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No Shame (No Shame #4)
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(This is NOT a stand alone novel. See end of this description for details) Brad feels nothing but...
M_M Contemporary Romance
Lindsay (1717 KP) rated Shades of Murder (Mac Faraday Mystery #3) in Books
Apr 16, 2022
Are you a murder mystery fan? Do you enjoy mystery altogether? You may fall in love with Lauren Carr. Her books will get you hooked. You and start any of her series by reading any one of her books. But you can read her books from the beginning. You can read any of her books as stand-alone as well.
I got hooked on her book by reading a mystery book of hers. Now I have read quite a few of them. The book I just finished is “Shades of Murder” in the form of an audiobook, book three of her Mac Faraday series. I have read almost all of her books in all of her series. They do get interlocked. Some readers may introduce you to new characters and a new series of books.
We started with the prologue of the story and murder in the preamble. We stand introduced to David and his parents, who are on vacation when we open this book. David stands called out to a crime scene. We want to know who killed Ilysa Ramsey.
We get introduced to Mac and his german shepherd in chapter one. When he receives a mysterious package sent to him, Archy wants to know. It seems like it was a painting that had stood stolen. We are wondering whether she painted her death.
Then we are introduced to Joshua Thornton and Cameron Gates. They seem to be working on a murder mystery of their own that when cold. Who is this Jane Doe?; Who kills her? Who happens to be Neil Hackaway’s wife?
What will happen when Cameron Gates and Joshua Thornton find out that there is another Ilysa Ramsey murder in Deep Creek Lake? Who out to kill who. Why does the FBI get involved? There seem to be more murders cases and lots of questions.
These cases seem to collide, and what will ever happen. Will the group work together and figure out the killer? Is there more than one killer? There may be a plan for each of the suspects years later. You will have to read or listen to find out how it all fits together.
I got hooked on her book by reading a mystery book of hers. Now I have read quite a few of them. The book I just finished is “Shades of Murder” in the form of an audiobook, book three of her Mac Faraday series. I have read almost all of her books in all of her series. They do get interlocked. Some readers may introduce you to new characters and a new series of books.
We started with the prologue of the story and murder in the preamble. We stand introduced to David and his parents, who are on vacation when we open this book. David stands called out to a crime scene. We want to know who killed Ilysa Ramsey.
We get introduced to Mac and his german shepherd in chapter one. When he receives a mysterious package sent to him, Archy wants to know. It seems like it was a painting that had stood stolen. We are wondering whether she painted her death.
Then we are introduced to Joshua Thornton and Cameron Gates. They seem to be working on a murder mystery of their own that when cold. Who is this Jane Doe?; Who kills her? Who happens to be Neil Hackaway’s wife?
What will happen when Cameron Gates and Joshua Thornton find out that there is another Ilysa Ramsey murder in Deep Creek Lake? Who out to kill who. Why does the FBI get involved? There seem to be more murders cases and lots of questions.
These cases seem to collide, and what will ever happen. Will the group work together and figure out the killer? Is there more than one killer? There may be a plan for each of the suspects years later. You will have to read or listen to find out how it all fits together.
When it comes to books, non-fiction typically isn't something I'm interested in. Lately though, I've found a few from that genre that have piqued my interest, most notably former FBI Agent Joe Navarro's Three Minutes to Doomsday, Andrew Leatherbarrow's Chernobyl: 01:23:40, and another upcoming novel entitled The Radium Girls by Kate Moore. The latter two of these books I'll discuss at another time, because this review is about Navarro's latest book, detailing the final moments of the Cold War and the arrests of Clyde Conrad and Rod Ramsey.
I was born in the late 90s, so this particular espionage case is not something I had any knowledge about prior to opening Navarro's book. All I knew was that it took place shortly before I was born and had extremely high risks associated with it. Given my tastes in crime, movies, and most fiction, this seemed to be something that would appeal to my interests and I was not wrong. In this account of Joe Navarro's pursuit of Rod Ramsey against attempts at hampering the investigation by the FBIHQ and Washington Field Office, readers discover just how terrifying close we came to a crushing defeat with the information sold by Conrad and Ramsey.
The build-up to Ramsey's arrest, trial, and conviction is agonizingly slow, which is quite suiting given that the process itself was not only flawed by those higher up in rank than Navarro, but nearly crippled by inaction. It was easy to feel Navarro's tension and frustration, while simultaneously granting readers that may prefer fiction over non-fiction a very human-like perspective of an account that might have seemed uninteresting.
The only nitpick I truly have is how unclear the passage of time is. Whether or not this was intentional, I do not know. I just know that I prefer clear indications of time's passing. Other than that, it is clear from his style of writing that Former Agent Navarro is, first and foremost, a gentleman in every aspect of the word.
Joe Navarro's memoir of this espionage case is mind-numbing and terrifyingly well-written and I would like to thank NetGalley, Scribner, and Joe Navarro for this advanced copy for the purpose of review. Not only that, I would like to thank Former Agent Joe Navarro especially for his service to our country, and his drive to fulfill his duty to his fellow Americans first and foremost.
I was born in the late 90s, so this particular espionage case is not something I had any knowledge about prior to opening Navarro's book. All I knew was that it took place shortly before I was born and had extremely high risks associated with it. Given my tastes in crime, movies, and most fiction, this seemed to be something that would appeal to my interests and I was not wrong. In this account of Joe Navarro's pursuit of Rod Ramsey against attempts at hampering the investigation by the FBIHQ and Washington Field Office, readers discover just how terrifying close we came to a crushing defeat with the information sold by Conrad and Ramsey.
The build-up to Ramsey's arrest, trial, and conviction is agonizingly slow, which is quite suiting given that the process itself was not only flawed by those higher up in rank than Navarro, but nearly crippled by inaction. It was easy to feel Navarro's tension and frustration, while simultaneously granting readers that may prefer fiction over non-fiction a very human-like perspective of an account that might have seemed uninteresting.
The only nitpick I truly have is how unclear the passage of time is. Whether or not this was intentional, I do not know. I just know that I prefer clear indications of time's passing. Other than that, it is clear from his style of writing that Former Agent Navarro is, first and foremost, a gentleman in every aspect of the word.
Joe Navarro's memoir of this espionage case is mind-numbing and terrifyingly well-written and I would like to thank NetGalley, Scribner, and Joe Navarro for this advanced copy for the purpose of review. Not only that, I would like to thank Former Agent Joe Navarro especially for his service to our country, and his drive to fulfill his duty to his fellow Americans first and foremost.
Debbiereadsbook (1197 KP) rated Deadly Games (Dallas after Dark #2) in Books
Aug 3, 2018
kinda creeps up on ya!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book two in the Dallas After Dark series, but I have not read book one, Dangerous Games. I would like to, though. You don't NEED it, I don't think, I didn't feel I was missing anything by not having read it, but I would like to read Reese's story, she's the owner of the strip club here.
FBI Agent Katherine is out on a girls night out after her divorce in the male strip club, Dallas Heat. Nash is their star performer. Nash pulls Katherine (loved that it was not shortened, not once!) onto the stage, something he has NEVER done before. A night of passion follows but Katherine runs, knowing that it can only be that: one night. But Nash turns up at her office with information that might help find a serial killer. Together, they must catch this killer before one of Katherine's friends turns up dead, all the while with Katherine fighting their attraction. Nash, however, is already all in!
I really really enjoyed this book! Don't you just love being surprised by a book, but you've no particular idea why?? I *think* that it was probably Nash himself.
I must admit, I had preconceptions about a male stripper, and what he got up to with his customers. But Nash blew them all out the water. As did the fact that I, very wrongly, pegged Nash as all body and no brains! I've no idea WHY I thought that, but I did. And for that I'm truly sorry!
I liked the pace the story moved at, not too fast, at a fair and even pace so you can keep up. I DID get who the killer was, just as soon as they popped up in the story, but I did NOT get what they had done before! Loved watching the main play out, so many wrong turns!
It's not over explicit, but it is still incredibly sexy. It does get a little gruesome in the beginning, when it is describing a victim's suffering at the hands of the killer.
I do like the way Rock tells her tales, one to watch, me finks!
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book two in the Dallas After Dark series, but I have not read book one, Dangerous Games. I would like to, though. You don't NEED it, I don't think, I didn't feel I was missing anything by not having read it, but I would like to read Reese's story, she's the owner of the strip club here.
FBI Agent Katherine is out on a girls night out after her divorce in the male strip club, Dallas Heat. Nash is their star performer. Nash pulls Katherine (loved that it was not shortened, not once!) onto the stage, something he has NEVER done before. A night of passion follows but Katherine runs, knowing that it can only be that: one night. But Nash turns up at her office with information that might help find a serial killer. Together, they must catch this killer before one of Katherine's friends turns up dead, all the while with Katherine fighting their attraction. Nash, however, is already all in!
I really really enjoyed this book! Don't you just love being surprised by a book, but you've no particular idea why?? I *think* that it was probably Nash himself.
I must admit, I had preconceptions about a male stripper, and what he got up to with his customers. But Nash blew them all out the water. As did the fact that I, very wrongly, pegged Nash as all body and no brains! I've no idea WHY I thought that, but I did. And for that I'm truly sorry!
I liked the pace the story moved at, not too fast, at a fair and even pace so you can keep up. I DID get who the killer was, just as soon as they popped up in the story, but I did NOT get what they had done before! Loved watching the main play out, so many wrong turns!
It's not over explicit, but it is still incredibly sexy. It does get a little gruesome in the beginning, when it is describing a victim's suffering at the hands of the killer.
I do like the way Rock tells her tales, one to watch, me finks!
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated White Boy Rick (2018) in Movies
Sep 17, 2018
Would have been better if at actually WAS a McConaughey flick
If you believe the advertisement for the latest Matthew McConaughey flick, WHITE BOY RICK, you would think that it is...well...a Mathew McConaughey flick.
And you would be wrong.
Set in the mid-1980's, WHITE BOY RICK tells the true tale of Richard Wershe, Jr. a youth who gets involved in drug trafficking and becomes an informant for the FBI and who...eventually...becomes the person who has been incarcerated for the longest time in Michigan for a non-violent crime.
Sounds intriguing enough you say. And the cast list says that McConaughey is starring as Richard Wershe, so that could be interesting.
But you would be wrong again.
McConaughey stars as Richard Wershe, SENIOR, the father of Richard Wershe, Jr. who is played by Richie Merritt, in his film debut - and that's the problem. The actor that might have made the slightness of the screen play and story interesting is sidelined as a minor, supporting character and the lead role - the role that is front and center for the ENTIRE film - is played by someone in his screen debut who brings nothing interesting to the role.
Director Yann Demage does a credible enough job moving the plot forward from event to event, but doesn't craft an over-arching storyline - or character transformation - that makes each of these individual scenes work with each other. It's a series of vignettes, but not a total movie - at least not a total, emotionally satisfying film.
McConaughey, of course, is the best thing in this film - he has the "low-life, struggling, white trash" persona perfected. But he is in the film not nearly enough and his "big" scenes aren't big enough to make his appearance in this film worthwhile.
Jennifer Jason Leigh, Bruce Dern and Piper Laurie are wasted in even smaller supporting roles and the other actors/characters are just forgettable faces in forgettable situations. Only Bel Powley as White Boy Rick's sister is interesting to watch and has a character worth remembering.
There is a good movie in here, I'm sure, this just isn't it. Disappointing would be the best word I would use for it.
Letter Grade C+ (for McConaughey and Powley's presence - and for the sure fun of seeing Dern and Laurie together on the screen).
5 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)
And you would be wrong.
Set in the mid-1980's, WHITE BOY RICK tells the true tale of Richard Wershe, Jr. a youth who gets involved in drug trafficking and becomes an informant for the FBI and who...eventually...becomes the person who has been incarcerated for the longest time in Michigan for a non-violent crime.
Sounds intriguing enough you say. And the cast list says that McConaughey is starring as Richard Wershe, so that could be interesting.
But you would be wrong again.
McConaughey stars as Richard Wershe, SENIOR, the father of Richard Wershe, Jr. who is played by Richie Merritt, in his film debut - and that's the problem. The actor that might have made the slightness of the screen play and story interesting is sidelined as a minor, supporting character and the lead role - the role that is front and center for the ENTIRE film - is played by someone in his screen debut who brings nothing interesting to the role.
Director Yann Demage does a credible enough job moving the plot forward from event to event, but doesn't craft an over-arching storyline - or character transformation - that makes each of these individual scenes work with each other. It's a series of vignettes, but not a total movie - at least not a total, emotionally satisfying film.
McConaughey, of course, is the best thing in this film - he has the "low-life, struggling, white trash" persona perfected. But he is in the film not nearly enough and his "big" scenes aren't big enough to make his appearance in this film worthwhile.
Jennifer Jason Leigh, Bruce Dern and Piper Laurie are wasted in even smaller supporting roles and the other actors/characters are just forgettable faces in forgettable situations. Only Bel Powley as White Boy Rick's sister is interesting to watch and has a character worth remembering.
There is a good movie in here, I'm sure, this just isn't it. Disappointing would be the best word I would use for it.
Letter Grade C+ (for McConaughey and Powley's presence - and for the sure fun of seeing Dern and Laurie together on the screen).
5 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The First Lady in Books
Aug 8, 2019
It's four weeks until the election for the new President. Current President Tucker is enjoying himself at a hotel in Atlanta with his girlfriend, while his wife and first lady, Grace Tucker, is fulfilling the duties of her office. When the President leave the hotel with his mistress, all hell breaks loose. There are reporters everywhere, there to catch the scandal. It's all just too much for the First Lady to handle, so she retreats to one of her favorite places and then, she turns up missing. Sally Grissom is the Secret Service Agent in charge of the presidential detail and doesn't know how the First Lady going missing isn't something she is told. Until she is called into the President's office and is asked to look for her secretively. What is going on? Something isn't right. And Sally has her eye on the President's Chief of Staff and his strange request. But Sally doesn't work for him, she serves the Office of the President and she will find the First Lady, no matter what.
This is a book I really enjoyed. It captured my attention from the start and had some twists and turns, I didn't see coming. There was only one drawback from this audio version of the book, the narrator. She did a fine job of reading the story and the voices, but her pronunciation drove me crazy. If you're not from the Washington, DC area, you might not notice, but it is so obvious. Pronouncing Maryland like Merry-Land. Potomac like Pot A Mack, and Arapaho like Air a pay ho. I cringed every time.
Imagine in this day and time with smart phones everywhere if the First Lady went missing. It would be all over the news. Why doesn't the Chief of Staff want to share this with the world, to help find her? Why isn't the FBI involved? Something is going on in the White House and Sally doesn't know if the President is aware at all. Or is his mistress and the election much more important to him than finding his wife.
Sally is going to do all she can to do her job even when she is asked to stand down. Even when it seems like there is always an obstacle there to stop her. Will she find the First Lady before it's too late? You'll have to read the book to find out.
This is a book I really enjoyed. It captured my attention from the start and had some twists and turns, I didn't see coming. There was only one drawback from this audio version of the book, the narrator. She did a fine job of reading the story and the voices, but her pronunciation drove me crazy. If you're not from the Washington, DC area, you might not notice, but it is so obvious. Pronouncing Maryland like Merry-Land. Potomac like Pot A Mack, and Arapaho like Air a pay ho. I cringed every time.
Imagine in this day and time with smart phones everywhere if the First Lady went missing. It would be all over the news. Why doesn't the Chief of Staff want to share this with the world, to help find her? Why isn't the FBI involved? Something is going on in the White House and Sally doesn't know if the President is aware at all. Or is his mistress and the election much more important to him than finding his wife.
Sally is going to do all she can to do her job even when she is asked to stand down. Even when it seems like there is always an obstacle there to stop her. Will she find the First Lady before it's too late? You'll have to read the book to find out.
Beyond Cold Blood: The KBI from Ma Barker to BTK
Book
Ma Barker and Pretty Boy Floyd once shot their way across the state, and Bonnie and Clyde were known...
Dead in a Week (Forensic Instincts #7)
Book
What would you do if your daughter was kidnapped and given only a week to live? Lauren...
Suspense Thriller
Hadley (567 KP) rated Hannibal (Hannibal Lecter, #3) in Books
Apr 6, 2019
Written well (1 more)
Interesting characters
Contains spoilers, click to show
I was excited to read this book because Hannibal Lecter is one of my favorite fictional horror characters.
We get to follow Special Agent Clarice Starling through her troubles in the FBI,Hannibal Lecter's life while on the lamb (yes,that was intentional),one Italian detective's need for retribution,and a family's empire thirsty for revenge all inside of Harris' well-written 'Hannibal.'
The transition between this cast of characters is easily done with quick chapters,but Harris never loses a stride,keeping the momentum going from page to page.
The book begins with Special Agent Starling having made her place in the FBI. This soon becomes a controversy after a shootout pushes Starling into the headline spotlight,dubbed as the: Death Angel. Her career begins to fall apart,but not unnoticed by the one and only,Hannibal Lecter.
We meet a new and unforgettable character named Mason Verger. Verger is one of Lecter's earlier victims (pre-Silence of the Lambs),who survived and offers a high reward for the capture of his attacker. Verger is a memorable character --- "Mason Verger,noseless and lipless,with no soft tissue on his face,was all teeth,like a creature of the deep,deep ocean. Inured as we are to masks,the shock in seeing him is delayed. Shock comes with the recognition that this is a human face with a mind behind it. It churns you with its movement,the articulation of the jaw,the turning of the eye to see you. To see your normal face." But finding out the things he had done during his lifetime stays with the reader.
"I'm not ashamed anymore.I'll tell you about anything. It's all okay now. I got a walk on those trumped-up molestation counts if I did five hundred hours of community service,worked at the dog pound and got therapy from Dr. Lecter."
Even I couldn't blame Lecter for what he did to Mason.
"He went over to the mirror I looked at myself in,and kicked the bottom of it and took out a shard. I was flying. He came over and gave me the piece of glass and looked me in the eyes and suggested I might like to peel off my face with it."
Although most would have a revelation after such an attack,Mason continues to be the person he had always been,especially towards the children in his family's 'day care.'
"Do you know what will happen to Kitty Cat? The policemen will take Kitty Cat to the pound and a doctor there will give her a shot. Did you get a shot at day care? Did the nurse give you a shot? With a shiny needle? They'll give Kitty Cat a shot. She'll be so scared when she sees the needle. They'll stick it in and Kitty Cat will hurt and die."
Another interesting character we meet is named Rinaldo Pazzi,an Inspector in Florence,Italy. Pazzi is well known for working high profile cases,including the infamous serial killer,Il Mostro. It is Pazzi who identifies Lecter hiding in Florence. He makes a deal with Verger to help capture him for a nice lump sum,but at the chance of being killed by Lecter.
Eventually,we get a small insight into Lecter's psychological makeup by reliving the death of his sister,Mischa. This memory plays on and off throughout the rest of the book,but it's the only glimpse the reader gets into the dark side of Lecter's mind palace.
Harris beautifully transitioned from 'Silence of the Lambs' to 'Hannibal,' keeping readers on their toes from chapter to chapter. Interesting and dark characters intertwine to bring an end to Hannibal Lecter's series ('Hannibal Rising' is a prequel detailing Lecter's life as a young man).
I wouldn't say that you HAVE to read 'Silence of the Lambs' to understand the book 'Hannibal.' Harris did a great job of reminiscing over events that happened in 'Silence . . ." Yet,having read 'Silence. . .,' I will say you would get a better picture of Hannibal and Starling's view of one another,which would make the ending of 'Hannibal' make more sense to the reader.
Overall,I enjoyed 'Hannibal' more than 'Silence of the Lambs.' I find Starling's maturity in 'Hannibal' refreshing compared to her insecurities in 'Silence. . .' The book is very fluid,but a heavy read - this is not a read-in-a-day kind of book (484 pages). I found myself stopping and allowing what I read to settle in because it just seemed the right thing to do. My only annoyance was that during the entire part two that takes place in Florence,there is a lot of Italian being used without an english translation (I am not fluent,not even a little,so all of those sentences went right over my head). I feel like I may have missed out on some dialogue because of this.
We get to follow Special Agent Clarice Starling through her troubles in the FBI,Hannibal Lecter's life while on the lamb (yes,that was intentional),one Italian detective's need for retribution,and a family's empire thirsty for revenge all inside of Harris' well-written 'Hannibal.'
The transition between this cast of characters is easily done with quick chapters,but Harris never loses a stride,keeping the momentum going from page to page.
The book begins with Special Agent Starling having made her place in the FBI. This soon becomes a controversy after a shootout pushes Starling into the headline spotlight,dubbed as the: Death Angel. Her career begins to fall apart,but not unnoticed by the one and only,Hannibal Lecter.
We meet a new and unforgettable character named Mason Verger. Verger is one of Lecter's earlier victims (pre-Silence of the Lambs),who survived and offers a high reward for the capture of his attacker. Verger is a memorable character --- "Mason Verger,noseless and lipless,with no soft tissue on his face,was all teeth,like a creature of the deep,deep ocean. Inured as we are to masks,the shock in seeing him is delayed. Shock comes with the recognition that this is a human face with a mind behind it. It churns you with its movement,the articulation of the jaw,the turning of the eye to see you. To see your normal face." But finding out the things he had done during his lifetime stays with the reader.
"I'm not ashamed anymore.I'll tell you about anything. It's all okay now. I got a walk on those trumped-up molestation counts if I did five hundred hours of community service,worked at the dog pound and got therapy from Dr. Lecter."
Even I couldn't blame Lecter for what he did to Mason.
"He went over to the mirror I looked at myself in,and kicked the bottom of it and took out a shard. I was flying. He came over and gave me the piece of glass and looked me in the eyes and suggested I might like to peel off my face with it."
Although most would have a revelation after such an attack,Mason continues to be the person he had always been,especially towards the children in his family's 'day care.'
"Do you know what will happen to Kitty Cat? The policemen will take Kitty Cat to the pound and a doctor there will give her a shot. Did you get a shot at day care? Did the nurse give you a shot? With a shiny needle? They'll give Kitty Cat a shot. She'll be so scared when she sees the needle. They'll stick it in and Kitty Cat will hurt and die."
Another interesting character we meet is named Rinaldo Pazzi,an Inspector in Florence,Italy. Pazzi is well known for working high profile cases,including the infamous serial killer,Il Mostro. It is Pazzi who identifies Lecter hiding in Florence. He makes a deal with Verger to help capture him for a nice lump sum,but at the chance of being killed by Lecter.
Eventually,we get a small insight into Lecter's psychological makeup by reliving the death of his sister,Mischa. This memory plays on and off throughout the rest of the book,but it's the only glimpse the reader gets into the dark side of Lecter's mind palace.
Harris beautifully transitioned from 'Silence of the Lambs' to 'Hannibal,' keeping readers on their toes from chapter to chapter. Interesting and dark characters intertwine to bring an end to Hannibal Lecter's series ('Hannibal Rising' is a prequel detailing Lecter's life as a young man).
I wouldn't say that you HAVE to read 'Silence of the Lambs' to understand the book 'Hannibal.' Harris did a great job of reminiscing over events that happened in 'Silence . . ." Yet,having read 'Silence. . .,' I will say you would get a better picture of Hannibal and Starling's view of one another,which would make the ending of 'Hannibal' make more sense to the reader.
Overall,I enjoyed 'Hannibal' more than 'Silence of the Lambs.' I find Starling's maturity in 'Hannibal' refreshing compared to her insecurities in 'Silence. . .' The book is very fluid,but a heavy read - this is not a read-in-a-day kind of book (484 pages). I found myself stopping and allowing what I read to settle in because it just seemed the right thing to do. My only annoyance was that during the entire part two that takes place in Florence,there is a lot of Italian being used without an english translation (I am not fluent,not even a little,so all of those sentences went right over my head). I feel like I may have missed out on some dialogue because of this.