With Malice

Maeve Sharp #1

by Rylie Dark

FBI Special Agent Maeve Sharp, a rising star in the BAU, decides to leave behind a shining career when she transfers to Las Vegas to come back home to her dying mother and incarcerated brother. But when a casino owner’s daughter is found dead in his fancy hotel, Maeve is urgently needed to stop the Vegas killer before he strikes again—and finds herself hunting a killer in her own backyard.

WITH MALICE 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.

FBI Special Agent Maeve Sharp never got over her sister’s disappearance when they were teenagers, the case gone cold, the feeling that just maybe she is still out there, somewhere. It ruined her family and destroyed her father who, once a decorated cop on the LVPD, now sits alone in a dilapidated trailer in the middle of nowhere, refusing to reconcile with her. It wrecked her brother, too, leading to lockup after lockup, as he pleads with Maeve to help get her out. And it wrecked her mom most of all, who in her dying days can think of nothing else.

Maeve though she got away from it all when she transferred to Quantico and made a career for herself.

But the past has a way of calling, of bringing back dark and unresolved memories. And Maeve has stepped right back into, ready, this time, to wrestle her darkest demons while she hunts down new serial killers….

A cat-and-mouse thriller with harrowing twists and turns and filled with heart-pounding suspense, the MAEVE SHARP mystery series offers a fresh twist on the genre as it introduces two brilliant protagonists who will make you fall in love and keep you turning pages late into the night.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook

198 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 20, 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

[judymellinnetzero.net · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't believe that I spent my time on this

How in the world has this author gotten contracts for all the listed books? Where was an editor before this piece of trash was published?

The main character left FBI headquarters in Quantico, VA, to return to Las Vegas where she grew up to care for her mother who was dying from cancer. Maeve is driving her broken-down car which would indicate that she had driven cross- country at short notice. Yet we find her living in a refurbished RV that she designed herself. What rehabber works that fast?

Meanwhile, her mother is still in the family home with at-home hospice care. First of all, who is paying for that as her father is a retired cop, her twin brother is in prison and her sister gas been missing for years? And why is Maeve not staying with her mother? And why does she not visit or even speak with her mother until the closing chapter in the book?

Meanwhile, she has started the case with a brand- new partner on her first day but seems to know how he thinks and feels about everything. They go to a crime scene in a hotel but the cleaning service is already in the room. Another murder occurs but is out of order per the time line of the story.

The book says they had been at this for weeks but the story happens in two days. We get a detailed description of Maeve's trailer and leisurely morning routine but this is only her second day on the job. As a trained investigator, she would have rolled out of bed, if she even returned home, grabbed a quick shower and been out the door.

There are so many errors in the text that I wonder if anyone even proofread it, let alone edited it. There are dangling participles so the reader is not sure which character is being referred to. Quotation marks are opened but never closed and sonettimes are opened more than once within the same quote. A woman is walking down a crowded Strip street yet can hear her own footsteps. The agents enter a first- floor office yet can look down on the lights on the Strip. And I could go on and on.

My suggestion? Find another author.

[Avid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fast, easy reading, and enjoyable overall. This is the 1st book in a series. It lacked in some development and I am sure it's because it is part of a series. However, I was floundering for a bit filling in gaps and guessing at parts because of this. It was still able to be understood overall, though.

Recommended 👍
📚📚📚

[Rebecca Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

With Malice by Rylie Dark is the first book in the Maeve Sharp FBI Suspense Thriller series. It follows FBI Agent Maeve Sharp as she returns to Las Vegas to take care of her dying mother and deal with her incarcerated brother — only to get pulled into a high-profile murder case. The victim is the daughter of a casino owner, and as Maeve investigates, she also has to confront the painful mystery of her sister’s disappearance. The book has a solid premise and keeps the suspense going, but the execution is a mixed bag. It has a decent rating on here (4.05/5), and some readers enjoyed the twists, with one saying they never saw the killer coming. But others have major gripes about the editing and character development. Some reviewers pointed out a ton of errors, weird inconsistencies in the investigation, and characters that don’t feel fleshed out. With Malice has potential — it's fast-paced and intriguing — but the lack of polish might be frustrating. If you can overlook the flaws, you might enjoy it, but if sloppy editing pulls you out of a story, this one might not be for you.

[Lillian Cummings · Rating 3 out of 5]

A thrilling read

A good read. FBI agent Maeve Sharp has transferred back to her hometown. She knows that her mother's time is running out as her illness has become much worse. Her brother is in prison and her father is a broken man. Can she get them all together one last time? She has been called into the office as a young woman has been found murdered. And her father is a very high profile man that wants the case solved quickly or else heads will roll. Can Maeve and her new partner find the killer before more women loses their lives? The killer is one step ahead of them but they can't lose their focus now.
Maeve is a strong woman that is trying to keep her family together but the loss of her sister has always played on her mind is this her chance to find out what happened to her?

[Lise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though it looked like Maeve Sharp would make her mark in the prestigious FBI BAU, her responsibilities at home pulled her back to Las Vegas. The death of a young wealthy socialite in her hotel room becomes Maeve's first case with her new team, leading her into the glittering world of Sin City.

I was ambivalent about this read. Being the first in a new series, I was inclined to cut the implementation of the writing some slack, but some elements gave me pause.

The characters' titles seemed inconsistent, wavering between "Detective" and "Agent". There were questionable tactics used during their investigation without any oversight from a superior. The main character's demeanour, an experienced agent, seemed uncertain, almost differential, as she pandered to many of her interviewees, regardless of their status. The unprofessional attitude of her partner towards his new teammate, aside from being offensive, also felt forced when, within days, they were joking together.

Then, on the other hand, the story flowed and entertained me. I read rapidly because I was excited to discover the resolution. I'm willing to read on, to uncover the overall story arc and to see if these two hotshot agents improve as they work together.

[Angela Przybylski · Rating 2 out of 5]

A fast paced book, but the writing is rather juvenile. There were several points where it felt like this was written by a high school student, if not a middle schooler. Specifically when talking about how the characters are feeling it all felt superficial and silly. Not to mention the few holes in the story. It takes place over a few days, but there were times when they said it had been weeks…? The to say the detectives used the killers rope to tie them up, but then a few sentences later the rope is “discarded on the ground”… It was nice to have something to get through as a quick read, but just meh. Not sure if I’ll continue with the rest of this series.

[Maryann Hornbaker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not so good.

I don’t believe this book was edited at all. There were so many errors in in phrasing that I had to reread many paragraphs. There was also a lot of repeated ideas. There were many unnecessary paragraphs, I skimmed many. Logic was missing in many areas.

The story line was interesting and pretty straight forward. Maeve’s new partner did 90% of the footwork and she just added some ideas. For someone trained at FBI Headquarters she does handle herself well.

All in all I found it boring and hard to read.

[Barbara Deeprose · Rating 5 out of 5]

It Kept Me Guessing!

FBI Special agent Maeve Sharp has returned to Las Vegas but before she can actually start her new job she is called in early to investigate the death of a young woman whose farther happens to be a man of great influence who wants answers like yesterday! Before Maeve can find the killer another two bodies are found. She is up against the clock the solve the case and fast, but at the same time her mother also needs her and with her brother in prison she has her hands full. I really enjoyed this book and I certainly didn't see the end coming.

[Claudete Takahashi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maeve left a profiling career at Quantico to be nearer to her family and help with her mother's failing health. She is assigned a cocky partner with a sharp sense of humor and together they'll unveil the secrets and find the culprit behind the women's murders.She will also find herself more vulnerable to her past and looking for answers regarding her sister's disappearence. Good plot, lots of action, good entertainment, the book, however, needs better proofreading.

[Jason Bradley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The idea of for this story was a good one, but the execution left much to be desired. There were questionable practices for a seasoned FBI agent and many editing errors. New partners who within a day or so were able to say things like "This isn't how he usually acts" or "I recognize her something's-not-right face". The narrator was an AI voice, which I was surprised at how well it worked but did have a few quite notable problems.

[Hannah May · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm going to preface this review with; it might be because I have read too many FBI thrillers in the past month, and I need to mix it up a bit, but I found this book lacking somewhat.

Characters were alright, background stories were alright, murder plot was alright, but that was it, just "alright." Enjoyable enough, but nothing mind-blowing. I listened whilst I mowed the lawn and did some garden work, and it kept me entertained.

[Karen Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

needs major proof reading and editing

Besides some jarring issues where the reader is jolted out of the plot cadence, the frequent repetitions and the focus of Las Vegas as a distasteful place full of losers and crime made it a tough read. Bummer cause I enjoy Las Vegas based fiction. Needed to come up with some fictional casino names too. The reference to the second casino without a name was odd.

[Graeme Hodgson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maeve Sharp was an excellent detective and was called to L.A. to solve the case of the abducted daughter of a Senator. I wonder what she was sill doing in the FBI with all her "issues" - a father who was so self-centered as to not care for his family - a mother dying from cancer -a brother in jail - and a missing sister's cold case - who left her career in the FBI for blaming herself for not solving a missing person's case - which detective ever solved all of their cases????
While the story was interesting it had a lot of slip-ups of timing and detail.
I only rated it a 2 due to the interesting aspects of the case and the fact of who the culprit was.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a stuff your kindle day purchase. I believe so anyway quick and low thrills read. We are introduced to an FBI profiler and soon there's a high profile murder.
There's not much character development, we get a snippet of her past thinking it'll tie into the main story, but it does not. Just filler.
Then we see the POV of the killer and not long after we know who it is. If you are looking for lots of twists and turns, this ain't it.

[Zilda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Do they not have book editors any more? In this book, the detectives take a suspect to a precinct in LV, leave him there in interrogation room and go out for drinks, realize something seems wrong. Rush back to the FBI field office to find he has escaped. Given he wasn’t at the field office because they took him to a precinct and they didn’t arrest him, should they have been surprised he was not there?

Come on folks, a little review of these books would be good.

[JoAnna Luth Stull · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good but an inconsistent read

Though the characters are good, they need development. As well the story line was good, but more editing would have made it better.
Additionally, more research into what skills a female FBI agent should have would improve the believability of the story.
Overall, there are too many inconsistencies for a smooth road.

[Elizabeth Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

part of the "A Maeve Sharp FBI Suspense Thriller" series. 5 books so far. out on June 20, 2023. women sleuths. suspense. i think i am new to this author. found this book on Bookbub for free. i do believe it is still free ...check it out?!?!? i love a good mystery. get to reading ... 2023 is almost over. check it out asap!! don't blink.

[Krystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked how both main characters had the same characteristics of being hard to work with - usually books only have one partner being that way. They seem to reach a spot where they can trust each other and work together well. I’m not surprised the book ended with her father asking her to find out what happened to her sister.

[Lara Bufaino · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! I couldn't stop reading and I wanted to know more about the cases that Maeve was working on and how they would develop. Also, I liked her connection with Nathan Jordan, her partner and maybe her future best friend, that accompanies her through all the investigations and difficulties in her own personal life.

[Matt Tongel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enteraining

This book could have been edited down into a short story of too much was edited out. The plot was familiar and then text relied too much on cliches of law enforcement novels. At least the dialogue was entertaining.

[Eirlys · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enthralling story

I enjoyed this story with some great characters. Maeve Sharp, A FBI
Agent, returns to Las Vegas, her hometown, because her mother is dying. It was an interesting and full of action.

[Gary Howard · Rating 2 out of 5]

No malice, only malcontent.

Dull uninspired writing . Vague scenes with vapid action. The final events at the abandoned theater were unbelievable. The gun fell across the room? Very weak writing surrounding shallow characters.

[Patty U. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read

Enjoyed this book very much. It is a fast read but it will hold your interest. There is a little twist at the end I did not see coming. Looking forward to reading more books in this series.

[Adam Denmead · Rating 5 out of 5]

great start to a thrilling series

A book you cannot stop reading from beginning to end. Twists and turns well worth reading. What a terrific ending can’t wait to read next in series.

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate books that don’t bother with proofreading.

eg: The security guard had blue eyes, and in the next paragraph he had brown eyes! Just one of a multitude of mistakes in this novel.

[Ashlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty good read. I found myself rooting for Maeve, even when she sometimes acted like she was better than Jordan in some ways. I love how quick these are to read and I’ll probably check out the next one someday soon(ish).

[Linda Vondra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Looking for my sister.

This book had a few good interesting police work about it. But, I found it a slow read and almost hard to believe, kind of forced police work. Not a good read for experienced thriller.

[Jessica Hembree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suspenseful

I enjoyed this suspenseful murder mystery story. I think I would probably read the others in this series. I'd also like to see what happens with the main character's family.

[helen roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fbi

Interesting characters that interact well together. Well thought out story line which keeps the reader intrigued and guessing till the end

[Josephine Pizzimenti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Refreshing change

This story was different to there I have read insofar as lead characters not falling for each other. A good read overall.