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Kate Hanson #4
The Coldest Motive
Please note this book was previously published as Something Evil Comes
Two teenage boys make a gruesome discovery . A body locked inside a church crypt. The victim’s throat viciously ripped out.
The dead man is quickly identified as twenty-year-old Matthew Flynn, son of a wealthy businessman. He was reported missing a year ago.
Nothing about the crime scene makes sense to forensic psychologist Kate Hanson. The evidence reveals careful planning — but also a frenzied loss of control. Kate and her team disagree about the killer’s motive — is it drugs? Money? Sex?
Then another young man’s remains are found. Someone who knew Matthew. And the case takes an even darker turn . . .
Two teenage boys make a gruesome discovery . A body locked inside a church crypt. The victim’s throat viciously ripped out.
The dead man is quickly identified as twenty-year-old Matthew Flynn, son of a wealthy businessman. He was reported missing a year ago.
Nothing about the crime scene makes sense to forensic psychologist Kate Hanson. The evidence reveals careful planning — but also a frenzied loss of control. Kate and her team disagree about the killer’s motive — is it drugs? Money? Sex?
Then another young man’s remains are found. Someone who knew Matthew. And the case takes an even darker turn . . .
- GenresMystery
315 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2017
315 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
About the author
A.J. Cross
20 books88 followersA.J. Cross is a forensic psychologist and frequent court-appointed expert witness. She obtained her Masters Degree and PhD at the University of Birmingham, the latter relating to children as witnesses within the criminal court system. Her professional experience has included consultancy work for the Probation Service within its sexual offender unit in her home city. She currently lives in the West Midlands with her musician husband.
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
September 11, 2017
Although this is Book 4 of 4 in the Dr Kate Hanson Series, it works quite well as a stand alone.
Forensic Psychologist Kate Hanson along with Detectives Watt and Corrigan make up the Unsolved Crime Unit. They are called out to investigate the remains of a young man found locked inside a church crypt. Evidence shows that he has been there at least a year ... and it looks like his throat was ripped out prior to his death. He is quickly identified as Matthew Flynn, son of one of the city's leading residents.
She and her team have a difference of opinions when it comes to motive. Sex? Drugs? Money? Those are usually the leading reasons. BUt as they are questioning those who were close to Flynn ..ad some that weren't ..... they're getting much different opinions of who and what Matthew was.
And then another young man's remains are found ... someone who knew Matthew.
This is a solid crime thriller with engaging characters that will stand the test of time. Kate and her team are mostly no-nonsense and find it extremely satisfying when they can solve a cold case. There are several suspects, making it hard to guess until the final pages reveal a surprising twist.
Many thanks to the author / Severn House / Netgalley for the advance digital copy. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Forensic Psychologist Kate Hanson along with Detectives Watt and Corrigan make up the Unsolved Crime Unit. They are called out to investigate the remains of a young man found locked inside a church crypt. Evidence shows that he has been there at least a year ... and it looks like his throat was ripped out prior to his death. He is quickly identified as Matthew Flynn, son of one of the city's leading residents.
She and her team have a difference of opinions when it comes to motive. Sex? Drugs? Money? Those are usually the leading reasons. BUt as they are questioning those who were close to Flynn ..ad some that weren't ..... they're getting much different opinions of who and what Matthew was.
And then another young man's remains are found ... someone who knew Matthew.
This is a solid crime thriller with engaging characters that will stand the test of time. Kate and her team are mostly no-nonsense and find it extremely satisfying when they can solve a cold case. There are several suspects, making it hard to guess until the final pages reveal a surprising twist.
Many thanks to the author / Severn House / Netgalley for the advance digital copy. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
November 17, 2023
Better than book 3. Kate is still an annoying bint.
After the third book in this series my interest was beginning to wane and my irritation was rising. This story was much more interesting with various different strands to it, which kept me going off in multiple directions - as was obviously the author's intended way to read it.
Right now I can barely remember anything about book three in this series, but I know the details of this one will remain with me. I did figure out whodunit and some of the motive, but the means by which the initial victim was killed (and another subsequent death) were obscured by the way in which the fatal wounds were described by the forensic examiner. That felt a bit sly when the method was eventually revealed. We the readers were given faulty information by dint of Connie misrepresenting how the deaths had occurred. That annoyed me.
There was the usual BS where Bernie is made out to be some kind of archaic throwback to policing who refuses to accept the behavioural psychology aspect and it's value to solving a case, despite this being the fourth case this group from UCU have worked together (the previous three all being solved successfully with Hanson's input). He is not going to be stupid enough to still think her approach is invalid, and to play this angle up in EVERY single book is a tired cliché. Stop it.
And then there's Kate herself who is just annoying and unlikable. I imagine she'll end up getting together with Joe in the next (final?) book but she doesn't deserve to. She keeps him around like a puppy. That said, he's a boring, cookie-cutter hero type, but is so wet and pathetic he deserves it. It'd be funnier and more just, if in the next book he decides she isn't worth simping for and decided to bang Crystal the assistant, or Barb the blond constable who fancies him, instead.
And can we have more Bernie please? Bernie is awesome. #TeamBernie
After the third book in this series my interest was beginning to wane and my irritation was rising. This story was much more interesting with various different strands to it, which kept me going off in multiple directions - as was obviously the author's intended way to read it.
Right now I can barely remember anything about book three in this series, but I know the details of this one will remain with me. I did figure out whodunit and some of the motive, but the means by which the initial victim was killed (and another subsequent death) were obscured by the way in which the fatal wounds were described by the forensic examiner. That felt a bit sly when the method was eventually revealed. We the readers were given faulty information by dint of Connie misrepresenting how the deaths had occurred. That annoyed me.
There was the usual BS where Bernie is made out to be some kind of archaic throwback to policing who refuses to accept the behavioural psychology aspect and it's value to solving a case, despite this being the fourth case this group from UCU have worked together (the previous three all being solved successfully with Hanson's input). He is not going to be stupid enough to still think her approach is invalid, and to play this angle up in EVERY single book is a tired cliché. Stop it.
And then there's Kate herself who is just annoying and unlikable. I imagine she'll end up getting together with Joe in the next (final?) book but she doesn't deserve to. She keeps him around like a puppy. That said, he's a boring, cookie-cutter hero type, but is so wet and pathetic he deserves it. It'd be funnier and more just, if in the next book he decides she isn't worth simping for and decided to bang Crystal the assistant, or Barb the blond constable who fancies him, instead.
And can we have more Bernie please? Bernie is awesome. #TeamBernie
December 6, 2017
Something evil comes by aj cross.
When a body is discovered locked inside a church crypt, its throat torn out, the victim’s identity is quickly established as 20-year-old Matthew Flynn, son of one of the city’s leading entrepreneurs, who disappeared a year earlier.
I really enjoyed this book. Gruesome just how I like my reads. fantastic read with great characters. Great plot. Loved the ending. Hope there is more to come. 5*.
When a body is discovered locked inside a church crypt, its throat torn out, the victim’s identity is quickly established as 20-year-old Matthew Flynn, son of one of the city’s leading entrepreneurs, who disappeared a year earlier.
I really enjoyed this book. Gruesome just how I like my reads. fantastic read with great characters. Great plot. Loved the ending. Hope there is more to come. 5*.
November 3, 2017
Thank you NetGalley for this book.
Looks like a little prayer, thanking NetGalley. And prayers, in a certain way, play a role in this book. It all revolves around a church, where a body is found in a crypt. Nothing wrong with that except for the fact it is the body of a young man who died recently.
Kate Hanson and her colleagues start with trying to find who the boy was and why he was left in the crypt, and along the way they encounter a number of family and friends of the young man, and a number of people who devoted their life to the church.
It was a pleasant read but I thought it a bit unbalanced. In the beginning of the book there is much talking and guessing without Kate and her colleagues going anywhere, in the middle the pace is nice and the last few chapters seem to be a bit hurried. I would have liked the story to be more evenly spaced out.
Looks like a little prayer, thanking NetGalley. And prayers, in a certain way, play a role in this book. It all revolves around a church, where a body is found in a crypt. Nothing wrong with that except for the fact it is the body of a young man who died recently.
Kate Hanson and her colleagues start with trying to find who the boy was and why he was left in the crypt, and along the way they encounter a number of family and friends of the young man, and a number of people who devoted their life to the church.
It was a pleasant read but I thought it a bit unbalanced. In the beginning of the book there is much talking and guessing without Kate and her colleagues going anywhere, in the middle the pace is nice and the last few chapters seem to be a bit hurried. I would have liked the story to be more evenly spaced out.
October 30, 2017
Who would hide the body of a young man in an old disused crypt?
When Matthew Flynn is found in an old crypt with his throat pulled out, forensic psychologist Kate Hanson and the team of the Unsolved Murder Unit are called on to solve the crime. Matthew is the son of a local entrepreneur and the pressure is on to solve the murder quickly.
Who would kill such a lovely young man in such a gruesome way and what has the local church and community have to do with the crime? Witchcraft, drugs or just plain greed, all are options for Kate and the team to investigate.
This book is ok although it drags on for too long and then there is a sudden rush at the end, with a portion of the whole story not added to the end! Kate and the UM Unit are very weak and it’s all been written about before. A single mum with a teenage child struggling to cope with her job and her awkward child, Family jealousy, money, and a genial but strange priest.
This book could have been so much better if it had some original ideas because it is very well written and the characters are there to be expanded.
I look forward to reading more of the Kate Hanson series to see if the author grows along with the main characters.
Shesat
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
When Matthew Flynn is found in an old crypt with his throat pulled out, forensic psychologist Kate Hanson and the team of the Unsolved Murder Unit are called on to solve the crime. Matthew is the son of a local entrepreneur and the pressure is on to solve the murder quickly.
Who would kill such a lovely young man in such a gruesome way and what has the local church and community have to do with the crime? Witchcraft, drugs or just plain greed, all are options for Kate and the team to investigate.
This book is ok although it drags on for too long and then there is a sudden rush at the end, with a portion of the whole story not added to the end! Kate and the UM Unit are very weak and it’s all been written about before. A single mum with a teenage child struggling to cope with her job and her awkward child, Family jealousy, money, and a genial but strange priest.
This book could have been so much better if it had some original ideas because it is very well written and the characters are there to be expanded.
I look forward to reading more of the Kate Hanson series to see if the author grows along with the main characters.
Shesat
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
June 11, 2024
Kate continues to be annoying.
The stories continue to be overwritten and slog along at a snails pace and of course EVERYONE WHO EVER WORKED COLD CASES BEFORE FOR THE POLICE DID NOTHING. NADA, MESSED EVERYTHING UP.
The stories continue to be overwritten and slog along at a snails pace and of course EVERYONE WHO EVER WORKED COLD CASES BEFORE FOR THE POLICE DID NOTHING. NADA, MESSED EVERYTHING UP.
July 12, 2018
The story was of a professor/criminal psychologist/mother working with her detective colleagues to solve a murder within a church setting.
This was apparently the fourth in a series involving this heroine. It had a lot of twists and turns during the storytelling. There weren't many clues as to the real killer, but a lot of misleads to the wrong choices.
The ending was rushed, in my opinion. Suddenly she knew who the killer was and the author threw in another character that had been briefly alluded to in the beginning. And they all lived happily ever after.....
Side relationships ....father/daughter mother/daughter woman/man ex-husband professor/students seemed to be there to make the story less one-dimensional.
This was apparently the fourth in a series involving this heroine. It had a lot of twists and turns during the storytelling. There weren't many clues as to the real killer, but a lot of misleads to the wrong choices.
The ending was rushed, in my opinion. Suddenly she knew who the killer was and the author threw in another character that had been briefly alluded to in the beginning. And they all lived happily ever after.....
Side relationships ....father/daughter mother/daughter woman/man ex-husband professor/students seemed to be there to make the story less one-dimensional.
November 3, 2017
Thank you Netgalley and Severn Publishing for the eARC.
This 4th in the Kate Hanson series is a good read. This was my 1st book by A.J. Cross and it can definitely be read as a standalone.
A body is found in a crypt at St. Bartholomew's Church, his throat ripped out. The young man, Matthew Flynn, had been missing since the previous October.
Kate joins the police team of Corrigan and Watts in her capacity as a forensic psychologist in what will prove to be a demanding case.
Father Delaney of St. Bartholomew's, the Flynn family and Matthew's 2 roommates are less than helpful when questioned, and as to the 'why' of Matthew's murder? Was it drugs; and why did Matthew have an inverted cross tattoo on his neck? Or could it be a sexual or financial motive? The answer seems impossibly out of reach and the team is bone tired and frustrated. Another murder and a possible suicide just add to the questions.
The final answers are quite surprising...and the very satisfying ending decided it for me: I must read the previous 3 books!
This 4th in the Kate Hanson series is a good read. This was my 1st book by A.J. Cross and it can definitely be read as a standalone.
A body is found in a crypt at St. Bartholomew's Church, his throat ripped out. The young man, Matthew Flynn, had been missing since the previous October.
Kate joins the police team of Corrigan and Watts in her capacity as a forensic psychologist in what will prove to be a demanding case.
Father Delaney of St. Bartholomew's, the Flynn family and Matthew's 2 roommates are less than helpful when questioned, and as to the 'why' of Matthew's murder? Was it drugs; and why did Matthew have an inverted cross tattoo on his neck? Or could it be a sexual or financial motive? The answer seems impossibly out of reach and the team is bone tired and frustrated. Another murder and a possible suicide just add to the questions.
The final answers are quite surprising...and the very satisfying ending decided it for me: I must read the previous 3 books!
December 30, 2017
When I started reading this, I thought from the first couple of pages that I was in for a treat, and it turned out to be true. I love forensic mysteries and this one will keep you on the edge of your seat while you search for answers to the many questions the novel raises.
Tray as I might, I didn't ever manage to guess exactly what was going on in this book until it was revealed at the end. I read so many mystery and suspense novels, that I am always impressed when the author manages to sneak one by me, and in this case, they certainly did. I didn't expect what happened in the end, but it thrilled me.
If you love books where you aren't sure who to trust and the culprit could be any number of the characters, this one will surely satisfy you. I liked the details of the murders and the clues that were left behind. Overall, this was an entertaining story with a lot of good content. Recommended to anyone who likes a good mystery that will leave you breathless.
This review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Tray as I might, I didn't ever manage to guess exactly what was going on in this book until it was revealed at the end. I read so many mystery and suspense novels, that I am always impressed when the author manages to sneak one by me, and in this case, they certainly did. I didn't expect what happened in the end, but it thrilled me.
If you love books where you aren't sure who to trust and the culprit could be any number of the characters, this one will surely satisfy you. I liked the details of the murders and the clues that were left behind. Overall, this was an entertaining story with a lot of good content. Recommended to anyone who likes a good mystery that will leave you breathless.
This review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
May 24, 2024
This book began in a gruesome fashion and pretty much continued in that vein all the way through. It was extremely intense and at times complicated and mystifying. I really enjoy the interaction between Kate and her colleagues both in the UCU and the University. She is a very conscientious and persistent forensic psychologist who certainly refuses to give up, even when her life could be in danger, but at the end of the day she gets the job done. Yes, she can be frustrating but her tenacity is admirable and, despite everything, I find myself warming to her. This case is quite sinister with a large number of suspects which makes it a challenge to keep up, but at the same time certainly makes the reader pay attention and I found it hard to put the book down. The twist at the very end was massive and one I certainly did not see coming. All the other suspects made sense, but the truth was out of the blue for both me and Kate herself. I am looking forward to getting stuck into the next in this series as there is definitely more to follow up on.
July 6, 2023
Yes, it's actual Det. Sergeant Watts in this one, before his promotion to DI. For details of my general opinion of this series, see my review of Cold cold heart, Kate Hanson # 5. At around 230 pages, this book can be easily read in a day or two. It's a good mystery, with the usual detours into the private lives of the main protagonists. Each of these books can be read as a stand-alone, but it would have been nicer to start at the beginning and watch the characters develop.
Investigation proceeds in a normal fashion, and readers can always expect some twists and turns, and a cranking up of suspense as more people get dead.
I like the series, and I guess the author has brought real experience to the forensic side, which balances out some of the unreal aspects.
Rating 3.8.
Investigation proceeds in a normal fashion, and readers can always expect some twists and turns, and a cranking up of suspense as more people get dead.
I like the series, and I guess the author has brought real experience to the forensic side, which balances out some of the unreal aspects.
Rating 3.8.
November 23, 2017
An interesting procedural that adds a forensic psychologist to the usual mix as the lead character. This latest case to come to the Unsolved Crime Unit is a poser for Kate- why was a 20 year old murdered and why was he in a locked crypt? There are some twists and turns and some creepy things, especially after someone else (no spoilers) turns up dead. Kate is not an especially original character but she's likable; the same is true for Watt and Corrigan. I'd not read the first books in this series but this worked fine as a standalone. It's a quick read, not especially deep but intriguing enough. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
November 4, 2024
OK. But not great
This is probably my last book to read. I'm not liking the Kate character. She just seems too pushy, crosses the line of the law when it suits her and seems to have the my way or no way attitude. To me this was the worst book of the series. They are supposed to get better not worse. I didn't really care for the story line either. Too much all over the place.
