Book Details:
Book Title: Mayhem, Murder and the PTA by Dave Cravens
Category: Adult Fiction, 434 pages
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Publisher: Amazon
Release date: May 20, 2019
Format available for review: print, ebook (mobi, gifted Kindle copy, ePub, PDF)
Will send print books out: USA & Canada
Tour dates: August 19 to September 13, 2019
Content Rating: R (Rated R mostly for language. There are adult topics of conversation, a brief scene depicting two adults having consensual sex that becomes interrupted, a murder, and several themes that touch upon drug use, adultery, pedophilia and human trafficking.)Book Description:
Parker Monroe is a tough-talking investigative reporter used to writing headlines, not being the subject of them. When a key source vanishes on a politically toxic story, this single mother of three finds herself at the center of a media storm and out of a job. Ready to reset, Parker moves her family back to the rural town where she grew up. But a gossip-filled PTA, a tyrannical school principal and a gruesome murder make adjusting to the “simple life” anything but. Parker Monroe is about to chase the story of her lifetime…
MY REVIEW
I received a copy for an honest review. What follows is my opinion and mine alone. There was no compensation for this review.
Now that’s out of the way, this book . . . well, it took a little bit for me to get into the flow of this book. First off, the size of the paperback felt a bit daunting. I mean this thing looks huge! Turns out, what you see isn’t always what it is. Nope, the print is actually a bit large. Which I have no complaints about! I can read it without my glasses and I know my sister (she’s dyslexic) or my best friend (she’s legally blind) could read it too.
But, what really made the book a challenge, in the beginning, was Parker Monroe, our main character. Right off the bat, I didn’t care for her. She is abrasive, argumentative, and cusses a lot. The last part doesn’t actually bother me, I do too. After a few chapters though, I could see that the first Parker I met was really just coping with something bigger. Yes, you find out what is causing the stress right away, but you don’t necessarily see the implications of it unless you push past the first ten chapters.
Don’t worry though, the chapters are quick.
There were characters that I liked (Parker’s mother is awesome) and there were others who seemed to be caricatures of what you would suspect (I’m thinking the PTA). That said though, it is the story that grips you. I honestly didn’t know what to expect or see and when the final reveal happened . . . . I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING!
The writing is easy to get into and again, once you get past the abrasive Parker (who I am now beginning to see similarities with me) you get a story that is part mom trying to fight for her children’s music program, part solving serious crime, and part navigating the world of single parenthood.
This was one of those reads that I did enjoy and reminded me that I shouldn’t judge a book by its physical exterior and not to judge the main character from your first impression.
Final Rating: 3/5
Meet the author:As a child, Dave Cravens planned to grow up to be a superhero, the first person to capture Bigfoot and Nessie on film, pilot experimental aircraft out of Area 51, develop cold fusion, and star and direct in his own blockbuster action movies so he could retire at the ripe age of twenty-five and raid tombs the rest of his life. Instead, he got a degree in journalism, which he hasn’t used at all other than to justify his incredibly insightful and valid complaints about the state of journalism. During his twenty-two years in the video game business, he’s written for award winning franchises, directed TV commercials and movies, sprained his ankles numerous times in ultimate frisbee games and published three original novels.
Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook
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Published by CasiaPickering
Casia Pickering is a multi-genre author and has contributed to over ten anthologies. She has maintained her website, Casia's Corner for over ten years and continues to help authors with her reviews. Casia lives in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia with her son.
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Casia's Corner 
Thank you so much for the great review. sounds like an intriguing fast paced read.
It was fast paced at times. For me, it was really getting past my initial dislike for the main character. But, that was refreshing in itself. I usually like the main character. So, I actually appreciate having my mind change and really getting into a story.
Thanks for taking the time to read and review! I appreciate it!
Thank you for writing the book!
Looks very interesting