A cheating husband. A missing nanny. A suspicious organization. Moneta Watkins and Stacie Howe are on the case.
What begins as a wealthy woman wanting to spy on her cheating husband turns into a suspense-filled mystery as psychic detective Monetta Watkins and her partner Stacie Howe uncover a string of missing nannies. Leaving no stone unturned, Moe and Stacie dive deep into the world of Baltimore’s rich and famous as they seek to find the missing women and bring a human trafficking ring to its knees.
Private Detective Moneta Watkins has a special gift - she can relive people's memories. Like her brothers, Moe was born with her abilities. While her brothers have applied their gifts to advance their careers in the FBI or have tried to avoid using them altogether, Moneta has devoted her life to solving the Baltimore crimes no one else can solve.
Moe’s partner, Stacie Howe brings enthusiasm and passion to the partnership. As a once-famous child actress, Stacie is fearless. Using her fortune to support their adventures, Stacie is ready and willing to jump into any thrilling mystery Moe wants to solve.
The first installment in the Adventures of Watkins and Howe, Grab is a fast-paced, action-packed, supernatural thriller that will take you on a journey you will never forget. This crime-mystery novel featuring two women detectives is a must read for all hard-boiled crime lovers.
Jeff Elkins writes stories about outsiders who fight for outcasts, rejects, and the oppressed. He is the author of more than ten novels, a Certified Three Story Method Editor, and the host of the Dialogue Doctor podcast. During the day, he leads the writing team for a training company that simulates difficult conversations.
He lives north of Baltimore, Maryland with his wife of twenty years and his five kids.
4.5*! I was pleasantly surprised to discover such a fun read from the first chapter. Mystery, suspense and intrigue combined with the youthful and gay outward nature and psychic powers of one of the characters got me hooked from the beginning. Fierce, independent detective Moe and dashing and daring Stacie make up an excellent partnership. The two protagonists are thrown in together in a wide scope of challenging and bizarre circumstances. Fast paced, with some edge of seat scenes, it’s a great entertaining read. Loved it! I received an early version of this book from the publisher and my review is entirely voluntary.
A fabulous story as always. Even though short, grips you. Detective Moneta and Stacie are always busy solving things. Moneta is special, being able to relive others’ memories Received an ARC and reviewing because it superb.
The opening was descriptive, a bit terrifying and most of all powerful. While my brow furrowed with anger at the scene. How could you do that to another human being? I had two questions. Who was Nadia? Why was this happening to her?
This short story was about Moe, a private detective, and her “gift”. A gift that allowed her to be an asset to those who needed her special brand of assistance. A curse to her when she couldn’t shake the after effects. After using her gift, she has to recite a mantra to ground her back in her reality. When Moe gets a new case that she believes is a simple adultery case, she brings on her neighbor/best friend, Stacie to be her “intern”. Stacie needed some excitement and she definitely got it. The duo solves the crime of the year and gives birth to Watkins and Howe. The duo had great chemistry and in between the seriousness of the case, they gave us a few laughs. The author did a fantastic job of pulling me into each scene from page 1 with such descriptive imagery that I felt I was watching one of my favorite night time dramas. He gave me just enough about the duo that you got a rough idea of who these characters were. There were a couple of scenes that definitely had me sitting up straighter. When the explosion occurred and when it was revealed that Caroline and Giuliano had a connection, I was pulled in further. There was a hint at some discord between Moe, her grandfather, and her siblings. What was it? It appears she is not the only one in her family with the gift and I need to know more about them. I am definitely going to read the other book in the Watkins and Howe collection. I need more background on Moe’s family. This story was well-written all around. It had a strong plot, good formatting and was true to its genre. Good read.
A slow burn start leading to a conflagration ending
The story starts by introducing Moe Watkins, the main character. She is a PI with the ability to see others' memories, even for a few hours after death. Since this is the first book in the series, the author needed to do some world building and develop the abilities and personalities of the characters. Once you get thru the initial descriptions, the plot takes some unexpected twists. Some of the characters are quite different from their public personae.
Once I got to the middle of the story, I found it hard to put the book down. I do look forward to reading Steal - which is now on my TBR pile.
I received an advanced copy of 'Grab'. This is my unbiased opinion and my honest review.
I received an ARC from the author at my request and this is my honest opinion. This is the first in the new Wakins and Howe mystery series and I think the series is going to be a good one. My only problem with this first book is that nothing was fully developed. There was even a major event that occurred and then seemed to be forgotten about; never mentioned again. I really like the two protagonists and the touch of the supernatural is not heavy-handed. All in all, it is a good story but I felt that it was rushed. With a little more attention to detail and character development, I think it will be a really enjoyable series. I am definitely looking forward to the next book.
I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. This was a quick read that is center around Moe and her psychic abilities that she use as a PI. She has a partner Stacie who is a former child star. The two go on a case of a cheating husband but turns out to be a lot more then that. Don't want to say too much. Does makes me want to read other book by this author. Moe is a character that is hard to forget regardless of her brothers looking down on for her choice of jobs. I think I want to know more about her.
A routine cheating spouse case grows into something more for psychic detective Moe and her gun toting actress sidekick.
This is an okay story. It is short and free of suspense. It reads more like a cozy mystery than a thriller. Moe's gift is unique but her inability to shake things off becomes tedious. And what kind of moron pursues murderers, criminals, kidnappers and mobsters without a gun? Glossed over the apparent murder of an FBI agent and did not reveal the connection between the agent and another character.Not my favorite.
A fun read about a PI (Moe) with a supernatural power and her neighbor Stacie, a former soap-opera starlet, as her witty partner. As opposite as they both seem they're perfect for eachother. The first job is to follow the husband of a very wealthy wife because she wants him to be found cheating on her. Not everything however is as it seems.... I got an ARC from the author for an honest review.
This book is a fast listen, with great characters, twists and turns. Moe uses her psychic abilities as a PI. Her partner Stacie is a former child star. They find themselves on a case of a cheating husband but turns out to be a lot more then that. Moe is a character .
I enjoyed this book with its interesting slant on a detective/mystery type story. The intro to the next book left me looking forward to reading that one as well. The two main characters who are both women from different backgrounds make a good team.
An excellently plotted novel that had this reader turning pages speedily to read what comes next. Well written, great characters and a plot that flowed flawlessly and fluently. I look forward to the next book in this series. An author I will be following for books to come.
I enjoyed this book much more than I expected. It had a great story line, and entertainment value. There are several editorial mistakes that take away from the enjoyment, but that's just me. I still recommend this book and author.
Moe has an unusual gift and is a special investigator Stacy her wannabe actress friend from next door are pulled into an adventure that would bring down the woman who hired Moe. Now they are partners It's a fun read quick and easy
Detective Moneta and Stacy, an excellent plot of one that has a special gift to use, on unsolved cases. Good action and plot, to enjoy. Given audio for my voluntary review, which brought the story to life, well done.
I absolutely LOVED the two main characters. They have great personalities and I cannot wait to see more of their adventures! I enjoyed the fast pace of this book and yet there was enough detail to visualize everything going on. Great start to a new series!
WOW! The author hit the ball outta the park with this one! 'Grab' by Jeff Elkins is wholly original, utterly compelling, filled with depth and humanity, and just absolutely brimming with suspense! The touch of supernatural within these pages is believeable and beautifully done. If you want a book that will pull you in from the first page and not just hold your interest, but spike it throughout and until the very end, this is the one! The main character "Moe" is impossible not to like, and is so fully fleshed out you can't help but think about her, even after turning the final page! I really loved this one- the story, characters, twists and turns... and the best thing about it is: it's a series! I can't wait to dive into the next one! I feel honored to have recieved an advanced copy of 'Grab' in exchange for my unbiased opinion and my honest review.
Very creative imagination takes the reader on a wild ride and makes it difficult to stop reading. Highly recommend this book for a read that you will really not want to put down until the end