love it too.

[books_with_sass · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to @katieandbreypa, @janet.fix, and @cherylbradshawbooks for a digital copy of The Silent Boy, the first book in the Sloane and Maddie Peril Awaits spin-off series.

This was a short, fast, suspenseful mystery. The writing is clean and the plot moves along swiftly. There are a lot of suspects but can they figure it out before someone else gets hurt?

Sloane and Maddie are on vacation when Sloane stops a child running through the street from an angry man. Turns out, he's Maddie's nephew Louie, but where is her sister Ginny? Louie won't speak, so they have to figure things out on their own.

From all accounts, Ginny was a great mom and wonderful friend, no one has anything bad to say about her and why would anyone hurt her? But she'd never leave Louie alone, so something had to have happened. Sloane, a private investigator, takes on the case against the wishes of the local police. But this is too close to home and she's determined to find out where Ginny is. Louie won't speak to anyone, but he can still communicate and he doesn't want anything to do with Uncle Leo...who happens to be Ginny's boss and a creep. Did he have something to do with Ginny's disappearance? Or is it Frank, the man who was seen chasing Louie when Sloane found him?

Trying to keep a little normalcy in Louie's life, Sloane and Maddie let him play with his friends and leave him with his regular babysitter. They even go to the beach and meet more of Ginny's friends. Tara, Nick, Dom, they all seem to care about Louie and Ginny, and are concerned about where their friend is, but none have any helpful information.

All in all, a great mystery read. Well-developed female characters, a strong whodunit mystery, lots of red herrings. If you enjoy Tana French, Christina Dodd, or Heather Graham novels, then you will enjoy this series.

[Sameeksha · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a fast-paced, small-town, beach-read kind of mystery that was simple and quick to read. I breezed through it.
Summary
Sloane and Maddie are on a girls trip when Sloane notices a six-year-old boy running away from a man. When she stopped the boy and tried to find his parents, he turned out to be Maddie's nephew, who had lost his father a few months ago, and now his mother is nowhere to be found. Sloane, being a private investigator, cannot let this go, and now she is trying to solve this mystery, which has hit too close to home.
Thoughts
It started very strong and had me hooked. This book served as a welcome break for me. In contrast to my usual reading preferences, which include dark mysteries, weighty fantasies, and detective fiction, this book introduced me to a brief, light mystery, even if the subject matter was anything but light.

It is written and structured very well, and the small town setting of the book is very inviting. The clues are laid out in front of the readers from Sloane's POV, which worked nicely as she is an outsider to this town and to everything.

Things which didn't work for me
What didn't work for me was the intrigue part; since this book is short and fast-paced, I missed the specifics that are often put out in a murder mystery to be truly intrigued by the who done it? narrative. Also, I needed a bit more window into the characters, which I generally enjoy. But it did not take me out of the story, and I am excited for the sequels to see this progress.

[Angie Gallion · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Silent Boy is a quick listen, less than four hours, so it is perfect for a long drive. It will introduce you to the Sloane Monroe detective series and you’ll be glad you met. 

This was a fast-paced murder mystery set against the backdrop of the quaint coastal community of Tarpon Springs. Sloane and Maddie drop into a puzzle with Maddie’s sister, Jenny, at the center.  The only witness to the crime is Jenny’s son, who refuses to speak.

The mystery unfolds as the clues are unearthed. The patchwork of Jenny’s life comes together as Sloane and Maddie dig through the information left in the house and talk to the people of the community. Tarpon Springs is filled with quirky people that make solving the mystery entertaining. The dialogue pops off the page and the characters are nicely detailed with just the right number of flaws and personalities to keep them believable.  The mystery is solved through good old-fashioned detective work guided by the drawings of a silent boy. 

I’ve gone through it several times, looking for the subtle foundation pins for the resolution, and have not been disappointed. The clues are introduced with dexterity, subtly leading the way to the solution.

This quick listen was a great introduction to the Sloane Monroe universe and promised more to come with Maddie. The book is intended as part of a series but each book will be a stand-alone mystery. The collaboration of two writers was seamless and I could not discern where one writer dropped off and the other picked up.

