Detective Charlotte Pierce Mystery 1-4 by Kate Gable-reviews

 

WHAT SHE DID aka LAST BREATH
(Detective Charlotte Pierce Mystery 1)
by Kate Gable
Genre: adult, contemporary, mystery thriller

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 1, 2022

She walks through the strangely familiar house, hardwood floors creaking under her feet. They are in bed: peaceful, except for the pool of blood spreading across the white sheets.

A couple expecting their first child is brutally murdered in their home. The prime suspect? The scorned ex-wife who supposedly has no knowledge of why she’s there or what happened.

When Detective Charlotte Pierce arrives at the scene, it’s up to her to unravel the mystery of newlyweds’ murder. It looks like an open and shut case, but certain things are not adding up.

Despite pressures from her FBI director father, Charlotte came to Mesquite County to escape the burdens of a big city police department. She has been through a lot and a quiet suburban community where nothing really happens is exactly what she is looking for.

Little does she know that this quiet community is filled with secrets of its own, including those within the police department. She could easily go with the flow, but she refuses to ignore even the smallest inconsistencies.

Was it the ex-wife or is the murderer still out there? Can Charlotte get to the truth before he kills again?.

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REVIEW: WHAT SHE DID aka LAST BREATH is the first instalment in Kate Gable’s contemporary, adult CHARLOTTE FINN PIERCE mystery, suspense, thriller series focusing on Detective Charlotte Pierce.

Told from three first person perspectives (Charlotte, Will, Erin) WHAT SHE DID / LAST BREATH follows in the aftermath of the murder of attorney Derek Bryson and his pregnant wife Susannah. The only suspect is Derek’s ex-wife and former attorney Erin Lowry Bryson, a woman who cannot recall anything in the hours prior to the murders, having been found in the house, covered in blood. As the police struggled to make a case against Derek’s ex-wife, Erin discovers that everything about her own life with Derek has been predicated upon a number of lies, and there is a distinct possibility that she is the pawn in a much bigger game than she could have ever imagined. What ensues is the search for the truth, as Erin begins to interfere in the investigation, and her TSTL (too stupid to live ) actions threaten any possibIlity of a not guilty outcome.

As the story line progresses, we are introduced to Derek’s law partner Christopher Flynn, attorney Sandra Pullman, private investigator Shawn Nieves, Detective Charlotte Pierce and Detective William Torch. The story line focused more so on, and was told mostly from Erin Lowry Bryson’s point of view, and therefore, some of the information and evidence comes from a suspect, and not the police investigation. I think the author should tell more of the story from Charlotte’s point of view, as this is a series focusing, first and foremost, on Detective Charlotte Pierce, and the cases to which she will be assigned. I was a little confused thinking the series was about Erin Lowry.

Kate Gable pulls the reader into a story of suspense and mystery, murder and vengeance, betrayal and discovery. The premise is intriguing; the characters are energetic, real and charismatic.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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NAMELESS GIRL aka WHEN SHE LEFT
Detective Charlotte Pierce Mystery 2
by Kate Gable
Genre: adult, contemporary, mystery thriller

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 17, 2022

When a 13-year-old girl vanished, her friends have kept certain details of that night a secret. Even though she was only a teenager, this mistake continues to haunt Detective Charlotte Pierce.

Twenty years later, Charlotte attends her middle school reunion and begins to investigate what happened to her friend that night.

Meanwhile, back home in Mesquite County, CA, another teenager reports her sister missing and comes home to discover that both of her parents have been brutally murdered.

Will Charlotte be able to locate the missing girl and find out who killed her parents and why?

Will Charlotte ever find out that truth about what happened to her friend that night?

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REVIEW: NAMELESS GIRL aka WHEN SHE LEFT is the second instalment in Kate Gable’s contemporary, adult DETECTIVE CHARLOTTE PIERCE LAST BREATH mystery suspense series focusing on Mesquite County Detective Charlotte Pierce.

NOTE: The series name has changed a couple of times; book two NAMELESS GIRL was original titled WHEN SHE LEFT, and continues to be so at several outlets- there may be some confusion for readers

Told from three first person perspectives (Charlotte, Franny, Madison) following several intersecting and separate paths NAMELESS GIRL focuses on the search for a missing nineteen year old young woman. Sixteen year old, Franny Dillard hasn’t seen her nineteen year old sister Madison in close to three weeks, and her parents appear unconcerned about their daughter’s whereabouts. In an effort to locate her sister, Franny speaks to Detective Charlotte Pierce, in the hopes the police will search for the truth but hours later, Franny arrives home to discover her parents have been murdered, and the mystery begins to spiral out of control.

Meanwhile, Charlotte has been invited to her grade eight reunion, a reunion that forces Charlotte and her friends to revisit the past when one of their own vanished without a trace.

Detective Charlotte Pierce and her partner Detective Will Torch had no idea a missing persons case would devolve so quickly but as the detectives begin a search for the truth, not all is well in Mesquite County, California as money laundering, fraud, murder for hire, extortion, arson and the Mob all coalesce into a mystery of who, what and why. As Charlotte and Will commiserate over dinner and drinks, Charlotte will be introduced to former police officer turned firefighter Dylan Ferreira.

NAMELESS GIRL is an intriguing story of suspense and mystery, murder and manipulation, secrets and lies. The premise is engaging, suspenseful and twisted; the characters are animated and passionate. If you are a fan of the author’s Detective Caitlyn Carr series, you will recognize many similarities and themes

Copy supplied for review

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LAKE OF LIES
Detectives Charlotte Pierce/ Kaitlyn Carr novella 2.5
by Kate Gable
Genre: adult, contemporary, mystery thriller

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 11, 2022

When a young woman’s lifeless body is found with strangulation marks not far from her tent, Detective Charlotte Pierce heads to the small mountain town of Quail Lake to investigate.

Mesquite County Sheriff’s department is short staffed and the only other person working the case is an inexperienced deputy who has never investigated a murder.

Soon, Charlotte discovers that the twenty-year-old murder victim was living in a camper van with her boyfriend and documenting their life online as van life influencers.

But there’s more to it. Charlotte had actually met the couple while on a hike by a desert waterfall and intervened when their argument got intense.

Now, Charlotte is up against the clock to find the boyfriend, the person she suspects was the last one to see the woman alive.

The investigation leads her from the sleepy town of Quail Lake to the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles and the streets that she is all too familiar with having worked previously for the LAPD. It also brings her in contact with an old acquaintance, Detective Kaitlyn Carr who helps her with the mystery.

As Charlotte and Kaitlyn start to pieces of the puzzle together, they find out that appearances are deceiving. Quail Lake is a town where secrets don’t want to stay buried and the truth will put both of their lives in danger.

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REVIEW: LAKE OF LIES by Kate Gable is a cross over novella from the author’s DETECTIVE CHARLOTTE PIERCE and DETECTIVE KAITLYN CARR series.

Told from first person perspective (Charlotte Pierce) with a single chapter by Kaitlyn Carr LAKE OF LIES follows in the wake of a young woman, found dead at her campsite, a young woman whom Detective Charlotte Pierce had witnessed being abused by her boyfriend at another time. Days earlier Charlotte came across a young couple, Madison and Michael, who were filming and blogging their journey across the country when the young man became aggressive and abusive towards Madison. Offering to press charges, Charlotte is surprised when the young woman declines, contiuing on their journey together. Days later, a hiker stumbles across a body, the murder victim is none other than young woman Madison, the woman Charlotte met days before. With the boyfriend as the prime suspect, Charlotte begins an investigation but a staff shortage at the precinct forces Charlotte to call in help from Detective Kaitlyn Carr, who is tasked with interviewing the boyfriend’s parents. Suspecting all was not right with the parents, Kaitlyn quickly becomes suspicious when the young couple’s van is found parked outside, and the parents claim no idea as to the how and why. Brought in for questioning, Michael proclaims his innocence directing the detectives towards someone else. What ensues is the search for the truth, and the fall out when obsession leads to murder, prefaced by love.

LAKE OF LIES bares some but limited resemblance to a recent murder case that gained national attention when another couple filmed their trip across America, a trip that ended in the murder of the young woman. LAKE OF LIES is a novella length, fast paced, quick read that pulls together two tough but experienced Detectives as they search for a killer, to bring justice for a young woman who died long before her time. The premise is intriguing with a couple of twists and turns.

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MISSING LIVES aka HOW SHE DISAPPEARED
Detective Charlotte Pierce Mystery 3
by Kate Gable
Genre: adult, contemporary, mystery thriller

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 26, 2022

When two young boys disappear while riding their bikes, Detective Charlotte Pierce must follow the clues to find their killer before he strikes again.

In the dusty outskirts of Mesquite County, California, two kids go missing, taken from outside their homes. The quiet desert community is devastated and it’s up to Charlotte to find out what happened.

The FBI is called in and a man who stalked and terrorized Charlotte comes back into her life. She kept his secret to protect her career, but is now being forced to work with him to solve the case.

What happens when she confronts him about what he has done? What happens when the killer start searching for another victim?

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REVIEW: MISSING LIVES aka HOW SHE DISAPPEARED is the third instalment in Kate Gable’s contemporary,adult DETECTIVE CHARLOTTE PIERCE MYSTERY (aka Detective Charlotte Pierce) mystery/suspense series focusing on Mesquite County, California Detective Charlotte Pierce. MISSING LIVES can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading the series in order as there is an ongoing premise throughout.

NOTE: Once again, the author has changed book titles, and the series name such that the confusion is making it difficult to keep track of the books and series order. MISSING LIVES/ HOW SHE DISAPPEARED is part 3 of the Charlotte Pierce Mystery, yet the author has the same series aka Detective Charlotte Pierce with the first two books (different) titles with the same characters and premise, and that book 3 is a different premise all together. Confused..yep, so am I.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Charlotte and Kelsey) MISSING LIVES follows several paths including the truth behind Charlotte’s missing childhood friend Kelsey, the disappearance and murder of two young boys, Charlotte’s boyfriend’s dangerous and deadly work assignment, and a ghost from the past that refuses to let go.

Detective Charlotte Pierce and her partner Detective Will Torch are assigned to investigate the disappearance of a young boy who would later be found dead. As the duo begin their investigation into the first of three missing boys, Charlotte will be forced to work alongside the man who almost destroyed her life, an FBI Agent who continues to harass our story line heroine. When Charlotte reveals the truth to her partner, about what happened years before, she must consider her options going forward, options that may threaten our heroine’s career.

Meanwhile, Detective Will Torch’s personal and professional life are about to collide; and Charlotte’s boyfriend is injured on the job.

MISSING LIVES is a fast paced, intriguing, suspense filled story of secrets and lies, power and betrayal, family and friendships, obsession and murder. The premise is captivating, dramatic and intense; the characters are charismatic and determined. Detective Kaitlyn Carr from the author’s Kaitlyn Carr series crosses over with a cameo appearance in preparation for an upcoming cross-over novella.

Here’s hoping the series, the books, the stories and the covers eventually merge and release in a non-confusing manner.

Copy supplied for review

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GIRL IN THE LAKE
Detective Charlotte Pierce Mystery 4
by Kate Gable
Genre: adult, contemporary, mystery thriller

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 6, 2022

Hidden secrets and deadly lies…

Following the incident that nearly killed her boyfriend, Detective Charlotte Pierce needs a weekend away with him in the quaint mountain town of Quail Lake, California.

However, their trip is interrupted when a sixteen-year-old camp counselor goes missing. The girl’s body is later found by the lake shore with strangulation marks around her neck and bruises all over.

The sleepy town of Quail Lake has only one inexperienced deputy on call and Charlotte can’t say no when the sheriff asks her to help with the investigation.

When she begins to speak to the girl’s roommates and crush as well as other camp counselors, Charlotte’s instincts tell her that this wasn’t a drifter who had committed this terrible murder. This was someone who was close to her. But who would want such a nice girl dead?

As Charlotte continues to investigate, she discovers that Camp Quail Lake is full of secrets and lies. Nothing is what it seems and everyone has a reason to keep their stories to themselves.

From the exciting beginning to its various twists and turns, the novel will keep you guessing all the way to the end. Girl in the Lake is a stark reminder that summers don’t last forever, secrets can’t stay buried and but murderers kill for a reason.

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REVIEW GIRL IN THE LAKE is the fourth instalment in Kate Gable’s contemporary, adult DETECTIVE CHARLOTTE PIERCE MYSTERY THRILLER series focusing on former LAPD Detective Charlotte Pierce. GIRL IN THE LAKE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading the series in order for back story and cohesion as their is an ongoing premise throughout.

WARNING: Due to the nature of the story line premise including talk of suicide and self harm, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from first person (Charlotte) and third person (Sarah) GIRL IN THE LAKE follows Detective Charlotte Pierce as she vacations with her boyfriend in Quail Lake, California. Charlotte’s boyfriend Dylan is recovering from an accident that nearly took his life, and our couple needed to spend some quiet time together in the mountains of Quail Lake but an early morning jog finds Charlotte at the scene where a young woman’s body has been located, a sixteen year old girl counsellor from Camp Quail Lake. Along with an overwhelmed local police officer Deputy Gavin Skeeter, Charlotte gets permission to lead an investigation where they begin to unravel the secrets and lies that lead to the person responsible for killing Sarah Dunn. From jealousy and rivalry of teenaged girls, Charlotte begins to piece together a possible motive for the killing of one of their own.

Meanwhile, Charlotte and Dylan’s relationship struggles with Charlotte’s need to see the investigation through to the end. Charlotte knows their time together is going to suffer but our heroine also knows that she is the only person with the ability to get the job done.

GIRL IN THE LAKE is a story of jealousy, first loves, friendships and heart break. The premise is intriguing and engaging; the characters are numerous, energetic, charismatic and young.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy