Customer Reviews

The Enemy We Know (Letty Whittaker 12 Step Mystery)

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After helping a client with an abusive boyfriend, Psychotherapist Letty Whitaker finds herself the target of his insane, alcohol fueled rage. Dead rats, mutilated dolls and dark Shakespearian poetry are just a few of the "presents" Letty is subjected to.

I love any book that starts right off with exciting action. And this one certainly delivered. To put it simply: This author had me at hello. Because it was written in the first person, you find yourself becoming a silent partner to Letty. You only know what she knows and when she knows it. You have to figure out the who and why right along with her. This puts you right in the story and I loved being there.

Anytime you have a story where a woman is in jeopardy, you run the risk of finding a very formulaic plot, where you know the culprit by the third chapter. Not in this author's skillful hands. I no sooner felt I had a handle on it, when I would find I was wrong. There was no dearth of suspects and I considered, discarded, reconsidered over and over again. This made it such a fun read and I stayed up all night doing just that.

I also grew to really like Letty as a person. Although what was happening was very serious, I would find myself laughing out loud at something she said, either out loud, or to herself. This woman is funny. She had certain strengths and also flaws, just like all of us. That made her human to me and not like some cardboard character that you often find in this genre of fiction. It was easy to resonate with her and before I was halfway through the book, I knew I would be buying more Letty Whitaker 12 step books. I want to know more about her.

I wasn't sure what to expect of a book with the background being psychotherapy as well as AA as I am not familiar with either. Well, I grew to love the meetings and finding yet another suspect or two to add to my every growing pile of them. I loved Letty and her observances of people, sometimes deeply insightful and sometimes laugh out loud funny.

Ms. Glaser is a very gifted writer and her style is so enjoyable that you really don't want to put this book down. The ending didn't disappoint and I was guessing right up until the final chapter was done. Many surprises in this book and I can't wait for the next one to come out.

And best of all. I not only walked away with a good read, but also with a new obsession: Portishead. Read the book to find out what I mean.

The Enemy We Know is an engrossing mystery/suspense novel. Seamlessly racheting up from one crisis to another, it makes even the requisite mis-steps by the female-victim-protagonist believable. The characters are unique,well developed, and stay true to their personalities throughout the book. The story is enriched by the realistically detailed and believable worlds Letty inhabits: anyone struggling with addiction issues of any kind can relate to her experiences and reactions to AA philosophy, requirements, and support; and the emotional toll of her workplace is well invoked by the different ways her co-workers react to it. Add a dose of Shakespeare's rather gruesome sonnets, and you have an enticing brew. All this is handled with humor and finesse by the plucky main character, but her suspicions erode her ability to trust and challenge her relationships right through to the surprising ending. I look forward to seeing what else is in store for Letty Whitaker.

great story with plenty of tension and action. told with a dash of humor. we love letty.

move over evonovich-here comes glaser!

I absolutely loved this book. I am a very slow reader, and it usually takes me weeks to finish a book. This one took me 3 days. I could not put it down. I loved the characters, the plot, the suspense, and the writing style, especially the humor. It had me laughing out loud at times, which really isn't what you expect from a mystery, but it worked well. Loved it! Looking forward to more books in this series!

Goodreads Description- Psychotherapist Letty Whittaker, a professional secret keeper, has a secret of her own. When one of her clients slips free from an abusive boyfriend, Letty becomes the target of his violent rage. Wayne invades Letty's life, slithering his way past the barriers erected between her personal and professional lives, leaving gifts of dead rats, mutilated dolls, and freaky Shakespearian sonnets. Worst of all, Wayne uncovers Letty's deepest shame, infiltrating her AA group and threatening to expose her to the state licensing board.

And then--good news--Wayne is murdered. The bad news? The police suspect Letty. Worse yet, the sonnets and bloody souvenirs keep coming. Someone else has been watching Letty. Someone eager to drop bodies at her feet like a cat offering dead mole trophies to his mistress. Someone willing to kill again.

I love when I get a good freebie! I almost always don't expect much out of free books on Kindle, but this is a good one. A unique plot with the main character, Letty, a therapist and recovering alcoholic. After a client attacks her in her office with a knife, lots of strange things begin to happen. Letty is being stalked and is left with creepy Shakespearian sonnets about love, desire, and obsesion along with dead rats, bloody knives, and her attacker is murdered. With so many suspects in mind, Letty's sobriety is on the line and she has to be the one to figure out who is stalker is before it is too late.

There are so many funny lines in this book that had me laughing out loud. The plot is twisting and turning at every point. I feel like the main characters are well developed and her writing style is great. The only reason this doesn't get 5 stars is because I figured out what was going on before it was revealed. I would recommend this to any mystery lover...4 stars!

Letty has a lot of secrets to keep. But drinking is the worst. When an angry boyfriend of one of her patients comes after her for answers, he comes planning to hurt. But those around Letty seem to be getting hurt. Who's trying to protect Letty? I didn't see the ending coming, it was a well written surprise. I found the drinking problems out of my element, but I just don't understand that point of view. There was a lot of suspense.

Author Donna White Glaser has written an exciting suspense novel. I became involved within the first few pages. The novel which was written in the first person, places you into the action immediately. The author was able to clearly set the scenes by having Letty, the main character, explain and describe the settings as though you were in her shoes. Letty, who is also going through the AA program, must discover who the murderer/stalker is. I highly recommend this book that will keep your interest to the end.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to review it.

I enjoyed this book very much. The writing was smooth and polished, with few errors or typos. The pacing and plot were nicely done. I felt that the book was as well-written as many thrillers written by more well-known novelists. The author avoided unnecessary violence, profanity, or gratuitous sex. It was refreshing to read a book that did not feature a super-slim, model-perfect protagonist. Having Letty be an AA member is an unusual twist, injecting some painful reality into the tale. I look forward to reading more from this author. I received a copy of this book to review.

The reader is plunged into the action on the first page of this unusual novel. Set in a mental therapy clinic, the violence begins with a client's partner threatening Letty Whittaker. As events escalate, the notion that Wayne, the partner is involved changes into something darker and mysterious.

Obsession, manifesting in murder, combined with terrifying harassment and stalking culminate in a final showdown. The ending is not one which I was expecting. I am still not sure whether I was disappointed about this, so I am hoping for a sequel.

I would recommend this novel to anyone who wants to read something different to the standard plot. There's enough spoilers in the reviews for this novel, so I am not going to add to them.

Mrs Glaser is a writer to watch!!!

Counsellor Letty Whittaker thinks it's just a normal day at the office, until Carrie's abusive partner Wayne shows up. With a hunting knife. After threatening Letty, he makes his escape when the police turn up.

Then the frightening messages start - Shakespearean sonnets about love and lust. Letty realises Wayne is rapidly turning into a stalker.

Then Wayne is murdered, but the strange happenings that Letty had been experiencing continue. Then she realises that the police regard her as a suspect in Wayne's murder. The Shakespearean sonnets she has been receiving continue to appear, threatening in their lustful longing. And all the while she is battling with alcoholism.

Next, Robert, the boyfriend she just broke up with is murdered. Already keen on tracking the murderer to clear her name, her quest becomes even more important. She suspects everyone, even Marshall, her boss and the man who makes her knees go weak.Butr it is the third murderous attack that is the most surprising and revealing of all.

I chuckled so many times with this book. Donna White Glaser is a very witty writer. But she can also do serious. And poetical. A very talented lady. I can't recommend her book highly enough. I'll be looking for more books by this author.