Donnell Ann Bell

Denver, lawyers, law-enforcement, suspense, cold-case, FBI, ATF, bombing, friendship*****

When a bomb goes off in a crowded cafe in downtown Denver it's a big law enforcement event. When one of the dead is a former federal agent and his tablemate is a Federal attorney who seems to have been the target and whose aunt is a United States senator, it's an alphabet soup circus (FBI, ATF, Major Crimes Unit, Cold Case Unit) more or less working together. The cast of characters and the investigation are very compelling, the due diligence is meticulous, and the suspense is riveting. An awesome read.
I requested and received a free e-book copy from Bell Bridge Books via NetGalley. Thank you!… (mehr)

The Past Came Hunting, by Donnell Bell, offers a realistic, and at times gritty, story of redemption. I enjoy stories where characters experience dramatic change. All the better when that change is plausible.

While single-mom Melanie turns her life around, the bad guy doesn’t. This page-turner suspense novel leaves the reader guessing until the conclusion whether Melanie will escape a vengeful, dangerous killer from her troubled past.

Author Bell doesn’t pull her punches. The criminals use foul language, and behave like the bad people they are. Still, they are three-dimensional characters. Gang leader Ramirez, for example, may be a criminal, but he is also a protective brother and excellent cook. The hero, Joe Crandall, faces a difficult choice between advancing his career, and his growing love for Melanie and her teen son. He’s not perfect, which makes him more appealing.

Well-developed characters and a constantly escalating plot make The Past Came Hunting a satisfying read.
… (mehr)

Donnell Ann Bell burns up the pages in her fast-paced suspense novel Deadly Recall. An overworked public defender doesn’t realize she has a gap in her childhood memories until a handsome detective questions her about a cold case.

Eden Moran resists her attraction to Kevin Dancer. They represent opposite sides of the law – he catches the bad guys, and she defends them in court, often setting them free. When Kevin investigates the discovery of a decades old murder, they are forced to work together. Events trigger Eden’s recollections of Sister Beatrice, and both become obsessed with solving her murder.

The cold case gets hot as they uncover a myriad of clues and suspects, some uncomfortably close to home. The relationship between Eden and Kevin heats up, too. Just when you think you have the murder solved, another layer of intrigue muddies the waters.

Deadly Recall has more twists and turns than a roller coaster. I was on the edge of my seat clear through to the last page.
… (mehr)