One By One
9.8
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Detective Robert Hunter of the LAPD's Homicide Special Section receives an anonymous call asking him...
Hazel (2934 KP) rated Kill Again (Claire Waters #2) in Books
Oct 17, 2021
I love the two main characters, Claire and Nick. They are interesting, flawed and totally believable. The pace is great and it's one of those books where you say "just one more chapter!" and before you know it, it's way past your bed time. The plot was gripping and I didn't guess who the killer was until the end when everything came together and finished satisfactorily for me.
It's a shame there haven't been any more books in this series - well none that I can find - because I would definitely read them however, I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good serial killer thriller and my thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
INCEPTIO (Roma Nova Thriller #1)
8.0
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“It's about Roman blood, survival and money. Mostly yours." In an alternative New York, Karen...
Thriller
Now & Then (Parker City Mystery #1)
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Parker City now…Parker City then…Every city has its stories and secrets. In the spring of...
Mystery
Strawberried Alive
8.0
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The crew from the Fairy Tale Cupcakes shop risks getting burned when they set out to find a murderer...
Apprehend Me No Flowers
8.0
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Two abandoned bodies lead to a polarized community. Can an amateur sleuth bridge the divide and help...
A Fatal Groove
7.5
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Second in the Record Shop series by Olivia Blacke, A Fatal Groove is a mystery for the record . . . ...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2355 KP) rated Sugarplum Dead in Books
Jul 27, 2024
This book seemed to wander a bit with the set up, and I was wondering when it was going to get to the point. But when it did, it was great with several twists that surprised me and an ending that wrapped everything up well. We didn’t see as much of many of the regulars, but Laurel has some fantastic scenes. We also get to know some of the suspects better than is often the case. The Christmas element was subdued, but the references to other mystery authors and books was toned down, which was great. This is another book that fans of cozy mysteries will love.
What Goes Around
Book
EVIL HAS MANY FACES Chilling murders terrorize a town and bring together two detectives to face...
Contemporary Psychological Domestic Thriller
Midge (525 KP) rated The Playing Card Killer in Books
Feb 19, 2019
I loved that, straight-away, Russell James introduces Brian Sheridan, who is currently on medication for anxiety-related problems. Brian decides to stop taking his medication as he thinks that he is living life through fog and haze which he hates. As a result, he is tormented by dreams of women being strangled, then left with a playing card tucked in their corpse. When he sees an apparent victim on the news, dead, Brian fears he may be the unwitting killer. Detective Eric Weissbard thinks the same thing and starts to build a case to get Brian convicted. But there's so much more to these murders…
Brian discovers that he has a brother, Tyler, with a penchant for murder. Tyler is willing to frame Brian for the crimes unless Brian wants to join Team Playing Card Killer.
Russell James’ sympathetic portrayal of the immensely likeable Brian was wonderful to read as his neuroses and delusions were laid bare and there was no hidden side to him. Brian is a troubled young man with an adoptive family with whom he barely has any sort of relationship. His girlfriend, Daniela, by contrast, is confident, and self -assured and she delivers Brian an ultimatum - either he continues with his medication or she will leave him.
I also liked Russell James’ fantastic character portrayal of Detective Weissbard who is talented, analytical and operates mostly and very successfully on gut instinct. However, he is disrespected by his colleagues and is assigned to chasing all the non-eventful leads and red herrings. That is until a jittery young guy arrives at the station, claiming to have detailed knowledge of the investigation that hasn’t been revealed.
For me, THE PLAYING CARD KILLER explores some freaky imaginings and is full of creepy vibes. It's a fantastic thriller that surprised me with a mystery that borders on a grim horror novel. I was never quite sure exactly how far off the rails Brian had gone or where the author was going next with this disturbing but exciting story. The suspense was so great that I was on the edge of my seat because I was so absorbed with Brian and Detective Weissbard.
THE PLAYING CARD KILLER held my interest from start to finish and the way in which Russell James brought everything to a conclusion was just fabulous. I loved it and it has left me eager to read more from this author. I would recommend THE PLAYING CARD KILLER to anyone who likes this genre.
[Thank you to NetGalley, Flame Tree Press and Russell James for a free ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.]