School Holidays have started (in Australia at least), and I have a fun little list of suggestions to make it interesting… for you, not the kids.
Everyone needs food – food is fuel. It’s a great excuse to Get Out of the House… Yeah, you could take your kids along, but while they are busy playing games, watching movies or hopefully reading a book (if they like Suspense/Thriller books, they can always read KIDNAPPED Entanglement – link below) you can escape. Going to get “food” even if that just means milk that is half empty will give you a reason to take a leisurely stroll down the aisles of the supermarket.
Grandparents. Those are always handy. They can take the kids off your hands, and out of your hair, while also giving them time to see their grand-babies… this one only works if you have those at the ready – not counting ones who live in other states or countries, or who aren’t around anymore. Still, it’s nice to have a bit of a break.
KIDNAPPED Entanglement is a Christian Suspense book about a kidnapping, escape and a rescue. The best part is (apart from amazing adventure… if I do say so myself), for the school holidays the paperback is on sale for a pitiful $2.99!! So, yeah.. click the link below to grab that one! Or if you prefer ebook, it is only $1.99 – link also below.
Day trips. This one will only be helpful if you are also at home with the kids, or on Saturdays or days off. There are plenty of places you can go and things you can do that either cost money, or not. Going to the Botanic Gardens closest to you and playing a scavenger hunt to take photos of different things on phones. Maybe you could head to the beach if the weather is good enough. Then there’s places like the museums or art galleries, events that LOTS of places run specifically for holidays.
Well, hopefully you can enjoy the school holidays whether you are home with your children or at work. Either way, grab KIDNAPPED Entanglement and enjoy…
This one was a little different than the past Book Vs Movie experiments I’ve done – mainly because Frank was a real man, who played real cons and cashed real “fake” checks… as convoluted as that sounded in my own mind reading it back, it made this one just that little bit more personal.
I always liked this movie – probably primarily because Tom Hanks is amazing, but nevertheless when I found out Frank had written a book, and that was what inspired the film, I was IN! And that was BEFORE I also found it to be a Spielberg film with Leo in it and all kinds of other fun stuff.
So without further ramblings on my part, let me jump into some of the differences between the book and the film:
A big difference that I noticed (and you can actually get confirmation from if you read the Q&A with Frank at the back of certain copies of the book) was that they changed quite a few smaller details. Things like names, aliases, the timeline of events, and even prison time that Frank served in real life in Sweden were altered or omitted altogether.
I LOVED the film giving us some of the FBI part of the chase, whereas the book really only focussed on Frank and his experiences (totally makes sense when you factor in that he’s telling HIS story, and not the story of the FBI or cops who wanted to arrest him). It seemed to be exagerated though, how close they came to catch him time and again. In the book he does admit that it FELT like they were always ready to catch him, but he never saw any actual evidence of that fact… and there certainly wasn’t a moment early on where the Feds interacted with him and he pretended to be a cop too – though that did come later on in his criminal career when he ended up arrested back in the US.
Frank and his family was also something that was changed quite a bit. Firstly, they omitted his real life siblings and gave his mother an affair when in the book he outlines more of the reasoning for the separation of his parents as her wanting to be more independent and working… which, or both to be true is really none of my concern.
Aside from the little changes, and the addition of the Fed storylines, it was also downplayed quite a bit at how much of a “ladies man” the real Frank was. The movie gave him a few girls to date but in the book he made it very clear that he was a bit more of a hound dog. Girl obsessed, as he continued to reassure the reader.
Frank and his Dad had such a nice relationship on screen in this film, and it’s almost too bad to crush the bubble. One thing that I almost wished to be either true, or included in the book, was that Frank continued to write his Dad while on the run, and even snuck visits in. If the book in the entirety is to be believed (without additional context) when Frank left, he didn’t really ever contact his family until he had been arrested and extradited back to the US. The idea that he was trying to get back all the money that “they” took from his family was nothing to do with it – he just wanted money to survive and get girls.
I also noticed Frank Sr. was given a bit more con-ish ways in the film, and gave some sort of potential reasoning as to why Frank Jr was so good at the con. The substitute teacher bit was nowhere that I could recall in the book, but it was funny and continued to build foundation at why Frank might have tried to go the route that he did.
I loved that the book made it very clear that most of Frank’s cons actually required quite a bit of research. He hit the library more times that I do, and was always studying up the best he could before really diving in too deeply to the scenarios he attempted. It was less of him falling ass backwards into something, and more of him really trying to sell it by knowing what he could before jumping in.
A few moments in the film did feel odd – like the laundry mat scene with the Fed that really comes out of nowhere, and goes nowhere… but some of the nods to the book were nice. For example, Frank asking the pilot questions and one of them being about asking what kind of equipment you’re on. There was a fun story in the book where Frank didn’t understand the question and made a fool out of himself. Without telling the story, they gave the little recognition to the funny anticdote, which I appreciated.
That mouse story was something they kept calling back to in the film, but really I didn’t know why it was there. There was also the flash forwards with Tom and Leo as they headed back to the states, and it was fun to see Carl always asking throughout the film how Frank managed to ‘con’ his way through the Bar exam. No ‘ask me to stop’ moments in real life, and no help for Frank from the US as he served his prison sentences in Europe.
The Christmas calls, I have to say was one of my favourite additions. Not touched on in the book, I liked these moments as they linked Carl and Frank together in a more personal way. That gave foundation for the ending… which come to think of it was also different.
The book ended a lot earlier than the film did in Franks story. As he was put into a US prison, he managed to con his way out by pretending to be an undercover agent determining how humane the prison system was. It basically ended with Frank having conned his way into appearing as a Fed himself – though if you read past the final scene in the book you get a bit more general information in what happened to Frank after this.
The Film took it all the way to Frank being pulled out of prison, “White Collar” style to have a deal with the FBI. Working his time off by working for them, and catching forgers… yeah it’s pretty much Neal Caffery, and I’m totally here for it!
Even though there were a ton of changes, the film got the heart of the book right… and isn’t that the main thing? Any way to do it, Frank’s story is something amazing.
Everyone likes different books and authors, and there are many (many, many, many) places you can go to get recommendations. Booktube, Booktok, Instagram, Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon… just so many more – and that didn’t include blogs like mine.
So, I decided to jump on board and share the top FIVE authors that I LOVE and will never shut up about if we are debating who is a great author… here they are!
Ted Dekker
Ted Dekker is almost the ultimate in terms of Fantasy or Dark Crime, and you’re looking for it to hold a hopeful note thread throughout. With probably his most notable works being the Circle world, Ted manages to twist your brain into a pretzel with his incredible worlds, interesting characters, and almost philosophical ideas. By the end of a Dekker book, you’ll find yourself not only with heart pounding after an incredible adventure, but your brain melting with new world views that you HAVE to explore – or you’ll explode. Okay, so I might be overselling it just a little BUT Dekker has a way of dragging you into a new world and leaving with the desire to keep going back for more every time!
Bethany Turner
Almost to the opposite end of the spectrum, Bethany Turner is a hilarious, heart warming and dig in deep to root out the feels Contemporary Romance author. She has a way of bringing very serious, very real situations and adding humour that has me almost rolling on the floor and coughing for five minutes because I laughed too hard. Not even exaggerating. She is absolutely hilarious, cuts right to the heart and leaves you with ALL the feels and hugging your book to your chest, wishing there was another story to keep reading.
Brandon Sanderson
Brandon is a widely known name in the Fantasy community, and actually just all over the place really. While I’ve only actually read the Reckoner series, I LOVE his writing. I Love his style, and every time he talks about his work and how he does what he does, his passion for writing and telling stories shines through. An absolute legend, and an author that will ALWAYS be worth reading.
Dee Henderson
Okay, this one is a specialty type of author – Dee Henderson is a Romantic Suspense writer of Christian Fiction. Her early works include the O’Malley series, which follows a family of orphaned adults (who adopted themselves when nobody else would) who all work in very serious and high stakes jobs. The stories are edge of your seat worthy, and the romances are beautiful – especially in the midst of danger and family drama. Dee started writing a lot more slow paced books as she kept on, so if you like fast paced, stick with the early works. If you dig that slow burn, you can check out later ones like Taken.
Ally Carter
Again, another change of tone and pace – a Young Adult writer who creates adventurous and suspension of disbelief teenagers. The Gallagher Girl’s series follow a teenage spy school for girls, while the Heist Society series follows teenage thieves… yeah it’s that kind of world for Ally, and we’re all just living in it. These books may be written for teens, but dang if they aren’t fun and easy to get through. I love her writing, and if you want something to dive into without ripping off your skin with worry, this would be it.
Well, those are my top five authors that I would recommend any day of the week. Of course there are so many amazing stories, and incredible writers who bring those to life. It’s impossible to choose just five – and that’s what makes reading such an amazing experience. Every time you find a new cast of characters to love, and add authors onto your list of favs (Like Marie Lu’s Legend series!) you get to put another notch on the belt!
Who are your fav authors? Let me know in the comments so that I can celebrate them with you!
Fellow readers out there, was there ever a series or author that pulled you into the reading world for the first time? The book or author that made you realise there was more to your life than just living it, and instead a world – or several – that you could escape to? Well, Dee Henderson and her O’Malley series was that for me!
In order to pay proper tribute to the series that started my love of reading and story telling, I would have to re-read the entire series and give proper reviews. While I have yet to do that, with all the other amazing books I have on my shelves waiting to be cracked open as well, I am going to share about why I loved this series to the best of my fragmented memory. So buckle up, because it’s probably going to be rough and a little all over the place!
The O’Malley Overview
This is a seven book (with an eight novella) series that follows seven adult siblings. The catch, is that none of them are biologically related. They found each other in the orphanage when they were kids and adopted each other as a family, and the bonds are as strong as if they WERE biologically related. It is a beautiful relationship, and throughout the series they are brought together in a tragically centric event within their little family.
All of the characters have insanely dangerous or difficult jobs – there’s a hostage negotiator, firefighter, paramedic, children’s trauma therapist, forensic pathologist and more. So each book has crazy stuff going down, and a pinch of romance thrown in as you go along the line of family members.
This story follows Sara, an author who is in hiding after a killer targeted her when she was younger. Still on the loose, she is terrified each time he finds her and is determined to end their twisted relationship – one way or the other. When she meets a very public figure and starts falling for him, her world gets complicated and she tries to navigate the fear, love and reclaiming her life.
This book was really intense. The suspenseful elements were beautifully done and the romance was sweet, with Adam handling someone dealing with trauma and anxiety on another level pretty well. I didn’t start with the prequel when I read the O’Malley series, and came back to it after a few of the books when I realised it existed, but it is really good.
Kate O’Malley is a hostage negotiator who has learned to rely on her, and her alone. Her job is dangerous, and someone has started to send her black roses – even blaming a large attack on her as well. When she is assigned Dave – an FBI agent who is trying to protect and help her investigate – she balances being herself, while also navigating what it would look like to love someone and let herself be loved.
Kate’s book was the first O’Malley we get to meet. She was fiercely independent and not afraid to put herself into dangerous situations to save others. When Dave comes into her world (the brother of Sara’s – see above Prequel), it challenges everything she thought about herself, about God and about life. This is also the first book we are introduced to the family dynamic, and big tragedy that spans the series.
Marcus O’Malley is the oldest, and as a US Marshall is used to guarding people, but can he guard his own heart? After being assigned to the witness of a federal Judge’s murder, he must help Shari to stay out of an assassins crosshairs while also out of his own heart – doesn’t he?
I love those “Big Brother” characters. The ones that want to protect everyone, damn the cost to themselves! There’s something about a protective man that speaks to my heart, and Marcus was such a great character. Again, romantic suspense wouldn’t be complete without the romance, and while falling for your protectee is not advisable, it was beautiful to watch. Shari isn’t the ‘sit on her butt’ type of woman, and it makes a fun push-pull relationship between them.
Lisa O’Malley is a forensic pathologist who understands death all too well. When her cases intersect with US Marshall Quinn’s case of a missing girl, they find themselves facing a killer who wants the mystery buried deep. While the O’Malley tragedy continues to devastate the family, finding love and faith in the midst of death is what just might save Lisa, and the missing woman.
I really enjoyed Lisa’s story. Those TV shows like Rizzoli and Isles where you see the cop side and the forensic side are always great to watch, and this reminded me of that. I think Lisa was one of the toughest characters when it came to coming to the idea of faith. Science and God 100% combine but for some, it’s a difficult concept to marry up together. Her journey felt like one of the most rewarding.
Jack O’Malley is a firefighter who has run into an arsonists path. With a former fighter having seen who it is, Cassie had already been sidelined and is now fighting through to decipher if the arsonist is someone she knows. The relationship will grow as Jack tries to protect her, and Cassie tries to figure out what she saw before it’s too late.
I LOVED the relationship between Jack and Cassie. With some remaining difficulties after being caught in a fire, Cassie deals with things that are difficult for some to imagine. Jack understands elements of her life and trauma, and it was such a great progression of the two characters as a huge change is about to occur in the O’Malley clan.
Rachel O’Malley is a trauma psychologist specialising in helping children, and while her family faces a huge disaster of their own, a flood hits the town. Covering up a murder, the weapon results in another tragedy – a school shooting. While Rachel tries to make sense of it all, firefighting captain Cole works through it with her while falling deeper in love with her.
This was probably the book that was one of the most emotional, the one that fit the most events into one book, but also one of the most important. Being able to touch on various things we have seen come to a head in this book, it’s one of the saddest in the bunch. HUGE change, and big stories lead to a great read.
Stephen O’Malley is a paramedic who is running from it all. The pressure of his job, grief in his own life, and love that he doesn’t want to face. Meghan is blind, but SURE that someone is walking through her house and turns to Stephen to help her. With a tornado, kidnapping and search to save the one’s he loves, Stephen runs until he can’t anymore
One of the hardest things to be, is the last one standing. We’ve seen the O’Malley’s in their journey’s finding love, finding God and finding a way through the family tragedy. Now Stephen has to deal with it all in a different way than those that came before. It was the last full book, and everything gets tied up into a place that ends with your heart reeling after the rollercoaster.
If you don’t want any spoilers – DO NOT READ THIS PART!
Jennifer O’Malley has been diagnosed with cancer, and wants the last things she does to save her family. She knows what the news will do to her family and her own faith, and as she meets a fellow Doctor and love of her life, she tries to navigate what all of that will look like in the few months she has left.
This was it. The cry your eyes out book where you see the start of Jennifer’s cancer journey. When we hear about it in The Negotiator, Jen has already come to terms, and starts to let her family in on the secret. But she also has Jesus to bring hope into the difficult season. Seeing how she initially dealt with it all was a beautiful tribute to the incredible woman that changed her families lives.
So, there you have it. If you wanted to know why the series as a whole captured my attention, heart and teenage brain, here is the overview…
Each book had an exciting character, with adventure that was dangerous and thrilling. It had heart and romance that felt real, and laced with issues that they both had to overcome. With the added family difficulty looming, Dee Henderson wrote a story about family, love and adventure.
What book, series or author first got you into reading? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Okay, so I might be late on the bandwagon, but why did nobody tell me that Marvel did a series of books based on the movies!?
I recently decided to read the Captain America: Winter Solider book as part of a “basic theme” reading challenge (the theme being a season of the year). And what I discovered was that I couldn’t resist comparing the book to the film itself!
I’ve also made Book Vs Movie videos on my CGSP youtube channel, but I wanted this one to just be between us – and potentially I will keep doing the other books and movies if you guys like it…?
Anyway, here were my initial thoughts on the book itself:
It feels very much like a movie not a book (they have distinct differences)
It was nice to get some level of internal dialogue, but it still felt too movie-esqu
It was clear they were trying to stick very close to the movie plot and script, so that felt like a bit of a cop out – why bother with a book if you aren’t going to properly adapt it to follow the book format/style?
The story and dialogue was funny
The fight scenes were a little soft and uninteresting
It felt very rushed – the pace of the movie vs the book seemed to be condensed in the book rather than the film (the opposite when a movie is based on a book rather than this way around)
So, after reading the book came the moment of truth – rewatching the film to compare. Here are the differences, similarities and what I felt was done worse or better:
I liked the Sam/Cap meeting at the beginning better in the book. It was more fleshed out and felt a lot more meaningful
The book overall felt quicker, and things didn’t punch the same as they did in the film
On the flip side, the parts of the book that felt more drawn out, were the parts that felt quickest in the film (eg. the conversations rather than action)
The people who created this book did a cut and paste – particularly with the dialogue. They didn’t even seem to attempt (except for the small amount of inner dialogue that did pop up from time to time) to follow a book format
The character of Sitwell seemed less like a geek in the book (no offense intened)
The actual fight scenes took a lot more time on screen and got a lot less description of these in the book.
Those fight scenes weren’t very well written and described, and it felt like the writer decided that if people knew the movie or wanted to understand the fight more, they could watch the movie – and that would explain everything (spoiler, it didn’t). There is a way to write fighting scenes amazingly, but this wasn’t it
There is a particular nuance that you get with an acing performance – something that comes across in facial and body movement choices – that you don’t get with the written word. This is why it can be amazing, but also annoying. Books have inner dialogue, movies have good actors. Unfortunately for the book, the actors were better than the writer of the novel
The “danger” scenes didn’t feel as life threatening or exciting in the book, as they were in the movie – part of this is because you can do amazing things with the visual medium that you can’t do in a book, while other is due to (I believe) the above points made
Overall, it was so clear this book was written as a copy and paste of the film. It could have been awesome – given some insight into aspects we didn’t see in the film, or done some really cool things, but it chose not to. It chose instead to basically word for word record the dialogue, and poorly copy in the fight scenes and moments of the book. Shame.
Do you agree with my analysis? What’s your favourite part of Captain America: Winter Soldier? Comment and let us all know!
There are so many amazing books out there, but where do you start, and how do you find the good from the bad in the sea of confusion?
Estimated Reading Time: 3min
According to Goodreads in 2020, these were some of the best books in the Crime and Mystery Book section.
1. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
Harriet Vanger, a scion of one of Sweden’s wealthiest families disappeared over forty years ago. All these years later, her aged uncle continues to seek the truth. He hires Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently trapped by a libel conviction, to investigate. He is aided by the pierced and tattooed punk prodigy Lisbeth Salander. Together they tap into a vein of unfathomable iniquity and astonishing corruption.
2. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
First, there were ten—a curious assortment of strangers summoned as weekend guests to a little private island off the coast of Devon. Their host, an eccentric millionaire unknown to all of them, is nowhere to be found. All that the guests have in common is a wicked past they’re unwilling to reveal—and a secret that will seal their fate. For each has been marked for murder. A famous nursery rhyme is framed and hung in every room of the mansion
When they realise that murders are occurring as described in the rhyme, terror mounts. One by one they fall prey. Before the weekend is out, there will be none. Who has choreographed this dastardly scheme? And who will be left to tell the tale? Only the dead are above suspicion.
3. Angels & Demons by Dan Brown
World-renowned Harvard symbolist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyse a cryptic symbol seared into the chest of a murdered physicist. What he discovers is unimaginable: a deadly vendetta against the Catholic Church by a centuries-old underground organisation — the Illuminati. In a desperate race to save the Vatican from a powerful time bomb, Langdon joins forces in Rome with the beautiful and mysterious scientist Vittoria Vetra. Together they embark on a frantic hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, and deserted cathedrals, and into the depths of the most secretive vault on earth…the long-forgotten Illuminati lair.
4. Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier
The novel begins in Monte Carlo, where our heroine is swept off her feet by the dashing widower Maxim de Winter and his sudden proposal of marriage. Orphaned and working as a lady’s maid, she can barely believe her luck. It is only when they arrive at his massive country estate that she realises how large a shadow his late wife will cast over their lives–presenting her with a lingering evil that threatens to destroy their marriage from beyond the grave.
5. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
On November 15, 1959, in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, four members of the Clutter family were savagely murdered by blasts from a shotgun held a few inches from their faces. There was no apparent motive for the crime, and there were almost no clues.
6. The Godfather by Mario Puzo
Almost fifty years ago, a classic was born. A searing portrayal of the Mafia underworld, The Godfather introduced readers to the first family of American crime fiction, the Corleones, and their powerful legacy of tradition, blood, and honor. The seduction of power, the pitfalls of greed, and the allegiance to family—these are the themes that have resonated with millions of readers around the world and made The Godfather the definitive novel of the violent subculture that, steeped in intrigue and controversy, remains indelibly etched in our collective consciousness.
7. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Susie Salmon is adjusting to her new home in heaven, a place that is not at all what she expected, even as she is watching life on earth continue without her — her friends trading rumors about her disappearance, her killer trying to cover his tracks, her grief-stricken family unraveling. Out of unspeakable tragedy and loss, The Lovely Bones succeeds, miraculously, in building a tale filled with hope, humor, suspense, even joy.
8. The Name Of The Rose by Umberto Eco
The year is 1327. Benedictines in a wealthy Italian abbey are suspected of heresy, and Brother William of Baskerville arrives to investigate. When his delicate mission is suddenly overshadowed by seven bizarre deaths, Brother William turns detective. His tools are the logic of Aristotle, the theology of Aquinas, the empirical insights of Roger Bacon—all sharpened to a glistening edge by wry humor and a ferocious curiosity. He collects evidence, deciphers secret symbols and coded manuscripts, and digs into the eerie labyrinth of the abbey, where “the most interesting things happen at night.”
9. Gone Girl – Gillian Flynn
On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy’s diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?
10. Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
The year is 1954. U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels and his new partner, Chuck Aule, have come to Shutter Island, home of Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, to investigate the disappearance of a patient. Multiple murderess Rachel Solando is loose somewhere on this remote and barren island, despite having been kept in a locked cell under constant surveillance. As a killer hurricane relentlessly bears down on them, a strange case takes on even darker, more sinister shades—with hints of radical experimentation, horrifying surgeries, and lethal countermoves made in the cause of a covert shadow war. No one is going to escape Shutter Island unscathed, because nothing at Ashecliffe Hospital is what it seems. But then neither is Teddy Daniels.
In finding this list, there was one really important thing I learnt – I haven’t read ANY of them! I guess I have some reading to do…
How many of the above books have you read, and what didn’t make the list that should have?! Share them in the comments below.
A serial killer, technology, and a detective determined to find the truth. Come along on a murder mystery adventure, with the LAST INSTALMENT of “The Murder App” – Chapter 10!
Detective Steven Evans laughed aloud. A cruel, cold sounding laugh as Ella pushed against the restraints. Now that the blur from her head had cleared, she realised that she was tied to a metal chair, in the middle of a basement room. The Murder App killer that she and Steve had been chasing the last few weeks, the one that had killed several woman – including someone she had known in university – was standing in front of her. Her partner was a killer.
‘Steve, what are you doing? Let me go and let’s talk about taking you in.’
Steve laughed again, this time stopping suddenly and returning his face to a deadpan expression. ‘You know that’s not how this ends.’
‘Why then? Why do this Steve?’ She manoeuvred her hands and felt the restraints loosen a little. Obviously, Steve had tied them in a hurry.
‘Because, you found my blood at Jessica’s crime scene.’
Recognition must have crossed her face, because Steve nodded and leaned in closer. ‘There really was only two options for me. Run, or kill you – the only other person in that house who noticed, or mentioned the blood splatter.’
‘Someone else will find it, it’s still over Steve.’ She felt the restraints shift again, and she wriggled discretely until one of her hands was free.
‘Ah, but I’ve already taken care of it when you left. As you said, you could smell the bleach in the house, so one more touch didn’t do any difference.’
‘So now, you’re going to kill me?’ she asked, releasing her second hand and keeping them in place. She wanted to take Steve by surprise.
>>>Get a copy of my ebook KIDNAPPED Entanglement >>>here
Before he could reply, Ella lunged forward and the gun Steve had been holding slammed to the floor. They rolled and fought for control, but Steve was stronger. He pinned her down and she reached up towards him, landing an open handed hit to his cheek. As he recoiled and pulled back his hand for a response, Ella spotted the gun just within reach.
Without thinking, she reached for it just as the impact of his fist landed on her face. The pain sliced through her, but she ignored it as she raised the gun and fired into Steve’s side. Once, twice, three times. The man jolted and fell off of her, and she gritted her teeth as she raised up onto her knees. Blood trickled from his mouth as he tried to crawl away from her. She didn’t let up, shooting him again – this time in his chest twice.
The man who had been her partner fell to the ground – his eyes open just like Jessica’s. Rage and fear was his last expression. The one that her partner, who was supposed to be catching the killers, would have forever. She dropped the gun and looked around the sparse room. Steve had left her phone on a metal table at the other end of the room, and Ella crawled towards it. Still in pain, she dialled for backup and sat alone in the room while they traced the phone.
Steve lay across from her, dead. She’d killed her partner. She’d gotten justice for those women, but she’d had to kill a man to get it. If only he’d turned himself in when the blood had been found – or chosen to run. But he hadn’t. He’d forced her to take things into her own hands.
When backup finally arrived, she’d answered several questions, and had gotten the all clear from the paramedics. Ella let an officer driver her home. The blur of thanks, and walking to her front door melted away at the sight of Ted in the doorway. When he noticed her, the bag of rubbish in his hand dropped and he sprinted into her arms. Picking her up, Ella didn’t complain as he carried her into the house, and onto the couch. Making sure she was okay, he moved into the other room and left her alone.
She would tell him everything that had happened, of course. She would go over all the details, and release the pain in tears, but right now, she was silent. The events of the night washed over her as Samson cautiously approached, licking her hand that hung over the side. She smiled and patted his head as tears started to fall. Sounds of Ted making food in the other room started, with scents of her favourite soup filling the house.
It was over. She had found the Murder App killer, lost her partner, and experienced the trauma of abduction and killing all in one night. Now, it was time to be with her family. Her dog; her husband; her home. She would have time to process it all later. The Murder App case was closed, and she could finally put it to rest.
I hope you enjoyed the final instalment of the Murder App!
A serial killer, technology, and a detective determined to find the truth. Come along on a murder mystery adventure, with The Murder App – Chapter 9!
The coffee shop wasn’t too crowded, but not empty either. A few couples were hunched over and quietly talking with each other at a few tables around her. Ella could hear the communication of her team in the inner ear device, but didn’t dare respond. If anyone overheard her talking to herself, she might scare away the potential killer.
What were the odds that the first person she met up with was really the Murder App killer? It would probably be a false alarm, and she’d have to do this over and over again a few times before they really stumbled upon him. Hopefully before he killed another innocent woman. In any case, she waited with a cup of coffee already ordered, and half drunk. He was late.
This guy was either a flake – and not the guy they were after – or he was making her wait. Why would he do that? A test to see if she would react a certain way when he finally showed up? Did he take one look at her and decide she was too much of a challenge?
She needed this one to be the one. The sooner he was off the street – or internet as it were – the better. As she was contemplating calling it quits, a car slammed into another right outside. Both driver’s got out and started yelling to each other, but before she or her team could react, a sound behind her startled her. Before she could turn around, Ella felt a sharp pain slam into the back of her head. The edges of her vision started to darken and blur. The outline of a figure came into her view, but before she could focus on who it was, the world went black.
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Ella felt her head throb before she opened her eyes. Slowly the memory of the car accident, the coffee shop, and the hit on her head came back to her. She flew her eyes open and groaned at the pain. The room was dimly lit, but the blow to her had been hard, and she was feeling the pain.
‘Ah, you’re awake.’ The voice was somewhat familiar, but Ella was still too blurry to recognise it. The shadow of a man slipped into her view from the side, back lit by the strange lighting. The room she was in started to come into focus, and Ella took in what she could. A basement. She was pretty sure this was some kind of basement room, with a swinging light above her, and standing light in the corner. The one in the corner was the only light on in the room.
The man moved towards her slowly, twirling what looked like her gun in his hand. ‘You know, I didn’t want things to end up this way Detective.’ He knew who she was. The whole encounter had probably been a trap. Ella wished she could recall the voice, but things were still fuzzy. She wasn’t even sure words would form yet if she tried.
‘You know, the women in this town are far too picky,’ the man continued, moving closer. ‘They never seem to want the good guys. They never want the ones who will genuinely care about them. A Tom Hanks to their Meg Ryan. They’d rather have a Captain Sparrow.’ The man stopped walking and Ella felt the final fuzz in her head clear as he cautiously stepped into view. The twisted smile on his face was not what she’d grown accustomed to seeing on her partners face.
‘Steve?’
I hope you enjoyed this instalment of the Murder App. Come back next time for the LAST chapter!
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