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Seasons #3
Desperate Season
The long-anticipated third book in the Seasons Mystery Series
From award-winning author Maryann Miller
Children dying is a cop’s worst nightmare. Throw drugs in the mix, and the nightmare gets worse.
Dallas Homicide Detectives, Angel Johnson and Sarah Kingsly, who are still trying to sort out their partnership, race to stop the influx of a nasty new street drug that is killing kids as young as ten. Those kids should be playing in the park, not dying in it.
Who owns the streets of Dallas? Can the detectives take them back before more kids die?
From award-winning author Maryann Miller
Children dying is a cop’s worst nightmare. Throw drugs in the mix, and the nightmare gets worse.
Dallas Homicide Detectives, Angel Johnson and Sarah Kingsly, who are still trying to sort out their partnership, race to stop the influx of a nasty new street drug that is killing kids as young as ten. Those kids should be playing in the park, not dying in it.
Who owns the streets of Dallas? Can the detectives take them back before more kids die?
- GenresFiction
270 pages, Paperback
Published October 12, 2020
22 people are currently reading
780 people want to read
About the author
Maryann Miller
48 books552 followersMaryann Miller writes the critically acclaimed Seasons Mystery Series that debuted with Open Season, and continued with Stalking Season, Desperate Season, and the recently released Brutal Season.
See all of her titles at her Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Maryann-Miller...
Follow her there and on Bookbub:
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/marya...
Miller has received the Page Edwards Short Story Award. Placed first in the screenwriting competition at the Houston Writer's Conference. Was a semi-finalist at Sundance and in the Chesterfield Screenwriting Competition.
For fifteen years she was the theatre director at the Winnsboro Center for the Arts, where she directed adult and youth productions and coordinated the annual Kidzz On Stage Summer Drama Camp.
Miller also likes to be onstage and has appeared in numerous productions. Her most recent role was Big Mama in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
When not working or playing on stage, Miller enjoys reading and quilting and coloring. She lives in Texas with one dog, and four cats. The cats rule.
See all of her titles at her Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Maryann-Miller...
Follow her there and on Bookbub:
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/marya...
Miller has received the Page Edwards Short Story Award. Placed first in the screenwriting competition at the Houston Writer's Conference. Was a semi-finalist at Sundance and in the Chesterfield Screenwriting Competition.
For fifteen years she was the theatre director at the Winnsboro Center for the Arts, where she directed adult and youth productions and coordinated the annual Kidzz On Stage Summer Drama Camp.
Miller also likes to be onstage and has appeared in numerous productions. Her most recent role was Big Mama in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
When not working or playing on stage, Miller enjoys reading and quilting and coloring. She lives in Texas with one dog, and four cats. The cats rule.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
October 18, 2020
This book had Issues. The writing and the plot merited perhaps three stars, a fairly routine thriller, but depiction of characters both major and minor gave me much pause. The author made an effort to depict racial tensions and issues in police work throughout the story, and they were integral parts of characters' personal arcs.
I understand the author was trying to treat these important issues fairly. But these caricatured discussions and situations - somehow separate from the otherwise fairly well-sketched personalities of the characters - made it hard for me to be immersed in and enjoy the book.
Disclaimer: This book was won in a Goodreads giveaway. This is my honest and voluntary review.
I understand the author was trying to treat these important issues fairly. But these caricatured discussions and situations - somehow separate from the otherwise fairly well-sketched personalities of the characters - made it hard for me to be immersed in and enjoy the book.
Disclaimer: This book was won in a Goodreads giveaway. This is my honest and voluntary review.
November 1, 2020
This is a police procedural that starts with a girl dying in a park. This leads the Police towards drugs and trying to get the one who supplies the new drug arrested.
The two main characters are okay to read. This book deals with racial tensions and navigating that, along with Police prejudice that people have.
This is an easy read and not hard to follow but I did have some issue with plot choices and dialogue choices. I know that there are people out there who think and behave like some of these characters, but I don't necessary know if that is how they would speak.
Towards the end they had one suspect in custody who asked for his lawyer, but the cops were talking like he can see his lawyer afterwards. Right at that moment, there was an incident at the police station that had all cops going towards it. The interrogation never started but it did seem like the police weren't going to let him call his lawyer, which should not happen in real life, especially if the cops in the book are being portrayed as good cops. That is just how it seemed to me, but we'll never know since the interrogation never happened. But that part did bother me just a bit.
Overall, it's just a basic police procedural thriller book. It's a easy read.
I won this in a giveaway.
The two main characters are okay to read. This book deals with racial tensions and navigating that, along with Police prejudice that people have.
This is an easy read and not hard to follow but I did have some issue with plot choices and dialogue choices. I know that there are people out there who think and behave like some of these characters, but I don't necessary know if that is how they would speak.
Towards the end they had one suspect in custody who asked for his lawyer, but the cops were talking like he can see his lawyer afterwards. Right at that moment, there was an incident at the police station that had all cops going towards it. The interrogation never started but it did seem like the police weren't going to let him call his lawyer, which should not happen in real life, especially if the cops in the book are being portrayed as good cops. That is just how it seemed to me, but we'll never know since the interrogation never happened. But that part did bother me just a bit.
Overall, it's just a basic police procedural thriller book. It's a easy read.
I won this in a giveaway.
November 20, 2025
Desperate Season hits with the force of a procedural thriller that refuses to look away from the hardest truths. Maryann Miller delivers a tense, emotionally charged story that blends the grit of street-level crime with the fragile humanity of the detectives who have to face it.
Angel Johnson and Sarah Kingsly are the beating heart of this novel their partnership still shaky, their trust still forming, and their emotional burdens heavier than their badges. Watching them navigate both the streets of Dallas and the complexities between them is as gripping as the case itself.
The central conflict children dying from a vicious new drug is devastating, and Miller handles the subject with the right balance of urgency, empathy, and realism. Every scene feels grounded, from the political pressure to the procedural grind to the emotional cost on the detectives who care too much to look away.
The pacing is tight, the stakes are painfully real, and the final twist is the kind of revelation that sticks with you long after the story ends. This is crime fiction with both heart and teeth.
Angel Johnson and Sarah Kingsly are the beating heart of this novel their partnership still shaky, their trust still forming, and their emotional burdens heavier than their badges. Watching them navigate both the streets of Dallas and the complexities between them is as gripping as the case itself.
The central conflict children dying from a vicious new drug is devastating, and Miller handles the subject with the right balance of urgency, empathy, and realism. Every scene feels grounded, from the political pressure to the procedural grind to the emotional cost on the detectives who care too much to look away.
The pacing is tight, the stakes are painfully real, and the final twist is the kind of revelation that sticks with you long after the story ends. This is crime fiction with both heart and teeth.
April 19, 2022
Thank you to author Maryann Miller for this FREE Kindle copy of Desperate Season.
I liked it. The story moved along at a comfortable pace in this police procedural. I thought it a mixed bag on the characters - some I could 'get in to', others just seemed to 'be there'. Also, the interactions and dialogue here seemed off - forced maybe, unnatural. A pretty good job on the editing, but could have used one more round to catch those last several. Nice, clean cover highlighting the book title (as opposed to advertising author name).
I liked it. The story moved along at a comfortable pace in this police procedural. I thought it a mixed bag on the characters - some I could 'get in to', others just seemed to 'be there'. Also, the interactions and dialogue here seemed off - forced maybe, unnatural. A pretty good job on the editing, but could have used one more round to catch those last several. Nice, clean cover highlighting the book title (as opposed to advertising author name).
March 25, 2022
I appreciated the attempt to address the racial tension with the characters. The writing was average, I gave it 3 stars.
Is a basic police procedure mystery/thriller which includes drugs, children, and murder. I may go back and read the other books in the series then read this one again.
It was a quick read, and I'd like to thank the author for the kindle copy provided to me.
Is a basic police procedure mystery/thriller which includes drugs, children, and murder. I may go back and read the other books in the series then read this one again.
It was a quick read, and I'd like to thank the author for the kindle copy provided to me.
April 1, 2022
Desperate Seasons by Maryann Miller is Book 3 in the Seasons Mystery Series. It is a well written, captivating police thriller. The author did a good job creating and crafting the characters who fit perfectly with the storyline. I received an ebook copy of this from the author and these opinions are strictly my own. I rated it a four.
October 15, 2022
Riveting
Hard working female cop partners, a good mystery, racial tensions. What more could one want from this great author? This riveting novel had me hooked from page one. I respect Ms. Miller on her style and ability to understand and describe the race relations difficulties with ease and accuracy.
Hard working female cop partners, a good mystery, racial tensions. What more could one want from this great author? This riveting novel had me hooked from page one. I respect Ms. Miller on her style and ability to understand and describe the race relations difficulties with ease and accuracy.
October 5, 2020
It's not easy being partners when one is black and one is white. Both have to try to overcome the prejudice and find the killers out there. Lots of action, lots of emotion. Won this in a Goodreads Giveaway
March 29, 2022
Police thriller
I thought that this was a pretty good thriller. For the most part it flo wed fairly well except when it came to the preaching. The characters were fairly realistic and unfortunately the story was realistic.
I thought that this was a pretty good thriller. For the most part it flo wed fairly well except when it came to the preaching. The characters were fairly realistic and unfortunately the story was realistic.
April 24, 2022
Mystery
This book shows what goes on in real life. Unfortunately, kids and adults getting killed. Drugs on the streets. Police trying to get the bad guys. I can’t wait to read more from Maryann Miller.
This book shows what goes on in real life. Unfortunately, kids and adults getting killed. Drugs on the streets. Police trying to get the bad guys. I can’t wait to read more from Maryann Miller.
May 20, 2024
A behind the scenes look at how law enforcement works to get drug dealers off the streets and how the drug dealers work to keep drugs on the streets. Anything goes when you want those drugs flowing including murdering children. Recommended.
June 28, 2024
now I have to read books 1 & 2!!!!
Drugs are everywhere! That’s nothing new, however, kids 8,9 and 10 doing drugs is! A child is dead, shot execution style, why! Two 10 year olds OD in a restaurant bathroom, who’s to blame? Can the killers be found? The drug traffic stopped?
Drugs are everywhere! That’s nothing new, however, kids 8,9 and 10 doing drugs is! A child is dead, shot execution style, why! Two 10 year olds OD in a restaurant bathroom, who’s to blame? Can the killers be found? The drug traffic stopped?
April 21, 2022
Great book
May 16, 2022
Interesting police procedure storyline with some racial tension but has some editing issues
I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway
I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway
April 26, 2024
Great story until foul language.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews