Programmed To Kill: Featuring Detective Annie Macpherson

by Barbara Fagan Speake

Now in the middle of her six-month exchange with the Westford Connecticut Police Department, Scottish Detective Annie Macpherson is barely tying up the loose ends from her last case when a new one appears. The vicious murder of a local priest has all the marks of a ritualistic attack, but what is the motive behind it? Before they can answer that, Annie and her colleague, Detective Dave Ellison, find they have another body on their hands whose injuries are too similar for it to be coincidence. And if that wasn’t enough, Annie’s love life has just got more complicated.

Joined by Detective Bronski, the third member of their team, they find themselves drawn into a statewide investigation into child pornography. Their lines of inquiry are tangled by parents who want to take the law into their own hands, and instances of domestic abuse, not to mention the question of how high the intrigue goes – can they even trust their own police chief?

In her second Annie Macpherson novel, Barbara Fagan Speake once again dissects the issues which drive her characters – the potent themes of love, revenge and moral ambiguity. The twist here is that we also see into the mind of the murderer, the desire to observe the reactions of the victims, and the motivation of those who hide dark secrets behind the face they present to the world.

Programmed to Kill is a fast paced police procedural, pitting the detectives against intelligent adversaries who plan meticulously. By the end you may wonder if you’re on the side of law and order after all…

343 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 6, 2013

Reviews

[Max Power · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like all kinds of books including good thrillers. The problem for me is that many detective based stories fall into stereotypes and disappoint. NOT this one. A bit gruesome, something I have no problem with but wonderfully paced with a great lead character in detective Annie Macpherson. Dialogue is all important in a book like this and here we have an example of crisp, realistic language that feels natural to read. When you create a series, it is important to have continuity in not just style but in the quality of the story or mystery and the author again shows her ability to maintain interest in the lead character and to develop her without losing that which is most attractive about her which is her skewed moral compass I think. No one is perfect and lead characters need a glitch or two. I like Annie and I really enjoyed this book. This is that thing we all want in a book, a real page turner forgive the cliché but it genuinely is. Pick it up for a five star read.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick and easy read. A fairly predictable plot, a police procedural reflective of the genre which should appeal to fans of this type of thriller. Reasonably well written, the title bares no resemblance to the story however. The perpetrator was not very believable and there were flaws in the development of this character. Not a bad read though.

[Lucinda Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like detective Annie, she’s my kind of person. Not too perfect, down to earth, unpretentious and fun. Since the author has lived both in England ad the United States she manages to blend in both cultures as Annie works on a six month secondment in a police precinct in Connecticut. A murder mystery centred on revenge with 3 seemingly unrelated and very gruesome murder. A good, fast paced read that kept me turning the pages.

[Sarah Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story that successfully crosses the pond and dives into police procedure in America. A bit slow-paced here and there, which is why it's taken me longer than usual to read and review.

It's interesting, well-written, and I didn't guess ahead - a plus with any book, but especially a detective-based plot. I'd read other books by this author.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Reading

This was an excellent book. I enjoyed it very much. The story line was charged, I enjoyed all the characters, it kept my attention all the way through. Many books can go on with not much action, but with this book there was always something happening, it kept me glued to it. Thanks

[Diana Febry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend to readers of police procedurals.
I enjoyed the first book in this series a couple of months ago and found the second book to be just as good. Likable characters, interesting storyline and a good balance between the detectives' private life and the investigation.

[Blair H. Prigg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remarkable

A fast-paced thriller that keeps you guessing what the outcome will be. The author cleverly has the reader going down the wrong path to the end result. The true ending was a total surprise. A fantastic read.

[wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book would like to read more .

[Tom Benson · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoy exercising your brain cells with a detective story, exercise your eyes on this one. This is multi-layered entertainment. Included is the theatre of a police officer on transfer from another country, which has become a regular theme.
Detective Annie Macpherson is on exchange duty from the UK to the US. It is a tried and tested technique to provide empathy with readers from both sides of the pond, and in this story it is done well. The Americans have their coffee and doughnuts, while the British have their tea and biscuits. For a while, the Americans also have Annie Macpherson.
There will no doubt be those who believe there are too many mentions of coffee, but for me, these references are as real and essential as good dialogue or imagery – they prompt the reader to believe in the characters’ environment.
Dialogue throughout is natural and the principal characters are well-drawn. Annie is given the edge occasionally which I was pleased to see. She is a woman in what is still sometimes regarded as a ‘man’s world’, but she is also a Brit in America. There are some deft touches of detail and humour during verbal interaction within the team.
Apart from doing the job, there is chemistry between members of the team, and the reader is left on tenterhooks regarding the end result. You won’t find the answer here. There is a central plot, with a variety of sub-plots to keep the reader entertained, and guessing.
We have in this well-written tale: murder, investigation, evidence, scene of crime, police procedure, relationships, and of course a perpetrator who is programmed to kill. Apart from enjoying the story and the style, I’m delighted to know there are other stories by this author, and Detective Annie Macpherson appears in them. I will get to all of them.
Good job, Barbara Speake.

[Robert Lalonde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking Forward To More Annie Macpherson

I had a hard time putting this one down when I started reading it. Good writing, good story line and the characters are well fleshed out. I felt the story lost a bit of momentum about the half-way mark and might have benefited by cutting out some of the details that didn’t really add to the story or the characters.

This is a personal preference on my part as I know others prefer details over pace and momentum. Whichever you prefer, I think you will like this one and I am looking forward to reading more Annie Macpherson novels by this author.

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the third book by Barbara Speake I have read; the second Annie MacPherson book. They have gotten progressively better, though still a little stilted in the dialog and a little convoluted in the storylines. Her character development is good and I'm sure the next book will be even better. To be fully open, I am related to her brother-in-law by marriage. He is one of her advisors for the legal aspects of her books.

[Emmaa22 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the title was a little inappropriate in the end, but I enjoyed the story. A good solid police thriller about a murderer and his unpleasant victims.
It turned out to be the second or third in a series with the same characters, but it didn´t really matter to the sense of the story which was complete on its own.

[becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very moving book

This book was so well written . it has drama, fear sadness and old memoires. Every page holds a new adventure. I can't wait to read the next book Barbara Speaks is a great author.

[Si Haithwaite · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great edition to the series. The character of Annie is wonderfully rich and complicated and that's fascinating to comprehend throughout the page turning narrative.