4 Stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My favorite waitress/amateur sleuth is back and better than ever!

Mabel is a hardworking mama who would do anything to keep her family safe - including chasing down bad guys who are ruining the town with their violence and drugs.

In Missed Me, Mabel takes the law into her own hands while the actual law sits back in fear. If they aren’t going to fix this town, she will!

This story is set in the 80s. I was a teen during that time period so I loved all of the cultural references throughout. Super atmospheric and filled with lots of action and suspense. I ran through these pages with anticipation of what would happen next.

While this can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the first in the series - Heart of a Runaway Girl - to really understand Mabel and the dynamic of these characters.

Looking forward to reading book 3 soon!

Thanks to NetGalley and Trevor Wiltzen for my advanced copy to read and review.

"Missed Me" by Trevor Wiltzen is a riveting and multi-layered thriller that delves into the dark underbelly of Blue River, where diner waitress and part-time private investigator, Mabel Davison, becomes entangled in a dangerous web of mystery and violence.

The narrative kicks off with Mabel's compassionate pursuit of a missing, drug-addicted young woman, a storyline that immediately draws readers into the heart-wrenching realities faced by many. Wiltzen skillfully weaves the plot, leading Mabel into a perilous confrontation with Karl Larson, a racist drug lord who controls Blue River's notorious trade. The tension escalates as Mabel finds herself once again in the crosshairs of Larson's dangerous operations.

What makes "Missed Me" stand out is its portrayal of complex characters and the intricate dynamics between them. Mabel, with her dual roles as a diner waitress and a part-time investigator, brings a unique perspective to the story. The author does an excellent job of fleshing out the characters, making them feel authentic and relatable, even in the face of the heightened danger they find themselves in.

The plot takes an unexpected turn when Mabel's niece goes missing, intensifying the stakes and forcing Sheriff Dan Gibson to confront the explosive hate and violence simmering in the community. Wiltzen skillfully explores themes of racial tension, moral dilemmas, and the consequences of choosing sides. The narrative keeps readers on the edge of their seats, with twists and turns that add to the overall suspense.

The writing style is engaging, with vivid descriptions that bring Blue River to life. The author skillfully balances the fast-paced action with moments of reflection, giving the story depth and emotional resonance. The dialogue is sharp, adding authenticity to the characters' interactions.

"Missed Me" is a gripping thriller that not only provides a pulse-pounding ride but also tackles important themes that resonate in today's society. Trevor Wiltzen delivers a story with substance, blending suspense, social commentary, and well-developed characters. If you're a fan of intense thrillers with a thought-provoking edge, "Missed Me" is a must-read. I give it four stars for its compelling narrative, well-crafted characters, and the author's ability to tackle complex themes with finesse.

Thanks to all the reviewers who have reviewed my book. I really appreciate it!

From the author,
Trevor Wiltzen

I wanted to like this because it seemed like an interesting murder yesteryear. However, there were some dark and disturbing scenes in this novel that made me uncomfortable. Still, I recommend this for fans of dark mysteries.

My thanks to the Author publisher's and NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle version of this book to read and honestly review.
Completely engaging and interesting throughout well written with quality. characterisation. This is the second book in this series and while there are numerous references to our heroine previous adventures this in no way spoilt my enjoyment of this book. What starts out as a full time diner and motel owner, part time Private Investigator looking into a missing person case, becomes a dangerous dark grim threatening tale of drugs and under age kidnapping.
Completely recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy of this book for my review.
This book is about Mabel Davidson who owns a restaurant and motel.However, on the side she is a detective. The town is influenced by a drug dealer. A girl goes missing and Mabel goes to help. She goes in spite of her family who relies on her. She uses her baked goods to get information.The sheriff is easy going and wants to help find missing girls but lacking DEA support.Mabel does her investigating but the town resents her interfering with their economy.
It’s an interesting story. Maybe a little to unrealistic but it’s worth the read.

Exciting from beginning to end, timely horrible true to life. Knowing how the criminal activity is tolerated because it finances the town is sickening. Decide if the local sheriff is on the good side or bad. Looking forward to the next episode!

Trevor Wiltzen does it again! I love his writing and his stories just flow so well They are just so easy to read. I totally enjoyed this book. I absolutely love Mabel, She is soo badass!. The book kept me on the edge of my seat with all the stuff going on. I was so scared for Mabel but she did amazing. I still can't believe that ending it was just wow so good. I recommend this book to everyone you won't regret it. I really hope Mabel picks up more cases. ;)

Mabel is back, just as sweet and uninterested in being a detective as ever. Unfortunately for her, her idyllic small town is still somehow crawling with Nazis, drug dealers, and Nazi drug dealers, and Mabel is smarter than all of the cops put together. Oh, and that teen she met in the Nazi drug dealer headquarters in the last book may be a missing child. Several girls have gone missing, including Mabel's niece. Time to get to work, and I don't just mean at the family diner slash motel.

In keeping with the series' cozy noir feel, Mabel gets get answers by attending raves and bringing baked goods to her interrogation. She has zero self-awareness (wanders into enemy territory and is surprised when they notice her, destroys the town's drug economy and wonders why people don't like her) but is really good at talking people 'round to doing what she wants them to do. I wonder how she's going to manage to solve her next case with half the town now against her?

Probably the only problem with this book is how short it is. I'm hoping the Mabel stories get compiled later on.

Quirky Mabel again juggles her roles as parent and motel /diner owner and manager with PI sleuthing for a missing and possibly kidnapped teenage girl.

Missed Me Is the second of Trevor Wiltzen’s books starring Mabel. I read the first also, Heart of a Runaway Girl. Both had solid, engaging story lines, but limited character development and lots of telling, not showing writing. While other reviewers have named Mabel a superhero, I found her character almost a parody at times. I could not reconcile the dessert-plying, saccharine sweet small town woman with her allegedly valuable assistance to the DEA, the FBI, and a Seattle lawyer- and her steadfast single-handed defiance of the town’s evil drug lord. I constantly pictured Mabel as Aunt Bea of Mayberry. Too cozyfied for me.

I was provided with an Advance Reading Copy of this title by the publisher via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Official title: Missed Me
My title: Super Mabel
Author: Trevor Wiltzen
Publisher: Independent
Fav character: Dan
Readability: Easy
Type: Book - series
4.2/5

Mabel, EVER crier and fictional woman - because were she real, this woman would probably be losing her flippin mind - has picked up another case. As if being a SINGLE mother of two boys under twelve and a foster mother to a teenaged girl weren’t enough, this lady owns (waits and chefs) a diner, a motel AND works as a private detective… we are told she sleeps, but I was not convinced. 😒

Mabel has a new case that involves missing girls. Young girls, seduced by drugs, missing after being courted by caucasian men with ‘power tattoos’. Her heart tells her she is not occupied enough with her own life, so she agrees to help search for the girls, giving their parents hope at reconnecting with them. (Yay Mabel!)

OBVIOUSLY things will not be simple… Mabel has been warned before to stay away from Larson - the most likely suspect -, his farms and his druggie activities (with a few bullets to her window). Thankfully ex-enemies offer perspective and there will be some support for her efforts… when things begin to get dangerous though, what can Mabel do?

Serve pie, sass AND COMPETENCE! Really! What is law enforcement even DOING in this book?!

With the DEA under-resourced, a terrified and easy-going sheriff and wild men on the loose… Mabel will have to create EVEN MORE TIME to find the girls while they are still alive.

For lovers of hometown-ness, over-worked characters, lots of love and family values, and mysteries - peppered with action, danger and anticipation.

I recommend.

Mabel is a great character and a bit different from your usual sleuth. Her complicated life makes her engagement in dangerous mysteries even more tension building but Mabel is not one to back away when she knows what is right. I loved the development of some of the secondary characters, including her staff, and how they supported Mabel in the face of small town malice. A fast paced mystery with plenty of twists!

Missed Me (Mabel Davison #2) by Trevor Wiltzen

Mabel, mom, owner of a small diner and motel, waitress, maid, teller of ribald jokes, and amateur private investigator. What kind of trouble can she get into this time? After her previous dangerous and deadly dealings with Karl Larson, leader of lowlife skinheads, and his gang, she doesn't want to put her kids in danger again. But she can't ignore the heartbreak of a needy mother, who can't get the law to listen to her when she says that skinheads kidnapped her daughter. With some digging, Mabel is sure that Larson and his group may have kidnapped at least eight missing girls.

So off she goes, not very undercover, at all, to one of Larson's recruitment raves. Things get dangerous, again, and she's on Larson's hit list, again. Thank goodness for Mabel's loyal customers who have her back. But so does Sheriff Dan Gibson, who can't say no to her cookies, milk, pie and sweet face. Dan knows better than to mess with Larson, who has too many law enforcement officers in his pocket, but he's not going to let Mabel take Larson on alone.

But what about the kids, Mabel?! I admit, she really did think long and hard about her kids and niece before she realized she couldn't let Larson's bad deeds go. She couldn't let the missing girls be forgotten. It's as if she is running straight into a brick wall of evil and that evil won't go away unless someone does something and she's going to do it. Once again, Mabel has her customers on her side even as she runs the threat of becoming a pariah in her own town. Larson is bad, the scum of the earth, but most of the folks in town depend on his employment and business. Watch David (Mabel) take on Goliath (Larson) and see who falls this time.

Thank you to Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) and NetGalley for this ARC.

A worthy sequel to an amazing debut novel, Missed Me brings back private investigator-slash-waitress and diner owner,  Mabel Davison in yet another crime-fighting adventure.

After the success of her first investigation, Mabel gets pulled into the case of Candy Johnson, a single mother whose 16-year old daughter, Angela has fallen prey to drugs and is now missing. When she finds out that more girls have gone missing from surrounding areas, Mabel's sleuthing leads her back to Karl Larson whose drug trade plagues and controls Blue River. And when her own family comes under Larson's crosshairs, Mabel holds no bars in ridding her beloved community from his clutches.

Unlike your regular P.Is, Mabel stands out as she's all heart - shedding tears and doling out hugs when emotions run high, and fighting for all she's worth when her loved ones are threatened. It was heartening to note Kerry's character growth from the previous book and it would be interesting to see her follow her aunt's footsteps. Since most of the characters have been carried over from Book 1, I would recommend reading it first to get a better hang of the plot.

Overall, an exciting read. Thanks to the author for providing a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book about diner/motel owner Mabel who does sleuthing on the side. Her reputation in her first case leads to a request for help to find missing girls in her community.
   Mabel, on top of being a PI, is the single mom of two and guardian of a niece. Her diner is a hub for the town and the workers in the area. Her delicious pies and scones often have feature roles within the story.
   While I enjoyed this character, I have to admit to some eye rolling along the way. Her commanding presence in terrifying scenarios made me think of her more as a superhero than just a hotel owner: a female Clark Kent without the cape. But then, she would start crying again ( she is very emotional) and we all know superheroes don’t cry.
   The story did represent how after  a drug lord and his many minions set up shop in the area the town prospered. Even bad guys need basic necessities and when they were arrested by the Feds and their operation shut down, the town turned on Mabel because their livelihoods were damaged. The fact that she had found 6 missing girls and returned them to their parents didn’t matter to them; residents resented the fact that they were now financially hurting it was her fault.
   I look forward to Mabel’s next case (surely there will be one) and how she survives being a pariah.