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Deuce Mora #1
The Someday File (The Deuce Mora Series)
DON’T MESS WITH THE MOB … UNLESS YOU’RE DEUCE MORA
Deuce Mora’s one tough cookie–-a female sleuth with a conscience and an attitude–-fiery, tough, athletic, a dirty fighter when she has to be. In Jean Heller’s first mystery featuring the scrappy newspaper columnist, Deuce finds out in short order that if you mess with organized crime, you have to be tough—and you’d better be as much detective as reporter. When she walks into a seedy neighborhood bar in a suburb of Chicago–-all six feet of her, topped with auburn curls—she’s searching for a human-interest story. What she finds is Vinnie Colangelo, an aging mobster living on bad beer, cheap bourbon and regret for the life he wasted.
Vinnie hints at secrets much bigger than his rap sheet should entitle him to, and Deuce immediately discovers that somebody’s willing to kill to keep those secrets buried. She uncovers a series of crimes committed over nearly six decades, and, as her human interest story morphs into a hard-boiled, action-packed mystery, she finds herself dead center in a storm of threats and reprisals from the mob.
Deuce Mora’s one tough cookie–-a female sleuth with a conscience and an attitude–-fiery, tough, athletic, a dirty fighter when she has to be. In Jean Heller’s first mystery featuring the scrappy newspaper columnist, Deuce finds out in short order that if you mess with organized crime, you have to be tough—and you’d better be as much detective as reporter. When she walks into a seedy neighborhood bar in a suburb of Chicago–-all six feet of her, topped with auburn curls—she’s searching for a human-interest story. What she finds is Vinnie Colangelo, an aging mobster living on bad beer, cheap bourbon and regret for the life he wasted.
Vinnie hints at secrets much bigger than his rap sheet should entitle him to, and Deuce immediately discovers that somebody’s willing to kill to keep those secrets buried. She uncovers a series of crimes committed over nearly six decades, and, as her human interest story morphs into a hard-boiled, action-packed mystery, she finds herself dead center in a storm of threats and reprisals from the mob.
It’s not enough that the mob’s after her, and corrupt government is concealing the evidence that would explain why; even her own editors, frightened of lawsuits and losing subscribers, want her off the story.
Fortunately, she has many allies: a network of loyal co-workers and contacts, even an ardent new admirer. But which ones can she trust? At least one of them, she suspects, is hiding a secret–- corruption? Murder? The veteran reporter knows: if you’re talking Chicago crime scene—it’s probably both.
Though attacked in her home, stalked, and shot at, Deuce doggedly batters the well-oiled machinery of terror that has kept the secret buried so long. Heller meticulously builds her heroine’s investigation, as the evidence--and the danger--converge in a white-knuckling confrontation.
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First published December 9, 2014
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About the author
Jean Heller
13 books52 followersMy mother once confronted my husband and me, put her hands on her hips, and asked, “Can’t one of you hold onto a job?”
She was joking – sort of. Both of us were journalists, and we kept getting better jobs, which required moving. A lot. Moving frequently is, I have discovered, a good way to avoid having to clean out the closets, the garage, and the cabinets under the kitchen sink.
Through it all, I have been one thing above all else, a writer.
I started my first novel when I was in the third grade, the story of people living at the center of the earth. I liked the concept, but I really didn’t have a good plot point, and when I discovered what it’s really like at the center of the earth, the project sort of went up in flames, so to speak.
My first complete novel, a thriller called “Maximum Impact,” was published by Forge, an imprint of St. Martin’s Press, in 1993. My second, “Handyman,” came two years later. Both received great reviews from critics, and both will be available in Kindle editions in early 2015.
The new one, also a thriller, is called “The Someday File.” It is the first in what will be a series set in Chicago, a city I have loved since I was in college and which I have called home for years. I set it here because Chicago is such a great character in its own right. The stories I can build on these bones – quite literally in the case of “The Someday File” – have infinite possibilities.
_________________________________________________
Jean’s news career included serving as an investigative and projects reporter and editor for The Associated Press in New York City and Washington, D.C., The Cox Newspapers and New York Newsday in Washington, D.C. and the St. Petersburg Times in Washington, D.C. and Florida.
Jean has won multiple awards, including the Worth Bingham Prize, the Polk Award, and is an eight-time Pulitzer Prize nominee.
She was joking – sort of. Both of us were journalists, and we kept getting better jobs, which required moving. A lot. Moving frequently is, I have discovered, a good way to avoid having to clean out the closets, the garage, and the cabinets under the kitchen sink.
Through it all, I have been one thing above all else, a writer.
I started my first novel when I was in the third grade, the story of people living at the center of the earth. I liked the concept, but I really didn’t have a good plot point, and when I discovered what it’s really like at the center of the earth, the project sort of went up in flames, so to speak.
My first complete novel, a thriller called “Maximum Impact,” was published by Forge, an imprint of St. Martin’s Press, in 1993. My second, “Handyman,” came two years later. Both received great reviews from critics, and both will be available in Kindle editions in early 2015.
The new one, also a thriller, is called “The Someday File.” It is the first in what will be a series set in Chicago, a city I have loved since I was in college and which I have called home for years. I set it here because Chicago is such a great character in its own right. The stories I can build on these bones – quite literally in the case of “The Someday File” – have infinite possibilities.
_________________________________________________
Jean’s news career included serving as an investigative and projects reporter and editor for The Associated Press in New York City and Washington, D.C., The Cox Newspapers and New York Newsday in Washington, D.C. and the St. Petersburg Times in Washington, D.C. and Florida.
Jean has won multiple awards, including the Worth Bingham Prize, the Polk Award, and is an eight-time Pulitzer Prize nominee.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
November 1, 2015
The Someday File by Jean Heller is the first mystery in a proposed series about Deuce Mora, a Chicago journalist. When she is looking for an idea for her column and she is stuck, she goes to her Someday File for backup story ideas. A simple human interest story becomes a series of murders and attempts on her life in her present day life when she asks questions regarding an arrest from 1975. The Chicago mob, extortion, politicians, corruption all get thrown into the mix in an intriguing mystery.
Deuce is an interesting character who is working for a paper that is under financial strain, as all are today. She is independent and sassy, tenacious and an idealist. Love her character and all the twists in the plot kept me reading. An ending that was as morally thought provoking as it was surprising.
I won this book in a contest and I am so glad I did! Fast, entertaining and a very well done plot. I will be looking for more from the author and Deuce.
Deuce is an interesting character who is working for a paper that is under financial strain, as all are today. She is independent and sassy, tenacious and an idealist. Love her character and all the twists in the plot kept me reading. An ending that was as morally thought provoking as it was surprising.
I won this book in a contest and I am so glad I did! Fast, entertaining and a very well done plot. I will be looking for more from the author and Deuce.
February 27, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was a little unsure about Deuce Mora to begin with, but her personality quickly grew on me.
The suspense is killer and I had a hard time taking a break from reading to get some sleep. The plot moves quickly and is easy to follow. There are enough details to add realism to the plot, but not too many that my head was swimming trying to keep up.
I loved the twists and turns and the shocking ending. I look forward to reading more of Deuce's stories!
The suspense is killer and I had a hard time taking a break from reading to get some sleep. The plot moves quickly and is easy to follow. There are enough details to add realism to the plot, but not too many that my head was swimming trying to keep up.
I loved the twists and turns and the shocking ending. I look forward to reading more of Deuce's stories!
April 18, 2025
That was a very well thought out mystery with a lot of pieces that all came together beautifully. I like Deuce. She is tough, introspective, and very determined. This was a hell of an intro to Deuce and friends. She represents the old time journalists that have a code and a desire for truth. Looking forward to her next big story.
