A review by nicolet2018
Devious by Lisa Jackson

3.0

I pick this up on a spur and it sounded pretty interesting. When I begun the first few pages, it got good. I loved the intrigue and anticipation. This is my first book from Lisa Jackson.

But I think this book is an excuse to write about sex and desires. I loved the mystery and thrill of the novel but felt that it was sidelined by all the love story-ness of many of the characters. This could have easily been a book about different women characters with big problems in their love lives.

The story line that tied with the church was very scandalous. It is not often you come across a book exposing the imperfectness of those sworn to serve the good and religion. That could have been a great aspect of the novel. Bringing up moral questions such as those of the cloth are but human, despite their vows, they make mistakes as well. They have the same confusions as anyone. Can we cut them some slack or get upset because they chose this path for themselves and they should stay with it?

Also another bad point may have been the fact that the characters were too connected, making everything convenient.

I was expecting the killer to be a male and was surprised that it wasn't. There are tons of books and movies where the killer is actually a woman. Supposedly the weaker sex. It becomes clear that women can be as dangerous and depraved as the men. But looking at the heart of the killer, the reader sees someone who was always left out and felt this hate of the world and jealousy of others who seemed to get better than her. I felt sad but I can't pity how sick and cruel that person turned into.

Appearances are deceiving as this book so amply proves. Another sadistic killer is still on the lose and the story will definitely go on. Reading from the perspective of the killer, its hard to understand the twisted love he feels along with his sick way of murdering women.

Montoya was the tough bad boy cop and Bentz was the getting old soon partner. As usual add in the bad boy turned good and the ladies go blushing. I was not convinced with Montoya. Typical and boring. Valerie was a very confused woman who I wanted to smack at times. She couldn't seemed to make up her mind about her husband. And the twist in the story was the cherry on top.

This has flaws. It was a good try and I like the mystery and scandal. Ask me if I will read the previous books in the series and I will say "no".