When a former Marine buddy goes missing in Seattle, Carter LeBlanc goes undercover to find out what happened and save his friend. Fortune flies to the Emerald City with him but when Carter discovers the level of danger involved, all he wants to do is protect her by sending her home. Instead of heading back to Sinful, Fortune enlists the aid of her friends, Ida Belle and Gertie, and conducts an independent investigation to help Carter without him knowing it. Fortune, Ida Belle and Gertie soon find themselves knee deep in the middle of a dangerous mess of intrigue, murder and deception.
Also, check out Stephen John's latest book, "Night Music."
NIGHT MUSIC (Reviews)
Stephen John knows how to tell a story. "Night Music" is a classic "man comes to town" kind of story, except in this one, both the man and the town are changed. Great characters, great dialogue. This is just some really good writing. The plot keeps you interested all the way through, with enough twists and turns to keep you turning pages. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be following this writer for more. Bob S.
I never dreamed when I started reading this book that I would fall in love with it like I did. I really didn't know what to expect, beyond the fact that it would be good, since I've read many of this author's books and they're all wonderful reads. But this one was truly exceptional. I can't even begin to describe or do justice to these characters and how endearing they are. This story kept me guessing from page one and as each chapter flew by, I just didn't know where we were going to end up. But this story ended up being a little bit thriller, a little bit action and suspense, a little mystery and romance, and a whole lot heartwarming. I have no idea if the author plans more books with these characters, but I'd definitely be in line to read each and every one. This book was such fun, I never wanted it to end. But all is wrapped up perfectly and the ending was very satisfying. I can't recommend this one enough. DTC
THE BODY IN WITCH ELM (Reviews)
The author does a great job in building this wonderful mystery thriller. The courageous PI Fortune is at the forefront while her sidekicks Ida Belle and Gertie deliver terrific humor and chemistry. The ending is furious and stunning, keeping you riveted right up until the last word written. Five stars. Should be able to give more for this fascinating story.
Love, love, LOVE this series!!!! I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. It was so nice to see Gertie get some male attention finally! KC
What readers have said about Stephen's other Miss Fortune books:
Of the many other authors who contribute to this series Stephen John is one of my favorites. He continues with the main characters and weaves a series of intrigue and chaos into his story.
I have now read a few of these stories by this author and this one I enjoyed most of all. The regular characters are back, joining a couple of newbies who prove to be interesting as well. Once again, the crime solving aspect of the story proves intriguing. It left me fulfilled and more than ready to read the next chapter in this particular writer's Miss Fortune setting. Great stuff.
Definitely a must read!
A well-structured mystery, and probably the most literary of the Kindle Worlds Miss Fortune Mysteries I've read so far.
I loved this book as much as I loved the original books by Janet DeLeon. I wish he would write more.
Reviews (67)
VERY DISAPPOINTING!!
The story line wasn’t too bad. But, again, there were so many misspellings, too many grammatical errors, duplicated words, words left out, that I had to read a sentence 2 and 3 times to figure out what the author was trying to say. These errors are very distracting! An author should have good grasp of the English language if he is going to write a book. I highlighted the mistakes I found, but I might’ve missed some. I counted over 30 errors in this book. That’s shameful. You need to proofread a lot better on your subsequent books.
A Fortune and Carter adventure
This is the third Mayfield book I've read and have enjoyed them all. This one may be the best of all of them. I have always like the character of Carter LeBlanc and it was good to have a storyline where he and Fortune are the central characters in solving the mystery without excluding Ida Belle and Gertie, who also appear throughout the book. Mayfield does a really good job of handling very tough subjects, i.e. drugs and murder and manages to keep the story cozy, which is what this series is all about. This Mayfield effort is also good at integrating its storyline back into Jana DeLeon's most recent two books without altering her storyline. It's the perfect supplement to Jana's books as we wait for her next one to come out. Mayfield is a great storyteller, offering plots that are intricate, but not too complex, and keeps you guessing. The marshmallow and fireworks encounter at the hotel is very amusing. It fits right in with Gertie's mischievous run ins with Celia. I'm still waiting for the followup to Mayfield's first Wayward Pines novel, and if you haven't read that one, you should.
A Fun Fast-Paced Read with a Quirky Cast of Characters
What a wonderful day it is when I find out that Mark Len Mayfield has released another book in the Miss Fortune series, based on the Kindle World created by Jana DeLeon. Mr. Mayfield creates wonderful mysteries that stay true to the original, but are uniquely his as well. This newest entry, "Fortune and Pride," has all the things I've come to love about this series - chuckles galore, an intrepid heroine, and a quirky cast of characters, to name just a few. When Fortune Redding decides to assist her paramour, Deputy Carter LeBlanc, in helping out an old military buddy, you just know things are going to go crazy. Take, for example, a hotel hallway tussle you just have to read about to believe. As things go from bad to worse, you'll find yourself totally immersed in this fast-paced, action-packed read. Oh yes, and the romance gets ramped up a notch. This is one fun book, and one great series, you'll definitely want to check out. **I received an ARC copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review**
Author's Style Resonates On Many Levels
Mark Mayfield's style resonates with me on many levels. He has an easy flow and a wonderful skill in setting up the storyline and scenery. I enjoyed the many references to the city of Seattle but most of all I connected with the many odd and lovable characters. I've read his previous work and his storytelling is getting better and better. I zipped through this story, anxious to find out the relationship and love story of two of the characters. I won't spoil the story for any of those interested in possibly reading this story. I also don't like to delve deep into details for it can also ruin the story for other readers. But I will say you will likely race through the story because of the natural feel of the writing. The characters are fun and courageous and think outside the box when it comes to solving a mystery. There's no mystery to my thoughts on this book. It was well written, presented with clarity and leaves open for more great books by the author.
Doesn't Hold True to the Characters
The plot was not so bad. The problem I had was that the author didn't stay true to the characters created by Jana DeLeon. I mean, Gertie and Ida Belle were treated fairly. However, at one point Fortune came off like a total shrew and had Carter cowering in the corner, so to speak. Near the end of the book, Fortune was badly beaten up and had a concussion. When she came back to consciousness, she was saying stuff like, "Oh, my sweet Carter. You saved my life." In Ms. DeLeon's books, Fortune has never been a shrew or a weak cowering woman. This book was very disappointing. I think Mr. John would have done a better job if he had taken one of Ms. DeLeon's Miss Fortune Mysteries and wrote it from Carter's point of view. That would have been a lot more interesting than this drivel.
Good stories
I love Fortune. Ida bell and Gertie. I do have some suggestions. I'm a fast reader. When a word is misspelled, or the sentence is awkward. Words placed in the wrong order or not making sense, it stops me cold while I try to figure out what the author/character is trying to say. Might I suggest employing a pre-print reader to catch those types of things before you go to print. Spell check can't correct the problems I am speaking of. I've read the original series and recently downloaded several so I'm ready when I finish a book. Sometimes I read 1 942 a day. Thank you for continuing the books.
I love the Miss Fortune books
but only the ones written by Jana Deleon. Does she know that your books are so full of errors? I only got about 3/4 through this book before I just couldn't stand any more. I won't be reading any more books by this author, which is a shame, because he writes a good story.
Good plot line consistent with series.
Good storyline. Consistent with placement in story arc. In most of primary author's book Fortune carries a gun, which is consistent with her role as CIA Agent, this author has disarmed her for some reason. The good tight plotline makes up for this omission.
This was a great read. Mark Len Mayfield has released his second ...
This was a great read. Mark Len Mayfield has released his second book in the Miss Fortune series, based on the Fortune series created by Jana DeLeon. I loved that finally Carter and Fortune are working together to save Carter's friend in Seattle. I hope Mr. Mayfield continues writing about Fortune and her friends. In my opinion, he is the best, other than Ms. DeLeon to write about the Miss Fortune Series. No one is as good as Miss DeLeon, but he is really good. I hope he writes more books in this series while we wait for another one from Ms. DeLeon.
