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hardscifi's review against another edition
5.0
Best if the three Jessica Blackwood novels so far.
Great dialogue, fave characters, a very nasty situation and complex plotting provide a suspenseful and rewarding read. I love the way each book becomes more complex than the previous one. The protagonist evolves and the relationships build. Recommended highly.
Great dialogue, fave characters, a very nasty situation and complex plotting provide a suspenseful and rewarding read. I love the way each book becomes more complex than the previous one. The protagonist evolves and the relationships build. Recommended highly.
zzzrevel's review against another edition
2.0
OK, I thought this book started out very interesting
and mysterious, but by a quarter of the way through
I really became disgruntled.
First of all, in my opinion don't read this one unless
you've read the first two books. I had not done that
and I feel disappointed to find there are things in
this third book that are sort of spoiler-ish about them
and at the same time alluding to them to be able
to 'fill in the blanks' when reading this one.
Secondly, the plot is too too preposterous
for words. I just wanted to throw the book
against the wall and declare DNF.
Lastly, the ending is such a quick and dirty
wrap up that I feel scammed.
I will not be reading any more in this series.
and mysterious, but by a quarter of the way through
I really became disgruntled.
First of all, in my opinion don't read this one unless
you've read the first two books. I had not done that
and I feel disappointed to find there are things in
this third book that are sort of spoiler-ish about them
and at the same time alluding to them to be able
to 'fill in the blanks' when reading this one.
Secondly, the plot is too too preposterous
for words. I just wanted to throw the book
against the wall and declare DNF.
Lastly, the ending is such a quick and dirty
wrap up that I feel scammed.
I will not be reading any more in this series.
critmc's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoy this series but I'm an easy reader to please.
kelliwithani's review against another edition
4.0
Like the prior books in the series, this one delivered on a riveting thriller.
omnibozo22's review against another edition
2.0
The author gallivants across creative fields like a crazed rabbit. (Do rabbits gallivant?) Magician, filmmaker, inventor, writer.... I'm not sure which one he should have stuck with, as few of his products have impressed me. Same with this overly long, overly wrought, thin detective story. He does create a female protagonist with a background in magic, but he dilutes her with his superficial constantly running interior dialog. Looks like he has several books featuring this character. One was enough for me.
lintsu's review against another edition
3.0
Mayne has habit of ending just before the interesting bits. Also after I have read 4 books from him I think he want to always include some "romance" but he doesn't know how to write it? I feel like he is baiting us with Damian and in the end nothing will happen. At least that he would show us. The "we had something" doesn't really cut it.
Well these books have flaws but I don't want to think them because thinking them will ruin these books. This was again "page-turner".
Well these books have flaws but I don't want to think them because thinking them will ruin these books. This was again "page-turner".
canada_matt's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Andrew Mayne offers a unique spin on crime thrillers in both series I have read. There’s an electricity in the ‘off the beaten path’ aspect, something I highly enjoy and is sure to engage the reader throughout. In this third full-length novel, Jessica Blackwood is forced to wrap her head around a series of random events, all of which are tied to a long-dead academic’s apparent recorded prediction. Additionally, she’s targeted for murder again and must wrestle with the understanding that she has upset many with her past work within the FBI. As the case intensifies and Blackwood learns more, she discovers that one man must be pulling all the strings from his prison cell. It’s a man whose skill with magic and illusion tops even her own!
A small Colorado community vanishes off the face of the earth, or so it seems when a postal worker and delivery truck cannot locate it. While this seems odd, FBI Agent Jessica Blackwood is on a stake-out and trying to stay under the radar. When a woman appears at her door, Blackwood is baffled, not only by the bundle the woman carries, but that this mysterious visitor tries to kill her. Blackwood goes through a variety of emotions and it hits home that she is not safe, having offended many people during her years with the Bureau.
Blackwood is called into the field office to learn some baffling news. An hour after a recent earthquake across the Eastern Seaboard, a video surfaces that a well-respected academic predicted the event—to the day—years in the past. While this does not cause too many eyebrows to rise, the fact that the man died years ago and could not have recently cobbled the recording together has Blackwood a little more intrigued.
While trying to sink her teeth into the case, Blackwood learns that the woman who attacked her has since been found, murdered. Blackwood is torn between this investigation into the eerie predictions and finding out more about this woman and why she, Blackwood, was targeted. Might there be a connection between the two?
As Blackwood forges ahead, she learns a little more about a group calling themselves the Red Chain, a cult that seems to have got their hands on quite the weapon. Blackwood would not believe it had she not seen it for herself. Red Chain has apparently put out a hit on Blackwood for her past casework and one criminal has a special hatred for her.
As Blackwood better understands Red Chain and what they believe, she learns about the small Colorado town of Moffat, which has seemingly disappeared. It is the presumed home of the Red Chain, though it’s nowhere to the found. This could all be part of the larger ruse, one that is part of the cult’s activity. However, it is their ringleader that really sends chills up Blackwood’s spine, especially the way in which he communicates with his followers.
I have come to really enjoy the Jessica Blackwood series, which includes three novels and a short story to date. When I learned that Andrew Mayne was set to bring Jessica back for another adventure, this time working alongside another strong female protagonist, I wanted to get the backstory before diving in (and I will do the same with The Naturualistseries soon). Mayne is able to really tell a story with great pizzazz and keep things highly unique, something that is sure to capture the attention of many readers when give this series a try.
This was another winner for Jessica Blackwood. She’s sharp and on point, mixing her past in the world of magic and illusions with a dedication to the FBI. The case develops before her and Jessica is able to balance more revelations in her backstory with some strong character development, sure to enamour the dedicated reader to her personality. Mayne does well to keep her on point, while also showing her vulnerabilities. I cannot wait to see what’s next for Blackwood, whose still got a great deal of pep inside her that needs to come out.
Mayne does well with his supporting cast again, keeping them both on point to complement Blackwood and set the scene for what’s going on. I cannot say enough about the detail put into those who enrich the story, as the piece never lags and the excitement level is high with a vast array of characters. Particularly telling in the Moffat-area revelations, the story’s intensity grows with the development of some key secondary characters.
The story worked and while it was not my favourite of the series, it did present extremely well. I cannot say enough about Jessica Blackwood and how her unique approach to the law and crime fighting keeps the reader enthralled. With a mix of chapter lengths, there is the ever-present pull in and exploration of the plot that keeps the reader wanting to know more. The narrative continues to gain momentum throughout and keeps things on edge until it all comes together in dramatic fashion. There were some political moments in the piece, he first real turn in that direction, but it did not derail the story or the plot whatsoever. I am eager to read more of Mayne work and, as I said above, cannot wait for Blackwood’s return in the coming months to play a joint-protagonist role.
Kudos, Mr. Mayne, for keeping me on the edge of my seat. I am excited to find and review more of your work soon.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons