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Georgia Davis #4
Nobody's Child
A bloodstained note left for PI Georgia Davis reveals the shocking existence of a half-sister she never knew about. Her sister, Savannah, is pregnant and begging for Georgia’s help. Determined to track her down, Georgia finds herself heading deep into the secretive and dangerous underworld of Chicago’s illegal sex trafficking business. She soon discovers that trafficking is just a small part of the horrifying and deadly situation in which her new sister is caught up. Even worse, as Georgia tries to extricate Savannah, she comes up against an old enemy determined to make sure neither woman will escape alive. In the fourth Georgia Davis novel, Georgia faces her toughest challenge yet—and one she might not survive.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 15, 2014
304 people are currently reading
801 people want to read
About the author
Libby Fischer Hellmann
79 books970 followersLibby Fischer Hellmann left a career in broadcast news in Washington, DC and moved to Chicago a long time ago, where she, naturally, began to write gritty crime fiction. She soon began writing historical fiction as well. Eighteen novels and twenty-five short stories later, she claims they’ll take her out of the Windy City feet first. She has been nominated for many awards in the mystery writing community and has even won a few. Her newest work is MAX'S WAR, her 6th historical saga. MAX, set before and during WW2, It will be released in April, 2024.
Libby began her career as an assistant film editor for NBC News in New York before moving back to DC to work with Robin McNeil and Jim Lehrer at N-PACT, the public affairs production arm of PBS. Retrained as an assistant director when Watergate broke, Libby helped produce PBS’s night-time broadcast of the hearings. She went on to work for public relations firm Burson-Marsteller in Chicago in 1978, where she stayed until she left to found Fischer Hellmann Communications in 1985.
Originally from Washington, D.C.—where, she says, “When you’re sitting around the dinner table gossiping about the neighbors, you’re talking politics”—Libby earned a Masters Degree in Film Production from New York University and a BA in History from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to writing, Libby writes and produces videos, and conducts speaker training programs in platform speaking, presentation skills, media training and crisis communications.
Libby’s best-selling novels have won widespread acclaim since her first novel, AN EYE FOR MURDER, which was nominated for several awards and described by Publisher’s Weekly as “a masterful blend of politics, history, and suspense”.
Libby is known for her portrayal of strong female characters. EYE introduced Ellie Foreman, a video producer and single mother who went on to star in five more novels in a series described by Libby as “a cross between Desperate Housewives and 24.”
Libby’s second series, also six novels now, follows Chicago PI Georgia Davis, a no-nonsense hard-boiled detective operating in the Northern suburbs and beyond.
In addition to her popular series, Libby has also written five standalone thrillers in diverse settings and historical periods that demonstrate her versatility as a writer. Readers will meet young activists during the late Sixties, a young American woman who marries and moves to Tehran, three women forced to make dire choices during WW2, and a female Mafia boss who chases power at the expense of love. And in A BEND IN THE RIVER, she takes a break from her thrillers to write an award-winning novel of two Vietnamese sisters trying to survive the Vietnam war. MAX is the upcoming 6th addition to the loosely-linked series she calls her "Revolution Sagas."
Libby began her career as an assistant film editor for NBC News in New York before moving back to DC to work with Robin McNeil and Jim Lehrer at N-PACT, the public affairs production arm of PBS. Retrained as an assistant director when Watergate broke, Libby helped produce PBS’s night-time broadcast of the hearings. She went on to work for public relations firm Burson-Marsteller in Chicago in 1978, where she stayed until she left to found Fischer Hellmann Communications in 1985.
Originally from Washington, D.C.—where, she says, “When you’re sitting around the dinner table gossiping about the neighbors, you’re talking politics”—Libby earned a Masters Degree in Film Production from New York University and a BA in History from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to writing, Libby writes and produces videos, and conducts speaker training programs in platform speaking, presentation skills, media training and crisis communications.
Libby’s best-selling novels have won widespread acclaim since her first novel, AN EYE FOR MURDER, which was nominated for several awards and described by Publisher’s Weekly as “a masterful blend of politics, history, and suspense”.
Libby is known for her portrayal of strong female characters. EYE introduced Ellie Foreman, a video producer and single mother who went on to star in five more novels in a series described by Libby as “a cross between Desperate Housewives and 24.”
Libby’s second series, also six novels now, follows Chicago PI Georgia Davis, a no-nonsense hard-boiled detective operating in the Northern suburbs and beyond.
In addition to her popular series, Libby has also written five standalone thrillers in diverse settings and historical periods that demonstrate her versatility as a writer. Readers will meet young activists during the late Sixties, a young American woman who marries and moves to Tehran, three women forced to make dire choices during WW2, and a female Mafia boss who chases power at the expense of love. And in A BEND IN THE RIVER, she takes a break from her thrillers to write an award-winning novel of two Vietnamese sisters trying to survive the Vietnam war. MAX is the upcoming 6th addition to the loosely-linked series she calls her "Revolution Sagas."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
March 20, 2018
First, I want to thank Libby Fischer Hellmann for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.
Nobody’s Child by Libby Fischer Hellman wastes no time jumping into the story with a robbery of a clothing store. This robbery is not your ordinary robbery it is premeditated and the owner knows who has done it. However, he can’t prove it. The scene is incredibly fast paced with lots of details twists and turns. In the back of my mind I was thinking this would be great for a cop tv show like Law and Order.
I thought it was interesting that there was a reference to Dylan Klebold the one of they guys who shot up Columbine High School years ago.
If you like mysteries, crime, drug deals gone bad, sit on the edge of your seat books, stories with interesting characters, and overall intense story then this book might just be for you.
Nobody’s Child by Libby Fischer Hellman wastes no time jumping into the story with a robbery of a clothing store. This robbery is not your ordinary robbery it is premeditated and the owner knows who has done it. However, he can’t prove it. The scene is incredibly fast paced with lots of details twists and turns. In the back of my mind I was thinking this would be great for a cop tv show like Law and Order.
I thought it was interesting that there was a reference to Dylan Klebold the one of they guys who shot up Columbine High School years ago.
If you like mysteries, crime, drug deals gone bad, sit on the edge of your seat books, stories with interesting characters, and overall intense story then this book might just be for you.
April 6, 2015
This newest book by Libby Fischer Hellmann, the author of a number of standalones as well her acclaimed Ellie Foreman and Georgia Davis mystery series, features the latter, who was a cop for ten years and now and for the past five years a Chicago PI. There are parallel story lines, one dealing with her sudden awareness of the existence of a half-sister about whom she knew nothing, the other a new case where she is hired by an Evanston store manager to get to the bottom of a “flash rob” – a term new to me but apparently referencing a robbery combined with a flash mob – which had gone viral on YouTube – and prove that one of his employees was behind it.
The whole “flash rob” thing was very interesting: “a powerful warning of what could happen to a society where envy, a sense of entitlement, and electronic toys converged.” Georgia’s back-story includes the fact that her father was a cop, and that her mother had left when Georgia was ten. The theme of feeling that she is “nobody’s child” is well-established.
Both story lines are very intriguing, and chapters are interspersed with flashbacks of the half-sister, Savannah (“Vanna”), going back one year in time, in Littleton, Colorado, a Denver suburb, when she was introduced to drugs that initially cost no more than sexual favors, but soon came to cost a lot more. Savannah had not known of Georgia’s existence until ten months ago. Ultimately the tale involves sex trafficking and other criminal acts that are a whole lot worse.
In the more personal story line, a note is delivered to Georgia saying “Georgia, I am your half sister, Savannah. I’m in Chicago and I’m pregnant. I need your help. Please find me.” In the professional plot line, Georgia’s job becomes threatening when she realizes she is being followed, immediately after which there is a drive-by shooting and the man following Georgia is murdered.
Georgia has trust/relationship/communication issues, a theme repeated throughout. But it becomes clear that she does appreciate a specific physical aspect of the men she meets. I loved the way Ellie Foreman, video producer and equally wonderful protagonist in Ms. Hellmann’s other series, has an off-page presence in the novel, as well as the sly reference to author Michael Connelly and his own Lincoln Lawyer protag. The book is well-written and very enjoyable, and is recommended.
The whole “flash rob” thing was very interesting: “a powerful warning of what could happen to a society where envy, a sense of entitlement, and electronic toys converged.” Georgia’s back-story includes the fact that her father was a cop, and that her mother had left when Georgia was ten. The theme of feeling that she is “nobody’s child” is well-established.
Both story lines are very intriguing, and chapters are interspersed with flashbacks of the half-sister, Savannah (“Vanna”), going back one year in time, in Littleton, Colorado, a Denver suburb, when she was introduced to drugs that initially cost no more than sexual favors, but soon came to cost a lot more. Savannah had not known of Georgia’s existence until ten months ago. Ultimately the tale involves sex trafficking and other criminal acts that are a whole lot worse.
In the more personal story line, a note is delivered to Georgia saying “Georgia, I am your half sister, Savannah. I’m in Chicago and I’m pregnant. I need your help. Please find me.” In the professional plot line, Georgia’s job becomes threatening when she realizes she is being followed, immediately after which there is a drive-by shooting and the man following Georgia is murdered.
Georgia has trust/relationship/communication issues, a theme repeated throughout. But it becomes clear that she does appreciate a specific physical aspect of the men she meets. I loved the way Ellie Foreman, video producer and equally wonderful protagonist in Ms. Hellmann’s other series, has an off-page presence in the novel, as well as the sly reference to author Michael Connelly and his own Lincoln Lawyer protag. The book is well-written and very enjoyable, and is recommended.
May 31, 2015
Reggie Field, the store manager/ owner of a designer clothes business is overwhelmed one night by a "Flash Rob", netting the thieves at least $5K in merchandise. The police consider retail theft a super low priority crime no matter the take. It's as it's always been a crime the police just do not take time for. Fearing he'd go out of business without action Reggie turns to P.I. Georgia Davis for help. In the fourth Georgia Davis outing from author Libby Hellmann, "Nobody's Child", runs an emotional gambit of fear and the instinct to survive in capturing the reader. An incredibly intense thriller, the book takes several hairpin turns that explore some gut wrenching topics. Georgia finds herself dodging bullets from a black SUV before barely getting started on the case. Recovering from that ordeal, Georgia is presented with mystery of a previously unknown half-sister. Sex slaves, baby breeding and black market organ sales drive this story line with some powerful suspense. A difficult read to put down, this one packs a pretty good punch. Author Libby Hellman's colorful and sometimes pretty scary characters drive this vehicle at breakneck speed. Easily the best Georgia davis thriller yet, "Nobody's Child", is a must read. I'd highly recommend this one for those who love a smart and engaging suspense thriller. Protagonist Georgia Davis is a rather unique character to be sure. Almost never lucky in love, Davis lives a spartan life. No razzel dazzel to drive Georgia's everyday life as former cop struggling to make a go of it as a P.I.. Having now read 5 of Ms. Fischer-Hellmann's novels I'm hooked on her characters Ellie Foreman and Georgia Davis. This is a series not to be missed. Do yourself a favor and check out either the Ellie Fore or Georgia Davis series'. They are addictive !
May 15, 2016
This is my first book by this author and it was just okay for me. I have another book by her that I've been eager to read, so I will give it a go, but I have no idea what to expect now.
I love this genre so I was expecting to really like this book. The story was okay. The characters were okay. It is mainly the writing that I had a hard time with. It was by no means awful but it was kind of one note for me (which is a big deal for me). I pay more attention than I probably should to the writing. I know what I like and whatever that is, I couldn't find it here. I hope I can find it in the next one.
I love this genre so I was expecting to really like this book. The story was okay. The characters were okay. It is mainly the writing that I had a hard time with. It was by no means awful but it was kind of one note for me (which is a big deal for me). I pay more attention than I probably should to the writing. I know what I like and whatever that is, I couldn't find it here. I hope I can find it in the next one.
January 12, 2020
Audiobook review
Georgia gets a bloodstained note and news that she had no clue about.
Georgia then has the difficult job of searching out the truth.
This tale proves to be a battle for Georgia, dark & sordid.
Excellent
Georgia gets a bloodstained note and news that she had no clue about.
Georgia then has the difficult job of searching out the truth.
This tale proves to be a battle for Georgia, dark & sordid.
Excellent
August 18, 2014
As reviewed by Mack Moyer for writocracy.blogspot.com
Nobody’s Child by Libby Fischer Hellman is basically this: Two determined but fragile women versus the nastiest Russian caricatures since Rocky IV. And it is quite awesome.
The principal characters are Georgia Davis, ex-cop turned private investigator, who is thankfully not a badass vigilante but more of a cerebral investigator, and her half-sister Vanna, a teenage prostitute with a somewhat disturbing but also refreshingly sex-positive view on whoring.
Georgia and Vanna are both from broken, unloving homes, and are unaware of each other’s existence until Vanna is captured by what is, on the surface, a Russian (or Ukrainian? Too many Eastern European stereotypes here to keep track) sex trafficking operation, but turns out later to be something far more insidious.
Some serious page-turning ensues. As I mentioned, Georgia isn’t your typical hardboiled PI. She relies more on her iPad than her Glock. She’s more determined than confident, thinking her way through problems rather than kicking ass. Although Georgia always seems capable, she is also vulnerable, both to her own emotional demons – that is to say, she’s a real person – and the ruthless Russians.
(Common theme here: Russians are bad. Like seriously evil, to the point where I wonder how many times the author has been mugged by guys named Vlad. Whatever. I like my novels to be fun, not politically correct, so who cares?)
Hellman then alternates between Georgia’s police procedural – which stays fresh throughout – and Vanna’s horrific stay with the Russians. Vanna, though just as damaged and vulnerable as Georgia, keeps a strange sort of inner strength and hopefulness even as her captors torment her.
Regarding Vanna’s storyline. Well…it can be hard to stomach. Vanna is raped and forcibly injected with heroin until she’s addicted, then whored out to multiple men. Pretty dark stuff on its own, even darker because it’s happening to a 15-year-old girl.
Just saying, this book could have used some comic relief. Any relief, really, because the story goes to some scary places.
My gripes are few, but one problem in particular is the convoluted way Hellman reveals the central villain. The villain, plus a few ancillary characters who are nevertheless important to the plot, are apparently characters from previous novels in the Georgia Davis Series. I get that writing a series is a better way for authors to make money these days but, damn it, this shit gets confusing. Because I haven’t read the previous entries, I was scratching my head quite a bit. I have no problem with an overarching plot over the course of a couple of books but there were times when I had to backtrack and figure out who was doing what and why. (Then I remembered: “He’s Russian, so he’s probably a bastard.”)
Another gripe is more a genre-spanning one. Why is it that so many authors feel the need to jam a romantic subplot into their stories? Georgia’s relationship with some bland hunky cop – a character I didn’t care for at all – feels forced and unnecessary. Meanwhile another “romantic” subplot in the book involves Vanna and one of her captors in a sickening and heartbreaking relationship that is one part manipulation and one part Stockholm syndrome. More of the latter would have been far more interesting.
But these problems are minor. If you’re looking for a page-turning procedural and can stomach some anti-Soviet xenophobia as well as some fairly brutal treatment of an underage character, you’ll blow through Nobody’s Child as fast as I did.
Nobody’s Child by Libby Fischer Hellman is basically this: Two determined but fragile women versus the nastiest Russian caricatures since Rocky IV. And it is quite awesome.
The principal characters are Georgia Davis, ex-cop turned private investigator, who is thankfully not a badass vigilante but more of a cerebral investigator, and her half-sister Vanna, a teenage prostitute with a somewhat disturbing but also refreshingly sex-positive view on whoring.
Georgia and Vanna are both from broken, unloving homes, and are unaware of each other’s existence until Vanna is captured by what is, on the surface, a Russian (or Ukrainian? Too many Eastern European stereotypes here to keep track) sex trafficking operation, but turns out later to be something far more insidious.
Some serious page-turning ensues. As I mentioned, Georgia isn’t your typical hardboiled PI. She relies more on her iPad than her Glock. She’s more determined than confident, thinking her way through problems rather than kicking ass. Although Georgia always seems capable, she is also vulnerable, both to her own emotional demons – that is to say, she’s a real person – and the ruthless Russians.
(Common theme here: Russians are bad. Like seriously evil, to the point where I wonder how many times the author has been mugged by guys named Vlad. Whatever. I like my novels to be fun, not politically correct, so who cares?)
Hellman then alternates between Georgia’s police procedural – which stays fresh throughout – and Vanna’s horrific stay with the Russians. Vanna, though just as damaged and vulnerable as Georgia, keeps a strange sort of inner strength and hopefulness even as her captors torment her.
Regarding Vanna’s storyline. Well…it can be hard to stomach. Vanna is raped and forcibly injected with heroin until she’s addicted, then whored out to multiple men. Pretty dark stuff on its own, even darker because it’s happening to a 15-year-old girl.
Just saying, this book could have used some comic relief. Any relief, really, because the story goes to some scary places.
My gripes are few, but one problem in particular is the convoluted way Hellman reveals the central villain. The villain, plus a few ancillary characters who are nevertheless important to the plot, are apparently characters from previous novels in the Georgia Davis Series. I get that writing a series is a better way for authors to make money these days but, damn it, this shit gets confusing. Because I haven’t read the previous entries, I was scratching my head quite a bit. I have no problem with an overarching plot over the course of a couple of books but there were times when I had to backtrack and figure out who was doing what and why. (Then I remembered: “He’s Russian, so he’s probably a bastard.”)
Another gripe is more a genre-spanning one. Why is it that so many authors feel the need to jam a romantic subplot into their stories? Georgia’s relationship with some bland hunky cop – a character I didn’t care for at all – feels forced and unnecessary. Meanwhile another “romantic” subplot in the book involves Vanna and one of her captors in a sickening and heartbreaking relationship that is one part manipulation and one part Stockholm syndrome. More of the latter would have been far more interesting.
But these problems are minor. If you’re looking for a page-turning procedural and can stomach some anti-Soviet xenophobia as well as some fairly brutal treatment of an underage character, you’ll blow through Nobody’s Child as fast as I did.
November 25, 2015
Reviewed at www.snazzybooks.com
Nobody’s Child by Libby Fischer Hellman is a really enjoyable, fast paced mystery novel which had me hooked from beginning to end!
Being the fourth novel in the Georgia Davis series, I was a bit worried that I would need to have read the first 3 to really understand and enjoy Nobody’s Child. There did seem to be some issues from previous novels but the author explained any required information really well, so it wasn’t an issue at all!
The characters were all well developed, with Georgia being a likeable and interesting protagonist. I certainly felt like I wanted to read more about her in the previous three novels. Poor Savannah certainly had a horrendous time of it, and even though she seemed a bit annoying at the beginning I warmed to her as the novel went on.
The story line moved along at a good pace and seemed very well researched- at least as far as I could tell- with issues such as sex trafficking, abuse, robbery among many others. The novel starts off with her investigating a ‘flash rob’ at a shop, and along with this there are a few kind of ‘sub story lines’ too, including Georgia discovering the existence of a half-sister (though this soon becomes the main story line really as the novel continues, in my opinion) and developing a romantic interest in another cop. This blend of mystery, romance and tension created a great novel that I loved reading.
I didn’t feel that any part of the novel was dull and I really raced through it as I didn’t want to put it down! I’d really like to read the first 3 novels and learn more about these characters!
** Many thanks to the author, Libby Fischer Hellman, for providing a copy of this novel in return for an honest review! **
Nobody’s Child by Libby Fischer Hellman is a really enjoyable, fast paced mystery novel which had me hooked from beginning to end!
Being the fourth novel in the Georgia Davis series, I was a bit worried that I would need to have read the first 3 to really understand and enjoy Nobody’s Child. There did seem to be some issues from previous novels but the author explained any required information really well, so it wasn’t an issue at all!
The characters were all well developed, with Georgia being a likeable and interesting protagonist. I certainly felt like I wanted to read more about her in the previous three novels. Poor Savannah certainly had a horrendous time of it, and even though she seemed a bit annoying at the beginning I warmed to her as the novel went on.
The story line moved along at a good pace and seemed very well researched- at least as far as I could tell- with issues such as sex trafficking, abuse, robbery among many others. The novel starts off with her investigating a ‘flash rob’ at a shop, and along with this there are a few kind of ‘sub story lines’ too, including Georgia discovering the existence of a half-sister (though this soon becomes the main story line really as the novel continues, in my opinion) and developing a romantic interest in another cop. This blend of mystery, romance and tension created a great novel that I loved reading.
I didn’t feel that any part of the novel was dull and I really raced through it as I didn’t want to put it down! I’d really like to read the first 3 novels and learn more about these characters!
** Many thanks to the author, Libby Fischer Hellman, for providing a copy of this novel in return for an honest review! **
July 31, 2014
Georgia Davis is an ex-cop PI in Chicago. Sounds like the premise of a hard-boiled mystery and it pretty much is, though Georgia does have a soft side which she mainly keeps to herself. This is her fourth novel but the first I’ve read and I will be going back to look for the first three.
Georgia is working for a merchant that was the victim of a flash robbery gang when she realizes she is being tailed. She’s even more surprised when she discovers a note informing her that she has a sister she didn’t know existed and that her sister is in Chicago needing Georgia’s help. She doesn’t know if it’s even true but who could resist trying to find out? Her search leads her through the worst aspects of Chicago and human nature. It also leads to an old enemy who is definitely holding a grudge. I don’t know if this is spoilerish but I was very satisfied with the way the story played out.
This particular story covers subject matter that will be very disturbing to many readers because it involves sex-trafficking of young girls and a baby-selling ring in more detail than some will care for. If you can’t stomach this stuff, and I have a very hard time with it, be forewarned. If you decide to proceed anyway, there is an excellent story here. Not having read the first 3 in this series didn’t seem to matter. I love stories that show the nitty-gritty of what it takes for a PI to do their job and this does a great job of that. Georgia reminds me of Kinsey Milhone in that aspect though these are far more gritty than Sue Grafton’s books.
In short, troubling subject matter, compelling book.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Georgia is working for a merchant that was the victim of a flash robbery gang when she realizes she is being tailed. She’s even more surprised when she discovers a note informing her that she has a sister she didn’t know existed and that her sister is in Chicago needing Georgia’s help. She doesn’t know if it’s even true but who could resist trying to find out? Her search leads her through the worst aspects of Chicago and human nature. It also leads to an old enemy who is definitely holding a grudge. I don’t know if this is spoilerish but I was very satisfied with the way the story played out.
This particular story covers subject matter that will be very disturbing to many readers because it involves sex-trafficking of young girls and a baby-selling ring in more detail than some will care for. If you can’t stomach this stuff, and I have a very hard time with it, be forewarned. If you decide to proceed anyway, there is an excellent story here. Not having read the first 3 in this series didn’t seem to matter. I love stories that show the nitty-gritty of what it takes for a PI to do their job and this does a great job of that. Georgia reminds me of Kinsey Milhone in that aspect though these are far more gritty than Sue Grafton’s books.
In short, troubling subject matter, compelling book.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
May 20, 2015
Georgia Davis descends into Danté's Hell
I own and have read all of the Georgia Davis series and enjoyed every one of them. Georgia has an extremely independent streak and has a penchant for getting herself to the wrong place at the wrong time. Still, she manages to muddle through despite her mistakes and, at times, her self-destructive attitude. Perhaps that's one of her charms.
While all of the books have contained elements of darkness, in "Nobody's Child" Georgia goes off the merely mean streets into unlit alleys and into an underground world -- akin to Danté descending several levels of hell -- involving human sex trafficking, teen prostitution, black market babies and body parts with vengeance and scattered corpses along the way.
This is not a book for the squeamish nor for those who think these things don't happen here in the good ole US of A. Unfortunately it does happen here, to our daughters and sons every day and in every part of the country. So I applaud Hellman's tackling these difficult subjects. She does so straightforwardly with finesse and empathy.
This is the second book by Hellman that I've reviewed making her one of my favorite authors: meaning, that if she writes it, I'll most likely buy it.
I own and have read all of the Georgia Davis series and enjoyed every one of them. Georgia has an extremely independent streak and has a penchant for getting herself to the wrong place at the wrong time. Still, she manages to muddle through despite her mistakes and, at times, her self-destructive attitude. Perhaps that's one of her charms.
While all of the books have contained elements of darkness, in "Nobody's Child" Georgia goes off the merely mean streets into unlit alleys and into an underground world -- akin to Danté descending several levels of hell -- involving human sex trafficking, teen prostitution, black market babies and body parts with vengeance and scattered corpses along the way.
This is not a book for the squeamish nor for those who think these things don't happen here in the good ole US of A. Unfortunately it does happen here, to our daughters and sons every day and in every part of the country. So I applaud Hellman's tackling these difficult subjects. She does so straightforwardly with finesse and empathy.
This is the second book by Hellman that I've reviewed making her one of my favorite authors: meaning, that if she writes it, I'll most likely buy it.
May 18, 2016
Private investigator Georgia Davis expects a routine case of employee revenge when she meets with Shelly and Reggie Field, owners of a discount designer store in Evanston, Illinois. A flash mob boldly struck their store, making off with over five thousand dollars in merchandise and hurting Reggie so badly he ended up in the hospital. Reggie suspects a former employee of the store, a suburban kid he hired as a favor to his parents, who was fired for dealing drugs. Positive that this was payback for firing the kid, Reggie wants Georgia to investigate.
While working on the case, Georgia receives a hand delivered message—the contents rock her world. It’s scrawled on a sandwich wrapped and has traces of what appears to be blood. It says: “Georgia, I am your half-sister Savannah. I’m in Chicago and I’m pregnant. I need your help. Please find me.”
Georgia discovers a man is following her, but before she can discover his identity he is gunned down before her eyes. Soon she is swept into an underground network of human trafficking, black market adoptions, and murder.
The book is told from both the viewpoints of Georgia and Savannah. Readers who enjoy a gritty story with a hardworking detective who keeps one step ahead of the bad guys will find this a satisfying read.
While working on the case, Georgia receives a hand delivered message—the contents rock her world. It’s scrawled on a sandwich wrapped and has traces of what appears to be blood. It says: “Georgia, I am your half-sister Savannah. I’m in Chicago and I’m pregnant. I need your help. Please find me.”
Georgia discovers a man is following her, but before she can discover his identity he is gunned down before her eyes. Soon she is swept into an underground network of human trafficking, black market adoptions, and murder.
The book is told from both the viewpoints of Georgia and Savannah. Readers who enjoy a gritty story with a hardworking detective who keeps one step ahead of the bad guys will find this a satisfying read.
April 29, 2015
I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I have never read this author before. I have to admit to being a little skeptical but it sounded good so I decided to give it a try. I am so glad I did. While the storyline might be familiar, private investigator trying to solve the mystery of her heretofore unknown sister, the author did a great job of making the plot seem fresh and interesting. She also researched her topic well and provided her readers with a close look into sex-trafficking, illegal adoptions, and organ harvesting for money. The way she combined the three put a new twist on what could have been a mediocre story. Georgia Davis was the PI looking for the sister she never knew she had, all because of a cryptic note from Savannah saying she was Georgia's sister, pregnant and needed help. As you read Georgia's story, you find interspersed, Vanna' s story as well. Both girls are on a different paths that will soon intersect just not in the way you'd expect. Many twists along the way, plenty of action and suspense, with a little romance thrown in for good measure. Highly entertaining.
June 25, 2014
After penning three outstanding historical fictions Libby Fischer Hellmann returns to high energy thriller mode in her new novel, Nobody's Child, the fourth book starring ex-cop, now PI, Georgia Davis. An anonymously delivered note, containing a cryptic plea for help from her hitherto unknown half-sister, sets Georgia on a search that takes her through the seamy underbelly of Chicagoland's sex-trafficking scene, where she slowly uncovers the complex world of an even more frightening criminal underground within which her sister is victimized. Trying to foster a promising new personal relationship while totally engaged in the investigation/search for her sister has Georgia conflicted and confused as she unwittingly becomes prey to a revenge-driven foe.
Once again, Libby Hellmann gives the reader a compelling, non-stop gem of a thriller driven through a protagonist in Georgia Davis who has become a full-fledged Chicago PI icon. It has become almost a given to say, more Georgia Davis, please!
(This review is based on an Advanced Reading Copy)
Once again, Libby Hellmann gives the reader a compelling, non-stop gem of a thriller driven through a protagonist in Georgia Davis who has become a full-fledged Chicago PI icon. It has become almost a given to say, more Georgia Davis, please!
(This review is based on an Advanced Reading Copy)
July 21, 2014
I loved this book! I first got hooked on Libby Hellman's first series with Ellie Foreman. After finishing that one, I jumped right into the first Georgia Davis book and embraced all those characters as well. But when Nobody's Child came out, I leap-frogged over the rest of the series to it, which is fine because these books stand on their own.
Why I liked this book... The characters are so well-crafted and you really care about (or despise them) depending on which one. They are real people with human flaws and foibles. Hellmann gives us just enough description so that we feel we are watching a movie, but not too much so that you want to skim. Her writing is really tight and each chapter leaves you wanting the next.
With this book, be prepared to be taken to places you'll never want to go or see (sex-trafficking), but become enthralled with nonetheless. The only problem for me is that I feel a sense of sadness that the book is over. Can't wait for your next book, Libby!
Why I liked this book... The characters are so well-crafted and you really care about (or despise them) depending on which one. They are real people with human flaws and foibles. Hellmann gives us just enough description so that we feel we are watching a movie, but not too much so that you want to skim. Her writing is really tight and each chapter leaves you wanting the next.
With this book, be prepared to be taken to places you'll never want to go or see (sex-trafficking), but become enthralled with nonetheless. The only problem for me is that I feel a sense of sadness that the book is over. Can't wait for your next book, Libby!
August 19, 2016
Not bad at all. Three and a half stars from this reader. Main character is a P.I. former cop, Georgia Davis. Her personal life is all screwed up. Estranged from her mother, her father deceased, no siblings. She has no other family and finds herself wishing she did. She is shocked to receive a note from an unknown source that she has a half sister, Savannah, who is in trouble and needs her help.
Georgia finds herself in the midst of a lot of bad people in the Russian "Mafyia" while trying to find her sister. It moves along at a good pace. This gives us mystery, some action, hateful bad guys, sex trafficking and even a little romance for Georgia. Graphic in parts, and if you can't handle some profanity here and there then pass this up.
This was my first novel by this author, and I understand this is a series, but this can be read as a stand-alone novel. I liked this, and if I find myself with a spare moment, may read more from this author.
Georgia finds herself in the midst of a lot of bad people in the Russian "Mafyia" while trying to find her sister. It moves along at a good pace. This gives us mystery, some action, hateful bad guys, sex trafficking and even a little romance for Georgia. Graphic in parts, and if you can't handle some profanity here and there then pass this up.
This was my first novel by this author, and I understand this is a series, but this can be read as a stand-alone novel. I liked this, and if I find myself with a spare moment, may read more from this author.
June 26, 2014
She had to write 3 stand-alones before getting back to Georgia Davis, but Libby Hellmann has finally provided us with another exciting story in the life of Georgia Davis, PI.
In full disclosure, I was provided with a copy of Nobody’s Child in digital form with no obligation on my part to write this review. I am so glad I didn’t have to wait until August!
I found this book riveting, suspenseful and very well written. Parallel stories drove this reader to turn the page with great anticipation each time. I was so sorry to see the last page because I knew it will be another couple of years, at least, before I will be able to spend time with Georgia again. Oh, wait! I can go back a reread the series – they are all that good!
August 26, 2014
I received this ebook from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first book I've read by Libby Hellman, but it won't be my last. While it appears this was not the first in the series, it did not hinder in my enjoyment or the story at all.
I found the protagonist, Georgia Davis, to be a very likeable character and look forward to reading more books about her adventures. I definitely look forward to the next one to hear how she and her new found sister become a family.
There was also a lot of suspense with plot twists that kept you reading on into the hours of the night. Hence, my writing this review at 3:00 in the morning. It was definitely an entertaining read and one I would highly recommend!
This is the first book I've read by Libby Hellman, but it won't be my last. While it appears this was not the first in the series, it did not hinder in my enjoyment or the story at all.
I found the protagonist, Georgia Davis, to be a very likeable character and look forward to reading more books about her adventures. I definitely look forward to the next one to hear how she and her new found sister become a family.
There was also a lot of suspense with plot twists that kept you reading on into the hours of the night. Hence, my writing this review at 3:00 in the morning. It was definitely an entertaining read and one I would highly recommend!
June 27, 2014
This book is 4th in the Georgia Davis series but ranks number 1 for the suspense, story, & characters. This is indeed a dark subject and covers a multitude of horrific crimes, but it was presented with no blood or guts like Karin Slaughter does (and I love Karin's books). Much easier read, and don't be put off by the dark subject matter. Libby handles it well without the horror and it has a great ending. Plus she throws in a new romantic interest for Georgia and a sister too! Read this, you will enjoy it greatly. Highly Recommended. I believe this comes out in August, so add it to your "to read" list!
August 12, 2014
Georgia Davis is a PI in Chicago and she uses her ex-cop gut feeling to help her do her job. With the help of a few friends and old work friends, she can get it done. When she gets a letter from someone claiming to be her sister, she thinks it is a joke but she will investigate just to be sure. What she finds out will keep you on the edge of your seat and you can't wait to see what happens next. The story is a telling from Georgia and Savannah, her sister. This is a great suspenseful story and I loved it. This is a first for me from Libby Fischer Hellman and I can't wait to read more from her.
**A e-copy was provided by the author in exchange for my honest review**
**A e-copy was provided by the author in exchange for my honest review**
August 31, 2014
This was an absolutely riveting book! It kept me up until the wee hours. It's also the first Georgia Davis book I have read, although I've read other titles by this author.
The action starts in the first sentence of the first page and doesn't let up. Georgia Davis receives a blood-stained note that turns her world upside down and leads her on a mission to save a woman who may be her half-sister. She confronts a Russan sex-trafficking ring and something far worse and ultimately must face an old enemy.
I can't say enough good things about this thriller and will definitely read this author's earlier books in the series.
The action starts in the first sentence of the first page and doesn't let up. Georgia Davis receives a blood-stained note that turns her world upside down and leads her on a mission to save a woman who may be her half-sister. She confronts a Russan sex-trafficking ring and something far worse and ultimately must face an old enemy.
I can't say enough good things about this thriller and will definitely read this author's earlier books in the series.
July 13, 2014
I received this as an ARC for an honest review. It actually will come out in August. This was a great read. Georgia is faced with a very complex case which involves baby brokarage, illegal organ procurement, sex trafficking, murder, and the Russian mafia. In addition she discovers a sister she didn't know she had and a new romance. The action goes back and forth between Georgia and her sister Savannah. The suspense and action packed ending will keep the reader turning pages right until the end.
July 5, 2014
Libby Fischer Hellmann whips around the track with assurance. She's a very professional author who consistently delivers solid entertainment over the course of a series. She continues to develop her main characters (in this case, it's Georgia Davis again) and there's no feeling that she's coasting or getting too comfortable. The plot has a lot of bite and the brief chapters keep up the very brisk pace.
(Review based on an Advance Reader Copy.)
(Review based on an Advance Reader Copy.)
July 14, 2014
I received an advance e-book copy in return for a review on Amazon. I'd never read this author Libby Fischer Hellman before but let me say I will from now on. She wove a great story and characters. Fast pace and kept my interest. I give all books 50 pages to hook me, before I knew it I was half way through the book. I recommend it highly. It's book 4 in a series so I'm looking for the other three as soon as I'm done here.
July 26, 2014
I thoroughly enjoyed this Georgia Davis novel. This personable private investigator grabs you and leads you through the Chicago area as she examines information, and pursues leads; taking personal risks in order to get to find the true details and honest information needed to bring justice to an untenable situation. This book lived up to my expectations for a Libby Fischer Hellmann novel. If you have not read the previous Georgia novels, you will certainly want to do so after reading this one.
September 19, 2014
Nobody's Child by Libby Fischer Hellmann is book 4 in the Georgia Davis PI series. This one really knocked me off my socks! Poor Georgia gets involved when she gets a bloody torn note from someone she never knew even existed....her 1/2 sister and she's pregnant! There is greed, and murder in this book also. Can she find her sister in time? Libby's best work in the Georgia Davis series thus far!!!!!
July 5, 2014
This is a really good mystery/thriller. It is packed with action from the beginning to the end. Georgia is a PI and on the hunt for a sister she never new existed finding out unsettling things on her way. If you like mystery/thriller I recommend this book.
I received this complimentary book for an honest review.
I received this complimentary book for an honest review.
June 29, 2014
I love the books by Libby Hellmann. She writes what I call medium boiled-not a lot of gun battles and car chases but the darker side of people. Nobody's Child is well written, exciting, and a deeply personal story for the main character. Beautifully layered.
July 21, 2014
The latest Georgia Davis book does not disappoint. Was immediately caught up in the mystery and the book held my interest throughout. I am now looking forward to more stories with new characters Jimmy and Savannah!
November 3, 2014
Fantastic Book - could not put it down. Left me wanting for more!
July 16, 2018
Reviewed from Kindle
I've had the privilege of reading and reviewing several of Libby Fischer Hellman's books over the past few years and I have never found one I didn't enjoy! Her main characters are amazing, well-fleshed out, and comfortable to know. One thing I found interesting was how her characters interacted between books at times, sort of like brief cameos. Through all the various genres she has written, this one really stands out, perhaps mainly for its tone and subject.
Well written as always, there are so many different lines we could follow and never get lost. Georgia is an unusual person for having been a cop previous to becoming a private investigator; she has a few personal traits that hold her back from fulfillment, particularly friendly communication, but within her work abilities she definitely has the spunk and invaluable investigating gene. The subjects covered are unfortunately very real and very difficult to deal with, trafficking possibly most common whether drugs, artifacts, babies, young women, body parts, etc. Yet this happens all too often in the world of today. Libby definitely knows how to get acknowledgement of crimes found in many large cities, even smaller towns. These things don't just happen, these crimes are worldwide and she handles the content with feeling. Cleaning up any of them will be a long hard road for all fields of crime busting and freedom seeking. Friendly helpful conversation between Ellie Foreman and Georgia Davis here and there in this story-line is brilliant. These are two characters who have their own books by this author, it isn't usual that you will find them in the same book, but personally I thought it was genius.
I've had the privilege of reading and reviewing several of Libby Fischer Hellman's books over the past few years and I have never found one I didn't enjoy! Her main characters are amazing, well-fleshed out, and comfortable to know. One thing I found interesting was how her characters interacted between books at times, sort of like brief cameos. Through all the various genres she has written, this one really stands out, perhaps mainly for its tone and subject.
Well written as always, there are so many different lines we could follow and never get lost. Georgia is an unusual person for having been a cop previous to becoming a private investigator; she has a few personal traits that hold her back from fulfillment, particularly friendly communication, but within her work abilities she definitely has the spunk and invaluable investigating gene. The subjects covered are unfortunately very real and very difficult to deal with, trafficking possibly most common whether drugs, artifacts, babies, young women, body parts, etc. Yet this happens all too often in the world of today. Libby definitely knows how to get acknowledgement of crimes found in many large cities, even smaller towns. These things don't just happen, these crimes are worldwide and she handles the content with feeling. Cleaning up any of them will be a long hard road for all fields of crime busting and freedom seeking. Friendly helpful conversation between Ellie Foreman and Georgia Davis here and there in this story-line is brilliant. These are two characters who have their own books by this author, it isn't usual that you will find them in the same book, but personally I thought it was genius.
June 22, 2019
I received this audiobook at no-cost from Audiobookworm Promotions. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
This was my first book to listen to by Libby Fischer Hellmann and I am now listening to book 5 in the series. I highly recommend Nobody's Child audiobook and look forward to many more by this author and narrator.
Libby Fischer Hellmann jumps right into the action of the story. The beginning of the story was a little sexually graphic and I almost stopped listening as I wasn't expecting it. I did persevere and am so glad that I did! Nobody's Child has many twist and turns some that I didn't see coming.
This book was narrated by Eva Kaminsky. Eva is a new narrator to me and I certainly enjoyed listening to her tell the story. She pronounced everything correctly, had the appropriate amount of infliction for the different characters and what was happening in the story. I will look forward to listening to her again,
The sound quality of this audiobook was good. There were times that I had to increase the volume but not drastically.
This was my first book to listen to by Libby Fischer Hellmann and I am now listening to book 5 in the series. I highly recommend Nobody's Child audiobook and look forward to many more by this author and narrator.
Libby Fischer Hellmann jumps right into the action of the story. The beginning of the story was a little sexually graphic and I almost stopped listening as I wasn't expecting it. I did persevere and am so glad that I did! Nobody's Child has many twist and turns some that I didn't see coming.
This book was narrated by Eva Kaminsky. Eva is a new narrator to me and I certainly enjoyed listening to her tell the story. She pronounced everything correctly, had the appropriate amount of infliction for the different characters and what was happening in the story. I will look forward to listening to her again,
The sound quality of this audiobook was good. There were times that I had to increase the volume but not drastically.
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