Murder in Plain Sight: a Summer McCloud ... **This book was generously provided to me in exchange for an honest review.**


This story starts with a murder connected to Summer, our heroine, that makes her run away, introducing the reader to an old mysterious disappearance, involving magic, ambiguous felonies, and more murders.
Everything happens very fast in this paranormal mystery, and I love the pace, don't misunderstand me, in fact I really enjoyed the first 50 pages. The pace was not my issue with this book.

My main problem with this one was the incoherence of the story, the inconsistencies.
I don't want to spoil nothing so I'm not giving examples but, sadly, this book has a few nonsenses, like incongruous conclusions and really wrong judgements, ironically coming the most from a cop (our heroine's boyfriend is a cop, a terrible one, if you ask me).

Every time I was enjoying the story and wanting to know what was going to happen, someone jumped to a ridiculous conclusion and kicked me off the book completely.

Maybe I didn't enjoy this one because I have read lots of mystery books in my life and I am a very picky with them. I don't know. I just know it wasn't for me.

I love the suspense, the way this kind of novels makes me think and has me constantly guessing and on the edge of my chair (or sofa, or bed).
I want them to be difficult, to make me struggle to know what is happening and who did what.

In my modest opinion, in mystery, is equally important the conclusion and the way you come to this conclusion. I think this is exactly the charm mystery books has, and what "Murder in plain sight" lacks.

I hate to give bad reviews but this book was not for me, and it's really a shame because the premise seemed very attractive, and I usually enjoy paranormal mystery.

If you are not as used as I am to mystery books maybe you could love this story.

For years Myra Rutledge and Annie de Silva, founding members of the Sisterhood, have funded an underground network run by former Supreme Court Justice Pearl Barnes to help women escape abusive relationships. When two of Pearl’s clients fail to report for their weekly check-in, the Sisterhood and their allies begin a search for French model Amalie Laurent and her one-time maid, Rosalee Muno. Amalie’s estranged husband, Lincoln Moss, is a distant cousin of the President of the United States and one of his closest advisers. Moss’s power is matched by the violent streak he hides from the world, and he beat Amalie viciously until she finally escaped with her maid’s help. Moss is accustomed to doing exactly what he wants without fear of consequence. But Moss has never faced an adversary like the Sisterhood

#LIEINPLAINSIGHT  4 STARS  AVAILABLE 3/15/16  GREAT READ!!!  @MaggieBarbieri

@StMartinsPress  

 

By: Sylvie Fox 

A Casey Cort Novel #3

ISBN: 9781940811123

Publisher: Penner Media Group

Publication Date: 11/17/2015 

Format: Paperback  

My Rating: 4 Stars

 

A special thank you to Penner Media, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Includes spoilers. 

One of my favorite witty, crime mystery-legal thriller series,Casey Cort (a mix of my top genres). I fell in love with Casey Cort and author, Sylvie Fox when introduced in 2014, with Qualified Immunity. (Love strong women). More intense suspense followed with Under Color of Law in March 2015.

IN PLAIN SIGHT, the third in the series (Casey really gets herself caught up in a dangerous web of deceit), she once again is faced with many moral decisions, which spills over into her personal relationships, and professional career. The lines are blurred between good and evil.

As we pick up from the previous book, there is a romance developing between Casey (white) and the rising assistant U.S. Attorney Miles Siegel (black). However, things do not go so smoothly when the cases conflict.

Defense and Prosecution. Prosecutors charge suspects with crimes and attempt to convict them in court, while defense attorneys strive to defend their client, the suspect, and prevent a conviction. Oil and Water. Not a good combo for romance.

Several Stories Connect:

Set in Ohio, as the book opens we meet Stephanie Wells, in 1999. A fourteen-year-old caught in a difficult situation. Her stepdad just died, and she is glad. Clark has sexually abused her for years. She tells her mom. Of course her mom does not believe her. Stephanie’s life is miserable and she wants nothing more than to escape this environment, before the next man enters their house.

A walk to the park, introduces her to Dion. A devil is disguise. He is nice; however, she is naïve, and does not realize she is walking into a situation, possibly worse than what she had at home. (two evils). Her life will be forever changed in horrific ways for years to come, due to this encounter.

Little does she know, Dion is working for Sledge (her nightmares are just beginning). A young innocent girl now trapped in a world she cannot escape. More abuse. (this girl broke my heart) however, she makes very poor choices and appears she likes food more than anything) she continues going back to the source of her problems. The crazy mom, her loser boyfriends, her sister, and Dion. She needs help!

Jump to 2004, to Jarrod Carter (Sledge Hammer) now a client of Caseys. Of course, she has no clue his background. She knows she needs the money and he is willing to pay. A criminal, a sex trafficking ring, and the lives of innocent young girls and women. He locks them in containers or motel rooms. He uses them for money in order to take care of his own family’s health issues, with the help of his two pawns: Grand and Dion, luring the new desperate young girls into the web of corruption. Jarrod has his own baggage: a sick mother, drug addict sister, and a niece, and all the time trying to move the girls from motel rooms, containers, to his home---to keep from getting caught. A criminal enterprise of pimping women and children. The Midwest’s most notorious sex trafficker.

Casey Cort, formerly an attorney from juvenile court. She barely can pay her bills. She thinks the big money is in criminal law. However, she is a puppet in an upcoming drama which may destroy her personal relationship as well as her career. There is a connection with her past relationship with Judge Brody and her ex-finance (who liked them young, black, and willing). Now she is on her way to prepare a trial.

U.S. Attorney Miles Siegel is working around the clock, to find this criminal, Sledge to put him behind bars. Little does he know, he is Casey’s client? Her client's name is Jarrod Carter. She is defending him. Prostitution, sex trafficking, kidnapping, conspiracy, white collar criminals, violence – you name it; except innocent until proven guilty. Sledge is always one step ahead of the law. With this much tension; no room for romance.

Each character is desperate and striving for something better than they have. Each choice is worse than the previous one. Greed, money, complications, morals, and obstacles get in the way. Resulting in poor choices, guilt, and dangerous outcomes. No happy endings here for anyone. Everyone is keeping secrets.

On a positive note, always love catching up with my favorite gay neighbors, Greg and Jason (not a lot of face time though in this one).

The good and the bad.

While I love the Casey Cort series, and Sylvie’s writing (wit, humor, and awesome courtroom dramas), glued to the pages with suspense and mystery; however, I was greatly disappointed when I reached the ending. A huge let down. There was so much left hanging. I actually went back to re-read the last few chapters, thinking I had missed something, or fell asleep with my late night reading. What the heck?

When I reached 90%, I knew there was no way this was going to wrap up. I was going Oh, NO…(you know when you invest all this time in a book and left hanging?) Nothing really was settled with Stephanie, Casey, Miles, or Sledge. Typically with the previous books in the series, each wraps up nicely. Characters may appear in future books; however, the books move on to a different storyline. With the other books, I rooted for Casey; however, with IN PLAIN SIGHT, not so much. I did not like some of her choices. (am a fan of Miles).

The storyline with Stephanie's character took top focus and the most intriguing (what a childhood). Dying for some justice for her with a continuation of her character. I kept saying: "Go to the police, turn these guys in!" - losing patience with her. Wanted to smack the mother and sister. Want more back story of Dion, an interesting character.

Hopefully there will be a fourth in the Casey Cort series, to find out the fate of the characters. I was all set to give this one another 5 stars, as a great story, like the others; until the abrupt ending (a 3), so balancing with a final 4 rating.

Will poor Stephanie get a second chance at life? What about Casey and Miles – do they stand a chance on opposite sides of the law? Will Sledge finally get caught as his misdeeds catch up with him? Will Casey find a part of the law which fits within her budget, lifestyle, fulfillment, and moral character-- both personally and professionally? Will these victims and women get the help they need? I am hanging out on a cliff awaiting the next.

 

 

This is a very difficult book to read as I like many thought warmly of Jimmy Savile for so many years, and can you blame us? Here was a man who from such humble and hard working beginnings led an extraordinary life. From his early years as a miner (and I use that word with trepidation ) his short spell as a wrestler, his love of marathon running, his virtual creation of the British TV institute “Top of the Pops” and his equally electrifying Jim’ll fix it, a programme that for so many years was at the heart of BBC Saturday night entertainment. Then there was his memorable road safety ads, the famous clunk-click phrase followed by his equally renowned promotion of British Rail “This is the age of the train” He was friends to the powerful and famous, Prince Charles, Margaret Thatcher (who fought for years to obtain his OBE) and even the late Princess Diana sought him out so eager were they to ask his advice and be seen in his company....but against this all and against the charity money he raised was a monster of a man who used his position of celebrity to sexually abuse and destroy the lives of so many.

In Plain Sight by Dan Davies is a monumental book and a compulsive colourful and chilling read. This is a book that was researched for many years and over the course of that time Davies interviewed and spoke with Savile on numerous occasions, yet he always felt that there was a dark untold side to this seemingly affable gent.....and how right he was. It is with great sadness that Savile was not exposed during his lifetime and that those who were abused had not the courage to come forward (or indeed if they did were not believed) at an earlier time. Society and our obsession with celebrity must bear so much of the responsibility and blame for we kept this vile individual on a pedestal for so long even thought the crimes that he committed were done....in plain sight.....