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JP Warner #1
Officer Jones
Do you like your reporters old school? Fearless, willing to risk their life for the truth, and a bit complicated?Then JP Warner is your man.JP is the dashing international correspondent for GNZ News, who appears to have it all. But a life-changing event causes him to leave the industry and his globetrotting lifestyle, to seek solace in the small Connecticut town he'd grown up in.Home is where the heart is (specifically his lost love, Gwen Delaney), but it's also where his worst nightmare is lurking. And when JP peers into the eyes of Officer Jones, he recognizes the look, and the trouble it represents.Along with Gwen, and an unforgettable cast of characters, including the outrageous but lovable former pro wrestler Coldblooded Carter, JP races to cover the biggest story of his life. All while trying to save Jones' next victim. Because this one is personal.This fast-paced thriller is full of mystery, suspense, and romance. But the biggest praise has been for the genuine, memorable characters that suck you in and keep the pages turning well past your bedtime.Read Officer Jones because you'll love JP. Read it because you'll hate him. Read it because you'll want to find out what happens to him next!
388 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 7, 2012
369 people are currently reading
811 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
December 29, 2013
It's books like this that keep me on my toes! There are more than 40 characters, and you must stay alert to keep tract of them. We go from scene to scene, and place to place, at times without transition or warning. Some reviewers may say the book needs some editing. Do NOT drink and drive ! ! !
January 10, 2014
Gripping
I'm always happy to find a free download that is not only well written, but hard to tear myself away from! Solid writing and relatable characters that you can't help but like in spite of their sass. This is a book I might add to my shelves.
I'm always happy to find a free download that is not only well written, but hard to tear myself away from! Solid writing and relatable characters that you can't help but like in spite of their sass. This is a book I might add to my shelves.
July 18, 2022
This ended up being a pretty good book, although it took until the middle of the book to really get going. I really had to work at it to finish the book because it seemed to go on forever!
September 25, 2013
This on started off weird and almost shut me out completely. I was so thrown by the beginning third of the novel which was just littered with pop culture references like batman and robin, pearl jam, nirvava, and many other obscure references I almost put this down since it seemed like there was really no true story. Though there was some wit and humor in some of the obscureness in the book. Finally though a plot and story grew out of the battles of wits between JP and Officer Jones that did draw my interest, the obscure references still continued, but were much less intrusive into the story.
The story takes off when the brash worldwide phenom of a news reporter is finally brought back down to reality when he comes back home and really begins to see and understand there is more to world than just him, and old memories open up old wounds that were never left behind. The story also goes to show you that even if you try to run from who you are, it is as not easy to forget who you are.
"But that's life in a nutshell- a few monumental moments, surrounded by a lot of mundane time where we wait for the next fleeting moment of grandeur"
The story takes off when the brash worldwide phenom of a news reporter is finally brought back down to reality when he comes back home and really begins to see and understand there is more to world than just him, and old memories open up old wounds that were never left behind. The story also goes to show you that even if you try to run from who you are, it is as not easy to forget who you are.
"But that's life in a nutshell- a few monumental moments, surrounded by a lot of mundane time where we wait for the next fleeting moment of grandeur"
September 13, 2016
Good story.
Very successful report comes back home, recovering from his injuries. He wants to expose vigilante police officer. Good plot, but I had a hard time trying to figure out what "present" date was, all the other past dates was clearly written.
Very successful report comes back home, recovering from his injuries. He wants to expose vigilante police officer. Good plot, but I had a hard time trying to figure out what "present" date was, all the other past dates was clearly written.
March 14, 2013
An interesting plot but also a very confusing one and it took me sometime to get into the story. At first I couldn't understand the connections and I kept losing track of who was who.
January 22, 2023
This was dire. J P Warner is an international reporter for a global news channel, he likes taking risks and the salary which comes with them. He goes home to Connecticut I think it was and finds himself becoming involved in hit and run deaths and thinks they are the work of a serial murderer. It all looked so good in the blurb but the reality for me was I just couldn't get into the story. I disliked Warner from the start, found it all rather confusing at first and got about possibly a third of the way through and thought why am I reading this drivel? So, stopped reading and deleted it from my kindle. Peace at last!
June 22, 2017
I enjoyed this book because the protagonist has a journalism background, and other characters have ties to South Carolina, where I grew up. However, the characters weren't much more than caricatures: stereotypical, cartoon-ish, and not deep or well-developed. I kept with it because it was light and entertaining, but I wouldn't read it again nor really recommend it.
October 26, 2017
Kept my attention!
It has been a while since an author has kept my attention all the way through a book. Usually, I skip to the end after about 75 pages. Officer Jones get me reading to the end.
It has been a while since an author has kept my attention all the way through a book. Usually, I skip to the end after about 75 pages. Officer Jones get me reading to the end.
April 25, 2020
This is a decent read about a TV reporter and a story very close to home.
It includes friendship, love, stolen identities, families and a bad cop in the story. I would not br averse to reading more of this author's work
It includes friendship, love, stolen identities, families and a bad cop in the story. I would not br averse to reading more of this author's work
July 6, 2022
Body double
Clever switch with the main culprit assuming another identity. Twisted reasons to kill that never justified v the taking of life. But interesting narrative and a plot that moved right along. On to book 2
Clever switch with the main culprit assuming another identity. Twisted reasons to kill that never justified v the taking of life. But interesting narrative and a plot that moved right along. On to book 2
May 13, 2020
A good story
Enjoyed the book; it kept my interest all day and I'm looking forward to the second JP Warner Book. The down side...it went too fast! 😆 I couldn't put it down..
Enjoyed the book; it kept my interest all day and I'm looking forward to the second JP Warner Book. The down side...it went too fast! 😆 I couldn't put it down..
October 8, 2022
Amateur hour at its best.
May 18, 2023
Enjoyable
Thoroughly enjoyed the first JP Warner book, really like Derek Ciccone,s writing, looking forward to the next book. Have a couple in my library ready to read.
Thoroughly enjoyed the first JP Warner book, really like Derek Ciccone,s writing, looking forward to the next book. Have a couple in my library ready to read.
August 26, 2023
Great read
Lots of plot twists and turns and could have been a true story,so it is relatable. Gods from beginning to end
Lots of plot twists and turns and could have been a true story,so it is relatable. Gods from beginning to end
December 18, 2015
What a great book! It had some nice twists!
This is the second book I have read by this author. The first one was a bit preachy on a specific social issue. When I began reading this one, I was worried that it would follow suit. While there are two hot button topics (light sentences for drunk driving and vigilantism), they are not overdone. Both are nicely woven into the plot and character development.
I appreciated that this book was separated into parts. The characters were well-rounded and their motivations were understandable. I really liked the main character J.P. I am eager to read more in this series to see what becomes of him and his promises. The great plot twist in the middle of the book did surprise me. I didn't see it coming.
The only thing a reader may not like is the ending. It isn't a "happy ending" all tied up with a bow. You have to read between the lines a bit to know what happens after the big climatic catch of the bad guy. However, I think the ending stays true to the character of J.P. and it would be a disservice to the rest of the book if it had been sugar coated. The ending is does leave room for a sequel, but a reader can be satisfied with leaving the book the way things are.
The author's writing style is enjoyable. He floats between third person and first person voices - each chapter is one voice. The action is fast paced, the words flow nicely, and there are appropriate descriptions. He's great at defining emotions and capturing what is going on without hitting the reader over the head. I appreciate that the characters are smart, sassy, and realistic.
I'm two for two with this author. I think I'll go find some more of his books to read!
This is the second book I have read by this author. The first one was a bit preachy on a specific social issue. When I began reading this one, I was worried that it would follow suit. While there are two hot button topics (light sentences for drunk driving and vigilantism), they are not overdone. Both are nicely woven into the plot and character development.
I appreciated that this book was separated into parts. The characters were well-rounded and their motivations were understandable. I really liked the main character J.P. I am eager to read more in this series to see what becomes of him and his promises. The great plot twist in the middle of the book did surprise me. I didn't see it coming.
The only thing a reader may not like is the ending. It isn't a "happy ending" all tied up with a bow. You have to read between the lines a bit to know what happens after the big climatic catch of the bad guy. However, I think the ending stays true to the character of J.P. and it would be a disservice to the rest of the book if it had been sugar coated. The ending is does leave room for a sequel, but a reader can be satisfied with leaving the book the way things are.
The author's writing style is enjoyable. He floats between third person and first person voices - each chapter is one voice. The action is fast paced, the words flow nicely, and there are appropriate descriptions. He's great at defining emotions and capturing what is going on without hitting the reader over the head. I appreciate that the characters are smart, sassy, and realistic.
I'm two for two with this author. I think I'll go find some more of his books to read!
January 20, 2015
What caught my attention to download and read this free ebook was one, it was free; two, all the grammar nazis who panned the book due to the 'horrible spelling and editing' of the ebook. As an author myself, I can testify that self-editing and proofreading is near impossible and finding an editor/proofreader who understands where the book is going in the series you're working on is near impossible. I did not find the errors (that I could not pick out) too awful, as the reviews stated, to make it "unreadable".
Once I picked up the ebook, I could not put it down. Ciccone finds a way to hook you right at the beginning, capture your attention-even through exposition, explaining landscapes, setting up scenes, so you don't even realize you're being led by the nose. Ciccone is masterful in his storytelling, characterizations and relationships. Readers are led from city to city in a bizarre story of best friends in the military, to murders that share something in common but no one knows what.
Ciccone doesn't waste any words in this premier novel in his JP Warner series. We are shown how world-weary the main character is, how he wants to return to a semblance of normalcy in his life by returning to his home. We see how difficult returning home is and maybe see ourselves in JP Warner, worn down by life-only to be dealt a crushing blow by a family member's untimely death.
This sets the mood for this modern noir and I applaud Ciccone. I give 5 stars.
Once I picked up the ebook, I could not put it down. Ciccone finds a way to hook you right at the beginning, capture your attention-even through exposition, explaining landscapes, setting up scenes, so you don't even realize you're being led by the nose. Ciccone is masterful in his storytelling, characterizations and relationships. Readers are led from city to city in a bizarre story of best friends in the military, to murders that share something in common but no one knows what.
Ciccone doesn't waste any words in this premier novel in his JP Warner series. We are shown how world-weary the main character is, how he wants to return to a semblance of normalcy in his life by returning to his home. We see how difficult returning home is and maybe see ourselves in JP Warner, worn down by life-only to be dealt a crushing blow by a family member's untimely death.
This sets the mood for this modern noir and I applaud Ciccone. I give 5 stars.
November 2, 2014
I thought Officer Jones by Derek Ciccone was a very well organized, fun tale with just the right amount of mystery, schmaltzy silliness and feisty, abuse the main character combination for me. You can tell I have pretty complicated standards.
Ciccone's main character, J P Warner, affectionately known to those he despises as John Peter, when that's not even his name, is the person who brings all of the ingredients in the first paragraph here down crashing on his head. He is a strikingly intelligent war journalist with a gift of shoving whatever shoe soze he wears into his mouth and yet he commands respect from everyone but the three who matter the most; his brother Ethan, his mother and the love of his life. Oh well.
Officer Jones enters his life when he returns home after a particularly harrowing mission and decides he has some hurt feelings to soothe. Insert the officer who becomes his antagonist and target. A man of the law, sworn to serve and protect, who might not be doing either. The rest is for you to read.
I liked JP Warner and like most, he is destined to be just one more to become a series. This is a very boring direction that book making is taking and one I heartily dislike. I probably won't pursue it any farther, but JP, it was nice to know you.
Ciccone's main character, J P Warner, affectionately known to those he despises as John Peter, when that's not even his name, is the person who brings all of the ingredients in the first paragraph here down crashing on his head. He is a strikingly intelligent war journalist with a gift of shoving whatever shoe soze he wears into his mouth and yet he commands respect from everyone but the three who matter the most; his brother Ethan, his mother and the love of his life. Oh well.
Officer Jones enters his life when he returns home after a particularly harrowing mission and decides he has some hurt feelings to soothe. Insert the officer who becomes his antagonist and target. A man of the law, sworn to serve and protect, who might not be doing either. The rest is for you to read.
I liked JP Warner and like most, he is destined to be just one more to become a series. This is a very boring direction that book making is taking and one I heartily dislike. I probably won't pursue it any farther, but JP, it was nice to know you.
August 24, 2016
I took a chance on this book knowing that it could easily become graphic with violence since it involves a death investigation. I don't care for graphic violence in books or movies, and I was thankful that this author was able to tell the story without it.
The characters are believable including the main character's co-workers and family members. No one acted out of character, and there weren't any wasted or unnecessary players.
JP, the main character, has learned from his past but hasn't lost all his rough edges which make him endearing in many ways. He learns more about himself as the story progresses, and I can see why there is a series based on him. I look forward to reading the next one soon.
One thing you need to know about this book: the story goes from third person POV to first person POV, and has full chapters of backstory. Don't let this turn you off to this terrific story. It's all done quite naturally once you understand what's going on. It was a little confusing at first, but I was up to speed within a few chapters. My advice is to pay attention to the dates at the beginning of the chapters and you won't be confused at all.
The characters are believable including the main character's co-workers and family members. No one acted out of character, and there weren't any wasted or unnecessary players.
JP, the main character, has learned from his past but hasn't lost all his rough edges which make him endearing in many ways. He learns more about himself as the story progresses, and I can see why there is a series based on him. I look forward to reading the next one soon.
One thing you need to know about this book: the story goes from third person POV to first person POV, and has full chapters of backstory. Don't let this turn you off to this terrific story. It's all done quite naturally once you understand what's going on. It was a little confusing at first, but I was up to speed within a few chapters. My advice is to pay attention to the dates at the beginning of the chapters and you won't be confused at all.
August 28, 2013
Another book that I would never have found had I not been trawling through the free books section. I've had this book for a while and kept picking it up and putting it down again because I wasn't sure, on the basis of the first few pages, whether it was my sort of thing or not. If you find yourself in the same situation, I would strongly urge you to persist. This is a really engaging story with plenty of twists and turns, leading to a climactic conclusion. The frequent shifts of POV and time take a bit of getting used to, but these are necessary to bring the various strands of the story together. I do think the book might be a little shorter - 90+ chapters can be a bit daunting at first. Nevertheless, this is a story that will have you on the edge of your seat and definitely have you ordering soft drinks next time you're driving.
August 22, 2016
This story started very slow because much of the first quarter of the book was set-up for the main plot. But after that, it picked up speed and tension. But he jumped over how two key characters escaped a dire situation. In one chapter, they were in danger of dying, in the next they were safe. Readers want to know how they got away.
Ciccone provided several twists, some of them predictable, a few not. I figured out the main one the moment he foreshadowed it.
I liked the main characters and most of his primary characters. Some of his characters, however, were right out of central casting but not so blatantly so that they were caricatures.
I wouldn’t mind reading more of JP’s adventures.
Ciccone provided several twists, some of them predictable, a few not. I figured out the main one the moment he foreshadowed it.
I liked the main characters and most of his primary characters. Some of his characters, however, were right out of central casting but not so blatantly so that they were caricatures.
I wouldn’t mind reading more of JP’s adventures.
November 17, 2013
Mystery,stalking, murder, kidnapping, romance, fame, hurricane, travel, crime, heartache, small town, technology, money, death. These are some of the many themes running through this story. All of them connected at the end, but in my opinion there were too many things going on in the story. The time frames in the story also did not make sense. How can one character travel to AZ and back to the East Coast so fast? Also, I did not understand how the hostages could be in the hurricane "bunker" and still be able to see in the dark for days, and one of them had been unconscious for even longer....... This novel has the possibility to be like a Baldacci novel, but would need to be refined.
September 28, 2013
I enjoyed this book. An ex-journalist returns to his hometown and suspects a local police officer of being a serial killer. He, along with the help of his ex-girlfriend and some ex-journalism friends, decide to investigate and find more than they bargained for.
It's an interesting story with likable characters and a good pace. I didn't think the Batman and Robin references at the beginning were distracting at all. They were just nicknames for some of the characters. I didn't think the "twist" midway through was much of a twist...it seemed sort of obvious. But I did enjoy the story.
It's an interesting story with likable characters and a good pace. I didn't think the Batman and Robin references at the beginning were distracting at all. They were just nicknames for some of the characters. I didn't think the "twist" midway through was much of a twist...it seemed sort of obvious. But I did enjoy the story.
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February 8, 2014Suspense and mystery at its best
Mr. Ciccone's handling of his character, J P Warner, draws the reader right into the world of danger and intrigue. The ability to bring the reader in to a point you feel you know the characters and places personally is a gift in itself. Add to that the telling of a fast-paced tale of danger, mystery, and culminating in a finale made for the likes of any action movie and we have what should be the start of a great career. I cannot wait to read more of Mr Ciccone's works involving this exciting character.
Mr. Ciccone's handling of his character, J P Warner, draws the reader right into the world of danger and intrigue. The ability to bring the reader in to a point you feel you know the characters and places personally is a gift in itself. Add to that the telling of a fast-paced tale of danger, mystery, and culminating in a finale made for the likes of any action movie and we have what should be the start of a great career. I cannot wait to read more of Mr Ciccone's works involving this exciting character.
September 10, 2016
Officer Jones jumps around in the beginning of the book, making you wonder how all the characters are linked. The connections beaome more clear, but I was not exactly sold on JP Warner's character. I understand Officer Jones' motives, but sometimes his actions didn't make sense, especially when he was suspicious someone was onto him. While the book took a little long to provide the backstory, the excitement and twists and turns during the investigation make up for it.
Read
October 12, 2013I have to say that at first I was much under the impression that yes this was one of those 'free books', but the further I got into it, the further I got into it!! And that being said, less than 2 days after starting the book, I'm done and I'm ready to go back to the next of this author...so if you happen to get it off the 'free book' shelf, please give it a chance because it is well worth the read
January 15, 2014
Teenager
I am a normal teenager with tendencies and wanted to acknowledge this book because I have never read one such like this. it was the first teen crime novel I have read that I couldn't put the story together until the end of the book. I would read until my eyelids couldn't hold anymore. the twists and turns in this book are like biting into a fresh made chocolate chip pancake, you can never get enough. I recommend this book from ages 13-17. what an amazing book.
I am a normal teenager with tendencies and wanted to acknowledge this book because I have never read one such like this. it was the first teen crime novel I have read that I couldn't put the story together until the end of the book. I would read until my eyelids couldn't hold anymore. the twists and turns in this book are like biting into a fresh made chocolate chip pancake, you can never get enough. I recommend this book from ages 13-17. what an amazing book.
February 9, 2013
I wasn't sure to make of this book at first, flicking through the references to Batman and Robin put me off. But I started it, got sucked in and enjoyed it.
Lots of plot ..... lots of characters, a credible hero and a credible villain. With the requisite love interest of course.
Looking forward to reading more from Derek Ciccone.
Lots of plot ..... lots of characters, a credible hero and a credible villain. With the requisite love interest of course.
Looking forward to reading more from Derek Ciccone.
March 16, 2013
So far, I like this Ciccone book the best. It has a little more humor than Painless ( a lot more than A Truant Officer). It's also a little more simpler and therefore more plausible.
I finished the book. I enjoyed characters, especially JP. Lots of humor but sometimes sort of dark since talking about murder!
I finished the book. I enjoyed characters, especially JP. Lots of humor but sometimes sort of dark since talking about murder!
July 9, 2013
This is a cleverly plotted and well-written thriller, not unlike Harlan Coben. I loved the characterisation, particularly some of the supporting characters who were hilarious.
While I did sem some of the plot twists coming, this did not detract from my enjoyment of the book and I would happily read more by this author and, if possible, about these characters.
While I did sem some of the plot twists coming, this did not detract from my enjoyment of the book and I would happily read more by this author and, if possible, about these characters.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews