Abandoned: Allison Brennan

Imagine your mother leaving you in the charge of a complete stranger even though she’s your grandmother. Leaving to live her life on the fly with someone not worth very much, Maxine Revere would understand the gravity of the situation and the definition of the word abandonment. Years later as a criminal investigator reporter for a cable Show and having her own PI busy, Max had decided to follow a very murky and dangerous trail to find the truth behind her mother’s disappearance and why after so many years her car was found, no body in the car and evidence that she stole her aunt’s identity and her companion used the same last name and with the information given to her by a PI she hired and her assistant David she was on a quest for answers.

Her mother’s car was left and abandoned 16 years ago in a small town on the Chesapeake Bay; she immediately contacts the sheriff of this town reaching out for information about the car, the search for a body and the link to Jimmy Truman the man her mother was supposedly with for six years. Rogan her PI let’s her know that the FBI has an active investigation in the con man or Jimmy; max sets off to get answers.

Meeting with the local librarian in cape haven where she’s investigating she gets certain documents but when she asks about Gabriel Truman she gets the cold shoulder and when she leaves the sheriff after their talk what’s his connection to Gabriel and why did he visit him?

The story flashes back to Maxine and Eleanor her grandmother whose austere prominence would cause most children to cower. Maxine realizes that her cousins dislike her and that fitting in with the sterling’s would take time. William hated her and uncle Brooks too, what about Eleanor her grandmother? Rules run the family and Maxine questioned her grandmother to enlighten her about them and her expectations. Respect the list of people she gave her and of course respect herself. Truthfulness is paramount and honesty build integrity. But, an odd question followed that Eleanor answered but the response was unclear to Maxine.

In the present Maxine brings readers to her meeting with the detective who handled her mother’s case and hoped for some answers. Martha hook d up with Jimmy Truman and Maxine hated him on sight but her mother could care less. Martha disappeared and left her 16 years ago and now her car is found and she would follow every lead and be relentless in her quest. Gabriel Truman wants to get rid of her thinking she will destroy it all for him and his family. Why? What is he hiding and why is Maxine so determined to learn more about a mother who cared only for herself?

Flashing back to the past we get to know the real Martha and the scams She and jimmy pulled in order to steal valuable paintings. But things get dangerous and tense when Phillip Colter comes into her life and wants to take possession of her leaving no room for her to have any real freedom until she does. In the present Maxine teams up with agent Ryan and together she hopes to learn what happened to her mother but watch out for Gabriel Truman whose secret if revealed would destroy lives and rock her world. She is tenacious, impetus and often unyielding making it hard to work with her since it’s basically her way only.

Getting to know Martha she’s not anyone you’d like or have any empathy for because she’s selfish, self/ absorbed and greedy. Her main concern is herself and using anyone including depleting her trust fund to fund her jaunts was all that satisfied her. The author portrays this in the many scenes from the past.

Meeting with several people that are close to Gabriel, Maxine has a startling revelation that will cause several to watch her more closely and want her investigation shut down. Her connections and resources are unlimited and until the truths are revealed she won’t stop no matter who she irritates or angers.

Jimmy and Martha stole paintings from an art thief and Maxine learns which ones from the 16 postcards Martha sent on her birthdays. Jimmy was ruthless and Martha even more but jimmy learns who Martha is and a young child becomes a pawn in a greedy man’s plot. Gabriel Truman will not give up Eve even though the truth of her parentage is in question. She’s Martha’s daughter but who’s her father. As Ryan McGuire and Maxine battle through photos and information about Martha and the stolen part, what are they missing to learn what really happened to her and jimmy.

As Maxine learns more about the postcards she realizes that they hold some powerful clues to the stolen art and where these paintings wound up. The postcards, art theft and then coming to cape haven and disappearing and Maxine knew her next step. There was a third party involved and when you hear the voice of this person and the hidden truths revealed you know Maxine is now in danger but will the killer silence her and what about Eve, how will she feel about the truth?

Things tense up and Maxine and Ryan realize the significance of the postcards and one element on each that might unravel it all. Martha did steal for fun and because she could. She was only concerned with her own pleasures and although she put on good shows of affection with the men she wowed, the end result would prove an unexpected result.

A parent with no morals an grandmother who created rules and her own world and two people whose lives will dramatically change when lies, betrayals and deceptions are revealed and the veil of fog, mist and uncertainty are lifted when Author Allison Brennan creates and ending filled with the unexpected and uncertain for two people who truly have suffered as a result of the abuse and neglect of another and truly comprehend the meaning of being Abandoned.

Some endings create unfortunate beginnings and those who seemed deceitful yet loving make sacrifices. What happened to the paintings? What role did someone close to Eve play and why was her life in danger that would be sacrificed next? Maxine Revere would face more than just the adversity created by someone hiding in plain sight who appeared to care for Eve and her father yet betrayals came easy and the truth about Martha comes out even more. Martha Revere what was her fate? What about Jimmy? Just what role did she play in the con games that others thought they were in control of? David, Maxine’s assistant fears that her relationship with Ryan was not what it appeared to be and yet why was he so jealous? Lives were lost, lives would never be the same and two people would have to determine their destinies when all the clouds were lifted and the sadness was put aside where will Maxine find herself? What decisions will she made that would change her life and that of someone else? Where will she go from here and what about Ryan? What next? Only Allison Brennan knows the answers to these questions but like Martha Revere she would never do what she did to Maxine and Abandon her! Powerful, electrifying and a heart stopping ending that is explosive.

Fran Lewis: Just reviews/MJ magazine/Mj Network