Yikes, Shadow Falls by Wendy Dranfield is a thriller that will hold you captive while trying your best to figure out what the secret is. The characters are well developed and flawed and while they are mostly likable, you know in your gut that there is something that each one has hidden far away. This is a story about a missing child that the family, not believing the police are doing much in the way to solve the case, hires a private investigator. The story picks up speed at this point and starts to blow your mind. This author will blow you away with her writing abilities.


5 out of 5 stars

Oh my goodness !! Creepy and terrifying !! A book you won't soon forget ! I highly recommend ! Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this book ! Opinions are solely my own ! #Netgalley #Bookouture #ShadowFalls

This was a great page Turner and a solid start to a new series. The characters are realistic but unfortunately mostly unlikeable which has stopped this being a 5 star read. As a main character I just wasn’t 100% keen on Madison, she was incredibly selfish. Don’t get me wrong, I understand that she was wrongly convicted and has her own stuff going on, but she went seeking Nates help and then consistently just wants to focus on herself even over looking for a missing child. I don’t expect all main leads to be clique, perfect and selfless but they’re in the middle of a tense missing child case and she keeps going on about how she can’t wait to leave and doesn’t see it being her problem. Go then and sort stuff out yourself without begging for help when you won’t do the same for others. Yea, that really annoyed me and all honestly is the only thing making me weary of picking up the next in the series.

New author alert and Shadow Falls by Wendy Dranfield was an excellent book especially as it a new Detective Madison Harper series. I was hooked within the first few pages and I was so happy to find a new author that just had me gripped. It was a great detective book and it's full of great twists and turns throughout that will have you guessing right till the end.

I highly recommend this new series and looking forward to read more books by Wendy x

Big thank you to Bookouture for an ARC copy of 'Shadow Falls' through Netgalley.

Reading Between the Wines book review #84/115 for 2021:
Rating: 4 🍷 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book 🎧: Shadow Falls (Detective Madison Harper Book 1)
Author: Wendy Dranfield
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
RELEASED on January 25, 2021!!! GET YOUR OWN COPY!!
Recommended to readers who like a series with characters that are not perfect and sometimes that are not even all the way good.

Sipping thoughts: I love when you read a book that has other storylines, so you get a nice surprise of feeling like you are reading multiple books at once. I was expecting to read a mystery of a missing teen and got so much more. I can’t wait to continue reading about Detective Madison Harper because there are definitely secrets, lies, and things that need to be uncovered. One thing I think I am going to like about Madison is that she is not going to be a squeaky-clean character but hopefully still a good guy in the end. Next up, Detective Madison Harper Book 2-Cry for Help.

Cheers and thank you to @NetGalley, @WendyDranfieldAuthor and @Bookouture for an advanced copy of @ShadowFalls

#ShadowFalls #Bookouture #WendyDranfield #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThriller

This book is the first in the series and is packed with action. It was addictive, and had lots of twists. It was fast paced and the twist you dont see coming. the characters were easy to connect to and I cant wait to read book number 2.

This is the first instalment in the Madison Harper series and what an introduction. When the disappearance of 12 year old Jenny Lucas from her summer camp is passed off as a runaway by the local police force, PI Nate Monroe is hired to investigate. Nate has a hatred for the police department as he was imprisoned for a murder he did not commit. Madison Harper wants Nate to help her clear her name being an ex-detective imprisoned for murder that she didn’t commit but first she has to help Nate find Jenny Lucas. They travel to Shadow Falls where the summer camp is held, discovering multiple suspects and plenty of motives but can they get to the bottom of it and find Jenny alive and well?

This was a fast paced addictive thriller with suspense and twists plentiful, I was gripping from page one and on the edge of my seat throughout, I love when I come across another belter (signs are more than promising!) of a series and I cannot wait for No. 2!

Shadow falls by Wendy Dranfield.
Book 1 of Detective Madison Harper series.
A really good read. I liked Madison and Nate. Even Brody the dog. What a twist really didn't expect that. I hope there is more to come. 5*.

This has to be one of the most interesting set ups I’ve read in a while. I don’t want to give anything away, but I thought the pairing of Madison and Nate was thoroughly unique, and it was a terrific way to start the series. I liked Madison as a character as well. The case is intriguing. I like it when an author reveals secrets slowly instead of relying on “gotcha” moments. It makes the investigation feel more natural. Solid sleuthing makes this a great start to a new series. For more thoughts, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for a digital ARC of the book.

I thought this one was going to be right up my alley. But sadly that was not the case. This one I ended up DNFing early on. I just couldn't get into the story and the characters just didn't grip me.

Such a fantastic read and a great start to a series, it had me guessing right till the last page. Wow. I look forward to reading more by Wendy

This book was just amazing! I can't describe the wild ride it took me on right from the beginning. I liked the characters and can't wait to see where the next book goes.

Thanl you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this copy of Shadow Falls (Detective Madison Harper Book 1) by Wendy Dranfield.

Shadow Falls is the story of two investigators, both having served time for a crime that they say they did not commit and their search for a missing girl from a summer camp. Nate Monroe is an unlicensed private investigator who claims that he was framed for the murder of the woman he loved. Madison Harper is a former police detective who claims to have been framed for a crime by her own police department. Between the two of them they have the investigative know-how and inside connections to find out what happened to the missing little girl if they aren't already too late.

This was a solid first book in this new series. I found the characters to be interesting enough that I definitely want to read the next book to find out what happens to them next. The dialogue felt a little forced and unnatural at times but all in all it was really well-written, enjoyable mystery.

Ohmahgawd...

What a crazy, wild ride. I am not sure where to begin. But what a book. Interesting concept for main characters plus what a mystery. I can’t wait to see where this goes because man am I invested.

OMG Wendy what have you done to me. This was dark and twisty and just something else!! Frigging hell my mind and emotions are all over the place. What a powerhouse start to a new series. I need to catch my breath!!

Wendy is one of my favourite authors and I don’t even need to read the blurb. She knows I am the biggest fan of Dean in her other series, well a close first behind her of course. But I think that I will be clawing my way to the top with this series. Nate and Madison are an entirely new ball game.

Nate, sentenced to death row but got released after 17 years. But with one woman dead and another missing how long until his past catches up to him.

We then have Madison, who was a Detective but framed for a murder she didn’t commit. She lost her son and ex-girlfriend and she is out seeking the truth. Although, I think that we might get some answers in the next book.

These explosive characters are so flawed. Flawed in a way that I am enamoured with them but also slightly wary of the darkness that is within them. Nate has a dark side that I reckon we will see one day and that day all hell will rain down.

Back to the story, it has left me speechless. Boy, I didn’t expect it. It was such a terrifying look at what could go wrong. Past, present are intertwined. Nates past to being incarcerated, the case of the missing girl at Camp Fearless and a psychiatrist reading an unknown diary. A woman is struggling big time.

What I love is that this book focuses on one case, one disappearance. Just one. There is no senseless murder spree, we have a missing girl and we need to find her because things are dire. I mean they really were. Of course, we have our red herrings and I still liked one of them for it. However, when you learn the truth, I felt cold inside, I felt my eyes well up at the complete misjustice of it all. No one should have to suffer like this. It was dark and harrowing and it had me flicking the pages on the kindle so quickly as I needed to know how it would all end.

The dynamic of Nate and Madison is fascinating to watch. One who has had his faith rocked, his world is about to combust but he is still there trying to do what is right. The other, not use to being on the wrong side of the law, struggling to find her place as she struggles with whom to trust. From the opening pages, I was hooked as I craved to learn more about what makes them tick. What happened in this case and in their past and where they would go from here.

The short answer well its a dark and shadowy path, one I think both might miss the line completely, you know that one you should never cross.

As I said I am a huge fan of Wendy’s and I have always loved her writing. It is easy to lose yourself in, it’s conversational and it’s inclusive. We can see the scene through the other characters, we see what they see when they see it and sometimes being blinkered we are missing what was right in front of us!!!

It was shocking and riveting and nothing less than pure adrenaline and excitement. Not sure how I will cope with book 2!!!

This is the first in a new series featuring former police detective, Madison Harper.

When twelve-year-old Jenny Lucas goes missing from Camp Fearless at Shadow Falls, the local police assume she’s run away. Unhappy with this assumption and lack of progress in finding Jenny, her grandmother hires unlicensed private investigator Nate Monroe.

Nate and Madison share a common interest – an intense dislike of the police - having both been imprisoned for crimes they did not commit. When Madison contacts Nate looking for help to clear her name, she’s in a desperate situation with no money and no job she pleads with him to take on her case. Unable to pay for his services, she offers her help in investigating Jenny’s disappearance. This sees them travelling to Shadow Falls where they discover a wealth of suspects and deceit.

This was a fast-paced thriller filled with suspense and twists. Shadow Falls was the first Wendy Dranfield title I’ve read and it certainly won’t be the last. Highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys the mystery and thriller genre.

Many thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the review copy.

When Detective Madison Harper arrives at a remote summer camp in Shadow Falls, northern California, her heart breaks for Jenny, the sweet little girl last seen splashing in the lake with her friends before she vanished. Peering into the silent cabins filled with rows of neatly made beds, Madison knows this idyllic place is hiding a terrible secret.

The girl’s parents are distraught, and the local police have no leads—they desperately need Madison’s help. She’ll do whatever it takes to crack this case, because it’s the only way back to the son she lost to the care system years ago when she was framed for a crime she didn’t commit.

But with the camp staff keeping tight-lipped and her new partner on the edge of a breakdown, Madison can’t find any truth to her instinct that there is more to Jenny’s perfect parents than meets the eye. Until she discovers a disturbing family portrait Jenny drew at the local library. Was this angelic girl more troubled than anybody knew? Was she in danger from those she trusted most?

One thing is certain, if Madison doesn’t find the answers soon, the lives of more innocent children will be at risk…


Review

I absolutely loved this book!

Madison Harper is down on her luck. Although the blurb refers to her as a detective, Madison is actually not one. She used to be one before going to jail. Now out of jail and having lost everything including her son and obviously her career, Madison struggles to make ends meet. She decides to offer assistance to a Private Investigator, Nate, in exchange for his help in finding out who was behind her imprisonment. If that is not interesting enough, Nate is also a former prisoner who was exonerated after serving close to two decades for a crime he didn’t commit. Dubbed ‘The Killer Priest’ by the media, Nate is also looking for revenge against the people who set him up. Whew! Talk about interesting background stories!

Nate and Madison are hired to investigate the case of a missing 8 year old girl. Jenny went missing at a Summer Camp. Two weeks later, police have no new leads and the family is getting desperate. However, the investigators are hired by the girl’s grandmother although her parents are not too optimistic about that. They do not believe that the investigators, with their limited resources, can do more than the police.

I loved reading about Nate and Madison. I really liked the chapters incorporated throughout the story showing Nate’s journey from the night that he was arrested to his time on death row and finally his exoneration. The case at hand was complex with absolutely no leads and I couldn’t even guess the culprits. What happened to little Jenny? The reveal was shocking! I loved it!

I am so excited about this new series. Lucky for me, I already had the second book. I immediately pushed it up my TBR and 10 chapters in; I know it’s going to be another banger of a thriller. For fans of police procedurals, this series is not to be missed!

Shadow falls is centred around the disappearance of Jennifer Lucas, who goes missing from a summer camp. Her grandmother hires PI Nate Monroe to help find her as after a fortnight the small towns local police force haven't come up with any creditable leads . Nate finds himself with a partner to help him as ex detective Madison Harper needs his help and offers to work for him to pay her fees. The disappearance of Jenny gets stranger as each day passes and both Nate and Maidson suspect there is more to this than a simple missing child.

This is my first time reading wendy Dranfield and it won't be the last I am completely hooked by this series already and this is only book one. The excitement of hearing book two will follow shortly is unbearable I want to read it now. This crime thriller is written extremely well, we have several different points of view regarding Jenny's disappearance but they are structured in a way that reads extremely well. We also have a side story running parallel of someones therapist.

I know the series is called the detective Maiden Harper series, but for me PI Nate stole the show. I found his character so down to earth and a little comical at times I could picture him perfectly. Plus his side story with the dog Brody is so adorable it shouldn't be allowed. Nate is a troubled man after spending 17 years on death row for being wrongfully sentenced for murdering his girlfriend. He is now obsessed with solving other peoples problems whilst making sure to keep his agenda of complete redemption. I am excited to see where his story goes and I can feel its going to be a few more books until I find out.

Maidsln says she was set up for the murder of her partner and she unlike Nate, who knows the killer , appears to have suspicions which we aren't privy to. There is something slightly untrustworthy about Maidsln but that doesn't make her any less likeable. She clearly has her own agenda as well I just don't know why she is using Nate to complete it, book two may point us in the right direction.

The fact this is a crime mystery but we aren't with police rather private investigators I think is genius. Crime books can get a bit clinical where as this book doesn't have to follow the same structure. I liked that even though we aren't reading about police we still get to know part of their investigation as we go along.

The story mystery itself is rather interesting. If you read a lot of this genre you may find yourself making outrageous guesses throughout the book and I guarantee you one of them will be correct. I honestly thought by the latter part of the novel that nothing I thought made sense. But it is tied together so neatly there's no room for confusion. There are several twist along the way and although I guessed two of them I still gasped at the last few chapters. It is remarkable how reading this novel I got so committed in the outcome. I flew through this book over several hours as I couldn't put it down.

Crime mystery is subjective and for me this was a home run. Not only will I be struggling to contain my excitement for the next in the series I think its time I read more of wendy Dranfield'w work. I think this type of book is everything I desire crime, mysterious and even a bit of thriller. Plus Brody the dog is about the best character pet I've ever had the pleasure of reading about. Such great writing and amazing characters Esme being a favourite side character.

I would highly recommend this book it's a great way to get lost in a world that might be more messed up than ours at the moment. Both protagonist are great and I hope that PI Nate manages to stay on throughput this series. The book description isn't great and honestly I wouldn't of read this book from that alone, but trust me when I say do much has been missed there and its much better than the description give it credit for , happy to rate 5 stars especially after that last chapter what a great seaway, slightly predictable, to the next book.

Thank you to Netgalley the publishers and Wendy Dronfield fir the advanced digital copy in exchange for my fair and honest review. You may have earlier copies of shadow falls that is called find my child.

This book had me hooked from the very first page. When you have two investigators who were both imprisoned for murders they didn't commit you know this is going to be a great story. Add to that a missing 12 year old girl whose parents are hiding something and tantalising excerpts from a journal and you have a book that will have you burning the midnight oil. The author even ensures that you will be scouring the bookstores for the next book.. I will definitely be looking out for it.

I absolutely LOVED this one! What a fantastic start to a new series!

I am generally not a fan of PI stories because I struggle with the idea of non-law enforcement working much more efficiently than the police. I do understand the reality of having a single dedicated person working a single dedicated case, but generally I find that PI characters always have cases that would be difficult if not impossible to solve but for a very convenient relationship with a person at the police and it loses me because if the police can solve it at the drop of a hat why do they need a PI?. Suffice to say I was skeptical. However, this book addresses that problem by using a character, Madison, who is EX police and a PI who (in the most unfortunate way) is independently wealthy, so there's not a lot of obstacles and they can work a lot harder and fast than police, since they can afford to work the one case at a time. Madison & Nate are both somewha9t disgruntled people but extremely, extremely, likable and sympathetic.

As far as the story goes, it was brilliantly done and kept me guessing. I was very surprised by the end, and I kicked myself because as an avid crime fiction reader I should have seen it coming. I think it was just that carefully and artfully constructed. Extremely well done.

Lastly, as a dog rescuer, I loved the dog story. :)