- Paperback: 264 pages
- Publisher: Camel Press (May 1, 2013)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1603819177
- ISBN-13: 978-1603819176
"The Fallen Angels Book Club" is also available in ebook form.
The Fallen Angels Book Club has only two requirements: the members must love books and have a white-collar criminal record. Hollis Morgan fits the bill. Left holding the bag in an insurance fraud scheme concocted by her now ex-husband, she served her time and is trying to rebuild her life. All she wants is for the court to pardon her conviction so she can return to law school.
After one of her fellow members is murdered in a scenario straight out of a club selection, Hollis is once again the subject of police scrutiny. Refusing to get stuck with another bad rap, she sets out to investigate her fellow club members. Is one of them really blackmailing the others? As a second member dies in yet another book-inspired murder, Hollis realizes that time is running out. Everything rides on her finding the killer--not just her career aspirations. She must identify the killer before she herself becomes the next victim. Everyone is convinced she knows more than she lets on. But what is it, exactly, that is she supposed to know?
The Fallen Angels Book Club is the first book in an exciting new mystery series featuring amateur sleuth Hollis Morgan.
My take on this book:
The Fallen Angels Book Club meets monthly in the San Lucian Library's main room and there are only two requirements to be a part of the club you have to be a book lover and be a white collar ex-felon. Well at thirty-two Hollis Morgan meets both requirements in spades. You see Hollis was a nice, yet naive girl who married Bill,a man who sort of tricked her into signing something that wound up costing her her freedom for five years. She is hoping though to get her record expunged, and put all of that behind her, in the hopes of eventually becoming a lawyer. When one of the Book Clubs members is murdered and the murderer committed the crime in the same way as it was done in the last plot of the book that the club had read, the police start scrutinizing Hollis as a suspect, and if that isn't enough her ex-husband has started calling her. Is this a coincidence or is he somehow tied to the crime? Can Hollis clear her name without becoming the next victim?
I love a good mystery and this one didn't disappoint The author really kept me guessing who dun it right up until the end! In addition to the great mystery, the author also provides a very unique premise along with unique characters in this story.The idea of an ex-felon book club was something that was totally different, and the fact that the main character has a criminal record was also unique. That said I really did empathize with Hollis because I felt like she was a good person who got caught up with an unsavory character (her husband) and basically he hung her out to dry to save his own neck. I liked that she wasn't bitter and was trying to achieve goals that she was working on before she went to jail. "The Fallen Angels Book Club" is a satisfying, clean mystery with several twists that kept me guessing, and also left me anxious for the next book in the Hollis Morgan Mystery series.
The Fallen Angels Book Club meets monthly in the San Lucian Library's main room and there are only two requirements to be a part of the club you have to be a book lover and be a white collar ex-felon. Well at thirty-two Hollis Morgan meets both requirements in spades. You see Hollis was a nice, yet naive girl who married Bill,a man who sort of tricked her into signing something that wound up costing her her freedom for five years. She is hoping though to get her record expunged, and put all of that behind her, in the hopes of eventually becoming a lawyer. When one of the Book Clubs members is murdered and the murderer committed the crime in the same way as it was done in the last plot of the book that the club had read, the police start scrutinizing Hollis as a suspect, and if that isn't enough her ex-husband has started calling her. Is this a coincidence or is he somehow tied to the crime? Can Hollis clear her name without becoming the next victim?
I love a good mystery and this one didn't disappoint The author really kept me guessing who dun it right up until the end! In addition to the great mystery, the author also provides a very unique premise along with unique characters in this story.The idea of an ex-felon book club was something that was totally different, and the fact that the main character has a criminal record was also unique. That said I really did empathize with Hollis because I felt like she was a good person who got caught up with an unsavory character (her husband) and basically he hung her out to dry to save his own neck. I liked that she wasn't bitter and was trying to achieve goals that she was working on before she went to jail. "The Fallen Angels Book Club" is a satisfying, clean mystery with several twists that kept me guessing, and also left me anxious for the next book in the Hollis Morgan Mystery series.
Read an excerpt:
Tonight it was my turn to come early and set up the space for our book club meeting. Our monthly gatherings were held in a small windowless conference room adjacent to the San Isidro Library’s main reading area. The Fallen Angels Book Club was an exclusive group, not only a love of books was required. You also had to be a white collar ex-felon.
I rubbed my hands together and peeled off gloves. My fingers felt like icicles. Thank goodness someone remembered to turn on the heat. The door opened and a gush of wind blew a cluster of leaves into the room along with Gene Donovan who tossed his hoodie and a small brown leather “man purse” onto one of the folding chairs.
“Hollis, let me help you with that.” His tousled blond hair was more askew than usual. Placing his book on the floor, he came over to where I struggled to roll out the meeting table.
“Appreciate it.” I straightened my back and allowed him to carry the bulk of the table’s weight. Fortunately, when I was with Gene, we didn’t have to speak. I caught a glance at his manicured nails and tucked mine into my palms. I liked Gene. He wasn’t afraid to show his feminine side.
We took special care not to drag the metal chair legs across the glowing veneer of the hardwood floor. Its beauty came from the handiwork of the night cleaning crew who waited for us to leave so they could begin their labor.
We settled into our chairs when Rory Norris strode in, let the door slam and dumped his books on the table. His hazel eyes did a sweep across the room as if expecting an ambush. A few more pounds had crept onto his already thickening frame.
Rory patted his black leather jacket as he laid it over the chair. “Hey, people, did you notice if they lock the gates to the parking lot? My Beemer just got detailed and I don’t want some neighborhood juvenile mistaking it for a marker board.”
“Nice touch, Norris, letting us know you got a new BMW.” Richard Kleh came in pulled off his knitted skull cap, revealing an emerging bald crown. He nodded toward the door. “Go check for yourself. Hey, Hollis, did you finish the read?”
“Of course. You’re the one who never finishes a book.”
“Well, I finished this one. It had me going until the end. The characters were realistic and…and…”
“Memorable?” I could tell from his frown he wasn't kidding.
Author Bio:
R. Franklin James was born and raised in the San Francisco East Bay Area. She graduated from the University of California at Berkeley and completed the masters program in Public Policy at California State University East Bay. She has also received her paralegal certification.
She and her husband live in northern California with their English Springer Spaniel, Bailey.
Catch Up With Ms. James:
Fantastic review!! So glad you enjoyed this book! Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the great review, I'm glad you enjoyed the read.
ReplyDeleteHollis tackles further challenges in book two: Sticks & Stones, due out in early 2014.
RFJ