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Lizzy Gardner #4
Obsessed
Lizzy Gardner is a one-million copy bestselling series.
Desperate for better ratings, radio psychologist Madeline Blair tells her listeners she’s being stalked, unaware that her long-time listener and biggest fan, Seth Brown, will do anything to protect her. When her publicity stunt is revealed, Seth becomes enraged by her deceit and dangerously unhinged.
When her friends mysteriously begin to vanish and damning evidence points to Madeline, she turns to private investigator Lizzy Gardner for help. Lizzy knows her way around a murderer’s mind, after surviving her own horrifying ordeal at the hands of a serial killer years ago.
As Lizzy closes in, Seth Brown is undeterred. Madeline wanted a stalker and now she has one. Nothing is going to stop him. He’s obsessed.
Desperate for better ratings, radio psychologist Madeline Blair tells her listeners she’s being stalked, unaware that her long-time listener and biggest fan, Seth Brown, will do anything to protect her. When her publicity stunt is revealed, Seth becomes enraged by her deceit and dangerously unhinged.
When her friends mysteriously begin to vanish and damning evidence points to Madeline, she turns to private investigator Lizzy Gardner for help. Lizzy knows her way around a murderer’s mind, after surviving her own horrifying ordeal at the hands of a serial killer years ago.
As Lizzy closes in, Seth Brown is undeterred. Madeline wanted a stalker and now she has one. Nothing is going to stop him. He’s obsessed.
370 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 12, 2014
1782 people are currently reading
2788 people want to read
About the author
T.R. Ragan
25 books2,072 followersT.R. Ragan (Theresa Ragan) is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling mystery and thriller author.
Readers interested in signing up for a monthly newsletter or getting their name in a TR RAGAN book should check out her website at www.trragan.com
Facebook • Twitter • Instagram: @trraganauthor
LIZZY GARDNER SERIES
Abducted
Dead Weight
A Dark Mind
Obsessed
Almost Dead
Evil Never Dies
FAITH MCMANN TRILOGY
Furious
Outrage
Wrath
JESSIE COLE SERIES
Her Last Day
Deadly Recall
Deranged - 10/18
Buried Deep - 4/19
Readers interested in signing up for a monthly newsletter or getting their name in a TR RAGAN book should check out her website at www.trragan.com
Facebook • Twitter • Instagram: @trraganauthor
LIZZY GARDNER SERIES
Abducted
Dead Weight
A Dark Mind
Obsessed
Almost Dead
Evil Never Dies
FAITH MCMANN TRILOGY
Furious
Outrage
Wrath
JESSIE COLE SERIES
Her Last Day
Deadly Recall
Deranged - 10/18
Buried Deep - 4/19
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 345 reviews
September 21, 2016
Woot!
This book is full of female kick-ass power! Girl power all the way through this novel. It was an interesting, fun and suspenseful read. I really liked this one a lot.
What's it all about?
Desperate for better ratings, radio psychologist Madeline Blair tells her listeners she’s being stalked, unaware that her long-time listener and biggest fan, Seth Brown, will do anything to protect her. When her publicity stunt is revealed, Seth becomes enraged by her deceit and dangerously unhinged.
When her friends mysteriously begin to vanish and damning evidence points to Madeline, she turns to private investigator Lizzy Gardner for help. Lizzy knows her way around a murderer’s mind, after surviving her own horrifying ordeal at the hands of a serial killer years ago.
As Lizzy closes in, Seth Brown is undeterred. Madeline wanted a stalker and now she has one. Nothing is going to stop him. He’s obsessed.
My Review:
Seth Brown is not a psychologically sound man and he has his sights on Radio Psychologist Madeline Blair, we are talking big obsession here. Sicko version of obsession. His character is dark, murky and unlikeable, just as it should be considering he is the bad guy in the book. He's a damaged man, there is no doubt about that.
Then we have the all action brains and power of Private Investigator Lizzy Gardner and her all female team that work with her, Hayley, Jessica and new to the scene Kitally. I have not read any other books in the series but no doubt regular fans will be familiar with some of the characters.
They are all strong characters in their own right, I particularly liked Kitally, who is literally a woman of many skills and talents, from computer hacking expertise to combat fighting and martial arts techniques, you don't want to mess with this lady!
Hayley is also a well written character who is a survivor of horrendous childhood trauma and is still on the hunt in this novel for the man who killed her mother, she's out for revenge and won't rest until she finds him. She is also an all action character on the team, another one I would not be messing around with.
Becca growled and came at her. Hayley had her naked ass pinned to the floor with a knee to her ribs in two seconds flat. "Who the fuck are you, Lara Croft?"
Yeah, pretty close to Lara Croft actually, this is a crack team of PI's who are frankly doing a better job than the police in this novel. They get hired to find Madeline Blair's stalker, as the police are not taking things seriously. It's up to Lizzy and her team to work out who is behind the awful events.
If you like thrills, non-stop action, suspense and some strong female lead characters you will love this novel. It has all of that plus more. There are side stories that let us in on the personal lives and minds of the characters that mix in nicely with the main storyline of the hunt for the obsessed stalker, who is getting more dangerous by the day.
The scenes leading up to the end of the book had some twists and turns and the last few pages I believe, as this is part of a series, ended on a bit of a cliffhanger. Can't tell you what, why or who because it's a major spoiler.
A really great read, read it over an afternoon, was hooked in to the action and the plot easily and found the characters refreshing from a lot of crime thriller novels I have read in the past. There is a lot of girl power in this book and it's fantastic. Highly recommended.
I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, my thanks for the opportunity.
This book is full of female kick-ass power! Girl power all the way through this novel. It was an interesting, fun and suspenseful read. I really liked this one a lot.
What's it all about?
Desperate for better ratings, radio psychologist Madeline Blair tells her listeners she’s being stalked, unaware that her long-time listener and biggest fan, Seth Brown, will do anything to protect her. When her publicity stunt is revealed, Seth becomes enraged by her deceit and dangerously unhinged.
When her friends mysteriously begin to vanish and damning evidence points to Madeline, she turns to private investigator Lizzy Gardner for help. Lizzy knows her way around a murderer’s mind, after surviving her own horrifying ordeal at the hands of a serial killer years ago.
As Lizzy closes in, Seth Brown is undeterred. Madeline wanted a stalker and now she has one. Nothing is going to stop him. He’s obsessed.
My Review:
Seth Brown is not a psychologically sound man and he has his sights on Radio Psychologist Madeline Blair, we are talking big obsession here. Sicko version of obsession. His character is dark, murky and unlikeable, just as it should be considering he is the bad guy in the book. He's a damaged man, there is no doubt about that.
Then we have the all action brains and power of Private Investigator Lizzy Gardner and her all female team that work with her, Hayley, Jessica and new to the scene Kitally. I have not read any other books in the series but no doubt regular fans will be familiar with some of the characters.
They are all strong characters in their own right, I particularly liked Kitally, who is literally a woman of many skills and talents, from computer hacking expertise to combat fighting and martial arts techniques, you don't want to mess with this lady!
Hayley is also a well written character who is a survivor of horrendous childhood trauma and is still on the hunt in this novel for the man who killed her mother, she's out for revenge and won't rest until she finds him. She is also an all action character on the team, another one I would not be messing around with.
Becca growled and came at her. Hayley had her naked ass pinned to the floor with a knee to her ribs in two seconds flat. "Who the fuck are you, Lara Croft?"
Yeah, pretty close to Lara Croft actually, this is a crack team of PI's who are frankly doing a better job than the police in this novel. They get hired to find Madeline Blair's stalker, as the police are not taking things seriously. It's up to Lizzy and her team to work out who is behind the awful events.
If you like thrills, non-stop action, suspense and some strong female lead characters you will love this novel. It has all of that plus more. There are side stories that let us in on the personal lives and minds of the characters that mix in nicely with the main storyline of the hunt for the obsessed stalker, who is getting more dangerous by the day.
The scenes leading up to the end of the book had some twists and turns and the last few pages I believe, as this is part of a series, ended on a bit of a cliffhanger. Can't tell you what, why or who because it's a major spoiler.
A really great read, read it over an afternoon, was hooked in to the action and the plot easily and found the characters refreshing from a lot of crime thriller novels I have read in the past. There is a lot of girl power in this book and it's fantastic. Highly recommended.
I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, my thanks for the opportunity.
February 15, 2017
Love this series brilliant characters always want to know what happens to them next,what an ending abit of a shocker can't wait till the next book.brilliant writing hooked on the characters worth more than 5* rating.Highly recommend this series.
March 25, 2016
3 1/2* When a radio personality fakes her own stalker one of her unstable listeners starts knocking off suspects only to find out she had been making the whole thing up. This sends him on a killing frenzy of anyone close to her. She hires Lizzy Gardner to protect her, however, after Lizzy finds out she has been lying to her she try's to drop the case.
For me, this was not a stand alone and this series should be read in order because a good deal of the book was about previous events. The narration was excellent.
For me, this was not a stand alone and this series should be read in order because a good deal of the book was about previous events. The narration was excellent.
July 28, 2014
I received a free copy of this book from the author, and I desperately wanted to read it after having loved the first three in this series. I have to say, this book did not disappoint and contained all the elements that I love in a good story. There's lots of thrilling moments, and some beautiful moments, with a story that has you just needing to turn the pages, and not a single page felt like a chore to read. There's the investigative story which this is based around but also some further character development of Hayley, and she sort of reminds me a little of Lisbeth Salander, and I'm finding her quite likeable, in fact I like all the characters in their own ways. I love how Theresa Ragen writes, it's fast paced and easy to read with so much always happening. The only downside to this book is having to wait now for book 5, as I did not see that ending coming, and need to know what happens.
June 5, 2016
I am loving this series! The characters are fantastic! On to next on Almost Dead!
September 16, 2014
Started slowly
I have been a big fan of author Ragan's Lizzy Gardner series since the beginning.
1. "Abducted (The Lizzy Gardner Series Book 1)"
2. "Dead Weight (The Lizzy Gardner Series Book 2)"
3. "A Dark Mind (The Lizzy Gardner Series Book 3)"
A DARK MIND was my favorite of all of them and I had great hopes for this fourth offering in the series. But it started out slowly, had too many side stories trying to be told at once, and I didn't feel close to the characters like I did in the prior three books. There seemed to be a disconnect up to about the last fifty pages of the story and then the story seemed to gel and got really good (until the major cliffhanger ending, that is - always a possibility in a series book).
Strong female protagonists are a big plus in this series. Each one's separate story seem to be scattered in OBSESSED but I still enjoyed the quirky characters.
If I could have, I would have rated this 3 1/2 stars.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I have been a big fan of author Ragan's Lizzy Gardner series since the beginning.
1. "Abducted (The Lizzy Gardner Series Book 1)"
2. "Dead Weight (The Lizzy Gardner Series Book 2)"
3. "A Dark Mind (The Lizzy Gardner Series Book 3)"
A DARK MIND was my favorite of all of them and I had great hopes for this fourth offering in the series. But it started out slowly, had too many side stories trying to be told at once, and I didn't feel close to the characters like I did in the prior three books. There seemed to be a disconnect up to about the last fifty pages of the story and then the story seemed to gel and got really good (until the major cliffhanger ending, that is - always a possibility in a series book).
Strong female protagonists are a big plus in this series. Each one's separate story seem to be scattered in OBSESSED but I still enjoyed the quirky characters.
If I could have, I would have rated this 3 1/2 stars.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
August 16, 2014
*This book was won for free through Goodreads First Reads Giveaway*
I loved this book! This is the first book I have ever read by T.R. Ragan and I plan to read all her other Lizzy Gardener books!
I loved this book! This is the first book I have ever read by T.R. Ragan and I plan to read all her other Lizzy Gardener books!
February 7, 2021
Another terrific entry in the Lizzy Gardner series. T.R. Ragan brings us another depraved killer, and the cause of his psychosis is understandable and (unfortunately) believable. When a prominent radio talk show psychologist creates a fake stalker to increase ratings, a real stalker emerges. Once the scam is revealed and the danger becomes real, the psychologist becomes the "woman who cried wolf." Then her friends start dying, one by one.
Ragan builds tension slowly and weaves a second story line with the main plot. By the time you near the end, you'll be flipping pages fast enough to burn out your Kindle.
Ragan also nails us with the ultimate cliffhanger. It doesn't bother me because I'm a series reader, and book 5 is already waiting in my queue. But I can see where some readers were put off, having to wait for the next release to discover what happened.
By the way, one of the violent scenes made me flash back to Friday the 13th. I kid you not. Ragan's thrillers border on horror with lots of deranged twists. Just my cup of tea.
Ragan builds tension slowly and weaves a second story line with the main plot. By the time you near the end, you'll be flipping pages fast enough to burn out your Kindle.
Ragan also nails us with the ultimate cliffhanger. It doesn't bother me because I'm a series reader, and book 5 is already waiting in my queue. But I can see where some readers were put off, having to wait for the next release to discover what happened.
By the way, one of the violent scenes made me flash back to Friday the 13th. I kid you not. Ragan's thrillers border on horror with lots of deranged twists. Just my cup of tea.
December 2, 2019
Another nice follow-up! Read this one in three days straight. Kept me interested by all the different characters. The suspense was okay but less compared to the other installments. -1 as the plot was rushed through at the end...
January 28, 2015
A special thank you to Amazon Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
OBSESSED, #4 in the Lizzy Gardner series, TR Ragan brings an intense mystery into the dark side with strong female characters, for a page-turner suspense thriller.
Madeline Blair, a radio psychologist tells her listeners she is being stalked in order to boost ratings. Seth is the devoted fan who decides he will be her protector until he discovers she is deceiving her listeners to improve ratings, then the real nightmare begins, as he now wants to teach her a lesson. He becomes totally obsessed (and he is one sick guy-damaged and dark).
When her friends mysteriously begin to vanish and the evidence points to Madeline, she turns to private investigator Lizzy Gardner for help. Lizzy knows her way around a murderer’s mind, after surviving her own horrifying ordeal at the hands of a serial killer years ago.
There is another story going on with character, Haley as she continues her search to find Brian, who raped her as a teen and killed her mother. (She is obsessed as well, but for the good guys, not the bad, like Seth). She is quite the spit-fire, and a flawed character, with a dark side (who wouldn’t), due to her past; however, she has a softer side as well. Lizzy hires Haley’s friend Kitally, (liked her character) who proves to be razor sharp, and resourceful for an unstoppable team!
Loved the gal power, with brains and strength, as these women are kick-ass and can handle any obstacle! With obsessions being the underlying theme, readers see how their minds work and what drives them. I cannot wait to read the other prior books in the series and the next one in the series, to catch up with all the characters. OBSESSED can be read as a standalone, however, after reading you will be hooked.
My first book by TR Ragan and wow, she will knock your socks off! Fans of Karin Slaughter, will love these strong and powerful female characters for a tantalizing crime thriller!
Looking forward to next installments in the Lizzy Gardner series, Almost Dead and Evil Never Lies (2015).
Judith D. Collins Must Read Books
OBSESSED, #4 in the Lizzy Gardner series, TR Ragan brings an intense mystery into the dark side with strong female characters, for a page-turner suspense thriller.
Madeline Blair, a radio psychologist tells her listeners she is being stalked in order to boost ratings. Seth is the devoted fan who decides he will be her protector until he discovers she is deceiving her listeners to improve ratings, then the real nightmare begins, as he now wants to teach her a lesson. He becomes totally obsessed (and he is one sick guy-damaged and dark).
When her friends mysteriously begin to vanish and the evidence points to Madeline, she turns to private investigator Lizzy Gardner for help. Lizzy knows her way around a murderer’s mind, after surviving her own horrifying ordeal at the hands of a serial killer years ago.
There is another story going on with character, Haley as she continues her search to find Brian, who raped her as a teen and killed her mother. (She is obsessed as well, but for the good guys, not the bad, like Seth). She is quite the spit-fire, and a flawed character, with a dark side (who wouldn’t), due to her past; however, she has a softer side as well. Lizzy hires Haley’s friend Kitally, (liked her character) who proves to be razor sharp, and resourceful for an unstoppable team!
Loved the gal power, with brains and strength, as these women are kick-ass and can handle any obstacle! With obsessions being the underlying theme, readers see how their minds work and what drives them. I cannot wait to read the other prior books in the series and the next one in the series, to catch up with all the characters. OBSESSED can be read as a standalone, however, after reading you will be hooked.
My first book by TR Ragan and wow, she will knock your socks off! Fans of Karin Slaughter, will love these strong and powerful female characters for a tantalizing crime thriller!
Looking forward to next installments in the Lizzy Gardner series, Almost Dead and Evil Never Lies (2015).
Judith D. Collins Must Read Books
March 15, 2017
Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
T.R. Ragan, I am not speaking to you. Not until you go to your room or garage or coffee shop or wherever it is that you write and give me book #5. Cliffhanger endings are mean. MEAN! I need to know what happens next. I need to know like yesterday. It's a life or death situation. I mean, not my life or death but the people in your book who are hanging on that cliff!! Won't you think of your characters T.R.?!?!
All that aside, I still love this series and was happy to see Lizzy and Hayley and Jared back for another round. I'm worried about them all, of course and that was before I read this book! Keep up the amazing work and can't wait for more.
T.R. Ragan, I am not speaking to you. Not until you go to your room or garage or coffee shop or wherever it is that you write and give me book #5. Cliffhanger endings are mean. MEAN! I need to know what happens next. I need to know like yesterday. It's a life or death situation. I mean, not my life or death but the people in your book who are hanging on that cliff!! Won't you think of your characters T.R.?!?!
All that aside, I still love this series and was happy to see Lizzy and Hayley and Jared back for another round. I'm worried about them all, of course and that was before I read this book! Keep up the amazing work and can't wait for more.
July 25, 2014
First of all, thanks again to T.R. Ragan for my advanced copy of Obsessed. It was by far one of the best books I've read in a long time. The Lizzy Gardner series just gets better and better. As with all her books, there is usually more than one story going on at the same time. All of her characters come back and play a pivotal part in the overall story. This books is filled with lots of twists and turns. The relationships in this book have changed and for the good I think. Everyone has matured. You really get a sense that they are like family. The ending is a shocker and very unexpected. But this will leaving you wanting more. I can't wait for the next book. I highly recommend this series, but do suggest you start from the first book, Abducted.
August 19, 2014
WoW. I am left speechless after finishing this book. I don't think I can wait for the next one to come out. I can not believe you ended it like that Theresa. All I can say is I so want to break my no spoiler rule just this once because that ending was OH MY GOD but I will be good and in with the season we are in MS Ragan you threw a touchdown with this book. I loved it from start to finish but the ending has me carving the next book to see what is going to happen. I can honestly say I did not see this one coming and I hope in the next book it is resolved in a positive way. (Trying to avoid those spoilers). Just for the record these books should be read in order because they do have spoiler in them and the flow together. Excellent book. One of the best this summer!
June 14, 2018
3.5/5 (an extra half star for the build up to the end!)
What an ending! I’m so tempted to blow off the rest of my summer TBR for now and tackle this series, but I’m trying to make it last.
This story focuses less on Lizzy and Jessica and more on Haley and her friends Tommy and Kitaly, who are all equally bad-ass.
Another fun installment, with two suspenseful storylines (though I didn’t enjoy these storylines as much as past ones).
What an ending! I’m so tempted to blow off the rest of my summer TBR for now and tackle this series, but I’m trying to make it last.
This story focuses less on Lizzy and Jessica and more on Haley and her friends Tommy and Kitaly, who are all equally bad-ass.
Another fun installment, with two suspenseful storylines (though I didn’t enjoy these storylines as much as past ones).
August 18, 2014
OMG! it can't end this way!!!!
when is the fifth book coming out???
when is the fifth book coming out???
August 16, 2014
After reading the first three books in this series, I immediately preordered Obsessed. Upon receiving this book on its release date, I had a fangirl attack. It was here! I flew through it.
A brief summary:
Madeline Blair, a radio therapist, has lied to her listeners in order to boost her ratings. She has told her audience that she has a stalker.
Seth Brown, a huge (and mildly crazy) fan of the radio show, will do anything to protect Madeline from her stalker, even kill. When he finds out that she lied about having a stalker, Seth becomes enraged. His mission is to no longer be her protector, but her stalker. He's obsessed.
Then, as you can imagine, Lizzy Gardner, PI, is hired to hunt down Madeline's stalker. Except no one really trusts Madeline. She had lied about having a stalker. Now the imaginary stalker becomes a seemly real threat right as people connected to Madeline start disappearing. Is Madeline a killer? Will Seth succeed in placing her behind bars?
My review:
Starting this book, I knew I would fly through it, as I did with the other three Lizzy Gardner novels. T. R. Ragan does not easily disappoint. Obsessed is action-packed. There is never a dull moment, and I was unable to put this book down. The cliffhangers between chapters make it exceptionally hard to take a lunch break, or any sort of break, really.
Speaking of cliffhangers, I am expecting a fifth book. You can't just end a book like that! I should've seen it coming...everything was going just perfectly according to plan... and that never happens. Even so, I waitedthis entire book this entire series for this moment, and now I want to murder somebody. Hey, maybe book five will be about me: The Psycho Fangirl Killer. I would buy that book.
Okay, topic change: CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. I LOVE character development! Watching characters grow and change throughout a novel or series is like watching your kids grow up. Well, I assume it is, as I don't have any actual experience in watching kids grow up, unless my little sister counts.
As I was saying, character development. I'd like to talk about Hayley. She's always had a fire burning in her, but in Obsessed, the fire is raging hotter than ever. She's out to kill. She doesn't even care if she dies- so long as this man is dead.
More about Hayley: In Obsessed, readers are introduced to a whole new side of Hayley Hanson. I'm taking about her affection for Hudson, the 4-year-old son of Hayley's landlord. Hayley takes Hudson under her wing. I'm sure it's because he reminds Hayley of herself. He has no father, money is tight, and his mother sells herself out to men. Hayley knows Hudson needs a mother who'll raise him right. Hayley doesn't want Hudson to end up like herself. We've never really seen this soft side of Hayley before. Although she tries to act strong and emotionless, it's obvious that she loves this little boy.
You have to look a little harder in order to find the character development in Lizzy. Her growth takes place in series as a whole, not just this individual novel.
Something I've noticed: Lizzy isn't jumpy in her own house anymore. As I recall, in Abducted, Lizzy grabbed her gun every time the doorbell rang. As of Obsessed, Lizzy hasn't become entirely fearless, but she's gained confidence and courage.
I love T. R. Ragan's style of writing. Everything is fast-paced and exciting. Not too much time is spent observing details, which keeps the pace of the novel quick and interesting. Also, every character in the book will at some point have his or her own POV. The chapters are short, so the view point switches often, too. I would love to read more books by Ragan.
You should read this book. You should read all four of these books. They're action-packed, suspenseful, clever, and everything else you find in an amazing read. Five out of five stars!
A brief summary:
Madeline Blair, a radio therapist, has lied to her listeners in order to boost her ratings. She has told her audience that she has a stalker.
Seth Brown, a huge (and mildly crazy) fan of the radio show, will do anything to protect Madeline from her stalker, even kill. When he finds out that she lied about having a stalker, Seth becomes enraged. His mission is to no longer be her protector, but her stalker. He's obsessed.
Then, as you can imagine, Lizzy Gardner, PI, is hired to hunt down Madeline's stalker. Except no one really trusts Madeline. She had lied about having a stalker. Now the imaginary stalker becomes a seemly real threat right as people connected to Madeline start disappearing. Is Madeline a killer? Will Seth succeed in placing her behind bars?
My review:
Starting this book, I knew I would fly through it, as I did with the other three Lizzy Gardner novels. T. R. Ragan does not easily disappoint. Obsessed is action-packed. There is never a dull moment, and I was unable to put this book down. The cliffhangers between chapters make it exceptionally hard to take a lunch break, or any sort of break, really.
Speaking of cliffhangers, I am expecting a fifth book. You can't just end a book like that! I should've seen it coming...everything was going just perfectly according to plan... and that never happens. Even so, I waited
Okay, topic change: CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. I LOVE character development! Watching characters grow and change throughout a novel or series is like watching your kids grow up. Well, I assume it is, as I don't have any actual experience in watching kids grow up, unless my little sister counts.
As I was saying, character development. I'd like to talk about Hayley. She's always had a fire burning in her, but in Obsessed, the fire is raging hotter than ever. She's out to kill. She doesn't even care if she dies- so long as this man is dead.
More about Hayley: In Obsessed, readers are introduced to a whole new side of Hayley Hanson. I'm taking about her affection for Hudson, the 4-year-old son of Hayley's landlord. Hayley takes Hudson under her wing. I'm sure it's because he reminds Hayley of herself. He has no father, money is tight, and his mother sells herself out to men. Hayley knows Hudson needs a mother who'll raise him right. Hayley doesn't want Hudson to end up like herself. We've never really seen this soft side of Hayley before. Although she tries to act strong and emotionless, it's obvious that she loves this little boy.
You have to look a little harder in order to find the character development in Lizzy. Her growth takes place in series as a whole, not just this individual novel.
Something I've noticed: Lizzy isn't jumpy in her own house anymore. As I recall, in Abducted, Lizzy grabbed her gun every time the doorbell rang. As of Obsessed, Lizzy hasn't become entirely fearless, but she's gained confidence and courage.
I love T. R. Ragan's style of writing. Everything is fast-paced and exciting. Not too much time is spent observing details, which keeps the pace of the novel quick and interesting. Also, every character in the book will at some point have his or her own POV. The chapters are short, so the view point switches often, too. I would love to read more books by Ragan.
You should read this book. You should read all four of these books. They're action-packed, suspenseful, clever, and everything else you find in an amazing read. Five out of five stars!
December 17, 2017
Lizzy Gardner can't catch a break. She's broke, she's been beaten, she continues to have nightmares. And author T.R. Ragan doesn't let up. In "Obsessed," the fourth in the series, Lizzy gets a case that starts with a less-than-honest radio psychologist creating a monster in an unhinged listener. Of all her books, this may be one of the more disturbing. Of course, that just enhances its status as a page turner. Ragan follows the evolution of a killer, starting with his obsession of the woman he listens to on the radio. She seems to get him. Until she doesn't. She lies, or at least that's what he begins to think. The killer fancies himself her protector until this little revelation of his in his fabricated reality. Ragan makes it appear that a killer could be just around the corner, a person nobody would ever suspect. Reading this novel gave me the impression that potential horrors could be anywhere, invading anybody's space, tearing apart anybody's lives. Lizzy is hardly a superhero. Yet, Ragan dispatches her to clean up the mess, to rescue those in distress. Problem is Lizzy needs her sidekicks. And she's got great ones. Hayley's her go-to. But now she's got Kitally, another badass overachiever. And she's got Jessica and Jared. But stuff happens. Again, I must explain that I read all these books in the span of a couple weeks. This one was an especially fast read and after finishing it I had to read the next one right away, feeding my addiction to Ragan's storytelling.
March 8, 2015
This was my favorite of the series so far! It was so packed with female kick-ass power! It felt like a constant adrenaline rush. Hayley was exceptional trying to find Brian and confronting the gangs about him. The leader of the gang , Wolf, even told Hayley she had a death wish. The Hayley and Kitally duo is hard to beat. There was very little Jessica with Kitally taking on more investigative work. She is off doing her FBI training. That actually was a good thing because then there was more of the kick-ass duo. Jessica is still in it and plays a pretty important role but I am sure we will see more of her on the future with her FBI credentials. I loved the main investigation Lizzy was working on. The guy stalking the radio talk show host Madeline Blair was so interesting. His wife cheats on him and he had some previous brain damage as a kid and totally loses it. His unraveling and the things he did to pursue Madeline Blair made for some fast-paced reading. I actually couldn't put it down because I wante to see what he would do next. He was hilarious. But then we get to ending and there are some bad things that happen that leave you devastated. Ugh. This gang never has a dull moment. Hard to top this one!
June 27, 2019
Worst in the series - overdone
I have been working my way through this series and read many other books by Reagan and I've enjoyed them. However this one is this one is the worst in the series, to date. First, it's gory and feels Rambo-like, which I think is a cheap ploy used by writers that can't write (Reagan can write and doesn't need this).
While I like the new character, Kitaly, her back story is completely unbelievable and unrealistic. The book has multiple plots, which are good. Also the main plot line in the book is excellent but it went overboard at the end. That's all I can say without giving up spoilers.
Overall, it's a good read but may have some of you rolling your eyes back and you'll have to be somewhat forgiving on this one.
I have been working my way through this series and read many other books by Reagan and I've enjoyed them. However this one is this one is the worst in the series, to date. First, it's gory and feels Rambo-like, which I think is a cheap ploy used by writers that can't write (Reagan can write and doesn't need this).
While I like the new character, Kitaly, her back story is completely unbelievable and unrealistic. The book has multiple plots, which are good. Also the main plot line in the book is excellent but it went overboard at the end. That's all I can say without giving up spoilers.
Overall, it's a good read but may have some of you rolling your eyes back and you'll have to be somewhat forgiving on this one.
February 3, 2015
After I finished the first three books, I couldn't wait to read the 4th one and many thanks to Ms. Ragan, I won a free advance copy of this book. Each book by Ms. Ragan gets better and better. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the newest addition to this amazing series. I read this in one sitting and couldn't put it down until I finished it. It is an amazing read that will grab you from the first page and the characters. The ending was a bit of shock and left me hanging and wishing the next book had already been published! Believe me you will not be disappointed in this book and this series. But if you haven't read the first three books, you better start with the first book, Abducted.
July 31, 2015
T. R. Ragan does it again. This is the fourth book in the series and although it is good as a stand-alone novel, it is even better if you've read the other three. I enjoyed the subtle nuances of each character's development from the previous three books. The plot was tight and suspenseful. Each time I think that this author cannot do a better job ... until I read the next book. There were twists and an unexpected ending. I just got the fifth book and can't wait to start it.
March 16, 2015
This is probably my favorite book in the series so far. The case was interesting and I really liked the addition of Kitally. I never liked the previous secondary characters, Jessica or Hayley very much, so adding someone different was a plus for me.
January 15, 2015
loved this book! and I love the whole series! I'm so happy I came across abducted & then went on to read the rest. I love all the main characters; lizzy, Jared, Hayley, Kitaly, and even Jessica. I am anxiously waiting for almost dead!! great book Theresa!
August 11, 2014
I received a free copy of this book from the author and am very glad I did! I really loved it and can't wait for the next one! I will be looking for more by this author!
November 25, 2015
NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
EVERY TIME I RE-READ I STILL SAY NOOOOOOOOI
EVERY TIME I RE-READ I STILL SAY NOOOOOOOOI
February 19, 2017
I absolutely urge you to read this series by Theresa Ragan. The Lizzy Gardner series is amazing! This book was especially tense.
November 16, 2018
This series only gets better. I had vowed to myself that I would not purchase any further books and I have failed. I finished this one and immediately picked up the next. T.R. Ragen has a knack for suspense, she has a knack for creating tension and she has a knack for juggling sub-stories with ease. This book displays all of those knacks. It's a simpler narrative structure than the last one and I think that serves it well. I wasn't confused about whose persona I was looking from or indeed where the hell I was at all. This book is virtually seamless and it is excellent for it; there is a change of perspectives, but it's always clear who you have moved to and the plot cranks along at a decent pace.
Once more character development is at the top of the game and I really enjoyed the way these characters are twisted and turned throughout. There's some excellent writing here and I have no regrets whatsoever about my impulse buy of the next one! My only potential complaint is that Ragan is becoming a tad predictable in how she finishes with the bad guys... but when the rest of the novel is so gripping, I can't complain really!
Once more character development is at the top of the game and I really enjoyed the way these characters are twisted and turned throughout. There's some excellent writing here and I have no regrets whatsoever about my impulse buy of the next one! My only potential complaint is that Ragan is becoming a tad predictable in how she finishes with the bad guys... but when the rest of the novel is so gripping, I can't complain really!
January 31, 2023
Another ripper of a book!! Ended in a huge cliff hanger so into book 5 ‘Almost Dead’. Absolutely loving this series.
May 9, 2018
I would have given this a 5 but felt this one didn’t flow as well for me. Still enjoyable though as I was already deeply invested in the series.
July 22, 2014
ARC received from NetGalley
This book is a great Lifetime Movie of a story, but I found it a bit of a bumpy ride. I loved the trashy twists, but, for me, the violence against the women bordered dangerously close to tasteless. Also, I found myself skimming much of the final battle scene (not the very ending, though - that was kinda fun!) I felt the writing suffered from the repetitiveness that plagues most stronger story/weaker style thrillers. I did get curious enough by some of the back stories that I grew mildly interested in reading other installments of the "Lizzy Gardner" series. However, these are the types of books that I borrow, not buy. I would definitely recommend this for a quick, guilty pleasure day of reading on the porch.
This book is a great Lifetime Movie of a story, but I found it a bit of a bumpy ride. I loved the trashy twists, but, for me, the violence against the women bordered dangerously close to tasteless. Also, I found myself skimming much of the final battle scene (not the very ending, though - that was kinda fun!) I felt the writing suffered from the repetitiveness that plagues most stronger story/weaker style thrillers. I did get curious enough by some of the back stories that I grew mildly interested in reading other installments of the "Lizzy Gardner" series. However, these are the types of books that I borrow, not buy. I would definitely recommend this for a quick, guilty pleasure day of reading on the porch.
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