Private World

by Gail Matelson

In this fast paced, romantic murder mystery, Aja Jenson and her colleague, Jack Adams, are unexpectedly drawn into a possible missing person's case. Hindered by deceptive relationships that are riddled with ulterior motives, Aja must access her uncanny mental ability in order to unravel the mystery of Sandra Jacob's disappearance. Aja's spiritually intuitive 'quips' tell her that she must find this missing woman quickly, before the missing person's case turns into a murder investigation. However, the closer Aja and Jack get to understanding Sandra's troublesome life, the more involved they get in each other's lives... in a way they never expected.
While the two books aren't connected, some of the characters depicted in the mystery novel, "Private World," are carried into the thriller novel, "The Building."

316 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 10, 2014

About the author

It wasn't until I returned from a year-long, solo driving trip around the United States that I wrote my first book, a personal memoir that I haven't as yet published. Thoroughly enjoying the experience of writing, I spontaneously wrote my first mystery novel. The experience was so 'novel', the characters so willing to tell their own story, that I never stopped writing. Twenty-one books and seventeen years later, my unique stories cover a wide spectrum, from humorous metaphysical fantasy in "Last 90 Days, Archie Trilogy Book 1," and magical realism in "Between the Trees," to a psychological thriller in "The Building." Blending multiple genres, my stories have inspiring stories of transformation, as well as humorous and romantic threads woven into the plots.

Reviews

[Darren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this as a free e-book from the author in exchange for a honest review. It is my second e-book by this author. I liked it just as good as the first one that I read. I hope to read more books by this author. It was a well written book.

[James Faro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aja Jenson is the reservations Manager at the Princess Arms Hotel in Seattle. Her friend and co-worker, Jack Adams, asks for her help in solving the whereabouts of, Sandra Brandon, a missing guest at the hotel.
Aja and Jack set out on a journey to discover the truth; a journey which involves many twists and turns, never knowing who they can trust. At the same time, they become increasingly aware of their feelings for one another.
Aja is a very intriguing character. Since childhood, she has been aware of her heightened intuitive abilities and experiences what she calls "quips"; words which jump into her mind. She is a member of Shajaya, a group of people with enhanced intuition where she hopes she can use her abilities and those in her group to help find Sandra.
There are other interesting characters; the crazy unbalanced Andrea Duvall who I couldn't help feeling a little bit sorry for, the arrogant Gerald Atkinson, Sherman Winslow the flamboyant overweight lawyer, and the ever optimistic detective Ted McKinney in his relentless pursuit of Shelley Wiley.
I liked the episodes involving Jessie, Shelley's little dog. Although Jessie is definitely a clever female dog, there are occasions in the text when she is referred to as he. There are a few editing errors in the book and I was distracted by the inconsistent use of capital letters for common nouns such as brother and husband.
Written in the present tense, which adds to the fast pace of the story, this is a very original and enjoyable read. The storyline is complex, with many twists and turns which kept me guessing until the very end. Just when I thought I'd worked it all out, the author introduces new information about the characters and takes the story in another direction.
Action packed and unpredictable, this is an intriguing read full of suspense and mystery.

[Terry Sprouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Private World” is an exciting mixture of mystery, romance and extra sensory insight.

The story centers around Aja Jensen, who takes reservations at the prominent Princess Arms Hotel. When a hotel guest mysteriously disappears, Aja realizes that she indirectly knew the guest though a boss at her previous job. All is not as it seems. Below the surface of the disappearance are mysterious characters with evil intentions. Aja and hotel CEO, Jack Adams, must unravel the mystery before it’s too late.

Interestingly, Aja is involved in a mystic group (Shajaya), comprised of people that have highly enhanced intuition. Aja’s unusual intuitive abilities, and those of other members of the group, are instrumental in helping to solve the case. As they closely pursue the investigation together, romantic sparks fly between Aja and Jack.

Overall, an enjoyable mystery/romance.

[Wil Dershimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed Private World. After reading Hidden, Deep Within, Gail recommended Private World. It was a very good read because it also has plot twists much like Hidden.. In addition, many of the prime characters in Hidden.. were also in Private.. It was great to see how the relationships developed. I really enjoyed seeing if I could predict the villains in the book, and sad to realize that I was not completely correct in my predictions, due to unexpected twists. I highly recommend taking advantage of this Kindle Countdown Deal.

[Black Butterfly · Rating 1 out of 5]

I DO LIKE READING THE DIFFERENT QUIRKY KIND OF BOOKS, THIS ONE WAS ALL THAT BUT NOT IN A GOOD WAY. NONE OF THE CHARACTERS SEEMED TO FIT TOGETHER INTO THE STORY LINE. THE STORY MOVED IN BITS AND PIECES, DOESN'T FLOW SMOOTHLY. I FIGURED OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON AROUND 45%. I DIDN’T CARE FOR THE WRITING STYLE TOO CHOPPY AND CONFUSING. I’M SORT OF AFRAID TO READ THE NEXT BOOK WHICH I ALREADY HAVE. SIGH! OH GEEZ! ;\