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FBI #1
Brown-Eyed Girl
NOTHING IS AS IT APPEARS...IN THIS TWISTING NOVEL FROM THE NATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF DEAD EVEN
A fashion magazine features editor, Leah McDevitt is haunted by the memory of her cherished younger sister, Melissa, who vanished years ago. Missy, whose extraordinary eyes -- one blue, one brown -- may have lured her abductor to her....When Leah receives a letter from death row inmate Raymond Lambert, she eagerly agrees to pay him the long-standing reward for information about Melissa -- even if it means coming face-to-face with a notorious serial killer.
But before Lambert can impart his secrets, he himself is killed. Devastated but determined, Leah heads to the Maine woods to seek out private investigator Ethan Sanger, who authored a book about Lambert in exchange for yet another of Lambert's terrible secrets. Leah and Ethan strike a sparking passion with the power to heal their painful pasts. But someone has his eye on Leah...someone who knows more than he should...and who won't be satisfied until Leah sees the truth with her own eyes.
A fashion magazine features editor, Leah McDevitt is haunted by the memory of her cherished younger sister, Melissa, who vanished years ago. Missy, whose extraordinary eyes -- one blue, one brown -- may have lured her abductor to her....When Leah receives a letter from death row inmate Raymond Lambert, she eagerly agrees to pay him the long-standing reward for information about Melissa -- even if it means coming face-to-face with a notorious serial killer.
But before Lambert can impart his secrets, he himself is killed. Devastated but determined, Leah heads to the Maine woods to seek out private investigator Ethan Sanger, who authored a book about Lambert in exchange for yet another of Lambert's terrible secrets. Leah and Ethan strike a sparking passion with the power to heal their painful pasts. But someone has his eye on Leah...someone who knows more than he should...and who won't be satisfied until Leah sees the truth with her own eyes.
352 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2000
65 people are currently reading
1024 people want to read
About the author
Mariah Stewart
88 books1,531 followersMariah Stewart is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of forty-one novels and three novellas and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal. She is a RITA finalist in romantic suspense and the recipient of the Award of Excellence for contemporary romance, a RIO Award for excellence in women's fiction, and a Reviewers Choice Award from Romantic Times Magazine. A three-time winner of the Golden Leaf Award presented by the New Jersey Romance Writers, Stewart was recently awarded their Lifetime Achievement Award (which placed her in their Hall of Fame along with former recipients Nora Roberts and Mary Jo Putney — very excellent company, indeed!)
After having written seven contemporary romance novels, Stewart found true happiness writing murder and mayhem. She considers herself one lucky son of a gun to have landed the best job in the world: getting paid for making up stories. At home. In sweats and J. Crew flip flops. Could life be sweeter?
After having written seven contemporary romance novels, Stewart found true happiness writing murder and mayhem. She considers herself one lucky son of a gun to have landed the best job in the world: getting paid for making up stories. At home. In sweats and J. Crew flip flops. Could life be sweeter?
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
February 1, 2021
This book was released 20 years ago, which boggles my mind. I read it a few years after that, sometime in 2006. Since I haven't read it since then, I didn't remember a single thing about it, except that I had enjoyed it.
Surprisingly, it held up pretty well. Despite it being set in 2000, the signs of the times didn't show too badly. There were cell phones but no talks of tracing calls or pinging cell phone towers. But even without all the fancy technology we have now (in 2021), in the novel the FBI and people who were being hunted by bad guys, were able to do their own investigating and I was able to keep up with the story.
It's well written and has a good mystery that kept me interested in the outcome. The romance is sweet and because both hero and heroine have had immense tragedy in their lives, it makes sense that they would fall for each other. They can understand each other.
There's one mildly detailed sex scene, a small bit of language but not much and some violence. There are discussions of murderer and sexual abuse, though there are no on page scenes of that abuse.
Surprisingly, it held up pretty well. Despite it being set in 2000, the signs of the times didn't show too badly. There were cell phones but no talks of tracing calls or pinging cell phone towers. But even without all the fancy technology we have now (in 2021), in the novel the FBI and people who were being hunted by bad guys, were able to do their own investigating and I was able to keep up with the story.
It's well written and has a good mystery that kept me interested in the outcome. The romance is sweet and because both hero and heroine have had immense tragedy in their lives, it makes sense that they would fall for each other. They can understand each other.
There's one mildly detailed sex scene, a small bit of language but not much and some violence. There are discussions of murderer and sexual abuse, though there are no on page scenes of that abuse.
April 9, 2022
Been quite awhile since I have read Mariah Stewart Books... So glad I am back to reading her Books... Brown - Eyed Girl, Excellent, so much so, I didn't want to put it down*****
January 22, 2026
Une romance sympa, où l'horreur fait face à la bienveillance des protagonistes. ça se lit vite et la touche de suspense fait le job.
July 13, 2017
Author: Mariah Stewart
First published: 2000
Length: 342 pages, 4103 kindle locations
Setting: Contemporary. St Dennis, Chesapeake Bay, Maryland.
Sex: Door half closed. Infrequent.
Hero: Arson investigator.
Heroine: Fashion Magazine Editor
Trigger: Domestic abuse and spousal abuse.
Trigger: Discussion of rape and murder of young women.
A good suspense with some romance (not a huge amount).
Sad in places but it works. Not too dark. Good storyline. Not predictable.
I liked it.
FBI:
Brown-Eyed Girl (2000) - Leah McDevitt and Ethan Sanger
Voices Carry (2001) - Genna Snow and John Mancini
The President’s Daughter (2002) - Dina McDermott and Simon Keller
Until Dark (2003) - Kendra Smith and Adam Stark
Dead Wrong (2004) - Mara Douglas and Aidan Shields
Dead Certain (2004) - Amanda Crosby and Sean Mercer
Dead Even (2004) - Miranda Cahill and Will Fletcher
Dead End (2005) - Annie Marie McCall and Evan Crosby
Cold Truth (2005) - Cassie Burke and Rick Cisco
Hard Truth (2005) - Lorna Temple and T. J. Dawson
Dark Truth (2005) - Nina Madden and Wes Powell
Final Truth (2006) - Lester Ray Barnes and Regan Landry
Last Look (2007) - Dorsey Collins and Andrew Shields
Last Words (2007) - Mia Shields and Gabriel Beck
Last Breath (2007) - Dr. Daria McGowan and Connor Shields
Forgotten (2008) - Portia Cahill and James Cannon
References:
Author's website: http://www.mariahstewart.com/books.html
(ISBN 9781451633078)
-CR-
First published: 2000
Length: 342 pages, 4103 kindle locations
Setting: Contemporary. St Dennis, Chesapeake Bay, Maryland.
Sex: Door half closed. Infrequent.
Hero: Arson investigator.
Heroine: Fashion Magazine Editor
Trigger: Domestic abuse and spousal abuse.
Trigger: Discussion of rape and murder of young women.
A good suspense with some romance (not a huge amount).
Sad in places but it works. Not too dark. Good storyline. Not predictable.
I liked it.
FBI:
Brown-Eyed Girl (2000) - Leah McDevitt and Ethan Sanger
Voices Carry (2001) - Genna Snow and John Mancini
The President’s Daughter (2002) - Dina McDermott and Simon Keller
Until Dark (2003) - Kendra Smith and Adam Stark
Dead Wrong (2004) - Mara Douglas and Aidan Shields
Dead Certain (2004) - Amanda Crosby and Sean Mercer
Dead Even (2004) - Miranda Cahill and Will Fletcher
Dead End (2005) - Annie Marie McCall and Evan Crosby
Cold Truth (2005) - Cassie Burke and Rick Cisco
Hard Truth (2005) - Lorna Temple and T. J. Dawson
Dark Truth (2005) - Nina Madden and Wes Powell
Final Truth (2006) - Lester Ray Barnes and Regan Landry
Last Look (2007) - Dorsey Collins and Andrew Shields
Last Words (2007) - Mia Shields and Gabriel Beck
Last Breath (2007) - Dr. Daria McGowan and Connor Shields
Forgotten (2008) - Portia Cahill and James Cannon
References:
Author's website: http://www.mariahstewart.com/books.html
(ISBN 9781451633078)
-CR-
April 21, 2016
Magazine writer Leah McDewitt receives a letter from serial killer Raymond Lambert on death row who claims to know where her missing sister is located. While he doesn't come right out and say that he killed her, he gives Leah a general description of the area her sister is in and will tell her the exact location once he gets $50,000 reward. Raymond is suddenly killed in prison and the only other avenue Leah can pursue is with Ethan Sanger who interviewed the killer extensively and wrote a book about the murders. Leah and Ethan listen to the tapes at her secluded cabin in Connecticut and she begins to notice items out of place in the cabin. A brutal murder occurs. Leah returns to Maine with Ethan as the FBI feels Raymond may have had an accomplice or intern on the outside who means her harm.
I liked reading this romantic suspense book and the ending held a surprise that I wasn't expecting.
I liked reading this romantic suspense book and the ending held a surprise that I wasn't expecting.
October 21, 2012
This is my first story from Mariah Stewart and it was a smooth and easy read. I knew who the killer was by the middle of the book but that didn't deter me from reading the rest of it. Leah helped to heal Ethan's pain and look beyond the past while Ethan was the strength and stability that Leah needed. And still it was a nice love story.
I was looking forward to a little more from FBI agents Genna Snow and John Mancini....maybe another book??? I am looking forward to more from this author.
I was looking forward to a little more from FBI agents Genna Snow and John Mancini....maybe another book??? I am looking forward to more from this author.
March 6, 2023
I read the second book in this series and enjoyed it. Going back to the first- quite a disappointment. 1) less than 99% of this book had anything to do with the fbi:Mancini, 2) the way the cousin spoke was annoying, 3) the relationship between Ethan and the heroine whose name I forgot was not believable, 4) you know who is involved by the end of the first few chapters.
April 1, 2015
I liked it pretty well. I made the mistake of reading some reviews in here when I was half way thru the book and someone gave up the ending. Why do people do that? It is so rude!! Anyway, I finished the book and still liked it.
July 7, 2019
Turns out I am not a fan of romantic suspense. Too much building of relationship and romance and not enough suspense for my taste.
December 21, 2023
Just not enough character development for me to feel fulfilled at the end
November 3, 2022
REVIEW OF AUDIOBOOK; NOVEMBER 2022
I've listened to a few of the author's John Mancini series and they were just okay. Good enough to finish but none memorable. As murder mysteries with a touch of romance are my cup of tea, I decided to start from the first book - which I hadn't read yet.
The only reason I gave this 2 stars is because I managed to finish it, giving the excuse that this was the author's first Romantic Suspense book.
What threw me off from the start was this: the protagonist, Ethan, is having a conversation with his father and his 14 year old daughter is present; the father tells Ethan some female company would do him good. Ethan replies that if he wanted "female company' he would pay for it (rather than go on a date as his dad is suggesting). To which the daughter warns her dad about contracting an STD if he were to indulge in paid sex. I was, seriously, going WTF??? What father talks about going to a prostitute in front of his daughter? And a 14 year old one at that!
But okay, I excused the author because...well, first book outside of her Romance genre.
This book was written 22 years ago so no modern technology - perfectly fine with me. The downside of this is that almost every plot device has been done (to death!) by 2022. In this case death row villain will only talk to the protagonist and death row villain has an accomplice or protegee on the outside. Still okay with me because well, there's only so many plot devices available and someone somewhere would have used it. What matters to me is how well executed the plot is.
Sadly, in this case every darn step was predictable. I could predict every step from the start to the end, even the person involved in the "big" reveal at the end. Also, everyone in the book was incredibly TSTL. For example, I knew Ethan and Leah would go hide out in his Maine home and when Ethan suggests it, I was going "No! Moron! The accomplice knows you and when you and Leah disappear, the first place he'll look for you is your home! Why expose your father and daughter to the danger?" But no, they go to Ethan's home because the FBI, who have been called in by now, also agrees it's a good place for Leah to hide from the guy who's hunting for her. Then Leah, warned NOT to reveal her whereabouts to ANYone, promptly reveals just that not one minute after that warning.
So of course, the killer finds her. There was one saving grace, though - Leah had balked over learning to use a gun. She finds guns too lethal and would prefer to use a bow and arrow because with an arrow she can aim for the killer's leg. Seriously. I'm not kidding. But...Ethan manages to convince her that if you have to take down a killer, you don't aim for his leg so she learns to use the gun. Whew!
The second star is for the fact that while I guessed the "who", I did not guess the "why".
I must say I'm perplexed by the number of good reviews (4 stars).
I've listened to a few of the author's John Mancini series and they were just okay. Good enough to finish but none memorable. As murder mysteries with a touch of romance are my cup of tea, I decided to start from the first book - which I hadn't read yet.
The only reason I gave this 2 stars is because I managed to finish it, giving the excuse that this was the author's first Romantic Suspense book.
What threw me off from the start was this: the protagonist, Ethan, is having a conversation with his father and his 14 year old daughter is present; the father tells Ethan some female company would do him good. Ethan replies that if he wanted "female company' he would pay for it (rather than go on a date as his dad is suggesting). To which the daughter warns her dad about contracting an STD if he were to indulge in paid sex. I was, seriously, going WTF??? What father talks about going to a prostitute in front of his daughter? And a 14 year old one at that!
But okay, I excused the author because...well, first book outside of her Romance genre.
This book was written 22 years ago so no modern technology - perfectly fine with me. The downside of this is that almost every plot device has been done (to death!) by 2022. In this case death row villain will only talk to the protagonist and death row villain has an accomplice or protegee on the outside. Still okay with me because well, there's only so many plot devices available and someone somewhere would have used it. What matters to me is how well executed the plot is.
Sadly, in this case every darn step was predictable. I could predict every step from the start to the end, even the person involved in the "big" reveal at the end. Also, everyone in the book was incredibly TSTL. For example, I knew Ethan and Leah would go hide out in his Maine home and when Ethan suggests it, I was going "No! Moron! The accomplice knows you and when you and Leah disappear, the first place he'll look for you is your home! Why expose your father and daughter to the danger?" But no, they go to Ethan's home because the FBI, who have been called in by now, also agrees it's a good place for Leah to hide from the guy who's hunting for her. Then Leah, warned NOT to reveal her whereabouts to ANYone, promptly reveals just that not one minute after that warning.
So of course, the killer finds her. There was one saving grace, though - Leah had balked over learning to use a gun. She finds guns too lethal and would prefer to use a bow and arrow because with an arrow she can aim for the killer's leg. Seriously. I'm not kidding. But...Ethan manages to convince her that if you have to take down a killer, you don't aim for his leg so she learns to use the gun. Whew!
The second star is for the fact that while I guessed the "who", I did not guess the "why".
I must say I'm perplexed by the number of good reviews (4 stars).
February 18, 2025
Brown-Eyed Girl
Leah gets a letter from a serial killer on death row. He taunts her with the remains of her sister who went missing years ago. Only thing is he's killed by a fellow inmate before he could tell her where she could find her sister's body. And it turns out he wasn't her sister's killer. That one was still on the loose. Leah seeks the help of Ethan who himself had had his wife murdered by a serial killer the one killed in the prison. It's love at first sight with these two and they work together to find a killer that's set his sights on Leah. Happily Ever After doesn't come without a price.
Leah gets a letter from a serial killer on death row. He taunts her with the remains of her sister who went missing years ago. Only thing is he's killed by a fellow inmate before he could tell her where she could find her sister's body. And it turns out he wasn't her sister's killer. That one was still on the loose. Leah seeks the help of Ethan who himself had had his wife murdered by a serial killer the one killed in the prison. It's love at first sight with these two and they work together to find a killer that's set his sights on Leah. Happily Ever After doesn't come without a price.
December 28, 2022
I listened to this romance/mystery. I think it was just as much romance as mystery, because the victim's family thought they knew who killed the victim, but they were wrong. The person who did the killing, admitted to it once he was found out. If you chose not to believe it was just a psychopath's brain at work, the big question is why was this person targeting the sister of the victim now? Nice little romance theme throughout. Familial betrayal for selfish reasons was a factor and the supposed victim was oblivious to the threat or the feelings of the relative.
January 30, 2023
I was fortunate to win this book and so happy to have discovered a new author (for me). The book was published in 2000 but the story is as relevant today as then. Leah McDevitt has been haunted by her sister having been missing for years. She receives a letter from a prisoner on death row telling her he knows where her sister is. From that point on, nothing is as it seems. Somewhat unexpected ending, I'd recommend this read. I'll be finding more of this author to read.
February 13, 2024
When I finish it and I rated it told I’d the book for the second time! Hummmm must have been my earlier life I didn’t remember it! I think it is a great read! The plot was steady, character Leah was a intelligent, resourceful and determined women! Of course Ethan the handsome, strong and able man allowed her to be herself! Almost a fairytale except for the evil! Wait fairytales have evil too! Hehe!💕📖☺️
May 9, 2017
To be truthful, I wasn't expecting to like this book so much.
I expected it to be the usual mystery books that have almost the same plot and yes it was no surprise Catherine had something to do with it but I still loved that it enabled me think a lot and also ask questions.
Overall, quite good. Loved it.
I expected it to be the usual mystery books that have almost the same plot and yes it was no surprise Catherine had something to do with it but I still loved that it enabled me think a lot and also ask questions.
Overall, quite good. Loved it.
February 3, 2024
a very satisfying mystery
I can’t believe this has not been optioned for a movie or Netflix series!!This is a very engaging mystery that will keep you reading into the night! I love everything Mariah Stewart has written and can not believe that they have not been optioned for movies or television series! This is one talented writer!Bravo👏🏻
I can’t believe this has not been optioned for a movie or Netflix series!!This is a very engaging mystery that will keep you reading into the night! I love everything Mariah Stewart has written and can not believe that they have not been optioned for movies or television series! This is one talented writer!Bravo👏🏻
December 21, 2022
This book was off to a solid, gripping start but fell short for me with a lack of details (including entire conversations that just stopped and skipped ahead?!) and unrealistic dialogue between characters.
December 29, 2023
it all started with a brown eyed girl
This is the first book I’ve read in a long while that I truly enjoyed from beginning to end; action was brisk. The protagonists were intelligent and the ending even though it was a surprise was perfect. You do want to read this book.
This is the first book I’ve read in a long while that I truly enjoyed from beginning to end; action was brisk. The protagonists were intelligent and the ending even though it was a surprise was perfect. You do want to read this book.
February 11, 2024
I found myself invested in this story from the beginning. The story line was excellent and it built up as it went along. I've come to enjoy this author's books and will definitely be reading more of her books.
August 13, 2017
Her Best. So Far
I may have to talk nonsense to get the required words because the title sums it up. Read it and find out for yourself. It stands on its own.
I may have to talk nonsense to get the required words because the title sums it up. Read it and find out for yourself. It stands on its own.
October 10, 2017
good read a long time ago.
May 1, 2018
My first by Mariah Stewart and it wont be the last. A really good romantic suspense!
August 26, 2018
Good story. Way longer than needed.
3 ⭐️
3 ⭐️
September 13, 2018
Good read
September 2, 2021
Likable characters with interesting sub characters that I hope will be written about in future books. Fairly “innocent” romance scenes.
September 13, 2021
Likable characters with interesting sub characters that I hope will be written about in future books. Fairly “innocent” romance scenes.
Read
April 27, 2023Dnf
May 16, 2023
Extremely predictable and mediocre!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews