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Jefferson Winter #2
Watch Me
A Dead Lawyer
Eagle Creek, Louisiana. Lawyer Sam Galloway is burned alive in an apparently motiveless attack. The local sheriff's department calls in former FBI profiler Jefferson Winter to consult on the case.
A Serial Killer
So far there's just one body, but there are going to be more. A deadline has been set, the clock is ticking, and Winter has just thirteen and a half hours to track down the killer, before he strikes again.
A Dark Secret
Winter knows all about secrets. His father, one of America's most notorious serial killers, had everyone fooled for years. Winter also knows that the problem with secrets is that they have a nasty habit of turning against you when you least expect it.
Eagle Creek, Louisiana. Lawyer Sam Galloway is burned alive in an apparently motiveless attack. The local sheriff's department calls in former FBI profiler Jefferson Winter to consult on the case.
A Serial Killer
So far there's just one body, but there are going to be more. A deadline has been set, the clock is ticking, and Winter has just thirteen and a half hours to track down the killer, before he strikes again.
A Dark Secret
Winter knows all about secrets. His father, one of America's most notorious serial killers, had everyone fooled for years. Winter also knows that the problem with secrets is that they have a nasty habit of turning against you when you least expect it.
361 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 5, 2014
54 people are currently reading
759 people want to read
About the author
James Carol
22 books281 followersJames Carol was born in Scotland in 1969, where he spent his early years. He moved to England in the eighties and has lived there ever since. At various times he has worked as a guitarist, sound engineer, guitar tutor, journalist, and a horse riding instructor.
The character of Jefferson Winter came about because he wanted to write a series of books that gave him as much freedom as possible. He figured that the more interesting he kept things for himself, the more interesting it would be for the reader.
Although the novels are written as a series, James approaches each book as a stand-alone. Each story is set in a different location, and has a different cast of characters. The beauty of this approach is that the novels can be read out of order.
Broken Dolls, the first Jefferson Winter thriller, will be published in January 2014. This will be followed in the Spring by Presumed Guilty, the first in a series of eBooks set during Winter’s FBI days. Watch Me, the second Jefferson Winter thriller, is scheduled for publication in September 2014.
When he’s not writing, James spends his time training horses and riders. An accomplished guitarist, he relaxes by writing and recording music. He lives in Hertfordshire with his wife and two children.
The character of Jefferson Winter came about because he wanted to write a series of books that gave him as much freedom as possible. He figured that the more interesting he kept things for himself, the more interesting it would be for the reader.
Although the novels are written as a series, James approaches each book as a stand-alone. Each story is set in a different location, and has a different cast of characters. The beauty of this approach is that the novels can be read out of order.
Broken Dolls, the first Jefferson Winter thriller, will be published in January 2014. This will be followed in the Spring by Presumed Guilty, the first in a series of eBooks set during Winter’s FBI days. Watch Me, the second Jefferson Winter thriller, is scheduled for publication in September 2014.
When he’s not writing, James spends his time training horses and riders. An accomplished guitarist, he relaxes by writing and recording music. He lives in Hertfordshire with his wife and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
December 30, 2015
I read the author's debut novel right before this one. In my review of that book, where I mention this second book, I wrote: "I hope to learn more about Winter. Fingers crossed that I'm not disappointed." I did learn more and I was blown away! It feels like the author is more comfortable in Winter's head in this book. Although this is the second book, there is no reference at all to the first. Winter is several cases away from the one in the first book.
Winter feels more human now. He meets people he actually cares about and he helps them. His sense of humor is more apparent. He's still highly intelligent, but he makes some mistakes. The effects of his childhood are mentioned more. I think he's much more likeable in this book.
I found the case he's working on in Louisiana interesting. His deductions and thought process aren't 100% perfect here. Winter declares right off the bat the unsub is a cop. How can he know that?! Follow his reasoning to see if he's right or wrong.
I'll be reading the third Winter book next. I expect I'll enjoy that one, too!
Winter feels more human now. He meets people he actually cares about and he helps them. His sense of humor is more apparent. He's still highly intelligent, but he makes some mistakes. The effects of his childhood are mentioned more. I think he's much more likeable in this book.
I found the case he's working on in Louisiana interesting. His deductions and thought process aren't 100% perfect here. Winter declares right off the bat the unsub is a cop. How can he know that?! Follow his reasoning to see if he's right or wrong.
I'll be reading the third Winter book next. I expect I'll enjoy that one, too!
February 16, 2017
I just love James Carol and once again he has produced another masterpiece. This is the second book in the Jefferson Winter series, he is a former FBI profiler and is totally addicted to his job, great scotch and the finer things in life. He is also a very dedicated man and will stop at nothing to solve his cases. The setting for this story is Eagle Creek in Louisiana and the story commences with the death of Sam Galloway, who is found burned alive and this begins an excellent fast paced story that does not let up till the end. Winter will give the case all the attention it requires and this makes for some great reading. If you are looking for a book full of action and suspense, believe me this one is for you.
July 30, 2019
While I really enjoyed this author’s first book,which I read yesterday,I must admit to being disappointed by this one.
Winter is portrayed as being a little too arrogant and self satisfied in this story.
I can’t understand how he can invite Hannah onto his team,while feeding lies to the sheriff and other police personnel,tasked with finding this killer.
This is a personal peeve,but I take issue with his use of the word ‘whores,the lowest of the low,girls the world had all but given up on’.
Why could he not have used prostitutes instead?
Have bought books three and four in the series but am taking a break from Winter.
Winter is portrayed as being a little too arrogant and self satisfied in this story.
I can’t understand how he can invite Hannah onto his team,while feeding lies to the sheriff and other police personnel,tasked with finding this killer.
This is a personal peeve,but I take issue with his use of the word ‘whores,the lowest of the low,girls the world had all but given up on’.
Why could he not have used prostitutes instead?
Have bought books three and four in the series but am taking a break from Winter.
January 3, 2016
A very enjoyable mystery/crime drama. Jefferson Winter is ex-FBI working ad hoc on crime cases and this one is set in Louisiana where a lawyer is set on fire and Winter suspects a serial killer is on the loose.
Jefferson is a bit of a wanker to be honest but I rather like his cheek and big-headedness (I am ignoring spell check - that is totally a word!). The first in the series was better - I have a bit of a problem with the messy/slightly cringeworthy way in which the conclusion was reached.
For entertainment this is a great series (especially if dark humour is your thing) but if you want a true to life crime drama you won't like this.
Jefferson is a bit of a wanker to be honest but I rather like his cheek and big-headedness (I am ignoring spell check - that is totally a word!). The first in the series was better - I have a bit of a problem with the messy/slightly cringeworthy way in which the conclusion was reached.
For entertainment this is a great series (especially if dark humour is your thing) but if you want a true to life crime drama you won't like this.
March 11, 2020
This was a very good follow up to the first in the series - Broken Dolls. We learn a little more about our hero - profiler Jefferson Winter. In itself I would think there is quite a bit to learn about him seeing he was raised by a serial killer. Like wow. So Winter continues to be profiler for hire and this book centres around a wealthy lawyer who is burned alive. This takes place in a small Louisana town.
Winter befriends a rookie cop known only as Taylor. Apparently Taylor doesn't want anyone to know his first name and this becomes a theme throughout the book - can Winter figure it out? At the end Winter ups the stakes of the bet saying if he can't figure out the first name he will pay Taylor and his fiance $100k. If he loses he gets a dollar. This angle gets a little too much play throughout the book in my opinion.
Aside from leaning on a rookie cop, Winter also involves a civilian female who runs the Hotel that Winter is staying at.
This is kind of a hard book to review without some spoilers but I am trying not to spoil anything. The hunt for the killer is pretty good but there are mistakes that are made. At times Winter's accomplices clearly doubt his methods and ability.
I like that about the book though. I wouldn't think that hunting a serial killer would be easy and of course mistakes are made. What I have noticed about the Winter series is that the author tries to get you to buy into the fact that Winter will resolve the crimes before someone else dies. I kind of laugh at that because sadly serial killers seem to take forever before they are caught (or in fact even realized - that a series of killings are tied to one person) so the author trying to have you buy into a quick solution doesn't seem realistic.
Winter's hunches and thoughts on what is happening are pretty well on the mark. He quickly realizes when he makes a mistake and quickly figures out his new path. The ending though has too much of this bouncing around so to speak. It is not a bad ending just a little lengthy.
Again the subject matter may seem a bit touchy but Carol does a good job of steering around the gruesomeness of the crimes. This is not a disturbing read by any means as Carol doesn't really focus on the crimes which is similar to the first book.
Again this was a very good follow up to the first book. I have the next two in the series as well but will take a break from the series.
I liked the first book better but this one more than holds its own. In ways it's better and in ways it's not. Overall I give it 75/100 or four stars. I'm glad I found this series and look forward to more of it. Enjoy!!
Winter befriends a rookie cop known only as Taylor. Apparently Taylor doesn't want anyone to know his first name and this becomes a theme throughout the book - can Winter figure it out? At the end Winter ups the stakes of the bet saying if he can't figure out the first name he will pay Taylor and his fiance $100k. If he loses he gets a dollar. This angle gets a little too much play throughout the book in my opinion.
Aside from leaning on a rookie cop, Winter also involves a civilian female who runs the Hotel that Winter is staying at.
This is kind of a hard book to review without some spoilers but I am trying not to spoil anything. The hunt for the killer is pretty good but there are mistakes that are made. At times Winter's accomplices clearly doubt his methods and ability.
I like that about the book though. I wouldn't think that hunting a serial killer would be easy and of course mistakes are made. What I have noticed about the Winter series is that the author tries to get you to buy into the fact that Winter will resolve the crimes before someone else dies. I kind of laugh at that because sadly serial killers seem to take forever before they are caught (or in fact even realized - that a series of killings are tied to one person) so the author trying to have you buy into a quick solution doesn't seem realistic.
Winter's hunches and thoughts on what is happening are pretty well on the mark. He quickly realizes when he makes a mistake and quickly figures out his new path. The ending though has too much of this bouncing around so to speak. It is not a bad ending just a little lengthy.
Again the subject matter may seem a bit touchy but Carol does a good job of steering around the gruesomeness of the crimes. This is not a disturbing read by any means as Carol doesn't really focus on the crimes which is similar to the first book.
Again this was a very good follow up to the first book. I have the next two in the series as well but will take a break from the series.
I liked the first book better but this one more than holds its own. In ways it's better and in ways it's not. Overall I give it 75/100 or four stars. I'm glad I found this series and look forward to more of it. Enjoy!!
August 11, 2014
I read Broken Dolls and absolutely loved it. It had a unique storyline realistic characters and had me gripped from the first page (and having nightmares for weeks afterwards). I was so impressed I pre- ordered Presumed Guilty (the novella prequel to Broken Dolls) which gave a background insight into the character of Jefferson Winter. I loved this book too so went ahead and Pre - ordered Watch Me and waited excitedly for its release. I have to be honest and say I found this book a big disappointment it is marketed as a thriller but didn't find any suspense or thrilling bits in this book. It was probably a decent enough read as an insight into the Profiler but apart from that I didn't feel it had much going for it. The jury is still out on whether I read any more in this series or shelve James Carol as the writer of 1 exceptionally good book - Broken Dolls
July 7, 2015
Da mir 'Broken Dolls' ziemlich gut gefallen hat, hab ich mir den 2.Band der Reihe nach Erscheinen sofort gekauft! Leider war dieses Buch echt unspektakulär & es fehlte komplett an Spannung! Rezi folgt ...
November 17, 2015
4.5 ★
Die Schreibweise ist super und der Hauptcharakter einfach genial.
Wie Sherlock, nur das Winter nicht so "sozialgestört" ist.
Die Schreibweise ist super und der Hauptcharakter einfach genial.
Wie Sherlock, nur das Winter nicht so "sozialgestört" ist.
June 21, 2015
For those of you who missed my review of BROKEN DOLLS, the first of the Jefferson Winter series, here is a recap of this terrifically intriguing man. Jefferson Winter is an ex-FBI Agent/Profiler. He is now a free-lance consultant/hunter of serial criminals. Jefferson Winter is the son of a sexual killer who was put to death in prison.
Winter has been contacted about the brutal murder of a man in Eagle Creek, Louisiana. The sheriff has sent him the film clip they received showing the victim tied up and purposely set on fire. However, they have no body, no crime scene, no nothing. It will be up to Winter to piece together a profile based on very little information and with only the help of one rookie cop and his girlfriend, the owner of the local hotel.
When Winter decides their murderer is a cop, the fireworks really begin.
Jefferson Winter is extremely smart and he's a touch arrogant with it. At times he's not really likeable .. and yet, as this book touches on several memories from his childhood with his father, he is very compassionate and becomes singularly likeable.
This is a terrific series and Jefferson Winter is the perfect series character. I look forward to reading the 3rd one ... PREY.
Winter has been contacted about the brutal murder of a man in Eagle Creek, Louisiana. The sheriff has sent him the film clip they received showing the victim tied up and purposely set on fire. However, they have no body, no crime scene, no nothing. It will be up to Winter to piece together a profile based on very little information and with only the help of one rookie cop and his girlfriend, the owner of the local hotel.
When Winter decides their murderer is a cop, the fireworks really begin.
Jefferson Winter is extremely smart and he's a touch arrogant with it. At times he's not really likeable .. and yet, as this book touches on several memories from his childhood with his father, he is very compassionate and becomes singularly likeable.
This is a terrific series and Jefferson Winter is the perfect series character. I look forward to reading the 3rd one ... PREY.
October 17, 2017
In Watch Me, Winter goes to Eagle Creek, Louisiana after the police department received a video of a lawyer being burned alive. There's a website link with a count down to it, taunting the department that there will be more victims. It's up to Winter to provide his insights to help crack the case ... it doesn't help that Winter thinks that the Unsub is himself though.
Yep, another good one!! And I totally loved Winter's helpers in this case ... a rookie named Taylor and a girl named Hannah. There's this side plot of Winter trying to figure out Taylor's first name, and he even make a huge bet about it. It's fun reading those names thrown by Winter and Taylor keeps saying they're wrong *laugh*
I guessed the motive right, in this one even if I wasn't able to figure out the murderer :)
On to the next book I think...
Yep, another good one!! And I totally loved Winter's helpers in this case ... a rookie named Taylor and a girl named Hannah. There's this side plot of Winter trying to figure out Taylor's first name, and he even make a huge bet about it. It's fun reading those names thrown by Winter and Taylor keeps saying they're wrong *laugh*
I guessed the motive right, in this one even if I wasn't able to figure out the murderer :)
On to the next book I think...
June 19, 2015
A great, fast paced thriller. Will you guess the secrets? This is the second in the series- but I enjoyed it as a stand alone book
When a lawyer is burnt alive in Eagle Creek and recorded for the police , an ex FBI profiler is called in to help on the case. A deadline has been set- so he is up against the clock. He needs to catch him before he kills agaain.
He works with a young police man and Hannah, the owner of the place he is staying in- to unravel the killer's profile in order to make an arrest. They also unravel secrets about the lawyer that explain why he became the killers' victim.
I loved the way that the story unravelled- making you think you'd guessed where this was going, only to be thrown off the scent again. I will definately look out for more by this author.
With thanks to Faber and Faber and Net Galley for the chance to read this book.
April 22, 2017
2.5
Nachdem ich Broken Dolls vor einiger Zeit echt klasse fand, habe ich mich sehr auf den zweiten Fall von Jefferson Winter gefreut und meine Erwartungen waren entsprechend hoch.
Leider konnten dieses Mal meine Erwartungen nicht erfüllt werden. Ich mochte zwar die absolut interessanten Gedankengänge von Winter, und seine Intelligenz ist wirklich bestechend. Allerdings fand ich den Fall dieses Mal nur mäßig spannend und einige Abschnitte waren wirklich langweilig und zäh. Dadurch kam ich gefühlt nur sehr schleppend voran und habe mich nur zu gerne vom Buch ablenken lassen.
Das Ende war mir dann einfach zu konfus, zu konstruiert und zu unglaubwürdig. Auch wenn es hier einige unerwartete Wendungen gab, konnte dies das Buch für mich leider nicht mehr retten.
Nachdem ich Broken Dolls vor einiger Zeit echt klasse fand, habe ich mich sehr auf den zweiten Fall von Jefferson Winter gefreut und meine Erwartungen waren entsprechend hoch.
Leider konnten dieses Mal meine Erwartungen nicht erfüllt werden. Ich mochte zwar die absolut interessanten Gedankengänge von Winter, und seine Intelligenz ist wirklich bestechend. Allerdings fand ich den Fall dieses Mal nur mäßig spannend und einige Abschnitte waren wirklich langweilig und zäh. Dadurch kam ich gefühlt nur sehr schleppend voran und habe mich nur zu gerne vom Buch ablenken lassen.
Das Ende war mir dann einfach zu konfus, zu konstruiert und zu unglaubwürdig. Auch wenn es hier einige unerwartete Wendungen gab, konnte dies das Buch für mich leider nicht mehr retten.
May 22, 2019
A writer with good plots and reasonable explanations. But in this case at the 75% point the plot loses coherence and at the end the protagonist showboats for no apparent reason with disastrous results.
July 24, 2014
Watch Me – Yes Please
Watch Me by James Carol the new Jefferson Winter novel is a masterpiece of a thriller that is fast paced and keeps you guessing all the way to the end. What makes this even better as a series is that each book is a standalone novel so it does not matter where you in the series you start. A plus for someone like me.
Jefferson Winter is a former FBI profiler in their famous BAU Unit, but now he is freelance and in continual demand. Like all profilers he carries his own baggage perfectly well, especially as he is the son of Albert Winter, Maths teacher, husband and one of America’s most prolific serial killers. When people hire him he likes a hotel suite rather than a hotel room and he rarely actually goes home.
Winter closes a case down in Charleston when he is offered two jobs, one in Louisiana the other in Hawaii. The Louisiana job swings it especially as they seem to be up against the clock, as a local divorce lawyer, Sam Galloway, is burned alive and his death is recorded and placed on a website for the police to view. The local Sheriff sends a Gulfstream up to Charleston to fly Winter down to Eagle Creek, the original small town America.
Winter does his profiling and takes under his wing Taylor a junior police officer and his secret girlfriend Hannah to discover the unsub. To discover the killer Winter needs to get under the skin of Eagle Creek and find what secrets are hidden from the prying eyes of outsiders. At first Winter thinks he is on a dead line but once that has passed does he realise that this unsub is very careful, intelligent and plans right down to the last detail.
It is only through the work of Taylor and Winter and the help they receive from those outside law enforcement do they discover the crime scene and make vital discoveries. From that point on it becomes clearer to Winter who the unsub is who they are trying to find and detain. At the same time as they discover the truth about the unsub they disturb the stone that covers all the dark secrets of Sam Galloway and the reasons for his murder.
Jefferson Winter is a conflicted investigator with a taste for the finer things in life and especially a good malt whisky. This is an excellent example of the defective detective, with excellent insight which in part makes Watch Me an excellent police procedural thriller. All the ingredients are there, which shows how well researched this novel is even if the real Eagle Creek is actually in East Texas and thirty miles from Shreveport, Louisiana (well known to fans of Sookie Stackhouse).
This is a brilliant novel fast paced and exciting with James Carol as the wordsmith the evocative imagery that leaches out of each page you feel that you are right there centre stage. The story is well crafted with a degree of artistic licence which does not detract from this thriller. Did I enjoy it? Yes I loved it I read it in a day and did not want the story to end. Jefferson Winter is a new hero who will gain fans by the day.
Watch Me by James Carol the new Jefferson Winter novel is a masterpiece of a thriller that is fast paced and keeps you guessing all the way to the end. What makes this even better as a series is that each book is a standalone novel so it does not matter where you in the series you start. A plus for someone like me.
Jefferson Winter is a former FBI profiler in their famous BAU Unit, but now he is freelance and in continual demand. Like all profilers he carries his own baggage perfectly well, especially as he is the son of Albert Winter, Maths teacher, husband and one of America’s most prolific serial killers. When people hire him he likes a hotel suite rather than a hotel room and he rarely actually goes home.
Winter closes a case down in Charleston when he is offered two jobs, one in Louisiana the other in Hawaii. The Louisiana job swings it especially as they seem to be up against the clock, as a local divorce lawyer, Sam Galloway, is burned alive and his death is recorded and placed on a website for the police to view. The local Sheriff sends a Gulfstream up to Charleston to fly Winter down to Eagle Creek, the original small town America.
Winter does his profiling and takes under his wing Taylor a junior police officer and his secret girlfriend Hannah to discover the unsub. To discover the killer Winter needs to get under the skin of Eagle Creek and find what secrets are hidden from the prying eyes of outsiders. At first Winter thinks he is on a dead line but once that has passed does he realise that this unsub is very careful, intelligent and plans right down to the last detail.
It is only through the work of Taylor and Winter and the help they receive from those outside law enforcement do they discover the crime scene and make vital discoveries. From that point on it becomes clearer to Winter who the unsub is who they are trying to find and detain. At the same time as they discover the truth about the unsub they disturb the stone that covers all the dark secrets of Sam Galloway and the reasons for his murder.
Jefferson Winter is a conflicted investigator with a taste for the finer things in life and especially a good malt whisky. This is an excellent example of the defective detective, with excellent insight which in part makes Watch Me an excellent police procedural thriller. All the ingredients are there, which shows how well researched this novel is even if the real Eagle Creek is actually in East Texas and thirty miles from Shreveport, Louisiana (well known to fans of Sookie Stackhouse).
This is a brilliant novel fast paced and exciting with James Carol as the wordsmith the evocative imagery that leaches out of each page you feel that you are right there centre stage. The story is well crafted with a degree of artistic licence which does not detract from this thriller. Did I enjoy it? Yes I loved it I read it in a day and did not want the story to end. Jefferson Winter is a new hero who will gain fans by the day.
December 16, 2015
Wow !! Another easy 5 stars.....and I've been disappointed recently with second books after first-book 5 star reads.......but not in this case. It was just as superb as his first book and I'm happy I paid for it.
In my review of Broken Dolls I mentioned the odd Americanism and in this one I highlighted the lack of them only to read at the end that the author lives over here so I assume he has to be a Brit, hence the "proper" spellings !! Once again I spotted born used as I mentioned in his last one where I think it should've been borne but I'm not 100% sure myself, to be honest.
I loved his extra characters once more, too-Taylor and Hannah were both lovely kids and terrific sidekicks for Jackson.I laughed aloud at his description of Every Breath You Take-very funny...I was a tad disappointed in Jackson reading the deer story, though. I'd thought better of him.
I did notice an apostrophe and a comma where they weren't needed but that was it. A sheer bloody pleasure to read.
Certainly an author I'm happy to recommend to anyone and I look forward to Prey.
In my review of Broken Dolls I mentioned the odd Americanism and in this one I highlighted the lack of them only to read at the end that the author lives over here so I assume he has to be a Brit, hence the "proper" spellings !! Once again I spotted born used as I mentioned in his last one where I think it should've been borne but I'm not 100% sure myself, to be honest.
I loved his extra characters once more, too-Taylor and Hannah were both lovely kids and terrific sidekicks for Jackson.I laughed aloud at his description of Every Breath You Take-very funny...I was a tad disappointed in Jackson reading the deer story, though. I'd thought better of him.
I did notice an apostrophe and a comma where they weren't needed but that was it. A sheer bloody pleasure to read.
Certainly an author I'm happy to recommend to anyone and I look forward to Prey.
November 5, 2014
This book, although enjoyable, was nowhere near as good as Broken Dolls. We were fed plenty of suspects but it was not too hard to guess who the baddie really was. Winter was a little more annoying this time around . I thought his treatment of Taylor and Hannah was quite often patronising and I'm really surprised he was able to dictate how the investigation ran as much as he did and how he could get away with the way he treated the reveal at the end. But, here's hoping for more books in this series.
August 9, 2014
Well, after reading and absolutely loving the first Jefferson Winter book, this one kind of falls short. It's not a bad book per se, but it's nowhere near as good as Broken Dolls (in my opinion).
February 25, 2019
I can't remember the last time I went straight from one book in a series to the next. Jefferson Winter was such entertaining company in Broken Dolls that I had to hang out with him a little longer. He's an ex-FBI agent with a brilliant mind, a great sense of humour, and just the right amount of tortured angst. Can't blame him for the latter, Dear Old Dad was a serial killer, after all. This seems to be a thing right now, fictional detectives are truly raising the bar for dysfunctional families. In all fairness Watch Me was published in 2014, when killer DNA still referred to hot guys who age as well as the whiskey Winter demands whenever and wherever he consults on a case. (He also insists on a hotel suite so he can listen to his beloved Mozart undisturbed.)
The story begins with him hopping on a private Gulfstream, destination Eagle Creek, where his unsub doused local lawyer, Sam Galloway, in gasoline and burned him alive. Did I mention the sicko also videotaped the murder? Unless Winter catches him, he'll kill again in 13.5 hours. Hey, no pressure!
To make matters worse, Winter is 99% sure his serial killer is a cop. Who the hell can he trust in small-town Louisiana? He picks Taylor (no first name), a Hulk-sized rookie cop, and the guy's pierced-and-tattood secret fiancee, Hannah. She runs a dodgy guesthouse and specialises in snooping through her guests' belongings. I grew pretty fond of both of them. In hindsight, they probably should have declined the honour: Winter isn't exactly at the top of his game and people around him are getting hurt. Or getting dead.
I didn't love Watch Me quite so passionately as Broken Dolls. A serial lobotomiser trumps an arsonist - I mean, where does a writer go from there? Nevertheless it was an entertaining page-turner. Although I hadn't the foggiest who the killer was, I solved the mystery of Taylor's first name straightaway. This is definitely my new favourite series. I'm looking forward to the next instalments and I might even read the prequels. (Normally novellas aren't my cuppa tea, they're just so damn short.) James Carol writes a great whodunit.
The story begins with him hopping on a private Gulfstream, destination Eagle Creek, where his unsub doused local lawyer, Sam Galloway, in gasoline and burned him alive. Did I mention the sicko also videotaped the murder? Unless Winter catches him, he'll kill again in 13.5 hours. Hey, no pressure!
To make matters worse, Winter is 99% sure his serial killer is a cop. Who the hell can he trust in small-town Louisiana? He picks Taylor (no first name), a Hulk-sized rookie cop, and the guy's pierced-and-tattood secret fiancee, Hannah. She runs a dodgy guesthouse and specialises in snooping through her guests' belongings. I grew pretty fond of both of them. In hindsight, they probably should have declined the honour: Winter isn't exactly at the top of his game and people around him are getting hurt. Or getting dead.
I didn't love Watch Me quite so passionately as Broken Dolls. A serial lobotomiser trumps an arsonist - I mean, where does a writer go from there? Nevertheless it was an entertaining page-turner. Although I hadn't the foggiest who the killer was, I solved the mystery of Taylor's first name straightaway. This is definitely my new favourite series. I'm looking forward to the next instalments and I might even read the prequels. (Normally novellas aren't my cuppa tea, they're just so damn short.) James Carol writes a great whodunit.
December 28, 2016
Watch Me is the second book in the Jefferson Winter series. Even though this can easily be read as a stand alone, I would highly recommend reading Broken Dolls first as it's a brilliant introduction to Jefferson.
Jefferson is just a fascinating character. From his background and having a serial killer for a father to present day, where he has left the FBI and now works for himself as a profiler, picking and choosing cases that interest him. He is highly intelligent and I absolutely love the way he works.
As he chooses his own cases to work on, the books see Jefferson travelling far and wide so we are introduced to new characters in each book. I have to admit I did miss a certain one who made a huge impact on me in Broken Dolls and I just hope at some point he goes back to London so we get to meet up again.
The author yet again takes us on a fast paced and tense journey of discovery with some shocking revelations. With a new set of interesting and likeable characters, Watch Me is certainly a gripping and thrilling read. Looking forward to reading the next one in the series.
Jefferson is just a fascinating character. From his background and having a serial killer for a father to present day, where he has left the FBI and now works for himself as a profiler, picking and choosing cases that interest him. He is highly intelligent and I absolutely love the way he works.
As he chooses his own cases to work on, the books see Jefferson travelling far and wide so we are introduced to new characters in each book. I have to admit I did miss a certain one who made a huge impact on me in Broken Dolls and I just hope at some point he goes back to London so we get to meet up again.
The author yet again takes us on a fast paced and tense journey of discovery with some shocking revelations. With a new set of interesting and likeable characters, Watch Me is certainly a gripping and thrilling read. Looking forward to reading the next one in the series.
December 30, 2019
The majority of the plot hinges on guesswork, circumstance, luck, and just coincidence. Regardless of how Carol tries to build it out, there’s not much deducing or sleuthing going on in this book. Winter is practically clairvoyant with his ability to see through anything from: lying, to hidden motives, to genealogy, to extramarital affairs. It’s surprising that he ever gets caught off guard at all with all that extrasensory perception coursing through his veins. This book is fine to kill time with, but, if you’re looking for something with a logically-reasoned outcome based on distinct fact patterns established through a complex narrative - this book, definitely, isn’t for you.
September 26, 2016
Полицаите Ромеро и Баркър... Сериозно?! :) А ако наистина съм сериозен - браво. Поредната лекция на тема "Как се пише завладяващ трилър".
January 22, 2019
Gut, nachdem ich ja letztens den ersten Band über den Profilier Jefferson Winter (Broken Dolls) gelesen habe, konnte ich nicht anders und habe nun den zweiten Band gelesen.
Und was kann ich dazu denn nun eigentlich sagen? Watch me geht da weiter wo Broken Dolls aufhört. Jefferson Winter hat sich diesmal für einen Fall in einer Kleinstadt in Louisiana entschieden. Ich dachte, na das kann ja was werden. Wobei das mit dem am lebendigen Leib verbrennen auch mal etwas Spannendes hat. Man stelle sich einfach einmal vor, man kann im Netz sehen wie ein Mensch einen anderen Menschen mit Benzin übergießt und dann einfach anzündet - ohne jegliche Gefühlsregung.
Kling Grausam und ist es auch! In meiner Fantasie ist dies doch einfach sehr erschreckend. Und ich muss sagen, diese Fantasie bereitet mir immer wieder eine etwas schlaflosere Nacht.
Dann dieser Countdown, der dann kommt, erzeugt in einem einen weiteren großen Spannungsbogen.
Aber dies kann ich dann schon mal so sagen, es kommt alles anders als man denkt.
Jefferson Winter bekommt diesmal zwei Menschen an die Seite gestellt, einmal einen „Schwarzen“, und dies im konservativen Süden, und eine etwas durchgeknallte, aber nicht weniger liebenswürdige, Frau.
Mehr schreibe ich nun nicht dazu, für mich steht es einfach fest, dieser Autor wird mir bestimmt noch einige schlaflose Nächte bescheren. Er ist für mich persönlich so etwas wie ein Überraschungsei; man weiß nie, was einen denn nun erwartet und das, was einen erwartet, ist absolut genial.
James Carol hat einen guten Schreibstil mit einigen schönen Wendungen. Er metzelt nicht einfach Menschen nieder, sondern nimmt einen immer wieder ein wenig mit und fesselt einen mit dem was er schreibt.
Auch ist es schön, dass er einen Einzelgänger als Hauptperson erschaffen hat, der einfach seinen eigenen Weg geht. Mit fällt dabei gerade eine Passage ein, von einem Interview mit Christian von Ditfurth, wo dieser meinte, manchmal sei es auch ganz gut, wenn man die ausgetretenen Pfade mal verlässt, und einfach einmal einen Einzelgänger als Hauptperson nimmt.
Ich wollte diesem Satz von Herrn Ditfurth eigentlich nicht so richtig Glauben schenken, aber er hat recht. Es hat seinen eigenen Reiz und es ist einfach schön einen Einzelgänger zu sehen, der trotzdem auf gewisse Weise teamfähig ist.
Was kann ich dazu momentan sonst noch schreiben? Am besten, selber lesen und sich ein Bild davon machen, wozu ein intelligent geschriebener Krimi fähig ist.
http://www.literaturlounge.eu
Und was kann ich dazu denn nun eigentlich sagen? Watch me geht da weiter wo Broken Dolls aufhört. Jefferson Winter hat sich diesmal für einen Fall in einer Kleinstadt in Louisiana entschieden. Ich dachte, na das kann ja was werden. Wobei das mit dem am lebendigen Leib verbrennen auch mal etwas Spannendes hat. Man stelle sich einfach einmal vor, man kann im Netz sehen wie ein Mensch einen anderen Menschen mit Benzin übergießt und dann einfach anzündet - ohne jegliche Gefühlsregung.
Kling Grausam und ist es auch! In meiner Fantasie ist dies doch einfach sehr erschreckend. Und ich muss sagen, diese Fantasie bereitet mir immer wieder eine etwas schlaflosere Nacht.
Dann dieser Countdown, der dann kommt, erzeugt in einem einen weiteren großen Spannungsbogen.
Aber dies kann ich dann schon mal so sagen, es kommt alles anders als man denkt.
Jefferson Winter bekommt diesmal zwei Menschen an die Seite gestellt, einmal einen „Schwarzen“, und dies im konservativen Süden, und eine etwas durchgeknallte, aber nicht weniger liebenswürdige, Frau.
Mehr schreibe ich nun nicht dazu, für mich steht es einfach fest, dieser Autor wird mir bestimmt noch einige schlaflose Nächte bescheren. Er ist für mich persönlich so etwas wie ein Überraschungsei; man weiß nie, was einen denn nun erwartet und das, was einen erwartet, ist absolut genial.
James Carol hat einen guten Schreibstil mit einigen schönen Wendungen. Er metzelt nicht einfach Menschen nieder, sondern nimmt einen immer wieder ein wenig mit und fesselt einen mit dem was er schreibt.
Auch ist es schön, dass er einen Einzelgänger als Hauptperson erschaffen hat, der einfach seinen eigenen Weg geht. Mit fällt dabei gerade eine Passage ein, von einem Interview mit Christian von Ditfurth, wo dieser meinte, manchmal sei es auch ganz gut, wenn man die ausgetretenen Pfade mal verlässt, und einfach einmal einen Einzelgänger als Hauptperson nimmt.
Ich wollte diesem Satz von Herrn Ditfurth eigentlich nicht so richtig Glauben schenken, aber er hat recht. Es hat seinen eigenen Reiz und es ist einfach schön einen Einzelgänger zu sehen, der trotzdem auf gewisse Weise teamfähig ist.
Was kann ich dazu momentan sonst noch schreiben? Am besten, selber lesen und sich ein Bild davon machen, wozu ein intelligent geschriebener Krimi fähig ist.
http://www.literaturlounge.eu
September 24, 2017
brilliant book!!
October 20, 2016
SO good, James Carol. So. Damn. Good. I even figured out that one character's name way before Winter, because it was kind of obvious at some point.
But anyhow: absolutely loved it, it's a pain to put because it just keeps you going with its suspense and wit. Awesome!
But anyhow: absolutely loved it, it's a pain to put because it just keeps you going with its suspense and wit. Awesome!
June 11, 2019
Maličko slabší konec oproti prvnímu dílu, ale to, že jsem přečetla za jeden den, asi něco znamená.
February 14, 2020
This would make a great TV series.
October 6, 2014
I read the first Jefferson Winter Book (Broken Dolls) and absolutely LOVED It. I was looking forward to once again meeting the white haired, Whisky loving profiler Jefferson Winter. Jefferson has a unique angle from his job as his father was once a serial killer. This makes Jefferson a somewhat more complex character than most. However, when it comes down to it, he seems reasonably sound considering his circumstances. He does however have a habit of drinking too much coffee, smoking too many cigarettes and partaking in great whiskey (in other words a very readable and likeable bloke).
He is essentially freelance so when the latest case comes to his attention he jumps on a place bound for Louisiana. He’s met by man-mountain named Taylor who just clicked with Winter from the second they meet. Jefferson has his work cut out trying to figure out the latest case and the murder he has witnessed on screen seems to be only the beginning.
The actual story itself was told well and there was enough threads and intrigue to keep me very interested. However, although the story didn’t have quite the same pull that the first book did, the characters definitely held my attention. For some reason Jefferson, Taylor and Hannah (the owner of the place Jefferson is staying) just worked. The dynamic between them was good and I really hope this book isn’t the last we see of them!
I think this outing was definitely a page turner, however didn’t quite live up to the first book. Having said that I think this series has huge potential and most definitely has me hooked already. I can’t wait to see where Winter goes next and will really look forward to reading the next book.
He is essentially freelance so when the latest case comes to his attention he jumps on a place bound for Louisiana. He’s met by man-mountain named Taylor who just clicked with Winter from the second they meet. Jefferson has his work cut out trying to figure out the latest case and the murder he has witnessed on screen seems to be only the beginning.
The actual story itself was told well and there was enough threads and intrigue to keep me very interested. However, although the story didn’t have quite the same pull that the first book did, the characters definitely held my attention. For some reason Jefferson, Taylor and Hannah (the owner of the place Jefferson is staying) just worked. The dynamic between them was good and I really hope this book isn’t the last we see of them!
I think this outing was definitely a page turner, however didn’t quite live up to the first book. Having said that I think this series has huge potential and most definitely has me hooked already. I can’t wait to see where Winter goes next and will really look forward to reading the next book.
November 24, 2017
Jefferson Winter is a drifter, going from one crime scene to another. But he is there is solve the crimes and is usually paid handsomely for his work. He is an ex FBI profiler with one huge cloud hanging over him, his father was a serial killer. This is what makes Winter so good at what he does.
He is called into help with a brutal murder in a small southern US town where there are indications that the killer will strike again and very soon. But as is the case with these types of crimes nothing goes strictly according to plan, though Winter would have you believe he knew exactly what was going to happen. He is a very self confident man and plays by his own rules. One of his games is to drag people out of their comfort zone and let them do what they really want, like flying a private jet like it was a jet fighter.
He does not for a second have any doubt as weather or not he will find the killer. However, he can get very annoying very quickly.
An okay sort of read.
He is called into help with a brutal murder in a small southern US town where there are indications that the killer will strike again and very soon. But as is the case with these types of crimes nothing goes strictly according to plan, though Winter would have you believe he knew exactly what was going to happen. He is a very self confident man and plays by his own rules. One of his games is to drag people out of their comfort zone and let them do what they really want, like flying a private jet like it was a jet fighter.
He does not for a second have any doubt as weather or not he will find the killer. However, he can get very annoying very quickly.
An okay sort of read.
February 21, 2016
A stunning follow up to author James Carol's first novel Broken Dolls. It's always so enjoyable to find a second in a series as intriguing, gripping & well written as the first. They so often tend to fizzle out.
This novel had the character Jefferson Winter floundering quite a bit, I was glad to see the more human side of him. Wonderful plot that had me surprised at the end ..... and thoughtfully fleshed out secondary characters to act as sound boards for our flawed genius.
My only complaint is that there were whole phrases that seemed to be lifted from the first novel & dumped in this second one. It made it read a bit repetitively but ensured that each novel could be read as a stand alone.
I have now downloaded the novellas from the Jefferson Winter Chronicles & await with relish reading about the young Jefferson's early FBI cases.
This novel had the character Jefferson Winter floundering quite a bit, I was glad to see the more human side of him. Wonderful plot that had me surprised at the end ..... and thoughtfully fleshed out secondary characters to act as sound boards for our flawed genius.
My only complaint is that there were whole phrases that seemed to be lifted from the first novel & dumped in this second one. It made it read a bit repetitively but ensured that each novel could be read as a stand alone.
I have now downloaded the novellas from the Jefferson Winter Chronicles & await with relish reading about the young Jefferson's early FBI cases.
December 4, 2014
The second Jefferson Winter novel and it's another good one. It's not really necessary to have read Broken Dolls first, although I would recommend it (1) because I like reading series in order an (2) because it's an excellent novel. Winter is a fascinating character and James Carol has a writing style that is very easy and enjoyable to read. In Watch Me, Winter is sent a video of a man being burnt to death and sets off to investigate. Along the way he makes friends and enemies, gets into a few scrapes and gives the reader another thrilling ride. I found the final reveal a little theatrical, but after all it is fiction and it didn't spoil an excellent read.
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