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Thomas A. Burns
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Trafficked!: A Natalie McMasters Mystery Kindle Edition

by Thomas A. Burns Jr. (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 out of 5 stars 94 ratings
Bullet wounds heal, but a broken heart is something else entirely. Natalie McMasters is twenty-one, short and blonde (OK, it’s bleached), a way cute former stripper and a pre-law student at State. Nattie also works as a private detective at her uncle’s 3M detective agency. After her last case, in which she was nearly killed, she’s faced with a new, daunting challenge. She must trace the most important person in her life – who doesn’t want to be found – through the squalid sexworld of New York City. Even with help from old and new friends, Natalie will need more persistence and courage than she’s ever shown before if she is to prevail in her most difficult and personal challenge. Trafficked! - A Natalie McMasters Mystery is full of the action, suspense, and unexpected plot twists that Nattie’s many fans thrive on. You totally won’t be disappointed!
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  1. Book 3 of 8
    The Natalie McMasters Mysteries
  2. Print length
    285 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    April 1, 2019
  6. File size
    1.0 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07P7WYZM6
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tekrighter, LLC
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 1, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.0 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 285 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0578483658
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 3 of 8 ‏ : ‎ The Natalie McMasters Mysteries
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 94 ratings

About the author

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Thomas A. Burns

Thomas A. Burns

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Thomas A. Burns, Jr. is the author of the Natalie McMasters Mysteries.

He was born and grew up in New Jersey, attended Xavier High School in

Manhattan, earned B.S degrees in Zoology and Microbiology at Michigan

State University and a M.S. in Microbiology at North Carolina State

University. He currently resides in Wendell, North Carolina. As a kid,

Tom started reading mysteries with the Hardy Boys, Ken Holt and Rick

Brant, and graduated to the classic stories by authors such as A. Conan

Doyle, Dorothy Sayers, John Dickson Carr, Erle Stanley Gardner and Rex

Stout, to name a few. Tom has written fiction as a hobby all of his

life, starting with Man from U.N.C.L.E. stories in marble-backed

copybooks in grade school. He built a career as technical, science and

medical writer and editor for nearly thirty years in industry and

government. Now that he's truly on his own as a novelist, he's excited

to publish his own mystery series, as well as to contribute stories

about his second most favorite detective to the MX

anthology of New Sherlock Holmes Stories.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
94 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this mystery book intense and well-paced, with vivid scenes and believable characters. The book features a feisty protagonist, and one customer notes that the second half is particularly engaging. Customers appreciate the character development, with one review highlighting the emotional college-aged detective as the protagonist.

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16 customers mention "Story pace"14 positive2 negative

Customers enjoy the story pace of the book, describing it as intense and thrilling, with one customer noting its dark mystery elements.

"...What I found most noticeable about Trafficked is the plot starts out at a much slower pace...." Read more

"...You love this action-packed thriller, because the first half will hook you, and the second half will blow you away! Get it now!" Read more

"...a private investigator trainee and the narrator of this emotional, terror-steeped and frank novel of love, loss, desperation, enslavement and..." Read more

"...The story is a genuine page-turner from an author with a great eye for detail." Read more

10 customers mention "Pacing"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the pacing of the book engaging, describing it as gritty and strong, with one customer noting it's a fast-paced read.

"...Natalie is as strong and vibrant a personality as ever, but one of the surprising things I liked was the feeling of increased maturity in Natalie's..." Read more

"...thriller, because the first half will hook you, and the second half will blow you away! Get it now!" Read more

"...McMasters is back for the third book in the series and she's as feisty as ever!..." Read more

"...TRAFFICKED! is a dandy good yarn, well worth reading deep into the night. With the lights on. I did." Read more

6 customers mention "Vividness"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the vividness of the book, with multiple reviews noting the detailed scenes and settings, and one customer highlighting the spectacular imagination of the author.

"...The author captures a good sense of the scenes and characters in the city and on the Albanian’s ship, in a very adult and explicit fashion." Read more

"...In this book she travels to New York City and the story is so vividly written I can almost see it for myself...." Read more

"...I enjoyed the adventure. The scenes are vivid and the author mostly keeps us engaged...." Read more

"...Very realistic language and situations make this dark mystery a fast-paced read...." Read more

5 customers mention "Character development"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one customer noting the emotional college-aged detective protagonist and another mentioning the increased maturity in Natalie's voice.

"...Natalie is as strong and vibrant a personality as ever, but one of the surprising things I liked was the feeling of increased maturity in Natalie's..." Read more

"Natalie McMasters is a private investigator trainee and the narrator of this emotional, terror-steeped and frank novel of love, loss, desperation,..." Read more

"...Thomas Burns gives us a thrilling adventure with an appealing main character, Natalie McMasters...." Read more

"...This gentleman has created a complicated, emotional college-aged detective as a protagonist who can pull off the hard-boiled detective character of..." Read more

Captivating characters and plotlines!
5 out of 5 stars
Captivating characters and plotlines!
* Disclaimer - I am the narrator for the Natalie McMasters series.* Let the search begin! In our 3rd Natalie McMasters novel, we are off to the Big Apple. Natalie has recovered from her injuries (again) and is determined to find Lupe. Danny, as always, is there to help Nattie and keep her emotions confused. The pacing of Trafficked! is slower than the first two as we travel around NYC and get to know the players. Uncle Amos has enlisted his old Marine pal, Solly, to help Nattie maneuver the city. Once again, Thomas A. Burns delivers with amazing character development. The story is solid and interesting and keeps your interest throughout. Nattie and Danny traipse through New York, tracing Lupe's movements and having all kinds of adventures. They must navigate both the seedy underbelly and the private penthouses of the City that never sleeps and infiltrate an illegal sex racket. All in the name of love. But everything comes at a cost. At the end of the day, even Nattie might have to grow up a little and make some decisions she'd rather avoid.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Peter J. Reilly
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great addition to the series
    Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Trafficked is different in some ways from Revenge and Stripper, but at the same high level if not even higher. What I found most noticeable about Trafficked is the plot starts out at a much slower pace. I always have this feeling that anybody who comes into Natalie's life is like one of the security team members on a Star Trek original away mission. There is a lot more lead up to the action in Trafficked, but once it starts it goes at the same frenetic pace.

    The other new thing is the setting. Natalie's search for her wife brings her to New York and Burns seems to know New York pretty well.

    We also see homage to some of Tom Burns's acknowledged influences. Natalie stays on 35th street on the West Side, not far from Nero Wolfe's brownstone. She learns some more detective lore from a Marine buddy of her uncle, who seems like he could have worked for Wolfe, but talks a good bit like Repariman Jack's friend, mentor and arms dealer Abe. And then there is Natalie's version of the Baker Street Irregulars.

    The ICE queen is still on the trail making me think of Javert in Les Mis, but Burns gives us new and more satisfactory villains who pose a much greater threat.

    If I were to criticize anything it might be the ending. Natlaie works herself into a jam that seems totally hopeless and the way out has a bit of a deus ex machina quality to it, On the other hand, it is the result of a seed that she planted herself.

    Now the biggest frustration is to wait for the next book, which I hope will be soon.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Some Programmer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Natalie Does it Again
    Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Natalie McMasters is back in another mystery that will definitely appeal to fans of the series. In this book, the action moves from the South to New York City, which opens up some new storytelling possibilities. Natalie is as strong and vibrant a personality as ever, but one of the surprising things I liked was the feeling of increased maturity in Natalie's voice. Either she's growing up or the author is honing his writing skills (or both). She's still very much a young 20-something, though, and found myself saying "No! Don't do that!" at her a couple times.

    Trafficked picks up right where Revenge leaves off, and while I thought the plot slowed down a bit in the middle and got a little dark in parts, it has an exciting climax where a couple villains come to a very fitting demise. A word of (non-spoilery) warning - the story does end a bit suddenly.

    Overall, another fine Natalie McMasters story, and I'm looking forward to the next one.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Sam Fury
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great sequel to the Natalie McMaster series
    Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Natalie is back!

    And she’s determined to find her wife.

    But New York is a big place, and Lupe’s been missing for 6 months already.

    Luckily, she’s not alone. With help from some friends she just may accomplish her mission.

    Of course, there’s the Albanian mob, corrupt police, and immigration on her ass.

    Has Natalie bitten more off than she can chew?

    Will she find Lupe?

    Can she even get out of this alive?

    You love this action-packed thriller, because the first half will hook you, and the second half will blow you away!

    Get it now!
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  • carl brookins
    4.0 out of 5 stars Intense frank thriller
    Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Natalie McMasters is a private investigator trainee and the narrator of this emotional, terror-steeped and frank novel of love, loss, desperation, enslavement and retribution. She’s good at surveillance, patient, calm and alert. She hasn’t had much training or experience in developing projects that consider all possible events and outcomes, so she travels on grit and instinct.
    She’s married, to a young Latino lady who is in the states illegally and thus has no standing with ICE. When ICE comes looking, Lupe runs, leaving a distraught Natalie to wonder about the future. Natalie’s decision, after very little consideration is to go looking for Lupe. The trail leads to New York where Natalie becomes tangled with city law enforcement, a gaggle of street people, a detective from her hometown, and finally, an evil band of Albanian sex traffickers.
    This explicitly written novel starts slowly and ramps up to a frenetic pace almost immediately as Natalie and her detective friend wander through some of the seamier sections of New York and encounter interesting characters on both sides of the law. Scenes are well developed and often gripping in substance. The author captures a good sense of the scenes and characters in the city and on the Albanian’s ship, in a very adult and explicit fashion.
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  • Lucy Middleton
    3.0 out of 5 stars Hard to read
    Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    This book was very dark and hard to read. It is quite graphic at points, especially in the sex scenes. This plus the alphabetical use of slang were both unnecessary and distracting from the overall plot, I would like to believe the plot is farfetched but I fear it is not.
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  • Susan Rice
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another Great Mystery!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2019
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    Natalie McMasters is back for the third book in the series and she's as feisty as ever! In this book she travels to New York City and the story is so vividly written I can almost see it for myself. Eagerly awaiting fall for the release of the fourth book to see how Natalie solves her current dilemma.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Betsy Ashton
    4.0 out of 5 stars Page turner that will keep you up at night
    Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Damn you, Thomas Burns. I’m so sleepy today.

    Thomas Burns’ TRAFFICKED! was not what I expected. I thought I’d bought a thriller with an amateur private investigator trying to find a missing wife. What I got was a hair-raising ride with Nattie, the P.I., searching for her wife who had run off ahead of an ICE agent coming to deport her. Leads take Nattie to New York City, a place as foreign as any for a woman from a small city. Aided by one of the licensed P.I.s from her uncle’s firm, she tracks the runaway through the seamy sides of multiple boroughs, through strip clubs and back alleys. Along the way, she trusts a homeless man who claims his network of fellow street-dwellers should be able to help. Still okay. Tension is ratcheting up. And then, enter the Albanian mob of human and drug traffickers, and you have a story you hope you won’t read on the front page of your local paper.

    TRAFFICKED! is a dandy good yarn, well worth reading deep into the night. With the lights on. I did.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • james gault
    5.0 out of 5 stars Hard to put down once you start
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 3, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Natalie McMasters is a young, hard-drinking, foul-mouthed, cynical, lesbian private detective and you’ll love her. She is a twenty-first century female version of the ‘private eyes’ you can find among the works of the 1940s’ greats like Micky Spillane, Dashiell Hammet and Raymond Chandler.

    Coming back from recovering from the results of a previous adventure, ‘Nattie’ finds her wife, an illegal immigrant, has abandoned her, having fled from the attentions of the US Immigration Service. The story follow her to the cesspits of New York as she tries to find her. It’s a tale of violence, abuse, and corruption, but also a story of love and loyalty. The pace is frenetic, it bounces along at 100 miles an hour and the twists and turns of the plot keeps you engrossed right to the end - a tour de force of storytelling.

    It’s an engrossing detective mystery with great characters, I can’t envisage any lover of the genre not enjoying it. But there is some extra depth to it.

    As the title suggests, the main theme of the story is human trafficking, but the author casts his social consciousness far wider, with frequent little by-the-way comments on city poverty, the treatment of veterans and the US immigration policy. But the overriding theme is the role of women in modern society.

    So is it a candidate for the accolade of a ‘feminist’ novel? With a strong, feisty principle character it would certainly seem so, but there are undertones of machismo. The author surrounds the heroine with a protective cocoon of tough ex-marines, ready to come to her rescue whenever needed. Her previously confirmed sexuality is challenged by her relation with her male ‘sidekick’. You get the impression that the author has a grip on the ambiguity of the gender issue. He respects the power of women but appreciates they are different from the male species. I wonder what feminist activists, with their black and white insistence on equality, make of the novel.

    Not that feminist approval matters that much. This is, I would say, a boy’s book. The sex and violence are very explicit, and although romance has its part to play, I’m not sure the majority of women would agree that it’s compassion for women as victims would be adequate compensation for the condescending male tone that, for me, permeates the novel.

    So what’s my recommendation? Guys, don’t miss it! Babes, give it a try. If the author gets up your nose, he’s still around so you can get to him on his Facebook page.

    James Gault is the author of Best Intelligence, Ogg, The Redemption of Anna Petrovna and Teaching Tania
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  • Elara
    4.0 out of 5 stars Hard Nosed Thrills
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 20, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Natalie McMaster’s wife, Lupe, has run away to avoid being picked up by ICE and deported from the USA. Due to having to recover from injuries, Natalie can’t begin to look for her until six long months have passed. But this is her wife, Natalie loves her and she is not going to let Lupe go until she is sure that is what Lupe really wants. The trail leads to New York and Natalie finds herself searching for a needle in a haystack. Then when she finally get a lead, the trail brings her up against organised criminals who are trafficking girls for sex.

    What I really enjoyed:
    The characters. I really like Natalie as a character and it was a delight to get back into her head in this book having read ‘Revenge’. And the supporting cast are just as strong and believable. They feel like real people with real problems navigating a very dangerous and uncertain world.
    The story. The author is a born storyteller. This is a rip-roaring tale and has all the elements of a mystery and a thriller combined. As a reader you are caught up in the events and just have to know what happens in the end, which gives the book a real page-turning quality - although sometimes when the events were not progressing the plot that would mean several pages at once…
    The big issues. What I really like about the Natalie McMaster’s books is that they go straight for the throat in confronting the big issues in the world today. In this case, such things as the position of illegal immigrants in the US and human trafficking.

    What I struggled with:
    Character sexuality flip. This was a real issue for me. Natalie is a lesbian married to a woman and fully committed to her. She clearly and repeatedly - and with the experience and self-knowledge to do so - self-defines as a lesbian. So for me, having Natalie being suddenly shown as attracted to male physique was a character turn I could not fit in with my knowledge of her: ‘He looks like a bodybuilder or a male model with those gorgeous pecs and six pack. Lesbian or no, the man’s hot!’ I really dislike books written about LGBT characters when they suddenly start acting straight or bisexual having been presented as exclusively same-sex attracted. It diminishes their sexuality and reeks of the untrue and patronising implication that a ‘good man’ is all a lesbian needs to go straight or a ‘good woman’ for a gay guy to do so.
    Present tense writing.The author handles it better than most, but there were still plenty of those grating moments that would break my immersion as he struggled to make the present tense work around events.
    The pace. This was patchy. I really could have done without the scenes of playing tourist in New York or details on meals being eaten or playing computer games. They killed the pace and ramped down the tension. But that is another issue with present tense writing, you can’t leap time very easily without it jarring and the result is having to slow the book to a crawl at some crucial times in the plot.

    Overall thoughts:
    Despite its flaws, I enjoyed this book and think you will too if you like adult thrillers. I struggled a bit on star rating, that sudden sexuality shift was a real issue for me. In the end, I went for 3.5, which rounds up to 4.
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  • Liz
    5.0 out of 5 stars Filled with action
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 4, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Another great story featuring the tough, devil-may-care Natalie McMasters. This is the third I have read in this series, and author Thomas Burns has nailed it again. This time, Nattie is on a quest to find her love, Lupe; a journey which leads her into all kinds of danger along the way. While transporting us into the seedy world of sex workers, this fast-paced thriller leaves us gasping for breath on each turn of a page. Filled with action, superb description, and scenes not for the faint-hearted, this novel will not disappoint. Better still, the cliff-hanger ending leads us to believe Nattie's adventures are far from over, so I am hoping to soon read the fourth in this excellent series.
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  • J.E. Rowney
    4.0 out of 5 stars Another great book in this series
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 6, 2021
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    I’ve read this series out of order - this is the third Nattie novel that I’ve read - but it’s so easy to pick up and enjoy that it really hasn’t mattered.

    Nattie heads off to New York in search of her wife Lupe in this book. I have to admit that I didn’t find the plot as compelling as Stripper! Or Sniper! but the writing style is so compelling and the characters (particularly Natalie herself of course) are so engaging that this is still a solid four star read. There are so many little quirks of her personality, not just in this book but in the whole series that I’ve read so far, that flesh out this strong character, and I think that’s really what makes me enjoy these books.

    If you’re just starting out with the series, read Sniper! First, but if you’ve enjoyed the other books you’re going to love taking this trip with Nattie...
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  • Gem
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great suspense read.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 1, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    This is my favourite installment of this series due to its suspense and fast pace. Following Nattie in the search for her wife we see her face many trials whilst having the strength and determination to carry on. Some new characters pop up along the way, some you will love and some may not.

    This is a great thriller that kept me guessing and my heart racing till the end!
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