Imagine you have the perfect life: money, position, influence, an enviable marriage. Then you awake in a hotel room – alone, unclothed, a splitting headache, and no idea how you got there. Welcome to Madeline’s world…Madeline Ridley had all she’d ever dreamed of: a handsome, successful husband, a place at the top of Santa Barbara society, every luxury money could buy. In all respects, her world … respects, her world was perfect…until one horrible night when everything unraveled.
When Steven Ridley comes home in the middle of a weekday and throws a sheaf of damning photos at her, Madeline’s comfortable world collapses in a swirl of blackmail, sabotage and deceit. Hoping to convince Steven of her innocence, Madeline drives to his office and unwittingly stumbles onto a scene that makes her realize who the real enemy is.
From that point on, Madeline Ridley deconstructs herself, reverting back to Madeline Dawkins in order to salvage what’s left of her life. In the process, she discovers where her true strengths lay, and with those, she steels herself for the battle of a lifetime.
YOU’LL HATE TO PUT THIS ONE DOWN! D. Paugh
Spouse Trap is the prequel to the Madeline Dawkins Mystery series.
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This is my first book by Cynthia Hamilton, and I have just found my new favorite crime author! It was awesome. Characters are amazing. I LOVE Madeline. I had emotions for all the characters we’re supposed to. There are some background characters that weren’t mentioned much- but I have a feeling, they’ll be in the future novels. I knew I wanted to read this from the synopsis, and I was not disappointed. Great word building and plots that balance out. Honestly, I couldn’t put it down.
Spouse Trap by Cynthia Hamilton is an absolutely well written and well rounded story! It flows flawlessly, catching and holding your attention from beginning to end. I fell in love with Madeline and her story and couldn’t help but finish it in one sitting! I recommend this book for anyone who enjoy books that keep your attention and always keep you guessing! I look forward to reading more from Cynthia Hamilton!
This was a great fast paced story that i couldnt put down.
Madeline has a life most women dream of. She’s rich, has a beautiful home and a wealthy and successful husband.
However all that changes when she wakes up in a hotel room, naked and alone. She thinks she just got drunk and stayed the night but the truth is so much worse. When her husband brings proof of her cheating on him that night she is devastated as she doesnt remember a thing. Did she willingly do that or was something else entirely.
As she starts investigating she realises nothing is what she thinks and her husband who she thought loved her is a nasty piece of work.
She now has to fight to save her life as she knows it and to prove all the gossip wrong.
Spouse Trap ( A Madeline Dawkins Novel #1) by Cynthia Hamilton.
This book had me hooked from the very first page. It was filled with thrills and mystery. The words just flow so easily and you don’t want to put it down. It was an easy read for me and I highly recommend this book.
When your world seems perfect, will one night have that perfect world crashing down around you and challenge everything you knew.
Madeline is part of the perfect Santa Barbara IT couple, she is a experienced event planner and she has planning this Charity Ball for a year and is nervous for everything to go right. The night of the ball she has the right dress, the most handsome man by her side nothing could go wrong but her whole world comes crashing down.
As she dances with the handsome stranger her husband becomes more agitated and they have a huge argument and he storms out of the ball, but as a true host Madeline stays and hosts the rest of the charity ball. The next morning the reality sets in, she wakes up in a strange room within the hotel, de-shelved and naked. Once she has got herself together she departs and gets home to her husband who is still mad and demands to know where she has been when she tells him that she does not remember the night he produces photographs of her in uncompromising positions with the stranger at the party.
This leaves her homeless and going to broke if she does not try to get to the bottom what is going on, with the help of a PI Burt she uncovers the dirty truth behind the really reasons and will she survive this discovery.
OMG first of all this story was full of intrigue and twists and turns, I could not put this book down. The character of Madeline at first I was not sure but as the story got more intense her true character shone and I felt like in the end living through the trails and strength she had to dig deep to try and move on with her life. I definitely recommend this book and can’t wait to read the next book for this brilliant writer.
Spouse Trap by Cynthia Hamilton
Five Stars
Spouse Trap is the first book in the Madeline Dawkins series by Cynthia Hamilton. This book had me hooked from the very first page. I stayed up way to late at night to finish it, but it was well worth the lack of sleep. I enjoyed the writing style and the character growth throughout the book was great. Madeline is strong willed and very detail oriented. I love how she works things out in the case of her ruined marriage. I would highly recommend this book and look forward to getting the next book in the series.
SPOUSE TRAP: Madeline Dawkins Mysteries (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton was an exciting read for me. I loved Madeline and her ability to just bounce back and get through all the hurdles thrown in her way. I enjoyed the book and found myself turning page after page. I cannot wait to get my hands on book two, it is bound to be another page turner!
Spouse Trap starts out with the main character, Madeline, waking up in a hotel room with no idea how she got there or what happened. She goes home only to be confronted by her husband claiming she cheated on him, he has evidence, and their marriage is over. Determined to prove her innocence, Madeline searches for clues as to what actually happened that night. As the pieces start coming together, a picture is painted that is full of treachery and deceit that rocks her to the core. As she continues to figure out the whole picture, she finds herself in situation where her sanity and life are in danger. Without giving anything away, you will find yourself at the edge of your seat wondering how she is going to get through it all.
This book hooked me from the beginning. I found myself rooting for Madeline and watching her evolve as the story goes on. Instead of lying down and taking what the world is throwing at her, she stands up and fights while finding out she is stronger than they thought she was. A great story that is thrilling and full of suspense. I enjoyed every second of it!
Spouse Trap: Madeline Dawkins Mysteries
(The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1)
by Cynthia Hamilton
4 out of 5 stars
I wasn’t finished with the first page of the prologue before I felt as though my pulse was quickening and I needed to know what was going to happen. If that isn’t the promise of a good book, I don’t know what is. This wasn’t my first experience with Cynthia Hamilton’s writing, I had read her book Finding Ruth a while back and fell in love. While the Madeline Dawkins series is an entirely different genre, I still suspected to enjoy her writing.
Spouse Trap was one of those addicting books where I found myself actively making excuses to keep reading. “It’s already 1222 in the morning, I’ll read for another six minutes then go to bed”. “I can’t stop in the middle of a chapter”… you get the idea.
It may be an unpopular opinion but I thought Madeline was a fantastic character, you could tell from the first page that she was intelligent and independent, despite her comfortable lifestyle, I appreciated that about her.
I look forward to reading more in the series and from this Author in general.
Spouse Trap by Cynthia Hamilton a thrilling four-star read. This is number one in the Madeline Dawkins series and my first read by this author, a High Price to pay can’t come soon enough for me as it looks like this series goes from strength to strength. This one will keep you on your toes, and have you second guessing everything, but what made this story for me was Madeline Dawkins herself she was a great character and really made the story, she is so much stronger than she realises and will astound you with her character.
5 Stars
Spouse Trap is the first book in the Madeline Dawkins series by Cynthia Hamilton. I really enjoyed reading this exciting mystery- Ms. Hamilton’s cleverly crafted story had me avidly reading along trying to piece everything together- whilst rooting for Madeline to find the justice she deserved and win out in the end.
I loved all the tension, drama, intrigue, and suspense that Ms. Hamilton was able to instil in her story- it definitely made for an exciting read. I love when a story captivates me like this- where I lose all sense of time and place because I am so invested in the story, desperately wanting to know how things turn out in the end but also not wanting the story to end because I am enjoying it so much.
This first book certainly sets the whole series off to a fantastic start- leaving me with an addiction and needing my next ‘fix’. So, I have already been on a hunting mission and snapped up the other three books in the series just so I can see what else Madeline gets up to.
Cleverly woven with lots of interconnected elements and complex layers that made this story all the more enthralling. Highly recommended reading!!
Thank you, Cynthia Hamilton!
What a horrifying mess poor Madeline had to overcome. It seems nearly impossible. SPOUSE TRAP: Madeline Dawkins Mysteries (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton, was an excellent read. I so appreciated Madeline’s journey. I have to say I am proud of her. This is an excellent first book in a series because I can tell you I am hooked. The characters, especially Madeline were all well fleshed out and intriguing.The world Madeline lives in is well put together. There is just nothing about this book that doesn’t feel real. It pulls you in. Great writing, great story, I can’t wait for book two.
Madeline I really feel for her and the predicament that has present itself. Brut is helping her work through these events. I read this book on a day its so gripping Cynthia Hamilton draws you into these characters and their world. Madeline digs into the night which has cause so much trauma to her life at the moment and discovers…. Well you’ve got to read to find out. Steven is anger and feels betrayed. Out to sabotage but why. I highly recommend Spouse Trap.
Spouse Trap: Madeline Dawkins Mysteries (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton
4 of 5 Stars
A great mystery read with an intriguing storyline which had me gripped from page one. Madeline Ridley had it all and was very happy with her life, a handsome and successful husband, a high status position in the Santa Barbara society, and everything money could buy. However when Madeline wakes up alone in an unknown hotel room with no clothes on and a splitting headache she soon learns that her position in society, her influence and all her luxurious things suddenly mean nothing. Things become worse when her supposedly loving husband Steven comes home with a selection of damming photos all of which she has no memory off. Whilst visiting Stephan at work to explain her innocence Madeline walks in on a situation that makes her realise who her real enemy is. Madeline’s comfortable world collapses amongst blackmail, sabotage and deceit. In order to salvage something of her life Madeline reverts back to her maiden name of Dawkins and discovers what her strengths are.
Spouse Trap is the prequel to Cynthia Hamilton’s, “The Madeline Dawkins Mystery series”. I enjoyed this book and the author had me hooked from the very beginning. I liked how Madeline’s character developed and changed during the course of the story and whilst to begin with she is rather timid by the end of the book she is ‘Madeline Dawkins’ and I’m sure she will make a great heroine in the series of books that follow. I look forward to reading further books in the series.
Envision you have the perfect life: Cash, top spot, power, an attractive union but you wake up all by your lonesome, naked, hungover with no memory of how you got there. This is Madeline’s life:
Madeline is living her fantasy life with a stunning and fortunate husband with the dream home atop of Santa Barbara, she can afford anything she can imagine. Her life is beyond great until her life begins to unravel in a single night.
Madeline’s husband, Steven believes she’s cheating but in a rage to prove her innocence, she stumbles on the person out to destroy her life. This will send her down the road of extortion, obstruction, and trickery. Hoping to be free of blame, she accidentally stumbles on the truth as she uncovers her secret rival.
After such devastation, Madeline breaks down, goes back to her maiden name of Madeline Dawkins in order to repair her life. She rediscovers who she is, what she brings to the table and where her true self lies.
Books like this one inspire women to rediscover our own individuality outside of a man and I find it empowering! Very original and entertaining.
The Spouse Trap is the first book in the Madeline Dawkins series, and I think the author got off to a flying start.
The story starts with Madeline in a hotel room, unable to remember how or why she is there. After photographs surface Madelines world begins to crumble, she not only doubts herself but she can no longer trust anyone. Determined to find out the truth Madeline searches for answers.
You really feel for Madeline, especially at the start when there is so much hurt and confusion. The book is packed with emotion throughout and you are really rooting for Madeline that she gets the outcome she deserves.
I really enjoyed this book, the author let’s you know from the beginning where the story is leading, but there are plenty of twists throughout to keep you hooked. I really enjoyed the pace of the writing. Books with lots of action can often leave me behind, but the author packs in lots of description and scene setting which I love.
I would recommend this book, I haven’t read anything by Cynthia Hamilton before, but I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
We meet Madeline after a huge fundraiser she has planned. She wakes up disoriented and confused and her life implodes. Struggling to figure out what happened that night and why her husband, Steven has thrown away their 12 year relationship. Throughout this book, Madeline is put through the ringer.
This story was non stop excitement. Just when I thought I figured it out, something else would throw a wrench in it. I l, highly, recommend this book to anyone who loves action, drama, and mystery.
3.5 stars
This is the first book I have read by this author and the first in a new PI series. I had images of it being a “Stephanie Plum” type character, but that is not the case at all.
This is a well plotted story with a very distinct beginning, middle and end but, for me, there was way to much detail in some instances and yet I am left with so many questions because other things are just left hanging. I did find myself frequently skimming and skipping over some of the finer details to move the story along quicker.
The cover of the book gives nothing away about the story and there were definitely twists and turns as the book wound its way to the conclusion.
Overall it is an enjoyable read.