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Notorious

(Max Revere #1)

Allison Brennan (Goodreads Author)

3.85 · Rating details · 4,512 ratings · 522 reviews

Maxine Revere has dedicated her life to investigating murders that the police have long since given up any hope of solving. A nationally renowned investigative reporter with her own TV show and a tough-as-nails reputation, Max tackles cold cases from across the country and every walk of life. But the one unsolved murder that still haunts her is a case from her own past.

Whe ...more

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ebook, 336 pages

Published March 25th 2014 by Minotaur Books

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Jun 26, 2014 Tairyn Ayala rated it did not like it · review of another edition

This book it's so infuriating it made me crazy! First of, it was so sloooooow. I can appreciate details, but when the writer goes on and on with such inconsequential details such as how many glasses of wine a character orders, and drag on conversations just because of word count. It just leaves me rolling my eyes and wanting to strangle someone. Then we have the main character Max. I read so many reviews calling her a strong female character, but to me she just seemed like a meddling, spoiled an ...more

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Jan 14, 2014 Robert rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: robert-s-reads, netgalley

Maxine “Max” Revere might have what one could call a strong personality. She knows what she wants, and she’s not afraid to go after it, diving right into the swimming pool. Whether it’s men, or a friend, or a story, or a dead body, she’s not afraid to mess up her manicure. Her strong will could bowl over even the hardest of hearts, and she has one devilish smile to even out the fair trade. And she knows how to dress for all occasions, even if it means she might get a little blood on her clothes. ...more

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Mar 01, 2014 Alex is The Romance Fox rated it really liked it

Shelves: authors-a-h, adventure-mystery-crime-thriller, series

Notorious Allison Brennan's new suspense introduces Maxine Revere, a high-powered and intrepid investigative reporter and host of her own nationally acclaimed reality TV show that investigates cold cases.
Whilst the plot, involving the mystery of three unsolved murders that might or might not be connected, it’s the character of Max that really drives the story.
Maxine is a very complex and interesting female lead character. Known to be tough, relentless, determined, she’s also independently wealt ...more

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Jul 20, 2015 Emily rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: elemental-challenge, reviewed, recommended-rachel, read-mystery-thriller, 2015-a-z-title-challenge

1.5 stars
I was just not feeling this book. Lackluster, I would call it. Maybe it's because I have been reading some well-written books lately or because I haven't been reading much of this genre, but I found the writing very basic, cliched, repetitious, and formulaic. The book was really slow moving to me, which I understand is reality at times for an investigative reporter researching stories, but the author just didn't give me anything that I found interesting- not as far as plot, characters, 1.5 stars
I was just not feeling this book. Lackluster, I would call it. Maybe it's because I have been reading some well-written books lately or because I haven't been reading much of this genre, but I found the writing very basic, cliched, repetitious, and formulaic. The book was really slow moving to me, which I understand is reality at times for an investigative reporter researching stories, but the author just didn't give me anything that I found interesting- not as far as plot, characters, descriptions, tone, themes, etc. The plot just kinda spun it's wheels a lot of the time. The ending wasn't bad, but nowhere near good enough to make up for the rest. I also thought the prologue gave too much away right off the bat about the main crime. Some of what should have been revealed as Max discovered it we already knew, and I would have preferred knowing less till the end.
Then the main character. I found her cold and one-dimensional for the most part. As one of my favorite reviewers (Emily May) said in a recent vlog (not about this book), she was more of a caricature than a character- a gung-ho investigative reporter who doesn't want to get close to anyone.
She REALLY has a thing about lying, about which she comes across as too black and white and uncompromising for me. Just hating everyone who lies for any reason and never lying yourself seems unsustainable. Which it turns out to be because she turns into a hypocrite, breaking into someone's apartment and then essentially lying about it and other things several times (as well as instances of lying by omission, lying with the truth, deflections, etc.)
There was a minor romance element to the book, which made me feel absolutely NOTHING. I didn't dislike the love interest, but I didn't like him either. I can't tell you really anything about him after reading the book- his likes/dislikes, traits, habits, mannerisms- I don't even remember what he was supposed to look like. He was just central casting of white, American, good guy cop.
...more

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Jan 01, 2014 Terri rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

Original review found at

3.5 stars

Ireceived this ARC novel as part of a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. The expected publication date is March 25th 2014.

I enjoyed this read. It had the perfect amount of mystery and suspense with the main character drawn in to the task of trying to solve two cold case murders. Mix in a handful of potential suspects and family drama and you have the ideal framework for a good "who dunnit". The writing was well done and the story was paced just Original review found at

3.5 stars

Ireceived this ARC novel as part of a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. The expected publication date is March 25th 2014.

I enjoyed this read. It had the perfect amount of mystery and suspense with the main character drawn in to the task of trying to solve two cold case murders. Mix in a handful of potential suspects and family drama and you have the ideal framework for a good "who dunnit". The writing was well done and the story was paced just write.

I really enjoyed the supporting character of David and Santini. I found David's devotion to Max in assisting with her career and ensuring her security was admirable in spite of the fact that I felt Max did not offer him the same respect. Santini as the local cop was just dreamy in my opinion. Although there was no major love story attached (more a mutual attraction) I loved his even temperament and his personality. I looked forward to scenes in which he was a part of.

The part that I struggled with was the character of Max. She was obviously the main character and was written to be strong and independent. I found that she was too much so. She was too hard and jaded which made it difficult to identify with her. She held the truth to the highest degree sometimes writing people out of her life for a lie yet she committed lies of omission throughout the entire story. This made her very hypocritical and left a sour taste in my mouth as she held people to a higher standard than herself. I know she was written to be a strong character who stops at nothing to get answers however I felt her character was not balanced enough to make her believable. It is my understanding that this is the first book featuring the character of Max and I think that for future instalments that she needs to be fine tuned so that she is tough yet believable at the same time.

Although I struggled with Max this was still a good story. I enjoyed the time spent within the pages. I am just not sure if I will invest further time in Max' future stories. Then again it could be interesting to see how she evolves ...more

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Feb 24, 2019 Melissa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: continuous-series, mf, abduction, library-mwr, family-drama-galore, military-cop-fbi-etc, murder, 2019, audio, eager-for-next-installment

This is a good murder mystery that spans over a decade. I thought I remembered who the killer was but I was wrong (probably thinking about a different book) and wow, who it turned out to be (view spoiler) was done really well. I love a good mystery which keeps me guessing. Allison Brennan has a true talent and I am excited to read the next book (again) in the series.

The romance aspect is very minor here. We are introduced to our MCs, and the ending is ...more

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Jun 17, 2018 Terri Wino rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: year-2018

I'm a huge fan of Allison Brennan's Lucy Kincaid series, so I decided to give this series a try. I have to say at first I didn't find Maxine Revere very likable, but as the book progressed she really grew on me.

The reason I didn't give this book four stars is that there was just a ton of information thrown at the reader. I realize, this being the first in the series, characters need to be established. But Max herself has quite a history that I'm sure will play out in future books. Coupled with t ...more

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Mar 19, 2014 Lyn rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 3-own, 1-mystery-thriller, 3-own-ebook, 5-california

Investigative reporter Maxine Revere returns to her home town to attend the funeral of a childhood friend. Kevin O'Neal was a troubled young man who at eighteen was tried for, but not convicted of, the murder of Lindy Ames. Although Lindy was Max's best friend, she stood by Kevin when everyone else turned their backs on him. Soon after the trial she became disillusioned. Kevin lied to her about his alibi. She still didn't believe he killed Lindy, but his lie kept the real killer from being appre Investigative reporter Maxine Revere returns to her home town to attend the funeral of a childhood friend. Kevin O'Neal was a troubled young man who at eighteen was tried for, but not convicted of, the murder of Lindy Ames. Although Lindy was Max's best friend, she stood by Kevin when everyone else turned their backs on him. Soon after the trial she became disillusioned. Kevin lied to her about his alibi. She still didn't believe he killed Lindy, but his lie kept the real killer from being apprehended. From that time until his death Max refused to talk to him.

Max was just a teenager when Lindy was murdered. Now she is a respected reporter with her own popular television show that specializes in cold cases. Because of her support of Kevin during his trial, Max has been on the outs with her wealthy family for years. She's only been home on two occasions, for the funeral of her great grandmother and for the wedding of a cousin. Maxine's own past is murky. She was raised by her grandmother from age ten, when her mother left and never returned.

While still at the airport, Max meets the grandparents of Jason Hoffman. They want her to take a look into his murder, which recently happened on the grounds of her former high school. Although she won't be staying long, Max decides to do what she can while she is in town. Soon after the funeral she must return to New York to report on an upcoming trial. She has no intention of delving into either murder, but new pieces of data keep drawing her in.

For a wealthy town where murder rarely occurs, the police have zero solve rates. Max is reluctant to leave Jason's case which is being put on the back burner just like Lindy's was. Lindy's case is also calling to her. When an anonymous phone call directs Maxine to leave town, she finds herself wondering why someone thinks she might succeed when the police did not.

Investigative reporter may be overused as a mystery heroine, but Max Revere is fresh and original and the mystery will keep the reader guessing. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series. ...more

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Mar 15, 2015 Ashley rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: action, adult, crime, dark, famous, revenge, secret-lives, thriller, keep-ya-on-your-toes, all-time-fave

Just finished the 1st book in the Alison Brenan Max Revere series (book 1)
And all I can say is WOW What an ending!!!!

I seen this at Kroger and thought well this looks ok... There's nothing else good here today.. AM I HAPPY I PICKED IT UP!!!! I seen a few days later on Goodreads the Ads and thought ok it seems good
WOW just WOW....
What a understatement!!!! It's fantastic..
I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN!!!!!

This was a awesome start of a series because of countless reasons but ill tell a few so not to ...more

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Jan 30, 2015 Elizabeth rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is the first book of Allison Brennan that I've ever read and the first book in her new Mixine Revere series.And I love it ,once I picked it up and started to read I could put it down. ...more

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Aug 01, 2018 Donna rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Maxine Revere's best friend was murdered in high school and another friend, Kevin, stood trial for the crime. Thirteen years later, Kevin commits suicide and Kevin's sister asks Max to look into his death. Also, Max learns of a more recent case where a man is killed on her old high school campus. Following the evidence, she wonders if the two cases could be related. Compounding the problem, her own wealthy family may be involved. Regardless of who may be hurt, Max won't stop until she uncovers t ...more

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Jan 16, 2018 Reindert Van Zwaal rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Just like the prequel, I liked this first installment of the series very much! Keeps you guessing almost until the end. I really like Max her character, her cynical remarks can be so funny. Had me laughing out loud multiple times. And of course Max her moral drive and the deeper personal layer present in the story made the book much better than a standard detective novel.

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Mar 02, 2014 Dianne rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 1-in-series, strong-female-characters, adult-fiction, arc-read, netgalley, murder-mystery, mystery, own, thriller

Brace yourself for the forces of the past and present as they collide with the firestorm that is Max Revere! Notorious by Allison Brennan is one action and intrigue packed moment after another as we are introduced to one of the strongest, and smartest female heroines ever! Max returns home to attend the funeral of a man she once turned her back on when he needed her most. The world she left behind holds no warm memories. Older, wiser and more independent than ever, Maxine is now an investigative Brace yourself for the forces of the past and present as they collide with the firestorm that is Max Revere! Notorious by Allison Brennan is one action and intrigue packed moment after another as we are introduced to one of the strongest, and smartest female heroines ever! Max returns home to attend the funeral of a man she once turned her back on when he needed her most. The world she left behind holds no warm memories. Older, wiser and more independent than ever, Maxine is now an investigative reporter who has tasted danger, exposed the underbelly of life and lived to tell about it.

Max promises the sister of her late best friend she will look into his suicide death, because something just does not sit right, there is more to the story and she is determined to get to the bottom of it, no matter who or what tries to get in her way. Kevin was accused of murder, a crime he swears he did not commit and he was acquitted in the eyes of the law, but branded in his own town. Obsessed with finding the real killer, he spirals into drug and alcohol abuse, until he takes his own life, but not before leaving scattered breadcrumbs for Max to follow. What she discovers has far more impact and uncovers other unsolved crimes and the trail is leading too close to home for her comfort. Few of the local authorities will cooperate, most do all they can to thwart her investigation, but obviously they do not know Max. A fascinating and riveting mystery thriller with one heck of a heroine, Notorious is a twisted ride through the dark tunnels of secrets, danger and the brutal glare of truths revealed!

Allison Brennan knows how to bring life to her characters and lead them down into the world she has created for them like the consummate puppeteer. Max is tough, but feminine, smart and edgy, yet vulnerable to her own mistakes and regrets. She has heart, a conscience and a grit that makes her larger-than-life! The supporting characters keep you guessing, who can she trust, who is hiding something, are they good, evil or just mean-spirited? With each changing page and emotional tension, Ms. Brennan’s style makes this smooth sailing at warp speed. Mystery lovers, here’s your next great read, Mystery newbies, here’s the perfect introduction to a contemporary who-dun-it!

I received this ARC edition from Minotaur Books in exchange for my honest review.

Series: Max Revere - Book 1
Publication Date: March 25, 2014
Publisher: Minotaur Books
ISBN: 9781250035059
Genre: Adult Fiction | Mystery/Thrillers
Number of pages: 337
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

...more

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Mar 24, 2014 Annette rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I found Notorious to be a thrilling page turner that kept me guessing until the very end.

Max is an interesting character. She's colorful, tough, and determined. She's up against her family in Notorious because she's back home trying to solve an old murder -- and the victim happened to be her best friend.

Max is an investigative reporter who has a TV show, so she's recognizable to many. She returns back to California, to her home town, to attend the funeral of one of her high school friends who co ...more

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Mar 09, 2014 Michael rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 100-reading-club-mike-draper, series, action-thriller, own-it, free-book-for-honest-review, mystery, read-in-2014, mike-s-2014-challenge

Investigative reporter Maxine "Max" Revere returns to her hometown outside of San Francisco for an old friend's funeral. At the airport an elderly couple approach her. They recognize her from her TV show and ask her to look into the murder of their grandchild, Jason Hoffman.

The funeral Max is to attend is for Kevin O'Neal. They grew up together and he was accused of murdering their friend Lindy Ames. Max was one of the few who took the stand in his defense years ago. Now, Kevin committed suicide ...more

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Apr 29, 2014 Cheryl rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

"...all I could think was that Wonder Woman's real name is Maxine Revere."

· Strong, smart, in-your-face female investigative reporter. Check!

· Sexy, strong-enough-to-stand-up-to-her male cop. Check!

· Realistic dialogue. Check!

· Lots of action and quick page turning. Check!

NOTORIOUS is one of the best mystery/thriller/romances I've read in the last few months. It caught my interest on the first page and kept the pace up to the "killer" ending.

I liked Maxine Revere and am glad to see that she is g ...more

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Dec 22, 2013 Keri rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: suspense, 2015-read

4.5 Stars. Awesome read and I can't believe I took this long to pick up Maxine Revere's story. Max is a investigative reporter that has her own television show that is dedicated to solving the crimes that police have given up on. She does her job so well that it tends to get her in trouble at times. Our Max is a very strong, rich woman with a sarcastic wit and a fondness for good looking dark eyed cops. Well for one named Nick for sure. Allison Brennan is known for her top-notch attention to the ...more

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Feb 19, 2018 Evelyn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I wanted to keep reading, and I enjoyed the main character.

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Mar 06, 2014 Heather rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: book-tour

Maxine Revere has dealt with more unsolved death in her life than the average person. While the murders of her high school best friend during their senior year, and later her college best friend in an unrelated crime led her to become an investigative reporter that takes on cold cases across the country for her national television show, she's still haunted by their deaths. Estranged from the friend who was accused but not convicted of the murder in high school, Max reluctantly returns to her hom Maxine Revere has dealt with more unsolved death in her life than the average person. While the murders of her high school best friend during their senior year, and later her college best friend in an unrelated crime led her to become an investigative reporter that takes on cold cases across the country for her national television show, she's still haunted by their deaths. Estranged from the friend who was accused but not convicted of the murder in high school, Max reluctantly returns to her home town for his funeral after he commits suicide. Kevin was never able to recover from the stigma of being accused of Lindy's murder, so he'd drank and drugged himself into oblivion in the ensuing years. But he'd also been doing some digging into the murder when the police wouldn't do anymore, and he tried to contact Max after thirteen years--but she wouldn't speak to him.

Max has only been back to her hometown a handful of times since high school. Even though she grew up rich and privileged, she was the black sheep of the family since her flighty mother dropped her off to live with her grandparents when she was ten years old. Max has always been outspoken, hated lies to the point of exposing others deceit no matter what the consequences, and that doesn't go over well in the high society of her community that thinks they should be able to do what they want without repercussions. Her family certainly wasn't happy when Max sided with her friend Kevin, the boy accused of killing Lindy.

When Max arrives at the local airport with her assistant/bodyguard David in tow, an elderly couple recognizes her and asks her to look into the murder of their grandson. This happened on a construction site of her former school's property, which is also where her best friend's body was discovered all those years ago. Even though she promises them nothing, she says that she'll look into it. In the meantime, she meets with Kevin's sister, who's convinced that Kevin didn't kill himself. When Max agrees to look into this, she unwittingly opens up a storm of intertwining events that go back to high school and Lindy's murder, and maybe even the latest murder in town. Just how far will Max go to find the truth and how much of the past is she willing to dig up to get there?

Max is an interesting and complex character. Blunt, head strong, smart and determined, she is used to getting what she wants, and she knows exactly how to manipulate people and situations to her ends. Max is able to make connections and get information where the police haven't been able to, and that's what makes her such a great investigator. She is also afraid of commitment and has trouble sharing or asking people for help, however, and she has a very complicated relationship with her family. Her assistant David was a nice treat and I look forward to seeing more of him in the next book. He's smart, connected, and resourceful, and he's super protective of his boss.

Detective Nick Santini helps Max when he can, but only after she's proven herself to him. He's tough, no nonsense, and sees through her crap, so he's on to her tactics in a second. Plus, Nick knows that the original detective in the murder has it out for Max and acts accordingly.

I give Notorious a 4.5 out of 5. With great pacing and excellent twists, I couldn't put this one down as Max put the pieces together (with a little bit of help from Nick and David) and solved the murders. Max is a intriguing character and puts herself at risk while she's trying to find the answers, even if it's going to cost her personally. The back story snippets about Max's family and history that were sprinkled throughout have left me eager for the next book. This is an excellent beginning to thrilling new series.

(Also on Bewitched Bookworms) ...more

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Mar 16, 2014 Margreet Asselbergs rated it really liked it · review of another edition

http://ripeforreader.blogspot.com/201...

My rating: 4 of 5 ⭐️

Not excited about the prospect of facing her somewhat dysfunctional family, Maxine is on her way home at the request of the sister of her once best friend Kevin, to attend his funeral. Her family had never understood her dedication to take on unsolved murders, long cast aside by police, in order to give some closure to the families. Had made it her career as an investigative reporter and now host of a TV-crime show. They couldn't grasp ...more

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Mar 22, 2014 Kathy Martin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

NOTORIOUS was an engaging and entertaining start to a new series. The main character is Maxine Revere who is independently wealthy and is the semi-black sheep of a prominent California family. She had a messed up childhood. Her mother was constantly on the move and dragged Max with her until she was 9. Then her mother dropped her off with her grandparents and disappeared. All Max had were some birthday cards which stopped arriving when she was sixteen and questions - why did her mother leave her NOTORIOUS was an engaging and entertaining start to a new series. The main character is Maxine Revere who is independently wealthy and is the semi-black sheep of a prominent California family. She had a messed up childhood. Her mother was constantly on the move and dragged Max with her until she was 9. Then her mother dropped her off with her grandparents and disappeared. All Max had were some birthday cards which stopped arriving when she was sixteen and questions - why did her mother leave her? who was her father?

Max grew up with a close circle of friends including her cousin William who was more life a brother. Things fell apart when her good friend Lindy was strangled and her other good friend Kevin was accused of the crime. Max was the only one of her circle of friends who didn't believe that Kevin didn't do it. Trial ended without convicting Kevin - six jurors thought he was guilty and six did not. But when Max learned that Kevin had lied to her about his alibi, Max cut herself off from him. The one thing that Max wasn't able to tolerate in her life was lies.

Max left for school on the East Coast and became an investigative reporter. The death of her college roommate while on Spring break in Florida helped push Max in that direction. Her roommate's body was never found and the person accused of the crime was never convicted. Max spent a year trying to find out what happened to her roommate which led to her writing her first book about the case.

When this story begins, Max has a successful career and a television show which investigates cold cases. Max is determined to find the truth because she believes it is the only way that families can find peace. She is called back to California because Kevin has committed suicide. He could never get past being accused of killing Lindy and had turned to drugs and alcohol. He had also continued to try to find out who really killed Lindy.

In the airport, she is approached by two people who want her to investigate the death of their grandson. When Max finds out that he was killed on the grounds of her old high school, she agrees to look into the case a little.

It doesn't take long for Max to be deeply involved in both cases despite anonymous threats over the phone and threats from the detective who worked on Lindy's case and is sure that Kevin got away with murder. Max's investigation is complicated by all the intertwined relationships she has with those involved in Lindy's case.

I liked the mystery even though I didn't really bond with Max. She was very rigid in her stance on lying and she was rather reckless too. I did admire her focus and her determination to find the truth no matter who might get hurt along the way. I liked her relationship with her assistant David and her tentative new romance with the police detective working the case of the dead grandson - Nick Santini. However, given Max's stance on relationships, I don't hold out much hope for a lasting romance there.

I'll be eager to see where Allison Brennan takes Max next. I wonder how Max would be in a case that was not so personal to her. I can't wait to find out! ...more

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Jan 01, 2014 Terri Lynn rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, mystery-suspense-thrillers

Maxine "Max" Revere was dumped off on her snooty grandparents as a child by a mother who wanted to be free of all responsibilities and this led Max to have trust issues and an inability to tolerate even the smallest white lie. There is a rather sad sense of aloneness to her that was palpable throughout the book. She has a good heart and wants to help other people but she has a way of keeping others at an emotional distance so not to be hurt or disappointed again.

Having inherited millions from h Maxine "Max" Revere was dumped off on her snooty grandparents as a child by a mother who wanted to be free of all responsibilities and this led Max to have trust issues and an inability to tolerate even the smallest white lie. There is a rather sad sense of aloneness to her that was palpable throughout the book. She has a good heart and wants to help other people but she has a way of keeping others at an emotional distance so not to be hurt or disappointed again.

Having inherited millions from her great-grandmother (her missing mother's share), Max writes books about true crime (like the author Ann Rule) and has her own television show where she delves into cold cases. She runs right into a bunch of cases when she returns to the town in California where her relatives live (she hasn't been there for years because she avoids them) for the funeral of an ex-boyfriend from high school at the request of the man's sister. Kevin had a cloud over him these past years since he was accused of murdering their high school friend Lindy and getting off due to a hung jury. Most still think he did it, including a very nasty cop who handled the case.

Kevin didn't do it and Max had stood up for him which caused the town-and that cop- to turn on her. Now that she is back, she is up to her neck in trying to prove Kevin innocent plus trying to solve the reason why a young man was killed who found a body at the construction site of a new building at the exclusive private school and solve Lindy's case all while dealing with the smoldering hatred of the nasty detective, a smoldering hot attraction to another cop, and her impossible family led by the grandmother/matriarch who raised her and will do ANYTHING to protect the family from scandal.

As Max digs deeper, she is followed, attacked, spends a night in jail (thanks to the nasty cop), faces witnesses who won't tell her anything, fights with the family, but keeps on digging. The closer she comes to solving the crimes, the more dangerous it gets for her. ...more

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Oct 15, 2017 Sarah rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: owned, pick-for-me

I wasn't blown away by this book for two reasons.

The first is that there's way too much going on. Max goes home because a friend from high school died, and his sister doesn't believe it was suicide, so Max goes to investigate. But on her way to the airport, she meets a couple who asks her to investigate the murder of their grandson's death. And mixed in there, she talks about how another high school friend, was also killed when they were teenagers. So right from the beginning, we know Max is eit I wasn't blown away by this book for two reasons.

The first is that there's way too much going on. Max goes home because a friend from high school died, and his sister doesn't believe it was suicide, so Max goes to investigate. But on her way to the airport, she meets a couple who asks her to investigate the murder of their grandson's death. And mixed in there, she talks about how another high school friend, was also killed when they were teenagers. So right from the beginning, we know Max is either magically going to solve all three situations in a 300-page book, or they'll somehow, miraculously, be related to each other. Spoiler alert: they're all related. Because there are three murders to solve in one book, there are way too many characters. I had a hard time keeping track of who everyone was, and I almost felt like I was supposed to take notes so I didn't forget. It shouldn't be work to understand a book.

The second reason is the writing, and part of that was writing Max to be a very stupid character. She puts herself in reckless situations constantly just because she thinks the police aren't willing to help her, even though they almost always are. She breaks multiple laws in the process of her investigations just to prove a point (that she's a better detective than the police), but she always has to call someone to save her in the end anyway, so what's the point? On the technical side of the writing, you know when people mention something, but then say they can't talk about it after someone asks? The author does that a lot in this book. She mentions things and then abruptly changes the subject or never truly goes into detail about them - so why bother to mention them at all if they aren't relevant to the story?

The story itself is just okay. There's a lot of action sequences where Max breaks the laws to uncover the truth; a ton of family drama; the beginnings of a very dry romantic relationship; the ending came out of left field, but not in a good-shock kind of way. It wasn't predictable because it didn't make any sense. Essentially, meh. ...more

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Mar 05, 2014 Melissa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

We follow Max, a famous reporter who specializes in handling cold cases and finding the truth. In this book we find Max coming to her hometown for a funeral of a friend. She is approached by two elderly people who want the case of their grandson solved which has recently gone cold. She can't ignore the pull of a mystery so she goes on a quest to solve the murder for the couple. While she is there, it seems as if everyone from her past is telling her not to involve herself in a high school friend ...more

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Mar 28, 2014 Silver James rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: keeper, 2014-books-read

Notorious is the first full-length novel in author Allison Brennan's new suspense series featuring investigative reporter/reality TV host, Maxine Revere. There is a prequel novella, MAXIMUM EXPOSURE, that doesn't have to be read prior to the novel, but doesn't hurt because it's a damn good read, too.

Anyway. There is much to love about this new series. At the same time, I wanted to slap the heroine upside the head with a clue-by-four on more than a few occasions. Intellectually, I understand why ...more

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Dec 12, 2014 Kerry rated it it was ok · review of another edition

an audio book I picked up at the library without any design or idea of what I was getting aside from the back blurb. It was OK, not my kind of mystery. Too many people thrown at the reader to set up at least 10 people who might have been the killer, two different mysteries and no up front knowledge of how they are related. Too confusing to follow easily on audio. I did like the female heroine--Maxine Revere--she was smart, determined and had an interesting background--though a little too conveni ...more

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Jul 20, 2013 Darcy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, audio-book, 2014

This was an interesting book for me. A lot of it was because I had conflicting feelings about Max. I like that she sticks to her convictions, but I don't know that I like her as a whole. I felt bad for her, for her family, which she doesn't seem to fit into. She is definitely the black sheep, the dirty little secret they have to own up too, as much as they would much rather she just go away. I find the Grandmother to be an odd one. Max stumbles upon some great thoughts she has about Max, yet tho ...more

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Apr 23, 2014 Patty rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Notorious
By
Allison Brennan

My " in a nutshell" summary...

Max...sharp, astute, clever...has returned home for a funeral...and a little bit of sleuthing!

My thoughts after reading this book...

Max appears to have it all...in spite of a rough start. She has no clue where her mother is...or even if she is alive...she was dropped off at her grandmother's house on Thanksgiving Day. She has written books, hosts a TV show and is capable of solving crimes but not the one that involved her best friend and he ...more

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Nov 30, 2014 Stephanie (Once Upon a Chapter) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: location-kindle, source-personal-collection

This review was originally posted on Once Upon a Chapter

It has been so long since I've read an Allison Brennan book and that was a mistake. After reading Felicia's review of Notorious I knew I had to pick this up sooner rather than later. I'm drawn to cold cases like a moth to the flame. There's just something about them. Perhaps it's the unknown or whatever it is that tripped up professionals. Whatever it is, Brennan delivered.

I really, really enjoyed Maxine Revere as a character. She's ind ...more

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Jan 30, 2014 DP Lyle rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Notorious by Allison Brennan

Minotaur Books
March 25, 2014
ISBN-10: 1250035058
ISBN-13: 978-1250035059
336 pages

… a fun and fast-paced thriller …

Maxine “Max” Revere, investigative reporter turned TV crime show host, returns to her hometown for the funeral of an old school classmate, Kevin O’Neal, who apparently committed suicide. Another of Max’s classmates, Lindy Ames, had been murdered years earlier while they attended Atherton Prep in California. Kevin, though never arrested or tried, was the only ...more

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About Allison Brennan

Allison Brennan

3,091 followers

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Allison Brennan believes that life is too short to be bored, so she had five children and writes three books a year.

40 books and numerous short stories later, Allison relocated in 2019 from Northern California to Arizona with her husband and two youngest children.

She currently writes the Lucy Kincaid/Sean Rogan thriller series, and launched the Quin ...more