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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
Well...at first I was so confused as to who the killer was...and I liked it! Not sure how I felt about the lead character, Taylor. She somewhat annoyed me. It was not as scary as some people were telling me. All in all it was a pretty good book.
"Look, Ma, No Hands." That could have been the mantra of a fictional character featured in this book called the Southern Strangler. Lieutenant Taylor Jackson of the Nashville Police Department gets a case that involves someone who kills young women and removes their hands. With each new body, they discover a hand from a previous dead girl. Obviously, questions like who is doing this and why are front and center as Jackson works with her FBI profiler lover John Baldwin to solve the case before more young women die brutally.
This past night was almost sleep free for me--never a good experience the day after--but at least I had the opportunity to read this without much interruption. This is so well written that, no matter how tired you think you are, you won't likely fall asleep reading the book. The race against time and an escalating killer will involve your heart and head and keep you moving toward the back cover without once wondering when you're going to get there.
The audio narration was ok. If I could rate the narration separately here, it would be a two-star experience.
This past night was almost sleep free for me--never a good experience the day after--but at least I had the opportunity to read this without much interruption. This is so well written that, no matter how tired you think you are, you won't likely fall asleep reading the book. The race against time and an escalating killer will involve your heart and head and keep you moving toward the back cover without once wondering when you're going to get there.
The audio narration was ok. If I could rate the narration separately here, it would be a two-star experience.
cure my reading slump with this. love the story, doesn't satisfied with the ending.
This book was everything I love in a book. Serial killer, little bit of blood and guts, police investigation, drama and just a touch of love. I could not put it down!!
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
**3 stars**
This was a bit of a train wreck, you don't want to look but you can't look away.
There was so much going on in this novel, too much really. First, we are introduced to one of the central characters Lieutenant Taylor Jackson of the Nashville Police Department as she is called out to discovery of the body of a young women who has been dumped off the side of the road and has her hands cut off. While at the seen we are introduced to Taylor's secret lover FBI Specialist Agent and top profiler Dr John Baldwin. Baldwin quickly links the body of the murdered girl to several other murder girls that have been dumped across the South Eastern states and has been dubbed the Southern Strangler.
Starts off so intriguing. I was hooked from the beginning but it quickly began to lose its appeal. I wrote in my Bookly notes on page 52:
The book started to lose me when they started to introduce different cases, it all just got too busy. Alongside the investigation into the Southern Strangler, we also get drawn into the hunt for a serial rapist who goes by the Rainman. We are also drawn into an investigation into judicial misconduct (which is never wrapped up???), and a homicide detective gets dragged into investigating a vehicular accident.
Then the story gets even more over the top.
Irrelevant pregnancy scare? Check? Judicial misconduct not linked to the story at all? Check. Reporter discovers the identity of the killer then dies in a horrible accident? Check. Check. Check.
But wait, there's MORE!!
I had figured out the storyline about 3/4 of the way through. It wasn't particularly surprising or thrilling.
This book was just too much. It could have been good... but just too much. I won't be continuing with the series.
This was a bit of a train wreck, you don't want to look but you can't look away.
There was so much going on in this novel, too much really. First, we are introduced to one of the central characters Lieutenant Taylor Jackson of the Nashville Police Department as she is called out to discovery of the body of a young women who has been dumped off the side of the road and has her hands cut off. While at the seen we are introduced to Taylor's secret lover FBI Specialist Agent and top profiler Dr John Baldwin. Baldwin quickly links the body of the murdered girl to several other murder girls that have been dumped across the South Eastern states and has been dubbed the Southern Strangler.
Starts off so intriguing. I was hooked from the beginning but it quickly began to lose its appeal. I wrote in my Bookly notes on page 52:
"An interesting start, I am already interested and intrigued by the case. Not sure how I feel about the romance between Taylor and Balwin. Not sure that it is really adding t othe story so far, but I will withhold judgement.
Got into the story very quickly. Already have met the main characters, heard about the deaths of the first three victims and have leads on a potential fourth..."
The book started to lose me when they started to introduce different cases, it all just got too busy. Alongside the investigation into the Southern Strangler, we also get drawn into the hunt for a serial rapist who goes by the Rainman. We are also drawn into an investigation into judicial misconduct (which is never wrapped up???), and a homicide detective gets dragged into investigating a vehicular accident.
Then the story gets even more over the top.
Irrelevant pregnancy scare? Check? Judicial misconduct not linked to the story at all? Check. Reporter discovers the identity of the killer then dies in a horrible accident? Check. Check. Check.
But wait, there's MORE!!
Spoiler
Now the journalist was subjected to kidnapping and rape as a child and is somehow connected to the serial killer? Also, an FBI agent commits suicide? Also, a setup? Is there anything this book is missing?I had figured out the storyline about 3/4 of the way through. It wasn't particularly surprising or thrilling.
This book was just too much. It could have been good... but just too much. I won't be continuing with the series.
It was a gripping well thought out story. The characters are well drawn. The plot has number of interesting surprises.
I thought the murder case, while graphic, was extremely interesting. About halfway through the book, I had my suspects down to two and the author does a great job of providing relevant clues that give you a shot at figuring it out. The case work was presented without being overly procedural and was interesting.
This being the first of the Taylor Jackson series, I expected more in the way of character development and definition. There are a lot of details about the main characters but the book lacked depth in this area, or at least what I've come to expect to connect with a series. The romance between Taylor and John hits low on that meter as well.
I recommend reading this book because it's a really good mystery and a very good read. I plan to read the second book in the hope that I learn more about Taylor Jackson and John Baldwin and find the connection to keep me in the series. I'd rate this 3.5 stars.
This being the first of the Taylor Jackson series, I expected more in the way of character development and definition. There are a lot of details about the main characters but the book lacked depth in this area, or at least what I've come to expect to connect with a series. The romance between Taylor and John hits low on that meter as well.
I recommend reading this book because it's a really good mystery and a very good read. I plan to read the second book in the hope that I learn more about Taylor Jackson and John Baldwin and find the connection to keep me in the series. I'd rate this 3.5 stars.
In the first novel of J.T. Ellison's Lt. Taylor Jackson and FBI profiler Dr. John Baldwin criminal investigative series, there are missing girls and missing hands scattered across the southern United States:
One local girl is found, hand missing, and another girl goes missing right after, Lt. Taylor Jackson and FBI profiler John Baldwin get the call and discover there is another victim of the Southern Strangler. As much as Taylor wants to help Baldwin he is called away to each state that has been affected by the Southern Strangler and Taylor gets the call to help out with a serial rapist called the Rainman. What Taylor and Baldwin are unaware of is the Southern Strangler has made contact with a TV reporter in Nashville Whitney Connolly, who is determined to use the contact to make herself famous but at what cost? As the serial killer spirals out of control and more girls are murdered, there appears to be no end in sight and the only person who may know the truth isn't sharing.
This book was pretty good start to the series and I will be picking up the following book as I did like the story and the characters that Ellison created. However, I do not think that this is the best first serial killer or crime book that I have read. This book did not have as many twists and turns to lead the reader and detective astray as I would have liked. I also would have liked a few more chapters or sections that were from the killers point of view, as I think that by having these chapters the serial killer is more defined therefore more scary.
I liked Taylor and Baldwin together and separate as characters. I enjoyed that Ellison had them work on different cases in this book, but still seeking the others expertise while doing so. I think this separation of the cases is very true to life situations as the FBI is more concerned with national crimes and Taylor is restricted to the city of Nashville. Although Taylor and Baldwin are working on two different cases and helping each other out when they can you never feel lost within the separate stories or confused on who is working on what. I think that Ellison did a good job of weaving the crimes and stories together in such a way that the reader does not get lost within them.
Taylor is a strong female character and she has to be in as she is the head of a homicide unit and is looked upon to make the major decisions for her unit. I really appreciate that Taylor did not feel that she had to do everything herself and was not a know it all. She treated the detectives who she was in charge with, with respect and would seek their advice and knowledge when it was needed. I also think that Ellison did a good job showing what it was like to be a head of a unit and that the Lt. is responsible for more than one case at a time, to me this was a very realistic aspect of this novel.
Baldwin is also an interesting character. He has been with the FBI for a long time and is starting to feel like he is burning out especially with the case his is currently working on. He feels like he has found a place of peace with Taylor but is unsure how to explore it because his job takes he across the USA. Together, Taylor and Baldwin seem like a great partnership whether on a case or living together. I think that Ellison did a great job in creating a balance between the two in their relationship and the interweaving of their separate cases.
I think this was a pretty good start to a a series and I am interested in seeing how Taylor and Baldwin evolve no only in their relationship but within their perspective professions. I look forward to seeing the different stories that Ellison is able to create around Taylor and I hop Baldwin as well.
Enjoy!!!!
One local girl is found, hand missing, and another girl goes missing right after, Lt. Taylor Jackson and FBI profiler John Baldwin get the call and discover there is another victim of the Southern Strangler. As much as Taylor wants to help Baldwin he is called away to each state that has been affected by the Southern Strangler and Taylor gets the call to help out with a serial rapist called the Rainman. What Taylor and Baldwin are unaware of is the Southern Strangler has made contact with a TV reporter in Nashville Whitney Connolly, who is determined to use the contact to make herself famous but at what cost? As the serial killer spirals out of control and more girls are murdered, there appears to be no end in sight and the only person who may know the truth isn't sharing.
This book was pretty good start to the series and I will be picking up the following book as I did like the story and the characters that Ellison created. However, I do not think that this is the best first serial killer or crime book that I have read. This book did not have as many twists and turns to lead the reader and detective astray as I would have liked. I also would have liked a few more chapters or sections that were from the killers point of view, as I think that by having these chapters the serial killer is more defined therefore more scary.
I liked Taylor and Baldwin together and separate as characters. I enjoyed that Ellison had them work on different cases in this book, but still seeking the others expertise while doing so. I think this separation of the cases is very true to life situations as the FBI is more concerned with national crimes and Taylor is restricted to the city of Nashville. Although Taylor and Baldwin are working on two different cases and helping each other out when they can you never feel lost within the separate stories or confused on who is working on what. I think that Ellison did a good job of weaving the crimes and stories together in such a way that the reader does not get lost within them.
Taylor is a strong female character and she has to be in as she is the head of a homicide unit and is looked upon to make the major decisions for her unit. I really appreciate that Taylor did not feel that she had to do everything herself and was not a know it all. She treated the detectives who she was in charge with, with respect and would seek their advice and knowledge when it was needed. I also think that Ellison did a good job showing what it was like to be a head of a unit and that the Lt. is responsible for more than one case at a time, to me this was a very realistic aspect of this novel.
Baldwin is also an interesting character. He has been with the FBI for a long time and is starting to feel like he is burning out especially with the case his is currently working on. He feels like he has found a place of peace with Taylor but is unsure how to explore it because his job takes he across the USA. Together, Taylor and Baldwin seem like a great partnership whether on a case or living together. I think that Ellison did a great job in creating a balance between the two in their relationship and the interweaving of their separate cases.
I think this was a pretty good start to a a series and I am interested in seeing how Taylor and Baldwin evolve no only in their relationship but within their perspective professions. I look forward to seeing the different stories that Ellison is able to create around Taylor and I hop Baldwin as well.
Enjoy!!!!