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Lucy Guardino FBI Thriller #1
Snake Skin
Just your average Pittsburgh soccer mom, baking brownies and carrying a loaded forty-caliber Glock...
Lucille Teresa Guardino. A woman of many identities. Lucille to her doting mother, Lulu to her devoted husband, Mom to her pre-teen daughter, Lucy to her friends, LT to her co-workers, and Supervisory Special Agent Guardino to the criminals she captures for the FBI's Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement squad.
A loving mom and wife, dutiful daughter, consummate professional, and kick-ass federal agent, Lucy is living the perfect life.
Until the day she comes up against a predator more vicious and cunning than any she's ever tackled before, one who forces Lucy to choose between the life of the young victim she is fighting to save and her own daughter's....and Lucy's dream life is shattered.
Lucille Teresa Guardino. A woman of many identities. Lucille to her doting mother, Lulu to her devoted husband, Mom to her pre-teen daughter, Lucy to her friends, LT to her co-workers, and Supervisory Special Agent Guardino to the criminals she captures for the FBI's Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement squad.
A loving mom and wife, dutiful daughter, consummate professional, and kick-ass federal agent, Lucy is living the perfect life.
Until the day she comes up against a predator more vicious and cunning than any she's ever tackled before, one who forces Lucy to choose between the life of the young victim she is fighting to save and her own daughter's....and Lucy's dream life is shattered.
392 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 17, 2010
2054 people are currently reading
2319 people want to read
About the author
C.J. Lyons
80 books893 followersNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over forty novels, former pediatric ER doctor CJ Lyons has lived the life she writes about in her cutting edge Thrillers with Heart.
Two times winner of the International Thriller Writers coveted Thriller Award, CJ has been called a "master within the genre" (Pittsburgh Magazine) and her work has been praised as "breathtakingly fast-paced" and "riveting" (Publishers Weekly) with "characters with beating hearts and three dimensions" (Newsday).
Learn more about CJ's Thrillers with Heart at www.CJLyons.net
Two times winner of the International Thriller Writers coveted Thriller Award, CJ has been called a "master within the genre" (Pittsburgh Magazine) and her work has been praised as "breathtakingly fast-paced" and "riveting" (Publishers Weekly) with "characters with beating hearts and three dimensions" (Newsday).
Learn more about CJ's Thrillers with Heart at www.CJLyons.net
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 334 reviews
August 22, 2025
Supervisory Special Agent Lucy Guardino was part of the FBI's Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement squad, trapping criminals with her act, putting them away where they could no longer get to innocent children. But when fourteen year old Ashley disappeared, Lucy and her squad were determined to find her alive. Enlisting the help of a friend of Ashley's who was a computer whiz, they drew closer, but still not close enough. Meanwhile Lucy wasn't keeping her side of the bargain on the home front. Neil, Lucy's husband, and Megan, their twelve year old daughter, were doing it alone as Lucy was so busy. Then Megan became sick, ending up in hospital. Lucy was frantic. She had to be there for her family; she had to find the missing girl. Could she do it all before it was too late?
Snake Skin is an outstanding start to the Lucy Guardino FBI Thriller series by C.J. Lyons and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Fast paced, action packed - the snakes were a little cringe-worthy! But they didn't take over the story, thankfully! Lucy is a strong, courageous and caring character, which set the scene of the novel. I initially read this one for a challenge, but I'll be looking for #2 soon. Highly recommended.
Snake Skin is an outstanding start to the Lucy Guardino FBI Thriller series by C.J. Lyons and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Fast paced, action packed - the snakes were a little cringe-worthy! But they didn't take over the story, thankfully! Lucy is a strong, courageous and caring character, which set the scene of the novel. I initially read this one for a challenge, but I'll be looking for #2 soon. Highly recommended.
April 30, 2013
4 stars. Dark subject matter, though it's handled well. Strong likable characters. Likable as characters I mean, not all of of them were "likable." A quick paced story that includes the best parts of suspense, thrillers and action crime novels.
Lucy is wonderful. A strong female character who, for a wonderful change, is not looking for love, battling divorce, though she has the normal frustration and fears as anyone about their relationships when things get tough, and, a mother. She comes across as a strong leader, savvy operative, and intelligent cop (FBI).
At first I thought she was a little too neurotic and way over protective with her family. Yet, at other times I saw Lucy like many protagonists in crime novels, just as crazy and fanatic as the serial twisted people she stalked. The difference being the side of good, right and the law that that she chose as "her side" helped her use her powers for good.
I eventually grew to like the duality that existed inside her, well okay, make that tri-ality. As a cop she connected with victims almost like an advocate and went after the bad guys with an almost paladin like zeal. She took chances, pushed boundaries and had all sorts of mind games going on in her head to keep her focused and alert. On the other hand, she took chances with herself, and pushed boundaries to make sure she caught the bad guy, but she was very methodical and observant, not only of witnesses and crime scenes but also the other members of her team. SHe made a savvy leader who motivated her team and studied them almost as much as she did the suspects. On the other-other hand, she turned out to be a neurotic, over-protective mother with a 12 year old and a mutually devoted husband at home. She struggled with guilt for not being there for her daughter and tried to make up for it aggressively inserting herself even though she knew better.
I could really identify with being able to keep your cool at work, and struggle to keep your foot out of your moth at home. She also had a wonderful relationship with her husband, the one character that might be "too good."
THe bottom line is that this was a wonderful read, fun, and exciting. I give it 3.5 stars. I liked the characters and development of their relationship with each other in the story. The "who-done-it" side of things could have presented more of a challenge to figure out, but the book made up for it by having a hard to catch killer and some sub-plots that were interesting themselves. I forgave some of the transparent plot devices because I was enjoying the read, liked Lucy and was hooked after the first scene. Complex characters, a plus, simple, transparent plot, kind of neutral to less of a plus.
There were times when the mushyness between Nick and Lucy became almost sickeningly sweet, but it made a good contrast to Burough's torrid affair that was rather sick and twisted. In the long run it also helped balance Lucy out too. I also gave the benifit of the doubt on the "out of the blue" thoughts and over gender bias. They didn't seem to come naturally, but, it served as a good reminder of what she was up against at work and how skillfully she approached her job. The thoughts may have seemed out of place in the moment they came up, they were likely too few and far between for a woman as strong as Lucy in the same position.
Maybe the biggest plus was the delicate hand the author used to navigate a story about crime fighters looking for predators that prey on children. We got enough details to be aware of the difficult subject matter, but not so much that it made it hard to read or had me afraid to turn the page for what I might read.
Warning - This is a book about a Female FBI agent who tracks down people who pray on children. I think Lyons got the balance right between giving too many details and not giving enough. Having said that, this is difficult and unsettling subject matter. I may think it's managed in a way that keeps it palatable, but, I'd be foolish not to warn you.
The story also has some other risque twists of a sexual nature. Again, I think they are well handled, but, it would be foolish of me not to warn that they are their. I'm reasonably thick headed and hard o offend.
There is sexual talk, and some sexual situations in this story. Over all I'm recommending it for mature adults (meaning state of mind, not actual age). I think Lyons handled it well enough that if the book fell into the hands of high school age readers, it wouldn't cause damage. It's just not something a non-parent should recommend to someone else's kids. Check it out yourself before you buy it for your high school age son or daughter.
Warning, there is some romance in this book. It should not, by any means, be considered a "romance" novel. If you don't like the mushy love stuff, you'll have trouble avoiding it here. I happen to like it.
Bottom line- Good read, 3.5 stars. A bit light on complexity and the who-done-it side of things, but it makes up for it with fun action scenes, lots of suspense and strong characters. I look foreward to the next one of the series.
Lucy is wonderful. A strong female character who, for a wonderful change, is not looking for love, battling divorce, though she has the normal frustration and fears as anyone about their relationships when things get tough, and, a mother. She comes across as a strong leader, savvy operative, and intelligent cop (FBI).
At first I thought she was a little too neurotic and way over protective with her family. Yet, at other times I saw Lucy like many protagonists in crime novels, just as crazy and fanatic as the serial twisted people she stalked. The difference being the side of good, right and the law that that she chose as "her side" helped her use her powers for good.
I eventually grew to like the duality that existed inside her, well okay, make that tri-ality. As a cop she connected with victims almost like an advocate and went after the bad guys with an almost paladin like zeal. She took chances, pushed boundaries and had all sorts of mind games going on in her head to keep her focused and alert. On the other hand, she took chances with herself, and pushed boundaries to make sure she caught the bad guy, but she was very methodical and observant, not only of witnesses and crime scenes but also the other members of her team. SHe made a savvy leader who motivated her team and studied them almost as much as she did the suspects. On the other-other hand, she turned out to be a neurotic, over-protective mother with a 12 year old and a mutually devoted husband at home. She struggled with guilt for not being there for her daughter and tried to make up for it aggressively inserting herself even though she knew better.
I could really identify with being able to keep your cool at work, and struggle to keep your foot out of your moth at home. She also had a wonderful relationship with her husband, the one character that might be "too good."
THe bottom line is that this was a wonderful read, fun, and exciting. I give it 3.5 stars. I liked the characters and development of their relationship with each other in the story. The "who-done-it" side of things could have presented more of a challenge to figure out, but the book made up for it by having a hard to catch killer and some sub-plots that were interesting themselves. I forgave some of the transparent plot devices because I was enjoying the read, liked Lucy and was hooked after the first scene. Complex characters, a plus, simple, transparent plot, kind of neutral to less of a plus.
There were times when the mushyness between Nick and Lucy became almost sickeningly sweet, but it made a good contrast to Burough's torrid affair that was rather sick and twisted. In the long run it also helped balance Lucy out too. I also gave the benifit of the doubt on the "out of the blue" thoughts and over gender bias. They didn't seem to come naturally, but, it served as a good reminder of what she was up against at work and how skillfully she approached her job. The thoughts may have seemed out of place in the moment they came up, they were likely too few and far between for a woman as strong as Lucy in the same position.
Maybe the biggest plus was the delicate hand the author used to navigate a story about crime fighters looking for predators that prey on children. We got enough details to be aware of the difficult subject matter, but not so much that it made it hard to read or had me afraid to turn the page for what I might read.
Warning - This is a book about a Female FBI agent who tracks down people who pray on children. I think Lyons got the balance right between giving too many details and not giving enough. Having said that, this is difficult and unsettling subject matter. I may think it's managed in a way that keeps it palatable, but, I'd be foolish not to warn you.
The story also has some other risque twists of a sexual nature. Again, I think they are well handled, but, it would be foolish of me not to warn that they are their. I'm reasonably thick headed and hard o offend.
There is sexual talk, and some sexual situations in this story. Over all I'm recommending it for mature adults (meaning state of mind, not actual age). I think Lyons handled it well enough that if the book fell into the hands of high school age readers, it wouldn't cause damage. It's just not something a non-parent should recommend to someone else's kids. Check it out yourself before you buy it for your high school age son or daughter.
Warning, there is some romance in this book. It should not, by any means, be considered a "romance" novel. If you don't like the mushy love stuff, you'll have trouble avoiding it here. I happen to like it.
Bottom line- Good read, 3.5 stars. A bit light on complexity and the who-done-it side of things, but it makes up for it with fun action scenes, lots of suspense and strong characters. I look foreward to the next one of the series.
April 11, 2017
As someone with severe ophiophobia, I was hesitant to even begin reading C.J. Lyons’ FBI thriller,Snake Skin. My fears were realized. Over and over and over. Too. Many. Snakes.
Despite my feeling that the author went way overboard with the reptile scenes, (which went on for many paragraphs, and I skipped over all of them) the rest of the book is actually very good. Readers can view the blurb for themselves to get the gist of the plot, so I won’t give anything away here. There is plenty of danger involved when FBI Supervisor Special Agent Lucille Teresa Guardino – Lucy – heads up the Pittsburg area’s Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement Squad. The predators she encounters in her job with SAFE are truly venomous, and Lucy frequently sacrifices time with her husband Nick and 12-year-old daughter Megan. Husband Nick, a psychologist, frequently tells her that she is unrealistically trying to save every child. When Ashley Yeager disappears, “LuLu” becomes almost obsessed with bringing her home safely.
The characterization in this book is well done, for the most part. While I appreciated Guardino’s dedication to her job, she almost comes across as a superwoman. She is supposed to be a supervisor, but she is so hands-on that she is seldom home. Even when Megan is sick and hospitalized with an unknown illness, her FBI mom is out looking for the bad guy. I wanted to scream at her to let the other agents and the Pittsburg cop, Burroughs, take over so she could just go be with her daughter. The marital and family scenes seemed so true-to-life. I felt that Lyons really nailed these. Megan came across as a typical almost-teenager.
Burroughs and the TV reporter, Cindy Ames, added some crazy drama to the story that seemed a bit over-the-top. I wasn’t sure whether to like Burroughs or not; both characters seemed stereotyped.
On the serious side, there are a couple of scenes where the SAFE team confronts pedophiles, and the author does show this as an important issue. I also like the sensitivity she portrays regarding the self-image of teens who are perceived as different, struggle to fit in, are bullied, or have problems at home. C.J. Lyons manages to pack a powerful punch with this first book in her Lucy Guardino series. But if you’re like me, you’ll want to skip the snake scenes.
3.5 stars
Despite my feeling that the author went way overboard with the reptile scenes, (which went on for many paragraphs, and I skipped over all of them) the rest of the book is actually very good. Readers can view the blurb for themselves to get the gist of the plot, so I won’t give anything away here. There is plenty of danger involved when FBI Supervisor Special Agent Lucille Teresa Guardino – Lucy – heads up the Pittsburg area’s Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement Squad. The predators she encounters in her job with SAFE are truly venomous, and Lucy frequently sacrifices time with her husband Nick and 12-year-old daughter Megan. Husband Nick, a psychologist, frequently tells her that she is unrealistically trying to save every child. When Ashley Yeager disappears, “LuLu” becomes almost obsessed with bringing her home safely.
The characterization in this book is well done, for the most part. While I appreciated Guardino’s dedication to her job, she almost comes across as a superwoman. She is supposed to be a supervisor, but she is so hands-on that she is seldom home. Even when Megan is sick and hospitalized with an unknown illness, her FBI mom is out looking for the bad guy. I wanted to scream at her to let the other agents and the Pittsburg cop, Burroughs, take over so she could just go be with her daughter. The marital and family scenes seemed so true-to-life. I felt that Lyons really nailed these. Megan came across as a typical almost-teenager.
Burroughs and the TV reporter, Cindy Ames, added some crazy drama to the story that seemed a bit over-the-top. I wasn’t sure whether to like Burroughs or not; both characters seemed stereotyped.
On the serious side, there are a couple of scenes where the SAFE team confronts pedophiles, and the author does show this as an important issue. I also like the sensitivity she portrays regarding the self-image of teens who are perceived as different, struggle to fit in, are bullied, or have problems at home. C.J. Lyons manages to pack a powerful punch with this first book in her Lucy Guardino series. But if you’re like me, you’ll want to skip the snake scenes.
3.5 stars
July 9, 2019
What a great book! Looking forward to the rest of the series for sure! Binge read potential, lol. Absolutely FANTABULOUS!!!!
April 29, 2013
A Review of C J Lyons Snake Skin: A Lucy Guardino FBI Thrillers, Book #1
by Anthony T. Riggio
I just finished reading this book and let me begin with an uncharacteristic expression in my reviews of books I have read recently, to wit, “Wow”! This book was so fast paced and the story line wrapped me up into a tight package. My wife asked me what can keep you so occupied that everything I was supposed to do was left neglected and undone. I told her I discovered an author as capable as James Patterson, when he first started out. CJ Lyons is a stunning writer and will have the reader at the edge of his/her seat, turning pages, sometimes too fast that the reader is left breathless.
As a retired FBI Agent, who has worked and supervised many complex cases, but never worked the innocent image’s type cases, though I am familiar with some agents who have done so. I found CJ Lyons descriptions of FBI procedures and responsibilities sometimes inaccurate; they were, however, good enough for the average reader and did no damage to the excellent story line. I did like that Lyons did not portray the FBI as the case “grabbing” agency as so many authors erroneously portray them.
This was a fast read and I will definitely read other books by CJ Lyons though it may be a while since I already have too many books on my intended list. I read the Kindle version of this book which I purchased on Amazon and gave it a five star rating.
by Anthony T. Riggio
I just finished reading this book and let me begin with an uncharacteristic expression in my reviews of books I have read recently, to wit, “Wow”! This book was so fast paced and the story line wrapped me up into a tight package. My wife asked me what can keep you so occupied that everything I was supposed to do was left neglected and undone. I told her I discovered an author as capable as James Patterson, when he first started out. CJ Lyons is a stunning writer and will have the reader at the edge of his/her seat, turning pages, sometimes too fast that the reader is left breathless.
As a retired FBI Agent, who has worked and supervised many complex cases, but never worked the innocent image’s type cases, though I am familiar with some agents who have done so. I found CJ Lyons descriptions of FBI procedures and responsibilities sometimes inaccurate; they were, however, good enough for the average reader and did no damage to the excellent story line. I did like that Lyons did not portray the FBI as the case “grabbing” agency as so many authors erroneously portray them.
This was a fast read and I will definitely read other books by CJ Lyons though it may be a while since I already have too many books on my intended list. I read the Kindle version of this book which I purchased on Amazon and gave it a five star rating.
January 13, 2013
I was on the last leg of a 600-mile car trip (with a lot of books on my iPad) when I began reading Snakeskin in early November. Initially, I wasn't sure I would like it and to be perfectly candid, I wouldn't have purchased it based on the title alone—because Snakeskin didn't tell me anything about the book. Plus, I don't read thrillers, because they normally contain too much blood and gore, profanity and/or sex for me. All of the above, though, say more about me than they do about the book itself or even the author.
I had seen C.J. Lyons' books everywhere, so I was familiar with her name and knew she had to be a popular author. But it wasn't until I heard another reader say that Lyons' Lucy books don't have all the usual violence and sex other thrillers do, that I actually bought one for myself. And now I happily count myself among her growing "I love Lucy" fan club.
The main character Lucy Guardino must be based on real-life FBI agents, because I've worked with some of them and Lucy reminds me of the agents I know. So this character rings true. But even more important, she's just like me: she struggles with the demands of work and home, and home and work. Of being a wife, a parent, an employee. She doesn't do any of it perfectly, but she tries really, really hard—probably like we all do.
That Lucy just so happens to go after criminals who hurt children makes her all the better in my book. We could have many more people like her in the real world, and it wouldn't be near enough. Sadly, the real world doesn't offer the same outcome Snakeskin does, but in getting the bad guy, that makes Lucy a strong protagonist and a hero to me. Lyons is a very convincing writer, and her writing does an excellent job of showing the actual damage done by people who prey on children. And as it turns out, Snakeskin is the perfect title for this book.
When I arrived home from my trip, I was about two-thirds through the book, so when I couldn't sleep that night I stayed up for at least two hours to finish reading it. (That's another thing Lyons has going for her: she kept me turning the pages. Not a small feat, let me tell you.) Now I can't wait to read the next one in the series—and would have before now, if I wasn't trying to wade through the big pile I'm trying to conquer. Both on my nightstand and on my iPad.
Yep, count me in: I do love Lucy!
I had seen C.J. Lyons' books everywhere, so I was familiar with her name and knew she had to be a popular author. But it wasn't until I heard another reader say that Lyons' Lucy books don't have all the usual violence and sex other thrillers do, that I actually bought one for myself. And now I happily count myself among her growing "I love Lucy" fan club.
The main character Lucy Guardino must be based on real-life FBI agents, because I've worked with some of them and Lucy reminds me of the agents I know. So this character rings true. But even more important, she's just like me: she struggles with the demands of work and home, and home and work. Of being a wife, a parent, an employee. She doesn't do any of it perfectly, but she tries really, really hard—probably like we all do.
That Lucy just so happens to go after criminals who hurt children makes her all the better in my book. We could have many more people like her in the real world, and it wouldn't be near enough. Sadly, the real world doesn't offer the same outcome Snakeskin does, but in getting the bad guy, that makes Lucy a strong protagonist and a hero to me. Lyons is a very convincing writer, and her writing does an excellent job of showing the actual damage done by people who prey on children. And as it turns out, Snakeskin is the perfect title for this book.
When I arrived home from my trip, I was about two-thirds through the book, so when I couldn't sleep that night I stayed up for at least two hours to finish reading it. (That's another thing Lyons has going for her: she kept me turning the pages. Not a small feat, let me tell you.) Now I can't wait to read the next one in the series—and would have before now, if I wasn't trying to wade through the big pile I'm trying to conquer. Both on my nightstand and on my iPad.
Yep, count me in: I do love Lucy!
August 1, 2011
This was an okay crime drama novel...nothing fantastic though. I enjoyed the beginning, but as it progressed I really just found myself wishing it would hurry and end. I liked the first half of the book better; interesting, well-written, suspenseful...but the second half just seemed soap-opera-ish, overdramatic, and unrealistic. :/ ...I mean really, a horde of snakes twice in one day? And a narcissist psychopath who is willing to bomb the hospital?...which doesn't even make sense, because narcissists are selfish egotists and what selfish ego-maniac person walks around with a bomb?
February 17, 2015
Wow, what can I say? As soon as I finished I had to grab the next book and start reading!
C.J. Lyons is such a wonderful story teller and creates characters that are compelling! The story was fast paced dealing with subject matter that is so intense but again C.J. handles it so well! Each character fleshed out to feel so real with both good an bad qualities, strengths and weaknesses, characteristics that make them so human!
In this first book we meet Lucy, mother, wife and FBI Special Supervisory Agent who has to balance the demands of her job with the need to keep her family safe from the horrors she sees.
All I can say is Great Job C.J. Lyons!
C.J. Lyons is such a wonderful story teller and creates characters that are compelling! The story was fast paced dealing with subject matter that is so intense but again C.J. handles it so well! Each character fleshed out to feel so real with both good an bad qualities, strengths and weaknesses, characteristics that make them so human!
In this first book we meet Lucy, mother, wife and FBI Special Supervisory Agent who has to balance the demands of her job with the need to keep her family safe from the horrors she sees.
All I can say is Great Job C.J. Lyons!
June 16, 2015
Another new-to-me author. Took no time at all to adjust to this author's writing. A great read right from the start, lots of action, good detective work and a very irritating reporter makes this book worth reading.
A couple of different cases take place all while the main case takes shape. Special Supervisory FBI Agent, Lucy Guardino, is a no nonsense agent with a big heart and very likeable. The title is aptly named - lots of encounters with snakes in this book!
I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to anyone that likes a good murder mystery with lots of action - you know, stuff blowing up, etc.!
4.5 stars and 2 thumbs up!
A couple of different cases take place all while the main case takes shape. Special Supervisory FBI Agent, Lucy Guardino, is a no nonsense agent with a big heart and very likeable. The title is aptly named - lots of encounters with snakes in this book!
I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to anyone that likes a good murder mystery with lots of action - you know, stuff blowing up, etc.!
4.5 stars and 2 thumbs up!
February 22, 2025
This was a good read. FBI story of a serial killer. I enjoyed.
May 13, 2014
Full video review here http://mysterythriller.tv/snakeskin-b...
CJ Lyons writes “thrillers with heart” and loves to involve the reader in the life of the protagonist, how the job affects them and how their family life is affected. In Snakeskin, we see Lucy Guardino who is a FBI agent working against child crime and child abuse.
I spoke to CJ Lyons and she did spend time with the FBI for her research. This is a very hard area to work in. CJ also works in pediatrics so the topic is close to her heart. As the book opens, we see Lucy basically trapping child abusers by posing as a woman offering her child for “playtime”. I don’t like child abuse themes but this is from another angle – from the rescuers point of view and it;s not graphic and it doesn’t happen. The child Lucy has in her van is a dummy and before they know it, the men are arrested but not before Lucy gets into some trouble. The snake theme starts very soon into the book with some obsessed religious nuts, and continues later. So on one hand, we see Lucy working away at her job trapping paedophiles and then we have the main thrust of the story which is the abduction and search for fourteen year old Ashley.
There are scenes written from Ashley’s perspective as she is brainwashed into believing her abductor is actually rescuing her from an increasingly horrific situation. In one of the most harrowing scenes, Ashley is covered in snakes, bitten and catatonic with fear as snakes are her phobia. Not for the faint-hearted! The villain’s mother is a great addition to the plot, we can almost understand Jim’s psychoses and she manipulates her way to her final end. I liked that character portrayal, even though she only makes a cameo appearance. I also liked the TV reporter – who’s a bimbo, driven by sex, power and fame from what we can read. I liked the balance between the females characters – as in, they are not all heroic or martyr-like, they are complex and balanced. Definitely keeps the book real and away from stereotypes.
With Lucy, we also see behind the scenes in her relationship with her husband Nick and daughter Megan who become entangled in the story. We see how Lucy juggles her family life and the awful job she has to do. She wants to save all the abused children but her own daughter also needs her when she’s admitted to hospital with alarming symptoms. We can feel her being torn between being a great agent and a great parent, trying to balance her time between the case and her family.
Fast-paced, with a count-down based on the timeline of Ashley’s abduction but still with characters you can feel for and like, Snakeskin is part crime, part thriller with a strong female protagonist.
CJ Lyons writes “thrillers with heart” and loves to involve the reader in the life of the protagonist, how the job affects them and how their family life is affected. In Snakeskin, we see Lucy Guardino who is a FBI agent working against child crime and child abuse.
I spoke to CJ Lyons and she did spend time with the FBI for her research. This is a very hard area to work in. CJ also works in pediatrics so the topic is close to her heart. As the book opens, we see Lucy basically trapping child abusers by posing as a woman offering her child for “playtime”. I don’t like child abuse themes but this is from another angle – from the rescuers point of view and it;s not graphic and it doesn’t happen. The child Lucy has in her van is a dummy and before they know it, the men are arrested but not before Lucy gets into some trouble. The snake theme starts very soon into the book with some obsessed religious nuts, and continues later. So on one hand, we see Lucy working away at her job trapping paedophiles and then we have the main thrust of the story which is the abduction and search for fourteen year old Ashley.
There are scenes written from Ashley’s perspective as she is brainwashed into believing her abductor is actually rescuing her from an increasingly horrific situation. In one of the most harrowing scenes, Ashley is covered in snakes, bitten and catatonic with fear as snakes are her phobia. Not for the faint-hearted! The villain’s mother is a great addition to the plot, we can almost understand Jim’s psychoses and she manipulates her way to her final end. I liked that character portrayal, even though she only makes a cameo appearance. I also liked the TV reporter – who’s a bimbo, driven by sex, power and fame from what we can read. I liked the balance between the females characters – as in, they are not all heroic or martyr-like, they are complex and balanced. Definitely keeps the book real and away from stereotypes.
With Lucy, we also see behind the scenes in her relationship with her husband Nick and daughter Megan who become entangled in the story. We see how Lucy juggles her family life and the awful job she has to do. She wants to save all the abused children but her own daughter also needs her when she’s admitted to hospital with alarming symptoms. We can feel her being torn between being a great agent and a great parent, trying to balance her time between the case and her family.
Fast-paced, with a count-down based on the timeline of Ashley’s abduction but still with characters you can feel for and like, Snakeskin is part crime, part thriller with a strong female protagonist.
January 1, 2015
This book was the 1st book in a bundle entitled - "Adrenaline Rush: 7 High-Octane Thrillers".
Ashley is a teen, unloved daughter of divorced parents, smart, makes a friend on-line named Bobby. They agree to meet and run away together. Only it isn't Bobby that meets her, drugs her, ties her up in a dark, smelly barn, where he can watch her from the safety of cyber space as he works at breaking her.
Lucy works for the FBI and is offered a job advancement requiring her family to move. Her husband Nick is a psychiatrist and he agrees to start a new practice and they know money may be tight for awhile. Their daughter Megan is not as happy to leave her school and friends behind. At the new city she gets involved in soccer and loves it. But she gets sick and is mad her parents won't let her play any way. Megan ends up in the hospital undergoing lots of tests. Lucy heads up a taskforce tracking down child porn offenders. With Lucy's busy job and Nick starting a new business, they both are doing their best to spend time at the hospital with Megan. On one of Lucy's cases, they find Ashley and she is in very bad shape physically and emotionally. She is put in the same hospital as Megan and just down the hall. With a rabid reporter and other bad guys after Lucy and Ashley can Lucy keep both girls safe? Will she be forced to choose one or the other? Who is feeding info to the reporter? What is wrong with Megan? Is Ashley too badly damaged from her parents and her abduction to ever live a normal life?
This was a fast paced book and I have only touched on what I judged were the main story lines. If you like thrillers I recommend this book which is the 1st in a Lucy Guardino FBI Thriller series.
Ashley is a teen, unloved daughter of divorced parents, smart, makes a friend on-line named Bobby. They agree to meet and run away together. Only it isn't Bobby that meets her, drugs her, ties her up in a dark, smelly barn, where he can watch her from the safety of cyber space as he works at breaking her.
Lucy works for the FBI and is offered a job advancement requiring her family to move. Her husband Nick is a psychiatrist and he agrees to start a new practice and they know money may be tight for awhile. Their daughter Megan is not as happy to leave her school and friends behind. At the new city she gets involved in soccer and loves it. But she gets sick and is mad her parents won't let her play any way. Megan ends up in the hospital undergoing lots of tests. Lucy heads up a taskforce tracking down child porn offenders. With Lucy's busy job and Nick starting a new business, they both are doing their best to spend time at the hospital with Megan. On one of Lucy's cases, they find Ashley and she is in very bad shape physically and emotionally. She is put in the same hospital as Megan and just down the hall. With a rabid reporter and other bad guys after Lucy and Ashley can Lucy keep both girls safe? Will she be forced to choose one or the other? Who is feeding info to the reporter? What is wrong with Megan? Is Ashley too badly damaged from her parents and her abduction to ever live a normal life?
This was a fast paced book and I have only touched on what I judged were the main story lines. If you like thrillers I recommend this book which is the 1st in a Lucy Guardino FBI Thriller series.
March 9, 2011
Wow. That one word pretty much says it all. With the opening page, C.J. grabbed me by the throat and didn’t let go until the last page. Snake Skin is definitely one of the best suspense novels I’ve read.
Lucy Guardino is a typical soccer mom, except that, as an F.B.I. agent, she carries a gun and hunts down vicious perverts who go after children. In this book, she’s up against one of the worst she’s ever faced. Faced with the threat to her own daughter, Lucy does what is necessary, even if it means she might not make it through.
Unlike most thrillers, this one has a female protagonist, but it completely works. Lyons skill with characterizations shows as she makes Lucy strong, but also vulnerable. We believe she can be a mom, a wife, and a kick-ass agent all wrapped up in one neat package. The thrilling plot keeps you turning the pages as the suspense keeps building. Just when you think it’s over, she throws in another twist.
This is a fast-paced read that will appeal to anyone who loves thrillers. Definitely recommended.
Lucy Guardino is a typical soccer mom, except that, as an F.B.I. agent, she carries a gun and hunts down vicious perverts who go after children. In this book, she’s up against one of the worst she’s ever faced. Faced with the threat to her own daughter, Lucy does what is necessary, even if it means she might not make it through.
Unlike most thrillers, this one has a female protagonist, but it completely works. Lyons skill with characterizations shows as she makes Lucy strong, but also vulnerable. We believe she can be a mom, a wife, and a kick-ass agent all wrapped up in one neat package. The thrilling plot keeps you turning the pages as the suspense keeps building. Just when you think it’s over, she throws in another twist.
This is a fast-paced read that will appeal to anyone who loves thrillers. Definitely recommended.
May 27, 2016
This year has been so slow for me with reading. Life just seems to get busy.
I have defo found myself a new author and will be reading the rest of this series. I really love FBI agent Lucy. From the first chapter it had me gripped.
I highly recommend this book specially if your a fan of Angela marsons
I have defo found myself a new author and will be reading the rest of this series. I really love FBI agent Lucy. From the first chapter it had me gripped.
I highly recommend this book specially if your a fan of Angela marsons
January 6, 2016
Loved it, creepy snakes and all. I like Guardino's humanity. She is not some cardboard FBI cutout. She's not perfect but she is determined to help the helpless, often at the expense of time spent with her family.
The case while interesting is secondary to the detailed portrayals of Guardino, her family and her coworkers. Looking forward to reading more books by this author.
The case while interesting is secondary to the detailed portrayals of Guardino, her family and her coworkers. Looking forward to reading more books by this author.
January 3, 2015
Wow Wow Wow what a read i absolutely loved this book CJ Lyons well done Lucy Guardino is one strong character full of oomph & wont back down all the characters were strong & set up the story well. Even bought no 2 straight away so would recommend this for anyone who likes a fast paced story.
Read
July 9, 2011Very edgy read! I love everything CJ Lyons does! The kindle version is free this weekend! A good time to check out CJ if you haven't read her before!
June 15, 2023
Heart pounding thriller. Wow this book had me on the edge of my seat from the start. Lucy Guardino is a BA FBI agent that tries to save the innocent and rid the world of bad guys and keep her family safe. Only when she comes upon a serial killer that threatens her and her family it's a race against time to catch the bad guy. Loved it and can't wait to read the next in the series!
July 15, 2011
Review originally posted at Tea, Toast & Books.
In Brief: Ashley is a disturbed teenager, trying to escape her current life — but she ends up being abducted. Can Lucy Guardino, FBI agent and loving wife and mother, solve the crime in time to save Ashley?
I thought: Within the first 20 pages, I found this book a bit disturbing. (NB: I don’t usually read thriller-type mysteries.) It’s violent, and features kidnapping, vulnerable and abused children, corrupt cops, sexual objectification, and plenty of swearing. It felt at times a little like the author had a checklist goal to meet.
Lucy read, to me, like a bit of a sterotype: Overworked law enforcement parent ignores her own child to protect others, believing that in doing so she can save both the victims and her own daughter. See also: Law & Order: SVU, Body of Proof, &c. &c. I was, however, glad that her relationship with her husband seemed to be loving, stable and mature. Her daughter was a typical (as depicted in fiction, at least) whiny pre-adolescent, trying to distance herself from Mom. We also have the overly nerdy nerd tech guy, the divorced cop who can’t keep it in his pants, the obnoxious journalist — none of the characters, to me, read as being terribly real.
The plot, though, moved at a brisk clip and I was obviously interested enough to finish it, even though I wasn’t loving the characters. From the very first page, the suspense is there, and it never really lets up. The villains are seriously depraved. There were times when I found myself skipping over some of the more graphic descriptions of events; maybe I’m a wimp. (I also avert my eyes during similar moments on the TV. Usually.) Everything reaches a satisfactory conclusion, although it seemed to wrap up a bit too quickly.
Since I live in Pittsburgh, I of course have to comment on the representation of our neighborhoods. It was pretty decently done, although West Homestead isn’t really part of the South Side, Murray and Negley don’t connect (they run parallel!) and — potential spoiler! — if you blew up a house in Lawrenceville you’d take out at least two other houses since they’re packed in there like sardines. I actually picked this up because I was hoping for a more Pittsburgh-y experience, but while many locations are mentioned, none of it really felt integral to the story.
The Kindle edition needs to be hit with the editing stick; lots of “the worse” instead of “the worst,” along with other slight annoyances that make the work feel unpolished. Also, I think the description of what Lyons refers to as “MRPGs” is a bit… well, uninformed. MMORPGs aren’t generally controlled by a single DM, at least, not the fully rendered ones. It’s like the author just transferred pen-and-paper RPGs into “cyberspace” and decided that’s how things were. That kept throwing me out of the suspension of disbelief.
In the end, I just had to know what happened, but it’s not a story that’s going to stick with me, nor am I especially compelled to seek out Lyons’s other work. Perhaps, though, I should emphasize again that this is not a genre I normally read, so you may take my review with a grain of salt.
In Brief: Ashley is a disturbed teenager, trying to escape her current life — but she ends up being abducted. Can Lucy Guardino, FBI agent and loving wife and mother, solve the crime in time to save Ashley?
I thought: Within the first 20 pages, I found this book a bit disturbing. (NB: I don’t usually read thriller-type mysteries.) It’s violent, and features kidnapping, vulnerable and abused children, corrupt cops, sexual objectification, and plenty of swearing. It felt at times a little like the author had a checklist goal to meet.
Lucy read, to me, like a bit of a sterotype: Overworked law enforcement parent ignores her own child to protect others, believing that in doing so she can save both the victims and her own daughter. See also: Law & Order: SVU, Body of Proof, &c. &c. I was, however, glad that her relationship with her husband seemed to be loving, stable and mature. Her daughter was a typical (as depicted in fiction, at least) whiny pre-adolescent, trying to distance herself from Mom. We also have the overly nerdy nerd tech guy, the divorced cop who can’t keep it in his pants, the obnoxious journalist — none of the characters, to me, read as being terribly real.
The plot, though, moved at a brisk clip and I was obviously interested enough to finish it, even though I wasn’t loving the characters. From the very first page, the suspense is there, and it never really lets up. The villains are seriously depraved. There were times when I found myself skipping over some of the more graphic descriptions of events; maybe I’m a wimp. (I also avert my eyes during similar moments on the TV. Usually.) Everything reaches a satisfactory conclusion, although it seemed to wrap up a bit too quickly.
Since I live in Pittsburgh, I of course have to comment on the representation of our neighborhoods. It was pretty decently done, although West Homestead isn’t really part of the South Side, Murray and Negley don’t connect (they run parallel!) and — potential spoiler! — if you blew up a house in Lawrenceville you’d take out at least two other houses since they’re packed in there like sardines. I actually picked this up because I was hoping for a more Pittsburgh-y experience, but while many locations are mentioned, none of it really felt integral to the story.
The Kindle edition needs to be hit with the editing stick; lots of “the worse” instead of “the worst,” along with other slight annoyances that make the work feel unpolished. Also, I think the description of what Lyons refers to as “MRPGs” is a bit… well, uninformed. MMORPGs aren’t generally controlled by a single DM, at least, not the fully rendered ones. It’s like the author just transferred pen-and-paper RPGs into “cyberspace” and decided that’s how things were. That kept throwing me out of the suspension of disbelief.
In the end, I just had to know what happened, but it’s not a story that’s going to stick with me, nor am I especially compelled to seek out Lyons’s other work. Perhaps, though, I should emphasize again that this is not a genre I normally read, so you may take my review with a grain of salt.
March 22, 2013
I just finished the first book in the Lucy Guardino/FBI Thriller Series by C.J.Lyons. Breathless! It was amazing read and a huge improvement over some of the not so great books I've been reading lately.
Lucy Guardino is a wife, mother, and FBI agent who just happens to have broken the glass ceiling without giving up her morals to do it. I love her character. She struggles with all of the same worries and concerns most working mothers deal with. Her job just happens to involve carrying a gun and tracking down bad guys that make your skin crawl. She is a strong woman, and a force to be reckoned with in a predominantly male field and yet she is respected. It struck me funny that she could handle the sick perverts, big, strong, opinionated FBI agents as well as other law enforcement personnel and yet she is completely baffled by her pre-adolescent daughter.
Her husband has sacrificed a huge career move so Lucy can persue her own career. He is a Therapist and it would seem he spends a great deal of his time keeping Lucy centered and caring for their daughter. They juggle schedules just like the rest of us, they have small squabbles, they make up and love each other completely.
You are going to love this family first. Then you're going to love the rest of the characters and the edge of your seat, tension filled, thriller story that somehow blends seamlessly together.
I'm not easily impressed but this book really kept me captured to the very last page. Oh, by the way, it's called Snake Skin for a reason. If you have a horrific fear of snakes - this is not the book for you!
I can hardly wait to read the second book in the series!
Lucy Guardino is a wife, mother, and FBI agent who just happens to have broken the glass ceiling without giving up her morals to do it. I love her character. She struggles with all of the same worries and concerns most working mothers deal with. Her job just happens to involve carrying a gun and tracking down bad guys that make your skin crawl. She is a strong woman, and a force to be reckoned with in a predominantly male field and yet she is respected. It struck me funny that she could handle the sick perverts, big, strong, opinionated FBI agents as well as other law enforcement personnel and yet she is completely baffled by her pre-adolescent daughter.
Her husband has sacrificed a huge career move so Lucy can persue her own career. He is a Therapist and it would seem he spends a great deal of his time keeping Lucy centered and caring for their daughter. They juggle schedules just like the rest of us, they have small squabbles, they make up and love each other completely.
You are going to love this family first. Then you're going to love the rest of the characters and the edge of your seat, tension filled, thriller story that somehow blends seamlessly together.
I'm not easily impressed but this book really kept me captured to the very last page. Oh, by the way, it's called Snake Skin for a reason. If you have a horrific fear of snakes - this is not the book for you!
I can hardly wait to read the second book in the series!
March 16, 2013
This book grabbed me from the very beginning! Although I had read all of the Angels of Mercy series by the author, this was the first one of the Lucy Guardino books. Now I cannot wait to read more. Lucy and her family are very likable characters.
Snake Skin was filled with suspense and I found it to be a fast paced thriller that was hard to put down! C.J. Lyons has managed to get me hooked on another of her series!
Snake Skin was filled with suspense and I found it to be a fast paced thriller that was hard to put down! C.J. Lyons has managed to get me hooked on another of her series!
April 18, 2014
Thriller featuring Lucy, FBI agent working undercover to expose paedophile rings, who leads the hunt for a missing girl.
I found the first half a bit slow but once it got going there was plenty of action. I like tough heroines but Lucy was completely OTT trying to be superwoman which actually got a bit annoying. It was good enough but nothing special.
I found the first half a bit slow but once it got going there was plenty of action. I like tough heroines but Lucy was completely OTT trying to be superwoman which actually got a bit annoying. It was good enough but nothing special.
May 11, 2016
omg where has this author been...not in my life before this book...but they will be from now on....
what an action packed book right from the first page to the last...and the action didnt really stop...obviously the content deals with emotional subjects...kidnapped children,mind control and mental cruelty
but this one is a page turner..cant wait for the next one
what an action packed book right from the first page to the last...and the action didnt really stop...obviously the content deals with emotional subjects...kidnapped children,mind control and mental cruelty
but this one is a page turner..cant wait for the next one
September 1, 2016
Too many snakes!!!!
March 9, 2020
I've had C.J. Lyon's books on my TBR list for quite a while and finally have read the 1st in this series. It was a fast paced, heart pumping at times solid read. Great characters that are real with flaws. The unit that Lucy Guardino runs hunts down the scum of the earth that pray on children and young adults, so as gratifying as that work may be she still has to see and deal with all the depravity. In lieu of this she has a strong family unit (which is a nice change). Because of the hours she puts in that's a hard thing to keep together but having the husband she has helps a lot in this situation. Looking forward to the next in series.
July 13, 2023
Oh now this is a detective or a mystery series I really wouldn’t mind following for quite a while. Lucy Guardino is tough, damaged, brave, smart, determined, loving, and my kind of woman. She has a husband who is a psychologist who adores her gets her, gets annoyed with her in the right kind of way, is the calm voice of reason. Her daughter is a teen that deserves a good smack and a huge hug. All of the supporting characters are appropriate and help fill out this exciting mystery. Lucy’s foil is a grade A lunatic.
Yup, I’m clapping with joy.
Yup, I’m clapping with joy.
March 18, 2024
3.7 rounded up to 4 stars. Sooo many times I wanted to smack Lucy, but I definitely identify with the workaholic and over idealized version of the world she has, that savior complex!! This was definitely a hard book with some really tough subject matters and I read a cozy mystery right after 😂😂, but it was well done, the emotions leapt of the pages, from the parent child relationships, the family dynamics, coworker issues, feelings of an abused child, and so much more. Some of the scenes are not for the faint of heart!
February 12, 2018
This as a load of fun to read. One of those I couldn’t put down. Great characters with lots of action and a great story line. Female FBI agent and her team take on a missing girl case which turns into a massive interdepartmental nightmare.
September 15, 2020
Fast pced suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
November 10, 2019
Pretty good thriller.
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