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Tag Archives: serial killers
I Love Serial Killers – Scathed by Sue Coletta @SueColetta1
I See Dead Girls – All The Lovely Children by Andrew Nance #AndrewNance
Unputdownable! – In The Dark by Chris Patchell @chris_patchell
I Love The Villain – Vow of Silence by Chris Patchell @chris_patchell
Underground Tombs – A Perfect Obsession by Heather Graham @heathergraham
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Uh oh. I don’t like tight spaces, but it looks like I will have to get over it in order to read A Perfect Obsession by Heather Graham…and I will.
MY REVIEW
There is never any doubt, when it comes to Heather Graham, that I will grab her book without hesitation. Even a bad book by Heather Graham is a good book and I would definitely recommend A Perfect Obsession.
Kieran Finnegan, a psychologist, also works at the family pub and shares a bed with her FBI guy, Craig Frasier. He knows to keep tabs on her because trouble seems to find her…or does she find it?
A model/actress was murdered just around the corner from Finnegan’s, but nobody thought it was connected to the family…until her brother, Kevin, told her his secret.
Someone wanted her found.
“Living art.”
It’s easy to figure out that Kieran is Irish. She has three brothers. They are quick to defend and protect her, since she’s prone to finding trouble to get into.
We have a headstrong woman, a hunky cop, mystery and dead bodies on display in mausoleums that haven’t seen the light of day in decades, but…
I’m not sure what’s going on, but I’m just not getting into this like I do most of her work. Am I having an off day? Or is it because it’s an ARC and will be tidied up before publishing. I think it will get better. You’ll need to check out A Perfect Obsession to figure it out for yourself.
I feel on edge. I keep thinking…waiting…for “the moment”…when the monster reaches out from under the bed and grabs me.
Heather has created a sense of menace from the serial killer. I can’t put my finger on the villain. Have I met him?
Uh Oh. I think I know who it is and we have a big problem.
I started out having a hard time getting into the story. I don’t know why. It has all the elements I require for a thrilling read. I rarely give up on a book, and I sure wasn’t going to give up on a Heather Graham book. And it is worth sticking with. As usual, she leaves me wanting more and I can hardly wait to pick up another one of her stories.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of A Perfect Obsession by Heather Graham.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Someone is murdering beautiful young women in the New York area and displaying them in mausoleums and underground tombs. The FBI is handling the case, with Special Agent Craig Frasier as lead.
Kieran Finnegan, forensic psychologist and part owner of Finnegan’s, her family’s pub, is consulting on the case. Craig and Kieran are a couple who’ve worked together on more than one occasion. On this occasion, though, Craig fears for the safety of the woman he loves. Because the killer is too close. The body of a young model is found in a catacomb under a two-hundred-year-old church, now deconsecrated and turned into a nightclub. A church directly behind Finnegan’s in lower Manhattan.
As more women are murdered, their bodies discovered in underground locations in New York, it’s clear that the police and the FBI are dealing with a serial killer. Craig and Kieran are desperate to track down the murderer, a man obsessed with female perfection. Obsessed enough to want to “preserve” that beauty by destroying the women who embody it”.
ABOUT HEATHER GRAHAM
New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Heather Graham majored in theater arts at the University of South Florida. After a stint of several years in dinner theater, back-up vocals, and bartending, she stayed home after the birth of her third child and began to write, working on short horror stories and romances. After some trial and error, she sold her first book, WHEN NEXT WE LOVE, in 1982 and since then, she has written over one hundred novels and novellas including category, romantic suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult, and Christmas holiday fare. She wrote the launch books for the Dell’s Ecstasy Supreme line, Silhouette’s Shadows, and for Harlequin’s mainstream fiction imprint, Mira Books.
Heather was a founding member of the Florida Romance Writers chapter of RWA and, since 1999, has hosted the Romantic Times Vampire Ball, with all revenues going directly to children’s charity.
She is pleased to have been published in approximately twenty languages, and to have been honored with awards frorn Waldenbooks. B. Dalton, Georgia Romance Writers, Affaire de Coeur, Romantic Times, and more. She has had books selected for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild, and has been quoted, interviewed, or featured in such publications as The Nation, Redbook, People, and USA Today and appeared on many newscasts including local television and Entertainment Tonight.
Heather loves travel and anything have to do with the water, and is a certitified scuba diver. Married since high school graduation and the mother of five, her greatest love in life remains her family, but she also believes her career has been an incredible gift, and she is grateful every day to be doing something that she loves so very much for a living.
MY HEATHER GRAHAM REVIEWS
Paralyzed By Fear – Four by Jane Blythe @jblytheauthor
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Jane Blythe has become a must read author for me. I don’t know how she escaped my attention before I started blogging, but you are in my sights now, Jane.
If you are a romantic suspense lover, these are must reads for your TBR.
MY REVIEW
I have been reading the Count to Ten series by Jane Blythe and I am so happy to be back with old friends and meeting new ones. Each story of the series focuses on a particular couple with supporting characters playing their roles. These romantic suspense novels stand alone, but I believe once you start, you won’t be able to stop, so I recommend beginning at the beginning.
I’m back with Jack Xander and we have another dead body. It’s murder!
I love his trusty sidekick Rose.
Jack and Rose are a great team. He has a calming presence and a way to get the most out of the victim’s and witnesses and I love that she deals with the suspects.
He seemed to want a family, yet was haunted by something in his past, keeping him from having a meaningful relationship. She is happy go lucky, enjoying the single life.
Laura is agoraphobic and has spent the last ten years of her life in her apartment, cut off from the outside world…by choice. I know where this is going, but Jane Blythe’s writing draws me in, letting the creepiness and suspense build.
I love the cast of characters that hold each other up when they need support and kick some ass when they are in danger.
The villain…Ooooo I love that evil mofo too. Cocky, sneaky, elusive and bold. How he’ll get the one he wants is a frightening climb to the ultimate goal…her death…and there are those determined to stop him.
I had a couple problems with a characters actions, but, hey, ya never know what you’ll do til you walk in their shoes.
A sense of menace permeates every page…lurking….creating an overwhelming sense of anticipation. I know the shit will hit the fan, I just don’t know when and how. I love the edge of my seat reading, faster and faster fly the words, because I can hardly wait to get there.
I may need a tissue to finish this.
I love damaged characters that rise to the occasion. I love the dark and disturbing, and Jane Blythe is happy to oblige. I love an author jerking my chain, making me know I don’t have all the answers and I was brought up short when the action reached its zenith.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Four by Jane Blythe.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Detective Jack Xander and his partner are investigating the sudden spate of crimes at an apartment building, but every time they think theyโre making progress another assault leads them in a completely different direction. As they hunt for the killerโs real target Jack is about to come face to face with someone from his past he thought heโd never set eyes on again.
Ten years ago Laura Opal endured a four day long ordeal that left her broken and traumatized. But the men who hurt her were caught, tried, found guilty and imprisoned, so whatโs happening in her apartment building doesn’t have anything to do with her. She’s sure of it.
** Warning: Graphic violence and themes of sexual assault/abuse **
ABOUT JANE BLYTHE
When sheโs not writing Jane loves to read, bake, go to the beach, ski, horse ride, and watch Disney movies. She has a black belt in Taekwondo, and a 200+ collection of teddy bears. She has the worldโs two most sweet and pretty Dalmatians, Ivory and Pearl. Oh, and she also enjoys spending time with family and friends!
MY REVIEWS FOR JANE BLYTHEโS BOOKS
Going Covert in Dead Cold by Jennifer Chase @JChaseNovelist @pumpupyourbook
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We’re really excited to be part of Jennifer Chase’s DEAD COLD Blog Tour!
Fabulous cover for a fabulous story!
Title: DEAD COLD
Author: Jennifer Chase
Publisher: JEC Press
Pages: 326
Genre: Crime Thriller
MY REVIEW
WHOA. Why haven’t I read any Jennifer Chase and Emily Stone? I cannot say how excited I am now remedying that! Intense from the very beginning. The writing went where I wasn’t expecting and I love it. I can hardly wait to see what other surprises await me.
I took a break from murderous mayhem and serial killers, for a short while. All the books started to run together, but I felt right at home when I began reading Dead Cold by Jennifer Chase. Made me wonder why I ever took a break.
Emily and her partner, Rick Lopez, work outside the law, but they use all the skills they had learned in their time with the federal government to pursue criminals. Rick loved Emily and hunting the bad guys with her. They are so much more than partners. They are friends and lovers too.
Emily is like a female Sherlock Holmes. She is patient, meticulous, methodical, a natural when it comes to profiling. But she does have a bit of a problem with surveillance. She wants to go right for the take down. There is absolutely nothing Emily wouldn’t do to accomplish her goal, to save a life, to rescue a friend. Instincts, intuition, deductive reasoning, step by step, piece by piece, she weaves together the facts and data. Each piece of evidence is a part of the puzzle. Then…
She looks death in the eye and spits at it.
They are covert, letting the cops take the credit while vanishing into thin air when they arrive.
Now her sights are set on a serial killer she dubbed the Ice Puzzler.
Jordan is her go to guy for information they can’t get on the own. He’s smart, playful, fun and annoying. I smiled at his antics. When he meets Gunner, he insists he is not a dog guy, but Gunner adopts him. Rick is antagonistic to Jordan. Do they need to put ‘it’ on the table and measure? Is he jealous, threatened? Does Rick have a reason to be concerned about Jordan’s feeling for Emily?
Oh man. A shift of perspective. Right at a crucial moment. One minute I was with Emily and Rick, and Emily is in deep danger, then I was pulled away to be with Detective Daniel Starr. Now I have to wait…to see what comes next. A great way to build suspense and anticipation and I love it.
Uh oh. Kayla cannot let sleeping dogs lie and is persistent in her pursuit of Emily. I can understand it, but I think nothing good can come of it. You’ll need to read the book to find out who Kayla is and what becomes of her.
Enter HER. Who is SHE? What does SHE have to do with anything? Other than being a sad and damaged woman with some very serious issues?
I feel empathy for the villain. I sometimes find myself rooting as much for the villain as the hero. I just can’t seem to help myself. It takes some fantastic writing to make that happen.
Told from multiple perspectives, there’s an underlying mystery running. I’m deciphering the implications and coming up with my own conclusion. Let’s see if I’m right.
As the pieces come together Jennifer Chase delivers a surprise or two or three. She created a wonderful feeling of suspense, and anticipation. My eagerness to find out kept me reading at a rapid pace, but I told myself to slow down…I wanted to savor each delicious morsel of Dead Cold. Danger oozes off the pages. Action and intrigue overwhelm me. Love everything about it. Can’t get enough of it. I need more!
For more fun, be sure and check out her bio.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Dead Cold by Jennifer Chase.
5 Stars
What happens when one California community has a disturbing spike in homicides? It catapults cops into a deadly game of murder. Frozen human body parts hideously displayed at the crime scenes offers a horrifying interpretation that only a sadistic serial killer could designโand execute.
On the hunt for a complex serial killer, vigilante detective Emily Stone must face her most daring case yet. Stoneโs proven top-notch profiling skills and forensic expertise may not be enough this time.
Young and ambitious, Detective Danny Starr, catches the homicide cases and discovers that it will test everything he knows about police work and the criminal mind. Can he handle these escalating cases or will the police department have to call in reinforcementsโthe FBI.
Emily Stoneโs covert team pushes with extreme urgency to unravel the grisly clues, while keeping their identities hidden from the police. With one last-ditch effort, Stone dangles someone she loves as bait to draw out the killer. She then forces the killer out of their comfort zone with her partner Rick Lopez, and with help from a longtime friend Jordan Smith. A revelation of the serial killerโs identity leaves the team with volatile emotions that could
destroy them.
The killer continues to taunt and expertly manipulate the police, as well as Stoneโs team, and as they run out of timeโthey leave behind everyone and everythingโin Dead Cold.
ORDER YOUR COPY:
Amazon
Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning crime fiction author and consulting criminologist. Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master’s degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent sociopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells. In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling. She is an affiliate member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists.
WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:
WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK
One + One = Three by Jane Blythe @jblytheauthor
Jayne Blythe is a fabulous author who writes some chillin’ and thrillin’ serial killer novels.
Three by Jane Blythe has a cover that blends with the others creating a brand. Scroll to the bottom to see what I mean.
Check this beauty out, done by Amy Queau, and let me know what ya think.
MY REVIEW
Warning: ** All Jane’s books contain issues of sexual assault **.
I love when I am hooked early, anticipating the worst with each ‘turn of the page.’
Excited to bring together vicious killers from One and Two, culminating in a big fat delicious Three.
HE loves the thrill of killing newlyweds, couples, leaving one alive to tell the tale. The more vicious the attack, the better. Brutal, savage killing. Blood and body parts flying every which way.
SHE is a teenage virgin, but uses sex to lure in her victims. How sick is that? Killing is her purpose in life. Kill the cheaters, thinks Isabella Everette.
Sofia is recovering from Isabella’s attack and loving on her hunky Detective boyfriend, Ryan Xander. They each have their baggage, but have found they are stronger together.
The two serial killers have left a trail of bodies in their wake, but now they are home…
I know one thing. If I were Sofia or Annabelle, Ricky’s significant other, I would not be alone. I have read enough horror, of one kind or another, to know I’d at least have me some fierce looking dogs at my side. Some trained, mean and deadly ones.
The women are severely damaged, emotionally and physically and I like having the thought they will rise to the occasion when cornered. I look forward to finding out.
I am trying to ‘see’ where Jane Blythe is going with these deadly serial killers. I know certain things will have to happen…and no, I’m not telling you what.
And then…Sofia’s stalker returns. That is a story in itself. That is the bigger mystery to me. I have yet to figure out who it is!
Each character share their point of view, and I like seeing events unfold through each person’s eyes. And…as the characters come together…so do the serial killers. The action rises to a white knuckled ending that had me racing through the pages. I knew a lot of bodies would fall, but I never saw it going down the way it did.
I love delving into a killer’s mind and there’s something extra interesting about serial killers. Their thoughts and actions, even when fiction, fascinate me. I love when the author takes me to a dark, brutal and savage place, and Jane surely does that in the twisted series, of which I have read One, Two, and Three.
WOW! Action packed thrills and chills, blood and guts fly, and the killers carry their acts to the extreme. No one is safe, yet I am happy to be here.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Three by Jane Blythe
5 Stars
GOODREADS
He targets couples, attacking them in their bed, killing one and leaving the other alive.
She targets wealthy businessmen, luring them to a hotel and drowning them.
When the two killers meet up a wild killing spree erupts.
** All my books contain issues of sexual assault **
ABOUT JANE BLYTHE
When sheโs not writing Jane loves to read, bake, go to the beach, ski, horse ride, and watch Disney movies. She has a black belt in Taekwondo, and a 200+ collection of teddy bears. She has the worldโs two most sweet and pretty Dalmatians, Ivory and Pearl. Oh, and she also enjoys spending time with family and friends!
MY REVIEWS FOR JANE BLYTHE’S BOOKS
Giveaway & Reviews for Marred & Cleaved by Sue Coletta @SueColetta1 @SilverDaggerSxx
If you are looking for a fabulous and informative crime and thriller blog to follow, look no further. I have been a follower of Sue Coletta’s for some time now, so I was super excited to get my hands on Marred and Cleaved.
Just check out the covers by EJR Digital Art!
5 STARS
Together they make an unstoppable team. But no one counted on a
twisted serial killer, who stalks their sleepy community, uproots
their happy home, and splits the threads that bonds their family
unit.
blood. Why he focused on Sage remains a mystery, but he wonโt stop
till she dies like the others.
and the Suicide King. What connects these cryptic clues? For Sage and
Niko, the truth may be more terrifying than they ever imagined.
5 STARS
Quintano, she barely escapes with her life. Her husband, Niko, a
homicide detective, insists they move to rural New Hampshire, where
he accepts a position as Grafton County Sheriff. Sage buries secrets
from that nightโsecrets she swears to take to her deathbed.
lands on Nikoโs desk. A strange caller begins tormenting Sageโshe
canโt outrun the past.
case files and discovers similarities to the Boston killer. A
sadistic psychopath is preying on innocent women, marring their
bodies in unspeakable ways. And now, he has her sister.
he trying to lure Sage into a deadly trap to end his reign of terror
with a matching set of corpses?
Thriller Writers, Sue Coletta is an award-winning, multi-published
author in numerous anthologies and her forensics articles have
appeared in InSinC Quarterly. In addition to her popular crime
resource blog, Sue co-hosts the radio show “Partners In Crime”
on Writestream Radio Network every third Tuesday of the month from 1
– 3 p.m. EDT/EST (see details at www.suecoletta.com).
She’s also the communications manager for the Serial Killer Project
and Forensic Science, and founder of #ACrimeChat on Twitter.
police jargon, the mind of serial killers, and anything and
everything in between. If you search her achieves, you’ll find posts
from guests that work in law enforcement, forensics, coroner,
undercover operatives, firearm experts…crime, crime, and more
crime.
the first to know about free giveaways, contests, and have inside
access to deleted scenes. As an added bonus, members get to play in
the lounge. Your secret code will unlock the virtual door. Inside,
like-minded folks discuss their favorite crime novels, solve
mindbender and mystery puzzles, and/or relax and chat. Most
importantly, everyone has a lot of fun.
surrounded by wildlife…bear, moose, deer, even mountain lions have
been spotted. Course, Sue would love to snuggle with them, but her
husband frowns on the idea.