Fragments of Fear

by W.L. Knightly

With a reputation for solving one of the most prolific crimes in Ember Ridge, Detective Seth Riordan should feel on top of the world.

But there was a price to pay for catching the bad guy.

Now, Seth’s life is fragmented, and there’s only one constant.

Death.

He has another killer to catch. This time, he has a shot at redemption. Everyone in his life thinks he’s jaded and lost to the dark world of criminals, but Seth knows the truth of it. There are bad people lurking in well-lit corners. They’re not always who you expect.

And this new murderer?

He’s twisted. A modern-day Bluebeard. A wife-killer.

Seth might have lost his own wife to the distance his career put between them, but he’ll stop at nothing to protect those who can’t protect themselves, no matter the cost.

From where he’s standing, he’s already lost everything he has to lose.

Or has he?

182 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 20, 2024

About the author

WL Knightly is a thriller/murder mystery co-writing pen name for two USA Today Best Selling Authors. "W" when not writing can be found dealing in Antique Jewelry and hanging out with her awesome hubby and three kids. And "L" is a full-time writer that lives near Nashville, TN and spends her time cooking, hanging out with her hubs and 3 kiddos, or wrangling new ideas as they float by!
Their love of a good mystery novel caused them to combine forces and go after their dream of telling stories that sent a shiver down your spine. I'm thinking they figured it out!
These two friends met years ago when they both started writing and publishing in various young adult genres and needed a critique partner.
The rest is history...They'd love for you to join the fun!
Website-http://thezodiackillerseries.com/
Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/wlknightlyau...
Insiders Group- https://dl.bookfunnel.com/j1rryhvu53

Reviews

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a way to start a new series!
So we are introduced to the killer immediately, however we learn that he may be using an alias.
Celia is the first victim we meet. Her death is ruled an accident. In addition her beloved bird is also found dead.
It wasn't until her friend Savvy pushes for the police yo at least look at the accident again.
Seth is the detective who is taking the case. He realizes it wasn't an accident.
We are also introduced to his ex wife and son, as well as his sister.
I'm trying to figure out how this is going to play out. I'm sure his ex or his sister will some way be involved in this mystery.
There's a possible romance - Savvy and Seth.
And of course there will be more murders.
Hooked on the new series.

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love how this book starts out almost backwards. We’re reasonably sure we know who the villain is, but we have to wait to find out if and how they’ll be brought to justice. All the possibilities of where this story might be about to go are swirling around in my brain and I have no idea yet which way to think they may fall out. I’m already more than a little desperate to get my hands on whatever’s coming next.
I received a complimentary advance copy of this book from the author.

[Sheri Corriero · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an exciting start to a new series. We start off right away with a woman, Celia, being murdered by her own fiancée. She thinks he’s out of town as they talk on the phone and he’s pushing her about taking a cruise and getting life insurance but she can’t right now. He asks her to check that doors and windows are locked before she goes to sleep, as he always does, but this time he jumps out at her and she winds up dead. Great start and it drew me into the story right away. Then we get to the detective part. Detective Seth Riordan was approached by the woman’s friend, Savvy Smith, who thinks she was murdered. The previous detective had closed it quickly saying it was an accident. Seth had finished a case and was technically unassigned, so he decided to check it out a little. He finds some clues that lead him to think it wasn’t an accident and is able to get his boss’s approval to re-open the case. The author makes Seth real to us by bringing in his family situation, separated from his wife and child. This makes Seth real to the reader. I feel for him and want him to do well. I am very excited to see how the series goes as this first book was exciting. I received an ARC copy from the author and this is my honest review.

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fragments of Fear begins with a cautionary tale… if your fiancé pushes you to take out life insurance with him as the beneficiary BEFORE the wedding, it’s probably not the smartest life decision. Celia Long, a wealthy local business owner, “falls” to her death in the opening pages of the book. The death is ruled accidental thanks to a shoddy police investigation and cursory examination of the body by the chief medical examiner. But Celia’s best friend is convinced there’s more to the story.

She enlists the aid of Detective Seth Riordan, who quickly learns that Celia’s death is more suspicious than accidental. As he investigates the missing fiancé’s background, the detective finds more questions than answers. Who is Peter Dougan really… has he killed before? And more importantly, has he found his next victim?

I can’t wait for the next book in this series!

[Vicki Wayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seth is a detective, who gained fame on his last assignment when he found a missing person. While he is coming down from that high, a beautiful woman comes in to see if he can help her. Sasha is certain that her best friend was murdered, but nobody will listen to her - the detective on the case marked it as accidental. Seth digs a bit and figures out that it really was a murder, and now he's on the hunt! The killer is out there, and Seth is worried that he's already found another victim. His sister and his ex-wife both have new boyfriends that they refuse to tell him about - is it possible that one of them is his next victim??
This is a great starter to a new series. I was caught up in the story from page 1 - and couldn't put it down. Thanks to the author for providing me an opportunity to read it!!

[Tina Blissett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, I loved this book. It gives you an idea of how this murderer works, starting with a murder of a wealthy young woman, Celia. Celia's friend, Savvy, is not happy with it being ruled, an accident, she goes to the police, then enters Detective Seth Riordan now investigating Celia's murder. Seth is now finding out more about Celia's life while also getting to know Savvy better. However, on the sidelines, he is still struggling with his own life situation with his son and now his ex-wife who started dating.

[Sahar's Honest Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Twisted Killer

We meet a twisted killer on the first few pages in this suspenseful tale. The man kills his fiancée, but the police say it is an accident. Savvy is the victim's friend and is sure that her fiancé killed her. She seeks Seth’s help to uncover the truth. As Seth is about to find out, this killer is quite elusive. If he can’t find him, who will die next? We won’t get all the answers in this book. I recommend this story to those who like stories with mystery and suspense. This is a series that will continue throughout several books.

[Donita Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

FRAGMENTS OF FEAR Bluebeard Series Book 1 by WL Knightly
WL Knightly has started another series that is excellent. I very much was engrossed in Detective Seth Riordan’s life. Seth has let his job take over his life and the price he has paid is steep. Now he had another killer to catch while he tries to put his own family back together. This well written solid story has plenty of angst, intrigue, mystery, and I am looking forward to the next installment. This is 5 stars.

[Marilyn Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story has a wealthy woman found dead at the bottom of her stairs and it’s ruled an accident. But her best friend doesn’t agree and goes to Detective Seth Riordan with her suspicions. He then goes to his supervisor to have permission to look at the case again to see if there are unfound evidence. Will he find any? I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

[Kenneth Lingenfelter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wealthy woman is found dead at the bottom of her stairs. The death is ruled an accident. Savvy Smith is the best friend of the dead woman. She reaches out to Detective Seth Riordan. Seth gets permission from the captain to take another look. Now he has another killer to find.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detective Seth has solved an important crime. Will this end, unfortunately not. Danger and loss seem to follow him. Full of suspense, that will have you intrigued until the end. A book not to be missed out on.

[Colin Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good first book in a new series. This one involves a detective struggling with his relationship with his ex-wife and getting plunged into what is initially an accidental death which turns into a murder as his investigation continues. An easy read.

[Steve Rooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting Continuing Series

This a series of books about a detective becoming obsessed with finding a possible serial killer.
The characters are well-drawn. The dialogue is quick. I can't wait for the next book in this series.

[Robert McDougall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This new series starts off nicely. Good character introduction and development. The crime aspect is set up beautifully, giving us a brief view of our killer, but not overdoing it. I am excited for book 2.

[NY · Rating 1 out of 5]

I gave the book one star because it ended in a cliffhanger. It’s just a fragment of a book. I feel cheated.