Entanglement

Falloy Private Detective Novels Book 2

Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
183 Pages
Reviewed on 04/05/2023
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Sheila Bitts, MFA, is the author of Roses (2018, poetry). Her flash fiction is in Beyond Words Literary Magazine (2021). Worth (2022) is her collection of short stories. She wrote the novel, The Diamond Escape (2017) and its screenplay (2020). Entanglement (2022) is the second book in the Falloy Private Detective Series. These are literary noir mystery thrillers.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Essien Asian for Readers' Favorite

Frederick Falloy has a mystery on his hands. A young actress hires him to assist her in making sense of an item she was given in a case of mistaken identity by a stranger just before he was killed. Frederick realizes the curious thing is an integral part of a much larger puzzle involving Russian spies and an up-and-coming congressman with intentions to one day vie for the highest office in the land. Can he get to the bottom of this perplexing mystery before Miss Snow becomes the latest inadvertent victim of one madman's plot to turn the world on its head in Entanglement by Sheila Bitts?

Sheila Bitts employs creative conversations between her characters to set the tone for her mystery novel and dictate the pace in a manner that maintains our curiosity right up to the final chapters. Entanglement has an exciting cast of characters with backstories that would fit any story. However, that is where the typical ends in this enterprising piece of work. Bitts' inclusion of time-altering scientific concepts in a story equally heavy on drama and old-school espionage activity creates an immersive atmosphere that sucks in even the most reluctant reader with a subtlety that should be applauded. An even balance between the physical tussling and the deduction-related activity guarantees that the avid action junkie’s essential diet is satisfied in a delicious potpourri of spine-tingling suspense. An impressive novel by my standards. It will surely hold its own in the genre.

Pikasho Deka

Entanglement is a mystery thriller story by Sheila Bitts. Snow is a Hollywood actress who unwittingly finds herself tangled in a chaotic mess when a seemingly random stranger hands her a mysterious package, only to be killed soon after by Russian spies. She seeks the help of Private Detective Frederick Falloy, who offers her sanctuary and protection. But, suspecting links to other murders in the city, Falloy follows the clues to a drop site, inadvertently embroiling himself in a larger conspiracy that puts his own life and that of his friends in mortal danger. Meanwhile, Snow's friend Zelda is married to the Republican congressman from Illinois, Kurt Zoeller, a presidential candidate. Zoeller has his grand plans for America, but after events escalate further in one of Zoeller's rallies, Falloy must somehow get to the bottom of the mystery.

Sheila Bitts takes us on a wild ride with the second installment of the Falloy Private Detective Novels series. Entanglement is a mystery thriller with an intricate plot and a large cast of characters. Bitts uses a lot of quick scene cuts and POV switches, which makes the narrative, at times, feel almost surreal. There are a lot of underlying layers behind some of the dialogue and scenes, which makes for an atmosphere filled with tension and intrigue that is immersive and thoroughly absorbing to read. I enjoyed the dynamic between Falloy and Snow, as well as the twists and turns of the plot that kept me hooked to the pages. Recommended to sleuth mystery lovers.

Natalie Soine

Entanglement by Sheila Bitts is the second installment in the Falloy Private Detective mystery series and is set in Chicago in December 2019. Falloy continues his working relationship with veteran Homicide Detective Phillip Grable when he is enlisted to prevent Russian spies from reaching their targets, the young actress known as Snow, as well as Federal Congressman Kurt Zoeller. Snow witnesses a murder and finds her way to Falloy, who assists her after the traumatic event. Upon receiving a map, symbol, and key, Falloy must follow the clues to solve a kidnapping and prevent more murders while protecting himself and his friends. Attending a masked ball held by Congressman Zoeller, Falloy and Snow find themselves in a tricky situation, which adds to the mystery.

This second installment of the Falloy Private Detective novels brings us more intrigue and mystery. Sheila Bitts has again created an exciting, fast-paced story that keeps us interested. I especially enjoyed the twists, turns, and unusual parts of the plot, including an albino rabbit and a lost child with a strange disorder. The characters all have unique personalities, and Sheila has created some unusual traits which make the story more interesting. The scenes and locations are well-described and realistic, forming clear visuals. Entanglement would make a wonderful gift for lovers of sleuth mysteries. There are no obscenities or erotic love scenes, making it suitable for young adult readers. I look forward to reading the next installment!

Maria Victoria Beltran

Entanglement by Sheila Bitts is the second installment in the mystery thriller Falloy Private Detective Novels series. In his second case, we follow Private Detective Frederick Falloy as he helps Snow, a famous Hollywood actress, who unfortunately gets mixed up in a serious mess, and prevents her from being a target of a bunch of power-hungry Russian spies on the streets of Chicago. Detective Falloy immediately gets to work, suspecting and linking his cases to other murders in the city. Meanwhile, another mystery unfolds for Snow’s friend Zelda, who is married to Kurt Zoeller, a Republican congressman from Illinois who is running for president. When things go wrong during one of Zoeller’s political rallies, more issues arise when the Russian spies intervene. Zoeller, Zelda, Snow, and Private Falloy’s lives intertwine in this gut-wrenching and action-packed novel about hope, love, lies, betrayal, and power. With people’s lives at stake, will Private Falloy be able to succeed against the Russians?

Sheila Bitts' Entanglement continues with Private Falloy’s detective adventures. However, this time, it’s a rollercoaster ride of wild twists, gritty mysteries, and intricately woven plots. With a more extensive cast of characters than the first installment, The Diamond Escape, I think Bitts' character development in this second installment may be a little over the top. However, Bitts makes up for it by building a tangible world and a narrative riddled with mysteries to be solved and new adventures to be experienced. Entanglement is indeed the best word to describe this story of mystery, espionage, and the fate of the world in the hands of Private Detective Frederick Falloy. With a mixture of action, drama, spy humor, and an intricate plot, this novel will undoubtedly require your full attention.

Alma Boucher

Entanglement: Falloy Private Detective Novels Book 2 is a mystery thriller by Sheila Bitts. Snow was Christmas shopping for her friend, Zelda, when a stranger handed her a silver suitcase, telling her to get to the drop. The man is killed by Russian spies, and his blood-smeared body falls on Snow. Snow goes into a store to clean herself up and sees an advertisement for Private Detective Frederick Falloy. Snow contacts Falloy and asks for his help with the mess she is in. Falloy follows the clues, which lead him to a drop site with a mysterious symbol and a key. Falloy has no idea how everything fits together, but he and his friends are in danger as his investigation deepens and he must solve the mystery. In the meantime, Zelda and her husband Kurt Zoeller, a federal congressman, become the next targets and are kidnapped. Falloy starts putting the missing pieces together after more murders take place.

Entanglement continues the Falloy detective series. Sheila Bitts took me on a rollercoaster ride of mystery, murder, and suspense. The author’s imagination had me hooked from the start. The plot was intriguing and complicated, and I could not put it down. It was a page-turner and full of action. The character development was brilliant. There were many players, and it was exciting to get to know them. My favorite characters were Falloy and Snow. The energy between them was fun and lightened the seriousness of the circumstances precipitated by the danger and murders. The story was well-written and exceeded my expectations by far.

K.C. Finn

Entanglement is a work in the mystery, crime, and suspense subgenres, forming the second installment in the Falloy Private Detective series. Penned by Sheila Bitts, it is best suited to the general adult reading audience. In this fantastic continuation of the exploits of PI Frederick Falloy, we find ourselves in 2019 for the next case, where Falloy is tasked with the protection of Hollywood starlet Snow. As Russian espionage sweeps the underbelly of Chicago, Snow’s connections to a federal congressman and the aspiring presidential candidate only add more danger and drama to Falloy’s life as he tries to unpick a web of secrets, murder, and stardom.

Sheila Bitts has developed another fantastic case in the Frederick Falloy casebook, which is even more intricately plotted and deeply developed than the last. Although these mysteries are concise and can easily be enjoyed in a single cozy binge-read, the level of plot, detail, and emotional gravitas is expertly penned to keep you hooked and have you thinking about the consequences of the drama and corruption long after you’ve set the book down. As usual, I adored the character development and realism of the people that Falloy meets on his investigative journey, and I found his dynamic with Snow engaging in terms of its zippy dialogue and burgeoning emotional undertones. Chicago again makes for a gorgeous backdrop against which much of the dynamism of the story takes place. Overall, I would highly recommend continuing your mystery journey with Entanglement as soon as possible.