Someone is trying to turn Portland High into a school for scandal with a gossipy website called Dirty Laundry. The latest target of ruinous rumors is newly elected PTA president Sandra Wallage. After a heated meeting with outraged parents, Sandra runs into fellow school mom and private investigator Maya Kendrick, who’s discovered the person behind the website. But when the women storm into the venomous gossip columnist’s office they find a lifeless body—along with a confession.
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Although the police rule the death a suicide, Maya suspects an injured party hung the Dirty Laundry creator out to dry. Maya already has a PI partner—but she’s pregnant, and sonograms and stakeouts tend to conflict. So when Sandra volunteers for a crash course in sleuthing, Maya accepts the help. But as these unlikely partners study the clues, a killer plans to teach them a lesson . . .
Release Date: Sep 29, 2020
Series:Â A Maya and Sandra Mystery
Book:Â 1
Publisher: KensingtonÂ
Price: $7.99
Private Investigator Maya Kendrick’s life had been turned upside-down by scandal and betrayal. After quitting law enforcement and setting up her PI firm, Maya has gotten a better handle on things and although money is tight, business is good. With her partner and best friend, Frances, being out and eight months pregnant, work has been at an all-time high, lately. And wouldn’t you know it, things are about to take a turn for the crazy! Scandal, secrets and murder en masse in the first book of the Maya and Sandra Series by Lee Hollis.Â
Being in the spot light is never easy and for Sandra Wallage, a Senator’s wife, it’s all about keeping her cool and pretending that her husband is not lying to her again. To top off the disaster of her marriage and its current feature on the vile Dirty Laundry website, Sandra is also this year’s president of the PTA. A chance encounter with Maya, after a disastrous meeting at school, sets forth a murderous chain of events that will upend her life in the best way.
Lee Hollis sets up an extended get-to-know introduction to the the Maya and Sandra friendship. Don’t expect to solve the nitty-gritty murder until the end, because there’s lots of characters gunning to steal the show in this book! I actually prefer this set-up in a first-in-series book. I really want to get to know the characters and build up the chemistry between them and with its paced telling this story delivers. Guilt runs amok with these characters and it seems like there’s a suspect in everyone and everyone is guilty of something. Yikes!
I love a strong female character. A no-holds-barred and take-no crap-from-nobody type of woman. A character that undermines the narrative and pushes forward for the sake of truth and justice. I can just imagine, the mischievous adventures that ensue with stoic Maya and newbie Sandra! These women complement each other, and you can really see their friendship empower each other as the story moves on. Men should get ready for these strong women taking over private investigating.
This was an excellent start to a new series. Ultimately, this story is about sisterhood. The bonds that tie us, the bonds that hold us together, the bonds that disappoint us and the lines we should never cross.Â
~ Patricia
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