Cherry Mischievous: THE PUPPET MAKER

Thursday 23 November 2023

THE PUPPET MAKER

The Puppet Maker by Jenny O'Brien
Book 1 in the Detective Alana Mack series
Narrated by Michele Moran
Genre: crime fiction
Format: ebook & audiobook

About The Puppet Maker:

The scrap of paper looked as if it had been torn from a diary. The words written in faint pencil. The letters rounded, almost childlike. "Please look after her. Her life and mine depend on you not trying to find me."

When Detective Alana Mack arrives at Clonabee police station, in a small Irish seaside town on the outskirts of Dublin, she doesn't expect to find a distressed two-year-old girl sobbing on the floor. Abandoned in a local supermarket, the child tells them her name is Casey. All Alana and her team have to go on is a crumpled note begging for someone to look after the little girl. This mother doesn't want to be found.

Still recovering from a terrible accident that has left Alana navigating a new life as a wheelchair user, Alana finds herself suddenly responsible for Casey while trying to track down the missing mother and solve another missing person's case… a retired newsagent who has seemingly vanished from his home. Forced to ask her ex-husband and child psychiatrist Colm for help, through Forensic Art Therapy, Alana discovers that whatever darkness lies behind the black windows in Casey's crayon drawing, the little girl was terrified of the house she lived in.

Then a bag of human remains is found in a bin, and a chilling link is made — the DNA matches Casey's. Alana and her team must find the body and make the connection with the missing newsagent fast if she is to prevent another life from being taken. But with someone in her department leaking confidential details of the investigation to the media, can Alana set aside her emotional involvement in this case and find Casey’s mother and the killer before it's too late?

Source: Info in the "About The Puppet Maker" was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/181372370-the-puppet-maker on 30/10/2023.

Buy Link(s):

My Thoughts:

I'm glad I bumped into Jenny O'Brien. I would read her again. Unfortunately, book two is not coming out until next year

This is my first crime fiction where we have a paraplegic detective as the main protagonist. Interesting to see how the detective would manage an investigation with a huge obstacle in her way. She can't just walk up and chase bad guys anymore...

My question is, what ended her marriage?...

Another thing, the editor needs to be told that "balance" is not spelled "bAlance".

Funnily enough, reading this book feels like reading one of Lt. Eve Dallas' books by JD Robb. I wonder why that is?...

This is my first Michele Moran listen and I would buy her again.

Quantitative Evaluation:

Story telling quality = 4
Character development = 4
Story itself = 4.5
Writing Style = 4.5
Ending = 4
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 5
Pace = (9 hrs and 1 min listening time)
Plot = 4.5
Narration = 5

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries

Books In The Detective Alana Mack Series:

Meet The Author

About Jenny O'Brien:

I took up writing about fifteen years ago when I first came up with a plot for a book, and I haven't stopped since. When I’m not writing, I’m ferrying around 3 teenagers or working as a nurse. I’m also an all-year-round sea swimmer.

I write what I love to read, which is romance and thrillers. My children’s books will hopefully be of some use, particularly Boy Brainy which is perma-free and written to raise self-esteem.

The Narrator