MACFARLANE CREATIVE
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Lakeland Things Series
The Heart of Things
In book one in the Lakeland Series, The Heart of Things, accidental crime-solving mother-daughter duo, Colleen and Abbie Lewis (think Gilmore Girls meets Stephanie Plum), stray into the sights of a killer. While at her fourteen-year old daughter’s soccer game, small-town dog groomer and single mom, Colleen Lewis, catches a stray boxer dog who has interrupted the game. The dog appears to have caked blood on his fur, so Colleen calls local police officer, Drew Hayes, for help. When Drew asks Colleen to take the dog to the town vet and the vet recognizes the boxer (Sylvester), Colleen decides to return the animal to his family. Once there, she stumbles upon the bloody double murder of Sylvester’s owners.
Colleen becomes obsessed. She can’t sleep, and she can’t get the mental pictures of the victims out of her mind, so she does the only thing she can think to do – she sets about learning as much as possible about the victims. Doing so draws Colleen and Abbie deeper into the heart of the mystery and into the sights of a killer.
At the same time, Colleen is navigating her feelings about the romantic advances of two very different men -- sexy and determined soccer coach, Diego Fuentes, and Officer Drew Hayes, who (at the precocious age of ten) was Colleen's first kiss. Although her attraction to both men is real, Colleen and Abbie have been doing just fine on their own. Does she really want to make space in her life for a man? And if so, which man does she want?
- The Way of Things, book two in the Lakeland Series. In The Way of Things, Abbie is celebrating her fifteenth birthday at the lake and finds a woman floating facedown and near dead. The woman is Anna, Colleen's best friend and local area realtor. Someone is targeting the female realtors of Lakeland. As well, Colleen stumbles into the middle of things when it becomes apparent that Gloria Sampson, mom to soccer goalie Dani, is being physically abused by her husband. When Colleen puts herself in jeopardy, Drew is furious, and tensions between them ride high.
The Best of Things. As book three opens, Abbie is working at her grandparents vineyard and loving every minute of it. Colleen is frantically working on her wonder woman impression -- juggling about as many balls as one woman can -- and Drew has traveled to Vancouver Island to visit his mom and tell her the good news about the changes in his relationship with Colleen. Unfortunately, Drew could not have timed the trip worse. A body has been found at Zara Vineyard, raped and murdered. Sabine is one of Zara's fruit pickers, in town from Quebec, and she has been carrying on an affair with Bobby De Luca -- who is now chief suspect in her murder. When Charles Royston finds Sabine's body, he suffers a heart attack. Colleen's brother Mark returns from California to take care of the vineyard.
The Merry Kind of Things, fourth and final installment of the Lakeland Series. The wedding is here! Also, an escalating series of break-ins has the town reeling, and has Drew distracted. Will Colleen and Drew get their happily-ever-after, or will the unusual year of criminal activity in Lakeland make their love a final victim?
Amazon Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Good, clean read
Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2020
Mix a murder mystery with dogs involved then add some good clean romance. What do you get? A very enjoyable story to read that keeps your attention to the exclusion of other things you might be doing. This was an ARC from Voracious Readers Only.
5.0 out of 5 stars What a great love story.
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2020
I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review. This was such an amazing book. I loved all the twist and turns it took. I finished this book in two days. I would definitely read another book by this author.
5.0 out of 5 stars What's a girl to do?
Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2020
A lost dog leads to a mystery and love. Leigh Macfarlane has written a terrific tale of drama and love. You will find all the action you ever wanted in The Heart Of Things. I found this to be a little sweet and a little spine tingling. A nice read for a cold fall day.