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Fatal Flaw
A serial killer is targeting the women of Mears, Colorado, and so far the police have nothing to go on. Detective Casey O’Toole is assigned to jump-start the investigation, and she discovers two unsettling facts: the victims were all patients of a prominent plastic surgeon, and each of them bears an uncanny resemblance to herself.
Ruled out as a suspect, Dr. Mark Adams offers to assist Casey in any way he can and, despite her resistance, their relationship quickly turns personal. The pressure on Casey to find the killer mounts steadily as terror grips the small mountain community. Then a stunning twist leads Casey to the deadly truth—and to the face of a killer nearly as familiar as her own.
Ruled out as a suspect, Dr. Mark Adams offers to assist Casey in any way he can and, despite her resistance, their relationship quickly turns personal. The pressure on Casey to find the killer mounts steadily as terror grips the small mountain community. Then a stunning twist leads Casey to the deadly truth—and to the face of a killer nearly as familiar as her own.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
12 people are currently reading
195 people want to read
About the author
Ginna Gray
89 books46 followersGinna sold her first novel in 1983, after winning the Golden Heart Award, given by Romance Writers of America for the best unpublished novel in a category. She has been working as a full-time writer ever since. When she finishes her current contracts, Ginna will have written 33 books. She has also given many lectures and writing workshops, and judged in writing contests.
A native Texan, Ginna lived in Houston all her life — until 1993, when she and her husband Brad built their "dream home" and moved to the mountains of Colorado. Ginna also enjoys other creative activities such as oil painting, sewing, sketching, knitting, and needlepoint. "But my first love will always be writing. It is simply part of who I am."
A native Texan, Ginna lived in Houston all her life — until 1993, when she and her husband Brad built their "dream home" and moved to the mountains of Colorado. Ginna also enjoys other creative activities such as oil painting, sewing, sketching, knitting, and needlepoint. "But my first love will always be writing. It is simply part of who I am."
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
April 10, 2012
Despite easily pinpointing the serial killer's identity within the first 30 pages of the book, Fatal Flaw started off quick and set up an intriguing plot that kept me reading. I was very into the book until about the halfway point where the story line switched focuses from the murder investigation to dealing soley with the relationship between Mark and Casey. While their romance is a key part of the book, it seemed that the serial killer aspect was abandoned from about midway until the last 20 pages or so just to follow the very slow developing relationship between the detective and the plastic surgeon. The book as a whole fell short for me, but I did enjoy Ginna Gray's writing style and the overall plot.
January 2, 2024
I struggle a bit with the rating because I don't know if the book itself is bad or if it is just dated given that it's written in 2005. It does not hold up to 2023 standards. Either way, this book was a struggle to get through. I agree with a few other reviews that say there was far more personal stuff than actual mystery/suspense. Most of the investigation felt like random snippets that they interviewed people and checked for cars but found nothing and clocked out at five to go about their personal business. It hardly felt like there was any investigation, just waiting around for clues to come. I found it hard to believe that if this was such a serious case and the detectives are under pressure to solve it, that they're able to just table everything for them to have a full weekend off. All of the off time - between their weekend chores and watching softball games put the investigation and any suspense on the back burner.
Honestly, it felt like maybe only 30% of the book was devoted to the case. The other 70% was about Casey and her family and her starting a relationship. In theory there's nothing wrong with that, expect there was no suspense, no mystery. The killer was predictable. There was a slight red herring, but it was never really explored. At the same time, the family and friends were a bit over the top, very forward with pushing her towards the man. I didn't find them believable. There was something about the dialogue that came off as cheesy or cliche and a little cringeworthy.
I'd been excited by the synopsis, but the novel failed to deliver. Not only does the book feel dated, but the story itself misses the mark.
Honestly, it felt like maybe only 30% of the book was devoted to the case. The other 70% was about Casey and her family and her starting a relationship. In theory there's nothing wrong with that, expect there was no suspense, no mystery. The killer was predictable. There was a slight red herring, but it was never really explored. At the same time, the family and friends were a bit over the top, very forward with pushing her towards the man. I didn't find them believable. There was something about the dialogue that came off as cheesy or cliche and a little cringeworthy.
I'd been excited by the synopsis, but the novel failed to deliver. Not only does the book feel dated, but the story itself misses the mark.
April 16, 2023
Le début était prometteur, un thriller bien haletant qui avait tout pour me plaire. La plume de l'auteure est agréable et simple à lire. Mais quand le docteur Adams est entré en jeu, l'intrigue à pris une tournure complètement différente.
Bye bye les avancées sur l'enquête qui passent alors en second plan. Et la relation entre ce fameux docteur et l'agent Casey passe au premier plan... alors que ça aurait dû être l'inverse.
Les chapitres étaient très longs en plus de ça, j'avais l'impression de ne pas avancer dans ma lecture. Et le final, trop rapide et trop court. Tout c'est passé en un seul chapitre. Les indices et les liens arrivent tous en même temps, tout se passe vite.
Bref, ça a été une petite déception pour ma part.
Bye bye les avancées sur l'enquête qui passent alors en second plan. Et la relation entre ce fameux docteur et l'agent Casey passe au premier plan... alors que ça aurait dû être l'inverse.
Les chapitres étaient très longs en plus de ça, j'avais l'impression de ne pas avancer dans ma lecture. Et le final, trop rapide et trop court. Tout c'est passé en un seul chapitre. Les indices et les liens arrivent tous en même temps, tout se passe vite.
Bref, ça a été une petite déception pour ma part.
August 19, 2018
Awesome!
May 8, 2023
Loved this fast paced read.
May 21, 2024
The romance portion was a bit too corny
February 3, 2025
The ending was kind of anti-climatic.
June 10, 2025
Wow! I could see this one being made into a movie! It rivals James Patterson’s books only with a little romance and crazy fun cast of characters thrown in!
Fun book!
Fun book!
June 1, 2014
You know that you're in the 21st century when you read a real, printed book and just stopped yourself from tapping at words to look them up... Yupp, after 45 ebooks so far this year, this just happened to me. Real books: lacking a god GUI, font is not changeable, but at least it smells good. Got this book cheap, used and lucked out in getting a copy that looked like new, an easily removed sticker from the shop showing that it was not (given back unread? stock from a closed shop? I will never know).
Skimming a few reviews despite a fear of spoilers, I guess I already know who the Killer is and that is at least one star this book will not get, if it proves right (and the reviews point in that direction).
Past the 30% that I set myself as the point where can last I abandon a book, I will try to finish it, but it drags, more personal stuff, than suspense and murder. What I would really like is if the killer turns out to be someone different from my guess, or one of the main persons, like the female detective, gets killed - yeah, like that will happen. A real major twist could save it, but so far I am nearly into FF-mode, will soon start only skimming the pages. Never felt so much the urge to read the ending.
This could get 2 stars although I have trouble justifying the second star at this point in the book.
Too much family, too much thinking of the main characters about romance and partnership. If at least one of the characters where gay, or a real pervert or something else interesting.
No twists, everything as expected from the beginning, 1 additional star as I wonder how a book with a redheaded detective chasing a serial killer can be as dull. Oh, wait, she is not really chasing the killer, more like she stumbles into him, as she has more family live and dull romances and nearly no sex (one boring plain sex-scene). Not at all realistic. She would have been better of taking the offered job at the FBI and doing real work. If you want to read a good romance-suspense book look elsewhere, no suspense here to be found. Should have abandoned it. Recommendation: the early romance books by Tess Gerritsen. Maybe it is too long ago I read them, but still, they cannot be as bad as this one.
Recommended if you have trouble going to sleep...
Skimming a few reviews despite a fear of spoilers, I guess I already know who the Killer is and that is at least one star this book will not get, if it proves right (and the reviews point in that direction).
Past the 30% that I set myself as the point where can last I abandon a book, I will try to finish it, but it drags, more personal stuff, than suspense and murder. What I would really like is if the killer turns out to be someone different from my guess, or one of the main persons, like the female detective, gets killed - yeah, like that will happen. A real major twist could save it, but so far I am nearly into FF-mode, will soon start only skimming the pages. Never felt so much the urge to read the ending.
This could get 2 stars although I have trouble justifying the second star at this point in the book.
Too much family, too much thinking of the main characters about romance and partnership. If at least one of the characters where gay, or a real pervert or something else interesting.
No twists, everything as expected from the beginning, 1 additional star as I wonder how a book with a redheaded detective chasing a serial killer can be as dull. Oh, wait, she is not really chasing the killer, more like she stumbles into him, as she has more family live and dull romances and nearly no sex (one boring plain sex-scene). Not at all realistic. She would have been better of taking the offered job at the FBI and doing real work. If you want to read a good romance-suspense book look elsewhere, no suspense here to be found. Should have abandoned it. Recommendation: the early romance books by Tess Gerritsen. Maybe it is too long ago I read them, but still, they cannot be as bad as this one.
Recommended if you have trouble going to sleep...
July 10, 2016
Casey O'Toole is a detective, and from a long line of family, who are in the police force. She married an officer, who was killed in the line of duty. Now trying to continue with her life, she is thrust into a serial killer investigation. A killer, that finds it amusing to hunt humans and gives them a one minute running start. The investigation, leads to a plastic surgeon, who at first is a suspect. When Dr. Mark Adams is cleared, he offers to help in any way he can. With no new leads and dead ends, time is running out, and Casey is anxious to catch the killer before he strikes again. The fact, that all the women killed have red hair, much like Casey's own, doesn't go unnoticed.
It was a good book, although, I figured out who the killer was early on.
It was a good book, although, I figured out who the killer was early on.
August 10, 2016
Full disclosure: I never finished this book. I liked it at first - the narrative pulled me in, I enjoyed the set up and exposition, and the thriller elements were successful. However, about halfway through, I got bored. I wasn't enjoying the increasingly religious subject matter and tone. At some point, I picked up the book to keep reading and realized that I didn't care what happened to the characters. I don't plan to ever find out!
March 13, 2014
I am so glad to be done with this book. It was not really good at all. I have read another book by Grey and loved it but this book couldn't have ended quick enough! You really could figure it out right away. And it was very repetitive. They both felt and said the same thing over and over. Not gonna recommend this one.
May 28, 2009
This book started of pretty slow in my opinion. It wasn't until the very end where my heart was racing and I couldn't read fast enough. I love books like that.
The only thing I was disappointed with in this book was that I found it took forever for Mark and Casey to get together.
The only thing I was disappointed with in this book was that I found it took forever for Mark and Casey to get together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2015
Suspense romance to die for
This book has it twist and turns that will have reading until the end. With comedy relief and with fast genuine love, it will have you at the edge of your seat feeling numerous emotions (laugh, love, shock, grief and sadness
This book has it twist and turns that will have reading until the end. With comedy relief and with fast genuine love, it will have you at the edge of your seat feeling numerous emotions (laugh, love, shock, grief and sadness
June 27, 2009
It was very typical; I knew who the culprit was the entire time. 1.5/5 stars.
September 29, 2012
It was good, even though somewhat predictable.
May 20, 2013
predictable murder mystery. Wish we could have read more about the love story between the main characters.
August 12, 2013
Good book, which I have re-read twice. Good story line, although feel that it was slightly predictable. Good strong role model for main characters.well worth the read
May 4, 2012
free book that i read a few chapters then stop. will try again to read later maybe
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews