Damaged

By Debra Webb

It was supposed to be a simple assignment follow a woman. As an operative with the elite team of Equalizers, Dakota Garrett had faced hell and lived. So why was he left with dead bodies, a kidnap victim and a damsel in distress?

Wannabe Colby agent Lucky Malone was in over her head. Only the dark stranger could save her and her kidnapped boss. But like Lucky, Dakota had demons that haunted him, a past that shadowed him. And this case forced him to face his biggest fear. Lucky would give anything to help the man she'd come to love, but her fate was in Dakota's hands. Could he play the role he'd always avoided hero?

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Australia
• Release date: Jul 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9781460839799

Debra Webb

DEBRA WEBB is the award winning, USA Today bestselling author of more than 170 novels, including reader favorites the Finley O'Sullivan series, the Colby Agency, and the Lookout Mountain Mystery series. With more than four million books sold in numerous languages and countries, Debra's love of storytelling goes back to her childhood on a farm in Alabama. Visit Debra at www.DebraWebb.com.

Book preview

�Y7-abook_preview_excerpt.html�[ے�Ƒ�|@�(ֱ�ԅ"KY+r��c5PJ����4�O����a���Y�K�H�0Gݸd����K�����EL�O��v|�Mo�dC���V/��/�*�~�K�|��M��s��c��ؘ��˂��������We����7ߚ�L�� ��T]�K���T��V� �������ag��lG;��5nJõ�-��~px���ʻ���#R�G�X�n��xYSE]����]�-N6�X�T�~���[���_��5U��"R�Ζ���&W/�_�>7F>uq)��Ki���_��,��f��殿�*S�~���p��S5.u_A�X]�7N���TE9�ދw���F��0ap��$�H KL<��<� �ť��&ζNr�����8V~��$�U�ߚ0A��O����\y7/���x���)Հ��%�T���r�WQ���o������0���'�:}�m�e�kʡ߻�bc�/�U��S7$P�qv��Pk9i����%P|䥟�fhy)\���:�y=5��$x��BA���p�j�~��&ʝ1�y��1A�02�G��-�R�>U%/|�i1��bC�ZI�0o'R�S�g�h�ė���WH��{L8U�s����p� χ3$W��cTEuc�6��/��^�_-./NX�z�K)hJ�S�:�G�^�:U�g�=��i60�h���i�S?��-f�~��b!Um�cu!����_��x�̐���^��Ÿw�תּ�6P����=B�0�<�`_Uo�D���#�����׈9^
�@���t|�58~1� A3�}�������sU����jk4n:�q�M�}F?|-&Y="+w����(ǰ?|����~]z��w��%E�ae�M����..mP���;[�~����8n<. *�!f�,.�=�2���.��q��6��
�؈��?D! A�N~n~$�C?�@I��ĊY�3�H��0��է��}���P �ie�7�7٣�@����0; vh8|U~��B��?xq���&D��$l�c���V7)s�Vt��w[��p
w��F�$�,�;���;��*Hv�%I��Zy���i=������ |p��J �����`Okd��V�U}���zٸ~��2!hU��85�l�E�s�e}nOG�NM6w�}S�>]�������@���8�_��Aj�:�):��p_��(
�#����D�5�q$������ +��4�V�����r2_=k ��q=}�iZ�U��T�\�K�R����X����� ���᭠�����ü�R�����3#:���A�
��n8*�PP�� �l�!�&���Ð?3Qjv^Lͪ{*��3��1�� v/�������x�s�ڤ�OA~��O����D�����I�r}��S�V�̊w�@$����x��w��"ԒAB� 7;��� ]ޫH�_?Q�� ^O����˗��(���!~�XQ�lȁ,͈�}z�-��Ğgb޶DЯӋ�>�d���0��x]�5fW����^����Sn�q�/�qzoF�*.��ƚ�Lz%lY^tבa�B!���kMwÌ��t+���Wk�%�9�u�����T�9�]q�XB�� +��W͠��Oҷa?�Q:`�/��6�KF��a�S�;��$�'r%+�S����K��l,�#ˆ���Y��M +cq$'�m��dV,�|�v2�?e6[��ea�IZ
��ً��Ƅ9�lmxA���\L�8��I�����C��+�� ������T�"m���Rt�I�C����r�E��Ix³7��L:J�^8�6�ވ$���J�m�����X[�g��x�'�T���|οe��19<7ٱu.�o���K~2����~���s��+�ߞ
M�kD8 ��$�im�Iw@<� aˆ9�){gvIU}�eS��Q���+8X)�[�D�M��q���?s�)��ڎ��3��I��p����I.�t$�������sX���P�3Aɀ���²����w�{zO�Up�hmGWGG~�̰�y�@QC��d!�s��x��;�.M��-�[�I�������Z�?��.W���lN�6�veř�e�q@<�]�.4�����dҀ�lp�R �Aܳ4k<��eVf���^�e��y$guf�&���<,A(�N�A�ϱ^�N�q�A�$.��L����;P��]�줯d�u~1C��n2=�K6�lJ�����,H�y��l�~��;��m���|�^��\�YD��gQ�g���{3x��Z�@t�A� ���M{�t� e�Ҳ�XD��B5/�[�����&��9u��rc�$[��qDBbþF��*2s�E2qy������^�����Q��Р�3�r��O�����MnĘ������q젛�3\ u9��8ߘq��d�8�#�P��n^�=���VFK
�WwD'�ԭ#�(I&�ZV�JI֝���,�H��հ�e����*4�IIا��s�(7�OR��Т���'i׌Ҳ&���< �k����˪E�Ͳ�6�[}.ep8�\8!�b]6:�F�^0���Ȗ�9f�*��.���eX@<;�\\�;�Q�V�^Y�*Zx[��<��>��r�‚���5��)���QM�fT*�];������>�1���By�.'�}&���=e��s���n��� ���\ħ~ R�.a�{��F�QK���w�Bv�Wkc�9�)�L���&#��1٩���e�),T!�%2�d���"D�S�Xy|�+�lv���b���'���U��N��b�������<���.?��y�Ň<�̫y�e��i����1 �)�����R��5zE��:G���ʯadʓ�f:�b��[�2����V�x��A����Ȉ6�%����;�f��0����X�|m7z7�e��� - ��\�o��M9

Reviews for Damaged

[cherylk_44 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I started this book a long time ago. I was not feeling it, so I put it down. When I saw a long time ago, I am talking years. Not that meant to never come back to this book as I read another book by this author, the second one in fact and enjoyed it. I would walk by the book or chance at it from time to time and think, I need to try reading this book again. However my to be read pile grew and grew and I would forget about the book again. I finally picked it up as I was making a committment to attacking my pile and this was one of the books on the pile. After reading this book again and actually finishing it this time, I have to wonder why I did not like it the first time. I blame it on my mood. I must not have been in the right mood at the time I was reading this book. Kate is a powerhouse. She does not take no for an answer. In fact, she seemed to push harder when she was told no. Her and Ethan's relationship may have been on the rocks but I like that the author did not push them to get back together in the story. She let them have their own space but still find a way for them to communicate. The killer was scary but it was the other story that Kate was chasing that had me really intrigued. I don't want to go into details in case someone else has not read the book but just let me tell you that the thought of it is chilling.

[coltfan18 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Kate Lange is a recent hire to her law firm and is given a custody case. She doesn't think there is much of a case and tells the grandmother that she probably wouldn't win custody because her granddaughter's behavior is typical teenager. Unfortunately, the girl is murdered and Kate looks into the case with surprising results. I couldn't put it down. Good read.

[dabble58 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A medico-legal thriller set in the streets of my beloved Halifax. What's not to like? I'm writing a thriller myself so thought I'd explore Callow's style and I liked it. The story runs along swiftly, with complications popping up and danger increasing page by page. Kate Lange is an interesting character, trying to prove herself despite a fairly disastrous childhood. The murders are gruesome, the bad guy suitably creepy, and there's some romantic tension between Kate and pretty well every man she meets. (Wow. Wish I had that power!)
A few troubles - the red herring gets raised and waggled around but is confusing and the smell never really goes away. The police seem unusually stupid. I shall refrain from comment about Halifax police..., but I think these guys might have trouble coping here. People are introduced briefly - minor characters - and there are altogether too many to keep track of. The whore with a heart of gold appears. Kate is completely psychologically wrecked, and yet goes off crime-solving.
That said, I liked the book. It made me wish I had amber eyes. (Though, like violet eyes, I suspect these are rather rare in reality, but common in romance) It also made me want to finish my novel. Pam Callow is an inspiration - this is her first book and it is extremely well plotted and tight. I want mine to read like this. Thanks Pam. I'm off to read #2. I'm sure I'll like it, a lot.

[bricker-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A suspenseful tale of a lawyer seeking the truth in an attempt to gain her big break and impress the bosses at a new law firm while trying to pick up the pieces of her life after a failed relationship.

[agpadgett · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love mysteries and suspense novels, but I did pause a little at site of the 453 pages. That's a lot to read. LOLDamaged probably deserved 5 stars, but I'm afraid I wasn't as hooked into the story as I might have been. I think I may be getting tired of insecure, damaged heroines. Or maybe I just wasn't in the mood for one. (There was another author I stopped reading because it seemed like during a certain period, every one of his heroines had been sexually abused as a child. I got really tired of that. That was not the case here, but I'm just saying...)The heroine, Kate, is insecure and seeking to prove herself on her job as a lawyer. She's also trying to distance herself from a prospective fiance, Ethan Drake, because she fears his reaction is he find out about her past.Enter the bad guy, known as the Body Butcher. He has mudered Lisa, the grandchild of Marian McAdam. Ironically, Marian had approached Kate for advice before Lisa is found. Marian thinks Lisa's mother is negligent.After laying the groundwork for the novel, the pace is good. Kate has a lot on her plate with her fiance working the Body Butcher case and her own feelings of having let down Marian and indirectly Lisa. Most fans of romantic suspense will truly enjoy this.

[lorihedgpeth · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Damaged, author Pamela Callow's freshman effort at legal mystery/suspense/conspiracy thriller, started slowly but if you are patient, you will be rewarded by what became a page-turning, perfect summer read. It builds slowly, while painstakingly laying the groundwork on central character Kate Lange, her former fiance, Detective Ethan Drake, Kate's employer, and its partner, Randall Barrett, plus a bevy of supporting characters. I found the murder mystery and conspiracy aspects of the story to be especially fascinating, having not guessed far ahead of time the connections and the "solution" before Kate (one of the bigger disappointments for me with mysteries/thrillers). I also appreciated the resolution, as it didn't stretch reality to unnatural boundaries and it seemed the natural course by the end of the book.I liked the character of Kate by the conclusion of Damaged although I was a bit neutral about her throughout much of the early story. I always like a tough, determined character with some humanity and all three traits were in evidence as I flipped that last page. I was particularly pleased to note that Ms. Callow will have a new mystery featuring Kate releasing next year and I hope that we will learn more about Kate on this next venture.By the same token, I hope that we will receive additional insight into the characters of Ethan Drake and Randall Barrett, who both seemed to be yearning for additional literary time. I felt that both characters still have a wealth of information to share and excellent storyline potential.I also hope that we will see Kate's neighbors again, the elderly sisters Muriel and Enid, who I found engaging and pleasing. Is it possible that these two have secrets themselves or is it just the conspiracy buff in me at work?Damaged, considering its subject matter, isn't heavy on the gore or violence, although it may have a few objectionable words. There is no sexual matter, although a brief innuendo, and some mentioned drug use.In all, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Damaged to fans of the mystery, thriller and/or legal genre, all of whom are sure to be satisfied by this debut work that packs a powerful little punch.

[dlester_32 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Damaged by Pamela Callow(For review from Media Muscle)Synopsis:Haunted by the death of her sister and wounded by her ex-fiancé's accusations, Kate Lange throws herself into her new career at a high-powered law firm.When the grandmother of a lonely private school student seeks her counsel, Kate thinks it's just another custody case. But then the teen is brutally murdered. And it isn't only Kate who wonders if her legal advice led to the girl's death.Put on notice by Randall Barrett, the firm's charismatic managing partner, Kate must fight for her career, for her reputation—and for redemption.Unwilling to live with the damage she may have caused, Kate pursues the case on her own and unearths some chilling facts.Facts that lead straight to the heart of a legal conspiracy.Facts that lead Kate directly into the surgically skilled hands of the Body Butcher.Thoughts:The debut novel by Pamela Callow, Damaged, will have readers on the edge of their seats throughout the book. The 450 pages fly by as readers become engrossed in plot. There are a lot of medical thrillers out there and there are a lot of crime thrillers out there, but the combination of the two in Callow's first effort is fascinating. The plot development starts out a little slow in the beginning but makes up for it with a thrilling ending which may leave the door open for a sequel.The main character, Kate Lange is a young lawyer with a troubled past including a father in jail, the loss of her sister and past lover who can't seem to stay out of her present. Kate works her way through college and becomes a lawyer. Being the protégée of the boss doesn't make it easy for her though. Resentment and old grudges put Kate in harms way when she is given the case of a grandmother seeking custody of her grandchild. Sounds simple, but it's anything but when Kate advises the woman that she doesn't have a case based on the fact that the mother of the child is a high ranking court judge. When the girl ends up dead Kate is left wondering how much damage she has caused.It's a great book with a great storyline. If you like thrillers, this will be right up your alley.Damaged is available now from your favorite bookseller.I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

[kherbrand_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Kate was a new lawyer at Lyons McGrath Barrett law firm. She knew that she was going to have to work hard to prove that she belonged there. Having recently ended an engagement to Ethan Drake, detective, she had got a new job, bought a new house, and acquired a dog named Alaska.Barrett was determined to keep Kate practicing family law for 2 reasons - He had a bone to pick with Ethan Drake and with John Lyons - the partner who had recruited her. He assigned her a case with a futile outlook. A grandmother (Marian) wanted custody of her granddaughter (Lisa) - but did not have any proof that the granddaughter wasn't being taken care of properly or that she was doing drugs. The hitch was that Lisa's mom was Hope Carson, a criminal court judge known for her icy personality and demeanor. Kate tells Marian that she really doesn't have a case, but after mulling it over tries to call her back to discuss it. Unfortunately it is too late and Lisa has been murdered and dismembered. Talk about opening a can of worms! Now Kate has to worry that she did everything by the book in talking with Marian. She figures she can throw her law career out the window when John Lyons assigns her a litigation file with Trans Tissue as the client. Trans Tissue makes surgical products and they are being sued by someone who believes they contracted Hep C after an arthroscopic knee surgery using their product. See, the surgical products are made from human tissue from cadavers harvested by tissue suppliers. So you really have two stories in one. You have the medical mystery of how this patient contracted Hep C and you have the very grisly thriller of the serial killer. There are quite a few supporting characters which are absolutely necessary to round these out and the book kept me tuned in all the way to the end. They did not give anything away too quickly but rather dropped the pieces in a little at a time. Definitely a must read. I am eagerly awaiting the second book in the series Indefensible, which is due out in January of 2011. I just discovered there is a third book - Tattooed coming out in August of 2011 and a fourth book planned for 2012.

[knittingmomof3 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

From My Blog...Being a fan of mysteries, thrillers and suspense novels I was quite excited to read Damaged by Pamela Callow as the description made the story sound positively riveting. Attorney Kate Lange is almost finished with her probationary period at finally, a large law firm, LMB, located in Halifax. One partner promised Kate she could work on criminal cases, yet Barrett, her boss, keeps her on family law cases. Kate has a troubled past and secrets from her childhood that still haunt her. These secrets kept her from being engaged to homicide detective Ethan Drake, who happens to head up the investigation of the case she dismissed during her probationary period at the law firm of LMB. The murder brings unwelcome publicity to the firm and Kate is placed on notice, rather than being concerned about her job and her life, feels responsible and decides to investigate the murder herself. If that was not enough to occupy her time, Kate appears to attract every man she meets. Damaged is one of those novels you truly love or take your time reading. I was in the latter category. The character of Kate truly annoyed me and I could not decide if this book was supposed to be a romance, a legal thriller or a medical mystery. There is an alleged legal conspiracy that I shall not delve into for fear of spoiling the novel. The murderer, known as the Body Butcher is the character I felt I knew the most. I continued reading, hoping for answers to the questions building up only to learn there is a second book, Indefensible, due out in January of 2011. Damaged was not a bad book, I truly do not think there is such a thing, rather Damaged was neither a book I enjoyed nor was it a book I disliked, it just was. I strongly suggest my readers read other reviews and form their own opinions, as I know not every book appeals to every reader.

[cmash_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Damaged by Pamela CallowPublished by Mira BooksISBN-13: 978-0-7783-2750-9At the request of Meryl Moss Media, The Book Trib, a PB was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion. Synopsis (back of book): How far are you wiling to go to forget your past? Haunted by the death of her sister and wounded by her ex-fiance's accusations, Kate Lange throws herself into her new career at a high-powered law firm. When grandmother of a lonely private school student seeks her counsel, Kate thinks it's just another custody case. But then the teen is brutally murdered. And it isn't only Kate who wonders if her legal advice led to the girl's death. How far are you willing to go to redeem yourself? Put on notice by Randall Barrett, the firm's charismatic managing partner, Kate must fight for her career for her reputation-and for redemption. Unwilling to live with the damage she may have caused, Kate pursues the case on her own and unearths some chilling facts. Facts that lead straight to the heart of a legal conspiracy. Facts that lead Kate directly into the surgically skilled hands of the Body Butcher. My Thoughts and Opinion: Once again I am amazed. This is the 4th book that I read this year, as an author's debut book, that blew me away. I was pulled in by the time I finished the first chapter to the very last page. This 453 page novel had all the elements and writing style of a seasoned author. Many twists and turns at a fast pace. It could be described as both a legal thriller and medical mystery page turning read. It is hard to explain some aspects of this book without giving away spoilers. However, what I will do, is highly recommend this book especially if you love legal/medical thrillers, because this book has it all. My Rating: