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Detective Jackson Mystery #3
Thrilled to Death
Are you looking for a great new mystery/thriller series with
compelling characters and distinctive plots that pull you from book to
book? You've found it! Fans of Connelly and Crais love the Detective Jackson series too, and Mystery Scene magazine calls it "thrilling."
***
A
young widow with an infant son and second thoughts about motherhood. A
young heiress with fame, fortune, and reckless desires. When the first
goes missing and the second turns up dead, both cases land on the desk
of Detective Wade Jackson--along with a world of complications.
While
Jackson has a personal stake in the disappearance--the girl's former
mother-in-law is the woman he loves--his department superiors have a
political interest in the the heiress's mother is a wealthy,
powerful benefactor. Caught in the middle with no evidence of foul play
on either front, Jackson may be chasing shadows.
The police chief
turns up the heat as the girls' loved ones lose hope, so Jackson has to
go for broke and piece together the puzzle of a psychiatrist, an
agoraphobic strip-club owner, a benevolent organization for needy
mothers, and a bizarre service for edgy thrill-seekers. Dark territory
holds few surprises for a veteran cop like Jackson, but there are some
shocking places even he's never been...until now.
***
"Sellers knows how to wring as much tension as possible from her
intricate, socially relevant plots, but it is her talent for creating
intriguing characters that makes her suspense novels so memorable. In
fact, she's so good that it's surprising she hasn't yet broken through
into suspense super-stardom." --Mystery Scene magazine
"This thriller is every bit as exciting and suspenseful as her earlier
books. Fast-paced, well-plotted and with terrific writing, the book is
highly recommended. "--Spinetingler magazine
"The Detective Jackson series rolls along with this exhilarating entry.
The first sentence will draw you into the story and keep you guessing
until the surprising ending."--RT Reviews
"Ms. Sellers has a delightfully twisted mind and the talent to take her
unsuspecting readers down trails that fork and bend back and curve and
twist until at the end, you have a sense of satisfaction coupled with a
pleasant mental exhaustion as your mind wanders back to how you got
there... You are gonna love this thriller." --BookBitch.com
"L. J. Sellers is a wonderful storyteller...There are plenty of twists
and turns... The characters are well-developed and engaging. Readers new
to the series can begin with THRILLED TO DEATH and then go back to the
other books in the series. It's a fast read. Perfect for summer reading.
The first page will grab the reader's attention and from there, it's an
exciting read all the way through to the final
page."--OverMyDeadBody.com
compelling characters and distinctive plots that pull you from book to
book? You've found it! Fans of Connelly and Crais love the Detective Jackson series too, and Mystery Scene magazine calls it "thrilling."
***
A
young widow with an infant son and second thoughts about motherhood. A
young heiress with fame, fortune, and reckless desires. When the first
goes missing and the second turns up dead, both cases land on the desk
of Detective Wade Jackson--along with a world of complications.
While
Jackson has a personal stake in the disappearance--the girl's former
mother-in-law is the woman he loves--his department superiors have a
political interest in the the heiress's mother is a wealthy,
powerful benefactor. Caught in the middle with no evidence of foul play
on either front, Jackson may be chasing shadows.
The police chief
turns up the heat as the girls' loved ones lose hope, so Jackson has to
go for broke and piece together the puzzle of a psychiatrist, an
agoraphobic strip-club owner, a benevolent organization for needy
mothers, and a bizarre service for edgy thrill-seekers. Dark territory
holds few surprises for a veteran cop like Jackson, but there are some
shocking places even he's never been...until now.
***
"Sellers knows how to wring as much tension as possible from her
intricate, socially relevant plots, but it is her talent for creating
intriguing characters that makes her suspense novels so memorable. In
fact, she's so good that it's surprising she hasn't yet broken through
into suspense super-stardom." --Mystery Scene magazine
"This thriller is every bit as exciting and suspenseful as her earlier
books. Fast-paced, well-plotted and with terrific writing, the book is
highly recommended. "--Spinetingler magazine
"The Detective Jackson series rolls along with this exhilarating entry.
The first sentence will draw you into the story and keep you guessing
until the surprising ending."--RT Reviews
"Ms. Sellers has a delightfully twisted mind and the talent to take her
unsuspecting readers down trails that fork and bend back and curve and
twist until at the end, you have a sense of satisfaction coupled with a
pleasant mental exhaustion as your mind wanders back to how you got
there... You are gonna love this thriller." --BookBitch.com
"L. J. Sellers is a wonderful storyteller...There are plenty of twists
and turns... The characters are well-developed and engaging. Readers new
to the series can begin with THRILLED TO DEATH and then go back to the
other books in the series. It's a fast read. Perfect for summer reading.
The first page will grab the reader's attention and from there, it's an
exciting read all the way through to the final
page."--OverMyDeadBody.com
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
125 people are currently reading
567 people want to read
About the author
L.J. Sellers
56 books477 followersI write the bestselling Detective Jackson mystery/thriller series—a four-time Readers Favorite award winner—as well as the Agent Dallas series, the Extractor thrillers, and provocative standalone thrillers. My 30 novels have been highly praised and have sold more than a million copies.
I reside in Eugene, Oregon where my many of my novels are set, and I'm also an award-winning journalist who earned the Grand Neal. When not plotting murders, I enjoy standup comedy, cycling, social networking, and attending mystery conferences. I've also been known to jump out of airplanes.
I reside in Eugene, Oregon where my many of my novels are set, and I'm also an award-winning journalist who earned the Grand Neal. When not plotting murders, I enjoy standup comedy, cycling, social networking, and attending mystery conferences. I've also been known to jump out of airplanes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
August 18, 2010
Thrilled to Death. L.J. Sellers. 2010. Echelon Press. 285 pages. ISBN 1590807278.
Thrilled to Death is the third book in the Detective Wade Jackson mystery series by L.J. Sellers and the best I've read by her yet! It's official: the rest of Sellers' books are going on my wish list.
Thrilled to Death begins in the psychiatrist's office, where a young woman named Danette Blake is entertaining thoughts regarding giving up her infant son for adoption. Moments later when Danette turns up missing, her mother-in-law Kera pulls Detective Wade Jackson in to help investigate her disappearance. What we have come to learn is a sick and twisted plot soon thickens, as another young woman named Courtney Durham is reported missing on the same day. The mystery we are dying to figure out is the reason behind Courtney's strange hobbies and more importantly, where is Danette?
I love Thrilled to Death because it's fast-paced and flows with ease. It's one of those novels you wish would take longer to read! I once belonged to a book club called "Sick Sh*t", in which all we traded and read were explicit, gory and disturbing crime procedurals. I'll admit that Thrilled to Death proudly falls into this category sans the super explicit details that could literally make you feel ill. Just the implications to the horrible crimes mentioned in this novel are enough to make you cringe and ponder the true sickness of psychopaths and weirdos out there. Thrilled to Death definitely caters to the true, hard-core mystery and crime fans.
I have also read book two of the Detective Wade Jackson series called Secrets to Die For, which I reviewed here: Dreamworld Book Reviews - Secrets to Die For. As much as I enjoyed reading Secrets to Die For, it simply doesn't compare to how amazing and dark Thrilled to Death is. Once you start reading, you won't be able to put it down.
In my review of Secrets to Die For, I had mentioned how detached I felt toward the character of Detective Jackson; however my feelings on that have gone out the window. Detective Jackson is much more personable in Thrilled to Death and even experiences health issues we can all empathize with to an extent.
Thrilled to Death also contains several red herrings. As a major mystery fan, I enjoy the challenge of figuring out the "hows" and "whys" behind all the components of the crime, and Thrilled to Death will definitely keep you on your toes! Whether these are intentional leads or loose ends for future novels remains to be seen, but I'm definitely putting the next Detective Wade Jackson on my must-read list.
L.J. Sellers will be releasing Passions of the Dead in 2011, following with a stand-alone thriller entitled The Baby Thief.
Read more book reviews at http://dreamworldbooks.com.
Thrilled to Death is the third book in the Detective Wade Jackson mystery series by L.J. Sellers and the best I've read by her yet! It's official: the rest of Sellers' books are going on my wish list.
Thrilled to Death begins in the psychiatrist's office, where a young woman named Danette Blake is entertaining thoughts regarding giving up her infant son for adoption. Moments later when Danette turns up missing, her mother-in-law Kera pulls Detective Wade Jackson in to help investigate her disappearance. What we have come to learn is a sick and twisted plot soon thickens, as another young woman named Courtney Durham is reported missing on the same day. The mystery we are dying to figure out is the reason behind Courtney's strange hobbies and more importantly, where is Danette?
I love Thrilled to Death because it's fast-paced and flows with ease. It's one of those novels you wish would take longer to read! I once belonged to a book club called "Sick Sh*t", in which all we traded and read were explicit, gory and disturbing crime procedurals. I'll admit that Thrilled to Death proudly falls into this category sans the super explicit details that could literally make you feel ill. Just the implications to the horrible crimes mentioned in this novel are enough to make you cringe and ponder the true sickness of psychopaths and weirdos out there. Thrilled to Death definitely caters to the true, hard-core mystery and crime fans.
I have also read book two of the Detective Wade Jackson series called Secrets to Die For, which I reviewed here: Dreamworld Book Reviews - Secrets to Die For. As much as I enjoyed reading Secrets to Die For, it simply doesn't compare to how amazing and dark Thrilled to Death is. Once you start reading, you won't be able to put it down.
In my review of Secrets to Die For, I had mentioned how detached I felt toward the character of Detective Jackson; however my feelings on that have gone out the window. Detective Jackson is much more personable in Thrilled to Death and even experiences health issues we can all empathize with to an extent.
Thrilled to Death also contains several red herrings. As a major mystery fan, I enjoy the challenge of figuring out the "hows" and "whys" behind all the components of the crime, and Thrilled to Death will definitely keep you on your toes! Whether these are intentional leads or loose ends for future novels remains to be seen, but I'm definitely putting the next Detective Wade Jackson on my must-read list.
L.J. Sellers will be releasing Passions of the Dead in 2011, following with a stand-alone thriller entitled The Baby Thief.
Read more book reviews at http://dreamworldbooks.com.
August 4, 2016
These are good crime novels. I like the MC & he has an interesting medical problem that helps show his dedication to the job. Unlike Connelly's Harry Bosch, Jackson has a life outside of work & Eugene, OR allows him to indulge most of the time. This mystery was as twisty as any. I look forward to listening to more.
October 11, 2019
Spätestens mit dem dritten Buch bin ich ein Fan der Autorin und dieser Reihe. Authentische Figuren, spannende Fälle, interessant verwoben und mit einigen Twists.
Zwei junge Frauen verschwinden ab selben Tag. Detective Jackson versucht seiner Freundin Kera zu helfen. Sie sollte kurz auf ihren Enkel aufpassen aber ihre Schwiegertochter Danette ist nach ihrer Therapiesitzung verschwunden.
Natürlich ist das Interesse der Polizei und der Medien bei Courtney, einem Partygirl aus einer einflussreichen Familie größer. Als ihre Leiche gefunden gibt es Hinweise, dass beide Fälle zusammenhängen und die führen zu einer verschwiegenen Therapeutin, einem zwielichtigen Stripclub Besitzer, der sein Haus nicht verlässt und einer Firma namens Dirty Jobs.
Ich war wieder direkt gefesselt. Der einfache Stil liefert detailreiche Beschreibungen und lässt sich flüssig und schnell lesen.
Und Detective Jackson ist super. Hier werden auch wieder verschiedene Fälle, auch Verbrechen bei denen niemand wusste, dass sie begangen wurden, verwoben und aus verschiedenen Perspektiven erzählt.
Zusammen mit ihm Informationen zusammenzusetzen, Hinweisen nachzugehen, die einen weiterbringen oder noch mehr verwirren, ist durchgehend spannend und wird immer besser.
Sein Privatleben, mit der süchtigen Exfrau, der pubertierenden Tochter und der sich entwickelnden Beziehung zu Kera ist interessant und kompliziert genug und gut in die Fälle integriert ohne zu viel Raum einzunehmen.
Eugene als Schauplatz gefällt mir immer besser, sonst spielt sowas ja immer in der Großstadt oder auf dem Dorf.
Auch wenn das Ende mich kurz verwirrt hat, hat es mir gefallen. Ich hoffe da kommt noch was zu dem Gutmenschen mit seinen zwielichtigen Geschäften und auch Keras Exmann, der einige Fragen offen lässt, hat hier noch gefehlt.
Ich freue mich auf mehr von der Serie und allgemein von der Autorin.
Zwei junge Frauen verschwinden ab selben Tag. Detective Jackson versucht seiner Freundin Kera zu helfen. Sie sollte kurz auf ihren Enkel aufpassen aber ihre Schwiegertochter Danette ist nach ihrer Therapiesitzung verschwunden.
Natürlich ist das Interesse der Polizei und der Medien bei Courtney, einem Partygirl aus einer einflussreichen Familie größer. Als ihre Leiche gefunden gibt es Hinweise, dass beide Fälle zusammenhängen und die führen zu einer verschwiegenen Therapeutin, einem zwielichtigen Stripclub Besitzer, der sein Haus nicht verlässt und einer Firma namens Dirty Jobs.
Ich war wieder direkt gefesselt. Der einfache Stil liefert detailreiche Beschreibungen und lässt sich flüssig und schnell lesen.
Und Detective Jackson ist super. Hier werden auch wieder verschiedene Fälle, auch Verbrechen bei denen niemand wusste, dass sie begangen wurden, verwoben und aus verschiedenen Perspektiven erzählt.
Zusammen mit ihm Informationen zusammenzusetzen, Hinweisen nachzugehen, die einen weiterbringen oder noch mehr verwirren, ist durchgehend spannend und wird immer besser.
Sein Privatleben, mit der süchtigen Exfrau, der pubertierenden Tochter und der sich entwickelnden Beziehung zu Kera ist interessant und kompliziert genug und gut in die Fälle integriert ohne zu viel Raum einzunehmen.
Eugene als Schauplatz gefällt mir immer besser, sonst spielt sowas ja immer in der Großstadt oder auf dem Dorf.
Auch wenn das Ende mich kurz verwirrt hat, hat es mir gefallen. Ich hoffe da kommt noch was zu dem Gutmenschen mit seinen zwielichtigen Geschäften und auch Keras Exmann, der einige Fragen offen lässt, hat hier noch gefehlt.
Ich freue mich auf mehr von der Serie und allgemein von der Autorin.
September 17, 2017
A good police procedural, the third in the Wade Jackson series, set in Eugene, Oregon. Two young women go missing on the same day, one of them daughter-in-law of Jackson's girlfriend. Good plot and good characters, I will read more in this series
February 26, 2012
Thrilled to Death
L.J. Sellers
Echelon Press, September 2010
ISBN 1590807278
Trade Paperback
Two young women are missing in Eugene, Oregon, and there is no apparent connection between them, one a single mother of a baby and the other a wealthy local heiress. Danette could have gone off on her own, suffering from postpartum depression, but Detective Wade Jackson isn’t so sure. He begins to look into her disappearance before the usual waiting period for missing persons because he’s dating the baby’s grandmother and his gut tells him something isn’t right.
Soon after Danette’s vanishing, Courtney is reported missing, having failed to come home after going to a nightclub. Courtney had run off for a couple of days some months earlier and the missing persons detective in charge thinks she has probably done so again. Reflecting her family’s influence and position in the community, as is so often the case in today’s world, the media pays much more attention to Courtney’s case than to Danette’s.
Then the first body is found and it looks as if the death might be the result of a make-believe kidnapping arranged by an adventure company. Seemingly serendipitous connections between the two women begin to come to light and yet one of them is still missing and Jackson is more and more sure that she did not run away.
Early on, a thought of one of the bad guys caught my attention:
This was only his second pickup of a live person, and he thought it would be easy.
Something about that struck me as chilling.
Not having read the first two Detective Jackson books, I missed out on some backstory but Ms. Sellers is a very good writer and is adept at giving enough of that backstory without letting the newest book get bogged down in rehashing the past. I enjoyed the secondary characters, especially Jackson’s colleagues, and want to get to know them better.
I thoroughly enjoyed Thrilled to Death and will go back to read the first two in the series. My only quibble is with the physical product in that the gutter (the space between the print and the binding) is too shallow, making the book a little difficult to handle without breaking the spine. Still, that did not prevent me from getting caught up in a very good story and I applaud the author and the publisher for high-quality editing. Ms. Sellers is an author with talent and I’m happy to have “discovered ” her.
Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, August 2010.
L.J. Sellers
Echelon Press, September 2010
ISBN 1590807278
Trade Paperback
Two young women are missing in Eugene, Oregon, and there is no apparent connection between them, one a single mother of a baby and the other a wealthy local heiress. Danette could have gone off on her own, suffering from postpartum depression, but Detective Wade Jackson isn’t so sure. He begins to look into her disappearance before the usual waiting period for missing persons because he’s dating the baby’s grandmother and his gut tells him something isn’t right.
Soon after Danette’s vanishing, Courtney is reported missing, having failed to come home after going to a nightclub. Courtney had run off for a couple of days some months earlier and the missing persons detective in charge thinks she has probably done so again. Reflecting her family’s influence and position in the community, as is so often the case in today’s world, the media pays much more attention to Courtney’s case than to Danette’s.
Then the first body is found and it looks as if the death might be the result of a make-believe kidnapping arranged by an adventure company. Seemingly serendipitous connections between the two women begin to come to light and yet one of them is still missing and Jackson is more and more sure that she did not run away.
Early on, a thought of one of the bad guys caught my attention:
This was only his second pickup of a live person, and he thought it would be easy.
Something about that struck me as chilling.
Not having read the first two Detective Jackson books, I missed out on some backstory but Ms. Sellers is a very good writer and is adept at giving enough of that backstory without letting the newest book get bogged down in rehashing the past. I enjoyed the secondary characters, especially Jackson’s colleagues, and want to get to know them better.
I thoroughly enjoyed Thrilled to Death and will go back to read the first two in the series. My only quibble is with the physical product in that the gutter (the space between the print and the binding) is too shallow, making the book a little difficult to handle without breaking the spine. Still, that did not prevent me from getting caught up in a very good story and I applaud the author and the publisher for high-quality editing. Ms. Sellers is an author with talent and I’m happy to have “discovered ” her.
Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, August 2010.
September 26, 2012
After communicating with L.J. Sellers here, I decided to read something she had written :0)
Thrilled to Death is actually #2 in the Detective Jackson mystery series. Not having read the first few books, did not hinder me in reading this book or understanding what was going on.
The basic story is that 2 young women(from opposite sides of the track) are missing and foul play is suspected. One is a single mother who is attending college and just trying to "make it" while the other is a spoiled socialite who wants for nothing.
There are some similarities tho- both are treated by the same psychiatrist and both volunteer at a local charitable agency.
Unfortunately money talks, and the socialite gets more press coverage than the regular girl. But if Jackson can figure out what happened to one, chances are he can solve the case on both.
*****************************************************
I really like L.J.'s writing style. She gave me enough information but did not overload me with small details that meant nothing in the long run.
I really enjoyed how she described the crime scenes without being over gory. No nightmares with this one. :0)
It was easier for me to keep up with, when the civilians names were just the first names and the detectives were all last names.
I will definitely be picking up another one of her books and giving it a read as well!
Thrilled to Death is actually #2 in the Detective Jackson mystery series. Not having read the first few books, did not hinder me in reading this book or understanding what was going on.
The basic story is that 2 young women(from opposite sides of the track) are missing and foul play is suspected. One is a single mother who is attending college and just trying to "make it" while the other is a spoiled socialite who wants for nothing.
There are some similarities tho- both are treated by the same psychiatrist and both volunteer at a local charitable agency.
Unfortunately money talks, and the socialite gets more press coverage than the regular girl. But if Jackson can figure out what happened to one, chances are he can solve the case on both.
*****************************************************
I really like L.J.'s writing style. She gave me enough information but did not overload me with small details that meant nothing in the long run.
I really enjoyed how she described the crime scenes without being over gory. No nightmares with this one. :0)
It was easier for me to keep up with, when the civilians names were just the first names and the detectives were all last names.
I will definitely be picking up another one of her books and giving it a read as well!
August 30, 2010
When I was sent this book through the First-Reads program, I did not realize that it was part of a series of mysteries. It did work as a stand-alone book, but I found myself wondering about the characters and the references to previous stories. This was a little distracting, but overall I really enjoyed this book and the mystery was, for me, not solved until the end of the story. I would like to read the books that came before this one and found myself very interested in what would happen to the characters after this story ended. I would definitely recommend this book to people who enjoy mystery and suspense type books.
December 30, 2014
Detective Jackson finds himself inadvertently dealing with two missing persons cases, both where it's questionable if the women were abducted or had reason to disappear on their own.
There's not a lot of excitement this time but there's plenty of mystery. I liked how murky the cases were and enjoyed following the process to figure out whether there was cause for concern. Detective Jackson's personal life spills into the case as his relationship with Kera progresses and he works to manage the life of single father.
The ending felt a little rushed but I enjoyed the story. Looking forward to continuing this series.
There's not a lot of excitement this time but there's plenty of mystery. I liked how murky the cases were and enjoyed following the process to figure out whether there was cause for concern. Detective Jackson's personal life spills into the case as his relationship with Kera progresses and he works to manage the life of single father.
The ending felt a little rushed but I enjoyed the story. Looking forward to continuing this series.
October 20, 2014
The first two were a bit preachy, hitting the social issues over the head, again and again and again.
Which for me detracted from the story.
This is a fast, easy read, a good whodunit, of course I didn't figure it out, with just a smattering of comments on the social issue in this story: .
The characters are a bit more believable, and likeable - well, those you are supposed to like - and the mystery is well laid out and concealed.
This all started with Kindles daily deals so I guess the process works.
I already have book 4 and will continue to fit one of this series in every now and then.
Which for me detracted from the story.
This is a fast, easy read, a good whodunit, of course I didn't figure it out, with just a smattering of comments on the social issue in this story: .
The characters are a bit more believable, and likeable - well, those you are supposed to like - and the mystery is well laid out and concealed.
This all started with Kindles daily deals so I guess the process works.
I already have book 4 and will continue to fit one of this series in every now and then.
February 3, 2016
Great mystery and I enjoy how Jackson works. It's also nice to read about a team that work well together. It seems a lot of mysteries involve friction in the detective teams. I guess this generally provides a more interesting story but this book proves that that isn't always the case. I look forward to continuing the series.
January 25, 2011
This is a great book. I won it through Goodread First Reads. This is the first book I've ever read by the author and boy did L.J. Sellers gain a new fan! I love the characters and the plot!
September 5, 2017
I enjoyed the story, although the prose is fairly pedestrian, perhaps more so because the narrator more or less reads in a monotone. It is a police procedural, with little revealed until the conclusion and then, not so much by the detective's efforts so much as a person'surprising sudden confession. Minor spoiler:
October 14, 2023
An intriguing story
3 1/2 -4 stars
This was an intense, complex, and intriguing story with many surprising twists that you won't want to miss.
I'm not sure if the reading order for this series is not correct, or what the problem is, but it feels like I'm reading a series in reverse, which I am not thrilled with. Unfortunately, none of the book titles are numbered, and the series page basically says that all of the books are a part of the series. I was hoping after reading the second book that the time lines would be going forward, however they are just going in the opposite direction. Not sure if I want to continue reading a series that's in reverse order.
I would recommend this book.
3 1/2 -4 stars
This was an intense, complex, and intriguing story with many surprising twists that you won't want to miss.
I'm not sure if the reading order for this series is not correct, or what the problem is, but it feels like I'm reading a series in reverse, which I am not thrilled with. Unfortunately, none of the book titles are numbered, and the series page basically says that all of the books are a part of the series. I was hoping after reading the second book that the time lines would be going forward, however they are just going in the opposite direction. Not sure if I want to continue reading a series that's in reverse order.
I would recommend this book.
November 19, 2017
Another great story by Sellers, the plot flows, and you are caught, wanting answer, and just enjoying a good book. What would be the connection to a young girl, trying to decide to keep her baby or not. The other is a socialite who frequents the bars, till midnight. The detective has his hands full with investigating, the politics, keeping him from the other case. Which is connected to his new love interest. Readers will love this book, as well as the series
March 22, 2018
Compelling
The plot is great,moves right along is compelling. For my taste,however, I would rather not have the transgender, lesbian , interracial and other political liberal junk this author ALWAYS puts in all her books. It really does not add anything to the plot or ultimate results of the story!
The plot is great,moves right along is compelling. For my taste,however, I would rather not have the transgender, lesbian , interracial and other political liberal junk this author ALWAYS puts in all her books. It really does not add anything to the plot or ultimate results of the story!
June 30, 2019
A Top Grade Police Procedural
This is a page turner very well written by an author with the unusual power to create drama out of due process and suspense at every level of the action. Not one dull paragraph.
This is a page turner very well written by an author with the unusual power to create drama out of due process and suspense at every level of the action. Not one dull paragraph.
June 6, 2017
Keeps getting better...
Wow wow wow 😳
I love this series it's never a dull moment! Keeps me on the edge of my seat! Yes on to the next!!!!
Wow wow wow 😳
I love this series it's never a dull moment! Keeps me on the edge of my seat! Yes on to the next!!!!
August 24, 2017
Book 3 is my favourite so far. Fast paced from start and auctioned packed. Kind of hoping that there is no crime in Eugene for next few months judging by the ending! Good book.
September 3, 2018
Couldn't stop reading
This book was very good. It kept my attention and enjoyed the twists the author came up with. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
This book was very good. It kept my attention and enjoyed the twists the author came up with. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
December 28, 2018
Thrilled to Death
Thrilled to Death is another well written book. Couldn’t put this book down either. In case you are wondering... yes I’m starting the next.
Thrilled to Death is another well written book. Couldn’t put this book down either. In case you are wondering... yes I’m starting the next.
March 29, 2019
Very much enjoying this series.
March 7, 2020
The book didn’t last long enough.
Well I sure enough did enjoy this book. When I started the book I knew I was in for another treat.
