Launch - Note from the Author
. . . A continuation from the first installment, Stolen Obsession, Annalisse not only addresses her failed relationship with Alec Zavos, she uncovers a betrayal that crushes her in Spent Identity. Grab a paperback or eBook and see if you can uncover the family secrets before she does. I dare you!— Marlene
Published: December 11th, 2019
To find her missing aunt, she has to unearth the secrets of the past. But lies and deceit run through the very heart of their town….
What started out as a promising relationship with adventurer and tycoon Alec Zavos has fizzled into an uncertain future for antiquities expert Annalisse Drury. Returning to Walker Farm in Upstate New York to see her Aunt Kate should have been a welcome homecoming and distraction. Instead, she finds the childhood home she expected to inherit is for sale, without her permission. What’s worse, Kate’s ranch manager makes a gruesome discovery in the barn: the body of a man, dead by foul play.
Annalisse turns in Alec’s direction for help. She and her aunt shelter on his estate in the Catskills while the authorities canvass the scene. But when Kate herself disappears without a trace, Annalisse fears the worst: that one of the many secrets of her hometown has ensnared her family—a secret someone is willing to kill for to keep hidden.
"This book has a “film noir” feel to it. It was a page-turning read that I found was difficult to put down at times. . . . The writer has a realistic, graphic and vivid writing style. So much so that I could see the action taking place as if I was watching a movie."Reading Excursions - Review
". . . the plot picked up at a ferocious pace full of backstory and twists and turns that finally drew me in and had me absorbed. While in its grips, I made my own assumptions on how the book would end and boy was I wrong. I began to truly value Mrs. Bell writing and was wowed by the creative and cunning reveal at the end." Momfluenster - Review
"Spent Identity was very well-written and planned out. I was impressed by the layers upon layers of plot used to keep the reader guessing. . . . The relationships between the characters felt very organic, and the sleuthing was professional enough to be convincing. Overall, Spent Identity was a pleasant and suspenseful read." Paper, Ink, & Lizard - Review
"I do love a good family-secrets mystery, and this didn’t disappoint in that regard!"Savings in Seconds - Review
"This story is well written, dramatic, compelling and suspenseful, as well as beautifully descriptive. The setting, the atmospheric presence of place and time, is its own immersive character. All in all, it's a crazy thrill ride with numerous surprises that mystery fans will love!"Jypsylynn - Review
"What I can tell you for sure about this book is the wild ride I was taken on from the start. . . . I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I liked the author's writing and will read more of her work so, I think that if your are already a fan of Ms. Bell's work you will definitely want to read this book and if she is a new to you author like she was to me, than you should pick up a copy."Peaceful Pastime - Review
"There is nonstop action, mystery and romance in Spent Identity.. The characters are well-portrayed, the scenes vividly defined and there are several unexpected 'twists'. . . it was very captivating and intense most of the time. . ."Rockin' Book Reviews - Review
"I previously read and enjoyed the first book in the series, Stolen Obsession. I liked this story even more. The mystery and suspense was, also, filled with some twists and turns that kept me interested as to what would happen next." Locks, Hooks and Books - Review
Stolen Obsession (#1)
People die, but legends live on.
New York antiquities appraiser Annalisse Drury recently lost her best friend to murder. The killer’s identity may be linked to her friend’s expensive missing bracelet—a 500-year-old artifact that carries an ancient curse, one that unleashes evil upon any who dare wear the jewelry created for the Persian royal family.
Weeks later, Annalisse sees a matching necklace at a Manhattan gallery opening. She begs the owner to destroy the cursed piece, but her pleas fall on deaf ears—despite the unnatural death that occurs during the opening. With two victims linked to the jewelry, Annalisse is certain she must act.
Desperate, Annalisse enlists the gallery owner’s son to help—even though she’s afraid he’ll break her heart. Wealthy and devastatingly handsome, with a string of bereft women in his wake, Greek playboy Alec Zavos dismisses Annalisse’s concerns—until his parents are ripped from the Zavos family yacht during their ocean voyage near Crete.
Annalisse and Alec race across two oceans to save his mother, feared dead or kidnapped. When the killer changes tactics and goes after Alec behind Annalisse’s back, can her plan to rescue Alec’s mother save them all?
Hold on for a heart-thumping, thrilling adventure through exotic lands in this fast-moving romantic suspense mystery by Marlene M. Bell.
Praise for the Book
"Debut author Bell delivers a great, slow-building romance, gently examining her characters' painful pasts." — Kirkus Reviews
"An irresistible page turner and a successful melding of thriller and romance. With a splash of international adventure and plenty of surprises, Stolen Obsession is an entertaining read and a great beginning to the Annalisse Series." — Self-Publishing Review,
We hope you enjoyed the tour! If you missed any of the stops
you'll find snippets, as well as the link to each full post, below:
Goodreads ** Amazon ** Barnes & Noble ** Book Depository
Don't forget to enter the giveaway at the end of this post...
About the author:
Marlene M. Bell is an award-winning writer and acclaimed artist as well as a photographer. Her sheep landscapes grace the covers of Sheep!, The Shepherd, Ranch & Rural Living, and Sheep Industry News, to name a few. Her catalog venture, Ewephoric, began in 1985 out of her desire to locate personalized sheep stationery. She rarely found sheep products through catalogs and set out to design them herself. Marlene and her husband, Gregg, reside in beautiful East Texas on a wooded ranch with their dreadfully spoiled horned Dorset sheep, a large Maremma guard dog named Tia, along with Hollywood, Leo, and Squeaks, the cats that believe they rule the household—and do.
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5 comments:
The excerpt sounds great.
This sounds like an excellent book.
Sounds like a great book and awesome series - thanks for sharing!
The cover is great and the storyline sounds great. I like Gillian Flynn's work.
I think the book sounds really good.
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