ONE SMALL VICTORY [Kindle Edition]

Maryann Miller (Author)

Book Description

Life can change in just an instant. That's the harsh reality that Jenny Jasik faces when her son is killed in an automobile accident, but never in her wildest dreams did she ever expect to be working undercover as a member of a drug task force. She is, after all, just a mom. But don't discount what a mom can do when the safety of her children is at stake.

This book was inspired by a true story of a woman who did this in a small rural town, and while that may appear unbelievable, the basic facts of how she worked undercover as an informant are true. The rest is fiction.

ADVANCE PRAISE

"One Small Victory is great Romantic Suspense and a read you won't want to miss." Victoria Kennedy, Midwest Book Reviews

"One Small Victory is not for the faint of heart, but it is an excellent, well-crafted novel. The tension is all pervasive, and heat, rage, sorrow, despair, and all-enveloping terror fill every page." Carolyn Crisher for Romance Reviews Today

"The resolution of these {personal} threads is most satisfying, in that they aren't neatly resolved, much like real life. The undercover side of One Small Victory is exciting and fast paced." Reviewed by Larry W. Chavis for Crime & Suspense

"One Small Victory is an engrossing suspense thriller with a hint of romance that is intelligently kept very minimal and mostly off page." Harriet Klausner for Amazon.com ***** FIVE STARS

"One Small Victory is an amazing, heart pounding, emotional tale about one mother's love of her children, and the steps she takes to protect them from harm." Jennifer Lawrence for Amazon.com **** FOUR STARS

Editorial Reviews

Review

Maryann Miller is an accomplished writer, weaving her tale of intrigue, romance and determination.  She takes her readers on a wild ride of adventure that will not be soon forgotten.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Reviewer:  Elaine Fuhr, Allbooks Reviews Int. allbooksreviewint.com

From the Author

When I first read a newspaper story about the woman who did this in a small town in Michigan, I was immediately captivated by her courage. As a mother, I could relate to her anguish over losing her oldest son, and I admired her for channeling her grief into something so pro-active. Had I lost one of my children I'm not sure I could have even gotten out of bed for a year, let alone do what this woman did.

The character of Jenny came to life as I thought about what challenges this woman faced. She was a single mother with no experience in law enforcement, yet she did what she had to do to be accepted as a confidential informant for the drug task force and claim One Small Victory over drugs.

We all grow out of the challenges we face in life, especially those that we face head-on. That is a sign of strength, and I like to write about strong women. Many of my books feature women protagonists who are tempered by fire and come out at the end of the story stronger than when they first stepped into the story.

To all the readers who pick up one, or more, of my books, I want to say a heartfelt "thank you." Without you, the reader, we, the writers, would be lost.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 379 KB
• Print Length: 293 pages
• Publisher: Maryann Miller; Kindle Edition edition (August 19, 2010)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0040GJI3K
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #193,841 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 55 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Emotional Tale about One Mother's Love for her Son September 26, 2008

By Jennifer Lawrence

Format:Hardcover

Young Michael Jasik is killed in a car accident at the hands of his drug abusing friend, Brad Brennan. His mother, Jenny, a single mom, is destroyed by the news. When she learns that her son's death was influenced by Brad's drug addiction, she has to take action. She storms into the local police station and demands to be put on the undercover drug enforcement task force that she heard about on the news. Police Lieutenant Steve Morrity is leading the task force. While civilians aren't typically involved in this type of police work, Morrity knows Jenny will take action on her own if she isn't selected. So, after a grueling physical test, Jenny passes and becomes an undercover informant. She is forced to hide this from her two surviving children, Scott and Alicia. They notice a change in her behavior and contact their father, who has never really been a part of their lives. Jenny risks her life, and the custody of her children for this mission. I commend Jenny's character for her strength, and the fearless acts she performed in an effort to bring down a big time drug pusher. ONE SMALL VICTORY is an amazing, heart pounding, emotional tale about one mother's love of her children, and the steps she takes to protect them from harm.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow March 12, 2011

By A. you

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I usually stick to pure romance novels or romantic suspense. This book didn't fall into either category but it was a free read so I gave it a try. This story grabbed me from the beginning. A mom looses her teenage son in a car crash where he was a passenger and the driver a friend who was using drugs. While the mom is taking care of the other children she discovers how big the drug problem has become in the area and schools so she takes a step to help police find the sources of the drugs. The whole story just seemed very real. Her other children's reaction to her being out more, her ex husband (who was an absentee father), her friends , etc., all seemed to factor in to the decisions she made. That is something a very real mom would do. It all just came together nicely. Since I love romance I would have liked to see a bit more there, but it just wasn't necessary for this story.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars engrossing suspense thriller July 2, 2008

By Harriet Klausner #1 HALL OF FAME

Format:Hardcover

In Texas teenager Brad Brennan was driving too fast high on drugs when he crashed; he killed his passenger Mike Jasik and he was nearly dead in the hospital. Mike's single mom flower shop owner Jenny is stunned to learn Brad was deriving high on dope though Mike was clean but dead.

When her fifteen years old other son Scot informs her that drugs are easy to obtain, she decides to take action. She informs Police Lieutenant Steve Morrity she needs to join the undercover drug task force. His superior Chief Gonzales agrees if she passes the physical test. Steve commiserates with the grieving mom and lies to his superior that she did pass the test. The rules are simple: no one is to know what she is doing including her two surviving children, her best friend or her canine. Her son and her daughter Alicia notice her acting strange and they inform their dad, who threatens a custody suit although he never showed an interest in their kids. Still she needs to bring down the Main Man if she is to sleep at night even though that places her in danger.

ONE SMALL VICTORY is an engrossing suspense thriller with a hint of romance that is intelligently kept very minimal and mostly off page futuristically possible. Obsessed Jenny makes the story line work as she must do what she does in order to stop drug trafficking at least in her small town. Fans will appreciate her courage and fixation while also wanting to scream at her that she has two other kids. Maryann Miller showcases how difficult it is to win the over three decade war on drugs on a macro scale, but individuals can help secure small local victories; albeit not necessarily by going undercover.

Harriet Klausner

More About the Author

Maryann has been in love with story-telling since she was a child and used to scare her sister with stories of the monsters in the cellar. Those tales were never written down. They were always whispered in the dark, and when Maryann started writing stories, they were different types entirely.

As a young child, she didn't consider that she would grow up to be a writer. She fancied herself quite the singer and thought she would someday sing in front of crowds of thousands. Alas, that proved to be more dream than reality.

At another point in her childhood, she dreamed of being an actress, but it took many years before she was brave enough to give it a try. She is the Theatre Directer at the Winnsboro Center for the Arts where she has directed shows for a number of years, and finally decided to try playing a role. It appears she was more suited to acting than singing, and she has since starred in several productions at various theatres in East Texas.

A diverse writer of columns, feature stores, short fiction, novels, screenplays and stage plays, Maryann Miller has won numerous awards including being a semi-finalist at the Sundance Institute for her screenplay, A Question Of Honor. She has also received the Page Edwards Short Story Award, among others.

Miller lives on some acreage in the beautiful Piney Woods of East Texas with her husband, one horse, two goats, two dogs, and four cats. She has been writing all her life and plans to die at her computer.