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Little Devil
Living in the guest cottage of a beautiful riverfront mansion has its perks, like being wooed by the charming grandson of the wealthy owner. But when the other grandchildren descend on the property, chaos commences when they argue over the shared trust fund, and Amanda finds herself in the middle of a murderous family spat. When bodies start piling up, she wonders who to trust. Her lying, philandering ex, or one of his colorful cousins. One thing is certain, with each passing day both her life and her heart fall deeper into jeopardy as she becomes more entangled in their web of lies and death. Will she escape in time, or become a pawn in their murderous games?
228 pages, Paperback
Published November 10, 2022
8 people want to read
About the author
Joanne Alain Cook
10 books20 followersJoanne Cook earned her M.A. in education from Sacramento State University and her B.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of California in Irvine. She has taught Chemistry and Physics for the past 20 years and is retired from the AF reserves. For half of her military service, she served as a C130 Navigator flying from Japan to Georgia to Alaska to the middle east and back again. She enjoys reading, writing, drawing and music.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 2, 2022
I received an advance review copy for free through BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Rating: 3.5 / 5
Our main character of this story, Amanda, works as a ghostwriter for an elderly woman while living in a beautiful, guest cottage, attached to a large riverfront mansion and soon falls for the grandson. But almost a year later, when other family members she did not yet know arrive at the mansion to discuss the trust fund, her blissful year of writing and being in love is cut short, when someone dies.
This is the second book in the SACTown Mysteries series. The first one was a story about a dog park, and I loved the atmosphere and coziness that came with the story. And of course the who-did-it part of the story.
I loved the mystery and the suspense not knowing who to trust and who was in danger. It was very well done and I think that makes the story a great mystery. But I had trouble with the main character and the ex-fiancé. Some parts of the conversations and scenes I did not like and it made me not enjoy some parts of the story.
Overall, I do recommend the books in this series if you like cozy murder mysteries. It did keep me guessing and entertained until the end.
Rating: 3.5 / 5
Our main character of this story, Amanda, works as a ghostwriter for an elderly woman while living in a beautiful, guest cottage, attached to a large riverfront mansion and soon falls for the grandson. But almost a year later, when other family members she did not yet know arrive at the mansion to discuss the trust fund, her blissful year of writing and being in love is cut short, when someone dies.
This is the second book in the SACTown Mysteries series. The first one was a story about a dog park, and I loved the atmosphere and coziness that came with the story. And of course the who-did-it part of the story.
I loved the mystery and the suspense not knowing who to trust and who was in danger. It was very well done and I think that makes the story a great mystery. But I had trouble with the main character and the ex-fiancé. Some parts of the conversations and scenes I did not like and it made me not enjoy some parts of the story.
Overall, I do recommend the books in this series if you like cozy murder mysteries. It did keep me guessing and entertained until the end.
August 16, 2023
A chance meeting with an older woman gives Amanda another ghostwriting job, and the opportunity to live rent-free for a year with a healthy payout at the end of it. An added bonus was the woman’s handsome grandson. Amanda falls for his charms until she discovers hidden sex secrets he’s keeping from her.
When the woman’s ex-husband leaves a complicated will, his grandchildren start falling out and bodies start piling up. The three grandsons all take turns in having the finger pointed at them, and Amanda, who seems very fickle in her affections, swings from one to the other, and then back again.
This is a decent story well-worth reading. You may well guess the guilty party early on as I did, but that doesn’t detract from the enjoyment and I was keen to find out how it would all pan out. I’d certainly recommend this as an easy, intriguing read.
When the woman’s ex-husband leaves a complicated will, his grandchildren start falling out and bodies start piling up. The three grandsons all take turns in having the finger pointed at them, and Amanda, who seems very fickle in her affections, swings from one to the other, and then back again.
This is a decent story well-worth reading. You may well guess the guilty party early on as I did, but that doesn’t detract from the enjoyment and I was keen to find out how it would all pan out. I’d certainly recommend this as an easy, intriguing read.
November 18, 2022
Amanda had been hired to be a ghostwriter for Maxine and elderly woman with a sizable trust. Maxine had basically took Amanda under her wing and truly treated her like a daughter. She even went so far has setting up her grandson with Amanda. They had recently became engaged with a beautiful ring that he had supposedly designed himself. But they had broken up to Amanda finding a box of not so nice items.
Between the cousins and the long lost cousin it was a twisty road. So many lies, deceptions and indiscretions you didn’t know who to trust. I did like the reference to the owl! Yeah for the owl! Great read and it does keep you guessing up until the end!
I received this ARC from Booksirens for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Between the cousins and the long lost cousin it was a twisty road. So many lies, deceptions and indiscretions you didn’t know who to trust. I did like the reference to the owl! Yeah for the owl! Great read and it does keep you guessing up until the end!
I received this ARC from Booksirens for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 20, 2023
“Little Devil” introduces Amanda, a young woman hired to act as a ghost writer. Maxine, the woman who hired her, is a wealthy grandmother. She thinks so highly of Amanda, that she lets her stay in her guest house at her mansion and sets her up with one of her grandsons.
Overall, I enjoyed this cozy mystery. Amanda as a protagonist is relatable and endearing. Her hang up on Steve is infuriating, but familiar as everyone’s had the occasion where their heart overrides their head. Each of the ancillary characters are also well-defined with interesting character traits, motivations, and flaws. Find the full blog review at heatherlbarksdale.com
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
Overall, I enjoyed this cozy mystery. Amanda as a protagonist is relatable and endearing. Her hang up on Steve is infuriating, but familiar as everyone’s had the occasion where their heart overrides their head. Each of the ancillary characters are also well-defined with interesting character traits, motivations, and flaws. Find the full blog review at heatherlbarksdale.com
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
November 13, 2022
Little Devil is Book 2 of the SAC Town Mysteries by Joanne Alain Cook. Book 2 is FABULOUS! Amanda is such a great character and the other supporting characters are very good. Maxine and her grandchildren are about to see how to get their father's trust. The Bible says that the love of money is the root of all evil. In this case, the love of the trust fund leads to murder. I thought that the author took me on a wild adventure, breathless escape from gun shoots, and maybe something exciting and lasting. I really enjoyed this story. I found it left me wanting more story. I sure hope there is a book 3. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.
November 22, 2022
Little Devil is Book by Joanne Alain Cook. This Book was GOOD! Amanda was such a well written lead character and all the other supporting characters were very well written also. Maxine and her grandchildren are about to see how to get their father's trust. In this gathering, the love of the trust fund is leading someone to murder. I felt that the author took a great account of wild adventure with the way the story is interwoven. I rather enjoyed this book an awful lot. I found myself still processing it hours after I finished reading it.
I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.
I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.
November 26, 2022
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was a great premise and I was invested in the story. It was an interesting whodunit, and add in a rich, toxic family where any of them could be the culprit made it very engaging.
The FMC was a bit annoying at times, her inner dialogue was too repetitive, along with the term Little Devil being shoved down the readers throat was not necessary.
I enjoyed reading this book! There is just some details that could have been trimmed down to make the book a little more fast paced and exhilarating.
This was a great premise and I was invested in the story. It was an interesting whodunit, and add in a rich, toxic family where any of them could be the culprit made it very engaging.
The FMC was a bit annoying at times, her inner dialogue was too repetitive, along with the term Little Devil being shoved down the readers throat was not necessary.
I enjoyed reading this book! There is just some details that could have been trimmed down to make the book a little more fast paced and exhilarating.
November 28, 2022
Greed, and family conflicts are the center of the not quite cosy mystery.
A ghostwriter writing her own thriller ,that comes close to imitating real incidents, all while trying to write the youthful memories a 90 yr old proper lady of the manor.
The author does a wonderful job of describing the area, including the decaying mansion next door with the dangerous decaying mind of the next door neighbour.
A ghostwriter writing her own thriller ,that comes close to imitating real incidents, all while trying to write the youthful memories a 90 yr old proper lady of the manor.
The author does a wonderful job of describing the area, including the decaying mansion next door with the dangerous decaying mind of the next door neighbour.
December 25, 2022
Amanda is a ghost writer for a ninety year old named Maxine. Maxine is a very wealthy woman with lots of grandchildren, and a will is going revealed. The will states that the grandchild who is married, to the right sort of person, will receive most of the very large estate. Does this cause the deaths that follow? It seems that one grandchild after another mysteriously die.
April 14, 2023
Who killed Alex and why??? A will??? Or is it a series of wills (I can't think of anything else to call them)??? Who do you trust??? I enjoyed this story and recommend the book.
January 2, 2023
I hesitated between 3 and 4 stars, but since the author managed to make me want to read more of her books, I settled for 4 stars.
This is not your typical cozy mystery, or at least it wasn't what I expected. There's no real investigation, in fact it's only in the last third of the book that the police starts to investigate the "accidents" as suspicious deaths, and we don't see much of it.
The main character, Amanda, is not snooping around trying to solve murders. She's more like a bystander who, like the blurb says, wonders who to trust. She's also very confused about her feelings, and I didn't find her very sharp. I was frustrated with her more than once, sometimes thinking she could not possibly react this way, but it's more likely I wouldn't have reacted that way. I just had to remind myself there are all kinds of people, with different points of view, qualities and flaws. Amanda may not be the kind of heroine I like (I suspect a lot of people won't like her), she's nonetheless a good main character.
I found it harder to believe her ex-fiancé Steve's action at the end, it was like I missed something, I couldn't find an explanation for his behaviour in the outcome, so it feels a little rushed here.
All in all, it was an enjoyable read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is not your typical cozy mystery, or at least it wasn't what I expected. There's no real investigation, in fact it's only in the last third of the book that the police starts to investigate the "accidents" as suspicious deaths, and we don't see much of it.
The main character, Amanda, is not snooping around trying to solve murders. She's more like a bystander who, like the blurb says, wonders who to trust. She's also very confused about her feelings, and I didn't find her very sharp. I was frustrated with her more than once, sometimes thinking she could not possibly react this way, but it's more likely I wouldn't have reacted that way. I just had to remind myself there are all kinds of people, with different points of view, qualities and flaws. Amanda may not be the kind of heroine I like (I suspect a lot of people won't like her), she's nonetheless a good main character.
I found it harder to believe her ex-fiancé Steve's action at the end, it was like I missed something, I couldn't find an explanation for his behaviour in the outcome, so it feels a little rushed here.
All in all, it was an enjoyable read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 21, 2023
A real page turning thriller
I really enjoyed reading this thriller. It had suspense, romance, threatening accusations, angry family members, and even a few murders. I felt like I was reading an Agatha Cristie novel with Inspector Perot solving the case.
The storyline and characters were well written and it flowed very smoothly throughout the book.
My hats off to the author for a great thrilling ride.
I really enjoyed reading this thriller. It had suspense, romance, threatening accusations, angry family members, and even a few murders. I felt like I was reading an Agatha Cristie novel with Inspector Perot solving the case.
The storyline and characters were well written and it flowed very smoothly throughout the book.
My hats off to the author for a great thrilling ride.
January 18, 2023
Troubling family drama.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews