by Fiona Snyckers
 
This is my read for book 34. A book that’s published in 2018.
 
In this, the first of a series of books to be produced with the same protagonists, we are introduced to Eulalie Park, her friends and family, her home, and, most importantly, the way she works.
 
In this single book there are three crimes she deals with and helps to solve all while establishing a relationship with the police, balancing her past and her present, and possibly even quite fancying a rather delicious, if slightly odd sounding, man. Throw in a sex club, a slightly interfering granny and some mad skillz, and you have Eulalie in Hacked.
 
All of this activity makes this book easy and enjoyable to read. It is not cluttered, but it is full. In this story Eulalie investigates the murder of a prominent businessman in order to clear her best friend of suspicion. This investigation takes her to some interesting places, often by rather unique methods. The crime and its solving are very plausible. I do hate it when authors throw in some random thing at the end the reader had no way of knowing in order to make the ending unexpected. Snyckers does not patronise her reader in this way. I had worked out what had probably happened about midway through the book, but there were enough other things going on for it not to matter. Also, the reading was so enjoyable I wanted to finish the book anyway. The solving of the crime was only part of the enjoyment of this book.
 
Besides the action and crime, I so respected the obvious research done by Snyckers. If a community is to be used in a work of fiction, I think it essential that it be portrayed accurately and with integrity. And Snyckers does this with the B&D community she involves. It shows an authenticity the reader has to respect.
 
Eulalie is a likeable character and I am certainly interested enough in her complexities to be looking forward to the next book. Because this is a complete book (no cliffhangers here!) I am hoping that as the series progresses so do the characters and the readers knowledge of their pasts. It feels a bit like I have met someone I quite like and am looking forward to getting to know her better.
 
And I know that the getting to know Eulalie is going to involve some fun adventures.
 
What a wonderful thing to be looking forward to. Get writing Ms Snycker – I really want to hang out with Eulalie again.