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moonprismbooks's review against another edition
tense
slow-paced
3.0
A good sequel! Definitely liked this one more than the first. The story peaked my interest a lot more.
crico's review against another edition
Return to library. Not worth borrowing again
danubooks's review against another edition
3.0
An FBI forensic pathologist matches wits with the person killing female college students and leaving their bodies in caves.
Christine Prusik heads the forensic unit at the FBI’s Chicago office. She is a knowledgeable and intuitive investigator who has proven herself to be tenacious in solving the complex crimes where she and her team have been called in to assist. She also has a deserved reputation for not always following the rules to get the needed results, and it is that aspect of her persona that is going to cause her problems under the new director of her branch, Patricia Gaston. Gaston is implementing a new hierarchy and a whole lot of new paperwork, two things that Christine regards as barriers to doing her job. When Christine’s presence is requested by an ME in a local Illinois town she jumps at the chance to go out into the field, without seeking permission from her new supervisor. A young college student has been found dead of no obvious cause near a set of local caves, and she may not be the first. When Christine is told that she needs to be back in the office the following day, she considers it a suggestion rather than an order (oops) and manages to miss the next mandatory meeting too (oops again) as she continues to investigate the case. She is not off to a good start with her new boss, to put it mildly, and it is going to complicate her ability to effectively do her job. When a second coed is found dead inside a cave in nearby Indiana, with a similar wound on her neck, Christine fears that both deaths are the work of a single individual. She ruffles feathers at the colleges as well as with her bosses, but is determined to aggressively pursue the case. Trying to pry information out of college personnel not eager to make their schools look bad, ducking phone calls from her supervisor, and rekindling ties with a local sheriff with whom she became involved during an earlier case, Christine has precious little information to go on. An exotic poison extracted from a breed of South American frog seems to be involved, and is being heavily researched both by one of the universities and a local pharmacology business with ties to the NIH. Why would academically gifted young women allow themselves to be lured to subterranean caves? Is a professor, a grad student, or a somewhat sleazy head of the research firm involved? What is the killer’s motive, and can Christine suss it out before she herself is fired…or targeted for death?
It’s always enjoyable to read a thriller featuring someone in law enforcement who doesn’t deal well with bureaucracy…lawmakers who are also rule breakers can be a lot of fun. In Christine Prusik, that’s exactly what we have. She can be impulsive, and her tendency to bend and even break the rules can be both a strength and a weakness. The mystery is well-paced, and the existence of the exotic “weapon” is given a reasonable foundation for its presence in the case. I enjoyed the story, and had my suspicions as to the culprit about halfway through the book (I was right). This series has potential, but I found this outing a little short on forensic detail and a little heavy on acceptance of a federal agent playing hooky. Still, it was an enjoyable read, and in Christine there is a protagonist with potential. Readers of Patricia Cornwell and Kathy Reichs might enjoy giving this series a try. My thanks to HarperCollins/William Morrow Books for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy.
Christine Prusik heads the forensic unit at the FBI’s Chicago office. She is a knowledgeable and intuitive investigator who has proven herself to be tenacious in solving the complex crimes where she and her team have been called in to assist. She also has a deserved reputation for not always following the rules to get the needed results, and it is that aspect of her persona that is going to cause her problems under the new director of her branch, Patricia Gaston. Gaston is implementing a new hierarchy and a whole lot of new paperwork, two things that Christine regards as barriers to doing her job. When Christine’s presence is requested by an ME in a local Illinois town she jumps at the chance to go out into the field, without seeking permission from her new supervisor. A young college student has been found dead of no obvious cause near a set of local caves, and she may not be the first. When Christine is told that she needs to be back in the office the following day, she considers it a suggestion rather than an order (oops) and manages to miss the next mandatory meeting too (oops again) as she continues to investigate the case. She is not off to a good start with her new boss, to put it mildly, and it is going to complicate her ability to effectively do her job. When a second coed is found dead inside a cave in nearby Indiana, with a similar wound on her neck, Christine fears that both deaths are the work of a single individual. She ruffles feathers at the colleges as well as with her bosses, but is determined to aggressively pursue the case. Trying to pry information out of college personnel not eager to make their schools look bad, ducking phone calls from her supervisor, and rekindling ties with a local sheriff with whom she became involved during an earlier case, Christine has precious little information to go on. An exotic poison extracted from a breed of South American frog seems to be involved, and is being heavily researched both by one of the universities and a local pharmacology business with ties to the NIH. Why would academically gifted young women allow themselves to be lured to subterranean caves? Is a professor, a grad student, or a somewhat sleazy head of the research firm involved? What is the killer’s motive, and can Christine suss it out before she herself is fired…or targeted for death?
It’s always enjoyable to read a thriller featuring someone in law enforcement who doesn’t deal well with bureaucracy…lawmakers who are also rule breakers can be a lot of fun. In Christine Prusik, that’s exactly what we have. She can be impulsive, and her tendency to bend and even break the rules can be both a strength and a weakness. The mystery is well-paced, and the existence of the exotic “weapon” is given a reasonable foundation for its presence in the case. I enjoyed the story, and had my suspicions as to the culprit about halfway through the book (I was right). This series has potential, but I found this outing a little short on forensic detail and a little heavy on acceptance of a federal agent playing hooky. Still, it was an enjoyable read, and in Christine there is a protagonist with potential. Readers of Patricia Cornwell and Kathy Reichs might enjoy giving this series a try. My thanks to HarperCollins/William Morrow Books for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy.
orangepeaches's review against another edition
2.0
It's an interesting story, sometimes it is just like, yeah ok we can tell a man is writing the perspective of a women you know?
farfallo4ka's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you William Morrow for giving me the book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Christine Prusik is a forensic anthropologist with FBI. With a new director, she has to stay in the office and do paperwork. At the same time she is informed about the bodies of young women turning up in caves. As soon as she determines that they all share a common killer, she can't stay behind the desk and goes on the hunt.
I was lucky enough to read both books back to back so it was great to follow her next adventure. She is a wonderful and inspiring protagonist who constantly battles her own fears. I like that the book provided some interesting information on subjects I haven't studied before. The case was interesting and kept me guessing till the end who the suspect was. I hope there would be more books in this series.
Christine Prusik is a forensic anthropologist with FBI. With a new director, she has to stay in the office and do paperwork. At the same time she is informed about the bodies of young women turning up in caves. As soon as she determines that they all share a common killer, she can't stay behind the desk and goes on the hunt.
I was lucky enough to read both books back to back so it was great to follow her next adventure. She is a wonderful and inspiring protagonist who constantly battles her own fears. I like that the book provided some interesting information on subjects I haven't studied before. The case was interesting and kept me guessing till the end who the suspect was. I hope there would be more books in this series.
heartfelthullabaloo's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
emmareadscrime's review against another edition
5.0
4.5/5
4.5/5
Thank you Netgalley and HQ Stories for an advance copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second book from the Tik Tok sensation Lloyd Devereux Richards! This is the second book in the series but can definitely be read as a standalone.
In this story, FBI agent Christine Prusik hunts down a serial killer who has been leaving his vicitims in caves with peculiar marks.
I loved this even more than the first one! It’s a classic book which gets more and more addictive and complex as you read on. The book is mainly set from FBI agent Christine Prusik’s performance but there are parts where the POV is from the serial killer. Knowing his name and profession just made the read so much more intoxicating.
4.5/5
Thank you Netgalley and HQ Stories for an advance copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second book from the Tik Tok sensation Lloyd Devereux Richards! This is the second book in the series but can definitely be read as a standalone.
In this story, FBI agent Christine Prusik hunts down a serial killer who has been leaving his vicitims in caves with peculiar marks.
I loved this even more than the first one! It’s a classic book which gets more and more addictive and complex as you read on. The book is mainly set from FBI agent Christine Prusik’s performance but there are parts where the POV is from the serial killer. Knowing his name and profession just made the read so much more intoxicating.
erinj10's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jessicawootten's review against another edition
4.0
Lloyd Devereux Richards has done it again!
Maidens of the Cave is a fantastic sequel to Stone Maidens. The plotline is incredibly well thought out and executed and the suspense was spot on!
I was gripped from the start, as you are immediately seeing the action from the perpetrators point of view.
The female protagonist is thrown back in the deep end and she must figure out who is behind these horrible crimes, whilst battling the micromanagement of the new FBI supervisor. Whilst the identity of the perpetrator is hidden throughout the majority of the book, it didn’t stop me trying to figure it out who it was.
The great thing about the depth of Lloyd’s storytelling is that you begin to suspect who it us but the scientific evidence points to multiple suspects. At one point I thought I had figured it out but BAM! I was completely wrong! I loved the additional psychological element to the reasons behind the perpetrators actions, and h
Thankyou to Harper Collins UK for my copy of this book.
Maidens of the Cave is a fantastic sequel to Stone Maidens. The plotline is incredibly well thought out and executed and the suspense was spot on!
I was gripped from the start, as you are immediately seeing the action from the perpetrators point of view.
The female protagonist is thrown back in the deep end and she must figure out who is behind these horrible crimes, whilst battling the micromanagement of the new FBI supervisor. Whilst the identity of the perpetrator is hidden throughout the majority of the book, it didn’t stop me trying to figure it out who it was.
The great thing about the depth of Lloyd’s storytelling is that you begin to suspect who it us but the scientific evidence points to multiple suspects. At one point I thought I had figured it out but BAM! I was completely wrong! I loved the additional psychological element to the reasons behind the perpetrators actions, and h
Thankyou to Harper Collins UK for my copy of this book.