Tag: Crime Thriller

Book three in the Max Carter series follows a similar arc as the first two (Tell Me Lies and Gone in Seconds). We start with an abducted child, in this case a teenager named Olivia, and quickly move into multiple suspects.

As with the first two books, the author does a good job of keeping the reader guessing. There are secrets to be revealed and lies to be unraveled – sometimes it seemed like more than usual.

I did like how each of the suspects had plausible reasons for the abduction. (Sometimes an author will just use any ploy to create drama – that’s one of the things I like about this series…that doesn’t happen here).

As I have mentioned in the past, writing reviews of crime novels is difficult for me because I hate spoilers. In an investigation that takes the course of the book, it’s hard to talk about details without giving away clues in the investigation.

And there’s the conundrum.

Anyway, I thought that with this being the third book, the author did an admirable job of crafting the story so that both newcomers and those who have read the previous books could follow along fairly easily.

That being said, I could see where someone who hasn’t read the previous book might have a few issues, because Max’s relationship with his father continue in this book and (as with the last one) it does get a bit confusing.

But all in all, it’s another solid entry in this series. I would highly recommend starting from the beginning though, because you’ll have a much better understanding of Max. That will certainly enhance your enjoyment of the book.

Author Bio:

Ed James is the author of multiple series of crime novels.
The bestselling DI Simon Fenchurch series is set in East London and published by Thomas & Mercer.

The self-published Scott Cullen series of Scottish police procedurals features a young Edinburgh Detective Constable investigating crimes from the bottom rung of the career ladder he’s desperate to climb. The first book, “Ghost in the Machine”, has been downloaded over 400,000 times, hitting both the Amazon UK & US top five.

The Craig Hunter books is a sister series to the Cullen novels, with a PTSD-suffering ex-squaddie now working as a cop investigating sexual abuse cases. With lots of slapstick and banter.
Ed lives in East Lothian, Scotland and writes full-time, but used to work in IT project management, where he filled his weekly commute to London by literally writing on planes, trains and automobiles.

I really enjoyed the first Mackenzie Price book, Our Daughter’s Bones (formerly Hidden Lake). I thought that the main character was just messed up enough to be interesting without seeming to be a caricature. I was therefore interested to see what the next case would be.

The author does not disappoint.

Keeping the reader as off balance as Mackenzie herself is, the action takes off quickly; the fast start involved me right away and kept me interested through the whole book.

I liked how there were parallels between Mackenzie private life (which is still a mess, but kind of even more so with some early revelations) and the investigation that she undertakes in this book.

I mean, who doesn’t like a “I thought they were dead, but they aren’t” theme?

I felt that Mackenzie continued to grow as a character in this book. It’s easy to have the lead stay the same – there’s something comforting in knowing how Sherlock Holmes will approach something (for example).

But Mackenzie rolls with the punches and each revelation from her twisted past shapes her. She is both street smart and book smart (which I like) and she doesn’t suffer fools (which I really like).

I like the relationship between Nick and Mackenzie. It reminds me of real-life police partnerships I have seen. There’s an understanding, a camaraderie, and a warped sense of caring that goes beyond respect for a co-worker. The author captures this well.

As with the first book, the author also does a great job of weaving all of the threads together into a cohesive narrative that kept me turning pages to the very end.

And (as always) I’m not going to give away the investigation or any plot points. They’re original and very entertaining.

In a genre that sometimes feels overcrowded with tough-talking, strong female protagonist crime solvers, Mackenzie is a stand-out. I can’t wait to read more of her investigations.

Author Bio:

Ruhi Choudhary discovered her passion for writing when she was seven years old and wrote her first Star Trek episode. Being a fan of the dark and twisted, she found her calling in crime thriller.

She likes to write stories that make you a little uncomfortable and characters that you struggle to make up your mind about but stay with you.

She lives in Toronto and spends her days training to be a scientist and wishing it rained more often!

I really enjoyed the introduction to Charlie Winters in First Girl Gone. I liked the unique “conscience” she had, and I liked her attitude. Naturally, I was excited for her next investigation.

I wasn’t disappointed.

I thought that Charlie has grown. She seemed more comfortable in her role this time. She still has the messy family dynamics. She’s constantly tugged in a few different directions.

And of course, she still has the voice of her sister to keep her company. Or to argue with. Or to provide wry commentary on the case at hand. In some ways, Allie is my favorite character.

Which is strange, because at the same time she’s really just another side of Charlie. I mean, we all have that Jiminy Cricket in our ear. I guess with Allie, it’s a little different because she is a fully developed person, not just an inner monologue.

Anyway, back to the investigation.

I very much enjoyed the spirit of this one. Right from the start (dead rich guy with warring heirs) I got the feeling of being in a mix between an Agatha Christie novel and a game of Clue.

And yes, I thought that even before Allie referenced it.

As with the first book, the authors did a good job of keeping the investigation lively and gave away clues (with a dash of a few red herrings) without giving away the entire plot.

That’s another thing I like about these books – the authors allow for the reader to solve the case along with Charlie.

This is quickly becoming one of my favorite series, and I can’t wait for the next one.

Author bio:
L.T. Vargus and Tim McBain are the authors of the Violet Darger series and The Scattered and the Dead series among others, which have collectively tallied over a million downloads. Their book, Dead End Girl, peaked at #3 in the US Kindle charts and has remained in the top 10 in multiple sub-categories since it was published in 2017

I came to Josie Quinn late in her series (Cold Heart Creek was number seven) but I quickly got hooked on Josie’s story and the author’s writing style. Now I can’t wait for the next book each time.

Don’t believe me? Check out my reviews for Find Her Alive and Save Her Soul.

Anyway.

The new vulnerability shown by Josie in the previous book takes firmer shape in this one. I loved the scene where Misty and Josie took Harris to pre-school. Even though it was a simple enough scene, it seemed very telling to me.

First, Josie and Misty have formed a camaraderie that balances each other. It’s not always easy, but they work off of each other, almost a yin and yang to each other.

I also thought it was clever that Josie understood Harris on another level (with the hand squeezing). That was an insight to Josie’s more tender side (yes, she has one). I look forward to seeing where the author goes with Josie’s character.

The case at hand is interesting too. I liked the cryptic nature of the notes around the victims. This went along with how Josie found the sticker on the bag in the first case.

I’m not saying anything more about the case than that. But it’s a good one. And I constantly admire how original the investigations are. Kudos to the author on that. It’s never boring.

The other thing the author does well is give us insight into the killer’s mind and motivations. The chapters from the killer’s perspective provide just enough information that we (the readers) can look at characters as they’re introduced and wonder if they are the culprit.

I love being a part of the investigation in that manner.

While this is an asset to the books, for me, the thing that keeps drawing me back is the evolution of Josie. She’s not static, she’s not always the same. She changes with each experience.

That makes her real, and one of my favorite detectives in the genre.

Author Bio:

Lisa Regan is a USA Today, Wall Street Journal bestselling author and Amazon bestselling crime novelist.  She has a bachelor’s degree in English and Master of Education Degree from Bloomsburg University.  She is a member of Sisters In Crime, Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and daughter. Find out more at her website: www.lisaregan.com