Little Witness by S.A. Dunphy
Book 1 in the DI Tessa Burns series
Narrated by Melanie MacHugh
Genre: crime fiction
Format: ebook & audiobook![Audiobook Audiobook](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfs0G1pW9yRT5TvnxpUpVUP5pmEreRSkUVxumnOTBKO8BDlqE0C01jRp6Q-LC8J1nwaiRayaTWK8OIdTSysaVHgksuC5EcgPQI0eai0RZjIygFAL72J8DOMYBhWfBMChP_wY04SoqyZhw1/s50/audiobook_2.png)
Book 1 in the DI Tessa Burns series
Narrated by Melanie MacHugh
Genre: crime fiction
Format: ebook & audiobook
![Audiobook Audiobook](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfs0G1pW9yRT5TvnxpUpVUP5pmEreRSkUVxumnOTBKO8BDlqE0C01jRp6Q-LC8J1nwaiRayaTWK8OIdTSysaVHgksuC5EcgPQI0eai0RZjIygFAL72J8DOMYBhWfBMChP_wY04SoqyZhw1/s50/audiobook_2.png)
About Little Witness:
They took her parents.
When Detective Tessa Burns was a little girl, she hid, terrified, as her father was murdered. The face of the man who killed him is lost in her memory — but from that moment she vowed to protect the innocent, just like her father had done. Now, when she hears that seven-year-old Aisling Connolly has been found hiding all alone on an isolated farm, she’s determined to help her.
They came in the dark.
Tessa and her child-centred team are the best in Ireland. It’s not long before red-haired Aisling trusts them enough to reveal the terrifying truth: two days ago, the men came. Aisling’s mammy told her to run like she’d never run before, to not look back. Alone and petrified, she hasn’t seen her parents since.
And now she is the only one who can save them.
As Tessa uncovers more about Aisling’s parents, she realises details of the case mirror her own father’s death. Desperate that Aisling won’t end up orphaned like her, Tessa throws everything at the investigation. But just as she thinks she’s cracked it wide open, Aisling’s neighbours — a young family — are murdered, in a horrific warning to Aisling not to speak. And to Tessa, to let the case go.
But time is running out, and any hope of finding Aisling’s parents alive is rapidly fading. Tessa must do everything in her power to ensure the little girl isn’t next…
Source: Info in the "About Little Witness" was taken from amazon on 08/05/2024.
Buy Link(s):
My Thoughts:
You must know that if you go into the kidnapping business, that it is fraught with dangers with people gunning for you from all directions. Least of all, the law enforcement. You gotta have contingency plans, over contingency plans, or you are one heck of an idiot. But your contingency plan is to lead the police to your prisoners and get the hell out of dodge?? What kind of plan is that?? Okey, there might honestly be stupid criminals like that. However, by the way this story was told, it was not very convincing that this particular criminal is that stupid. It feels too orchestrated so that the protagonists can play heroes and save the world. The believability factor is not too high. Not at all!
And what about that number plate? Why didn't they followed up on it? If the vehicle ownership did not point to the Moynihans, then they should at least say so and not just, nothing came of it....
I like the theme. Saving children. I like the bad-ass heroine! I like the world building! But plot-building is not this author's forté.
Melanie MacHugh reads with a slight singsong but I choke it down to as part of her Irish accent.
Quantitative Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4
Character development = 3
Story itself = 3.5
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 4.5
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (8 hrs and 20 mins listening time)
Plot = 2.5
Narration = 4
Character development = 3
Story itself = 3.5
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 4.5
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (8 hrs and 20 mins listening time)
Plot = 2.5
Narration = 4
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD5eUrVMMVtiAinsM2jswyEmEO95rdC7soArHnoI4d7mdf5LUxTaq7xhBDXnBMwLD5nC3QQeynX0KGIB6S5Nx0d8-YxaPXDEHjLhRosnWDQRFTfmwiUFYmYpYEjoj7O1Uk78dtkocAylYB/s200/cherry_wet.png)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD5eUrVMMVtiAinsM2jswyEmEO95rdC7soArHnoI4d7mdf5LUxTaq7xhBDXnBMwLD5nC3QQeynX0KGIB6S5Nx0d8-YxaPXDEHjLhRosnWDQRFTfmwiUFYmYpYEjoj7O1Uk78dtkocAylYB/s200/cherry_wet.png)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD5eUrVMMVtiAinsM2jswyEmEO95rdC7soArHnoI4d7mdf5LUxTaq7xhBDXnBMwLD5nC3QQeynX0KGIB6S5Nx0d8-YxaPXDEHjLhRosnWDQRFTfmwiUFYmYpYEjoj7O1Uk78dtkocAylYB/s200/cherry_wet.png)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD5eUrVMMVtiAinsM2jswyEmEO95rdC7soArHnoI4d7mdf5LUxTaq7xhBDXnBMwLD5nC3QQeynX0KGIB6S5Nx0d8-YxaPXDEHjLhRosnWDQRFTfmwiUFYmYpYEjoj7O1Uk78dtkocAylYB/s200/cherry_wet.png)
Books In The DI Tessa Burns Series:
Meet The Author
About S.A. Dunphy:
Childcare expert, author, teacher, journalist, broadcaster, musician, nerd, husband, Dad, Grandad. Shane Dunphy (S. A. Dunphy) was born in Brighton in 1973, but grew up in Ireland, where he has spent most of his life. A child protection worker for 15 years, he is the number one bestselling author of 20 books. His first nine titles dealt with his time on the frontline of social care work, and include the number one bestseller Wednesday’s Child. His bestselling series of crime novels (written under the name S. A. Dunphy) feature the emotionally damaged criminologist David Dunnigan. Stories From the Margins, his series of True Crime books written for Audible, has been critically acclaimed as well as being an audio-bestseller. He has also ghost written two biographies. Writing as S. A. Dunphy his exciting new series of crime novels, set in Ireland, feature Criminal Behaviourist Jessie Boyle and detective Seamus Keneally.
The Narrator
About Melanie MacHugh:
Audiobook narrator / voice-over artist
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGn_tu1pzcwZiq3qbJBfbTX4dPn33lRmERDg7hIGBD6q2mINVac-iFtXBbxximx3V6Mu6aXoY-WhuJZnVoBMA7Qs3Cj0TwtukSY00R1-Fd5i5fHVvxloKoHMfQ9q2ub_Qnp_I_hemN8epO/s320/CherryPinkSigi%252Bcherry_gmpd.png)
FTC Disclosure:
The ebook and audiobook were bought with private funds.
No money received for this review.
The ebook and audiobook were bought with private funds.
No money received for this review.