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Detective D.D. Warren #6
Catch Me
Charlene Grant believes she is going to die. For the past few years, her childhood friends have been murdered one by one. Same day. Same time. Now she’s the last of her friends alive, and she’s counting down the final four days of her life until January 21.
Charlene doesn’t plan on going down without a fight. She has taken up boxing, shooting, and running. She also wants Boston’s top homicide detective, D. D. Warren, to handle the investigation.
But as D.D. delves deeper into the case, she starts to question the woman’s story. Instinct tells her that Charlene may not be in any danger at all. If that’s true, the woman must have a secret—one so terrifying that it alone could be the greatest threat of all.
Charlene doesn’t plan on going down without a fight. She has taken up boxing, shooting, and running. She also wants Boston’s top homicide detective, D. D. Warren, to handle the investigation.
But as D.D. delves deeper into the case, she starts to question the woman’s story. Instinct tells her that Charlene may not be in any danger at all. If that’s true, the woman must have a secret—one so terrifying that it alone could be the greatest threat of all.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published February 7, 2012
About the author
Lisa Gardner
89 books18.3k followersLisa Gardner is the #1 New York Times bestselling thriller author of the Frankie Elkin series, as well as the Detective D.D. Warren, the FBI Profilers and the PI Tessa Leoni series.
Her current suspense novels feature Frankie Elkin, an everyday, average person who specializes in finding missing people. When the locals have given up, when the media has never bothered to care, Frankie takes on the challenge. From looking for a missing teen in inner city Boston to searching for a missing hiker in the wilds of Wyoming to rescuing a possibly kidnapped girl on a remote island in the Pacific, Frankie is on the case!
Lisa lives in the mountains of New Hampshire with two crazy pups. When not writing, Lisa loves to hike, play cribbage, and, of course, read!
Her current suspense novels feature Frankie Elkin, an everyday, average person who specializes in finding missing people. When the locals have given up, when the media has never bothered to care, Frankie takes on the challenge. From looking for a missing teen in inner city Boston to searching for a missing hiker in the wilds of Wyoming to rescuing a possibly kidnapped girl on a remote island in the Pacific, Frankie is on the case!
Lisa lives in the mountains of New Hampshire with two crazy pups. When not writing, Lisa loves to hike, play cribbage, and, of course, read!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,549 reviews
October 14, 2021
So much time had gone between my reading of book #5.5, when D.D. Warren had her baby boy, and this next book, that I was afraid the baby would be a teenager already. But no, the baby is just ten weeks old in book #6 and D.D. has been back at work for two weeks, a changed woman like she could have never expected to change. That's what being a new mother has done to D.D. and I think the change looks good on her. There is a balance in her life that she would have never allowed until her precious baby came into the life of D.D. and her partner, Alex.
What a time to be investigating the deaths of disgusting pedophiles. No longer can she look at these crimes as something that will happen to the children those strange people called parents. She is one now and these predators have been going after little boys. This is the world her boy is going to grow up in and digging in to this seedy world would turn anyone's stomach. But who is killing these men and what might they have to do with the seemingly unrelated deaths of two women best friends, on Jan 21, one years apart? The third leg in this best friend trio, Charlene, is sure that her death will be the upcoming Jan 21, she feels like there is no stopping the killer and she wants D.D. to be the investigator on the case, after her death.
This is a very disturbing story as we watch a sexual predator at work, luring a seven year old into his trap. We also get to see a deranged mother as she destroys the lives of her children, in a different way. Nothing in this world seems safe and we see the toll the investigations take on the investigators. It's impossible for this work to not get under their skin and it's easy to see how the lines can get blurry between on duty and off duty. This was a really twisted story with lots of misdirection and surprising revelations and I enjoyed getting to discuss it with my friend, DeAnn.
TW: Child abuse of all kinds
What a time to be investigating the deaths of disgusting pedophiles. No longer can she look at these crimes as something that will happen to the children those strange people called parents. She is one now and these predators have been going after little boys. This is the world her boy is going to grow up in and digging in to this seedy world would turn anyone's stomach. But who is killing these men and what might they have to do with the seemingly unrelated deaths of two women best friends, on Jan 21, one years apart? The third leg in this best friend trio, Charlene, is sure that her death will be the upcoming Jan 21, she feels like there is no stopping the killer and she wants D.D. to be the investigator on the case, after her death.
This is a very disturbing story as we watch a sexual predator at work, luring a seven year old into his trap. We also get to see a deranged mother as she destroys the lives of her children, in a different way. Nothing in this world seems safe and we see the toll the investigations take on the investigators. It's impossible for this work to not get under their skin and it's easy to see how the lines can get blurry between on duty and off duty. This was a really twisted story with lots of misdirection and surprising revelations and I enjoyed getting to discuss it with my friend, DeAnn.
TW: Child abuse of all kinds
October 10, 2023
Writing: classic Lisa Gardner | Plot: didn't get TOO crazy | Ending: dramatic
Phat ass trigger warning: Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, pedophilia, grooming
SYNOPSIS
Back from her (criminally short) maternity leave, D.D. Warren and the gang are tasked with bringing a vigilante to justice and trying to stop a murder before it happens.
MY OPINION
I feel like it's been a hot minute since I last read a Gardner so shoutout to Karly for the failed buddy read to get me reacquainted with one of my fave writers. Also I knocked off another book from the ole physical TBR, so that's always a win.
Like I said, I'm a huge fan of Gardner's writing, but her plots can put me in a bad mood LOL. I can happily report that this one stays pretty 'normal' for her standards. No micro gang tatts with hidden symbols. No learning how to rig explosives, defrost your husband's dead body, and move a dog carcass all in 24 hours. This is pretty straightforward: Charlene thinks she's gonna die on Jan 21 like her friends have for the past two years and someone's on the loose shooting pedos. Yes, a lil yeetage of disbelief is required... it's Gardner after all.
There are some particularly uncomfy scenes here. Charlene's mother had Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, so the things she does to dear Charlene are... disturbing to say the least. I thought it was a bit odd that Gardner didn't take the opportunity to play this up a bit given DD had just returned from her mat leave (10 weeks only is just WRONG. I'm sorry America) and is a first-time mother. Other disturbing aspects include: learning how pedos abuse Al Gore's internet and have formed some sorta pedo-alliance to further their deviant activities and Jesse falling into the trap of a pedo and being traumatized for life.
Also, I was hella uncomfortable with DD caping for pedos again. She did a lil bit of this in The Neighbor too. Here, a 16-year-old pedo is shot while exposing himself to a 7-year-old boy, and DD laments: What if he could've changed? The courts probably wouldn't have tried him as an adult, but another citizen had. AND WHAT ABOUT IT??? Only DD could show more empathy to a pedo CAUGHT IN THE ACT than a victim of a crime. I still remember her hating on Tessa Leoni because she was "pretty and vulnerable." But abusers literally caught with their pants down?? How unfortunate they don't get another chance at hurting other innocent children! *plays the world's smallest violin*
Anyways, this was a solid Gardner tale. I think it could've been a bit shorter but I liked how it all came together. The stick that's usually lodged firmly up DD's ass was a lil looser this time. And although I didn't really understand the beef with her parents (they just wanted her to behave?), it did provide us with at least some insight into DD's petulant behaviour (she's over 40 lol).
PROS AND CONS
Pros: interesting mystery, lots of easter eggs from other Gardner novels for fans, well-written, good pace despite length, got a lil peek at what makes DD so awful
Cons: DD caping for pedos AGAIN, too long, tbh I wasn't a fan of the vigilante stuff but I guess it was necessary to make this a full-length novel
Phat ass trigger warning: Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, pedophilia, grooming
SYNOPSIS
Back from her (criminally short) maternity leave, D.D. Warren and the gang are tasked with bringing a vigilante to justice and trying to stop a murder before it happens.
MY OPINION
I feel like it's been a hot minute since I last read a Gardner so shoutout to Karly for the failed buddy read to get me reacquainted with one of my fave writers. Also I knocked off another book from the ole physical TBR, so that's always a win.
Like I said, I'm a huge fan of Gardner's writing, but her plots can put me in a bad mood LOL. I can happily report that this one stays pretty 'normal' for her standards. No micro gang tatts with hidden symbols. No learning how to rig explosives, defrost your husband's dead body, and move a dog carcass all in 24 hours. This is pretty straightforward: Charlene thinks she's gonna die on Jan 21 like her friends have for the past two years and someone's on the loose shooting pedos. Yes, a lil yeetage of disbelief is required... it's Gardner after all.
There are some particularly uncomfy scenes here. Charlene's mother had Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, so the things she does to dear Charlene are... disturbing to say the least. I thought it was a bit odd that Gardner didn't take the opportunity to play this up a bit given DD had just returned from her mat leave (10 weeks only is just WRONG. I'm sorry America) and is a first-time mother. Other disturbing aspects include: learning how pedos abuse Al Gore's internet and have formed some sorta pedo-alliance to further their deviant activities and Jesse falling into the trap of a pedo and being traumatized for life.
Also, I was hella uncomfortable with DD caping for pedos again. She did a lil bit of this in The Neighbor too. Here, a 16-year-old pedo is shot while exposing himself to a 7-year-old boy, and DD laments: What if he could've changed? The courts probably wouldn't have tried him as an adult, but another citizen had. AND WHAT ABOUT IT??? Only DD could show more empathy to a pedo CAUGHT IN THE ACT than a victim of a crime. I still remember her hating on Tessa Leoni because she was "pretty and vulnerable." But abusers literally caught with their pants down?? How unfortunate they don't get another chance at hurting other innocent children! *plays the world's smallest violin*
Anyways, this was a solid Gardner tale. I think it could've been a bit shorter but I liked how it all came together. The stick that's usually lodged firmly up DD's ass was a lil looser this time. And although I didn't really understand the beef with her parents (they just wanted her to behave?), it did provide us with at least some insight into DD's petulant behaviour (she's over 40 lol).
PROS AND CONS
Pros: interesting mystery, lots of easter eggs from other Gardner novels for fans, well-written, good pace despite length, got a lil peek at what makes DD so awful
Cons: DD caping for pedos AGAIN, too long, tbh I wasn't a fan of the vigilante stuff but I guess it was necessary to make this a full-length novel
May 13, 2020
Charlene Grant is a marked woman, or so she believes. Her two best friends were murdered one year apart on the same date and it’s fast approaching again. The anniversary of her last friend’s murder is in four days and Charlene has not only prepared for it but reached out to Detective Sergeant D. D. Warren whom she believes to be the top cop in Boston. Warren agrees she’s got cause for concern but is also giving Charlene the side eye as she delves into her life. There’s definitely good reason for doing so as there’s quite a lot going on that’s ripe for suspicion.
I’ve made no secret of my being less than impressed with Warren in previous stories but she won me over in this one. She’s a new mother just returning to work and feeling all that entails. However, I think her having a more multidimensional life has improved her perspective. She doesn’t leap to conclusions here and takes a more thoughtful approach to the investigation. I finally got a chance to see her exhibit the skills that got her promoted in this male dominated force.
Charlene Grant is one of the most fascinating and baffling characters appearing to date in a series that’s had lots of competition for that position. She was extremely well developed, so good that I wasn’t sure whether she was one of the good guys or not. It could have gone either way but I admired her no matter what, which is good writing. The case was compelling and twisty, taking a major turn that hooked me so strongly I stayed up late to finish this in one day (right before midnight). I’m loving Kirsten Potter’s narration and she’s now firmly established as D. D. in my head. This story is my favorite to date and the personal angle just made it even better.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
I’ve made no secret of my being less than impressed with Warren in previous stories but she won me over in this one. She’s a new mother just returning to work and feeling all that entails. However, I think her having a more multidimensional life has improved her perspective. She doesn’t leap to conclusions here and takes a more thoughtful approach to the investigation. I finally got a chance to see her exhibit the skills that got her promoted in this male dominated force.
Charlene Grant is one of the most fascinating and baffling characters appearing to date in a series that’s had lots of competition for that position. She was extremely well developed, so good that I wasn’t sure whether she was one of the good guys or not. It could have gone either way but I admired her no matter what, which is good writing. The case was compelling and twisty, taking a major turn that hooked me so strongly I stayed up late to finish this in one day (right before midnight). I’m loving Kirsten Potter’s narration and she’s now firmly established as D. D. in my head. This story is my favorite to date and the personal angle just made it even better.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
February 15, 2016
This is a reread!!
This is one of the messages the killer leaves behind!!
The opening chapter of Catch Me, the 6th novel in Lisa Gardner’s Detective D.D. Warren Series is like a punch on your chest!! It’s so horrifying and so dark……An 8 year old girl is stabbed by her insane mother, who is trying to set fire to their home with her baby sister inside, manages to knock out the mother and save her sister.
Charlene Rosalind Carter Grant survives the terrible things her mother had done to her when she’s taken in by her aunt.
Twenty years later, Charlene has moved to Boston and works as a police dispatch officer. The reason she left her home in New England was to ensure the safety of her aunt, after the murders of her two best friends. She knows that on January 21, she will be the next victim.
Detective D.D. Warren is investigating the murders of two pedophiles, which she believes is the work of a serial killer, when she’s approached by Charlie and told the story of her best friends murders and wants to give her as much information so that if she’s killer on Jan 21, D.D. will be able to catch the killer.
The author skillfully switches back and forth from Charlie’s traumatic childhood to present day and how she prepares herself to facing her killer.
The plot is filled with tension filled suspense, twists and turns that had me guessing until almost the last chapter,- and when the identity of the killer is revealed – a total shocker.
The issue of pedophiles and how they use the internet to lure young children is scarily chilling. I certainly learnt a lot about this issue in this story.
I am so liking D.D.’s new life as a mom!!! And the relationship between her and Alex, little baby Jack’s father is really special. I adore Alex….this is the kind of man that any woman would want in her life.
Another great addition to this series that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Everyone has to die sometime. Be Brave
This is one of the messages the killer leaves behind!!
The opening chapter of Catch Me, the 6th novel in Lisa Gardner’s Detective D.D. Warren Series is like a punch on your chest!! It’s so horrifying and so dark……An 8 year old girl is stabbed by her insane mother, who is trying to set fire to their home with her baby sister inside, manages to knock out the mother and save her sister.
Charlene Rosalind Carter Grant survives the terrible things her mother had done to her when she’s taken in by her aunt.
Twenty years later, Charlene has moved to Boston and works as a police dispatch officer. The reason she left her home in New England was to ensure the safety of her aunt, after the murders of her two best friends. She knows that on January 21, she will be the next victim.
Detective D.D. Warren is investigating the murders of two pedophiles, which she believes is the work of a serial killer, when she’s approached by Charlie and told the story of her best friends murders and wants to give her as much information so that if she’s killer on Jan 21, D.D. will be able to catch the killer.
The author skillfully switches back and forth from Charlie’s traumatic childhood to present day and how she prepares herself to facing her killer.
The plot is filled with tension filled suspense, twists and turns that had me guessing until almost the last chapter,- and when the identity of the killer is revealed – a total shocker.
The issue of pedophiles and how they use the internet to lure young children is scarily chilling. I certainly learnt a lot about this issue in this story.
I am so liking D.D.’s new life as a mom!!! And the relationship between her and Alex, little baby Jack’s father is really special. I adore Alex….this is the kind of man that any woman would want in her life.
Another great addition to this series that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
March 4, 2016
Lisa Gardner does it again! Another suspenseful thriller!
"Everyone must Die sometime. Be brave."
"Dying for someone is easy" J.T. murmured now. "Living for yourself is the hard part that's hard.
This is the sixth book in the Detective D.D. Warren series. This is another excellent thriller and isn't dark like the other books I have been reading.
Everyone close to Charlene is dying and the date they are murdered is January 21. Several days before January 21 Charlene contacts D.D. Warren letting her know that she is going to be killed at 8 pm. And the suspense is on! Each time someone is killed there is a note left saying Everyone must die sometime. Be Brave.
I really love this series. The author does a really great job in her characters. She does a really good job with writing suspense thrillers.
"Everyone must Die sometime. Be brave."
"Dying for someone is easy" J.T. murmured now. "Living for yourself is the hard part that's hard.
This is the sixth book in the Detective D.D. Warren series. This is another excellent thriller and isn't dark like the other books I have been reading.
Everyone close to Charlene is dying and the date they are murdered is January 21. Several days before January 21 Charlene contacts D.D. Warren letting her know that she is going to be killed at 8 pm. And the suspense is on! Each time someone is killed there is a note left saying Everyone must die sometime. Be Brave.
I really love this series. The author does a really great job in her characters. She does a really good job with writing suspense thrillers.
May 8, 2019
This fabulous crime mystery series is more worthy than my treatment of reviewing it a month after the fact! Detective D.D Warren leaves us in capable hands as a strong female protagonist. Equally as strong here is Charlie, who believes she has four days left to live. Her two best girlfriends were murdered on this day, in each prior year before. This case as well as a paedophile case consumes much of D. D’s working hours, she is dreadfully tired now being mum of baby Jack, and she quickly realises time does not stand still just because motherhood is part of her life now. Charlie is not giving up without a fight, she trains relentlessly for her impending D-Day and is at the peak of absolute physical fitness.
Charlie has tracked D. D down having heard what a great Detective she is and hopes by meeting her she can somehow ingratiate herself into D. D’s life and this will increase her chance of being taken seriously. It was a nice change reading about two strong willed and physically fit female characters when a lot of my literary women often are easily walked over and seem incapable of standing up for themselves. Great continuance of a solid and enjoyable series.
Charlie has tracked D. D down having heard what a great Detective she is and hopes by meeting her she can somehow ingratiate herself into D. D’s life and this will increase her chance of being taken seriously. It was a nice change reading about two strong willed and physically fit female characters when a lot of my literary women often are easily walked over and seem incapable of standing up for themselves. Great continuance of a solid and enjoyable series.
October 9, 2018
I am slowly, but surely working my way through Lisa Gardner’s suspenseful D.D Warren detective series. I have just finished number six, Catch Me , which features a gritty emergency dispatcher named Charlene Rosalind Carter Grant. Charlie, as she is called, is like no one D.D. Warren has encountered before. She boxes, she works with a shooting instructor at a firing range, she works out religiously, she cares about a stray dog that is not her dog, and she works the night shift at her dispatch job. In short, she is a loner. That in itself does not make her unique.
Charlie believes that she will soon be murdered. She even knows the date. Two of her childhood friends were killed on that date, exactly one year apart. This year, she believes – she knows – it is her turn. She does not know who the killer is, or why this person wants her dead. She only knows that she must prepare herself to fight back.
D.D. is just returning to work from maternity leave. Despite being sleep deprived, we are seeing a kinder, gentler Detective Warren. Motherhood seems to agree with her. Now she is on a case involving a vigilante who is targeting pedophiles. In the process of investigating a crime scene, she encounters Charlene, and their worlds become enmeshed. Boy, do they!
Charlie has a complex past with details that she cannot remember. Some of these details could mean the difference between life and death. For D.D. and her team, it could also mean that Charlie has something to hide. I had lots of theories, which I’m not sure I can claim credit for, even though they popped into my head before they appeared on the pages. Eventually, after much suspense and intrigue, I settled on the right one.
I thoroughly enjoyed the ups and downs of the case. Charlie was a fascinating character. D.D. had a “balanced” life with Alex and baby son Jack, plus the added stress of her parents coming to visit, which was not without humor (many readers can relate, I’m sure). This was perhaps my favorite book of the series so far.
5 stars
Charlie believes that she will soon be murdered. She even knows the date. Two of her childhood friends were killed on that date, exactly one year apart. This year, she believes – she knows – it is her turn. She does not know who the killer is, or why this person wants her dead. She only knows that she must prepare herself to fight back.
D.D. is just returning to work from maternity leave. Despite being sleep deprived, we are seeing a kinder, gentler Detective Warren. Motherhood seems to agree with her. Now she is on a case involving a vigilante who is targeting pedophiles. In the process of investigating a crime scene, she encounters Charlene, and their worlds become enmeshed. Boy, do they!
Charlie has a complex past with details that she cannot remember. Some of these details could mean the difference between life and death. For D.D. and her team, it could also mean that Charlie has something to hide. I had lots of theories, which I’m not sure I can claim credit for, even though they popped into my head before they appeared on the pages. Eventually, after much suspense and intrigue, I settled on the right one.
I thoroughly enjoyed the ups and downs of the case. Charlie was a fascinating character. D.D. had a “balanced” life with Alex and baby son Jack, plus the added stress of her parents coming to visit, which was not without humor (many readers can relate, I’m sure). This was perhaps my favorite book of the series so far.
5 stars
August 10, 2019
Lisa Gardner is one of those authors who rarely if ever fails me. Her thrillers are fast paced, hard hitting and they keep you on the edge of your seat.
Catch Me is about a woman, Charlene Grant who believes she is going to die. The last 2 years on January 21 her childhood best friends were murdered. And Charlene knows she's next but she doesn't plan on going down without a fight. She has taken up boxing, shooting and running in preparation for her fight. She also wants Boston's top homicide detective D.D. Warren to investigate her murder.
There is also a side story about a vigilante who's been hunting down internet predators and killing them. Which may or may not be related to our main storyline.
Catch Me was fun yet dark story. I really enjoyed it. The only thing that stopped it from being a 5 star read to me was the fact that it took some weird and soap opera-ry twist and turns that I though were a bit much. Overall I would recommend Catch Me to readers who enjoy strong female lead detective thrillers.
Catch Me is about a woman, Charlene Grant who believes she is going to die. The last 2 years on January 21 her childhood best friends were murdered. And Charlene knows she's next but she doesn't plan on going down without a fight. She has taken up boxing, shooting and running in preparation for her fight. She also wants Boston's top homicide detective D.D. Warren to investigate her murder.
There is also a side story about a vigilante who's been hunting down internet predators and killing them. Which may or may not be related to our main storyline.
Catch Me was fun yet dark story. I really enjoyed it. The only thing that stopped it from being a 5 star read to me was the fact that it took some weird and soap opera-ry twist and turns that I though were a bit much. Overall I would recommend Catch Me to readers who enjoy strong female lead detective thrillers.
October 16, 2021
4 detective stars
It had been a while since I had read one in this series, but I was drawn right back in. Lisa Gardner's writing makes me want to sit and read all day.
We are right back in Detective D.D. Warren's world, but this time there's a big change as she has a new baby at home. This makes her work more meaningful and more terrifying, especially when she has a pedophile case on her hands.
We also get to know Charlene and she's fearful for an upcoming anniversary. Two years ago on January 21st, her best friend was killed, then one year later, her other best friend was killed on the same day. Charlene thinks that she's next and she's turned to D.D. for help. She's also learned to shoot, runs, and has taken up boxing.
I also enjoyed learning more about Charlene's job as a 911 operator, the people that do this job are amazing.
There's also a disturbing pedophile storyline in this one and shows that technology now plays a big part in luring small children.
As this one builds to a crescendo, I really feared for Charlene as this killer doesn't leave any clues.
This book was made better by having the chance to discuss with Marilyn and we continue to chip away at this series! Thanks to my local library for the copy of this one to read.
It had been a while since I had read one in this series, but I was drawn right back in. Lisa Gardner's writing makes me want to sit and read all day.
We are right back in Detective D.D. Warren's world, but this time there's a big change as she has a new baby at home. This makes her work more meaningful and more terrifying, especially when she has a pedophile case on her hands.
We also get to know Charlene and she's fearful for an upcoming anniversary. Two years ago on January 21st, her best friend was killed, then one year later, her other best friend was killed on the same day. Charlene thinks that she's next and she's turned to D.D. for help. She's also learned to shoot, runs, and has taken up boxing.
I also enjoyed learning more about Charlene's job as a 911 operator, the people that do this job are amazing.
There's also a disturbing pedophile storyline in this one and shows that technology now plays a big part in luring small children.
As this one builds to a crescendo, I really feared for Charlene as this killer doesn't leave any clues.
This book was made better by having the chance to discuss with Marilyn and we continue to chip away at this series! Thanks to my local library for the copy of this one to read.
November 12, 2017
"Everyone has to die sometime. Be brave."
What would you do if you thought you were going to die? You know the date. January 21st. You know the approximate time. 8PM. In the past two years Charlene Grant's two best childhood friends were murdered on January 21st at about 8PM. Now Charlene believes it is her turn but she is not going to just let it happen. She is not going down without a fight. She has taken up boxing and she has a gun and is taking shooting lessons. Four days. Ninety six hours. In addition to the boxing and shooting lessons Charlene takes the next step. She wants D.D. Warren to investigate her potential murder.
D.D. Warren has recently returned to work from maternity leave and has been called out to a murder scene. A pedophile has been killed in his apartment. Shot twice in the head. A double tap. An execution. No great loss ... right? But the job is the job and D.D. must investigate. Turns out there was a similar murder recently before D.D. returned to work. Another pedophile, another double tap. Looks like they may have a serial killer on their hands. As D.D. is leaving the most recent murder scene and returning to her car she sees a paper on her windshield. At first she thinks it is a ticket and is pissed. But it is not a ticket ... it is a note. "Everyone has to die sometime. Be brave." Looking around she sees someone walking away quickly. It is Charlene Grant. D.D. takes Charlene in for questioning and Charlene tells her story. D.D. would like to dismiss Charlene as crazy but there are facts there that seem to indicate her fears are warranted. And that there may be a link between the murder of Charlene's friends on January 21st and the serial killings of the pedophiles.
This is another dark and disturbing story with children the target of physical, psychological, and sexual abuse at the hands of both strangers and parents. If I was a parent of a child and had just read this story I don't know if I'd let my child anywhere near the internet or a computer. Even a seemingly safe kid friendly internet site may not be all it appears to be. But you can't lock your child up and hidden away. That would be insane. Just ask Charlene whose mother was insane and at whose hands she suffered terrible abuses.
What would you do if you thought you were going to die? You know the date. January 21st. You know the approximate time. 8PM. In the past two years Charlene Grant's two best childhood friends were murdered on January 21st at about 8PM. Now Charlene believes it is her turn but she is not going to just let it happen. She is not going down without a fight. She has taken up boxing and she has a gun and is taking shooting lessons. Four days. Ninety six hours. In addition to the boxing and shooting lessons Charlene takes the next step. She wants D.D. Warren to investigate her potential murder.
D.D. Warren has recently returned to work from maternity leave and has been called out to a murder scene. A pedophile has been killed in his apartment. Shot twice in the head. A double tap. An execution. No great loss ... right? But the job is the job and D.D. must investigate. Turns out there was a similar murder recently before D.D. returned to work. Another pedophile, another double tap. Looks like they may have a serial killer on their hands. As D.D. is leaving the most recent murder scene and returning to her car she sees a paper on her windshield. At first she thinks it is a ticket and is pissed. But it is not a ticket ... it is a note. "Everyone has to die sometime. Be brave." Looking around she sees someone walking away quickly. It is Charlene Grant. D.D. takes Charlene in for questioning and Charlene tells her story. D.D. would like to dismiss Charlene as crazy but there are facts there that seem to indicate her fears are warranted. And that there may be a link between the murder of Charlene's friends on January 21st and the serial killings of the pedophiles.
This is another dark and disturbing story with children the target of physical, psychological, and sexual abuse at the hands of both strangers and parents. If I was a parent of a child and had just read this story I don't know if I'd let my child anywhere near the internet or a computer. Even a seemingly safe kid friendly internet site may not be all it appears to be. But you can't lock your child up and hidden away. That would be insane. Just ask Charlene whose mother was insane and at whose hands she suffered terrible abuses.
October 20, 2022
So scary and diabolical. I stayed up late to finish it. Hopefully, sleep will find me soon.
Well, sleep did find me, but I had weird dreams due to finishing the book very late at night. The subject matter involves kids, so it was disturbing to the max to say the least. The pacing of the story was so well done and contained many twists and turns. It was suspenseful to the end. Catch Me was my first book by Lisa Gardner and I can't wait to read her other works, especially in this series.
Well, sleep did find me, but I had weird dreams due to finishing the book very late at night. The subject matter involves kids, so it was disturbing to the max to say the least. The pacing of the story was so well done and contained many twists and turns. It was suspenseful to the end. Catch Me was my first book by Lisa Gardner and I can't wait to read her other works, especially in this series.
May 30, 2013
Kept me guessing! I made false predictions several times. Loved seeing a softer D.D.
May 2, 2015
Everyone has to die sometime. Be brave.
That's what Charlie's mum used to tell her right before she hurt her. But Charlie doesn't remember much of the first eight years of her life as an abused child. After her Aunt rescued her she only remembers love and safety although sometimes her nightmares bring back horrifying flashes of her early years. Now Charlie is working as a police radio dispatcher in Boston and she knows she is no longer safe. Her two BFFs were each murdered one year apart in exactly the same way on January 21st.In four days time it will be 21st January and Charlie knows the killer is coming for her.
This is the sixth in the DD Warren series and is one of the best.DD is now a mother to baby Jack and living with Alex. She is back at work and struggling to fit in her new life with work and manage to get some sleep. While investigating the murder of a pedophile, she meets Charlie who informs her she will be murdered on 21st January. About a quarter of the way into the book a sudden creepy element appears and this slowly intensifies as the story works its way to the chilling climax. 4.5★
June 26, 2023
My Rating: 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ welcome home, thank you Lisa Gardner what a delight!!!
This was supposed to be a buddy read with my good friend GirlWithThePinkSkiMask but alas I am too slow to keep up with my speed reading buddy and she finished this while I slept soundly on the other side of the world 🤣
Charline (Charlie) Grant is convinced she is going to die on January 21, it seems inevitable since both her closest childhood friends have been murdered the previous years both on January 21. Both cases have gone cold… no clues and no trace.
However, Charlie plans on fighting till the bitter end, she has taken up all manners of self defence and she wants the help of Boston’s top Detective D.D. Warren. Understandably D.D is sceptical but as she digs further into the case it becomes weirder and weirder… and there are glaring questions about Charlie’s background.
Charlie may in fact be her own biggest nightmare.
Well - thank you Lisa Gardner for yet again delivering on all the major aspects of a book. The writing - check ✅. The plot - check ✅. Entertainment factor - check ✅. I mean she does know how to put a story together. After a dismal month of June and some really disappointing reads/DNFs… what was I to do… so I turned to my trusty pal Lisa Gardner… and she did not let me down. I have jumped all over this series like Tigger in the 1000 acre wood but I have calmed down and am now reading them in order. This is the 6th book in the series and I absolutely loved it. I think it was up there with one of my faves to be honest.
The prologue… WAS CREEPY AF!!! That kicked it right into gear for me… I was hooked immediately… this is not for the feint of heart though.. there are many trigger warnings in this book so please know your limits especially child abuse. This was hard to read at times… and that is saying something from some of the stuff I read. But I was hooked… nothing was stopping me.
I have to say D.D was actually chill in this book… she has just come back to work after maternity leave and I thought she would be raging… I mean shes raging most of the time anyway but she was chill and kind and thoughtful… the D.D that is usually probably suppose to be there but Gardner forgets to write into the books most of the time… so it had me thinking maybe… just maybe D.D will be nice from now on… but then I remembered I have read like book 10 and 11 and shes raging in those books hahaha. So maybe a one off… either way she was actually surprisingly delightful and I was able to enjoy her banter in this rather than it just coming off as rude and arrogant all the time.
I did think it made for a nice change that in this book D.D actually objectified some of the men hahaha normally she is too busy bitching about how hot the females are … don’t get me wrong she does that in here too.. but she actually was a bit of hubba hubba for one of the dudes hahaha. Nice change. I also really enjoy the relationship she has with her baby daddy Alex, he is a great addition to this series and I am really glad they got together… that made me happy and I think maybe he will keep her even keel going forward.
I liked Charlie as well… she was weird and whack but girl had, had it tough… I was worried about her most of the time. I also really loved tulip (the dog that isn’t her dog and don’t worry nothing bad happens to Tulip).
I was happy with the Multi POV and flashbacks… oooh Christ those flashbacks were insane… I wanted to punt Charlie’s mother in the face with a hammer… she deserved it not even kidding… what a piece of work that woman is… no wonder shes paranoid. The writing as always was excellent Lisa can write - that is a fact… I don’t know what I will do when her books run out for me… cause I always come back to my safety net of LG books when I am doing it tough out here in the reading streets.
I really enjoyed the scenes with Charlie as the 911 operator you can tell that Gardner does her research and I appreciate that… I learnt some stuff about 911 operators and how they have the police’s officers back and vice versa I really liked that aspect of the book.
For me there are no bad bits… I am sure some of the chapters were a bit long winded… and I did kind of guess the twist… or at least I had some thoughts about it… but it did not ruin it and I didn’t fully guess exactly what was happening. This book did not go OTT off the rails at the end which does normally tend to happen but it stayed the course… it had some action but overall it was really well done.
I suggest going in blind to this one… you can read the little synopsis but don’t try too hard to figure out who is who and what is what before you read it just go with it roll into it and enjoy the confusion until it becomes clear…. It was really brilliant.
Overall I would definitely recommend this one… it’s a bit long but it doesn’t feel it. The story flows, the characters are great (or awful on purpose) and you a few different storyline’s that feel separate but end up intertwining which is always cool… and you also have a vigilante who is going around killing pedophiles I mean… who doesn’t want that!!! You can also jump right in at this one like it’s a standalone there is enough info in here to know about D.D’s backstory/new baby and it wont ruin your reading experience being book 6. Just get stuck into it if you haven’t already picked it up!!!
Happy Reading GoodReaders!!!!
This was supposed to be a buddy read with my good friend GirlWithThePinkSkiMask but alas I am too slow to keep up with my speed reading buddy and she finished this while I slept soundly on the other side of the world 🤣
Charline (Charlie) Grant is convinced she is going to die on January 21, it seems inevitable since both her closest childhood friends have been murdered the previous years both on January 21. Both cases have gone cold… no clues and no trace.
However, Charlie plans on fighting till the bitter end, she has taken up all manners of self defence and she wants the help of Boston’s top Detective D.D. Warren. Understandably D.D is sceptical but as she digs further into the case it becomes weirder and weirder… and there are glaring questions about Charlie’s background.
Charlie may in fact be her own biggest nightmare.
Well - thank you Lisa Gardner for yet again delivering on all the major aspects of a book. The writing - check ✅. The plot - check ✅. Entertainment factor - check ✅. I mean she does know how to put a story together. After a dismal month of June and some really disappointing reads/DNFs… what was I to do… so I turned to my trusty pal Lisa Gardner… and she did not let me down. I have jumped all over this series like Tigger in the 1000 acre wood but I have calmed down and am now reading them in order. This is the 6th book in the series and I absolutely loved it. I think it was up there with one of my faves to be honest.
The prologue… WAS CREEPY AF!!! That kicked it right into gear for me… I was hooked immediately… this is not for the feint of heart though.. there are many trigger warnings in this book so please know your limits especially child abuse. This was hard to read at times… and that is saying something from some of the stuff I read. But I was hooked… nothing was stopping me.
I have to say D.D was actually chill in this book… she has just come back to work after maternity leave and I thought she would be raging… I mean shes raging most of the time anyway but she was chill and kind and thoughtful… the D.D that is usually probably suppose to be there but Gardner forgets to write into the books most of the time… so it had me thinking maybe… just maybe D.D will be nice from now on… but then I remembered I have read like book 10 and 11 and shes raging in those books hahaha. So maybe a one off… either way she was actually surprisingly delightful and I was able to enjoy her banter in this rather than it just coming off as rude and arrogant all the time.
I did think it made for a nice change that in this book D.D actually objectified some of the men hahaha normally she is too busy bitching about how hot the females are … don’t get me wrong she does that in here too.. but she actually was a bit of hubba hubba for one of the dudes hahaha. Nice change. I also really enjoy the relationship she has with her baby daddy Alex, he is a great addition to this series and I am really glad they got together… that made me happy and I think maybe he will keep her even keel going forward.
I liked Charlie as well… she was weird and whack but girl had, had it tough… I was worried about her most of the time. I also really loved tulip (the dog that isn’t her dog and don’t worry nothing bad happens to Tulip).
I was happy with the Multi POV and flashbacks… oooh Christ those flashbacks were insane… I wanted to punt Charlie’s mother in the face with a hammer… she deserved it not even kidding… what a piece of work that woman is… no wonder shes paranoid. The writing as always was excellent Lisa can write - that is a fact… I don’t know what I will do when her books run out for me… cause I always come back to my safety net of LG books when I am doing it tough out here in the reading streets.
I really enjoyed the scenes with Charlie as the 911 operator you can tell that Gardner does her research and I appreciate that… I learnt some stuff about 911 operators and how they have the police’s officers back and vice versa I really liked that aspect of the book.
For me there are no bad bits… I am sure some of the chapters were a bit long winded… and I did kind of guess the twist… or at least I had some thoughts about it… but it did not ruin it and I didn’t fully guess exactly what was happening. This book did not go OTT off the rails at the end which does normally tend to happen but it stayed the course… it had some action but overall it was really well done.
I suggest going in blind to this one… you can read the little synopsis but don’t try too hard to figure out who is who and what is what before you read it just go with it roll into it and enjoy the confusion until it becomes clear…. It was really brilliant.
Overall I would definitely recommend this one… it’s a bit long but it doesn’t feel it. The story flows, the characters are great (or awful on purpose) and you a few different storyline’s that feel separate but end up intertwining which is always cool… and you also have a vigilante who is going around killing pedophiles I mean… who doesn’t want that!!! You can also jump right in at this one like it’s a standalone there is enough info in here to know about D.D’s backstory/new baby and it wont ruin your reading experience being book 6. Just get stuck into it if you haven’t already picked it up!!!
Happy Reading GoodReaders!!!!
October 12, 2022
“Charlene Grant believes she is going to die.”
Charlene Grant’s two best friends are dead. In fact, they’ve been murdered – precisely one year apart to the day and almost to the minute. Charlene Grant believes she is next but she’s not prepared to lie down and shuffle off this mortal coil peacefully. She’s trained, she’s fighting fit and she’s ready to take on whoever is coming for her. She’s an expert marksman, she’s a talented boxer who could knock the stuffing out of virtually any opponent and she’s hand-selected Detective Sergeant DD Warren to dig into the case to find her nemesis.
CATCH ME is an engaging thriller that will certainly catch your interest quickly and hold it through the entire novel. Indeed it’s a genuine page turner but ultimately I have to say it simply edges too far into the characterization of over-the-top lacking in credibility to hold its grip on what started as a likely 4- or 5-star gang-buster.
That said (#1), what definitely held my interest were a series of extraordinarily well-researched, informative, exciting and downright gripping sidebar essays on a series of topics related to the progress of the story and the investigation – pedophilia and the techniques of internet victim grooming; 911 emergency operators and police dispatchers; forensic hand-writing analysis and graphology; vigilantism; Munschausen by proxy; FBI profiling; and dissociative identity disorder and multiple personalities. They were absolutely fascinating and, for my money, far more interesting than the actual murder case they were written to supplement.
But, THAT said (#2), I’ll still pick up a DD Warren novel any day of the week and look forward to the read. Definitely recommended.
Paul Weiss
Charlene Grant’s two best friends are dead. In fact, they’ve been murdered – precisely one year apart to the day and almost to the minute. Charlene Grant believes she is next but she’s not prepared to lie down and shuffle off this mortal coil peacefully. She’s trained, she’s fighting fit and she’s ready to take on whoever is coming for her. She’s an expert marksman, she’s a talented boxer who could knock the stuffing out of virtually any opponent and she’s hand-selected Detective Sergeant DD Warren to dig into the case to find her nemesis.
CATCH ME is an engaging thriller that will certainly catch your interest quickly and hold it through the entire novel. Indeed it’s a genuine page turner but ultimately I have to say it simply edges too far into the characterization of over-the-top lacking in credibility to hold its grip on what started as a likely 4- or 5-star gang-buster.
That said (#1), what definitely held my interest were a series of extraordinarily well-researched, informative, exciting and downright gripping sidebar essays on a series of topics related to the progress of the story and the investigation – pedophilia and the techniques of internet victim grooming; 911 emergency operators and police dispatchers; forensic hand-writing analysis and graphology; vigilantism; Munschausen by proxy; FBI profiling; and dissociative identity disorder and multiple personalities. They were absolutely fascinating and, for my money, far more interesting than the actual murder case they were written to supplement.
But, THAT said (#2), I’ll still pick up a DD Warren novel any day of the week and look forward to the read. Definitely recommended.
Paul Weiss
July 16, 2024
The last 3/4 of this book nearly made me bump it up to a 4 star but it was far too average. I am ploughing through this series now and I have really enjoyed my time with it so far, this might not have been the best book so far but it was decent.
I still aren't warming up to D.D for some reason I feel like I have such a disconnect to her. I did like Charlie though - she was the same age as me and I felt more drawn to her even if I questioned her sanity and innocence throughout.
The actual plot was pretty good, but nothing special, it jumped around a little but it wasn't too confusing. We kept getting mini reveals which made me want to keep reading some reveals were obvious some not so much but there wasn't any shocking moments for me. We did have a decent amount of action in this book too, fast paced and good fun.
I think this book lacked a BIG reveal it lacked an UMPH for sure, I will be continuing with this series.
I still aren't warming up to D.D for some reason I feel like I have such a disconnect to her. I did like Charlie though - she was the same age as me and I felt more drawn to her even if I questioned her sanity and innocence throughout.
The actual plot was pretty good, but nothing special, it jumped around a little but it wasn't too confusing. We kept getting mini reveals which made me want to keep reading some reveals were obvious some not so much but there wasn't any shocking moments for me. We did have a decent amount of action in this book too, fast paced and good fun.
I think this book lacked a BIG reveal it lacked an UMPH for sure, I will be continuing with this series.
May 19, 2017
I love the D.D. Warren mysteries, and this one does not disappoint!
Twenty-eighty year old Charlene Rosalind Carter Grant, Charlie, thinks she has four days left to live. Two years ago one of her best friends, Randi was murdered on January 21st, then one year to the date, her other best friend Jackie was murdered. They were a trio. The three musketeers: Randi Jackie Charlie, as they were known in school. It is four days until January 21st and Charlie thinks she's next. She's not going down without a fight though, she's planned ahead. Boxing classes, gun lessons, running, preparing in any way she can for January 21st. She's even picked the investigator she wants to solve her murder if the worst happens: Detective D.D. Warren. What would you do with the time you have left?
This is one of two cases Detective D.D. Warren finds herself in the middle of two weeks back from her maternity leave. It's clear to D.D., from the beginning that there is more to Charlie than she is letting on. Is four days enough to get to the bottom of this? The other case D.D. is working on, is the murder of two pedophiles, both shot with no apparent signs of a struggle and no forced entry. D.D. has to balance her job with the new responsibility of caring for her newborn son, now ten-weeks old.
This story had a lot of plot twists and turns. When I was sure of one thing, suddenly it would change and it was something else entirely. I loved that we got to catch up with a lot of past characters. It was such a treat to get a glimpse into their lives again. It was nice to see tough-as-nails D.D. has fallen head-over-heels in love with her baby, Jack. Also, seeing D.D. and Alex together, adjusting to life with a baby was so precious. I love Alex, how he's so patient and smitten with D.D. This is a definite recommend to any fan of Lisa Gardner. I can't wait for the next one!
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton/Penguin Group for sharing this story with me.
Twenty-eighty year old Charlene Rosalind Carter Grant, Charlie, thinks she has four days left to live. Two years ago one of her best friends, Randi was murdered on January 21st, then one year to the date, her other best friend Jackie was murdered. They were a trio. The three musketeers: Randi Jackie Charlie, as they were known in school. It is four days until January 21st and Charlie thinks she's next. She's not going down without a fight though, she's planned ahead. Boxing classes, gun lessons, running, preparing in any way she can for January 21st. She's even picked the investigator she wants to solve her murder if the worst happens: Detective D.D. Warren. What would you do with the time you have left?
This is one of two cases Detective D.D. Warren finds herself in the middle of two weeks back from her maternity leave. It's clear to D.D., from the beginning that there is more to Charlie than she is letting on. Is four days enough to get to the bottom of this? The other case D.D. is working on, is the murder of two pedophiles, both shot with no apparent signs of a struggle and no forced entry. D.D. has to balance her job with the new responsibility of caring for her newborn son, now ten-weeks old.
This story had a lot of plot twists and turns. When I was sure of one thing, suddenly it would change and it was something else entirely. I loved that we got to catch up with a lot of past characters. It was such a treat to get a glimpse into their lives again. It was nice to see tough-as-nails D.D. has fallen head-over-heels in love with her baby, Jack. Also, seeing D.D. and Alex together, adjusting to life with a baby was so precious. I love Alex, how he's so patient and smitten with D.D. This is a definite recommend to any fan of Lisa Gardner. I can't wait for the next one!
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton/Penguin Group for sharing this story with me.
May 24, 2020
3 stars
I am not sure why I stick with this series. This is book six in the D.D. Warren series. I will admit that this book is one of the better I have read of the six, but for me it was only average. Gardner is not an author that I sit and wait impatiently for her next book. I place Gardner in the pallet-cleansing, help-me-over-the-hump-of-a-reading-slump category. Thus, not sure why I continue to read her series, when I have so many other book to read.
With that said, this book had a couple of nice twists in it. I think it started with too many story plots, as Gardner's books usually do, but midway through it seemed to congeal into one story. However in the process it just dropped the characters that made up the dropped portion, which had been very much in the forefront up to that point.
My favorite character of the series was not even mentioned in this book, Bobby Dodge. That was a disappointment - a big disappointment. I liked that Warren brought her live in boyfriend and her new born son more into the story, but was not a fan of the chapters including her parents. I fear that upcoming books will concentrate more on her relationship with her parents and am really not looking forward to that.
The next book in the series is book number seven Fear Nothing.
I am not sure why I stick with this series. This is book six in the D.D. Warren series. I will admit that this book is one of the better I have read of the six, but for me it was only average. Gardner is not an author that I sit and wait impatiently for her next book. I place Gardner in the pallet-cleansing, help-me-over-the-hump-of-a-reading-slump category. Thus, not sure why I continue to read her series, when I have so many other book to read.
With that said, this book had a couple of nice twists in it. I think it started with too many story plots, as Gardner's books usually do, but midway through it seemed to congeal into one story. However in the process it just dropped the characters that made up the dropped portion, which had been very much in the forefront up to that point.
My favorite character of the series was not even mentioned in this book, Bobby Dodge. That was a disappointment - a big disappointment. I liked that Warren brought her live in boyfriend and her new born son more into the story, but was not a fan of the chapters including her parents. I fear that upcoming books will concentrate more on her relationship with her parents and am really not looking forward to that.
The next book in the series is book number seven Fear Nothing.
September 5, 2015
This book addresses several heavy subjects that at times are explained very explicitly, and for some may be disturbing. The first is about mental illness and all the horrid things that happen to the children of the afflicted that go unchecked. The second, is concerning the vile subject of pedophilia and last but not least is how a serial killer may relate back to both.
This is my first Lisa Gardner book. She does a masterful job of producing an exciting psychological thriller. This who done it had me going back and forth until the last few chapters and at times creeped me out. Good writer, will read more of her work.
The narrator did a good job allowing the heft of the story come through without inflicting to much drama.
This is my first Lisa Gardner book. She does a masterful job of producing an exciting psychological thriller. This who done it had me going back and forth until the last few chapters and at times creeped me out. Good writer, will read more of her work.
The narrator did a good job allowing the heft of the story come through without inflicting to much drama.
January 29, 2012
Another suspenseful entry into the D. D. Warren series. As a new mother D. D. is trying to balance baby, new relationship, and her duties as a police lieutenant, when she is called to the scene of a murder. She also is approached by a young woman named Charlie, who is afraid she will be killed on the 21st of January, as her two best friends have been. From here the twist and turns, and revelations arrive in a very suspenseful and fast paced manner. Her relationship problems do not take over the novel and I was very thankful for that. Really like this series and can't wait to see what is up next for this character. ARC from Net Galley.
January 16, 2017
As an unashamed admirer of ballsy Sergeant Detective D.D. Warren of the Boston Police Department, Lisa Gardner is my 'go to' girl when I need a shot of adrenaline and this sixth appearance of D.D., Catch Me, certainly fitted the bill!
D.D. Warren is on cranky form when she returns to duty following her maternity leave, not because she has been parted from her ten-week-old son, Jack, or at the mercy of his fragmented nighttime sleeping. Hell, no.. As a born workaholic who lives and breathes her job and likes to be in control, her parents arrival from Florida is imminent and no one radiates disapproval like D.D.'s mother! Finding herself pregnant at forty-one was not part of D.D.'s plan, but with a supportive and caring partner in crime scene expert, Alex Wilson, she rather likes the domestic bliss and security of her own family nest in suburbia.
Walking into her first crime scene back on the job and greeted by the stench of a festering corpse that has spent days awaiting discovery, the deep freeze of mid-January is the only saving grace. Not that D.D. is exactly mourning the demise by two gun shot wounds to the forehead of a man whose house contents reveal his paedophilic tendencies, especially not as a new parent herself. But the use of a .22 caliber gun seems a curious choice of homicide weapon, more intended for self-defence than a lethal weapon. Then her team tell her about the incident of four weeks previously, when another paedophile by the name of Douglas Antiholde also met his death at the hands of two wounds from a .22. Two victims, one predator - D.D. is back in the saddle with only six hours to solve the crimes before home time and a return to baby Jack. Returning to her car she finds a handwritten note on the windscreen with a chilling motto and which matches a similar note found on the first victim. An analysis based on the penmanship of the letter points to a tightly wound perfectionist with obsessive tendencies... and interestingly a female.
It is at then that D.D. is intercepted by Charlene Rosalind Carter Grant, enquiring if D.D. will be assigned to her case without any incident having yet occurred, something even D.D. is at a loss to answer. For as Charlie tells D.D., she is the last man standing in the trio of three childhood friends, both clinically dispatched in their own homes with no sign of forced entry, no signs of a struggle and a robbery ruled out on the exact same date, January twenty-first just one year and a thousand miles apart. As a born survivor, hardened by a tough upbringing and a sick mother, Charlie has run from her home town, severed contacts with her past and has trained, prepared and visualised her murder. She is fit, fast, accurate with a gun, licensed to carry and a confident bare knuckle boxer and tells D.D. that as one of the most respected homicide detectives in the state of Boston, she wants her on the case. Working as a dispatch handler with no criminal record an intrigued D.D. looks into Charlie Grant and her interest is piqued. As one of the best in the business, D.D. relishes the opportunity to up her game and with Charlie craving a return to the town she ran from, D.D.'s newfound status allows her to appreciate the pull of home. Randi Menke, Jackie Knowles, Charlie Grant? Three days to solve two cold cases with no new leads... welcome back Sergeant Detective D.D. Warren.
As D.D. consults with FBI Special Agent Kimberly Quincy and her father, Pierce, who compiled the initial report comparing the murders of Charlie's friends, it is lost on no one that the three women had drifted apart and for the connections between the trio, the microscope needs to concentrate on their earlier years, possibly the existence of a school friend that didn't make the final cut to the select trio. As D.D. takes Charlie back to relive her harrowing past at the hands of a mother with Munchausen's by proxy it becomes clear that she is reluctant to recall the memories. After a lifetime of being prepared, Charlie Grant appears as lethal as any predator lying in wait and when it becomes clear that she fits the profile for the type-A female who simultaneously fits the gunning down paedophiles the suspense skyrockets. As the final hours count down to the twenty-first, D.D. no longer knows if Charlie is running from a past threatening to catch up with her or genuinely living in fear of a January twenty-first predator.
As D.D. simultaneously uncovers the paedophilic grooming on the kiddie websites where vulnerable victims are snared she is assisted by hot-headed sex crimes Detective Ellen O who enlightens her on the "virtual rabbit hole, with dark alleys and seedy strangers everywhere" that the internet can be to unsupervised youngsters. As Detective O enlightens D.D. on the largest target profile for internet predators being the five- to nine-year-old boys she explains their methodology and techniques for locating victims in their vicinity and progressing beyond the stock phrases exchanges permitted of the monitored platforms. Simple enough strategies but when the victims computers reveal another level of horror in their participation in training rooms for sharing tips with younger would-be groomers, all going on right under the noses of the police force, the news is sickening. As this story progresses, Gardner narrates the story of seven-year-old Jesse Germaine unsuspectingly getting lured into the trap on such a website and just how even a child perfectly prepped with the stranger danger foresight can quickly become out of their depth. As Jesse is lured in, his unexpected saviour from the hands of a predator is a woman with an uncanny resemblance to Charlie going by the name of Abigail.. raising the prospect of Charlie being a target for a one series of murders and a likely victim of another.
Just a point of note that after having read the eighth book in the series, Find Her, ahead of Catch Me, I feel duty bound to point out that the theme of victim versus predator is a returning one, again raised in the case of Charlie Grant as with Flora Dane of Find Her. Despite this, the backgrounds to each character were entirely different and it certainly didn't feel like I was rehashing old territory. Lisa Gardner's flair for characterisation and a genuinely informative study of a situation means her style easily engages. Gardner intensively researches her subject matter and her assured understanding of the world she recreates is demonstrated by the confident dissemination she provides.
And as any good detective knows, D.D. Warren included, especially with a new baby making demands, the key isn't to work harder but to work smarter! Come game day, you always want D.D. on your side!
D.D. Warren is on cranky form when she returns to duty following her maternity leave, not because she has been parted from her ten-week-old son, Jack, or at the mercy of his fragmented nighttime sleeping. Hell, no.. As a born workaholic who lives and breathes her job and likes to be in control, her parents arrival from Florida is imminent and no one radiates disapproval like D.D.'s mother! Finding herself pregnant at forty-one was not part of D.D.'s plan, but with a supportive and caring partner in crime scene expert, Alex Wilson, she rather likes the domestic bliss and security of her own family nest in suburbia.
Walking into her first crime scene back on the job and greeted by the stench of a festering corpse that has spent days awaiting discovery, the deep freeze of mid-January is the only saving grace. Not that D.D. is exactly mourning the demise by two gun shot wounds to the forehead of a man whose house contents reveal his paedophilic tendencies, especially not as a new parent herself. But the use of a .22 caliber gun seems a curious choice of homicide weapon, more intended for self-defence than a lethal weapon. Then her team tell her about the incident of four weeks previously, when another paedophile by the name of Douglas Antiholde also met his death at the hands of two wounds from a .22. Two victims, one predator - D.D. is back in the saddle with only six hours to solve the crimes before home time and a return to baby Jack. Returning to her car she finds a handwritten note on the windscreen with a chilling motto and which matches a similar note found on the first victim. An analysis based on the penmanship of the letter points to a tightly wound perfectionist with obsessive tendencies... and interestingly a female.
It is at then that D.D. is intercepted by Charlene Rosalind Carter Grant, enquiring if D.D. will be assigned to her case without any incident having yet occurred, something even D.D. is at a loss to answer. For as Charlie tells D.D., she is the last man standing in the trio of three childhood friends, both clinically dispatched in their own homes with no sign of forced entry, no signs of a struggle and a robbery ruled out on the exact same date, January twenty-first just one year and a thousand miles apart. As a born survivor, hardened by a tough upbringing and a sick mother, Charlie has run from her home town, severed contacts with her past and has trained, prepared and visualised her murder. She is fit, fast, accurate with a gun, licensed to carry and a confident bare knuckle boxer and tells D.D. that as one of the most respected homicide detectives in the state of Boston, she wants her on the case. Working as a dispatch handler with no criminal record an intrigued D.D. looks into Charlie Grant and her interest is piqued. As one of the best in the business, D.D. relishes the opportunity to up her game and with Charlie craving a return to the town she ran from, D.D.'s newfound status allows her to appreciate the pull of home. Randi Menke, Jackie Knowles, Charlie Grant? Three days to solve two cold cases with no new leads... welcome back Sergeant Detective D.D. Warren.
As D.D. consults with FBI Special Agent Kimberly Quincy and her father, Pierce, who compiled the initial report comparing the murders of Charlie's friends, it is lost on no one that the three women had drifted apart and for the connections between the trio, the microscope needs to concentrate on their earlier years, possibly the existence of a school friend that didn't make the final cut to the select trio. As D.D. takes Charlie back to relive her harrowing past at the hands of a mother with Munchausen's by proxy it becomes clear that she is reluctant to recall the memories. After a lifetime of being prepared, Charlie Grant appears as lethal as any predator lying in wait and when it becomes clear that she fits the profile for the type-A female who simultaneously fits the gunning down paedophiles the suspense skyrockets. As the final hours count down to the twenty-first, D.D. no longer knows if Charlie is running from a past threatening to catch up with her or genuinely living in fear of a January twenty-first predator.
As D.D. simultaneously uncovers the paedophilic grooming on the kiddie websites where vulnerable victims are snared she is assisted by hot-headed sex crimes Detective Ellen O who enlightens her on the "virtual rabbit hole, with dark alleys and seedy strangers everywhere" that the internet can be to unsupervised youngsters. As Detective O enlightens D.D. on the largest target profile for internet predators being the five- to nine-year-old boys she explains their methodology and techniques for locating victims in their vicinity and progressing beyond the stock phrases exchanges permitted of the monitored platforms. Simple enough strategies but when the victims computers reveal another level of horror in their participation in training rooms for sharing tips with younger would-be groomers, all going on right under the noses of the police force, the news is sickening. As this story progresses, Gardner narrates the story of seven-year-old Jesse Germaine unsuspectingly getting lured into the trap on such a website and just how even a child perfectly prepped with the stranger danger foresight can quickly become out of their depth. As Jesse is lured in, his unexpected saviour from the hands of a predator is a woman with an uncanny resemblance to Charlie going by the name of Abigail.. raising the prospect of Charlie being a target for a one series of murders and a likely victim of another.
Just a point of note that after having read the eighth book in the series, Find Her, ahead of Catch Me, I feel duty bound to point out that the theme of victim versus predator is a returning one, again raised in the case of Charlie Grant as with Flora Dane of Find Her. Despite this, the backgrounds to each character were entirely different and it certainly didn't feel like I was rehashing old territory. Lisa Gardner's flair for characterisation and a genuinely informative study of a situation means her style easily engages. Gardner intensively researches her subject matter and her assured understanding of the world she recreates is demonstrated by the confident dissemination she provides.
And as any good detective knows, D.D. Warren included, especially with a new baby making demands, the key isn't to work harder but to work smarter! Come game day, you always want D.D. on your side!
June 27, 2012
Charlene Rosalind Carter Grant, or Charlie as she liked to be called, believed she had just a few days to live. Her two best friends, Randi and Jackie had both been murdered on the 21st January, a year apart, and it was almost the 21st January again, and she believed it was her turn. No-one had been caught for the murder of her friends, and the police didn’t really believe they were connected. FBI profiler Pierce Quincy tended to believe her, and he was worried about her, but that didn’t help.
So Charlie had been training for the past 12 months, with ex-Marine JT Dillon as her shooting instructor, and she believed she was good. She took up boxing, and her upper body was very strong...she was ready! But when she confronted Boston’s top homicide detective, DD Warren, about handling her murder, DD was pretty bemused. She was leaving the scene of another murder, when she spotted a note under the wiper of her Crown Vic.....Everyone has to die sometime. Be brave. Charlie was nearby...was this murder connected to her someway, somehow?
As DD and her homicide team began the investigation into Charlie and the scant details she had given them, the murder investigation began to step up as well. Something was odd, there appeared to be secrets that Charlie wasn’t revealing. Detective O, as she was nicknamed (her surname was too long to pronounce!) was helping with the case, along with DD's usual team of Neil and Phil, and the race was on. The hours were ticking away, and very soon it would be the 21st January.
The lack of sleep, through the long hours with the two cases, plus DD and Alex’s adorable 10 week old baby Jack, who slept peacefully during the day, but loved to cry the night away, and the added stress of DD’s parents arriving, made DD extremely cranky! She was not going to have another murder on her watch! Can she save Charlie...can she work out what the secrets are before it’s too late?
This has got to be one of Lisa Gardner’s best to date! The side stories running through this thriller, which blend perfectly, the amazing twists and turns, with the final heart pounding twist .. absolutely brilliant!
Highly recommended to all suspense thriller lovers!
So Charlie had been training for the past 12 months, with ex-Marine JT Dillon as her shooting instructor, and she believed she was good. She took up boxing, and her upper body was very strong...she was ready! But when she confronted Boston’s top homicide detective, DD Warren, about handling her murder, DD was pretty bemused. She was leaving the scene of another murder, when she spotted a note under the wiper of her Crown Vic.....Everyone has to die sometime. Be brave. Charlie was nearby...was this murder connected to her someway, somehow?
As DD and her homicide team began the investigation into Charlie and the scant details she had given them, the murder investigation began to step up as well. Something was odd, there appeared to be secrets that Charlie wasn’t revealing. Detective O, as she was nicknamed (her surname was too long to pronounce!) was helping with the case, along with DD's usual team of Neil and Phil, and the race was on. The hours were ticking away, and very soon it would be the 21st January.
The lack of sleep, through the long hours with the two cases, plus DD and Alex’s adorable 10 week old baby Jack, who slept peacefully during the day, but loved to cry the night away, and the added stress of DD’s parents arriving, made DD extremely cranky! She was not going to have another murder on her watch! Can she save Charlie...can she work out what the secrets are before it’s too late?
This has got to be one of Lisa Gardner’s best to date! The side stories running through this thriller, which blend perfectly, the amazing twists and turns, with the final heart pounding twist .. absolutely brilliant!
Highly recommended to all suspense thriller lovers!
November 8, 2018
This is the first Lisa Gardner book I've ever read and it was CATCH ME it is the sixth book of the series. I've definitely got to read the prior books of this series. Thanks MARY for telling me how great this series is.
March 24, 2022
Listened to CATCH ME while walking this past week -- definitely went over my daily step goals every morning because this was a great story. I love D.D. Warren, one of Lisa Gardner's best characters (and she has many great characters.) The story was original, totally suspenseful and fun. The back and forth chapters with D.D. and then Charlie (in first person) were pitch perfect. The narrator is one of my favorites. The ending was terrific. Not one flaw in this book. I rarely get surprised, but it took me 3/4s of the book to figure out what was going on, and even I didn't see the final twist. I can't believe I missed it when it first came out a few years back. My favorite Lisa Gardner book since THE THIRD VICTIM.
May 8, 2016
Catch Me
4 Stars
This series has improved in the last couple of installments. One reason is the development of D.D. Warren's character. She is no longer the cold and brash detective with an obsessive need to prove herself but rather a intelligent investigator whose attempts to juggle family life and work make her much more endearing.
The plot is intricate with two parallel mysteries. While both are intriguing and suspenseful (particularly the scenes involving the Internet predators and Charlie's memories of her childhood) ,the threat to Charlie's life takes a back seat to the serial killer storyline, which results in a lack of tension and immediacy. Moreover, the identity of the killer is obvious about 3/4 of the way in mainly due to a dearth of suspects.
The secondary characters are fleshed out well, especially Charlie. Gardner also succeeds in making the vigilante a sympathetic character despite their questionable actions and motivations.
The climax and resolution are satisfying, and the ending made me smile. Another great aspect of the book is the journey down memory lane alongside the characters from previous Gardner books.
All in all, a well written and entertaining thriller with some frightening messages about the dangers lurking on the Internet.
4 Stars
This series has improved in the last couple of installments. One reason is the development of D.D. Warren's character. She is no longer the cold and brash detective with an obsessive need to prove herself but rather a intelligent investigator whose attempts to juggle family life and work make her much more endearing.
The plot is intricate with two parallel mysteries. While both are intriguing and suspenseful (particularly the scenes involving the Internet predators and Charlie's memories of her childhood) ,the threat to Charlie's life takes a back seat to the serial killer storyline, which results in a lack of tension and immediacy. Moreover, the identity of the killer is obvious about 3/4 of the way in mainly due to a dearth of suspects.
The secondary characters are fleshed out well, especially Charlie. Gardner also succeeds in making the vigilante a sympathetic character despite their questionable actions and motivations.
The climax and resolution are satisfying, and the ending made me smile. Another great aspect of the book is the journey down memory lane alongside the characters from previous Gardner books.
All in all, a well written and entertaining thriller with some frightening messages about the dangers lurking on the Internet.
April 5, 2018
Clever story that kept me guessing. Charlene (Charlie) Grant is sure she’s going to die this year on January 21. One her her childhood friends was murdered two years ago on that date, her other best friend was murdered last year, same date. Both strangled, neither fought back, died at home, no forced entry. A mystery worthu of Agatha Christy. She prepares for the day by learning to fight, learning to use a gun. She moves away from her home in New Hampshire to Cambridge, thinking she can hide. She goes to the police with only a few days left and gets D.D. Warren thinking about the case. Nor her jurisdiction. Charlie lives in Cambridge and will presumably be murdered at her home there. Warren is a Boston cop. She decides to investigate Charlie, thinking her story doesn’t make sense, maybe she’s the killer. At the same time, someone is killing pedofiles in Boston. Charlie was actually at the scene of one of the crimes, so she’s also a suspect for this.
I haven’t read anything else in this series. This worked for me as a read-alone.
I haven’t read anything else in this series. This worked for me as a read-alone.
March 24, 2018
Read: March 2018
This was another unputdownable book in the Detective DD Warren series. DD must investigate two separate crimes; the serial murders of paedophiles in Boston, and the claims of Charlene, a young woman with a traumatic past, that she is going to be killed on January 21st; which is the anniversary of her two best friends unsolved murders.
For me the most chilling scenes in the book involved the online grooming of the little boy. His mother was doing everything right; she only let him use certain website that are meant for children and educated him on stranger danger,
The reason this wasn't a five star read for me is that I couldn't understand the motivations of some of the characters.
This was another unputdownable book in the Detective DD Warren series. DD must investigate two separate crimes; the serial murders of paedophiles in Boston, and the claims of Charlene, a young woman with a traumatic past, that she is going to be killed on January 21st; which is the anniversary of her two best friends unsolved murders.
For me the most chilling scenes in the book involved the online grooming of the little boy. His mother was doing everything right; she only let him use certain website that are meant for children and educated him on stranger danger,
The reason this wasn't a five star read for me is that I couldn't understand the motivations of some of the characters.
March 15, 2020
"Catch Me" kept me motivated as I zip through Lisa Gardner books. Truly enjoying the character of D.D. Warren and how her relationships continue to grow.
November 20, 2022
(4.5 rounded up!) Some pretty brutal aspects of child abuse in various forms.. All comes together to make a really good book, I couldn’t put it down. There’s all the usual cool characters, action & quick thinking, but there’s also a lot of pain- so just pick it up when you have the stomach.
So glad there’s plenty more of this series- took me a while to get used to this without as much Bobby Dodge, but now quickly becoming 1 of my favorite series ever.
So glad there’s plenty more of this series- took me a while to get used to this without as much Bobby Dodge, but now quickly becoming 1 of my favorite series ever.
November 6, 2022
Another fascinating story in this awesome series! Catch Me felt a bit unjointed at times - for a reason as I later learned. It's definitely one of the hardest plots to figure out. The action is swift with a slew of red herrings that kept this reader engaged through the end. Highly recommended.
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