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The First Victim
She was like all the other victims. Naked, flawed, helpless...
Fifteen years ago, Emily Wright barely escaped from a serial killer dubbed the Baby Doll Strangler. She wants nothing to do with the small town where she was abducted, but when her father is hospitalized she reluctantly returns home to care for her teenage sister.
When her sister's friend is killed and left in front of Emily's house, Emily begins to relive the nightmare she endured long ago. Soon she realizes that her sister, too, is in danger from the killer�and the only person who can help is the man Emily left behind: Deputy Bailey O'Neil. Together, Emily and Bailey must discover the killer's identity before he claims his next victim...
72,000 words
245 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 13, 2011
17 people are currently reading
464 people want to read
About the author
J.B. Lynn
78 books400 followersAuthor of the series:
Confessions of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman
Psychic Consignment Mysteries
Cursed Chick Club
Confessions of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman
Psychic Consignment Mysteries
Cursed Chick Club
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
July 4, 2011
I loved this book.
Emily Wright managed to escape from a serial killer dubbed the Baby Doll Strangler. Fifteen years later, she’s made a new life for herself in the city. But her father is in hospital and she has to return home to take care of her sister. And so the nightmare begins…
JB Lynn throws you straight in at the deep end and the suspense builds from there. If you like great characters, nail-biting suspense and serial killers coming back for their first victim, this is the book for you.
Emily Wright managed to escape from a serial killer dubbed the Baby Doll Strangler. Fifteen years later, she’s made a new life for herself in the city. But her father is in hospital and she has to return home to take care of her sister. And so the nightmare begins…
JB Lynn throws you straight in at the deep end and the suspense builds from there. If you like great characters, nail-biting suspense and serial killers coming back for their first victim, this is the book for you.
September 13, 2011
Originally posted at: http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...
A LASR "BEST BOOK"
Romantic suspense has many great authors like Sandra Brown, Nora Roberts, and now I must add JB Lynn to the list. This was by far the best book I’ve read this year.
The First Victim started out with Emily Wright returning back home to the place she left behind. Many years ago, she had been kidnapped and abused. Although Emily vowed to never be a victim again, she has been resistant about returning to the place where tragedy had struck. In the initial chapters of the book, we are pulled into Emily’s head which gives us an understanding of her personality. She feels guilt and always expects the worst. She expects to be welcomed back home with hatred because she ran away and is shocked when she receives a warm welcome, especially from her little sister, a person she feels like she abandoned.
Emily is not the only one returning back home, however. The Baby Doll Strangler, the same killer whom Emily escaped from is back as well, and his goal is to finish what he began fifteen years ago. JB Lynn lets the reader have a glimpse into the killer's mind, something that is both creepy and shocking. I enjoyed those scenes and with each one despised the killer more and more.
The suspense had me on the edge of my seat as I kept turning those pages to find out the identity of The Baby Doll Strangler. The suspicion fell on a few characters and the thrill of who could it be had me reading the book at every chance I got. If only real life could have taken a break so that I could have read it in one shot. When I did learn who the killer was, I was honestly shocked and surprised. It was very well written and I didn't see it coming.
The romance factor was just as thrilling. It was a slow buildup with both Bailey and Emily dancing around their feelings rather than acting on them. I love second chance at love stories and this one was full of past problems for our lovely characters to face. They did share a few desperate kisses that they later claimed were a “mistake” so when the real kiss happened it was explosive. I was rooting for these characters all the way.
As new authors go, JB Lynn is one to watch for. She’s definitely going places and I personally can't wait for her next book. And if she would write a sequel for The First Victim then I would be indebted to her forever.
A LASR "BEST BOOK"
Romantic suspense has many great authors like Sandra Brown, Nora Roberts, and now I must add JB Lynn to the list. This was by far the best book I’ve read this year.
The First Victim started out with Emily Wright returning back home to the place she left behind. Many years ago, she had been kidnapped and abused. Although Emily vowed to never be a victim again, she has been resistant about returning to the place where tragedy had struck. In the initial chapters of the book, we are pulled into Emily’s head which gives us an understanding of her personality. She feels guilt and always expects the worst. She expects to be welcomed back home with hatred because she ran away and is shocked when she receives a warm welcome, especially from her little sister, a person she feels like she abandoned.
Emily is not the only one returning back home, however. The Baby Doll Strangler, the same killer whom Emily escaped from is back as well, and his goal is to finish what he began fifteen years ago. JB Lynn lets the reader have a glimpse into the killer's mind, something that is both creepy and shocking. I enjoyed those scenes and with each one despised the killer more and more.
The suspense had me on the edge of my seat as I kept turning those pages to find out the identity of The Baby Doll Strangler. The suspicion fell on a few characters and the thrill of who could it be had me reading the book at every chance I got. If only real life could have taken a break so that I could have read it in one shot. When I did learn who the killer was, I was honestly shocked and surprised. It was very well written and I didn't see it coming.
The romance factor was just as thrilling. It was a slow buildup with both Bailey and Emily dancing around their feelings rather than acting on them. I love second chance at love stories and this one was full of past problems for our lovely characters to face. They did share a few desperate kisses that they later claimed were a “mistake” so when the real kiss happened it was explosive. I was rooting for these characters all the way.
As new authors go, JB Lynn is one to watch for. She’s definitely going places and I personally can't wait for her next book. And if she would write a sequel for The First Victim then I would be indebted to her forever.
June 8, 2011
Looking for a suspenseful thriller? Then The First Victim by JB Lynn is the book for you. From the first word to the last word this novel will keep you hooked. Emily Wright is called back to Lakeside Acres after 15 years because her father was in an accident and she needs to take care of her younger sister Laurie. Fifteen years ago, Emily escaped from a sadistic killer who has yet to be caught. The Baby Doll Stranger is still in Lakeside Acres and is waiting for Emily. Once she arrives, he starts to send her messages "Welcome Home Emily" and begins to kill again. This time targeting those close to the Wright family. In particular, Laurie's High School friends. His signature is leaving his victims dressed as baby dolls adorned with lollypops. Emily enlists the help of friend and deputy, Bailey O'Neil, after one of the victims is left on Emily's doorstep. She now knows that her and Laurie are next on his list. From the time you found out who the killer was until the end was the most suspenseful part because I couldn't put it down until I finished it. What a great first novel by JB Lynn. I can't wait to read her next one. Received courtesy of Net Galley.
June 9, 2011
"Shhh, Baby Doll." The words should infuse comfort... Instead, they fill Emily Wright with terror. Those are the words her captor used to whisper to her during her 3-day trip to hell when she was sixteen. Three days - such a short amount of time, but enough time to change a person forever. Emily fought to survive and to escape not only the dark basement where she was held, but also the town that unknowingly flaunted the memories she so desperately needed to distance herself from.
The now thirty-one year old Emily is a co-owner of her own company, a New York resident, and an avid runner. Finally, she has a life she is both comfortable with and proud of.
The shrill ringing of her phone upsets the world that Emily has so carefully crafted... She's summoned "home" due to a boating accident that left her father in perilous condition and her fifteen year old sister alone. She reluctantly returns to her childhood hometown, not for her father (whom she hoped she'd never have to see again) but for the love of the sister she hardly knows.
It doesn't take long for the haunted and hunted feelings to return to Emily. Immediately, Emily begins finding notes and other mementos from a secret admirer and teenage girls - friend's of her little sister - start disappearing, only to reappear looking like porcelain dolls... Dead porcelain dolls. Could the disappearances be related to Emily's kidnapping years ago? What does her secret admirer/stalker want with Emily? Why is this all happening in the quiet lake town?
The First Victim is a twisted tale of pilfered innocence, cunning deception, and predatory planning and trapping... If that isn't enough to lure you in, the sinister side of the book is coupled with a sweet story of realized and redeemed love between Emily and Bailey (Emily's childhood friend turned senior law enforcement).
There wasn't anything I didn't like about The First Victim, everything was spot on! The characters were wonderfully depicted, the pace was swift, the plot was well thought out, the climax had me biting my nails, and the resolution left me fully gratified.
This is definitely a romantic thriller I would recommend!!!! I give it two very chewed on thumbs up!!!!
Great job, J.B. Lynn!!!!!!
The now thirty-one year old Emily is a co-owner of her own company, a New York resident, and an avid runner. Finally, she has a life she is both comfortable with and proud of.
The shrill ringing of her phone upsets the world that Emily has so carefully crafted... She's summoned "home" due to a boating accident that left her father in perilous condition and her fifteen year old sister alone. She reluctantly returns to her childhood hometown, not for her father (whom she hoped she'd never have to see again) but for the love of the sister she hardly knows.
It doesn't take long for the haunted and hunted feelings to return to Emily. Immediately, Emily begins finding notes and other mementos from a secret admirer and teenage girls - friend's of her little sister - start disappearing, only to reappear looking like porcelain dolls... Dead porcelain dolls. Could the disappearances be related to Emily's kidnapping years ago? What does her secret admirer/stalker want with Emily? Why is this all happening in the quiet lake town?
The First Victim is a twisted tale of pilfered innocence, cunning deception, and predatory planning and trapping... If that isn't enough to lure you in, the sinister side of the book is coupled with a sweet story of realized and redeemed love between Emily and Bailey (Emily's childhood friend turned senior law enforcement).
There wasn't anything I didn't like about The First Victim, everything was spot on! The characters were wonderfully depicted, the pace was swift, the plot was well thought out, the climax had me biting my nails, and the resolution left me fully gratified.
This is definitely a romantic thriller I would recommend!!!! I give it two very chewed on thumbs up!!!!
Great job, J.B. Lynn!!!!!!
June 16, 2011
3.5 Stars! Fantastic!
Summary: Fifteen years ago, Emily Wright barely escaped from a serial killer dubbed the Baby Doll Strangler. She wants nothing to do with the small town where she was abducted, but when her father is hospitalized she reluctantly returns home to care for her teenage sister.
When her sister's friend is killed and left in front of Emily's house, Emily begins to relive the nightmare she endured long ago. Soon she realizes that her sister, too, is in danger from the killer—and the only person who can help is the man Emily left behind: Deputy Bailey O'Neil. Together, Emily and Bailey must discover the killer's identity before he claims his next victim...
A fantastic debut novel for J.B. Lynn. This story has all the right elements: suspense, fear, plot twists and love. I am so pleased to have discovered a new author in the same category as Sandra Brown and Lisa Gardner. I will be looking for her next book!
Summary: Fifteen years ago, Emily Wright barely escaped from a serial killer dubbed the Baby Doll Strangler. She wants nothing to do with the small town where she was abducted, but when her father is hospitalized she reluctantly returns home to care for her teenage sister.
When her sister's friend is killed and left in front of Emily's house, Emily begins to relive the nightmare she endured long ago. Soon she realizes that her sister, too, is in danger from the killer—and the only person who can help is the man Emily left behind: Deputy Bailey O'Neil. Together, Emily and Bailey must discover the killer's identity before he claims his next victim...
A fantastic debut novel for J.B. Lynn. This story has all the right elements: suspense, fear, plot twists and love. I am so pleased to have discovered a new author in the same category as Sandra Brown and Lisa Gardner. I will be looking for her next book!
March 18, 2012
This was an excellent mystery/suspense book. I loved it. I loved that we had insight into several of the main characters' heads as well. Even though the mind of psycho was quite disturbing, it was really well written. I decided to read this book because I'd read JB Lynn's Confessions of a Neurotic Hitwoman and that turned out to be one of my favorite books. I'm quite happy to say that this one is another favorite. I can't wait to read another book from her.
This was truly a book of suspense. I did not expect the psycho to turn out to be who it turned out to be. Same with more than a few of the other secrets that had been revealed. Very shocking.
I enjoyed Emily as a character and absolutely loved Bailey. I don't want to say too much because I don't want to give anything away, but this is definitely a book to read. Really, really good.
This was truly a book of suspense. I did not expect the psycho to turn out to be who it turned out to be. Same with more than a few of the other secrets that had been revealed. Very shocking.
I enjoyed Emily as a character and absolutely loved Bailey. I don't want to say too much because I don't want to give anything away, but this is definitely a book to read. Really, really good.
April 5, 2013
I picked up this book because I had just finished JB Lynn's other book, Confessions of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman, and was literally craving more. While The First Victim is not at all the same genre as the other book, I still enjoyed the author's style and am glad to add this one to my collection. The storyline is somber, creating suspense, mystery and thrill, but is laced with a bit of romance that keeps you hoping the heroine will pull through in the end -- and finish happily every after with her highschool crush. I loved it. It was a good read while waiting for the second in the Hitwoman series (which has more humor and light-heartedness).
July 26, 2011
I join the ranks of the readers who said they could not put this book down. The suspense was prevalent throughout, and I was surprised and delighted by the romantic aspects of the book. Emily's fear was so real to me that I was actually getting nervous reading what would happen to her next. I don't usually have a lot of time to read, but in the case of THE FIRST VICTIM I had to make the time. Especially for the last quarter of the book. There was simply no opportunity to stop reading. I took the ride along with Emily. I might as well have been in the van with her. Excellent work, Ms. Lynn.
July 17, 2011
I have two pieces of advice for people who read THE FIRST VICTIM: (1) Save it for when you have uninterrupted time and (2) Make sure you're not alone in the house. Wow. Well-drawn characters and lots of unexpected twists and turns. Great read.
July 25, 2011
I must say that I am really pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! It had just the right amount of suspense/graphicness to romance(i.e.light) for me. I will seek out more by this author.
September 11, 2011
~* 3.5 Stars *~
Terror that Spans Time
Emily Watson grew up in a small town and for the first sixteen years of her life she was a normal girl doing normal girl things. She had a best friend, she liked a boy, she was sometimes frustrated by her parents. Normal. Until one sunny autumn day, when she was abducted by a sick monster as she hurried along the path from the lake to her lakeside house.
After that, after three interminable days of being held captive, being beaten and molested, nothing was normal for Emily ever again. Her abductor was never caught.
She fled Lakeside Acres as soon as she could, her hometown having become a source of terror that haunted her even fifteen years after her abduction. She had thought there wasn't anything that could force her back there, but when her old childhood friend Bailey O'Neil, now a Lakeside Acres police deputy, calls to inform her that her father has been in a horrible accident and her young sister needs her, she's left with little choice. No matter how contentious her relationship with her dad, she cares about her sister and can't let her own neurosis keep her from taking care of the teenager.
No sooner is Emily back in town then the creepy "Welcome Back Emily" messages start showing up everywhere she goes. Then she finds the body of a murdered girl dumped on the property of her family home and her nightmares turn to terror. The murdered girl is a friend of her baby sister's, a victim of a serial killer the FBI have been tracking for years. Not even the arrival of the FBI, called in by Bailey, makes Emily feel safe. She's being targeted, tormented by a past that haunts her day and night.
The only time she feels any safety at all is when Bailey is near. The were best friends as children, and as adolescents - before her abduction - she was wildly infatuated with him. Now, as adults, the hunger for the man is still there, but the terror is snapping at her heels and a monster has her in his sights. Emily is painfully aware that giving in to one may very well mean falling prey to the other.
My reading preferences in the romantic suspense sub-genre leans towards exactly this kind of psychological thriller that features the sort of hunt for a serial killer that Lynn has created here with The First Victim (we'll...um...just ignore what that may imply about the state of my psyche). I've read a lot of them, and this book holds up fairly well against some true gut-wrenchers. The suspense and thriller aspects of the plot were handled well and created then maintained a level of tension and atmosphere throughout the book, offering glimpses of a sadist's twisted desires without letting the reader know who wears the face of a madman.
I also appreciated the depth in the plot, the question about old loyalties and emotions, the mystery surrounding the destruction of Emily's family and the people it affected, as well as some angst generated by Bailey's family problems. There were enough secondary and ancillary threads to keep the book from feeling one-note, but they didn't overwhelm the narrative or bog down the pacing. In that regard it was a solid, disturbing read with enough meat on its bones to entertain all the way through.
There were some clichéd moments, like the uncharged cell phone, or the crazy lady that every small town has, the one no one listens to but should, but those annoyances were balanced out by some subtle foreshadowing and a few dramatic plot twists that took me by surprise. I liked most of the characters quite a lot, and Lynn maintained a satisfying pragmatic approach to the plot threads outside the primary threat of the serial killer that added a layer of realism to the story. I had a couple of issues, though, and both of them were fairly large.
I never warmed up to Emily. I tried. I really did. I just didn't find her sympathetic. The visceral fear that crippled her so long after her abduction, locking her down and ruling her actions...well, that just struck me as weakness. What happened to her was horrifying, yes, and they never caught the guy who abducted and molested her, nor did she get much parental support after the fact - and that's tragic. Still, she's alive, and she's an adult now and as such, is responsible for herself. I would have had more respect for her as a character if she hadn't perpetuated her victimization by allowing fear to rule her when she got back to her hometown.
I loved the rest of the characters, though, especially Bailey. I would have preferred more character development in the FBI guys. I liked them a lot. They felt very organic and they seemed to have the sort of backstory that alludes to a previous novel, which I enjoyed because they felt like very robust and nicely established characters, but I wish they'd been allotted a larger presence in the book.
The other major issue came late in the book, when the plot took an odd twist as it started to build towards the climax. I'm loathe to mention any specific details given the nature and timing of my issues, so instead I'll just say there was one thing that made me say, "Oh, come on. How did that get there?" and that was quickly followed by another that had me thinking, "You're just going to sit there? Really?? Wow, that's...unwise and remarkably unproductive."
Fortunately, after that somewhat contrived bobble, the action ratcheted up again and raced towards a very satisfying climax and dénouement.
I liked the story of The First Victim. I think it was told quite well. I just wish my prejudices against weak female leads hadn't hamstrung me so severely when it came to Emily's character, and the bobble with the plot late in the book hadn't been so glaring to me. I'll definitely keep my eye on Lynn though, because I really enjoyed several important aspects of this story and the other characters she created in it. I look forward to trying more of her work.
Disclosure: An ARC of this book was provided to me by Carina Press via NetGalley. This rating, review, and all included thoughts and comments are my own.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
Terror that Spans Time
Emily Watson grew up in a small town and for the first sixteen years of her life she was a normal girl doing normal girl things. She had a best friend, she liked a boy, she was sometimes frustrated by her parents. Normal. Until one sunny autumn day, when she was abducted by a sick monster as she hurried along the path from the lake to her lakeside house.
After that, after three interminable days of being held captive, being beaten and molested, nothing was normal for Emily ever again. Her abductor was never caught.
She fled Lakeside Acres as soon as she could, her hometown having become a source of terror that haunted her even fifteen years after her abduction. She had thought there wasn't anything that could force her back there, but when her old childhood friend Bailey O'Neil, now a Lakeside Acres police deputy, calls to inform her that her father has been in a horrible accident and her young sister needs her, she's left with little choice. No matter how contentious her relationship with her dad, she cares about her sister and can't let her own neurosis keep her from taking care of the teenager.
No sooner is Emily back in town then the creepy "Welcome Back Emily" messages start showing up everywhere she goes. Then she finds the body of a murdered girl dumped on the property of her family home and her nightmares turn to terror. The murdered girl is a friend of her baby sister's, a victim of a serial killer the FBI have been tracking for years. Not even the arrival of the FBI, called in by Bailey, makes Emily feel safe. She's being targeted, tormented by a past that haunts her day and night.
The only time she feels any safety at all is when Bailey is near. The were best friends as children, and as adolescents - before her abduction - she was wildly infatuated with him. Now, as adults, the hunger for the man is still there, but the terror is snapping at her heels and a monster has her in his sights. Emily is painfully aware that giving in to one may very well mean falling prey to the other.
My reading preferences in the romantic suspense sub-genre leans towards exactly this kind of psychological thriller that features the sort of hunt for a serial killer that Lynn has created here with The First Victim (we'll...um...just ignore what that may imply about the state of my psyche). I've read a lot of them, and this book holds up fairly well against some true gut-wrenchers. The suspense and thriller aspects of the plot were handled well and created then maintained a level of tension and atmosphere throughout the book, offering glimpses of a sadist's twisted desires without letting the reader know who wears the face of a madman.
I also appreciated the depth in the plot, the question about old loyalties and emotions, the mystery surrounding the destruction of Emily's family and the people it affected, as well as some angst generated by Bailey's family problems. There were enough secondary and ancillary threads to keep the book from feeling one-note, but they didn't overwhelm the narrative or bog down the pacing. In that regard it was a solid, disturbing read with enough meat on its bones to entertain all the way through.
There were some clichéd moments, like the uncharged cell phone, or the crazy lady that every small town has, the one no one listens to but should, but those annoyances were balanced out by some subtle foreshadowing and a few dramatic plot twists that took me by surprise. I liked most of the characters quite a lot, and Lynn maintained a satisfying pragmatic approach to the plot threads outside the primary threat of the serial killer that added a layer of realism to the story. I had a couple of issues, though, and both of them were fairly large.
I never warmed up to Emily. I tried. I really did. I just didn't find her sympathetic. The visceral fear that crippled her so long after her abduction, locking her down and ruling her actions...well, that just struck me as weakness. What happened to her was horrifying, yes, and they never caught the guy who abducted and molested her, nor did she get much parental support after the fact - and that's tragic. Still, she's alive, and she's an adult now and as such, is responsible for herself. I would have had more respect for her as a character if she hadn't perpetuated her victimization by allowing fear to rule her when she got back to her hometown.
I loved the rest of the characters, though, especially Bailey. I would have preferred more character development in the FBI guys. I liked them a lot. They felt very organic and they seemed to have the sort of backstory that alludes to a previous novel, which I enjoyed because they felt like very robust and nicely established characters, but I wish they'd been allotted a larger presence in the book.
The other major issue came late in the book, when the plot took an odd twist as it started to build towards the climax. I'm loathe to mention any specific details given the nature and timing of my issues, so instead I'll just say there was one thing that made me say, "Oh, come on. How did that get there?" and that was quickly followed by another that had me thinking, "You're just going to sit there? Really?? Wow, that's...unwise and remarkably unproductive."
Fortunately, after that somewhat contrived bobble, the action ratcheted up again and raced towards a very satisfying climax and dénouement.
I liked the story of The First Victim. I think it was told quite well. I just wish my prejudices against weak female leads hadn't hamstrung me so severely when it came to Emily's character, and the bobble with the plot late in the book hadn't been so glaring to me. I'll definitely keep my eye on Lynn though, because I really enjoyed several important aspects of this story and the other characters she created in it. I look forward to trying more of her work.
Disclosure: An ARC of this book was provided to me by Carina Press via NetGalley. This rating, review, and all included thoughts and comments are my own.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
October 28, 2019
Not sure whether to give this book a 3 or 4 star rating, so 3.5* it is.
A satisfying read with good measures of mystery, plot twist, romance and suspense.
A satisfying read with good measures of mystery, plot twist, romance and suspense.
June 12, 2011
I received a copy of this book from the author for my honest opinion and review.
My favorite genre these days is romantic suspense. I have only experienced this genre from a few authors so when the opportunity to read a debut book from a new author i was happy to volunteer to read it. First Victim is the debut novel by author JB Lynn. Let me start with the blurb as a introduction to the book.
Available June 13, 2011 from Carina Press
THE FIRST VICTIM
For fifteen years The Baby Doll Strangler has terrorized the East Coast, abducting teenage girls and leaving their perfectly primped bodies for their families to find.
Fifteen years ago, one girl escaped him.
That girl, now a 31-year-old woman, Emily Wright, believes she has also escaped the memories of her abduction, until a family emergency forces her back to her childhood home to care for her teenage sister.
As she tries to build a relationship with a sister she barely knows, the nightmares of her abduction return. When a girl from her sister's school is kidnapped, killed, and left on Emily’s doorstep, her paranoia goes into overdrive.
Has her kidnapper resurfaced and returned to town too?
Emily must decide who to trust: her girlhood crush Deputy Bailey O’Neill, the FBI agents who have failed to catch the killer in the past, or the only person who has defeated this monster before: herself.
Family secrets and small town rumors abound as the body count escalates and the killer draws closer to the Wright sisters.
Time is running out and Emily must face her fears and unravel the secrets of her own kidnapping before her nightmares come true and she, or her sister, become the next victims of The Baby Doll Strangler.
Emily Wright was kidnapped at the age of 16. Three days later she escaped when by luck Evan Swann a fellow classmate saw her trying to escape and helped her get away. She left town as soon as she could to get away from the memories that haunted her and because her father a psychiatrist insisted she get over the kidnapping like it was that easy. Now 15 years later she gets a phone call that her father has been seriously hurt and she needs to come home for her 15 year old sister. That's where the killer wants her though and so it begins.
I really enjoyed this book but there was more suspense than romance in this one. It was more chilling than most romantic suspense i have read but i was still drawn into it. You have to remember that i also have not read a lot of different authors that write romantic suspense so this romance/suspense equation for this book might be the norm for a lot of other romantic suspense readers. That being said i really liked this book. The suspense was damn suspenseful and quite scary. lol Half way through or so i suspected who the bad guy was but i was never sure to closer to the end and still surprised in what was really going on and who the real bad guy is. To read a excerpt of this book and find out more about the author JB Lynn please click here http://www.jblynn.com/. I give First Victim 4 out of 5 Modokker Book Pick stars. Available from Amazon and Carina Press.
My favorite genre these days is romantic suspense. I have only experienced this genre from a few authors so when the opportunity to read a debut book from a new author i was happy to volunteer to read it. First Victim is the debut novel by author JB Lynn. Let me start with the blurb as a introduction to the book.
Available June 13, 2011 from Carina Press
THE FIRST VICTIM
For fifteen years The Baby Doll Strangler has terrorized the East Coast, abducting teenage girls and leaving their perfectly primped bodies for their families to find.
Fifteen years ago, one girl escaped him.
That girl, now a 31-year-old woman, Emily Wright, believes she has also escaped the memories of her abduction, until a family emergency forces her back to her childhood home to care for her teenage sister.
As she tries to build a relationship with a sister she barely knows, the nightmares of her abduction return. When a girl from her sister's school is kidnapped, killed, and left on Emily’s doorstep, her paranoia goes into overdrive.
Has her kidnapper resurfaced and returned to town too?
Emily must decide who to trust: her girlhood crush Deputy Bailey O’Neill, the FBI agents who have failed to catch the killer in the past, or the only person who has defeated this monster before: herself.
Family secrets and small town rumors abound as the body count escalates and the killer draws closer to the Wright sisters.
Time is running out and Emily must face her fears and unravel the secrets of her own kidnapping before her nightmares come true and she, or her sister, become the next victims of The Baby Doll Strangler.
Emily Wright was kidnapped at the age of 16. Three days later she escaped when by luck Evan Swann a fellow classmate saw her trying to escape and helped her get away. She left town as soon as she could to get away from the memories that haunted her and because her father a psychiatrist insisted she get over the kidnapping like it was that easy. Now 15 years later she gets a phone call that her father has been seriously hurt and she needs to come home for her 15 year old sister. That's where the killer wants her though and so it begins.
I really enjoyed this book but there was more suspense than romance in this one. It was more chilling than most romantic suspense i have read but i was still drawn into it. You have to remember that i also have not read a lot of different authors that write romantic suspense so this romance/suspense equation for this book might be the norm for a lot of other romantic suspense readers. That being said i really liked this book. The suspense was damn suspenseful and quite scary. lol Half way through or so i suspected who the bad guy was but i was never sure to closer to the end and still surprised in what was really going on and who the real bad guy is. To read a excerpt of this book and find out more about the author JB Lynn please click here http://www.jblynn.com/. I give First Victim 4 out of 5 Modokker Book Pick stars. Available from Amazon and Carina Press.
September 20, 2011
“The First Victim” by JB Lynn
Brilliant! Captivating! This should be a Book-To-Movie!
This book was so engaging. I could feel what the main character felt. I could relate to her emotions, they were so well described. I could relate to her fear, yet at the same time, relate to her newfound strength of being able to control situations.
The main character, Emily, had previously been kidnapped by “The Baby Doll Serial Killer” when she was a young child. She was saved by a friend who happened to be in the area of where she was trying to escape from. She had always felt a deep felt gratitude towards him for helping to save her life.
About fifteen years later, she is called back home because her father is hospitalized and she needs to take care of her sister who lives with her father. Reluctantly, she returns home. She was never at ease. While back at home, “The Baby Doll Serial Killer”, or so the police think, has struck again. He is back and doing what he did to her. Is this a coincidence? She is terrified because whoever this is must know her. Why else would he have killed and left behind the body of her sister’s friend in front of her father’s house. This can’t be a coincidence. Not only is ‘she’ in danger, but her little sister is in danger as well. What did she do by coming home? What did she cause? Is this her fault?
This book was a page turner for me. I was so involved in this story, I never expected things to turn out the way they did.
The author did an excellent job developing the characters, making them believable, and the storyline was easy to follow great twists and turns.
This was a very intriguing book to read, fast paced, did not want to put down, hard to solve, suspenseful mystery. Just when you thought you might have an idea as to who this killer might be you are wrong. As I said in the beginning of this review, I think this book would be a great ‘on the edge of your seat’ movie thriller.
I received this book for “FREE” from Carina Press through NetGalley, through their Book Reviewer’s Program in exchange to read and write a review about this book. It is NOT required for my review I write to be either positive or negative, but, “of my own opinion.” I was NOT provided with “ANY” monies to accept this book, “NOR” to read it, NOR were “ANY” monies given to me to write the review for this book. All that was ‘expected’ of me was to enjoy the pure pleasure of reading it. Again, the opinions expressed for and about this book are ‘of my own opinion’. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/wa... Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Laurie
Brilliant! Captivating! This should be a Book-To-Movie!
This book was so engaging. I could feel what the main character felt. I could relate to her emotions, they were so well described. I could relate to her fear, yet at the same time, relate to her newfound strength of being able to control situations.
The main character, Emily, had previously been kidnapped by “The Baby Doll Serial Killer” when she was a young child. She was saved by a friend who happened to be in the area of where she was trying to escape from. She had always felt a deep felt gratitude towards him for helping to save her life.
About fifteen years later, she is called back home because her father is hospitalized and she needs to take care of her sister who lives with her father. Reluctantly, she returns home. She was never at ease. While back at home, “The Baby Doll Serial Killer”, or so the police think, has struck again. He is back and doing what he did to her. Is this a coincidence? She is terrified because whoever this is must know her. Why else would he have killed and left behind the body of her sister’s friend in front of her father’s house. This can’t be a coincidence. Not only is ‘she’ in danger, but her little sister is in danger as well. What did she do by coming home? What did she cause? Is this her fault?
This book was a page turner for me. I was so involved in this story, I never expected things to turn out the way they did.
The author did an excellent job developing the characters, making them believable, and the storyline was easy to follow great twists and turns.
This was a very intriguing book to read, fast paced, did not want to put down, hard to solve, suspenseful mystery. Just when you thought you might have an idea as to who this killer might be you are wrong. As I said in the beginning of this review, I think this book would be a great ‘on the edge of your seat’ movie thriller.
I received this book for “FREE” from Carina Press through NetGalley, through their Book Reviewer’s Program in exchange to read and write a review about this book. It is NOT required for my review I write to be either positive or negative, but, “of my own opinion.” I was NOT provided with “ANY” monies to accept this book, “NOR” to read it, NOR were “ANY” monies given to me to write the review for this book. All that was ‘expected’ of me was to enjoy the pure pleasure of reading it. Again, the opinions expressed for and about this book are ‘of my own opinion’. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/wa... Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Laurie
June 20, 2011
This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.
Expected Release Date: June 13, 2011 (Available Now!)
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: Carina Press
Author’s Website: http://www.jblynn.com/
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: No
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Steamy
Fifteen years ago, Emily Wright was kidnapped by a serial killer. Barely managing to escape with her life, she has put her past behind her, refusing to return to the small town where she was abducted -- and where her father and younger sister still live. When her father is hospitalized in a serious boating accident, she returns home to take care of her sister, never quite able to put aside her feelings of unease at returning to the place of so many horrible memories.
Soon, her sister's friend is killed and left in front of Emily's house for her to discover. Shocked and horrified to realize that this killer may be after her and her sister as well, she turns to the one man who has always been able to make her feel safe -- Bailey O'Neil, her best friend from "before".
A deputy for the small town's Sheriff's Department, Bailey's father has just been killed in a traffic accident when Emily returns to town. Having always harbored a secret crush on her, Bailey knows that Emily is meant for so much more than their small town, and he, can offer. Discovering that Emily's life could once again be in danger, he calls in some favors from the FBI, and joins with Emily to discover the identity of the killer before anyone else gets hurt.
The whole time I was reading this, I couldn't help thinking that this book would translate very well onto the big screen. There was something for everyone -- romance, action, murder, and mystery, and at the end, I was literally reading it with my jaw open saying "NO WAY!". Beautifully, beautifully done. The solution to the mystery wasn't an obvious one like so many are these days, and the romance itself was both sweet and delicious. I adored the small-town dynamics, with gossip and secrets both confusing the investigation, and the climax of the book was full of heart-pounding excitement.
Recommended for fans of small-town romantic suspense that keeps you guessing until the end, childhood friends who later become lovers, and of dysfunctional families finally coming full circle. A very enthusiastic 4.5/5 Stars
Expected Release Date: June 13, 2011 (Available Now!)
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: Carina Press
Author’s Website: http://www.jblynn.com/
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: No
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Steamy
Fifteen years ago, Emily Wright was kidnapped by a serial killer. Barely managing to escape with her life, she has put her past behind her, refusing to return to the small town where she was abducted -- and where her father and younger sister still live. When her father is hospitalized in a serious boating accident, she returns home to take care of her sister, never quite able to put aside her feelings of unease at returning to the place of so many horrible memories.
Soon, her sister's friend is killed and left in front of Emily's house for her to discover. Shocked and horrified to realize that this killer may be after her and her sister as well, she turns to the one man who has always been able to make her feel safe -- Bailey O'Neil, her best friend from "before".
A deputy for the small town's Sheriff's Department, Bailey's father has just been killed in a traffic accident when Emily returns to town. Having always harbored a secret crush on her, Bailey knows that Emily is meant for so much more than their small town, and he, can offer. Discovering that Emily's life could once again be in danger, he calls in some favors from the FBI, and joins with Emily to discover the identity of the killer before anyone else gets hurt.
The whole time I was reading this, I couldn't help thinking that this book would translate very well onto the big screen. There was something for everyone -- romance, action, murder, and mystery, and at the end, I was literally reading it with my jaw open saying "NO WAY!". Beautifully, beautifully done. The solution to the mystery wasn't an obvious one like so many are these days, and the romance itself was both sweet and delicious. I adored the small-town dynamics, with gossip and secrets both confusing the investigation, and the climax of the book was full of heart-pounding excitement.
Recommended for fans of small-town romantic suspense that keeps you guessing until the end, childhood friends who later become lovers, and of dysfunctional families finally coming full circle. A very enthusiastic 4.5/5 Stars
June 11, 2011
As a teenager Emily Wright was able to escape from the serial killer dubbed the Baby Doll Strangler. However unable to escape the memories of her captivity she flees her small town home after graduating and builds a new life in the big city. Fifteen years later, when her father is seriously injured in an accident, she reluctantly returns to care for her fifteen year old sister. The old fears son creep back and any suggestion she is just being paranoid is dismissed when one of her sister's school friends is left on their lawn, dead. Deputy Bailey O'Neil is on the case, but their shared history colours his view. Between them and the two FBI agents on the trail of the killer they need to figure out his identity before he can kill again.
The story is mostly told in the third person, with some first person narrative from the viewpoint of the killer. This makes for very creepy reading, and finding out what Emily went through makes her fears seem very reasonable. She is a very likable character who has tried hard to find the strength to build her life again, and has become a successful career woman who stutters in the face of her high school crush and the memories her old home holds.
This isn't a particularly long book, and I raced through it, but that was largely because I didn't want to put it down. The reader is pitched into the action fairly early in the book and it's pretty relentless, although interspersed with details of the tentative relationship between Emily and Bailey which provides some light relief.
Parts of the plot were a bit predictable, but some of the turns I didn't see coming. The only thing I felt was missing was a real explanation of why the killer did what he did. We are given an idea of his logic but not what happened that affected him so much he would turn to murder, which would have completed things nicely. The story flows well and overall I really liked this thriller.
The story is mostly told in the third person, with some first person narrative from the viewpoint of the killer. This makes for very creepy reading, and finding out what Emily went through makes her fears seem very reasonable. She is a very likable character who has tried hard to find the strength to build her life again, and has become a successful career woman who stutters in the face of her high school crush and the memories her old home holds.
This isn't a particularly long book, and I raced through it, but that was largely because I didn't want to put it down. The reader is pitched into the action fairly early in the book and it's pretty relentless, although interspersed with details of the tentative relationship between Emily and Bailey which provides some light relief.
Parts of the plot were a bit predictable, but some of the turns I didn't see coming. The only thing I felt was missing was a real explanation of why the killer did what he did. We are given an idea of his logic but not what happened that affected him so much he would turn to murder, which would have completed things nicely. The story flows well and overall I really liked this thriller.
June 18, 2011
Favorite Lines: “He couldn’t wait to play with them. But not yet. It wasn’t time. Soon though. Right now there was another girl he wanted to toy with. He was putting the finishing touches on their playroom right now. The walls had been soundproofed. No one would hear her scream. The tools were laid out. Waiting for when he was ready for them. The brand-new clothes he’d bought to dress her up i had been washed in rose water. Crushing them in his fist, he raised them to his nose. They smelled so good. Not as good as she’d smell though.” (p. 41 e-ARC)
The First Victim is 72,000 words of pure suspense. Sure I knew who the killer was as soon as he was introduced, but the details surrounding all the events of the book took me by surprise. The cover of The First Victim does nothing to showcase the story making this one of those “don’t judge a book by its cover” cases.
The story is a romantic suspense, but the emphasis in the story are on the “who will survive” aspect. I wasn’t invested in the love story line at all. I didn’t feel their attraction and I really didn’t care. I cared about whether the heroine would survive another encounter with a monster. JB Lynn has done an excellent job stretching out the heroine’s story. She gives just enough to get the reader worked up and excited then lets go of the throttle letting the reader sweat it out until the next injection of adrenaline is unleashed.
Buy or skip it? Buy it. It’s a nice foray into the dark side of humanity. It’s light on the romance, but there is a romantic edge which should please both romance readers and those new to the romance genre. It’s a quick read. My biggest issue with the book was the sex scene. I just didn’t feel it. There was no sexual tension building up to the event and afterward I didn’t feel an emotional attachment. I felt two old friends reconnecting through sex, but no real attraction or life altering change.
Scooper Speaks
The First Victim is 72,000 words of pure suspense. Sure I knew who the killer was as soon as he was introduced, but the details surrounding all the events of the book took me by surprise. The cover of The First Victim does nothing to showcase the story making this one of those “don’t judge a book by its cover” cases.
The story is a romantic suspense, but the emphasis in the story are on the “who will survive” aspect. I wasn’t invested in the love story line at all. I didn’t feel their attraction and I really didn’t care. I cared about whether the heroine would survive another encounter with a monster. JB Lynn has done an excellent job stretching out the heroine’s story. She gives just enough to get the reader worked up and excited then lets go of the throttle letting the reader sweat it out until the next injection of adrenaline is unleashed.
Buy or skip it? Buy it. It’s a nice foray into the dark side of humanity. It’s light on the romance, but there is a romantic edge which should please both romance readers and those new to the romance genre. It’s a quick read. My biggest issue with the book was the sex scene. I just didn’t feel it. There was no sexual tension building up to the event and afterward I didn’t feel an emotional attachment. I felt two old friends reconnecting through sex, but no real attraction or life altering change.
Scooper Speaks
June 17, 2011
Emily Wright was only a teenager when she was kidnaped and sexually molested. Luckily she was able to escape before she was raped. She survived with the help of her friends and moved away as soon as she could. It’s been fifteen years since her abduction and Emily has only returned once, for her mother’s funeral. Now she has to return to the "scene of the crime" because her father has been seriously injured in an accident and someone needs to care for her younger sister Laurie.
To say that Emily has a lot of issues to deal with is a major understatement. Her father was never "understanding" in the best of situations and after her abduction things became even worse. Her mother tried to make the best of a bad situation but was limited in what she could do. Emily accepts that her sister is an innocent bystander in all of the family drama, so she returns for Laurie's sake. She also has the opportunity to rekindle her friendship and possible romance with Bailey O'Neil. Meanwhile Bailey is dealing with his own family drama saga. Bailey has had to take over as acting sheriff because his father, the former sheriff, has just been killed in a car accident. He also has to deal with a contentious grandmother, planning his father’s funeral and a murder investigation. Just when Emily thinks things may not be so bad she discovers a murdered body left in front of her family’s home. The Baby Doll killer, a known serial killer, is in her hometown. The investigation reveals that Emily may have been this killer's first victim many years ago and he is now targeting her again.
Ms. Lynn has filled The First Victim with mystery, intrigue and suspense with a touch of romance. Just when you think you know where the story is going, it takes a twist that you never saw coming. Some of these twists are action oriented and others are emotional, which I felt just added to the story. There was just enough romance, mystery, drama and suspense to keep me interested until the final page.
To say that Emily has a lot of issues to deal with is a major understatement. Her father was never "understanding" in the best of situations and after her abduction things became even worse. Her mother tried to make the best of a bad situation but was limited in what she could do. Emily accepts that her sister is an innocent bystander in all of the family drama, so she returns for Laurie's sake. She also has the opportunity to rekindle her friendship and possible romance with Bailey O'Neil. Meanwhile Bailey is dealing with his own family drama saga. Bailey has had to take over as acting sheriff because his father, the former sheriff, has just been killed in a car accident. He also has to deal with a contentious grandmother, planning his father’s funeral and a murder investigation. Just when Emily thinks things may not be so bad she discovers a murdered body left in front of her family’s home. The Baby Doll killer, a known serial killer, is in her hometown. The investigation reveals that Emily may have been this killer's first victim many years ago and he is now targeting her again.
Ms. Lynn has filled The First Victim with mystery, intrigue and suspense with a touch of romance. Just when you think you know where the story is going, it takes a twist that you never saw coming. Some of these twists are action oriented and others are emotional, which I felt just added to the story. There was just enough romance, mystery, drama and suspense to keep me interested until the final page.
July 31, 2011
I enjoyed reading First Victim, I enjoyed the writing style and the storyline, the plot, the twist towards the end, the characters, pretty much all of it except I didn’t feel the chemistry between Emily and Bailey was believable, it felt too forced and I struggled to accept them as anything more than friends with a shared past, I really wanted to but couldn’t but it didn’t ruin the book for me but I did wish some of their scene’s went quicker and may have skipped some of their sex scenes. However, I thought First Victim was a really gritty read with the Baby Doll Strangler and how the scenes with him were portrayed they were really grim and felt really realistic and make you wonder and think who he was and what his ultimate goal was. It was really quite great but my main problem with this was how many people knew the real identify of the Baby Doll Strangler and never came forward about it, I just found too hard to believe. Even Emily’s father suspected things and new things and never came forward and never said a word and although Emily didn’t have the best relationship with her father I still found it hard to believe that he wouldn’t or couldn’t be more supportive or helpful to Emily and her ordeal and even with the Strangler back and her sister in danger with bodies being dropped on their front door step. What I liked about Emily was the way she was written and how she changed once she was back on the town she was abducted from and it felt so real and something you could really believe that she was scared and worried and apprehensive about returning yet she wasn’t who she could be living away from her town and never knowing if she’d be safe again but I really loved the way Emily wasn't portrayed as a kick-ass heroine but as a real victim that was still dealing with what happened to her all those years ago.
Overall, I enjoyed First Victim and think other people would enjoy it who like romantic suspense and a good whodunit with a bit of romance thrown in
Overall, I enjoyed First Victim and think other people would enjoy it who like romantic suspense and a good whodunit with a bit of romance thrown in
June 13, 2011
Carina Press has been extremely gracious to allow me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release today, and I am extremely grateful because this novel is phenomenal! The synopsis itself peaked my curiosity and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it—the idea of a serial killer tracking down the “one that got away” intrigued me to no end, and I wasn’t disappointed in the least as I read. I was pulled into the novel from the very first page and couldn’t put it down until I’d read straight through to the end. Of course, I picked this novel up at nine o’clock at night just for a perusal and found it so riveting that foregoing sleep to finish it was absolutely necessary. I couldn’t have put the novel down, even if I had wanted to (and I didn’t), as Lynn did such a magnificent job creating a twisted, dark thriller.
I love a novel that keeps me guessing, and that is exactly what The First Victim did. All the way through I kept pointing fingers at different characters, dubbing them the “Baby Doll Strangler,” and when I finally ended up settling on one character above all others, it ended up being the wrong character. In fact, the actual killer wasn’t even on my list of suspects, and that’s how I know it’s a great novel. As Lynn revealed the identity of the killer, everything clicked for me, and as I thought back on all the scenes involving this character, it all made sense. This, in and of itself, proves to me that Lynn is a very talented writer, a pure genius able to keep the reader in the dark along with her characters—knowing just how much to reveal to keep the reader hooked, but never giving away enough to allow both the reader and characters to see the truth until it’s too late. I loved it!
To read the full review:
http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...
I love a novel that keeps me guessing, and that is exactly what The First Victim did. All the way through I kept pointing fingers at different characters, dubbing them the “Baby Doll Strangler,” and when I finally ended up settling on one character above all others, it ended up being the wrong character. In fact, the actual killer wasn’t even on my list of suspects, and that’s how I know it’s a great novel. As Lynn revealed the identity of the killer, everything clicked for me, and as I thought back on all the scenes involving this character, it all made sense. This, in and of itself, proves to me that Lynn is a very talented writer, a pure genius able to keep the reader in the dark along with her characters—knowing just how much to reveal to keep the reader hooked, but never giving away enough to allow both the reader and characters to see the truth until it’s too late. I loved it!
To read the full review:
http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...
June 17, 2011
This was a good one. Very suspenseful and kept you guessing on who the Baby Doll Killer was until the end (I flip flopped a couple times on who it could have been).
Emily Wright was abducted when she was sixteen. She spent three days with her abductor, but managed to escape. She’s lived with the trauma from her three day ordeal ever since; abandoning her family, friends, hometown and her one time best friend and crush Bailey O’Neill in an effort to have some semblance of a normal life.
She’s called back to Lakeside Acres, Pennsylvania to care for her sister after a boating accident lands her father in the hospital. She dreads it, but goes for the sake of her little sister.
JB Lynn wastes no time getting us absorbed and the Baby Doll Killer wastes no time with his plans to get the one who got away!
There were some places where little items would get thrown out there (like Bailey once working for the FBI, but no explanation on why he was back home), but those didn’t take away from the story.
Emily was a great character. Despite everything that she has been through, she choked back her fear to come home for her sister. As Emily went through the story, you sensed her fear and apprehension at every corner, yet she was there for her sister despite that. And when her sister really needed her, she totally stepped up and sacrificed herself to ensure her sister never had to deal with what she had.
Would have enjoyed a little bit more of a relationship development between Bailey and Emily, but even with the lack of that, the story was still strong.
Emily Wright was abducted when she was sixteen. She spent three days with her abductor, but managed to escape. She’s lived with the trauma from her three day ordeal ever since; abandoning her family, friends, hometown and her one time best friend and crush Bailey O’Neill in an effort to have some semblance of a normal life.
She’s called back to Lakeside Acres, Pennsylvania to care for her sister after a boating accident lands her father in the hospital. She dreads it, but goes for the sake of her little sister.
JB Lynn wastes no time getting us absorbed and the Baby Doll Killer wastes no time with his plans to get the one who got away!
There were some places where little items would get thrown out there (like Bailey once working for the FBI, but no explanation on why he was back home), but those didn’t take away from the story.
Emily was a great character. Despite everything that she has been through, she choked back her fear to come home for her sister. As Emily went through the story, you sensed her fear and apprehension at every corner, yet she was there for her sister despite that. And when her sister really needed her, she totally stepped up and sacrificed herself to ensure her sister never had to deal with what she had.
Would have enjoyed a little bit more of a relationship development between Bailey and Emily, but even with the lack of that, the story was still strong.
January 1, 2012
I did like this but...I think it would have been much better as a full length novel.
It wasn't very long and the story seemed to conclude very quickly. Nothing was really drawn out. The main character of Emily, comes back to town and straight away the Baby Doll Killer starts leaving her notes etc and we find out very quickly why this guy wants her.
Although saying that, the storyline was very good and I didn't guess who the killer was. Very creepy in places but not quite as suspenseful as I would have liked. And I think it would have been more suspenseful if the storyline was filled out a bit more.
There wasn't really any details of any of the other characters either so I didn't really feel like they offered that much to the story. Then small references were made....for example Bailey working for the FBI for a time....why did he quit to work on a small town police force? This wasn't never explained and so it didn't really seem relevant to the story.
Also the girls seemed to get abducted quite easily...we were told a couple fought back, but how? the abductor never seemed injured and it all seemed too easy.
I wouldnt rule out reading any more from this author as there is definately potential here, but as said previously I would prefer them to be longer, more in depth and more character development.
It wasn't very long and the story seemed to conclude very quickly. Nothing was really drawn out. The main character of Emily, comes back to town and straight away the Baby Doll Killer starts leaving her notes etc and we find out very quickly why this guy wants her.
Although saying that, the storyline was very good and I didn't guess who the killer was. Very creepy in places but not quite as suspenseful as I would have liked. And I think it would have been more suspenseful if the storyline was filled out a bit more.
There wasn't really any details of any of the other characters either so I didn't really feel like they offered that much to the story. Then small references were made....for example Bailey working for the FBI for a time....why did he quit to work on a small town police force? This wasn't never explained and so it didn't really seem relevant to the story.
Also the girls seemed to get abducted quite easily...we were told a couple fought back, but how? the abductor never seemed injured and it all seemed too easy.
I wouldnt rule out reading any more from this author as there is definately potential here, but as said previously I would prefer them to be longer, more in depth and more character development.
June 28, 2011
A surprisingly satisfying read, this book follows the standard of normal mainstream fiction. With a sprinkling of romance, a mystery and a main character filled with baggage from her past, this novel will appeal to a wide variety of audiences. I enjoyed the book but wouldn’t list it as one I couldn’t put doubt. I did, in fact, put it down on several occasions because I became so frustrated with the characterization of the main character. She is constantly scared of her own shadow (not unexpected considering the terrible things in her past) but then the author continually tells us how she is not a frightened little mouse – direct opposition to the traits the author has given her. It wasn’t enough to make me stop reading, the plot was strong enough to move the book along but the character imbalance prickled a nerve with me throughout the book. Should that be strengthened (or those phrases of how strong she is) be removed, I think I would have enjoyed this book much more and found myself engrossed in the story. With just a few minor tweaks, I think this could be a fabulous novel for those looking for a quick summer page turner that allows you to delve into a shady mystery.
(ARC Galley Proof)
(ARC Galley Proof)
June 11, 2011
Having survived the Baby Doll Killer as a teen, Emily leaves her hometown, overcomes her fears and achieves success as an adult. When her father is in a boating accident, she must return home to take care of her teenage sister.
Her childhood friend, Bailey, is all grown up, too, and is now a cop. Their relationship is confusing...both of them are in love with the other, but there's too much past between them.
When the Baby Doll Killer shows up again and begins stalking both Em and her younger sister, though, all bets are off. While Em struggles to protect her sister, deal with her estranged and injured father, and come to grips with her own fears of the past now manifest in the present, Bailey is the only one she can trust.
This story is full of twists and turns and the family angle is done to perfection. No spoilers, but beware guessing who the killer is before Ms. Lynn reveals the truth...you'll be surprised! Em and Bailey's romance is a sweet edition to the suspense and mystery and added the perfect balance.
Highly recommended for both supsense and romance lovers. Storytelling at it's best that will keep you up past your bedtime!
Her childhood friend, Bailey, is all grown up, too, and is now a cop. Their relationship is confusing...both of them are in love with the other, but there's too much past between them.
When the Baby Doll Killer shows up again and begins stalking both Em and her younger sister, though, all bets are off. While Em struggles to protect her sister, deal with her estranged and injured father, and come to grips with her own fears of the past now manifest in the present, Bailey is the only one she can trust.
This story is full of twists and turns and the family angle is done to perfection. No spoilers, but beware guessing who the killer is before Ms. Lynn reveals the truth...you'll be surprised! Em and Bailey's romance is a sweet edition to the suspense and mystery and added the perfect balance.
Highly recommended for both supsense and romance lovers. Storytelling at it's best that will keep you up past your bedtime!
July 7, 2011
I received this book free from Net Galley
What I thought:
Wow...this book made me double check the locks on my three year old's bedroom window. Seriously. It freaked me out. It was well written with a hellacious amount of suspense and thrill. I have seen on several other reviews that they had a problem with Emily being described as strong but her actions proved otherwise and I have to disagree. The fact that she was able to reason through the ordeal and come out on the other side says a lot about her. Usually, in those types of situations, it's so easy to forget what you're supposed to do. She never lost sight of that. She always had in her head the logistics of it all. Kuddos to her for not wanting to be another victim.
Also, what a tangled web we weave! I have to say, without adding too many spoilers that if I knew the person responsible had anything to do with my romantic interest--I wouldn't want to have anything to do with him...given the fact that the apple never falls too far from the tree, in some cases.
Great book!
Rating: 5
What I thought:
Wow...this book made me double check the locks on my three year old's bedroom window. Seriously. It freaked me out. It was well written with a hellacious amount of suspense and thrill. I have seen on several other reviews that they had a problem with Emily being described as strong but her actions proved otherwise and I have to disagree. The fact that she was able to reason through the ordeal and come out on the other side says a lot about her. Usually, in those types of situations, it's so easy to forget what you're supposed to do. She never lost sight of that. She always had in her head the logistics of it all. Kuddos to her for not wanting to be another victim.
Also, what a tangled web we weave! I have to say, without adding too many spoilers that if I knew the person responsible had anything to do with my romantic interest--I wouldn't want to have anything to do with him...given the fact that the apple never falls too far from the tree, in some cases.
Great book!
Rating: 5
June 22, 2011
Reviewed at:Over A Cuppa Tea
Review date:23 June 2011
Review link: http://cleffairy.com/?p=5582
‘The First Victim’ is a horrifying but satisfying read. It starts off with a horrendous, unbelievable event change changes people’s lives forever. Rather dramatic, but frankly speaking, it is believable, cuz things… unwanted, horrible things happens when you least expected it. This book makes me think that horrible things really can happen, just that you don’t know when. And when those horrible, terrifying thing actually did happen and affect your life tremendously, you’d find yourself wondering how the hell it can actually happen to you or the people around you.
This book may be a fiction, but it serves as an eye opener to me. Thumbs up for the author for her splendid writing skill that could easily provoke so many emotions all at once as I read it.
I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. I received an ARC of this book from Carina Press via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review for this book, and I was not compensated in any ways for this.
Review date:23 June 2011
Review link: http://cleffairy.com/?p=5582
‘The First Victim’ is a horrifying but satisfying read. It starts off with a horrendous, unbelievable event change changes people’s lives forever. Rather dramatic, but frankly speaking, it is believable, cuz things… unwanted, horrible things happens when you least expected it. This book makes me think that horrible things really can happen, just that you don’t know when. And when those horrible, terrifying thing actually did happen and affect your life tremendously, you’d find yourself wondering how the hell it can actually happen to you or the people around you.
This book may be a fiction, but it serves as an eye opener to me. Thumbs up for the author for her splendid writing skill that could easily provoke so many emotions all at once as I read it.
I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. I received an ARC of this book from Carina Press via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review for this book, and I was not compensated in any ways for this.
August 16, 2011
The First Victim is a captivating mystery that will probably make your skin crawl and your teeth hurt occasionally. I know it did mine. The author, J.B. Lynn created a decidedly evil killer, and at times gets a bit graphic in the details of what the killer does. It's not horribly over the top, though, not any worse than most crime tv shows.
The book flows well, I read it in one evening. I had to find out what happened! I will toot my own horn to say that I did figure out who the killer was, but I didn't realize how he/she fit in the story until the very end. There are lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing, I suspected everyone at one time or another. This novel will be a favorite for mystery/suspense fans!
I was given this book from the publishers, Carina Press, through Netgalley.
The book flows well, I read it in one evening. I had to find out what happened! I will toot my own horn to say that I did figure out who the killer was, but I didn't realize how he/she fit in the story until the very end. There are lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing, I suspected everyone at one time or another. This novel will be a favorite for mystery/suspense fans!
I was given this book from the publishers, Carina Press, through Netgalley.
August 15, 2011
I was gracious enough to get an ARC copy of this from Netgalley. What a great book this was. I like these crime/mystery novels,especially the ones that really reel you in and this one hooks you right from the start.
The story of Emily and her kidnapping 15 years earlier is riveting. You want to know more, but understandably, she has a hard time coming to terms with the entire thing. She hasn't revealed much to anyone about the crime. Not to mention, no one ever found her kidnapper which is why girls are ending up dead. He's waiting to get to Emily, his ultimate doll.
My only issues were her constant jumpiness. Everyone and everything seemed to scare her. And the chemistry between her and her childhood friend Bailey would have been great if it hadn't have been started and taken away so many times! Otherwise a great, riveting tale about a really messed up, sick serial killer.
The story of Emily and her kidnapping 15 years earlier is riveting. You want to know more, but understandably, she has a hard time coming to terms with the entire thing. She hasn't revealed much to anyone about the crime. Not to mention, no one ever found her kidnapper which is why girls are ending up dead. He's waiting to get to Emily, his ultimate doll.
My only issues were her constant jumpiness. Everyone and everything seemed to scare her. And the chemistry between her and her childhood friend Bailey would have been great if it hadn't have been started and taken away so many times! Otherwise a great, riveting tale about a really messed up, sick serial killer.
July 25, 2014
I'm not really sure how to rate this one, only because yeah I thought it was pretty good, nice thriller romance, typical though. I think one day im going to write a book on how to write a thriller. never ever introduce the bad guy, briefly but strongly with a hint of attitude in his manner of walk. automatically a reader who has read something like over 1 thousand books in the past 5 years, and tens of thousands of books in her lifetime, would know he's the bad guy, and then its all over, prediction come true and no element of surprise. I went with a 4 star, because it was pretty good, and if I wasn't such a well-read reader, The element of it would have passed by me. and the ending still had a slight twist that I wasn't expecting. overall, good book. typical murder stalker obsession type mystery
July 13, 2011
Three words for JB Lynn's The First Victim: atmospheric, sexy, and creepy. I loved the setting (lakeside community with characters whose lives and pasts intertwined beautifully), the romantic relationship (a high school crush - yummy!), and the points of view - namely that we got glimpses of the killer throughout. My favorite character in the novel was the sister's rebellious friend, Anna. She absolutely leapt off the page and she's one I'll never forget. I would love to see her return in a future novel (hint, hint). JB managed to combine moments of sweetness with moments of terror in a gripping story I highly recommend. Also, I have not stopped craving pistachio muffins since finishing the novel. I'm looking forward to more awesomeness from JB in the very near future!
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