The fierce, determined, and resilient Debbie Bradley is back for more in this second installment of the Debbie Bradley Crime Mysteries series. “The Poison Dart” begins in a sadly relatable endemic, drug addiction. When son of prominent St. Louis real estate family, Caleb Webb, passes away from a heroin and fentanyl overdose reporter Debbie Bradley picks up the story.
Crafting Debbie Bradley with hints of her own background, author Geri L. Dreiling brings to the page a wealth of experience as both a lawyer and journalist herself. “The Poison Dart” brings with it the tangled web of the cartel, drugs, and those who fall prey to their product. Addiction doesn’t discriminate between rich and poor as Dreiling crafts an all to realistic fall into heroin and the conflicted suffering family and friends of addicts live with.
Like the poison dart frog, drugs have a toxic effect not only on the body, but on families and relationships too. The jump from painkillers to heroin is a familiar tale as Debbie Bradley slowly unravels the story within. Never one to shy away from danger, the characters, confessions, and breadcrumbs once again seem to follow her home.
“The Poison Dart” reads successfully as a standalone, providing enough back story and recap of Debbie’s highlights to ensure readers can jump right in on book two. But fans of book one, “Crime Beat Girl,” will recognize the history between several of the supporting characters contained in these pages. From Detective Flannery to Chase Laclede, editor Sam and her own sounding board and lawyer of a mother, Beth, all remain ever present within this second book.
Dreiling successfully intertwines her aptitude for law, reporting, and writing in this riveting read as Debbie Bradley returns to the page to break the story wide open once again. With a talent for plot creation, patiently unwinding the threads of all angles, and never lacking for excitement, Dreiling is an author you will want to read time and time again.
For The Love Of The Page 
One thought on “5/5 ⭐ | The Poison Dart: A Debbie Bradley Mystery (Debbie Bradley Crime Mysteries Book 2) by Geri L. Dreiling”