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    Notorious: A Novel
    Notorious: A Novel
    Notorious: A Novel
    Audiobook12 hours

    Notorious: A Novel

    Written by Allison Brennan

    Narrated by Eliza Foss

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan introduces an irrepressible heroine in her pulse-pounding new thriller Notorious, which Lisa Gardner says is, "Guaranteed to keep you up late at night."

    Maxine Revere has dedicated her life to investigating murders that the police have long since given up any hope of solving. A nationally renowned investigative reporter with her own TV show and a tough-as-nails reputation, Max tackles cold cases from across the country and every walk of life. But the one unsolved murder that still haunts her is a case from her own past.

    When Max was a high school senior, one of her best friends was strangled and another, Kevin O'Neal, accused of the crime. To the disgrace of her wealthy family, Max stood by her friend, until she found out he lied about his alibi. Though his guilt was never proven, their relationship crumbled from the strain of too many secrets.

    Now Max is home for Kevin's funeral—after years of drug abuse, he committed suicide. She's finally prepared to come to terms with the loss of his friendship, but she's not prepared for Kevin's sister to stubbornly insist that he didn't kill himself. Or for an elderly couple to accost her at the airport, begging her to look into another murder at Max's old high school. Max is more interested in the cold case at her alma mater than in digging around Kevin's troubled life, but she agrees to do both. As Max uncovers dark secrets, she finds herself caught in a complicated web of lies that hit far too close to home. And it's becoming increasingly clear that someone will do whatever it takes to make sure the truth stays buried.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Audio
    Release dateMar 25, 2014
    ISBN9781427236326
    Notorious: A Novel
    Author

    Allison Brennan

    ALLISON BRENNAN is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of over forty-five novels. She has been nominated for Best Paperback Original Thriller by International Thriller Writers and the Daphne du Maurier Award. A former consultant in the California State Legislature, Allison lives in Arizona with her husband, five kids and assorted pets.

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    Reviews for Notorious

    4/5

    111 ratings33 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Before I got my hands on Notorious, I was feeling a bit out of sorts. I was reading a few Mystery/Thriller novels that weren’t living up to their potential. Allison Brennan never disappoints me, so I was looking forward to this and hoping that it would provide me with a much needed mystery novel that actually had mystery in it.

      Notorious is about Maxine Revere, a rich investigative reporter who has a popular TV show that reminds me of Nancy Grace. Max isn’t afraid of burning bridges or ruining relationships, as long as she can find the truth she’s pretty much willing to do anything.

      From that description, it’s clear that Max isn’t exactly the nicest or well mannered person out there. She’s rude, she’s bossy, and she’s horrible to work with. But, she gets results so some people put up with her. Her job is put on hold when her childhood friend, Kevin O’Neal, passes away and she heads down to her hometown to attend his funeral.

      Kevin had a troubled past. He was accused of killing Lindy, Max’s best friend. Kevin always claimed that he was innocent, but no one believed him except Max. This alienated her from family and friends and everyone quickly turned their backs on Kevin and looked on in confusion at Max’s devotion to him. But it isn’t until Max learns that Kevin lied about his alibi that she turns her back on him too.

      So why go did she go to the funeral? Simple, it’s because Kevin’s sister begged her to come. Not only that, but she also convinces Max to take another look at the case. Not everyone is too happy with Max snooping around, including friends and family, and it doesn’t take long for Max to obsess over this case. But the more she learns the more she’ll find that the truth sometimes isn’t what you’re expecting.

      Max isn’t the most likeable of sorts, but she is driven and isn’t afraid of pushing people to get what she wants. She isn’t someone I’d like to hang out with, or even want to meet, but she did make for an interesting character. I loved how self aware she was. She knew who she was and wasn’t shy about it. She owned her colourful behaviour and that made her really stand out to me.

      I felt like the mystery here was well done as well. There were enough twists and turns to keep me satisfied and I felt like the ending was good as well. Brennan is one of the queens of Romantic Suspense novels and she clearly knows her craft very well. Everything was thought out and done in a way that didn’t make you feel stupid or lead on.

      My only complaint is that there were times I felt like I was missing something, almost like I was reading a book that was in the middle of a series, instead of it being the first one. It didn’t happen very often, but there were a few times when I felt that way. I’m not sure if Max was a character in a previous novel or not, but there were some things that were missing in translation.

      Other than that, this was a great read. It had fully fleshed out characters, a great mystery, and a plot that didn’t feel tiresome. Everything worked, so I was pleased.
    • 4/5
      Max Revere is an investigative reporter with her own crime show. She returns home for an old friend's funeral and is drawn into two investigations. When Max was in high school, her best friend was murdered and another friend, Kevin, arrested for the murder. Max always believed Kevin was innocent and now Kevin has died and she is pulled back into the unsolved crime. Max finds an ally in a police detective who is willing to look at the evidence with a fresh perspective. This was an enjoyable mystery; complex and yet one the reader quickly becomes involved in.
    • 4/5
      Excellent mystery. Very well written, in my opinion. Believable characters with substantive back-stories.
    • 4/5
      NOTORIOUS was an engaging and entertaining start to a new series. The main character is Maxine Revere who is independently wealthy and is the semi-black sheep of a prominent California family. She had a messed up childhood. Her mother was constantly on the move and dragged Max with her until she was 9. Then her mother dropped her off with her grandparents and disappeared. All Max had were some birthday cards which stopped arriving when she was sixteen and questions - why did her mother leave her? who was her father?Max grew up with a close circle of friends including her cousin William who was more life a brother. Things fell apart when her good friend Lindy was strangled and her other good friend Kevin was accused of the crime. Max was the only one of her circle of friends who didn't believe that Kevin didn't do it. Trial ended without convicting Kevin - six jurors thought he was guilty and six did not. But when Max learned that Kevin had lied to her about his alibi, Max cut herself off from him. The one thing that Max wasn't able to tolerate in her life was lies. Max left for school on the East Coast and became an investigative reporter. The death of her college roommate while on Spring break in Florida helped push Max in that direction. Her roommate's body was never found and the person accused of the crime was never convicted. Max spent a year trying to find out what happened to her roommate which led to her writing her first book about the case.When this story begins, Max has a successful career and a television show which investigates cold cases. Max is determined to find the truth because she believes it is the only way that families can find peace. She is called back to California because Kevin has committed suicide. He could never get past being accused of killing Lindy and had turned to drugs and alcohol. He had also continued to try to find out who really killed Lindy.In the airport, she is approached by two people who want her to investigate the death of their grandson. When Max finds out that he was killed on the grounds of her old high school, she agrees to look into the case a little. It doesn't take long for Max to be deeply involved in both cases despite anonymous threats over the phone and threats from the detective who worked on Lindy's case and is sure that Kevin got away with murder. Max's investigation is complicated by all the intertwined relationships she has with those involved in Lindy's case.I liked the mystery even though I didn't really bond with Max. She was very rigid in her stance on lying and she was rather reckless too. I did admire her focus and her determination to find the truth no matter who might get hurt along the way. I liked her relationship with her assistant David and her tentative new romance with the police detective working the case of the dead grandson - Nick Santini. However, given Max's stance on relationships, I don't hold out much hope for a lasting romance there.I'll be eager to see where Allison Brennan takes Max next. I wonder how Max would be in a case that was not so personal to her. I can't wait to find out!
    • 3/5
      Notorious by Allison Brennan is the first in her Max Revere series. Notorious is fast paced and full of suspense, as I would expect from Brennan. My only quibble, and it is a personal one, is that I did not care for the main character, although this many resolve itself in the next book in the series, time will tell.
    • 5/5
      I can’t stop listening to these books great author ty
    • 5/5
      I absolutely loved this. While the very beginning was a little slow, setting things up and building characters, it soon began to draw me in. This hard to work for crime reporter is going home for a funeral. No more spoilers. Once she's home, the action begins big time. This continues basically till the end. Once the action starts, it is hard to put down but hubby gets upset if I do not feed him. Won this in one of Allison's giveaway in return for a honest review.
    • 4/5
      Maxine Revere has dedicated her life to investigating murders that the police have long since given up any hope of solving. A nationally renowned investigative reporter with her own TV show and a tough-as-nails reputation, Max tackles cold cases from across the country and every walk of life. But the one unsolved murder that still haunts her is a case from her own past.When Max was a high school senior, one of her best friends was strangled and another, Kevin O'Neal, accused of the crime. To the disgrace of her wealthy family, Max stood by her friend, until she found out he lied about his alibi. Though his guilt was never proven, their relationship crumbled from the strain of too many secrets.Now Max is home for Kevin's funeral―after years of drug abuse, he committed suicide. She's finally prepared to come to terms with the loss of his friendship, but she's not prepared for Kevin's sister to stubbornly insist that he didn't kill himself. Or for an elderly couple to accost her at the airport, begging her to look into another murder at Max's old high school. Max is more interested in the cold case at her alma mater than in digging around Kevin's troubled life, but she agrees to do both. As Max uncovers dark secrets, she finds herself caught in a complicated web of lies that hit far too close to home. And it's becoming increasingly clear that someone will do whatever it takes to make sure the truth stays buried.
    • 4/5
      Allison Brennan's Notorious is a fast-paced and engrossing mystery that has a cast of characters that stands out from other novels in this genre. This first novel starring Maxine "Max" Revere, an independently wealthy investigative reporter who solves cold cases, is an intriguing mystery set in an elite and wealthy California enclave. The murders of two people from her hometown have stymied local detectives but Max quickly uncovers evidence that revives both of the investigations into the unsolved homicides.

      Max returns home for the funeral of her old friend Kevin O'Neal and she is immediately caught up in two separate investigations. While trying to determine whether Kevin's death was in fact a suicide, Max begins looking into the thirteen year old unsolved death of their mutual friend, Lindy Ames. Kevin was tried and acquitted of Lindy's murder, and in the months leading up to his death, Kevin was trying to track down her killer. Max was always convinced of Kevin's innocence but she could not forgive him for lying to her about his alibi the night of the murder.

      The other case is that Max is looking into surrounds the death of Jason Hoffman, a young man murdered on the grounds of her old prep school. With little to go on, the investigation soon stalled out and in fact, Max discovers it has recently been relegated to the cold case file. But when a young woman Max questioned is viciously attacked, Nick Santini, the detective in charge of the case, reopens the case. Despite Nick's warnings to the contrary, Max continues poking around in the case and the sparks are soon flying between these two strong-willed people.

      Max is headstrong, tenacious and the demons from her own past drive her search for the truth. She has long been at odds with her wealthy family and she spends as little time with them as possible. She has a no nonsense attitude that can be a little off putting but it is difficult to fault her search for answers. Max is definitely a what you see is what you get kind of person but there is a hint of vulnerability that she carefully keeps hidden.

      While there are a lot of supporting characters in Notorious, there are a couple that are worth mentioning. First up is Max's assistant/bodyguard, David Kane. He is off screen for most of the story, but he is Max's closest friend and he is her go to guy for digging up information that nobody wants found. David cares deeply for her and I really enjoyed the dynamic between the two.

      Nick is equally likable and while he makes no effort to hide the antipathy he feels for Max, there is no denying the attraction between them. Very little personal information is revealed about his character until near the end of the novel and it will definitely be interesting to see how he might fit into future novels.

      While there is the tiniest bit of romance to the novel, Notorious is first and foremost a mystery. Allison Brennan does an excellent job keeping the unfolding storyline unpredictable and readers will constantly second guess their theories as to the killer's identity. Red herrings cast suspicion on numerous individuals and misdirects provide many different scenarios for the murders. Trying to guess what, if any, connection there might be between the deaths is virtually impossible. All in all, an excellent first installment in the Max Revere series that leaves fans eagerly anticipating the next release.
    • 2/5
      Overall this book was somewhat of a slow read. Nothing picked up for me until about the last 4 chapters of the book, at which point I was ready to put the book down anyway.I found Max was too perfectly written. She had few to no flaws besides not being able to keep a relationship but she seemed to have every other skill set as well as her body guard. No one should have those connections and literally be able to know everything there is to know about someone within an hour. It felt like it was more fiction than fiction crime. I don't know if I would read another book by this author if this is her style of writing.
    • 3/5
      Allison Brennan’s new thriller NOTORIOUS introduces her Maxine Revere series for as she takes readers into the lives of the rich and wealthy, for murder and suspicion in California.

      I listened to the audiobook and Eliza Foss offers a pleasing voice and handled the characters well to keep the suspense throughout the book.

      Maxine Revenue is the illegitimate daughter of one of the heirs to a California fortune. Loved by her great-grandmother, who left her a fortune even though her own mother abandoned her, Max doesn't have to work, but she does anyway. She is tall, beautiful, an investigative journalist, and has her own nationally television show and has written four true-crime books. Maxine has dedicated her life to investigating murders that the police have long since given up any hope of solving—cold cases, in particular.

      But the one unsolved murder that still haunts her is a case from her own past. When Max was a high school senior, one of her best friends was strangled and another, Kevin O’Neal, accused of the crime. To the disgrace of her wealthy family, Max stood by her friend, until she found out he lied about his alibi. Though his guilt was never proven, their relationship crumbled from the strain of too many secrets.

      When Max returns to her hometown to attend the funeral of a good friend, she begins digging into two unrelated murders, one of which took place more than a decade prior to her friend’s death. She reopens the investigation and this is when she uncovers the second murder. While home for Kevin’s funeral - after years of drug abuse, he committed suicide. She’s finally prepared to come to terms with the loss of his friendship, but she’s not prepared for Kevin’s sister to stubbornly insist that he didn’t kill himself.

      As Max uncovers dark secrets, she finds herself caught in a complicated web of lies that hit far too close to home. And it’s becoming increasingly clear that someone will do whatever it takes to make sure the truth stays buried.

      Of course the hot gay detective, and former Special Forces assistant bodyguard, keeps things interesting, the dysfunctional rich family, and tons of other characters –rather hard to keep up with.

      Was not overly wowed; however, did enjoy Max’s kick ass personality. This is my first read by Allison and would read the next in the series. It is not Karin Slaughter material; however, an engaging read while traveling.
    • 4/5
      Listened for Fun (Audible)Overall Rating: 4.00Story Rating: 4.25Character Rating: 3.75Audio Rating: 3.50 (not part of the overall rating)Read It File It Review: Notorious by Allison Brennan kept me guessing till the very end. The mystery was strong! Also since this is the first in a new series, it is the perfect way to try Allison Brennan if you haven't before (I love her writing).Audio Thoughts: Narrated By Eliza Foss / Length: 12 hrs and 51 mins The narration was OK but it wasn't outstanding. I thought the pacing was off a little bit and some of the voices were just not my cup of tea. I thought Eliza did a great job with some other narrations (Alafair Burke)so it was just this match that didn't work for me.
    • 4/5
      Hopefully this will be the start of a new series! Max Revere is a former reporter turned TV show host who looks into cold cases. She gets dragged back to her hometown after many years away when a high-school classmates commits suicide. He had been accused of killing another high school classmate and the case was never fully closed. Max looks into the case at the request of the suicide victim's sister and many new truths come to light.
    • 4/5
      As a whole I found this book to be decent enough- which means just that: it was decent enough. The writing wasn't my issue with the book. The author has a writing style that was engrossing enough to keep me going. The main character, however, never grew on me. And furthermore I found the ending to be a bit anticlimactic. It had all of the elements of a wonderful climatic conclusion and yet something was missing in my opinion. But, of course, that could be chalked up to personal taste and nothing more.
    • 4/5
      I'd read the author's Prison Break series previously which I don't really remember but this book will stick in my mind for awhile I suspect. I'm happy to know that the author is already working on the next Maxine Revere book. I really enjoyed the premise of this book: an investigative reporter who goes out trying to solve cold cases. This book brought her back to her hometown and dredged up the murder of her high school best friend which in her mind had never been solved. The book had several story lines going at once which came together. Characters that I really wanted to see again: Det. Nick Santini and more David. The story kept me going (and made me blow off my morning chores today in order to finish) and I'm so glad that when I lost the advanced copy of the book I was awarded I went back to finish after it was released, otherwise I would have truly missed out on the start of what I suspect will be a great series.
    • 3/5
      Allison Brennan is a prolific author and her books get taken out quite often at the library. But Notorious, is the first book I've read by this best selling author. Notorious is the first book in the Max Revere series. Max is an investigative reporter with her own cold case television show. She'll head anywhere in the country to tackle those unsolved murders. One case she's never been able to solve is the death of her childhood friend Lindy. Max heads back to her hometown to attend a funeral. While at the airport she is approached by a couple who beg her to look into their son's death as well. Max agrees and also starts re-looking at Lindy's case as well. Brennan has come up with two good whodunits that had me interested. But here's the problem - I didn't like the investigator. At all. Brennan has written Max as a very tough, strong personality, which, on paper would seem to work for a reporter. But for this reader, it just didn't make the leap. I just found her obnoxious, pushy, rude and self absorbed with an 'anything you can do I can do better' chip on her shoulder. The annoying dialogue and sanctimonious attitude only increased as the book progressed and had me gritting my teeth by the end. The main plotting of Notorious was just fine and I did read to the end to see the final reveal. But I was glad to turn the final page on Max Revere. Established fans of Allison Brennan will most likely enjoy this book
    • 4/5
      A good suspense novel that kept me guessing until the end. Toss in some romance and a bit of humor and Notorious made for a enjoyable book. I look forward to reading other books written by Allison Brennan.
    • 5/5
      Max (Maxine Revere) was dumped on her grandparents at an early age. Her having money allowed her to do exactly what she wants in life without concern for her lifestyle or bills. After graduating college Max becomes an investigative reporter and eventually has her own TV show. She comes home after a couple of years not to visit but to go to a funeral of a lifetime friend with whom she had been estranged from due to a Murder 13 years ago of another friend. When she returns home she is also met with another family who would like Max to investigate the murder of their Son as well. Max has no intention of bringing up the 13 year murder of her friend Lindy, however her friend Kevin who she is there for the funeral had left her a note right along with his suicide note regarding Lindy. Kevin was accused of killing Lind 13 years ago but was acquitted but the murder was never solved and it took quite the toll on Kevin as may people still believed he was Lindy's killer. A very good suspense novel with some twists and turns eventually I put together who the killer was however it was not until right before she told me who it was. I really enjoyed this book and hope to read more from her.
    • 3/5
      Investigative report, tv how hostess of I solved crime Maxine revere explores a 13 year old murder of her best high school friend. Is this murder connected to a recent murder and maybe more. In her hometown for a funeral, Maxine is drawn into these murders by friends and family. This is book for fan of true crime and cold cases television is a quick read. The author continues to write a story you keep turning pages to find the answer
    • 4/5
      I love a really good suspenseful mystery with a good blend of romantic tension thrown in and Allison Brennan’s new book, Notorious, does that and more. Sometimes, the first book in a new series can be a little tedious, introducing the concept and the characters, but hang in there, it really picks up from that point on. I have to say, for me, the story really kicked in with the first face to face meeting between Max Revere, the main character & Detective Nick Santini. The tension Brennan created between these two was so palpable, you could cut it with a knife and you just knew the sparks were going to fly. Brennan usually writes with a gritty and often times graphic style, but Notorious had an element of humor I really enjoyed. Highly recommend!
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed "Notorius" by Allison Brennan. Max is a very intriguing heroine. Dumped on her grandparents at an early age, she doesn't know what happened to her mother. She lost her best friend to murder at the end of homeschool with her other best friend accused of the crime. In college she loses her new best friend to murder and the body is never found. Max goes on to become an investigative reporter and true crime novelist. She also has a t.v. show. She is called back to her hometown because the friend that was accused of murder way back then has killed himself.What follows is a story full of secrets waiting to be uncovered. The book has several loose ends and I hope the author continues what could be a really good series.
    • 3/5
      Maxine Revere (Max) loves being an investigative reporter. Too bad she can’t do as much undercover work as she used to because she has a cable show about solving cold cases. She’s in town for the funeral of a friend, Kevin, who committed suicide. Thirteen years ago he’d been acquitted for the murder of another friend of theirs, Lindy, and Max was the only one who believed in his innocence. Until this day, most of the town still believes he’s guilty. When arriving at the airport she is approached by an elderly couple who recognizes Max from her show and requests help with their grandson’s murder which took place about five months earlier at the school campus she’d attended. She agrees to look into it and while having no plans while in town to find out who actually killed Lindy, she changes her mind after seeing other’s attitudes and being warned off. I’ve never read any books by this author before. Max is like a bull in a china shop when looking for answers; capable and determined with an FU attitude. She’ll barrel through practically any situation with limited thought on how she might be hurting another, and the way she gathers information can make her discovery inadmissible in court. That and her show don’t make her especially popular with the police. But it does put her into some interesting situations as she works both cases.The mystery itself was fine with a number of twists and different theories, although the number of characters felt overwhelming at times. But I just couldn’t get my head around Max. I had no feelings for her whatsoever. She comes across as more of a man, and it’s not because of her chosen profession or abilities, but her attitude and emotions on different subjects. That aspect appears to be on purpose, based on something said near the end of the story. It leads me to believe that her character could have some growth in this area as the series progresses. There’s also quite a bit about her life that was barely touched on, so more to learn. This book was read as an ARC via LibraryThing, but I wasn’t intrigued enough by this story to want to read any more stories about Max.
    • 4/5
      I thought this book at times rambled on BUT to my surprise I really enjoyed this book...at some points I couldn't wait to curl up with it. I would recommend it for a summer read! I will in the future look for more from this author.
    • 4/5
      A surprisingly good page-turning whodunnit as investigative reporter Maxine Revere is called back home to California for an old friend's funeral and finds herself in the middle of investigating an old murder, a new murder, and a murder no-one even knew occurred. Conveniently, she begins to find all the cases may be tied together, all the while putting herself in danger and alienating friends and family at the same time. Max proves to be an interesting character, perhaps could stand to be a bit more developed, and the number of characters involved and unanswered questions near the end seems a bit overwhelming for a fairly concise novel, but the book makes for a good beach-time yarn or fireside read at home.
    • 4/5
      Great Book! Received as an Early Review. Brennan offered the reader an exciting multi murder mystery with a fabulous heroine and main character, Max. Character development of Max and all the characters was succinct and exceptional. Many twists and turns with new mysteries throughout the book. The author skillfully brought the past into the present with fast moving dialogue and scenes. Highly recommend!
    • 5/5
      Maxine Revere or Max, as her friends know her, is on her way home for the funeral of former friend, Kevin. Max, who hosts a true crime show, is waylaid by the Hoffmans in the airport with the sad story that their grandson, Jason, has been murdered on the Atherton Prep School grounds. The Hoffmans are hopeful that Max will look into the case because Max also attended Atherton Prep in this small but wealthy community. With no suspects and no motive, Max has her work cut out for her, but she is willing to take a look at what little evidence has been discovered. Kevin’s sister, Jodi, asked Max to come to the funeral. Thirteen years earlier, Kevin, accused of murdering Lindy Ames, was released for lack of evidence and the jury was unable to convict Kevin. Months earlier, Kevin had written to Max that he had found new evidence about Lindy’s murder. Lindy, Kevin and Max had all been friends at Atherton Prep during their school years. Max believed all along that Kevin was innocent but most of the town including Max’s own extended family believed he was guilty. Lindy’s murder was never solved and the shadow of the court case destroyed Kevin. Now, Max believes she owes former friends, Kevin and Lindy to finally solve the case of Lindy’s murder and absolve Kevin of the suspected murder of Lindy. With the help of the local police detective Nick Santini, Max and Nick will follow the evidence – even if one of Max’s relatives is the killer.Does the death of Jason Hoffman 12 years later relate to the earlier death of Lindy? Is there more than just the Atherton Prep School location to connect the crime? Filled with plenty of action and suspense, Max is a tenacious crime reporter and I look forward to reading more books in what looks like the start of a new series.
    • 4/5
      Maxine "Max" Revere returns to her home near San Francisco. She is going to the funeral of a childhood friend. He was accused of killing their friend, Lindy Ames but it was a hung jury. Max was one of the few who took the stand in his defense. Then she found that he lied about his alibi.Her friend, Kevin, committed suicide and left Max a note to find the real killer. She is also looking for the killer of Jason Hoffman. His grandparents stopped her at the airport and asked for her help. They recognized her from her TV Show in New York.There are obstacles in her path including a detective who felt Kevin was guilty and that Max ruined a good case for Kevin's guilt.Max continues on the two cases even when it looks like members of her own family might be involved.She shows good instinct and bravery. She's also a well developed character. The author also did a good job in creating the scene. The story is very visual and I think it would make a good movie.
    • 5/5
      Love Notorious. Its fast pace, great characters and love the story line. Glad this is #1 in a series of Max Revere stories. I can't wait for the rest of them. I'm hooked.
    • 4/5
      “Notorious” by Allison Brennan is the first full length novel in her exciting new series about Max Revere, an investigative reporter who in addition to writing newspaper articles, hosts her own cable TV show. You are quickly immersed in a suspenseful story which began 13 years ago with the murder of one of Max’s best friends and classmate, Lindy. Fast forward to today and Max is on her way home to attend the funeral of another one of her High School classmates, her former best friend Kevin, who was accused of that murder and who she hadn’t spoken to in over 13 years.While at the airport while waiting for her bags to arrive, Max is approached by a couple who recognizes Max from her TV show and they ask her if she would be willing to look in to the murder of their son, Jason. Even though Max is in California for Kevin’s funeral, she agrees to meet with the couple the next day and that is the beginning of a gripping story that ends up taking turns no one could have anticipated.Allison introduced us to Maxine Revere in a digital prequel novella “Maximum Exposure” which was released last month. If you haven’t read that one, don’t fret, this story stands on it’s own merit and you will not feel as if you are missing something. Each book is it’s own story and I expect additional ones will be the same, no unanswered questions or cliffhangers you have to read a sequel to get answers for.Once again Allison has written brilliant characters with a story that takes a hold of you and won’t let you put the book down until you finish it. One of the refreshing things I found about “Notorious” is that the characters are flawed and yet you still can relate to them, their damaged family relationships and will still have your favorites who you will be hoping aren’t the one who killed Lindy or Jason. I for one am looking forward to the next Max Revere novel.
    • 4/5
      This was a very good book about an investigative journalist who goes back to her hometown for the funeral of a friend, Kevin O'Neal, and ends up investigating three deaths that have gone cold. Max is a very good investigative journaist who solves cold cases. The grandparents of Jason Hoffman, a young man who was killed at a construction site a year before, run into Max at the airport and ask her to look into his unsolved death that had occured at Max old high school. She decides to investigate his death, but also ends up investigating the death of her friend Lindy, that occured 13 years again, and that of an unknown person. Sparks fly between her and some of the police officers in the town, some negatively and other with mutual attraction. I good read, and I look forward to reading more of Allison Brennan's books.