Book Review: Apprentice In Death by J.D. Robb

The shots came quickly, silently, and with deadly accuracy. Within seconds, three people were dead at Central Park’s ice skating rink. The victims: a talented young skater, a doctor, and a teacher. As random as random can be.

Eve Dallas has seen a lot of killers during her time with the NYPSD, but never one like this. After reviewing security videos, it becomes clear that the victims were killed by a sniper firing a tactical laser rifle, who could have been miles away when the trigger was pulled. And though the locations where the shooter could have set up seem endless, the list of people with that particular skill set is finite: police, military, professional killer.

Eve’s husband, Roarke, has unlimited resources—and genius—at his disposal. And when his computer program leads Eve to the location of the sniper, she learns a shocking fact: There were two—one older, one younger. Someone is being trained by an expert in the science of killing, and they have an agenda. Central Park was just a warm-up. And as another sniper attack shakes the city to its core, Eve realizes that though we’re all shaped by the people around us, there are those who are just born evil...

                              My Review:

Apprentice in Death by J.D. Robb
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
#43 in the In Death series. Someone is out shooting people in public. The first time the shooter took out 3 people on the ice rink in Central Park. After investigating it seems there is a sniper out there that can shoot from a couple of miles away using a tactical laser rifle and this person does not miss. When Eve brings her husband in to use his skills she finds out that there are 2 people, 1 young, 1 older. What we find out is horrifying. Then another attack happens that brings the city down to it's knees and why is the big question.
while this is going on there is also going to be a 1st birthday party for Mavis's daughter, which Eve is not looking forwards to.
Also Roarke is having Eve's office remodeled at their house and she is non to happy until she sees the results.

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Blog Tour: You Kill Me by Holly LeRoy

You Kill Me

by Holly LeRoy

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GENRE: Mystery/thriller

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BLURB:

LIEUTENANT EVE SHARPE should have seen the avalanche of trouble headed her way but events had dulled her edge and crumbled her foundation of toughness. With the press and politicians all coming for her, Eve begins to question whether she is really a cold blooded murderer or simply losing her mind. Was it an officer involved shooting gone wrong? An honest mistake? Or, something much, much worse?

There's one thing for sure, it has turned the Chicago Police Department upside down, and Lieutenant Eve Sharpe's life along with it.

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Excerpt 

It was well known that police officers, even those with seniority could, for disciplinary reasons, be temporarily assigned to other units. Usually someplace working with non-sworn civilians like personnel or records. Or, if you really screwed up, they’d stick you on stakeout. That’s what really bothered me. Sure, I’d always been a pain-in-the-ass, but lately, I’d been a good girl, not screwing up at all in the past couple of months. Well, maybe a month. Yet here I was, heading to a blisteringly cold stakeout at a South Side crack house instead of doing data entry at a nice warm records desk.

Poor Walt. Guilt by association probably did him in. He actually got the worst end of the deal. He’d be at the crack house until after three.

Every ten minutes, the all-news station, Magic 66, cheerfully announced what I had to look forward to:

‘Subzero temperatures have moved into the Chicago area and are expected to stay for the remainder of the week. Lake effect snow continues to hammer the south and east of the city and plows are trying to . . .’

Shit. I flicked off the radio and hunched over the steering wheel trying to see the road ahead. The smells of antifreeze and water steaming on the exhaust and burned oil coming up through the floorboards all served to remind me that a few months earlier, I’d wrecked my Buick in a snowstorm just like this one.

Insurance had repaired it instead of totaling the damn thing, so now it was more of a rolling wreck than ever. My ex-partner Clark kept telling me that since the accident it went down the road like a fiddler crab. Kind of sideways.

Crazies kept passing me and throwing salted slush over my windshield, and I finally chickened out and moved over to the slow lane behind a Safeway big rig. I found myself staring up at a huge T-bone steak, sun-faded to a light purple.

The off ramp was slick with black ice, and I took it at a crawl, easing into the neighborhood shown on Isaacson’s map. I slowed down even more, threading my way through the narrow streets. It was a ghost neighborhood where half the houses had been torn down and only half of what remained seemed to be occupied. Built after World War II, these were the homes our GI’s came home to in 1945. Now, they were homes for crack whores and junkies ready to die, teenagers ready to screw, and apparently, if Isaacson were correct, our drug lord. The target was a small single-story house, one of the few that didn’t have its windows boarded up.

I sat in my cramped little Buick, staring at it through a pair of binoculars. After an hour, I stuck a Santana cassette into the radio and poured a cup of squad room coffee. When my teeth began to chatter, I began to run the car fifteen minutes on and fifteen minutes off. Even at that, the car’s heater struggled against the cold, my breath fogged over the windows, and a plume of steam from the exhaust filled the air behind. After mopping at the windshield with a handful of napkins from Walt’s last trip to Mr. Moo’s Burger Shack, I sat watching the strings of red taillights headed south on the I-55.

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MY REVIEW:

You Kill Me - A Lt. Eve Sharpe Thriller by Holly LeRoy

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this in 1 sitting. I couldn't put it down. I really liked Lt. Eve Sharfpe. She is a good cop and wants to take down the bad guy. But a shooting gone wrong has put her in a whole lot of trouble and more bad things keep happening that makes her look like a bad cop. The Mayor is out for blood along with her assistant. She is pulled off from working and she does everything she can to clear her name. But it seems like no matter what there is someone out there causing a lot of trouble. I really liked this first book of the series and would love to read more as they come out. Eve has a lot of police on her side and they all want to back her up,
I received this from GoddessFish Promotions for review.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

HOLLY LEROY has been an actor, amateur boxer, NASCAR journalist, expert witness, Santa County Substance Abuse Commissioner, and patrolled with the Drug Enforcement Unit of the San Jose Police Department.

He lives in the Sierra Nevada mountains with his wife, four cats and two dogs.

Holly LeRoy Amazon author page https://amzn.to/2OX4k4g

You Kill Me buy link https://cutit.org/r1y3O

Keep in touch with him on his blog, hlleroy.blogspot.com

Follow him on Twitter @hlleroy

And on Facebook.com/HollyLeRoyWriter

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19487324.Holly_LeRoy

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Holly LeRoy will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

RAFFLECOPTER:

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Blog Tour: Life or Death by Chris Merritt

Title:                  Life or Death  

Author:     Chris Merritt

BUY LINKS: 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2TTRnY5

iBookstore: https://tinyurl.com/y7vqjoa6

Kobo: https://tinyurl.com/y8floql8

Googleplay: https://tinyurl.com/yawpggg8

Publication Day: January 23^rd 2019

Description:    

Never forget. Never forgive.

As a detective in the Metropolitan police, Zac is no stranger to murder cases, but this one is different. This is his daughter’s murder. 

Years after Amelia died, Zac is still trying to trace the police office involved in his daughter’s death.

And whilst Zac is prepared to break every rule to find the man responsible, his young and ambitious deputy, Kat, is working on a high profile case of her own. But she knows Zac is keeping secrets from his team so she’s following his every move.

When one of Zac’s informants is killed, he knows he’s close to catching his man, but before he can act, he receives a call about his son which blows his world apart… And this time, he knows he’ll stop at nothing to save his family.

A gripping and addictive crime thriller for fans of Lee Child, Mark Billingham and Mark Dawson, Life or Death is an unputdownable thriller that will have you reading into the night. 

MY THOUGHTS:

Life or Death by Chris Merritt

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I had a really hard time getting into this book. So many cops names and who is working with who and who doesn't like who. Cops wanting to set up other cops that it took away the story for me. I liked Zac and his wife Etta. They had lost a daughter a few years ago and now dealing with a problem with their son made me keep reading the book. Drug dealers and gun runners was what the police are looking into in this 3rd book of the series.
I received this from NetGalley and Bookouture for a honest review.

Author Bio:

Chris Merritt is a Clinical Psychologist and former diplomat based in London, who has been writing on psychology since 2010. In 2014 he decided to combine his Bring Her Back, his debut novel. He currently works on a mental health research project at King’s College London, and part-time as a psychologist in the NHS. When not working or writing, he loves climbing and basketball, and dreams of one day being able to work from home enough to own a whippet.

Author Social Media Links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrCJMerritt

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17558172.Chris_Merritt

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Blog Tour: A Promise To The Dead by Victoria Jenkins

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Title: A Promise to the Dead (Detectives King and Lane Book 4) 

Author: Victoria Jenkins

Publication Day: January 21^st

Buy link: 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2RSNllk

Apple Books: https://tinyurl.com/y7d4g2my

Kobo: https://tinyurl.com/y9j9ylu8

Googleplay: https://tinyurl.com/ybswp5vt  

Description:

The blur of shapes began to sharpen, forming a clear picture that stood out against the darkened background. For a moment he couldn’t move, his fear rendering him immobile. He needed help. He turned to run.

On a dark night, on a mountain road, a young couple, Matthew and Stacey, are on their way home from a night out. Their car breaks down and Matthew leaves to look for help. By the next morning, Stacey is found murdered in the car and Matthew is missing, presumed guilty of her murder.

Called to the scene, Detective Alex King and her team soon see some terrifying links – to another local young man who is missing, and to the discovery of a body from 30 years ago.

Alex knows that the missing and the dead have a story to tell her. But will she hear it in time to uncover the killer before they strike again?

A Promise to the Dead is a totally unputdownable crime thriller that will have you hooked. Readers of Angela Marsons, Karin Slaughter and Robert Dugoni will love this.

My Thoughts:  

A Promise to the Dead by Victoria Jenkins

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow. Very intense. This is book 4 in this series. I have not read the other books but I was ok with that. You still got the feeling of the main characters and their relationships. I read this in 1 sitting as I could not put it down. A few dead bodies, a few missing people and someone is writing a letter to someone else but you don't know who they are. Matthew and Stacey were driving up a mountain when they run out of gas. Matthew goes to find help. Stacey ends up dead and Matthew is missing. If you like police crime books then you will need to read this.
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for my copy.

About the Author

Victoria Jenkins lives with her husband and daughter in South Wales, where her series of crime novels featuring Detectives King and Lane is based. Her debut novel The Girls in the Water is an Amazon UK top 30 bestseller, and top 5 bestseller in the Amazon US chart. 

Author Links: 

twitter@vicwritescrime
facebook.com/victoriajenkinsauthor

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The Silent Dead by Graham Smith blog tour

Title:                  THE SILENT DEAD     

Author:     GRAHAM SMITH   

Publication Day: 30^th November 2018

Buy Links :

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Pcuyw0

iBookstore: https://tinyurl.com/ydhftyxx

Kobo: https://tinyurl.com/y75k5vng

Googleplay: https://tinyurl.com/ybchbhzl

Description:

He’d found an angel for his collection. But one angel at a time was never enough...

Detective Beth Young has just joined the Cumbrian major crimes team when a body is found posed in a ritualistic manner – arms spread and graceful wings attached – at a crumbling castle in the hills of the Lake District. 

The entire police force are on red alert. But Beth begins to feel she’s the only one who can follow the disturbing clues left by the twisted killer. Because she doesn’t think like everyone else. To Beth, crimes are puzzles she can solve. Even if real life is a little harder.

As more bodies are discovered in derelict stately homes across the Lake District, she knows she’s in a race against time.

But the killer is looking for another victim to add to his collection… Will Beth be able to save her? Or will he get there first?

A tenacious young detective with scars both physical and emotional, Beth Young will stop at nothing in her fight for justice for the innocent. The Silent Dead is the first book in the series. Set in the Lake District, it is perfect for fans of Joy Ellis, LJ Ross, and Peter James. 

MY THOUGHTS: 3 stars

For some reason I just could not get into this book. It felt slow and drawn out and I could not connect with any of the characters. I thought maybe it was because I was tired on the first day I started it so I put it down and picked it back up the next day and still just could not get into it.
A man is kidnapping people to be his angels and he is the dragon master. He led a bad childhood with a monster of a mother which you do know from the beginning so it is not a spoiler. Even though I love police procedurals and psychological thrillers, there was just something lacking here and can't quite figure out what it was.

Author Bio:

Graham Smith is the bestselling author of four explosive crime thrillers in the Jake Boulder series, Watching the Bodies, The Kindred Killers, Past Echoes and Die Cold. Watching the Bodies spent over two weeks at number one in the Amazon UK chart and Amazon CA charts. Graham is also the author of the popular DI Harry Evans series and has collections of short stories and novellas. His latest novel - The Silent Dead is published by Bookouture and set in Cumbria / the Lake District, featuring DC Beth Young.

He is the proud father of a young son. As a time served joiner he has built bridges, houses, dug drains and slated roofs to make ends meet. Since 2000 he has been manager of a busy hotel and wedding venue near Gretna Green, Scotland. 

An avid fan of crime fiction since being given one of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five books at the age of eight, he has also been a regular reviewer for the well-respected review site Crimesquad.com since 2010.

When not working, his time is spent reading, writing and playing games with his son. He enjoys socialising and spending time with friends and family.

Author Social Media Links:

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/grahamnsmithauthor/

TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/GrahamSmith1972

WEBSITE: https://grahamsmithauthor.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5446655.Graham_Smith?from_search=true

The Darkness by Ragnar Jonasson review

The Darkness: A Thriller by Ragnar Jónasson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When a young woman, an asylum seeker from Russia, is found murdered on the seaweed covered rocks of Iceland, Hulda starts to ask questions. But it isn't long before she realizes that no one wants her to investigate this murder. She eventually must decide whether solving this case is worth losing her life.


My Thoughts:
Hulda is going to be retiring soon but her boss calls in her in and says she is retiring now. They have someone younger to take her place. She can work on a cold case. So she does without telling which one it is and goes and starts investigating which causes problems in the police department. With another case she just closed has started questioning her investigation she is forced to leave the next day.
During this story there are 2 others going on. Although I liked the storyline and Hulda I was quite bored with the book. It was slow moving and so many characters that Hulda talked to that you aren't quite sure what to think.
I received this from Minotaur books for an honest review.


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Tell Nobody by Patricia Gibney review

Tell Nobody by Patricia Gibney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

One hot summer evening, eleven-year-old Mikey Driscoll is on the way home from playing with friends. Two days later, his broken body is discovered on a bed of wild flowers by some local teenagers.

The case is assigned to Detective Lottie Parker and this time it’s personal. A close friend of her son Sean, Mikey was from the run-down Munbally estate on the other side of town. Sean tells his mother that Mikey was behaving normally before he died but Lottie can’t help but feel that her son is keeping something from her …

Then days later, another boy is found dead, surrounded by wild flowers next to a beautiful lake.

My Thoughts:
I will put the warning out there that there is abuse and children are murdered. So for those that can't read something like that then this book is not for you.
So many families are affected by this and sports coaches. On top of that there is a man from NYPD looking for Lottie. She wants nothing to do with him. This is book #5 of this series and I did not read the other 4. I did not feel that had to either. I really liked Lottie and her family. I was scared for her son Sean who was trying to figure out what was going on.
I received this from NetGalley and Bookouture for an honest review.


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