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A Review from the UK ~ I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A SPY

An Unexpectedly Unique Heroine

30 July 2019

Maggie Sloan always knew that she wanted to be a spy. She is unusual, almost emotionless. More than just a loner, she separates herself from the world, looking in at it, observing everything, making copious notes and filing them away, but not truly engaging with other people. This in an adult would be odd enough, but Maggie has been this way since a child. But do not pity her, because Maggie has grown up happily enough. We see snapshots of her early life – an absent father and over-protective mother – which seem to be filled with trivial episodes, yet like an expert quilt-maker, Judith A. Barrett creates an image of this character which is so strong, that she is far more flesh and blood in this, her first book, than many others become through a whole series. And I truly hope that this is the beginning of a series, because I want to spend a lot more time with Maggie. There is death and betrayal along the way to Maggie connecting with other people, but the delight she finds as she learns to live: to cook, colour-coordinate (she was always in first black, then grey shades), open up to love, learn fighting and weapon skills and ultimately put everything she ever learned into practice, is truly affecting. Oh, and she sees imaginary people – a side-effect of a medical procedure – which is presented so matter-of-factly that no one can question their existence. Maggie will haunt you long after you put the book down.

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Have you read I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A SPY? Maggie Sloan Thriller, Book 2 is in the works!

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What Do I Read First?

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I’m asked by readers new to the Judith A. Barrett books, What do I read first?

Of course, the answer is It Depends. Do you like mystery series, thrillers, or survival and conspiracy? That’s where you should start. From there, go to another book. Easy, isn’t it?

DONUT LADY MYSTERY SERIES

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SWEET DEAL SEALED, BOOK 1

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It isn’t necessary to read Book 1 before Book 2 because each book comes to closure. However, SWEET DEAL SEALED will introduce you to the DONUT LADY and her friends and to Donut Lady’s style and her sense of humor.

SWEET DEAL CONCEALED, BOOK 2

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If you read Book 2 first, you may want to follow up with Book 1. In Book 2, DONUT LADY, her old friends, and her new friends become embroiled in not just one murder, but two.

BOOK 3

Book 3 is scheduled to be released in July 2019.

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I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A SPY

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A MAGGIE SLOAN THRILLER

Maggie Sloan is a librarian and self-taught spy. Her story will grab you on page one and keep you guessing to the end. Or maybe when you read the end, you’ll say Aha! I knew it all the time!

Will there be a MAGGIE SLOAN THRILLER series? Depends on you. The book after Book 3 in July could well be another MAGGIE SLOAN THRILLER.

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DANGER IN THE CLOUDS

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A MAJOR ELLIOTT SUSPENSE NOVEL

Major Dave Elliott, lonely widower, farmer, and retired state police officer lives with his dog, Shadow. If you love a good conspiracy and survivalist story, this is the book for you. For the conspiracy reader, it’s there. For the survivalist reader, Major gives us a handbook on how to survive off the grid. For the reader who loves stories about families, gotcha covered.

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THE GIRL WHO SAW CLOUDS

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The GIRL WHO SAW CLOUDS is a YA Novel, and the same story as DANGER IN THE CLOUDS told from the point of view of the teens and children.

 

WHICH CLOUDS BOOK SHOULD YOU READ? I recommend DANGER IN THE CLOUDS if you are older than 15 years old. If you decide to read both, please let me know which story you preferred.

 

LOVE A BOOK?  five-stars

Please review on Amazon or Goodreads. Amazon pays attention to reviews. The placement of the Judith A. Barrett books on Amazon depends on reviews.

Thank you!

IReadJABooks

 

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I Always Wanted To Be A Spy – Description

I Always Wanted to be a Spy 29 6x9 new girl with gun

By the time MAGGIE SLOAN is four years old, she is a focused, self-trained spy.  In the second grade, she expands her remarkable talents for observation and data analysis by programming her first computer tracking system.  After college, Maggie’s diverse job searches are futile until she is hired by the county library.

When Maggie’s brilliant observational talents and her potential to expose complex criminal activity draw the attention of an international ring, she becomes their target. However, a senseless murder changes her life forever, and MAGGIE transforms from prey to predator.

Will the librarian with the soul of a spy and the unusual security team stop the desperate kingpins or will she become the latest victim? It all comes down to kill or be killed.

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Spying on Sweet Procrastination

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What do you get when an author who is also a farmer with fifty chickens avoids writing the next chapter of Book One of the SWEET DEAL COZY MYSTERIES because it might be scary?

A sweet chicken procrastinator.

 

girl-spy

What do you get when an author avoids the final editing of the novel, I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A SPY, because editing stinks?

A sweet, stinky, spying chicken procrastinator.

 

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What do you get when it’s blog day on the schedule and an author avoids writing a blog?

A sweet, stinky, spying chicken procrastinator blog.