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Georgia Davis #2
Doubleback
Little Molly Messenger is kidnapped on a sunny June morning. Three days later she's returned, apparently unharmed. Molly's mother, Chris, is so grateful to have her daughter back that she's willing to overlook the odd circumstances.
A few days later, the brakes go out on Chris's car.
An accident? Maybe. Except that it turns out that Chris, the IT manager at a large Chicago bank, may have misappropriated three million dollars. Not convinced that his daughter is safe, Molly's father hires Private Investigator Georgia Davis to follow the money and investigate Chris's death.
Doubleback, the sequel to the acclaimed Easy Innocence, reunites PI Georgia Davis with video producer Ellie Foreman (An Eye For Murder, A Picture Of Guilt, An Image Of Death, A Shot To Die For). The two women track leads from Northern Wisconsin to an Arizona border town, where illegal immigrants, smuggled drugs, and an independent contractor called Delton Security come into play. Georgia and Ellie go to great lengths to find the truth, and Georgia discovers that you can cross a line, but sometimes you have to double back.
Doubleback was chosen by the Great Lakes Bookseller Association as their Autumn, 2009 "Great Lakes Great Read."
A few days later, the brakes go out on Chris's car.
An accident? Maybe. Except that it turns out that Chris, the IT manager at a large Chicago bank, may have misappropriated three million dollars. Not convinced that his daughter is safe, Molly's father hires Private Investigator Georgia Davis to follow the money and investigate Chris's death.
Doubleback, the sequel to the acclaimed Easy Innocence, reunites PI Georgia Davis with video producer Ellie Foreman (An Eye For Murder, A Picture Of Guilt, An Image Of Death, A Shot To Die For). The two women track leads from Northern Wisconsin to an Arizona border town, where illegal immigrants, smuggled drugs, and an independent contractor called Delton Security come into play. Georgia and Ellie go to great lengths to find the truth, and Georgia discovers that you can cross a line, but sometimes you have to double back.
Doubleback was chosen by the Great Lakes Bookseller Association as their Autumn, 2009 "Great Lakes Great Read."
300 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2009
107 people are currently reading
433 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 79 reviews
July 27, 2011
I have to say this is the second book of Libby Hellmann's I've read, I gave Set The Night On Fire five stars too.
It makes a refreshing change for the thriller genre not to be dominated by men. This book has everything, a terrific plot and wonderful characters. Libby is able to create realistic situations and tighten the screws, upping the suspense to an unbearable level.
By the way, the first chapter is one of the best chapters I've read on my kindle. As a Brit (who bought the book in the UK) it was great to get involved with the story and visit Chicago, Wisconsin, Arizona and Mexico, if only digitally!
Give yourself a treat and read this book.
June 14, 2019
Note: While this is Book 2 in the series, it works fine as a stand alone novel.
Doubleback is even better than Book 1 (Easy Innocence). The plot is tighter, the characters have more depth (for the most part), and the stakes are higher. Georgia Davis reluctantly teams up with her friend Ellie (an independent film maker) who is also reluctant to get involved in a kidnapping case. Still, these two ladies offer up their best advice to Chris, head of the IT department at a large bank, whose daughter has been kidnapped.
From the beginning, this kidnapping case isn’t typical – there’s no ransom demand for one thing. Still, the kid is eventually released safely back to her mom. But then some unexpected deaths have Georgia taking another look at it. What a deliciously tangled web of intrigue! The plot takes us to the desert southwest and even across the border into Mexico. Ellie continues to work her own case but as the two friends compare notes, they start to realize there’s connections between the kidnapping and the clean energy company Ellie is looking into.
This mystery was nearly perfect. I did have one laugh at the plot and that is the out of character sexytimes for Georgia. She’s been hunting a man who has answers and once found, not even a day passes before they tumble into bed together. Georgia has been so guarded, not looking for a relationship at all. Plus she wasn’t sure if this guy would ultimately kill her or perhaps turn her over to the bad guys, yet hey, there’s a storm and we’re stuck in this cabin with no TV. So, yeah, that was silly. The sex scene itself was OK, a little sexy, straight, to the point, brief. Personally, if you’re going to toss in a completely out of character sex scene, might as well make it epic.
Anyhoo, I can see Ellie and Georgia teaming up again. In fact, there’s some hints as to their past friendship and perhaps they did once upon a time tackle mysteries together. Georgia certainly has developed in this book, including renewing some old ties with the police department. I look forward to seeing what happens in the next book. 4.5/5 stars.
The Narration: Eva Kaminsky has a great voice for Georgia. She sounds experienced and tough when she needs to be. I did have a little trouble discerning the difference between her voices for Ellie and Georgia when they were in the same conversation. I did confuse a few things because I wasn’t sure who was talking when. For the most part, she had a decent Spanish accent, though she mispronounced Gila monster. While Georgia might well get it wrong, her Hispanic companion would not. The pacing was better than Book 1 but still a little slow for my tastes. There were no technical issues with the recording. 4/5 stars.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Libby Fischer Hellmann. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
Doubleback is even better than Book 1 (Easy Innocence). The plot is tighter, the characters have more depth (for the most part), and the stakes are higher. Georgia Davis reluctantly teams up with her friend Ellie (an independent film maker) who is also reluctant to get involved in a kidnapping case. Still, these two ladies offer up their best advice to Chris, head of the IT department at a large bank, whose daughter has been kidnapped.
From the beginning, this kidnapping case isn’t typical – there’s no ransom demand for one thing. Still, the kid is eventually released safely back to her mom. But then some unexpected deaths have Georgia taking another look at it. What a deliciously tangled web of intrigue! The plot takes us to the desert southwest and even across the border into Mexico. Ellie continues to work her own case but as the two friends compare notes, they start to realize there’s connections between the kidnapping and the clean energy company Ellie is looking into.
This mystery was nearly perfect. I did have one laugh at the plot and that is the out of character sexytimes for Georgia. She’s been hunting a man who has answers and once found, not even a day passes before they tumble into bed together. Georgia has been so guarded, not looking for a relationship at all. Plus she wasn’t sure if this guy would ultimately kill her or perhaps turn her over to the bad guys, yet hey, there’s a storm and we’re stuck in this cabin with no TV. So, yeah, that was silly. The sex scene itself was OK, a little sexy, straight, to the point, brief. Personally, if you’re going to toss in a completely out of character sex scene, might as well make it epic.
Anyhoo, I can see Ellie and Georgia teaming up again. In fact, there’s some hints as to their past friendship and perhaps they did once upon a time tackle mysteries together. Georgia certainly has developed in this book, including renewing some old ties with the police department. I look forward to seeing what happens in the next book. 4.5/5 stars.
The Narration: Eva Kaminsky has a great voice for Georgia. She sounds experienced and tough when she needs to be. I did have a little trouble discerning the difference between her voices for Ellie and Georgia when they were in the same conversation. I did confuse a few things because I wasn’t sure who was talking when. For the most part, she had a decent Spanish accent, though she mispronounced Gila monster. While Georgia might well get it wrong, her Hispanic companion would not. The pacing was better than Book 1 but still a little slow for my tastes. There were no technical issues with the recording. 4/5 stars.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Libby Fischer Hellmann. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
December 28, 2013
PROTAGONIST: PI Georgia Davis and video producer Ellie Foreman
SETTING: Chicago; Arizona
RATING: 3.25
Libby Fischer Hellmann brings together protagonists from her two series in DOUBLEBACK. Ellie Foreman is a video producer; Georgia Davis is a private investigator. They partner to find a little girl, Molly Messenger, who's been kidnapped but, atypically, there are no ransom demands. She is returned unharmed three days later. There are a series of strange events that follow the kidnapping. A few days after the girl is returned, the brakes on her mother's car fail and she dies. A man at the Chicago bank where Chris Messenger works in IT is killed. Georgia and Ellie both feel that these events are connected, but finding the common thread is devilishly difficult.
Georgia is then hired by Chris's ex-husband to investigate her death. The first avenue to pursue is to look at Chris's job. It appears that she has manipulated the system and embezzled three million dollars. The clues lead Georgia to an Arizona border town where she finds an illegal immigrant smuggling operation. Who is behind that operation and how what is happening in Arizona connect to the Chicago deaths is a very complex puzzle to untangle.
Most of DOUBLEBACK focuses on Georgia and her investigation, with some help from Ellie as needed. I like the character of Georgia a lot. She is very blunt and direct but also quite prickly, which leads to a question in my mind about her career choice. When a person has irritated or angered her, she is quick to let them know that. I find it hard to believe that either paying clients or cooperative leads would accept this kind of browbeating very well.
The narrative moved along nicely for the first two-thirds of the book, but I found that the plot became unnecessarily complex as the resolution played out. However, the characterization was strong enough that I did enjoy the book. One thing that I really like is that the protagonists know their limitations and set boundaries for what they can do. They don't go running off willy nilly but instead involve the police as appropriate.
It will be interesting to see if Hellmann continues to partner Davis and Foreman or returns to their individual series. For what it's worth, I find the Georgia Davis series more appealing but do enjoy the way that the two characters play off each other.
SETTING: Chicago; Arizona
RATING: 3.25
Libby Fischer Hellmann brings together protagonists from her two series in DOUBLEBACK. Ellie Foreman is a video producer; Georgia Davis is a private investigator. They partner to find a little girl, Molly Messenger, who's been kidnapped but, atypically, there are no ransom demands. She is returned unharmed three days later. There are a series of strange events that follow the kidnapping. A few days after the girl is returned, the brakes on her mother's car fail and she dies. A man at the Chicago bank where Chris Messenger works in IT is killed. Georgia and Ellie both feel that these events are connected, but finding the common thread is devilishly difficult.
Georgia is then hired by Chris's ex-husband to investigate her death. The first avenue to pursue is to look at Chris's job. It appears that she has manipulated the system and embezzled three million dollars. The clues lead Georgia to an Arizona border town where she finds an illegal immigrant smuggling operation. Who is behind that operation and how what is happening in Arizona connect to the Chicago deaths is a very complex puzzle to untangle.
Most of DOUBLEBACK focuses on Georgia and her investigation, with some help from Ellie as needed. I like the character of Georgia a lot. She is very blunt and direct but also quite prickly, which leads to a question in my mind about her career choice. When a person has irritated or angered her, she is quick to let them know that. I find it hard to believe that either paying clients or cooperative leads would accept this kind of browbeating very well.
The narrative moved along nicely for the first two-thirds of the book, but I found that the plot became unnecessarily complex as the resolution played out. However, the characterization was strong enough that I did enjoy the book. One thing that I really like is that the protagonists know their limitations and set boundaries for what they can do. They don't go running off willy nilly but instead involve the police as appropriate.
It will be interesting to see if Hellmann continues to partner Davis and Foreman or returns to their individual series. For what it's worth, I find the Georgia Davis series more appealing but do enjoy the way that the two characters play off each other.
November 4, 2019
I enjoyed this book. The wonderful Georgia is back and is assisted by her good friend Ellis, this means the story is told from the two characters perspectives. It does jump a bit but each chapter starts with the title of who's perspective it is so it easy to follow along. Ellie proves to be a good strong character like Georgia, adding to the fun and chaos. The book takes a number of twist sending the book off in different directions and there is plenty of action to keep you listening. There is a number of characters and I did get a bit confused keeping them all straight but I still really enjoyed the book and would recommend. I am now of to start book three.
What starts as a simple kidnapping case for Georgia takes an unexpected turn when the child is returned unharmed and seemingly with no ransom paid. The child can't talk and the mother won't, leading Georgia to believe something more was going on that even the police know about. When the mother of the child and her boss the president of the bank are both killed in separate incidences, Georgia feels she owes it to the little girl to find out what is going on, how else will she ever feel safe again? Georgia and Ellie follow the clues straight back to the bank and a money trail but everyone who knows anything is dead or missing making it that much harder to track down the men responsible. Following the money trail leads them to training camps and connections to Mexico and drug cartels. The pair are closer than they think to solving all the question the kidnapping unearthed and someone thinks they know more than they should, why else would they send mercenaries after them? Or are the mercenaries working for themselves?
The only reason the narrator got a four star was because the author changed the reader and I was expecting the same reader as book one, so having just listened to book one it tock me a while to get use to the new voice for Georgia. Other than that she did a good job and it will be interesting to see who reads book three, I can't wait.
What starts as a simple kidnapping case for Georgia takes an unexpected turn when the child is returned unharmed and seemingly with no ransom paid. The child can't talk and the mother won't, leading Georgia to believe something more was going on that even the police know about. When the mother of the child and her boss the president of the bank are both killed in separate incidences, Georgia feels she owes it to the little girl to find out what is going on, how else will she ever feel safe again? Georgia and Ellie follow the clues straight back to the bank and a money trail but everyone who knows anything is dead or missing making it that much harder to track down the men responsible. Following the money trail leads them to training camps and connections to Mexico and drug cartels. The pair are closer than they think to solving all the question the kidnapping unearthed and someone thinks they know more than they should, why else would they send mercenaries after them? Or are the mercenaries working for themselves?
The only reason the narrator got a four star was because the author changed the reader and I was expecting the same reader as book one, so having just listened to book one it tock me a while to get use to the new voice for Georgia. Other than that she did a good job and it will be interesting to see who reads book three, I can't wait.
October 12, 2016
This was my first book by Libby Fischer Hellman and I really got into this. Once I got into it, and after getting by all the cursing in the first couple of chapters, I would recommend this book to anyone that wants the twists and turns and surprises that Doubleback provides.
It involves 2 very strong leads and the determination to get to the bottom of this case, even after the police have long disappeared. One is a freelance documentor filming about ethanol and the effects on the additive and the other is a Private Investigator working for a deceased woman involved in the Cartel. You will have to find out yourself how things turn out.
Narration was done superbly by Eva Kaminsky and kept you interested all along the way.
4.5 stars for this one.
"This review copy audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost."
It involves 2 very strong leads and the determination to get to the bottom of this case, even after the police have long disappeared. One is a freelance documentor filming about ethanol and the effects on the additive and the other is a Private Investigator working for a deceased woman involved in the Cartel. You will have to find out yourself how things turn out.
Narration was done superbly by Eva Kaminsky and kept you interested all along the way.
4.5 stars for this one.
"This review copy audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost."
April 17, 2018
'Doubleback' was an intense book. I was pulled in from the beginning and I couldn't put the book down. The story line was full of adventure, action, suspense, mystery and intriguing characters. The way the story unfolded was really good. I liked the way the characters and the story were brought to life by the author's ability to write. Well written and well played out. Georgia is a tenacious and strong willed lead. I liked how she took a lead and ran with it. She sure got her butt kicked in this book. Ellie is a great ally. She truly is a good friend. A great add to your tbr list.
September 10, 2016
“This audiobook was given by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobook Boom.”
Book 2 in the Georgia Davis series. We get to read about a new friendship, kidnapping , murder and a lot more going on in the background that spins this book in so many directions the listener almost gets dizzy. Next book, Please!
The narration was well done.The characters were well portrayed.
Book 2 in the Georgia Davis series. We get to read about a new friendship, kidnapping , murder and a lot more going on in the background that spins this book in so many directions the listener almost gets dizzy. Next book, Please!
The narration was well done.The characters were well portrayed.
April 16, 2019
As it is with all Libby Fischer Hellman’s books, it starts with suspense that grips you at page one. With twists and turns, the story doesn’t let you go until the very last page. Libby is a masterful writer. You “know” the characters, you “feel” the emotion and you “see” the action. I’m looking forward to reading book three in the Georgia Davis series.
September 30, 2018
Surprise ending? Oh, but so well done
Surprise after surprise. Kept me on my toes and chronically guessing wrong. A good mind exercise while being enjoyable, too.
Surprise after surprise. Kept me on my toes and chronically guessing wrong. A good mind exercise while being enjoyable, too.
January 5, 2020
This is the second Georgia Davis I have listened to and I have also previously read and enjoyed one book from the Ellie Foreman series so for those two ladies to team up in this instalment was brilliant and I thought the changing perspectives worked really well.
I was initially disappointed that the narrator had changed but Eva Kaminsky did a superb job and I enjoyed this one just as much as the first in the series - possibly more so. Where the first one had a more sinister and seedy feel to it, this one had more of a girl power vibe - not quite chic crime, but incredibly good fun and very easy to listen to. I also loved the plot and the financial crime entanglements.
All in all, this is fast becoming a firm favourite audio series - straight on to the next!
I was initially disappointed that the narrator had changed but Eva Kaminsky did a superb job and I enjoyed this one just as much as the first in the series - possibly more so. Where the first one had a more sinister and seedy feel to it, this one had more of a girl power vibe - not quite chic crime, but incredibly good fun and very easy to listen to. I also loved the plot and the financial crime entanglements.
All in all, this is fast becoming a firm favourite audio series - straight on to the next!
June 19, 2019
Wow. Doubleback weaves the drug cartel, illegal immigrants, money laundering, kidnapping, and plot twists into a captive page turner.
Georgia Davis goes above and beyond to solve a child's kidnapping case but as she delves deeper into the case she just finds more secrets and more people involved. And we get to see the badass side of Miss Davis. This installment is my favorite in the series thus far.
The narrator was fantastic. She had quite the cast to pull off too. I hope she continues to narrate future books.
Georgia Davis goes above and beyond to solve a child's kidnapping case but as she delves deeper into the case she just finds more secrets and more people involved. And we get to see the badass side of Miss Davis. This installment is my favorite in the series thus far.
The narrator was fantastic. She had quite the cast to pull off too. I hope she continues to narrate future books.
February 5, 2020
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW
Ok I struggled a bit with this one. Although I love Libby’s stories for some reason I couldn’t really get into this one. I felt it started really well with the apparent suicide of a mother who’s daughter had recently been kidnapped but then in the middle it lost my interest a bit. That being said this is a good series and has not put me off the next book. I have to say that Eva Kaminsky who narrates this audiobook has an amazing voice for these book as it’s really smooth and makes me feel like I’m a sitting down listening to a friend recount a story.
Ok I struggled a bit with this one. Although I love Libby’s stories for some reason I couldn’t really get into this one. I felt it started really well with the apparent suicide of a mother who’s daughter had recently been kidnapped but then in the middle it lost my interest a bit. That being said this is a good series and has not put me off the next book. I have to say that Eva Kaminsky who narrates this audiobook has an amazing voice for these book as it’s really smooth and makes me feel like I’m a sitting down listening to a friend recount a story.
November 8, 2019
Doubleback. # 2. Libby Hellmann.
Fantastic audio narration by Kim...Kaminsky
Read the series a number of years ago, and thought it was a great series.
To hear the audio the story was brought to life, the emotion, the description, you felt it. A gripping story and with Georgia a strong, determined woman and carries her role well. Ellie a friend ,calls her of the kidnapping of a young girl. Full of action, suspicions death to the end.
Fantastic audio narration by Kim...Kaminsky
Read the series a number of years ago, and thought it was a great series.
To hear the audio the story was brought to life, the emotion, the description, you felt it. A gripping story and with Georgia a strong, determined woman and carries her role well. Ellie a friend ,calls her of the kidnapping of a young girl. Full of action, suspicions death to the end.
February 21, 2022
I chose to read 4 e-books about Georgia Davis PI because she has my grandmother's name! Oh what fun! I had never read a book when I purchased the series. Book 1 I gave ****, and I must give this one **** also the plot was interesting: a kidnapped 8 year old girl; mother killed; bodies happening everywhere; and curious border crossings and deaths! It's a good read. Sometimes the descriptions are a little long, but that's ok🤓
December 8, 2019
Audiobook review
My 2nd listen of the series. They’re really good & im loving the strong ladies in the series.
They are straightforward but relatable and do their job with no strings.
There’s a kidnapping of a child and a few strange things going on in this story. It’s an attention keeping tale.
Very good
My 2nd listen of the series. They’re really good & im loving the strong ladies in the series.
They are straightforward but relatable and do their job with no strings.
There’s a kidnapping of a child and a few strange things going on in this story. It’s an attention keeping tale.
Very good
April 30, 2022
Georgia Davis PI, this all starts because a little girl was kidnapped.
Georgia started this whole thing to find out who kidnapped a little girl. Who knew is was going to blow up to involve so many people? So many deaths that came off that kidnaping and it just kept expanding. Someone had to stop it and it finally came down to her she was only one left.
Georgia started this whole thing to find out who kidnapped a little girl. Who knew is was going to blow up to involve so many people? So many deaths that came off that kidnaping and it just kept expanding. Someone had to stop it and it finally came down to her she was only one left.
October 30, 2019
Interesting characters, good storyline.
Ms. Goldman's style of writing, character development, and storyline are exciting leaving you wanting more. This book was so relevant to things going on in our country today. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Hellman's books.
Ms. Goldman's style of writing, character development, and storyline are exciting leaving you wanting more. This book was so relevant to things going on in our country today. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Hellman's books.
October 14, 2020
Toxicity
It appears this title should have been the 2nd in the series, Matt meets Ricky for the first time.should be 1 East Innocence,2 Toxicity then Double Back. Unless I missed something
It appears this title should have been the 2nd in the series, Matt meets Ricky for the first time.should be 1 East Innocence,2 Toxicity then Double Back. Unless I missed something
March 23, 2022
Twists and turns
As we go along, suspects appear and we wonder who is behind it all. That's the beauty of this book, the wondering. It kept me guessing until the end. Ellie and Georgia make a great team. It was truly a pleasure to read their story.
As we go along, suspects appear and we wonder who is behind it all. That's the beauty of this book, the wondering. It kept me guessing until the end. Ellie and Georgia make a great team. It was truly a pleasure to read their story.
April 23, 2025
Enjoyed both main characters and their interplay. Chicago base is always fun.
Story leads to unexpected places and the need to rethink theories. Story shifts between Georgia and Ellie are smooth and move well.
Story leads to unexpected places and the need to rethink theories. Story shifts between Georgia and Ellie are smooth and move well.
February 22, 2024
A well written and exciting detective story. I did like the fact that it did not end in a Perry Mason scenario, like so many in this genre seem to favour.
October 6, 2016
So many books, so little time to read. I listened to this audio book over a 3 day span, it would have been quicker but the battery on my Kindle Fire wears down quickly when listening to audio books! It is that good! I was given this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. I'm a character reader, I get into the characters, their story, who/what they are. The author does a great job of continuing to develop Georgia quickly & thoroughly in this book. The significant characters in her writing are developed similarly along the way. This book is in all senses of the word, a thriller. That’s it, no more spoilers from me though I can see more about this character in the future. Outstanding listen, the narrator does a wonderful job as well!
June 24, 2019
Big money and high crimes…that is the game here. How much would one need to pay to make something go away? What about to just look the other way? What type of organization would have all of the right people in their pocket? Hellmann has a lot of action and some adventure in this second installment along with two main characters, Georgia Davis and Ellie Foreman from another hit series. Readers are sure to be entertained with this one.
Georgia Davis, a former police officer suspended from the force, has taken up a new gig as a PI. After the last year with the investigation of a young girl who had been murdered on the Northshore, Georgia is now getting back to a semblance of a life–until Ellie Foreman calls–with another case. Ellie, a video producer from another book series, has been introduced into this second installment and she has been roped into some pretty dicey stuff. A friend of a friend’s daughter has been kidnapped and the woman won’t go to the police for fear of never seeing her daughter again. So, Georgia rides on up to see the woman and sure enough, nothing is ever as it appears. When the girl is brought back to the house and some hefty amounts of money get moved in and out of the bank that this woman works for, Ellie suspects that something else is going on. Not really knowing what she is up against until the body count starts racking up, Georgia and Ellie find that they are in some serious trouble after an attempt on Georgia’s life. They are in it now until the very end; what cards to they have on the table to find out the truth and keep each other alive long enough to relay the information to the police.
Hellmann has a great story, filled with animosity, determination, greed, and power. The characters are well-developed, but the pace is very slow. This installment introduces another main character from a different book series which is great; however, this book goes back and forth in first person, which is a bit odd. This series is called the Georgia Davis Series, not the Georgia and Ellie Series; therefore, it was expected the introduction and the story would focus on Georgia, but have Ellie as a background character or supporting cast. Since this review is complimenting the audiobook, Kaminsky’s voice relay was entertaining. Her narration is clear and the character differentiation livens the slow pace up quite a bit. If you are a readers of crime thrillers, suspense and mysteries, you may find this story to be a good fit for you.
A copy of this audiobook was provided to Turning Another Page by Audiobookworm Promotions and in no way affects the honesty of this review. We provide a three-star rating to Doubleback by Libby Fischer Hellmann.
Georgia Davis, a former police officer suspended from the force, has taken up a new gig as a PI. After the last year with the investigation of a young girl who had been murdered on the Northshore, Georgia is now getting back to a semblance of a life–until Ellie Foreman calls–with another case. Ellie, a video producer from another book series, has been introduced into this second installment and she has been roped into some pretty dicey stuff. A friend of a friend’s daughter has been kidnapped and the woman won’t go to the police for fear of never seeing her daughter again. So, Georgia rides on up to see the woman and sure enough, nothing is ever as it appears. When the girl is brought back to the house and some hefty amounts of money get moved in and out of the bank that this woman works for, Ellie suspects that something else is going on. Not really knowing what she is up against until the body count starts racking up, Georgia and Ellie find that they are in some serious trouble after an attempt on Georgia’s life. They are in it now until the very end; what cards to they have on the table to find out the truth and keep each other alive long enough to relay the information to the police.
Hellmann has a great story, filled with animosity, determination, greed, and power. The characters are well-developed, but the pace is very slow. This installment introduces another main character from a different book series which is great; however, this book goes back and forth in first person, which is a bit odd. This series is called the Georgia Davis Series, not the Georgia and Ellie Series; therefore, it was expected the introduction and the story would focus on Georgia, but have Ellie as a background character or supporting cast. Since this review is complimenting the audiobook, Kaminsky’s voice relay was entertaining. Her narration is clear and the character differentiation livens the slow pace up quite a bit. If you are a readers of crime thrillers, suspense and mysteries, you may find this story to be a good fit for you.
A copy of this audiobook was provided to Turning Another Page by Audiobookworm Promotions and in no way affects the honesty of this review. We provide a three-star rating to Doubleback by Libby Fischer Hellmann.
September 10, 2016
Doubleback by Libby Fischer Hellman is the sequel to Easy Innocence, and reunites PI Georgia Davis with video producer Ellie Foreman, the heroine of Hellman’s other series. Georgia and Ellie aren’t much alike – one is a single, tough, former cop turned private investigator and the other is a divorced mom who is a commercial television producer. They aren’t even really close friends when the story starts, but they are strong, intelligent and curious and want to get to the bottom of things.
The book opens with a scene in a stalled elevator. Although interesting and tense, it doesn’t seem to have anything to do with either Georgia or Ellie. But just wait. Eight-year-old Molly Messenger is kidnapped, her mother asks Ellie for help, Ellie asks Georgia to look into it, and the story is off and running. Molly is returned unharmed, but her mother dies in an accident a few days later. Accident? From Chicago to Northern Wisconsin to an Arizona border town, Georgia and Ellie are confronted with suspicious deaths, fraudulent transactions, a paramilitary training camp, and drug and people smuggling.
Although Georgia is a fearless and dedicated investigator, she is also inexperienced and reckless enough to get in serious danger. Attempts are made on her life and she is physically battered and bruised, and may actually die trying to find out who is responsible and just how many people are involved.
This is another excellent novel by Libby Fischer Hellman. The action is believable and non-stop. The suspense is almost unbearable at times and the mystery is not easy to solve. As usual, she blends current events with an amazing knowledge of Chicago and its inner workings. There are a lot of details and the story is complicated, but Hellman makes it easy to follow and hard to put down. She shifts focus seamlessly from Georgia to Ellie and everyone in between and from location to location.
I highly recommend Doubleback. I first read it, and then received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review. It was just as thrilling and exciting the second time around. The narrator, Eva Kaminsky, fit the story perfectly and quickly became transparent because I was so focused on the action of the story. I recommend anything and everything by Libby Fischer Hellman, and hope Georgia and Ellie get together again soon.
The book opens with a scene in a stalled elevator. Although interesting and tense, it doesn’t seem to have anything to do with either Georgia or Ellie. But just wait. Eight-year-old Molly Messenger is kidnapped, her mother asks Ellie for help, Ellie asks Georgia to look into it, and the story is off and running. Molly is returned unharmed, but her mother dies in an accident a few days later. Accident? From Chicago to Northern Wisconsin to an Arizona border town, Georgia and Ellie are confronted with suspicious deaths, fraudulent transactions, a paramilitary training camp, and drug and people smuggling.
Although Georgia is a fearless and dedicated investigator, she is also inexperienced and reckless enough to get in serious danger. Attempts are made on her life and she is physically battered and bruised, and may actually die trying to find out who is responsible and just how many people are involved.
This is another excellent novel by Libby Fischer Hellman. The action is believable and non-stop. The suspense is almost unbearable at times and the mystery is not easy to solve. As usual, she blends current events with an amazing knowledge of Chicago and its inner workings. There are a lot of details and the story is complicated, but Hellman makes it easy to follow and hard to put down. She shifts focus seamlessly from Georgia to Ellie and everyone in between and from location to location.
I highly recommend Doubleback. I first read it, and then received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review. It was just as thrilling and exciting the second time around. The narrator, Eva Kaminsky, fit the story perfectly and quickly became transparent because I was so focused on the action of the story. I recommend anything and everything by Libby Fischer Hellman, and hope Georgia and Ellie get together again soon.
May 11, 2015
The second book in the Georgia Davis PI series from author Libby Hellmann, "Doubleback" was pretty interesting read. In addition to the main protagonist Georgia Davis, we meet another protagonist in Ellie Foreman. Foreman is an independent video producer. In this saga, Foreman is producing a documentary on farming corn to create ethanol. Foreman and Davis are friends. Foreman goes to see Davis for help on a kidnapping. Ellie's friend Christine Messenger has had her 8 year old daughter kidnapped. However in about 72 hours the child turns up unharmed. Before long Messenger, a high level bank executive sees her boss killed in an odd car crash. When Messenger turns up killed in another suspicious car crash Davis and Foreman need to crack the case. With adventures all around the Chicago area, and Arizona, Davis is relentless tracking down the truth. Even her own similar car crash doesn't slow down Davis. Arriving at the US & Mexican border in Arizona, Davis begins to see some daylight on this difficult case. Story was a lot of fun to read. It's an enjoyable tale that mixes danger, suspense, romance and some solid action to built plot firmly. Author Hellmmann's characters were extremely lively and had some electric dialog to spice up the plot. Although, I do have to say it was confusing at times switch back and forth with Davis and Foreman being the main character. Several times I had to ask myself, okay who's talking here now ? Book is billed as a Georgia Davis thriller, but Foreman takes a lot of the narrative. Not that I had that much of a problem switching main characters back and forth, it did seem to slow my reading of the book down somewhat. Still it's a solid 4 stars out of a possible 5 star novel. It loses a star with Ellie Foreman trying to take over a Georgia Davis thriller. Ellie Foreman has her own series. I'll have to say highly recommended for, "Doubleback", from author Libby Hellmann, primarily because of it's very unique protagonist PI. Georgia Davis. This is a pretty good series to jump into so far. I have the next two Georgia Davis books cued up and ready to read. Listen up, jump on this series from some good thrillers from a really good author.
October 2, 2012
Two investigators for the price of one..., September 30, 2012
Libby Hellmann is one of my favorite author bloggers...I like her recommendations for movies and books and her crusading personality, but I've never read either of her two mystery series. After much consideration, I decided on this second book of her second series. Georgia "Peaches" Davis is a private detective in Chicago who drinks her coffee black, doesn't particularly like cats, and is a former policewoman. Her BFF is one Ellie Foreman, a documentary filmmaker who just happens to be the protag of Hellmann's earlier series.
When Georgia is called in on a missing child case by Ellie...she doesn't know she will soon be investigating two dead bank employees, fraudulent service charges, and a scam involving $3,000,000 at Chicago's Midwest National Bank...and putting her life at risk. The case involves an Aston Martin seen in the neighborhood, a dark Hispanic man in wrap-around sunglasses with a tip missing on his left index finger, a Chicago-based security company who has had two men killed in training exercises, and finally some legal and illegal Mexicans in a small Arizona border town run by a copper magnate and his son.
Most of DOUBLEBACK was fast paced with excellent characterization. But when Georgia Davis heads for Arizona (just following the clues, I know) and tangles with a whole group of new characters, I lost a bit of interest. Oh, Hellmann had well researched border towns in the Southwest and the scenes were alive...but the villains and heroes were hard to separate.
And I really wanted to know what happened with that date fraud case that Ellie was investigating.
P. S. Don't worry, blogger friend...I plan to round up and read your first Georgia Davis Easy Innocence just in time for the third in the series that you are currently writing (I read this tidbit recently on a blog!). Jane
Libby Hellmann is one of my favorite author bloggers...I like her recommendations for movies and books and her crusading personality, but I've never read either of her two mystery series. After much consideration, I decided on this second book of her second series. Georgia "Peaches" Davis is a private detective in Chicago who drinks her coffee black, doesn't particularly like cats, and is a former policewoman. Her BFF is one Ellie Foreman, a documentary filmmaker who just happens to be the protag of Hellmann's earlier series.
When Georgia is called in on a missing child case by Ellie...she doesn't know she will soon be investigating two dead bank employees, fraudulent service charges, and a scam involving $3,000,000 at Chicago's Midwest National Bank...and putting her life at risk. The case involves an Aston Martin seen in the neighborhood, a dark Hispanic man in wrap-around sunglasses with a tip missing on his left index finger, a Chicago-based security company who has had two men killed in training exercises, and finally some legal and illegal Mexicans in a small Arizona border town run by a copper magnate and his son.
Most of DOUBLEBACK was fast paced with excellent characterization. But when Georgia Davis heads for Arizona (just following the clues, I know) and tangles with a whole group of new characters, I lost a bit of interest. Oh, Hellmann had well researched border towns in the Southwest and the scenes were alive...but the villains and heroes were hard to separate.
And I really wanted to know what happened with that date fraud case that Ellie was investigating.
P. S. Don't worry, blogger friend...I plan to round up and read your first Georgia Davis Easy Innocence just in time for the third in the series that you are currently writing (I read this tidbit recently on a blog!). Jane
September 14, 2016
I didn't realize until I read the synopsis that Ellie Foreman is a main character in another series. I felt like there needed to be more backstory for her and Georgia Davis -- now I know why. I dislike jumping into the middle of a series and I feel that's just what I've done even though this is considered a different series.
This is a good story with well-paced suspense and a mystery that kept me guessing until the end. Some actions and events are a little too contrived, but acceptable.
Eva Kaminsky's performance is quite satisfactory. She gives distinctive voices to the characters, although her accents seem a bit forced. I also caught one mispronunciation, but the audiobook is very listenable.
NOTE: I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for this unbiased review.
This is a good story with well-paced suspense and a mystery that kept me guessing until the end. Some actions and events are a little too contrived, but acceptable.
Eva Kaminsky's performance is quite satisfactory. She gives distinctive voices to the characters, although her accents seem a bit forced. I also caught one mispronunciation, but the audiobook is very listenable.
NOTE: I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for this unbiased review.
May 4, 2015
THIS SUMMARY/REVIEW WAS COPIED FROM OTHER SOURCES AND IS USED ONLY AS A REMINDER OF WHAT THE BOOK WAS ABOUT FOR MY PERSONAL INTEREST. ANY PERSONAL NOTATIONS ARE FOR MY RECOLLECTION ONLY.
Internal Note- 2 stars since I actually finished it. I will give the series another try but..........
Libby Fischer Hellmann brings together protagonists from her two series in DOUBLEBACK. Ellie Foreman is a video producer; Georgia Davis is a private investigator. They partner to find a little girl, Molly Messenger, who's been kidnapped but, atypically, there are no ransom demands. She is returned unharmed three days later. There are a series of strange events that follow the kidnapping. A few days after the girl is returned, the brakes on her mother's car fail and she dies. A man at the Chicago bank where Chris Messenger works in IT is killed. Georgia and Ellie both feel that these events are connected, but finding the common thread is devilishly difficult.
Georgia is then hired by Chris's ex-husband to investigate her death. The first avenue to pursue is to look at Chris's job. It appears that she has manipulated the system and embezzled three million dollars. The clues lead Georgia to an Arizona border town where she finds an illegal immigrant smuggling operation. Who is behind that operation and how what is happening in Arizona connect to the Chicago deaths is a very complex puzzle to untangle.
Most of DOUBLEBACK focuses on Georgia and her investigation, with some help from Ellie as needed. I like the character of Georgia a lot. She is very blunt and direct but also quite prickly, which leads to a question in my mind about her career choice. When a person has irritated or angered her, she is quick to let them know that. I find it hard to believe that either paying clients or cooperative leads would accept this kind of browbeating very well.
Internal Note- 2 stars since I actually finished it. I will give the series another try but..........
Libby Fischer Hellmann brings together protagonists from her two series in DOUBLEBACK. Ellie Foreman is a video producer; Georgia Davis is a private investigator. They partner to find a little girl, Molly Messenger, who's been kidnapped but, atypically, there are no ransom demands. She is returned unharmed three days later. There are a series of strange events that follow the kidnapping. A few days after the girl is returned, the brakes on her mother's car fail and she dies. A man at the Chicago bank where Chris Messenger works in IT is killed. Georgia and Ellie both feel that these events are connected, but finding the common thread is devilishly difficult.
Georgia is then hired by Chris's ex-husband to investigate her death. The first avenue to pursue is to look at Chris's job. It appears that she has manipulated the system and embezzled three million dollars. The clues lead Georgia to an Arizona border town where she finds an illegal immigrant smuggling operation. Who is behind that operation and how what is happening in Arizona connect to the Chicago deaths is a very complex puzzle to untangle.
Most of DOUBLEBACK focuses on Georgia and her investigation, with some help from Ellie as needed. I like the character of Georgia a lot. She is very blunt and direct but also quite prickly, which leads to a question in my mind about her career choice. When a person has irritated or angered her, she is quick to let them know that. I find it hard to believe that either paying clients or cooperative leads would accept this kind of browbeating very well.
December 22, 2019
Georgia finds herself involved in an unusual kidnapping, The child is returned unharmed but suddenly there seem to be a lot of fatal accidents happening to people connected with Molly's mother's work. As Georgia unpicks the threads and finds out more, so the danger increases.
Another good read, although not quite so good as the first in the series. Partly this is due to the switching between Georgia's and Ellie's point of view. I felt this dissipated some of the tension and flow of the story, although with so many strands it couldn't have worked with Georgia alone.
I did like Ellie and will be looking out for her in other books.
Generally this was a well written and well thought out story which was narrated with skill so that I didn't get confused with who was leading at any given time, and I have finished it in record time for me as I didn't want to stop listening.
I will definitely be looking for the next in the series. 3.5/5 stars
Another good read, although not quite so good as the first in the series. Partly this is due to the switching between Georgia's and Ellie's point of view. I felt this dissipated some of the tension and flow of the story, although with so many strands it couldn't have worked with Georgia alone.
I did like Ellie and will be looking out for her in other books.
Generally this was a well written and well thought out story which was narrated with skill so that I didn't get confused with who was leading at any given time, and I have finished it in record time for me as I didn't want to stop listening.
I will definitely be looking for the next in the series. 3.5/5 stars
June 3, 2016
The Red Herring Press, May 2016 (original publication 2009)
Videographer Elly Forman is asked by her friend Susan to help a neighbor, Chris Messenger, whose daughter has been kidnapped. Elly, knowing she doesn't have the knowledge and experience to help, calls in P.I. Georgia Davis.
And Georgia says what Elly first said: Even though they told you not to call the police, call the police. Having persuaded Chris Messenger to turn to the police, she walks away from the case.
A few days later, Molly Messenger is returned, and the police are strangely silent about how they cracked this big case so quickly. When the next thing Georgia hears about it is a panicked call for help from Chris because another executive at the bank where she's a VP has died in a car she's convinced is murder, Georgia knows there's something much stranger going on.
Georgia and Elly, separately and together, get drawn in to figuring out what that is.
Chris apparently embezzled money to cover the ransom demand for Molly before Molly was ever kidnapped, which makes no sense. As they continue to dig to find out what really happened, they discover that some very, very dangerous people are involved--and Georgia finds herself in Arizona, talking to rightwing militia as well as people smuggling undocumented workers.
Oh, and dodging bullets.
It's intricate and fast-paced, and a great beach read.
Recommended.
I received a free copy of the audiobook from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Videographer Elly Forman is asked by her friend Susan to help a neighbor, Chris Messenger, whose daughter has been kidnapped. Elly, knowing she doesn't have the knowledge and experience to help, calls in P.I. Georgia Davis.
And Georgia says what Elly first said: Even though they told you not to call the police, call the police. Having persuaded Chris Messenger to turn to the police, she walks away from the case.
A few days later, Molly Messenger is returned, and the police are strangely silent about how they cracked this big case so quickly. When the next thing Georgia hears about it is a panicked call for help from Chris because another executive at the bank where she's a VP has died in a car she's convinced is murder, Georgia knows there's something much stranger going on.
Georgia and Elly, separately and together, get drawn in to figuring out what that is.
Chris apparently embezzled money to cover the ransom demand for Molly before Molly was ever kidnapped, which makes no sense. As they continue to dig to find out what really happened, they discover that some very, very dangerous people are involved--and Georgia finds herself in Arizona, talking to rightwing militia as well as people smuggling undocumented workers.
Oh, and dodging bullets.
It's intricate and fast-paced, and a great beach read.
Recommended.
I received a free copy of the audiobook from the author in exchange for an honest review.
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