Book Review of The Peacekeeper's Photograph (The Master Sergeant Harper Mystery series) by M. L. Doyle

Synopsis:

The NATO mission in Bosnia is to broker peace between warring factions and help restore a devastated county.

It’s a mission the world is watching.
But when Master Sergeant Lauren Harper makes a gruesome discovery, she has a new mission. Saving herself.

Harper, a career soldier, is innocent of the crime, but she’s guilty of a lot of other things, like inappropriate feelings for her commanding officer, Colonel Neil McCallen and failing to lead a soldier who needed her help.

To get out of the mess she’s in, Harper must employ all of her wits and the help of an unexpected friend from across the pond, Sergeant Major Harry Fogg.

Her mistakes land Harper in the worst trouble she’s ever faced. She is forced to choose. Save herself and risk the lives of others, or stay, and face a life of degradation and slavery.

Review:


The Peacekeeper's Photograph by M L Doyle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received an advanced reader copy from the author in return for an honest review.

Wow! This was an intense and suspenseful read! I loved it!

Master Sergeant Lauren Harper is a fantastic character. She is a warrior, who also loves being feminine. I loved her bravery in the face of terrible danger; in fact, I was in awe! However, I also felt she was a bit reckless. Nevertheless, I liked her very much.

I love a good mystery/suspense/thriller, and this book had all three elements. I read it from cover to cover within a matter of hours! At 306 pages long, I struggled to put this book down! Set in Bosnia in the late 1990's, this book had me sitting on the edge of my seat! Having never been in the services, I have no idea of what atrocities the brave men and women serving their various countries have seen or experienced, however I am exceedingly proud of them all. I am not sure if the author did an amazing amount of research, or she served her country in some capacity, but the descriptions of the people, places and weapons made me feel like I was actually there. I could actually hear the voices of the characters and see the scenes quite clearly! (No, I don't think I'm crazy - not yet, anyway!).
I felt that Lauren's Commanding Officer was a bit of a jerk! I can understand why he acted that way, but that doesn't excuse him in my eyes! Especially considering his subordinates need for a friend!
I would have liked to get a bit more background on Harry Fogg, but perhaps the next book in this series will have more information. I really liked that charming Brit! He made my knees go weak!
The story has several twists that kept me guessing, but it was the sheer depravity of some of the characters that disgusted me. I know that in real life war brings out the best and/or worst in people, but I sometimes wish that there are no wars at all! I am now looking forward to reading more of this debut authors work.

M. L. Doyle has written a story that was as chilling as it was exciting. She is not afraid to dig into the darker side of war and/or human trafficking and shine a light on it. Her writing style is fast paced and extremely fluid. This author is one to watch in the future.

Due to some scenes of violence and abuse, I do not recommend this book to younger readers or people with a nervous disposition. However, I highly recommend this book if you love intrigue, mystery, suspense or thriller genres. - Lynn Worton

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