Nun But the Brave by Alice Loweecey - #review #giveaway

Giulia Driscoll’s sister-in-law barges into Driscoll Investigations and promptly passes out from OD’ing on an unknown drug. Two OD’d teenagers are found dead in the park and behind a convenience store. DI’s new client insists her missing twin sister is not dead and enlists Giulia as the “Missing Person Whisperer.” Hooray for steady work?

The missing sister’s trail leads to married, pregnant, ex-nun Giulia’s first experience with online dating sites, to the delight of her husband and employees. Those dates lead her to local Doomsday Preppers. They grow their own everything, and that everything may be connected to the drugs, her sister-in-law, and the missing twin. These Preppers are about to learn the true meaning of doom.

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MY REVIEW

Guilia Driscoll is one gutsy lady.  Not only did she choose the life of a nun, but when it became apparent that being a nun was not her path, she opted out.  Now she's married, pregnant and running a private detective agency.  This is one deep woman!

Things are not right in Guilia's town.  Not only have two teeners OD'd recently, but G's sister-in-law collapses on the floor of the agency, OD'ing on the same drug in the young people's systems.  Now, I've heard it said that 'two is a coincidence, but three is a pattern".  When her newest client wants Guilia to track down her twin sister.

Remember the discussion about Guilia's bravery?  Her investigation has her signing up for Prepper dating sites (with the knowledge, if not the blessing of her husband and staff).  At least those guys are up front about what they want.  At the first face-to-face, if they don't think you have 'child-bearing hips', you're pretty much out of the running.

Most Prepper groups seem to me (and admittedly, I'm no expert on this) to be more loose associations or networks of individual families or smaller groups.  What Guilia found was more of a Prepper commune.  Some of the members had jobs 'on the outside' but they definitely left those experiences at the gate when they came 'home'.  She was first invited for an afternoon visit, and when that went well, she was further 'vetted' at an overnight stay.

To say that all Preppers are crazy conspiracy theorists is a gross, and quite possibly offensive, generalization.  Laying in a supply of food, water, and other basic supplies is never a bad idea.  What if there is a flood, a tornado, a hurricane, an earthquake or other natural disaster and supply lines are not there?  How many days did it take FEMA to get water to the Superdome in New Orleans after Katrina?

But just as there are sane people and not sane people, those same divisions occur within the Prepper community.  Guilia's group (in my estimation) were definitely leaning to the not pure-in-theory side.

I can't say I would have gone as far as Guilia did in her investigation, being pregnant and all.  I worked for a number of years for a police department as a transcriptionist and by the time the civilian employees were allowed to go on ride-ins with officers, I was pregnant and thought it would probably be better if I passed on that particular opportunity.

Then again, if it had involved family (her sister-in-law and nieces), I might have been tempted to bend that particular rule.  And I'm sure if Guilia had perceived a 'clear and present' threat of danger, her investigation would have been radically altered.

Wrong-doers of the area, beware!  Former Sister Guilia may no longer be a nun, but she still has her ruler to rap the knuckles of the more wayward amonsgt you.  And I'll be there taking pictures for her scrapbook!

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MEET THE AUTHOR

Baker of brownies and tormenter of characters, Alice Loweecey recently celebrated her thirtieth year outside the convent. She grew up watching Hammer Horror and Scooby-Doo Mysteries, which might explain a whole lot. When she’s not creating trouble for Giulia Falcone-Driscoll, she can be found growing her own vegetables (in summer) and cooking with them (the rest of the year).

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GIVEAWAY!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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(Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book from the author and publishers via Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)