Reviews - Michael E. Petrie

Book Reviews

Entertaining, articulate, fast-paced, just plain fun to read . . . and I'm a fan!

David Henderson

Emmy Award winning CBS Network News correspondent and author

Michael E. Petrie writes with authenticity that other authors fail to capture. He knows the people, he knows the scene, he knows the Southern California life he writes about!

Emmy Award winning producer Greg Dobbs

ABC News, World News Tonight, Good Morning America, Nightline, and 20/20

Michael's work is always on target, well researched and carefully written.

David Schmidt

Editor at SAIL-World's Leading Sailing Magazine

Praise for Michael E. Petrie. This author’s style is fast-paced, witty, funny, light & easy. His psychological thrillers are real page-turners, cover-to-cover. As advertised, his books kept me entertained and guessing right to the final page. I’m told his stories are based upon actual events and legal cases of this author/attorney. I can hardly wait to read his next book: I’m already a fan!

Buzz Book Review

Preparing your summer reading list? Put this author at the top. 5 stars out of 5 stars.

Sandy Cloud

YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE I CAN TRUST is the first mystery book written by Michael E. Petrie and I have to tell you all that this is A VERY GOOD READ! I hope you buy the book and enjoy reading it.

Cheryl Grosrenaud Mills, Dixon, Illinois

Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home

Terrific! Even if you're not an avid reader or have not read a book in a while, Petrie is the author to read.

Michael Goodwin, actor

Los Angeles, California

... really good reads ... fun and imaginative, and just the right amount of raunchy. You can feel the author's love of the ocean. I like the chronology of how he pieces it all together, creative!

JP Ruyle

Temecula, California

Most entertaining book I've read in a long while. Quick-paced short chapters with interesting characters and, though written by a lawyer, only minimal legalese. Reminiscent of a A West Coast Elmore Leonard.

Marc Griffin

Austin, Texas

I really enjoyed this book and congratulations to the author on a really great first novel! I am involved in a monthly book club and will certainly pass this book along to my fellow readers for them to enjoy as well!

Jesse T. - attorney

San Diego, California

...great story line. My Junior League Book Club wants this author to come discuss the book, please put us on your itinerary.

Bilenda Harris-Ritter, attorney

Little Rock, Arkansas

I read You're The Only One I Can Trust ...twice! Great read. Anxious for more by this author.

Karen G. Barton

Edisto Beach, South Carolina

I enjoyed it thoroughly and was able to visualize the settings throughout the book. The characters were very believable and the ending was unexpected. I usually enjoy reading Grisham, Clancy, Flynn, Ludlum, etc, but I am glad I tried this author and will look forward to his next book.

Jim Swanson

El Cajon, California

Best book I’ve read all year!

Connie Thompson Julien

Houghton, Michigan

Plot twists, interesting characters, and settings!! Look forward to reading many more books written by this author!!

Gail Powell

From beginning to end it was a fun ride, with characters that are...interesting to say the least. Just when you think you have the mystery figured out, the story changes, and characters start divulging the myriad skeletons hiding in Oh so many closets. The author (who happens to also be a lawyer) is a wonderful wordsmith...writing with fluent expression. I highly recommend this quick and smart read. But be warned...by the last 1/3 of the book, I was sacrificing precious sleep on this page turner...could not put it down!!!

Dr. Lara Valdes

Austin, Texas

It caught my attention right away with the plot and the characters are very engaging. I like Petrie's writing style.

Lenore Burkhardt Becker

St. Louis. MO

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I was intrigued with the unique characters and interesting plot. And the author's descriptive writing talent brought the beautiful scenery of Southern California come alive. I look forward to Michael E. Petrie's future books. He is definitely a new author worth following.

Verified Amazon Purchaser

4 stars out of a perfect 5.

Mike Gavin

Barcelona, Spain

Five Stars for sure! California vineyards, sandy beaches, tropical Hawaii, boy meets girl/boy gets girl (or does he?), and a great murder mystery. Enjoyed every page of this book!

Dana Too

verified Amazon purchaser

Michael E. Petrie, master of summertime who-dun-its, taking readers straight to the beach, aboard sailing boats and to tropical islands, searching for clues, with just a touch of kink and unrequited love thrown in. His sardonic, jovial homages to the legal/mystery genre should be on everyone’s summer reading list.

South Bay Review

Amazing!

Laguna Beach Books

Don't skip this one! What a great read! This is a well written sequel to “You’re The Only One I Can Trust”. Lots of twist and definitely keeps you wanting to read more!

great app!

verified Amazon purchaser

So impressive! I’m giving Five Stars!

Ardath Weaver

Director North Carolina Arts Council and editorial board member of several national publications

Very accomplished work by a fine writer.

Kimberley Cameron

Well-known literary agent and book critic

You're the Only One I Can Trust is lots of fun and it has it all. Suspense, sex, mystery, lust and greed disguised under a warm blanket of Southern California sunshine. In addition, the story is not without meaning and there are subtle philosophical undertones which should also strike a chord with most readers. I have read many of the mystery and suspense books of the day written by the big named authors. They have a mass produced feel and since the author manages to produce at least one book a year we all know there is an army of support behind it. Well, this book has much more of a home grown feel, making it taste a lot better. The author does not try to impress you with in-depth understanding of some branch of the military or little-known weapons system. Instead he uses very real life characters in a realistic story line to weave an intriguing tale well worth the time and the few bucks. You will enjoy it.

Thomas Emero - attorney

Bangor, Maine

I am an avid reader, reading about a book a week. I read You're the Only One I can Trust in two days. I couldn't put it down. I really enjoyed it! The story line and locations in the book were fascinating. The twists and turns had me guessing until the end. And I fell in love with the characters. I could totally see a series revolving around Ben, the central character, with him getting involved in future interesting cases.

Tricia Farris

San Diego, California

Read this book while on the beach in Cabo and really enjoyed it. I especially liked the way the story closed in a rather non-traditional way. I hope this is the first of a trilogy.

Robert Pessell

West Hills, CA

5 Stars ... outstanding plotting, structure and quality of writing....

Phil Burnside - photojournalist

Sussex, Wisconsin

"Entertaining!"

Dr. David Edwards - pathologist

Olympia, Washington

I really liked this book a lot. A fun read. Short, quick chapters, interesting characters, a lovesick hero, exotic locales, morality struggles, and a surprise ending that I truly did not anticipate.

Yanik Gozlan

Murrieta, California

I really liked this book. A really good story with an ending I did not see coming.

Lorraine Rian

San Diego, California

Thoroughly enjoyed it and am looking forward to this author's next one.

Daine Nape

Ormond Beach, Florida

I finished it in 1 week, which for me is quick. I typically do not have much time to read, but I could not put it down. It was so good and the finish was very surprising.

Nancy A. Colella

San Diego, California

5.0 out of 5 stars for BOTH books! Much more than just being murder mysteries, these are love stories, stories about a group of people reaching a certain age and point in their lives ... I highly recommend this author. The writing style is quick, witty, humorous and riveting. I read the first book in a single weekend .... then read it again a few weeks later because it was so much fun. With the second reading, I spotted little nuances that had escaped me the first time. Loved the really fascinating characters in this story and the interesting places where the story took me. I especially loved the women in this story and was so impressed that a male author could conjure up such interesting, dynamic, and real female characters. The plot twists kept me guessing right to the end. Just when I thought I'd figured it all out, there would be an unexpected twist that I just did not see coming. Also, the story ends in a rather unconventional way that I really liked a lot. A great read. And the second book picked up right where the first left off. LOVED BOTH BOOKS! I anxiously await this author's next book.

Myra Penn

San Diego, California

I would definitely recommend this book, a quick and fun read! I was sold on the prospect that the story takes place in sunny California and Hawaii. I found it to be an enjoyable read, filled with many plot twists and turns that kept me guessing right up to the end. And because the author of the book is a lawyer, I appreciated the legal authenticity that filled the pages, well written and executed.

Also, as a woman of a certain age, I want to give kudos to the author for writing about a male character who, at middle age, does not go chasing a much younger woman but finds delight and attraction with a similarly aged woman. This to me is a much appreciated twist.

Wendy Reichental Shade

Montreal, Canada

Books by Michael E. Petrie

You’re the Only One I Can Trust

A Ben Harding Mystery Book 1

The glint of a gun barrel caught his eye – it was the second to last thing wealthy Los Angeles businessman Griffin Gambil would ever see. There is a loud, percussive pop, a spume of red, and the final seconds of his life are spent watching his own blood spilling onto his Gucci loafers before collapsing in the driveway of his mistress’ house – the ink on his Last Will and Testament still wet. Read More...

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This Guy's The Limit

A Ben Harding Mystery Book 2

By all appearances, Connie Cantu-Gambil would seem to have the perfect life: living aboard a yacht in Honolulu and married to a man who is both loving and rich. But Connie has been spending a good amount of time fantasizing about becoming a wealthy widow and now intends to make that a reality. Read More...

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