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theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition
3.0
Kingdom Come by Jane Jensen is An Elizabeth Harris Mystery set in Paradise, Pennsylvania (Lancaster County). Elizabeth Harris is a detective with Lancaster City Bureau of Police. She moved back to Paradise eight months ago after living in Manhattan for ten years (working on NYPD). Elizabeth’s husband was murdered, and she needs to get away from the memories (and have a quieter life). Detective Lieutenant Mike Grady calls Elizabeth out to a homicide in an Amish barn. A young woman (scantily dressed) was killed in Amos Miller’s barn (actually dumped in the barn) and Jacob Miller (age 11) found her when he came to do chores. Elizabeth and Mike partner up to solve the case. Elizabeth’s boss (and Mike) believe that a non-Amish person committed the crime. Elizabeth is not so sure, but she has no concrete proof or a good lead. Then a second girl (Katie Yoder) who was missing turns up dead. Katie Yoder is an Amish teen who has been missing for a while. Are the two girl’s deaths connected? Elizabeth sets out to find the killer within a tight knit community. One of the suspects, Ezra Beiler turns out to be very attractive and Elizabeth feels a connection with him. Will Elizabeth let her feelings get in the way of solving a case?
Kingdom Come is not what I expected. It starts off very slow and is hard to get into (it does get better). There is foul language (too much of it and it is not needed), lust, and sex. I felt that the romance between Elizabeth and Ezra developed too quickly and it seemed to go against Ezra’s beliefs (it just did not feel right). The mystery in Kingdom Come was very easy to solve (child’s play). I felt that the killer was so obvious. I kept hoping for a twist, but I did not get one. Kingdom Come needed some polishing which would have made it a better book. I give Kingdom Come 3 out of 5 stars (which means it was okay). It was a good first book in a series, and I hope the next one will be much better.
I received a complimentary copy of Kingdom Come from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Check out my blog for more details: http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogspot.com/2016/01/kingdom-come.html
Kingdom Come is not what I expected. It starts off very slow and is hard to get into (it does get better). There is foul language (too much of it and it is not needed), lust, and sex. I felt that the romance between Elizabeth and Ezra developed too quickly and it seemed to go against Ezra’s beliefs (it just did not feel right). The mystery in Kingdom Come was very easy to solve (child’s play). I felt that the killer was so obvious. I kept hoping for a twist, but I did not get one. Kingdom Come needed some polishing which would have made it a better book. I give Kingdom Come 3 out of 5 stars (which means it was okay). It was a good first book in a series, and I hope the next one will be much better.
I received a complimentary copy of Kingdom Come from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Check out my blog for more details: http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogspot.com/2016/01/kingdom-come.html
reneesmith's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this 1st in a new mystery series. It was more an introduction than a riveting mystery. The stories take place in Amish country with a young, savvy woman detective solving the murders. I really like the characters, which I hope to learn more about in future books. (Don't pick it up if you can't overlook strong language. Some disturbing elements due to the type of crime. Romantic thread.)
cdbaker's review against another edition
3.0
It was alright but not remarkable. I liked that it was set in Lancaster and I liked the main detective.
thegeekyblogger's review against another edition
3.0
Listened for Fun (Audible)
Overall Rating: 3.50
Story Rating: 3.50
Character Rating: 3.50
Audio Rating: 4.00 (not part of the overall rating)
First Thought when Finished: The mystery in Kingdom Come was excellent there was just a little too much relationship drama.
Overall Thoughts: I am a big fan of Gabriel Knight (a video game series) and so I knew that Jane Jensen wrote excellent storylines that are methodical and compelling. I am thrilled that translates into the ability to write really good novels too. The mystery was twisty, turny, and the way it came together at the end really worked. It wasn't rushed and played out to an almost perfect beat. The only part of this that was a little distracting was the romance between the lead detective and a possible suspect. I felt this was just ill timed but in the end it worked out. The best part, Elizabeth is a strong female detective and very well-rounded character which is my favorite type of lead in mystery/thrillers. I really look forward to more books in the series.
Audio Thoughts:
I think this is the first book I have listened to narrated by Rachel and she impressed me. I have to admit I haven't been around the Amish but the accents seemed natural to me. Her Elizabeth was spot on. I liked her performance and would listen to her again!
Part of my Read It, Rate It, File It, DONE! Reviews
Overall Rating: 3.50
Story Rating: 3.50
Character Rating: 3.50
Audio Rating: 4.00 (not part of the overall rating)
First Thought when Finished: The mystery in Kingdom Come was excellent there was just a little too much relationship drama.
Overall Thoughts: I am a big fan of Gabriel Knight (a video game series) and so I knew that Jane Jensen wrote excellent storylines that are methodical and compelling. I am thrilled that translates into the ability to write really good novels too. The mystery was twisty, turny, and the way it came together at the end really worked. It wasn't rushed and played out to an almost perfect beat. The only part of this that was a little distracting was the romance between the lead detective and a possible suspect. I felt this was just ill timed but in the end it worked out. The best part, Elizabeth is a strong female detective and very well-rounded character which is my favorite type of lead in mystery/thrillers. I really look forward to more books in the series.
Audio Thoughts:
Narrated by: Rachel Fulginiti /Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins
I think this is the first book I have listened to narrated by Rachel and she impressed me. I have to admit I haven't been around the Amish but the accents seemed natural to me. Her Elizabeth was spot on. I liked her performance and would listen to her again!
Part of my Read It, Rate It, File It, DONE! Reviews
muddypuddle's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 An "English" detective takes on the murder investigation of an Amish girl and her "English" (non-Amish) best friend. Although you get an idea about whodunit and why as the story progresses, there's also a - spoiler alert - love story element that didn't put me off as much as some other books with this device have. It's done well, I think, and is quite believable. I love these fascinating looks into the lives of another religion and culture, particularly the Amish. I couldn't put this book down and I'm excited that there is another in the series.
maryrobinson's review against another edition
3.0
Pretty good mystery of fish out of water NYPD detective coming back to her hometown in Pennsylvania and getting involved in murder at Amish farm.
cklansang's review against another edition
2.0
I listened to this book and I think that may have affected my opinion in this. I felt like the reader had a pretty flat tone and it was easy for me to zone out as she was reading.
The story was a pretty basic mystery that didn't seem like it had any unique characteristics. The main character was damaged and pushed her limits with her boss like many other books that I've read.
The story was a pretty basic mystery that didn't seem like it had any unique characteristics. The main character was damaged and pushed her limits with her boss like many other books that I've read.
melbsreads's review against another edition
3.0
Trigger warnings: murder, sexual abuse, loss of a baby (in the past), death of a spouse (in the past).
Not gonna lie, pretty much the only reason why I picked up this book is that it's set in Pennsylvania and I'm trying to read books set in every US state this year. So.
Anyway. This was intriguing to begin with. A dead girl is found on an Amish farm, and Elizabeth Harris, the detective on the case, finds it difficult to get any answers out of the Amish community. She also finds herself inexplicably drawn to Ezra, an Amish widower.
And really, that romance was what made it kind of middle-of-the-road for me. It means that the murder investigation is put on the backburner repeatedly in favour of swooning. And the mystery itself is pretty simplistic.
My biggest problem with this, however, was Elizabeth. She repeatedly makes terrible decisions - crushing on potential suspects, getting way too involved in the lives of the victims' families, going out to crime scenes on her own, not taking any back up with her - and I wanted to slap her upside the head because GIRL. YOU ARE MEANT TO BE A HOT SHOT NEW YORK DETECTIVE. STOP MAKING TERRIBLE CHOICES WHERE YOUR CAREER IS CONCERNED OMFG.
Still, it was an easy read, so I guess there's that?
Not gonna lie, pretty much the only reason why I picked up this book is that it's set in Pennsylvania and I'm trying to read books set in every US state this year. So.
Anyway. This was intriguing to begin with. A dead girl is found on an Amish farm, and Elizabeth Harris, the detective on the case, finds it difficult to get any answers out of the Amish community. She also finds herself inexplicably drawn to Ezra, an Amish widower.
And really, that romance was what made it kind of middle-of-the-road for me. It means that the murder investigation is put on the backburner repeatedly in favour of swooning. And the mystery itself is pretty simplistic.
My biggest problem with this, however, was Elizabeth. She repeatedly makes terrible decisions - crushing on potential suspects, getting way too involved in the lives of the victims' families, going out to crime scenes on her own, not taking any back up with her - and I wanted to slap her upside the head because GIRL. YOU ARE MEANT TO BE A HOT SHOT NEW YORK DETECTIVE. STOP MAKING TERRIBLE CHOICES WHERE YOUR CAREER IS CONCERNED OMFG.
Still, it was an easy read, so I guess there's that?
dollycas's review against another edition
4.0
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Detective Elizabeth Harris comes home from New York after her husband was murdered. She needs a quieter life to start over. But life at home isn’t at all what she expected. A body is found in a barn in the heart of the Amish community. The young girl is “English”, and her body had clearly been moved. Why would she be here were violence is condemned and life is “simple”? As the most experienced officer Elizabeth is assigned to the case, she thinks the killer is nearby while others believe it has to be an English outsider.
This is the type of story that I would expect to see on an episode of Criminal Minds. They definitely needed help coming up with a profile for the killer, but I don’t know if even Shemar Moore’s Derek Morgan could figure this one out.
Elizabeth Harris is a very strong, intelligent woman. She is not afraid to go anywhere or do anything to get justice for this girl and for a girl that had gone missing months ago. The disappearance of the first girl was never reported by her parents because she was Amish and everyone thought she had just run off. Well Elizabeth doesn’t think that is the case. When the police handle the Amish with kid gloves she becomes very frustrated.
The author tells us before the story even begins that nothing like this has even happened in an Amish community but she sure writes a believable story. The characters come alive in the pages as does the town, the woods, the fields, and especially the river. The imagery was absolutely fantastic.
We meet Ezra Beiler, a Amish man who lost her his wife an child at a very young age. He is unhappy living in the Amish community and there is almost an immediate spark between him and Elizabeth. Their budding romance and flirtation plays throughout the story. The romance ebbs and flows and sometimes collides with the intense drama.
This story is very well written but some parts were a bit predictable. I could tell from one of the girl’s behavior an underlying cause quite early, but was totally surprised by the way the story peaked.
I am happy to see the author plans on a series with these characters because I truly want to know them better. I feel their story is just beginning. This story has set the series off to a fine start.
Detective Elizabeth Harris comes home from New York after her husband was murdered. She needs a quieter life to start over. But life at home isn’t at all what she expected. A body is found in a barn in the heart of the Amish community. The young girl is “English”, and her body had clearly been moved. Why would she be here were violence is condemned and life is “simple”? As the most experienced officer Elizabeth is assigned to the case, she thinks the killer is nearby while others believe it has to be an English outsider.
This is the type of story that I would expect to see on an episode of Criminal Minds. They definitely needed help coming up with a profile for the killer, but I don’t know if even Shemar Moore’s Derek Morgan could figure this one out.
Elizabeth Harris is a very strong, intelligent woman. She is not afraid to go anywhere or do anything to get justice for this girl and for a girl that had gone missing months ago. The disappearance of the first girl was never reported by her parents because she was Amish and everyone thought she had just run off. Well Elizabeth doesn’t think that is the case. When the police handle the Amish with kid gloves she becomes very frustrated.
The author tells us before the story even begins that nothing like this has even happened in an Amish community but she sure writes a believable story. The characters come alive in the pages as does the town, the woods, the fields, and especially the river. The imagery was absolutely fantastic.
We meet Ezra Beiler, a Amish man who lost her his wife an child at a very young age. He is unhappy living in the Amish community and there is almost an immediate spark between him and Elizabeth. Their budding romance and flirtation plays throughout the story. The romance ebbs and flows and sometimes collides with the intense drama.
This story is very well written but some parts were a bit predictable. I could tell from one of the girl’s behavior an underlying cause quite early, but was totally surprised by the way the story peaked.
I am happy to see the author plans on a series with these characters because I truly want to know them better. I feel their story is just beginning. This story has set the series off to a fine start.