While seeking safe haven at a friend’s home in Scotland, a troubled young computer programmer finds herself implicated in a fraud scheme she took no part in. She soon finds herself swept up in the case and falling for the detective assigned to investigate her.
Those We Trust
Those We Trust Book 1
by Marie Jones
Genre: Romantic Thriller, Suspense, Crime
Broken
and humiliated by her husband of ten years leaving her unexpectedly,
Sophia Meadows muddles through her daily routine—writing computer
programs and rarely leaving the house. That is, until an old friend
from university shows up on her door with an offer she can’t
refuse: a chance to get away and heal in the Scottish Highlands of
Inverness by flat-sitting. Yet once she arrives, she soon discovers
the offer is not what she bargained for: A police surveillance team
is watching her every move and a mysterious man is after the contents
of a safe hidden in a wall. After a break-in at the apartment, her
path collides with DI Marcus Armstrong, the man in charge of the
apartment surveillance. Sophia is swept into an investigation of
fraud involving her university friend and into a sudden attraction
with the handsome DI who finds himself drawn to her even though she’s
a suspect in his case. With evidence piling up against her and her
friend and the attraction between her and Marcus growing stronger,
Sophia is forced to confront her broken heart and find a way to clear
her name. In a tangled web of secrets and clues, can she and the DI
work through their attraction and learn to trust each other in time
to stop a criminal and possibly save a life?
***5
Star Recipient from Readers Favorite!!! ***
Those
We Trust by Marie Jones is a romantic crime thriller that is both
refreshing and riveting. The plot was quite unusual but realistic and
unique. I loved the character development as it was perfect. Aneella
was less the prey and more of a predator as far as I’m concerned.
This book taught me that it’s not mandatory to hold on to some
friendships. If people show us who they are, it’s in our best
interests to believe them instead of giving them the benefit of the
doubt. There is a hidden depth to humans that we can’t fathom.
We
should learn to put our foot down because that may be our saving
grace. Marie is a gifted storyteller who has written a captivating
book. The writing was stylish, and the book was easy to follow. I
eagerly await the sequel!
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Those We Seek
Those We Trust Book 2
I
thought the darkness could no longer touch me.
I
was wrong.
Still
carrying the physical and mental scars following the brutal stabbing
from her ex-husband, Richard, Sophia is struggling to put the attack
behind her. On top of that, Richard remains on the loose, with her
now husband, Marcus, desperate to catch him and bring down the fraud
ring, whilst her former best friend, Aneella, awaits trial. When
Richard contacts her demanding to meet, and Aneella refuses to
confess to anyone but her, can Sophia find the strength and courage
within her to face her betrayers and protect the man she loves, no
matter what the cost?
Be
swept up once more in the beautiful, haunting Scottish Highlands as
the story of Marcus and Sophia continues in this powerful follow on
story...
***Reviewed
by Pikasho Deka for Readers’ Favorite***
Those
We Seek is the second book of Marie Jones' thrilling romance series,
Those We Trust. Months after her ex-husband's brutal knife attack,
Sophia Armstrong struggles with PTSD from her harrowing experience.
Meanwhile, her detective inspector husband Marcus is determined to
locate Richard and the other members of his fraud ring. In prison,
Sophia's former friend-turned-foe, Aneella, refuses to talk to anyone
other than Sophia. After much coaxing, Sophia convinces Aneella to
attend her father's funeral to draw out her criminal associates. But
things don't go according to plan, and soon Sophia finds herself
entangled in the clutches of Richard's schemes again. However, a
dogmatic Marcus is determined to bring Richard to justice, only to
find himself in a precarious situation. Will Sophia and Marcus be
able to get out of Richard's trap?
With
a swirling mix of romance, suspense, and nail-biting thrills, Marie
Jones weaves a gripping story you don't want to end. Those We Seek is
a stellar addition to the series, and it continues Sophia and Marcus'
story as they try to navigate the circumstances Sophia's ruthless
ex-husband, Richard, put them in. The characters are
well-fleshed-out, which makes them easy to relate to. Sophia and
Marcus' relationship underlines the sleuth mystery narrative
throughout the book. Jones makes you feel for even the secondary
characters and gives them minor plot threads, such as Tom. The plot
moves at a brisk pace, with a number of unexpected twists and turns.
This is a treat for romance and thriller lovers.
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1
In my defining moment, each of my senses became aware of the
smallest, most infinite detail. The distant cry of a wild, eager fox. The soft,
rippling sound of crystal water stirring within the loch. The sweet scent of a
pine tree moving lazily in the wind. The freshly fallen leaves dancing around
our feet. The acrid, metallic taste in my mouth as I forced away its dryness.
His warm breath on my neck, stirring the tendrils of my hair and sending a
tremor through my body.
I had let my eyes drift closed to savour it all for one
sweet second. My hand moved carefully behind me, so he could reach for it. As I
felt his calloused palm cover mine, I squeezed hard, knowing without any words
he would understand what I needed. We spoke a silent language, our bodies
moving of their own accord.
Then, knowing all too well what would confront them, my eyes
reluctantly opened. Yet still, the shock of meeting those eyes staring hard and
dangerously at me caused me to stiffen and bite down hard on the inside of my
cheek.
Eyes that had once looked at me with affection were now that
of a feverish stranger, hell-bent on getting what was so desperately sought,
regardless of what happened to me. Had I ever really known the person behind
them?
As we stood there, suspended, each waiting for the other to
make the next crucial move, I knew it was my choice now as to how this tale
would end. Would I go back to the woman I had once been, full of self-doubt,
low, hollow, and giving in to the inevitable? Or would I rise up and fight
back, show my new strength and courage to protect the man I loved fiercely?
Had it really only been five weeks since I’d made a
different choice to take up a seemingly kind offer to stay at a friend’s flat?
Had it been so short a time from when Aneella had smoothed her way back into my
life after ten years of utter silence? When she became determined to have her
way over my life, once again…
Excerpt from Those We Seek
Prologue
The cold, sharp wind whipped against my numb cheeks,
stinging my eyes, and causing me to inhale rapidly. The uneven rocks beneath my
feet made me stumble and curse. My legs, aching from the frantic steep climb,
moaned as I forced them on. My heart beat too fast, like fluttering wings of an
insect desperate to escape its trap.
Yet I had to keep going. I must. His life, the only
one I cared desperately about, rested solely on me. So, I would keep climbing,
until there was nowhere further to go, and the light lost its battle against
the gathering darkness.
All I could see in my mind was him, the last look he'd given
me. Long now I'd realised I only felt strong with him by my side. But he
wouldn't believe that now. I'd done my job too well, too effectively. The
memory of my parting words had me choking back a suffocating cry. No, this time
I was truly alone. Alone, except for an enemy waiting for me — surrounding me
from all sides. And this enemy wanted my blood. Nothing else would satisfy.
As if I'd conjured up the voice from my darkest terrors,
seeping coldly into my skin, the wind taunted, “You better keep climbing if you
want to reach him in time.”
I spun around, trying
to peer through the descending clouds, as if to see how close on my heels they
were. I could just make out the dim shadow of a moving person. Fear ripped
through me.
I had no choice but to keep climbing. We both knew that.
Something more powerful than me had me scram[1]bling up once more on my hands
and knees, barely feeling the stones cutting into my skin.
I should have known this wasn't over. What a stupid fool I
was to believe our love would shelter us from danger. That it would act as a
shield against the enemies lurking in the shadows, turning us from predators
into prey.
The darkness was coming for us.
It was coming for me
What are your top 10 favorite books/authors?
Too many favourites but love the classics like Persuasion by
Jane Austen, Jamica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier, also anything by Nora Roberts,
Lucy Shore, Sarah J Maas
What book do you think everyone should read?
Little Women By Louisa May Alcott
How long have you been writing?
Since I was a child, but more recently in the last five
years.
Do the characters all come to you at the same time or do
some of them come to you as you write?
Some come to me as I write but mostly all at the plotting
stage.
What kind of research do you do before you begin writing
a book?
On the area where its based.
Also for example how the criminal justice system works, anything to make
sure my facts are authentic and accurate.
Do you see writing as a career?
Absolutely! My dream is to one day write full time.
What do you think about the current publishing market?
It’s a very competitive market and it’s hard to get yourself
known amongst all the other fabulous books out there.
Do you read yourself and if so what is your favorite
genre?
Yes very much so! I love romantic thrillers like I write,
but also fantasy and historical books.
Do you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Why?
Silence preferably but learnt to write around noise in the
house!
Do you write one book at a time or do you have several
going at a time?
One at a time.
If you could have been the author of any book ever
written, which book would you choose?
Pride and Prejudice.
Pen or type writer or computer?
Pen for notebook plotting, computer for typing up the story.
What made you want to become an author and do you feel it
was the right decision?
It’s in my blood, my greatest passion. To not write would feel completely
wrong. It’s tough to do, to stay committed
and not give up, to face rejection and possibly negative comments. But one hundred per cent the right decision.
A day in the life of the author?
Come home from work, drink lots of tea, sit at the computer,
try not to get distracted by my phone.
Advice they would give new authors?
Put the phone far out of reach! And, most importantly, not
to give up.
Describe your writing style.
Very methodical. I
write each chapter in sequence.
What makes a good story?
When it captures the reader so much they can’t put your book
down.
What are they currently reading?
Things we hide from the light series by Lucy Shore
What is your writing process? For instance do you do an
outline first? Do you do the chapters first?
Outline the chapters and then I write them. I also like to
know the beginning and end before I begin.
What are common traps for aspiring writers?
To start and not finish your book. It’s always going to be
easy to dissuade yourself from writing.
You need to form a discipline to ensure you stay committed.
What is your writing Kryptonite?
My phone!
Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers
what they want?
Hopefully a bit of both. You want to keep them surprised but
also ensure they have the ending they crave.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything,
what would it be?
You will get published.
Your story is worth telling.
What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters
from the opposite sex?
Trying to get it accurate as to how they would
react/think/feel.
How long on average does it take you to write a book?
A year to write, then six to nine months to go through the
editing process with me and my publishers.
Do you believe in writer’s block?
Readers Favorite Gold Award Winner 2022
NYC Big Book Award Winner 2022 - Romantic Thriller
Finalist American Fiction Awards 2022
Chatelaine Romance Fiction First Place Winner 2023
Amor Book Award Finalist 2022
Author of multi award winning romantic suspense/thriller Those We Trust series
Published with GenZ Publishing
Semi finalist Australasian Screenwriting Competition
Double recommendation from Stage 32
Marie Jones’ passion for writing and creating stories began from a young age, where she loved nothing more than writing stories into her special A4 lined book. Later on in life, Marie went on to study creative writing at night college. Her favourite place to write is in her lounge when the house is quiet (though have learnt to write around noise!). Wherever she is, everyday men and women with all their amazing complexities always fascinate and inspire her
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