Harlot
by Tracie Podger
Synopsis
Charlotte Kenny is nineteen years old and a prostitute.
Not by choice, though.
When a client is murdered, Charlotte is thrown into a world she believes should be between the pages of a novel.
Beau Mercier is an ass with a dark past.
When Charlotte ends up on his doorstep, he knows trouble will follow.
Two people, who neither trust nor like each other, are forced together in a town where all is not as it seems.
Can Charlotte escape her trouble? Can Beau open up enough to help her?
Both want to, but secret pasts, murder, and intrigue, get in the way.
Harlot accompanies the thrillers, Gabriel and A Deadly Sin, and can be read as a standalone.
For readers over the age of 18.
Excerpt
I slumped into my broken and grubby sofa, wincing at the soreness of my bare feet. I didn’t have the energy to clean them. Instead, I poured myself a glass of cheap wine and gulped it down. My hand shook so much it was hard to hold the glass to my lips. The wine burned its way down my throat, mixing with the bile that was churning in my stomach. I pulled my dirty feet up onto the sofa and curled up. Finally, the tears fell.
I hugged myself, trying to get some warmth into my bones. The trailer I lived in was freezing with just a small gas heater that gave off enough of a smell for me not to want to use it. I pulled a quilt around my shoulders and then cried harder.
My grandmother had made that quilt; it was the only item I had that reminded me of her.
I missed her bitterly. I had since she’d died but more so then. She would have hugged me; she would have known what to do. I would never have found myself in the situation I was had she been around. I cried out her name, praying she could hear and guide me. Not that I thought I could sleep, but I closed my eyes, hoping that dawn would arrive quickly and I’d have a clearer mind.
A sweep of car headlights across the room disturbed me. I sat up, pulling the quilt tight around me and held my breath. The lights came to a stop outside my trailer. I quietly slipped from the sofa, and in a crouch, I crept to the window. I sat on the floor, my back to the door, knowing if someone looked in, they wouldn’t see me.
My blood froze in my veins when I heard my name being called, more so, when I recognized the voice. If he wanted to get in, one kick would have the front door fly off its brackets. I covered my mouth to stifle the sob when the door rattled.
“I know where you’ve been, whore,” he slurred, before laughing. “You won’t be going back there.”
“Please, go away,” I whispered, hoping for divine intervention. That came in the form of a dog.
Barking echoed around outside, becoming more frantic. I heard his heavy footsteps clomp down the wooden steps, away from the door, and then the headlights swept across the room again. I sat, straining my ears to listen for the engine of his car and breathed a sigh of relief when that sound became faint.
I knew at that point I couldn’t stay there. I had to leave. I scrambled to my feet and rushed into my bedroom. I gathered what few belongings I had, and crammed them into a battered backpack. The last thing I picked up was the quilt.
I pulled on some socks and my sneakers, still aware of how dirty my feet were, and headed for the kitchenette. Hidden in a cupboard, in a small tin, were my meager earnings, well, the portion of earnings I was allowed to keep. In addition, there was my ‘gift’ of a hundred dollars. At the thought of that ‘gift’ and the person who gave it, tears welled in my eyes again. I would call the police, but I would have to do it anonymously. There was no way I could go forward and publicly report what I’d seen.
I was scared, I was trailer park trash, and I was a prostitute.
Copyright T J Podger
My Rating:
Favorite Quotes:
He was my commander, when I was in the regular army. Then he was my commander when I joined the irregular army.
One stare from him, Charlotte, and any child would fall immediately into submission. He was evil, and that evilness rolled off him like a gas, contaminating everything and everyone around.
My Review:
“Charlotte the Harlot” was how her cousin/guardian would taunt her. Some guardian! Coming from the title and synopsis – this exceptionally well-written and artfully crafted book was not at all what I expected. Although sex crimes are mentioned, there were no actual sex scenes within the pages. And while some may find that completely incongruous for a book titled Harlot, let me assure you that sex was not needed to sell this gripping read.
The plot was rife with mind prickling suspense and curiosity tickling intrigue. The characters were compellingly detailed yet cryptically tight-lipped and holding secrets from each other. I was unsure whom to trust throughout much of the book as they were each artfully skilled in evasion, and no one was who they seemed. I feared Charlotte was either being manipulated, set-up, or used as bait, although I was also a bit frustrated by her forked tongue as well.
The writing was keenly observant, gut twisting, and emotionally intense on every level. I was quickly ensnared by the Ms. Podger’s word voodoo and immediately fell into Charlotte’s narrative from page one. Written in an insightful and sharply detailed first person POV, the storyline was eventful, well-paced, and enthralling. Ms. Podger’s writing was riveting, first-rate, and likely to lead to sleep deprivation. In conclusion, Tracie Podger is a remarkably talented evil genius. I am in awe of her mad skills, and maybe a little bit afraid of her now as well.
Empress DJ
About the Author
Tracie Podger currently lives in Kent, UK with her husband and a rather obnoxious cat called George. She’s a Padi Scuba Diving Instructor with a passion for writing. Tracie has been fortunate to have dived some of the wonderful oceans of the world where she can indulge in another hobby, underwater photography. She likes getting up close and personal with sharks.
Tracie likes to write in different genres. Her Fallen Angel series and its accompanying books are mafia romance and full of suspense. A Virtual Affair is contemporary romance, and Gabriel and A Deadly Sin are thriller/suspense. The Facilitator is erotic romance.
Available from Amazon, iBooks, Kobo & Nook
Fallen Angel, Part 1
Fallen Angel, Part 2
Fallen Angel, Part 3
Fallen Angel, Part 4
The Fallen Angel Box Set
Evelyn - A Novella – To accompany the Fallen Angel Series
Rocco – A Novella – To accompany the Fallen Angel Series
Robert – To accompany the Fallen Angel Series
Travis – To accompany the Fallen Angel Series
A Virtual Affair – A standalone
Gabriel – A standalone
The Facilitator – A standalone
A Deadly Sin – A standalone
Harlot – A standalone
Coming soon
Allana - 2017
Hitchhiker - 2017
Jackson - 2017
Letters to Lincoln – 2018
Rocco: The Missing Years – 2018
Stalker Links
Amazon Author Page – https://author.to/TraciePodger
