Ellen Cooper makes one rash decision, and suddenly her life is turned
upside down. She’s suspected of murder and kidnapping all in the same
day.
Author: Paulette D. Morrissey
Publisher: Tulip Square Books
Publication date: February 2nd 2015
ebook
Pages: 185
ASIN: B00T57OZ82
Jacket design: Paulette D. Morrissey
Original photo taken by High Contrast on Wikimedia Commons
"This book was provided by Paulette D. Morrissey in exchange for my honest review alongside my proffered thank-you for asking."
5 Stars
 |
| Paulette D. Morrissey |
This mystery novel had me engrossed from the beginning, Dead Serious Day: A Zachary Marchand Mystery (Zachary Marchand Mysteries Book 1) is a great debut from a very talented author. Paulette's writing was well thought out and seriously, had me turning pages. The twists and turns throughout the story had satisfying outcomes so the reader would be entranced in the story-line.
Had me from the beginning:
Thirty-four year old Ellen Cooper
made a very ill-considered decision on the biggest morning of her career; turns
out that decision gave her an insight into complete madness.
Her ever loveable house-husband Gary
was not a morning person. Ellen had a job opportunity that would set their
finances in great standings and being late was not an option. With two young
adorable children - Katie and Bridget - to get ready for day care and her
herself to do last minute touch-ups, Gary needed to get up and help.
One problem - Gary was dead.
Justifying Gary would want her to
get that bid even though she should have called the authorities, she left to
drop the kids off at their day care and then nail that bid. She'll come home
and act as if she had just found him.
Coming home from her job bid on the
Fullerton project, which was granted to her, reality struck home. The audacious
decision she had made to go to work instead of dealing with a legal problem
became a double nightmare for Ellen. And then some.
Jackie Sievers, a neighbor of about
ten years, came strolling over when Ellen came home with her "Hi Hon!
..."! in her sing-song of a voice to do their afternoon chat and wanting
to borrow that daring red dress.
Both women soon found that not only
Ellen's dead husband not there in their bed but Lou, Jackie's husband, was in
his stead - dead also.
After spending 8 years on the police force in Milwaukee Zachary Marchand turned private investigator sits Ellen down and tries to decipher her mess. Timing was all off from what Ellen explained to him and then after some humbled insight on Ellen's part she decided to come clean with Zach.
Explaining that she found her
husband Gary dead this morning and with her job bid so important she felt Gary
would have wanted her to do what she did. How her next door neighbor Lou ended
up in her bed dead also and her husband missing was a complete mystery.
Jackie of course thought of affairs.
Burning mad, she left for her house.
To make matters worse, a few hours
later Ellen learns that her two children have gone missing from their day
care.
Being suspected of a double homicide
and kidnapping in the span of a day would set anyone into shock. Especially
when you know you are innocent.
Paulette's plot is well thought out and she had created suspense in a tirelessly way for the reader. Such a way that you can't put the book down. The twists and turns keeps you wanting to read and hoping for justice. Even her sub-plot with Rudy.
Ms. Morrissey moved coherently
through time as Zach delved into everyone's past. The pace of the novel is not
quickened to interrupt any "self-thoughts" as you try to figure the
whodunnit. Nicely done Paulette.
Her characters are very believable,
and I really don't want to sound so cliche, nevertheless her characters had
shown true human emotion. Especially the parts where Ellen grieves for her
missing family. On the back porch where she sat and let the tears flow, her
children's bedroom, the realization when reality was hitting home, Zach was
there and needed that human contact.
Even the anger you read of the
antagonist. Paulette wrote in a very "human connection way".
Dialogue was positioned for each
character vividly so you could hear the difference in each person without
exception. Their interior-dialogue was on point, you would expect them to think
the way they were. As I had mentioned - polished author.
Paulette Morrissey explained the
story's location, weather, town's scenery, history - all in a very balanced
tone and overall mood for a great mystery. Yes, this debut is a great start for
her series.
Thought of Michael Connelly and LAPD
Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch when I first started reading but
glad that Zach and Harry are two different guys. Zachary is a character all on
his own with his unruly hair.
I would recommend this read for all
mystery lover's and if your not one - you will become one.
Ms. Morrissey had found my blog on The Book Blogger List
Here's where you can get your fingers on Dead Serious Day:
- Amazon ~ Kindle edition $2.99 Paperback $10.99 - USD
- Barnes&Noble ~ Paperback $10.99 - USD
Dead Serious Day is Paulette Morrissey's first full length mystery novel and
she is working on the sequel in the Zachary Marchand Mystery series. The second
book is called "Not My Life" and is due out in late spring 2015.
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