J. Carson BlackRezensionen

Easy, fast read. A bit graphic, but the plot was well crafted and just strange enough to keep your attention. The author is a master of the thriller who can also write convincing characters. About the fifth of her books I’ve read and always up for more.

Laura Cardinal is a Criminal Investigator with the Arizona Department of Public Safety in Tucson, Arizona. She's been tasked to head down to the picturesque old mining town of Bisbee, Arizona to investigate the murder of 14 year old Jessica Parris who was found propped up in the City Park Bandshell, arranged and clothed by her killer. The story is filled with some loathsome characters who prey upon gullible young girls and some law enforcement characters with varying degrees of competence and bad attitudes that Laura must contend with. Laura is competent, likable and a bit of a control freak but clues soon emerge that give us a reason for her need for control. There are a lot of characters and I did find it a bit difficult to keep track of them for the first third of the book. After that point it became easier and I thought the characters were very well drawn. There are some flashbacks that serve to connect them as we get to the conclusion. The author juggles several plots but again, they all connect at the end.

I live in southern Arizona so I thought it was interesting to hear and see places and names that are familiar. I think J. Carson Black has room for improvement but it's a promising start to a new series.

Loved the opening chapter. It had me hooked from the beginning. The descriptions of the small desert town were great. The main character, Laura, was interesting and likable. My only complaint was I didn't like her relationship with her boyfriend. The times when she went back home to see him broke up the flow of the book. The central mystery of the story was good. It took me awhile to see the whole picture, but once I did, the pieces all fit together. The bad guy was strangely compelling, and I enjoyed reading his chapters too. He came across as a real person, not just as some 2 dimensional character. I haven't read book 1 of this series, but after reading this, I would like to read more.

You don’t need to know horses to enjoy this short tale. You don’t need to love the intricacies of breeding and racing. But the story draws you quickly in, with just enough information, pitch perfect dialog, and powerful questions of good and evil. Someone has been hurt, someone else is responsible, and crime shouldn’t pay. The sting in the end of this tale is darkly humorous and clever. And the author’s neat misdirections make for a thoroughly enjoyable read. I would definitely read more about this character… if only I had the time.

Disclosure: It must have been on a deal; I’m glad I found it.

Chelsea McCord is haunted by the ghost of the woman her great-grandfather tried to manipulate. .Thru flashbacks of a possessed camera Chelsea views events of the mining town of Brisbee, AZ and the control that Lucas McCord held over the town, the people and his family.

A love story, a family saga and murder make for a frightening tale.

Police procedural with angst.

This is the first in this series. It inspired me to search out other books written by J Carson Black

In 1997, the disappearance of three young girls rocked the city of Tucson, Arizona. Eleven years later, one of those girls, Micaela Brashear, comes home alive. Laura Cardinal is now working in the Open-Unsolved Unit and with a new job and a new partner, who questions her every move, Laura pieces together Micaela's fragmented memories in the hope she will learn the whereabouts of the other two children.

When a man walking his dog finds the bones of a child in a shallow grave on the mountain above town, it becomes clear to Laura that Micaela was the lucky one. But the killer isn't through yet, and after the fiery death of someone close to Laura, she realizes she faces an implacable enemy.

Kidnapping and murder of children is so especially heinous. But J Carson Black has done an admirable job of drawing the many threads together and answering the why. A police procedural with many well crafted characters, some you will like, some you will hate.

I tried to read a couple of times, but kept losing interest, so tried the audible. Once again could not finish. I generally like J Carson Black, but this time there was way too much going on. I kept losing track of the story, as each character was telling their own story (first person) in sometimes alternating chapters. This book is for someone who enjoys way more complexity than me.

This was a fairly enjoyable read that mixed a bit of murder with conspiracy.
Two people are killed at a camping site and the investigator digs into this and goes more broadly discovering things that have been hidden for some time locally in the course of her investigation.
Apparently, in a previous book, which I haven't read, Laura went through some rather disturbing things and this is affecting her as a person and as an officer.
There's the ghost of her former mentor that pops up every so often, but he really doesn't seem to serve a purpose, so I don't know really why he's there, even as a manifestation of her subconscious.

Laura Cardinal is a Criminal Investigator with the Arizona Department of Public Safety in Tucson, Arizona. She's been tasked to head down to the picturesque old mining town of Bisbee, Arizona to investigate the murder of 14 year old Jessica Parris who was found propped up in the City Park Bandshell, arranged and clothed by her killer. The story is filled with some loathsome characters who prey upon gullible young girls and some law enforcement characters with varying degrees of competence and bad attitudes that Laura must contend with. Laura is competent, likable and a bit of a control freak but clues soon emerge that give us a reason for her need for control. There are a lot of characters and I did find it a bit difficult to keep track of them for the first third of the book. After that point it became easier and I thought the characters were very well drawn. There are some flashbacks that serve to connect them as we get to the conclusion. The author juggles several plots but again, they all connect at the end.

I live in southern Arizona so I thought it was interesting to hear and see places and names that are familiar. I think J. Carson Black has room for improvement but it's a promising start to a new series.

"Darkness on the Edge of Town" is the first book in the Laura Cardinal series by J. Carson Black. I loved this book and give it a 4 1/2 star rating.

Laura Cardinal is criminal investigator with the Arizona Dept. of Public Safety. She helps the local authorities in small towns with limited resources solve crimes.

This book has her investigating the murder of a 14-year-old girl. The hunt for her killer takes Laura deep into the world of sexual deviants who are using modern technology (computers and cell phones) and social media to entice their "prey." And it simultaneously takes her into the past disappearance of a young girl from Laura's childhood.

The story is good, interesting and fast-paced. It kept me up way too late one night because I couldn't put it down. I loved Laura and can't wait to read more about her! My only negative comment is that the first chapter had so many characters thrown at me that I almost gave up on the book (don't do it - the book is worth the read). It would have been a five star with a few less people to keep track of. But I totally loved the book and will read more of this series.½

THE TRIGGER is the first book in the Agent Jamie Dallas series by L.J. Sellers. I enjoyed reading it and give it a three star rating.

This book investigates the disappearance of a woman, the wife of one of the two co-founders of an "end of the world as we know it" group, and her baby. The group is living commune style as they stockpile supplies and learn to become self-sufficient in preparation for civilization's imminent collapse from global warming and all of the other ills humanity is inflicting on each other and the planet. Dallas is sent undercover to infiltrate the group in an attempt to find out what happened to the missing woman and her child. During the investigation, she discovers that this is not just a missing persons case. There are even more nefarious and potentially catastrophic actions afoot!

The book was fast paced, interesting and had several good plot twists. I liked Agent Dallas even though I occasionally wanted to strangle her for several of her character defects. Didn't they teach her to wait for backup? And what's with all the relationship self-sabotage?

While overall I enjoyed reading the book, there were several points that stretched my credibility a little bit too far. But mostly what kept this from being a four or five star rating was the ending. I felt frustrated because there were too many unanswered questions for me. That said, I still enjoyed the book and will try the next book in the series.

-----------------------------------------

DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN is the first book in the Laura Cardinal series by J. Carson Black. I loved this book and give it a 4 1/2 star rating.

Laura Cardinal is criminal investigator with the Arizona Dept. of Public Safety. She helps the local authorities in small towns with limited resources solve crimes.

This book has her investigating the murder of a 14-year-old girl. The hunt for her killer takes Laura deep into the world of sexual deviants who are using modern technology (computers and cell phones) and social media to entice their "prey." And it simultaneously takes her into the past disappearance of a young girl from Laura's childhood.

The story is good, interesting and fast-paced. It kept me up way too late one night because I couldn't put it down. I loved Laura and can't wait to read more about her! My only negative comment is that the first chapter had so many characters thrown at me that I almost gave up on the book (don't do it - the book is worth the read). It would have been a five star with a few less people to keep track of. But I totally loved the book and will read more of this series.

-----------------------------------------

THE ADVOCATE is the first book in the Advocate series by Teresa Burrell.

A special thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

J. Carson Black returns following Hard Return, with her riveting third installment featuring, the mysterious unstoppable, ex-Navy Seal Cyril Landry in SPECTRE BLACK as we catch up once again with the dynamic duo (hot, sexy, witty, dangerous), and New Mexico’s homicide detective Jolie Burke, who is in trouble; a deadly mission of corruption. A cop + assassin = Fireworks!

In Hard Return, (Cyril Landry #2), former Navy Seal, Cyril Landry, assumed dead, lives off the grid to protect his wife, and his teenage daughter. Laundry moves from one hotel and place to another, using different names, personalities, and has more cars and guns than an army. He has so many enemies, it is hard for him to narrow down which one wants revenge more. A fearless, intelligent paid assassin, (Clint Eastwood type), is one step ahead of anyone who gets in his way.

Jolie and Cyril have a complex past. They work together like a well-oiled machine. From The Shop, Hard Return, to Spectre Black.

It has been a year since they have seen one another. Lovers at one time. Allies and friends, until the end.

Jolie Burke, a cop in New Mexico needed Landry’s help previously, and presently as the book opens, someone is breaking into Jolie’s house, while she manages to get to her car; the intruders have tampered with her car, she is out of gas and has no cell phone signal - in the middle of nowhere.

A muscle dark car is trying to chase her down. She manages to hide her car, and gets to a pay phone at the abandoned Circle K, leaving Cyril Landry a frantic voice mail, while she runs into the deserted area, afraid for her life.

When Cyril arrives (he is one slick guy) no, Jolie. Cyril has many identities; however, in this small town, he could fit in like a tourist. He has to find Jolie without drawing attention to himself, since his is still living off the grid. He had heard the desperation in her voice, and her fear. He checks into the local dive motel and puts his next plan in to action.

Laundry knew the FBI would send an agent to investigate the missing cop, no matter the jurisdiction. He has to take one for the team with FBI agent, Carla Angela Vitelli. Evidently the FBI agent was related to some rich kid who drives a black a Camaro.

Of course, Laundry thinks the entire police force is Mickey Mouse stupid. He finds himself arrested. He knows this is a set up. Someone wants him dead, or out of commission, and the easiest way was to get him inside a jail. Whoever had taken Jolie Burke, was setting him up. He now has slept with an FBI agent, been arrested and detained for no plausible reason, and put into an empty cell pod with a psychopath.

For a guy who flies under the radar, Landry is already making plenty of enemies. Now they are framing him for deaths of the militia members. To get rid of Landry and kill the witnesses.

What is the connection? The sheriff’s department, Sheriff Waldrup, Carla Vitelli, a Camaro, Jace, a dead cop, and seizing assets of innocent people. The wrong car from the wrong guy. A farm. Horror stories in New Mexico; police departments using any excuse to claim a civil asset forfeiture. From cars, boats, houses, real estate.

With counties strapped financial, more and more jurisdictions divvied up spoils of war—mostly cars. It did not seem to matter if you were a drug dealer, or a shop lifter, if they could take your high-ticket item legally, they did. Targeting wealthy, influential people—intimidation, threats, blackmail, bureaucracy. The sheriff’s department seems to be choosing their victims carefully.

When Jolie was assigned to investigate Danny’s (clueless, Barney Fife) cop’s death. He had taken rich kid Jace Denboer’s Camaro. Then he was gone. Dan knew something. He quit and was in Alaska? Then his body was found by a farm worker. A bean field. How could this have played out? Months had gone by between the time he left and was found. A connection with the car and Dan Atwood? Now three people are dead. Something possibly on a more national level? What does this have to do with the militia checkpoints murders?

Jolie and Landry finally connect on the boat, while she is on the run. Besides her crazy boss, and this case, she is distracted with the normal crimes, homicides, especially on the border with Mexico, drugs, shootings and domestics. She is tireless, obsessed, and still no leads.

In the meantime, Landry has security connections all over the world and has more identities than you can imagine. From Iraq and Afghanistan to the states, living from town and hotel to another. A plan is put into motion. A tip, 3 semis. Landry, Eric, and Jolie are ready to go.

I love it when these two team up together, reminding me of Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum and Ranger. From SIM cards, disguises, aliases, motels, cars, weapons, border crossing, danger, under covers, FBI, and early morning diner breakfast. Heart-pounding action!

Love the SPECTRE: Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion, reference (fictional global criminal syndicate and terrorist organization featured in the James Bond novels.) Very fitting!

J. Carson Black continues to be one of my favorite crime mystery authors, sharing a mutual love of the Tucson and Bisbee, Arizona areas. She never disappoints with fast-paced, non-stop action thrillers, combined with wit and sarcasm, and a little sex thrown in for sizzle. She always impresses me with the level of sophistication of her crimes, and the multi-layered complex plots.

Having spent time in Sante Fe and Albuquerque, NM, I enjoyed reading of her inspiration behind the novel; was laughing out loud. Her crimes always start with a spark of creativity and wow, can she make them hum!

Highly recommend the series to serious crime thriller and David Baldacci fans. Cannot wait to see where Cyril Landry and Jolie find themselves next. I vote for another Bisbee crime mystery thriller, combined with the dynamic duo!

The only book I've read so far is Comley's Ultimate Justice, so below is my review of that book. I can't wait to stat on the others, and I've seem the wonderful reviews of the rest of the books. What could be better than this tiny price for 7 books, allowing you to give these best selling authors a try? There's no reason to pass up this set of thrillers.
This 6th book of the Justice series is another fabulous, fast read. If you liked the others, make sure you set time aside for this one, even though you don't need to read the others in the series to start on this one. Once you start, you won't want to stop reading. The whole cast of your favorite characters are back, even Pete having his say here and there! The main plot keeps you guessing at who the bad guys are and how Lorne will get herself out of the deadly situations only she can worm her way into. Comley also has fantastic back stories going on, which is one of the things I love best about her books; they are filled a variety of plots to take your emotions from one extreme to the next. Download this book now and get ready for a book filled with mystery, thrills, fun, surprises, friendship, psychics, and tears. Gotta love Lorne!

A special thank you to Amazon Publishing, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Carson Black’s HARD RETURN, (Cyril Landry #2) is a riveting suspense crime thriller of mystery and intrigue, action packed, fast-paced, and full of danger.

Former Navy Seal, Cyril Landry main protagonist, has been assumed dead, and lives off the grid to protect his wife, Cindi, and his teenage daughter, Kristal (his girls).

However, he continues to watch them from a distance by going to high school every day. One day when a shooter unloads his fire on the students at his daughter’s school, killing eight kids, including Kristal’s boyfriend, Luke; Landry is there to there to take out the gunman.

His wife is dating a boring accountant named Todd and his daughter is growing up too fast. However, Laundry knows he has to stay on the sidelines, due to his past. However, this is not always an easy task.

The school shooting was not random—it was intended to send him a message to bring him out of hiding. Someone knows he is alive, and wants him dead (once again)-wow, this guy dies a lot. He now is on the hunt of his life to uncover who is out to get him, through his family.

Laundry moves from one hotel and place to another, using different names, personalities, and has more cars and guns than an army. He has so many enemies, it is hard for him to narrow down which one wants revenge more.

Enemies from his extensive past, circle around every corner, and some characters get in the way which have no clue what Laundry is capable of. Some characters make an appearance from THE SHOP and their Florida days; Detective Jolie, now in a cop in New Mexico (three years later, when she is front a center taking down a bank robbery). Jolie and Landry - hot, funny, and sexy together, so hoping we will see them again in Book 3!

Wow, HARD RETURN is totally EPIC! This was my first book by J. Carlson Black, and was blown away and highly impressed. HARD RETURN is a riveting intense, page-turner with twists and turns you do not see coming.

Loved, loved the main character, Cyril Landry—a fearless, witty, and an intelligent paid assassin, (baby-boomer Clint Eastwood), is one step ahead of anyone who gets in his way (however, he loves his family). He is my hero! (movie worthy).

Black reminds me of David Baldacci and Michael Connelly’s (Harry Bosch) crime writing, with her own unique style, powerful plot planning, and rich character development. Black hooks you from the first page and never let’s go for a wild, exciting, thrilling, and satisfying ride. She creates several sub-plots to add more intrigue to throw you off, without losing or distracting you - keeping the suspense high.

I have not read the first book in the series, THE SHOP; however, HARD RETURN can be read as a standalone. Cannot wait to explore more about Laundry and Jolie, so have already purchased THE SHOP, and cannot wait to dive in!

Looking forward to reading more from this captivating and talented author, who has made it to my favorite author list. Highly recommend!

http://www.judithdcollinsconsulting.com/#!Hard-Return-/cmoa/3035715B-D520-40FE-B...

I am finally catching up with some long overdue reviews . . .

J. Carson Black’s, DARKSCOPE, is a delicious spellbinding ghost story with elements of mystery, murder, horror, suspense, and the supernatural; Old loves lost, new ones found, a ghost from the past, a walk through the town’s history, and intriguing evil secrets from the past.

For me, this book was quite an amazing tale, as written by one of my newfound favorite authors, set in one of my favorite unique historic old mining towns, very special to my heart, (the history, streets, buildings, and the people) of Bisbee, Arizona!

Today, a haven to artists, retirees and history buffs, Bisbee astounds visitors with vibrantly colored rock faces and picturesque houses hugging the edges of cliffs. Its history can be discovered in its numerous museums, historic staircases and a mine tour that leads deep into one of the remaining caverns.

Black captures the essence and intrigue with this alluring tale, and if you haven’t been to Bisbee, you will want to travel there, after reading! Set in 1986, Artist and photographer and artist, and wealthy Chelsea McCord, twenty-six, is glad to escape—far away from her troubled drug addictive and famous artist and soon to be ex-husband (Jason) to the quaint mining town of Bisbee, AZ.

Her great uncle Bob, (has always played an important part in her life after her parents’ death), and has offered her the use of his rundown one story Victorian house, currently in the process of renovation, set a top of a hill, overlooking historic downtown. Little does she know what lies in this town.

Flashing back to the late 70s, more history—as Bob’s father was the magnate Lucas McCord, one of the founding fathers of the town in the early 20th century with plenty of enemies. (Lucas had two sons, one dead, the other his only heir, except for his great-granddaughter, Chelsea, carrying Johnny’s spark, as if it had skipped a generation). Three generations Johnny and Bob, his sons. Johnny’s son, Edward and Edward’s daughter Chelsea.

Nothing had turned out as Lucas had planned. His children and his grandchildren had all betrayed him (even with all his control). Too bad Chelsea was a girl or she could have taken over his legacy, he thinks. It was Johnny’s betrayal which strung Lucas the most. Johnny so full of promise, his one perfect creation, Johnny, dead at age twenty-six. How different things would have been if he had lived?

Chelsea is excited to set up house and while in the process of getting settled in, she discovers an old camera in a trunk with the film still inside. She decides to use it to photograph different areas of town; however, there is something mysterious about the camera and who is this woman Kathy, she continues seeing? What is Bob’s and the McCord’s part in the mystery?

She begins seeing the town as it was years ago in the 1920s, and she develops the film and sees the same people from another time. Is she losing her mind? She begins to see the street scene as if it was the 1880s.

Black cleverly connects the past and present, as Chelsea begins unraveling the secrets of her powerful family’s dark evil secrets, a supernatural force, and a psychopathic killer, as she fights to save herself and her uncle. She also meets someone new who could change her life. A spellbinding and chilling tale of lost souls, lost love, murder and deceit. Black brings the rustic old mining town of Bisbee, Arizona to life—with a beautiful ghost, who yearns for revenge and retribution.

I recently discovered J. Carson Black, after reading an ARC of her latest, HARD RETURN, a riveting suspense crime thriller (Cyril Landry #2) of mystery and intrigue, action packed, fast-paced, and full of danger. (5 stars). I was so intrigued with the character, Cyril Landry had to go back to read #1 THE SHOP. After further research, found Black resides in Tucson and was blown away when I found DARKSCOPE, set in Bisbee.

Could not wait to purchase and read this book, as felt I was back in Bisbee on the patio of the Cooper Queen Hotel (a fine example of poplar architecture from the turn of the century), the delicious coffee at the Cafe Cornucopia, and the vibrant streets, art galleries, with a town rich in history and character. It was so exciting to revisit past generations and ghosts, with the suspenseful page turner!

On a personal note: I immediately emailed the author of this connection, as previous worked with an owner/investor of Hacienda del Sol Guest Ranch (a beautiful historic boutique hotel) in Tucson, AZ to assist with their marketing efforts, and years later, the same owner hired me to work on a project in Bisbee.

The owners purchased two properties on Main Street in the middle of downtown Bisbee, AZ and traveled to the town, spending a great deal of time researching the history of the area with writing of the business and marketing plan for the new boutique bed and breakfast upstairs with retail space downstairs. I even had the privilege of choosing the name Letson Loft Hotel on Main http://www.letsonlofthotel.com/. These historic buildings are known as the "Letson Block" and estimated to have been constructed between 1883 and 1888. These are recognized as the oldest brick structures in the city and the only authentic Victorian buildings in Bisbee.

Today the Letson Loft Hotel on Main, (the building with the bay windows on Main Street) is the epitome of the most comfortable stay in Bisbee, with the same charm and romance of days gone by. The new owners have invested thoughtful renovations to the building, creating eight spacious and artfully decorated guest rooms with original 11' ceilings, private baths, restored hardwood floors, original skylights and exposed brick and adobe plastered walls. Their hope is that the Letson legacy continues through the loving care and renovation of this important landmark.

Am delighted to find a kindred spirit with a shared love of Tucson and Bisbee with the author! If you have not had a chance to visit Bisbee, I highly recommend a weekend trip to explore this charming historic town.

In addition, if you have not read J. Carlson Black, you are in for a real treat! I look forward to reading more from this talented author as she definitely can craft suspense, mysteries and thrillers, pulling you into the setting and each of the lives of her characters— you will not soon forget even after the book ends!

http://judithdcollins.booklikes.com/post/980960/darkscope

A Passable Old West Romance

The Tombstone Rose is probably the first novel written by J. Carson Black under the name, Annie McKnight. It's the 6th novel I've read by this author, so it was interesting to see how her writing developed before she became a best selling author.

The Tombstone Rose is an historical romance featuring real life Western figures like Tom McLaury, Sheriff John Behan, the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday. The famous Gunfight at OK Corral on October, 1881 comes at about the halfway point of the novel.

My first impression of our protagonist, 18 year old Charlotte, is she's rude, unappreciative and self centered. She's not the first immature, unsympathetic heroine, and I made the inevitable comparison to that other irritating and much celebrated woman of fiction, Scarlett O'Hara. Charlotte does develop as a character, but by that time, you might not feel too sympathetic.

The book contains well written descriptions of the booming Old West town and its many unsavoury characters. The plot was a little predictable, although some of the scenes were suspensefully written. Because of this and the fact I thought the ending somewhat weak, I rated it at 3.5 stars not 4.

Not too shabby for a debut novel, Ms. Black.½

A nice find.

The only reason I acquired this book was that it was part of a cheap dozen for $0.99 from Amazon. I chose this book from the dozen as the reviews were good and at 132 pages it had to be a quick read.

So the verdict was a pleasant surprise. Simple and rolls along nicely. No complicated characters and the prose is nicely done - just wordy but not too brief. The main character, the detective, isn't complicated like most but hey, why not have a normalish character for a change? Normal except for one thing - her imaginary friend - who I could have done without.

But I will read more!

