3 out of 4 stars
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This short story of murder, lies, and love is fast paced and entertaining to read. We follow Olivia as she attempts to untangle the mystery of her memories and tries to figure out who she can trust and who she should stay away from. Because of the quality of writing and how engaging the story is, I give Dodged Bullets 3 out of 4 stars.
Sutton does a terrific job of placing the audience right in the heart of Olivia's fear, paranoia, and insecurities. Olivia is the main character and the victim of a stalker. The sense of urgency that is built without giving any clear details away creates a setting that allows the reader's own interpretations and ideas to sort of guide the way through the initial moments of this mystery. The author doesn't waste time with a bogged down backstory. Instead she presents Olivia to the reader via an inner dialogue. We learn all of the important facts as an engaged observer rather than an obvious onlooker that the character is narrating to. That type of respect for the reader is not something you see very often.
The author is a strong writer in the mystery/legal/crime genre. While the actual crime and resolution were merely touched upon, there is no doubt the author could expand on the courtroom and trial scenes greatly in a longer novel. Where the pace of the story slowed was when it became focused on Olivia's romantic interludes instead of on the crimes driving the story.
Olivia quickly turned from a justifiable victim and the heroine to root for, to a somewhat annoying and needy damsel in distress archetype. It began to feel like Olivia was not worth saving if she was not actively receiving verbal confirmation of romantic love. Even for all the trauma she endured, Olivia focused mainly on having the male lead rescue her. That was disappointing, as Olivia began as a stronger character than that.
As far as short stories goes, this book keeps the reader engaged and looking forward to the next development. The author does a terrific job of developing the characters and giving them each an individual voice. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys crime dramas, short stories, or books that are extremely detailed and well executed without being overburdened by irrelevant information. Dodged Bullets is the first book I've read by Lynn Sutton, but it definitely won't be the last!
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Dodged Bullets
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