Mystery Novel Review: Spent Identity by Marlene M. Bell

I love mysteries and, this week, I have a few from the Annalisse series by author Marlene M. Bell.  I read and reviewed the first book in the series, Stolen Obsession, several years ago for A Mama's Corner of the World.  Today, I have the second book--Spent Identity--in our book review spotlight.  Check out the book, read my thoughts on the book, learn about the author & be sure to enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post.  I will be sharing reviews of more books from the series this week too!

Book Title:  Spent Identity (Annalisse Series Book 2) by Marlene M. Bell
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 378 pages 
Genre: Mystery-Suspense
Publisher:  Ewephoric Publishing
Release date:   Nov 2019
Format available for review:  print - softback, e-book (mobi file (for Kindle), ePub, PDF), audiobook (audible download)
Will send print books out:  USA 
Content Rating:  PG-13+M. Main Character is accosted and fights an assailant in one chapter. Mild profanity.

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about the book

Antiquities appraiser Annalisse Drury drives to her family farm in upstate New York to consult with Aunt Kate about her troubled relationship with Greek tycoon, Alec Zavos. When Annalisse arrives, she learns the beloved farm she expects to inherit is for sale.

​That same morning, they find a stranger's body decaying in the barn. Then her aunt vanishes.

In Spent Identity, Annalisse and Alec join forces for the second time. They must find the mastermind behind her aunt's abduction before Kate's health issues worsen. Was the corpse in the barn a coincidence or a warning? The clock ticks for Annalisse to find her aunt and repair what she has left with the man she loves.

 

my review

 

Spent Identity Could Be Read as a Stand Alone, Best as a Series. It has been several years since I read the first book in the series. The author offers some catch-up information to fill in some of the first book's happenings and character relationships, but I didn't feel as connected to the characters in this novel as I did in the first. I found myself trying to remember some of the pieces and parts that the author didn't revisit. I think readers will enjoy the storyline and the characters more if they read the series in order.

Spent Identity is More Romance than Mystery. If you are seeking a strong and realistic feeling mystery suspense novel--this probably isn't your novel. However, if you are seeking more of an action-packed romance novel with a mystery and some unexpected story twists--this one is an entertaining next step in the series. Much like the first novel, this one isn't very realistic, and the main character is less strong and independent than I prefer. Nevertheless, the author keeps the action moving and does throw in some unexpected happenings that keep readers engaged--and pulled forward toward the next book in the series. 

Would I recommend Spent Identity by Marlene Ball? While I didn't find the characters realistic--I did enjoy the relationships and the story's pace. I also liked the ending; even if romance novels are not my favorite, I enjoyed the romance elements too. If you enjoyed the first book in the series--this one is a good second book. If you like romance novels with family drama, secrets, and a little mystery, this book and series are worthy of spots on your reading list. 

  

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Book Title:  Stolen Obsession (Annalisse Series Book 1) by Marlene M. Bell
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 296 pages 
Genre: Mystery-Suspense
Publisher:  Ewephoric Publishing
Release date:   March 2018
Format available for review:  print - softback, e-book (mobi file (for Kindle), ePub, PDF), audiobook (audible download)
Will send print books out:  USA 
Content Rating:  PG. Subtle romantic interludes. No profanity.

about the book

People die, but legends live on.

New York antiquities appraiser Annalisse Drury's best friend was murdered. The killer’s identity may be linked to her friend’s expensive missing bracelet—a 500-year-old artifact that carries an ancient curse, one that unleashes evil upon any who dare wear the jewelry created for the Persian royal family.

Weeks later, Annalisse sees a matching necklace at a Manhattan gallery opening. She begs the owner to destroy the cursed piece, but her pleas fall on deaf ears—despite the unnatural death that occurs during the opening. With two victims linked to the jewelry, Annalisse is certain she must act. Desperate, Annalisse enlists the gallery 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 parents, feared kidnapped or even dead. When the killer changes tactics and goes after Alec behind Annalisse’s back, can her plan to rescue Alec’s mother save them all?

 

about the book

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Book Title:  Scattered Legacy (Annalisse Series Book 3) by Marlene M. Bell
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 352 pages 
Genre: Mystery-Suspense
Publisher:  Ewephoric Publishing
Release date:   Oct 2021
Format available for review:  print - softback, e-book (mobi file (for Kindle), ePub, PDF)
Will send print books out:  USA 
Content Rating:  PG+M. Brief kissing/romance. mild use of profanity like "damn." No F Bombs. Some violence and talk of an attack by villain that doesn't materialize.

about the book

To outsiders, the relationship between Manhattan antiquities assessor Annalisse Drury and sports car magnate Alec Zavos must look carefree and glamorous. In reality, it’s a love affair regularly punctuated by treasure hunting, action-packed adventure, and the occasional dead body.

When Alec schedules an overseas trip to show Annalisse his mother's birthplace in Bari, Italy, he squeezes in the high-stakes business of divesting his family’s international corporation. But things go terribly wrong as murder makes its familiar reappearance in their lives – and this time it’s Alec’s disgraced former CFO who’s the main suspect.

​Accompanied by friend and detective Bill Drake, Annalisse and Alec find themselves embroiled in a behind-closed-doors conspiracy that threatens the reputation and legacy of Alec’s late father – linking him to embezzlement, extortion, and the dirty business of the Sicilian Mafia. The search for the truth sends the trio straight into riddles, secrets, and an historic set of rosary beads. Annalisse leads Alec toward a discovery that is unthinkable, and events that will change their futures forever.

Scattered Legacy is the third in Marlene M. Bell’s thrilling Annalisse series, which weaves romance, crime, and historical mystery into addictive tales to instantly captivate fans of TV show Bones or Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code.

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Other Books in the Series

  

Book Title:  Copper Waters - A New Zealand Mystery (Annalisse Series Book 4) by Marlene M. Bell
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 340 pages 
Genre: Mystery-Suspense
Publisher:  Ewephoric Publishing
Release date:   October, 2022
Content Rating:  G. Book is for general audiences. No profanity. No graphic scenes. Crimes described briefly after-the-fact. Mild and limited romance

about the book

Annalisse Drury and Alec Zavos find themselves on opposing sides when an ex-lover from Alec’s past introduces him to his alleged son. With Alec distracted and their future engagement in limbo, Annalisse accepts a key to her dream cottage—situated on a picturesque sheep station on South Island, New Zealand—only this time, she travels alone.

But not long after her arrival she’s confronted by two peculiar deaths—either accidental, or the deliberate acts of a psychopath.

Local investigators are closing the cases too quickly and want Annalisse to exit the country before she reveals the town’s darkest secrets.

Will she return to Alec, or sacrifice their future together to expose it all?

 

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meet the author

Marlene M. Bell is an eclectic mystery writer, artist, 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 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.) Her mysteries with a touch of romance are found at marlenembell.com. She also offers 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.

connect with the author:  website ~ website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads

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COPPER WATERS Book Tour Giveaway