Least Wanted

Written by Debbi Mack

Narrated by Dee Richards

From the NY Times bestselling author Debbi Mack:

Can Sam defend two clients of murder before becoming the next victim?

Stephanie Ann "Sam" McRae's life as a Maryland lawyer takes a chaotic turn when two clients are accused of murder. A poor, black girl is accused of killing her mother. A young man suspected of embezzlement is accused of murdering his boss. The cases collide in a bizarre way involving girl gangs and computer pornography.

Sam ventures into the heart of DC's suburban ghettos to find answers. A maniacal killer who'll do anything to hide them stalks her. After a nearly disastrous confrontation, Sam must do business on the run. As the body count grows, Sam races to learn the truth and clear her clients before she becomes the next victim.

REVIEWS AND ENDORSEMENTS

"LEAST WANTED is a brave, heartbreaking, and thrilling book with a complex plot that takes attorney Sam McRae on a dizzying tour of several circles of urban hell, against a backdrop of white-collar crime. I loved it, and I admire Mack for writing it without flinching or suggesting easy answers. It's a sequel that outdoes IDENTITY CRISIS and holds the promise of a great series."

-- Timothy Hallinan, author of THE QUEEN OF PATPONG and CRASHED

"In LEAST WANTED, Debbi Mack serves up a solid mystery plot wired together with high octane suspense."

-- Austin S. Camacho, author of the Hannibal Jones mystery series

"Debbi Mack brings to the hardboiled genre, a fresh voice and direct writing style that gives this richly layered mystery a feeling of authenticity I found wholly compelling. The multifaceted plot grips the reader like a falcon's talons and never lets go."

--Lawrence Kelter, bestselling author of The Stephanie Chalice Mystery Series

• Language: English
• Publisher: Renegade Press
• Release date: Jul 9, 2011
• ISBN: 9780990698593

Debbi Mack

Debbi Mack is the New York Times bestselling author of the Sam McRae Mystery Series and other novels. In addition, she's a Derringer-nominated short story writer, whose work has been published in various anthologies. Debbi formerly wrote book reviews for Mystery Scene Magazine.She writes screenplays and is interested in filmmaking. Debbi also has a podcast called The Crime Cafe, where she interviews crime fiction, suspense, thriller, and true crime authors.Debbi enjoys reading, movies, travel, baseball, walking, cats and good espresso. You can find her online at www.debbimack.com.

Reviews for Least Wanted

[kevincannon1968 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fast Paced Action Suspense Murder MysteryReally liked this one. Read it over two evenings and found it difficult to put down.The fast pace kept it interesting and with a likeable lead character it was a joy to read.My only quibble is the ludicrous names of some of the other characters which broke the ‘suspension of disbelief’ at times, at least for a Brit - maybe they are common names in the USThis is a bang on 4 stars - not a 3.5 rounded up and those stars are fully earned

[darcia_10 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I know this is fiction, but the story still needs to make sense. And, for me, this one stretched plausibility to the breaking point.I don't like to give spoilers, so I'll keep my complaints in general terms. The main character is supposed to be an educated attorney, yet her behavior is irrational at best and outright ridiculous at worst. She finds clues that involve her own safety, yet doesn't report them. She is right in the middle of a dangerous situation, yet when badly hurt, not one person questions her as to what happened. And, of course, she doesn't report the assault. I found the entire plot, as well as the characters, impossible to believe.The other problem for me is the lack of character development. The story is written in first person but I barely knew anything about the main character telling the story, much less any of the other characters. I felt absolutely no connection to any of them. This lack of connection amplified the implausibility of their behavior. The only reason I'm giving this 2 stars, rather than 1, is because the writing itself flows well.

[josephlyoung · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Interesting story with many convoluted facets. Features a female attorney rescuing clients from difficult situations and using many friends in the process. Fast paced with enough suspense to keep the interest level up. Good way to spend some time supplanting reality!

[leighton_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Stephanie Ann McRae (“Sam” to her friends) is a loner.Well, heck, you might be, too, if you were born in the biggest ghetto in America, were the only white girl in your class, lost your parents at the age of nine and had been shipped off to live with a distant cousin.She also has a propensity for getting herself into trouble.But it’s not Sam’s fault. It only happens because she’s a Good Samaritan.Do I seem to be making excuses for her?Well, yeah, I suppose I am. I am, because I care about Sam - and I believe in her. (Isn’t that what we all want from a protagonist? To care about what happens to her, and to believe she could be real?)Sam is a lawyer and the creation of Debbi Mack. Debbi, too, is a lawyer and also has degrees in journalism and library science.Somewhere along the way (she’s not telling how) Debbi also learned a great deal about subjects like child pornography and murder. So much so, in fact, that she’s been able to convincingly weave them into the plot of Least Wanted, her second novel to feature Sam’s exploits.The first was Identity Crisis, first published in 2005, reissued in print and as an e-book in 2009. You don’t have to read the books in order, though. Least Wanted stands perfectly well on its own. I liked everything about Least Wanted, not the least that the story, like life, doesn’t end with everything tied-up in neat little packages.By the end of the book, we all know who did what, and why, and how.But what about Tina? What’s to become of her?Least Wanted isn’t just the title of the book; it’s the essence of what Tina is. And the story begins and ends with her. She’s Sam’s client, a thirteen-year old girl, abused and impoverished, exploited and mistreated by the very people who were charged with protecting her. What kind of a person is she likely to grow up to be?Causing us to wonder about that is another good thing about Least Wanted. Debbi doesn’t have an answer. Neither do I.This book resonates

[wearylibrarian · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The book flows well, but I was able to put down. I didn't really cared 'who done it.' In all, the synopsis sounds like a good story but, for some reason it just didn't click for me.

[slarsoncollins · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed reading this mystery thriller. It was hard to put down and I wound up using the text to speech feature to finish it faster. I got confused with a couple of the characters, but I think that was due to automated voice reading to me. Hard to look down while driving to try and figure out what was just said. I straightened it out though, and finished it up on my lunch break at work. I'd recommend this novel and hope to read more by her in the future.

[ckgs_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

First Line: "I've never been a morning person, and if it's one thing I don't need before my first cup of coffee, it's a visit from the cops."Sam McRae, defense lawyer, gets a courtesy call from the FBI and the local cops on one of her clients. Melanie Hays, accused of murdering her former boyfriend, appears to be missing. Sam, believing her client is innocent, finds herself looking for Melanie, running from the local mob, investigating murder among thieves and several cases of identity theft. A surprise twist keeps up the action with a great finish. Snappy dialogue and believable characters make the story action packed and hopefully the first book in the Sam McRae series.