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Identity Crisis (A Sam McRae Mystery) [Kindle Edition]

Debbi Mack
3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (70 customer reviews)

Digital List Price: $3.99 What's this?
Print List Price: $15.99
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Book Description

A NEW YORK TIMES EBOOK BESTSELLER

A simple domestic abuse case turns deadly when the alleged abuser is killed and Stephanie Ann “Sam” McRae’s client disappears. When a friend asks Sam to find Melanie Hayes, the Maryland attorney is drawn into a complex case of murder and identity theft that has her running from the Mob, breaking into a strip club and forming a shaky alliance with an offbeat private investigator to discover the truth about Melanie and her ex-boyfriend.

With her career and life on the line, Sam’s search takes her from the blue-collar Baltimore suburbs to the mansions of Gibson Island. Along the way, she learns that false identities can hide dark secrets, and those secrets can destroy lives.

Now with an excerpt from the sequel LEAST WANTED.
Plus an excerpt from THE LIST by J.A. Konrath.

MORE REVIEWS AND ENDORSEMENTS
"Debbi Mack has created a first-rate heroine in Sam McRae. Sam is tough, resilient, sassy and unstoppable. Good thing, too, as IDENTITY CRISIS moves at a slam-bam pace." -- Simon Wood, author of TERMINATED

"If you enjoy realistic legal thrillers—and dread the thought of 'identity theft' striking home—IDENTITY CRISIS will be a genuine treat. Debbi Mack has used her own experience as an attorney to craft a twisty yet completely credible plot. And her protagonist, Stephanie Ann 'Sam' McRae, is a perfect example of what every client should hope for in an advocate: a professional who's willing to take risks both inside AND outside the courtroom." -- Jeremiah Healy, Author of RESCUE, TURNABOUT and THE ONLY GOOD LAWYER

"IDENTITY CRISIS is a well-written and well-plotted mystery which introduces lawyer-sleuth Sam McRae. She’s an exciting new protagonist mystery readers will want to get to know." -- Louise Titchener, Author of MALPRACTICE, BURNED IN BALTIMORE and BURIED IN BALTIMORE

“Of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock once said, ‘There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it.’ Author Debbi Mack nails that statement in this tightly written tale about a flawed Maryland attorney, ‘Sam’ McRae, and her relentless search for a killer when the domestic abuse case she has been handling kicks itself up a notch: The accused is found dead and his wife has taken off. Not good. Add to that the FBI, the Mob, identity theft, and a vulnerable main character involved with a married prosecutor and you have a darn good page-turner. Debbi Mack crafts a taut narrative with crackling dialogue.” -- Aimee Zuccarini, The Maryland Women's Journal, Oct./Nov. 2009.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debbi Mack is the New York Times ebook bestselling author of the Sam McRae mystery series. She’s also published FIVE UNEASY PIECES, a short story collection that includes her Derringer Award–nominated story “The Right to Remain Silent.” Her short stories have appeared in various anthologies and publications, including SHAKEN: STORIES FOR JAPAN.

A former attorney, Debbi has also worked as a journalist, librarian, and freelance writer/researcher. She enjoys walking, cats, travel and movies.


Editorial Reviews

Review

"IDENTITY CRISIS grips you from the first page. Sam is a likeable heroine--smart, feisty and determined." -- Roundtable Reviews, September 2005.

"This is a story with plenty of action, a well-drawn plot and a set of interesting characters. . . . a fun read." -- New Mystery Reader, September 2005.

Product Details

  • File Size: 433 KB
  • Print Length: 254 pages
  • Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B002BWQ676
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • X-Ray: Enabled
  • Lending: Enabled
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #66,048 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
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Customer Reviews

The characters are well drawn and the stories move at a brisk pace. M. J. Weinberg  |  18 reviewers made a similar statement
It has a nice surprising ending that really wrapped up the book. S. Toalston  |  5 reviewers made a similar statement
I found the entire plot, as well as the characters, impossible to believe. BookAddict  |  7 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
137 of 141 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Great First Novel July 15, 2009
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
The Good Stuff:

I have found that with first-time Indie authors who try their hand at crime/mystery novels, a lot of them have plot holes you could drive a semi through. That is not so with this one.

The reader follows Sam, the main character, through the investigation of a case that involves murder and identity theft. Every time Sam has an "Aha!" moment, the reader can "Aha!" right along with her. The plot is finely tuned to keep the reader enthralled throughout.

There were no editing errors that I can remember. This was definitely of publishable quality.

The Bad Stuff:

The characters, even Sam, fell a little flat. Not horribly so, as you will care about them while reading the book, but they are easily forgettable afterward.

Overall:

This is a wonderful first book, and the author should be truly proud of her accomplishment. I will definitely be looking forward to future work from this author.

Length: Full Novel: 3,748 locations on the Kindle

Rating: PG-13 for language and sexual situations.
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26 of 26 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Sam MacRae - My Kind of Character October 4, 2010
By Karen
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Debbi Mack's first novel, Identity Crisis, had me hooked from the first page, and proved to me by last page that she is a mystery author to contend with. She builds a tight and compelling plot in this noir murder tale, while managing to pace the story so nicely that I never once felt bored. And there's a great twist that I just didn't see coming - and I'm usually pretty good at spotting a twist from a mile away.

Of course plot and pacing are important in any mystery, but I'm a reader who loves a good character above all else, and that's what topped it for me with Identity Crisis. Sam MacRae is smart, gritty and independent with a wry sense of humor, even about herself. But she doesn't necessarily have it all together - she has her issues like we all do. She's human. And she's very likeable.

I have seen that Mack will soon be releasing a second Sam MacRae novel, and I for one will be one of the first to purchase, I can guarantee that!
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31 of 35 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Sam McRae Rocks! August 2, 2005
Format:Paperback
"Identity Crisis" establishes Sam McRae, hard-boiled lawyer turned investigator, as a spunky sleuth who tackles her own identity crisis while investigating murder and identity thefts linked to client Melanie Hayes. High-speed chases, break-ins at a seedy strip club, and violent Mafia-linked connections keep this well-crafted novel on an adrenaline roller-coaster ride through some of the more interesting Baltimore neighborhoods and suburbs. An unusual surprise ending had me checking previous pages to see where I missed the clue. Debbi Mack did an awesome job on developing the characters as well as the dialogue. I totally enjoyed "Identity Crisis" and breathlessly await Sam McRae's next intriguing, and paying, mysterious client with a past.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars Thin but not bad October 1, 2010
By bwasow
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a very short book with a plot that is not much developed. One woman wronged in the distant past is very believable. But two is a crowd. There is a mob connection that is not credible: a near death by torture is followed immediately by business as usual, before a deus ex machina (a car crash) eliminates this thread.

The identity theft theme is not developed well. It is a good idea to build a plot around this new, scary and ubiquitous crime. The author should have taken the time and energy to learn something about identity theft, to add some meat. This is a salad book, not a meat and potatoes book.

I think it is worth buying at the Kindle price by those who like mysteries.
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16 of 21 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars Why bother? February 15, 2010
By kete
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is the sort of book I call a "why bother?"-book. While not exactly bad, it has really nothing to recommend it and make it stand out from the mass of average writing flooding amazon every day. All the characters and especially the heroine felt like they were living behind a glass wall where you cannot get a grip on them. I could not sympathise, let alone identify, with any of them.

SPOILER!

I liked the idea of the wanted suspect actually being the murder victim, although I feel this could have been made more of. On the other hand I thought it totally unbelievable that the heroine gets beaten up so bad she has to be hospitalized and no one - not a one! - asks her what has happened to her and why. Totally unrealistic, as this would be the first thing anybody would ask.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars I Wanted to Like This Book October 18, 2010
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I downloaded this for my Kindle for free or 99cents (don't remember, not worth looking up) and wanted to like it . . . I finished the book only because I was on travel and my flight had been delayed for a couple of hours. As other reviewers have stated there was the possibility of a great plot here, but there were some places where the ball was just dropped by the author . . .

POSSIBLE SPOILERS

So, why was there a POBox with her name on it and mail to someone else? What WAS in that envelope? How did it relate to the case?

As reviewer "Kete" stated, how could she get kidnapped by the Mob, beaten so badly as to require a one week stay (I had surgery in March and they only let me stay for 2 nights and I had bones removed and replaced!) and NO ONE ASKS ANY QUESTIONS???? She didn't report THAT to her friend the cop, but she's reporting that she follows someone to the airport? And while we're at the airport, what happened to the guy who went to the airport and what was his part in the whole thing? And once the Mob guys were in the automobile accident, everyone else in the Mob just forgets about her and she doesn't have to worry anymore? HUH?????

If it's free for your Kindle and you might get caught in airport delays, it's probably worth the download.

However, having said all of that, having lived in the area where this book was set, I would read another offering from Ms. Mack, hoping that she would have better writing, plot development, editing, consistency in her next story.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars Identity Crisis
I enjoyed the book very much. A nice short read. Not deep just reading. I give this book 4 stars.
Published 19 days ago by Judy Morton
1.0 out of 5 stars Identity Crises, Not worth the time
This book just did not hold my interest. I wasn't that I hated it, it just wasn't one of those books that you just can't put down.
Published 1 month ago by Temperance
4.0 out of 5 stars good
good book - it was an easy read - I recommend it
it does not need additional words to describe it
Published 5 months ago by Lyn
3.0 out of 5 stars Ehhh
It was ok. I thought it could have had a bit more explanations on how things came together. It was good for entertainment.
Published 5 months ago by Mama J
2.0 out of 5 stars Fell Flat For Me
I know this is fiction, but the story still needs to make sense. And, for me, this one stretched plausibility to the breaking point. Read more
Published 12 months ago by BookAddict
4.0 out of 5 stars Fun, pleasing well-thought-out debut
The novel rides squarely on the protagonists capable shoulders. She's a bright and upright independent lawyer with her own practice. Read more
Published 13 months ago by carl brookins
5.0 out of 5 stars A great beach read
I loved this book. It was an easy read and a good story. This is good for the plane or beach, a quick read.
Published 15 months ago by Valerie Garritano
4.0 out of 5 stars Good read and excellent first effort
I didn't realise this was Debbie Mack's first novel. Whilst I agree with some of the other reviewers that the characters are a little forgettable this is an excellent book. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Nick Bird
5.0 out of 5 stars Another great mystery
The mystery starts with page one, could not believe that this would happen so soon in the book but that was only the beginning. Have thoroughly enjoyed this mystery. Read more
Published 19 months ago by 4u2
4.0 out of 5 stars Very Enjoyable Read
I came to read Identity Crisis after reading Debbi Mack's later book Least Wanted. My only complaint is that there are only two Sam McRea books so far and I really would like more! Read more
Published 20 months ago by Derek
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More About the Author

Questions from Readers for Debbi Mack

Q
Debbi In having a background in law, how do think that's influenced the perspective you write from in creating your crime stories? How close are they to what actually happens in the court room?
Kelly asked Aug 30, 2011
Author Answered

Hi Kelly, Very few scenes in my books take place in court rooms. However, when they do, I try to remain faithful as possible to real life as I can without slowing the story down too much. Usually, my stories show Sam McRae doing the legwork of an investigator. It's not entirely uncommon for real life attorneys to do fact-finding investigations. However, Sam is a very single-minded and stubborn character. And for purposes of creating greater suspense and dramatic tension in the story, Sam occasionally does much more and much riskier things than most real life attorneys would normally do.

Debbi Mack answered Aug 30, 2011

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