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"Donnell Ann Bell's debut novel The Past Came Hunting is a gripping read - a tale of love, deceit and facing down the sins of the past. A fast-moving and engrossing story, The Past Came Hunting will keep you up turning the pages. A thoroughly satisfying read!" -Jeanne Adams, award-winning suspense author
Shock made her numb.
It wasn't possible. How had she missed the connection? She hadn't thought of the man in years. The cop who'd arrested her, his name had been . . . Crandall.
Somehow Mel found the strength to look into his eyes. And when she did, she came face to face with what could only be a mutually shocked expression.
"You," she whispered.
"You," he replied.
Fifteen years ago a young Colorado Springs police officer arrested a teen runaway accused of aiding a convenience store robbery and attempted murder. She was innocent, but still served prison time briefly. Her testimony sent the real thief to jail for much longer. Now she's a young widow raising a son, and the man she put in prison is free and seeking revenge. She moves to a home in a new neighborhood-then learns that her next-door neighbor is the by-the-book officer who arrested her. Now he's a Colorado Springs P.D. Lieutenant. Like it or not, he may be the only one who can protect her and her son from the past he helped create.
Donnell Ann Bell is the recipient of numerous awards for her fiction writing and the co-owner of Crimescenewriters, a Yahoo group for mystery/suspense writers, which is 2,000 members strong. Donnell was raised in New Mexico's Land of Enchantment and today calls Colorado home. www.DonnellAnnBell.com
Anonymous
Posted January 9, 2013
Wonderful read! Each member of our family read this entrancing story, loved the characters, thought it was well written and exciting! We couldn't stop thinking about the story and characters when we put it down for the night. Great first book-- can't wait for the next one!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.joakess
Posted July 9, 2012
Well written and a great story. The plot moves along well with plenty of action that kept me happily turing pages. I would highly reccomend this book and anything by this author!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted April 15, 2012
Nowhere near a thriller. Too predictable
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.My Review:
From the moment I started this book, until I finished it, it was almost painful to set this book down. It was so good (and it was probably not a very good idea for me to start it the morning of my husband's birthday, since I kept having to sneak "just one more chapter"...LOL.)
Everything about the writing and the story of this book completely sucked me in.
One bad choice at age 17 changed the future of Melanie's life forever. She ended up being sent to prison as an adult as an accomplice for a crime that she didn't commit. Her crime...running away from a bad home situation, hitchhiking with the wrong guy, leaping out of a moving truck to avoid rape, getting in the car with a charming good-looking guy who wanted to help her but who was, in actuality a criminal who committed murder while she was in the bathroom at the convenience store. She came out and tried to stop him and instead got 5 years in prison as his accomplice after she was forced and scared into a plea bargain. At 17, she didn't have the resources or knowledge to fight back so she went to prison as an adult for a crime that she didn't commit and became branded a felon for the rest of her life.
It's been 15 years since that day and Melanie has completely turned her life around. Everyone who ever knew her when she was part of the Dept of Corrections realized that she never belonged there and they worked to help her start anew when she was released after 9 months served. Now the good-looking charmer, Maxwell, is being released from prison and he has vowed to kill her in revenge for her testimony against him. As a result, the former warden of her prison has helped her relocate and basically "hide" so that maybe he won't be able to find her. What neither of them realize when they move her is that she's moved right in next door to her arresting officer, Joe. She was his first violent bust and he's carried the scar ever since, but by the time he realizes who she is, their boys are well on their way to being best friends. (It's really not as complicated as it sounds...)
Joe is appalled when he realizes who's moved in next door and who his son is hanging out with, and immediately wants Melanie and her son out. But it doesn't take long for him to realize that Melanie is not who he always assumed she was.
There were so many incredible layers to this story. The heartbreak of what happened to Melanie. The incredible characters of both Melanie and Joe (I loved both of them.) The friendship between their boys...Luke and Matt (both the only sophomores on the varsity basketball team.) The suspense of Maxwell working in the background, fully planning to kill Melanie as soon as he locates her. This is a FULLY developed story which was just a joy to read because you feel like you are a living part of this story, not reading a book. It was just so incredibly well-written. There was not a single part of it that I didn't like.
A word of advice: if you enjoy Romantic Suspense, then you NEED to add this one to your TBR pile NOW!
LenaDiaz
Posted February 20, 2012
Donnell Ann Bell's debut is such a fun read. Her characters are well-fleshed out and leap off the page. The suspense has excellent pacing and the love story is satisfying. LOVE her hero, Joe. The conflict keeps you turning the page to see what happens next. The best part of this story is that the author surprises you all throughout the book. Every time you expect a cliche, she has the characters do something just a little bit different than you thought they would do. I look forward to her future books. Great debut.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Donnell Ann Bell's The Past Came Hunting ranks as one of the best romantic suspense novels I've read in recent years. The fact that it's her debut novel makes that feat all the more impressive. What makes it so good? Both heroine and hero struggle with very realistic competing claims on their affection and sense of duty. Plus the villain is everyone's nightmare-smart, calculating, handsome, evil, and intent on revenge for the 15 years he's spent in prison-time he believes he'd never have served if the heroine had kept her mouth shut.
Too often (for my taste) the relationship roadblocks in romantic suspense seem contrived or the result of silly misunderstandings. Not so with The Past Came Hunting, Melanie, the heroine, is a wrongly-convicted felon who's served a brief stint in prison. The hero cop, Joe, arrested her and sports a healthy scar as a reminder. Both have teenage sons who mean the world to them, and Joe's bucking for a promotion. When Melanie buys the house next door to Joe and their sons become inseparable, the reader joins the couple on a roller-coaster ride of attraction and distrust. Now layer these tensions with the villain Drake's determination to track down the heroine and make her pay for testifying against him, and you have one humdinger of a page turner. I highly recommend this novel.
Mystery_GirlSC
Posted October 16, 2011
Original premise, engaging Characters, fast-paced plot. I loved this book!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.When teenage runaway Melanie Atkins climbs in Drake Maxwell's silver Corvette, little does she know she's hooked up with the wrong guy - a guy with a gun. Fifteen years later, having spent a few months in prison for a crime she didn't commit, Melanie's turned her life and her attitude around. Now a beautiful young widow with a teenage son, she's desperate to hide her past mistakes and make a brand new start. The future's looking bright as Melanie makes the move to Colorado Springs and takes up residence in a pristine little house on Serendipity Street. But just as luck (or coincidence) would have it, turns out her brand new next-door neighbor is no other than Joe Crandall, the tough-as-nails-by-the-book cop who originally arrested her fifteen years before. When he discovers his new neighbor's identity, Joe's definitely not a happy camper - especially when his teenage son Matt and Melanie's own son Luke become fast friends. Joe's a divorced single dad, and it's hard enough raising a kid on his own; the last thing he needs is a fight on his hands over Matt's friendship with Luke - especially since Joe and Melanie are busy fighting themselves over the intense attraction pulling them together. But just as the fighting ceases and romance threatens to spill over into their everyday lives, Joe and Melanie discover a terrible truth. Drake Maxwell has been released from prison, and Melanie's fears finally come true as the past comes hunting in a death dance guaranteed to keep you reading long into the night until the very last page. THE PAST CAME HUNTING is a stunning work of romantic suspense by debut author Donnell Bell. Beautifully crafted with plot twists and turns, THE PAST CAME HUNTING is a heart-pounding, nail-biting ride. Readers of romantic suspense will definitely enjoy this first in the repertoire of a very gifted author. Bravo, Ms. Bell! I'm definitely looking forward to your next book!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted November 5, 2011
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Overview
"Donnell Ann Bell's debut novel The Past Came Hunting is a gripping read - a tale of love, deceit and facing down the sins of the past. A fast-moving and engrossing story, The Past Came Hunting will keep you up turning the pages. A thoroughly satisfying read!" -Jeanne Adams, ...