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Kit Doyle #1
If Anything Should Happen
Introducing radio talkshow host and amateur sleuth Kit Doyle in the first of this thoroughly entertaining mystery series.
When Kit Doyle’s near-perfect mother tells her about the letter she’s written and locked away – a letter to be read only ‘if anything should happen’ to her – Kit thinks she’s being melodramatic. But the next day Kit’s mother is dead – and what she reads in that letter will change Kit’s life forever.
Armed with nothing but the secret letter, a tight-lipped father, and some good friends at the radio station where she works, Kit sets out to learn the truth about the shady past her mother has kept hidden for so many years.
But when a dead body turns up, Kit realizes that at least one person is determined to stop her finding out the truth – whatever it takes.
When Kit Doyle’s near-perfect mother tells her about the letter she’s written and locked away – a letter to be read only ‘if anything should happen’ to her – Kit thinks she’s being melodramatic. But the next day Kit’s mother is dead – and what she reads in that letter will change Kit’s life forever.
Armed with nothing but the secret letter, a tight-lipped father, and some good friends at the radio station where she works, Kit sets out to learn the truth about the shady past her mother has kept hidden for so many years.
But when a dead body turns up, Kit realizes that at least one person is determined to stop her finding out the truth – whatever it takes.
250 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 31, 2015
53 people are currently reading
319 people want to read
About the author
Bonnie Hearn Hill
37 books114 followersBonnie Hearn Hill's latest novel of suspense, THE RIVER BELOW, was described by Publishers Weekly as, a "poignant standalone (that) is as much a story about friendship and loss as it is a mystery."
Hill is the author of six thrillers from MIRA Books, the Star Crossed young adult series, and the Kit Doyle series, IF ANYTHING SHOULD HAPPEN (2015), GOODBYE FOREVER (2016), and I WISH YOU MISSED ME (2016). With Christopher Allan Poe, she wrote DIGITAL INK: WRITING KILLER FICTION IN THE E-BOOK AGE, a guide for novelists.
Her thrillers INTERN, KILLER BODY, MISTRESS, OFF THE RECORD, LAST WORDS, TIL MORNING, and CUTLINE are now available as e-books.
A national conference speaker and contest judge, she has is proud of the many published authors she has mentored.
Hill is the author of six thrillers from MIRA Books, the Star Crossed young adult series, and the Kit Doyle series, IF ANYTHING SHOULD HAPPEN (2015), GOODBYE FOREVER (2016), and I WISH YOU MISSED ME (2016). With Christopher Allan Poe, she wrote DIGITAL INK: WRITING KILLER FICTION IN THE E-BOOK AGE, a guide for novelists.
Her thrillers INTERN, KILLER BODY, MISTRESS, OFF THE RECORD, LAST WORDS, TIL MORNING, and CUTLINE are now available as e-books.
A national conference speaker and contest judge, she has is proud of the many published authors she has mentored.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
November 4, 2016
Kit Doyle, a California blogger and crime themed radio host, is confronted with a hard truth when her mother suddenly passes and she is left with a "If anything should happen" letter. Realizing everything she knew about her life had been built on a foundation of lies, she goes on a dangerous search for those who might be able to give her the answers she so desperately seeks. Meanwhile in Arizona, we meet Rena and Kendra—two old friends with skeletons in their own closets, attempting to cobble together fresh lives in the face of tragic pasts, navigating rocky and precarious paths that they hope will lead them to relative peace. All the while, the wealthy, political, and well-connected Brantingham family in Sacramento grapple with the murder of Alex Brantingham, a beloved son and brother, enlisting Kit to help connect the dots in an ongoing investigation. What Kit uncovers might be enough to topple what she now sees as a house of cards, but only if she is willing to risk the possibility of being crushed along with it.
If Anything Should Happen pulled me in from the start with an engaging and deeply layered story line. The intensity of its rising action is measured, peeling through these layers in a way that only an author as seasoned as Bonnie Hearn Hill is able to do—and she does it brilliantly. Balancing what can only be described as two parallel plots (since calling one a subplot would be disingenuous to its impact on the overall story), If Anything Should Happen also touches on the atrocities of "gay conversion" programs, a profoundly relevant theme in view of the pending US legislation of Leelah’s Law. Hearn Hill brings us to a blazing climax through a series of twists that deftly converge, the force of which is rounded out with fluid humor and easy dialogue. Her characters are authentic and believable, the narrative is exceptional, and the story itself is wholly absorbing. An easy and highly recommended five-star read.