A Joy to Read from Start to Finish

Cry Wolf, Book 4 of the Laura Cardinal Series by J. Carson Black, features a three-dimensional female protagonist who uses her brain and good staff management to solve crimes. It's so refreshing to find a mature adult at the helm of a crime story.

This is a novella so I didn't expect the in-depth investigation of the first three books in the series. But it's amazing what the author can do to produce solid characters in just a short number of pages.

Very believable dialogue and a nice light touch about Laura's new (to us) relationship.

A very enjoyable and well-written book.½

Easy to take a chance on unfamiliar authors when a collection of four mysteries pops up for my Kindle for $.99. The first was Darkness on the Edge of Town, and I will seek out more from this author.

The plot concerns Laura Cardinal, an investigative agent for the Arizona Department of Public Safety (sort of like the CBI, or Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, etc.) who is sent around the state to help small communities with limited homicide investigation resources. A fourteen-year-old girl has been found dead displayed in a doll's costume in a park in a tourist town. Soon, she is linked to a series of other murders, except that she doesn’t seem to fit the pattern.

There is the usual tension between the state cops and the locals, but the explanation seems more rational in this case than sometimes. Some of the investigative scenes were good, especially the stuff in Florida and her tenacity in the face of adversity. It lacked the more solid authenticity of a McBain police procedural, however (well, except for the Deaf Man.)

The ending was a bit over the top and strained credulity, nevertheless, a good start to what looks to be a series.

The book opens with the murder that has the look of a drug hit, but Tess McCrae, a detective with the sheriff’s department doesn’t thinks so. She has a photographic memory and things don’t add up. When she investigates further, she opens up a hornet’s nest and more murders. It all seems to revolve around the DeKoiven family; a rich family and powerful family. Can the very wealthy get away with anything they want?

I found this to be a very interesting story with a plot that develops as it unfolds. The characters are believable; some likeable others not. The mystery is somewhat resolved in the middle of the book, but that doesn’t take away the suspense and thrills which continue throughout.

Lately I've expanded my reading to include free, independent and low-cost books, with mixed results. The Shop sounded like a promising choice.

J. Carson Black can certainly write a page-turner, and I found The Shop to be a quick read. I wanted to get back to it when I had to put it down, and try and solve the mystery. You don't get many clues or foreshadowing, so the author keeps you guessing pretty much to the end.

One problem for me was that I wasn't attached to any of the characters in this novel. They were pretty well detailed and fleshed out, may be too much so on a few of the peripheral characters. Somehow, I just didn't have any emotional interest in either of the two main characters, Jolie or Landry. That isn't to say it's the author's fault, as I didn't suppose I'd want to be rooting for Landry, based on his occupation and background. He's not someone I'd have anything in common with!

As other readers have mentioned, the plot was a tad confusing along the way. If you were to put the book down for any length of time, I feel certain you'd get lost. Perhaps too much time was spent on the hostage-taking set up, which could almost have been its own book. I did keep reading to see how all the various plotlines were going to come together, and feel Black didn't quite do a stellar job here.

So not quite as satisfied as I would have wished on this one. Will try the other series (Caldwell) and see how I make out with those.

I kept getting lost off, I kept having to back track and I kept having to remind myself who was who. Not good in a crime thriller. I thought this sounded fabulous when I had the chance to read it via the Amazon Vine programme but I've been a bit disappointed whilst reading it. I'm somewhere between 2 stars (I don't like it) and 3 stars (it's okay) and nothing more. Essentially I think there's just too much going on in the book. I kept missing the link between Cyril (the assassin), Jolie (the detective) and then the Attorney General plus all the other characters. I sort of forgot half way through whose side Cyril was on and likewise for Franklin and then there was the incident being investigated involving the boyfriend of Jolie's niece (or at least I think it was her niece). It just got too much! What should be great simply became okay.

I liked the second book in this series a little bit more than I liked this one. This book did have plenty of action, and some twists thrown in but I was a bit unsatisfied with the ending. I would recommend this to fans of the other books in the series.