4.5-STAR REVIEW: CALL ME CARMELA by Ellen Kirschman

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About The Book

A Dot Meyerhoff Mystery: Book 5
Publication Date: November 26, 2024

Police therapist Dot Meyerhoff helps a young woman find her birth parents and unburies dark family secrets in this psychological thriller.

Police psychologist Dot Meyerhoff’s caseload is usually filled with cops—which is why she’s hesitant to help an adopted teenager locate her birth parents. But the teen’s godmother is Dot’s dear friend Fran and a police widow to boot. How could Dot possibly say no?

Once Dot starts digging into the case, though, she’s drawn into a murky world of illegal adoptions and the choices a young pregnant woman might make as a last resort. Soon there’s only one thing Dot knows for sure: the painful truth of what happened all those years ago might heal one family—but it’s certain to destroy another.

Excerpt

The Review

Psychologist Dot Meyerhoff gets drawn into helping a friend’s goddaughter struggling with finding her birth parents.

Author Ellen Kirschman sets up a timely mystery featuring young Ava’s quest for answers in Call Me Carmela. However, there’s often a good reason behind keeping secrets—and uncovering this one may be destructive.

Dot’s character is level-headed, especially as she considers Ava’s request to reach out to the birth mother. Although this sort of thing would normally be something Dot would avoid, the loss of a patient changes her perspective. While she usually deals with law enforcement clients, she makes an exception for Ava.

As an 18-year-old, Ava’s desire to know more about her birth parents is understandable. Dot’s online research provides insight into Ava’s efforts while highlighting possible pitfalls.

As the fifth installment in The Dot Meyerhoff Mysteries series, this story can easily be read as a standalone. The author’s personal knowledge and experience greatly enhances the book’s appeal.

Call Me Carmela unleashes a devastating secret tied to a young woman’s search for her birth parents.

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About The Author Ellen Kirschman, Ph.D. is a police psychologist. and clinician at the First Responders Support Network. She is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, The American Psychological Association, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and the Public Safety Writers Association. She is the recipient of the California Psychological Association’s award for distinguished contribution to psychology as well as the American Psychological Association’s award for outstanding contribution to the practice of police and public safety psychology. Ellen brings her expertise and decades-long experience to both fiction and non-fiction. She is the author of three non-fiction books and a five-book mystery series featuring police psychologist Dot Meyerhoff.