Hours after a thoroughbred racehorse collapses and dies after finishing last in a race he was favored to win, his trainer–a young woman with a promising career–is found dead on a suburban Chicago beach. To the police, it’s a simple case of murder-suicide. But Mike Hegan, veteran police detective, refuses to believe the official story. Instead of retiring like they want him to, he embarks upon a … upon a search for the truth, and finds himself on a Caribbean island where scores are settled–and lives are lost.Fans of James Patterson and other crime fiction writers will find a new hero in Mike Hegan–a detective who defies convention to make sure that justice is served.
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A Woman To Blame is. Fast paced and very well written novel that has really interesting characters that are actually realistic and believable. I struggled to put this book down to be honest and totally loved the plot. I found myself being sucked into the story almost immediately which is rare. If you like a great murder mystery novel then this comes highly recommended by me. Brilliant read. 5 stars.
Mike Hegan is a veteran cop who was forced into retirement early, however, he was was unwilling to retire until he had solved the murder of Ariel Sutherland.
A Woman to Blame is a great mystery novel the had me hooked within the early stages of reading it! The cast of characters were interesting and the way they were portrayed kept me interested all the way through. The book kept me on my toes and always had me thinking “who done it” as just as you think you have figured out who the culprit is, the author throws in another twist.
A really great mystery that I would highly recommend.
Crime-detective mystery. Two murders and a detective who isn’t ready to retire until he solves this case. I’ll admit, I went into this with the thought that I would be bored and that it would be like a million other mysteries I’ve read. I was wrong.
It is a slow burn mystery, where we are taken through the case without rush, but also not dragging, the pace is great. I didn’t find myself bored and I generally do if the slow burn is, well, slow. The author gave the information in a way that kept you guessing and surprised you once you thought you had it all figured out.
The characters are believable and well developed, and the writing is spot on for the genre. I definitely recommend this book to all mystery-suspense fans.
Mike Hegan is a veteran cop who was forced into retirement early, however, he was was unwilling to retire until he had solved the murder of Ariel Sutherland.
A Woman to Blame is a great mystery novel the had me hooked within the early stages of reading it! The cast of characters were interesting and the way they were portrayed kept me interested all the way through. The book kept me on my toes and always had me thinking “who done it” as just as you think you have figured out who the culprit is, the author throws in another twist.
A really great mystery that I would highly recommend.
Los Angeles author Vincent Panettiere began his colorful career as a sports writer for a wire service and Boston daily, altered his path by accepting several executive positions at CBS and Fox Network, wrote several film scripts yet to be produced and served as a literary agent for television and film writers and directors, and as a sports agent for major league and professional baseball players. He is the author of THE INTERNET FINANCING SOLUTION, and while that book is an expose of Internet scams, it is also the experience of the author and his personal unfortunate experiences with the Internet global scams. With the success of that first outing with writing he followed with a well-sculpted mystery thriller THE SCOPAS FACTOR, and continued success with THESE THY GIFTS, and this revised edition of A WOMAN TO BLAME.
The impact of this novel rises from the exceptional art of the cover and proceeds with Vincent’s facility with language allowing him to say so much in so few poignant words. And example of this is his opening paragraphs – “What’s the mystery?” Mike Hegan asked as his boots shuffled a path through the newly fallen snow. They were not words he would use when called to the scene of the most recent homicide in Chicago. As the icy winds of January sliced into the city from Lake Michigan, Hegan cared less about this destination. He wanted the slog to end so his cheeks, all four of them, could thaw. “You’ll See. We’re almost there,” a warm, female voice answered with barely a trace of shiver. Hegan knew the voice belonged to Lucy. As they made their way up Michigan Avenue, she was barely visible. Her head was bent against the wind and snow sprinkles. Her body was swaddled in a floor-length, cranberry-colored down coat. “I heard a voice, but all I can see is cranberry Bubble Wrap”… And with this entry Vincent reminds us of his main character’s droll qualities – ‘Humor had saved Hegan from uncomfortable moments and situations since he was an adolescent. Now, he felt his comedic chops emerging to rescue him again.’
The concise summary offered before reading is adequate to place us in the realm of the gist of the tale. `Hours after a thoroughbred racehorse collapses and dies after finishing last in a race he was favored to win, his trainer—a young woman with a promising career—is found dead on a suburban Chicago beach. To the police, it’s a simple case of murder-suicide. But Mike Hegan, veteran police detective who defies convention to make sure that justice is served, refuses to believe the official story. Instead of retiring like they want him to, he embarks upon a search for the truth, and finds himself on a Caribbean island where scores are settled—and lives are lost.’
This edition shows a polished Vincent Panettiere, further substantiating his remarkably solid stance as a writer of substance. His insights, sensitivity to issues – contemporary and enduring ones, and his eloquent prose place him near the top of today’s authors’ peak. Highly recommended.
You know, I never really expected to read a procedural involving tropical islands and horse racing, but here I am. And I am enjoying it. The plot, and the writing aren’t anything you wouldn’t expect from a newer writer. There are a handful of errors in here, some of them plot related, some of them can be fixed with a decent editor/proofread. The errors can detract from the story for the focused reader, which hurts the flow. The writing, aside from needing a good edit, is paced pretty well and the read is quick.
But the characters, good lord. These characters are so lifelike that they might as well have been real. They’d definitely do well in a TV series, which isn’t surprising considering the author’s background. There’s certainly more to these characters than this book has down. I wouldn’t be surprised to see more from Penettierre in regard to these folks, and I think further iterations of Mike Hegan (the main character) and his story.
This story starts in the freezing cold Chicago and bounces to the Caribbean. The mystery Mike pursues takes him from one end of North America to the other.
A Woman to Blame by Vincent Panettiere is a fast-paced, action novel that will satisfy any crime lover. Mike Hegan is a police officer in Chicago, Illinois, that gets his share of grief. From the death of his fiancé, supporting his sister’s divorce, getting shot; he doesn’t get a break. When a dead body in a university pool becomes his case, he finds it opens multiple levels of crime. Chicago is known for its gangs and crime lords, this novel gives you a close up view of what the police officers face on a daily basis.
The first couple chapters drew me in completely and I knew A Woman to Blame would be a compelling novel and Vincent Panettiere an engaging author. The author breaths live into his characters and the intriguing plot grabs the reader. This complex novel is a must read for crime thrillers and police procedural. It was quite interesting as the con men would get conned themselves. About the complaints in previous reviews about the errors within the book; it appears the author did have the book edited.
This fast pace novel by Panettiere is a great read, especially if you like murder mystery novels, then I reckon this is the book for you. The author is a great storyteller with characters that are interesting, realistic, and identifiable. The plot is hard-hitting and sucked me in from the start. When I did put the bookdown I found myself still embroiled in amongst it in my head and had to go read more, and there’s not much more you can ask for from a novel. Very enjoyable, I definitely recommend.
Vincent Panettiere was a literary agent and a legend to his profession, representing writers and directors in televIsion and film. In 2014, Panettiere reported in an interview, he was certified by the Major League Players Association (MLBPA) to represent major league baseball players. Previously he was an executive with Twentieth Century Fox and CBS.
A Woman To Blame riles every core of exasperation, routing for justice, grief, anger, unprecedented events that create layers of truth and deception. How can all of the adjectives fit together? How can a man stumble on 2 murders and be brave enough to play detective and seek out the truth? Not only a person’s murder but the a defenseless horse.
In the interview, https://thepenmuse.net/blog-tour-woman-blame-vincent-panettiere/ reports this novel was a rejected screenplay, Panettiere dug out of his hard drive years later and decided to attempt at writing his first novel.
Kudos indeed.
“Crime fiction writers will find a new hero in Mike Hegan—a detective who defies convention to make sure that justice is served.” says the author.
Mike Hegan’s intuition has never been dull even after a work related injury, nothing will stop his pursuit of investigating the wrongdoings of criminals hurting the ones he loves. Even in retirement, he does not tire to be the most beloved, well rounded character in the book. While the facts are facts, seek your own intuition to the truth.
Vincent Panettiere’s A Woman to Blame is perhaps the author’s finest work to date. The book is a slow burner of a mystery that hooks it reader in during the early stages and then takes down on a rollercoaster ride through to the conclusion.
Panettiere’s strength lies in his exceptional character development. The characters in A Woman to Blame are all fully formed and complex, and its this believability that really helps drive the novel forward. The novel works both as a thrilling mystery and an intensely personal character study.
Panettiere is also not afraid to tackle some darker themes in the novel. Domestic violence, anger, and law enforcement politics are tackled head-on in the novel and its Panettiere’s unwavering commitment to delivering a story that feels authentic that really makes this one a must-read.
A Woman to Blame is perfect for those who enjoy detailed and vivid character descriptions as well as a mystery and an excellent crime novel.
‘A Woman to Blame’ by Vincent Panettiere is a cracking crime novel with a plot that has twists and turns that you will never see coming. Mike Hagen feels compels to investigate when a champion horse mysteriously collapses and dies, and its trainer is found dead soon after one. Hagen knows there is more to this case than meets the eye and instead of wrapping up his career after a serious injury, he finds himself drawn back into danger once again. His quest for the truth takes him to the Caribbean and deep into a murky tale of revenge and betrayal, that may just swallow him up too.
The fast-paced read, kept me entertained all weekend. It was full of tension and suspense, with a twisting plot that expertly interweave several subplots until the thrilling conclusion. Mike Hagen is a great protagonist – one of those classic hard-nosed, persistent, and fearless detectives that will risk everything to uncover the truth. I loved it!