Reviews from Readers: Fatal Footsteps 5 out of 5 stars Donelan Does It Again! October 3, 2017 Fatal Footsteps, #5 in the University Mystery Series gives us a glimpse into main character, Marlee McCabe's college days and how she was destined to be detective/crime solving professor extraordinaire. If you haven't read the other books in the series, you are missing out. They can be read as stand-alones but you get so much more out of the books if you read them all in order. In Fatal Footsteps Marlee finds an old newspaper clipping that sends her back in time to her college days when things were much simpler but holds a very dark event. Donelan has a gift for painting a picture with words as she describes dorm life, college parties, and yes, death scenes. Her recipe for Everclear Punch, swapping food with roommates, and best friend drama will take any reader back to those precious college years. She is also very insightful to human emotion and what makes people tick which is why her characters are so realistic. Donelan creates great bad guys and the best good guys. This book is full of twists and turns as the reader is taken through the very real struggles of family farms, small town life in South Dakota and the cold winters, truck-stop prostitution, murders and the tragedy of an untimely death. Donelan has written the main character, Marlee McCabe as an intelligent young woman who uses her common sense, Midwestern wits, and gift to gab to weed through all the lies and subtle clues left by the deceased. This series fits the category of a cozy mystery but with a flare for the unexpected and a good body count. Any mystery reader will enjoy the University Mystery Series. This is my favorite book of the series and I am patiently waiting for #6!
5 out of 5 stars Great book to snuggle up with in your favorite chair with a cup of hot tea September 20, 2017 Fatal Footsteps was my first exposure to the University Mystery Series and I'm hooked! The storyline is well-developed and the characters are believable. In fact, Marlee McCabe, the protagonist, is someone you'd want to be friends with; sharp, funny and just the right amount of snark, plus enough flaws to make her human - she's no Lara Croft - which makes her all the more endearing. It's a fun mystery that had me guessing (wrongly) right up till the end. Thoroughly enjoyable!
5 out of 5 stars A book everyone can enjoy September 22, 2017 "Fatal Footsteps" keeps right in step with the other University Mystery Series books. The characters are relatable and this helps to get quickly absorbed in the story. The author does a great job of keeping the reader interested with a delightfully suspenseful plot. I barely slept until I finished the book because I just didn't want to put it down. If you haven't read any of the other books in the series, this is a great one to start with because it takes place before the other books. I can't wait for the next book in the series!!