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Audiobook Price: $17.46

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The Doll Maker: A Detective Sophie Whitton Story Kindle Edition

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 217 ratings

Life is messy for Detective Sophie Whitton, but one thing she is clear about, is the pursuit of justice - and when another body is found that she knows to be the victim of The Doll Maker, her determination to hunt him down leads her on a journey that is as much about finding herself as it is about finding him. With a plot that twists and turns and an enigmatic lead in Sophie Whitton, The Doll Maker by Claire Highton-Stevenson has a compelling narrative, a killer thriller with a subtext that explores the challenges of life and love with heart and intelligence.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07KTL2FR4
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ (November 23, 2018)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 23, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2232 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 302 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 217 ratings

About the author

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Claire Highton-Stevenson
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Claire Highton-Stevenson is a British Indie author. She writes heartwarming, Sapphic romance in contemporary settings. Claire's characters are bold, strong, independent women who love women.

However, she is also known to throw in a mystery or two. Claire likes to move around the tropes at will, and will often bend the rules to create exciting and often unique situations. She's not afraid to tackle darker topics either.

2019 Goldie Winner - The Promise

2019 Rainbow award Winner - The Doll Maker

2020 International Book Award Finalist - Escape and Freedom

2020 International Book award Finalist - The Promise

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
217 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the story engaging with surprising twists. They describe it as a gripping, well-written mystery with believable characters. Readers appreciate the suspenseful plot and well-crafted writing style.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

6 customers mention "Suspenseful story"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the story engaging with unexpected twists. They describe it as a gripping, brooding detective tale with an interesting plot that keeps readers hooked. However, some readers mention disturbing images and violence in the book.

"...It had suspense, terror and new love. Perfect combination. Thanks for writing." Read more

"...This was another gritty, brooding detective story, with some surprising twists, that kept me enthralled the last few chapters until the finish...." Read more

"This is a very suspenseful story. I loved the main characters and wondering who did it the whole time...." Read more

"...The lead Detective Sophia is a great main character. The story and plot move right along. There is violence and disturbing images...." Read more

4 customers mention "Readability"4 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's readability and well-written life stories.

"...It had me crying towards the end. This book is well worth your time to read. I did not read anything else because I had to find out what happened...." Read more

"This is an excellent book! If you enjoy the thriller/mystery genres then you should definitely add this to your to-be-read list...." Read more

"Good read..." Read more

"Intrigue and life well written...." Read more

3 customers mention "Characterization"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the characters believable.

"This book was a great read. The characters in this story are so believable. It had me crying towards the end...." Read more

"This is a very suspenseful story. I loved the main characters and wondering who did it the whole time...." Read more

"...The lead Detective Sophia is a great main character. The story and plot move right along. There is violence and disturbing images...." Read more

Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention: The Doll Maker by Claire Highton-Stevenson
5 out of 5 stars
Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention: The Doll Maker by Claire Highton-Stevenson
"I liked this one. Pretty intense scenes. Enjoyed the plot and how the author weaves her twisted tale. Hope to read more like this from this author.""Diaglogue is especially crisp, and the characters make up for it being somewhat predictable thriller. Didn't stop me from loving it thogh."
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2020
    This book was a great read. The characters in this story are so believable. It had me crying towards the end. This book is well worth your time to read. I did not read anything else because I had to find out what happened. It had suspense, terror and new love. Perfect combination. Thanks for writing.
    3 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2022
    SAPPHIC BOOK BINGO: not a romance, established couple, masculine of center character, out of your comfort zone: UNICORN: more than 2 POVs (possibly other categories)

    Triggers: murder scenes, infidelity

    This was another gritty, brooding detective story, with some surprising twists, that kept me enthralled the last few chapters until the finish. I wasn't that fond of the primary MC at first, but she grew on me the more that I read. It was good enough for me to be excited to read the next Sophie Whitton story.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2020
    This is a very suspenseful story. I loved the main characters and wondering who did it the whole time. I thought that I had figured it out then another twist came and threw that right out.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2019
    I enjoyed The Doll Maker. Is it proper to say you “enjoyed “ a book that is quite violent? The lead Detective Sophia is a great main character. The story and plot move right along. There is violence and disturbing images. Just so you are warned.
    3 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2020
    I am a big fan of psychological thrillers and weave in a LesFic story equals a winner. The character of Sophie was the thread that kept this book from going over the edge. She had her heart and soul in trying to solve The Doll Maker case, all the while her personal life was coming apart.Since it’s a thriller, reviews can reveal too much so to keep it simple, fantastic. I am a big fan of Claire’s and this did not disappoint.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2020
    Lots of good things to say about this audiobook. Sophie, our main detective, is set on a case in which a series of women show up, all of them killed in strange ways and found with doll parts nearby. As she gets closer to finding the killer things spiral, and she finds the case takes a bigger personal hit than she imagined.

    Sophie is a typical character in that she’s got plenty of baggage. What’s not typical about her though is the front she keeps up while her life is falling apart in the background. She uses her work as a form of escape because at home, she feels helpless. I loved the almost parallel feeling between the escalation of the killings and the downward spiral of Sophie’s relationship.

    The killer itself turned out to have a very interesting reason for doing what was done. I’ve read so many thriller/crime books that it’s rare to find a story where the killer has a wild reason, but this is one of those books.

    Overall, this is a dark and compelling listen. A great first-time mystery/thriller by the author.

    Narration fit perfectly with the story.

    This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2018
    This is an excellent book! If you enjoy the thriller/mystery genres then you should definitely add this to your to-be-read list. You will be happy you did.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2018
    Once again a spellbinding story I could not put down. The charecters were well developed and drew me in from the very first chapter. Claire this was such a great story, I felt every word.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • Cliente Kindle
    5.0 out of 5 stars I loved it
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 23, 2024
    I loved it! It reminds me of the show CSI but with gay main characters wich is refreshing... I absolutelly recomend this series.
  • Cliente Kindle
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Police book
    Reviewed in Brazil on June 16, 2019
    I am totally amazed with this book.
    It is my first book of CHS and I had to read it non stop.
    Detective Sophie is a very dense character, and I really hope we will have other books with her.
    The serial killer plot was perfectly developed and we suffer until the last paragraph!

    Amazing!!!😊
  • Dee.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wow what a fantastic story
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 21, 2020
    This was a great mix of police procedural and lesbian romance. Having been a police officer I could tell that this was written by someone with inside police knowledge or very well researched. So much of it was really true to life. Towards the end it really had me on worried about how it was going to end. I am glad that there was a satisfactory ending. I could easily see this becoming a great series.
  • lc
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 20, 2020
    Fabulous,gripping I couldn't put it down I could go on,I should go on but 1 ,I don't want to spoil this fabulous story for the reader and 2, I've downloaded book two so I am off to devour more mayhem and murder in the life of detective Sophie. Whitton.
  • Kelly James
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 28, 2021
    Amazing characters and a captivating story. Lots of twists and turns and a bit of a lesbian romance, what's not to love. This is the first book I've read by Claire... it certainly won't be the last.

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