This is not Jana DeLeon
I bought this when I saw the title, and didn't notice the author until it was too late. It is not a bad plot, but the characters are only faintly reminiscent of Jana DeLeon's. I spent a good bit of the time thinking, "Fortune would never say that." Ida Belle's character was flat, and whoever was responsible for editing should take a course in grammar. All that being said, I would read the author again, but only books where he writes his own characters.
VERY DISAPPOINTING!!
The story line wasn’t too bad. But, again, there were so many misspellings, too many grammatical errors, duplicated words, words left out, that I had to read a sentence 2 and 3 times to figure out what the author was trying to say. These errors are very distracting! An author should have good grasp of the English language if he is going to write a book. I highlighted the mistakes I found, but I might’ve missed some. I counted over 30 errors in this book. That’s shameful. You need to proofread a lot better on your subsequent books.
A Fortune and Carter adventure
This is the third Mayfield book I've read and have enjoyed them all. This one may be the best of all of them. I have always like the character of Carter LeBlanc and it was good to have a storyline where he and Fortune are the central characters in solving the mystery without excluding Ida Belle and Gertie, who also appear throughout the book. Mayfield does a really good job of handling very tough subjects, i.e. drugs and murder and manages to keep the story cozy, which is what this series is all about. This Mayfield effort is also good at integrating its storyline back into Jana DeLeon's most recent two books without altering her storyline. It's the perfect supplement to Jana's books as we wait for her next one to come out. Mayfield is a great storyteller, offering plots that are intricate, but not too complex, and keeps you guessing. The marshmallow and fireworks encounter at the hotel is very amusing. It fits right in with Gertie's mischievous run ins with Celia. I'm still waiting for the followup to Mayfield's first Wayward Pines novel, and if you haven't read that one, you should.
A Fun Fast-Paced Read with a Quirky Cast of Characters
What a wonderful day it is when I find out that Mark Len Mayfield has released another book in the Miss Fortune series, based on the Kindle World created by Jana DeLeon. Mr. Mayfield creates wonderful mysteries that stay true to the original, but are uniquely his as well. This newest entry, "Fortune and Pride," has all the things I've come to love about this series - chuckles galore, an intrepid heroine, and a quirky cast of characters, to name just a few. When Fortune Redding decides to assist her paramour, Deputy Carter LeBlanc, in helping out an old military buddy, you just know things are going to go crazy. Take, for example, a hotel hallway tussle you just have to read about to believe. As things go from bad to worse, you'll find yourself totally immersed in this fast-paced, action-packed read. Oh yes, and the romance gets ramped up a notch. This is one fun book, and one great series, you'll definitely want to check out. **I received an ARC copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review**
Author's Style Resonates On Many Levels
Mark Mayfield's style resonates with me on many levels. He has an easy flow and a wonderful skill in setting up the storyline and scenery. I enjoyed the many references to the city of Seattle but most of all I connected with the many odd and lovable characters. I've read his previous work and his storytelling is getting better and better. I zipped through this story, anxious to find out the relationship and love story of two of the characters. I won't spoil the story for any of those interested in possibly reading this story. I also don't like to delve deep into details for it can also ruin the story for other readers. But I will say you will likely race through the story because of the natural feel of the writing. The characters are fun and courageous and think outside the box when it comes to solving a mystery. There's no mystery to my thoughts on this book. It was well written, presented with clarity and leaves open for more great books by the author.
Doesn't Hold True to the Characters
The plot was not so bad. The problem I had was that the author didn't stay true to the characters created by Jana DeLeon. I mean, Gertie and Ida Belle were treated fairly. However, at one point Fortune came off like a total shrew and had Carter cowering in the corner, so to speak. Near the end of the book, Fortune was badly beaten up and had a concussion. When she came back to consciousness, she was saying stuff like, "Oh, my sweet Carter. You saved my life." In Ms. DeLeon's books, Fortune has never been a shrew or a weak cowering woman. This book was very disappointing. I think Mr. John would have done a better job if he had taken one of Ms. DeLeon's Miss Fortune Mysteries and wrote it from Carter's point of view. That would have been a lot more interesting than this drivel.
Good stories
I love Fortune. Ida bell and Gertie. I do have some suggestions. I'm a fast reader. When a word is misspelled, or the sentence is awkward. Words placed in the wrong order or not making sense, it stops me cold while I try to figure out what the author/character is trying to say. Might I suggest employing a pre-print reader to catch those types of things before you go to print. Spell check can't correct the problems I am speaking of. I've read the original series and recently downloaded several so I'm ready when I finish a book. Sometimes I read 1 942 a day. Thank you for continuing the books.
I love the Miss Fortune books
but only the ones written by Jana Deleon. Does she know that your books are so full of errors? I only got about 3/4 through this book before I just couldn't stand any more. I won't be reading any more books by this author, which is a shame, because he writes a good story.
Good plot line consistent with series.
Good storyline. Consistent with placement in story arc. In most of primary author's book Fortune carries a gun, which is consistent with her role as CIA Agent, this author has disarmed her for some reason. The good tight plotline makes up for this omission.
This was a great read. Mark Len Mayfield has released his second ...
This was a great read. Mark Len Mayfield has released his second book in the Miss Fortune series, based on the Fortune series created by Jana DeLeon. I loved that finally Carter and Fortune are working together to save Carter's friend in Seattle. I hope Mr. Mayfield continues writing about Fortune and her friends. In my opinion, he is the best, other than Ms. DeLeon to write about the Miss Fortune Series. No one is as good as Miss DeLeon, but he is really good. I hope he writes more books in this series while we wait for another one from Ms. DeLeon.
This is not Jana DeLeon
I bought this when I saw the title, and didn't notice the author until it was too late. It is not a bad plot, but the characters are only faintly reminiscent of Jana DeLeon's. I spent a good bit of the time thinking, "Fortune would never say that." Ida Belle's character was flat, and whoever was responsible for editing should take a course in grammar. All that being said, I would read the author again, but only books where he writes his own characters.
Great Story!
This is a great story. Funny in places and the characters are well written. The problem is grammar and syntax. He needs a decent proof reader. Still I'll read them all. But I'd love to proof read.
A good read
This story had a lot more plot than Stephen's former stories. Thankfully there was less of Bertie. Still to many concussions for Fortune. I liked the forward motion of Carter and Fortunes romance.
Very entertaining
The additional back story to the Fortune story was true to the original characters. I laughed out loud several times. If you like the story of Fortune and the Sinful citizens you will enjoy this story. My only complaint is that there were several errors in grammar and that drives me crazy .
fortune and pride
I loved the story line itself, my problem comes in the with character themselves, the essence of their personalities are different from what I'm used to in the original miss fortune series. I have a hard time getting past that
Needs an editor
I like the story and find it very entertaining. However, short of being a grammar Nazi, there are many grammar errors and misspellings. It would be great if they were corrected...
Grammar!
I've read several of his books and love the "Fortune" players, but I just don't understand the lack of good grammar. He just doesn't know the rule for using "me" and "I" and doesn't have a good proof-reader!
Fun.
Great read with accurate descriptions of beautiful seattle. We can hope for more from you in this never-ending tale of fortune.
Book was okay.
This book is a sequel of Janet DeLeon books. It is ok but does not capture the fun of the original books, plus there was one scene where I was thinking Fortune would never do this it would blow her cover sky high. It is a good read if it was read independent of Deleon book.
Just as fast moving as the Jana Deleon series
Great book. Like the action, and liked how he kept the characters personalities the same as the original series. Funny.
Excellent
Informative gave me a New respect I've on what a celebrity has to endure!! I thoroughly enjoyed this and thought it fascinating
Good for a light read.
Not quite the same as the original Miss Fortune's but still overall a good read.
Fun read
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Fortune, Ida Bell and Gertie as they travel around Seattle trying to help Carter find his lid friend, Paul Pride, without Carter finding out they're helping him, all the time running from the drug Lord's assassin. Another cantputdownable must read.
Please, Mr John
You are too good of a writer not to pay someone to proofread your books!
Fake Fortune
Rip off of the Jana DeLeon series. Not even close, too many incidences where Fortune and her pals would not have acted the way this author wrote. Not a laugh in the book, whereas the real Miss Fortune series leaves me giggling every time. Don't bother if you like the originals!
didn't like
the characters aren't set with their usual personalities
Not as funny but still had some good laughs.
Not as funny but still had some good laughs. Going d book easy to read. I didn’t want to put it down. Thank you ☺️
Seattle Fun
Great story, and Fortune and Carter working together in Seattle and professing their liking each other?
Swamp Team 3 to the rescue!
Swamp Team 3 sweeps in to the rescue, this time saving Carter's butt. Starts off very slow and a little whinny, but picks up to normal warp speed about half way thru with a satisfying ending. Proofreading needs a lot of improvement, but if you can overlook that it's a good read.
Fortune and Pride
I love the Fortune series and have enjoyed the other authors continuing Jana DeLeon's characters. I would liked to have the novella to be a bit longer, and a little more humour, other than that I did enjoy it.
Pleasantly Surprised
Pleasantly surprised! It was nice to see Fortune and pals on an excursion. Thoroughly enjoyed the justice for the hotel housekeeper.
Finally!
I love this series! Finally Fortune and Carter are together. Just like a man, Cater just doesn't know when to listen. I love all to the adventures Fortune, Ida Belle, and Gertie get into. What a troublesome trio.
Printing error makes for a Posey reading
What I did not like the Constance miss spelling through out this book and improper grammar. The added wording that the author would not have done. These errors really put an damper on the reading
Not the original
Was just ok, not as good writing as the original, but worth reading Not sure would buy more from this writer.
Four Stars
good
Great series
Hope to see more books like this one
Five Stars
I liked it very much.
Five Stars
Love this series. I have read all of them. Keep on writing them please
Lots of fun!
Enjoyable and quite humorous!
Four Stars
good read
Five Stars
Awesome series. I anxiously await the next.
Story good but——
The English is terrible. Wrong syntax, incorrect use of pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, etc. Sometimes I had to reread a sentence a couple of times to understand what was meant.
One of the poorest efforts I have ever read in the Miss Fortune series.
Get yourself a proof reader and take the time to check your grammar. I have read better stories from high school students.
Four Stars
Fun!
Good book
Enjoyed the book very much
Great series
Love this whole series. Laugh out loud!
Saving Carter's military buddy.
Enjoyed having Fortune get out of Sinful for awhile. Enjoyed her taking charge from Carter when he kept excluding her.
Five Stars
good
Awesome Book!!
The Miss Fortune books just keep getting better! I've bought every one I can find.
Three Stars
Good, but not as good as Jana Deleon's.
Five Stars
I love all the books about Fortune, Ida Mae, and Gertie!
Review
Got slow in the middle but then the story got going
Four Stars
Cute story!
I love miss fortune series
I love miss fortune series, its got fun and a bit of romance and little serious bits, everything for a lovely read, no killing, swearing, just great reading
Five Stars
very cool series
Five Stars
Great read
Funny
A fun little story about CIA agent Miss Fortune written by Stephen John. Keep in mind that it is the creation of Jana DeLeon. This time they have left Sinful Louisiana for Seattle. Where sheriff Carter needs to find and help an old army buddy. Naturally Gertie and Ida Belle comes north to help.
Seattle will never be the same!
Fortune and Carter end up in Seattle, but Carter is keeping a secret to his chest-he’s trying to save an old military buddy and doesn’t want Fortune involved! But she figures it out with the help of Gertie and Ida Belle. A cute story. Dana Pratt
