I apologize but I was unable to get into this book so have not left any public reviews. I am removing older books from my profile and I am sorry that I was unable to read more of them. I will be more judicious in the future about which books I request and will keep up with publishing my reviews.

This book sucked me in from the start. I found myself sitting up into the wee hours, making deals with myself to read just one more page; then one more chapter before going to sleep. I so enjoyed picking out the clues and trying to figure out who the killer was...only to end up completely surprised. All in all, this was a fun ride and I look forward to the next. Well done T.E. Woods!

T.E. Woods has done it again. Another series that has totally pulled me in. Very well written , as we wait on bated breath for the next installment.

The mayor of Madison is found dead and Wanda Fields, a single-mother waitress is arrested.  She calls Sydney Richardson, the daughter of a late police officer who just opened Hush Money, the new, fancy restaurant in town.  When Sydney starts digging, she pokes several people who push back.  After many twists and turns, the killer is discovered, but it isn't who you think it is.  

Well-written, Hush Money held my attention.  I found it a good read.

Review by 2shay..........

Back in August I read and reviewed Private Lies, book three in T.E. Woods’ Hush Money series. I liked it so well that I decided I needed to start at the beginning. So, I did. (My review of Private Lies can be found here.) I made a mistake. I gave Private Lies 4 Stars and commented that it worked just fine as a stand-alone. Having read the first book, and knowing more about the characters, I owe miss Woods an apology. That book had 5 Stars coming and would have had I read the books in order.

Hush Money was an emotional ride and revelation for me. I empathized with Sydney on a personal level. She and I were both adopted, and her issues reflect my own perfectly. After being told that she is a great person, Sydney thought...

“She wanted to believe it. And even a small of part of her could accept the possibility that she was turning out okay. But deep in her gut she knew she had been, and still was, an inconvenience that needed to be removed. One whose very existence, according to her birth mother’s own words, threatened to destroy multiple lives. The one easiest to throw away. Like yesterday’s garbage.”

Even for successful adults, that sneaky little bombshell creeps into your thoughts and side-swipes you now and then. Ms. Woods has a deep understanding, reflected in her books, of all human interactions. She’s brilliant, and so is this story. The characters are crafted so well that they could be you neighbors, and wish they were.

There is much more. A murder mystery that has a lot of twists and turns. First you think this one did it, then that one. Hmmm....maybe the other? Sydney was so determined that her employee and friend, Wanda, was innocent, that she put herself in a vulnerable position trying to prove it, jeopardizing her relationships with those she loves the most.

You have to stay alert for the clues. Alas, I didn’t and was completely aghast when the killer was revealed. This book kept me riveted. I think this book is one all readers will love. Grab a copy and...

Enjoy! ARC graciously provided by Alibi and NetGalley for an honest and voluntary review.

I almost didn't finish this book, because the language in it was very disturbing to me. However, I'm glad I persevered because, not only did the language improve, but so did the plot. I did enjoy it! It was sort of a cliff-hanger, in that the ending makes you feel like you have to read the next one in the series! So I probably will.

I enjoyed T.E. Woods first series so I knew I wanted to try Hush Money and it was just as good as the first series so I am so glad. 

Sydney is the daughter of a policeman was killed while on duty. She is now the proud owner of two very different restaurants and stressed. One is a low key joint that caters to cops as those were her dads people and she knows a lot of them and wanted a place they could come and hangout. The other is her news venture and it's called Hush Money. It's a very high end kind of place with a fancy chef who really thinks a lot of himself and an you need reservations though on opening night it was first come first served and she was getting nervous nobody would show up but they did. 

One of her employees doesn't show up on opening day and she can't get ahold of her, but someone who does show up is the mayor's wife. It just so happens that the mayor is found dead that very evening and it's Sydney's employee Wendy who is being held responsible. Sydney doesn't know Wendy that well but she just doesn't see her as a killer as she has a little girl, so she does the unpopular thing and hires an attorney that she knows. Sydney has the money to do it because she came into some money as her birth mother has given her what is rightfully hers. (You will have to read to find out what is going on with that.)

The story was a little confusing at first because it starts off with Wendy waking up from getting bumped on the head and she doesn't remember much, the mayor is dead and she is bloody. She keeps having these memory problems which isn't helping her defense. Then it goes back to Sydney and is called (NOW), then flashes back to some key players and lets you get a glimpse of how crooked the Mayor of Madison was so it's now surprise someone killed him. 

It's a really good mystery and there was a lot of different suspects and I was kind of surprised though I had started wondering about the person who ends up the killer, so I think it will shock some people. I can't wait to get into the next one called Bad Girl!

Alibi and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Hush Money. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Sydney Richardson is following a unique business model by opening two restaurants next to each other, both sharing the same kitchen. Her higher class clientele will enjoy Hush Money's sleek look and sophisticated menu, while the salt-of-the-earth patrons will enjoy Ten-Ten's bar and grill offerings. On opening night, while the mayor's wife is waiting for him at Hush Money, he is meeting an untimely end. When one of Sydney's employees is tagged as a suspect, she quickly hires the young woman an attorney and tries to help figure out what happened. With Sydney's connections to law enforcement, due to the fact that her late father was a police officer, will the whole truth behind the mayor's dealings ultimately be uncovered?

I did like the character of Sydney Richardson, although some of her character development did not make much sense. Being a cop's daughter, you would think that Sydney would be able to keep secrets a little closer to the vest. She takes chances and makes choices that her upbringing would not have allowed, especially considering how much time Sydney seemed to spend with her father and his police buddies in her formative years. The plot moved quickly, but there were really no surprises here for me. Having figured out the perpetrator early on, I was just reading to find out if I was correct. Because I did like the main character, however, I would be willing to give the series another shot. There is a whole backstory to Sydney that intrigues me and I look forward to the possibilities in the next book.

Expect surprises, dark moments and plenty of action in this finely balanced and tangled tale of romance, small town politics, illicit sex and murder. When a city big-wig is murdered in his Madison, Wisconsin home the investigation leads police to HUSH MONEY, a recently opened upscale restaurant where the elite meet.

Sydney Richardson, owner of Hush Money and adopted daughter of a cop killed in the line of duty, becomes personally involved when of one of her waitresses is accused of the murder. When Sidney refuses to leave well enough alone and begins asking too many questions she becomes a target.

Author T. E. Woods great approach and terrific style brings to her readers a narrative that combines an astute and engrossing tale, a complex cast of character, a sense of time and place, plausible action and plenty of plot surprises.

Evocative start of a disoriented woman at a murder scene but not everything is as sure-handed as that scene.

Sydney opens two restaurants, one for first responders and one for the 1 percent. The first honors her dad, a police officer who died in the line of duty. And both places are possible because of a gift from her anonymous birth parents, who make it clear that they've--or at least her mother--have been keeping tabs on her although they are unwilling to be her parents.

Suddenly she has more than restaurant business to worry about when one of her servers is accused of murdering the mayor. Feeling sorry for the single mother, Sydney hires an attorney and does a little digging to find people who would offer plausible doubt as to whether the server did in the mayor.

The restaurant details seems a little off--mostly in Sydney's attitude. Although she has been in the restaurant business (her mom's) pretty much her whole life, and hire "the best" from other restaurants, she seems surprised that her staff does such a nice job.

One item isn't explained. I hope it ties to the overarching mystery of who Sydney's birth parents are, but what we know so far, it doesn't make sense.

Interesting read although I didn’t like Windy and Sydney’s need to defend her wasn’t based in a strong relationship. I don’t like her boyfriend but like her 2 cop friends much better for her as a live intetest Although I don’t care for some of the plot/character choices I still enjoyed the book for its writing which is better than some

I have read a couple of the Justice Series and don't think they are all that special but I asked for this one to see how well Ms Woods does with a different protagonist. I am not impressed here either.

Sydney Richardson inherited a lot of money she feels she doesn't really deserve and so she decides to spend it, first by setting up two restaurants a fancy one called "Hush Money" and one for cops called "Ten-Ten", and then by paying the legal fees for one of her staff who is accused of murder.

I found the restaurant startup tale unrealistic and the writing tedious. I am not a T. E. Woods fan and I guess I never will be.

I received a review copy of "Hush Money" by T. E. Woods (Random House – Alibi) through NetGalley.com.

T.E. Woods, a clinical psychologist in real life, is a well-regarded author of several murder mysteries. Her latest, “Hush Money,” is well conceived and has great side elements of music, food, and drink, and the management of estimable eating and drinking places. The murder plot is catching, the dialogue is well written, and the ending is good.

A short synopsis of the plot would be that the police prematurely solve the murder of the mayor, the suspect has friends in stunned disbelief, and outside sources will kill to have the status quo maintained. A neophyte restaurant owner (soon to be a continuing character in a series) gets involved, too involved according to many, and watches her new business suffer, her relationships deteriorate, and her friends scatter like frightened quail over her passion for justice. She also comes under attack when her nosiness begins to threaten certain people.

I liked the side details presented by the author such as an egotistical chef, the devotion of lifelong friendships, the mechanics of a working restaurant, and police procedures somewhat lacking in diligence. Legal tactics are also well presented, if somewhat unrealistic.

I had some trouble with the author’s sentimentality and overly demonstrative affection between certain characters. I know I can get in trouble for saying that because some readers live for that familiarity in their reading. I was able to handle it simply because Woods’ writing and storytelling was good enough to keep me involved in her book. A negative shake of my head would carry me past the blubbery moments.

By all means, don’t let my personal dislikes deter you from reading the book. There is much good stuff in there, enough that most people will enjoy it.

Sydney decides to open 2 very different restaurants on the same night. Then someone gets murdered and she finds herself drawn to the accused and decides she must help her out. This book is a cozy mystery plus, with more substance and nuances than a regular cozy type book. I did not guess the killer until right before she did, and then the fun began. The ending left open a sequel, which I will read. Just read it already!

What I loved:

The references to Madison, Wisconsin (I'm not from there, but close enough) felt authentic and that location is rarely used. If you're from the area, you'll probably love it.

The who-dun-it had me twisted in knots. I was guessing right up until the last handful of pages and I was STILL wrong. Any author that can send me down multiple dark alleys and make me sure, and then, damn, wrong again, I love that! It's what makes a mystery fun. I had no idea who the real villain/villainess was until the big reveal. I was sure I had it narrowed down to a couple of people and I was STILL wrong. So kudos for the plotting.

What I didn't like:

A not quite satisfying ending. The villain got theirs. It was just that there was a love interest angle that didn't really... resolve. I suppose that's going to continue in the next book, but it just felt a little unfinished. Plus there was the whole thing about the baseball ball. Couldn't that at least have been addressed?

I think I'll be looking for the next book, because it's not often that a mystery author can fool me this thoroughly, and the characters were pretty wonderful. Thoroughly recommend.

*ARC via netgalley*

A gently written story that pulls you along steadily with good characterisation until the final denouement.

The novel shows well the lack of sophistication of the town in which it is set when the new restaurateur finds that on a Sunday night at 9.30pm all the customers have gone, and that on other nights 10pm is last orders!

{And a side point, English wine is now regarded as good, note that Champagne Taittinger announced it was buying a vineyard in Kent and would produce an English sparkling wine; and:- English sparkling wine specifically has been highly praised for its quality, beating Champagne in some competitions, and collecting a total of 130 medals and trophies in the 2015 Decanter World Wine Awards.}

So the town shows its small town politics in this novel, with the intrigue that comes with a small population jockeying for power and prestige.

This novel is very different from TE Wood's 'Fixer' novels in both style and content and thus shows her versatility as a writer.

Hush Money is the name of a new upscale restaurant owned by Sydney Richardson. She is the daughter of a cop that was killed on duty. In his honor, she also also opened the adjacent bar and grill for the cops, first responders, firemen.

The mayor of Madison, Wisconsin is beloved by all ... except the person that murdered him.

The police think this is an open and shut case as a young woman is seen leaving his residence covered in blood and her prints on the murder weapon.

She's also a new employee of Sydney's and she's bound and determined to help her out and find the real killer.

But as Sydney discovers secrets and lies about the mayor, the more danger she faces.

The is the first of a 2-part series written by a well-known proficient author... and it looks like a winner. There's a good amount of suspense, a little romance thrown in, with credible characters .. some you will love, some you won't. A few twists and turns keep the reader guessing what will happen next.

I really look forward to the next book ... BAD GIRL. Many thanks to the author / Random House Publishing Group - Alibi / Netgalley for the digital copy. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.