FBI Special Agent Adam Blackwell is desperately trying to save his marriage, even taking leave from the Hostage Rescue Team to give wife Summer his unFBI Special Agent Adam Blackwell is desperately trying to save his marriage, even taking leave from the Hostage Rescue Team to give wife Summer his undivided attention. They’re just starting to make progress when both end up in Amman, Jordan on separate work assignments. Shortly after they make a dinner date for the evening, Summer and two members of her team are abducted by a terrorist cell whose leader has a reputation for unspeakable cruelty. The countdown is on as Adam and his team are called into action to find and retrieve Summer before her certain execution for propaganda purposes.
Before this story, we didn’t know much about Summer beyond her name and just a tad more about Adam, mostly his desire to save his marriage. I absolutely loved the use of flashbacks as a device here because it was done so skillfully, beginning with their first meeting all the way up to their days before they left for Amman. The timing of the transitions between the past and present day and the pivotal moments selected were done with precision, made even more meaningful given the dire circumstances. I actually didn’t think I’d like Summer, who turned out to be a fantastic character. She was smart, resourceful and believably courageous. Her ability to push through her fear was genuine, something I could relate to and embrace.
I loved everything about this story! I found myself rooting for Adam and Summer after discovering what wrenched them apart and his efforts to win her back. The pace was breakneck and I could empathize with Adam’s agony as time slipped away without them finding Summer. Typical for this series was an exciting, pulse wrecking climax that went down to the wire. And, it was capped off with a lovely epilogue. I keep saying this after every book but THIS one is now my favorite....more
Eve and Roarke are called from their night out at the theater to the scene of a vicious murder in Washington Square. As Eve and Peabody are evaluatingEve and Roarke are called from their night out at the theater to the scene of a vicious murder in Washington Square. As Eve and Peabody are evaluating the scene, Roarke sees someone from his past in the crowd of onlookers. It’s a man named Lorcan Cobbe who is a hired assassin. Just as Roarke is convinced this is his work, Eve soon becomes equally convinced that the victim’s husband hired him. Needless to say, this is a case with which the “consultant” will definitely be associated.
Oh, this is the story I needed right at this moment. I like it when Eve and Roarke work together but even more when he’s asked from the highest ranks to be part of the investigation. Lorcan Cobbe is someone from Roarke’s childhood and he’s über dangerous. Roarke’s worried for Eve’s safety and vice versa, both not understating the threat. But what really got me excited was the dual investigative paths; building the case against the husband and the search for Lorcan. One brought short-term vindication, the other all the suspense and thrills.
I thought I knew all there was to know about Roarke’s past but this story delivered much deeper insight. Getting Roarke’s point of view is always a treat but this time we see him often off balance. It has all the elements I find compelling in the series, especially the main case. I really needed to see justice delivered and loved that we got one part early and deliciously. If you’re a fan of the series, settle in and enjoy. I certainly did.
When the tortured and mutilated body of Benji Thatcher, a 15-year old street urchin, is discovered after the attempt to bury him is interrupted, SebasWhen the tortured and mutilated body of Benji Thatcher, a 15-year old street urchin, is discovered after the attempt to bury him is interrupted, Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin gets involved at the request of Paul Gibson. What was done to this child offended Sebastian's sensibilities and he immediately launches an investigation only to find that there appears to be a pattern of street children inexplicably disappearing. No one seems to have noticed.
Throughout this series, the plight of the poor and abandoned children has been in the background. This story faces those issues head on as we're given more insight into the ugly truths of the era. These children were virtually invisible to the gentry and noble class as both Sebastian and Hero highlight, him through the investigation and her through research of an article she's writing in the topic.
The author's further commitment to historical authenticity is the incorporation of the works and story of the Marquis de Sade, infamous for his debauchery and sexual deviancy and from which the term sadism was created. The suspects were tied to de Sade either as admirers of his last book or as followers of his sexual practices. Make no mistake, this is an uncomfortable story as these are behaviors inflicted on children and it's not an indictment about sexual proclivities. It was hard to take in but respectfully presented without any hint of gratuitous violence.
It's not all doom and gloom as there are important progressions in Sebastian's personal life. It was brilliantly and deftly presented, providing a balance sorely needed to offset the distasteful aspects of the investigation. It also is clear that this series hasn't yet ended...not a cliffhanger but definitely the promise of more to come.
I love this series and this book was outstanding. I also recommend not reading it until you've read all of the others before it as the character development evolves to a pretty loud crescendo in this one. Yes, you'd enjoy this on its own merits but you'd be missing some critical subtleties that just makes the reading experience extraordinary....more
the setup… It’s been one year since Isabelle Drake’s life shattered. Her son Mason was abducted from his room in the middle of the night, without a trathe setup… It’s been one year since Isabelle Drake’s life shattered. Her son Mason was abducted from his room in the middle of the night, without a trace. Neither she or her then husband heard a thing and relentless searches to find the toddler have been fruitless. But Isabelle has never given up her search, attending true crime conventions, telling her story and tracking the attendees. To make matters worse, she’s plagued by insomnia, existing solely on catnaps and troubled by disturbing memories from her childhood. When she meets a podcaster at one of these events, she agrees to be interviewed. However, Isabelle begins to question the wisdom of that decision.
the heart of the story… One of the reasons I dragged my feet in starting this story is the insomnia element. It’s really painful being in the mind of someone who’s sleep deprived and Isabelle owns the only point of view, which made her an unreliable narrator. Yes, it was all that I hoped it wouldn’t be but there was much more clarity as well. I didn’t mind the transitions between time frames that ranged from her childhood to when she first met her husband Ben through the present. It was tricky and managed well. But what did drive me crazy was the extensive effort to bog down the story with excessive descriptions of everything to create atmosphere. It weakened a really good story and was a constant distraction.
the narration… I’m a fan of Karissa Vacker and she delivered a wonderful performance, helping to keep the storytelling element at the forefront despite the weight of all those descriptions of inessential details. She kept the mystery alive.
the bottom line… There are really good bones to this story and compelled me to stick with it. The circumstances of Isabelle’s childhood certainly loomed over the horror of Mason’s abduction. Losing a child like this is unimaginable and Isabelle’s trauma was well depicted. And the suspicions created around Isabelle, her husband Ben and the podcaster had my imagination running amok. I just wish the magnitude of all those unnecessary words used to describe everything in a scene wasn’t so great as they interfered with the story’s pacing and bogged down the mystery. Without that? This would have been a much better experience. And that ending? Saved the story for me, making it worthwhile in the end. 3.5 stars (1/2 star for the ending)
the setup… Harriet (Harry) Reed is a British expatriate, a novelist living in New York with one successful book under her belt and behind on the secondthe setup… Harriet (Harry) Reed is a British expatriate, a novelist living in New York with one successful book under her belt and behind on the second. A chance encounter at her publisher’s event has her now engaged to Edward Holbeck, the heir to the family fortunes, but currently estranged from them. He’s old money with the proverbial eccentric family that typically entails. But the Holbecks take that to a new level with their tradition of game playing, spearheaded by the magnetic patriarch, Robert Holbeck. Edward’s parents and three siblings seem to welcome Harry with open arms, reaching out to her directly. But at the end of their first meeting, Robert secretly gives her a cassette tape that reveals shocking information. Let the ultimate game begin!
the heart of the story… Well, now. This family takes the strange to a new level. Everyone, on the surface, seems friendly and welcoming but I never could shake off the feeling that it was just a veneer to mask an agenda. Harry’s desire to embrace them when her fiancé seemed diffident about them at best was also unsettling. Suffice it to say that I wasn’t trusting anyone pretty early on and knew I should keep my wits about me. When Harry finally got around to listening to that cassette tape, it was a game changer. Why did Robert give it to her; why reveal what he did, and why did it take her so long to listen to it???
the narration… The story is narrated by the author and I had some initial trepidation about that but from the start, she showed she had not only the skills but knew how she wanted this story told. Steadman kept me off balance through the last sentence.
the bottom line… This was one weird story with a mystery I couldn’t organize into neat little pieces for the life of me. Was Harry an unreliable narrator? Was someone trying to do her in? Why was Edward estranged from his family? Every time I thought I’d figured it out another wrench would be thrown into my theory. In the end, though, my initial misgivings were confirmed, but I was completely off base with the “why.” The story completely lived up to my expectations and turned out to be a confounding mystery with an explosive conclusion. Loved it on audio.
the setup… There’s a blood moon out when Merle Beachy, an Amish man, makes his way home late at night in his horse-driven wagon. It’s foggy and visibilthe setup… There’s a blood moon out when Merle Beachy, an Amish man, makes his way home late at night in his horse-driven wagon. It’s foggy and visibility is poor but good enough for him to see the terrifying beast that spooked his horse, right before it took a bite out of him. After Police Chief Kate Burkholder is notified and begins investigating, two more sightings are reported with similar descriptions.
the heart of the story… With three very similar descriptions and a blood moon present (moon is in total eclipse and appears reddish), it was hard not to think that something paranormal was going on. I loved how both the pragmatic and folklore coexisted in this story. Of course, I had to know what that thing was.
the narration… McInerney continues to be “my” voice of this series but she added to the atmosphere and strangeness. The fear expressed by those encountering that beast came through loudly!
the bottom line… I love these short stories that get my attention early and hold it to the end. You’ll have to read it or listen to it yourself to find out the source of that beast.
the setup… Hannah Jones arrives at Oxford University’s Pelham College to begin the education journey she’s worked hard to achieve. Her suite mate is Apthe setup… Hannah Jones arrives at Oxford University’s Pelham College to begin the education journey she’s worked hard to achieve. Her suite mate is April Clarke-Clivedon and they couldn’t be more opposite. April is outgoing, from a wealthy family and attracts people with little effort. Hannah’s more the introvert, from a working class family and a small town. April takes Hannah under her wing and introduces her to four of her friends from boarding school. Soon Hannah, April, Will, Ryan, Emily and Hugh are their own little pack but before the year ends, April is dead. It’s now ten years later and John Neville, the man convicted of April’s murder has died in prison having never ceased protesting his innocence and fighting to be released. Hannah, whose testimony helped put the man in prison, now believes she can finally breathe and put this chapter of her life behind her, focusing on her pregnancy and husband. But, a journalist contacts her with new information that casts doubt on Neville’s guilt, sending her into a new tailspin brought on by further revelations.
the heart of the story… The story unfolds with alternating transitions between the present and ten years prior, all with Hannah as the narrator. The contrast is striking as her voice in the past reflects the hopes, dreams and fresh outlook of a new college student. Present day Hannah is consumed by anxiety and angst as she’s clearly never fully recovered from the trauma of April’s death. She’s full of second guessing and it doesn’t take much for the journalist to ignite this kindling. Her inner musings became wearisome over time but was balanced by the storytelling leading up to the murder. But what I really enjoyed was the exploration and depth of the development of all of the characters comprising their group. As those revelations began emerging, I felt as if I knew these people so well that I could adequately sift through the red herrings, toss out what I found groundless and retain what made sense to who I knew them to be. Poor Hannah becomes muddled by it all, suspecting all of them at some point, including husband Will!
the narration… Imogen Church is one of my favorites and she did a great job in making me feel Hannah’s angst, almost too good of a performance. And, I always recognized every member of the group as she provided fine distinctions. The pacing was a little slow so I listened at a higher speed as an adjustment (it worked).
the bottom line… This is a slow burn that you’ve got to stick with as there’s an excellent payoff. When it ramps up, it shifts from a character-driven psychological thriller to something more exciting and nail biting. It made me think about the details, including the more mundane that would later prove important as you not only have to assess whether Neville was guilty or not but who else might have been the real killer. Though it was a bit longer than necessary, I found myself anxious to resume my listening until I reached the end. This was a mind bender and I feel smug about having guessed right but also that the underlying motive was an absolute surprise. Ware never lets me down and I’ll be waiting patiently for whatever she delivers next.
the setup… Seattle Detective Tracy Crosswhite is still dealing with the aftermath of her last high profile cold case when she’s contacted by Anita Chilthe setup… Seattle Detective Tracy Crosswhite is still dealing with the aftermath of her last high profile cold case when she’s contacted by Anita Childress who wants her to investigate her mother’s disappearance 24 years ago. Lisa Childress, an investigative reporter, purportedly left home in the middle of the night to meet with a confidential source and was never seen again. Anita has been obsessed by the need to get answers, even following in her footsteps by becoming a reporter. Tracy finds that Lisa was working on four potential stories, one of them involving a potentially corrupt unit within the police department that may just point in uncomfortable directions.
the heart of the story… It’s important to read the short story that precedes this book as there’s a direct connection. While Tracy has four lines of direction to follow in searching for answers about Lisa Childress, she’s not biased towards any but one gets traction rather quickly. The more she probed, the more the path opened up disturbing information. She’s still heading the Cold Case Unit but the investigation leads her back to her former colleagues in Violent Crimes. We know how they connect and I held my breath as she got closer, worrying she’d form wrong conclusions before uncovering the truth. But, this is Tracy so I was just as confident she’d be thorough and exacting.
the narration… This was all about storytelling, getting the pace and tension just right and Sutton-Smith was perfect in her performance. There were also several character speech dialects and accents important in this one and she nailed them. Just another typical, outstanding delivery.
the bottom line… I inadvertently started this series by reading the connected story first so I’ve had to wait a long time to see how the events from that book would eventually resurface. If there’s any question, I highly agree that it best fits where it is in the series listing. The search for what happened to Lisa was highly intriguing because Tracy smartly followed the clues and leads, making intelligent connections. It’s almost like she’s perfectly wired to investigate cold cases as she’s methodical, resourceful and sensitive to how the people involved may have shifted priorities. Despite having some insight as to what may have happened to Lisa, I was blown away by the outcomes with twists I never envisioned. This was a low burn, building in suspense about the mystery to a shocking conclusion. The aftermath left residues that have yet to fully manifest themselves. I’m now caught up in this wonderful series, which leaves a vacuum until the next release as I won’t have my normal monthly connection with these characters and their fascinating world.
the setup… Grey’s Hollow Sheriff Bree Taggert is asked to do a welfare check on a widow living at an isolated farm. When she enters the house with the the setup… Grey’s Hollow Sheriff Bree Taggert is asked to do a welfare check on a widow living at an isolated farm. When she enters the house with the woman’s neighbor, Bree finds a gruesome sight. Not only has the woman been murdered but her son was also a victim. Bree’s second surprise was the identity of that man…Eugene Oscar, her former deputy sheriff who she had forced out.
the heart of the story… Bree inherited a department that was formerly led by an extremely corrupt sheriff who ended up taking his life rather than face his consequences. He left behind a host of enablers that Bree continues to sift through and out. Her investigation of Oscar’s murder, along with his mother, immersed her deeply into that corrupt nest of conspiracy theorists, survivalists and others who were on the other side of law enforcement. Things got really nasty after she’s attacked using deep fake images that threaten her reputation. It got even scarier when her chief deputy was abducted, seeming as if she’s being assaulted from every angle. As insidious as it all was, it was equally fascinating to see the depths to which these groups will sink and the difficulty in combating their tactics.
the narration… Traister was at her finest in this one as there were so many nasty characters hiding behind conventional veneers who she handled well. I especially enjoyed her storytelling skills as there were so many angles.
the bottom line… There was a lot of ugliness here and I liked how Bree met the challenges while figuring out who and what was most important to her. It guided her decision making, keeping her from succumbing to the futility of fighting invisible attackers who make false accusations that stick. The fact that this mirrors real life was chilling. I was riveted by the story and liked how the investigation flowed, including the appearance of characters from past connected series. It’s not all wrapped neatly with a bow, which made it all the more authentic. Still loving this series.
the setup… Sheriff Bree Taggert is called to the scene of an abandoned car that’s near Scarlet River and had been sighted there for at least two days. the setup… Sheriff Bree Taggert is called to the scene of an abandoned car that’s near Scarlet River and had been sighted there for at least two days. It belongs to Holly Thorpe, a married bookkeeper and Bree soon discovers a body near the riverbank that appears to be the missing woman. At first considered a suicide, Bree and her team soon learn Holly was murdered and the investigation leads to a host of secrets, suspects and danger.
the heart of the story… I’ve learned to pay attention to the details in this series because things aren’t always what they seem on the surface. That was particularly true in this story because of the number of potential suspects, their murky backgrounds and obvious motives. But it was the victim herself that was often an enigma. I loved being immersed in the challenge, knowing there was probably a good twist but was unprepared for it being a great one! Bree’s a skilled investigator and is also showing strong leadership chops. Her team is shaping up and it’s becoming obvious that they’re starting to respect her as the new sheriff. And, her relationship with Matt Flynn is evolving nicely.
the narration… Traister has a no-nonsense approach to narrating this series that seems to fit Bree’s character and the story, softening some now as she grows into her new role. I’m loving her style and performance.
the bottom line… I have to admit I was a bit stymied by the case but not because the clues weren’t there. It was an excellent mystery with lots of misdirection but completely solvable. Bree’s growth in her new job seems natural but it’s her embrace of her family that is most lovely. She’s bonding not only with her niece and nephew but her brother Adam, too. Grief and tragedy brought them back together and they are all contributing to being a family, slowly becoming whole again. It’s bringing the best out of Bree and allowing her to see the possibility of a romance with Matt. This was a complex case balanced by these tender moments. Still loving everything about this series.
the setup… Detective Tracy Crosswhite returns from extended leave to discover she’s been reassigned to the cold case unit. After consideration, she decthe setup… Detective Tracy Crosswhite returns from extended leave to discover she’s been reassigned to the cold case unit. After consideration, she decides to begin with the unsolved abduction of little Elle Chin who disappeared from a corn maze while out with her father five years ago on Halloween. Elle’s parents were in the middle of a nasty divorce at the time and both pointed the finger at each other when their daughter, who was five-years old at the time, vanished without a trace. While Tracy starts her investigation, she’s also asked to help out her old partner with a current missing person search for Stephanie Cole, a young woman who went jogging in a park before she was to attend a Halloween party and hasn’t been seen since.
the heart of the story… It wasn’t only about the investigations this time as Tracy must make critical career decisions after being unfairly reassigned by her vindictive Captain Nolasco. Even though he narrowly threaded policy in making that move, Tracy still had options, retirement being one of them. I admired her process for deciding what was best for her and her family, which was thoughtful and measured. The Chin case was interesting and puzzling but also a tragic example of how a child can be caught up in the bad behavior of two warring parents in the middle of a divorce. The search for Stephanie Cole was classic police procedural, which I absolutely love and no one does it better than Tracy. It was even more compelling as we get the point of view of those responsible for her disappearance.
the narration… Emily Sutton-Smith delivers another fine performance and I’ve come to count on her as the voice of the series. It wouldn’t be quite the same experience without her. She’s my Tracy, as well as adeptly managing all other characters.
the bottom line… I was engaged in this story from the onset and stayed that way until the end. While I thought I knew what had happened to Stephanie, the resolution of the case still had quite a few surprises and caught me a bit flatfooted. The real surprise came with the resolution of the Chin case and the choices Tracy faced in putting it to rest. This series isn’t just about the investigations but wonderful illustrations of the human condition as everyone involved goes through the process, including the perpetrators, victims, their families and those tasked with solving these crimes. There are so many layers in this story that left me considering more than the final outcomes. And, for me, it’s all best served up in the audiobook experience. 4.5 stars
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