Unbreakable, p.1
Unbreakable, page 1
Unbreakable
Synopsis
Dr. Grace Kendal never stands a chance. The injured woman comes out of nowhere, bleeding heavily and holding a gun. Compelled to help her, Grace is dragged into Elin Breckenridge’s nightmare. Their fight to survive will take them across the country and to the limits of their endurance. But who is Elin running from? As Grace struggles for answers, one thing becomes clear—Elin is somehow connected to a dead man, and Grace could be next.
For Detective Sergeant Safia Faris, the case should have been easy: one dead body, one suspect. But the deeper she digs, the more obvious it becomes that murder was only the beginning. The investigation sets her on a collision course with Grace and Elin, and she’s forced to reevaluate everything she knows. Because nothing is quite as it seems, and Grace’s and Elin’s lives aren’t the only ones on the line.
What Reviewers Say About Cari Hunter’s Work
Breathe
“It’s not always easy to explain why you like a book, what makes you give it five stars. Some books I love because they make me feel warm and cozy, others because they make me happy, others…because they bring this excited energy I associate with childhood, this feeling of sheer freedom. Others, and this one falls into this category, because they make me feel my brain working, the cogs turning. In other words, they make me feel alive.”—Jude in the Stars
“Hunter carries on her tradition of writing great characters, heartfelt moments, and relevant thrillers. Her ability to write the medical stuff is great, as it feels real without being too technical.”—Colleen Corgel, Librarian, Queens Public Library
“This book turned out to be an unexpected treasure…Jem and Rosie are both lovely, their relationship is precious and their conversations are so much fun. The book is as much relationship (not simply romance…it is a well developed relationship) as it is crime. The characterisations are excellent. …Definitely recommended.”—reviewer@large
Alias
“The storyline, following the main character as she tries to work out who she is and why she came to in a crashed car on a mountain road, is incredibly engaging. …As the main character is suffering from amnesia, she learns about herself at the same pace as the reader, which adds another interesting aspect to the story. …This book has a great storyline with an excellent mystery to solve, and is well worth a read.”—Books at the End of the Alphabet
“Alias is written in first person from the point of view of the amnesiac woman which gives us perfect access to her headspace. …Along with the characters, the reader slowly brings the pieces of the puzzle together. We suffer and get frustrated with the slow progress in reconstructing the events, the plot teasing us with incomplete memory flashbacks. Even though we know all that the character learns about herself, and without playing tricks on us, Ms. Hunter manages to deliver a twist at the end.”—Lez Review Books
“[O]ne thing you can count on is that when you pick up a book by Hunter it is going to be awesome.”—Romantic Reader Blog
“Cari Hunter’s novels give you a kick as dependable as the sunrise and twice as exciting. Her latest, Alias, is no exception. Hunter’s Dark Peak series is fast-paced and action-packed, and I wondered how she’d be away from those characters, and I can say she’s still bloody marvelous. Hunter expertly ratchets up the tension, only deflating it long enough for the reader to breathe before another break-in or revelation happens. To say she has an aptitude for action scenes would be understating the case tremendously. Alias is one of Hunter’s best rides—a rollercoaster with some mean peaks, some wicked drops, and left turns when you least expect them. Highly recommended, and I’m not just being nowty.”—Out in Print
The Dark Peak Series
“Gruesome and compelling, mostly snowing and refreshingly English. They don’t drink ‘tea,’ they ‘make a brew’ in this book. Sometimes they have ‘a chippy’ for supper. When it gets bad, they have a kebab. Use caution when reading the first 20% of any of the Dark Peak books right before bed, they start with a bang. Not a literal bang, but a pretty gruesome murder. You have been warned.”—She Sighed Blog
A Quiet Death—Lambda Literary Award Finalist
“This cracking good mystery also has a thorough respect for the various ethnic subcultures it explores. I learned things, which is never bad for a reader. Moreover, it has a distinctly British flavour, not pandering to American tastes. Of the three of Hunter’s books I’ve read and reviewed for this blog, this has got to be my favorite. Interesting plot, great characters, muscular prose—I’m more than chuffed. I’m potty about it. And that’s no bollocks.”—Out in Print
“[A]n awesome book, not to mention a kick butt thriller and mystery.”—Danielle Kimerer, Librarian, Nevins Memorial Public Library (MA)
“Cari Hunter is a master of writing credible suspense laden crime detective stories that feel realistic. Sanne and Meg are extremely ordinary, two women trying to live quiet lives on their beloved Peaks, caught up in a dreadful ring of crime and, as always, doing their ordinary best to help those who need them. …Once again I cannot recommend this series enough. If you like crime, thriller, and suspense with a cast of real life everyday folk and unassuming heroes, written with excellent if unpretentious style, you really cannot do any better than this.”—Lesbian Reading Room
“Ms. Hunter is very skillful at building a fast paced thriller with unexpected twists and turns. …Despite its level of violence, nothing seems gratuitous or unnecessary to the plot. As a matter of fact, I prefer that the author didn’t decide to water down the cruelty of human trafficking for the sake of a lighter read.”—Lez Review Books
Cold to the Touch
“Cari Hunter did a great job of keeping me 100% invested in the lives of Sanne, Meg and company. The mystery, (Sanne’s current case), surrounding a rash of stabbing related deaths was intriguing, and had me in suspense till the end. …This book is intelligently written, and gives you an action packed adventure, with great characters. It is by far a fantastic way to spend your time.”—Romantic Reader Blog
“The mystery was well told and the gradual build up of tension was ideal. …The romantic side story was subtle but just right. The murder case took precedence as it should in a police procedural.”—Inked Rainbow Reads
No Good Reason—Lambda Literary Award Finalist
“Cari Hunter is a master of crime suspense stories. No Good Reason brings tension and drama to strong medical and police procedural knowledge. The plot keeps us on the edge of our metaphorical seat, turning the pages long into the night. The setting of the English Peak District adds ambiance and a drama of its own without excluding anybody. And through it all a glimmer of humour and a large dose of humanity keep us engaged and enthralled.”—Curve
“A new Cari Hunter novel? What mayhem will engulf her characters this time? The answer: Truly terrible things, as well as truly lovely things, abound in the mystery-thriller No Good Reason. “She hurt” are the opening words, and this is a bodily hurt. The plot takes off immediately as a captive woman makes her bloody escape and then—Well, this is not a romance, dear reader, so brace yourself. …Our heroines are Detective Sanne Jensen and Dr. Meg Fielding, best mates forever and sometimes something more. Their relationship is indefinable and complicated, but not in a hot mess of drama way. Rather, they share unspoken depths, comfortably silly moments, rock-solid friendship, and an intimacy that will make your heart ache just a wee bit.”—C-Spot Reviews
Tumbledown
“Once again Ms. Hunter outdoes herself in the tension and pace of the plot. We literally know from the first 2 pages that the evil is hunting them, but we are held on the edge of our seats for the whole book to see what will unfold, how they will cope, whether they will survive—and at what cost this time. I literally couldn’t put it down. Tumbledown is a wonderful read.”—Lesbian Reading Room
“Even though this is a continuation of the Desolation Point plot, this is an entirely different sort of thriller with elements of a police procedural. Other thriller authors (yes, I’m looking at you Patterson and Grisham) could take lessons from Hunter when it comes to writing these babies. Twists and turns and forgotten or unconventional weaponry along with pluck and spirit keep me breathless and reading way past my bedtime.”—Out In Print
Desolation Point
“[Desolation Point] is the second of Cari Hunter’s novels and is another great example of a romance action adventure. The story is fast paced and thrilling. A real page turner from beginning to end. Ms. Hunter is a master at an adventure plot and comes up with more twists and turns than the mountain trails they are hiking. Well written, edited and crafted this is an excellent book and I can’t wait to read the sequel.”—Lesbian Reading Room
“Cari Hunter provides thrills galore in her adventure/romance Desolation Point. In the hands of a lesser writer and scenarist, this could be pretty rote and by-the-book, but Cari Hunter breathes a great deal of life into the characters and the situation. Her descriptions of the scenery are sumptuous, and she has a keen sense of pacing. The action sequences never drag, and she takes full advantage of the valleys between the peaks by deepening her characters, working their relationship, and setting up the next hurdle.”—Out In Print
Snowbound
“[Snowbound] grabbed me from the first page and kept me on the edge of my seat until nearly the end. I love the British feel of it and enjoyed the writer’s style tremendously. So if you’re looking for a very well written, fast paced, lesbian rom
Unbreakable
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By the Author
Snowbound
Desolation Point
Tumbledown
Alias
Breathe
Unbreakable
The Dark Peak Series:
No Good Reason
Cold to the Touch
A Quiet Death
Unbreakable
© 2021 By Cari Hunter. All Rights Reserved.
ISBN 13: 978-1-63555-962-0
This Electronic Original Is Published By
Bold Strokes Books, Inc.
P.O. Box 249
Valley Falls, NY 12185
First Edition: October 2021
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
Credits
Editor: Cindy Cresap
Production Design: Susan Ramundo
Cover Design by Jeanine Henning
eBook Design by Toni Whitaker
Acknowledgments
Thanks and a big fat bowl of jelly and custard to everyone at BSB, especially my editor, Cindy, for her feedback, veggie chat, and all the notes in the margins (we’re going to have to agree to disagree on the salad cream thing, though). To Jeanine for another great cover. To Kel and Shireen for fielding random questions at odd times without batting an eyelid. To Julie S and Alena for the surprise sheep loot, sweets, and assorted goodies. To all the folks who read or listen to my books—many of you have become friends over the years and I couldn’t be happier to have you around. And to Cat, who still rolls her eyes at the lamb wrangling but does it anyway.
Dedication
For Cat
Always
Grace. Saturday, 6:05 a.m.
It was an easy mistake to make. Twelve hours and five minutes after starting her shift, Grace Kendal had replenished her kit, locked away her radio, and shut down the response car’s data terminal. Beckoned home by the promise of a long weekend off, she was already planning her late, lazy morning, sitting up to her neck in a bubble bath, glass of wine in one hand, kebab in the other. She was so knackered she was tripping over her own feet, but still, when she heard the footsteps approaching, she shouldn’t have assumed it would be Gav coming back for something he’d forgotten. She should have been more careful.
“Don’t move. Don’t make a sound.” A woman’s voice, low and rough. For a bewildered few seconds, Grace tried to place it, convinced it was one of her colleagues taking the piss, because the alternative was simply too ludicrous. But the command was underscored by a firm jab in the centre of her back, and she realised with a sickening lurch that the woman had a gun and that this wasn’t a joke. The woman was close, her breath rasping on Grace’s neck. She clamped her free hand onto Grace’s shoulder, digging her fingers in around the bone. “Keep your hands where I can see them.”
Grace splayed her palms on the ledge of the car’s storage cage and then gripped the metal to keep herself upright. Her legs felt like jelly, and she thought she might vomit.
“Safe,” she whispered. “They’re in the safe. Key’s in my pocket.”
“What? What’s in the safe?” The woman rocked back a step, and Grace had a fleeting impression of someone taller than her, but that was all. A dark hood concealed the woman’s face, casting it into shadow.
“Morphine, diazepam, ketamine,” Grace said, rattling off the drugs most likely to appeal. It was always the drugs, and nowhere—not the ambulances, nor the pharmacies, nor the hospitals—was out of bounds for the truly desperate addicts. “Just take them.”
“That’s not—” The woman broke off to snatch a ragged breath. “I’m not—I don’t want them.”
Grace took a deep breath of her own, forcing herself to stay calm. “Okay. That’s okay. What do you want?” But even as she asked, she figured out the answer. The woman was shaking, not with the uncontrollable vigour of a delirious user, but with the insidious, subtle tremor that came from pain and shock. A metallic smell rolled off her, undercut by the sweetness of wet grass.
“You’re hurt,” Grace said. “Let me take you to the hospital.”
The ambulance station was in the grounds of the Royal London Hospital, a ninety-second drive from the Accident and Emergency Department, where its trauma specialists could take care of the woman and its security team could call the police.
“No hospital,” the woman said. Her voice was steadier, and she pushed the gun in harder. “You’re a doctor, and I’ve been shot. Get what you’ll need. My car’s over there.”
“No, I can’t.” Grace shook her head in a pathetic attempt to pacify the crazy, bleeding woman. It wasn’t as if she could plead mistaken identity. Her high-vis jacket had DOCTOR emblazoned across its back, and she was standing by a fully kitted rapid response ambulance car. She tightened her hold on the cage, grinding the metal into her fingers. Everything was starting to feel off-kilter and surreal, and she wondered if she was about to faint. Cold sweat slapped her hair against her forehead, and the frost bit in, setting her shivering. Her words puffed out, white and rapid-fire. “I can’t. It doesn’t work like that. This isn’t like you see on the telly.”
“Shut up,” the woman said, and for one stupid moment Grace thought: that accent’s not from around here. Sounds like home. “Just shut the fuck up. Get your stuff. Come on.”
“Okay, oh God, okay, I’ll do it. Give me a minute.” Grace began to lower her kit to the ground: IV supplies, advanced life support, defib, oxygen, roadside surgical packs, trauma dressings, and frontline drugs. She dropped the last pouch and raised her hands. She still had her back to the woman. “I’m going to reach into my pocket for the safe key, all right?”
Cold fingers closed around hers. “I’ll get it. Stay still.”
Grace obediently spread her arms again. The hand the woman had touched had fresh blood smeared across it. As the woman patted Grace’s pockets, Grace scanned the car park for CCTV. In all her years of working here, she’d never given security a second thought. The car park had a keypad-operated gate and a few lights on sensors, and those had always been enough of a deterrent. This particular morning, Gav had chosen the charging bay in the farthest corner before she’d sent him home early to see his new baby, and despite a full moon dodging a smattering of clouds, she and the woman were almost concealed in the shadows.
“Here.” The woman dropped the key into Grace’s palm and allowed her to open the car’s rear door. The controlled drugs safe was fixed to the floor behind the driver’s seat, and Grace shoved herself into the footwell, protected by the darkness for the few seconds it took her to retrieve the drugs. What would the woman do if Grace simply refused to move again?
“Don’t touch anything else,” the woman warned her, and Grace decided not to chance it, crawling back out of the door and leaving the car’s mobile phone and the emergency button on the radio well beyond her reach. The woman had managed to pick up two of the bags. Grace collected the remainder and for the first time turned to face her. The moon chose that moment to break free, pouring silver light onto the car park. The woman winced, instinctively shielding her eyes with her gun hand.