I'd like to thank Net Galley and the publisher Severn House, who furnished an ARC of this book for my honest opinion, which this certainly is.
If Anything Should Happen pulled me in from the start with an engaging and deeply layered story line. The intensity of its rising action is measured, peeling through these layers in a way that only an author as seasoned as Bonnie Hearn Hill is able to do—and she does it brilliantly. Balancing what can only be described as two parallel plots (since calling one a subplot would be disingenuous to its impact on the overall story), If Anything Should Happen also touches on the atrocities of "gay conversion" programs, a profoundly relevant theme in view of the pending US legislation of Leelah’s Law. Hearn Hill brings us to a blazing climax through a series of twists that deftly converge, the force of which is rounded out with fluid humor and easy dialogue. Her characters are authentic and believable, the narrative is exceptional, and the story itself is wholly absorbing. An easy and highly recommended five-star read.
I'd like to thank Net Galley and the publisher Severn House, who furnished an ARC of this book for my honest opinion, which this certainly is.
November 21, 2015
2.5
If Anything Should Happen is a cute introduction to a new mystery series. It didn’t really seem mystery-series-ish to me, but that could be because Hill is developing background and setting the scene.
Two radio station friends lend each other emotional support through life’s ups and downs… And when Kit’s mom leaves a mysterious note that opens up a few cans of worms, her colleague is there for her every step of the way.
The contents of the note thrust Kit into a decades-old, small town scandal that’s serious business. Someone has already died at the hands of a psycho, and he’s not afraid to do more damage.
I felt like the plot and subplots were a little disconnected. I didn’t get enough of Kit at the radio station to really know her personality like her colleagues do. I did see her as a daughter, and I enjoyed the exploration of her relationship with her parents. The story was more family drama than mystery, if you ask me. But book two may have a different tone, and I hope to see more of Kit’s talk radio stuff. :)
http://randombookmuses.com/2015/11/20...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
NetGalley provided an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
If Anything Should Happen is a cute introduction to a new mystery series. It didn’t really seem mystery-series-ish to me, but that could be because Hill is developing background and setting the scene.
Two radio station friends lend each other emotional support through life’s ups and downs… And when Kit’s mom leaves a mysterious note that opens up a few cans of worms, her colleague is there for her every step of the way.
The contents of the note thrust Kit into a decades-old, small town scandal that’s serious business. Someone has already died at the hands of a psycho, and he’s not afraid to do more damage.
I felt like the plot and subplots were a little disconnected. I didn’t get enough of Kit at the radio station to really know her personality like her colleagues do. I did see her as a daughter, and I enjoyed the exploration of her relationship with her parents. The story was more family drama than mystery, if you ask me. But book two may have a different tone, and I hope to see more of Kit’s talk radio stuff. :)
http://randombookmuses.com/2015/11/20...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
NetGalley provided an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 29, 2015
Kit is a little disturbed when her mother tells her that she has written her a letter to be opened 'if anything should happen'. When her mother dies the next day, unexpectedly, the contents of the letter turn her world upside down and send her on a quest to find out what really happened.
Kit narrates her own story but it is interspersed with events in the lives of the people who are going to unravel the mystery which underpins Kit's life. I found the book an interesting and enjoyable read though I did feel it was a little melodramatic in places. I liked Kit as a character and I thought she did well to stand up to the hypocrisy of people who are regarded as pillars of a community.
If you enjoy mysteries with not too much on the page violence then you may enjoy this one which is set in the US. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review.
Kit narrates her own story but it is interspersed with events in the lives of the people who are going to unravel the mystery which underpins Kit's life. I found the book an interesting and enjoyable read though I did feel it was a little melodramatic in places. I liked Kit as a character and I thought she did well to stand up to the hypocrisy of people who are regarded as pillars of a community.
If you enjoy mysteries with not too much on the page violence then you may enjoy this one which is set in the US. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review.
July 23, 2015
Kit has a radio show and a blog about unsolved crimes. When her mother dies one day after telling her about a letter in her safe if something should happen, she starts searching for the reason why. A nice read with lots of suspense . This is also a story of a young woman coming to grips with a surprising past.
June 11, 2016
The book is ok, but amateurish.
November 18, 2018
i really liked it at the start, but it was very uneven in development.
February 11, 2024
Not a clue
This book feels very dated. Attitudes toward adoption and toward homosexuality have obviously greatly changed from those reflected here. But the difficulty is not just a change in attitude. Kit‘s reaction to learning that she was adopted is obsessive and bizarre regardless of prevailing attitudes at the time of the narrative. There is no self-reflection whatsoever in her feeling of injury from not being told that she was adopted, and not a hint that directing media attention on her mother might not be welcome. She knows nothing about her mother‘s situation at the time of her adoption and shows no compassion whatsoever for her birthmother, adoptive mother or adoptive father.
For a complex, painful, and immensely complicated emotional situation the author hasn‘t a clue that her subjects might have feelings at odds from being the objects of media attention.
I did not notice the time when this novel was written. I wonder if there ever was a time that reflected the values that are exploited here.
This book feels very dated. Attitudes toward adoption and toward homosexuality have obviously greatly changed from those reflected here. But the difficulty is not just a change in attitude. Kit‘s reaction to learning that she was adopted is obsessive and bizarre regardless of prevailing attitudes at the time of the narrative. There is no self-reflection whatsoever in her feeling of injury from not being told that she was adopted, and not a hint that directing media attention on her mother might not be welcome. She knows nothing about her mother‘s situation at the time of her adoption and shows no compassion whatsoever for her birthmother, adoptive mother or adoptive father.
For a complex, painful, and immensely complicated emotional situation the author hasn‘t a clue that her subjects might have feelings at odds from being the objects of media attention.
I did not notice the time when this novel was written. I wonder if there ever was a time that reflected the values that are exploited here.
September 11, 2025
Quite a short novel published 2015 about a young woman in California finding out she was adopted and her search for her birth mother. It’s set in a world of blogs and crime-solving talkback radio and a patched small town in Arizona. Not my usual genre but the tension was well done and the plot kept me interested It touches on corruption and forced gender conversion therapy, illegal adoption and fractured families coming together. A satisfactory ending
September 16, 2019
The connection between all the characters didn't seem to make sense in the early parts of the story but all the loose ends were tied up by the end. Didn't realize it was part of a series until I had finished the book.
May 14, 2020
I had a difficult time getting into the book. As a matter of fact, I almost quit reading because the story was so disjointed. The story had potential, but failed to engage me. The ending is quiet good.
March 21, 2023
A little slow but worth staying with it
The plot was a little slow moving and muddled because of the subplot. Once the storyline focuses on the prime thread the narrative takes twists and becomes suspenseful. Worth staying with it to the end
The plot was a little slow moving and muddled because of the subplot. Once the storyline focuses on the prime thread the narrative takes twists and becomes suspenseful. Worth staying with it to the end
March 18, 2018
A good start on a new series. I hope she writes more. The character community is interesting and varied enough to provide some good story fodder for future installments.
January 6, 2024
I will read more in this series.
This is the first book by this author that I have read. It kept me interested all the way through. I will read more in this series.
This is the first book by this author that I have read. It kept me interested all the way through. I will read more in this series.
July 30, 2015
Kit Doyle is a radio talkshow host and amateur detective, she uses her radio show and her blog to try and help solve crimes. At the end of a visit with her mother she find out that her mother has a letter for her in case anything were to ever happen to her. She finds the whole thing very cryptic and dramatic but doesn’t think much of it…until the next day when she finds out her mother died. What she finds in the letter changes her life forever and sets her out to solve her greatest mystery yet. With the help of her friends she sets out to discover the truth but when someone turns up dead she realizes that someone may do anything to keep her from discovering the truth.
As you can tell from my little summary this book promises a ton of mystery and drama which instantly drew me in. For a long time lately I’ve been reading a lot of YA…the stories of young love, fantasy, and magic sucked me in but my love of reading started with mysteries. I just loved trying to figure out what happened and who the “bad guy” was before it was revealed in the novel. If Anything Should Happen was the PERFECT book to get me back into this genre! Not only does Kit Doyle have to figure out the mystery of the letter from her mother but she’s also trying to figure out the truth behind the death of the brother of the woman who funds her radio show. Who can argue with a double mystery!?
I must say that I didn’t get sucked in from the very first page, it took me a little longer to get drawn in than usual. We find out pretty quickly that the story is going to be told from two different perspectives, which I don’t always enjoy. However, I quickly realized that I couldn’t imagine the story being told without both of these perspectives. Also, the fact that Kit Doyle was looking into two pretty major mysteries had me worried that the story would become muddied and I wouldn’t get a chance to become invested in either storyline. The author weaves these two plots together beautifully and all my reservations were quickly lost as I found myself frantically reading on to find out what happens.
