What do you think?
Rate this book
Riley Walker #1
Justifiable
Children are missing, adults are being murdered and a city is on the brink of exploding. The key to saving lives is a secret whispered in confession.
Once a beloved, award-winning investigative journalist, Riley Walker now anchors for a television station rated the worst in Philadelphia. That’s how it works when a top newsman makes an epic mistake in front of the whole world. The busier Riley stays, the less he thinks about the one decision that will haunt him forever. His vow? Never get involved again. That works until a killer uses Riley’s past against him, and targets a child the world has forgotten. Riley is the only one who can save him, but when Riley digs deep for the truth, he uncovers evidence fingering a powerful player no one will believe is guilty. Dangerous politics pit Riley against a serial killer, and threaten all he’s fought to regain
To save the life of a child and stop a killer on a savage murder spree, Riley must fight an enemy far greater than the tide of public anger rolling against him. He’ll have to face his own demons, and the horror of the child who died because the last time…Riley was wrong.
Once a beloved, award-winning investigative journalist, Riley Walker now anchors for a television station rated the worst in Philadelphia. That’s how it works when a top newsman makes an epic mistake in front of the whole world. The busier Riley stays, the less he thinks about the one decision that will haunt him forever. His vow? Never get involved again. That works until a killer uses Riley’s past against him, and targets a child the world has forgotten. Riley is the only one who can save him, but when Riley digs deep for the truth, he uncovers evidence fingering a powerful player no one will believe is guilty. Dangerous politics pit Riley against a serial killer, and threaten all he’s fought to regain
To save the life of a child and stop a killer on a savage murder spree, Riley must fight an enemy far greater than the tide of public anger rolling against him. He’ll have to face his own demons, and the horror of the child who died because the last time…Riley was wrong.
392 pages, Paperback
First published December 17, 2012
3 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
About the author
Dianna Love
79 books603 followersNew York Times best seller Dianna Love always liked to do things big…and still does. After spending many years traveling across country to create unusual marketing projects for Fortune 500 company, she’s now released her energetic muse on creating high-octane romantic thriller stories and urban fantasy. Her first book won the prestigious RITA® Award (as Dianna Love Snell) and she now has a new Slye Temp romantic thriller series with the most recent being DECEPTIVE TREASURES. Dianna also writes the NYT Bestselling Belador urban fantasy series and book 5 - DEMON STORM, will be available Oct 20, 2014
When not speaking at national and international events throughout the year, Dianna lives in the metro Atlanta area with her motorcycle-instructor husband and a tank full of unruly saltwater fish named after celebrities. For more on Dianna visit http://www.authordiannalove.com and "Dianna Love Fan Page" on Facebook.
When not speaking at national and international events throughout the year, Dianna lives in the metro Atlanta area with her motorcycle-instructor husband and a tank full of unruly saltwater fish named after celebrities. For more on Dianna visit http://www.authordiannalove.com and "Dianna Love Fan Page" on Facebook.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 14, 2013
A nice mystery with some good characters. I thought Riley was a terrific character - no one, including the reader, expected to like or sympathize with him but as we all gradually got to know him, he turns out to be a really good guy. A few turns in the mystery surprised me - and the whole tale was very engrossing, will definitely look for the next one!
August 16, 2014
This story starts out a bit slowly, but picks up steam about a quarter of the way in.
Full review in March 2013 issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Full review in March 2013 issue of InD'tale Magazine.
April 21, 2013
Justifiable is a thriller written by the writing team of Dianna Love and Wes Sarginson. This is the first book in their Riley Walker series, and it is a great start.
Riley Walker is our hero, who a once respected journalist who is going through a tough time, due a tragic incident that cost him dearly a few years earlier. Riley works for the local tv station, and is in danger of losing this job. But a serial killer is now loose, and for whatever reason, the killer uses Riley to reveal clues. Does this serial killer have anything to do with Riley’s past?
This is a murder mystery thriller through every page, as Riley and a great group of characters created by Love and Sarginson, try to quickly find the killer before he or she strikes again. Love’s wonderful writing, great characterization, and Sarginson’s experience in the investigative world makes this a story that is suspenseful, filled with surprises and twist, and non stop action. Just when you think you know who the murder is, something else happens and you start doubting yourself.
I really liked Riley, who makes a wonderful hero; someone despite his being down, is still confident and strong enough to rise up and fight to find the killer, and save a child’s life. Some of the other wonderful characters are: Riley’s cameraman, Biddy; Kirsten, the DA Investigator, who was a thorn in Riley’s life, but things started to look up nearer to the end; and the detective in charge, JT. I had hoped there would be a possible romance between Riley and Kirsten, but in this book we did not go that far. Besides the murder mystery, the story has a mix of political interference, as well a religious tone using the church, confessions, and a possible visit by the pope.
Without revealing any spoilers, the tense ending brings danger, as a surprise and climatic ending has you sitting on the edge of your seat. I could not put the book down as we came thundering down to the final end. Excellent start to a new hero to follow, in this mystery thriller.
Barb
Riley Walker is our hero, who a once respected journalist who is going through a tough time, due a tragic incident that cost him dearly a few years earlier. Riley works for the local tv station, and is in danger of losing this job. But a serial killer is now loose, and for whatever reason, the killer uses Riley to reveal clues. Does this serial killer have anything to do with Riley’s past?
This is a murder mystery thriller through every page, as Riley and a great group of characters created by Love and Sarginson, try to quickly find the killer before he or she strikes again. Love’s wonderful writing, great characterization, and Sarginson’s experience in the investigative world makes this a story that is suspenseful, filled with surprises and twist, and non stop action. Just when you think you know who the murder is, something else happens and you start doubting yourself.
I really liked Riley, who makes a wonderful hero; someone despite his being down, is still confident and strong enough to rise up and fight to find the killer, and save a child’s life. Some of the other wonderful characters are: Riley’s cameraman, Biddy; Kirsten, the DA Investigator, who was a thorn in Riley’s life, but things started to look up nearer to the end; and the detective in charge, JT. I had hoped there would be a possible romance between Riley and Kirsten, but in this book we did not go that far. Besides the murder mystery, the story has a mix of political interference, as well a religious tone using the church, confessions, and a possible visit by the pope.
Without revealing any spoilers, the tense ending brings danger, as a surprise and climatic ending has you sitting on the edge of your seat. I could not put the book down as we came thundering down to the final end. Excellent start to a new hero to follow, in this mystery thriller.
Barb
March 20, 2013
This is one of the better murder mysteries I've read so far this year, maybe the best.
Riley Walker is a journalist who's haunted by his past and starts receiving calls from a killer, a killer who turns out to be a deranged serial killer. Conflict with District Attorney Investigator Kirsten Massey ensues as the pair attempt to resolve the case with differing motivations. Add in political meddling, a church who doesn't wish to be drawn into any controversy and a suspect looking priest and you have the basics of the storyline.
Enjoyable, good pace, plenty of mystery and best of all the culprit was not at all predictable, nor was the resolution implausible - once it became apparently whom was responsible all the pieces fit together realistically.
Would read again and would read the second book if/when it comes out.
Riley Walker is a journalist who's haunted by his past and starts receiving calls from a killer, a killer who turns out to be a deranged serial killer. Conflict with District Attorney Investigator Kirsten Massey ensues as the pair attempt to resolve the case with differing motivations. Add in political meddling, a church who doesn't wish to be drawn into any controversy and a suspect looking priest and you have the basics of the storyline.
Enjoyable, good pace, plenty of mystery and best of all the culprit was not at all predictable, nor was the resolution implausible - once it became apparently whom was responsible all the pieces fit together realistically.
Would read again and would read the second book if/when it comes out.
May 25, 2013
I remember watch Wes Sarginson on the evening news, so I love that his extensive experience translates into such a believable character as Riley Walker, a disgraced news anchor in need of redemption. Combining this with Dianna Love's gift for non-stop action makes for a great read. One of the things I appreciated in this story was that the villain wasn't obvious. I hate it when I guess the "who-dun-it" right out of the box. Wasn't the case here. Right down to the wire, I was guessing, all the while rooting for Riley to save a missing child and hopefully find a way to forgive himself for his past failure.
April 7, 2013
Justifiable was tons of fun to read. It has a tight plot, plenty of suspense and enough boy-meets-girl attraction. I have to say I enjoyed the good guys versus the bad guys. It picks up when Riley Walker gets a tip that there's a corpse on the lawn of a prominent Philadelphia Judge. It follows the ace reporter through the various twists and turns of the investigation. Thanks, Dianna, I like reading about good guys who really are the good guys.
July 10, 2013
I haven't read too many thrillers lately. Haven't found any that truly draw me in. But I love Dianna's writing style so it was a no brainier to give it a try. My mother and I both loved it and couldn't put it down....question is when is book 2!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews