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Prime Suspect
When Laurie Whitman’s husband Devon chokes her during a violent intimate encounter, she goes on the run to save her life.
Then Devon’s death in a horrifying fire brings her back and her story makes her a celebrity and spokeswoman for those women in similar positions.
But when it’s discovered that the fire was arson, she becomes the prime suspect and the focus of former detective turned private investigator Blake Gramercy’s scrutiny.
After a confrontation between them leads to them being shot at by a mysterious figure, the two must join forces to uncover the truth and seek justice while fighting for their own lives .
A thrilling psychological thriller that you won't be able to put down!
Then Devon’s death in a horrifying fire brings her back and her story makes her a celebrity and spokeswoman for those women in similar positions.
But when it’s discovered that the fire was arson, she becomes the prime suspect and the focus of former detective turned private investigator Blake Gramercy’s scrutiny.
After a confrontation between them leads to them being shot at by a mysterious figure, the two must join forces to uncover the truth and seek justice while fighting for their own lives .
A thrilling psychological thriller that you won't be able to put down!
266 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 11, 2020
1572 people are currently reading
670 people want to read
About the author
Cole Baxter
46 books371 followersCole Baxter loves writing psychological suspense thrillers. It's all about that last reveal that he loves shocking readers with.
He grew up in New York, where there crime was all around. He decided to turn that into something positive with his fiction.
His stories will have you reading through the night--they are very addictive!
Sign up for Cole's VIP Reader Club and find out about his latest releases, giveaways, and more. Copy and paste this link to sign up: http://eepurl.com/dqL8yT
He grew up in New York, where there crime was all around. He decided to turn that into something positive with his fiction.
His stories will have you reading through the night--they are very addictive!
Sign up for Cole's VIP Reader Club and find out about his latest releases, giveaways, and more. Copy and paste this link to sign up: http://eepurl.com/dqL8yT
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
June 18, 2025
3.75 ⭐
Genre ~ domestic thriller
Publication date ~ book ~ December 11, 2020, audio ~ April 5, 2022
Publisher ~ Dreamscape Media
Est Page Count ~ 266
Audio length ~ 9 hours 2 minutes
Narrators ~ Wayne Mitchell, Gail Shalan
POV ~ dual
Featuring ~ domestic abuse
Laurie has been abused by husband, Devon, for years. One encounter lands her in the emergency room and she's pronounced dead. When she wakes up in the morgue she sees a good opportunity to get out of her marriage by faking her own death. Luckily she finds a nice couple to help her stay off the radar. Mario and Belinda were nice supportive characters.
But when there's a mysterious fire at Devon's house, Laurie is brought out of hiding. Blake is a former detective, turned private investigator. He is hired to prove who set the fire ~ with Laurie as the prime suspect .
I love that it was written from dual pov of Laurie and Blake. Laurie starts off weak, but grows stronger as the story unfolds. Blake is a bit of a mess after losing his partner and lover, Lola and I am not sure if he was sober for any part of the book.
Overall this was a decent thriller, but not too memorable. This is my first time with this author and I'd give him a go again.
Narration notes:
Good~ish narration by Wayne Mitchell & Gail Shalan. They do perfectly fine in their normal voice, but I was just not feeling when they try to speak in opposite sex tones. Gail did a slightly better job though.
*Thanks to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media LLC and Cole Baxter for the advanced audiobook. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ X
Genre ~ domestic thriller
Publication date ~ book ~ December 11, 2020, audio ~ April 5, 2022
Publisher ~ Dreamscape Media
Est Page Count ~ 266
Audio length ~ 9 hours 2 minutes
Narrators ~ Wayne Mitchell, Gail Shalan
POV ~ dual
Featuring ~ domestic abuse
Laurie has been abused by husband, Devon, for years. One encounter lands her in the emergency room and she's pronounced dead. When she wakes up in the morgue she sees a good opportunity to get out of her marriage by faking her own death. Luckily she finds a nice couple to help her stay off the radar. Mario and Belinda were nice supportive characters.
But when there's a mysterious fire at Devon's house, Laurie is brought out of hiding. Blake is a former detective, turned private investigator. He is hired to prove who set the fire ~ with Laurie as the prime suspect .
I love that it was written from dual pov of Laurie and Blake. Laurie starts off weak, but grows stronger as the story unfolds. Blake is a bit of a mess after losing his partner and lover, Lola and I am not sure if he was sober for any part of the book.
Overall this was a decent thriller, but not too memorable. This is my first time with this author and I'd give him a go again.
Narration notes:
Good~ish narration by Wayne Mitchell & Gail Shalan. They do perfectly fine in their normal voice, but I was just not feeling when they try to speak in opposite sex tones. Gail did a slightly better job though.
*Thanks to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media LLC and Cole Baxter for the advanced audiobook. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ X
February 7, 2022
If you go through the bottom of the barrel of all these modern ubiquitous and wildly popular thrillers, you’ll probably find a lot of this author’s books and books very much like it i.e. crap.
An argument might be made that they aren’t a complete crap, because they technically feature things like plot, moral, professional editing, but, BUT, when you consider the overwhelmingly underwhelming overall quality of these books against the immense universe of thrillers out there, plenty of them of a far superior quality, well, then, what word is more apt to describe books like these?
This was a freebie, at least. So only time was wasted. And not even that much time, because with such a simplistic plot and such basic, low word count dialogue driven structure the thing reads very quicky. But still…
The author promises an unpredictable twist…well, just so you know, you’ll likely figure out at least some if not most of it. The main thing is how difficult it is to care about any of it. Any of these cardboard cutout characters, any of their credulity-stretching storylines, any of its oversimplified explanations/motivations/etc.
Sure, the author is present enough to throw in a strong MeToo theme in there, making girl power triumph over spousal abuse, etc., but it’s all so…far from real life in the wrong sort of way, straight down to the insipid and trite romance between the two alternating narrators of this story.
