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Georgia Davis #1
Easy Innocence
When pretty, smart Sara Long is found bludgeoned to death, it's easy to blame the man with the bat. But Georgia Davis -- former cop and newly-minted PI -- is hired to look into the incident at the behest of the accused's sister, and what she finds hints at a much different, much darker answer. It seems the privileged, preppy schoolgirls on Chicago's North Shore have learned just how much their innocence is worth to hot-under-the-collar businessmen. But while these girls can pay for Prada pricetags, they don't realize that their new business venture may end up costing them more than they can afford.
396 pages, Hardcover
Published April 12, 2008
525 people are currently reading
1504 people want to read
About the author
Libby Fischer Hellmann
79 books970 followersLibby Fischer Hellmann left a career in broadcast news in Washington, DC and moved to Chicago a long time ago, where she, naturally, began to write gritty crime fiction. She soon began writing historical fiction as well. Eighteen novels and twenty-five short stories later, she claims they’ll take her out of the Windy City feet first. She has been nominated for many awards in the mystery writing community and has even won a few. Her newest work is MAX'S WAR, her 6th historical saga. MAX, set before and during WW2, It will be released in April, 2024.
Libby began her career as an assistant film editor for NBC News in New York before moving back to DC to work with Robin McNeil and Jim Lehrer at N-PACT, the public affairs production arm of PBS. Retrained as an assistant director when Watergate broke, Libby helped produce PBS’s night-time broadcast of the hearings. She went on to work for public relations firm Burson-Marsteller in Chicago in 1978, where she stayed until she left to found Fischer Hellmann Communications in 1985.
Originally from Washington, D.C.—where, she says, “When you’re sitting around the dinner table gossiping about the neighbors, you’re talking politics”—Libby earned a Masters Degree in Film Production from New York University and a BA in History from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to writing, Libby writes and produces videos, and conducts speaker training programs in platform speaking, presentation skills, media training and crisis communications.
Libby’s best-selling novels have won widespread acclaim since her first novel, AN EYE FOR MURDER, which was nominated for several awards and described by Publisher’s Weekly as “a masterful blend of politics, history, and suspense”.
Libby is known for her portrayal of strong female characters. EYE introduced Ellie Foreman, a video producer and single mother who went on to star in five more novels in a series described by Libby as “a cross between Desperate Housewives and 24.”
Libby’s second series, also six novels now, follows Chicago PI Georgia Davis, a no-nonsense hard-boiled detective operating in the Northern suburbs and beyond.
In addition to her popular series, Libby has also written five standalone thrillers in diverse settings and historical periods that demonstrate her versatility as a writer. Readers will meet young activists during the late Sixties, a young American woman who marries and moves to Tehran, three women forced to make dire choices during WW2, and a female Mafia boss who chases power at the expense of love. And in A BEND IN THE RIVER, she takes a break from her thrillers to write an award-winning novel of two Vietnamese sisters trying to survive the Vietnam war. MAX is the upcoming 6th addition to the loosely-linked series she calls her "Revolution Sagas."
Libby began her career as an assistant film editor for NBC News in New York before moving back to DC to work with Robin McNeil and Jim Lehrer at N-PACT, the public affairs production arm of PBS. Retrained as an assistant director when Watergate broke, Libby helped produce PBS’s night-time broadcast of the hearings. She went on to work for public relations firm Burson-Marsteller in Chicago in 1978, where she stayed until she left to found Fischer Hellmann Communications in 1985.
Originally from Washington, D.C.—where, she says, “When you’re sitting around the dinner table gossiping about the neighbors, you’re talking politics”—Libby earned a Masters Degree in Film Production from New York University and a BA in History from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to writing, Libby writes and produces videos, and conducts speaker training programs in platform speaking, presentation skills, media training and crisis communications.
Libby’s best-selling novels have won widespread acclaim since her first novel, AN EYE FOR MURDER, which was nominated for several awards and described by Publisher’s Weekly as “a masterful blend of politics, history, and suspense”.
Libby is known for her portrayal of strong female characters. EYE introduced Ellie Foreman, a video producer and single mother who went on to star in five more novels in a series described by Libby as “a cross between Desperate Housewives and 24.”
Libby’s second series, also six novels now, follows Chicago PI Georgia Davis, a no-nonsense hard-boiled detective operating in the Northern suburbs and beyond.
In addition to her popular series, Libby has also written five standalone thrillers in diverse settings and historical periods that demonstrate her versatility as a writer. Readers will meet young activists during the late Sixties, a young American woman who marries and moves to Tehran, three women forced to make dire choices during WW2, and a female Mafia boss who chases power at the expense of love. And in A BEND IN THE RIVER, she takes a break from her thrillers to write an award-winning novel of two Vietnamese sisters trying to survive the Vietnam war. MAX is the upcoming 6th addition to the loosely-linked series she calls her "Revolution Sagas."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 225 reviews
January 4, 2013
Hazing (a process by which individuals are subject to humiliation as part of an initiation to a group), an affluent teenage prostitution ring where the girls turn tricks for ipods over fixes, a real estate scandal, and adultery comprise this enjoyable and heinous viewpoint of the young and rich or well to-do middle class teenage girls embroiled in a murder investigation.
In Chicago’s North Shore, Georgia Davis is hired to prove the innocence of a mentally handicapped man accused of the brutal murder of 17yro Sara Long. While, a convicted sex offender, the case isn’t as clear cut as the police and prosecution had hoped.
Before long Davis is shot at, taunted, and subjected to horrors within the confines of her own home. Yet her steely determination and cop attitude (having recently been kicked off the force) keep her firmly on the hunt to prove the accused innocence.
EASY INNOCENCE shines a light on a very real topic, teens pimping teens and young women near or just at the age of consent (sometimes younger) prostituting themselves for the purpose of acquiring material wealth – it’s a deliberately unsettling take on an issue operating covertly in plain sight. The parents, mostly ignorant to their children’s out of school activities soon learn just how easy their innocent existence is lost.
Libby Fischer-Hellmann writes EASY INNOCENCE in a very convincing manner. The situations the characters find themselves are plausible and the actions of Davis and co are just in their pursuit or hindrance of justice. This was a very quick read – not due to the page count but rather the quality of writing – EASY INNOCENCE is easy to read and flows very well from one chapter to the next. I will certainly be tracking down further Georgia Davis novels if EASY INNOCENCE is anything to go by.
Overall, this is a highly entertaining crime fiction where the subject matter doesn’t reflect the shiny and affluent facade of the crime – a subtly heinous affair which will keep you engrossed from the violent beginning to startling end. 4 stars.
This review also appears on my blog: http://justaguythatlikes2read.blogspo...
In Chicago’s North Shore, Georgia Davis is hired to prove the innocence of a mentally handicapped man accused of the brutal murder of 17yro Sara Long. While, a convicted sex offender, the case isn’t as clear cut as the police and prosecution had hoped.
Before long Davis is shot at, taunted, and subjected to horrors within the confines of her own home. Yet her steely determination and cop attitude (having recently been kicked off the force) keep her firmly on the hunt to prove the accused innocence.
EASY INNOCENCE shines a light on a very real topic, teens pimping teens and young women near or just at the age of consent (sometimes younger) prostituting themselves for the purpose of acquiring material wealth – it’s a deliberately unsettling take on an issue operating covertly in plain sight. The parents, mostly ignorant to their children’s out of school activities soon learn just how easy their innocent existence is lost.
Libby Fischer-Hellmann writes EASY INNOCENCE in a very convincing manner. The situations the characters find themselves are plausible and the actions of Davis and co are just in their pursuit or hindrance of justice. This was a very quick read – not due to the page count but rather the quality of writing – EASY INNOCENCE is easy to read and flows very well from one chapter to the next. I will certainly be tracking down further Georgia Davis novels if EASY INNOCENCE is anything to go by.
Overall, this is a highly entertaining crime fiction where the subject matter doesn’t reflect the shiny and affluent facade of the crime – a subtly heinous affair which will keep you engrossed from the violent beginning to startling end. 4 stars.
This review also appears on my blog: http://justaguythatlikes2read.blogspo...
January 14, 2009
A timely and perilous trip into the darkness of suburbia, this book grabbed me from the first page and kept me going straight through to the end. I only stopped reading long enough for a few hours of sleep! Libby Hellman has created a plot touching on two very real aspects of living in today’s world, teen prostitution and unscrupulous land development, and turned it into an absorbing read. Full of twist and turns, relationships good, bad and ugly, the main character Georgia Davis, ex-cop and now P.I., is up to the challenge.
Upon the murder of a young teen, a mentally disabled young man is found at the scene of the crime holding the weapon and covered in her blood. The lawyer for his defense is sure that he did not do it and hires Georgia to try to find evidence to prove it. Through her search she finds herself trying to put together clues that seem to be buried in the very upscale and political North Shore. This book has secrets galore and as each unravels more secrets appear. Full of powerful interconnections, blocking her at every turn, Georgia has a difficult time breaking through the codes of the elite. Leads keep turning around, who can she trust? Who can she safely question? Who will the killer strike next? This book will definitely hold your attention. I thoroughly enjoyed it, the characters were well-formed, and grew as the story went along. I highly recommend this murder mystery and will definitely read other books by this author, I loved this book.
Upon the murder of a young teen, a mentally disabled young man is found at the scene of the crime holding the weapon and covered in her blood. The lawyer for his defense is sure that he did not do it and hires Georgia to try to find evidence to prove it. Through her search she finds herself trying to put together clues that seem to be buried in the very upscale and political North Shore. This book has secrets galore and as each unravels more secrets appear. Full of powerful interconnections, blocking her at every turn, Georgia has a difficult time breaking through the codes of the elite. Leads keep turning around, who can she trust? Who can she safely question? Who will the killer strike next? This book will definitely hold your attention. I thoroughly enjoyed it, the characters were well-formed, and grew as the story went along. I highly recommend this murder mystery and will definitely read other books by this author, I loved this book.
August 21, 2016
Book 1, Georgia Davis series
What are your teen-age daughters up to when you are too busy to pay attention and how far will they go for approval from their peers? This tightly-written mystery will have you wonder and very concerned. “Easy Innocence” is above all an intriguing and a classic detective mystery.
Georgia Davis a no-nonsense female private detective has been hired to help clear a mentally ill man who has been accused of killing a teenage girl. Through her investigation Georgia discovers the girl was killed at a high-school hazing and her death may be linked to a local teenage prostitution ring operating on the North-Shore of Chicago.
This story is quite a mystery ride played out by a multi-faceted, intelligent actress who gets herself in tight spots and in trouble while doing her job. The plot is solid with no over the top silly action, mostly realistic and delicately treated to open one’s eyes without being graphic and insensitive. Each chapter smoothly captures the moment and wraps it up before moving to the next chapter. The drama moves at a steady pace and never let go. From the opening page I was hooked.
What would teens do for money? When Georgia gets closer to uncovering the truth it becomes hard to imagine or believe children would resort to prostitution for the mighty buck.
This is a solid story built with depth, has plenty of clever twists and is populated with colourful characters. This is a page-tuner that flows nicely.
What are your teen-age daughters up to when you are too busy to pay attention and how far will they go for approval from their peers? This tightly-written mystery will have you wonder and very concerned. “Easy Innocence” is above all an intriguing and a classic detective mystery.
Georgia Davis a no-nonsense female private detective has been hired to help clear a mentally ill man who has been accused of killing a teenage girl. Through her investigation Georgia discovers the girl was killed at a high-school hazing and her death may be linked to a local teenage prostitution ring operating on the North-Shore of Chicago.
This story is quite a mystery ride played out by a multi-faceted, intelligent actress who gets herself in tight spots and in trouble while doing her job. The plot is solid with no over the top silly action, mostly realistic and delicately treated to open one’s eyes without being graphic and insensitive. Each chapter smoothly captures the moment and wraps it up before moving to the next chapter. The drama moves at a steady pace and never let go. From the opening page I was hooked.
What would teens do for money? When Georgia gets closer to uncovering the truth it becomes hard to imagine or believe children would resort to prostitution for the mighty buck.
This is a solid story built with depth, has plenty of clever twists and is populated with colourful characters. This is a page-tuner that flows nicely.
July 13, 2008
Authors work hard to develop their series characters because they know agents and publishers like the relative security of known quantities; the characters are already vetted and there is almost always a growing audience of fans. Every new book in a series helps to sell the previous ones. Authors are like anybody else, they too like the security of series work. Crime fiction authors are also like creative artists in other fields. They get ideas for work that may not fit their series. And that is particularly true if, to quote Patrick Anderson in “The Triumph of the Thriller,” they are working at the “white-hot center of American fiction.”
But it’s scary—for the author whose established readership has certain expectations—and for a publisher as well. Some authors take their fears in hand and forge ahead. Libby Hellmann has done just that. Easy Innocence is not like her comfortable and intelligent traditional mysteries featuring TV producer Ellie Foreman. This is an uncomfortable novel at every level. It is a tough read. It takes a clear-eyed and unflinching look at a rising phenomenon in our society that every parent ought to know about.
We’re talking about a particular and very disturbing aspect of teen-aged prostitution. This is not the over-used, inflamed tale of drugged up runaways, or poor white girls kidnapped by evil criminals, those who used to be tagged “white slavers.” This is not about young innocent women, enticed with drugs and alcohol, seduced with false tales of the party life, and then whisked off to sexual slavery in far away lands.
The young prostitutes engaged in the phenomenon this author writes about are self-selected, recruited by their classmates, and they live in often upscale stable homes in affluent neighborhoods. Some of them may live next door. Hellmann bends a keen and unflinching eye on the phenomenon and readers are treated to a strong dose of reality.
Newly licensed P.I. and former cop, Georgia Davis, is hired to examine the slaying of a girl by a man in a forest preserve on Chicago’s north shore. Her client is the sister of the man accused of beating to death, Sara Long a high school student. The accused is a functioning ,mentally deficient, individual, who was found with the girl’s body, bloody bat in hand. It looks like a slam dunk and the accused man’s lawyer seems to be going along. What’s more the dead girl’s family is connected to local authorities. But what Davis discovers as she pressures the people linked to the case, is a multilayered conspiracy to get rid of the case before the real truths are revealed, truths that destroy families and shock some right out of their shoes.
Hellmann does a nice job of linking class distinctions, legal shenanigans, ethical considerations and street-level realities, to a new character who already has the dimensions to interest readers for a long time in an extensive series of cases. This reader hopes that comes to pass.
But it’s scary—for the author whose established readership has certain expectations—and for a publisher as well. Some authors take their fears in hand and forge ahead. Libby Hellmann has done just that. Easy Innocence is not like her comfortable and intelligent traditional mysteries featuring TV producer Ellie Foreman. This is an uncomfortable novel at every level. It is a tough read. It takes a clear-eyed and unflinching look at a rising phenomenon in our society that every parent ought to know about.
We’re talking about a particular and very disturbing aspect of teen-aged prostitution. This is not the over-used, inflamed tale of drugged up runaways, or poor white girls kidnapped by evil criminals, those who used to be tagged “white slavers.” This is not about young innocent women, enticed with drugs and alcohol, seduced with false tales of the party life, and then whisked off to sexual slavery in far away lands.
The young prostitutes engaged in the phenomenon this author writes about are self-selected, recruited by their classmates, and they live in often upscale stable homes in affluent neighborhoods. Some of them may live next door. Hellmann bends a keen and unflinching eye on the phenomenon and readers are treated to a strong dose of reality.
Newly licensed P.I. and former cop, Georgia Davis, is hired to examine the slaying of a girl by a man in a forest preserve on Chicago’s north shore. Her client is the sister of the man accused of beating to death, Sara Long a high school student. The accused is a functioning ,mentally deficient, individual, who was found with the girl’s body, bloody bat in hand. It looks like a slam dunk and the accused man’s lawyer seems to be going along. What’s more the dead girl’s family is connected to local authorities. But what Davis discovers as she pressures the people linked to the case, is a multilayered conspiracy to get rid of the case before the real truths are revealed, truths that destroy families and shock some right out of their shoes.
Hellmann does a nice job of linking class distinctions, legal shenanigans, ethical considerations and street-level realities, to a new character who already has the dimensions to interest readers for a long time in an extensive series of cases. This reader hopes that comes to pass.
May 23, 2010
RATING: 3.75
Usually, when you think of a prostitution ring, what comes to mind is a group of adult women who are selling themselves for money. One normally doesn't think of a group of middle class high school girls who are selling their bodies for the thrill and to buy the latest accessories du jour. But that's what's happening in a wealthy Chicago suburb. The ring is actually being run by an affluent teen named Lauren Walcher who has become quite the online businesswoman.
One of the girls involved in the ring, Sara Long, is being hazed by a group of her peers. When she separates from the group, she becomes the victim of a vicious murderer who uses a bat to bludgeon her to death. The prime suspect is a mentally challenged man named Cameron Jordan, who is nearby and whose fingerprints are on the bat. Add to that the fact that he is a sex offender, and it seems pretty clear that this is an open-and-shut case.
Or maybe not. Newly minted private investigator Georgia Davis is asked to investigate by Cameron's sister, Ruth. Formerly a cop, Georgia is really a novice at the PI game. Despite her lack of experience, she has an intuitive sense that something is being covered up. The case is being rushed through the system; can it be that strong and powerful interests in the community are trying to hide something? There is also an unsavory land development scam that may be linked to some of the area's stalwart citizens. Georgia turns out to be a dogged investigator who has the knack of obtaining the cooperation of others.
Initially, I didn't think that I was going to like the character of Georgia Davis. She exhibited some really bad judgment at times, portraying herself as someone she wasn't. For example, she intimated that she was a social worker who was assigned to work with Lauren and obtained information under false pretenses. However, as the book continued, she came to realize that she couldn't engage in that kind of behavior and that she had to represent herself truthfully. One of the biggest obstacles for her to overcome in her new career as a private eye was that she no longer had the authority or resources of the police department. Instead, she had to rely on her wits and establish new sources of information.
EASY INNOCENCE is the first (and I hope not last) Georgia Davis book by the author of the Ellie Foreman series. I thought that Hellman did a great job with the characters and in developing the situations. In Hellmann's hands, even the rich and privileged showed vulnerability. Add to that a complex and well-developed plot, and you have some great reading ahead of you.
Usually, when you think of a prostitution ring, what comes to mind is a group of adult women who are selling themselves for money. One normally doesn't think of a group of middle class high school girls who are selling their bodies for the thrill and to buy the latest accessories du jour. But that's what's happening in a wealthy Chicago suburb. The ring is actually being run by an affluent teen named Lauren Walcher who has become quite the online businesswoman.
One of the girls involved in the ring, Sara Long, is being hazed by a group of her peers. When she separates from the group, she becomes the victim of a vicious murderer who uses a bat to bludgeon her to death. The prime suspect is a mentally challenged man named Cameron Jordan, who is nearby and whose fingerprints are on the bat. Add to that the fact that he is a sex offender, and it seems pretty clear that this is an open-and-shut case.
Or maybe not. Newly minted private investigator Georgia Davis is asked to investigate by Cameron's sister, Ruth. Formerly a cop, Georgia is really a novice at the PI game. Despite her lack of experience, she has an intuitive sense that something is being covered up. The case is being rushed through the system; can it be that strong and powerful interests in the community are trying to hide something? There is also an unsavory land development scam that may be linked to some of the area's stalwart citizens. Georgia turns out to be a dogged investigator who has the knack of obtaining the cooperation of others.
Initially, I didn't think that I was going to like the character of Georgia Davis. She exhibited some really bad judgment at times, portraying herself as someone she wasn't. For example, she intimated that she was a social worker who was assigned to work with Lauren and obtained information under false pretenses. However, as the book continued, she came to realize that she couldn't engage in that kind of behavior and that she had to represent herself truthfully. One of the biggest obstacles for her to overcome in her new career as a private eye was that she no longer had the authority or resources of the police department. Instead, she had to rely on her wits and establish new sources of information.
EASY INNOCENCE is the first (and I hope not last) Georgia Davis book by the author of the Ellie Foreman series. I thought that Hellman did a great job with the characters and in developing the situations. In Hellmann's hands, even the rich and privileged showed vulnerability. Add to that a complex and well-developed plot, and you have some great reading ahead of you.
October 19, 2008
This book takes place in Chicago's suburban North Shore where all the affluent people of Chicago live. It is a novel of mystery and suspense. This book delves into the private, and not so private, lives of the rich. It begins with the murder of a high school student, but turns into much, much more! From the second I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down! I read it, and brought it with me, everywhere I traveled. I had a hard time not picking it up during work. I recommend this book as your very next "to read"! I am at the very end of this book and had a hard time putting it down to give this review, but it is sooo good, I had to let everyone know!
July 25, 2016
I liked the Georgia Davis character. She was smart, persistent and caring. The story was a good mystery but a thriller it was not.
When PI Georgia Davis agrees to look into the death of Sara Long you already figure the accused (an autistic man named Cam Jordan) is actually innocent and there is a massive cover-up going on the protect some people's reputations. Georgia ignores all the warnings and threats at great risk to herself to uncover a sleazy racket of teen prostitution and rampant corruption by greedy land developers. End of.
I can't believe there are so many 5 star reviews, I was tossing up between a 2 and a 3.
When PI Georgia Davis agrees to look into the death of Sara Long you already figure the accused (an autistic man named Cam Jordan) is actually innocent and there is a massive cover-up going on the protect some people's reputations. Georgia ignores all the warnings and threats at great risk to herself to uncover a sleazy racket of teen prostitution and rampant corruption by greedy land developers. End of.
I can't believe there are so many 5 star reviews, I was tossing up between a 2 and a 3.
July 24, 2012
Easy Innocence reminded me of Sara Paretsky's writing style with her V.I. Warshawski character. This was a complex plot, which the author handled well, keeping me in there until the end. Her main character, a female private investigator and ex-cop, was real and likable, always important characteristics to me when the main character is a strong woman. She makes mistakes, but she never gives up.
If you like a good crime mystery, you'll enjoy this novel. It was published in 2008, and she has published five more since then.
If you like a good crime mystery, you'll enjoy this novel. It was published in 2008, and she has published five more since then.
July 16, 2024
A book with a plethora of guilty people, and a private investigator attempting to prove someone’s innocence; a job that is anything but easy. Hellman throws the reader into a few scenes that construct an intriguing mystery from the start. Jumping from a sex worker that heard too much, immediately to a mentally ill stalker masturbating behind a tree in public was certainly a choice. After the first two chapters I had to read more.
Hellman understands the mystery genre is one that requires a multitude of layers in order to fully flesh out how one event is related to the next. Once you begin to think that you are understanding how Georgia Davis (our private investigator and protagonist) is going to prove Cam Jordan (not the murderer) innocent, a new piece of information that can’t possibly be related rears it’s head. It absolutely is related, and more over, integral in fact. It’s this kind of layering and detail with little bits of information that creates a thrilling mystery.
Clichés, whether you are referencing the “rogue” suspended cop or ex-boyfriend romance ones, are prevalent within the story. Luckily, Hellman does a decent job incorporating clichés in the plot without presenting the issue of diving into the cliché to an annoying amount. Although this does not prevent the reader from being able to see exactly where a piece of the story is going to end up. My biggest issues with the clichés that were present within the story is that some of them made certain characters feel predictable and unreal (our main suspect being our protagonist and the suspended cop cliché). On the other hand, especially in the instance with Georgia’s ex-boyfriend wanting to get back together, some clichés make the characters feel real.
Georgia Davis is an all around well-developed character. Being almost too devoted to being a cop and finding the killer, having random reflections about her ex, and battling intrusive thoughts all come together to create a character that is both believable and interesting. Georgia does not necessarily have the spotlight all the time during the story, but is clearly the most fleshed out character. She does have a couple of internal monologues that feel dated with the ideas that are expressed, but she makes up for it by being a very strong main character.
Lastly, the story starts off into the action with a cold-blooded murder, but takes awhile to pick up. Eventually, everything starts clicking into place, and once the dominos start falling the action within the story really picks up. It’s a very classic crime/mystery story; once Georgia knows whodunit and confronts them, shots are fired!
I gave this novel three out of five stars because I enjoyed the read, but I would be hesitant to recommend it. Not for any apparent, massive flaw within the plot, characters, or writing style. The novel isn’t revolutionary to me, but if you are looking for a good crime/mystery read that has a few clichés I would recommend it. If you are looking to expand your reading style, and try out a crime/mystery novel for the first time, I might look elsewhere before trying Easy Innocence.
Hellman understands the mystery genre is one that requires a multitude of layers in order to fully flesh out how one event is related to the next. Once you begin to think that you are understanding how Georgia Davis (our private investigator and protagonist) is going to prove Cam Jordan (not the murderer) innocent, a new piece of information that can’t possibly be related rears it’s head. It absolutely is related, and more over, integral in fact. It’s this kind of layering and detail with little bits of information that creates a thrilling mystery.
Clichés, whether you are referencing the “rogue” suspended cop or ex-boyfriend romance ones, are prevalent within the story. Luckily, Hellman does a decent job incorporating clichés in the plot without presenting the issue of diving into the cliché to an annoying amount. Although this does not prevent the reader from being able to see exactly where a piece of the story is going to end up. My biggest issues with the clichés that were present within the story is that some of them made certain characters feel predictable and unreal (our main suspect being our protagonist and the suspended cop cliché). On the other hand, especially in the instance with Georgia’s ex-boyfriend wanting to get back together, some clichés make the characters feel real.
Georgia Davis is an all around well-developed character. Being almost too devoted to being a cop and finding the killer, having random reflections about her ex, and battling intrusive thoughts all come together to create a character that is both believable and interesting. Georgia does not necessarily have the spotlight all the time during the story, but is clearly the most fleshed out character. She does have a couple of internal monologues that feel dated with the ideas that are expressed, but she makes up for it by being a very strong main character.
Lastly, the story starts off into the action with a cold-blooded murder, but takes awhile to pick up. Eventually, everything starts clicking into place, and once the dominos start falling the action within the story really picks up. It’s a very classic crime/mystery story; once Georgia knows whodunit and confronts them, shots are fired!
I gave this novel three out of five stars because I enjoyed the read, but I would be hesitant to recommend it. Not for any apparent, massive flaw within the plot, characters, or writing style. The novel isn’t revolutionary to me, but if you are looking for a good crime/mystery read that has a few clichés I would recommend it. If you are looking to expand your reading style, and try out a crime/mystery novel for the first time, I might look elsewhere before trying Easy Innocence.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 17, 2019
I listened to this on audio and greatly enjoyed the excellent narration by Beth Richmond.
This was my first foray into the Georgia Davis series by Libby Fischer Hellmann and I thought it was a really strong start to the series, with a likable, capable heroine, a nicely layered plot, believable and mature characters and a case that quickly got more and more sinister. Recommended for anyone who like me enjoys a proper private detective murder mystery adventure!
This was my first foray into the Georgia Davis series by Libby Fischer Hellmann and I thought it was a really strong start to the series, with a likable, capable heroine, a nicely layered plot, believable and mature characters and a case that quickly got more and more sinister. Recommended for anyone who like me enjoys a proper private detective murder mystery adventure!
January 31, 2016
This is the first of the Georgia Davis mysteries, which of course I read after having read the fourth, the most recent. This is not generally the order to read a mystery series in, but it worked out well this time.
Georgia is a Chicago cop, currently suspended for egregious violations of procedure, and working as a private investigator. Her former and perhaps future boss, Dan O'Malley, refers a client to her, Ruth Jordan, sister of Cam Jordan, a mentally challenged man charged with murdering a high school girl in the woods, during an unofficial high school party.
Cam is a registered sex offender, but his past offenses are public masturbation, and he's never done anything remotely violent. Yet the case against him is moving strangely fast--a few weeks for things that normally take months. What's going on?
Georgia takes on the case, with little expectation of finding much. Yet the more she looks, the less things add up. There's a history of hazing at this high school. In the last year or so, the murdered girl, Sara Long, had apparently gotten very nosy, wanting to know everybody's business. The state's attorney's daughter goes to the same high school, and lost summer, for a few months, Sara stole her boyfriend. And Sara was paying for some awfully nice clothes and gadgets from her minimum wage job at a bookstore.
As Georgia continues to dig, into Sara's friends and their families, she finds even more that doesn't seem like it can be relevant. How would a real estate deal, however questionable, lead to the murder of a high school girl?
But something's going on with these high school girls that will shock their generally privileged community when it comes out.
The background-setting and character development here are very good, and the plot is solid. Georgia sometimes has some issues with knowing which lines she can cross and which she should be more careful of--it's how she got suspended in the first place, after all. Yet she's fundamentally solid, with a strong sense of both justice and kindness.
Recommended.
I received this book free from the author, in exchange for an honest review.
Georgia is a Chicago cop, currently suspended for egregious violations of procedure, and working as a private investigator. Her former and perhaps future boss, Dan O'Malley, refers a client to her, Ruth Jordan, sister of Cam Jordan, a mentally challenged man charged with murdering a high school girl in the woods, during an unofficial high school party.
Cam is a registered sex offender, but his past offenses are public masturbation, and he's never done anything remotely violent. Yet the case against him is moving strangely fast--a few weeks for things that normally take months. What's going on?
Georgia takes on the case, with little expectation of finding much. Yet the more she looks, the less things add up. There's a history of hazing at this high school. In the last year or so, the murdered girl, Sara Long, had apparently gotten very nosy, wanting to know everybody's business. The state's attorney's daughter goes to the same high school, and lost summer, for a few months, Sara stole her boyfriend. And Sara was paying for some awfully nice clothes and gadgets from her minimum wage job at a bookstore.
As Georgia continues to dig, into Sara's friends and their families, she finds even more that doesn't seem like it can be relevant. How would a real estate deal, however questionable, lead to the murder of a high school girl?
But something's going on with these high school girls that will shock their generally privileged community when it comes out.
The background-setting and character development here are very good, and the plot is solid. Georgia sometimes has some issues with knowing which lines she can cross and which she should be more careful of--it's how she got suspended in the first place, after all. Yet she's fundamentally solid, with a strong sense of both justice and kindness.
Recommended.
I received this book free from the author, in exchange for an honest review.
April 30, 2015
A very entertaining thriller, "Easy Innocence", by Libby Hellmann is the first in a series of novels featuring P.I. Georgia Davis. Davis a former cop who is on suspension for a major infraction of policy realizes her police career is over. Trying to make ends meet as a new P.I., Davis signs on to help investigate the case of a severely mentally challenged man accused of killing a popular local high school student. Georgia realizes quickly the accused, Cam Jordan 35, could not possibly been the person who took a baseball bat to the head of Sara Long.Georgia finds out quickly that Sara's closest friend Lauren is knee dep into this mess as well. Written with some pretty clever story twists, and turns this story line delivers a solid thriller. Hellmann's characters are somewhat colorful, and well built with plenty of depth. It's a book that rolls along by trying to read just one more chapter, and then another, unable to put down easily. Plot flows quickly and smoothly allowing reading to get inside story and try to figure out who actual killer may be. I really enjoyed reading book and would highly recommend to those who love a good thriller. Plenty of suspense to be found here. I'm eager to read another book in series. Having met the author at this past March's Tucson Festival of Books, I found Ms. Hellmann to be a really good storyteller. Pick this one up and jump into the Georgia Davis series by Libby Hellmann. Very well worth the reading.
April 26, 2009
Georgia Davis is hired to show that Cam Jordan is not guilty of killing teenager Sara Long.
Georgia enters a high school world packed with cliques, peer-pressure, greed and conceit. It is a setting ripe for the crime of the murder of a supposidly innocent teenager.
Law enforcement agencies are pusing for a quick solution to the case and expect a guilty verduct but when Davis, a former Northbrook Il. police officer, now PI begins her investigation we find that not much is as it first seemed. Including something that would make the DI want to recluse himself from the case. It seems that his daughter was at the Forest Preserve when the killing occurred. Could she, or Sara's best friend, Lauren have been part of a hazing incident?
Hellmann has written a provocative novel where the parents of these teenagers are preoccupied with their own lives. It is a problem with society where teenagers are left to their own devices and how easy it is to make mistakes. The parents believe that since there children aren't using drugs or getting arrested for alcohol related incidents then don't interfere with their lives.
Some interesting plot twists, Georgia is a flawed character but that makes her more real.
Recommended.
Georgia enters a high school world packed with cliques, peer-pressure, greed and conceit. It is a setting ripe for the crime of the murder of a supposidly innocent teenager.
Law enforcement agencies are pusing for a quick solution to the case and expect a guilty verduct but when Davis, a former Northbrook Il. police officer, now PI begins her investigation we find that not much is as it first seemed. Including something that would make the DI want to recluse himself from the case. It seems that his daughter was at the Forest Preserve when the killing occurred. Could she, or Sara's best friend, Lauren have been part of a hazing incident?
Hellmann has written a provocative novel where the parents of these teenagers are preoccupied with their own lives. It is a problem with society where teenagers are left to their own devices and how easy it is to make mistakes. The parents believe that since there children aren't using drugs or getting arrested for alcohol related incidents then don't interfere with their lives.
Some interesting plot twists, Georgia is a flawed character but that makes her more real.
Recommended.
July 27, 2012
The book is almost error-free (worth mentioning, since so many Kindle books have mistakes). The story is familiar - innocent man charged with murder because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, private eyes and cops trying to find clues that lead to the real murderer and finding another mystery instead (this one involving a ring of teenaged prostitutes).
The main character (Georgia, a private eye) is appealing and smart. One thing lacking is enough backstory to make me really, really care about her as a series detective. Georgia doesn't have family, or many friends, and just broke up with her boyfriend. As a result, she spends a lot of time thinking things through on her own, instead of talking with others and I never really became connected to her as a "person".
That didn't stop me from wanting to finish the story, as it was well-written and I wanted to find out if I was right about who murdered the teen (I guessed).
Will I read the next books in the series? Maybe. But, I didn't love this so much that I went hunting for anything else by the writer. I didn't like the cover, and thought the title didn't reflect the content of the book.
The main character (Georgia, a private eye) is appealing and smart. One thing lacking is enough backstory to make me really, really care about her as a series detective. Georgia doesn't have family, or many friends, and just broke up with her boyfriend. As a result, she spends a lot of time thinking things through on her own, instead of talking with others and I never really became connected to her as a "person".
That didn't stop me from wanting to finish the story, as it was well-written and I wanted to find out if I was right about who murdered the teen (I guessed).
Will I read the next books in the series? Maybe. But, I didn't love this so much that I went hunting for anything else by the writer. I didn't like the cover, and thought the title didn't reflect the content of the book.
August 29, 2011
What an intriguing story and a classic detective/mystery. Georgia Davis is a complex personality, tough enough but with rounded edges and someone you can't help but to like. She's flawed, of course, but has a moral center that is her compass. Georgia was suspended from the police force and is working as a PI as she awaits reinstatement.
Georgia accepts a case to try to clear her client who is accused of murdering a high school girl. As she works the case, she finds there's much more than that on the surface. The story moves at just the right pace and it's like peeling an onion, discovering more layers each time. There were surprises I hadn't anticipated but should have since the clues were present. What was even more compelling was distinguishing who was right and wrong wasn't easy or clear cut, even with the facts in front of you.
I like this character and have already downloaded the next book in the series. This is a solid start to the series and a good story.
Georgia accepts a case to try to clear her client who is accused of murdering a high school girl. As she works the case, she finds there's much more than that on the surface. The story moves at just the right pace and it's like peeling an onion, discovering more layers each time. There were surprises I hadn't anticipated but should have since the clues were present. What was even more compelling was distinguishing who was right and wrong wasn't easy or clear cut, even with the facts in front of you.
I like this character and have already downloaded the next book in the series. This is a solid start to the series and a good story.
July 5, 2008
Libby's most recent mystery is great - like all of her mysteries (that I have read) - it is a story that feels very current and is set practically in my backyard! She writes about the North Shore of Chicago and so if you know this area, the settings will be very familiar! You may even find some charaters with your friends names on them (my name is on a character in one of her other books!). This is a fun and fast read.
May 6, 2008
Suspense. Not topics I would normally read -- school hazings/ multiple murders.Masterful telling. Author is doing book signing at Racine B&N, Friday, May 9. Setting is North suburbs of Chicago, where author currently lives. Don't start the last half of the book if you can't finish it in that sitting.
May 28, 2008
Excellent, attention-grabbing style and denouement. Seemed a little bit unbelievable in parts, but perhaps that is because it is too easily possible that it could be true these days, and I just don't want to believe it. My only objection was that I had trouble keeping track of all of the characters until about the middle of the book.
September 29, 2008
Hellman switches gears from her Ellie Forman series to a new PI Georgia Davis. The setting is the North Shore of Chicago and the Chicago reader will recognize many local sites. The pacing is fast and the story line chilling.
September 2, 2017
In “Easy Innocence,” Libby Fischer Hellmann creates Georgia Davis, a former Chicago cop who was suspended from the force and who ends up working as a private investigator, while still hoping for reinstatement to her former job. It’s not entirely clear how long she has been on her own, but she’s having trouble making it and is happy to take a new case referred to her by a former mentor on the force (the stereotypical Sergeant O’Malley). The case, on its face, is helping a public defender (later replaced by a private defense lawyer) defend an autistic man who has been accused of a brutal murder. The victim is a beautiful high school junior at a trendy North End school. From the beginning, it seems like the mentally challenged man could not be guilty, and Georgia launches into the case to prove his innocence. The trail takes Georgia into a complex web of characters and events that also leads her into personal danger in which she gets shot at, her apartment gets burned down, and she spends a lot of time sleeping at a friend’s house. The plot moves along quickly, with many twists, and there is no shortage of action and motion throughout.
On the plus side, Ms. Hellmann’s prose is well-written and rich in detail. At times the level of detail is a little distracting and unnecessary, but the word picture drawn by the author is often engaging and beautiful. The main characters are also well-drawn and have rich back stories. We learn in small snippets Georgia’s history, her romance with a fellow cop that broke up a few years before, and we get to know her quirks and personality. She meets a recently divorced man who moves into her apartment building and there is a potential romance developing. We see what Georgia likes to cook and the clothes she likes to wear. We get insight into Georgia’s mind as the rest of the plot moves along. The peripheral characters are less deeply developed, but all are interesting and diverse enough to hold our interest.
The plot is interesting in both its broad strokes and also its small details. There is no real mystery about the secret lives of these high school girls, but how that interrelates to the other characters and eventually circles back to the murder of Sara is not obvious and is not fully revealed until late in the game. It’s a quick read and keeps the reader interested throughout. Georgia is a character that, by the end, you care about and you want to see how her PI practice pans out in the next book.
On the down side, there are far too many editing errors, which can be distracting. It’s a first book in the series, but the author should have gone back and cleaned up the technical issues before sending this out as a free sample in order to try to hook new readers. More significantly, the plot devices are a little too contrived, even for a light mystery. The appearance of Georgia’s former lover and the woman he left her for, are not really necessary to the story and distract more than add. The main coincidence that binds the whole plot together is so unbelievable (how could he not know?) that it impacts the reader’s ability to buy into the rest. An author in a mystery can get away with one or two instances where the protagonist stumbles upon some key bit of evidence, or makes a lucky guess, but when Georgia’s ability to solve the case is predicated upon a half-dozen such serendipitous events, along with her unexplainable ability to guess the key event without much context, it’s hard for the reader to remain fully engaged.
The action sequences are compelling, although here again there are some holes in the narrative, but in the end there is a satisfying finish and enough unresolved issues in Georgia’s life that there is plenty of fodder for future stories.
On the plus side, Ms. Hellmann’s prose is well-written and rich in detail. At times the level of detail is a little distracting and unnecessary, but the word picture drawn by the author is often engaging and beautiful. The main characters are also well-drawn and have rich back stories. We learn in small snippets Georgia’s history, her romance with a fellow cop that broke up a few years before, and we get to know her quirks and personality. She meets a recently divorced man who moves into her apartment building and there is a potential romance developing. We see what Georgia likes to cook and the clothes she likes to wear. We get insight into Georgia’s mind as the rest of the plot moves along. The peripheral characters are less deeply developed, but all are interesting and diverse enough to hold our interest.
The plot is interesting in both its broad strokes and also its small details. There is no real mystery about the secret lives of these high school girls, but how that interrelates to the other characters and eventually circles back to the murder of Sara is not obvious and is not fully revealed until late in the game. It’s a quick read and keeps the reader interested throughout. Georgia is a character that, by the end, you care about and you want to see how her PI practice pans out in the next book.
On the down side, there are far too many editing errors, which can be distracting. It’s a first book in the series, but the author should have gone back and cleaned up the technical issues before sending this out as a free sample in order to try to hook new readers. More significantly, the plot devices are a little too contrived, even for a light mystery. The appearance of Georgia’s former lover and the woman he left her for, are not really necessary to the story and distract more than add. The main coincidence that binds the whole plot together is so unbelievable (how could he not know?) that it impacts the reader’s ability to buy into the rest. An author in a mystery can get away with one or two instances where the protagonist stumbles upon some key bit of evidence, or makes a lucky guess, but when Georgia’s ability to solve the case is predicated upon a half-dozen such serendipitous events, along with her unexplainable ability to guess the key event without much context, it’s hard for the reader to remain fully engaged.
The action sequences are compelling, although here again there are some holes in the narrative, but in the end there is a satisfying finish and enough unresolved issues in Georgia’s life that there is plenty of fodder for future stories.
February 8, 2018
Private Investigator Georgia Davis had worked as a police officer before she was suspended for not following protocol. At times the background was helpful. For example, she knew when a case was being rushed through with having been thoroughly investigated. At other times, it got in the way because she was not able to do some of the things she had done when she was wearing the uniform. A major difference, she noted, was “Cops didn’t just create reasonable doubt. They solved crimes.”
In EASY INNOCENCE, she is contacted by Ruth, a woman whose brother Cam has been arrested for the murder of Sara Long, a beautiful high school junior. Georgia had been referred by a previous police department colleague. Cam was seen in the area where the girl’s body was found, had blood on his shirt, and his fingerprints were on the murder weapon, a baseball bat. He was also a registered sex offender. Ruth insisted that while he was mentally slow and had some behavioral problems, he was not violent and would never have killed anyone.
The girl attended one of the most prestigious public high school in the wealthy Chicago suburb where she lived. The case was being pushed through at record speed, which immediately made Georgia suspicious. The more Georgia investigated, the more she was convinced that the police did not do a thorough investigation and were anxious to send Cam to prison for the crime. She wanted to find out why.
As she proceeded with her investigation, facing a lack of cooperation from some of the people most closely involved with Sara, she discovered that the police had not interviewed several people who had important information about the case and that the charge that got Cam on the sex offender list had been dropped by the accusers before it went to trial. He had never touched the woman nor was his indecent exposure done to get her attention.
As her investigation continued, Georgia discovered that two years previously, students at the school had been charged because of a hazing incident. The principal said it had been taken care of and wouldn’t happen again. Georgia had her doubts about that. She also found other crimes being committed by characters in the story that had direct links to the murder. Georgia was also the target of a nasty prank and of a shooter.
Many of the main characters are stereotypes of very wealthy suburban families: The parents don’t pay much attention to their children, the mothers drink too much, the girls are bullies. Georgia notes, “Status–the acquisition of things—is so much more important for kids today. It’s not about having a pair of jeans from Gap. It’s about having a four hundred dollar pair of jeans.”
The book was a fast read and somewhat predictable though there were some unexpected twists. It was a free Kindle download.
June 7, 2019
Big money and high crimes...that is the game here. How much would one need to pay to make something go away? What about to just look the other way? Hellmann has a compelling novel, one that will reel readers into the first installment and have them longing to jump into the next one by the end of it.
Georgia Davis, a former police officer suspended from the force, has taken up a new gig as a PI. She's been hired to investigate the murder of a school girl from Chicago's North Shore. When everything is nice and tidy, cleaned up really well and an innocent man is handed to the DA with a bow, that is Davis' first clue that something smells fishy, like a cover up. Knowing that she won't have the same privileges as a cop, she makes due with obtaining the information in various ways. For starters, talking to all of the girl's friends and the families of those friends--making some enemies along the way. Once the snooping starts, things start spiraling down pretty quickly and she is able to find some loose lips. She knows that she is on to something big when someone tries to make a hit on her, but that won't stop her from finding the truth. Can Georgia find the killer in time before an innocent man is sent to jail for life?
Hellmann has a great story, filled with animosity, determination, greed, and power. The characters are well-developed and the pace is steady with the exception of the first few chapters. Some of the characters appear to falter in personality, which is a tad contradictory. Since this review is complimenting the audiobook, Richmond's voice relay was entertaining. Her narration is clear; however, she provides limited vocal differentiation between characters. This shouldn't hinder the enjoyment of the novel though. If you are a readers of crime thrillers, suspense and mysteries, you may find this story to be a good fit for you. Easy Innocence is shrouded in secrets and crimes of passion encompassing both adults and children; therefore, it is advised for an audience over the age of 18.
A copy of this audiobook was provided to Turning Another Page by Audiobookworm Promotions and in no way affects the honesty of this review. We provide a four-star rating to Easy Innocence by Libby Fischer Hellmann.
Georgia Davis, a former police officer suspended from the force, has taken up a new gig as a PI. She's been hired to investigate the murder of a school girl from Chicago's North Shore. When everything is nice and tidy, cleaned up really well and an innocent man is handed to the DA with a bow, that is Davis' first clue that something smells fishy, like a cover up. Knowing that she won't have the same privileges as a cop, she makes due with obtaining the information in various ways. For starters, talking to all of the girl's friends and the families of those friends--making some enemies along the way. Once the snooping starts, things start spiraling down pretty quickly and she is able to find some loose lips. She knows that she is on to something big when someone tries to make a hit on her, but that won't stop her from finding the truth. Can Georgia find the killer in time before an innocent man is sent to jail for life?
Hellmann has a great story, filled with animosity, determination, greed, and power. The characters are well-developed and the pace is steady with the exception of the first few chapters. Some of the characters appear to falter in personality, which is a tad contradictory. Since this review is complimenting the audiobook, Richmond's voice relay was entertaining. Her narration is clear; however, she provides limited vocal differentiation between characters. This shouldn't hinder the enjoyment of the novel though. If you are a readers of crime thrillers, suspense and mysteries, you may find this story to be a good fit for you. Easy Innocence is shrouded in secrets and crimes of passion encompassing both adults and children; therefore, it is advised for an audience over the age of 18.
A copy of this audiobook was provided to Turning Another Page by Audiobookworm Promotions and in no way affects the honesty of this review. We provide a four-star rating to Easy Innocence by Libby Fischer Hellmann.
June 14, 2019
It wasn’t what I expected – it was better! I thought I knew who did it, but I was wrong – and I love that about this murder mystery. The story surprised me and held my attention all the way through. I thought the story was going this direction, and it was actually headed this other direction.
Our main character Georgia is so easy to like. She’s a real person with a past, mistakes and victories, foibles, and her own sense of justice. I like that she’s willing to bend or break the rules when she feels it’s right. Her way of handling the prostitutes was great – she treated them like real people instead of passing judgement on them.
Toss in some undercover work, a few attempted murders, and some underage teens crying, then Georgia has her hands full. I do wish we had one more scene with the wrongly accused and his sister just to wrap things up in a neat bow. But that’s my only little quibble with the story. Very entertaining book. 4.75/5 stars.
The Narration: Beth Richmond has a great voice for Georgia, very believable. She captured all of Georgia’s emotions throughout the story. Richmond could use a little more voice variation as I sometimes had trouble keeping the various teen females separate. Richmond’s pacing was a bit slow but with Audible’s app I was able to speed the book up a touch just so the speech sounded normal to me. There were no technical issues with the recording. 4/5 stars.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Libby Fischer Hellmann. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
Our main character Georgia is so easy to like. She’s a real person with a past, mistakes and victories, foibles, and her own sense of justice. I like that she’s willing to bend or break the rules when she feels it’s right. Her way of handling the prostitutes was great – she treated them like real people instead of passing judgement on them.
Toss in some undercover work, a few attempted murders, and some underage teens crying, then Georgia has her hands full. I do wish we had one more scene with the wrongly accused and his sister just to wrap things up in a neat bow. But that’s my only little quibble with the story. Very entertaining book. 4.75/5 stars.
The Narration: Beth Richmond has a great voice for Georgia, very believable. She captured all of Georgia’s emotions throughout the story. Richmond could use a little more voice variation as I sometimes had trouble keeping the various teen females separate. Richmond’s pacing was a bit slow but with Audible’s app I was able to speed the book up a touch just so the speech sounded normal to me. There were no technical issues with the recording. 4/5 stars.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Libby Fischer Hellmann. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
November 2, 2019
I really enjoyed this book, there is so much going on it keeps you hooked until the end. I will definitely be looking in to getingt the rest in the series, as I really liked it. I liked the main character and think she is a good strong character, kind, caring, tough when needed and intelligent. She actually worked out what was going on and who was responsible unlike some heroines who only put it together when facing a gun, there is also what I think will be a love interest but she isn't on of those girls that need a man.. Great start to a series.
Georgia is asked to prove the police have arrested the wrong man for a brutal murder, by the sister of the accused and she was recommended to her by one of the policemen who arrested him. The murder is set up to look like some rich kids went to far with a hazing game and one of there own died. As Georgia digs deeper she discovers it is a lot more serious than that and talking to the rich kids leads her to there rich fathers, who have there own secrets to hid. Then a school drop out is killed, are the two related? Georgia seems to think so and tries befriending the girls to get closer to the truth. Georgia is obviously on the right track when they try to set her apartment on fire but as she is following several leads, Which lead has someone nervous?
I liked the narrator and thought she did a good job with the number of voice she needed to do, to make this book so interesting.
Georgia is asked to prove the police have arrested the wrong man for a brutal murder, by the sister of the accused and she was recommended to her by one of the policemen who arrested him. The murder is set up to look like some rich kids went to far with a hazing game and one of there own died. As Georgia digs deeper she discovers it is a lot more serious than that and talking to the rich kids leads her to there rich fathers, who have there own secrets to hid. Then a school drop out is killed, are the two related? Georgia seems to think so and tries befriending the girls to get closer to the truth. Georgia is obviously on the right track when they try to set her apartment on fire but as she is following several leads, Which lead has someone nervous?
I liked the narrator and thought she did a good job with the number of voice she needed to do, to make this book so interesting.
October 16, 2017
There’s a Powder Puff football game at the Forest Preserve on September 17th, unfortunately, of the girls gets killed by a baseball bat being swung against her head, but the bucket in between with fish guts and eyeballs in it can’t save her. Cameron Jordan is the one that gets locked up and immediately charged with killing Sara Long. He’s never hurt anyone, though he’s a registered sex offender, only because he’s been known to masturbate in bushes that are in the parks around where he lives. But IS he the guilty one?
Ruth Jordan, Cam’s sister, knows for a fact that he didn’t do it. His maturity level is that of a child, that’s not yet been to school. He repeats nursery rhymes because his father used to beat him and that was how he coped. So, Ruth hires Georgia Davis, a Private Investigator, to find the real killer, so Cam can get out of prison. When Georgia starts digging into what’s happened, she didn’t expect to find ANYTHING close to THIS!!
In this compelling book by Libby Fisher Hellmann, she takes readers into a very twisted and real world of teenage prostitution. The reality of knowing that your teenage daughter could lie to you, and say they’re going to work, when they’re really going elsewhere to perform a sex act for money is downright awful. But so very real.
I’ll definitely be following this author.
November 7, 2019
Georgia is a PI, having been suspended from the police service. She is a bit gung-ho, doesn't always play by the rules and sometimes does things she shouldn't. Personally she is still mourning the loss of the one!- her ex Matt despite it now being quite a while since they split up.
All of these traits play their part in this first in the series.
Georgia is hired to help a man accused of the murder of a teenage girl who goes to the right school and knows influential people. There are a lot of challenges, not least his being a sex offender with mental health issues and so much evidence pointing his way it seems very unlikely anyone else could have done it as well as an unseemly rush to get this through the justice system.
As Georgia picks at the threads of what happened the plot thickens and the reader/listener is pulled into the story that involves exposing a darker side to the apparently successful lives of the people of North Shore.
The audio performance was very good. The story was gripping, although I felt that there were some aspects that felt a bit too contrived these were not enough to irritate.
I recommend this to lovers of detective fiction.
All of these traits play their part in this first in the series.
Georgia is hired to help a man accused of the murder of a teenage girl who goes to the right school and knows influential people. There are a lot of challenges, not least his being a sex offender with mental health issues and so much evidence pointing his way it seems very unlikely anyone else could have done it as well as an unseemly rush to get this through the justice system.
As Georgia picks at the threads of what happened the plot thickens and the reader/listener is pulled into the story that involves exposing a darker side to the apparently successful lives of the people of North Shore.
The audio performance was very good. The story was gripping, although I felt that there were some aspects that felt a bit too contrived these were not enough to irritate.
I recommend this to lovers of detective fiction.
July 18, 2021
Intrigue, Lies, and Murder!
Georgia Davis used to be a police officer until she was suspended for failure to observe department protocols while on a case, and decided it was a good time to resign. Now she’s a private investigator whose cases lately have involved finding people who’ve failed to show up for trial and following philandering spouses. Suddenly she gets a call from the sister of a young autistic man who has been accused of the brutal beating death of a teenage girl!
The sister asks her to investigate the case because she believes her brother to be innocent. She tells Georgia that Georgia’s former supervisor recommended her.
At first Georgia is hesitant, but after she learns that Dan O’Malley, her one-time boss has serious doubts about the man’s guilt, she’s eager to solve a real crime again! The first step is to find out if the defense attorney will hire her and let her on the case. Does he want to make a plea deal for his client or does he want to truly defend him?
Read Easy Innocence, and follow Georgia as she sifts her way through intrigue , lies, and murder to the truth!
Georgia Davis used to be a police officer until she was suspended for failure to observe department protocols while on a case, and decided it was a good time to resign. Now she’s a private investigator whose cases lately have involved finding people who’ve failed to show up for trial and following philandering spouses. Suddenly she gets a call from the sister of a young autistic man who has been accused of the brutal beating death of a teenage girl!
The sister asks her to investigate the case because she believes her brother to be innocent. She tells Georgia that Georgia’s former supervisor recommended her.
At first Georgia is hesitant, but after she learns that Dan O’Malley, her one-time boss has serious doubts about the man’s guilt, she’s eager to solve a real crime again! The first step is to find out if the defense attorney will hire her and let her on the case. Does he want to make a plea deal for his client or does he want to truly defend him?
Read Easy Innocence, and follow Georgia as she sifts her way through intrigue , lies, and murder to the truth!
September 7, 2021
I have no recollection of when I got this or how; I'm just randomly reading downloads on my kindle when I'm bored and don't want to read a new book that I'm supposed to review. This was like midway through so probably something from like two to three years ago. (Probably a bookfunnel promo, since it's a direct download and not a kindle purchase.)
The opening setup was really confusing (too much POV jumping I think?) but the middle part played out pretty well leading to a what!! really!! ending (in a good-ish, I didn't quite expect that way). It's a slightly bumped up 3-star because I almost DNFed it a couple of times at the start.
I think part of the reason I was annoyed was also because Georgia was suspended from the force because for not following procedures and nothing in the explanation made it seem like it was necessary for her to do so to like, say, save a person or catch the bad guy. It was just blatant disrespect for rules just because. Mebbe it's just me, but if you wanna present yourself as the jaded but good cop/investigator person, your rule-breaking needs to be appropriately justified. Otherwise what differentiates you from the bad cop?
The opening setup was really confusing (too much POV jumping I think?) but the middle part played out pretty well leading to a what!! really!! ending (in a good-ish, I didn't quite expect that way). It's a slightly bumped up 3-star because I almost DNFed it a couple of times at the start.
I think part of the reason I was annoyed was also because Georgia was suspended from the force because for not following procedures and nothing in the explanation made it seem like it was necessary for her to do so to like, say, save a person or catch the bad guy. It was just blatant disrespect for rules just because. Mebbe it's just me, but if you wanna present yourself as the jaded but good cop/investigator person, your rule-breaking needs to be appropriately justified. Otherwise what differentiates you from the bad cop?
March 12, 2018
Well written suspenseful story with a PI as the main character. The suspense begins when a teenage girl is murdered and the cops jump to pin it on an easy suspect but not everyone believes they have not done their research. So the chase begins to find the real killer but the stakes are higher than one would think and it seems that there are powers that be that do not want the truth uncovered and will do anything to keep it unwraps. And every is not as simple as it seems even when looking into the high school kids right in the middle of the suspense. What secrets could high schoolers be hiding. I absolutely loved the storyline and the suspense. Once I started the book, I could not put it down.
The only reason I did not give it a 5 star rating is due to 2 personal preferences that I will share here for those will similar preferences as a fair warning. Several sexual scenes and the terminology used was too crude for my taste. Plus there are some swear words, not pervasive but there are there.
The only reason I did not give it a 5 star rating is due to 2 personal preferences that I will share here for those will similar preferences as a fair warning. Several sexual scenes and the terminology used was too crude for my taste. Plus there are some swear words, not pervasive but there are there.
September 3, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this book for a number of reasons. My first wife was from Glencoe and went to New Trier Township high school, so I could relate very well to the north suburbs of Chicago and the attitudes displayed by the folks who live there. Hellman does a brilliant job of capturing the environment and attitudes in presenting her story. Georgia Davis is the stereotype female detective, exiled from the regular police force and working as a private detective. As she digs into an investigation to clear a mentally-challenged young man accused of murder, all sorts of snakes appear in the grass, and the secrets of the gold coast teens are laid bare. I found the descriptions to be accurate and the action exciting. The style of writing promotes easy reading, but carries enough danger and suspense to keep the reader alert. This is definitely an exciting and entertaining read, with a solid basis in fact.
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