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Madison Kelly #2
Double Take: A Madison Kelly Mystery
A 2022 SUE GRAFTON MEMORIAL AWARD Nominee
When a young journalist goes missing in sunny San Diego , P.I. Madison Kelly learns the true price of knowing too much.
It's a perfect San Diego fall--cool and crisp with bright blue skies. But not everything is right in the sunny idyll dubbed "America's Finest City." Young journalist Barrett Brown has been missing for a week, and her boyfriend hires private investigator Madison Kelly to find her. Right away, Barrett reminds Madison of a younger version of smart, ambitious, and a loner.
As she launches her investigation, Madison realizes that Barrett's disappearance is connected to a big story she was chasing--and she sets out to walk in Barrett's footsteps to trace her whereabouts. As the trail grows colder, things begin to heat up between Madison and Barrett's boyfriend. But he doesn't seem to be telling everything he knows, and Madison gets the feeling that her every move is being watched. What dirty secrets lie at the heart of Barrett's big lead?
If Madison can't get to the bottom of the case in time, she could be in line to become the next victim.
When a young journalist goes missing in sunny San Diego , P.I. Madison Kelly learns the true price of knowing too much.
It's a perfect San Diego fall--cool and crisp with bright blue skies. But not everything is right in the sunny idyll dubbed "America's Finest City." Young journalist Barrett Brown has been missing for a week, and her boyfriend hires private investigator Madison Kelly to find her. Right away, Barrett reminds Madison of a younger version of smart, ambitious, and a loner.
As she launches her investigation, Madison realizes that Barrett's disappearance is connected to a big story she was chasing--and she sets out to walk in Barrett's footsteps to trace her whereabouts. As the trail grows colder, things begin to heat up between Madison and Barrett's boyfriend. But he doesn't seem to be telling everything he knows, and Madison gets the feeling that her every move is being watched. What dirty secrets lie at the heart of Barrett's big lead?
If Madison can't get to the bottom of the case in time, she could be in line to become the next victim.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published October 12, 2021
6 people are currently reading
2808 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Breck
10 books86 followersELIZABETH BRECK is a state of California licensed private investigator who writes the Madison Kelly Mystery series. A native Californian, "Harriet the Spy" was her favorite book as a child, so it was no surprise when she grew up to become a PI. She has worked mainly in the field of insurance investigations, making her the real-life version of Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone. In 2013 she went back to school, earning a bachelor’s degree in writing, summa cum laude, from the University of California San Diego. Currently there are two books in the Madison Kelly Mystery series: "Anonymous" and "Double Take." They each stand alone, but if you want to read them in order, start with "Anonymous". The books are available wherever you buy your books, including audiobooks and ebooks. If you enjoy holding the printed book in your hand, she hopes you'll buy from your local bookstore--who would love to see you! She lives with a black Labrador named Hubert who is her best friend.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
November 9, 2021
The author is writing from a “true life experience”, since she herself is a licensed private investigator. Her experience and knowledge made the main character of Madison Kelly real and believable. I really like it when the author can make each and every step of the story ring true. I read [Anonymous]... the first book in this series, and absolutely loved it so when I received a copy of [Double Take] to review I was very excited and was not in any way disappointed. I don’t see how Elizabeth Beck could have possibly improved Madison Kelly with this one...but she did. The twist and turns in the storyline remained as tight as the ever and the conclusion is even more heart pounding than the first time. This author has certainly earned her place on my “favorites list”.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest opinion. The views expressed by this reviewer are entirely my own.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest opinion. The views expressed by this reviewer are entirely my own.
October 23, 2021
Double Take is the follow-up to Elizabeth Breck's début novel, 'Anonymous', the second to feature PI Madison Kelly. Madison is returning from a previous case when she receives a call from Travis Moore, a pharmaceutical sales rep to help find Barrett Brown his journalist girlfriend who has been missing for a while. Set in San Diego, I found this a great read even though I haven't yet read 'Anonymous'. Madison is quick and resourceful and I found her to be a good protagonist. The mystery was well done, packed as it was with action, concealments, deception and lashings of drama. An intriguing tale.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
April 6, 2022
Seriously riveting female PI tale that I hated to put down at 4am instead of finishing last 100 pages. Madison Kelly finds people...that's her specialty. And her latest client is looking for his girlfriend. Did she ghost him or has something happened to her? Well-written taut believable mystery
October 10, 2021
San Diego PI Madison Kelly is hired by Travis to find his missing girlfriend Barrett Brown. Barrett works for a small local newspaper and Madison soon suspects that her disappearance is linked to the recent deaths of 3 young couples. Death certificates, a hinky lawyer specializing in living trusts and some unknown charities have Madison's antenna raised. Madison also notices that she is being followed and watched by several cars. Who is so interested in her movements and why?
Madison then catches Travis out in a bunch of lies: he is married with two kids, he never reported Barrett missing to the police. As Madison continues to follow Barrett's investigative trail, she uncovers a multi-million dollar insurance fraud and figures that Barrett has been killed. But after finding Barrett's boss breaking into and searching the missing woman's apartment, Madison follows him to an abandoned building and makes a startling discovery.
But then Madison and Barrett are snatched by some thugs and it will take all their wits to free themselves from their captors and stay alive.
This was a thrilling read in the Madison Kelly PI series.
I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.
Madison then catches Travis out in a bunch of lies: he is married with two kids, he never reported Barrett missing to the police. As Madison continues to follow Barrett's investigative trail, she uncovers a multi-million dollar insurance fraud and figures that Barrett has been killed. But after finding Barrett's boss breaking into and searching the missing woman's apartment, Madison follows him to an abandoned building and makes a startling discovery.
But then Madison and Barrett are snatched by some thugs and it will take all their wits to free themselves from their captors and stay alive.
This was a thrilling read in the Madison Kelly PI series.
I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.
March 25, 2022
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
WHAT'S DOUBLE TAKE ABOUT?
Madison is approached by Travis, the desperate boyfriend of Barrett Brown, a reporter for an almost impossibly-small newspaper who's been missing for five days. He's afraid she's been abducted, he's afraid she's being tortured or worse, and is about to die.
Madison is dealing with some medical issues and just finished a case that took her out of state, but how can she possibly leave this to the police (who don't seem to believe that Barrett didn't just ghost Travis)? So she jumps into action—retracing Barrett's steps, figuring out what story she was working on—assuming that's the reason she's missing.
This leads Madison down a twisty path into a criminal conspiracy that she can only see the barest outlines of—and might end up leading her into grave danger.
While she's searching, Madison has to deal with someone having her followed, the aforementioned medical issues, and a truly inconvenient spark of attraction between her and Travis. Who might not be the great boyfriend he gives the initial impression of being.
MY ALMA MATER
Chapter One takes place on the campus of the University of Idaho—so you know Breck gets extra points from me for that. Would've been an easy 5-Star read if the whole book had taken place there—or at least most of it.
But no, Madison has to go home to San Diego—sure, it's hard to blame her, San Diego in October has got to be more pleasant—wrecking my hope for a PI novel on campus.
MADISON'S DEVELOPMENT
After the events of Anonymous, Madison's picked up some notoriety—she's become a go-to for missing persons. This is great, she'd been bemoaning how all she'd been doing was insurance work in Anonymous, and it wasn't that fulfilling—but as we see in the above quotation, she's finding satisfaction in her work. It's also nice to see that she's getting some attention, you frequently get the idea in P.I. fiction that the work is largely unseen.
Another departure from the norm is that Madison's monetarily successful at the moment—the typical PI is scraping by. Not Madison—at least not now.
The focus on missing persons reminded me of Elvis Cole, just up the coast from Madison—but despite some wealthy clients, you don't get the idea that he's as successful. He definitely doesn't seem to get the notoriety. So, I guess I have to update my one sentence description of Madison from being "Kinsey Millhone for today" to add "with an Elvis Cole twist."
It's good that she's got money coming in, because this self-employed, and likely under-insured woman has medical bills. I wasn't sure what to think of the discussion of Madison's past cancer in the first book, but seeing it here, I'm seeing what Beck's intention is and I like the way it gives the character another dimension and unconsciously (sometimes, anyway) shapes her actions.
MADISON AND BARRETT
One of the ways you can see the appropriateness of the title is that from the first conversation with Travis, Madison starts noting all the coincidental parallels between what's she's told about Barrett and what she knows about herself. This can go one of two ways, typically—either this becomes a large hurdle for the protagonist doing their job, or it's a motivator. This largely serves as a motivation—but it also causes a couple of problems for Madison—at most it's a distraction occasionally.
It's arguable that she gets invested pretty quickly because of the parallels, but not by much. Also, Breck finds a way to use this sense of them being so similar in both a positive and negative way for Madison—and then adds a new layer to this later in the book. It didn't go the way I expected, fully, but I appreciated it.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT DOUBLE TAKE?
I was pretty enthusiastic about Anyonymous, and this cemented my initial impression of Breck and Madison. I was enjoying this the entire time, but toward the end, Beck shifts into high gear and...wow. It's the kind of ending where you find yourself leaning forward as you read, because somehow that helps you get to what happens next faster; you don't hear the music/people/animals around you; and your eyes move just too slowly. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating there, but woe betide anyone who attempted to distract me during the last quarter or so of the book.
This is a fast-paced book. The main action starts Monday evening and ends in the pre-dawn on Friday. In that time, Madison has to find a missing (hopefully still alive woman), figure out why she's missing/abducted (which leads to a larger criminal act), deal with some personal (some of which should have been dealt with already) and medical issues—and maybe catch a wink or two of sleep. All that in a short amount of time helps explain a couple of the blunders she makes—but those help ground and humanize her, so who cares about them? Especially the way Breck uses those mistakes.
And, hey, she still quotes Nero Wolfe twice. University of Idaho and Wolfe quotations—it's really like Elizabeth Breck wrote this for me. A delusional thought, I realize, but I like my delusions.
I do wish Breck had made it a little more difficult for the reader to see the things that Madison didn't/put together. I get why she did that, and it was probably the right move, but I still would've preferred to work a little harder. That's the sole issue I have with Double Take, and who knows, any other day, I might have considered that a feature instead of a bug.
Even if you're not me, if you're a fan of P.I. novels, I don't see how this novel/author/character/series doesn't appeal to you. Madison's tough, smart, lucky (and knows how important that is), and committed. Brisk and assured writing. A nice bit of sleuthing to find a pretty clever crime (committed by some people who really shouldn't ever get into criminal activity—and some who seem born to it). My only regret is that I have to wait for the third book in this series to be published before I can dive in.
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
Five days was an eternity with a missing person; forty-eight or even seventy-two hours was the cut-off for a good chance of finding the person alive. But five days was still something to work with. Madison could help bring another person safely home. Finding someone who was kidnapped or lost or just needed help to get home was so fulfilling, it was like having a life’s purpose she’d never known she'd been without.
WHAT'S DOUBLE TAKE ABOUT?
Madison is approached by Travis, the desperate boyfriend of Barrett Brown, a reporter for an almost impossibly-small newspaper who's been missing for five days. He's afraid she's been abducted, he's afraid she's being tortured or worse, and is about to die.
Madison is dealing with some medical issues and just finished a case that took her out of state, but how can she possibly leave this to the police (who don't seem to believe that Barrett didn't just ghost Travis)? So she jumps into action—retracing Barrett's steps, figuring out what story she was working on—assuming that's the reason she's missing.
This leads Madison down a twisty path into a criminal conspiracy that she can only see the barest outlines of—and might end up leading her into grave danger.
While she's searching, Madison has to deal with someone having her followed, the aforementioned medical issues, and a truly inconvenient spark of attraction between her and Travis. Who might not be the great boyfriend he gives the initial impression of being.
MY ALMA MATER
Chapter One takes place on the campus of the University of Idaho—so you know Breck gets extra points from me for that. Would've been an easy 5-Star read if the whole book had taken place there—or at least most of it.
But no, Madison has to go home to San Diego—sure, it's hard to blame her, San Diego in October has got to be more pleasant—wrecking my hope for a PI novel on campus.
MADISON'S DEVELOPMENT
After the events of Anonymous, Madison's picked up some notoriety—she's become a go-to for missing persons. This is great, she'd been bemoaning how all she'd been doing was insurance work in Anonymous, and it wasn't that fulfilling—but as we see in the above quotation, she's finding satisfaction in her work. It's also nice to see that she's getting some attention, you frequently get the idea in P.I. fiction that the work is largely unseen.
Another departure from the norm is that Madison's monetarily successful at the moment—the typical PI is scraping by. Not Madison—at least not now.
The focus on missing persons reminded me of Elvis Cole, just up the coast from Madison—but despite some wealthy clients, you don't get the idea that he's as successful. He definitely doesn't seem to get the notoriety. So, I guess I have to update my one sentence description of Madison from being "Kinsey Millhone for today" to add "with an Elvis Cole twist."
It's good that she's got money coming in, because this self-employed, and likely under-insured woman has medical bills. I wasn't sure what to think of the discussion of Madison's past cancer in the first book, but seeing it here, I'm seeing what Beck's intention is and I like the way it gives the character another dimension and unconsciously (sometimes, anyway) shapes her actions.
MADISON AND BARRETT
One of the ways you can see the appropriateness of the title is that from the first conversation with Travis, Madison starts noting all the coincidental parallels between what's she's told about Barrett and what she knows about herself. This can go one of two ways, typically—either this becomes a large hurdle for the protagonist doing their job, or it's a motivator. This largely serves as a motivation—but it also causes a couple of problems for Madison—at most it's a distraction occasionally.
It's arguable that she gets invested pretty quickly because of the parallels, but not by much. Also, Breck finds a way to use this sense of them being so similar in both a positive and negative way for Madison—and then adds a new layer to this later in the book. It didn't go the way I expected, fully, but I appreciated it.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT DOUBLE TAKE?
I was pretty enthusiastic about Anyonymous, and this cemented my initial impression of Breck and Madison. I was enjoying this the entire time, but toward the end, Beck shifts into high gear and...wow. It's the kind of ending where you find yourself leaning forward as you read, because somehow that helps you get to what happens next faster; you don't hear the music/people/animals around you; and your eyes move just too slowly. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating there, but woe betide anyone who attempted to distract me during the last quarter or so of the book.
This is a fast-paced book. The main action starts Monday evening and ends in the pre-dawn on Friday. In that time, Madison has to find a missing (hopefully still alive woman), figure out why she's missing/abducted (which leads to a larger criminal act), deal with some personal (some of which should have been dealt with already) and medical issues—and maybe catch a wink or two of sleep. All that in a short amount of time helps explain a couple of the blunders she makes—but those help ground and humanize her, so who cares about them? Especially the way Breck uses those mistakes.
And, hey, she still quotes Nero Wolfe twice. University of Idaho and Wolfe quotations—it's really like Elizabeth Breck wrote this for me. A delusional thought, I realize, but I like my delusions.
I do wish Breck had made it a little more difficult for the reader to see the things that Madison didn't/put together. I get why she did that, and it was probably the right move, but I still would've preferred to work a little harder. That's the sole issue I have with Double Take, and who knows, any other day, I might have considered that a feature instead of a bug.
Even if you're not me, if you're a fan of P.I. novels, I don't see how this novel/author/character/series doesn't appeal to you. Madison's tough, smart, lucky (and knows how important that is), and committed. Brisk and assured writing. A nice bit of sleuthing to find a pretty clever crime (committed by some people who really shouldn't ever get into criminal activity—and some who seem born to it). My only regret is that I have to wait for the third book in this series to be published before I can dive in.
October 6, 2021
Double Take is the second book with Madison Kelly as the main character. This can be a stand alone book. Madison Kelly is hired by the boyfriend to find a missing reporter for a small newspaper. Barrett has disappeared and no one seems to have any idea where she is. As she gets to know Barrett she discovers things that make her seem like an old friend, someone she could be friends with. Madison quickly observes she is being followed, which brings more questions to the case.
This is really good story. The characters are well written and easy to like. Madison is a smart, resourceful, and a strong woman with flaws. As she deals with her health she still fights to solve the mystery of missing Barrett Brown.
I received an ARC from NetGalley for an unbiased review.
This is really good story. The characters are well written and easy to like. Madison is a smart, resourceful, and a strong woman with flaws. As she deals with her health she still fights to solve the mystery of missing Barrett Brown.
I received an ARC from NetGalley for an unbiased review.
January 2, 2022
LOVING this series! A 30-something, breast cancer survivor, San Diego PI solves crimes from her beach studio. What's NOT to love. After her last outing, Madison Kelly has turned from investigating insurance fraud to missing persons. She becomes personally involved in the search for a young lady and doesn't always read the criminals correctly but...and that is the story. I can't wait for the next one!
November 9, 2021
The second installment in the Madison Kelly Mystery series, Double Take by Elizabeth Breck is a suspenseful mystery.
Madison Kelly is a highly sought-after private investigator who specializes in missing persons cases. Her current client Travis Moore is anxious to find his missing girlfriend, young journalist Barrett Brown. She inexplicably vanished five days earlier without a trace and Madison is eager to find her. Retracing Barrett’s steps, Madison’s discoveries are vaguely ominous and her anxiety over finding the young woman kicks up a few notches. She soon uncovers the most likely motive for Barrett’s disappearance but will she find her before it is too late?
Madison has just returned home from an out of state case and she is exhausted. But her concern for the missing journalist is more important than rest so she agrees to take Travis’ case. Although determined to find Barrett, Madison is distracted by personal issues throughout her investigation. Equally curious and mostly annoying is her realization that she is being followed. But Madison is more concerned about finding Barrett than figuring out who is following her and why.
Madison knows where Barrett mostly likely was before she disappeared but the trail quickly goes cold. Her interview with Barrett’s boss Cornell Jones provides one of her most tangible and ultimately productive threads to follow. Madison continues follow each piece of evidence she unearths and the scope of her discovery is absolutely explosive. Unfortunately, her preoccupation over her relationship with her maybe boyfriend surfer Dave Rich and possible health issues leads to careless mistakes that could prove to be deadly.
Double Take is an engrossing mystery with a flawed but appealing protagonist. The storyline is well-developed and moves at a brisk pace. The La Jolla and San Diego settings are brilliant detailed and spring vividly to life. Madison’s quest for answers about Barrett’s disappearance takes a shocking turn and Elizabeth Breck brings this tension-filled mystery to a pulse-pounding conclusion. Although this latest release is the second installment in the Madison Kelly Mystery series, it can easily be read as a standalone.
Madison Kelly is a highly sought-after private investigator who specializes in missing persons cases. Her current client Travis Moore is anxious to find his missing girlfriend, young journalist Barrett Brown. She inexplicably vanished five days earlier without a trace and Madison is eager to find her. Retracing Barrett’s steps, Madison’s discoveries are vaguely ominous and her anxiety over finding the young woman kicks up a few notches. She soon uncovers the most likely motive for Barrett’s disappearance but will she find her before it is too late?
Madison has just returned home from an out of state case and she is exhausted. But her concern for the missing journalist is more important than rest so she agrees to take Travis’ case. Although determined to find Barrett, Madison is distracted by personal issues throughout her investigation. Equally curious and mostly annoying is her realization that she is being followed. But Madison is more concerned about finding Barrett than figuring out who is following her and why.
Madison knows where Barrett mostly likely was before she disappeared but the trail quickly goes cold. Her interview with Barrett’s boss Cornell Jones provides one of her most tangible and ultimately productive threads to follow. Madison continues follow each piece of evidence she unearths and the scope of her discovery is absolutely explosive. Unfortunately, her preoccupation over her relationship with her maybe boyfriend surfer Dave Rich and possible health issues leads to careless mistakes that could prove to be deadly.
Double Take is an engrossing mystery with a flawed but appealing protagonist. The storyline is well-developed and moves at a brisk pace. The La Jolla and San Diego settings are brilliant detailed and spring vividly to life. Madison’s quest for answers about Barrett’s disappearance takes a shocking turn and Elizabeth Breck brings this tension-filled mystery to a pulse-pounding conclusion. Although this latest release is the second installment in the Madison Kelly Mystery series, it can easily be read as a standalone.
Read
December 14, 2021A mystery, yes, but with elements of self-discovery, self-realization, acceptance and other human life dimensions that assist in resolving the mystery. Madison Kelly, a well-respected private detective, is hired by Travis Moore to find his girlfriend Barrett Anna Brown, an investigative reporter who has been missing for five days, or has she? According to Travis, the police have done little, so he needs her well-known expertise. As the investigation continues, the author poses many questions in the readers mind—why did Barrett go missing, is someone responsible, and many others in this intriguing and captivating read. Madison must resolve many obstacles thrown at her and possible harm, through trickery, careful planning and thought to find Barrett hopefully alive. One of the first questions is, did Barrett disappear voluntarily? Clues are gathered quickly but they present further possible hurdles and crimes, which add to the investigative plot. With many twists and turns plus some surprises, the mystery might be resolved but to whose satisfaction, since multiple characters become involved—some for the good and some not working for the betterment of the people they represent. Is this connected to the larger story Barrett was chasing thus changing the focus of the investigation (or was she involved in the larger story) and is Madison satisfied with her investigation in this multi-layer mystery?
One note, the first two chapters are the resolution of Madison’s first case to set the background of her investigation skills, thought process and resolve.
The author Elizabeth Breck is a licensed private investigator thus understands and is able to portray realistically the mindset of the fictional detective Madison Kelly as she might proceed in true life. An intriguing and rewarding read. Highly recommended!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest opinion. The views expressed by this reviewer are entirely my own.
One note, the first two chapters are the resolution of Madison’s first case to set the background of her investigation skills, thought process and resolve.
The author Elizabeth Breck is a licensed private investigator thus understands and is able to portray realistically the mindset of the fictional detective Madison Kelly as she might proceed in true life. An intriguing and rewarding read. Highly recommended!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest opinion. The views expressed by this reviewer are entirely my own.
March 25, 2022
Review found on the Life & Times of a Book Addict Blog.
I was excited to jump back into the world of Madison Kelly again with Double Take. It was a very easy story to get into and my interest was piqued from the first chapter. I could tell right away that there was more to the story than meets the eye. This case was not your average missing person’s case. Not only was Madison trying to find a missing Barrett, but she was also investigating what story Barrett was looking into herself. It was interesting to see how everything was connected and how it would all come together.
This time, Madison seemed to have a slightly bigger network of friends/people she could talk to and who could help her investigate things. Even though Madison likes to do things her own way and usually by herself, it was a nice change to have her not do everything on her own and to rely on others, even if it was just for something small.
There were a few red flags when it came to certain characters or situations that I thought Madison with all her experience should have realized there was something strange going on. Madison should have involved the police a lot sooner than when she did also. That just makes the story even more entertaining though. All in all, I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to the next mystery that Madison aims to solve.
RATING: 3½ OUT OF 5.
**Though this book was given to me on behalf of the Publisher, the thoughts and opinions expressed are solely my own.**
I was excited to jump back into the world of Madison Kelly again with Double Take. It was a very easy story to get into and my interest was piqued from the first chapter. I could tell right away that there was more to the story than meets the eye. This case was not your average missing person’s case. Not only was Madison trying to find a missing Barrett, but she was also investigating what story Barrett was looking into herself. It was interesting to see how everything was connected and how it would all come together.
This time, Madison seemed to have a slightly bigger network of friends/people she could talk to and who could help her investigate things. Even though Madison likes to do things her own way and usually by herself, it was a nice change to have her not do everything on her own and to rely on others, even if it was just for something small.
There were a few red flags when it came to certain characters or situations that I thought Madison with all her experience should have realized there was something strange going on. Madison should have involved the police a lot sooner than when she did also. That just makes the story even more entertaining though. All in all, I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to the next mystery that Madison aims to solve.
RATING: 3½ OUT OF 5.
**Though this book was given to me on behalf of the Publisher, the thoughts and opinions expressed are solely my own.**
January 24, 2025
Madison is hired to find a missing girl who seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth. Finding leads is slow going but Madison soon uncovers an insurance scam of epic proportions that's related to her case. As she investigates more the threats start coming in. She's being followed by unknown people and her life is in danger. To top all of that off, her breast cancer update has her on pins and needles and her & Dave have a defining moment in their relationship. A solid story. The only thing I didn't care for were the long descriptions of the street routes around La Jolla. Every single street name and business on every corner was repeated and unnecessary when it didn't have anything to do with the story.
September 10, 2021
Double Take, the 2nd book in Madison Kelly mystery P. I. series by Elizabeth Breck, had me doing double-takes at the plot twists & kept me gripped from the first sentence until the very end.
When Barrett Brown, a journalist, goes missing, P.I. Madison Kelly is determined to find her despite the obstacles thrown her way. Breck’s real life P.I. experience makes the story authentic.
I loved Anonymous, the first book in this series, & Double Take had me equally enthralled. I can’t wait for the next Madison Kelly book! She’s now my favorite heroine.
I was given an advanced copy in exchange for a review with my honest opinion.
When Barrett Brown, a journalist, goes missing, P.I. Madison Kelly is determined to find her despite the obstacles thrown her way. Breck’s real life P.I. experience makes the story authentic.
I loved Anonymous, the first book in this series, & Double Take had me equally enthralled. I can’t wait for the next Madison Kelly book! She’s now my favorite heroine.
I was given an advanced copy in exchange for a review with my honest opinion.
December 2, 2021
I tried a couple of times to get through this book but it never took. Neither the story nor the writing style caught my attention. I'm sure that there are readers out there who will enjoy it, but it wasn't me.
Thanks to Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to sample a digital ARC on NetGalley.
Thanks to Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to sample a digital ARC on NetGalley.
December 7, 2021
Private investigator, Madison Kelly, is investigating a case of a missing young journalist in San Diego. In order to find the journalist, Barrett Brown, she needs to follow in her footsteps to follow the big story Barrett was working on. Madison comes to suspect that she is being watched and needs to get to the bottom of the case to find Barrett as she suspects that she may be in danger too.
January 5, 2022
I rate this 3.5 stars. Also, I received the book for free in a Goodreads giveaway.
I liked the mystery. The answer wasn’t obvious.
The writing was distracting. A lot of unnecessary details that took me out of the story. Two examples I can think of - she plugged her iPod into the car radio, she wrote in brown magic marker. Random details.
I liked the mystery. The answer wasn’t obvious.
The writing was distracting. A lot of unnecessary details that took me out of the story. Two examples I can think of - she plugged her iPod into the car radio, she wrote in brown magic marker. Random details.
October 12, 2021
I loved this book. I loved all the characters, and especially Madison. I hope there is a third book in the series. It's always so exciting to find a new series to love! Read this, you won't be disappointed.
October 12, 2021
WOW I didn't think she could top Anonymous, but she did it. I am she excited to have a new series where I get to look forward to the next book coming out. There were so many twists and turns and the ending is so thrilling I started crying! Can't wait for the next one!
October 12, 2021
Another great book by Elizabeth Breck! I was on the edge of my seat reading this one. Madison is a very relatable character going through struggles that really hit home. I couldn't put this one down!
October 30, 2021
I was blessed to win an ARC through a #goodreadgiveaway
This was such an amazing book. I hope we get to read more about Madison Kellys adventures. I’m so invested in the story line, and now I wanna read more from the author.
This was such an amazing book. I hope we get to read more about Madison Kellys adventures. I’m so invested in the story line, and now I wanna read more from the author.
November 7, 2021
Excellent PI novel. I enoyed having a female PI who was human enough to have medical and personal issues happening. They were part of the plot but she worked through them to solve her case. Lots of action and very believable.
November 16, 2021
Good but kind of ordinary mystery— female PI. And missing woman case with some twists and turns. I learned about California PI work. Characters were interesting but writing could have been more descriptive. Why are all these books about missing women??
February 3, 2022
I will read every book in this series. This said, I did get a little tired of some of the same things repeated more than a couple times, but having not going through the same situation, maybe it's just normal.
October 15, 2021
I loved this book with all of its familiar landmarks. This was an intense story of greed, murder and, eventually, justice. I read the first Madisen Kelly book and I LOVE this author.
November 5, 2021
This one kept me guessing until the end, which is exactly how I like it! Love Madison Kelly, PI!
December 17, 2021
omg. she drives me crazy and... I love it!
December 28, 2021
An excellent series! Spoiler alert - I really like that Barret didn't die.
March 16, 2022
the story and concept are very good - there was some repition that annoyed me. Will definitely read the next one in this series.
March 23, 2022
Even better than book 1: Anonymous!
Elizabeth Breck is becoming my favorite author. Another suspenseful romp around San Diego.
Elizabeth Breck is becoming my favorite author. Another suspenseful romp around San Diego.
April 12, 2022
Great read in this series. Lots of twists and a very satisfying ending.
April 16, 2022
4.5 stars
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