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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
Angela Cray Gets Real by Dara Carr is a mystery novel where we are introduced to none other than, Angela Cray. Angela is back at home, jobless, carless and wondering where her life is going after a close call with the law after her last job went belly up. Her last boss and boyfriend almost got her sent to prison because of his illegal activities and now she is on the path of trying to get her life back in order. So when a sympathetic neighbor offers her a job, she jumps at the opportunity. The neighbor, Monalisa, is bit of a strange woman, but she has a loveable dog, Boo, whom Angela takes to immediately. This first job that Monalisa and Angela take on is a missing person’s case. Charise, the fiancée, is looking for her missing fiancée, Kevin. She hasn’t heard from him in over a week, and so she is concerned because this is not like him at all. The case seems pretty straight forward. To both women, it appears like a case of cold feet or change of mind for the groom-to-be, but Charise wants answers. The fiancée was last seen with two Lady Gaga lookalikes, but as Angela soon learns things go deeper than they appear and have more twists than anyone could have foreseen. It doesn’t take long for Angela to start running into roadblocks, dead ends and more trouble than she can handle. What once looked like an easy straight forward case is now turning into a dark complex situation. Where there are a lot of players invested with dark secrets that they do not wish to have to come to light.
Angela Cray Gets Real is the first book that I have read by Dara Carr. This is a unique mystery novel that is filled with danger and lots of twists and turns. Discovering why Kevin has seemingly disappeared and cut off contact with his fiancée, Charise, takes the forefront of the story. Charise wants answers and Angela is determined to find them. While in the process, she begins to piece together more than she bargained for when she agreed to work with Monalisa. Angela is an interesting character. Despite her less than ideal situation, she doesn’t back down or make excuses for not being able to do. She pushes forward despite it all. I like this about her character. When she needs to stop and reflect, or even take a rest she does that. She doesn’t push herself to the point of breaking. I like that the author sprinkles in some humorous moments into the story.
Each of the characters in this story is different and unique in their own way. They each leave their own impression and are important in their own way. We get some background on what transpired with Angela at her day spa job, but I was hoping to learn more. While the story flows smoothly, there are moments of where I feel it becomes a bit dull and I lose some interest. I do like how true to reality this story stays. Angela doing things that are dangerous and risky, Monalisa ever being the legal mind and assessing the legalities of some of the things that Angela does and warning her of straying too far. Readers will find that there is an oddity concerning Monalisa, but I love that the author eventually explains why this is, and that it is not a character flaw in Monalisa’s overall personality.
This story has more than a few twists and turns, and it is these things that kept me engaged the most throughout the story. Every time the author handed me another twist in the story, I wanted to know what was going to happen next. While there are a couple moments in this book that I am disappointed in how things go or end, I have to say that it added to my enjoyment. I don’t like stories that are predictable, and this book satisfies that desire in me. I love a mystery novel that keeps me guessing as to who the masterminds are in the story, and this book does exactly that. The author does a fantastic job at hiding who the real dangers are until the very end. We don’t get complete closure concerning everything, but we get enough to satisfy the storyline.
Initially, I was prepared to give this book a solid 4 out of 5 stars, but the more I contemplated this story, the more I realized it deserves the 5 out of 5 stars. The author meets all the requirements of this story. She gives us a situation to be solved, and then it becomes a complicated web of deception, danger and so many secrets all around that put the main character in danger on all sides. This story is layered with mystery, and each layer must be pulled back in order for each part to be discovered and the truth uncovered. So while this book is not full of humorous moments, romance and light situations, it is worth reading and I think that those who do will enjoy this book.
I am rating this book 5 out of 5 stars. If you are looking for a fun, cozy mystery that will entertain you with light moments, and mild danger this book won’t be for you. But if you are looking for a multi-layered mystery with interesting characters then I recommend you check this book out.
Angela Cray Gets Real is the first book that I have read by Dara Carr. This is a unique mystery novel that is filled with danger and lots of twists and turns. Discovering why Kevin has seemingly disappeared and cut off contact with his fiancée, Charise, takes the forefront of the story. Charise wants answers and Angela is determined to find them. While in the process, she begins to piece together more than she bargained for when she agreed to work with Monalisa. Angela is an interesting character. Despite her less than ideal situation, she doesn’t back down or make excuses for not being able to do. She pushes forward despite it all. I like this about her character. When she needs to stop and reflect, or even take a rest she does that. She doesn’t push herself to the point of breaking. I like that the author sprinkles in some humorous moments into the story.
Each of the characters in this story is different and unique in their own way. They each leave their own impression and are important in their own way. We get some background on what transpired with Angela at her day spa job, but I was hoping to learn more. While the story flows smoothly, there are moments of where I feel it becomes a bit dull and I lose some interest. I do like how true to reality this story stays. Angela doing things that are dangerous and risky, Monalisa ever being the legal mind and assessing the legalities of some of the things that Angela does and warning her of straying too far. Readers will find that there is an oddity concerning Monalisa, but I love that the author eventually explains why this is, and that it is not a character flaw in Monalisa’s overall personality.
This story has more than a few twists and turns, and it is these things that kept me engaged the most throughout the story. Every time the author handed me another twist in the story, I wanted to know what was going to happen next. While there are a couple moments in this book that I am disappointed in how things go or end, I have to say that it added to my enjoyment. I don’t like stories that are predictable, and this book satisfies that desire in me. I love a mystery novel that keeps me guessing as to who the masterminds are in the story, and this book does exactly that. The author does a fantastic job at hiding who the real dangers are until the very end. We don’t get complete closure concerning everything, but we get enough to satisfy the storyline.
Initially, I was prepared to give this book a solid 4 out of 5 stars, but the more I contemplated this story, the more I realized it deserves the 5 out of 5 stars. The author meets all the requirements of this story. She gives us a situation to be solved, and then it becomes a complicated web of deception, danger and so many secrets all around that put the main character in danger on all sides. This story is layered with mystery, and each layer must be pulled back in order for each part to be discovered and the truth uncovered. So while this book is not full of humorous moments, romance and light situations, it is worth reading and I think that those who do will enjoy this book.
I am rating this book 5 out of 5 stars. If you are looking for a fun, cozy mystery that will entertain you with light moments, and mild danger this book won’t be for you. But if you are looking for a multi-layered mystery with interesting characters then I recommend you check this book out.