Two Heads Are Deader Than One: (2 Eddie Shoes Mystery)

Private Investigator Eddie Shoes is enjoying a rare period of calm. She's less lonely now that Chava, her card-counting mom from Vegas, is sharing her home. She also has a new companion, Franklin, a giant dog of curious ancestry. Hoping for a lucrative new case, Eddie instead finds herself taking on a less promising client: her best friend from her childhood in Spokane. Dakota has turned up in Bellingham in jail, where she is being held on a weapons charge. Eddie reluctantly agrees not only to lend her friend money for bail but to also investigate who is stalking her. Soon after Dakota is freed, she disappears again, leaving Eddie to answer to the local cops, including her ex-boyfriend Chance Parker. Has Dakota been kidnapped? If not, why did she jump bail? What are Eddie's business cards doing on the bodies of two murder victims? The key to these mysteries lies in Dakota and Eddie's shared history, which ended when Eddie left home after high school. As a person of interest in both murder cases, Eddie is forced to go in search of the truth, digging into the past and facing her own demons. Book 2 in the Eddie Shoes Mystery series.

About the Author :
Elena Hartwell's writing career began in the theater, where she also worked as a director, designer, producer, and educator. Productions of her scripts have been performed around the U.S. and abroad, with some of her plays available through Indie Theater Now and New York Theatre Experience, Inc. She lives in North Bend, Washington, with her husband. For more information go to elenahartwell.com and visit her blog at arcofawriter.com.

Review :
"Hartwell has created quite a winner in the unique and clever Eddie Shoes, and this first case features not only a twisting, turning, fast-paced plot, but also a number of nuanced, quirky relationships.... A clever and well-paced mystery." --RT Magazine "A great mystery from the get-go, packed full of interesting characters. Eddie and her mom make a great team and for once the first person narrative, usually a turn off for me, kept the story moving on a steady burn. What was most remarkable for me though was the interesting presentation of mental health issues. The author's writing style gave me a modern Mikey Spillane vibe and was quite enjoyable from beginning to end." --I Read What You Write blog "An engaging mystery that will keep you stumped to the very end. This novel had many twists and turns so that I was kept guessing all the way to the surprise ending. The characters are quite impressive and I enjoyed getting to know them. I could relate to Eddie and loved her quirky mother, Chava. However, Dakota's character brought back unpleasant memories of high school and she made a great antagonist .... Although this novel is part of a series, it is a good standalone. For those who are fans of whodunits, this is a great read." --Susan Sewell for Readers' Favorite Reviews "Boasting a wonderful cast of characters that included Eddie and her delightfully charming mother, this was a great read and I can't wait to read the next book in this terrific series." --Dru's Book Musings "Chava, the mother, is a hoot and Franklin is about as loyal and intelligent as a big dog can be. Chance, the now maybe lover, is attractive and the mystery is indeed mysterious pretty much up until the end. There are enough quirks in the characters and twists in the development of the story to keep things satisfyingly interesting all the way through. Elena Hartwell has conjured up a plausible protagonist and done a good job of plunking her into a setting and plot that nicely suit her." --Diana Borse for Reviewing the Evidence "Eddie Shoes is back in another page turner. Haven't read book one yet? No problem. New readers to the series should be able to jump right into the story. Hartwell provides enough detail to get them up to speed without slowing down those who have read book one [....] Eddie's witty no-nonsense personality and Hartwell's well-paced writing style make the chapters fly by." --Readeropolis "In addition to convincing voices and accents for other characters, such as Shoes's Latino father and an Indian landlord, Driscoll dons a gravelly tone for Shoes's Jewish mother. Chava's straight-shooting comments add humor and moments of tenderness to an enticing story that puts a unique spin on a classic detective genre." --Review of Audiobook from Audiofile Magazine "Private investigator Eddie Shoes needs to buy some sneakers. Danger is coming at her that fast in Two Heads Are Deader Than One, the excellent new installment in Elena Hartwell's mystery series. A friend from her high school days shows up out of the blue, needing bail and trailing trouble. Nothing's what it seems in this tense crime novel, though at least Eddie has the aid of her card shark mom and the company of her giant dog Franklin. Fascinating characters and a story that dares you to put the book down make this book a winner. One murder follows another, guns multiply and Eddie gets put in a frame. Mystery fans will be carried right to the end by this crackling tale." --Rich Zahradnik, author of the Coleridge Taylor mystery series "The author does and great job of weaving details and people together making a whodunit that mystery lovers will want to read!" --My Journey Back Blog 4 Stars: "The stories move quickly, there's always danger, moments that make you laugh, and you worry about Eddie. She's a good PI but she's not real careful about her own safety. The author has her sticking her nose out a little further than necessary but it sure makes for a fun read." --Aloe for Long and Short Reviews 5 Stars: "The characters are likeable and believable and Chava, Eddie's card-dealing mom, is especially charming. It's impossible not to root for them all through the story. Author Elena Hartwell showcases a delightful heroine in a story that promises pleasant romance and a hint of danger with a twist of an ending. This will keep one from ever putting this book down!" --L. Kane for InD'Tale Magazine