Well I sure enough did enjoy this book. When I started the book I knew I was in for another treat.
January 6, 2021
Very good
Plot is comp validated but very good. Characters are well drawn and interesting. I enjoyed this book very much. Looking for to others by author.
Plot is comp validated but very good. Characters are well drawn and interesting. I enjoyed this book very much. Looking for to others by author.
June 4, 2021
The author was another first time read and I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. The plot had a huge amount of twists and turns and really kept my interest. I heartily recommend the book.
February 27, 2022
A quick read, but still great. I love the detective Jackson series, the twists and turns of the investigation always make for an entertaining read.
August 11, 2021
Book 3 & I’m all in with this series! I cannot put my Kindle down. I cannot wait to get home & read all night long. We get more violence, more crimes, more characters, more amazing writing, more of everything I loved in the first 2 books.
July 25, 2010
Although Kera Kollmorgan loves to take care of her grandson, three month old, Micah, she is disturbed when his mother Danette does not return when promised. Kera is even more disturbed when Danette’s cell phone goes unanswered. Kera’s son Nathan was killed in Iraq and never knew his son Micah. Kera is always glad to pitch in and help but when Danette’s absence caused her to miss her shift at Planned Parenthood she couldn’t help but feel that something was very, very wrong.
Kera first attempted to contact Detective Wade Jackson. Detective Jackson and Kera had been in a relationship for sometime and Kera was sure he could help her find Danette. Detective Jackson was unable to answer her call because he was at a doctor’s appointment checking out a medical condition he had tried to ignore for sometime. When Jackson finally received Kera’s message he made a trip to the office of the psychiatrist that Danette had planned to visit. The doctor verified that Danette had been there but made no mention of where she might be going.
Elle Durham also contacted the police. She was very upset about the fact that her daughter Courtney was missing. Courtney is the direct opposite of Danette. Courtney comes from a prominent family. Her father, Dean, now deceased, owned a good part of downtown Eugene, Oregon. Courtney enjoyed every advantage and tended to do as she pleased with not much regard about how other people felt about it.
Elle Durham insisted that Courtney’s disappearance receive first priority so Jackson is placed in charge of the investigation. This leaves Kera to carry on her own investigation into the disappearance of Danette.
Sellers keeps the reader guessing as the investigations uncovers a business that will commit any crime for money and a witness that won’t leave the house. This is the third book in the Detective Jackson series. Try all three and get to know Sellers wonderful characters.
Kera first attempted to contact Detective Wade Jackson. Detective Jackson and Kera had been in a relationship for sometime and Kera was sure he could help her find Danette. Detective Jackson was unable to answer her call because he was at a doctor’s appointment checking out a medical condition he had tried to ignore for sometime. When Jackson finally received Kera’s message he made a trip to the office of the psychiatrist that Danette had planned to visit. The doctor verified that Danette had been there but made no mention of where she might be going.
Elle Durham also contacted the police. She was very upset about the fact that her daughter Courtney was missing. Courtney is the direct opposite of Danette. Courtney comes from a prominent family. Her father, Dean, now deceased, owned a good part of downtown Eugene, Oregon. Courtney enjoyed every advantage and tended to do as she pleased with not much regard about how other people felt about it.
Elle Durham insisted that Courtney’s disappearance receive first priority so Jackson is placed in charge of the investigation. This leaves Kera to carry on her own investigation into the disappearance of Danette.
Sellers keeps the reader guessing as the investigations uncovers a business that will commit any crime for money and a witness that won’t leave the house. This is the third book in the Detective Jackson series. Try all three and get to know Sellers wonderful characters.
October 7, 2010
I enjoyed this story. The writing was not stellar, however. It was strangely uneven. Some of the dialogue was really unbelievable. Not in a good way. I'll have to remember to fill in some examples tomorrow.
Okay, it's not "tomorrow," but here are some weird sentences, not all dialogue:
p. 48, the main character explains why he became a cop "I was captivated by his uniform, his gun, his authority, and his compassion."
p. 59 "He laughed in an unpleasant way."
p. 110 "The young man from an upper-class family had never been inside a police station before."
p. 217 "He'd often thought it would be joyful to raise a son."
Just very stilted writing. And then, in other places the writing flows quite nicely. Weird. I'm thinking Sellers' editor is not that great.
In any case, this book did get me thinking about the publishing industry. Because while it was not the best mystery novel I've ever read, it was certainly not the worst. Yet, I've never seen anything by this author or from this publisher at the airport or at Target or any of the other places I might pick up a paperback. The last mystery I bought was James Patterson's The Quickie. It was late at night and I was desperate for reading material. That book was horrible. To the point where I still can't believe it was actually published. Yet, how many millions of people will have access to and read that book instead of this one? It doesn't seem fair.
Okay, it's not "tomorrow," but here are some weird sentences, not all dialogue:
p. 48, the main character explains why he became a cop "I was captivated by his uniform, his gun, his authority, and his compassion."
p. 59 "He laughed in an unpleasant way."
p. 110 "The young man from an upper-class family had never been inside a police station before."
p. 217 "He'd often thought it would be joyful to raise a son."
Just very stilted writing. And then, in other places the writing flows quite nicely. Weird. I'm thinking Sellers' editor is not that great.
In any case, this book did get me thinking about the publishing industry. Because while it was not the best mystery novel I've ever read, it was certainly not the worst. Yet, I've never seen anything by this author or from this publisher at the airport or at Target or any of the other places I might pick up a paperback. The last mystery I bought was James Patterson's The Quickie. It was late at night and I was desperate for reading material. That book was horrible. To the point where I still can't believe it was actually published. Yet, how many millions of people will have access to and read that book instead of this one? It doesn't seem fair.
Read
September 25, 2011Thrilled to Death, by L.J. Sellers, b-plus, narrated by Damon Abdallah, Produced by Books in Motion, downloaded from audible.com.
This is the third in the Wade Jackson police procedural series. Jackson’s girl friend calls him on Monday morning and says that her daughter-in-law left the baby off with her to babysit while she went to the psychiatrist and she never came back. That same evening, a socialite disappears, later her body is found. At first there seems no connection between the two missing girls: Courtney is a rich spoiled socialite, while Danette is a young single mother. But too many people start turning up in both of their lives, starting with the fact that they saw the same psychiatrist. As Jackson investigates, there are more and more twists and turns. Courtney deliberately paid a group who provided thrills to kidnap her and restrain her for 24 hours. She called her former boy friend right after she was dropped off in a parking lot, but he wouldn’t come to get her. When she was found later, she was dead, but no one could figure out how she died. The autopsy was inconclusive. In the meantime, it became clear that Danette had been taken by mistake. She had an extra therapy session because Courtney canceled hers, and the kidnappers, who expected Courtney to come out of the doctor’s office grabbed her instead. But how had Courtney died, and was Danette alive? A very good book in the series.
This is the third in the Wade Jackson police procedural series. Jackson’s girl friend calls him on Monday morning and says that her daughter-in-law left the baby off with her to babysit while she went to the psychiatrist and she never came back. That same evening, a socialite disappears, later her body is found. At first there seems no connection between the two missing girls: Courtney is a rich spoiled socialite, while Danette is a young single mother. But too many people start turning up in both of their lives, starting with the fact that they saw the same psychiatrist. As Jackson investigates, there are more and more twists and turns. Courtney deliberately paid a group who provided thrills to kidnap her and restrain her for 24 hours. She called her former boy friend right after she was dropped off in a parking lot, but he wouldn’t come to get her. When she was found later, she was dead, but no one could figure out how she died. The autopsy was inconclusive. In the meantime, it became clear that Danette had been taken by mistake. She had an extra therapy session because Courtney canceled hers, and the kidnappers, who expected Courtney to come out of the doctor’s office grabbed her instead. But how had Courtney died, and was Danette alive? A very good book in the series.
March 13, 2013
Another one from the new book shelf at the library, where I regularly grab stuff in search of new authors, because I read 'em faster than they write 'em. And I do grab ones that are obviously self-published, because who knows, someday one of them might actually be good. Usually, I'm not surprised to find that the self-published ones are awful, but this one did surprise me: it's well-written, good characters, interesting plot, and none of the problems I am used to seeing in self-publishing (those problems usually include not just copy editing lacks such as typos and incorrect punctuation, but also horrendously bad dialogue, long barfing info-dumps, and serious continuity glitches.) I am pleased to say this is as good as many hardcover series from big publishers, and better than some of those! The only slightly gimmicky touch is the obscure chronic disease our protagonist gets diagnosed with; one has the feeling that the author has a relative or something that has this, and decided she just HAD to work it into a story somehow. Not a big complaint, and goodness knows there are lots worse gimmicks out there. I will go back and read the earlier books in this series. This is one of the finds that keeps me browsing the library shelves: sometimes the grab-a-new-author technique works!
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