As I said, it took me a little longer than usual to get drawn into this mystery but I’m glad I kept reading because by the end I was completely invested. I found myself slowly being drawn into this world and the pace really worked. The best sign of a great mystery, for me anyway, is if I am surprised at the end. With If Anything Should Happen I had two chances to be surprised by the outcome and I’m happy to say that I was. I also love reaching the end and realizing that all the little things that happened throughout the book suddenly make complete sense. Even though I do love being surprised at the end of the mystery and really hate when the murderer, bad guy, etc. comes out of nowhere…I hate thinking Where the heck did this person come from?! They didn’t even exist until the last 20 pages?! Happily, that was not the case here and I finished reading feeling completely satisfied with the ending. It seems as if this book will be the first in a series of Kit Doyle mysteries which makes me very excited because I feel like we’re just starting to really get to know some of the characters. If you don’t enjoy reading a series I wouldn’t let that keep you from picking up this book because the ending is quite satisfying and won’t leave you feeling like the story is unfinished. I am so happy to have read this book and rediscovered my love of mysteries!
Review originally posted on Novel all Night
**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**
As you can tell from my little summary this book promises a ton of mystery and drama which instantly drew me in. For a long time lately I’ve been reading a lot of YA…the stories of young love, fantasy, and magic sucked me in but my love of reading started with mysteries. I just loved trying to figure out what happened and who the “bad guy” was before it was revealed in the novel. If Anything Should Happen was the PERFECT book to get me back into this genre! Not only does Kit Doyle have to figure out the mystery of the letter from her mother but she’s also trying to figure out the truth behind the death of the brother of the woman who funds her radio show. Who can argue with a double mystery!?
I must say that I didn’t get sucked in from the very first page, it took me a little longer to get drawn in than usual. We find out pretty quickly that the story is going to be told from two different perspectives, which I don’t always enjoy. However, I quickly realized that I couldn’t imagine the story being told without both of these perspectives. Also, the fact that Kit Doyle was looking into two pretty major mysteries had me worried that the story would become muddied and I wouldn’t get a chance to become invested in either storyline. The author weaves these two plots together beautifully and all my reservations were quickly lost as I found myself frantically reading on to find out what happens.
As I said, it took me a little longer than usual to get drawn into this mystery but I’m glad I kept reading because by the end I was completely invested. I found myself slowly being drawn into this world and the pace really worked. The best sign of a great mystery, for me anyway, is if I am surprised at the end. With If Anything Should Happen I had two chances to be surprised by the outcome and I’m happy to say that I was. I also love reaching the end and realizing that all the little things that happened throughout the book suddenly make complete sense. Even though I do love being surprised at the end of the mystery and really hate when the murderer, bad guy, etc. comes out of nowhere…I hate thinking Where the heck did this person come from?! They didn’t even exist until the last 20 pages?! Happily, that was not the case here and I finished reading feeling completely satisfied with the ending. It seems as if this book will be the first in a series of Kit Doyle mysteries which makes me very excited because I feel like we’re just starting to really get to know some of the characters. If you don’t enjoy reading a series I wouldn’t let that keep you from picking up this book because the ending is quite satisfying and won’t leave you feeling like the story is unfinished. I am so happy to have read this book and rediscovered my love of mysteries!
Review originally posted on Novel all Night
**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**
September 21, 2015
*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in return for an honest review*
This book failed to leave a big impression but still it was an okay quick read. I think I had expected more of the Kit being a murder mystery blogger trying to solve her own mystery. I think I expected more excitement.
Kit is a bit confused but there are a lot of things going on justifying this. Her husband filed for divorce, her mother died and she found out about a family secret that kind of throws her whole past upside down. It was easy to connect with her and I did like her reactions. She was still able to see things and defend herself despite all the grief.
When the first chapter with Rena came I was confused about her part in the story. Though her and Kits life do connect in the end I am still not sure what to do with the information we got on her. I think it would have been more interesting to look further back earlier in the story instead of at the end. But that would have ruined the plot.
I think this would make a perfect book for a read-a-thon though. The writing was well paced and the story was entertaining.
This book failed to leave a big impression but still it was an okay quick read. I think I had expected more of the Kit being a murder mystery blogger trying to solve her own mystery. I think I expected more excitement.
Kit is a bit confused but there are a lot of things going on justifying this. Her husband filed for divorce, her mother died and she found out about a family secret that kind of throws her whole past upside down. It was easy to connect with her and I did like her reactions. She was still able to see things and defend herself despite all the grief.
When the first chapter with Rena came I was confused about her part in the story. Though her and Kits life do connect in the end I am still not sure what to do with the information we got on her. I think it would have been more interesting to look further back earlier in the story instead of at the end. But that would have ruined the plot.
I think this would make a perfect book for a read-a-thon though. The writing was well paced and the story was entertaining.
October 25, 2015
I would like to thank NetGalley and Severn House Publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this in return for an honest and open review.
Kit Doyle is a radio talk show hostess and amateur sleuth. A letter from her dead mother has the effect of turning her life upside down.
This is the first book I've read by Bonnie Hearn Hill and she's now on the list of my favourite authors.
The book gets off to a great start. It grabbed me at page 1 and didn't let go until the end.
Kit is a main character that you can't help but like. I'm sure as the books go on we will learn much more about her.
Ms Hill touched on some very sensitive areas, for example 'conversion camps'. I had no idea that they existed.
I particularly liked they way the characters lives were unfolded. I felt as if I was really getting to know them.
If you like mysteries that aren't gruesomely depicted then this is for you.
I look forward to reading more about Kit Doyle in the future.
Kit Doyle is a radio talk show hostess and amateur sleuth. A letter from her dead mother has the effect of turning her life upside down.
This is the first book I've read by Bonnie Hearn Hill and she's now on the list of my favourite authors.
The book gets off to a great start. It grabbed me at page 1 and didn't let go until the end.
Kit is a main character that you can't help but like. I'm sure as the books go on we will learn much more about her.
Ms Hill touched on some very sensitive areas, for example 'conversion camps'. I had no idea that they existed.
I particularly liked they way the characters lives were unfolded. I felt as if I was really getting to know them.
If you like mysteries that aren't gruesomely depicted then this is for you.
I look forward to reading more about Kit Doyle in the future.
April 5, 2016
Talk show host and blogger Kit Doyle thinks her mother is being melodramatic when she tells Kit she's left a letter for her, in case "anything should happen." But her mother dies the next day, and Kit is faced with the revelation of a family secret that rocks her life. Meanwhile, a woman she doesn't know is dealing with an abusive husband in a remote part of Arizona. Obviously (same book, right?) they're connected, but how? Meanwhile, Kit is also dealing with the wealthy family that supports her blog, in honor of their son, a crime victim, as she begins to realize that there's more to the case than she had ever realized.
October 12, 2015
Devoured this book in a day. Kit is a protagonist that every reader will root for. She is bright and gutsy and compassionate. All of the characters felt real, and the plot moved at a great pace. I particularly liked all of the layers and twists. Although I tried to guess along the way, the ending still came as a surprise. It was so satisfying, didn't come from out of the blue, and when I read the last page, I thought, brilliant -- all of the pieces fit perfectly. Can't wait to read the next one in this series.
February 1, 2016
When Kit Doyle's mother tells her that if anything should happen to her, she would find a letter written to her in her mother's home safe, Kit thinks she's being melodramatic - after all, Joyce is only 51 years old and extremely health-conscious. But the next day her mother is dead, and what Kit reads will change her life forever. This is one terrific mystery: a page-turner with twists and turns that you never see coming.
November 12, 2020
A sound mystery series debut, “If anything should happen” has likeable and realistic characters, family secrets, social commentary, and a satisfying ending.
For my full review visit: my blog: Fictionophile
For my full review visit: my blog: Fictionophile
September 11, 2016
Fantastic mystery told from two narrators, the first is a girl trying to find her identity after the death of a parent, the other told from a small community of 5 players, These are inter twined in the most amazing way, the story had me utterly gripped and guessing all along. Thoroughly recommend this
October 23, 2015
By page 12 I had had the chills 3 times and was totally hooked in another wild trip of Bonnie's creation. It hits several tough subjects from domestic abuse to gay conversation camps. As tough as those tonics are Bonnie paints the scene masterfully.
January 1, 2016
Great read by one of my favorite authors! Review forthcoming.
January 28, 2016
Great book
April 10, 2016
If Anything Should Happen was a good read. I read it quickly while on vacation - entertaining, not sure how it will be a series, but it was a good story.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews