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The Cover Story
The Cover Story
The Cover Story
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The Cover Story

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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'Richardson-Moore's latest is a tightly plotted mystery rich with southern grit and replete with twists, turns, and a surprising reveal. Reporter Branigan Powers is an unforgettable protagonist brimming with determination, compassion, and a strong sense of justice. Readers will be glad they've met her. Highly recommended.' -Susan Furlong, co-author of the New York Times bestselling Novel Idea Mysteries


A bizarre hit-and-run brings Branigan Powers back to the crime-solving beat.

A fatal crash involving two college students heading home for the holidays seems like an unfortunate accident. But when the surviving girl wakens, she tells a curious story of the vehicle that forced them off the road-an old-fashioned, 1950s-style hearse.

Reporter Branigan Powers delves into the mystery that takes her to the college campus, and leads her into dangerous fraternity and sorority pledge parties.

Reunited with the homeless Malachi Martin, who is so adept at seeing what isn't there rather than what is, Branigan must uncover what is really going on at the college before other students are put in danger.

This second installment in the author's first cozy mystery series delves into the world of newspapers and life on the streets-both of which the author knows well.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherLion Fiction
Release dateJun 23, 2017
ISBN9781782642411
The Cover Story
Author

Deb Richardson-Moore

Deb Richardson-Moore is a former national award-winning journalist, who became a pastor of the Triune Mercy Center in downtown Greenville, South Carolina. She is the author of the succesful Branigan Powers Mystery series. Deb is a popular speaker at book clubs, universities and colleges. She has also won numerous awards for her philanthropy and community involvement, including the 2014 Women Making History Award from the Greenville Cultural Exchange Center and the 2016 Public & Community Service Award from the Atlantic Institute. A graduate of Wake Forest University, Deb and her husband live in South Carolina.

Read more from Deb Richardson Moore

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Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars
5/5

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I so enjoyed Ms. Richardson-Moore’s first book, The Cantaloupe Thief, that I was excited to see another in this series! Branigan Powers is a journalist for a small town newspaper. Her intelligence, eye for detail, and being able to think outside the box once again finds her being more than just a reporter and working with the police on a murder investigation. It is the Christmas holiday and a niece and a friend are returning home from college. Suddenly a mysterious vintage hearse appears, forcing them off the road and taking the life of the other girl and injuring her niece. Clues begin to appear, leading her to the possible involvement of the local sororities. While this is a beginning Branigan quickly finds the evidence brings more questions than answers! At several points I felt if I could speak to her I would be able to direct her to the murderer, and then the story would veer off in an unexpected direction ending my theory! I love all the surprises! I liked the homeless man Malachi Martin being included in this book also. He can hear things and go places Ms. Powers cannot, always aiding her search for answers. Yes he has issues but he had a good heart and character. As with her previous book the homeless are a part of the story. It really opens your heart and eyes to their plight and all they deal with we know nothing about. I appreciate the book deals with crime but without the graphic detail. One disappointment did arise for me with this book. Throughout different parts of the book there were curse words. Even the pastor cursed! Since I assumed this was a Christian mystery, I was a bit shocked. The author is a talented, entertaining writer that does not need to rely on this type of language to enhance or story. Without this the book would have been perfect!I received a copy of this book from Kregel Publications in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have stated are my own.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Title: The Cover Story (A Branigan Powers Mystery #2)Author: Deb Richardson-MoorePages: 280Year: 2017Publisher: Lion FictionMy rating is 5 stars.News reporter Branigan Powers is looking forward to the Christmas holiday as her nephew and niece are coming home from their respective colleges. Branigan’s niece, Charlie, however is involved in a serious car accident that leaves her in the hospital. When Branigan first visits her niece, she tells her that an old-fashioned style hearse ran her off the road and that her passenger, Janie Rose, seemed scared even before they left campus to drive home. A death results from the accident, causing devastation to a family. Curiosity and a need to find the truth drive as well as being assigned to do a story on the accident, drive Branigan to begin searching for answers.She is led to the town’s local college where she makes some startling discoveries with the help of a local homeless man, Malachi Martin. Malachi wants the truth too because he has watched Charlie grow up and sees her compassionate heart for others. He wants to find out who caused her harm. Malachi and Branigan pool their resources as they once again interact with some homeless people as in the first mystery in the series titled, The Cantaloupe Thief. Branigan uncovers secrets that cause the danger to herself to escalate. She has also begun perhaps a budding romance with a detective, Chester Scovoy. He wants her safe, but knows her instinct to ferret out the truth will lead her to investigate no matter what he thinks or says. He just knows he will try his best to keep her safe.This was a great mystery! I couldn’t put it down as I was so interested in finding out where the story would take me and who was guilty of murder. I was totally surprised at the ending! I liked the character of Branigan because she refuses to give up and wants justice served. She will keep asking questions until she gets an answer one way or another. I also liked the romance element that has begun with this installment. Malachi is a homeless veteran who still has problems, but they don’t keep him from helping others. He doesn’t help in the hopes of getting something from someone, but because it is the right thing to do. I’m excited for the next book in the series and have no reservations with recommending this book.Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The Cover Story is the second installment in Deb Richardson-Moore’s Braningan Powers Mystery series. Combining a small town setting with real-life issues of homelessness, this novel has a depth that is not always found in the cozy genre. It is, of course, first and foremost a mystery, and a puzzling one at that. I did not see the ending coming despite the clues revealed by the author. An investigative reporter and a police detective are two characters on the case, something fairly standard in a mystery novel. But the addition of a homeless man as investigator, someone invisible to most regular people, is genius. The Cover Story is a great addition to your mystery library, and one I can recommend.The story opens with a hit and run that leaves one college coed dead and another seriously injured. The facts of the case seem unbelievable, until the vague memories of the surviving victim are revealed over time. There are suspects galore, and the questions concerning the case are seemingly unanswerable. But with the main characters investigating in their specific worlds — newspaper reporter, policeman, and homeless man — they, and the readers discover just whodunit. Appearances are truely deceiving.Author Richardson-Moore has vast experience with the homeless, and her passion and compassion are revealed within the pages of The Cover Story. Malachi Martin, a veteran living on the streets, is a very intriguing character. Street smart and intelligent, he is able to uncover things because of his invisibility. Either inadvertently or by choice, those living a normal life don’t see him. But his unique position allows for him to see things many wish to hide.I really enjoyed this unusual and engaging mystery. It is the second in a series, but can be read as a standalone. But I recommend starting at the beginning with The Cantaloupe Thief, another excellent mystery novel.Recommended.Audience: adults.(Thanks to Kregel and Lion Hudson for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Can you imagine being forced off a road and careening down a hill, not really, but then you see it is a hearse that is hitting you repeatedly. That is the beginning of this story, and the driver of the jeep that is being forced off the road is Charlie, who happens to be Branigan’s niece, and a local reporter.Something is going on and it seems to center on the local college’s sorority, and they own a hearse, odd I know, but they use it for Halloween and to celebrate engagements, ok? Now you are going to be wondering what does this have to do with a death and injuring of you coeds?What a ride we have to find answers here, and yes there are some, but it blew my mind at what happens, I didn’t see it coming, full of surprises.Once again we are with the homeless, and Pastor Liam with his big heart for the unfortunate, and Charlie is his daughter, but we also are back with Malachai a homeless man with a big heart.What a tale the author has woven here, and this one is just as good as the first book that introduced us to Grambling GA, The Cantaloupe Thief, and you don’t want to miss that one. Is there a romance blooming here for our Branigan, sure hope so, I love being with her!I received this book through Kregel Publishing Blogger Program, and was not required to give a positive review.

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The Cover Story - Deb Richardson-Moore

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