The Breadcrumb Game
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5.0 • 2 Ratings
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- $5.99
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- $5.99
Publisher Description
Someone just blew up Ella Madson's house-but wait, it gets worse.
Bristly FBI Agent Sam Donnelly is assigned to the case, and demands Ella's help to find Mal, Ella's estranged sister. Mal has a criminal record a mile long, but even so, Ella doesn't think Mal is responsible for the explosion-nothing has changed between them in over twenty years. Besides, for the past ten years, Mal has sent her small trinkets, prodding her to remember their favorite childhood game.
When Agent Donnelly's team stumbles upon a trail of clues that only Ella can recognize and decipher, she becomes essential to their investigation. Despite the agents' hesitation, she tags along with the team as they race from city to city through her childhood memories.
In between continued attempts on her life and finding the next clue, Ella and Agent Donnelly grow closer and open up to each other. It turns out that he's not an insensitive jerk, just an agent with a tragic past that still haunts him. Ella can relate to that. Before long, knowing that he'll be out of her life when the case is solved is no longer a relief.
There's no time to figure where things stand between them, though, because they're closing in on Mal, and they need to figure out how to stop whoever is trying to kill Ella before it's too late.
Note: The Breadcrumb Game is a romantic suspense, but it's not spicy.
Content warning: mention of attempted suicide
Customer Reviews
Unique Slow Burn Romance
4.5 stars. The Breadcrumb Game is a detective slash romance novel. I read that it's enemies to lovers, but I wouldn't say that's true. This book is a slow-burn romance, but there's a spark from the beginning.
Ella's house is destroyed. She grew up in this house, and it's clear that it was intentionally destroyed, but who wants to kill her? The FBI gets involved in the case and connects it with another case involving stolen money. A person of interest in both cases becomes Mal, Ella's estranged sister. They haven't seen each other in years, since they were in their late teens. They're now 38 and 39. Mal was always getting into trouble, and Ella doesn't know for sure if her sister would actually be involved in something that could hurt her. I mean, they may be estranged, but they're still sisters.
The detective, Sam Donnelly, is a bit gruff, kind of a bad-cop-vibes federal agent. Again, it's not an enemies-to-lovers romance because there's definitely attraction from the beginning, even though it's subtle. The thing about Sam and Ella is that they're both established in their careers and more confident in themselves than you find in young adult fiction. I don't read that kind of self-assurance very often, and this was a nice change of pace. Also, they're both likable characters. It's easy to see how they fall for each other. Sam has a backstory. Actually, they both do. It's Ella's backstory with her sister that drives the plot.
The novel is told from alternating points of view, both Ella's and Mal's (though mostly Ella's), and then it goes back to their childhood. I love the way the story is told. The title is The Breadcrumb Game, and this is one of those books where the title shows up in the novel. I love it when authors do that! But the meaning is leaving breadcrumbs - hints, and they have to find Mal, so it makes sense.
I love a slow-burn romance, and this one doesn't disappoint. And because this is a romance as well as a suspense novel involving her sister and their past, it kind of ties Ella's whole life together and helps her resolve things. It's also a unique story. Anyway, I highly recommend this book.
The Breadcrumb Game
First book I've read by this author and was not disappointed that I chose to read this book. The storyline took me on a roller coaster ride with twists and turns you won't see coming. I really enjoyed the suspense and mystery along with the characters. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.