Identity Issues

The Samantha Series #1

by Claudia Whitsitt

I teach. I raise a gaggle of kids. And my husband's out of town... most of the time. This is my normal, and I'm used to it. I can handle the missing passport... the threatening letter... the late night phone calls... even the potential stalker. No problem. I've got it. Then my life takes a sharp left turn, and I'm speeding down a one way street to hell. No longer sure who is friend and who is foe, one truth remains-I've placed myself and my family in mortal jeopardy. Trust me, I'll do whatever it takes to save my family.

Genres: Mystery, Amazon, Suspense, Contemporary, Fiction

258 pages, Paperback

First published November 30, 2012

About the author

I’m the oldest of six children and the only girl. Northwest Detroit, at that time a thriving metropolis and desirable address, was my childhood home. I attended parochial schools and loved learning from the very start. A voracious reader, one of my fondest memories is keeping the hall light burning in hopes of stealing a few extra minutes of reading time each night. When my mom got wise to my tricks and closed my bedroom door, I snuck a flashlight from my dad’s toolbox, kept it hidden under my bed and replaced the batteries more than once. That single beam came in handy on many late nights with Nancy Drew.

Graduating from St. Mary of Redford high school in 1970, I attended Eastern Michigan University. After receiving my degree, I became a Special Education teacher. Early on I realized that teaching was my new “school." I learned so very much from my students and their families about hope in the face of despair, about the hidden talents each of us possess, and about how simple acts of humanity can touch and enrich lives.

I have always loved writing whether composing an educational report, a letter to one of my children, or a simple poem. My initial inspiration to write a novel came while I worked as a Special Education teacher and became involved in a mystery surrounding one of my students. As all writers do, I began playing “what if” and started putting ideas down on paper.

Since penning my first novel, Identity Issues, I am consumed with learning more about my newly discovered passion. A newbie at my first writer’s conference a few years back, I asked the question, “How do I become a better writer?” The editor, my newly adopted fairy godmother, spoke wisely. “Write some more.”

Since that time, I have written two more installments in The Samantha Series, Intimacy Issues and Internal Issues.

I've also recently released The Wrong Guy, a new adult romantic mystery loosely based on the Co-Ed killings of the late '60s.

Later in 2014, I will be releasing a stand alone work of contemporary fiction, Two of Me, and a middle grades historical fiction novel, Between the Lines.

Reviews

[Bonnie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't really understand why this book received good ratings on amazon. The plot was far fetched, but I could have overlooked that if it didn't succumb to a rookie mistake. NO ONE ASKED THE OBVIOUS QUESTIONS, and so everyone, by extension, just seemed really really stupid.

*Possible Spoilers*

Why didn't Samantha show a picture of her husband to Rosalita when she first accused them of having the same husband? Why didn't the real Jon Stitwell look into the fact that his identity was stolen and was used for possibly nefarious purposes? Why didn't Sam and Jon ever seem to TALK, like the amazing wedded couple they purported to be? Why was there no discussion of the toll that his telecommuting was taking, even after she blew up at him?

I don't know why, but this book irked me.

[E.V. Fairfall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first mystery I've ever read! And I liked it :) I think this is especially perfect for mom's and teachers :P I say that because I'm not a mom or a teacher and I felt like some of the connections were lost on me but would be enjoyed by others in that profession. I did enjoy Samantha and how real she felt.

This book really took off at about 70% and that is where I couldn't put it down. Going up to that, it was pretty mellow.

I had fun trying to figure everything out and by the end of the book there were still questions left unanswered because there is a whole series :P

[Jenny Hilborne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Identity Issues is a well-written mystery featuring housewife, teacher, and mother-of-five Samantha Stitsill. After her husband's identity is stolen, a string of bizarre incidents take place. They begin with late night phone calls and letters from someone in Botswana. When an immigrant mother of two confronts Sam about her husband, believing they are married to the same Jon Stitsill, Sam finds herself drawn into the depths of a puzzling mystery.

Her husband is often away on international travel, leaving Sam to raise 5 kids and balance a full time job as a Special Ed teacher. We only get to meet Jon Stitsill through Samantha, giving us a taste of how little time he spends with his family. Sam is the one left to figure out the identity theft issue rather than her husband, who is the victim of the crime.

The writing is tight and crisp. The author describes the life of a "single" mother very well (single as in married, yet alone). Women in a similar situation will identify with the protagonist. Detective McGrath makes Sam's life more interesting, especially when things heat up between them.

The plot line is clever, though the story does leave the reader with a number of unanswered questions, indicating a possible sequel.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

what a story! I read 3/4 of it last night because I got so wrapped up in the storyline I couldnt put it down! cant wait for the next!

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced book that seems like nothing is happening and everything is happening at once. Well written.

[Rob Lewan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very hard book to rate. It definitely kept me on edge and confused which is good in a book. Still, a little lost but considering there are multiple books, I guess I need to read more.

[Rachel Jackson · Rating 2 out of 5]

In a lot of ways, Claudia Whitsitt's book Identity Issues read like a shoddy Shakespeare play with all its identity confusion, love triangles and lack of basic communication. Except that it took 200 pages for me to be mildly interested in it. And, unlike Shakespeare, I was annoyed with the character's stupidity and not amused by it as I usually am when I read a Shakespearean comedy.

Of course, comedy Identity Issues is not. Before I continue, however, I should preface this review by saying that Claudia Whitsitt is the mother of a childhood friend of mine, and it was a little strange to be reading this book knowing her as a person and not just an author, knowing who the characters were based on and where some of the locations where the story was set. I read one of her previous books, The Wrong Guy, I believe, and was unamused by it. I only read this book now because it was available as a free download, so I thought I'd revisit her writing.

Nothing had changed. This book was the same simple style of writing as the other of Whitsitt's book that I read years ago, and it wasn't that enthralling to me. I found the premises to be outlandish, which, if I'm continuing my shoddy Shakespeare analogy here, could be entertaining if the book was a comedy and if it was written well. But given the lack of those two elements, the story didn't make any sense with the types of things that occurred to main character Samantha Stitsill. Identity theft sure; mystery, sure; intrigue, sure. But the way it all came together and no one asked any questions? Samantha didn't immediately realize something was wrong. She didn't sort out realistic problems with her marriage. She didn't ask questions of Rosita and her family. The entire book seemed like it could have been solved if Samantha hadn't isolated herself from everyone and figured out how to deal with the problem — she claimed she didn't want to worry anyone, but she didn't even have her ducks properly in a row to report it to the cops or to show that something really was going on.

The story arc was set up strangely, in that, there wasn't really an "arc" at all. Everything was so obvious before it even happened, not so much the ending, but everything prior to the first 200 pages. Perhaps that's why I finally felt somewhat interested in the story at the end, because it had an element of Dan Brown cliffhanger unpredictability at that point. Of course, the ending itself was rushed and clearly set up a sequel in the end, which was disappointing, but at least something happened. I won't be reading said sequel, so the story stops here with me. It was a quick, easy and mindless read, but not a particularly engaging or interesting one. Definitely one of those summer beach reads that everyone talks about, but that's about it.

[Kerry Reis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Samantha Stitsill (an acronym for "Sit Still"?) has a full life with five children and a dog in a blended marriage, a husband whose world-traveling job keeps him away from home most of the time, and a challenging special education teaching position at the local school, so when the calls and letters from overseas claiming her husband is the father of another woman's child reveals that her husband is a victim of identity theft, it feels like one more family crisis she has to take on. However, at a parent-teacher conference, when Sam meets a woman whose deceased husband had the exact same name as Sam's husband, Sam realizes there is more to the identity theft than an irritating nuisance to her family's life. Instead, as Sam investigates further, she uncovers a mystery with ever increasing dangerous overtones. The story, told in the first person by Sam, works hard to reconcile the day-to-day of motherhood and work with an somewhat overcomplicated conspiracy. Feeling forced in some sections, it is still a suspenseful read. A final clue in the book reveals the story continues in the next novel in the series.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a supremely well-crafted, well-written cozy that kept me glued to my kindle late into the night. Samantha Stitsill is a busy mom and special education teacher whose husband is often overseas for extended periods on business. Creepy phone calls and irksome letters thrust Sam into the midst of a mystery and what may be a case of mistaken or stolen identity. As Sam tries to uncover the root of the problem she finds herself getting pulled deeper and deeper into something so dangerous that her family is threatened.

It is not often that you find a literary heroine with five kids and a full-time job that is as sympathetic, believable and likable as Sam Stitsill. I hated for the book to end, and fortunately I was able to jump right in to the next book in this humorous yet atypical series.

I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

Reviewed by Laurie-J

[Lynda Kelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

This started well but then headed off into ridiculous territory and I packed it in at 8%. I read it was based on the author's own experiences and she has a strange surname and used one for her heroine too that I needed to say slowly to myself each time I read it !
Firstly, I didn't see how a stolen passport from more than a decade ago and an odd letter received in the post would be immediately connected in her mind. That seemed daft to me as it stood but when I got to the sudden remembrance of a woman phoning to say that Jon was her father some years previously it headed off into the realms of being too farfetched for my liking.
There were apostrophe errors too, of course, that old e-book staple.

[Deepseareader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book as a loaner through Amazon. It had a lot of good reviews. The first person narrative and chatty style took me a couple of pages to get used to, but I found I liked it for this character. It was like reading a story from a friend.

Samantha is flawed and overwhelmed and I found myself wondering why she didn't kick her husband's butt for leaving her alone all of the time with five kids and a full time teaching job. But the twists and turns that come from that situation are part of what makes the story so good.

I'm looking forward to the second book in the series.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mystery surrounds late night phone calls, a woman who begins asking strange questions, and a detective nosing around. It doesn't take long for this story to hook you in.

I liked the characters and the relationships though Samantha made some risky (and shall I say "dumb") choices.

This is the first in what appears to be a series. While I won't get into detail for obvious reasons, I thought the book could have taken a different direction than it did. There were questions remaining. Perhaps book two shows things a bit differently and will leave the reader surprised.

[Blue Jay Media · Rating 5 out of 5]

We loved this book. We wouldn't have picked it up if we didn't love the main character, Samantha. "Sam" is smart and funny and somehow keeps her sense of humor in instances when we would have lost ours entirely.

Additionally, the premise of identity theft is based on the author's own problems with identity theft. A man stole her husband's identity, and her husband actually received calls from all over the world accusing him of multiple inappropriate, if not illegal, acts.

We hope you enjoy this blend of funny but deadly narrative.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A special ed teacher and mother of 5 kids gets pulled into a mystery involving her husband's stolen identity. I like that this author shows the ordinary life of this woman whose husband is away on business a lot, but sometimes I felt like it was too much on that and not just on the story. However, maybe that was the author's intent. To show a ordinary woman and how she gets caught up in solving a mystery and being threatened with her life. Good suspense and kept me wanting to come back for more.

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first this book started off fine, someone keeps calling her home asking about her husband. Of course when the calls come her husband is always out later it seems her husband is the victim of identity theft or is he? I had a tough time trying to keep up with this book and I felt the ending was a last minute type of thing the author decided to put in, in order for us to read the next book but it left me feeling…

[Angelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fast paced and well written. I had a hard time putting it down and found myself picking it up in the middle of the night to see what was going to happen next! I love Samantha's character and can relate to her. I was happy to find out that Samantha's story will continue and can't wait to read more about her.

[Nipurna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written mystery that grips you till the end.
Must read :)

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read of adventure, love and mystery.

[Christa Yelich-Koth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun story. Kept my interest until the end, alhough I felt the ending piled on things a little heavy and went too quickly.