What do you think?
Rate this book
Detective Nessa Ainsley #1
Steal Her Breath
The first gripping novella in the chilling new series by Melinda Woodhall
Before Nessa Ainsley moved to Willow Bay, she was a brand-new detective at the Rosewood PD, facing her very first homicide.
When the body of a young coed is discovered near the local college campus on Nessa Ainsley's first day as a Major Crimes detective, she quickly finds herself on the trail of a vicious predator.
As Nessa and her new partner begin their investigation into the brutal homicide, another young woman is attacked, prompting fears that a serial killer is responsible.
But when Nessa uncovers startling new evidence, she suspects more than one vicious predator may be stalking the women of Rosewood, Georgia.
Novella One in the new Detective Nessa Ainsley Novella series by Melinda Woodhall, author of the Mercy Harbor Thriller Series and the Veronica Lee Thriller Series.
Before Nessa Ainsley moved to Willow Bay, she was a brand-new detective at the Rosewood PD, facing her very first homicide.
When the body of a young coed is discovered near the local college campus on Nessa Ainsley's first day as a Major Crimes detective, she quickly finds herself on the trail of a vicious predator.
As Nessa and her new partner begin their investigation into the brutal homicide, another young woman is attacked, prompting fears that a serial killer is responsible.
But when Nessa uncovers startling new evidence, she suspects more than one vicious predator may be stalking the women of Rosewood, Georgia.
Novella One in the new Detective Nessa Ainsley Novella series by Melinda Woodhall, author of the Mercy Harbor Thriller Series and the Veronica Lee Thriller Series.
100 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 29, 2021
149 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
January 17, 2022
First novella in the Detective Ainsley series.
It appears there are four novellas in this series following the new detective Nessa Ainsely. At the time of this review, the novella was available on Kindle unlimited.
The story starts with a murder near the campus of the community college. Detective Ainsley is charged with solving her first murder. Despite a difficult partner and a bit of self-doubt, she starts tracking down the suspect.
This is a good start to a short series, but there were several plot gaps that seemed to make the story fall short. Another 30-50 pages may have been needed to develop this further. Otherwise, an interesting crime novel with a strong, female lead.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
It appears there are four novellas in this series following the new detective Nessa Ainsely. At the time of this review, the novella was available on Kindle unlimited.
The story starts with a murder near the campus of the community college. Detective Ainsley is charged with solving her first murder. Despite a difficult partner and a bit of self-doubt, she starts tracking down the suspect.
This is a good start to a short series, but there were several plot gaps that seemed to make the story fall short. Another 30-50 pages may have been needed to develop this further. Otherwise, an interesting crime novel with a strong, female lead.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 30, 2021
This is a novella, featuring Detective Nessa Ainsley in this brand new series by this well-established author.
Nessa is a rookie detective, teamed with a partner who may have an anger management problem. Nessa was fast-tracked to the Major Crimes department and there are those who are not real happy to have her jumping over others who are more experienced.
Her first day and she and her partner are called in to investigate the murder of a young woman. Before they even get a head start on that one, another young woman is attacked. Is this a serial killer? There's no clues, no evidence, and Nessa feels that her first homicide may go cold.
This novella of under 100 pages is filled with action, a real page-turner. The characters are solidly drawn. Nessa and her partner may have started out at loggerheads, but slowly but surely their relationship is improving, and mutual respect is starting to be revealed. I like how some of their personal lives are blended along with the professional. There are twists and turns leading to a surprising conclusion.
Many thanks to the author / Booksirens for the digital copy of this crime fiction novella. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Nessa is a rookie detective, teamed with a partner who may have an anger management problem. Nessa was fast-tracked to the Major Crimes department and there are those who are not real happy to have her jumping over others who are more experienced.
Her first day and she and her partner are called in to investigate the murder of a young woman. Before they even get a head start on that one, another young woman is attacked. Is this a serial killer? There's no clues, no evidence, and Nessa feels that her first homicide may go cold.
This novella of under 100 pages is filled with action, a real page-turner. The characters are solidly drawn. Nessa and her partner may have started out at loggerheads, but slowly but surely their relationship is improving, and mutual respect is starting to be revealed. I like how some of their personal lives are blended along with the professional. There are twists and turns leading to a surprising conclusion.
Many thanks to the author / Booksirens for the digital copy of this crime fiction novella. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
August 6, 2021
This year, I discovered the author Melinda Woodhall and have been faithfully going through her entire book lists. When I saw that she had written about Nessa Ainsley who is now the chief of Willow Bay PD, I immediately wanted to read it as I have just finished to date the Veronica Lee Series and I had fallen in love with all the characters and wasn't ready to say goodbye. This series is Nessa before she even arrived in Willow Bay and she has just made Detective with Rosewood PD and on her first day, she is taken to a murder of a college girl. It turns out later that Rosewood has had a peeping tom but he hasn't until now reached the level of murder. With no evidence, Nessa and her new partner are going to have to take it to the streets. What will happen though when they have another murder and it looks like all the evidence points to the same guy, but Nessa's gut instincts tell her it is a copycat. Steal Her Breath is also pre-kids for Nessa and Jerry as we read the lead-up to her falling pregnant with her first child.
Steal Her Breath by Melinda Woodhall is "Nessa's Origin Story". I am now interested to see whether she decides to further Nessa's story and have a go at any of the other characters as would love to read Frankie's especially with Leo Steele and how he helped get Frankie off when he was wrongly accused. Fans of Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh will love Melinda Woodhall’s books.
Steal Her Breath by Melinda Woodhall is "Nessa's Origin Story". I am now interested to see whether she decides to further Nessa's story and have a go at any of the other characters as would love to read Frankie's especially with Leo Steele and how he helped get Frankie off when he was wrongly accused. Fans of Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh will love Melinda Woodhall’s books.
July 12, 2021
A Detective Nessa Ainsley Novella
A Mercy Harbor Thriller
This novella is a prequel to the Mercy Harbor series where we met Nessa. For those who have enjoyed the Mercy Harbor books as well as the Veronica Lee ones you will remember that Nessa Ainsley plays a significant role in both. This short story brings us back in time to the beginning of Nessa’s career when she was promoted to detective in the major crimes division of Rosewood police department.
The story follows Nessa and her partner, Theo, on a case involving the murder of two young college students strangled to death. In its 70 pages or so, this little gem covers a lot. With the investigation, it is so easy to be caught up in the intrigue and be lead into the mind of a twisted killer....There’s plenty of action and the suspense is tense but being a novella things is cut short and the conclusion comes way to soon.
I received a free copy of this book and I leave a voluntary review, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
A Mercy Harbor Thriller
This novella is a prequel to the Mercy Harbor series where we met Nessa. For those who have enjoyed the Mercy Harbor books as well as the Veronica Lee ones you will remember that Nessa Ainsley plays a significant role in both. This short story brings us back in time to the beginning of Nessa’s career when she was promoted to detective in the major crimes division of Rosewood police department.
The story follows Nessa and her partner, Theo, on a case involving the murder of two young college students strangled to death. In its 70 pages or so, this little gem covers a lot. With the investigation, it is so easy to be caught up in the intrigue and be lead into the mind of a twisted killer....There’s plenty of action and the suspense is tense but being a novella things is cut short and the conclusion comes way to soon.
I received a free copy of this book and I leave a voluntary review, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
September 19, 2021
** novella **
Word is out that a prowler is harassing young females on the campus of Rosewood Community College.
A student has been found murdered, soon followed by the death of another young woman. Were both killings perpetrated by the same killer?
This is Nessa Ainsley’s first homicide in Major Crimes, and with her partner, she has to catch a killer before there will be more deaths to mourn.
This quick read is my first introduction with the writer and the main character. Change of perspective works very well. Short, yet very engaging read. Wish the story would have been a tat longer… :) -
Sadly, I found the ending a bit uninspiring - doesn't match the character description.
I received a review copy for free- and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Word is out that a prowler is harassing young females on the campus of Rosewood Community College.
A student has been found murdered, soon followed by the death of another young woman. Were both killings perpetrated by the same killer?
This is Nessa Ainsley’s first homicide in Major Crimes, and with her partner, she has to catch a killer before there will be more deaths to mourn.
This quick read is my first introduction with the writer and the main character. Change of perspective works very well. Short, yet very engaging read. Wish the story would have been a tat longer… :) -
Sadly, I found the ending a bit uninspiring - doesn't match the character description.
I received a review copy for free- and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 8, 2022
Decent crime solving novella.
I was going to give it 3⭐️ because it’s nothing fabulous; but I think it does exactly what it intends to as a short detective novella.
Detective Nessa Ainsley has just been promoted to lead detective in the major crimes unit when 2 murders happen back to back. The book introduces her husband, Jerry, partner Theo, and other members of the police force as they try to solve the crimes.
It’s pretty basic.
I actually only read it because I needed a book with the word ‘breath’ in the title and wanted something short.
I was going to give it 3⭐️ because it’s nothing fabulous; but I think it does exactly what it intends to as a short detective novella.
Detective Nessa Ainsley has just been promoted to lead detective in the major crimes unit when 2 murders happen back to back. The book introduces her husband, Jerry, partner Theo, and other members of the police force as they try to solve the crimes.
It’s pretty basic.
I actually only read it because I needed a book with the word ‘breath’ in the title and wanted something short.
September 13, 2022
This is the first book in the Detective Ainsley Thriller Collection. It can be read as a stand-alone, but I’d advise to read them in order.
The story takes place in the small sleepy town of Rosewood, Georgia. Nessa Ainsley had just been promoted to Detective, and on her first day, she and her new partner, Theo, were assigned to a homicide where a young girl had been violently strangled in her own apartment. Nessa was nervous as she was about to be baptized by fire. And in the blink of an eye, one murder turned into two.
The murders (which took place on consecutive days) were both young coeds who attended Rosewood Community College. Both were killed in their own apartments, only a block apart. In the first case, the entry was through an unlocked window, and let in by the occupant in the second. Who could have killed two young women? Was it someone they both knew? Or possibly the area ‘prowler’ had advanced to a killer? Could it be two different perps, or had a serial killer arrived at the small college? Speculation ran ramped throughout the small community.
It didn’t take Nessa long to dive into the cases, looking like a seasoned detective. Her partner, Detective Theo Hawke, was an excellent detective and a good match for Nessa. The evidence quickly began to pile up, and the Rosewood Police Department stayed firmly on the trail. Unfortunately, there was additional bloodshed as the case developed.
Twists, turns, and many surprises kept my attention as the pages quickly turned. I had no idea who the perpetrator(s) were till the very last chapter. The book was read in one sitting. Melinda weaves an excellent ‘who done it.’ The characters were well developed and relatable. This book was by far my favorite by this author, and I look forward to reading many more in the future. I would highly recommend her books to anyone who likes crime mysteries.
I am grateful to Author Melinda Woodhall and BookSirens for allowing me the opportunity to review this Advanced Reader’s Copy. This is a voluntary review, and all comments and opinions are entirely my own.
The story takes place in the small sleepy town of Rosewood, Georgia. Nessa Ainsley had just been promoted to Detective, and on her first day, she and her new partner, Theo, were assigned to a homicide where a young girl had been violently strangled in her own apartment. Nessa was nervous as she was about to be baptized by fire. And in the blink of an eye, one murder turned into two.
The murders (which took place on consecutive days) were both young coeds who attended Rosewood Community College. Both were killed in their own apartments, only a block apart. In the first case, the entry was through an unlocked window, and let in by the occupant in the second. Who could have killed two young women? Was it someone they both knew? Or possibly the area ‘prowler’ had advanced to a killer? Could it be two different perps, or had a serial killer arrived at the small college? Speculation ran ramped throughout the small community.
It didn’t take Nessa long to dive into the cases, looking like a seasoned detective. Her partner, Detective Theo Hawke, was an excellent detective and a good match for Nessa. The evidence quickly began to pile up, and the Rosewood Police Department stayed firmly on the trail. Unfortunately, there was additional bloodshed as the case developed.
Twists, turns, and many surprises kept my attention as the pages quickly turned. I had no idea who the perpetrator(s) were till the very last chapter. The book was read in one sitting. Melinda weaves an excellent ‘who done it.’ The characters were well developed and relatable. This book was by far my favorite by this author, and I look forward to reading many more in the future. I would highly recommend her books to anyone who likes crime mysteries.
I am grateful to Author Melinda Woodhall and BookSirens for allowing me the opportunity to review this Advanced Reader’s Copy. This is a voluntary review, and all comments and opinions are entirely my own.
July 6, 2021
Steal Her Breath by Melinda Woodhall
Published: June 29, 2021
Creative Magnolia
I received a copy of this novella for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.
Melinda Woodhall is the author of the new Veronica Lee Thriller series, as well as the page-turning Mercy Harbor Thriller series. In addition to writing romantic thrillers and police procedurals, Melinda also writes women’s contemporary fiction as M.M. Arvin. When she’s not writing, Melinda can be found reading, gardening, chauffeuring her children around town, and updating her vegetarian lifestyle website. Melinda is a native Floridian and the proud mother of five children. She lives with her family in Orlando.
“Somehow, it makes perfect sense.”
Nessa is about to start her first day as a detective with the major crimes division. She is both nervous and excited when her new partner, Theo, tells her a body has been discovered. Now it’s up to Nessa and Theo to catch the person responsible before anyone else is killed.
I enjoyed this novella so much. Nessa Ainsley is such a significant female lead, and she is such a powerful aspect of the Veronica Lee series. Getting to know more about her backstory and spending time with her as a new detective was fantastic. Seeing her start from day one, using her intuition and talents from the start, and knowing how she has grown and improved was fantastic. I hope we get backstories on all of our favorite characters! The insight is really neat.
Published: June 29, 2021
Creative Magnolia
I received a copy of this novella for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.
Melinda Woodhall is the author of the new Veronica Lee Thriller series, as well as the page-turning Mercy Harbor Thriller series. In addition to writing romantic thrillers and police procedurals, Melinda also writes women’s contemporary fiction as M.M. Arvin. When she’s not writing, Melinda can be found reading, gardening, chauffeuring her children around town, and updating her vegetarian lifestyle website. Melinda is a native Floridian and the proud mother of five children. She lives with her family in Orlando.
“Somehow, it makes perfect sense.”
Nessa is about to start her first day as a detective with the major crimes division. She is both nervous and excited when her new partner, Theo, tells her a body has been discovered. Now it’s up to Nessa and Theo to catch the person responsible before anyone else is killed.
I enjoyed this novella so much. Nessa Ainsley is such a significant female lead, and she is such a powerful aspect of the Veronica Lee series. Getting to know more about her backstory and spending time with her as a new detective was fantastic. Seeing her start from day one, using her intuition and talents from the start, and knowing how she has grown and improved was fantastic. I hope we get backstories on all of our favorite characters! The insight is really neat.
January 27, 2023
I first met Nessa in a Veronica Lee series book where she was the Chief of Police in a small town in Florida. This book is the first in a series of backstory novellas when she had become a Detective in the Major Crimes Division of a Police Department in a Georgia town just outside of Atlanta. The first day on the job she and her new partner get called out on a murder case which gives them next to no evidence to try and solve it.
I liked Nessa's character in the previous book I had read so was happy to discover this back story. It was interesting to read about the beginning of this stage of her career. She has great intuition which aids in solving cases. Her husband is very supportive which also aids in her ability to stay focused on her job when needed.
Although the book was a quick read, the story was complete. All the necessary information was given so that I had the chance to solve the case with her. I like that aspect of the book. I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading some more of her case stories. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good police procedural mystery that is a quick read and not overly giving too much detail.
I did receive an ARC of this book. My opinion is given voluntarily.
I liked Nessa's character in the previous book I had read so was happy to discover this back story. It was interesting to read about the beginning of this stage of her career. She has great intuition which aids in solving cases. Her husband is very supportive which also aids in her ability to stay focused on her job when needed.
Although the book was a quick read, the story was complete. All the necessary information was given so that I had the chance to solve the case with her. I like that aspect of the book. I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading some more of her case stories. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good police procedural mystery that is a quick read and not overly giving too much detail.
I did receive an ARC of this book. My opinion is given voluntarily.
July 11, 2021
Having been a fan of Melinda Woodhall's books for a long time I feel as though I know Willow Bay's Chief of Police Nessa Ainsley but this book takes you back to the beginning of Nessa's career.
Being made a detective at such a young age didn't go down well with the men at Rosewood PD, was she to be the token female ? she couldn't be better that the males.........or could she ? She had passed over a few of them.
Nessa was a woman in a man's world, she had to prove herself and to do that she had to work twice as hard as the men. Could the long hours affect her marriage, Nessa hoped not, she loved Jerry very much.
A homicide was not what Nessa was expecting on her first day and detective Theo Hawke's condescending attitude towards her told her that he was not thrilled to be working with her.
The story follows the murder of two young women, did they have a serial killer on their hands?
This is a short novella to introduce Nessa Ainsley, it has intrigue, plenty of suspects and some surprising results. I look forward to reading more books in this series.
I received a free copy of this book and my review iis voluntary.
Being made a detective at such a young age didn't go down well with the men at Rosewood PD, was she to be the token female ? she couldn't be better that the males.........or could she ? She had passed over a few of them.
Nessa was a woman in a man's world, she had to prove herself and to do that she had to work twice as hard as the men. Could the long hours affect her marriage, Nessa hoped not, she loved Jerry very much.
A homicide was not what Nessa was expecting on her first day and detective Theo Hawke's condescending attitude towards her told her that he was not thrilled to be working with her.
The story follows the murder of two young women, did they have a serial killer on their hands?
This is a short novella to introduce Nessa Ainsley, it has intrigue, plenty of suspects and some surprising results. I look forward to reading more books in this series.
I received a free copy of this book and my review iis voluntary.
December 6, 2021
This book is the first in the Nessa Ainsley series which is a prequel to the Mercy Harbor Series written by Melinda Woodhall (which I would also highly recommend). In this book you are introduced to Nessa Ainsley. Nessa Ainsley has just been promoted to detective of the Major Crimes Division of the Rosewood Police Department. Rosewood is a fictional town that is near Atlanta, Georgia. Her first day of work she gets called to a gruesome scene in the apartment of a college co-ed. She has been brutally murdered. Nessa is not only trying to solve crime but she is also trying to fight against the grain of the "men's club" of Major Crimes. Melinda Woodhall knows how to spin a story. You will be immediately drawn into the story and her characters are always relatable. The suspense will have you literally on the edge of your seat from start to finish. The villain in the story will shock you. (This seems to be a favorite plot line Melinda Woodhall uses in all of her stories. She likes the "shock factor"!) She is a master storyteller! You will not be disappointed! I received a review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily!
March 30, 2022
If you want an interesting murder mystery that is quick and easy to read, you should give this one a go. This author has talent. The way the characters and scenes are described make them easy to picture in your mind. The personalities of the main characters come across well and the storyline will keep you reading. From the very beginning you are trying to work out who the killer is instead of assuming it is someone who hasn’t been introduced yet.
It's only downside is it is a novella instead of being a full length novel. For me, the ending is too rushed, but fans on novellas will probably feel differently. Having spoken to a few authors of novella, they tend to write them as they don’t have the courage to write a full length novel (of course this is a stereotype) but this author has the ability so should have the confidence. This book could easily be lengthened and work just as well, maybe even better as there could be more drama and suspense.
Overall I enjoyed this book and will happily read more by this author.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
It's only downside is it is a novella instead of being a full length novel. For me, the ending is too rushed, but fans on novellas will probably feel differently. Having spoken to a few authors of novella, they tend to write them as they don’t have the courage to write a full length novel (of course this is a stereotype) but this author has the ability so should have the confidence. This book could easily be lengthened and work just as well, maybe even better as there could be more drama and suspense.
Overall I enjoyed this book and will happily read more by this author.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 3, 2022
Steal Her Breath is the story of a new detective before she moves into Willow Bay and takes on a very demanding role. In this first novella, Nessa Ainsley and her partner investigate a series of gruesome murders. Nella needs to find her way at the beginning because this is her first case after all, and her partner knows it too. Not trusting her skills at the start, Ainsley eventually uses her special talents to prove to her partner and to the chief that she is worthy of the badge. Admittedly, this is the first time I read a novella and I had started to read the Veronica Lee thrillers when Ainsley is in a different position, so it did take me a few pages to put the pieces together. Once I understood that this book was part of a series leading to another series, it made more sense to me. Now, I'm excited to read the next to see how the author develops this character in more depth.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 17, 2021
I downloaded this book as soon as I saw it was available! I was so excited to read the novella about Nessa's career before she came to Willow Bay. This novella was everything that you love about a Melinda Woodhall book. It was suspenseful, had twists, a heart touching story, and new characters to grow to love. I would love to read another novella about Nessa's cases in Atlanta with her partner, Theo. Knowing who Nessa is, she has a lot more to offer the Rosewood Police Dept and more cases to solve with her talent and passion for seeking the truth and finding justice.
This novella can be read as a standalone and I highly encourage you to read the Mercy Harbor and Veronica Lee series to read more about Nessa Ainsley and her career in Willow Bay. Trust me, you won't regret it!
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This novella can be read as a standalone and I highly encourage you to read the Mercy Harbor and Veronica Lee series to read more about Nessa Ainsley and her career in Willow Bay. Trust me, you won't regret it!
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 6, 2021
I enjoyed this look into Nessa's background and her first case as a new detective. This story, like all of Ms. Woodhall's, showcases her ability to create relatable, realistic, and authentic characters, with natural-sounding, dialogue, plenty of action and suspense, and an accurate portrayal of police procedure. This novella covers all the bases of a great story. And as has happened so many times in the other books I have read by Ms. Woodhall, the "bad guy" was a total surprise. It made perfect sense when it was all revealed, but I didn't see it coming. I hope Ms. Woodhall intends to create a series of Nessa's early career as a detective. I think it would be a great success.
I received a review copy from BookSirens and this is my honest opinion. I want to thank them and Ms. Woodhall for the opportunity to read it.
I received a review copy from BookSirens and this is my honest opinion. I want to thank them and Ms. Woodhall for the opportunity to read it.
July 11, 2021
Steal Her Breath A Detective Nessa Ainsley Novella is Book One by Melinda Woodhall. This is the beginning of Nessa Ainley career as a detective in the Major Crimes Unit in Rosewood police department. Faced with two homicides of two young college students, Nessa takes the reader on an exciting journey of her investigation which includes her self doubts and concerns regarding her personal life to the cases’ conclusion.
Ms. Woodhall’s novella is fast paced with unexpected twists and turns.
I was caught up in the intrigue and danger as the story was told wondering what Nessa’s future would hold. A Great beginning to a new series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Ms. Woodhall’s novella is fast paced with unexpected twists and turns.
I was caught up in the intrigue and danger as the story was told wondering what Nessa’s future would hold. A Great beginning to a new series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 13, 2021
Having read previous books by this author which featured Nessa Ainsley, it’s lovely to read a book where she has the starring role. This is basically her back story on getting her first posting as a Detective. A murder on her first day is not what she wanted but she’s more than ready for the job.
This is an enjoyable quick read, allowing us to get to know Nessa and her colleagues better, explaining how she came to be there, and how intuitive she is, one of the reasons why her mentor, Captain Harvey Cole, wanted her above other suitable candidates for the job. A nice prequel for other books she’s featured in, and now her own series. Also a good stand alone murder mystery.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
This is an enjoyable quick read, allowing us to get to know Nessa and her colleagues better, explaining how she came to be there, and how intuitive she is, one of the reasons why her mentor, Captain Harvey Cole, wanted her above other suitable candidates for the job. A nice prequel for other books she’s featured in, and now her own series. Also a good stand alone murder mystery.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
August 1, 2021
Melinda Woodhall’s Steal Her Breath is part of the Mercy Harbor Thriller series. Because it is a novella it is a quick read, however it is not short on interest. It’s a police procedural in which there is more than one mystery and a handful of possible suspects. Nessa, the main character, is a detective on her first days with the department. She and the other characters are believable and pretty well portrayed, which, considering how brief the book is, is amazing. It is also rather amazing how much action there is in this book. If you prefer shorter reads or are short on time. This is a good option. It is refreshing to read about Nessa’s investigation.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 5, 2021
I loved this book ~ my only criticism is that it was too short!! Kidding aside, I knew this was a novella but it had me wishing it was a full length novel.
I loved the part Nessa Ainsley played in the Veronica Lee novels and I was intrigued to see what experiences had formed her before she ended up in Willow Bay. The plot was fast paced and enthralling, the characters what I'd expect from Melinda Woodhall. Nessa's appeal is that she's fighting to find her place in her workplace, coming up against prejudice and overcoming it.
I'm intrigued to see how this series will play out
I received an advance reader copy of this and am voluntarily leaving a review
I loved the part Nessa Ainsley played in the Veronica Lee novels and I was intrigued to see what experiences had formed her before she ended up in Willow Bay. The plot was fast paced and enthralling, the characters what I'd expect from Melinda Woodhall. Nessa's appeal is that she's fighting to find her place in her workplace, coming up against prejudice and overcoming it.
I'm intrigued to see how this series will play out
I received an advance reader copy of this and am voluntarily leaving a review
September 1, 2021
Steal Her Breath is Book 1 in A Detective Nessa Ainsley Novella by Melinda Woodhall. I really enjoyed this cozy mystery. Nessa Ainsley is a new Detective in the Major Crime Unit. Charlene is strangled in her apartment and Nessa and her new partner, Theo Hawke, are assigned to the murder. While the police are investigating this murder, a second woman is strangled first with hands and finished with a scarf. I liked how Melinda Woodhall builds the story and gives the reader clues throughout the story. I thought the ending was perfect but I was very surprised. I am really looking forward to reading book 2. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.
December 14, 2021
Melinda Woodhall introduces Rosewood PD Detective Nessa Ainsley in Steal Her Breath. Fast tracked to Major Crimes, Nessa’s first day throws her into the deep end of a murder investigation with a new partner, Theo, who has anger management problems. When another body turns up, are they looking for a serial killer or a copycat? When the answer is revealed, it will be quite a surprise. Filled with twists and turns and great characters, this novella is a great read. I do look forward to reading more books in this series. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 19, 2022
A good, quick read.
This is the first novella in the Detective Ainsley series, following Detective Nessa Ainsley as she begins her career in major crimes.
I really enjoyed this book, but i feel it could of been so much better if it was a full length novel, it makes you want more, maybe that's what the author was going for. It was written very well, detailed and had all the intrigue you want from a Detective story, the ending was slightly rushed though. Read it in one go.
This is the first book I've read by Melinda Woodhall and I'll definitely be reading more. I would definitely recommend.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is the first novella in the Detective Ainsley series, following Detective Nessa Ainsley as she begins her career in major crimes.
I really enjoyed this book, but i feel it could of been so much better if it was a full length novel, it makes you want more, maybe that's what the author was going for. It was written very well, detailed and had all the intrigue you want from a Detective story, the ending was slightly rushed though. Read it in one go.
This is the first book I've read by Melinda Woodhall and I'll definitely be reading more. I would definitely recommend.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 10, 2021
Having read all the Veronica Lee series, I am very familiar with police chief Nessa Ainsley. This book is a novella introducing us to Nessa just after she has joined the major crimes department as a detective.
I found it very enjoyable, short enough to give a glimpse of Nessa and how impressive her detection skills are, and also to give an idea of her backstory. Looking forward to the rest of this new series featuring a younger Nessa.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I found it very enjoyable, short enough to give a glimpse of Nessa and how impressive her detection skills are, and also to give an idea of her backstory. Looking forward to the rest of this new series featuring a younger Nessa.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 12, 2021
This novella is a prequel about the beginning of Nessa Ainsley's career as a detective in the Rosewood Police Department. I haven't read other books in this series, but plan to do so now because I enjoyed getting to know Nessa, and seeing how she deals with pressure in both her professional and personal life. I didn't understand the actions of one of the other characters (Gwen Gardiner) but they made sense later in the story. I received an Advanced Review Copy of this novella from BookSirens in exchange for an honest review.
July 20, 2021
For those of you who are familiar with both the Mercy Harbour and Veronica Lee series, then you will be familiar with Nessa who features in both of those crime series. This is a novella that explores Nessa’s earliest days as a detective and is a prequel to those series. It was a great and compelling story that reaches resolution by the end of it. If you like the other series, then you’ll like this one too.
Thank you to the Author, Publisher and Booksirens for the opportunity to read and review a complimentary digital copy of the story and give my unbiased opinion.
Thank you to the Author, Publisher and Booksirens for the opportunity to read and review a complimentary digital copy of the story and give my unbiased opinion.
September 6, 2021
Detective Nessa was excited to start her new position at the Major Crime Unit. First day in the job her and her partner Detective Theo had a homicide of a young co-ed from the nearby college.
When another girl is murdered Nessa and Theo have to piece together whether it's one or two killers on the loose.
Absolutely love anything written by this author!!!
Thank you Booksirens and the author for a digital copy. Read and reviewed voluntarily and the opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own
When another girl is murdered Nessa and Theo have to piece together whether it's one or two killers on the loose.
Absolutely love anything written by this author!!!
Thank you Booksirens and the author for a digital copy. Read and reviewed voluntarily and the opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own
October 13, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
It was nice to see where Nessa came from, before she moved to Willow Bay. Her roots I suppose we can call it.
Quick, fast-paced read … although I struggled to reconcile the reasoning of the serial killer, but maybe I am just too used to complicated serial killers :).
If you enjoyed the Eden Winthrop and Veronica Lee stories from the same author, you will surely enjoy this peek into Nessa Ainsley's story.
It was nice to see where Nessa came from, before she moved to Willow Bay. Her roots I suppose we can call it.
Quick, fast-paced read … although I struggled to reconcile the reasoning of the serial killer, but maybe I am just too used to complicated serial killers :).
If you enjoyed the Eden Winthrop and Veronica Lee stories from the same author, you will surely enjoy this peek into Nessa Ainsley's story.
July 9, 2022
First in a series of novellas and a good place to start with this author. This "case" occurs early in the career of newly appointed Detective Nessa Ainsley. Quick easy read and gives you an idea of what is in store should you choose to read the other novellas or novels with Detective Ainsley. It will keep you guessing!
I was provided an advanced reader copy of this novella and was under no obligation to provide a review. The opinions expressed are my own. Thanks to the author. publishers and Book Sirens for allowing me to read this novella.
I was provided an advanced reader copy of this novella and was under no obligation to provide a review. The opinions expressed are my own. Thanks to the author. publishers and Book Sirens for allowing me to read this novella.
June 30, 2021
The first book in the new series featuring Nessa Ainsley is a page turner. There’s plenty of action and suspense. I was intrigued by her partner’s story of betrayal by his wife. I hope there’s more to come about that. Furthermore, I’m interested to see how Nessa’s career will work out after the news she and her husband got at the end of the book. (No spoilers). This is a very entertaining start to the series. *this review is based on a complimentary copy from the author*
July 30, 2021
I first met Nessa in the Veronica Lee Series and was happy to see there was a series that introduced her. This short novella is suspenseful and has twists that you won't see coming and will shock you. It is a fast paced story, but the author gives you great character development. I will definitely continue to seek out this author. I received this ARC from BookSirens and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews