Gain Damaged Intentions (Abby Mullen #2) Picturized By Mike Omer Rendered As Print

I first read the synopsis of Damaged Intentions I was IMMEDIATELY sold!! A thriller based on hostage situation by a cult Im so in!
And absolutely it didnt disappoint.


We met Abby, who escaped a cult as a child, and is living a “normal” successful life as a mother amp NYPDs best hostage negotiator.
Until a cult called “The Watchers” storms the local high school, taking Abbys daughter hostage,

Full of mystery amp intrigue, Abby is forced to Negotiate with those holding her daughter captive.
The watchers are an extremely paranoid and delusional group, and reading about their views was pretty unreal, The paranoia was so extreme, and it hit different knowing groups like this actually exist in our society today.

Abby amp Sam her daughter were really solid characters, both were realistic and believable, and I could easily see why they made the decisions they did thru out the story.
This was a Fast paced story that I was quickly drawn into,
If you enjoy:
Redemption stories
Cults
Mysteries
Suspense
Plot Twists
Hostage Situations
Then check out DAMAGED INTENTIONS! I absolutely love Mike Omer and will read anything he writes! Abby was born into a cult and has lived with guilt her entire life over something she was forced to do by an authority figure.
The kind of guilt that no one would ever want to live with, especially since she was eight I think years old.
. . super young and had no voice to tell her abuser/cult leader no, When I first read about the Watchers, a group of young conspiracy theorists, I wasn't too sure, Abby has a daughter named Samantha/Sam and when the Watchers go into her school to do some collateral damage, they take Sam hostage.
Abby was on the job and I couldn't even imagine having to be the hostage negotiator and the person held against their will is your own daughter.
That part played out well by the author, There were definitely some great twists and turns, something I assume most if not all mystery/thriller readers love as long as they're believable.
I cannot wait to read book!

I would like to thank NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for an eARC copy in exchange for my honest opinion which I have given.





Mike Omer!!!
Hats off to you!!
Wow, just wow, A mystery and thriller story with an unexpected twist that left me speechless, I was at my job when I was like Shut the front door!
It was unexpected and amazing.
It has you hooked since the beginning,
Abby Mullen is what you would expect of a dectective and more, I have to say I want to read the next book already cause this will get intense, and things will turn even more interesting as Abby goes uncovering the truth.


Also I want to say, . . THIS BOOK NEEEEEDSS to be turned into a Series, Would definitely want to see this on Netflix, It would be a damn good series,
I have to say I even feel inspired to write something so thrilling and intriguing like this!
Amazing work Mike Omer! Thanks for the Advance copy!

Remember it comes out Marchnd!!!! Beware the fire that burns within you, my child.
For it will consume you whole, "

.stars.

Damaged Intentions took way to long to get going, Almostin, I was pulling my hair out, bored out of my brain, A lot of what happened in the first book was rehashed, with Abby investigating her dark past in the Wilcox cult.
I know it was set only two months after book one, but it still felt too fresh for me.
Quite frankly, I didn't care, Get to the negotiating!
Finally, Sam's school was taken hostage and Abby focuses on saving her daughter's life.
A trio of crazy conspiracy theorists invade the high school believing a mysterious organization known as The Circle are planning to sell underage children into sexual slavery.
Finally, something I can sink my teeth into, The pace increased but I still felt there wasn't enough substance to justifypages, The ending dragged on a bit and was unnecessarily padded, but did set up a nice cliffhanger for book three.


Thanks to Thomas and Mercer and Netgalley for my ARC, I'm impressed by this writer and plan to read more of his books, This book started out a little more slowly than the previous one, but once I understood the trajectory I was hooked.


This suspense/thriller takes on the terrifying, dizzying path of conspiracy theorists and school shootings, It hits close. I don't think the third book in this series is out yet, but I will definitely read its conclusion.
Compelling characters and complex choices,

File Under: I Dig It,

Damaged Intentions may be the second Abby Mullen thriller, but it's my first introduction to the series and author and what a thrilling page turning introduction it was, and honestly I never once felt like I was missing out having not read the first.


But it's now firmly on my list of books to read, As this was such a gripping, detailed, at times horrifying yet totally convincing tale, and as the story progressed the tension really ramped up, which I loved, and it made it such a rush to read.
Which is why I would happily recommend Damaged Intentions to others,

I was kindly provided with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review Mike Omer knocked this one out of the park.
Ive sat around a lot wondering how the hell people believe QAnon or other out there conspiracies and Damaged Intentions not only handled this question exceptionally well, it manages to make understanding the how a critical part of the plot.


The story picks up the story of Abby Mullen, a cult survivor and current NYPD hostage negotiator, and brings a new case to her lap.
A conspiracy group, the Watchers, have broken into a school and taken a bunch of kids and staff hostage because they believe there is sex trafficking ring taking place at the school.
Unfortunately for Abby, the school theyve picked is where her daughter goes and now she has to negotiate with a group of conspiracy theorist while trying to keep her daughter alive in there.


I love that this book spends time with Sam because shes a great character and brings a ton of value both to the plot but also to the overall series.
The twists were good, the ending leaves you wanting to read the next one but still satisfies the need for a happy ending.
This is the first book I could read and comment on before it was published, thanks to Netgalley.
A good and exciting story, a worthy sequel to the first book in the series, Yet I am not completely satisfied, In part, it may be because I just received my third booster Covid vaccine, and thats why I was awake all night, struggling with the pain in my arm.
But that way at least I could read the book,
From the media, the same conspiracy theory and attitude to see everything negatively flows to us as what Watchers represent.
I couldnt identify with them, their thinking was too poor and naive for me, Thats why they were pretty uninteresting, I didnt feel them authentic, and their actions were illogical, I would be much more interested in the other story, which is related to Abbys childhood, but it seems we have to wait for the next book to find out what the truth is about the cult.
Mike Omer shows how to build suspense, add action, and keep readers on the edge of their seats in the second book featuring Abby Mullen.
Shes a lieutenant with the New York City hostage negotiation team, a mother of two children, divorced, and a survivor of the Wilcox Cult Massacre in North Carolina when she was seven.
Armed conspiracy theorists called the Watchers enter a local NYC high school and take hostages, How many hostages are there and what does the armed group want Why did they enter the school

While the book is mainly from Abbys point of view POV, it does switch to a few additional characters from time to time.
Her character is well developed and shows both her strengths and vulnerabilities, Readers get insight into both her personal and professional lives, They also get great insight into Caterpillar, the screen name used by one of the armed Watchers, as well as Abbysyearold daughter.
Other characters vary in depth, but provide support, conflict, or interest,

An intriguing and memorable opening scene will immediately pull most readers into the story, That scene is vivid and painful to imagine and leaves readers wondering how it fits into the puzzle.
The suspense is built slowly initially as characters are introduced and readers begin to get a sense of what is to come.
When the action started, this reader eagerly turned the pages with nervous anticipation, Who will survive How will the situation be resolved As Abby and her team work to resolve the situation, additional layers of mystery and deception are uncovered.
What an ending! Will you guess what happens While the main case comes to an end, there are plenty of threads that could be featured in future books.


A creative, complex, and wellpaced plot with layers and twists will keep a reader guessing, High stakes and an alltooreal situation kept me engaged throughout the story, There are some shocking and disturbing scenes as it unfolds, The people in the story came to life, and I was

cheering on the police as they worked desperately toward a resolution.
Themes include work relationships, conspiracy theories, family relationships, PTSD, death, and hostage situations as well as how social media can influence people.


Overall, this was a gripping story with complex characters that kept me on tenterhooks, Its intense and kept me turning the pages, There was enough background in this novel that it worked well as a standalone, but I have book one and cant wait to read it while waiting on the next one in the series.
Those who enjoy police procedurals and crime thrillers may want to check out this series,

Thanks to Thomas amp Mercer and Mike Omer for a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review.
Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way, Publication date is currently set for March,, This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine,


Mystar review of this police procedural and crime thriller will be posteddays after it appears in Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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