By: Christena
Books, ,

Riveting Ride – My Book Review

STOLEN OBSESSION
Annalisse Series, Book 1
Updated for 2022!
by
MARLENE M. BELL
Genre: Romantic Mystery
Publisher: Ewephoric Publishing
Date of Publication: March 20, 2018, Revised 2022
Number of Pages: 284

Scroll down for the giveaway!
PEOPLE DIE, BUT LEGENDS LIVE ON.
Manhattan antiquities appraiser Annalisse Drury dreams of a quiet life on the family farm among the sheep she loves, when her best friend is murdered. The police assume robbery is the motive because her friend’s expensive bracelet is missing. But the 500-year-old artifact is rumored to carry an ancient curse, one that unleashes evil upon any who dare wear the jewelry created for the Persian royal family—and Annalisse believes her friend is the latest victim.
Weeks later, Annalisse sees a necklace matching the stolen bracelet at a gallery opening. Convinced the necklace is part of the deadly collection, Annalisse begs the gallery’s owner to destroy the piece, but her pleas are ignored— despite the unnatural death that occurs during the opening. With two victims linked to the jewelry, Annalisse is certain she must act.
Desperate to keep the gallery owner safe, Annalisse reluctantly enlists the owner’s son to help—even though she’s afraid he’ll break her heart. Wealthy and devastatingly handsome, with a string of bereft women in his wake, Greek playboy Alec Zavos dismisses Annalisse’s concerns—until his parents are ripped from the Zavos family yacht during their ocean voyage near Crete.
Annalisse and Alec race across two oceans to save his mother, feared dead or kidnapped. As time lapses, the killer switches mode and closes in on the man who’s meant for Annalisse with the lifestyle she wants most.
But when it’s her turn as the hunted, will she choose to save Alec and his mother, or sacrifice everything to save herself?

Hold on for a heart-thumping adventure through exotic lands in this fast-moving, romantic suspense mystery by Marlene M Bell.

CLICK TO ORDER ON:
AMAZON US ┃ AMAZON UK ┃ AMAZON CA ┃ AMAZON AU
WATCH THE BOOK TRAILER FOR STOLEN OBSESSION:


Book Review Image

What a transcontinental riveting ride. Stolen Obsession is the first book in the Annalisse series by author Marlene Bell.

With almost nonstop action, the main characters in this series, Annalisse and Alec are thrown into a multiple murder mystery that endangers not only their lives but others.  In this riveting ride mix is the budding romance between Annalisse and Alec. The action and murders are all tied to an ancient horse necklace.

Marlene’s writing is a warmly conversational style that allowed me to immerse myself into this story quite well. I have read the other books in this series and reading Stolen Obsession helped clarify some of the story elements in the other books. Marlene laid the foundation of her lead and secondary characters in her Annalisse series exceptionally well. I’m glad I now read this first book. It will make the next book in this series way more enjoyable.

If you love well-written mystery stories that can take you on a riveting super ride of who is who behind the murders then Stolen Obsession should be on your reading list. Its action is so fast-paced that I could never guess the who’s or the why’s.

Marlene has a gift of enveloping readers in her stories where you just want to keep turning the pages to see where the story takes you. Stories are meant to take us away from our own lives. Stolen Obsession did that splendidly. 

Marlene M. Bell is an eclectic mystery writer, artist, and photographer, and she raises sheep in beautiful East Texas with her husband, Gregg, three cats, and a flock of horned Dorset sheep.

The Annalisse series — mysteries with a touch of romance — has received numerous honors including the Independent Press Award for Best Mystery (Spent Identity) and FAPA (Florida Author’s President’s Gold Award) for two other installments, Stolen Obsession and Scattered Legacy. She also penned the first of her children’s picture books, Mia and Nattie: One Great Team! based on true events from the Bell’s ranch. The simple text and illustrations are a touching tribute of compassion and love between a little girl and her lamb.

║ Website║ Facebook ║ Twitter ║
║ LinkedIn ║ BookBub ║ Instagram ║
║ Goodreads ║ Blog ║
————————————-
GIVEAWAY!

ONE GRAND PRIZE WINNER:
Tapestry overnighter bag, sterling necklace (handmade in Greece), autographed copy of updated 2022 Stolen Obsession, $50 Amazon Gift Card
ONE RUNNER-UP:
Autographed copy of updated 2022 Stolen Obsession

(US only; ends midnight, CST, 12/15/22.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

FOR PARTICIPATING BLOGS
blog tour services provided by