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marieeve1978's review
3.0
This is not a well written book, but it has the capacity to keep you turning pages, which makes it a 3.5 for me.
mstammyreads's review
5.0
I really enjoyed this book. I loved reading about Tessa Leoni’s origin story. It made me like her character even more. D. D. Warren however not so much. D. D. is not a good detective in my eyes. She was outsmarted at every turn in this book, however I will extend some grace as she was going through some personal issues of her own. I really enjoy reading the Tessa Leoni series and I hope there is more to come.
litwithleigh's review
3.0
2.5 rounded up only because of the prose
One sentence review: Is it is police procedural or an action movie???
SYNOPSIS
State Trooper Tessa Leoni confesses to shooting her husband in self-defense during a fight about her missing six-year-old daughter, Sophia. As DD and Detective Bobby Flay ... I mean Bobby Dodge race to find Sophia, they realize Tessa's math may not be mathulating.
MY OPINION
*Puts down book. Takes off glasses.* Le fking SIGH. Maaaannn Lisa Gardner sure loves to play with me, but I keep coming back because that prose be TOP TIER for the police procedural genre (tbh most genres, debate ya mama).
Anyways, this started solid af. The case was juicy and something was definitely afoot. But then around 50% a twisty twist occurred and I was made a silent non-denominational prayer that this wouldn't go off the chizzy (chain). Folks, it went ALL THEE WAY off the chizzy. This went from a police procedural to some kind of John Wick/Jason Bourne mash up, which I am not down to clown with because this is a detective series!!! If this was some kind of spy and war book, okay, it's expected. But this felt like Gardner learned some new figgedty facts and wanted to include them in this book, whether it worked or not. Homegirl, your writing can carry a simple and straightforward storyline, you don't gotta do all this extra shit.
Before I get into some spoilies to extrapolate on the above, I have to say it again: I can't STAND DD. I still don't understand why she wakes up and chooses violence every day. There's no traumatic backstory that makes her a mega bish. She just is. And idc how many times Gardner tells us how hawt and seggsy and blonde she is, in my mind she will always be a brunette who wears polyester suits that are two sizes too big (no shade I'm always wearing baggy clothes). Anyways, if DD had a better, less petty personality (she literally admitted to not giving Tessa any slack because she was "pretty and vulnerable"... you're legit 40 DD), imagine how much quicker and easier she'd solve cases. Instead, DD sees a victim and is like WHY ARE YOU AND YOUR DEAD MAMA SUCH WHORES??? And then is shocked when she's stonewalled. Anyways....
SPOILERS SO SCROLL AHEAD
Ok so I don't really have any rich homie qualms about the first 50%, it's when Tessa decides she's Jason Bourne's daughter I started getting annoyed af. So Tessa had 24 hours to get her affairs in order before she lied to the police, and suddenly she put together the master plan of all master plans?? She somehow organizes to withdraw money, move and freeze her husband's 220lbs body, learn and wire an explosive, dig up and re-bury a dog corpse that was being "stored" under the deck (wtf?) that was rigged with said explosives, somehow convince a childhood friend to help you get away (idc if Tessa took the fall for me back in the day, I have kids and a husband now. Blockt LOL), etc...?
And then that whole thing with her dad... frying the phone to get rid of the call (although wouldn't it show on the friend's phone as an incoming call with the cell #???) was soooo eye roll inducing. Your dad yeeted you out on your ass when you were 16, leaving you to the skreets, and 10 yrs later all is forgiven??? Umm again... BLOCKT.
All these shenanigans that Tessa put together in a cool 24 hours (while traumatized by her husband's sudden death) would take at least a good week. Ain't no way I'm watching a couple YouTube videos on how to make a bomb in 5 easy steps and then just going for it. Nah!!! She could've easily turned to the police and the jig would be up; the whole ting about her distrusting the police (even though her charges were dropped) really wasn't enough to make doing thee absolute most the only viable option.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: the prose is *chefs kiss*, the first 50% was strong
Cons: second half crumbled like feta cheese, extremely contrived, "catching up with a friend" ending, DD annoys tf outta me like at least toss homegirl a lil childhood trauma to "justify" her stank ass attitude
One sentence review: Is it is police procedural or an action movie???
SYNOPSIS
State Trooper Tessa Leoni confesses to shooting her husband in self-defense during a fight about her missing six-year-old daughter, Sophia. As DD and Detective Bobby Flay ... I mean Bobby Dodge race to find Sophia, they realize Tessa's math may not be mathulating.
MY OPINION
*Puts down book. Takes off glasses.* Le fking SIGH. Maaaannn Lisa Gardner sure loves to play with me, but I keep coming back because that prose be TOP TIER for the police procedural genre (tbh most genres, debate ya mama).
Anyways, this started solid af. The case was juicy and something was definitely afoot. But then around 50% a twisty twist occurred and I was made a silent non-denominational prayer that this wouldn't go off the chizzy (chain). Folks, it went ALL THEE WAY off the chizzy. This went from a police procedural to some kind of John Wick/Jason Bourne mash up, which I am not down to clown with because this is a detective series!!! If this was some kind of spy and war book, okay, it's expected. But this felt like Gardner learned some new figgedty facts and wanted to include them in this book, whether it worked or not. Homegirl, your writing can carry a simple and straightforward storyline, you don't gotta do all this extra shit.
Before I get into some spoilies to extrapolate on the above, I have to say it again: I can't STAND DD. I still don't understand why she wakes up and chooses violence every day. There's no traumatic backstory that makes her a mega bish. She just is. And idc how many times Gardner tells us how hawt and seggsy and blonde she is, in my mind she will always be a brunette who wears polyester suits that are two sizes too big (no shade I'm always wearing baggy clothes). Anyways, if DD had a better, less petty personality (she literally admitted to not giving Tessa any slack because she was "pretty and vulnerable"... you're legit 40 DD), imagine how much quicker and easier she'd solve cases. Instead, DD sees a victim and is like WHY ARE YOU AND YOUR DEAD MAMA SUCH WHORES??? And then is shocked when she's stonewalled. Anyways....
SPOILERS SO SCROLL AHEAD
Ok so I don't really have any rich homie qualms about the first 50%, it's when Tessa decides she's Jason Bourne's daughter I started getting annoyed af. So Tessa had 24 hours to get her affairs in order before she lied to the police, and suddenly she put together the master plan of all master plans?? She somehow organizes to withdraw money, move and freeze her husband's 220lbs body, learn and wire an explosive, dig up and re-bury a dog corpse that was being "stored" under the deck (wtf?) that was rigged with said explosives, somehow convince a childhood friend to help you get away (idc if Tessa took the fall for me back in the day, I have kids and a husband now. Blockt LOL), etc...?
And then that whole thing with her dad... frying the phone to get rid of the call (although wouldn't it show on the friend's phone as an incoming call with the cell #???) was soooo eye roll inducing. Your dad yeeted you out on your ass when you were 16, leaving you to the skreets, and 10 yrs later all is forgiven??? Umm again... BLOCKT.
All these shenanigans that Tessa put together in a cool 24 hours (while traumatized by her husband's sudden death) would take at least a good week. Ain't no way I'm watching a couple YouTube videos on how to make a bomb in 5 easy steps and then just going for it. Nah!!! She could've easily turned to the police and the jig would be up; the whole ting about her distrusting the police (even though her charges were dropped) really wasn't enough to make doing thee absolute most the only viable option.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: the prose is *chefs kiss*, the first 50% was strong
Cons: second half crumbled like feta cheese, extremely contrived, "catching up with a friend" ending, DD annoys tf outta me like at least toss homegirl a lil childhood trauma to "justify" her stank ass attitude
karlyo83's review against another edition
4.0
My Rating: 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ action packed, girl on fire vibes!!!
A life or death choice… who do you love???
State police trooper Tessa Leonie confesses to shooting her husband Brian Darby to death in self-defence. It certainly seems like a case of DV gone wrong with Tessa’s face showing signs of a brutal fight.
Enter Detective DD Warren, she is hoping for an open and shut case of DV but when she arrives not only has everyone destroyed her crime scene, they discover Tessa’s 6 year old daughter is missing… and Tessa isn’t saying a thing.
Tessa has a deadly secret - she can’t trust anyone and no one would believe her even is she tried… Can DD figure out what Tessa is hiding before a missing child becomes another homicide??
I got a message from my good friend GirlWithThePinkSkiMask telling me I should read this book next on my list because even though for her it goes “A bit too John Wick” she feels like it will be right up my lane…. ANNNNNND she doesn’t disappoint yet again… Thank you Pink
A life or death choice… who do you love???
State police trooper Tessa Leonie confesses to shooting her husband Brian Darby to death in self-defence. It certainly seems like a case of DV gone wrong with Tessa’s face showing signs of a brutal fight.
Enter Detective DD Warren, she is hoping for an open and shut case of DV but when she arrives not only has everyone destroyed her crime scene, they discover Tessa’s 6 year old daughter is missing… and Tessa isn’t saying a thing.
Tessa has a deadly secret - she can’t trust anyone and no one would believe her even is she tried… Can DD figure out what Tessa is hiding before a missing child becomes another homicide??
I got a message from my good friend GirlWithThePinkSkiMask telling me I should read this book next on my list because even though for her it goes “A bit too John Wick” she feels like it will be right up my lane…. ANNNNNND she doesn’t disappoint yet again… Thank you Pink
jgraydee's review against another edition
3.0
Book one
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , @ "#% : / =
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , @ "#% : / =
ignited_redqueen75's review
5.0
Once again, never disappointed. A heart wrenching kick ass type of book.
cenzweiler's review
4.0
Very entertaining! Plays on how far someone would go for those they love. Had me changing my predictions constantly
incredibleworm23's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0