Hazardous Duty by Christy Barritt
Buying a gun to kill your wife: $3,000
Hiring Trauma Care to clean afterward: $1,500
Having that same cleaner uncover evidence that frames you: priceless
On her way to completing a degree in forensic science, Gabby St. Claire drops out of school and starts her own crime scene cleaning business. “Yeah, that’s me,” she says, “a crime scene cleaner. People waiting in line behind me who strike up conversations always regret it.”
When a routine cleaning job leads her to find a murder weapon the police overlooked, she realizes that the wrong person is in jail. But the owner of the weapon is a powerful foe . . . and willing to do anything to keep Gabby quiet.
With the help of her new neighbor, Riley Thomas, a man whose life and faith fascinate her, Gabby plays the detective to make sure the right person is put behind bars. Can Riley help her before another murder occurs?
“Christy Barritt’s novel, Hazardous Duty, is a delightful read from beginning to end. The story’s fresh, engaging heroine with an unusual occupation hooked me, and I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend Hazardous Duty.”
—Colleen Coble
Author of Fire Dancer, book one of the Fire Jumpers Series
"With Gabby St. Claire, Christy Barritt has created a fun sleuth in a unique profession. Hazardous Duty provides both humor and an engaging mystery. The twists and turns of the whodunit are matched only by the surprises of Gabby's spiritual growth and romantic entanglements."
Sharon Dunn Author of the Ruby Taylor mysteries including Cow Crimes and Mustang Menace.
Cow Crimes and the Mustang Menace
"Christy Barritt is a bright new voice on the fiction scene, destined to rise above the others with her fun, intriguing mysteries. . . . Stay tuned and watch for more from this gifted, talented author..You'll love it."
Cheryl Wolverton Multi-published author Award Winner, The Choice of Readers (IRCC Winner)"
"The next time you're tempted to watch CSI reruns, read this book instead! Spunky, sassy y St. Claire sparkles in this new series. She'll keep you turning the pages." Siri Mitchell author of The Cubicle Next Door
My Reivew:
This was a great book! I knew I would like it! I always like these "nosy female figures out crime" type plots.
The main character, Gabby, has aspirations to be a CSI, but is working as a crime scene cleaner to pay the bills in the meantime. As the book opens, Gabby is cleaning a crime scene where a politician's wife was murdered. In the process of cleaning, Gabby stumbles on new evidence and, as she wonders what to do with it, discovers that the house is on fire! Gabby escapes with her life, but is now determined to find out the truth behind the crime.
When the detective assigned to the case isn't as engaged in the evidence she found as she would like, Gabby decides to work on the mystery herself and it almosts costs her her life--3 times! Fortunately she's got great friends who are looking out for her. Sierra, her "tree-hugging," save-the-animals, vegan downstairs neighbor and Riley, her mysterious, kind, and religious across-the-hall neighbor do their best to look out for her, when she lets them.
Barritt keeps the reader fully engaged in solving the mystery. Her characters are quirky, likeable, and "not-too-perfect" enough to be human. I definately feel like there must be another book coming with these characters as a bunch of storylines were hinted at, but not fully explored--like Gabby's relationship with her father, her dating life, Gabby's relationship with God which is just barely beyond "not on speaking terms" as she just commits to attend a church service at the close of the book, etc. I can't wait to read more about Gabby! I give this book a sunny day rating!
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| Hazardous Duty By Christy Barritt / Kregel Publications She always wanted to be a forensic pathologist. But when circumstances force her to drop out of school, Gabby St. Claire starts a crime scene-cleaning business. Suddenly a routine job turns up a murder weapon, and Gabby and her neighbor Riley realize that the wrong man is behind bars! Will they catch the real killer? 240 pages, softcover from Kregel. |