This is probably my last book to read. I'm not liking the Kate character. She just seems too pushy, crosses the line of the law when it suits her and seems to have the my way or no way attitude. To me this was the worst book of the series. They are supposed to get better not worse. I didn't really care for the story line either. Too much all over the place.
January 8, 2026
These Kate Hanson stories are beginning to be monotonous, following the same pattern. I was hoping for a change in book 4, but no. Kate continues to be overbearing, the will she won't she with her colleague Joe Cullen, is beginning to go a bit stale and her grating relationship with her ex husband and her daughter continues. I shall read book 5 with my fingers crossed for an improvement.
January 22, 2024
I have read all five of this series, and with each one I couldn’t figure out who was the killer(s). Very well written with lots of twists. I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a really good mystery.
I couldn’t put it down, and had to finish it!
I couldn’t put it down, and had to finish it!
November 14, 2024
Liked it better than book 3. 5 deaths in this book but one went unanswered (Diana)and 1 not really explained (Alfred- for someone who was an astute businessman, I also can’t believe he was taken for a ride).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2018
Fast read. Good characters and plot.
February 11, 2018
I didn't realize this was #4 in a series but I don't believe it makes any difference. Good story although I had guessed the outcome...well with one or two twists I was not prepared for.
June 11, 2018
It was okay, though I figured out the culprit way too early. Not the motive, though, except in a general psychological way.
April 18, 2018
The fourth Kate Hanson forensic mystery combines appealing domestic details with a complex murder.
April 10, 2020
Good 'whodunnit' featuring forensic psychologist Kate Hanson
October 13, 2020
Will continue the series
October 25, 2023
I'll leave others to provide a description of the book but I thought it was an excellent book. I rarely give 5 stars but this book was worth it. Excellent plot and unlike many books a good conclusion. No finding a perpetrator from left field in the last 20 pages. Definitely worth a read.
December 16, 2023
Great Book
This book was a real thriller. The author kept the suspense going until the very end! I highly recommend reading.
This book was a real thriller. The author kept the suspense going until the very end! I highly recommend reading.
July 6, 2024
What Lies Hidden
Burglars trying to get into a church, broke into a crypt looking for another entry point. What they find puts into motion a twisted evil plot.
Burglars trying to get into a church, broke into a crypt looking for another entry point. What they find puts into motion a twisted evil plot.
February 3, 2018
Although at times I was enthralled and interested in the story, but many times it just became rather monotonous.
I do like the idea and the writing which was able to draw me in quite well. But the story just fell flat and the characters were difficult to understand. I didn’t care about any of them at all.
As for the storyline, it also failed to drive any emotion within me at all.
I guess this may be a case that this story wasn’t tailored for me, as I didn’t hate the direction things were going of the characters. It just really failed to endear them to me.
Overall, this just wasn’t to my liking and despite the fact I found it readable but it was completely forgettable.
I do like the idea and the writing which was able to draw me in quite well. But the story just fell flat and the characters were difficult to understand. I didn’t care about any of them at all.
As for the storyline, it also failed to drive any emotion within me at all.
I guess this may be a case that this story wasn’t tailored for me, as I didn’t hate the direction things were going of the characters. It just really failed to endear them to me.
Overall, this just wasn’t to my liking and despite the fact I found it readable but it was completely forgettable.
January 19, 2018
I wasn’t thrilled with this book. There was a lot of dialogue regarding a murder of a young man found in a crypt. The investigation plods along, the reader predicts who the antagonist is, but not if that person is the murderer and not knowing the reason why. A lot of the characters weren’t likable. Towards the last few pages another cold-case mystery becomes available to the reader which has something to do with the murdered man in the beginning. Didn’t make sense to me that at least a bit of that cold case was referred to earlier in the book. It appeared very disjointed and am still deciding if I like the character Kate Hanson or not.
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September 18, 2017Thank you Net Galley. I enjoyed this book very much. The author writes well and creates an interesting and gripping narrative with well developed characters. I look forward to reading more in the series.
mystery
November 21, 2017Find it at the West Hempstead Library http://encore.alisweb.org/iii/encore/...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews