Category: Suspense

TITLE: Seeing Evil
CHARACTERS: Samantha & Michael
AUTHOR: Jason Parent
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/04/15
ORDER LINKS: Amazon  | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Fate in plain sight.

Major Crimes Detective Samantha Reilly prefers to work alone—she’s seen as a maverick, and she still struggles privately with the death of her partner. The only person who ever sees her softer side is Michael Turcotte, a teenager she’s known since she rescued him eleven years ago from the aftermath of his parents’ murder-suicide.

In foster care since his parents’ death, Michael is a loner who tries to fly under the bullies’ radar, but a violent assault triggers a disturbing ability to view people’s dark futures. No one believes his first vision means anything, though—not even Sam Reilly. When reality mimics his prediction, however, Sam isn’t the only one to take notice. A strange girl named Tessa Masterson asks Michael about her future, and what he sees sends him back to Sam—is Tessa victim or perpetrator?

Tessa’s tangled secrets draw Michael and Sam inexorably into a deadly conflict. Sam relies on Michael, but his only advantage is the visions he never asked for. As they track a cold and calculating killer, one misstep could turn the hunters into prey.

REVIEW:
I really enjoyed this book. It is a wonderful paranormal suspense book and will keep you interested until the very end.

Michael is a teen who has visions and while most do not believe him Samantha realizes what he can do and uses it to help. Michael has lived his own rough life. He lost his parents at a young age and was in the foster care system for years. Tessa lives a horrible life from the father from hell. His actions are so unbelievable that it is truly sad that there are real people like this in the world. And both are only teenagers. Together their lives are a horror story in itself. Samantha is hard core and what you may see as rude but seeing her the way the teens see her brings a different light to her character.

The author did an incredible job with this story. The characters are well formed and interesting to read about. Parent really has a way of pulling you right in. Highly recommend.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

TITLE: The Girl With No Past
CHARACTERS: Lean & Julian
AUTHOR: Kathryn Croft
PUBLICATION DATE: 01/01/15
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A gripping psychological thriller for fans of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train.

Leah Mills lives a life of a fugitive – kept on the run by one terrible day from her past. It is a lonely life, without a social life or friends until – longing for a connection – she meets Julian. For the first time she dares to believe she can live a normal life.

Then, on the fourteenth anniversary of that day, she receives a card. Someone knows the truth about what happened. Someone who won’t stop until they’ve destroyed the life Leah has created.

But is Leah all she seems? Or does she deserve everything she gets?

Everyone has secrets. But some are deadly.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This is a really interesting thriller. It takes a little while to warm up to Leah. She is the stereotypical librarian. She lives in her books, has little social life, etc. She wants to start having a social life and takes the current way… going online. But of course that doesn’t work out very well. The story takes place now but has a number of flashbacks that explains Leah’s story and why someone is after her.

I enjoyed the story. I thought the psychological part of it was thrilling. While dark it was really interesting. I haven’t read Gone Girl or The Girl On The Train so I don’t know if it compares but all in all I thought this was good and worth the quick read.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

TITLE: Murder Mystery
CHARACTERS: Dade Cooley
AUTHOR: Gene Thompson
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/25/15
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
When wealthy art collector Miriam Welles is crushed to death by her own Rolls Royce, the police call it a tragic accident.

But her lawyer Dade Cooley arrives on the scene in Los Angeles and quickly determines that, though the Rolls was empty, there was definitely a driving force behind Miriam’s untimely demise.

He takes on the role of detective with glee as the plot thickens.

Two more residents come to an unfortunate end, and Dade is convinced that murder is the cause of all these suspicious deaths.

When a special painting is stolen, the list of suspects grows until Dade discovers the unlikely perpetrator behind the killings.

Was it greed or love that killed the beauty?

‘Murder Mystery’ is a classic mystery story from a master story-teller.

REVIEW:
This was a good little mystery. The thing was it was very dated. Apparently this is a re-release and nothing was changed in it to bring some of it up to date. It is a funny who-dun-it that is a light read.

Good for being as dated as it is.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

TITLE: Vendetta
SERIES #: The Nikki Boyd Files #1
CHARACTERS: Nikki Boyd
AUTHOR: Lisa Harris
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/06/15
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
No one needs to push Nikki Boyd to excel on the Tennessee Missing Persons Task Force. The case of her own missing sister, still unsolved after ten years, is the driving force in her work. When a Polaroid photo of a missing girl shows up at a crime scene, Nikki quickly recognizes similarities to the past. The closer she gets to the abductor, the more she feels this case has become personal, and she is not the hunter . . . but the hunted.

With this explosive first book in The Nikki Boyd Files, award-winning author Lisa Harris takes you on a fast-paced pursuit of justice that will have you holding your breath until the heart-stopping finish.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This is the first in a new series from an author I have not read before. The synopsis pretty much tells it all so I don’t need to repeat it. It is pretty typical as well. Lady becomes cop because her sister went missing a decade ago and not another girl is missing and she takes it personal. Typical, like I said.

I’m am 60/40 on this book. I would say 50/50 but it did keep my interest and make me want to finish it so I will give it that push over the edge. The characters are good and well written. The history of Nikki is solid and again she kept my attention. I was waiting for something about the book that would be different than others… something about Nikki that we didn’t know that gave us that “Oh now I get it” moment but it never came. I also never felt much of a connection, except the loss of a loved one, between Nikki and Tyler.

I guess this would fall under the inspirational suspense more than anything else. And while interesting it just really didn’t do it for me. I can imagine some will love this series. I am just not one of them.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

TITLE: Every Second
SERIES #: Kate Page #3
CHARACTERS: Kate Page
AUTHOR: Rick Mofina
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/29/15
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Terror claws into the lives of an American family…

On a quiet night in their tranquil suburban home, the Fulton family awakens to a nightmare. Four armed men force bank manager Dan Fulton to steal a quarter million dollars from his branch—strapping remote-detonation bombs on him, his wife, Lori, and their young son.

A relentless reporter discovers an agonizing secret…

The FBI moves swiftly with a major investigation while Kate Page, a reporter with a newswire service, digs deep into the story. In the wake of the Fulton family’s abduction, questions emerge, including one of the most troubling: is the case linked to Lori Fulton’s tragic past?

Time ticks down on a chilling plan…

Working as fast as they can, Kate and the investigators inch closer to a devastating truth—it’s not only the Fultons’ lives at stake, but thousands of others…and every second counts in the race to save them.

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts We have seen stories like this in the headlines. Luckily not often but we have seen them. High end bank employee’s family is threatened and the banker is told to go to the bank and get money or the family dies. It is like it is ripped from the headlines. But there is more to the story then just that.

Rick Mofina is really great at drawing you into the suspense of his thrillers. But there is always more to his stories then just the obvious. In this case the wife’s past has a little bit to do with what is happening too.

This is the third in the Kate Page series and she is tenacious and once she sinks her teeth into something she doesn’t let it go. With this story she is pulled in almost immediately. And she is going to find out all she can to help this family.

I enjoy the novels of Mofina. His stories have a little bit of everything. Suspense, thrills, a bit of a scare and so much more.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

TITLE: Time To Die
CHARACTERS: Jennifer Knight
AUTHOR: Caroline Mitchell
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/24/15
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N 

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Don’t ever cross his palm with silver.
He will reveal your most shameful secrets.
He will predict your death.
He is hiding a secret.
He is hiding a monster.
And all his predictions come true.

Investigating a series of chilling murders, Detective Jennifer Knight finds herself tracking a mysterious tarot card reader known only as The Raven.

As the death toll rises, Jennifer and her team build a picture of a serial killer on the edge of sanity, driven by dark forces. But these are not random killings. And the method behind the madness could be the most terrifying thing of all …

Especially when it seems the death of one of their own is on the cards.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This is the second in a series but to be honest I didn’t know that when I picked it up. I would say you can read it has a stand alone but I do feel like the first book probably gave some insight into Jennifer that would have helped enjoy this book more. But either way it can be enjoyed.

Jennifer has a psychic ability that she uses to help her solve crimes. I get the impression in the first book that by the end she was courted by Operation Moonlight because she is working for them in this book. Operation Moonlight works supernatural cases. Jennifer is a bit hard nosed with OCD and
strong willed.

This is a British crime drama that is very interesting. I found it to be sort of like the Krewe of Hunters series from Heather Graham with the bit of supernatural with a lot of suspense. I think you will be captivated by this story. But I might suggest you start with the first one just for the background.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

TITLE: City Of Echoes
SERIES #: Matt Jones #1
CHARACTERS: Matt Jones
AUTHOR: Robert Ellis
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/01/15
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
On Detective Matt Jones’s first night working Homicide in LA, he’s called to investigate a particularly violent murder case: a man has been gunned down in a parking lot off Hollywood Boulevard, his bullet-riddled body immediately pegged as the work of a serial robber who has been haunting the Strip for months. Driven by the grisliness of the killing, Jones and his hot-tempered partner, Denny Cabrera, jump headfirst into the investigation. But as Jones uncovers evidence that links the crime to a brutal, ritualized murder that occurred eighteen months prior, he begins to suspect that there’s more going on beneath the surface. When Jones discovers shocking, deep-seated corruption; a high-level cover-up; and his own personal ties to the rising body count, he’s no longer sure he can trust anyone, even himself.

REVIEW:
I will say I am not exactly a fan of film noir and that is how this felt to me. The whole grey room with the private dick and woman in distress, etc. But that being said it was ok. I wouldn’t say it is a favorite. I wouldn’t even say that I will rush to read the next one but it keep my attention mostly.

I never really connected with the characters. Any of them really. And the thriller part of it wasn’t all that thrilling. But again it sorta kept my attention so I rated it right down the middle.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

TITLE: Slaughter
SERIES #: Frank Quinn #10
CHARACTERS: Frank Quinn
AUTHOR: John Lutz
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/25/15
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A beautiful jogger, drained of blood, dismembered, then meticulously reassembled on the the grass in Central Park. Subway derailments, plummeting elevators, collapsing construction cranes, apartment explosions—all creating a bloody, senseless puzzle. Detective Frank Quinn knows that even while the slayer is taunting the cops and the public, he’s also screaming to be caught. But Quinn will have to risk everything he holds precious to bring in this killer. . .

REVIEW:
Not one of my favorites by Lutz. It seemed a little scattered if you ask me. First the killer doesn’t seem to stick to the same things. Everything I have ever learned the killer usually sticks to a general MO so when the killer doesn’t in this book it becomes distracting.

The story is a bit gory. I mean sometimes it just seems to go too far. I enjoy a suspenseful thriller as much as the next person but this one just seemed to be a bit overboard.

I will get the next in the series but I will read it with trepidation.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.