Spouse Trap: Madeline Dawkins Mysteries Book 1 By Cynthia Hamilton ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Take a ride on this rollercoaster of Mystery. It will not disappoint! Just know there are no spoilers in this review.
Madeline Ridley had it all, or so she thought. One earth shattering morning she awakes to stuff she can’t explain. Who? What? Where? Why? Those are powerful questions she must find answers to. Before her life crumbles. You will find Madeline to be a very strong willed woman. She will get to the bottom of all that has transpired.
Cynthia Hamilton really got this series running. It is well written and loaded with twists and turns. Her main characters are go getters, and that they will! No detail was overlooked! She took you with her in this well written mystery. This is only the beginning, as I look forward to the next book in this exciting series. Well done Cynthia Hamilton! Well done!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Cindy Mayberryhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngCindy Mayberry2020-05-16 15:04:002020-05-16 15:53:30Spouse Trap: Madeline Dawkins Mysteries (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Cindy Mayberry
5 Star Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton
Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton is a wonderfully written story that will grab you from the beginning and doesn’t let go till the end. The twists and turns will have you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what happens next. Madeline is a woman who thought she had it until she didn’t. What happens when she wakes up in a hotel room and doesn’t remember exactly how or what happened the night before? I highly recommend reading this book to find out what happens next with Madeline I look forward to reading more from this Author.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Dawn Daughenbaughhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngDawn Daughenbaugh2019-06-06 05:01:042019-06-06 09:06:56Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Dawn Daughenbaugh
I fell in love with Madeline immediately. She has the perfect life and is devoted to her husband, Steve, but one pinch of jealousy from him seems to have a cascade effect including her waking up naked with no idea what happened. Steve somehow comes up with compromising pictures from that time (which screamed set up to me) and with an adultery prenup clause, things are looking as bad as they can get. But my girl Maddy will not go down without a fight! Her need to know what happened instead of crawling in on herself shows so much strength and I love her for it. The fact that this took place in Santa Barbara was hilarious to me since I am a huge fan of Psych and I was hoping half the time that Shawn and Gus would show up, just for the giggles. Cannot wait to dig into the next book!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Emma Morrealehttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngEmma Morreale2019-06-05 16:38:282019-06-05 20:24:27Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Emma Morreale
Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton
This book hooked me from the beginning. The author did an exceptional job detailing Madeline’s feelings throughout the story. There were so many moments that had me on the edge of my seat and there were other times I wanted to hit something because I was so angry at everything that kept coming at her, it seemed never ending. I couldn’t put this book down until I found out what happened, because I became so invested. I came to really like some of the other characters and some of them I wanted to throat punch. This was a wonderful read that was full of action and suspense from beginning to end. I highly recommend this book.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Candida Hopperhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngCandida Hopper2019-06-04 20:53:182019-06-04 21:05:29Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Candida Hopper
Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton is a thrilling mystery. A page turning story that begs to be read in one sitting, I couldn’t put this down! As the sequence of events unfold within this story, the author leads the reader on a energetic adventure of sorts that will leave questions, but give answers in the most unexpected ways. Madeline is magnificent in this story and is a remarkable character with the chain of events that proceed to occur throughout. The mystery elements were expertly done creating a must read story/series!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Heather Bahmhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngHeather Bahm2019-06-04 18:50:242019-06-04 19:15:40Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Heather Bahm
Spouse Trap is the opening act of Cynthia Hamilton’s Madeline Dawkins series and it is an act to be remembered! It is the first I have read by this writer and it will be not the last (I already have the next book in the series downloaded)! We have highflying power couple that is THE couple to take after – Madeline Ridley and her husband Steven. Madeline is organizing a charity ball that goes off smashingly until … her husband starts an argument with her and she ends up waking up alone in a strange room the next day remembering nothing … I am sure you can guess what comes next and yes, it might be a bit predictable but the way how Madeline reacts and deals with the situation, that is what you can take away from the story. When it comes down to it, she proves what she is truly made of and whatever gets thrown her way, she will survive it! I am excited that this was just the first book and there are many more adventures to look forward to!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Jana Teppihhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngJana Teppih2019-06-04 18:44:042019-06-04 19:09:22Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Jana Teppih
Spouse Trap by Cynthia Hamilton was definitely a five star read for me. I was Literally blown away by this book and I can’t say that very often. This book had it all. I’m typically a romance fan and even though this book was lacking in romance it touched on everything else.
Madeline Ridley had the perfect life. She had money, friends, organized social gatherings and a perfect marriage as she thought. One night at a function she gets into an argument with her husband Steven and he leaves her there. She wakes up the next morning in a hotel room with no memory of what happened the previous night. She starts looking for Steven only to find she is alone. When Steven approaches her with incriminating photos of her from the night before with a strange man and tells her he wants a divorce, her life begins to crumble. She doesn’t understand what is going on and thinks she was taken advantage of and possibly drugged.
Madeline hires a PI to help her figure out what happened and who the mystery man in the photos is. Steven is a high profile person with a security detail so she needs to be very secretive. She knows she is being followed. When she finally meets with Burt Latham her new PI, he helps her stay under the radar. When they are unable to find any information on the mystery man, Burt looks into other scenarios. During the week or so since the pictures surfaced, Steven has cancelled Madeline’s credit cards and froze their joint bank accounts. Now she has limited funds and is trying to stay in hiding. There is a lot of criminal activity surrounding Steven and now it just needs to be proven. Steven sends Madeline to Guam with 1/2 million dollars to get a quick divorce. While she is away her PI ends up getting himself into some trouble. When Madeline returns early to try to get a jump on things everything goes south. This book honestly keep me so entertained that even while I was lying in bed, I had the urge to read another chapter. I couldn’t believe how much action, suspense and heartache could be found in these pages. You definitely don’t want to miss this gem. Looking forward to the next book.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Michelle Mulveyhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngMichelle Mulvey2019-06-04 18:00:102019-06-04 18:59:12Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Michelle Mulvey
Spouse Trap by Cynthia Hamilton is my first book by this author. I found her writing technique in depth and fresh. Her characters are believable and personable. This storyline is enjoyable so much that i could not put it down once I started reading it. It is a mystery with a crime drama mixed into the plot line. Madeline is a “trophy wife” until one night when it comes crashing down. Madeline needs to start from square one and rebuilt from nothing. Will once a “trophy wife” now broken and beaten be able to rebuild her life?
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Erica Fishhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngErica Fish2019-06-04 17:34:182019-06-04 18:56:32Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Erica Fish
Spouse Trap – A Madeline Dawkins Mystery by Cynthia Hamilton is the first book in the Madeline Dawkins series. This book is an absolute page turner and one that will have you hooked. The blurb for this book had my interest piqued immediately. What had happened for her to end up in the hotel room? What was going to happen now her husband had those photos? And what does she see at his offices? All these questions before I had even opened a page, I knew this was going to be interesting. I wasn’t disappointed. This is a new author to me and I loved her writing style. This is the kind of book that, once I picked it up I was half way through it without realising. The story just flowed so easily. I was intrigued and wanted to know more. This was well written with great characters – it is a strong start to a new series.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Kerry Bakerhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngKerry Baker2019-06-04 15:50:152019-06-04 16:35:43Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Kerry Baker
I am absolutely hooked on Cynthia Hamilton and her character Madeline Ridley. I am so stoked to get my hands on the rest of the available novels in this series as I anxiously await the newest addition this summer. Spouse Trap is the high paced and gripping first novel in the Madeline Dawkins series from Cynthia Hamilton. I find it hard to believe anyone could pick up this novel and find fatal flaws. I had never read anything by Ms. Hamilton prior to this book, but I can tell you that I am now a full-fledged fan and will be devouring everything from her as soon as possible.
Madeline and her husband Steven Ridley are considered the couple to be by all who know them. Madeline’s got a few jobs she juggles but importantly most lately is planning a perfect and enchanting charity ball. Everything seems to be going smashingly until her husband decides things aren’t so perfect. Throw in the fact that she wakes up the next morning in quite the precarious situation and you already have some pretty fabulous reading material. Things never take a dull moment on and I found myself finishing this is record timing. Now off to the next book in the series, A High Price to Pay. Thanks for the fabulous read Ms. Hamilton!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Liz Vrchotahttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngLiz Vrchota2019-06-04 12:53:252019-06-04 14:42:57Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Liz Vrchota
This is my first book by Hamilton. Completely enjoyed this adventure. The main character, Madeline, is one tough cookie. She may not have thought she was but she proved that no matter what was thrown her way she would survive. Her husband, Steven, is easy to hate. His actions make it too easy. It’s hard to image someone as vile and evil as he is. The secondary characters of Burt and Mike added to the adventure of Madeline’s life. I am glad that this is just the beginning of this series and look forward to seeing what happens next.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Shannon Fowlerhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngShannon Fowler2019-06-04 07:59:462019-06-04 08:55:05Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Shannon Fowler
Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton is a very clever thriller, and it doesn’t ease off, it holds you captive and I read it in one sitting. I wasn’t sure what to expect but Cynthia has created something that is addictive and there was no way I could put it down. I had to know what was happening. It is a chilling ride and there are plenty of twists that make it psychologically compelling and thought provoking.
Madeline has the perfect marriage but she never imagined she would be fighting through the level of lies and deceit that would lead her to fight for her name and life. I can’t wait to read more of Madelines’ and her besties adventures in this series.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Jenni Bishophttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngJenni Bishop2019-06-03 16:50:382019-06-04 05:25:28Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Jenni Bishop
Spouse Trap (Madeline Dawkins #1) by Cynthia Hamilton was an engaging, thrilling read that gets the brain working and the blood flowing.
My first read by this author I went in with an open mind and just fell into this story. I was a little skeptical at first, because I have read stories like this before, but my worries were soon squished the second I started reading this gem. It was a different kind of mystery, and it had those crime drama feels that just pulls you in. I loved how the author sets you up, weaving the puzzles pieces, and making you wonder who is right, wrong, and who is playing who. I was hooked hard, and the strong MC ties all the elements together making an already strong plot, concrete. There are somethings that I’m a little hung up on, but I think that it was meant to be that way, so we’ll keep coming back for more.
Overall this book is a must read and it gets my super high recommendation and my stamp of approval.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Emily-Ann Walshhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngEmily-Ann Walsh2019-06-01 14:53:162019-06-01 15:09:54Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Emily Walsh
Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton is a five star novel. I loved the way this story unfolded and how much suspense I found. This is my first novel by this author, but I cannot wait for the rest of this series to happen. Madeline has the perfect life until her husband gets his hands on some photos of her cheating on him. However, it is very unusual for a spouse to genuinely not have any recollection of their supposed infidelity, even if there is evidence to back this up. Of course, many spouses would absolutely love to have some evidence of their partner cheating to back up their constant suspicions. This is why many spouses have taken it upon themselves to hire Family private investigators that get to the bottom of these cases, leaving no stone unturned. When dealing with an extra secretive cheater, this may be the only option to get the absolute truth out in the open. By using special investigative tactics, a P.I can help you achieve true peace of mind, whether your partner is guilty or innocent of infidelity. She has no idea how this happened and wants to get to the bottom of it. She doesn’t even remember what happened that night. How could she not remember? She remembers everything…except this night. What happened to her and how did she get in this predicament. When she loses everything, she decides to take the journey to figure it all out. What else does she have to lose? Absolutely nothing.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Julie Lounellohttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngJulie Lounello2019-06-01 03:18:462019-06-01 13:35:23Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Julie Lounello
Spouse Trap was a really great read! I haven’t read anything by this author previously but I absolutely will after really enjoying this book! I was hooked into the story quite quickly and I liked that I felt like I was living the story along with Madeline as she tried to unravel the events of the night she cannot remember! I admired her for the resilience she built up after everything she went through. She was a really strong main character! I found that I wanted to keep turning the pages just so I could find out what was going to happen to Madeline, would she finally find out what happened and what it meant for her marriage! I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the series and I highly recommend this one!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Katie Matthewshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngKatie Matthews2019-05-31 07:06:302019-05-31 10:35:23Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Katie Matthews
This is the first book I have read by this author and the first in a new PI series. I had images of it being a “Stephanie Plum” type character, but that is not the case at all.
This is a well plotted story with a very distinct beginning, middle and end but, for me, there was way to much detail in some instances and yet I am left with so many questions because other things are just left hanging. I did find myself frequently skimming and skipping over some of the finer details to move the story along quicker.
The cover of the book gives nothing away about the story and there were definitely twists and turns as the book wound its way to the conclusion.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Maura Harperhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngMaura Harper2019-05-27 22:37:242019-05-28 04:02:30Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Maura Harper
What a riveting piece of literature!!! My only regret is that I hadn’t heard of this book and read it sooner! The author does a beautiful job weaving a spellbinding tale of intrigue, suspense, and a plethora of emotions that will exhaust and excite. This prequel does a fantastic job establishing the back story of the protagonist. And it whets my whistle to dive into the series immediately. Highly recommended!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Heather Lovelacehttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngHeather Lovelace2019-05-21 22:07:122019-05-21 22:07:12Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Heather Lovelace
Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery by Cynthia Hamilton is the first of three books in the Madeline Dawkins series. Madeline lives the perfect life until one fateful night. When her husband presents evidence to her of the night she loses everything she has in one swoop. Will Madeline figure out what and who is sabotaging her life? This is a well-written story where I was able to imagine the scenery, characters, and story. The characters are well developed and I was rooting for Madeline to figure out everything and get her life back in order. I want to say more but do not want to take away from anyone’s experience. I really enjoyed this overall and look forward to reading more from this series.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Sheri Schraderhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngSheri Schrader2019-05-21 20:06:352019-05-21 20:20:17Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Sheri Schrader
Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery by Cynthia Hamilton is the first of three books in the Madeline Dawkins series. Madeline lives the perfect life until one fateful night. When her husband presents evidence to her of the night she loses everything she has in one swoop. Will Madeline figure out what and who is sabotaging her life? This is a well-written story where I was able to imagine the scenery, characters, and story. The characters are well developed and I was rooting for Madeline to figure out everything and get her life back in order. I want to say more but do not want to take away from anyone’s experience. I really enjoyed this overall and look forward to reading more from this series.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Sheri Schraderhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngSheri Schrader2019-05-21 20:02:352019-05-21 20:17:38Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Sheri Schrader
This is my first book by this author, I enjoyed it from beginning to the end. The story is creative, well written and had me sitting on the edge of my seat a couple of times. The characters made the story come to life and engaging. Madeline thought she had it all until one night when it all fell apart. She finds herself in a world of blackmail and deceit. What will happen when she realizes who is behind this whole mess and is there a cost? I highly recommend this book.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Bobbi Wagnerhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngBobbi Wagner2019-05-21 13:07:322019-05-21 13:07:32Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Bobbi Wagner
Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) By: Cynthia Hamilton 5 out of 5 stars
The story Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton is a thrilling mystery book. It hooked me in from the beginning and found myself caught up in the plot and characters. I loved reading about the character of Madeline Ridley. She is a woman who has a perfect life. That changes when she wakes up alone and unclothed in a hotel room with no idea how she got there. Worse is that her husband, Steven has received damaging photographs. She sets out to prove she is innocent. Madeline is finding out not all is as it seems. There are discoveries that are made. Will Madeline find out the truth behind the chaos that her life has become? Read this book to find out. Madeline is someone who has a fierce determination to uncover the truth. Her world is changing around her and so is she. She is a character that I grew to care about and I could root for her to succeed. Madeline is also a woman who has a love of fashion and has a good sense of style. There are characters that you are introduced to in this book that are helpful to Madeline and I enjoyed reading about them and their interactions with her. The story had me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next. You won’t want to put it down. Highly recommended.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Laura Furutahttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngLaura Furuta2019-05-21 11:50:252019-05-21 12:41:37Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) By Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Laura Furuta
Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I loved it! It was a very suspenseful read. Its the story of Madeline Ridley who has the life we all dream of. Fancy house, successful rich husband, a top lady in Santa Barbara Society and anything else money can buy. Madeline works as and Event Planner for high society events and during one of these events her whole world turns upside down. She ends up waking up in a strangers bed, naked with a horrible headache and no memory of the night before. The next day her husband comes in with pictures of her infidelity and kicks her out. The only clause in their pre nup is infidelity. She drives to his office the next morning wanting to make up but walks in on the worst scene she could imagine. She then hires a Private Detective Burt and is about to get to the bottom of the whole weird mess. Will Madeline survive getting the answers she is searching for or will it cost her, her life? Read Spouse Trap to find out but be prepared to read til the finish. You won’t want to put it down!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Tausha Treadwayhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngTausha Treadway2019-05-21 11:23:362019-05-21 12:39:57Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Tausha Treadway
Madeline Ridley had all she’d ever dreamed of: a handsome, successful husband, a place at the top of Santa Barbara society, every luxury money could buy. In all respects, her world was perfect…until she awoke in the early morning hours in a strange hotel room, alone, unclothed, with a splitting headache and no clue how she had gotten there.
When Steven Ridley comes home in the middle of a weekday and throws a sheaf of damning photos at her, Madeline’s comfortable world collapses in a swirl of blackmail, sabotage and deceit. Hoping to convince Steven of her innocence, Madeline drives to his office and unwittingly stumbles onto a scene that makes her realize who the real enemy is.
From that point on, Madeline Ridley deconstructs herself, reverting back to Madeline Dawkins in order to salvage what’s left of her life. In the process, she discovers where her true strengths lay, and with those, she steels herself for the battle of a lifetime.
Though I was always an ardent reader, I was convinced I couldn’t string sentences together if my life depended on it. Fortunately for me, when I was looking for something creative I could do from bed—if my mystery illness progressed to that point—I decided to try my hand at it. No pressure, no expectations. I didn’t tell anyone what I was up to. I just wanted to see if I could string sentences together and tell an interesting story.
I remembered a quote by Hemingway, “Write about what you know.” With this mandate, I chose a topic I knew well, the time spent living with my husband in the French Quarter of New Orleans. I typed out my first two paragraphs on my forty-third birthday. I finished that book on my next birthday, and started my second the same day.
As my still-nameless illness progressed, I continued running the family business and continued to write. Nine years after my symptoms began, I finally received a correct diagnosis: Lyme disease, and more specifically, late-stage Lyme, because it had been allowed to progress untreated for so long.
Though the pain was almost unendurable, I clung to my writing like a life preserver. It allowed me to crawl up inside my head, out of my body, giving me brief respites from the vast array of pains.
Though I would never wish this disease on anyone, I can honestly say I am grateful for the path my life took, for it gave me the gift of writing. I now have nine published books, all of which have special significance for me. I write general fiction, mysteries and some nonfiction.
Once Upon a Lyme: The Tale of Two Journeys, is the detailed account of the path my mystery illness led me down as I sought help from over two-dozen doctors, and the gift of writing that was the unexpected upside of being so hopeless ill.
Finding Ruth was inspired by a previously unseen photograph of my mother when she was nineteen. I found it as I was going through her things prior to her move into a skilled nursing hospital. That gorgeous photograph of her looking so happy and full of promise made me realize how little I knew about her life before I came along. Because Alzheimer’s has taken away all her memories, I painstakingly reconstructed her life from public records, thousands of photographs, and what my brother, sister and I could remember. The message in the tribute to my mom is Ask while you have the chance.
As of this writing, I have just completed the fourth book in the Madeline Dawkins mystery series. I’m still in love with writing and I still squeal with joy to think that I’ve written eleven books and self-published nine of them. If there is a message in this, it’s Never discount what you are capable of achieving.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Spouse-Trap-1-14-13.jpg1200810itsybitsybookbitshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngitsybitsybookbits2019-05-21 00:01:042020-04-06 08:41:27Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton
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Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refuseing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.
We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.
We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.
Google Analytics Cookies
These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience.
If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here:
Other external services
We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.
Google Webfont Settings:
Google Map Settings:
Google reCaptcha Settings:
Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:
Other cookies
The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them:
Privacy Policy
You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page.
Spouse Trap by Cynthia Hamilton
