The Savior

A Paul Dodge Novel #3

by Christopher Flory

"Sure to engross fans of Connelly, Patterson, and Coben." – Dave Edlund, USA Today best-selling author of the Peter Savage novels

Paul Dodge is ready to return to his normal job as a Parole Agent in Virginia after a much-needed— and not very restful— personal hiatus. When a local street woman is found dead, he' s assigned to work the case despite his personal objections.

Working outside his normal expertise under a boss he isn' t sure he can trust and with a new team, Dodge tries to make the best of the bad situation. The sooner the case is closed the sooner he can get back to his parole work rather than poking his nose into the life of a serial killer.

With the killer growing in confidence and an old flame back in town, Dodge' s personal and professional lives get tested and tangled. When accusations fly and tensions rise, time is running out for Dodge to find justice for the victims and stop a psychopath before the body count rises again.

The Savior is the third book in the Paul Dodge series, however each book in this thrilling detective series can be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone as well as in publication order.

Genres: Thriller, Crime

260 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 27, 2023

About the author

Christopher (Chris) Flory was raised in Indiana and now lives in Northern Virginia. He spent ten years with various correctional departments as a probation and parole officer, specializing in the supervision of sexually based offenders and criminal street gang members. He is currently employed as a contractor for the federal government as an intelligence analyst. Trust Misplaced: A Paul Dodge Novel is Chris' first published novel, though he has been featured in academic journals and professional conference papers while attending undergraduate (BA Indiana-Purdue University Fort Wayne 00') and graduate school (MA Purdue University 15'). He is currently working on the second book in the Paul Dodge series and has ideas for several more installments. Chris enjoys spending time with his family, baking and outdoor activities.

Reviews

[Texas · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Savior - Interesting. Intriguing. Better than I expected and the writing style of the author is good. His command of English is great, he knows The Rules of Style. A few simple typos, only.

Interesting story lines, and some of the predictable behaviors common to this genre, good characters both with believable actions, thoughts and dialogues. No gory details and no vulgar language, which along with proper Style, made this story reminiscent of Ludlum, Follette and young Grisham, a flowing book worth reading. Source: BookSirens. 5*

[Courtney Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I have enjoyed the first 2 books in Christopher Flory's Paul Dodge series but this 3rd book really had me. I couldn't wait to read what would happen next, my mind was spinning around possibilities and I was engrossed in Dodge's world more than ever. Flory's characters are real and flawed and relatable, his knowledge of crimes and police work is obvious, giving the whole story a feeling of unquestionable reality.

I'll be looking forward to book #4

[Emrys Peterson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Painfully obvious that it was written by a man. Please, never write female characters again. This was horrible.

[Sue Choppers-Wife · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Paul Dodge series, but it's the first one I've read, yet you can be sure that I'm going to read the previous books and follow the author for future books because it's that good.

Paul Dodge is a parole officer called in to help work a sex crime case. He's not out of his depth, as he's a seasoned detective and a no holds barred investigator with a down to earth heart for the people he needs to help, no matter their social status. He uses his training and a brain that follows a measured and strong thought process that we as readers get to see through each and every piece of action in the story.

There's a good rhythm to the story telling, great momentum building up from the bare bones of a puzzle to some great action scenes as the pieces start to form together. I had a hard time putting down the book because it just kept building toward a climax neither he nor I as a reader could completely foretell. I'd have to say it's just one of those books where your eyes almost trip over themselves to keep up with the amped up action!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this.
The identity of the killer came as a complete surprise.
Dodge is an interesting character. He's part bad-ass, part martyr, and a round, complex guy.
I'm intrigued enough about him to look up the other book and give them a go.
Beth is a great character and I'd like to know more about her.
I would also like to learn more about Dodge and Renquest's partnership/friendship.
There are many different interpersonal relationships I wish had been explored more. I think there could have been more banter between the familiar characters.
I might be tempted to read the next one.

I received a copy of this via BookSirens. All opinions are my own.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very enjoyable novel. I have never read a Christoper Flory novel, but will continue in the future.

The characters were well described and detailed. There could have been a bit more background for the interpersonal relationships, but overall well written.

This is a stand alone novel, despite being the third in the series. I did not feel that I had missed anything.

It was a page turner from the start.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very difficult one for me to read, because of the content. It was raw, gripping and grizzly. I had an inkling of what was going on early, but I continued to the end . I really hate reading this type of story, because it leaves me feeling so empty and it leaves a lasting impression and things you can't forget or unsee. It changes you and not in a good way. I'm too weak for these stories. I voluntarily read a free copy of this book provided by book sirens and am giving an honest opinion.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book.

I found Dodge a really engaging main character and am pleased to find there are 2 previous books I can go back and read. Thanks to Book Sirens for sending me an advanced copy to read and review, and introducing me to another great detective.

The plot moves along at a good pace, and there were plenty of twists and turns to keep it interesting.

I'd be delighted to read more about these characters, and hope there are other books to come.

[Sandra Damiani · Rating 5 out of 5]

In The Savior, Parole Agent Paul Dodge gets assigned to the state police, where he finds his experience working with sex crimes beneficial for his new team's work on a murder investigation. I liked how the killer's twisted mind left me guessing and how Agent Dodge approaches rekindling his romantic relationships. Bright Shiny 5 Stars, and I want you to know that the plot takes you to places you would never expect to go.

[Joanne Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable and engrossing read. I liked the background in the corrections system and the explanations of police procedure. There was also good action and suspense. Some things were unbelievable like characters just jumping on to planes at a drop of a hat. I will definitely read the other two in the series.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first by this author and it is third in a series. I do not think it is necessary to have read the first two books as generally characters were introduced well from the past. The main character Paul Dodge is a loner, and a parole officer; when a troubling murder takes place he is assigned to the task force and works with an old partner. He is a dedicated investigator and the story is full of action, there are many tense moments that overall are bogged down with paragraphs of descriptive detail. I like detail and location setting, but this level throughout the entire book was excessive and distracting from the plot . Another quibble, the details are full of unnecessary explanations that talk down to the reader and the main character’s attitude towards women was definitely from a male centric point of view.
I appreciated the opportunity to read and review this advanced reader copy provided by Book Sirens.

[Timothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

To come

[Peta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed all 3 books, and I’m looking forwards to a new book 🙂😉

[Ella Oktaverina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Addiction is powerful. Even more powerful than hunger.

Paul Dodge, a Parole Agent in Virginia was assigned to a case where local street women were found dead. In this case, he worked under a new boss, Captain Blanchard, and the deeper he dived into the case, it made him sure that the serial killer behind this case had grudge on his new boss.

Well, this book is entertaining! It's the third book in Paul Dodge Series (unfortunately I haven't read the previous ones), at first I can't lie that it was quite boring, then as the tension rises, I couldn't stop reading! As for the serial killer, I couldn't guess that person at all, so I let it flow and found the right answer at the end 🤭

A good book to read if you're into crime-mystery-thriller genre!

(I'll make sure to read the first and second book in the future).