First, Murder

Alex Quinn #1

by Rylie Dark

Interpol agent Alex Quinn, 29, born to Italian-Turkish parents, is a multi-lingual genius. With an advanced degree in Criminal Psychology from a university in France and a PHD from a Germany university, Alex was recruited by Interpol at the age of 25—their youngest recruit—because of her encyclopedic knowledge of serial killers. But when a serial killer strikes in Venice, amidst the glittery costumes and sinister masks, Alex may, for the first time, find herself in over her head—and may just end up the target herself…
FIRST, MURDER is book #1 in a new series by #1 bestselling and critically acclaimed mystery and suspense author Rylie Dark, whose books have received over 2,000 five-star reviews and ratings.

With killers preying in high-trafficked historic sites, Interpol convenes a special task force to hunt them down before panic spreads—and finds no one better to head up this new force than Alex Quinn.

Beautiful in an exotic way, with a mixture of her Mediterranean heritage, Alex, with her olive complexion and startling green eyes, bears a pencil thin scar along one hand from the palm to the tip of a finger—a scar that keeps her single-mindedly focused on avenging her parents.

Able to solve cases in record time, Alex has been all over Europe for nearly a decade. Yet one killer still eludes her.

The man who killed her parents.

The darkness of past propels her—yet it also threatens to swallow her whole…

A page-turning and harrowing crime thriller featuring a brilliant and tortured Interpol agent, the Alex Quinn series is a riveting mystery, a cat-and-mouse thriller packed with non-stop action, suspense, twists and turns, revelations, and driven by a breakneck pace that will keep you flipping pages late into the night. Fans of Rachel Caine, Teresa Driscoll and Robert Dugoni are sure to fall in love.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, Audiobook, Ebooks, Mystery Thriller

164 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 11, 2023

About the author

Rylie Dark is author of the SADIE PRICE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising six books (and counting); of the CARLY SEE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising six books (and counting); of the MIA NORTH FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising six books (and counting); of the MORGAN STARK FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising five books (and counting); of the HAILEY ROCK FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising five books (and counting),of the TARA STRONG MYSTERY series, comprising five books (and counting); and of the ALEX QUINN SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising five books (and counting).

Rylie loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.ryliedark.com to receive free ebooks, hear the latest news, and stay in touch.

BOOKS BY RYLIE DARK

ALEX QUINN SUSPENSE THRILLER

FIRST, MURDER (Book #1)

SECOND, DEATH (Book #2)

THIRD, ENVY (Book #3)

FOURTH, LUST (Book #4)

FIFTH, WRATH (Book #5)

HAILEY ROCK FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

BEHIND YOU (Book #1)

BESIDE YOU (Book #2)

AFTER YOU (Book #3)

WATCHING YOU (Book #4)

JUDGING YOU (Book #5)

TARA STRONG MYSTERY

GIRL WITHOUT A CHANCE (Book #1)

GIRL WITHOUT A HOME (Book #2)

GIRL WITHOUT A TRACE (Book #3)

GIRL WITHOUT A NAME (Book #4)

GIRL WITHOUT A PRAYER (Book #5)

SADIE PRICE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

ONLY MURDER (Book #1)

ONLY RAGE (Book #2)

ONLY HIS (Book #3)

ONLY ONCE (Book #4)

ONLY SPITE (Book #5)

ONLY MADNESS (Book #6)

MIA NORTH FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

SEE HER RUN (Book #1)

SEE HER HIDE (Book #2)

SEE HER SCREAM (Book #3)

SEE HER VANISH (Book #4)

SEE HER GONE (Book #5)

SEE HER DEAD (Book #6)

CARLY SEE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

NO WAY OUT (Book #1)

NO WAY BACK (Book #2)

NO WAY HOME (Book #3)

NO WAY LEFT (Book #4)

NO WAY UP (Book #5)

NO WAY TO DIE (Book #6)

MORGAN STARK FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

TOO LATE (Book #1)

TOO CLOSE (Book #2)

TOO FAR GONE (Book #3)

TOO LOST (Book #4)

TOO BROKEN (Book #5)

Reviews

[Marta · Rating 2 out of 5]

*2,5

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Despite the fact that it says I read the paperback edition, it was in fact an Audible book)
Alex Quinn is a new favorite; she's self assured and smart. And she doesn't take BS from anyone! She trusts her gut, even though it's not always a 100 percent right. But she adjusts Her running theory and resulting actions to fit the current situation.
Good book and first in series.

[Pat K · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This was a good story, but the interpol storyline didn’t grab me. Not sure if I’ll continue to read the series.

[Stormy McDonald · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was okay. Not bad, but not great, either. While sentence structure and editing were better than a lot of new books these days, the story itself still fell flat for me.

The setting is handled as a theater back-drop, you whiz by as if it's a movie scene with limited time for visuals. Personaly, I want a story to engage all the senses, not just tell me chase was through a market or by boat in the canals. It's a narrow path between too much and not enough when it comes to scene descriptions.

The only character who has any development is the main character, Lexi, who (at age 29) is supposed to be Interpol's youngest and, therefore least respected, agent. We get glimpses of the people she works with, but not enough to know or care about them. It seems to me that Interpol (and any other police force in the world) would need agents in a variety of age categories and skill sets.

The clues in this mystery were sparse, and those few were vague. The entire plot hinged on Lexi's photographic and encyclopedic knowledge of every murder case Interpol has ever investigated. Because of this, we spend 80% of the book hunting a serial killer in Venice, then watch as Lexi solves the case in an hour of "alone time" on the floor of a police station bathroom! (Why couldn't she commondeer an interview room or a conference room????)

Really and truly, to me the ending was rushed and far-fetched. I won't go into details because my reasons will be spoilers for anyone who decides to read the book. Suffice it to say, the capture and ending were much too easy when you consider the meticulous nature of the murders committed.

[Rebecca Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, so First, Murder by Rylie Dark? Total page-turner. It’s one of those mystery-thriller deals that grabs you by the collar from the start and does not let go. The main character, Alex Quinn — Interpol agent, multilingual genius, PhD in Criminal Psychology, and drinks her espresso black with no regrets — is everything I wish I was on a productive Tuesday. The story’s set in Venice, which already makes it feel extra moody and dramatic (in the best way). There’s a murder during the carnival, masks and all, and Alex gets pulled in to solve it. And listen, the plot is twisty. Like, “I thought I was smart but no” twisty. I never guessed who the killer was, and that almost never happens. I pride myself on my detective skills during murder mysteries, thank you very much. The writing makes you feel like you’re those cobbled streets — because slow walkers in a suspense novel? No. And Alex? She’s got layers. She’s smart, a little haunted, driven. She’s got that “don’t mess with me” energy that I live for. If you want a book that’s fast-paced, kinda dark, and clever, grab this one. Just don’t start it late at night unless you’re okay with zero sleep and an over-pulled espresso in the morning. Worth it.

[Lillian Cummings · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fast-paced read

Dr Alex Quinn has been given the chance to work on a task force hunting criminals. She has a new partner who seems to have superhero powers. She knows that she needs to find the killer before mire victims are found but they lose valuable time looking at the wrong suspects. They know that the killer is after Alex & one of her old partners but can they find him before it is too late? A good fast-paced read.
Alex is a tough determined woman that won't stop until she finds the person that killed her parents. She does seem to play by her own rules I just hope that she realises that her new partner has her back.

[Jeanette · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alex Quinn is well read; she’s read every case file imaginable. She’s well spoken; she’s fluent in many languages. She’s just an all around outstanding detective. You know this because it’s repeated about a million times. It’s a bit much. Her flaw is she doesn’t do small talk and requires little sleep.
The premise of the book isnt bad. There is no depth to Alex. You really never learn much about her, what drives her, who she is as a person. It’s an attempt at mystery but it’s hard to identify with a character who shares nothing other than her case files reads.

[Don Glass · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent action drama

Realistic characters with well rounded personalities that the reader can get to know

The action scenes are full of life and believable while retaining a great balance between fun and drama.

The final explosive scene was a bit implausible given the short amount of time that a single, foreign operative had to set it all up, but that did not detract from a five star read.

I've already downloaded the next book!!

[Claudete Takahashi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alex Quinn is a young and extremely talented agent and together with her partner, the German agent Casler, who seems to have special physical powers, they'll hunt an assassin through Europe putting their lives and careers on the line. There's a lot of action, beautiful descriptions of Venice, and a totally deranged killer providing very good entertainment.

[Joanne Weckbacher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rylie Dark Doesn’t Exist

I have a problem reading a book where the author doesn’t exist as a person. This isn’t a bad book. It’s not a good book. It’s a free book. I realize Chat GTP is here, but I don’t want to read a book written to conform to a preset formula. Even though, some of the best selling authors are guilty of doing the same.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

so good!!

Anything written by Rylie dark, I the book is easy to read and it isn’t bogged down by unnecessary details. The book flows really well. I have read several books and I really enjoyed them. I don’t want to ruin the book for anyone; but it’s a great quick read and before you know it you’ve read multiple books in the series.

[Meg Galloway · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a hard one to rate. I honestly had to force myself to get towards the end of this one. Only once I got to 84% did things really pick up and get more fast paced and interesting. Just felt like it took too long to get to a so-so climax 🫤 I didn't hate it, I am somewhat interested in how the story ended with a cliff hanger. I'll think about reading the next!

[Linda Rorex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alex (Lexi) Quinn is a young Interpol Agent searching for an assassin. Alex is partnered with Special Agent Dietrich Casler and together they search for an international assassin who is after Alex and her previous partners. This book has lots of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end. I really enjoyed this amazing fast-paced suspense thriller novel.

[Jacqueline Bertot · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I found my new series. I enjoyed the story and characters in this face paced murder mystery. Strong characters and a great partnership in cases. I Found myself not wanting to put the book down until the murderer was found. I highly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone that enjoys a good Thriller.

[Kimiko · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alex Quinn is an Agent at Interpol, but in reality she works alone, thinking she is responsible for every criminal's bad deeds and also that she alone can solve all the problems in the world with her encyclopedic knowledge of cases (hers and cold cases she reads in her "spare time") and speaking several languages fluently.

Other than her total arrogance, this was a decent read.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read!

Interesting characters as well as a thought provocative storyline. However, I must admit the romantic in me did want to see sparks flying between the Doc and the German (hunky) agent. Definitely worth your time.
On to book 2!

[Garrett Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good store extras well told.

Alex and her partner have their hands full trying to catch the killer who is very good at hiding in plain site. However in the end they capture him.

[Kellie Whittam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full of action and adventure and a cracking pace, but I would have liked to see more character development. There's some sort of history hinted at between Alex and her sister and it would have been good to explore that further, along with some of the other relationships.

[Pam Venne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rylie Dark's first in a series of fast-moving murder mystery novels where you never know where to find the killer. It was an exhilarating ride of emotions. Don't ever make an assumption that you know a person, it could come back to haunt you.

[Liz C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read

Very easy read. It was a bit like watching an action movie, all action but no real substance. Got this and the next one free on Prime and I would recommend it to anybody who likes this sort of thing.

[Tim Clark · Rating 2 out of 5]

Discombobulated

Nice book on tourist ing in Venice but moved too fast from episode to episode. Not enough back ground on main character go be believable. Guess I'm done with this series

[Rachel M. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got this book as an audiobook from Chirp, narrated by Tracey Silver. Maybe I would have liked it better if it was narrated by someone else. I found that I really do not care for Ms. Silver's narration, and will be avoiding books narrated by her in the future.

[Martse · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just couldn’t get into the book. I think reading it instead of listening to the audiobook might have made a difference. The narrator’s voice was too soft for a tough main character who’s an Interpol agent.

[Sylvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5, don’t know why they don’t do .5s

[Anjana Menon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 – super fast-paced, felt like a movie in my head. Some questions regarding how certain agencies work but overall a great read!

[patricia sendelbach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alex Quinn is a focused power for justice. This book would make a great movie. I'm sure the author has more great stories for us.

[Diana Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twists

Of course we can't figure out who the killer is. I'm afraid, if I were the detective, he would still be out there.

[Fearless · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prison, Bridge of Sighs, Paris

[Marylebone · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ditched it just a few pages in. Silly and empty.

[James Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazingly well done

The author has developed an awesome and unique plot to go with an imaginative group of characters making this hard to put down