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The Searchers #1
Veren tahraama
Äiti: murhattu.
Isä: tuntematon.
Tutkimukset: lopetettu.
Isänsä testamenttia luettaessa Maria Slade järkyttyy kuulemastaan – hän on nelivuotiaana nähnyt omin silmin prostituutiolla leipänsä ansainneen oikean äitinsä murhan. Hyvää tarkoittava matkasaarnaaja on aikoinaan suostunut piilottamaan hänet murhaajalta ja kasvattamaan omana tyttärenään.
Maria itse ei muista mitään tapahtuneesta. Mutta nyt hän on päättänyt säikäyttää äitinsä surmaajan ulos piilostaan ja selvittää kuka hänen biologinen isänsä on. Hän lähtee Tulsaan, Oklahomaan, ja hän kääntyy rikosetsivä Bodie Scottin puoleen.
Bodie tuntee myötätuntoa kaunista nuorta naista kohtaan, joka haluaa selvittää, kuka tämä todellisuudessa on, ja hän ryhtyy uudelleen tutkimaan kaksi vuosikymmentä sitten tapahtunutta henkirikosta. Tutkinta vie heidät vaarallisille poluille, joilla ei kukaan ole turvassa eikä sitä, miltä vaikuttaa. Isä ei halua tulla löydetyksi, ja murhaaja hautoo tyttärelle äidin kohtaloa.
Isä: tuntematon.
Tutkimukset: lopetettu.
Isänsä testamenttia luettaessa Maria Slade järkyttyy kuulemastaan – hän on nelivuotiaana nähnyt omin silmin prostituutiolla leipänsä ansainneen oikean äitinsä murhan. Hyvää tarkoittava matkasaarnaaja on aikoinaan suostunut piilottamaan hänet murhaajalta ja kasvattamaan omana tyttärenään.
Maria itse ei muista mitään tapahtuneesta. Mutta nyt hän on päättänyt säikäyttää äitinsä surmaajan ulos piilostaan ja selvittää kuka hänen biologinen isänsä on. Hän lähtee Tulsaan, Oklahomaan, ja hän kääntyy rikosetsivä Bodie Scottin puoleen.
Bodie tuntee myötätuntoa kaunista nuorta naista kohtaan, joka haluaa selvittää, kuka tämä todellisuudessa on, ja hän ryhtyy uudelleen tutkimaan kaksi vuosikymmentä sitten tapahtunutta henkirikosta. Tutkinta vie heidät vaarallisille poluille, joilla ei kukaan ole turvassa eikä sitä, miltä vaikuttaa. Isä ei halua tulla löydetyksi, ja murhaaja hautoo tyttärelle äidin kohtaloa.
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First published January 17, 2011
164 people are currently reading
892 people want to read
About the author
Sharon Sala
279 books2,299 followersBiography
Sharon Sala is a Native Oklahoman and still lives within a two hour drive of where she was born.
First published in 1991, she is a New York Times/USA Today, best-selling author with a 135 plus books published in seven different genres, including Romantic suspense, Mystery, Young Adult, Western, Fiction, Women’s Fiction and Non-Fiction.
Industry Awards include:
Eight-time RITA finalist. (Romance Industry award)
The Janet Dailey Award.
Five-time Career Achievement winner from RT Magazine.
Five time winner of the National Reader’s Choice Award.
Five time winner of the Colorado Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence.
Heart of Excellence Award.,
Booksellers Best Award.
Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award RITA, presented by RWA.
Centennial Award from RWA for recognition of her 100th published novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
December 3, 2020
Upon further reflection, I took away half a star for the way the author tried to make the pimp character into an upstanding citizen just because he took a job "that was always going to be there so might as well be me" and he protected "his girls". I don't begrudge him the chance to make a more moral life for himself. What I do take umbrage with is the author trying to sell him as a pimp with a heart of gold. A pimp is still a pimp.
This was a saccharine sweet suspense/mystery, sort of like a more crime focused version of Sala’s Blessings, GA series. Lol. The MCs were pleasant enough and there was no OP drama. The H also seemed like a decent guy.
Trigger warning
This was a saccharine sweet suspense/mystery, sort of like a more crime focused version of Sala’s Blessings, GA series. Lol. The MCs were pleasant enough and there was no OP drama. The H also seemed like a decent guy.
Trigger warning
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2018
Another hit for me from SS. I loved the mystery, action, and H&h. I look forward to the next 3 in this series.
January 25, 2011
Talented author but the plot and characters were ordinary. This was ok but nothing special or different.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
It was too smooth. It felt like the author was churning out another romantic suspense book - like a short order cook. She followed a recipe with good guys doing intelligent good things, and bad guys doing intelligent bad things. But luck is on the good guys’ side, and they survive several events and win in the end. It was too easy. The characters were what you’d expect. They acted according to the recipe. The heroine’s ethics were admirable. A soup kitchen preacher helped her, and she later repaid him with charitable contributions. The few sex scenes did not have enough excitement or passion. If you love romantic suspense you’ll like it. I have to give credit because the author does not use my pet peeves of vague communication, inaccurate assumptions, and stupidity – again part of a good recipe. She is a talented writer, but she needs something fascinating to write about.
Since we know who the bad guy is and are watching him throughout, this book brings elements of “thriller” to the genre.
STORY BRIEF:
Sally, a prostitute, is murdered. The killer does not know that Sally’s four-year old daughter Mary is a witness. As Sally is dying she asks her neighbor, a preacher, to raise Mary. He does. Mary has blacked out memories of her life before the murder. She believes her name is Maria Slade, and she is now an accomplished horse trainer in Montana. She thinks the preacher and his wife are her biological parents. When the preacher dies, she learns the truth and that she was taken away to keep her safe from the killer. Now she travels to Oklahoma in hopes of regaining her memory, learning about her biological parents, and avenging her mother’s death. Detective Bodie Scott helps her.
DATA:
Story length: 354 pages. Swearing language: strong, including religious swear words. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: 3. Total number of sex scene pages: 6. Setting: current day Montana and Oklahoma. Copyright: 2011. Genre: romantic suspense thriller.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
It was too smooth. It felt like the author was churning out another romantic suspense book - like a short order cook. She followed a recipe with good guys doing intelligent good things, and bad guys doing intelligent bad things. But luck is on the good guys’ side, and they survive several events and win in the end. It was too easy. The characters were what you’d expect. They acted according to the recipe. The heroine’s ethics were admirable. A soup kitchen preacher helped her, and she later repaid him with charitable contributions. The few sex scenes did not have enough excitement or passion. If you love romantic suspense you’ll like it. I have to give credit because the author does not use my pet peeves of vague communication, inaccurate assumptions, and stupidity – again part of a good recipe. She is a talented writer, but she needs something fascinating to write about.
Since we know who the bad guy is and are watching him throughout, this book brings elements of “thriller” to the genre.
STORY BRIEF:
Sally, a prostitute, is murdered. The killer does not know that Sally’s four-year old daughter Mary is a witness. As Sally is dying she asks her neighbor, a preacher, to raise Mary. He does. Mary has blacked out memories of her life before the murder. She believes her name is Maria Slade, and she is now an accomplished horse trainer in Montana. She thinks the preacher and his wife are her biological parents. When the preacher dies, she learns the truth and that she was taken away to keep her safe from the killer. Now she travels to Oklahoma in hopes of regaining her memory, learning about her biological parents, and avenging her mother’s death. Detective Bodie Scott helps her.
DATA:
Story length: 354 pages. Swearing language: strong, including religious swear words. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: 3. Total number of sex scene pages: 6. Setting: current day Montana and Oklahoma. Copyright: 2011. Genre: romantic suspense thriller.
January 16, 2011
This was a solid story from Sharon Sala. It was easy to read and quite enjoyable. It was not one of her best though. She can write a more edge of your seat, tense, page turning sort of novel. She can also write a story with more intense characterization. Because I expected more from the writing of Ms. Sala, I gave it 3 stars instead of 4. This is apparently going to be another 3 book series where all the stories take place simultaneously. The last such series started off with the weakest story and then got better and better. I will definitely read the rest of the series to see if that is the case here. Even if the series doesn't, this is still well worth reading.
Bodie was a nice man. He was shown as a competent, caring cop. I liked that he was shown doing his job other than just with the heroine's case. Maria was not as well characterized. I believe because we are told she is a rancher and a horse trainer but are never actually able to see her do it. At least she goes to the police for help solving her mother's murder and doesn't spend her time doing stupid things that put herself and others in danger.
Things that I didn't like so well - we knew who the killer was right away. We were in his head too early and he wasn't different enough to make that particularly interesting. Also, the romance developed very quickly. Bodie was in love and wanted to marry her within a week. Sometimes that can work in a novel but here it just felt rushed.
Things I liked - Some people died, but kudos to the author, not the people you expected to die. I like it when an author takes a less obvious choice.
Bodie was a nice man. He was shown as a competent, caring cop. I liked that he was shown doing his job other than just with the heroine's case. Maria was not as well characterized. I believe because we are told she is a rancher and a horse trainer but are never actually able to see her do it. At least she goes to the police for help solving her mother's murder and doesn't spend her time doing stupid things that put herself and others in danger.
Things that I didn't like so well - we knew who the killer was right away. We were in his head too early and he wasn't different enough to make that particularly interesting. Also, the romance developed very quickly. Bodie was in love and wanted to marry her within a week. Sometimes that can work in a novel but here it just felt rushed.
Things I liked - Some people died, but kudos to the author, not the people you expected to die. I like it when an author takes a less obvious choice.
September 18, 2011
Sharon Sala is generally a good author of her genre. In this one she seemes to have regressed to the '80's in style and formula. The characters are likeable enough,but there just isn't enough sizzle between them. You can tell this is to be just one of a trilogy.
Maria has found out that she is not who she thought she was and goes out to seek her past of which she has no memory. Seems her hooker mother had been murdered and Maria is angry with her for her lifestyle and "deathstyle". Since no one says they want to grow up and be a hooker, I lost empathy for Maria right then and there. Then there is the hero, Bodie. Who the heck would name a child Bodie? This would have been a name from the '50's to my way of thinking. I would have been better entranced by this story if I had read it in the early 80's when most mystery/romantic suspense novels were pretty much like this. I may have to give the next two novels about Maria's sisters (also in search of their pasts) a big miss. I was disaapointed in the book because it lacked more than it contained.
Maria has found out that she is not who she thought she was and goes out to seek her past of which she has no memory. Seems her hooker mother had been murdered and Maria is angry with her for her lifestyle and "deathstyle". Since no one says they want to grow up and be a hooker, I lost empathy for Maria right then and there. Then there is the hero, Bodie. Who the heck would name a child Bodie? This would have been a name from the '50's to my way of thinking. I would have been better entranced by this story if I had read it in the early 80's when most mystery/romantic suspense novels were pretty much like this. I may have to give the next two novels about Maria's sisters (also in search of their pasts) a big miss. I was disaapointed in the book because it lacked more than it contained.
January 30, 2011
Blood Stains (Sharon Sala)
Murder/romance/suspense
Maria Slade finds out a shocking truth at the reading of her fathers will. Her and sisters are not related, this isn't even her father. Maria's mother was a prostitute and at age 4, she witness her death. maria suppressed these memories and is shocked when she hears this. Living on a ranch in Montana, Maria decides to pack her bags and head to Tulsa, Oklahoma to investigate her biological mothers death. Once arriving in Tulsa she meets up with detective Bodie Scoot. There they dig into her past, search for her biological father and fall for each other.
Fast paced, a bit slower on the suspense part, but likable characters, and interesting enough plot to keep me reading more. I would like to read the next two books in the series.
Murder/romance/suspense
Maria Slade finds out a shocking truth at the reading of her fathers will. Her and sisters are not related, this isn't even her father. Maria's mother was a prostitute and at age 4, she witness her death. maria suppressed these memories and is shocked when she hears this. Living on a ranch in Montana, Maria decides to pack her bags and head to Tulsa, Oklahoma to investigate her biological mothers death. Once arriving in Tulsa she meets up with detective Bodie Scoot. There they dig into her past, search for her biological father and fall for each other.
Fast paced, a bit slower on the suspense part, but likable characters, and interesting enough plot to keep me reading more. I would like to read the next two books in the series.
August 8, 2017
The first in a new series by Sharon Sala about 3 sisters who aren't really sisters after all. Maria is the "middle" child who discovers she was a witness to her mother's murder. So naturally she goes to Tulsa to reopen the cold case and get justice for her mother. Bodie is the homicide cop who takes the case. A pleasant, comfortable read. There is no big WOW factor but it holds your attention enough to get through it. And now I have to wait for the other sisters' stories :(
February 11, 2020
Three sisters are in search of their pasts In this trilogy.
Book 1:
The female was scared, worried but not stupid.
The male was strong in the best ways.
The mystery was fine, not great but still entertaining.
The secondary characters were very well written.
Their Romance was tasteful.
This writer is better than brain bleach but don’t dig too hard. Just read and enjoy.
Book 1:
The female was scared, worried but not stupid.
The male was strong in the best ways.
The mystery was fine, not great but still entertaining.
The secondary characters were very well written.
Their Romance was tasteful.
This writer is better than brain bleach but don’t dig too hard. Just read and enjoy.
July 10, 2018
Excellent read! I love the fast moving looks very story and the fast pace plot line! Can’t wait to read the next two in the series!
January 25, 2020
We’ll, this was intense from the very beginning, and keep surprising me. Maria was amazing and just what I would expect from a life long rancher-kick ass, take no prisoner! Brodie was a good cop and I liked how he embraced Maria and didn’t try to coddle her. Loved Sam and Becky too!
November 30, 2015
Did not finish...and I don't care. Seriously. I don't give a hoot what happens. I've been at this book for almost a week, and I find that I would rather do a multitude of unpleasant tasks (clean the oven, sweep cobwebs from the basement...) than continue on with this book. I'm not quite sure what irks me about it, but it's just not hitting the right spot. The main characters are odd. The storyline is odd. The chronic over description of unimportant things (mall food court food)...odd. And the man calling the lady "honey" after 2 dates. You guessed it...odd. And the villian was cartooney. He actually reminded me of Gargamel from the Smurfs. I give up. I have all 3 books in the trilogy, but I more than likely won't finish it out. Free to good home :)
I'm not giving up on Sharon Sala altogether. You can't Google romantic suspense and NOT have her mentioned. Apparently she is quite talented and a favored author among many. Perhaps I just stumbled upon a trilogy that maybe wasn't a strong indicator of why people love her.
I'm not giving up on Sharon Sala altogether. You can't Google romantic suspense and NOT have her mentioned. Apparently she is quite talented and a favored author among many. Perhaps I just stumbled upon a trilogy that maybe wasn't a strong indicator of why people love her.
March 25, 2011
This is the first of what promises to be a trilogy. I suggest going to Amazon or another sight that gives a good synopsis of the plot, as there is much revealed at the very beginning of the first book that sounds like it would have to be spoilers. When I read the cover, I wondered how much more there could be to tell! Then I fell in love with the heroine of this one (I always seem to do this with Sharon Sala's books) and couldn't wait to see how she was going to handle the information the three sisters received when their father's will was read.
I love stories about strong women who overcome dark adversities in their past (whether they remember them or not), combined with them confronting that past while managing to fall in love... Sharon Sala doesn't disappoint - I think that's why she's one of my favorite authors!
I can't wait for June and the next one!
I love stories about strong women who overcome dark adversities in their past (whether they remember them or not), combined with them confronting that past while managing to fall in love... Sharon Sala doesn't disappoint - I think that's why she's one of my favorite authors!
I can't wait for June and the next one!
January 15, 2018
I enjoyed this romantic suspense with plenty of action that moved right along. I liked the plot and how the heroine worked with the police instead of going all vigilante although the attraction helped. I also found being in the minds of all the characters interesting once I got used to it. Maria learns her real mother was murdered and when she goes to investigate, detective Brodie takes the cold case.
October 1, 2018
One of my favorite go-to-rereads.
September 18, 2023
I first read this book many years and enjoyed this reread. I loved the complex characters and the way that the story evolved. Our heroine Maria Slade is a strong, determined, and compassionate woman who wants to trace her past, and so she goes back to Oklahoma and meets Detective Bodie Scott (our hero). He may look like a cowboy with his boots and hat and may appear to be laid back but he is sharp, dedicated and who is only too willing to help Maria in he quest. Along the way we meet people from Maria’s past Sam “Tank” Vincent’ Becky Coleman and people from the present Preacher Heny and Tyrell who all in their way help piece together the story. They are all good strong secondary characters as are Savanna, Hollie, and Bud (Maria’s sisters and the ranch manager)and keep the story moving at a good pace.
It is well written, the action believable, the plot was balanced between the romance emerging between Marai and Bodie and the journey that Maria is taking to solve her mother’s murder and mov e on with her life.
All in all a good read from Sharon Sala.
It is well written, the action believable, the plot was balanced between the romance emerging between Marai and Bodie and the journey that Maria is taking to solve her mother’s murder and mov e on with her life.
All in all a good read from Sharon Sala.
May 31, 2019
Sally Blake was killed in her home by the trick who fathered her daughter
Mary was taken to safety by a preacher who had befriended her mother. 20 years later now called Maria, she had in hand her what she now knew was the journal her adopted father had kept about what he knew of her and her mother.
Going to the police in Tulsa where her life began was her option, hoping to find out if her mother’s killer had ever been charged. Learning the case was still open she plead with the officer for help.
The killer saw her in a hotels restaurant and thought she was her mother, learning the case had been re-opened he set in motion plans to have her killed.
Read on for plot to thicken!
Mary was taken to safety by a preacher who had befriended her mother. 20 years later now called Maria, she had in hand her what she now knew was the journal her adopted father had kept about what he knew of her and her mother.
Going to the police in Tulsa where her life began was her option, hoping to find out if her mother’s killer had ever been charged. Learning the case was still open she plead with the officer for help.
The killer saw her in a hotels restaurant and thought she was her mother, learning the case had been re-opened he set in motion plans to have her killed.
Read on for plot to thicken!
March 31, 2025
A great romantic suspense
Sharon Sala starts off a trilogy with another nail-biting romance. Don't get me wrong. You know who the killer is but it is getting there that is the fun. The three sisters find out on the death of their father that they were each rescued from difficult situations. Not only was he not their father but they were not sister's.
This is the middle sister's story.She saw her mother's murder at age 4 and has no memory of it. Enter stage right, hero, detective who reopens mother's case and helps her solve. Good chemistry... good sideline of meeting people who did love her then... happy ending...villian vanquished what is not to love.
Sharon Sala starts off a trilogy with another nail-biting romance. Don't get me wrong. You know who the killer is but it is getting there that is the fun. The three sisters find out on the death of their father that they were each rescued from difficult situations. Not only was he not their father but they were not sister's.
This is the middle sister's story.She saw her mother's murder at age 4 and has no memory of it. Enter stage right, hero, detective who reopens mother's case and helps her solve. Good chemistry... good sideline of meeting people who did love her then... happy ending...villian vanquished what is not to love.
September 13, 2025
This is a reread. I enjoyed the book the first time and this time as well.
I do have a couple of questions. The girl's names were changed and not legally adopted. How did their dad get around the birth certificate issue when they went to school? How did they get a SSN without a birth certificate? I guess the only way is to have a forged birth certificate.
What about baby pictures? Andrew obviously did not have baby pictures of the girls before he took them. Most kids want to see pictures at some point.
I know this is a work of fiction and the reader is not supposed to think of the little details. But just curious.
Again, I did enjoy the book.
I do have a couple of questions. The girl's names were changed and not legally adopted. How did their dad get around the birth certificate issue when they went to school? How did they get a SSN without a birth certificate? I guess the only way is to have a forged birth certificate.
What about baby pictures? Andrew obviously did not have baby pictures of the girls before he took them. Most kids want to see pictures at some point.
I know this is a work of fiction and the reader is not supposed to think of the little details. But just curious.
Again, I did enjoy the book.
October 19, 2017
Blood Stains
This book was good; full of action, mystery, romance and pathos. It kept my interest all the way through. I Liked how John 3:16 fit in the story and I look forward to the next book in the series. The only thing I didn't like was how there were no separations of the parts in a chapter. You are reading about the H/n and the next paragraph has the killer making plans as if they were all together. That was a little off-putting.
This book was good; full of action, mystery, romance and pathos. It kept my interest all the way through. I Liked how John 3:16 fit in the story and I look forward to the next book in the series. The only thing I didn't like was how there were no separations of the parts in a chapter. You are reading about the H/n and the next paragraph has the killer making plans as if they were all together. That was a little off-putting.
June 21, 2017
At the reading of her father's will, Maria Slade receives shocking news. Her mother was murdered! Now she's determined to find her mother's killer! She meets Detective Bodie Scott.He opens decades old cold case file. Their search leads down dangerous paths - where a murderer has "like mother, like daughter" in mind for Maria.
July 14, 2023
This book was a great mystery suspense story topped with just the right amount of romance. I can’t sit to read book two and book three of this series. This author has a great way to tell a story to keep you interested and not want to stop. The story shows that families can be strong without a real blood ties and being strong and standing up to your fears is very important. Good read
November 3, 2018
Maria
This story had more twists and turns,and some of the best charters. There was all kinds of interaction between the hero and heroine. I was glued to the book from the beginning. Great story.
This story had more twists and turns,and some of the best charters. There was all kinds of interaction between the hero and heroine. I was glued to the book from the beginning. Great story.
August 15, 2019
Pulled me in from the beginning when all three women sit down to the reading of their father's will. Even though you pretty much know who the killer is, I still thought it was a gripping read. Looking forward to reading them all.
July 21, 2020
Family can be a nightmare
Sharon Sala has written another fantastic tale. This book is the first in the series about three "sisters" and their coming to an understanding where they came from. Very well described characters and their interactions.
Sharon Sala has written another fantastic tale. This book is the first in the series about three "sisters" and their coming to an understanding where they came from. Very well described characters and their interactions.
December 21, 2021
Sala always satisfies!!
Wow! This was a great story full of twists and turns!! Sharon Sala’s expertise as a storyteller is at its best with this twisted murder saga. I can hardy wait for the next two books in the series.
Wow! This was a great story full of twists and turns!! Sharon Sala’s expertise as a storyteller is at its best with this twisted murder saga. I can hardy wait for the next two books in the series.
August 2, 2023
Great Book !
This book had me on the edge of my seat . I didn’t put it down till it was finished . There was so much suspense and sadness but in the end everything worked out and I LOVED the ending perfect.!
This book had me on the edge of my seat . I didn’t put it down till it was finished . There was so much suspense and sadness but in the end everything worked out and I LOVED the ending perfect.!
October 20, 2024
I did enjoy the many twists in the story. The author weaves a tale of three sisters that learn something new about themselves. One is determined to learn more. The story will definately hold the reader's attention.
July 14, 2017
This book was a lot slower than many of her other reads, and not much happened. However, it was a great book and start to a trilogy.
October 23, 2017
I've read this before, but enjoyed reading it just as much a second time. Good characters and a certain amount of suspense, though Sala makes it clear who the villain is pretty quickly.
December 9, 2017
Where was the leak?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews