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Texas Rangers #2
No Escape
He Was Taught How To Kill
Even behind bars, serial killer Harvey Day Smith exudes menace. Psychologist Jolene Granger has agreed to hear his dying confession, vowing not to let the monster inside her head. And Harvey has secrets to share—about bodies that were never found, and about the apprentice who is continuing his grisly work…
And Now He’ll Teach Them
He buries his victims alive the way his mentor Harvey did, relishing their final screams as the earth rains down. And as one last gift to the only father he knew, he’ll make the most perfect kill of all.
How To Die
Everything about this investigation is unnerving Jo, from Harvey’s fascination with her to the fact that she’s working alongside Texas Ranger Brody Winchester, her ex-husband. Harvey’s protégé is growing bolder and more vicious every day. And soon the trail of shallow graves will lead them to the last place Jo expected, and to the most terrifying truth of all…
Even behind bars, serial killer Harvey Day Smith exudes menace. Psychologist Jolene Granger has agreed to hear his dying confession, vowing not to let the monster inside her head. And Harvey has secrets to share—about bodies that were never found, and about the apprentice who is continuing his grisly work…
And Now He’ll Teach Them
He buries his victims alive the way his mentor Harvey did, relishing their final screams as the earth rains down. And as one last gift to the only father he knew, he’ll make the most perfect kill of all.
How To Die
Everything about this investigation is unnerving Jo, from Harvey’s fascination with her to the fact that she’s working alongside Texas Ranger Brody Winchester, her ex-husband. Harvey’s protégé is growing bolder and more vicious every day. And soon the trail of shallow graves will lead them to the last place Jo expected, and to the most terrifying truth of all…
384 pages, ebook
First published October 29, 2013
1156 people are currently reading
2147 people want to read
About the author
Mary Burton
68 books4,064 followersMary Burton, whose latest novel is THE LIES I TOLD, loves writing suspense, getting to know her characters, keeping up with law enforcement and forensic procedure, morning walks, baking, and tiny dachshunds. She also enjoys hunting down serial killers, which she does in her New York Times and USA Today bestselling novels. Library Journal has compared her work to that of Lisa Jackson and Lisa Gardner, and Fresh Fiction likened her writing to that of James Patterson.
Mary is routinely featured among the top ten writers in Amazon’s Author Rankings for romantic suspense, thriller and mystery. Upon publication, her novels, including NEVER LOOK BACK and BURN YOU TWICE, consistently rank high on the Kindle eBooks Store Bestseller List. Her novels CUT AND RUN and YOU'RE NOT SAFE were nominated for the Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award for Romantic Suspense.
A Richmond native, Mary is the author of forty-five published novels and five novellas as Mary Burton and as Mary Ellen Taylor.
A member of International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, Novelists, Inc., and Romance Writers of America, Mary is known for creating multiple suspense stories connected by characters and/or place.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 240 reviews
February 17, 2024
This is an entertaining, well-written, romantic suspense novel. It has an intelligent, likable female protagonist, a heroic male protagonist, murder, mystery, intrigue, secrets, family drama, twists and turns, and a satisfying conclusion. This is the second entry in Ms. Burton's outstanding Texas Rangers series, and it can be read and enjoyed as a stand alone. Her loyal readers will appreciate the appearance of characters from the previous novel in the series. I listened to the audio version of this book, and the narrator, Ms. Jean Alexander, has a lovely voice and does an wonderful job depicting the characters and their personalities.
July 17, 2017
I checked out the Texas Rangers series (3 books) and read them on my vacation. Although the books stand alone, they do have characters from the previous books in them. I liked each of the books and the series. When you miss a series, it's nice to be able to quickly read the books as a set with no gaps of time.
Each of the three books was good. As always in a Mary Burton novel the suspense/mystery takes center stage and the romance is a secondary/minor plot. For me this is how I like my romantic suspense.
I liked the plot and the characters in all three of the books.
Each of the three books was good. As always in a Mary Burton novel the suspense/mystery takes center stage and the romance is a secondary/minor plot. For me this is how I like my romantic suspense.
I liked the plot and the characters in all three of the books.
January 13, 2019
Why do I do this to myself? I've learned to be wary of second chance romances are there is either 1) too long a separation (which is definitely the case in this story- 14 years) or 2) OP in the interim, which really bugs me, and seems inevitable since- refer to reason one. I've decided to blame my irrational need to read all the books in one series. In my defense, per reviews, it doesn't seem like this will trigger too much irritation and I would like to know what happened in this book since I tried skipping it and read 2.5 already, which referred to this book's MCs. Wish me luck.
Upon finishing, I have to say that this book was smartly executed. For me, a second chance romance where the MCs had been separated for fourteen years is a hard sell, so Ms. Burton couched it in a romantic suspense thriller. It took the emphasis off the romance aspect and made it a concurrent plot, without the annoying angsty inner monologues and miscommunication that inevitably comes along with second chances. The romance was actually more romantic than most of the other stories I've read by Mary Burton. That's saying a lot, since I've read quite a few of her books, and most of the romance in those have seemed like it was slapped on at the very last minute because Ms. Burton's publisher wanted it shelved under romantic suspense instead of just thriller of mystery. I liked that both the MCs moved on- the h said that she'd dated other men, but it'd been a while for her. There are couple mentions of previous girlfriends of the H, but he mentioned that he was discriminate with who he was intimate with. The MCs' slow reconciliation was realistic and quite poignant. The H made a heartfelt apology for being an idiot at 21 and the h wasn't a bitter shrew to hold onto her anger toward him. My one complaint is that I wish we saw her making him work for it a little bit more. He did make a sincere apology and try to make up for failing as a husband in the past. However, I would need more than a couple of weeks of the guy showing up when he said he would to start trusting him again. Some day to day growth would have been nice, instead of just the epilogue which occurs five months after the conclusion of the mystery.
The mystery itself was a bit easy to figure out. I still enjoyed reading it, and the boring parts of this plot were filled in by some great relationship development. I would consider this a safe read since the MCs were divorced and both of them had moved on. The H didn't seem like a manho and the h wasn't a doormat.
Upon finishing, I have to say that this book was smartly executed. For me, a second chance romance where the MCs had been separated for fourteen years is a hard sell, so Ms. Burton couched it in a romantic suspense thriller. It took the emphasis off the romance aspect and made it a concurrent plot, without the annoying angsty inner monologues and miscommunication that inevitably comes along with second chances. The romance was actually more romantic than most of the other stories I've read by Mary Burton. That's saying a lot, since I've read quite a few of her books, and most of the romance in those have seemed like it was slapped on at the very last minute because Ms. Burton's publisher wanted it shelved under romantic suspense instead of just thriller of mystery. I liked that both the MCs moved on- the h said that she'd dated other men, but it'd been a while for her. There are couple mentions of previous girlfriends of the H, but he mentioned that he was discriminate with who he was intimate with. The MCs' slow reconciliation was realistic and quite poignant. The H made a heartfelt apology for being an idiot at 21 and the h wasn't a bitter shrew to hold onto her anger toward him. My one complaint is that I wish we saw her making him work for it a little bit more. He did make a sincere apology and try to make up for failing as a husband in the past. However, I would need more than a couple of weeks of the guy showing up when he said he would to start trusting him again. Some day to day growth would have been nice, instead of just the epilogue which occurs five months after the conclusion of the mystery.
The mystery itself was a bit easy to figure out. I still enjoyed reading it, and the boring parts of this plot were filled in by some great relationship development. I would consider this a safe read since the MCs were divorced and both of them had moved on. The H didn't seem like a manho and the h wasn't a doormat.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2018
Dr. Jolene Granger is mysteriously summonsed to interview Harvey Smith, an imprisoned serial killer dying of cancer. This reunites her with Texas Ranger Brody Winchester, who she was once married to 15 years earlier, but the marriage broke apart because of a miscarriage. It seems that Smith's apprentice, his foster son Robbie, is still out there, and he's killing in the same way as Smith to try and make his father proud.
This took me a long time to read, partly because I've been quite busy with other things, but also because it never really interested me enough to come back to it during my spare moments. In fact, you could say that I forced myself to finish it! While the book had a lot going on, it still felt like all that busyness was there to try and cover up the fact that this actually had quite a thin plot, and Burton needed to pad it out into a full length novel.
This otherwise simple tale of a serial killer's apprentice burying young women alive is padded out with an unnecessary subplot involving Aaron Drayton, a suspect in his wife's murder, stalking Jo. When all is said and done, none of that needs to be here. There's also a wedding ceremony that just goes on and on and on and on, and an unnecessary visit to Brody's parents. As you would expect, a majority of time is spent on Brody and Jo dealing with their past.
In that regard, Burton did better than usual. Often, her books have the hero being a complete asshole to the heroine, for totally absurd reasons, or for no discernible reason at all. Here, Brody and Jo's past informed their characters. It made any tension between them believable. And unlike most of Burton's other heroes, Brody actually wasn't an asshole. I liked that he was still looking to make amends for the past and owning up to his mistakes. His Texas Ranger partner Rick Santos was a complete turd, though. I can't remember if he got his own book. Maybe I blanked it out.
However, this was a pretty flat effort that never really pulled me in, as evidenced by the fact I started it on 24 February 2018 and didn't finish it until 9 March!
This took me a long time to read, partly because I've been quite busy with other things, but also because it never really interested me enough to come back to it during my spare moments. In fact, you could say that I forced myself to finish it! While the book had a lot going on, it still felt like all that busyness was there to try and cover up the fact that this actually had quite a thin plot, and Burton needed to pad it out into a full length novel.
This otherwise simple tale of a serial killer's apprentice burying young women alive is padded out with an unnecessary subplot involving Aaron Drayton, a suspect in his wife's murder, stalking Jo. When all is said and done, none of that needs to be here. There's also a wedding ceremony that just goes on and on and on and on, and an unnecessary visit to Brody's parents. As you would expect, a majority of time is spent on Brody and Jo dealing with their past.
In that regard, Burton did better than usual. Often, her books have the hero being a complete asshole to the heroine, for totally absurd reasons, or for no discernible reason at all. Here, Brody and Jo's past informed their characters. It made any tension between them believable. And unlike most of Burton's other heroes, Brody actually wasn't an asshole. I liked that he was still looking to make amends for the past and owning up to his mistakes. His Texas Ranger partner Rick Santos was a complete turd, though. I can't remember if he got his own book. Maybe I blanked it out.
However, this was a pretty flat effort that never really pulled me in, as evidenced by the fact I started it on 24 February 2018 and didn't finish it until 9 March!
October 8, 2013
This one did not blow me away, but it was plenty good enough to keep my interest throughout the story. There were several twists, at least one of which was a little too easy to anticipate. The bad guys are vile, the good guys are likeable.
What the author did best here was to convey the awkwardness between the protagonists, Brody Winchester (fun name for a Texas Ranger!) and Dr. Jo Granger, a police psychologist. Briefly wed to each other fresh out of college, the marriage was over in a trice and it ended badly. Jo has shunned any serious relationship since the divorce and lives with her three cats, all former strays and all looking a little rough. Great names for them, too - Atticus, a 16 pound orange cat who has honed his glare to a fine art, the shy and cautious Shakespeare, and Mrs. Ramsey, a small gray purring machine. Jo thinks her ex-husband sees her as a cloistered nerd, but doesn't feel she has much room to really argue the point. The spark is still there between the two of them, of course, despite the fourteen years that have passed with no contact. They will have to work together to uncover secrets and find a budding serial killer.
This was a first-reads giveaway, thank you.
What the author did best here was to convey the awkwardness between the protagonists, Brody Winchester (fun name for a Texas Ranger!) and Dr. Jo Granger, a police psychologist. Briefly wed to each other fresh out of college, the marriage was over in a trice and it ended badly. Jo has shunned any serious relationship since the divorce and lives with her three cats, all former strays and all looking a little rough. Great names for them, too - Atticus, a 16 pound orange cat who has honed his glare to a fine art, the shy and cautious Shakespeare, and Mrs. Ramsey, a small gray purring machine. Jo thinks her ex-husband sees her as a cloistered nerd, but doesn't feel she has much room to really argue the point. The spark is still there between the two of them, of course, despite the fourteen years that have passed with no contact. They will have to work together to uncover secrets and find a budding serial killer.
This was a first-reads giveaway, thank you.
August 24, 2021
Good story and well written as usual with this author. Serial killer book. Lots of red herrings and for a change I was wrong about the whodunnit. I will say the person was on my radar a couple of times. Good main characters that were briefly married when they were young 14 years before. I liked that premise. He’s a Texas Ranger and she’s a psychologist he’s working a case with. Recommended! 4.25 stars!
September 19, 2023
Started slow- But the last chapters were the best. The narrator was okay - but I found myself not listening sometimes because she was a bit hard to listen to. Not a big fan of her southern accents- Everyone sounded the same.
February 20, 2017
4.5 Stars! I really enjoyed this suspenseful romance by Mary Burton. It can easily be read as a stand alone book. I really enjoyed both Jo and Brody's characters and thought the author did a great job of showing us the complex feelings and awkwardness between them when they first meet up again after 14 years. The romance was definitely secondary to the suspense but still played a strong roll in the book and I liked that Brody took full ownership of the fact that he was a jerk to Jo when they were married as young adults. Jo was a strong, smart female who didn't instantly fall back into a romantic relationship with Brody even though they were still very attracted to each other. I liked that Brody had to earn her trust and prove that she could depend on him. As far as the suspense storyline went - I thought that was done very well. The author gave us just enough clues/suspects to have a good idea of who the killer was without making it obvious. I love a good serial killer suspense book and a second chance romance so putting the two of them together made this a fantastic book. I look forward to Book 3 in the series.
October 12, 2024
This is my personal 5 star rating system because I’m too lazy to write a review for every book.
5 stars -> OMFG. I couldn’t stop listening. I was engaged from beginning to end. The story & narrator was amazing. I 100% recommend this book & author. I was able to clearly follow each and every character.
4 stars -> It was pretty good. I would’ve rated 5 stars, But either the ending was lacking, I struggled to keep up with characters, or the story didn’t keep me fully engaged. The narrator was pretty good as well. I’m on the fence about recommending this book, It could go either way.
3 Stars -> It was boring at times & I missed chunks of the story. I most likely struggled to keep up with character developments. The only way I would recommend this book is if it was part of a series. The narrator was most likely average or just couldn’t fix a mediocre book.
2 Stars -> It was pretty horrible. I used it as background noise because I hadn’t had a chance to search for another book. The book either had a bad narrator, The character development was non existent, or the story was hot garbage. I would not recommend this book.
1 Star -> The absolute only reason I listened to this book was because i had no time to search for another one & I needed background noise. It was 1 step up from listening to the radio. I wouldn’t recommend this book to my worst enemy. Everything about this book was terrible. This is only recommended for people on death row and have absolutely nothing else to read.
5 stars -> OMFG. I couldn’t stop listening. I was engaged from beginning to end. The story & narrator was amazing. I 100% recommend this book & author. I was able to clearly follow each and every character.
4 stars -> It was pretty good. I would’ve rated 5 stars, But either the ending was lacking, I struggled to keep up with characters, or the story didn’t keep me fully engaged. The narrator was pretty good as well. I’m on the fence about recommending this book, It could go either way.
3 Stars -> It was boring at times & I missed chunks of the story. I most likely struggled to keep up with character developments. The only way I would recommend this book is if it was part of a series. The narrator was most likely average or just couldn’t fix a mediocre book.
2 Stars -> It was pretty horrible. I used it as background noise because I hadn’t had a chance to search for another book. The book either had a bad narrator, The character development was non existent, or the story was hot garbage. I would not recommend this book.
1 Star -> The absolute only reason I listened to this book was because i had no time to search for another one & I needed background noise. It was 1 step up from listening to the radio. I wouldn’t recommend this book to my worst enemy. Everything about this book was terrible. This is only recommended for people on death row and have absolutely nothing else to read.
October 18, 2019
I got this book at a library sale not expecting much from it, but man was I surprised. I loved the writing. It was so fun and engaging. I love the characters and the plot. It was perfect. I could predict a lot of the twist before they happened but the “big reveal” still surprised me. Y’all need to put down your new releases and pick up this back list book and then pick up Burtons new book Christmas Past that I got a early copy of and want to start right now!
August 22, 2018
Love a good mystery that holds your attention to the end.
October 7, 2024
Well it kept me entertained. I hate the rush “romance” which boils down to a few pages. I think the epilogue is unnecessary as it’s hard to swallow given the romance was more off the page than on.
I guessed the killer(s). Though the red hearings did bring my alternatives to the forefront.
The timeline seemed to be off in the explanation from the killer. How old he was in relation to Joe and the time spent apprenticing didn’t add up to how he said the killer spoke about events in a certain someone’s life.
Overall a decent book. The narrator was pretty good.
I guessed the killer(s). Though the red hearings did bring my alternatives to the forefront.
The timeline seemed to be off in the explanation from the killer. How old he was in relation to Joe and the time spent apprenticing didn’t add up to how he said the killer spoke about events in a certain someone’s life.
Overall a decent book. The narrator was pretty good.
November 18, 2014
This is my first read by Mary Burton. Met her at the Florida Writers Association Conference. Very nice lady. Hard to believe she writes the type of books she does. You won't know it if you met her, but she likes serial killers. Not just serial killers but sadistic serial killers. In this one, the man kills women by burying them alive.
I loved the book. Good story line. Would definitely read more of her books. The suspense wasn't edge of your seat, but overall the story line kept me reading.
Graphic sex and curse words for those who would be offended.
I loved the book. Good story line. Would definitely read more of her books. The suspense wasn't edge of your seat, but overall the story line kept me reading.
Graphic sex and curse words for those who would be offended.
March 21, 2022
A young psychologist Dr. Jolene Granger has been summoned to hear the dying confession of a notorious serial killer Harvey Lee Smith (he buried his victims alive). one of his secrets is about his apprentice. From the initial request to Dr. Granger, she is a long side her ex from 14 years' ago - Texas Ranger Brody Winchester. The book does keep you reading but there is some predictability in why Smith contacted Dr. Granger and Dr. Granger's past with the Texas Ranger. There are some twists and turns to determining who is the apprentice.
May 17, 2022
I'm not usually a fan of second chance romances but this one worked for me. The circumstances of their breakup and the growth of the leads in the time since plus their willingness to admit their mistakes worked. I figured out the villain but there were still some surprises. I liked it.
April 8, 2025
I’ve never had an author who could surprise me and get me questioning where it was going but this is great
April 26, 2019
A thrilling suspense thriller! Mary Burton is fast becoming a favorite author. The serial killer in this book is chilling, and the plot twisting. (In fact one night I actually had a nightmare based on this book. That rarely happens).
If you like chills, thrills, and a suspenseful plot, I recommend this book.
If you like chills, thrills, and a suspenseful plot, I recommend this book.
November 24, 2021
You gotta love those Texas Rangers! This plot involved many players and kept you on edge. The interaction between the characters was real and played well connecting them.
December 2, 2013
Serial killer, Harvey Day Smith is a notorious killer. Even with his last few days until his execution, he is pulling all the strings. He knows the location of a few of his victims graves. HE is willing to share his secrets but he will only talk to one person. Her name is Jolene Granger. She is a psychologist.
Texas Ranger, Brody Winchester is wiling to do anything to help the families of Harvey's victims. That even means working with his ex-wife, Jo.
It has been a little while since I have read a book by this author. I put this author up there with Lisa Jackson. While is a good thing. While I am always in the mood for a romantic suspense novel, this book was just alright for me. The chemistry between Jo and Brody did not do it for me. I felt like the past did hold them back some and then the fact that Jo could forgive Brody so easily for what he did bugged me. I so wanted Jo to be a hard, independent woman. She was not that woman. She needed a guy.
The killer started out weak for me. Having a conscience does not really work if you plan to be a serial killer. That is why serial killers are so scary because they do not care. So by this one having a conscience, it made him not as ominous. Plus, I wanted more suspense. This book was fairly predictable.
Texas Ranger, Brody Winchester is wiling to do anything to help the families of Harvey's victims. That even means working with his ex-wife, Jo.
It has been a little while since I have read a book by this author. I put this author up there with Lisa Jackson. While is a good thing. While I am always in the mood for a romantic suspense novel, this book was just alright for me. The chemistry between Jo and Brody did not do it for me. I felt like the past did hold them back some and then the fact that Jo could forgive Brody so easily for what he did bugged me. I so wanted Jo to be a hard, independent woman. She was not that woman. She needed a guy.
The killer started out weak for me. Having a conscience does not really work if you plan to be a serial killer. That is why serial killers are so scary because they do not care. So by this one having a conscience, it made him not as ominous. Plus, I wanted more suspense. This book was fairly predictable.
November 19, 2013
No Escape is just how I like my suspense/thrillers...to start off with a bang and maintain the momentum until the end. Halfway through I figured out who the apprentice was but it didn't keep me from enjoying the rest of the storyline. If you're looking for a fast/easy read, that you will having you dangling on the edge of your seat and wanting to read it in one sitting, then I recommend No Escape.
September 8, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. The author is local to me and I saw her interviewed on a local station and then looked on Goodreads, only to find that her books receive great reviews! I've been looking for another good mystery writer and I think I have found one! The writing is excellent and the development of the characters was done extremely well. She kept me guessing until the bitter end.
November 20, 2015
Decent plot and interesting premise but once again the dialogue feels stiff and honestly the plot is pretty much a repeat of her last book. The characters feel forced and there are several gaps in the writing like she started writing one scene, changed it later on, and didn't edit it entirely. I would suggest a new editor, a new plot line, and more research on police procedure.
November 27, 2016
Nett und einfach zu lesen, aber wirklich sehr vorhersehbar. Für mich zumindest.
March 17, 2023
The last couple of days I ended up heading to Auckland for a concert and took the bus which means of course, I ended up having time to relax and read on the journey I know it sounds weird haha, but I relaxed by reading a murder mystery about being buried alive which I have to admit besides being burned alive, would be one of the worst ways to go. In this book, we first met our characters ten years prior and a serial killer named Harvey is trying to teach his son Robbie how to be a man with his first kill. At this moment, Harvey also mentions a bit about his daughter who we haven't met, and how she would love the bluebonnet fields. The next thing we know is that Harvey Day Smith ends up arrested and Robbie off in the wind. The book then jumps to the present time where Harvey is dying and on his deathbed has promised an interview with the Texas Ranger Brody Winchester and therapist Dr. Jolene Granger. For the pair, they haven't seen each other in fourteen years - the last time was when they signed their divorce papers. Now they are back face2face and in the presence of a serial killer and his apprentice. However, for Jolene, this isn't just any usual serial killer as she will learn he has a connection to her family which will leave Jolene questioning her life and choices. This was a fun read with mysteries, murder, and being buried alive and it won't just be family secrets being unearthed in No Escape by Mary Burton.
July 27, 2024
Granger doesn't think, rationalize, and analyze things in a psychologist's perspective. She's shit at reading people. She doesn't even give me psychologist vibe (this is coming from a woman in STEM profession with deep fascination in dark psychology and criminal profiling). I think I would've forgotten about her career if not for the constant reminder of how "good" and "excellent" she was (not an ounce of sharp intelligence came from her throughout the book) She's too unremarkable for me to even give a shit about her or her internal problems.
That ranger dude pissed me off. He's sexist, condescending, arrogant, controlling, and an entitled ego-centric man. I can't stand him. God if a man like that is around me, I'll develop anger issues and violent tendencies.
The plot was mid, the supposed antagonists were lame and the overall storyline was boring.
This is one of the books who liked to tell instead of showing their readers. They keep telling us how "evil", "manipulative", and "expert at deception" the antagonist was but all I got was being bored as fck.He and his son were freaking clowns. Lame as fck too. The author kept telling us that the protagonists are "intelligent" and "competent" but all I saw was two annoying people who had fck when they were in their early 20s and still have hang-ups with each other.
That ranger dude pissed me off. He's sexist, condescending, arrogant, controlling, and an entitled ego-centric man. I can't stand him. God if a man like that is around me, I'll develop anger issues and violent tendencies.
The plot was mid, the supposed antagonists were lame and the overall storyline was boring.
This is one of the books who liked to tell instead of showing their readers. They keep telling us how "evil", "manipulative", and "expert at deception" the antagonist was but all I got was being bored as fck.He and his son were freaking clowns. Lame as fck too. The author kept telling us that the protagonists are "intelligent" and "competent" but all I saw was two annoying people who had fck when they were in their early 20s and still have hang-ups with each other.
December 4, 2021
Texas Ranger Brody Winchester is newly arrived in Austin and finds his ex-wife Jo Granger assisting him on the latest case. Sadistic killer Harvey Smith is in prison and dying of cancer and has requested a meeting with Jo. Smith is a conniving bastard and Brody is determined that he will accompany Jo in the meeting. He gives details on three women he killed and police converge on the area and find four skeletons, one of which is relatively new. The woman is identified and police believe that Smith's apprentice is at work but who is he?
Smith had told Jo to look inside herself. She does and realizes she always felt out of sync with the rest of her family and wonders if Smith could be her biological father. Her mother won't tell her and is soon found almost comatose. Jo gets her to the hospital in time. It takes questions from Brody for Jo's mother to tell what really happened between her and Smith.
Jo and Brody had been married too young and the miscarriage ended it. It's been fourteen years but there is still attraction between them. Jo doesn't want to admit it but she feels safer with Brody and he feels protective toward her.
It took awhile to find out who the apprentice was as there were several possibles. A great book.
Smith had told Jo to look inside herself. She does and realizes she always felt out of sync with the rest of her family and wonders if Smith could be her biological father. Her mother won't tell her and is soon found almost comatose. Jo gets her to the hospital in time. It takes questions from Brody for Jo's mother to tell what really happened between her and Smith.
Jo and Brody had been married too young and the miscarriage ended it. It's been fourteen years but there is still attraction between them. Jo doesn't want to admit it but she feels safer with Brody and he feels protective toward her.
It took awhile to find out who the apprentice was as there were several possibles. A great book.
February 28, 2025
This was a great thriller/police procedural. I listened to the audio version of this book as well and can say the narration was so much better than book one. While it wasn’t my favorite narration I was a least shocked when the antagonist was finally unveiled. My jaw dropped with that revelation; I had one guy pegged as Robbie from the beginning and I was 100% wrong. 😂
No Escape follows Brodie Winchester and Dr. Jolene “Jo” Granger has they attempt to find one of Texas’ most notorious serial killers apprentice. Harvey Smith is dying and he is only willing to reveal his secrets to one person Jo Granger; and with this meeting comes a whole slew of questions for Jo. Is she somehow linked to Harvey in some way? She’s always felt like the black sheep of her family.
But not only does she have to deal with Harvey and the number of mysterious packages from Harvey or someone trying really hard to appear as him; she has to work alongside Brodie Winchester - her ex-husband. And that comes with a whole different set of difficulties, because while Brodie and Jo’s marriage was short they had quite the history.
I can certainly say I enjoyed this book. It was a quick, easy listen and the twist at the end came out of nowhere. I will definitely be listening/reading book 3.
No Escape follows Brodie Winchester and Dr. Jolene “Jo” Granger has they attempt to find one of Texas’ most notorious serial killers apprentice. Harvey Smith is dying and he is only willing to reveal his secrets to one person Jo Granger; and with this meeting comes a whole slew of questions for Jo. Is she somehow linked to Harvey in some way? She’s always felt like the black sheep of her family.
But not only does she have to deal with Harvey and the number of mysterious packages from Harvey or someone trying really hard to appear as him; she has to work alongside Brodie Winchester - her ex-husband. And that comes with a whole different set of difficulties, because while Brodie and Jo’s marriage was short they had quite the history.
I can certainly say I enjoyed this book. It was a quick, easy listen and the twist at the end came out of nowhere. I will definitely be listening/reading book 3.
March 15, 2018
Needs an editor for continuity, i.e. 45% through the book “With trembling hands, she reached in her purse for a cigarette and lighter. Remembering a smoking ban, she tucked both back in her pocket.” About a page later, “Two more puffs on the cigarette. “Didn’t think about it. He was a regular.”” No mention of her pulling out the cigarette and lighter again, but more mentions of smoking. Also, 46% through, “This book was full. A search of the room didn’t uncover another book, but he guessed by the threadbare nature of the first, Hanna had carried the notebook with her when she worked. The current book would be with her now.” No mention of any possessions on the girl anywhere in the pages. When she was picked up there was no mention of a purse and she tucked her money in her shoe. Hard to keep a book and pen on her without pockets or a purse.
Other than these inconsistencies, the book was a good read. I figured out pretty fast who the bad guy was, which is unusual for me, but the drama and suspense of the story kept me hooked. I'm enjoying the series so far.
Other than these inconsistencies, the book was a good read. I figured out pretty fast who the bad guy was, which is unusual for me, but the drama and suspense of the story kept me hooked. I'm enjoying the series so far.
January 22, 2021
He Was Taught How To Kill
Even behind bars, serial killer Harvey Day Smith exudes menace. Psychologist Jolene Granger has agreed to hear his dying confession, vowing not to let the monster inside her head. And Harvey has secrets to share—about bodies that were never found, and about the apprentice who is continuing his grisly work…
And Now He’ll Teach Them
He buries his victims alive the way his mentor Harvey did, relishing their final screams as the earth rains down. And as one last gift to the only father he knew, he’ll make the most perfect kill of all.
How To Die
Everything about this investigation is unnerving Jo, from Harvey’s fascination with her to the fact that she’s working alongside Texas Ranger Brody Winchester, her ex-husband. Harvey’s protégé is growing bolder and more vicious every day. And soon the trail of shallow graves will lead them to the last place Jo expected, and to the most terrifying truth of all…
Even behind bars, serial killer Harvey Day Smith exudes menace. Psychologist Jolene Granger has agreed to hear his dying confession, vowing not to let the monster inside her head. And Harvey has secrets to share—about bodies that were never found, and about the apprentice who is continuing his grisly work…
And Now He’ll Teach Them
He buries his victims alive the way his mentor Harvey did, relishing their final screams as the earth rains down. And as one last gift to the only father he knew, he’ll make the most perfect kill of all.
How To Die
Everything about this investigation is unnerving Jo, from Harvey’s fascination with her to the fact that she’s working alongside Texas Ranger Brody Winchester, her ex-husband. Harvey’s protégé is growing bolder and more vicious every day. And soon the trail of shallow graves will lead them to the last place Jo expected, and to the most terrifying truth of all…
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