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Entanglement
Five days before Christmas, 2019, Private Detective Frederick Falloy must help the Hollywood actress, Snow, escape from being a target of Russian spies battling for power amongst themselves on the streets of Chicago. He finds a secret drop site using a map in a box labeled with a mysterious symbol. It also includes a key, but he cannot figure out what all the pieces mean until after there have been more murders.
His friends become entangled in his client’s mess as the lead spy vies for power, using anyone who crosses his path for his plan to oust the source. Meanwhile, Snow’s friend, Zelda, a makeup artist from her set, is married to a presidential hopeful, Federal Congressman Kurt Zoeller, who also becomes a target. After an outdoor rally and counterprotest at the Federal Building devolves into a riot, the stakes become higher when the four of them are kidnapped along with Kurt’s campaign manager. Falloy and the spy confront each other at the location of the mysterious symbol where the spy makes him an offer, giving the private detective the power to change history.
His friends become entangled in his client’s mess as the lead spy vies for power, using anyone who crosses his path for his plan to oust the source. Meanwhile, Snow’s friend, Zelda, a makeup artist from her set, is married to a presidential hopeful, Federal Congressman Kurt Zoeller, who also becomes a target. After an outdoor rally and counterprotest at the Federal Building devolves into a riot, the stakes become higher when the four of them are kidnapped along with Kurt’s campaign manager. Falloy and the spy confront each other at the location of the mysterious symbol where the spy makes him an offer, giving the private detective the power to change history.
- GenresMystery
184 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 3, 2022
18 people are currently reading
2900 people want to read
About the author
Sheila Bitts
7 books53 followersSheila Bitts, MFA, MPH is the author of Roses (2018, poetry). Her flash fiction is in Beyond Words Literary Magazine (2021). Worth (2022) is her collection of short stories. She wrote the novel, The Diamond Escape (2017) and its screenplay (2020). Entanglement (2022) is the second book in the Falloy Private Detective Novels.
BlueCat Review of Screenplay, "The Diamond Escape"--"This script is entertaining and is clearly inspired by many classic movies. It’s both a heist story and a detective story and the writer draws deftly from both genres to create a breakneck pursuit of the titular diamonds. In this expansive chase.. The diversity of place and the speed with which we move between settings create an exciting and, on the whole, original piece within two genres that crave originality."
"Falloy is a newly minted private-eye who I can root for."
"The piece appears to be well-researched and raises many important questions regarding the theft of jewels and artifacts from around the world on behalf of colonial interests." "There is a richness within the setting, especially the scenes set in the museum; the writer is familiar with all the characters we might encounter within these academic circles and creates a power around them, specifically with Etienne and Leon. This mix of the characters’ wealth and intellectualism make Etienne and Leon particularly formidable and interesting." "On the whole, an exciting piece that grapples with many important questions and draws us through a heist while keeping our interest, certainly no small feat... (There is a)...nice touch at the end, which ties the story in a circle and is thematically very satisfying..."
* * * * *
The Diamond Escape (novel) by Sheila Bitts
5/5 Stars
Review by Alma Boucher for Readers’ Favorite
"The Diamond Escape is engaging and exciting. The events are described in detail, and it was easy to visualize the people and events. The plot…kept me on the edge of my seat. The story was fast-paced and jam-packed with action. There was never a dull moment. Sheila Bitts builds the background for a wide number of characters. It was a wild roller coaster ride with participants that were authentic and relatable...The story was well written, and mystery and suspense were blended. The twists and turns unraveled toward an excellent ending. It was unexpected and surpassed my expectations."
* * * * *
Entanglement (novel) by Sheila Mae Bitts
5/5 Stars
Review by Alma Boucher for Readers' Favorite
"Entanglement continues the Falloy detective series. Sheila Bitts took me on a rollercoaster ride of mystery, murder, and suspense. The author's imagination had me hooked from the start. The plot was intriguing and complicated, and I could not put it down. It was a page-turner and full of action. The character development was brilliant. There were many players, and it was exciting to get to know them. My favorite characters were Falloy and Snow. The energy between them was fun and lightened the seriousness of the circumstances precipitated by the danger and murders. The story was well-written and exceeded my expectations by far."
* * * * *
Entanglement (novel) by Sheila Bitts
5/5 Stars
Review by: Essien Asian of Readers' Favorite.
"Sheila Bitts employs creative conversations between her characters…maintains our curiosity right up to the final chapters...Bitts' inclusion of time-altering scientific concepts in a story equally heavy on drama and old-school espionage activity creates an immersive atmosphere that sucks in even the most reluctant reader with a subtlety that should be applauded. An even balance between the physical tussling and the deduction-related activity guarantees that the avid action junkie’s essential diet is satisfied in a delicious potpourri of spine-tingling suspense. An impressive novel by my standards. It will surely hold its own in the genre."
BlueCat Review of Screenplay, "The Diamond Escape"--"This script is entertaining and is clearly inspired by many classic movies. It’s both a heist story and a detective story and the writer draws deftly from both genres to create a breakneck pursuit of the titular diamonds. In this expansive chase.. The diversity of place and the speed with which we move between settings create an exciting and, on the whole, original piece within two genres that crave originality."
"Falloy is a newly minted private-eye who I can root for."
"The piece appears to be well-researched and raises many important questions regarding the theft of jewels and artifacts from around the world on behalf of colonial interests." "There is a richness within the setting, especially the scenes set in the museum; the writer is familiar with all the characters we might encounter within these academic circles and creates a power around them, specifically with Etienne and Leon. This mix of the characters’ wealth and intellectualism make Etienne and Leon particularly formidable and interesting." "On the whole, an exciting piece that grapples with many important questions and draws us through a heist while keeping our interest, certainly no small feat... (There is a)...nice touch at the end, which ties the story in a circle and is thematically very satisfying..."
* * * * *
The Diamond Escape (novel) by Sheila Bitts
5/5 Stars
Review by Alma Boucher for Readers’ Favorite
"The Diamond Escape is engaging and exciting. The events are described in detail, and it was easy to visualize the people and events. The plot…kept me on the edge of my seat. The story was fast-paced and jam-packed with action. There was never a dull moment. Sheila Bitts builds the background for a wide number of characters. It was a wild roller coaster ride with participants that were authentic and relatable...The story was well written, and mystery and suspense were blended. The twists and turns unraveled toward an excellent ending. It was unexpected and surpassed my expectations."
* * * * *
Entanglement (novel) by Sheila Mae Bitts
5/5 Stars
Review by Alma Boucher for Readers' Favorite
"Entanglement continues the Falloy detective series. Sheila Bitts took me on a rollercoaster ride of mystery, murder, and suspense. The author's imagination had me hooked from the start. The plot was intriguing and complicated, and I could not put it down. It was a page-turner and full of action. The character development was brilliant. There were many players, and it was exciting to get to know them. My favorite characters were Falloy and Snow. The energy between them was fun and lightened the seriousness of the circumstances precipitated by the danger and murders. The story was well-written and exceeded my expectations by far."
* * * * *
Entanglement (novel) by Sheila Bitts
5/5 Stars
Review by: Essien Asian of Readers' Favorite.
"Sheila Bitts employs creative conversations between her characters…maintains our curiosity right up to the final chapters...Bitts' inclusion of time-altering scientific concepts in a story equally heavy on drama and old-school espionage activity creates an immersive atmosphere that sucks in even the most reluctant reader with a subtlety that should be applauded. An even balance between the physical tussling and the deduction-related activity guarantees that the avid action junkie’s essential diet is satisfied in a delicious potpourri of spine-tingling suspense. An impressive novel by my standards. It will surely hold its own in the genre."
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
November 13, 2023
I wrote this over the last year. It includes my interest in science mixed with the thriller, mystery, and the detective genres. I am from Chicagoland, which, although sounds like an amusement park, is not, however. The neighborhoods and other local color are from my experience mixed with my imagination. The ouroboros symbol and story structure were fitting for the Loop setting. Also, the mushrooms communicating and the idea of mushroom clouds were presented.
Kurt Zoeller was a character named with Kurtz of Heart of Darkness in mind. The Chicago River, like the Thames, hosts small touring boats. Review me if you are out there reading it. I welcome long and short reviews and I appreciate all your reviews and the time you have set aside to read my story.
Reader's Favorite Pikasho Deka wrote:
"Sheila Bitts takes us on a wild ride with the second installment of the Falloy Private Detective Novels series. Entanglement is a mystery thriller with an intricate plot and a large cast of characters. Bitts uses a lot of quick scene cuts and POV switches, which makes the narrative, at times, feel almost surreal. There are a lot of underlying layers behind some of the dialogue and scenes, which makes for an atmosphere filled with tension and intrigue that is immersive and thoroughly absorbing to read. I enjoyed the dynamic between Falloy and Snow, as well as the twists and turns of the plot that kept me hooked to the pages. Recommended to sleuth mystery lovers."
All RF reviews:
https://readersfavorite.com/book-revi...
Kurt Zoeller was a character named with Kurtz of Heart of Darkness in mind. The Chicago River, like the Thames, hosts small touring boats. Review me if you are out there reading it. I welcome long and short reviews and I appreciate all your reviews and the time you have set aside to read my story.
Reader's Favorite Pikasho Deka wrote:
"Sheila Bitts takes us on a wild ride with the second installment of the Falloy Private Detective Novels series. Entanglement is a mystery thriller with an intricate plot and a large cast of characters. Bitts uses a lot of quick scene cuts and POV switches, which makes the narrative, at times, feel almost surreal. There are a lot of underlying layers behind some of the dialogue and scenes, which makes for an atmosphere filled with tension and intrigue that is immersive and thoroughly absorbing to read. I enjoyed the dynamic between Falloy and Snow, as well as the twists and turns of the plot that kept me hooked to the pages. Recommended to sleuth mystery lovers."
All RF reviews:
https://readersfavorite.com/book-revi...
January 3, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and not just because I’m familiar with the Andersonville section of Chicago. Interesting characters and a quirky plot. I am totally going to read the first book in this series. Highly recommend!
I’d like to thank the publisher for making this book available in a Goodreads giveaway.
I’d like to thank the publisher for making this book available in a Goodreads giveaway.
December 11, 2023
Well written and a must read! Kept you reading!
October 19, 2022
Today's review is simply that I received this in a Goodreads giveaway and I REALLY need to go back and read the Falloy Private Detective book 1! This was a good book, but I really want to read the first one and then read this one again - better review after. Read the book!
January 19, 2023
Thank you, Goodreads Giveaways, and to the author Sheila Bitts.
December 28, 2022
Thanks to author Sheila Bitts for the FREE Kindle copy of Entanglement.
I thought that this read was OK overall. The story was good, but the writing needs some work to smooth it out, make it easier to read and have a more natural flow.
I thought that this read was OK overall. The story was good, but the writing needs some work to smooth it out, make it easier to read and have a more natural flow.
December 22, 2023
I felt like I was lost for this entire book. If you ask me can you read this without reading the first book. The answer would be a resounding no. It made me feel overserved at my local. Confusing, like listening to a unmedicated bi-polar patient during a manic episode. I plowed through thinking it would come together. It may have but for me by the end I was just hoping it would end.
April 29, 2023
All that I'll say is, I liked it.😊
July 18, 2023
In Sheila Mae Bitts' latest addition to the Falloy Private Detective series, Entanglement, readers are swept up into the clandestine world of espionage and criminal subterfuge. The story unfolds in the bustling city of Chicago, where our private investigator must assist a Hollywood actress in eluding the grasp of relentless Russian spies. As the plot thickens, Falloy and his accomplice Snow find themselves inadvertently entangled in a perilous situation, the danger of which extends to their unsuspecting circle of friends.
The intrigue deepens as a ruthless lead spy, hellbent on securing his authority, conspires to exploit any individual unfortunate enough to cross his path. As the narrative reaches its crescendo, Falloy finds himself in a perilous standoff with this formidable adversary, who tempts him with the power to rewrite history. Facing a consequential choice, Falloy must confront the far-reaching implications of his decisions.
Bitts crafts a heart-pounding detective suspense-thriller, meticulously piecing together an intricate narrative puzzle that keeps readers questioning and guessing at every twist and turn. She seeds doubt with finesse, leading her audience through a maze of deceptive clues and skillful misdirection. The denouement delivers a striking culmination of suspense and surprise, leaving readers both gratified and pondering. I do, however, think the writing could perhaps benefit from incorporating a touch more subtlety in order to fully capture the tense atmosphere and urgency.
While the narrative's pacing displays a unique rhythm, oscillating between electrifying moments of adrenaline-fueled intensity and periods of slower, more contemplative exploration, this approach crafts a distinct reader experience. This variance in tempo, while a departure from the continuous high-speed momentum typically associated with thrillers, offers an opportunity for readers to fully absorb the rich details of the storyline and its characters, adding depth to the overall narrative.
With its ingeniously constructed plot twists and richly developed characters, Entanglement serves up a tantalizing cocktail of mystery, suspense, and intrigue, sure to tantalize fans of the genre.
The intrigue deepens as a ruthless lead spy, hellbent on securing his authority, conspires to exploit any individual unfortunate enough to cross his path. As the narrative reaches its crescendo, Falloy finds himself in a perilous standoff with this formidable adversary, who tempts him with the power to rewrite history. Facing a consequential choice, Falloy must confront the far-reaching implications of his decisions.
Bitts crafts a heart-pounding detective suspense-thriller, meticulously piecing together an intricate narrative puzzle that keeps readers questioning and guessing at every twist and turn. She seeds doubt with finesse, leading her audience through a maze of deceptive clues and skillful misdirection. The denouement delivers a striking culmination of suspense and surprise, leaving readers both gratified and pondering. I do, however, think the writing could perhaps benefit from incorporating a touch more subtlety in order to fully capture the tense atmosphere and urgency.
While the narrative's pacing displays a unique rhythm, oscillating between electrifying moments of adrenaline-fueled intensity and periods of slower, more contemplative exploration, this approach crafts a distinct reader experience. This variance in tempo, while a departure from the continuous high-speed momentum typically associated with thrillers, offers an opportunity for readers to fully absorb the rich details of the storyline and its characters, adding depth to the overall narrative.
With its ingeniously constructed plot twists and richly developed characters, Entanglement serves up a tantalizing cocktail of mystery, suspense, and intrigue, sure to tantalize fans of the genre.
October 13, 2022
I received this book free from a Goodreads Giveaway. I am very appreciative for the free book. I unfortunately had a hard time following the characters and where they were going during parts of the story. Like, I thought two men were sitting at a bar drinking and then after a couple paragraphs, I realized they were on the phone together. The dialogue was choppy in places & didn’t have an easy flow. I think a good Editor could definitely help. The story line itself was interesting and suspenseful. It is about a woman that finds herself witnessing a murder and the victim handing her something, that now will put her life in danger. Although I am interested in what happened in the end, it just wasn’t an easy read for me and I decided not continue.
January 24, 2023
What the...?
This story read like the author wasn't an English-speaking person, and used a translator to write. Her descriptions are run-on and use words that are not commonly used by English speaking people. The plot was incoherent and difficult to follow, new character appear out of nowhere and conclusion of activities not previously mentioned make no sense to this reader. This incoherent word salad leaves the reader trying to decipher the plot.
My go to reading genre is mystery or thriller, but I will definitely NOT be reading anything else written by the author. I won this book from Goodreads.
This story read like the author wasn't an English-speaking person, and used a translator to write. Her descriptions are run-on and use words that are not commonly used by English speaking people. The plot was incoherent and difficult to follow, new character appear out of nowhere and conclusion of activities not previously mentioned make no sense to this reader. This incoherent word salad leaves the reader trying to decipher the plot.
My go to reading genre is mystery or thriller, but I will definitely NOT be reading anything else written by the author. I won this book from Goodreads.
February 4, 2023
Not for me
There were too many characters and some of the characters had multiple names/identities. Then the book would jump from scene to scene with absolutely no development. It really seemed like there were multiple unrelated stories being read at once and you had to try and listen to just one. On top of all that, it was really confusing to the point that the sentences needed re-read to make sense. But the book wasn’t worth reading once let alone re-reading.
#GoodreadsGiveaway
There were too many characters and some of the characters had multiple names/identities. Then the book would jump from scene to scene with absolutely no development. It really seemed like there were multiple unrelated stories being read at once and you had to try and listen to just one. On top of all that, it was really confusing to the point that the sentences needed re-read to make sense. But the book wasn’t worth reading once let alone re-reading.
#GoodreadsGiveaway
January 8, 2024
Writing is difficult to follow
Sci-Fi mystery/thrillers are one of my fav genres, but this was difficult to read. While the plot had massive amounts of potential, there were too many stop and starts where you’d be following one scene and then it would jump to a completely different scene with all new characters that were not previously introduced. I won this from a GoodReads giveaway and wish it would’ve been more enjoyable. I would encourage the author to have beta readers or arc readers to go through before publishing.
Sci-Fi mystery/thrillers are one of my fav genres, but this was difficult to read. While the plot had massive amounts of potential, there were too many stop and starts where you’d be following one scene and then it would jump to a completely different scene with all new characters that were not previously introduced. I won this from a GoodReads giveaway and wish it would’ve been more enjoyable. I would encourage the author to have beta readers or arc readers to go through before publishing.
December 28, 2022
Not sure if I needed to read Book 1 before I read book 2, but I could not follow this book at all. I finished it hoping that I would eventually figure out what was going on, but never got there.
I really liked some of the characters, they were well developed. Some of the "action" was also well developed. However, since I was lost as to what was really going on throughout the book, the well-developed aspects didn't make it worth reading.
I really liked some of the characters, they were well developed. Some of the "action" was also well developed. However, since I was lost as to what was really going on throughout the book, the well-developed aspects didn't make it worth reading.
November 3, 2024
Thanks to Goodreads for this giveaway opportunity. I could not find the rhythm to this book. Was it a mystery? A spy novel? The plot was all over the place and the characters were hard to understand. I'm sure some will enjoy it but it was almost a DNR for me. I just kept plodding on hoping it would improve. I rarely give a book one star.
October 9, 2022
I am not a fan of highly descriptive narrative, particularly when it generates very long sentence structures. The various sub-plots lost me.
Please keep in mind that mystery and detective works are also not my favorite genre.
I'm sorry I did not finish it. I may get back to it in the future.
Please keep in mind that mystery and detective works are also not my favorite genre.
I'm sorry I did not finish it. I may get back to it in the future.
October 28, 2022
Review of Entanglement
I won this book from Goodreads after reading I am to review. This book was hard to follow with the characters. I know I have not read the first book in series so I don't know how the characters relate to each other.
I won this book from Goodreads after reading I am to review. This book was hard to follow with the characters. I know I have not read the first book in series so I don't know how the characters relate to each other.
January 6, 2023
I had trouble keeping all the characters in place. Somehow this book failed to make me feel like I really knew and understood the various people in the book. I like when I can feel like I know and understand people I am reading about. I found the plot a little difficult to follow also
August 12, 2024
Entanglement
This story line and writing from the author was better than her first book in this series, The Diamond Escape. I felt like the plot was smoother and there wasn't as much unnecessary tidbits of descriptive information. I enjoyed this story. Some editing for typos still needs to be done, but all in all, this was a good book. Thank you for my copy!
This story line and writing from the author was better than her first book in this series, The Diamond Escape. I felt like the plot was smoother and there wasn't as much unnecessary tidbits of descriptive information. I enjoyed this story. Some editing for typos still needs to be done, but all in all, this was a good book. Thank you for my copy!
January 30, 2025
Thank you Goodreads for allowing me to win this book. It's a combination of politics/spies/kidnapping/mysterious symbol/suspense/ & detectives. If all of those topics interest you, then this thriller is one for you.
February 14, 2023
Thanks for the free kindle copy..
I started out liking it, but I got so confused with additional characters and dream states.
I started out liking it, but I got so confused with additional characters and dream states.
November 22, 2024
*I won this Kindle book from Goodreads. Thank You
This story was good, at times scattered to me. The back and forth changing of different character names, was confusing.
This story was good, at times scattered to me. The back and forth changing of different character names, was confusing.
June 20, 2025
I'm sorry to say I did not enjoy this book, I was confused throughout the whole book. Storyline jumps around too much, and things we're just thrown in with no rhyme, reason, or context.
September 2, 2025
I got this in a Goodreads giveaway sometime in the past. Thanks for the opportunity to read this book.
It looks like I started reading it Nov 16, 2024, but I couldn't get into it and DNF'd. I picked it back up again yesterday to see if I could make it through.
I'm from Chicago, but I didn't really feel the setting. It just didn't feel like Chicago, other than to name drop.
This book took a loooong time to get through, even though it's only 183 pages. I liked the concept of the story. But mostly, it was hard to follow what was going on. I didn't care about any of the characters. There wasn't really a plot. The ending made no sense, and I was bored.
It looks like I started reading it Nov 16, 2024, but I couldn't get into it and DNF'd. I picked it back up again yesterday to see if I could make it through.
I'm from Chicago, but I didn't really feel the setting. It just didn't feel like Chicago, other than to name drop.
This book took a loooong time to get through, even though it's only 183 pages. I liked the concept of the story. But mostly, it was hard to follow what was going on. I didn't care about any of the characters. There wasn't really a plot. The ending made no sense, and I was bored.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews