Book Title: The Mad Hatter’s Son (An Annie Collins Mystery #1) by Helen Starbuck
Category: Adult Fiction (18+), 285 pages
Genre: Mystery
Publisher: Routt Street Press
Release date: 2018
Content Rating: R. Two explicit sex scenes, profanity, medical scenes.
Curiosity killed the cat, so the saying goes, and it may end up killing operating room nurse Annie Collins. Annie’s estranged friend Libby Matheisen needs Annie’s help to discover what is causing her vague, puzzling symptoms. Unwillingly drawn into her friend’s life, Annie must discover whether Libby is really ill or if there is a hidden agenda. Faced with Libby’s apparent suicide, Annie is unable to stop asking questions to uncover the truth about her illness and death. The answers to these questions don’t come without a price, and pursuing the mystery of Libby’s death threatens to end her life as well. Friends change, love betrays, and the end results are never what you anticipate. Find out why the BookLife Prize called The Mad Hatter’s Son“An outstanding debut,” and it was the winner of The National Indie Excellence Book Awards mystery category.
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My Review
I chose to listen to this book after receiving a free audio copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.
Annie and Libby were roommates until Libby got married to a rich man whom Annie didn’t like. Libby also seemed to change once they were together. After Libby moved out, they didn’t see much of each other and eventually lost touch. That is, until Libby called and asked Annie to help her.
Annie was understandably conflicted about caring for Libby who she no longer thought of as a close friend. What I didn’t understand is why, as a nurse, Annie wasn’t more curious about Libby’s symptoms. Yes, the doctors thought her problems were mental, but all nurses know that doctors aren’t always right.
I thought Annie was fairly clueless, and I thought her relationship with Ian was a bit odd. It seemed like they were instantly a couple, and he seemed too clingy. I liked Angel, Annie’s neighbor, a lot, and wished he wasn’t just a friend.
Although the killer was obvious pretty quickly and the protagonist was clueless, I still enjoyed The Mad Hatter’s Son. The author’s writing flows well, and this was an overall good read. It even had a little suspense at the end. I look forward to reading more by Helen Starbuck.
About the Author
Helen Starbuck is a Colorado native, former OR nurse, and award-winning author of the standalone romantic suspense novel Legacy of Secrets, and the Annie Collins Mystery Series. She loves mysteries, suspense, romance, and any book that is well written. She’s a huge fan of books with independent, strong, women characters and, as Neil Gaiman says, “…stories where women save themselves.”
Connect with the author: Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ Goodreads
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