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Credo's Hope

by Alison Naomi Holt (Goodreads Author)

3.85 of 5 stars 3.85 · rating details · 48 ratings · 14 reviews

Introducing Detective ALEXANDRA WOLFE, a fresh, funny, tough cop who skates on the edge of the law in her quest for justice. A Mafia boss, a hunky bi-sexual nurse, Alex’s rescued mutt, Tessa, and her exuberant best friend, MEGAN, help Alex turn her everyday life as a detective upside down.

Six years ago, Brian McClelland was murdered, and his brother was convicted of shooti...more

Kindle Edition, 296 pages

Published (first published December 22nd 2010)

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Oct 08, 2011 1000 + rated it 3 of 5 stars

Credo's Hope is a light read surrounding the life of a female detective named Alex Wolfe. Alex is quite a character, she's funny and gets herself into a lot of sticky situations. In this book she happens to find herself investigating a closed case that was actually closed by a Captain in the Police Department. As you can imagine that didn't sit too well with him.

The story was on the lighthearted side. Definitively not what I was expecting after having read her previous novel, The Door at the To...more

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Sep 03, 2011 Molly rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone

Recommended to Molly by: BLB Book Tours

Shelves: book-review

Holy Cow! Alison Holy ROCKS! This novel, the first in her Alex Wolfe Mystery series is FANTASTIC! Holt's writing style is both intriguing and gripping, and leaves the reader with a great sense of satisfaction after finishing this book.

Alex Wolfe. Now THAT is a character, if ever there was one. She is one cop you won't want to miss! I loved the way she handle her situations, especially once she was kidnapped. Yep. She was kidnapped. And, well, let's just say that conducting an investigation isn't...more

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Feb 04, 2011 Tara Chevrestt rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, 2010-release, smashwords, mystery

This is the first in a new police detective series, the detective being a tough, but realistic woman named Alex. Her partner is another tough chick, Casey. Her boss is also a strong woman, Kate, and throughout the novel, one strong, remarkable, or ballsy woman after another enters the picture. There's Gina, a Mafia boss who smokes cigars and has people kidnapped. There's Megan, a dog trainer that usually gets her way and flashes her boobs at drive thru employees. (It's hillarious. You have to re...more

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May 05, 2011 Literary rated it 4 of 5 stars

Cover

The horse on the cover, as I found out while reading, is a racing horse named Credo's Hope. The lady with the gun on the front is Detective Alex Wolfe. So, the cover is an apt depiction of a couple of main character(s) that is in the story.

Plot/Characters

Alex is an arse-kicking, quick-tempered detective who has a knack for getting into trouble without even trying. Her mother is constantly trying to get her invited to get-togethers where Alex could possibly meet "Mr. Right."

Casey is Alex's w...more

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May 11, 2011 Sally rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a fierce, feminist, and often funny entry into the realm of the police procedural. Nicely balanced between exploring the characters and advancing the plot, it hooks you early and keeps you coming back for more.

In many ways, the story follows the pattern set by ‘classic’ television cop dramas from the 80s and 90s:

1. You’ve got two seemingly mismatched partners: Alex is hot-tempered and quick to action, while Casey is more deliberate and determined to think things through
2. They're forced...more This is a fierce, feminist, and often funny entry into the realm of the police procedural. Nicely balanced between exploring the characters and advancing the plot, it hooks you early and keeps you coming back for more.

In many ways, the story follows the pattern set by ‘classic’ television cop dramas from the 80s and 90s:

1. You’ve got two seemingly mismatched partners: Alex is hot-tempered and quick to action, while Casey is more deliberate and determined to think things through
2. They're forced to tiptoe their way around the hard-assed boss: Kate is tough, but fair, and just as quick to back up her detectives as she is to bemoan their antics
3. Despite their caseload, they somehow find time to investigate just one more case for a friend: Meg is cute, crazy, great with animals, and delightfully lacking in both inhibitions and social etiquette
4. The case in question revolves around the proverbial ‘innocent’ man facing execution: the dead man, of course, has left his own investigative trail for Alex to follow in absolving his brother
5. Possibilities for career-suicide abound: they’re working it against their captain’s orders, who just happens to be the lead detective on the original case
6. Help comes from the most unlikeliest (and seediest) of places: Gia is the beautiful, imposing, cigar chomping mob boss who insists upon offering her unsolicited assistance (and who owns Credo, the racing horse of the title).

Al you need is a flashy sports car, some shoulder pads, and a little neon lighting, and you can almost hear the electronic keyboard soundtrack in the background. The story is a lot more polished, realistic, and professional than that, so don’t get the wrong idea . . . but I really do miss those keyboards.

The main characters are all well-developed and memorable, with a defined role to play in the story. Nobody is there to simply serve as a foil, or to provide comic relief. There are comic moments, some of them delightfully absurd, but they’re part of the story and part of the characters – they never feel tacked on. Even the secondary characters (and there are quite a few) are memorable, and that’s coming from someone who has trouble remembering the name of somebody she met this morning!

Two things really set the story apart from the current wave of crime dramas. The first is the level of detail involved in the police work itself. It just seems authentic and realistic, and never resorts to those conveniently lucky breaks that make you roll your eyes and wonder what the characters would do in real life. Alex and Casey work hard - their job is tough, but they make the case with nothing more than their brains and bravery.

The second is that the story excites you. It makes you want to cheer for the detectives, and makes you want to play along at solving the mystery. As interesting as they may be, relying on genius detective and new-fangled CSI techniques to break the case simply doesn’t allow for the same kind of visceral, emotional enjoyment you get here. There are some interesting twists, but the kind that make you feel you should have seen it coming, as opposed to making you scratch your head and ask WTF?

I don’t generally read a lot of detective stories (Preston & Child’s Pendergast novels are the obvious exception), but I would gladly sign up for another in this series.(less)

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May 22, 2011 Shelleyrae at Book'd Out rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-reviews

Credo's Hope is the first in an entertaining series featuring police detective Alexandra Wolfe. Part police procedural, part mystery with deft touches of comedy, this is a well written novel with an interesting story and likeable characters.
Alex, and her partner Casey, are called to a case where a prostitute has been shot, a young girl injured and the suspect is in the wind. It's going to take hard work and a bit of luck to track him down, but Alex can't resist her best friends plea to take on a...more Credo's Hope is the first in an entertaining series featuring police detective Alexandra Wolfe. Part police procedural, part mystery with deft touches of comedy, this is a well written novel with an interesting story and likeable characters.
Alex, and her partner Casey, are called to a case where a prostitute has been shot, a young girl injured and the suspect is in the wind. It's going to take hard work and a bit of luck to track him down, but Alex can't resist her best friends plea to take on a cold case involving a death row inmate. Investigating on her own time, Alex manages put her boss offside and to step on a few toes, including those of the Prada shod mafia boss, Giannina Angelino. Despite being assaulted, shot at, kidnapped and harassed, Alex is determined to follow every lead and see justice done.
I enjoyed the multi layered plot spear headed by Alex's official and unofficial investigation. Holt's own experience as a police officer is evident in the details, from the investigative process to the physical confrontations. There are also some interesting subplots, such as Casey's ongoing argument with another detective, Mrs Highland and Alex's accidental involvement with the local mafia. There is no sense of crowding despite all the action and the pacing is well handled. The dialogue is well written, snappy and realistic and generally the standard of writing is high. There were a few occasions where I thought the writing could be a little tighter, I think it would benefit from an experienced editor just to provide a final gloss of professionalism to the manuscript.
Holt displays real strength in developing a cast of realistic, dynamic characters all of which are appealing. Alex is smart and grounded with enough attitude to make hard choices for the right reasons. Her phone calls with her mother give us some idea of where she has come from but it is her interaction with her friends, colleagues and dog, Tessa, that tell us who she is. Alex believes in her job, evidenced by her determination to follow her cases wherever they may lead, despite any threats to herself. It's a mix of stubborn bravery and dogged resolve that makes Alex an admirable detective and loyalty and sass that makes her an appealing protagonist.
As Alex's best friend, Megan provides a lot of the laughs but also reveals Alex lighter side. She is a wonderful foil to the more serious aspects of the story, and provides a believable impetus for Alex to involve herself in the Brian McClelland case. I also enjoyed many of the supporting characters including Alex's beleaguered boss, Kate, and nurses Maddy and Carlo.
Credo's Hope is a great read and an impressive start to this self published series. I'm really glad I took a chance on it and recommend it unreservedly to fans of the genre. I'm hoping to read the second installment Credo's Legacy as soon as I have the opportunity.(less)

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Jul 12, 2011 Baxter Trautman rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: lesbian

Girl cops, plenty of bad guys, handsome hunks and sexy ladies (including a mysterious female Mafia boss), lots of food, and dogs. What more could you want out of a police procedural? A tight plot, lots of good-natured humor, fast pace, and a satisfying end? “Credo’s Hope” delivers it all. An ex-cop, Holt is a PG-13, female Wambaugh. The first of Holt’s “Credo” novels earns all five stars. Thoroughly entertaining and highly recommended.

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Feb 18, 2012 Leavethesky rated it 1 of 5 stars

I stopped reading this when a male nurse walked up behind our hardened detective main character (while she's on duty and visting an underage victim of domestic assault in the hospital, btw) and presses his erection into her backside. Rather than reacting with anger or even irritation (at the very least for making her look unprofessional), our detective blushes and gets excited by this public sexual harassment. No thanks.

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Feb 27, 2012 Everybookhasasoul rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011, for-review

This is another awesome book by Alison Holt, she is going to be an author to watch. From the very first page I was hooked and it only took me a couple of hours to read this book as I couldn't put it down.

The characters were very well described and thought out that it added a lot of character to the novel. The humour within this novel is a genius and several times I found myself laughing out loud as I was reading this novel.

Overall a excellent read and I am looking forward to reading the next b...more

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Sep 30, 2012 Kim Johnson rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book series is wonderful. I had a very hard time holding my bladder. Seriously. Parts of it are that funny. But then I am a bit twisted.

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Dec 31, 2011 Anna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery, ebook

My review here: http://lesbrary.wordpress.com/2011/04...

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May 23, 2012 Kiera rated it 5 of 5 stars

Excellent book!!! One of the best I've read in a while!! I Highly recommend it!!!

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Feb 02, 2012 Megan added it

Shelves: 2012-read-and-re-read, ebook, mystery-suspense-crime

ugh

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Aug 07, 2012 Kennedy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: will-not-read-again

Entertaining and funny! Like the characters. Is Gia really head of the Mob family? She makes it seem cool.

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May 20, 2013 Janelle marked it as to-read

Mar 17, 2013 Ruth Lindeman rated it 5 of 5 stars

Mar 15, 2013 Lindsay rated it 3 of 5 stars

Feb 25, 2013 Fernanda marked it as to-read

Feb 11, 2013 J rated it 5 of 5 stars

Feb 02, 2013 Holly rated it 2 of 5 stars

Jan 30, 2013 Samantha Ton rated it 3 of 5 stars

Oct 16, 2012 Ginger Welder added it

Oct 05, 2012 T rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: lendable

Sep 25, 2012 Jeanne Mccann rated it 4 of 5 stars

Feb 21, 2013 Toni rated it 3 of 5 stars

Aug 27, 2012 Chris marked it as to-read

Shelves: ff

Aug 25, 2012 Jenny rated it 4 of 5 stars

Aug 12, 2012 Chelsea Blair rated it 5 of 5 stars

Aug 11, 2012 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: lesbian-fiction

Aug 05, 2012 Hazey rated it 5 of 5 stars

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About Alison Naomi Holt

Passion is a funny thing. I inherited my greatest passion, the love of animals, from my grandmother, Naomi Holt. She was an incredibly strong woman who was the first female in her county to actually wear... heaven forbid...pants in public! She also understood animals better than anyone I’ve ever met, and she passed that love and devotion on to me. Like her, there has never been a time in my life w...more Passion is a funny thing. I inherited my greatest passion, the love of animals, from my grandmother, Naomi Holt. She was an incredibly strong woman who was the first female in her county to actually wear... heaven forbid...pants in public! She also understood animals better than anyone I’ve ever met, and she passed that love and devotion on to me. Like her, there has never been a time in my life where I didn’t have some type of pet close by.
For me, growing up on a working cattle ranch in Arizona was nothing short of incredible. I learned to ride almost before I could walk. I loved racing after a stampeding herd of cattle over the desert floor on Smokey Jove, my coal black quarter horse. I hunted with raptors and played tackle football in the cow pens with the hired hands. My father taught me to shoot when I was six and I trained my first dog, well, when the dog was still bigger than me!
Joining the Tucson Police Department seemed like a natural transition after such a rough and tumble childhood. I had earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in writing at the University of Arizona and was looking for a career that could satisfy my other great passion in life - the need to know what “it” is like. What is just around the corner that I can’t see? What haven’t I done that I’d love to do?
A police officer is always waiting to see what will happen next. And the exciting part is, you have to meet the challenge head on. There is no choice. That’s what I loved about police work.
While I was a cop, I worked every possible job I could, changing assignments every few years just because I could. I loved working a s a patrol officer on the city’s south side, but the idea of becoming a detective fascinated me. When I was a detective, I wanted to be a sergeant, and when a sergeant, I spent hundreds of hours studying to be a Lieutenant. I was a hostage negotiator, I commanded Undercover Units and Riot Control Squads, just because I could. Just because I wanted to know what “it” was like.
Then something strange happened. Again, passion is a funny thing. Someone asked me if I would have any regrets when I retired. I thought, “What have I missed?” The answer was easy. Shortly thereafter, the K9 sergeant position opened, and against the advice of all my fellow commanders - except one wonderful Deputy Chief of Police (she really is a saint in my book) - I took a voluntary demotion from the rank of Lieutenant and became the Sergeant/Supervisor for the 11 man K9 squad. That assignment was a rocky ride, but well worth it because now, I’ll always know “What it’s like”.
When I retired after twenty exciting, extraordinary years on the police department, I went back to working with Raptors at a wonderfully unique program at the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum. I also learned to fox hunt (don’t know why they call it hunting, the darn fox constantly thumbs his nose at the poor fox hounds) and most importantly, for now at least, I began to write. I love to write just as I loved to train animals and just as I loved being a cop. I hope that through my writing, you can share a little of my passions and my experiences and know what it’s like to wonder what “it” is really like. (less)

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