[Eli · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young boy, who witnesses an event that’s so traumatic that it renders him mute, must help his aunt and her PI best friend solve the mystery of his mother’s disappearance.

This spin off of Bradshaw’s Sloane Monroe series is what I call a vacation read— good writing flow, uncomplicated, engaging and well written characters, and easy to finish in a few hours. Sloane is one of those main characters who is capable and self-sufficient while still portraying a sense of vulnerability. Maddie is a good balance of knowing when to relax and have fun and knowing when to get down to business. And you pretty much hate Leo immediately.

However, it was very convenient. All of the plot points and clues happened to line up exactly the way they needed to be with little effort. For instance, Louis just happened to run into Sloane while fleeing for his life, and Sloane just happened to be there with Louis’s aunt. Or Tara happened to say something about seeing them at the police station, which led to an interview with a supposed witness who gave them exactly what they needed to solve the case.

Leo was too obvious as a red herring, and the insurance angle could have been explored more (what happened to the other wives? Were they in on it or coerced?). Still, with the expectation of convenient writing in mind, I’ll definitely read more of Bradshaw’s works.

[Sarah Khalil A.A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Silent Boy" by Cheryl Bradshaw follows private investigator Sloane Monroe as she takes on a challenging case that hits close to home. The story begins with six-year-old Louie Alvarez playing with his race cars in the hallway of a local tavern, waiting for his mother to take him home. Suddenly, a scream pierces through the air, and Louie sees his mother being killed in a room at the end of the hallway. He runs away in terror, becoming the only witness to the murder.

Sloane Monroe is hired to investigate the case, and she soon realizes that there is more to this murder than meets the eye. As she delves deeper into the case, she uncovers a web of lies and deceit, leading her to question who she can trust.

Overall, "The Silent Boy" is a well-written and engaging thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. The plot is well-crafted, with plenty of twists and turns to keep readers guessing until the very end. The characters are well-developed and relatable, especially Sloane Monroe, who is a strong and capable protagonist. However, there are some minor flaws in the pacing and character development that prevent the book from reaching its full potential. Nevertheless, it is an enjoyable read that will appeal to fans of the genre

[Jahara - Jarjarbindings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hello my friends!!
Woooo! Love me some detective mysteries!
Blurb: Private Investigator Sloane Monroe is about to face the most challenging case of her life, and this time, it hits a little too close to home.
In the dirty hallway of a local tavern, six-year-old Louie Alvarez plays with his race cars, waiting for his mother to take him home. A scream rips through the air. Louie freezes, then turns, staring at the room at the end of the hallway where the sound had come from. His mom was in that room.
Louie inches toward the door and peeks through the crack. Inside, his mother begs for her life, but it’s far too late. Her fate has already been sealed. As a gunshot sounds off, a terrified Louie drops his race cars. In an instant, all eyes are on him, and there’s only one thing he can do now—run.

My thoughts: This book immediately sucks you in and grabs your attention, and the characters are written in a way that you instantly feel drawn to them, the good ones and the bad ones! I love the plot being something that is not typical of detective stories!! I've read alot and this was a fun twist! This book was a short read without any lulls and not repetative! I read it on vacation and really enjoyed it! Thanks @katieandbreypa and authors
I give The Silent Boy by Cheryl Bradshaw and Janet Fix ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Steve Franco · Rating 4 out of 5]

New adventures for Sloane & Maddie!

Having read through most (if not all) of the Sloane Monroe books, I was pleasantly surprised to see quite some time had passed between the last novel and this one, the first in a new spin-off series. Sloane’s now semi-retired as a PI, Maddie’s retired as an ME, and the ladies are off to a well-deserved vacation… but as Sloane’s man mentions, murder always seems to find her wherever it goes. And this time, it’s a bit personal.

A quick read that one can finish in an hour or two, you don’t have to be familiar with the previous Sloane Monroe books to enjoy this series, although there are numerous call backs to previous titles. And this is the first time in a while that Sloane’s OCD is touched on, which I thought was a good personality quirk that hadn’t been mentioned in a while.

Can’t wait to see where the road trip leads Sloane and Maddie next… and seeing how Sloane and Cade are apparently now based out of California, wonder if they’ll be stopping by San Luis Obispo where a certain Georgiana Germaine is? (C’mon, there’s gotta be a crossover in the works!)

[JessQueen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Silent Boy by Cheryl Bradshaw

Blurb

Private investigator Sloane Monroe the most challenging case in her life, and this time, it hits a little too close to home.

In the dirty hallway of a local tavern, six-year-old Louie Alvarez plays with his race cars, waiting for her mother to take him home. A scream rips through the air. Louie freezes, then turns staring at the room at the end of the hallway where the sound had come from.

His mother was in that room.🖤

Louie inches toward the door and peeks through the crack. Inside his mother begs for her life but it’s far too late. 🖤Her fate has already been sealed. As a gunshot sounds off a terrified Louie drops his race cars.

📚Honest Review📚

This is my first approach to this author and I found her writing extremely appealing. The use of visual images and well crafted characters makes transports the reader throughout the novel.

For all thriller lovers like me, you will find a well paced, interesting and entertaining first book with lots of plot twists and turns!

I highly recommend it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

[Maddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Silent Boy follows Maddie and Sloane who go on vacation but work does stop for Sloane when Maddie’s sister goes missing and her six year old nephew is the only one who knows what happened and hasn’t spoken in a year.

This book was a nice fast paced read. I finished it within maybe 2 hours. It was written really well and the author did a good job of leaving clues while also leaving shock factor for you.

I pretty much suspected the culprit from the beginning or at least I didn’t like them from the get go. I wrote in my notes “I don’t like ______ they’re super sus” and when I read that they were involved and at the forefront of it, I almost yelled “I KNEW IT”

The only thing I did not like was that the writing was kind of choppy. It was very “I said this. This happened.” There wasn’t a whole lot of character to the writing if that makes sense.

Even with its flaws, it’s a really good book and a great read for anyone who likes a quick mystery book before bed.

[Maranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read the blurb of this book, I knew I had to read it!
This is a spin off of Cheryl Bradshaw's Sloane Monroe series, which I have never read. It was a wonderful starting point if you want to test out her books or even this genre. At 176 pages, it was short, but the plot moved really smoothly and it formed a whole story that didn't feel cut off or lacking.
This book was FILLED with great side characters! It really made me jump back and forth on who was the guilty party. I really liked the friendship between the two main characters, Sloane and Maddie. I can't wait to continue on with the spin off series to see what else they get into! I definitely plan on picking up the original Sloane Monroe series as I would like to know more about the main character and her career as a private investigator. I would consider this a perfect standalone as I never felt like I was confused from not reading the original series.

[BooksToTheGrave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sloane and Maddie go on vacation, but peril awaits!

Shortly after arriving in Tarpon Springs, Florida, where the friends will visit Maddie’s sister, Sloane finds a little boy running in the street, scared, and being chased by a mean man. Turns out the little boy is Maddie’s nephew, who ain’t talking, and no one seems able to find his mother.

This is a story with about 160 pages, but it has everything we need. I enjoyed the plot, the characters are wonderful, and what a great time I had reading this!

With this book, I learned about Sloane and Maddie, while they investigate Ginny’s disappearance. And what a nice plot we have here. I was making guesses all the way through the book and loved the story that brought everything together.

Gonna head into the next one!

Thanks for providing me with this book.

[Kirsty Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love, loved this well written faced paced who did it mystery.
For anyone who knows Midsummer murders in the UK its totally the vibes but more modern day!
Small town bursting with secrets and lies.
A simple holiday between friends turns out to be everything but when Maddie family is dealt a devastating blow with her sister gone...
But what exactly happened to her?
One key witness now too scared to talk....Louie her 6 year old son and Maddie's nephew.

As the story and characters develop the web of lies woven around circumstance and the numerous red herrings come to light. Sloane's investigating is ruffling a few feathers but can she ruffle the right ones to solve the case before there is any more pain caused?

This makes for a great quick read I will definitely be off to read more Slone stories and books from the talented Cheryl Bradshaw.

[Swatilekha Majumdar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little Louie hasn’t spoken a word since witnessing his mother’s murder. When Sloane finds him running from someone, she steps in to help—and soon discovers he’s Maddie’s nephew, the son of her cousin Ginny. Not long after, Ginny’s body is found in a disturbing state, and the race to find her killer begins. The only problem? The one person who might know what happened is too traumatized to talk.

This is the first (and so far, only) book in the Sloane & Maddie, Peril Awaits series, and it’s a pretty solid start. The story pulls you in early and keeps the suspense going. That said, it did feel like things dragged a bit toward the end. The last few chapters could have easily been trimmed down or turned into a short epilogue to wrap things up more smoothly.

Overall, a decent mystery with a lot of potential for the series—just could’ve used a tighter ending.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the Sloane Monroe series and this did not disappoint. I’m fact it reminded me more of the early books with Sloane and Maddie as the main characters. When Sloane got married, I didn’t know where the series would go. But Sloane and Maddie on vacation as they are now retired, sets up a perfect scenario for new adventures in different places, basically anywhere they go on vacation could and likely will end up with a mystery needing Sloane’s particular style of sleuthing. In this one a boy sees something traumatizing and is not talking, making it difficult for Sloane to solve. The culprit was a complete surprise to me, although in retrospect I did have a spidey sense that something was amiss. I enjoyed the intrigue and suspense in this mystery.

[Robin Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a spin from the Sloane Monroe series. Sloane is somewhat retired from her PI business and she and Maddie take off on a much-needed vacation. Part of their vacation includes going to see some of Maddie’s family. Before they even arrive, they happen upon a scared young boy. It turns out the boy is Maddie’s nephew, and his mom is nowhere to be found. The boy has not really spoken since his father was killed in a recent accident. Needless to say, Sloane and Maddie begin an investigation. Although Sloane and Maddie are familiar from the Sloane Monroe series, the rest of the characters are new. The book is fast paced with lots of twists and turns. The ending completely blew me away! I highly recommend this book.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sloane and Maddie were friends and were going on a vacation together. They went to the town where Maddies sister Ginny lived. Ginny had a little boy and her husband has recently died in a accident. Well Sloane met the little boy Louie running down the street with fear in his eyes - she finally ran after and caught up with him and realized that there was a man chasing him. Later Ginny never comes home. Later finding out she was dead- shot in the head and dumped in the river. Sloane had some detective training and decided to do her own investigation. But who was it - to many suspects .What a scam that was going on and so many of Maddies friends maybe involved in it. A good book and it was hard to figure out who the murderer or murderes were.

[Jastuart314gmail.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. Well performed. Scary. Can't put down. With Louie becoming silent, it's hard to know who to fear.

FROM BARNE & NOBLE: In the dirty hallway of a local tavern, six-year-old Louie Alvarez plays with his race cars, waiting for his mother to take him home. A scream rips through the air. Louie freezes, then turns, staring at the room at the end of the hallway where the sound had come from.

His mom was in that room.

Louie inches toward the door and peeks through the crack. Inside, his mother begs for her life, but it’s far too late. Her fate has already been sealed. As a gunshot sounds off, a terrified Louie drops his race cars. In an instant, all eyes are on him, and there’s only one thing he can do now—run.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit short, but I enjoyed it! I think that if it had been a bit longer, there would've been more opportunities to hide the twists and turns, which would make it a 4 star book for me.

However! The characters are fun to follow and the story is good, I loved the way the lil kid was written, Louie, he felt genuine and that isn't always the case with kids in books. So all kudos to the author for that part!

All in all the book hooks you from the start, and except for the shortage that made thr twists visible too easy, there were just a few turns of phrases and a little awkardness in some parts of the writing that made this into 3 stars instead of 4.

Would still recommend it though, it's an easy read and leaves you with a good feeling!