I am reading everything I can find by this author now. The book was well paced and I enjoyed the protagonist very much. Will be looking forward to more in this series.

<em>Room for Doubt</em> is the fourth book in the Carol Childs Mystery series by Nancy Cole Silverman. This is a series that started off a little rough for me but has gotten better with each book and holds true to that here with number four.

Carol Childs is a radio reporter in Los Angeles and when she's called to a death on the Hollywood sign in the early morning hours. She thinks, at first, that it must be a movie stunt - a body hanging from the Hollywood sign seems to obvious. But she notices that the police and coroner are handing it as a body and she knows that something here is amiss. But the police rule it a suicide very quickly and something about it doesn't sit right with Carol. Just a quick inspection of the area around the hillside shows signs that someone recently<em> left</em> the area through a hole in the fence, and the strange find of a red rubber clown nose with the body doesn't make any sense.

While on the air later, Carol receives a call from a woman identifying herself only as "Mustang Sally" who claims to have killed the man on the Hollywood sign the night before. Thus Carol begins a journey seeking the truth, and justice for the victims, that will surprise her and have her rethinking what 'justice' actually means.

I really enjoyed the mystery in this book and I often enjoy stories where things aren't black &amp; white - where they aren't clear-cut - and that's definitely the case here. Everything about this story was really splendid and revealed nicely through the course of the book. At the end of Chapter 11 I made a note in my Kindle: "Nicely written scene...so much here...great job showing, not telling." This chapter spoke volumes.

This book is definitely worth reading!

I had two little moments that made me pause and think about what I had just read - moments that took me out of the story. In the first, Carol consults with "Dr. Sam, the station's resident GP who specializes in geriatrics." Doesn't 'GP' stand for 'general practitioner'? And isn't a general practitioner someone who, by their very title, does <em>not</em> specialize? I looked it up to be sure, but that's what I find.

The other instance may be more of a regional idiom but at one point a character refers to going old school and carrying a 'beeper.' I knew immediately what it was but I had to stop and think about the term as I was used to calling it a 'pager' and not a 'beeper.'

Even so, a recommended read.

Looking for a good book? <em>Room for Doubt</em> by Nancy Cole Silverman is the fourth book in the Carol Childs Mystery series and it has some teeth to it - a strong story with an intense mystery.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

"When radio reporter Carol Childs is called to a crime scene in the Hollywood Hills at five thirty in the morning, she’s convinced it must be a publicity stunt to promote a new movie. That is, until she sees the body hanging from the center of the Hollywood sign. The police are quick to rule it a suicide, but something doesn’t add up for Carol. Particularly after a mysterious caller named Mustang Sally confesses to the murder on the air and threatens to kill again. With the help of an incorrigible PI, her best friend, and a kooky psychic, Carol is drawn into the world of contract killers and women scorned. As she races to find the real killer, she finds herself faced with a decision that will challenge everything she thought she knew.

“In Room for Doubt, a page-turning cozy with a dollop of noir, investigative reporter Carol Childs goes undercover to infiltrate a secret society that’s meeting out savage justice for scorned women. At the same time, Childs navigates the behind-the-scenes minefield of a radio news station, a world which the author knows firsthand, and a new relationship with an unconventionally sexy PI, who further complicates Childs’ personal life. With a carload of quirky characters and a Los Angeles setting that comes alive, there’s no doubt Nancy Cole Silverman has penned another winner.” – Dianne Emley, L.A. Times Bestselling Author of the Nan Vining Series"

I like that it kind of sounds like Moonlighting, combining the cozy crime solving with the seedy underbelly of LA.

Room for Doubt by Nancy Cole Silverman is the 4th Carol Childs Mystery in the series but the first one I read. I received a copy from Henery Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

From Goodreads: "When radio reporter Carol Childs is called to a crime scene in the Hollywood Hills at five thirty in the morning, she's convinced it must be a publicity stunt to promote a new movie. That is, until she sees the body hanging from the center of the Hollywood sign. The police are quick to rule it a suicide, but something doesn't add up for Carol. Particularly after a mysterious caller named Mustang Sally confesses to the murder on the air and threatens to kill again. With the help of an incorrigible PI, her best friend, and a kooky psychic, Carol is drawn into the world of contract killers and women scorned. As she races to find the real killer, she finds herself faced with a decision that will challenge everything she thought she knew."

The story moves along well and all plot points are wrapped up in the end. The vigilante group of abused women is especially interesting - and scary. Demonstrates how vigilantism and standing up for yourself can get out of hand and lead to abuses and secrets you will do anything to protect. Mustang Sally is a key player in the story and has a lot more depth than you see on the surface.

Garhardt "Chase" Chasen, the "incorrigible PI," is annoying, to say the least. But his motives and agenda are probably worthy, and you can see there is some chemistry percolating between him and Carol. Something to watch for in future books?

Carol is a strong and determined woman and is surrounded by a very interesting cast of characters. I couldn't quite figure Carol or her job out, though. She seems to be good at her job but isn't that well-treated at the radio station and she seems to be unsure of herself at times and goes with the flow. Chase seems way too involved with decisions regarding her assignments. She floats in and out of a rather run-of-the-mill home life and extreme danger, going with the flow at times and throwing caution to the wind at others. If this is considered a cozy read then that works because the protagonist always jumps into situations without thinking, but the subject matter of this story is very serious so it seems a little off. And perhaps this is one of those series where you need to start at the beginning to get a better feel for the main character.

Once it gets going the action is non-stop. There are a lot of players with a lot of unsuspected ties to each other, and things are nicely wrapped up at the end. This was an enjoyable read. Thanks to Henery Press, NetGalley and Nancy Cole Silverman for providing it.

I️ didn’t feel any depth to any relationships. The plot was ok but average

I have not read the previous three books in this series and, after enjoying this one, I now have to add the others to my TBR list. Carol is a radio reporter and takes an assignment on the night of her son's birthday but, given the job situation she isn't going to argue. A mans' body has been found hanging from the Hollywood sign and the police say suicide - case closed. Not so fast says Chase, the PI who brings Carol into his investigation. He is certain that this is part of a pattern of deaths that the police are ignoring. Who is the woman who calls saying sometimes the only way to stop a stalker is to remove him. Add a load of twists and turns and a Wow ending and you have a great mystery. I think it can be read as a stand alone.

Carol Childs, radio reporter in Hollywood, has been called by her boss Tyler because a body is hanging from the Hollywood sign. When she arrives, she speaks with a police detective who will only tell her that it was a suicide. But he hasn't even seen the body up close, and she's not convinced. Then she's contacted by a private detective named Gerhardt Chasen "Chase" who tells her he thinks it's the work of a serial killer.

But things begin to take a bizarre turn when Carol, on her new Sunday evening program, gets a call from a woman who will only identify herself as Mustang Sally. She tells Carol that it wasn't a suicide, but the man was murdered by a 'tribunal' and that he's not the first one.

While she's trying to avoid Chase, he's meanwhile talking to Tyler, and convinces him that Carol's show should take a different turn. And when Sally calls in again with information not given to the public, Carol begins - reluctantly - to take her more seriously.

But who is Sally, and is she telling the truth? Carol's head is screaming at her to stay away from Chase and what she considers a nutcase, but her instincts are telling her something else. When other information begins to come to light, Carol realizes that in order to find out the truth and close the lid on this case, she may have to step outside the bounds of the law and her own conscience...

What begins as a strange murder, then perhaps the work of a serial killer, begins to take a darker turn into the world of domestic violence and stalkers. Anyone who's ever been a victim or known one knows that a stalker finds you, and once that happens, it's not so easy to walk away. Not everyone has the strength, stamina, financial resources, etc. Not everyone believes it's not their fault. But everyone deserves the freedom from it.

Ms. Silverman has a rare quality of being able to begin one book and segue into another one entirely, and keep her audience engrossed in the story. She draws her subjects not only from fiction, but also from subjects not discussed in every day life and makes you think about possibilities - and probabilities - in the process. It is quite clever and done beautifully.

We also see a new chapter in Carol's life - she's moving on after a breakup and trying to focus on her professional life (which isn't easy, and you'll figure out why) and deal with her new housekeeper - Misty Dawn, psychic to the stars (retired). While we don't see a lot of her personal life, the book is so filled with action that we don't miss it too much, either.

When we come to the end of the book it is quite satisfactory; saying any more would be giving too much away. I will say that what seems the truth isn't, and the search for justice isn't always the truth. Although this is the fourth book in the series, following Without a Doubt, it can be read as a stand alone, but I recommend you read all books in order to be fully drawn into Carol's life thus far. I look forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended.

I found the story and writing style rather pedestrian in this book by Nancy.

I have a few favorite series and this is one of them. I am not sure what it is about the characters or the setting, but I always find the books intriguing and they even leave me on the edge of my seat at times.

Carol always manages to find herself in the thick of events, probably because she is a radio journalist and I don't see how she could avoid those news stories. I do feel like she puts herself in harms way too often and feels it is necessary to omit pertinent details to others that might be involved in the situation.

This book does deal with abuse and how a vigilante group chooses to handle those men found guilty (but not by a court) and dealing with them in their own way. I think many would say that by the time a court would step in help the abused woman it is too late. This group takes it out of the court's hands and inflicts their own brand of justice.

There is a new character in this book, Chase. He is a local PI that Carol is working with on this case. There is definitely some chemistry between the two and I suspect he will be around a lot more and perhaps a romance will bud between the two.

My favorite part of this book is the Hollywood setting and how Carol makes her job as an on air radio personality.

When is a murdered person not a victim? Who is Mustang Sally? Why would a policeman turn a blind eye to a crime?

There are lots of questions to be answered in the fast-paced cozy mystery, Room for Doubt, by Nancy Cole Silverman. Carol Childs is a single mom trying to make a living as a reporter for talk radio when she finds herself hosting a late night talk show. Throw into this mix a handsome PI, an aging “Psychic to the Stars,” and some bizarre murders and you have a recipe for a mystery you won’t want to put down.

There is not a lot of deep character development, but you won’t miss it because the plot has the focus. The reporter Carol and PI Chase, who would like to get to know Carol better, are both likable. Supporting characters add interest as they move in and out of the action. The setting provides a realistic touch as it is the L.A. area where the author currently lives.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Henery Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Mystery, General Fiction (Adult)

Notes: #4 in the Carol Childs Mystery Series, but works well as a standalone

Publication: July 18, 2017—Henery Press

Memorable Lines:

Whoever said fashion made the woman certainly knew the right outfit could cover a world of insecurities, and right now I felt like I needed all the help I could get.

“I thought the arguments and his escalating violence was my fault and that I could fix him. So I didn’t leave. I thought I could make it better. Abusive men can do that to you.”

“Things have changed some today but not enough. Abuse is a social stigma. A lot of women are too embarrassed to tell their friends and family the truth about what’s happening. Most end up living in fear.”

Room For Doubt by Nancy Cole Silverman spoke to me. I love vengeful women who turn into vigilantes to give those who abuse the ultimate punishment.

Carol Childs, a radio reporter, is called to a hanging at the Hollywood sign. It is ruled a suicide but she doesn’t believe it. Neither does a dogged PI who seeks her out. He has some questions of his own and sticks to her like glue.

She blows him off and I got my first laugh when he called into her radio show. I do like humor with my mystery and murder. Because of him, she backs into her new radio show becoming a success right out of the gate.

Mustang Sally calls into the show. She claims she is part of a group of female assassins called the Butterflies and their goal is to protect women from the men who prey on them. Could it be true or is she just a quack?

Carol finds out that Sally is talking too much, making herself a target, and there are those that want her secrets kept secret.

Carol uses Chase to set up her own plan for Mustang Sally, though she holds him at arms length. The romance is not the story, but I can see an attraction that could develop into more. He is very persistent…and patient. Flawed, but in my book still a good catch. I quickly grew into like with him.

I love vigilante justice, even though it can become skewed. All too often what starts out as a ‘good’ thing can turn bad, but it is easy to understand their motivation.

Room For Doubt is not quite what I thought it would be. It seems more along the lines of a cozy mystery, than the dark and disturbing thriller I expected. All in all, it is an interesting story and one I would recommend.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Room For Doubt by Nancy Cole Silverman.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

The radio station where reporter Carol Childs works has a new format so she is now able to cover the edgier topics in the news like murder. She is sent to the Hollywood Hills early in the morning and finds a man hanging from the Hollywood sign. The police have ruled the death a suicide (yes, that trigger again) but Carol thinks there is more to the story. When “Mustang Sally” calls into Carol’s radio program she confirms Carol’s intuition by confessing on the air with the promise of future deaths Carol knows she may need some help but she is bound and determined to stop Mustang Sally.

Another great story from Nancy Cole Sillverman!

They author creates such wonderful characters. They are so well-developed and unique. We are introduced to Garhardt “Chase” Chasen in this story. A private investigator that knows the recent death at the sign is connected to previous murders/”suicides” and he wants to work with Carol to catch the killer. He thinks her radio broadcasts are a perfect way to lure the killer out in the open. Carol really wants to investigate on her own but Chase keeps calling and turning up everywhere. She doesn’t like the way she is drawn to this man but he is pretty determined they are going to work together. Carol also has to balance work and her life at home. Her son is turning sixteen and nothing is going to keep her away from his party.

This story takes an interesting look at abused women and what lengths they will go to, to get away from their abusers. An online support group that takes things to a very scary level. The police may even be complicit in the groups actions. It is an exciting story with several different tangents twisting the plot very intriguingly. The author handles this serious topic so well while keeping it cozy, not an easy job.

Carol is a smart, strong protagonist and has grown in each story. She keeps me coming back for more. I have enjoyed the entire series and am anxious to see what she gets herself into next.

Thanks to Netgalley. Nancy Cole Silverman,and Henery Press for this ARC. My first Carol Childs mystery and loved every page! A page turner and a who done it , with a bit of darkness thrown in. My kind of read. Definitely reading more of this series.

It's up to radio journalist Carol Childs, who wants nothing to do with private investigator Gerhardt Chasen, (Chase). Or his wacked out theories that the police have purposely ruled several deaths suicides, that have actually been murders staged to look like it. When Carol learns there may be more to Chase story than she wants to believe, it's up to her to find a loose cannon (Tribunalist) before the PI or police can, to save a lot of women who were helped out of desperate situations by means no one else would consider from unwanted scrutiny.

Nancy Cole Silverman has written a story with a little humor, a lot of intrigue, and a good bit of psychological drama that is reminiscent of the movie "The Star Chamber."

Although Nancy is a new author to me and there were a few passages in the story that I found to be confusing. She has a solid story-line and well developed characters. I plan to go back and read the first stories in this series.

ROOM FOR DOUBT, the fourth book in the Carol Childs Mystery series, is the first book that I have read, but I had no problems diving right in to the story. I felt like I got to know Carol and the other characters pretty well despite not having read the other books. I will definitely go back and catch up on the series.

Silverman uses a deft hand in handling the tremendously serious issue of domestic violence while still injecting humor and hijinks. The radio station setting is interesting, partly because it is a changing and diminishing venue, and all of the scenes and characters attached to the station ring authentic to my inexperienced view. We travel alongside Carol as she balances work and family. I like Carol and appreciate her levelheaded approach to investigating. P.I Chase is a nice foil for Carol, and, though I do not like a lot of romance in my mysteries, their attraction to each other is reasonable and enjoyable. The supporting cast of characters is quirky and engaging, adding much of the levity that balances out the murders.

The mystery is well paced and engaging, and I was hooked from the first page. Though we learn whodunit early in the book, it is fun to work out the puzzle as Carol does.

I recommend ROOM FOR DOUBT to any cozy or suspense fan.

When LA radio reporter Carol Childs is called to report the death of a man hanging from the famous Hollywood sign. The police are quick to rule it a suicide but Carol isn't sure. Then a mysterious caller named Mustang Sally implies she is responsible for the murder. She is a member of a group of abused women who believe in payback and threatens to kill again. With the help of PI Chase, her best friend, and kooky psychic Misty Dawn, Carol is drawn into the world of contract killers and women scorned. As her new boss Tyler pressures Carol to keep Mustang Sally calling in to her show, the radio's manager DJ has a secret connection to Mustang Sally and Carol agrees to try and connect the two together. Posing as an abused fiancee. Carol sets up a rendezvous with Mustang Sally that turns almost deadly for both of them. This is the fourth Carol Childs mystery and was a fun read.

I received this book for free from Netgalley and Henery Press in exchange for an honest review

Room for Doubt is the fourth book in the Carol Childs Mystery series, and it is the first book I have read in the series. I thoroughly enjoyed the story line and the characters. A string of deaths are occurring in Hollywood and neighboring areas, and the police keep ruling the somewhat suspicious deaths as suicides, but Carol Childs believes that the facts and evidence are not adding up to suicide. The plot and its resolution were very creative and thought-provoking, and the characters are highly entertaining. I have not stopped thinking about this book since I finished it. If you enjoy a good mystery with a clever and unique plot, Room for Doubt is the book for you. Thanks to Henery Press and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Carol Childs called out to the Hollywood sign to report on a body that is found hanging from the Hollywood sign. The police are labeling the death a suicide, but that doesn’t sit well with Carol when she finds out the body has a red nose clown on it. Next, Carol’s manager, Tyler, connects her up with PI Gerhardt Chasen, “friends call me Chase”, who has 2 other deaths he views as suspicious and believes there is every indication that these 3 deaths are related gang style killings.
A caller joins Carol’s Sunday night program raising further questions on what links these deaths and shifts the focus when she admits to the murder. Mustang Sally also eludes to a tribunal and implies the murder might have its roots with abused women and killings to release them from their abusers. Tracking down Mustang Sally and understanding her motivation to murder becomes a primary focus of the story.
This was the first book in the Carol Childs series I have read. I will admit that for the first several chapters I wasn’t sure I was relating to the main character. As the plot developed and I was introduced to Carol’s best friend, physic ex-neighbor (who moves in with her) and PI love interest, I started enjoying the read. Story is fast paced and even though a little quirky at times, the root of the story actually is believable and an interesting premise. Honestly, I would have rated 3 stars at beginning, but the book finishes strong and deserves 4.