Nuance free, bland, and as basic as basic can be. Apparently, it works for the author, seeing how many of these he’s been banging out, but for a reader of any discernment whatsoever there are so many superior choices out there and really no reason to go with this one. Pass.
An argument might be made that they aren’t a complete crap, because they technically feature things like plot, moral, professional editing, but, BUT, when you consider the overwhelmingly underwhelming overall quality of these books against the immense universe of thrillers out there, plenty of them of a far superior quality, well, then, what word is more apt to describe books like these?
This was a freebie, at least. So only time was wasted. And not even that much time, because with such a simplistic plot and such basic, low word count dialogue driven structure the thing reads very quicky. But still…
The author promises an unpredictable twist…well, just so you know, you’ll likely figure out at least some if not most of it. The main thing is how difficult it is to care about any of it. Any of these cardboard cutout characters, any of their credulity-stretching storylines, any of its oversimplified explanations/motivations/etc.
Sure, the author is present enough to throw in a strong MeToo theme in there, making girl power triumph over spousal abuse, etc., but it’s all so…far from real life in the wrong sort of way, straight down to the insipid and trite romance between the two alternating narrators of this story.
Nuance free, bland, and as basic as basic can be. Apparently, it works for the author, seeing how many of these he’s been banging out, but for a reader of any discernment whatsoever there are so many superior choices out there and really no reason to go with this one. Pass.
February 9, 2021
Hit or Miss!
I’ve read several of Cole Baxter’s novels, the first was awesome but subsequent novels have either been filled with proofing and/or editorial errors or the plot does not come together.
I think this book could’ve been like the first. A good storyline, interesting characters etc... unfortunately IMO the setting, character development and plot was thin —making it seem thin and rushed.
I’m not sure how many times and how many of the main characters used the slang “hot mess”, slang used a few years ago, mostly byTweenties (teens&early 20s) not hardened grown detectives. To keep repeating it over and over seems lazy when there are so many words in the English language that could provide a clearer picture.
Sorry ... hope the next one is better
I’ve read several of Cole Baxter’s novels, the first was awesome but subsequent novels have either been filled with proofing and/or editorial errors or the plot does not come together.
I think this book could’ve been like the first. A good storyline, interesting characters etc... unfortunately IMO the setting, character development and plot was thin —making it seem thin and rushed.
I’m not sure how many times and how many of the main characters used the slang “hot mess”, slang used a few years ago, mostly byTweenties (teens&early 20s) not hardened grown detectives. To keep repeating it over and over seems lazy when there are so many words in the English language that could provide a clearer picture.
Sorry ... hope the next one is better
January 1, 2021
Poor writing. I won’t read another book by this author. This is the second one I’ve read and both were poorly written. Free kindle books on Amazon. I’m glad I didn’t pay for them.
November 17, 2021
Began good
I don’t like to give bad reviews because just writing a book is more than I could ever accomplish. I hope this is viewed as constructive criticism. The story began with a lot of promise. Very twisted, but somehow dissolved into a schmaltzy romance novel. I kept hoping for some cool twist at the end, but sadly, it was kissy face to the end. I didn’t even like the characters because they didn’t appear real. Not a very good psychological thriller.
I don’t like to give bad reviews because just writing a book is more than I could ever accomplish. I hope this is viewed as constructive criticism. The story began with a lot of promise. Very twisted, but somehow dissolved into a schmaltzy romance novel. I kept hoping for some cool twist at the end, but sadly, it was kissy face to the end. I didn’t even like the characters because they didn’t appear real. Not a very good psychological thriller.
August 13, 2024
This story captured me from the start. An abused woman wakes up in the morgue on a gurney. What could be more terrifying! Her husband put her there, and she is determined to write a book and help other abused people. Then her husband is dead, and she is accused of murdering him. Unfortunately or fortunately she is attracted to the private detective assigned to her case. Then more strange events keep happening that makes this book fast paced. I enjoyed it!
April 14, 2022
very low 3.
Overall, this was too Lifetime movie/soap opera for me; too many people coming back from the dead, but it is the kind of read that is 'addictive' even though you know it's not great literary fiction.
It's "brain popcorn" in the mystery/thriller genre (rather than the romance or family drama genres).
The story is very superficial and shallow, meaning most of the plot lacks foundation and you're required to just accept certain points in the plot as fact or believable without being given an explanation. It's very... TV.
That said, I did finish the book, which says something (I DNF hard) I remained interested primarily because I was rooting for Laurie. I wanted her to be okay. I will also say the premise is unusual.
SUMMARY: The book opens with Laurie in the ER, dying. She was strangled by her abusive husband, though he has told police/Dr's she was attacked by a home intruder and is believed. Laurie is ready to let go, to die... and then she does. By miracle (?) she wakes up naked in the morgue hours later.
For the next three months, Laurie convalesces in hiding. Then her husband, Devon, dies in a home fire. Laurie comes out of hiding and starts telling her story; particularly that she is a survivor of domestic abuse.
Blake (an ex-cop now PI) is hired as a police consultant re: the Devon/Laurie case. He's a drunk who is also deep in depression after his girlfriend/partner was killed in the line of duty.
The story alternates between Blake and Laurie chapters as the story progresses linearly.
Laurie and Blake also fall in love with each other at first sight. It's one of those intense, codependent relationships that are praised in books and film (but in actuality are very unhealthy).
Blake is trying to figure out if Laurie did, in fact, kill her husband (Devon) and if Devon is as abusive as she says. Then everyone starts to wonder if Devon actually dead and if not, is Laurie in trouble?
Laurie, meanwhile, is just trying to heal and build a new life for herself, which includes becoming a famous author and speaker for DV.
As for the narrators, I felt both did fine, except neither (and especially the male narrator) could not do a female voice.
Thank you net galley for an ARC.
Overall, this was too Lifetime movie/soap opera for me; too many people coming back from the dead, but it is the kind of read that is 'addictive' even though you know it's not great literary fiction.
It's "brain popcorn" in the mystery/thriller genre (rather than the romance or family drama genres).
The story is very superficial and shallow, meaning most of the plot lacks foundation and you're required to just accept certain points in the plot as fact or believable without being given an explanation. It's very... TV.
That said, I did finish the book, which says something (I DNF hard) I remained interested primarily because I was rooting for Laurie. I wanted her to be okay. I will also say the premise is unusual.
SUMMARY: The book opens with Laurie in the ER, dying. She was strangled by her abusive husband, though he has told police/Dr's she was attacked by a home intruder and is believed. Laurie is ready to let go, to die... and then she does. By miracle (?) she wakes up naked in the morgue hours later.
For the next three months, Laurie convalesces in hiding. Then her husband, Devon, dies in a home fire. Laurie comes out of hiding and starts telling her story; particularly that she is a survivor of domestic abuse.
Blake (an ex-cop now PI) is hired as a police consultant re: the Devon/Laurie case. He's a drunk who is also deep in depression after his girlfriend/partner was killed in the line of duty.
The story alternates between Blake and Laurie chapters as the story progresses linearly.
Laurie and Blake also fall in love with each other at first sight. It's one of those intense, codependent relationships that are praised in books and film (but in actuality are very unhealthy).
Blake is trying to figure out if Laurie did, in fact, kill her husband (Devon) and if Devon is as abusive as she says. Then everyone starts to wonder if Devon actually dead and if not, is Laurie in trouble?
Laurie, meanwhile, is just trying to heal and build a new life for herself, which includes becoming a famous author and speaker for DV.
As for the narrators, I felt both did fine, except neither (and especially the male narrator) could not do a female voice.
Thank you net galley for an ARC.
February 18, 2021
If you enjoy reading thrillers and suspense, you will be disappointed. I about 1/4 into the book I guessed the killer and the whole plot.
Nothing in this book surprised me. The dialog was choppy and I found myself skimming more than reading.
The story went on even after solved. Really no reason for this. I never found myself attached to any of the characters. Frankly they were flat.
Nothing in this book surprised me. The dialog was choppy and I found myself skimming more than reading.
The story went on even after solved. Really no reason for this. I never found myself attached to any of the characters. Frankly they were flat.
April 15, 2022
This was a disturbing story, where Laurie is subject to violent sexual games; her husband choking her during the act. No wonder she tries to flee. Yet nothing is simple. Devon is an entitled monster, unlike the man she thought she’d married.
Then death...
Throughout this story, the truth isn’t straightforward, though I did guess much of the plot, however, that didn’t interrupt my engagement. The characters fitted well into the plot, although I found Blake to be rather annoying (sometimes like a petulant child) – just my opinion.
I don’t give spoilers but will say that this book was troubling by highlighting the violence often perpetrated by men, particularly on women. The themes of bullying and control were well-portrayed and I can only hope that lessons will be learned. Yes, it was fiction, but I know it’s a sad part of life.
Worth a look.
Then death...
Throughout this story, the truth isn’t straightforward, though I did guess much of the plot, however, that didn’t interrupt my engagement. The characters fitted well into the plot, although I found Blake to be rather annoying (sometimes like a petulant child) – just my opinion.
I don’t give spoilers but will say that this book was troubling by highlighting the violence often perpetrated by men, particularly on women. The themes of bullying and control were well-portrayed and I can only hope that lessons will be learned. Yes, it was fiction, but I know it’s a sad part of life.
Worth a look.
February 19, 2024
Possibly the lowest rating I have ever given.
The plot had so much potential. Characters were never developed and such a predictable route was taken, rather than the ‘unforgettable twist’ promised.
Don’t even get me started on the fact the story ended about 5 chapters before the book did. 🤷🏼♀️
The plot had so much potential. Characters were never developed and such a predictable route was taken, rather than the ‘unforgettable twist’ promised.
Don’t even get me started on the fact the story ended about 5 chapters before the book did. 🤷🏼♀️
January 8, 2026
I would have given this a higher score if the "love" story wasn't included. It wasn't necessary and just added incredulity to the plot. It also made the end draaaaaaaaaaaaaaag.
Overall, it still was a good read though.
Overall, it still was a good read though.
added-it
January 19, 2022🎁 FREE on Amazon today (1/19/2022)! 🎁
April 1, 2022
It started out ok. Then I had to force myself to finish it. I can’t even think of the words to describe this book. I did eventually just skimmed it to the end.
January 5, 2022
After reading all of the 4 and 5 star reviews, I was very disappointed with this book. It started out okay. But as I got further in the book, I kept shaking my head. A few examples ~
An ex-cop that is now a private investigator is hired through the police department. The police department isn't allowed to tell him the name of the client.
"...Ellis had a gun pointed at Blake. I didn't know what kind of gun it was, and I supposed it wouldn't matter. They all shot bullets that would be deadly if shot at such close range."
"Take me on nice dates. Kiss me on my doorstep at night. Bring me flowers. And I could cook you dinner some nights and iron your shirts."
An ex-cop that is now a private investigator is hired through the police department. The police department isn't allowed to tell him the name of the client.
"...Ellis had a gun pointed at Blake. I didn't know what kind of gun it was, and I supposed it wouldn't matter. They all shot bullets that would be deadly if shot at such close range."
"Take me on nice dates. Kiss me on my doorstep at night. Bring me flowers. And I could cook you dinner some nights and iron your shirts."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2022
I was not a huge fan of this book.
I never really bonded with any of the characters, especially the lead male who was always pouring alcohol down his throat when he was supposed to be being productive. I also didn’t like the fact that he kept driving drunk and with more than just himself in the car. The main female character was whiny and clingy. The story was all over the place, and had too much non-important romantic aspects that were cringeworthy.
I have read one other of this author books, but I forgot all about it until after reading this, and I didn’t like that one either. If I would’ve known that before reading this then I would’ve skipped it all together.
Also noteworthy: The voice of the male narrator was god awful! I mean, when he was just doing his regular voice it wasn’t terrible, but when he did the voice of any other male, or any voice of a female, they just sounded like angry and condescending jerks. In fact, the Voice he used for women sounded like an angry, bossy, know it all 90 year old who smoked four packs a day. It was pure awfulness. Having said that, even if I would have read the book without the narrator, it wouldn’t have changed how I felt about the story.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for leaving an honest review.
I never really bonded with any of the characters, especially the lead male who was always pouring alcohol down his throat when he was supposed to be being productive. I also didn’t like the fact that he kept driving drunk and with more than just himself in the car. The main female character was whiny and clingy. The story was all over the place, and had too much non-important romantic aspects that were cringeworthy.
I have read one other of this author books, but I forgot all about it until after reading this, and I didn’t like that one either. If I would’ve known that before reading this then I would’ve skipped it all together.
Also noteworthy: The voice of the male narrator was god awful! I mean, when he was just doing his regular voice it wasn’t terrible, but when he did the voice of any other male, or any voice of a female, they just sounded like angry and condescending jerks. In fact, the Voice he used for women sounded like an angry, bossy, know it all 90 year old who smoked four packs a day. It was pure awfulness. Having said that, even if I would have read the book without the narrator, it wouldn’t have changed how I felt about the story.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for leaving an honest review.
December 1, 2021
Wow….the typos in this book were hard for me to get past. And referring back to something incorrectly or calling characters by the wrong name, Dr. Mario Grace was married to Belinda but then referred to the wife as Grace….thought that was the LAST NAME!? The premise to the story is good. Love empowering women to live life outside of abuse. But I just wasn’t excited about the writing style.
March 1, 2022
This is the first time I’m reading a novel by Cole Baxter. What drew me in was the title and the book cover. When the story opens, we meet Laurie Whitman, a battered wife who was pronounced dead in the hospital. She then wakes up alive in the morgue surprising Dr. Mario Grace who was about to perform an autopsy on her. She didn’t want to be found especially by the man who put her there…her husband, Devon. So, Dr. Grace and his wife decide to keep her safe until she is ready to resurface. While recuperating under their care, Devon is killed in a house fire. This is odd because Devon was once a firefighter and a fire safety advisor.
We then meet Blake, an ex-police officer turned a private detective, who is hired by an anonymous person to find out what happened and keep it out of the press. The problem is Blake drinks too much and is still mourning the loss of his partner and lover, Lola who was shot in the line of duty. Blake now has to work with his friend Sam from the Seattle police force who has a new partner, Anna to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
Overall, Baxter did a good job telling the story from Laurie’s and Blake’s POVs as well as showing them as broken people who eventually got together. Although there were times when the story became repetitive, I enjoyed seeing Laurie gain confidence and power after the abuse. It was also nice to see her be able to trust and open herself up to love again with another man – Blake.
Additionally, I found the twists in the story about Devon and his family interesting as they helped to shed light on his character (I won’t give anything away). Nevertheless, I wanted a bit more tenseness in the story which I thought would’ve heightened the stakes. And yes, I would read another novel by Cole Baxter.
Some of my favorite lines:
Sam shook his head. "Doesn't matter," he replied. "What matters is that you find out the real story. Because when Laurie was brought into the hospital, her husband said that there was a break-in and that she was raped and strangled."
"But that doesn't add up?" I asked.
He pointed toward the medical files in the folder. "Doesn't quite seem to," he said. "She didn't struggle for a lot of the trauma."
"Interesting," I replied. "So, she's recovered, and what is she doing now?"
"Writing books about being abused by her husband," he said.
My jaw dropped. "Oh. Oh. But . . ."
"But her husband is dead," he said. "From a fire."
"So, did she murder him?"
We then meet Blake, an ex-police officer turned a private detective, who is hired by an anonymous person to find out what happened and keep it out of the press. The problem is Blake drinks too much and is still mourning the loss of his partner and lover, Lola who was shot in the line of duty. Blake now has to work with his friend Sam from the Seattle police force who has a new partner, Anna to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
Overall, Baxter did a good job telling the story from Laurie’s and Blake’s POVs as well as showing them as broken people who eventually got together. Although there were times when the story became repetitive, I enjoyed seeing Laurie gain confidence and power after the abuse. It was also nice to see her be able to trust and open herself up to love again with another man – Blake.
Additionally, I found the twists in the story about Devon and his family interesting as they helped to shed light on his character (I won’t give anything away). Nevertheless, I wanted a bit more tenseness in the story which I thought would’ve heightened the stakes. And yes, I would read another novel by Cole Baxter.
Some of my favorite lines:
Sam shook his head. "Doesn't matter," he replied. "What matters is that you find out the real story. Because when Laurie was brought into the hospital, her husband said that there was a break-in and that she was raped and strangled."
"But that doesn't add up?" I asked.
He pointed toward the medical files in the folder. "Doesn't quite seem to," he said. "She didn't struggle for a lot of the trauma."
"Interesting," I replied. "So, she's recovered, and what is she doing now?"
"Writing books about being abused by her husband," he said.
My jaw dropped. "Oh. Oh. But . . ."
"But her husband is dead," he said. "From a fire."
"So, did she murder him?"
January 28, 2022
Brilliant
This book is simply fantastic, highly irresistible, awesome, fabulous. I could keep on ranting. The author, Cole Baxter, deserves all the appreciation for coming up with a super engaging psychological thriller. It's a perfect edge of the seat thriller.
Laurie Whitman, a victim of domestic violence,
is admitted in the hospital and slowly sinking. After a number of failed attempts to revive her,
she is declared dead. Private Investigator Blake is summoned by Detective Sam Mackendy to investigate the death of Devon Whitman in a fire tragedy at his house. The deceased is the husband of the already declared dead woman, Laurie Whitman, who suddenly comes forward to the police station after three months from the date of her death. How is it possible for a dead woman to come alive?
PI Blake begins his investigation by visiting the burned house. Other than some pieces of bones, nothing can be salvaged. Detective Sam and his partner, Anna, from the police department are already scourging the area for clues. Blake decides to visit Devon's parents, Ellis and Shannon Whitman. Ellis is quick to blame Laurie for Devon's death and tries to show her as a woman of loose morals instead of a victim of domestic abuse.
Laurie is slowly recovering from her agony when Devon's death in a fire tragedy forces her to come forward to the police. Detective Sam calls her for questioning. PI Blake, a former cop, is also present during the interrogation. He is neither convinced of her guilt nor her innocence. As the case proceeds, Blake smells something fishy about Devon's death. He believes that Laurie has been falsely accused of a crime that she never committed and even if she did, it could be justified.
The investigation takes a deadly turn when Laurie's garage is set on fire and there is another attack on her and Blake. Who wants to kill Laurie? Is someone trying to avenge Devon's death? What really happened to Devon? Is Laurie innocent or guilty? Do read this book to find out. There is never a single dull moment in this book. There are so many twists and unpredictable turns that it's hard to put this book down even for a moment. I highly recommend it for reading for all the mystery lovers.
This book is simply fantastic, highly irresistible, awesome, fabulous. I could keep on ranting. The author, Cole Baxter, deserves all the appreciation for coming up with a super engaging psychological thriller. It's a perfect edge of the seat thriller.
Laurie Whitman, a victim of domestic violence,
is admitted in the hospital and slowly sinking. After a number of failed attempts to revive her,
she is declared dead. Private Investigator Blake is summoned by Detective Sam Mackendy to investigate the death of Devon Whitman in a fire tragedy at his house. The deceased is the husband of the already declared dead woman, Laurie Whitman, who suddenly comes forward to the police station after three months from the date of her death. How is it possible for a dead woman to come alive?
PI Blake begins his investigation by visiting the burned house. Other than some pieces of bones, nothing can be salvaged. Detective Sam and his partner, Anna, from the police department are already scourging the area for clues. Blake decides to visit Devon's parents, Ellis and Shannon Whitman. Ellis is quick to blame Laurie for Devon's death and tries to show her as a woman of loose morals instead of a victim of domestic abuse.
Laurie is slowly recovering from her agony when Devon's death in a fire tragedy forces her to come forward to the police. Detective Sam calls her for questioning. PI Blake, a former cop, is also present during the interrogation. He is neither convinced of her guilt nor her innocence. As the case proceeds, Blake smells something fishy about Devon's death. He believes that Laurie has been falsely accused of a crime that she never committed and even if she did, it could be justified.
The investigation takes a deadly turn when Laurie's garage is set on fire and there is another attack on her and Blake. Who wants to kill Laurie? Is someone trying to avenge Devon's death? What really happened to Devon? Is Laurie innocent or guilty? Do read this book to find out. There is never a single dull moment in this book. There are so many twists and unpredictable turns that it's hard to put this book down even for a moment. I highly recommend it for reading for all the mystery lovers.
March 15, 2022
This is only the second book by Cole Baxter. What drew me in was the title and the book cover. When the story opens, we meet Laurie Whitman, a battered wife who was pronounced dead in the hospital. She then wakes up alive in the morgue surprising Dr. Mario Grace who was about to perform an autopsy on her. She didn’t want to be found especially by the man who put her there…her husband, Devon. So, Dr. Grace and his wife decide to keep her safe until she is ready to resurface. While recuperating under their care, Devon is killed in a house fire. This is odd because Devon was once a firefighter and a fire safety advisor. We then meet Blake, an ex-police officer turned a private detective, who is hired by an anonymous person to find out what happened and keep it out of the press. The problem is Blake drinks too much and is still mourning the loss of his partner and lover, Lola who was shot in the line of duty. Blake now has to work with his friend Sam from the Seattle police force who has a new partner, Anna to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Meantime her home burns down with her hubby in it. Blake a PI, another damaged person, is hired to look into his death and find out if Laurie had anything to do with it. He doesn't know who is paying him. The case came via an old police friend.
Baxter did a good job telling the story from Laurie’s and Blake’s POVs as well as showing them as broken people who eventually got together. I found the twists in the story about Devon and his family interesting as they helped to shed light on his character. Really slow burn in terms of the pace of the story there is some repetition.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity.
Baxter did a good job telling the story from Laurie’s and Blake’s POVs as well as showing them as broken people who eventually got together. I found the twists in the story about Devon and his family interesting as they helped to shed light on his character. Really slow burn in terms of the pace of the story there is some repetition.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity.
April 5, 2022
Prime Suspect
Cole Baxter
Firefighter and fire safety advisor, Devon Whitman was an abusive husband, more than once he put Laurie in the hospital. At her last trip to the Emergency Room, she was pronounced dead. She came to in the morgue and grabs the opportunity to escape Devon by faking her own death. Dr. Mario Grace was on duty in the morgue and offered to help Laurie; he takes her home with him where he and his wife, Belinda, care for her and nurse her back to health. They assist her is staying “dead.” A fire erupts in Devon’s home and it is believed he perishes; Laurie believes it is safe to come out of hiding.
Blake was a police detective but when his partner/lover, Lola died in the line of duty. He tries to drown his pain in a bottle. Sam, a Seattle police officer and friend of Blake’s offers him a job doing a private investigation of the fire. Laurie is the prime suspect, the only suspect. Blake has no idea who is paying for the investigation.
This thriller is told from the viewpoint of Blake and Laurie. The two of them have a strong spark between them. Sam’s new partner is Anna, at first I felt she had something to do with framing Laurie; I never did trust Sam. Both Laurie and Blake have some serious problems; he is obviously an alcoholic, and she lacks self-esteem. Laurie appears very weak at the beginning of this book, but her strength grows. Devon’s family was a bit of a twist. I realize this book has received a lot of less than positive reviews and I’m not sure why. I listened to it and found it rather interesting. I liked Laurie and Blake despite their brokenness. I also liked that Laurie became a writer and used her books/talent to assist in her healing and helping others.
Cole Baxter
Firefighter and fire safety advisor, Devon Whitman was an abusive husband, more than once he put Laurie in the hospital. At her last trip to the Emergency Room, she was pronounced dead. She came to in the morgue and grabs the opportunity to escape Devon by faking her own death. Dr. Mario Grace was on duty in the morgue and offered to help Laurie; he takes her home with him where he and his wife, Belinda, care for her and nurse her back to health. They assist her is staying “dead.” A fire erupts in Devon’s home and it is believed he perishes; Laurie believes it is safe to come out of hiding.
Blake was a police detective but when his partner/lover, Lola died in the line of duty. He tries to drown his pain in a bottle. Sam, a Seattle police officer and friend of Blake’s offers him a job doing a private investigation of the fire. Laurie is the prime suspect, the only suspect. Blake has no idea who is paying for the investigation.
This thriller is told from the viewpoint of Blake and Laurie. The two of them have a strong spark between them. Sam’s new partner is Anna, at first I felt she had something to do with framing Laurie; I never did trust Sam. Both Laurie and Blake have some serious problems; he is obviously an alcoholic, and she lacks self-esteem. Laurie appears very weak at the beginning of this book, but her strength grows. Devon’s family was a bit of a twist. I realize this book has received a lot of less than positive reviews and I’m not sure why. I listened to it and found it rather interesting. I liked Laurie and Blake despite their brokenness. I also liked that Laurie became a writer and used her books/talent to assist in her healing and helping others.
April 6, 2022
This is my first time with this author and what originally drew me in was the title and the book cover. The premise to the story is good and at first it was pretty enjoyable. There is a lot about this book that was hard to read given it's background in domestic abuse and violence. There was also alcoholism, panic attacks, and just general poor mental health. I did love the message of empowering women to get themselves free and live their lives outside of their abuse.
However, there were several things about this that didn't work for me. The first thing that I noticed was that I didn't care for either of the audiobook's narrators when they were attempting to voice the opposite sex. Especially the male narrator's attempts at female voices. They all came out sounding nasally, whiny and just off-putting. It was starting to grate on my nerves by the end.
Secondly, it was pretty easy to guess the twists in this from about a quarter of the way into the book. And while a decent amount of action occurred, it all felt kind of flat. That was potentially because I wasn't connecting with any of the characters beyond the normal disgust over Laurie's situation. There was also the fact that somehow this thriller dissolved into a lackluster and fairly cringeworthy romance.
Overall, this was a decent thriller, but not too memorable. The story just went on and on after everything was solved and the murderer was arrested. It just felt unnecessary.
Thanks to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media LLC and Cole Baxter for the advanced audiobook.
However, there were several things about this that didn't work for me. The first thing that I noticed was that I didn't care for either of the audiobook's narrators when they were attempting to voice the opposite sex. Especially the male narrator's attempts at female voices. They all came out sounding nasally, whiny and just off-putting. It was starting to grate on my nerves by the end.
Secondly, it was pretty easy to guess the twists in this from about a quarter of the way into the book. And while a decent amount of action occurred, it all felt kind of flat. That was potentially because I wasn't connecting with any of the characters beyond the normal disgust over Laurie's situation. There was also the fact that somehow this thriller dissolved into a lackluster and fairly cringeworthy romance.
Overall, this was a decent thriller, but not too memorable. The story just went on and on after everything was solved and the murderer was arrested. It just felt unnecessary.
Thanks to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media LLC and Cole Baxter for the advanced audiobook.
March 28, 2025
This book was really hard to read and get into. I contemplated not continuing it at 32%. There were a lot of grammatical errors on the kindle version. I didn’t care for the writing style. There was a lot of repetition within 2 sentences all over that annoyed me.
This book jumped all over the place.
Laurie was an abused wife to Devon. He got off on choking her during sex and controlling her. One night he takes it too far and she’s declared dead only to awaken in the hospital morgue. The staff not only help her escape but take care of her. It seemed as if this was months long, it didn’t really specify or maybe my eyes glazed over on that part. They push her to write a book about her experience and she does. Suddenly her husband dies in a fire and she decides it’s safe enough to come out and let it be known she’d survived. Laurie publishes a book and becomes famous and the prime suspect in the murder of her husband but something just isn’t right. Blake, a private pi with his own abundance of trauma is put on the case of finding enough evidence to hold Laurie accountable. But they fall in love instead and uncover the truth behind everything.
The timeline of these 2 falling in love annoyed me. It was so quick and just utterly unrealistic. It seemed it was within days Blake was calling her his gf, saying he was in love and that he’d do anything to save and protect her. Just blah!
This book jumped all over the place.
Laurie was an abused wife to Devon. He got off on choking her during sex and controlling her. One night he takes it too far and she’s declared dead only to awaken in the hospital morgue. The staff not only help her escape but take care of her. It seemed as if this was months long, it didn’t really specify or maybe my eyes glazed over on that part. They push her to write a book about her experience and she does. Suddenly her husband dies in a fire and she decides it’s safe enough to come out and let it be known she’d survived. Laurie publishes a book and becomes famous and the prime suspect in the murder of her husband but something just isn’t right. Blake, a private pi with his own abundance of trauma is put on the case of finding enough evidence to hold Laurie accountable. But they fall in love instead and uncover the truth behind everything.
The timeline of these 2 falling in love annoyed me. It was so quick and just utterly unrealistic. It seemed it was within days Blake was calling her his gf, saying he was in love and that he’d do anything to save and protect her. Just blah!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2022
Cole Baxter's Prime Suspect is an enjoyable read with a compelling premise.
Laurie is given a second chance at life as she is pronounced dead after sustaining life-threatening injuries at the hands of her abusive husband. With the assistance of compassionate doctors, she is given a chance to rehabilitate. When her husband is killed in a fire, Laurie is able to re-emerge as an advocate for domestic violence survivors. However, when his death is ruled suspicious, she becomes the prime suspect in the investigations by the police and private investigator, Blake.
I would caution readers of many graphic depictions of domestic violence and sexual assault. The book also contains the themes of grief, alcoholism, and depression.
I found the premise of this novel gripping and Laurie's growth as a domestic abuse survivor inspiring to witness. It was an enjoyable read and kept me interested. I also enjoyed having the narration from both the perspectives of Laurie and Blake. However, I did find that some of the plot twists were predictable in nature. I also found that Wayne Mitchell's narration of Laurie's voice was not very pleasant to listen to. Overall, it was an entertaining read that might not be for all thriller enthusiasts.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for my copy of this book.
Laurie is given a second chance at life as she is pronounced dead after sustaining life-threatening injuries at the hands of her abusive husband. With the assistance of compassionate doctors, she is given a chance to rehabilitate. When her husband is killed in a fire, Laurie is able to re-emerge as an advocate for domestic violence survivors. However, when his death is ruled suspicious, she becomes the prime suspect in the investigations by the police and private investigator, Blake.
I would caution readers of many graphic depictions of domestic violence and sexual assault. The book also contains the themes of grief, alcoholism, and depression.
I found the premise of this novel gripping and Laurie's growth as a domestic abuse survivor inspiring to witness. It was an enjoyable read and kept me interested. I also enjoyed having the narration from both the perspectives of Laurie and Blake. However, I did find that some of the plot twists were predictable in nature. I also found that Wayne Mitchell's narration of Laurie's voice was not very pleasant to listen to. Overall, it was an entertaining read that might not be for all thriller enthusiasts.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for my copy of this book.
December 14, 2020
Laurie Whitman rose from the dead and has a second chance at life. Has her long journey towards normalcy and healing ended before it's begun?
Cole Baxter's "Prime Suspect" revolves around the story of Laurie Whitman, a survivor of domestic abuse. The character has remarkable growth; her journey is well detailed as she slowly heals from her past. With the help of therapy and two memorable supporting characters, she finds her strength and purpose. Her road to recovery is shaken when she discovers that her husband and abuser, Devon died in an accident. However, it was a case of arson. Haunted and troubled with his own demons, Blake Gramercy, a private investigator and ex-police officer, has been funded by a secret client to investigate Laurie, who is a prime suspect. Blake plays by his own rules and soon realises that things are not what they seem. They realise that their lives are in danger as they inch closer to the truth. The dual POV's drive this story which works in getting to know the protagonists better. There were a few repetitive moments, and the ending was predictable. It was more of a thriller than a psychological thriller. A 3.5 star read.
I received an ARC from Booksprout. This honest review is left voluntarily.
Cole Baxter's "Prime Suspect" revolves around the story of Laurie Whitman, a survivor of domestic abuse. The character has remarkable growth; her journey is well detailed as she slowly heals from her past. With the help of therapy and two memorable supporting characters, she finds her strength and purpose. Her road to recovery is shaken when she discovers that her husband and abuser, Devon died in an accident. However, it was a case of arson. Haunted and troubled with his own demons, Blake Gramercy, a private investigator and ex-police officer, has been funded by a secret client to investigate Laurie, who is a prime suspect. Blake plays by his own rules and soon realises that things are not what they seem. They realise that their lives are in danger as they inch closer to the truth. The dual POV's drive this story which works in getting to know the protagonists better. There were a few repetitive moments, and the ending was predictable. It was more of a thriller than a psychological thriller. A 3.5 star read.
I received an ARC from Booksprout. This honest review is left voluntarily.
March 17, 2022
Prime Suspect by Cole Baxter
I liked the book but the end part was a bit dumb for me with Laurie Whitman mother in law suing Blake this could have been left out completely it did not make the story better it felt like it was an after thought to make the book longer and the story could of standout on its own without it.
Laurie Whitman was being abused by her husband Devon. The story starts off by telling us about the domestic abuse and then Laurie finds herself on her death bed in the hospital because the abuse went to far. Is Laurie dead? Is Devon dead? This is an interesting story but like I said above some things are unnecessary. I did like the character Blake he was a decent human being even though he had some personal flaws.
I rated this book 3.5 stars it would of been higher if the unnecessary stuff was left out. I enjoyed the narrators. I would read more of Cole Baxter's books in the future but make sure unnecessary plot pieces stay out. I would have rated it a 4 without the added stuff.
I want to thank Netgalley and Dreamscape Audio for the free version of the book.
I liked the book but the end part was a bit dumb for me with Laurie Whitman mother in law suing Blake this could have been left out completely it did not make the story better it felt like it was an after thought to make the book longer and the story could of standout on its own without it.
Laurie Whitman was being abused by her husband Devon. The story starts off by telling us about the domestic abuse and then Laurie finds herself on her death bed in the hospital because the abuse went to far. Is Laurie dead? Is Devon dead? This is an interesting story but like I said above some things are unnecessary. I did like the character Blake he was a decent human being even though he had some personal flaws.
I rated this book 3.5 stars it would of been higher if the unnecessary stuff was left out. I enjoyed the narrators. I would read more of Cole Baxter's books in the future but make sure unnecessary plot pieces stay out. I would have rated it a 4 without the added stuff.
I want to thank Netgalley and Dreamscape Audio for the free version of the book.
March 20, 2022
3 stars
I really need to do a better job at making sure I stop reading thrillers/mysteries that feature cops as (co-)protagonists; I’m just not going to enjoy them the way others might. The story and characters here were okay; I figured out one of the early twists and had suspicions about the ending, so there wasn’t much suspense. It was also another book where I felt like the final scenes/epilogue were a bit drawn-out, unnecessary, and/or underwhelming. Also, since this review is for an audio version of the text, I’ll add that I absolutely hate the way some male narrators try to read female voices; the way the male narrator here voiced the female protagonist really grated on my nerves.
Maybe I’m just in a critical mood at the moment…I’ll revisit this review if other relevant points occur to me in the future. For now, I can say that I didn’t love or hate the story and that I would be willing to give another book from this writer a shot.
An ARC of this audiobook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really need to do a better job at making sure I stop reading thrillers/mysteries that feature cops as (co-)protagonists; I’m just not going to enjoy them the way others might. The story and characters here were okay; I figured out one of the early twists and had suspicions about the ending, so there wasn’t much suspense. It was also another book where I felt like the final scenes/epilogue were a bit drawn-out, unnecessary, and/or underwhelming. Also, since this review is for an audio version of the text, I’ll add that I absolutely hate the way some male narrators try to read female voices; the way the male narrator here voiced the female protagonist really grated on my nerves.
Maybe I’m just in a critical mood at the moment…I’ll revisit this review if other relevant points occur to me in the future. For now, I can say that I didn’t love or hate the story and that I would be willing to give another book from this writer a shot.
An ARC of this audiobook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 10, 2022
Great premise. And great description - of a different story altogether.
There is nothing positive to say about this book. I finished it, but it was painful. It felt like it was written by a child. The expressions, the decisions, the actions – adults do not behave this way, not the functional ones. And certainly not the survivors. If the main character, Laurie, is a motivator and inspiration for those in or who have survived abusive situations, then it is not surprising that such abuse goes on.
Further, it is a good thing that Blake isn’t a cop any longer and his buddy should stop throwing work his way. It is endangering the public.
Personal rant over. Baxter does not know the first thing about the requirements or responsibilities of a private investigator. No sooner would a legitimate PI work for someone without knowing who they are than a doctor would operate without knowing what the medical condition was.
The whole thing is, well, I hate to be this negative, but it is just stupid. Ugh! Torturous to read. Avoid this schlock at all costs.
There is nothing positive to say about this book. I finished it, but it was painful. It felt like it was written by a child. The expressions, the decisions, the actions – adults do not behave this way, not the functional ones. And certainly not the survivors. If the main character, Laurie, is a motivator and inspiration for those in or who have survived abusive situations, then it is not surprising that such abuse goes on.
Further, it is a good thing that Blake isn’t a cop any longer and his buddy should stop throwing work his way. It is endangering the public.
Personal rant over. Baxter does not know the first thing about the requirements or responsibilities of a private investigator. No sooner would a legitimate PI work for someone without knowing who they are than a doctor would operate without knowing what the medical condition was.
The whole thing is, well, I hate to be this negative, but it is just stupid. Ugh! Torturous to read. Avoid this schlock at all costs.
January 24, 2021
This is two broken people thrown together.
Laurie is an abused wife who was killed by her hubby when he overdid the strangulation during sex.
Her closed windpipe opens and she breaths, IN THE MORGUE. She is rescued by the pathologist and his wife, both doctors. Brain damaged through lack of oxygen she fights to regain her strength and health.
Meantime her home burns down with her hubby in it. Blake a PI, another damaged person, is hired to look into his death and find out if Laurie had anything to do with it. He doesn't know who is paying him. The case came via an old police friend.
I clocked the rest of the story and all the wailing, nashing and drunken phone calls later, was happy to get to the end.
Won't be getting any more from this writer.
Laurie is an abused wife who was killed by her hubby when he overdid the strangulation during sex.
Her closed windpipe opens and she breaths, IN THE MORGUE. She is rescued by the pathologist and his wife, both doctors. Brain damaged through lack of oxygen she fights to regain her strength and health.
Meantime her home burns down with her hubby in it. Blake a PI, another damaged person, is hired to look into his death and find out if Laurie had anything to do with it. He doesn't know who is paying him. The case came via an old police friend.
I clocked the rest of the story and all the wailing, nashing and drunken phone calls later, was happy to get to the end.
Won't be getting any more from this writer.
March 28, 2022
Thrillers are my jam, and majority of the books I read are mystery/thriller/suspense, so It takes a crazy book to throw me off and this one just didn’t do it for me. I thought it seemed wordy. I feel like it could have been shorter and still given the same effect to the final twist and ending. I could connect with the main character which made the story more interesting even with it being wordy. I am really taking a liking to audiobooks, because I can still "read" while cleaning or doing other things, and I really liked the narrators for this story. I felt as if they acted their character perfectly. It was easy to follow between the "two story lines" of the deceased wife and the suspect, her husband. I enjoyed their enthusiasm throughout, but I just feel like it was too drawn out. However, the twist at the very end got me, I didn’t expect it at all. Overall it was a good book, with some interesting twists just too drawn out.
April 6, 2022
Prime Suspect by Cole Baxter is an intriguing psychological thriller about abused wife Laurie, presumed dead, until her firefighter husband is killed in a suspicious fire and she becomes a suspect.
Former cop, now a Private Investigator, Blake, drowning in grief, is hired to prove her guilty but as he falls for her he sees her innocence. So who is guilty?
Narrators Wayne Mitchell and Gail Shalan have off the chart chemistry as they bring the tension between all the characters in this solid thriller.
I received a free copy of this ALC audiobook from Dreamscape Media via NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
*This Review Is For The Audiobook*
Former cop, now a Private Investigator, Blake, drowning in grief, is hired to prove her guilty but as he falls for her he sees her innocence. So who is guilty?
Narrators Wayne Mitchell and Gail Shalan have off the chart chemistry as they bring the tension between all the characters in this solid thriller.
I received a free copy of this ALC audiobook from Dreamscape Media via NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
*This Review Is For The Audiobook*
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