February 21, 2017
As a reporter, Jean Heller broke one of the biggest stories of the 20th century, the one on the Tuskegee experiments, and she probably should've won the Pulitzer Prize for it. Now she's penned a novel about a reporter who stumbles into an even bigger story and has to fight everyone from the Mob to her own editor to see it through to the point of getting it into the paper. It is, for the most part, a realistic and yet suspenseful tale, one that keeps you guessing what's going to happen next.
The reporter in question here is Deuce Mora, a popular metro columnist for a fading Chicago newspaper. She's always kept what she calls her "Someday File" in her desk, full of potential stories for days when she's desperate for a column idea. One day she dips into the file and pulls out a six-month-old tip from a prosecutor about a colorful ex-con who says he was wronged. She meets the guy, tries to get him talking, gives him a ride home -- and the next day he's dead, tortured and then slit open.
The one thing he told Deuce is to look for something big happening in Vegas -- and sure enough, a congressman is assassinated there. But how could the two be connected? Mora goes after the trail of clues like a bloodhound, and her pursuit rattles the people who want to keep the connection secret. Soon others are killed and someone breaks into Deuce's own place to ransack it. Before long she's connected the modern-day murders to an atrocity that occurred some fifty years before.
The story here moves along at a pretty good clip, yet it never seemed predictable. The one misstep, for me, was a sex scene that was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too explicit for my taste. It was the only scene that I thought could have been tossed out without affecting the rest of the book.
What I particularly liked about this book was the realistic depiction of how hard it can be to nail down a story. Deuce repeatedly runs into unhelpful corporate types, sluggish bureaucrats and reluctant witnesses, but she keeps on plugging away, even when her boss is against her and she's plagued by doubts. That's the kind of reporter every newspaper needs these days.
The reporter in question here is Deuce Mora, a popular metro columnist for a fading Chicago newspaper. She's always kept what she calls her "Someday File" in her desk, full of potential stories for days when she's desperate for a column idea. One day she dips into the file and pulls out a six-month-old tip from a prosecutor about a colorful ex-con who says he was wronged. She meets the guy, tries to get him talking, gives him a ride home -- and the next day he's dead, tortured and then slit open.
The one thing he told Deuce is to look for something big happening in Vegas -- and sure enough, a congressman is assassinated there. But how could the two be connected? Mora goes after the trail of clues like a bloodhound, and her pursuit rattles the people who want to keep the connection secret. Soon others are killed and someone breaks into Deuce's own place to ransack it. Before long she's connected the modern-day murders to an atrocity that occurred some fifty years before.
The story here moves along at a pretty good clip, yet it never seemed predictable. The one misstep, for me, was a sex scene that was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too explicit for my taste. It was the only scene that I thought could have been tossed out without affecting the rest of the book.
What I particularly liked about this book was the realistic depiction of how hard it can be to nail down a story. Deuce repeatedly runs into unhelpful corporate types, sluggish bureaucrats and reluctant witnesses, but she keeps on plugging away, even when her boss is against her and she's plagued by doubts. That's the kind of reporter every newspaper needs these days.
June 2, 2015
This give away win has a seriously likable protagonista, an engaging well written story complete with twists I didn't anticipate - good enough to keep me up too late!
Chicago was a fun character, too.
I will definitely be reading Deuce's volumes 2, 3, 4...
Chicago was a fun character, too.
I will definitely be reading Deuce's volumes 2, 3, 4...
April 17, 2024
I love a good investigative journalist story, and Jean Heller rings the bell with book #1 of her Deuce Mora series starring the female columnist from the fictional Chicago Journal. I loved Deuce, including her insecurities and her dogged determination. The out-of-nowhere sex scene caught me by surprise (but it was a good one!), but otherwise this was a solid traditional mystery with plenty of twists, villains, victims, and intrigue.
The book begins with the assassination of a US Congressman in Las Vegas. The assassin plays a role throughout the book, although the connection between the exciting opening scene and the rest of the story is tenuous at best. It’s a great hook, however, to get new readers interested, so it does the job.
The real plot starts when Deuce digs into her file of dormant story idea when she’s searching for a column topic. Her “someday file” includes an aging man named Vinny who is a former low-level mobster. Deuce meets with him, then he is brutally murdered. Was it something he told Deuce? Or something he might have told Deuce? The reporter is curious and digs in further, leading to a long-ago tragedy where an enclave of migrant workers was burned, with many fatalities. As Deuce peels back the onion’s layers, more witnesses are killed or go missing, and the story about what was known as “Ransom Camp” begs to be written.
The paper starts to get cold feet, various local politicians and heavy hitters get involved, and Deuce threatens to reveal secrets that were long buried. All the makings of a great mystery!
The text is clean, well-written, and well-edited (aside from a large number of annoying backwards apostrophes, although I may be the only person who would care). Ms. Heller gives us many memorable turns of phrase and similes that enhance the story, as befits a former journalist. The pages turn quickly as the pacing is marvelous.
As the first book in this series, and perhaps Ms. Heller’s first novel, there are some plotting issues that are not huge problems, but make it sometimes a bit hard to follow the very complex story. And the above-mentioned lack of a good connection between the first scene and the assassin and the rest of the plot is a small concern. These are the tiniest of blemishes on what is a terrific start to a series. If the books get better from here, I’m going to become a huge Deuce Mora fan. Call it 4.5 stars for Amazon purposes. For your purposes, it’s a book you should seriously go out and get, particularly since it’s often discounted, including as part of a box set of the first four books in this series.
The book begins with the assassination of a US Congressman in Las Vegas. The assassin plays a role throughout the book, although the connection between the exciting opening scene and the rest of the story is tenuous at best. It’s a great hook, however, to get new readers interested, so it does the job.
The real plot starts when Deuce digs into her file of dormant story idea when she’s searching for a column topic. Her “someday file” includes an aging man named Vinny who is a former low-level mobster. Deuce meets with him, then he is brutally murdered. Was it something he told Deuce? Or something he might have told Deuce? The reporter is curious and digs in further, leading to a long-ago tragedy where an enclave of migrant workers was burned, with many fatalities. As Deuce peels back the onion’s layers, more witnesses are killed or go missing, and the story about what was known as “Ransom Camp” begs to be written.
The paper starts to get cold feet, various local politicians and heavy hitters get involved, and Deuce threatens to reveal secrets that were long buried. All the makings of a great mystery!
The text is clean, well-written, and well-edited (aside from a large number of annoying backwards apostrophes, although I may be the only person who would care). Ms. Heller gives us many memorable turns of phrase and similes that enhance the story, as befits a former journalist. The pages turn quickly as the pacing is marvelous.
As the first book in this series, and perhaps Ms. Heller’s first novel, there are some plotting issues that are not huge problems, but make it sometimes a bit hard to follow the very complex story. And the above-mentioned lack of a good connection between the first scene and the assassin and the rest of the plot is a small concern. These are the tiniest of blemishes on what is a terrific start to a series. If the books get better from here, I’m going to become a huge Deuce Mora fan. Call it 4.5 stars for Amazon purposes. For your purposes, it’s a book you should seriously go out and get, particularly since it’s often discounted, including as part of a box set of the first four books in this series.
August 18, 2021
A solid 4 stars. Interesting story, for the most part well written, which is why the things that irked me stood out strongly. Everything Deuce wore was listed. “I chose a pair of flared indigo blue jeans “and a dusty rose V-neck sweater over a light blue t-shirt. A pair of black BØRN ankle boots completed the look, which I favored. I’ve always been a no-frills tomboy type, and if I didn’t have to, I’d never get out of denim except to put on shorts.” Literally every new scene had a clothing description passage like this. Also, the one highly detailed and completely gratuitous sex scene was so unnecessary and unsexy. Aside from those things, it was an entertaining and enjoyable fast read.
December 10, 2016
A twisty mystery with an ending that you won’t see coming! This is book 1 of the Deuce Mora series and it’s a great start. Deuce is a journalist in Chicago. She’s tall and attractive, and not afraid of a fight. She maintains a Someday File, a place where she drops little tips of stories that she goes back to when she’s looking for some inspiration. On this day, she sees a notation she made about Vinnie Colangelo, who has a story she might want to hear. She meets him that night in a bar, drops him off at home, and the next morning he’s found dead. Feeling responsible, she decides to investigate. What she doesn’t realize is that she’s opening a Pandora’s box that someone will kill to keep closed.
Deuce Mora is a great character and I was really glad that I decided to give this author a try. Jean Heller has created in Deuce a female character who perfectly walks the line of being tough enough to get the job done while still maintaining her femininity. I enjoyed the perspective of a journalist as the “detective” and I think the author did an excellent job of portraying the thorough leg work that a reporter does to get to the heart of a story. Finally, the story itself had lots of engaging twists and turns and a healthy dose of action and danger to keep you reading till the end. All in all, I found this to be a finely crafted story and I look forward to reading book 2 in this series.
Deuce Mora is a great character and I was really glad that I decided to give this author a try. Jean Heller has created in Deuce a female character who perfectly walks the line of being tough enough to get the job done while still maintaining her femininity. I enjoyed the perspective of a journalist as the “detective” and I think the author did an excellent job of portraying the thorough leg work that a reporter does to get to the heart of a story. Finally, the story itself had lots of engaging twists and turns and a healthy dose of action and danger to keep you reading till the end. All in all, I found this to be a finely crafted story and I look forward to reading book 2 in this series.
November 16, 2019
“There also is discussion about the reporter. No one talks openly of killing her, but the discussion hugs that line as closely as possible without stepping over it.” (198)
Refreshingly, Deuce Mora is not a private investigator or a detective. She is however a savvy journalist who sometimes needs an idea for her column. Enter, The Someday File; a simple manila envelope containing collected scraps of possible story ideas.
Her next story, straight from the someday file, connects an over-prosecuted thief to an assassinated congressman and to a horrific fire that killed many people fifty-seven years earlier. What in the world has Deuce stumbled upon? And why are people around her being killed?
Jean Heller does a wonderful job lacing these events together while still keeping the proverbial “bad guy” hidden until the end. Sprinkled throughout, Heller lets the reader drop into the mind of a malevolent assassin hellbent on doing his part to keep secrets buried.
Heller’s main characters are well drawn with a certain amount of depth, which makes clear that Heller knows her characters. The same is true with her secondary characters; while the text is not bogged down with over-descriptive blah, blah, blah, the writer has chosen key elements, which makes the character relatable enough to be remembered.
This book is labeled as a mystery, and it is! But anyone who enjoys the fast pace of a suspense/thriller will enjoy this book.
Refreshingly, Deuce Mora is not a private investigator or a detective. She is however a savvy journalist who sometimes needs an idea for her column. Enter, The Someday File; a simple manila envelope containing collected scraps of possible story ideas.
Her next story, straight from the someday file, connects an over-prosecuted thief to an assassinated congressman and to a horrific fire that killed many people fifty-seven years earlier. What in the world has Deuce stumbled upon? And why are people around her being killed?
Jean Heller does a wonderful job lacing these events together while still keeping the proverbial “bad guy” hidden until the end. Sprinkled throughout, Heller lets the reader drop into the mind of a malevolent assassin hellbent on doing his part to keep secrets buried.
Heller’s main characters are well drawn with a certain amount of depth, which makes clear that Heller knows her characters. The same is true with her secondary characters; while the text is not bogged down with over-descriptive blah, blah, blah, the writer has chosen key elements, which makes the character relatable enough to be remembered.
This book is labeled as a mystery, and it is! But anyone who enjoys the fast pace of a suspense/thriller will enjoy this book.
May 3, 2020
An Excellent Read
Our Hero is Deuce Mora, yup that’s her name. She works as a columnist for a Chicago newspaper. When she needs inspiration for a story she pulls out her “Someday File”, it is filled with cold cases, stories that never came to a satisfactory end. Then one night she meets a man at a bar, Vinnie Colangelo, an ex-con who spent years in a federal prison, he swears he was set up and is innocent. After many drinks he tells her about a murder that will happen in Las Vegas. The next day, Vinnie is found dead in his apartment, tied up and tortured. Deuce begins looking into his claims, sifting through layers of subterfuge and people unwilling to talk. This is a very well constructed story that will keep you turning pages all day and well after bedtime. I have found a new Character to follow. Thank You Ms Jean Heller.
Our Hero is Deuce Mora, yup that’s her name. She works as a columnist for a Chicago newspaper. When she needs inspiration for a story she pulls out her “Someday File”, it is filled with cold cases, stories that never came to a satisfactory end. Then one night she meets a man at a bar, Vinnie Colangelo, an ex-con who spent years in a federal prison, he swears he was set up and is innocent. After many drinks he tells her about a murder that will happen in Las Vegas. The next day, Vinnie is found dead in his apartment, tied up and tortured. Deuce begins looking into his claims, sifting through layers of subterfuge and people unwilling to talk. This is a very well constructed story that will keep you turning pages all day and well after bedtime. I have found a new Character to follow. Thank You Ms Jean Heller.
January 13, 2015
Great book with an amazing female lead character. Usually I can figure out "who done it" in thrillers - but this one was a surprise to the end. A great read.
November 14, 2022
This book had lots of things going against it for me. First off, the Main Char. , and by extension the author, is a Gun hating, left winged Liberal. If you know me at all, you know that is an automatic turn off for me. Second of all, while words are the stock and trade of an Author, sometimes less is more. This author writes as if she found a buy one get two free sale on words, just using a whole lot of words to say a lot of nothing.
Even with all of this going against the book, the story its self was compelling and very interesting. The story is laid out in a way to hold your interest and to keep you guessing. The outcome was surprise. Lots of twists and turns that will keep you guessing the entire time!
To add insult to injury, somewhere in the middle of this book, the Author for some unknown reason decided to turn it x-rated. The sex scene which she vulgarly describes in great detail did nothing at all to move the story forward and was completely un-needed. She could have simply told us that they had sex or made love and been done with it... Maybe some details said in a polite way. This is a book i could have other wise shared with friends, my Children or other polite company now destroyed.
If not for the fact that the story its self was compelling and interesting, i would have given this book a much lower star rating, however the story its self, was very good... i just disagree with many of the choices that the Author made on how it should be told.
Even with all of this going against the book, the story its self was compelling and very interesting. The story is laid out in a way to hold your interest and to keep you guessing. The outcome was surprise. Lots of twists and turns that will keep you guessing the entire time!
To add insult to injury, somewhere in the middle of this book, the Author for some unknown reason decided to turn it x-rated. The sex scene which she vulgarly describes in great detail did nothing at all to move the story forward and was completely un-needed. She could have simply told us that they had sex or made love and been done with it... Maybe some details said in a polite way. This is a book i could have other wise shared with friends, my Children or other polite company now destroyed.
If not for the fact that the story its self was compelling and interesting, i would have given this book a much lower star rating, however the story its self, was very good... i just disagree with many of the choices that the Author made on how it should be told.
May 14, 2023
Boy, I really got into this book and thoroughly enjoyed it! Deuce Mora, a newspaper columnist, interviews a guy for a human interest story - something out of her file for "someday." He talks about something big happening in Las Vegas and how he was railroaded into Federal prison; he's a drunk, so doesn't seem to be much there except he's afraid to really talk to her. A congressman is assassinated in Las Vegas the next day and Vinnie (the drunk) is tortured and murdered that night. How can they be connected? Therein lies the adventure and the mystery. It was intriguing to see how Deuce runs into dead end after dead end that all seem vaguely connected. And it centers on Vinnie's conviction 25 years earlier. Good procedural unraveling, great character development, and a good story. Good read!
April 5, 2020
First In A Great New Series
Move over, Charlie Fox. Deuce Mora is about to become my favorite kick-ass heroine. Reporter as protagonist is not a new idea but Jean Heller makes the most of it. The writing is terrific, the characters are interesting, and the plot definitely holds your interest. I do have two small issues, however. The identity of the “villain” was telegraphed fairly early in the book, and the Spanish idioms of the Jerry Alvarez character being translated into English became annoying at times. Small annoyances that only slightly detracted from the story. I look forward to reading all the books in this welcome new series.
Move over, Charlie Fox. Deuce Mora is about to become my favorite kick-ass heroine. Reporter as protagonist is not a new idea but Jean Heller makes the most of it. The writing is terrific, the characters are interesting, and the plot definitely holds your interest. I do have two small issues, however. The identity of the “villain” was telegraphed fairly early in the book, and the Spanish idioms of the Jerry Alvarez character being translated into English became annoying at times. Small annoyances that only slightly detracted from the story. I look forward to reading all the books in this welcome new series.
April 8, 2020
What I look for in just about any work of fiction is a protagonist I can like… and I definitely like journalist Deuce Mora. It was nice to read a thriller/mystery from the point of view of a journalist rather than a cop or PI. This book kept me engrossed from page 1 as Deuce decides to follow up on a story which has been lying, abandoned, in a file of stories she might write some day. And that's when the dead bodies start piling up.
I will definitely read more of Jean Heller's Deuce Mora series.
I will definitely read more of Jean Heller's Deuce Mora series.
June 1, 2020
Deuce Mora a reporter, mostly article that touch the nerves of people who regularly read the newspaper. It has to do with gun control when innocence people are killed. She has a Someday File,when she has no idea. From this lead her to a bar and try to interview a man. Taking him home, someone seen then or what exactally happen he ended being brutally killed, and her life now maybe in danger. The connection to the mob his prison sentence, was this behind it, she wants answers. She digs, has articles to write. Good story.minus. Cuss and sex used
December 30, 2021
I enjoyed this book. I am the daughter of a newspaperman, so I connected with the main character Deuce. This Chicago columnist starts digging into a story that involves the murder of a Congressman, a fire at an immigrant camp in the 50s, the Chicago Organization or mob, and a string of murders and near murders that happen as she investigates the connections. She is a likable character who takes this case to heart. It took me a while to connect who was who in the story that covered 5 decades, but once I understood the characters, it took a deep hold.
April 11, 2020
Edge of your seat
This was a page turning novel holding the reader spellbound want to know what’s going to happen. I never thought that it would turn out to be who it was. Had a little romance and somewhat steamy sex but not over bearing like just a few pages. This book had all the makings of a great suspense detective story with the help of a strong female character as the journalist. AWESOME is the best to describe this book!!!!
This was a page turning novel holding the reader spellbound want to know what’s going to happen. I never thought that it would turn out to be who it was. Had a little romance and somewhat steamy sex but not over bearing like just a few pages. This book had all the makings of a great suspense detective story with the help of a strong female character as the journalist. AWESOME is the best to describe this book!!!!
September 5, 2021
Good first book in a series. Deuce Mora, Chicago reporter
Deuce doesn’t back down, she keeps asking the hard questions even when people are getting killed. A guy’s name is given to her as a possible item for her column. He won’t tell her his story, just some pieces of his history and then he is killed. What!?? She follows those pieces and people keep getting killed…. Looking forward to the next in the series.
Deuce doesn’t back down, she keeps asking the hard questions even when people are getting killed. A guy’s name is given to her as a possible item for her column. He won’t tell her his story, just some pieces of his history and then he is killed. What!?? She follows those pieces and people keep getting killed…. Looking forward to the next in the series.
September 27, 2024
Chicago Fire
This is the start of a new series and a new to me author. I have already purchased the second book, and expect to read straight through. The journalist has a huge heart and tenacious detecting, while working through decades of Chicago crime. It is all here - intelligent interesting characters, twisted tale, mob connections, romance, hidden identities, and hope. Great reading combination.
This is the start of a new series and a new to me author. I have already purchased the second book, and expect to read straight through. The journalist has a huge heart and tenacious detecting, while working through decades of Chicago crime. It is all here - intelligent interesting characters, twisted tale, mob connections, romance, hidden identities, and hope. Great reading combination.
October 4, 2025
I knew it!!! But when I finally realized I was right I was surprised!! The whole storyline is so twisted with so much background. I love it that this author helps the reader remember who everyone is by not only saying their name, but usually stating their reference to the story. So very helpful. And what a story it is, it just blew me away!! This author has a lot of imagination, strives for details and is a great storyteller!!!
October 23, 2025
I���m not usually attracted to mob drama, but I chose this book as it was one of the handful of Christine Lakin narrated audiobooks available through my library when I had a few long days of listening ahead of me. Really enjoyed the Deuce Mora character. Didn’t love the body shaming narrowly hidden within the paragraph long descriptions of minor characters. Not likely to listen to others in this series.
December 3, 2018
Deuce Mora is a fun character. She's an attractive, 6' tall, investigative reporter who has bulldog tenacity in the face of escalating threats and a rising body count. Jean Heller just got added to my list of favorite authors as her characters are realistic, her dialogue is credible and has touches of humor and her plots are intriguing.
April 11, 2020
S
As a former TV journalist, I have some small idea of the demands she faced in her role as a journalist. She captured the spirit precisely and made it difficult for the reader to temporarily lay the book aside. I just admit, the plot was one of the most unusual one can imagine! Well done.
As a former TV journalist, I have some small idea of the demands she faced in her role as a journalist. She captured the spirit precisely and made it difficult for the reader to temporarily lay the book aside. I just admit, the plot was one of the most unusual one can imagine! Well done.
October 7, 2021
Good story but a few too many characters
I found this writer through bookbub and really enjoyed her writing style. It is sharp and the editing is first-rate. But I found too many characters in the Mob with Italian names and feel the story would have been tighter if several of them had been edited out. But I will read more in this series!
I found this writer through bookbub and really enjoyed her writing style. It is sharp and the editing is first-rate. But I found too many characters in the Mob with Italian names and feel the story would have been tighter if several of them had been edited out. But I will read more in this series!
November 8, 2021
I really enjoyed this book, a new author for me. The pace was great and the main character, a journalist, was credible and interesting. The author skillfully weaves past and present and presents the reader with an array of characters from different walks of life. I'm looking forward to the next book.
March 19, 2024
I really didn't think in the beginning I was going to like this book; however the journalist main character kept me coming back for more....her attitude and character I loved...the story was very good. This is the first in a series of 4 so I am looking forward now, to reading her next book in this series.
October 16, 2018
Great Reading!!!
This was one suspenseful and intriguing book, with great characters. A real page turner that kept me wondering, who it is? A real shocker for me at the end. Thanks 🐕
This was one suspenseful and intriguing book, with great characters. A real page turner that kept me wondering, who it is? A real shocker for me at the end. Thanks 🐕
December 20, 2018
Very good, flows well. Hard to put down
Good characters, interesting setting and quick pace made this a four star read. I am putting this author on my must read list.
I very rarely will rate anything a five.
Good characters, interesting setting and quick pace made this a four star read. I am putting this author on my must read list.
I very rarely will rate anything a five.
March 27, 2019
Super duper good read
Could not put this book down. So good and such a great mystery. Multiple deaths related by the investigative reporter and her story involving a stolen shipment of scotch, horrid deaths in a migrant camp and the assassination of a congressman in Las Vegas.
Could not put this book down. So good and such a great mystery. Multiple deaths related by the investigative reporter and her story involving a stolen shipment of scotch, horrid deaths in a migrant camp and the assassination of a congressman in Las Vegas.
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