Review: Collateral Damage – Frederick Lee Brooke
Annie Ogden’s life has had its ups and downs. She’s put up with a lot of things, and is finally settling into a semblance of normalcy. She now has a stable life, and a fiance she adores. Salvatore means everything to her, and she’ll do everything she can to make him happy. In her mind, her life is going exactly how she wants it to, until the moment an unexpected attack one day throws everything she knows into limbo.
To Annie’s surprise, her ex-boyfriend, Michael Garcia, is back from the ‘dead’. Though she’d love to tell everyone the truth surrounding Michael’s supposed death, she knows that’s a story she’ll never be able to divulge. There’s a reason she lied about the fact that he was still alive. Unfortunately, it’s a secret she’ll have to take to the grave.
As details about Michael’s sudden reappearance emerge, Annie soon realizes just how much her life has changed. Deep inside, she never stopped loving Michael. Though she may be tempted to reexamine her relationship, if you could call it that, with him, she knows there’s no chance, whatsoever, of their ever becoming more than what they are now. She’s in love with Salvatore. There’s nothing she wouldn’t do for him. So why is it difficult to let go of what she feels for Michael?
When Michael is implicated in a murder, Annie comes to the realization that there’s more he’s not telling her. Getting to the bottom of the situation, unfortunately, is easier said done. Opposition comes at her from every corner, something she should have been used to from the get-go. Her life soon takes a different turn when the killer turns his attention to her. If she’s to succeed in helping clear Michael of the charges, she’ll need to play the killer’s sordid game. The question is, can she do that without losing a piece of herself in the process?
I’ve got to admit that I started this series out of turn, but that’s ok. The way Frederick wrote this story makes it stand alone as its own novel. From the moment you open the book, you’re caught up in Annie’s tumultuous life. She’s gone through so much, and has started to rebuild what’s left of it that you can’t help but to stand in a corner and root for her. Frederick has created such an intriguing world that anyone can relate to. The suspense certainly doesn’t disappoint. I’ve a little catching up to do with books one and two, but I honestly can’t wait. I look forward to more of Annie in the future.
About the Book – About the Author – Prizes!!!
About the prizes: Who doesn’t love prizes? You could win one of two $50 Amazon gift cards or an autographed copy of Collateral Damage! Here’s what you need to do…
- Enter the Rafflecopter contest
- Leave a comment on my blog
That’s it! One random commenter during this tour will win the first gift card. Visit more blogs for more chances to win–the full list of participating bloggers can be found HERE. The other two prizes will be given out via Rafflecopter. You can find the contest entry form linked below or on the official Collateral Damage tour page via Novel Publicity. Good luck!
About the book: When Annie Ogden’s ex-boyfriend Michael Garcia reappears, she has to confront a lie dating back to her time in Iraq. Will she go back to hot, passionate Michael, who has developed a disturbing interest in meth, or stick with her pudgy PI partner and fiancé, Salvatore? The calculus changes when Michael is arrested for murder. When Salvatore refuses to help investigate, Annie is forced to try to find the killer herself. Meanwhile her sister’s creepy husband, Todd, is making more of an ass of himself than usual. Annie’s problems with three obsessive men suddenly pale in significance when she realizes the killer has set his sights on her. Having changed his mind about helping her, Salvatore finds himself in a desperate race against time, the only man capable of finding the killer before it’s too late. Get Collateral Damage through Amazon.
About the author: Frederick Lee Brooke is the author of the widely-acclaimed Annie Ogden mystery series, which includes Doing Max Vinyl, Zombie Candy, and Collateral Damage. The books do not have to be read in order. Having lived in Switzerland for the past two decades, Brooke has taught English, run a business and learned French, German and Italian. You can find him online at www.FrederickLeeBrooke.com. Sign up for his newsletter and read all about his travels, recipes, and upcoming works! Connect with Fred on his website, Facebook, Twitter, or GoodReads.
awesome review
Great review, LizzieBeth. I read the second in Annie’s series, Zombie Candy, and just couldn’t stop laughing! I’m so glad you loved Collateral Damage , and I can’t wait to read it for myself. Thank you for joining us on this tour, and please take a moment to cross-post to Amazon and GoodReads when you have the time. Also don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter and random commenter contests!
Em