Two Heads Are Deader Than One

By Elena Hartwell

A “crackling tale” of double-murder, a vanishing friend, and a female PI in the Pacific Northwest (Rich Zahradnik, author of the Coleridge Taylor mysteries).
 
Washington private Investigator Eddie Shoes is enjoying a rare period of calm. She’s less lonely now that her card-sharp mom from Vegas is sharing her home. Not to mention a new dog. She’s even landed a new client: her best childhood friend from Spokane. Dakota is in jail, held on a weapons charge, and she’s asking Eddie to do two things: lend her cash for bail, and investigate who’s allegedly stalking her.
 
Soon after Dakota is freed, she disappears again, leaving Eddie to answer to the local cops, including her ex-boyfriend Chance Parker. Has Dakota been kidnapped? If not, why did she jump bail? And what are Eddie’s business cards doing on the bodies of two fresh murder victims? The clues might lay in Dakota and Eddie’s shared history—one that goes all the way back to high school, and to a past that Eddie dreads to revisit.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Mar 30, 2017
• ISBN: 9781603813143

Elena Hartwell

Elena Hartwell has spent years supporting writers and constructing stories. Her award-winning and bestselling works include the Eddie Shoes mysteries and All We Buried (written under Elena Taylor). Her plays have been seen around the US and UK, garnering critical acclaim and stellar reviews. As a developmental editor, she has worked with hundreds of writers, most recently as senior editor and director of programming for the boutique editing house, Allegory Editing. She regularly teaches writing workshops and enjoys helping others achieve their writing dreams

Reviews for Two Heads Are Deader Than One

[harley0326 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really liked the character Eddie Shoes. It's a catchy name and she is one tough person. Her job as a private dectective is interesting and she never knows who her next client may be. It's funny how your past can sometimes come back to haunt you. Eddie is about to find her past meeting her present when an old friend shows up . Is Eddie surprised to see her old high school friend? Dakota was not someone I would hang out with. She seemed shady and quite frankly had it in for Eddie. Some highlights for me were Eddie's mom and her sidekick Franklin. Her mom is one tough as nails woman. She tends to want to "help" Eddie in her investigations. That is not always a good idea but she means well. The other thing I loved was Eddie's dog. Franklin is an enormous dog that could be mistaken for a pony. He is a great companion for Eddie and I loved the genuine affection Eddie has for him. When you treat your pet with respect you are ok in my book. Now let's get to the meat of the story. Dakota shows up to hire Eddie to help her out of a jam. How strange would it be for someone from your high school days to just show up out of the blue? It's not like they kept in touch so Eddie finds it suspicious. Dakota is a complex character that loves to make Eddie feel guilty about things that happened long along. I learned to hate Dakota because she was just a mean person who blamed Eddie for having a better childhood than she did. I thought the author did a great job of developing Dakota and me not liking her is just the brilliant writing of an author. If you hate a character because of their actions, then the author has done a great job . When a body is discovered across from Eddie's office, the police have some tough questions to ask Eddie. Why did the dead body have Eddie's business card on them? Why has Dakota disappeared after Eddie put up bail for her? I loved the intense story and appreciated the author bringing up mental health. The story does have a few characters that deal with mental health problems and the author explained it with directness and realism. Dakota has had a hard life and as you read the story you will find some unsettling things that happened to her. I enjoyed the story and I especially liked how the author took us back a few years to understand Dakota's anger towards Eddie. It is story that finds characters dealing with abuse, death and finding the truth. Will Dakota and Eddie be able to let the past go? What connection does the body found near Eddie's office have in common with Dakota? Don't miss this intense story that grabs your attention from the very beginning . I received a copy of this book from The Great Escapes Book Tour. The review is my own opinion.