Sandy M’s review of Carrots (Shelby Nichols Adventures, Book 1) by Colleen Helme
Mystery published by Amazon Digital Services 23 Feb 11
I just happened upon this book. The title and the cover intrigued me, so I took a closer look. The blurb added to that intrigue, so I took a chance and began to read.
Once I got into the story after the robbery and shooting and Shelby realizes her new “ability,” I was a bit unsure of the turn the story takes, introducing organized crime and its local boss. But I have to say that the adventures Shelby ends up going through are quite entertaining and there’s never a dull moment in this woman’s life.
Even though she’s basically being blackmailed by Uncle Joey, Shelby eventually lets a part of her heart soften toward the man. And vice versa. You figure, as Shelby does, that she’ll be in her grave as soon as she’s outlived her usefulness to him, but she entertains him just as much as the reader and she continues to breathe, against all odds. And that’s what makes following Shelby around so much fun. You never know what’s going to happen next.
I do like her efforts to keep her new mind reading from those in her life. It works quite well with her children, keeping better tabs on them, especially the goings-on of her teen-aged son. It’s her husband who has a difficult time with this new wife of his. Shelby tries her best to shield against his thoughts, but when it comes to the new lawyer working with Chris, she’s not sure she should just blindly leave the two working so closely together, especially when she learns Uncle Joey is related to the bimbo.
In between all of this, the gunman who started all this trouble is still after Shelby – she’s the only one who can identify him. So there’s some good suspenseful mystery to go along with the laughs. I really like the relationship Shelby builds with Uncle Joey’s bodyguard, who grudgingly respects her and doesn’t want to end up being the one to silence her.
I’m glad I inadvertently started with Book 1 in this series – I had no idea it was a series until I’d finished the book. I definitely want to visit with Shelby and her shenanigans again. There’s bound to be boat loads, because she’s getting better and better at keeping things under her hat, all to pop out at unexpected moments to ramp up the fun or the danger – or both.
Grade: B
Summary:
Shelby Nichols is an average woman who is married to the only guy she ever fell for. Her life is organized and predictable, revolving around her husband and two children. All that changes the day she stops at the grocery store for some carrots. As the cashier rings up her purchases, a gunman is busy robbing the bank inside the store. When a customer grabs the robber’s mask, he is shot and everyone runs for cover.
Everyone except Shelby, who finds herself face to face with the killer. The next thing she knows, she’s lying on the floor with a bullet wound to her head. Luckily, the bullet only grazes her scalp, and she doesn’t suspect any lasting affects until later, when she suddenly ‘hears’ what people are thinking. With this uncanny ability, her life takes on a whole new dimension. Her kids think she’s bossy and too old to understand them, but that’s nothing compared to her husband. He says he loves her, but what is it about the redhead at work that he doesn’t want her to know? As if that isn’t enough, the gunman knows she can identify him, and he’s out to silence her forever. In her fight to stay alive, she is saved from certain death by a handsome hit-man with ties to organized crime. This pulls Shelby even deeper into danger, where knowing someone’s thoughts can not only hurt her feelings, but get her killed.
No excerpt available.
Other books in this series:
