Spent Identity is a new contemporary romantic suspense novel from author Marlene M. Bell. Today, I'm giving you an exclusive sneak peek inside this book before you download your own copy. Be sure to visit other stops on the tour for even more! And best of luck entering the great giveaway at the end!
Spent Identity
(Annalisse Series #2)
By Marlene M. Bell
Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Paperback & ebook, 378 Pages
December 11th 2019 by Ewephoric Publishing
To find her missing aunt, she has to unearth the secrets of the past. But lies and deceit run through the very heart of their town….
What started out as a promising relationship with adventurer and tycoon Alec Zavos has fizzled into an uncertain future for antiquities expert Annalisse Drury. Returning to Walker Farm in Upstate New York to see her Aunt Kate should have been a welcome homecoming and distraction. Instead, she finds the childhood home she expected to inherit is for sale, without her permission. What’s worse, Kate’s ranch manager makes a gruesome discovery in the barn: the body of a man, dead by foul play.
Annalisse turns in Alec’s direction for help. She and her aunt shelter on his estate in the Catskills while the authorities canvass the scene. But when Kate herself disappears without a trace, Annalisse fears the worst: that one of the many secrets of her hometown has ensnared her family—a secret someone is willing to kill for to keep hidden.
Praise for the Book
"The story is welcoming and vibrant, and much of it is nuanced and warm. When Bell aims for fun adventure, she hits the bull's-eye." - Booklife Review
"...Bell keeps her well-paced story moving. Her use of dialogue to drive the narrative is excellent and she sticks the twist ending nicely, one of the harder tricks to pull off in this genre. Her characters are vivid and spot-on..." - IndieReader Review
"Ambitiously written, Spent Identity has lots of action, a solid narrative, and engaging dialogue that give it substance, while the theme of betrayal cuts a wide swath. Enhanced with a cast of well-balanced and wide-ranging characters, Spent Identity acts as more than a run of the mill mystery, with engaging and relatable family relationships woven into the mains storyline. Suspenseful and well-crafted, Spent Identity is a consistently entertaining read." Self-Publishing Review
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Excerpt:
Helga’s giggles erupted from the kitchen.
“We shouldn’t do that to her. Did you see Helga’s mouth drop? We’ll give that poor woman the vapors.” Annalisse drawled out the last few words, fanning her cheeks, imitating a proper Southern lady. “It’s great seeing you so… unscripted. How’d you get away from the union bosses?”
Alec slid his belt from the loops and slipped off his tie, liberating the first few buttons of his simple dress shirt. Tall, in white broadcloth and thigh-hugging slacks, he was one of those guys who made everything he wore look good.
She admired the brawny biceps and strong shoulders. Not surprising that he worked too much for an occasional workout, but the illusion remained in his thick, athletic neck and small waist.
He began unbuttoning at his collar, exposing a tiny bit of hair, then stopped and checked to make sure she was paying attention.
“Are you going to undress? Here? With Helga on the other side of that wall, painting pictures in her mind? This is so unlike you.”
Alec leaned back on his loafers and continued to observe her without answering her. He dropped his gaze from her to the floor and kicked off his shoes.
“Sweetness, I’m such an idiot.” A clap of thunder shook the room. “Chief Thundercloud agrees.” He chuckled and sat on the edge of the couch, leaning over to take off her boots. When her feet were bare, he tickled the bottom of her foot.
Her legs jerked reflexively, and she sucked air between her teeth. “You know that drives me nuts.” Annalisse reached out. “I like it. It’s good to have you this close and happy for a change.” Her hand dropped to bare skin, and she savored how it leaped under her fingers when she stroked his chest.
Other Books in the Series
Stolen Obsession
(Annalisse Series #1)
By Marlene M. Bell
Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Paperback & ebook, 294 Pages
June 30th 2018 by Ewephoric Publishing
People die, but legends live on.
New York antiquities appraiser Annalisse Drury recently lost her best friend to murder. The killer’s identity may be linked to her friend’s expensive missing bracelet—a 500-year-old artifact that carries an ancient curse, one that unleashes evil upon any who dare wear the jewelry created for the Persian royal family.
Weeks later, Annalisse sees a matching necklace at a Manhattan gallery opening. She begs the owner to destroy the cursed piece, but her pleas fall on deaf ears—despite the unnatural death that occurs during the opening. With two victims linked to the jewelry, Annalisse is certain she must act.
Desperate, Annalisse enlists the gallery owner’s son to help—even though she’s afraid he’ll break her heart. Wealthy and devastatingly handsome, with a string of bereft women in his wake, Greek playboy Alec Zavos dismisses Annalisse’s concerns—until his parents are ripped from the Zavos family yacht during their ocean voyage near Crete.
Annalisse and Alec race across two oceans to save his mother, feared dead or kidnapped. When the killer changes tactics and goes after Alec behind Annalisse’s back, can her plan to rescue Alec’s mother save them all?
Hold on for a heart-thumping, thrilling adventure through exotic lands in this fast-moving romantic suspense mystery by Marlene M. Bell.
Praise for the Book
"Debut author Bell delivers a great, slow-building romance, gently examining her characters' painful pasts." — Kirkus Reviews
"An irresistible page turner and a successful melding of thriller and romance. With a splash of international adventure and plenty of surprises, Stolen Obsession is an entertaining read and a great beginning to the Annalisse Series." — Self-Publishing Review, ★★★★½
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About the Author
Marlene M. Bell is an award-winning writer and acclaimed artist as well as a photographer. Her sheep landscapes grace the covers of Sheep!, The Shepherd, Ranch & Rural Living, and Sheep Industry News, to name a few. Her catalog venture, Ewephoric, began in 1985 out of her desire to locate personalized sheep stationery. She rarely found sheep products through catalogs and set out to design them herself. Marlene and her husband, Gregg, reside in beautiful East Texas on a wooded ranch with their dreadfully spoiled horned Dorset sheep, a large Maremma guard dog named Tia, along with Hollywood, Leo, and Squeaks, the cats that believe they rule the household—and do. Tour Schedule
Tour Giveaway
One winner will receive the following (valued at $230):
- Poppies Overnighter bag – Leather and canvas
- Large Spa Tin – Lavender scents
- Autographed novel by Marlene with companion wire bound notebook
- Authentic Vera Bradley portable umbrella
- $50 Amazon gift card
US only
Ends February 5, 2020
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