Named one of the five must-read summer mysteries for 2019 by forbes.comNamed one of the top ten summer reads of 2019 by Good Morning AmericaNamed one of the top fifty summer books of 2019 by Book RiotOn a sunny summer morning by the sea in New England, Susan Ford’s cocoon of privilege is threatened when an Iraqi man from her distant past boards a plane in Baghdad to come find her.Mrs. Ford leads … come find her.
Mrs. Ford leads a privileged life. From her Blenheim spaniels to her cottage on the coast of Watch Hill, Rhode Island, she carefully curates her world. Hair in place, house in place, life in place, Susan Ford keeps it under control.
Early one morning in the summer of 2014, the past pays a call to collect. The FBI arrives to question her about a man from Iraq—a Chaldean Christian from Mosul—where ISIS has just seized control. Sammy Fakhouri, they say, is his name and they have taken him into custody, picked up on his way to her house.
Back in the summer of 1979, on the outskirts of a declining Detroit, college coed Susan meets charismatic and reckless Annie. They are an unlikely pair of friends but they each see something in the other—something they’d like to possess. Studious Susan is a moth to the flame that is Annie. Yet, it is dazzling Annie who senses that Susan will be the one who makes it out of Detroit.
Together, the girls navigate the minefields of a down-market disco where they work their summer jobs. It’s a world filled with pretty girls and powerful men, some of whom—like Sammy Fakhouri—happen to be Iraqi Chaldeans.
What happened in that summer of 1979 when Susan and Annie met? Why is Sammy looking for Susan all these years later? And why is Mrs. Ford lying?
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This well written novel gives the reader two views of Susan Ford at two different times in her life. The first view is the summer of 1979. Susan gets a summer job and meets Annie. Despite the fact that they have totally different personalities — Susan is shy and Annie is very flamboyant – they become best friends. Susan is from a middle class household and is looking forward to starting her life when she goes to college. Because she is so shy, she tends to over-think and over analyze people and situations. The second view of Mrs. Ford that we see is in Rhode Island in 2014. The area she lives in is very high class. Susan is a widow living in a huge estate and living a totally different life than she grew up in.
One day, the FBI comes to her door to ask some questions about people she knew during summer of 1979. They want to question her about a man from Iraq where ISIS has just seized control. Sammy Fakhouri, they say, is his name and they have taken him into custody, picked up on his way to her house. She knew him in 1979 but denies it to the FBI. After they leave, she realizes that the life that she’d kept hidden from the world about the tragedy of 1979, was back to haunt her and it was time for her to tell the truth.
Overall, if you want a great suspense novel that will keep you guessing until almost the end, give this one a try. It’s exciting, original and a real page turner.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
Susan has a perfect life. She is rich, she has several homes and a pretty good family. But, all this falls apart when the FBI show up at her door. They ask her about an Iraqi named Sammy Fakhouri. All of a sudden…her past is back to haunt her!
Flashback to the 70’s. Susan and Annie become very good friends while they are working at a disco. It is a fast paced job with some unique situations. (You will have to read this to find out! ). Annie starts to go off the rails. Susan does all she can. But, Annie is in over her head and taking Susan with her.
When this story first began I found the writing a little blunt, sort of choppy. But as I found my rhythm, I actually enjoyed the shortness in the tone. The story moves quickly and has a good deal of intensity. Plus, I was constantly wondering where this tale was going to lead. And it sure did not end up the way I expected!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
Finding Mrs. Ford by Deborah Goodrich Royce
Summer 1979, Susan finds herself drawn to her new co-worker Annie’s carefree personality. Suddenly tossing her carefully laid out plans aside, Susan follows Annie and finds herself in the middle of a life she never expected. Disco clubs, drugs, and dangerous cast of characters downtown Detroit, Michigan were not something Susan wants to get wrapped up in and fall semester at Lake Erie College can not come fast enough.
Fast forward 35 years later and the mystery of that fateful summer begins to unfold. What would Susan’s life have been like had she not met Annie all those years ago and will the life she has been leading for so long get turned completely upside with a visit from the police? Being in a bit of a reading slump lately, Finding Mrs. Ford by Deborah Goodrich Royce was the perfect combination of mystery and intrigue! I loved the alternating timelines of past and present throughout the book and the gentle unfolding of Susan and Annie’s past kept me engaged page after page.
I remember growing up and watching soap operas with my mom or my grandma. One of the favorites was All My Children. I remember watching almost every episode that came on and I definitely remember the legendary Silver Kane! So, I was beyond thrilled to learn that she wrote a book and even more thrilled to know I got to review it! Let me tell you what. This book was amazing! Deborah Royce’s talent shines through with this thrilling novel and really kept me captive through out.
Her characters are wonderfully chiseled. They have so much depth and I felt like I knew each one on a personal level, that’s how amazingly created they are. Added to these amazing characters, is a detailed and twisting plot. The suspense is riveting and the pages were turning late into the night for me. That’s just how I love my thriller novels!
If you have not picked it up yet, you must. You’ll find yourself getting pulled into the story instantly and held there, following each turn, and gasping at every twist. Mrs. Royce wrote this novel like a seasoned author and it is one I won’t soon forget it! I highly recommend it to all who love thrillers. From hit actress, to amazingly talented author…..Mrs. Royce is now on my must reads list! Well done! I can’t wait for the next one!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
I was so intrigued with reading a book by Deborah Goodrich Royce that I jumped at the chance. I’ll admit, it was because of who she is, and not because of the book itself, see her bio for her amazing career and accomplishments. That’s not to say I wasn’t also intrigued by the premise of the book, of course I was, give me anything fictional with thriller and suspense and I’m in!
What I was not expecting was the book I read. It starts off slow and smooth, with beautiful descriptive words and surroundings. Royce’s writing is almost lyrical while she describes Rhode Island, and I know I need to go visit the beach there now. But then she slowly creeps into this story that just BAM… all of a sudden puts you right in the middle of the drama and you didn’t even know you were there. You then find yourself turning the pages late into the night lie a fiend trying to figure out how this book could possibly end, and I’ll tell you right now all your theories will be totally wrong. She gets us all on this one
This one was full of suspense, had a unique storyline, and totally kept the reader engaged. It’s one of those books you can’t put down and if you have to, you cant wait to pick it back up. It’s hard to believe this is a debut novel, and I can not wait to read what this brilliant woman comes up with next. I must give this book 5 stars. It was one of the most absorbing reads ever. Highly recommend.
I just would like to thank Deborah Goodrich Royce, Suzanne Leopold of Suzy Approved Book Tours and Post Hill Press for the copy of this book for my unbiased and honest opinion for review.
My Thoughts:
I am on tour today for the paperback release of Finding Mrs. Ford with Suzy Approved Book Tours and Author Deborah Goodrich Royce.
The book starts out with the FBI knocking on Susan’s (Mrs. Ford) door. I love it when the FBI is involved!
The chapters alternate between 1979 in Detroit, Michigan and 2014 in Watch Hill, Road Island. I liked Susan’s character. It’s the summer before her last year of college, and she is caring for her ailing father along with an in-home nurse. Life is good, and her goals are attainable. Then she meets Annie on the first day of her new job. I knew from the second they met things would not end well. I just didn’t know how bad it would get. Annie sealed Susan’s fate when she quit the department store to work at a disco club, and Susan followed.
Susan’s pages end with the biggest twist of all which caused my jaw to drop! Annie’s story is next!
What an entrance to her story. Annie did not have a good home life. Her mother married a cop who liked to beat on her, so she lived with her grandma. Her worst life choice was going from the department store to the disco club. Her life spiraled from there. Thankfully, Susan had seen what was becoming of her and they distanced themselves from each other. Only for a little while until one night everything changed!
This book! Wow! When I first started reading, I had no idea where it was heading. The title Finding Mrs. Ford didn’t make any sense to me. It took awhile to figure it out, and even then I didn’t see it coming! The author throws in some really good twists!
Book Rating: 4/5
For the grand finale this would pair nicely with a Penfolds Bin 9 Cabernet Sauvignon 2014.
I love how perfectly this cover fits spring! It’s just so pretty and light! Then add in the synopsis and it makes it even better. I’ve been in such a suspense mood lately and I really like how unique this story is! Plus the suspense is on point for this book! As the story unfolds you realize that some of the small details you overlooked were actually extremely important bits of information. You know, how suspense is supposed to work and play with your mind!
Let me just say that this book is engrossing. It will hold you captive to the story trying to figure out everything that is to come. The characters are also really fascinating and it was so interesting to see the difference between their lives in the past and the present and how this all added up to create the end result. It’s really interesting to see the things we want to forget in our past and how they come back to haunt us.
I really liked how this book alternated between the past and present. I always find it interesting when the past interweaves with the present story. It’s such a realistic approach to me and it’s always interesting to see what little details turn out to make all the difference. Overall this was a highly interesting book to read!
All My Children fans might recognize the name of this author as the actress who played Silver Kane. Deborah Goodrich Royce is now the debut author of the suspense filled novel Finding Mrs. Ford. The book is told in two timelines. The wealthy town of Watch Hill, Rhode Island in 2014 and Suburban Detroit in 1979.
In 2014 Susan is questioned by two FBI agents about Sammy Fakhouri and an old missing persons case. In 1979 Susan makes friends with Annie Nelson. Together they work as waitresses at Frankie’s Disco. Annie becomes Frankie’s girlfriend and gets hooked on drugs.
Deborah expertly intertwines the two timelines and seamlessly has them come together at the end. I never saw the mid book OMG twist coming. This suspenseful mystery had me turning the pages as I wanted to see what was happen next to these characters. Thank you to Deborah Goodrich Royce for a copy of this book and this is my honest review.
Finding Mrs. Ford by Deborah Goodrich Royce is a well written suspenseful thriller.
The timeline alternates between the past in Detroit in the 1970’s and current day in Rhode Island.
I was captivated by the visual imagery and the well developed characters.
There were twists at every turn and the dialogue was written so well.
The plot was perfectly paced , this was a book that was REALLY hard to put down.
A suspenseful story that puts you on the edge of your seat. What a ride!
Highly recommend this debut novel!!!!
4.5
Wow! I loved this twisty page turner they genuinely surprised me. In this day of predictable thrillers, it’s rare to find a book that is not at all what you think. But the story of Susan, told in dual timelines, 35 years and many states apart, did not disappoint.
I loved the suspense and the beautiful writing. I could have easily finished this in one sitting because I just didn’t want to put it down.
After this amazing debut, I’m ready to read whatever Deborah Goodrich Royce writes next! I recommend this one when you’re in the mood for a clever thriller.
I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.
I definitely had a love/hate relationship with the characters, and I’m ok with that. I don’t need or want to like everyone in a story. I appreciated that certain characters elicited responses from me that were unexpected, which helped to keep me on my toes. As did the synopsis. I’m someone who likes to remain oblivious when reading this type of book. I don’t try to solve the puzzle or make connections. I wait for the author to lay it all out there for me. And that’s exactly what happened with this story.
In case you haven’t noticed, I’m being intentionally vague with this review. If I tell you who I had reactions to or how many twists and plot points surprised me (or even where they happen in the story), I think it’ll give too much away. This is a very fast-paced story, bouncing back and forth between 2014 and 1979, and it builds a perfect level of suspense. It’s a perfect beach read. Or even a perfect social distancing read if you want something to get you out of your head for a while.
Didn’t expect this to be what it was. I thought this will be a long lost love story. A story about love, life, life lessons. It was that, but also much more. It had a mystery of sorts weaved through.
Susan seems to be living a normal, good life at her beach house. And then her past comes tumbling in, when FBI knocks on her door, and tells her a man from her past was on the way to see her before they intercepted him. Who is he, and why is he seeking her out?
We get to hear the story of a summer that changed her life, back in 1979 and her current life and how she is dealing with the secrets she thought she buried years ago. She got caught up in something bigger than her, but it changed her, her outlook, and her life in every way possible.
I don’t want to spoil anything, so I won’t say what Susan got involved in, or how it all ends. I just enjoyed this look into the past, into that time in Detroit. How people acted, lived, etc. It seemed very realistic and I did get lost in that period. It was entertaining and endearing. The end might have been a bit anticlimactic, but it did not stop me from enjoying the ride.
FINDING MRS. FORD
By Deborah Goodrich Royce
This is Mrs. Royce debut novel and just like her former/current careers/projects as an actress & Miramax Story Editor & Script Development and much more; this novel was nothing short of fascinating.
The writing was detailed and had you in the moment with the characters and you could see the story playing out in the moment as if you were there, seeing and feeling everything that was finely described. In my mind, I had my characters cemented like a photograph in my mind. I knew their personalities and I feared for them, was happy and almost felt like I could speak aloud and they would be able to hear me.
This book has changed me in a good way. It has allowed me to see a thriller outside the norm, completely original and one that had me twisting my fingers and toes in suspense and stomach in knots. What you don’t see coming is what really makes it captivating. Told in alternating views of the past and the present based on one main character’s viewpoint.
Susan a young adult soon leaving her terminally ill father for college, ends up with a summer job to make money before she leaves. There she meets another new hire named Annie who has a wild streak and can pretty much talk Susan into anything. They become fast friends and spend their summer where they are virtually inseparable.
Annie gets Susan to quit the clothing store they work at together to work at Frankie’s Disco, in a not so great part of Detroit. Susan is opened to a whole new world when she begins working there and sees the Italian-American mafia-like owners running different scandals with Iraqi Chaldean men, their treatment of women and how law enforcement really is corrupt. Susan tries to just get by and do her job and remain low key. Annie on the other hand is a wild card and gets caught up in a lot of things Susan doesn’t agree with. Annie begins to date the much older owner Frankie and her personality begins to change. It’s as if Annie now hates Susan. Susan gets pulled into some dangerous affairs thanks to Annie and the twists and turns take hold.
Fast forward into the future, Susan’s living a luxurious life after being happily married to her late husband Jack Ford. She now resides in Rhode Island and also has a home in New York and has a stepson, Jack Ford Jr. They are very close and it is he who helps her when the FBI pays her a visit about an Iraqi Chaldean man from that one summer. The one she denies knowing to the FBI? What all did Annie get her involved in that summer and why is the past coming back now to haunt her? What does the FBI want from her? Scary truths are unfolded and twisty turns are unleashed and this story will grasp you and have you reading until it is finished.
Author, Deborah Goodrich Royce, has written a suspenseful novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat! An unlikely friendship between two young ladies will make this remarkable story unfold and will leave a unforetold ending! I highly recommend this novel to all that loves a lot of suspense with a mixture of romance and mystery! I hope to see more from this amazing Author!
Lindas Book Obsession Reviews “Finding Mrs. Ford” by Deborah Goodrich Royce, Post Hill Press, June 25, 2019, part of Suzy Approved Book Tours
Deborah Goodrich Royce, author of “Finding Mrs. Ford” has written an intriguing, suspenseful, captivating, and riveting novel. The Genres for this book are Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, and Literary Fiction. The timeline for this story is set in 2014 and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events. The story takes place in Watch Hill, Rhode Island, and New York, and Detroit. The author describes her characters as complex and complicated. There are twists and turns, and an edgy and intense feel to this story. There are also some unexpected surprises and turns of events.
I appreciate the way the author tells her story, and vividly describes the characters and landscape and setting. In 1979, two young women find themselves working together in Detroit. Susan and Annie start to work in a store and then decide to make more money by working in a bar. Both girls are opposite in many ways. Some serious and dangerous activities occur this particular summer.
It is now, 2014, and Mrs. Susan Ford, a wealthy widow is enjoying her view of her property in Rhode Island, when the FBI comes to question her about someone who is looking for her. Mrs. Ford denies knowing this person. For the first time in many years, Mrs. Ford is actually frightened. What happened so many years ago? Who is this person looking for her and why? Why is Mrs. Ford denying that she knows this person?
I would highly recommend this tingling, suspenseful and thought-provoking novels for readers who enjoy a great mystery.
The story opens with the privileged Mrs. Ford living a tranquil life on the east coast. Everything changes when the FBI arrives at her door and begins questioning her about a man she thought she’d left in her past. As the questions begin, another story opens and switches between the lives of Anne and Susan in 1970’s Detroit. Susan, who is also caring for her ill father, is looking to earn money before she returns to school in the fall. Anne is desperately trying to escaping a life with an unloving mother and abusive stepfather. The girls are brought together when they are both hired to work in a retail store. Things get dark when both girls are later hired to work in a disco which acts as a front for more sinister deeds. Anne, who begins a relationship with one of the owners, falls into a life of sex and drugs. While Susan tries to stay focused on the job at hand and the solid future she craves. Things culminate on one tragic night when Anne asks Susan for help. Fast forward to present-day and Mrs. Ford and must decide if she’s ready to face the truth or continue to hide from her past. This was a interesting read, kept me interested, and gave me an interesting insight into the period and ethnicities in 1970’s Detroit.
Finding Mrs Ford is expertly plotted and full of twists and turns. I love books with shifting timelines that switch between the present and past and this one was a joy to read. A page-turner with beautiful prose and fascinating multidimensional characters. In addition to the suspense and action, I so enjoyed reading about Susan and her friend Annie during the fateful summer of 1979. The two are so different–Susan is studious while Annie is reckless–and yet their friendship is intoxicating, its secrets reverberating into the present.
Deborah Goodrich Royce’s debut novel, Finding Mrs. Ford, has become a phenomenon and is being referred to affectionately as simply Mrs. Ford. What is it about this book?
Royce’s main character, the Staid Mrs. Ford of Watch Hill Rhode Island – for those who are unaware, is like a mini-Newport – is in for the ride of her life when one day in 2014, the FBI arrives to question her about her past. The trigger is Mrs. Ford’s relationship with a mysterious man, a Chaldean, who she knew thirty years prior when she lived in the Detroit area in her youth.
Royce takes us places. Both physically and mentally. From the stately world of the upper crust, to the landscape of suburban Detroit in the late 1970’s, she bridges the yawning gap between privilege and economic decline. While toggling between two eras, she touches on themes that ring universal such as identity, longing and the magnetic attraction of an unbridled soul. All of which play out in a page turning atmospheric story that keeps the reader guessing to the end.
I will admit I am biased. The Detroit she describes parallels much of my own experience having hailed from that area during the time frame of the book. But there is something about Royce’s writing, the way she brings you into the direct experience of the characters that keeps the reader -to quote from the book, like a “butterfly pinned to a board” -which is certainly my happy place when buried in a book!
Congratulations to DGR – can’t wait to see what she brings us next!
Really enjoyed this book. I thought the writing was terrific- Her descriptions of places and people were spot on and really gave the reader an excellent portrait. The plot was dynamic and the twist was unexpected (at least to me!) A great first book and I look forward to many more.
The reader is immediately absorbed in the flashbacks between the steamy summer of 1979 in suburban Detroit with warring gangsters. Thirty-five years later in the upscale snooty world of Watch Hill, R.I., a wealthy widow’s world is turned upside down. Plot twists, excellent pacing and good character development make this debut novel a great read.