Book Review: Spent Identity

SPENT IDENTITY

Annalisse Series, Book 2

by

Marlene M. Bell

Genre: Mystery / Suspense / Light Romance Publisher: Ewephoric Publishing Date of Publication: December 11, 2019

Number of Pages: 378

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A body, a disappearance, just another hot summer in upstate New York. It’s July when antiquities appraiser Annalisse Drury reaches her family’s small-town farm to consult with the trusted aunt who raised her. She learns that her beloved homestead—the one she expects to inherit—is for sale. While Annalisse reels at the betrayal and her shattered dreams, the Walker Farm ranch manager discovers a corpse in the barn. Officials close the suspected murder scene, and Annalisse seeks refuge with her aunt at Alec Zavos’s rural estate in New York’s Catskill Mountains. Then Aunt Kate vanishes. Annalisse solicits the help of Greek tycoon, Alec Zavos, even though their rocky romance has dissolved into routine separation. What began as hope on Crete nine months ago has eaten away at Annalisse’s hope for a future with him. In Spent Identity, Annalisse and Alec come together for the second time and find themselves in the center of not one mystery, but several. Where is Kate, and why sell her farm now? Is the dead man a coincidence or a clue to the aunt’s disappearance? John Doe’s identity may hold needed answers to solve the puzzle before Kate’s unstable health issues make her rescue impossible. The clock ticks, and a vengeful murderer is in charge…

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It's my first review of the year, everyone! So excited for another year of reading and writing. Two things I love in the world! Anyways, I started the year off reading the second book of a series, something I haven't done in forever. Starting this series off with the second book was probably not the best idea and I only say this because there were quite a few shocking references back to the first book. Hearing those past references made me sad that I didn't read the first book. I also felt that maybe reading the first book would help readers understand the dynamics of everyone's relationship a little better, but overall, the author does a great job at letting us into what happened in the first book.

This book is right up my alley! Spent Identity is a great mystery novel that makes you second guess everything every other chapter. The story itself starts off a bit slow, but if you pick up this book I encourage you to keep reading as you'll find that after the first few pages, it will keep your attention until the end. 

"I'm not taking your gun, Alec. When you come back, bring my purse, then we'll both have a weapon."

What also might keep you intrigued with the story is the romance. It's not a super heavy topic, but it's prevalent throughout the book. As someone who doesn't read too many romance novels, this was a great medium. The romance, the mystery the wonder is what makes this book very suspenseful and keeps you flipping through the pages until the very end.

Overall, I definitely recommend this book. I would recommend picking up both books in this series as I will be doing this year. It's got a lot of elements going for it and the slow start is worth reading the rest. Make sure to put Spent Identity in your book list for 2020! Until next time, Happy Reading!

★★★★☆

Marlene M. Bell is an acclaimed artist and photographer as well as a writer. Her sheep landscapes grace the covers of publications such as, Sheep!, The Shepherd, Ranch & Rural Living, and Sheep Industry News. Ewephoric, her mail order venture, began in 1985 out of a desire for realistic sheep stationery. A color catalog of non-fiction books and sheep-related gifts may be requested on her website or www.texassheep.com. Marlene and her husband, Gregg reside on a wooded ranch in beautiful East Texas with their dreadfully spoiled horned Dorset sheep, a large and lovable Maremma guard dog named Tia, and Hollywood, Leo, and Squeaks, the cats who believe they rule the household -- and do.

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GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!

$350 PRIZE PACK / ONE WINNER

Autographed copy of Spent Identity & companion notebook, Mary Poppins-style bag (18x13” tapestry carpet bag with leather trim, handmade in Israel), $100 Amazon gift card, and 18” freshwater pearl necklace. 

JANUARY 7-17, 2019

(US ONLY)

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