Member Reviews
With SNITCH by Dharma Kelleher, I am becoming the Shea Stevens series and author Dharma Kelleher’s #1 fan. This book was just everything. I had read the first book and am now wanting to complete the series asap. I cannot recommend this series and this author strongly enough. Get this. Read this. Read all the series. I think you’ll love it. LGBTQ+ thriller series that slays!
What a fascinating book. I was impressed by the storyline and the characters were all well written and complex. Where there are complex storylines combined with intriguing characters the reader experience is magnified tremendously. To have a book that is well written as well as entertaining is a delight. Reading is about escaping your world and entering another one. The word building was phenomenal in this book. Here I forgot about my own life and was immersed in the world created by the author. I would recommend this book.
A fast paced thrilled featuring an unusual heroine in Shea. She's trying to stop the distribution of a deadly drug and to do so infiltrates a biker gang. Lots of bad decisions by just about everyone- this will make you groan in spots. It will also have you turning the pages.
I found this easy to read. Kept a good pace. It's full on. I was expecting something like TR Ragan. It was different to what I expected but I wasn't disappointed.
I love the Mc Club books , these are bunch of bad ass women that can take care of business.
Every single character in this book makes the worst possible choice, no matter what his or her options are. Every. Single. Time. The cops are all portrayed as incompetent, the men are all rapists and drug dealers, and the main character and her friends are supposed to be badass biker chicks, but actually just come across as pathetic women who are incapable of making intelligent decisions. This book is marketed as a thriller, but that only makes sense if you find it thrilling to read about shallow characters who behave in ridiculous ways in every situation.
I didn't really enjoy this book. I have problems reading books with a lot of swearing in, it doesn't add anything to the story and I find it very distracting.
Following Shea Stevens’ adventures is a bit – a lot – like watching a slow-moving train wreck. The impact is inevitable; you just don’t know exactly when it will happen or how damaging it’s going to be. The first book in the series ended with Shea gaining a new young member of her household and making a bargain to avoid jail time. This second book in the series explores what happens when Shea has to fulfill her side of the deal.
Three months have passed since Shea lost her younger sister to violence caused by the bike gang in which they grew up. The physical wounds she sustained have mostly healed, and her niece is settling into the normalities of life with Shea and her girlfriend, although all of them are carrying mental scars from what happened. Meanwhile, Shea’s business customising motorbikes mostly aimed at women riders is continuing to grow, and a rich prospective customer offers her a chance to make more new contacts. Then Shea receives a call from the detective she worked with to bring down her sister’s killers.
Someone – and the detective has a good idea who that might be – has been selling drugs to clubbers, which have been cut with strychnine. Several young women have already died, and there will be more if Shea can’t help to catch the criminals by infiltrating the local chapter of the all-female motorcycle club who are believed to be harbouring the culprits. Shea wants to walk away – she’s had more than enough of gangs and the MC lifestyle – especially since the president of the club is her ex-girlfriend, a university professor and hard-line feminist with separatist leanings.
Unfortunately for Shea, she’s issued an ultimatum: do this job or lose everything, since her actions three months earlier violated multiple terms of her parole, and the detective is holding onto evidence to those illegal activities. Shea reluctantly agrees to the undercover role and sets about joining the club, much to the irritation of her girlfriend.
I like Shea in spite of her multiple flaws and host of issues. We don’t learn much more about her childhood traumas in this story, but we do see a lot of events from her more recent past that have shaped who she is today. We also see her trying to juggle her various families inside and outside the motorcycle clubs she associates with, as well as with the little family she has created amongst her co-workers and employees at the bike shop. This isn’t a pretty romance – Shea doesn’t treat her girlfriend particularly well, but she’s willing to learn from her mistakes and atone for them, even if she can’t entirely promise not to repeat some of them. I’m very keen to see where this series takes her – and us readers – next.
I've had the pleasure of interviewing Dharma Kelleher when she read a piece of flash fiction on my radio show and I'm happy to say that her longer style of writing is ever but as good. While I have not read much in the way of women's MC clubs, Kelleher's look into the life was stunning and keep my attention throughout the book. Reviewers fro my network have also give high praise for this novel and I look forward to seeing Dharma's next work. Kudos.
The second book in the Shea Stevens series is every bit as good as the first one. Ex con, biker Shea is once again up to her eyeballs in murder, mayhem and mischief. Her ex girlfriend is president of a motorcycle club that Shea has to infiltrate to try and stop a series of murders. The story at times is a little over the top and somewhat unrealistic but the characters are surprisingly well developed for such escapist fiction. Recommended.
A gripping story that masterfully explores the themes of feminism, love and outlaw culture. The main character's intelligence appears to alter throughout the book which is a sort of plot hole but most of the story portrays a tough as nails woman doing her best. A great action novel.
I found The Snitch easy to get caught up in if not entirely plausible. This is the second of a series although reading the first novel is not a requisite to understanding and enjoying the thriller. The main character, Shea Stevens, is the offspring of the leader of a notorious biking club. She still rides, although not with a club, and customizes motorcycles at her garage. I liked the fact that her character was nuanced but found myself frustrated at her never ending parade of poor choices. Her role as an informer for the police and her involvement with a rather odd female motorcycle club is really where the novel strains the boundaries of reality. Despite those flaws it was a good way to escape into a very different world. Kudos for creating a strong lesbian protagonist and an interesting thriller that does not fill into the typical lesbian roles usually presented in books.
Shea Stevens wants to leave her past behind her as she had been in trouble and get on with her life . Shea had been brought up in a MC called the Confederate Thunder . Monster and his old lady had practically raised Shea. and they love Shea and her niece even though she has pulled away from them. Shea just wants to run her custom motorcycle business and build her custom bikes called The Iron Goddess and be with her family.. But also being a parent to her niece Annie who the court had granted her custody of and be with her girlfriend Jessica who has actually the one taking care of Annie as Shea is putting so many hours into her bike shop and Jessica doesn’t like it. . Then after a night of partying people dying when taking a new drug turns up cut with strychnine. This drug appears to be the reason for the deaths. The Athena Sisterhood seem to be the distributor of this drug. Shea is forced to infiltrate the MC and try to learn more. Shea had to sign a informant contract to stay out of prison on some gun charges before she got out of the MC after a near death experience. Shea was threatened with prison time if she didn’t go undercover into the Athena Sisterhood MC which is run by Shea’s ex girl Deb runs the MC. Shea pushes her way into the MC and becomes a prospect which is dangerous in itself as The Confederate Thunder are insisting the MC submit to having the Confederate Thunder over them and ruling them .Or the Athena Sisterhood could disband. The Confederate Thunder is not dealing the drug as they got rid of all they had. Shea believes the the strychnine was added by the person who bought the drugs. Then Shea reveals someone by the name of Boneface who is at the heart of the distribution. Now Someone is set on killing Shea.
I liked this book. I like how Shea wanted to get away fr4om her past and be happy with her business that she loved doing and be happy with her niece and girlfriend.i felt bad when she was forced to infiltrate the sisterhood and risk her life and everything because of something she ad done in the past.There is a lot of action in this story and has a very good plot. It is also face paced and draws you in and doesn’t let go until the end. A good read that i enjoyed with a new concept of a female MC . the one thing I didn’t like how Shea distanced herself from the couple that raised her and loved her and Annie. wasn’t right to forget them because they still belonged to a MC Shea didn’t have to belong to still have them in her life. But i liked most of the characters and the other characters had their roles to fulfill and I liked the ins and outs of this story and I recommend.
What really surprised me is I HAD To keep reading this. Maybe I was hoping something would change and I would like at least one of the characters...there has to be something redeeming right? Every time I thought about picking up another book, I'd start another chapter of this one and keep going along.
It's not a bad book. The story line is very feminist / LGBT in your face, and a typical MC type of story line. The writing is well contained and moves along nicely. I really just couldn't find something to like about the characters to hit me in the feels.
Snitch, the second novel in Dharma Kelleher's Shea Stevens series is as fast, thrilling, and improbable as they come. And that's what makes it such a fun read.
Shea Stevens just extricated herself from her involvement with the outlaw MC's she swore off. Until a new club, headed by Labrys, who happens to be an exgirlfriend of Shea's, comes to town. And when people start dying from a laced party drug, all signs point to the Athena Sisterhood. The MC headed by Labrys. At the mercy of the local PD, because of the informant contract she signed to keep out of prison, She is instructed to infiltrate the Athena's, and find out who is dealing the drugs.
Shea has been working too long of hours at Iron Goddess, her custom bike shop, and her current girlfriend, Jessica is pissed. Shea was granted custody of her niece Annie, but Jessica's been the one taking all of the responsibilities.
Getting involved with the Athena's, and becoming their newest prospect was not in Shea's plans, but digging out just who's dealing the drugs is becoming harder and harder to suss. It's not the Confederate Thunder, who insists that the Athena Sisterhood either stop wearing their cuts (the vests that declare their membership in the MC), submit to having the Thunder over them (which will never happen because they are committed to feminist causes and will not submit to a bunch of racist, homophobic, misogynistic a$$wads), or disband.
But the Thunder isn't dealing, they sold their entire stash to someone. Indigo, the next best bet isn't dealing either, the mysterious deals she's been making are for her hormones. It's not Labrys either, her deals are from sporting bets. So just who is it, and why are they so set on trying to kill Shea?
With fast paced dealings from the very beginning, Snitch is the perfect follow-up to Dharma's first book in the series, Iron Goddess. This one focuses on the feminist sisterhood, and the power of women and the bonds of sisterhood and friendship. Rooted in intersectional feminism, Snitch reminds us that feminism comes in all shapes, sizes, and colours. From cis-het white women, to trans lesbians of colour, we are all women, and throwing one group under the bus damages us all. And Dharma reminds us of this in a seamless way, of including women of all walks into her books, without making it a "teaching point".
Dharma is on the shortlist of my favourite LGBTQIA authours, which makes reading her writing that much better. And reading books by more LGBTQIA authours should be important, more now than ever. Step out of your comfort zone, read Snitch, seek out other subversive authours, support them, and #RESIST!
A fine sequel to "Iron Goddess". Realistic situations and believable characters along with strong prose keep the story moving. Aside from the harrowing story, the author offers insight into both the LGBT world and the world of biker gangs. Look forward to more in this fine series.
I wish this was a real person because I came to love her. No matter what she got herself into she used her wits to get herself out it. The story is one for the records.
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Dharma Kelleher, and Alibi for providing me with a copy of this book, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
I recently discovered Dharma Kelleher and her biker thriller genre, which is as realistic sounding as it is entertaining to read. After some major dust-ups with the law and the local outlaw motorcycle club, Confederate Thunder, Shea Stevens has been trying to remain below the radar. Her focus has turned to running the Iron Goddess, a custom motorcycle shop, while juggling being a new parent to her niece. When a few people turn up dead after a night of partying, a new party drug cut with strychnine appears to be the culprit. Whispers point to a new female motorcycle club, the Athena Sisterhood, as being responsible for its distribution. Shea is forced into infiltrating the club to learn more, all part of a confidential informant agreement she signed to keep her out of prison. Faced with a significant dilemma, Shea must stomach that the Sisterhood is run by her ex, Deb Raymond. Hesitant, but knowing it is her only chance not to lose it all, Shea agrees to work with the police and worms her way into the Sisterhood. With their strong anti-misogynist views, the Sisterhood clashes with the Confederate Thunder over territory and the right to exist, leading to numerous violent encounters and significant bloodshed. As the number of drug-related deaths rise, Shea pushes harder to get into the middle of the Sisterhood, which leads to a blurring of lines with Deb and places Shea's committed relationship on the ropes. Shea is aware that the Thunder are holding onto a significant amount of product and surmises that it might have been sold to the person responsible for adding the strychnine. The club clashes turn deadly and Shea must take a stand, which places her in a precarious position, trying to protect those she loves while revealing someone by the name of Bonefish, who is at the heart of the distribution. Shea's work as a CI takes over and she begins to lose focus of what matter. What will it take for Shea to reach the tipping point and which 'family' will she choose? With powerful themes and significant undertones, Kelleher offers readers a powerful second instalment of the series.
My knowledge of outlaw motorcycle gangs does not extend past SAMCRO, though I felt as though I was in the middle of a realistic clash on the rough streets of Ironwood, Arizona. Kelleher surely uses some of her personal experiences to help shape the novel and its significant plot lines, much as she did when introducing the reader to the concept in the debut novel. A vast array of characters from various walks of life helps develop the numerous plot lines and creates the needed clash and banter that fuels this clash of wills. Shea Stevens has a convoluted past, as well as a present life that borders on the insane, both of which become clearer through the narrative and the situations into which the protagonist is put. While dealing with some fairly common themes in the mystery genre (drugs, violence, murder), Kelleher is able to spin things to keep them unique and fresh, which is highly appealing to the reader. Keeping the story fast-paced and developing twists throughout, Kelleher keeps the reader guessing until the very end and leaves the series with a few loose ends that can, one would hope, find some resolution in yet another novel. I look forward to seeing more work by Kelleher in the near future, as she has a strong handle on how to keep the reader fixated on the life of motorcycle outlaws.
Kudos, Madam Kelleher for a wonderful follow-up novel. I will be promoting your work to anyone who wants to give this new and evolving genre a try. Know you have a significant fan in me.
I'm always looking for #goodreads that tell stories of those we don't see in books every day. I received this book from NetGalley because it stood out to me as a book with a great story with characters I don't generally get to read.
At first blush, I felt... I don't know... slapped in the face by the cast of this novel. And I don't mean slapped in a bad way. It was just very completely obvious that every single person Shea Stevens knows is gay/lesbian/transgendered. Which didn't bother me, it was just IN YOUR FACE a lot. Once we got past the first third of the book and the major players had been intro'd , that seemed to calm down some.
I don't know anything about this author (I find I have the best experience when I go into a book without preconceived notions and ideas set by the blurb). I wouldn't say SNITCH was a life changing read but I also didn't have to drag myself through it to finish. The story line snagged and held my interest around the 50% mark and there was a LOT of action.
If you are interested in reading a fresh voice in Lesbian Fiction, Dharma Kelleher may be an author to add to your list.
This story has it all - sex, action, murder, mystery, twisted story line and at the heart of it family values!