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Lexie Rogers #2
Deadly Obsession
A young nurse’s body is found at Clovelly Beach in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. Apart from a puncture wound in her neck, she is in perfect condition. But she’s also clutching a rose in her hands – and there’s an empty packet of prescription drugs in her pocket.
Investigating the scene, Detective Lexie Rogers and her partner Brad Sommers know something is not right. It appears to be a staged suicide. And as they begin to dig deeper, Lexie discovers the case is too close to home.
The dead girl was a work colleague of Lexie’s ex-husband, who is now a paramedic – and she was also a friend of the woman who broke up Lexie’s marriage. Struggling as she is with her breakup with Josh Harrison, who pushed her away after the suicide of his sister, and the numbing flashbacks of the violent attacks she’s suffered in the past, Lexie throws herself into the case. When she’s handed the lead on the investigation, Lexie sets out to solve the murder and prove she’s up to the job.
When Lexie’s ex-husband becomes a suspect, she refuses to believe it. It also becomes startlingly clear there are similarities in the deaths of Josh’s sister and the murder victim. But when Lexie determines a link between the women and a doctor working at the same hospital, he becomes her main suspect, fuelled by her discovery of a prescription drug racket.
Just when Lexie is beginning to make headway on the case, Josh turns up. He’s determined to find out what happened to his sister – and he also wants Lexie back.
Piecing together the identity of the killer with the help of her old bikie friend, Rex Donaldson, Lexie and her colleagues set a trap in an ambitious police operation. But there’s a big difference between naming a suspect and catching a killer, and Lexie’s about to find out just how deep some grudges can go.
Investigating the scene, Detective Lexie Rogers and her partner Brad Sommers know something is not right. It appears to be a staged suicide. And as they begin to dig deeper, Lexie discovers the case is too close to home.
The dead girl was a work colleague of Lexie’s ex-husband, who is now a paramedic – and she was also a friend of the woman who broke up Lexie’s marriage. Struggling as she is with her breakup with Josh Harrison, who pushed her away after the suicide of his sister, and the numbing flashbacks of the violent attacks she’s suffered in the past, Lexie throws herself into the case. When she’s handed the lead on the investigation, Lexie sets out to solve the murder and prove she’s up to the job.
When Lexie’s ex-husband becomes a suspect, she refuses to believe it. It also becomes startlingly clear there are similarities in the deaths of Josh’s sister and the murder victim. But when Lexie determines a link between the women and a doctor working at the same hospital, he becomes her main suspect, fuelled by her discovery of a prescription drug racket.
Just when Lexie is beginning to make headway on the case, Josh turns up. He’s determined to find out what happened to his sister – and he also wants Lexie back.
Piecing together the identity of the killer with the help of her old bikie friend, Rex Donaldson, Lexie and her colleagues set a trap in an ambitious police operation. But there’s a big difference between naming a suspect and catching a killer, and Lexie’s about to find out just how deep some grudges can go.
419 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2014
4 people are currently reading
117 people want to read
About the author
Karen M. Davis
4 books47 followersKaren Davis was a New South Wales police officer for twenty years. Starting her career on the streets of Newtown, she then moved on to work as a detective and undercover operative in a variety of sections, all of which specialised in the investigation of organised crime.
When Karen left the force nine years ago her mother (author of twelve novels, the late Lynne Wilding) encouraged her to draw inspiration from her true life experiences as a cop to write crime fiction.
Karen's first fictional crime novel SINISTER INTENT was released in 2013. Her second novel DEADLY OBSESSION followed in 2014 and her third in the "Lexie Rogers series,' FATAL MISTAKE, will be released 1 July 2017.
Karen currently lives in Sydney, Australia with her husband and daughters.
When Karen left the force nine years ago her mother (author of twelve novels, the late Lynne Wilding) encouraged her to draw inspiration from her true life experiences as a cop to write crime fiction.
Karen's first fictional crime novel SINISTER INTENT was released in 2013. Her second novel DEADLY OBSESSION followed in 2014 and her third in the "Lexie Rogers series,' FATAL MISTAKE, will be released 1 July 2017.
Karen currently lives in Sydney, Australia with her husband and daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
August 18, 2017
In this second book in the Lexie Rogers series, Lexie and her partner Brad are investigating the death of a young nurse in the Eastern suburbs of Sydney. Initially thought to be a suicide, there are hints of foul play and when Lexie discovers links to other presumed suicides it looks as if they may have a serial murder on their hands. With links to a hospital doctor and an illicit pharmaceutical drug trade Lexie and Brad soon have their hands full.
This was a good sequel to 'Sinister Intent', although not quite as gritty and sinister. Lexie's character was well developed in the previous book and does not develop further here, although her love interest Josh does reappear towards the end of the book.
This was a good sequel to 'Sinister Intent', although not quite as gritty and sinister. Lexie's character was well developed in the previous book and does not develop further here, although her love interest Josh does reappear towards the end of the book.
April 5, 2017
The body of a young woman is discovered near Clovelly Beach in Sydney by two early morning walkers.
Detective Lexie Rogers and her partner Brad Sommers find puncture wounds on the victim's neck as well as an empty packet of prescription drugs in the pocket of her jacket.
As the investigation gets underway, Lexie and Brad must work out if this is an overdose or a murder. If it's a murder, they must work quickly before any more victims turn up.
Aussie author, Karen M. Davis has written another page turner with twists and turns that will keep you guessing. A very enjoyable read. Recommended
Detective Lexie Rogers and her partner Brad Sommers find puncture wounds on the victim's neck as well as an empty packet of prescription drugs in the pocket of her jacket.
As the investigation gets underway, Lexie and Brad must work out if this is an overdose or a murder. If it's a murder, they must work quickly before any more victims turn up.
Aussie author, Karen M. Davis has written another page turner with twists and turns that will keep you guessing. A very enjoyable read. Recommended
August 6, 2019
I've been introduced to quite a few Australian authors who write crime mystery/suspense, and psychological suspense/thrillers. Karen M. Davis is one such author.
This is the 2nd book in the Lexi Rogers series following Sinister Intent, set in Australia. I own both in audio book format and just absolutely loved them! Just a spectacular book. I hope there will a third!
I love Lexi and her colleagues! They are all so realistic, well defined, and personable. The plot is interesting, complicated, but still very plausible. Karen M. Davis expertly combines the relationships between the characters together with the main story line making them inseparable, creating a great deal of suspense.
There are plenty of surprising twists and turns! Even though the case is decidedly solved in the end, there are tantalizing tidbits left open for another book in the series.
Kate Hosking, the narrator, was just brilliant! With Australian words and phrases written by Karen and the voice of Kate's seemingly natural, native Aussie accent made it especially enjoyable for me. I highly recommend the audio book format!
This is the 2nd book in the Lexi Rogers series following Sinister Intent, set in Australia. I own both in audio book format and just absolutely loved them! Just a spectacular book. I hope there will a third!
I love Lexi and her colleagues! They are all so realistic, well defined, and personable. The plot is interesting, complicated, but still very plausible. Karen M. Davis expertly combines the relationships between the characters together with the main story line making them inseparable, creating a great deal of suspense.
There are plenty of surprising twists and turns! Even though the case is decidedly solved in the end, there are tantalizing tidbits left open for another book in the series.
Kate Hosking, the narrator, was just brilliant! With Australian words and phrases written by Karen and the voice of Kate's seemingly natural, native Aussie accent made it especially enjoyable for me. I highly recommend the audio book format!
October 11, 2023
Deadly Obsession is the second book in the Lexie Rogers series featuring the Detective Constable working out of the Bondi Junction station in Sydney. Lexie is a highly capable cop but she’s still trying to overcome the PTSD from when she was attacked years ago working in Kings Cross.
If you are planning on ever reading the first book in the series, Sinister Intent, and were thinking of reading this one beforehand, stop and rethink that plan immediately. Deadly Obsession is filled with spoilers about the first book in the series and, quite simply, there’s no point going back and reading the first if you’ve already read the second. The thing is, if you’ve already read the first book, you don’t need the extended explanation of every detail that took place in that book and, if you haven’t read it, too bad, every surprise has just been laid out for you. Shorthand version of what I just said: read the books in order.
This second book in the series picks up around 6 months after the events of Sinister Intent and Lexie is out on the streets accompanied once again by her original partner Brad Summers. They’re called out to investigate a body that has been found at Clovelly Beach. It’s a young woman who appears to have been dumped and rolled down the grassy bank. She’s clearly been posed to look as though she’s asleep and she’s holding a red rose in her hands. Her death was put down as an overdose of oxycontin and she has a needle mark in her neck.
As the investigation gets underway, we learn that Lexie’s love interest, Josh Harrison has taken off for Bali after the suicide death of his sister, Jenna. Lexie is dealing with the abandonment as best she can, i.e. poorly, but understands that Josh is hurting after losing a loved one. Details of Jenna’s death start to be revealed and, coincidence alert, she was found overdosed on oxycontin with a needle mark in her neck.
Lexie (reasonably) is convinced there’s a connection between the two cases due to the numerous similarities. Infuriatingly, her partner Brad can’t see it and refuses to entertain the thought that she might be right. Now, as far as I was concerned, blind Freddie could see that, at the very least, this was a line that should have been pursued and probably with some urgency. It’s only when a third case is discovered that the lead is followed and, hence, the pace of the story picks up considerably.
Running in parallel is an undercover operation being conducted by Rex Donaldson. This is a guy who made his appearance in Sinister Intent and the huge man returns to play a more peripheral role here. Rex makes contact with Lexie to pass on information about a possible drug deal he’s witnessed. Coincidentally, the photos he took could potentially be linked to Lexie’s case.
A murder case and a drug case all rolled into one ensures that things kick into high gear. For Lexie she also finds that she also has to juggle a complicated romantic situation. It’s all go, go, go in the Bondi Junction CIB.
Something that struck me while reading this was the fact that just about everyone involved in the case - suspects, victims, friends of victims - appeared to be related in some way to Lexie. In a city of over 5 million people, the only people who came under scrutiny were already known by the investigating officer. The coincidence fairy was working overtime to a distracting degree right up to and including one of the big surprise twists towards the end.
Deadly Obsession is a solid thriller that has once again put Lexie Rogers through the emotional wringer. There’s clearly unfinished business to take care of by story’s end and there’s enough here to lead me to the third book in the series.
If you are planning on ever reading the first book in the series, Sinister Intent, and were thinking of reading this one beforehand, stop and rethink that plan immediately. Deadly Obsession is filled with spoilers about the first book in the series and, quite simply, there’s no point going back and reading the first if you’ve already read the second. The thing is, if you’ve already read the first book, you don’t need the extended explanation of every detail that took place in that book and, if you haven’t read it, too bad, every surprise has just been laid out for you. Shorthand version of what I just said: read the books in order.
This second book in the series picks up around 6 months after the events of Sinister Intent and Lexie is out on the streets accompanied once again by her original partner Brad Summers. They’re called out to investigate a body that has been found at Clovelly Beach. It’s a young woman who appears to have been dumped and rolled down the grassy bank. She’s clearly been posed to look as though she’s asleep and she’s holding a red rose in her hands. Her death was put down as an overdose of oxycontin and she has a needle mark in her neck.
As the investigation gets underway, we learn that Lexie’s love interest, Josh Harrison has taken off for Bali after the suicide death of his sister, Jenna. Lexie is dealing with the abandonment as best she can, i.e. poorly, but understands that Josh is hurting after losing a loved one. Details of Jenna’s death start to be revealed and, coincidence alert, she was found overdosed on oxycontin with a needle mark in her neck.
Lexie (reasonably) is convinced there’s a connection between the two cases due to the numerous similarities. Infuriatingly, her partner Brad can’t see it and refuses to entertain the thought that she might be right. Now, as far as I was concerned, blind Freddie could see that, at the very least, this was a line that should have been pursued and probably with some urgency. It’s only when a third case is discovered that the lead is followed and, hence, the pace of the story picks up considerably.
Running in parallel is an undercover operation being conducted by Rex Donaldson. This is a guy who made his appearance in Sinister Intent and the huge man returns to play a more peripheral role here. Rex makes contact with Lexie to pass on information about a possible drug deal he’s witnessed. Coincidentally, the photos he took could potentially be linked to Lexie’s case.
A murder case and a drug case all rolled into one ensures that things kick into high gear. For Lexie she also finds that she also has to juggle a complicated romantic situation. It’s all go, go, go in the Bondi Junction CIB.
Something that struck me while reading this was the fact that just about everyone involved in the case - suspects, victims, friends of victims - appeared to be related in some way to Lexie. In a city of over 5 million people, the only people who came under scrutiny were already known by the investigating officer. The coincidence fairy was working overtime to a distracting degree right up to and including one of the big surprise twists towards the end.
Deadly Obsession is a solid thriller that has once again put Lexie Rogers through the emotional wringer. There’s clearly unfinished business to take care of by story’s end and there’s enough here to lead me to the third book in the series.
October 4, 2014
4.5★s
Detective Lexie Rogers and partner Detective Sergeant Brad Sommers were at the scene of a suicide in the early hours of the morning when they were called to another case at Clovelly Beach in Sydney. The scene was one of a young woman who was lying, perfectly posed, clutching a red rose in her hands. But her handbag and all identification were missing and she had a strange wound in her neck. Lexie and Brad had the feeling that even though the death of this young woman looked like a suicide, it was too contrived – was it a possible murder?
With Lexie as lead detective in the case, the task force began their investigation. But the digging started to reveal strange parallels to her life – Lexie’s ex-husband, Zack had ties to the dead girl; the woman who broke up her and Zack’s marriage was friends with the dead girl also. Was it just coincidence or something more sinister? Keeping herself busy with the case and all it entailed was therapy for Lexie as she was trying to recover from Josh’s betrayal of her just weeks earlier…
As the investigation deepened and the team’s frustrations grew, the realization that there was danger to both Lexie and her best friend had Lexie tormented by doubt. Would she be able to catch the psychotic killer who seemed to be one step ahead of the police? Would she be able to prove herself up to the task?
I really enjoyed Aussie author Karen M. Davis’ second novel, Deadly Obsession. The twists and turns kept the pace fast, the plot was excellent. I enjoyed catching up with characters from the first book, Sinister Intent, and felt this second novel had Lexie finding herself, and finally feeling more comfortable in her own skin, more confident in herself. I have no hesitation in highly recommending Deadly Obsession.
With thanks to Simon and Schuster for my copy to read and review.
Detective Lexie Rogers and partner Detective Sergeant Brad Sommers were at the scene of a suicide in the early hours of the morning when they were called to another case at Clovelly Beach in Sydney. The scene was one of a young woman who was lying, perfectly posed, clutching a red rose in her hands. But her handbag and all identification were missing and she had a strange wound in her neck. Lexie and Brad had the feeling that even though the death of this young woman looked like a suicide, it was too contrived – was it a possible murder?
With Lexie as lead detective in the case, the task force began their investigation. But the digging started to reveal strange parallels to her life – Lexie’s ex-husband, Zack had ties to the dead girl; the woman who broke up her and Zack’s marriage was friends with the dead girl also. Was it just coincidence or something more sinister? Keeping herself busy with the case and all it entailed was therapy for Lexie as she was trying to recover from Josh’s betrayal of her just weeks earlier…
As the investigation deepened and the team’s frustrations grew, the realization that there was danger to both Lexie and her best friend had Lexie tormented by doubt. Would she be able to catch the psychotic killer who seemed to be one step ahead of the police? Would she be able to prove herself up to the task?
I really enjoyed Aussie author Karen M. Davis’ second novel, Deadly Obsession. The twists and turns kept the pace fast, the plot was excellent. I enjoyed catching up with characters from the first book, Sinister Intent, and felt this second novel had Lexie finding herself, and finally feeling more comfortable in her own skin, more confident in herself. I have no hesitation in highly recommending Deadly Obsession.
With thanks to Simon and Schuster for my copy to read and review.
August 14, 2014
Deadly Obsession is the second crime novel from Karen M Davis to feature Detective Lexie Rogers.
In the early hours of the morning a woman's body, clutching a long stemmed red rose, is discovered on Clovelly Beach. The empty packet of OxyContine in her pocket suggests a drug overdose as the cause of death but Lexie is sure the scene is staged. When the initial stages of the investigation implicates her ex-husband in the woman's murder, Lexie is shocked, but as she and her partner, Brad Sommers, continue to dig they unearth a worrying chain of connections that for Lexie are too close to home.
Deadly Obsession is, in part, a police procedural, exposing Lexie and Brad's investigation as they chase leads and search for evidence to identify the elusive killer, but also includes elements of psychological suspense, action and a touch of romance. The story is tightly plotted, though I thought the links between Lexie and the key characters were just a little too neat and convenient. My early suspicions regarding the murderer were proved right but I was swayed by the red herrings laid down by Davis at times and surprised by some of the connections that were eventually revealed.
I am glad that Lexie seems less anxious in Deadly Obsession. Though still at risk from panic attacks related to previous events, and distressed by her recent break up with Josh (Detective Josh Harrison) who fled to Bali to bury himself in the bottle after the death of his sister, Jenna, Lexie is stronger and more focused. She works the case with attention to detail and stands up for herself against Brad's doubts. I didn't agree with all of her decisions though, some of which, like not reporting the threats made against her, seemed a bit disingenuous for a police officer.
While it isn't strictly necessary to have read Sinister Intent before embarking on this sequel, I think it would be worth your time. A solid example of Australian crime fiction, Deadly Obsession is an enjoyable and engaging read and I look forward to seeing how Davis continues to develop the series.
November 7, 2023
4.5 stars
Most enjoyable.
Listened to the audiobook on BorrowBox
Published by Bolinda audio
Read by Kate Hosking
Duration 12 hrs, 43 min. 1.50x speed
Most enjoyable.
Listened to the audiobook on BorrowBox
Published by Bolinda audio
Read by Kate Hosking
Duration 12 hrs, 43 min. 1.50x speed
August 14, 2014
Early on a winter morning in Sydney, two walkers find the body of a young woman near Clovelly Beach. She’s laying perfectly arranged, clutching a red rose in her hand. Oddly, there’s a puncture wound on her neck and an empty packet of prescription drugs in her jacket pocket. At first glance, if not for the puncture wound, it could be an overdose or suicide. But Detective Lexie Rogers and her partner Brad Sommers know that this is murder.
The victim Melissa was a British nurse who had only been in Australia six months. She also worked with Lexie’s ex-husband, paramedic Zach and the closer Lexie digs, the more connections she keeps finding. Melissa and Zach may have also been briefly involved and Melissa is also friends with and works with the woman who destroyed Lexie’s marriage to Zach.
Lexie needs something to keep her busy since Josh Harrison broke up with her and left for Bali to grieve over his sister’s untimely death. Lexie herself is still struggling with what has happened to her in the past, both the incident when she was still stationed at Kings Cross and also the one involving the bikie chapter when she first moved to Bondi Junction. She’s working on suppressing the panic attacks and the fear although too often she finds her thoughts straying to Josh. And if this case wasn’t close to home enough, it’s going to get even more so and it’s going to bring Josh back into her life.
Lexie gets to lead the investigation and she finds herself attracting the attention of the killer. If Lexie doesn’t figure out who it is soon enough, the next victim could be a friend of hers…or even Lexie herself.
I really enjoyed the first Detective Lexie Rogers book, Sinister Intent which was released last year and I had been looking forward to the next one after finding out Lexie would be getting another story. In some ways, this book is a really excellent follow up to Sinister Intent and in Lexie we have an interesting female protagonist. She’s a new detective, she’s at a relatively new posting and she’s still getting over the horrific things that have happened to her in the past. She is very organised and controlled and she has coping mechanisms that she uses to get her through situations that may cause her to begin to panic. In this book, Lexie is given the lead on the investigation, despite the fact that she’s the junior officer. Despite his constant eating and laid back manner, it seems that Brad is a good partner and he and Lexie tend to go well together. He’s protective of her (this is especially obvious when Lexie’s ex-husband Zach is introduced into the story) and it’s quite clear he’s also really cheering for her and Josh to be able to patch up their differences and get back together whenever Josh comes back from Bali. He also meddles in this a little as well, but in a kind way I think.
Which brings me to Josh. I have to admit, I didn’t have a lot of love for him here. I did like him in the first book and I know that grief is a powerful thing and Josh is struggling with something that borders very closely (perhaps too closely) on alcoholism. I felt that Lexie’s determination to hold her ground against him for a while was solid – he had done something pretty jerk-like and had rejected not only her but also her love and support. So therefore I also felt that she collapsed like a house of cards all too easily and perhaps this was because Josh’s involvement in this book rubbed me the wrong way. I wanted Lexie to make him work for it, because it was no less than he deserved really, after a month pickling his liver in Bali. Josh also seemed to play into my feelings about him when he is supposed to be waiting for Lexie in her apartment but he ends up leaving because someone rings him and asks him out for a drink, despite the fact that he knows that the killer has a key to Lexie’s apartment and has already been into the apartment. They get the locks changed but honestly Josh, would it have been so hard to wait until she got home? It might’ve been handy if you did. If there’s a third novel with Lexie, I hope Josh grows up a bit and dries out.
I did like the extra glimpses into Lexie’s life that meeting Zach and several people from her past provided. There was enough there to give the reader the basic idea of what happened but you didn’t get any information about them as a couple other than what brought about their break up so there’s always plenty of room for Zach to reappear in the future. I was really intrigued by the mystery and thought it was paced out rather well and even though I guessed the culprit it was around the same time that the detectives did as well so it wasn’t something that felt too easy or totally out of left field. But I think the best bit in the book was the epilogue – truly chilling!
The victim Melissa was a British nurse who had only been in Australia six months. She also worked with Lexie’s ex-husband, paramedic Zach and the closer Lexie digs, the more connections she keeps finding. Melissa and Zach may have also been briefly involved and Melissa is also friends with and works with the woman who destroyed Lexie’s marriage to Zach.
Lexie needs something to keep her busy since Josh Harrison broke up with her and left for Bali to grieve over his sister’s untimely death. Lexie herself is still struggling with what has happened to her in the past, both the incident when she was still stationed at Kings Cross and also the one involving the bikie chapter when she first moved to Bondi Junction. She’s working on suppressing the panic attacks and the fear although too often she finds her thoughts straying to Josh. And if this case wasn’t close to home enough, it’s going to get even more so and it’s going to bring Josh back into her life.
Lexie gets to lead the investigation and she finds herself attracting the attention of the killer. If Lexie doesn’t figure out who it is soon enough, the next victim could be a friend of hers…or even Lexie herself.
I really enjoyed the first Detective Lexie Rogers book, Sinister Intent which was released last year and I had been looking forward to the next one after finding out Lexie would be getting another story. In some ways, this book is a really excellent follow up to Sinister Intent and in Lexie we have an interesting female protagonist. She’s a new detective, she’s at a relatively new posting and she’s still getting over the horrific things that have happened to her in the past. She is very organised and controlled and she has coping mechanisms that she uses to get her through situations that may cause her to begin to panic. In this book, Lexie is given the lead on the investigation, despite the fact that she’s the junior officer. Despite his constant eating and laid back manner, it seems that Brad is a good partner and he and Lexie tend to go well together. He’s protective of her (this is especially obvious when Lexie’s ex-husband Zach is introduced into the story) and it’s quite clear he’s also really cheering for her and Josh to be able to patch up their differences and get back together whenever Josh comes back from Bali. He also meddles in this a little as well, but in a kind way I think.
Which brings me to Josh. I have to admit, I didn’t have a lot of love for him here. I did like him in the first book and I know that grief is a powerful thing and Josh is struggling with something that borders very closely (perhaps too closely) on alcoholism. I felt that Lexie’s determination to hold her ground against him for a while was solid – he had done something pretty jerk-like and had rejected not only her but also her love and support. So therefore I also felt that she collapsed like a house of cards all too easily and perhaps this was because Josh’s involvement in this book rubbed me the wrong way. I wanted Lexie to make him work for it, because it was no less than he deserved really, after a month pickling his liver in Bali. Josh also seemed to play into my feelings about him when he is supposed to be waiting for Lexie in her apartment but he ends up leaving because someone rings him and asks him out for a drink, despite the fact that he knows that the killer has a key to Lexie’s apartment and has already been into the apartment. They get the locks changed but honestly Josh, would it have been so hard to wait until she got home? It might’ve been handy if you did. If there’s a third novel with Lexie, I hope Josh grows up a bit and dries out.
I did like the extra glimpses into Lexie’s life that meeting Zach and several people from her past provided. There was enough there to give the reader the basic idea of what happened but you didn’t get any information about them as a couple other than what brought about their break up so there’s always plenty of room for Zach to reappear in the future. I was really intrigued by the mystery and thought it was paced out rather well and even though I guessed the culprit it was around the same time that the detectives did as well so it wasn’t something that felt too easy or totally out of left field. But I think the best bit in the book was the epilogue – truly chilling!
July 31, 2014
After meeting Karen at a Sisters in Crime event, l couldn't wait to read her second Lexie Rogers novel. I was not disappointed either. This book is a fast paced story full of great characters. I was glad to meet Rex again and see his continuing role. Karen does a fantastic job of keeping the reader wanting to turn the pages. Kept me on my toes til the last page... what will happen next? Love your work Karen, your Mum would be very proud of you! Hope to meet you again at SiC!
May 29, 2017
What's the difference between a British police procedural and an Australian police procedural? Not much, as it turns out! Although this lacks the tropes of the British versions (ridiculously haunted past for lead cop, vengeful journalists, ambitious colleagues, etc), it's still fairly flat and dull. Detective Lexie Rogers and her partner investigate the death of a young woman who is found holding a red rose, dead from an apparent drug overdose. This book is so leisurely paced that to reveal that the death is actually a murder and possibly linked to other deaths that looked like suicide could be considered a spoiler! This is in no hurry to tell its story, that's for sure!
There are no real surprising plot twists to be found, and there aren't even any subsequent murders to keep things interesting! Just lots of questioning of people and desperately trying to create an obvious red herring. If you've never read a single thriller before, this one might hold some suspense and surprises for you, but otherwise, expect to read something you've already read dozens of times before, especially if you're a fan of the genre!
Also, I have to wonder if author Karen M Davis hates women! A lot of time seems to be taken with painting victim Melissa as a promiscuous slut. Several ancillary female characters are painted as ambitious, rude, humourless - you name it! Most drearily of all . Bloody hell! What decade does Davis live in? On top of that, we have gag-worthy sex scenes, an utterly pointless late-in-the-game undercover sting, and that is just cheap and silly.
This all makes it sound like it deserves one star and, indeed, there's not much here at all to recommend to anybody, but I guess all I can say is that it wasn't entirely awful and at least avoided the more tiresome cliches that come with the genre. So that's something!
There are no real surprising plot twists to be found, and there aren't even any subsequent murders to keep things interesting! Just lots of questioning of people and desperately trying to create an obvious red herring. If you've never read a single thriller before, this one might hold some suspense and surprises for you, but otherwise, expect to read something you've already read dozens of times before, especially if you're a fan of the genre!
Also, I have to wonder if author Karen M Davis hates women! A lot of time seems to be taken with painting victim Melissa as a promiscuous slut. Several ancillary female characters are painted as ambitious, rude, humourless - you name it! Most drearily of all . Bloody hell! What decade does Davis live in? On top of that, we have gag-worthy sex scenes, an utterly pointless late-in-the-game undercover sting, and that is just cheap and silly.
This all makes it sound like it deserves one star and, indeed, there's not much here at all to recommend to anybody, but I guess all I can say is that it wasn't entirely awful and at least avoided the more tiresome cliches that come with the genre. So that's something!
September 10, 2024
Another great crime story by Karen M Davis.
This second installment in the Lexi Rogers series is just as thrilling as the first. The authenticity of the author’s writing really shines through, thanks to her 20 years of experience as a detective in Sydney. Her deep understanding of police procedures, forensics, and the intensity of a real-life chase adds a compelling layer of realism to the story. The crime thriller is rich with multiple themes and surprises, keeping readers engaged throughout. If you're a fan of gripping, well-crafted police dramas, I highly recommend this book.
This second installment in the Lexi Rogers series is just as thrilling as the first. The authenticity of the author’s writing really shines through, thanks to her 20 years of experience as a detective in Sydney. Her deep understanding of police procedures, forensics, and the intensity of a real-life chase adds a compelling layer of realism to the story. The crime thriller is rich with multiple themes and surprises, keeping readers engaged throughout. If you're a fan of gripping, well-crafted police dramas, I highly recommend this book.
November 28, 2014
I’ve had Karen M. Davis on my radar since I read and reviewed her first novel, Sinister Intent, so I was absolutely ecstatic when Deadly Obsessionlanded on my doorstep and couldn’t wait to read it.
Yes, Lexie’s back and, although she’s suffering with PTSD, a broken relationship, severe anxiety attacks and still grieves the loss of her brother Linc, you can count on her to take you on an investigation where nobody escapes the net of suspicion as she wades through the paperwork, briefings, late nights and personal dilemmas whilst discovering that working so close to where she grew up can have its drawbacks.
Once again set against the backdrop of Sydney, but this time in the grips of its chilly late autumn, Karen ensures that Lexie has plenty of suspects to keep her busy as she challenges her readers to figure it out before Lexie does.
For Lexie, she’s faced with the body of a young woman, who appears to have committed suicide, clutching a rose. There’s definitely a problem with the scene – it’s far too neat - but she can’t immediately put her finger on it, until she discovers both a puncture wound in the girl’s neck and a familiar tattoo that jogs her memory and links the dead girl to her ex-husband Zack who is now a paramedic at the hospital.
When she’s given the lead on the case it presents her with an opportunity to not only prove herself but also as a means of losing herself in work in the hope that she can forget about Josh Harrison.
Meanwhile, in Bali, Josh continues to wallow in self-pity and emotional turmoil following the suicide of his sister, Jenna. But, his hiatus and continued abuse of his favourite vice may just come to an abrupt end when he receives a call from Brad with new information that their investigation has uncovered and a request that he still feels somewhat raw about agreeing to.
Thanks to Karen’s criminal investigation background, she gives us a wholly believable picture of Sydney and its seamier side through the eyes of her protagonist who clearly knows it well. She mixes believable crime, mystery and suspense along with Lexie’s personal angst, making her a convincing heroine who is vulnerable and, just like us, flawed, giving us a three-dimensional character who shows us that these aspects are just as important as the cases she works on – after all, we are all human and shouldn’t expect our characters to be any less.
Karen also continues to build Lexie’s character by showing us a woman who is thorough when it comes to her job, obsessed with punctuality and has an amazing gut instinct which serves her well in her chosen profession while her distaste for morgues and hospitals goes deeper and becomes more apparent.
Her relationship with Brad is one based on mutual trust and respect and, while we discover that he has a bit of a soft side, we also begin to see what makes him tick. For one, he appears to be somewhat of a “boob man”, he loves his food and gets freaked out by anything remotely supernatural, which sometimes includes Lexie’s “excellent” gut instinct. The easy repartee between him and Lexie also brings with it just the right dose of humour and light-heartedness, as they enjoy stirring each other up, in what can at times prove to be difficult circumstances.
Then there’s Josh and the other secondary characters that we got to know in Sinister Intent such as Batman, the sexy “ladies’ man” who is now intent on obtaining more than just Lexie’s professional interest in him seeing that Josh is no longer on the scene and Dani, Lexie’s best friend who could be in just as much danger as her. This time around, Karen allows them to play slightly bigger roles, introducing us to Zack, with Rex Donaldson, too, making a re-appearance. Although Rex remains somewhat on the periphery, it is clear that he and Lexie have the utmost respect for one another and share an unspoken understanding.
This is a satisfying, well-structured read with a tight plot that twists and turns as Karen throws in enough red herrings along the way to keep us guessing, with our heroine giving us insight into the inner workings of our criminal justice system whilst negotiating those of her personal life. And, for those readers who enjoy their crime novels with emotional angst and some spicy romance, like this reviewer does, Karen balances it out well.
While it is the second in the series, I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary to read Sinister Intent, as Karen does well by allowing for a fair amount of backstory that won’t leave you feeling confused. However, if you’d like to learn more about the circumstances that brought all these great characters together, you’d do well to read them in order.
I can’t recommend this series highly enough and I do believe that Karen Davis is an emerging author to keep on your list as I have no doubt that she will continue to rise up amongst the ranks of Australian crime fiction. I, for one, cannot wait to read her next offering, but will have to content myself for now with my memories as I suffer severe Lexie Rogers withdrawal!
Yes, Lexie’s back and, although she’s suffering with PTSD, a broken relationship, severe anxiety attacks and still grieves the loss of her brother Linc, you can count on her to take you on an investigation where nobody escapes the net of suspicion as she wades through the paperwork, briefings, late nights and personal dilemmas whilst discovering that working so close to where she grew up can have its drawbacks.
Once again set against the backdrop of Sydney, but this time in the grips of its chilly late autumn, Karen ensures that Lexie has plenty of suspects to keep her busy as she challenges her readers to figure it out before Lexie does.
For Lexie, she’s faced with the body of a young woman, who appears to have committed suicide, clutching a rose. There’s definitely a problem with the scene – it’s far too neat - but she can’t immediately put her finger on it, until she discovers both a puncture wound in the girl’s neck and a familiar tattoo that jogs her memory and links the dead girl to her ex-husband Zack who is now a paramedic at the hospital.
When she’s given the lead on the case it presents her with an opportunity to not only prove herself but also as a means of losing herself in work in the hope that she can forget about Josh Harrison.
Meanwhile, in Bali, Josh continues to wallow in self-pity and emotional turmoil following the suicide of his sister, Jenna. But, his hiatus and continued abuse of his favourite vice may just come to an abrupt end when he receives a call from Brad with new information that their investigation has uncovered and a request that he still feels somewhat raw about agreeing to.
Thanks to Karen’s criminal investigation background, she gives us a wholly believable picture of Sydney and its seamier side through the eyes of her protagonist who clearly knows it well. She mixes believable crime, mystery and suspense along with Lexie’s personal angst, making her a convincing heroine who is vulnerable and, just like us, flawed, giving us a three-dimensional character who shows us that these aspects are just as important as the cases she works on – after all, we are all human and shouldn’t expect our characters to be any less.
Karen also continues to build Lexie’s character by showing us a woman who is thorough when it comes to her job, obsessed with punctuality and has an amazing gut instinct which serves her well in her chosen profession while her distaste for morgues and hospitals goes deeper and becomes more apparent.
Her relationship with Brad is one based on mutual trust and respect and, while we discover that he has a bit of a soft side, we also begin to see what makes him tick. For one, he appears to be somewhat of a “boob man”, he loves his food and gets freaked out by anything remotely supernatural, which sometimes includes Lexie’s “excellent” gut instinct. The easy repartee between him and Lexie also brings with it just the right dose of humour and light-heartedness, as they enjoy stirring each other up, in what can at times prove to be difficult circumstances.
Then there’s Josh and the other secondary characters that we got to know in Sinister Intent such as Batman, the sexy “ladies’ man” who is now intent on obtaining more than just Lexie’s professional interest in him seeing that Josh is no longer on the scene and Dani, Lexie’s best friend who could be in just as much danger as her. This time around, Karen allows them to play slightly bigger roles, introducing us to Zack, with Rex Donaldson, too, making a re-appearance. Although Rex remains somewhat on the periphery, it is clear that he and Lexie have the utmost respect for one another and share an unspoken understanding.
This is a satisfying, well-structured read with a tight plot that twists and turns as Karen throws in enough red herrings along the way to keep us guessing, with our heroine giving us insight into the inner workings of our criminal justice system whilst negotiating those of her personal life. And, for those readers who enjoy their crime novels with emotional angst and some spicy romance, like this reviewer does, Karen balances it out well.
While it is the second in the series, I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary to read Sinister Intent, as Karen does well by allowing for a fair amount of backstory that won’t leave you feeling confused. However, if you’d like to learn more about the circumstances that brought all these great characters together, you’d do well to read them in order.
I can’t recommend this series highly enough and I do believe that Karen Davis is an emerging author to keep on your list as I have no doubt that she will continue to rise up amongst the ranks of Australian crime fiction. I, for one, cannot wait to read her next offering, but will have to content myself for now with my memories as I suffer severe Lexie Rogers withdrawal!
October 24, 2017
A great second novel in the series, I plowed through this one and was surprised who the murderer was which is always a good thing. I like the continuation of the characters private lives. I'm looking forward to reading book 3
October 12, 2020
A good solid detective story with enough action and sex to keep it tantalising and hanging on until Lexie solves her case.
September 22, 2024
It was good! I figured out pretty quickly who the killer was but not the details or reasoning. It was interesting that there were multiple storylines that all ended up intertwining. I didn't read the book prior to this but still found the characters really easy to know/like. Was a smidge dragged out/long at certain parts but overall would definitely recommend.
October 10, 2017
I read this book over a year ago another great read !! And have the 3 rd book fatal mistake half read and it too is living up to the last two
February 9, 2018
Wishing Karen M Davis would write more of the Lexie series
July 29, 2018
Quality crime
Once again a solid crime novel with a backdrop of the Sydney eastern suburbs. Some predictablility again but general surprising and interesting. 3.75 stars
Once again a solid crime novel with a backdrop of the Sydney eastern suburbs. Some predictablility again but general surprising and interesting. 3.75 stars
October 3, 2018
Total dross. Barely 2 stars. I was really looking forward to reading Karen M Davis but was very disappointed. She needs to decide whether she's a crime novelist or an erotic novelist.
April 15, 2020
3.5 stars
October 5, 2021
Really liking these books wish she had written more. My only dislike is apart from Brad every character in this book is amazingly beautiful, pretty sure that is fiction at its finest.
November 21, 2017
Finally Detective Lexie Rogers is back and the current case is going to hit even closer to home. I have been eagerly awaiting this sequel ever since Sinister Intent was published this time last year.
Lexie’s time on the force has seen her in more life threatening situations than some officers see in their entire career. She is slowly getting on top of the anxiety attacks that she refuses to allow to jeopardise her career and she is determined to prove her worth as the newest detective on the block.
A nurse is found on Clovelly Beach, which is only five minutes from Lexie’s place, and it all looks a little too perfect. Lexie and partner Brad agree that this looks very much like a staged suicide. Early on Lexie discovers that this case is way too close to home, the nurse was a friend of the woman who destroyed her marriage and was known to her ex-husband.
Can Lexie remain objective when he becomes a person of interest or is she too close to the case?
Lexie is determined to see this case through to the end and prove her worth to her commanding officer. It is Lexie who recognises patterns and starts to see a picture much bigger than the nurse found on Clovelly Beach, and if she’s not careful both she and her best friend Dani may find themselves in the firing line if she can’t find the killer before the killer finds them.
Deadly Obsession brings back many of the characters I loved from Sinister Intent and continues their stories. Dani discovered the droolworthy doctor liked to share himself around called it off. Josh shut down after losing his sister and ran away to Bali to wallow in an alcohol induced haze, Rex Donaldson remains on the periphery of the story, always around but keeping a low profile.
Rex was a character that grabbed me in Sinister Intent and I was left wondering what was next for him so I was really pleased to see him back in Deadly Obsession. I think he and Lexie are going to come across one another many times in the course of her career, partly because they are in the same area and Sydney isn’t really that big but also because they have built a rapport that will see them work together again and again.
deadly-obsession
Personally I think you could read these two novels stand alone without missing out on too much but Davis writes with such authenticity that I would recommend reading both just for the pleasure it brings.
Lexie is tough, she is dedicated to her career and doesn’t want to see anything stand in her way, even though she’s missing Josh and feeling betrayed by his desertion. At home she can fall apart and sloth in her trackies but once she’s out the door it’s the job that really counts and proving that she can solve this case.
There was enough suspense and misdirection to keep me guessing until the big reveal of who was responsible. A couple of times I thought that I was close to figuring it all out and then something would happen to lead my down a totally different track. The mark of an intriguing suspense that will hold your audience.
The 20 years Davis spent on the force certainly helped with her research because Deadly Obsession spent lots of time focused on all of the aspects of the investigation. It’s not all fingerprinting and chasing the bad guys. Lots of time is spent making sure the reports are up to date and ALL relevant information is keyed into the investigation logs on the computer, and then there’s briefings and meetings and press conferences – all on top of the work of actually catching the perpetrator.
Deadly Obsession is a well paced, well thought out crime novel sure to keep audiences guessing; as they sit up way too late flicking pages hoping to fit in just one more chapter.
I thought Deadly Obsession was well worth the wait and I just hope Davis has more of Detective Lexie Rogers to bring us.
Lexie’s time on the force has seen her in more life threatening situations than some officers see in their entire career. She is slowly getting on top of the anxiety attacks that she refuses to allow to jeopardise her career and she is determined to prove her worth as the newest detective on the block.
A nurse is found on Clovelly Beach, which is only five minutes from Lexie’s place, and it all looks a little too perfect. Lexie and partner Brad agree that this looks very much like a staged suicide. Early on Lexie discovers that this case is way too close to home, the nurse was a friend of the woman who destroyed her marriage and was known to her ex-husband.
Can Lexie remain objective when he becomes a person of interest or is she too close to the case?
Lexie is determined to see this case through to the end and prove her worth to her commanding officer. It is Lexie who recognises patterns and starts to see a picture much bigger than the nurse found on Clovelly Beach, and if she’s not careful both she and her best friend Dani may find themselves in the firing line if she can’t find the killer before the killer finds them.
Deadly Obsession brings back many of the characters I loved from Sinister Intent and continues their stories. Dani discovered the droolworthy doctor liked to share himself around called it off. Josh shut down after losing his sister and ran away to Bali to wallow in an alcohol induced haze, Rex Donaldson remains on the periphery of the story, always around but keeping a low profile.
Rex was a character that grabbed me in Sinister Intent and I was left wondering what was next for him so I was really pleased to see him back in Deadly Obsession. I think he and Lexie are going to come across one another many times in the course of her career, partly because they are in the same area and Sydney isn’t really that big but also because they have built a rapport that will see them work together again and again.
deadly-obsession
Personally I think you could read these two novels stand alone without missing out on too much but Davis writes with such authenticity that I would recommend reading both just for the pleasure it brings.
Lexie is tough, she is dedicated to her career and doesn’t want to see anything stand in her way, even though she’s missing Josh and feeling betrayed by his desertion. At home she can fall apart and sloth in her trackies but once she’s out the door it’s the job that really counts and proving that she can solve this case.
There was enough suspense and misdirection to keep me guessing until the big reveal of who was responsible. A couple of times I thought that I was close to figuring it all out and then something would happen to lead my down a totally different track. The mark of an intriguing suspense that will hold your audience.
The 20 years Davis spent on the force certainly helped with her research because Deadly Obsession spent lots of time focused on all of the aspects of the investigation. It’s not all fingerprinting and chasing the bad guys. Lots of time is spent making sure the reports are up to date and ALL relevant information is keyed into the investigation logs on the computer, and then there’s briefings and meetings and press conferences – all on top of the work of actually catching the perpetrator.
Deadly Obsession is a well paced, well thought out crime novel sure to keep audiences guessing; as they sit up way too late flicking pages hoping to fit in just one more chapter.
I thought Deadly Obsession was well worth the wait and I just hope Davis has more of Detective Lexie Rogers to bring us.
August 22, 2014
This is the second in a crime/police series about Dectective Lexie Rogers set in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney written by Karen M Davies. Karen's 20 year experience in the police force makes this series very authentic and believable.
During six years as a uniformed cop, Lexie Rogers has reached her career objective - to be a plain clothes detective. To get there she experienced a lot of terrible things, including being stabbed and left for dead by a member of a violent bikie gang and at the end of the first book in the series, SINISTER INTENT she was shot when facing up to a couple of renegade cops. She relives these incidents daily. On top of all of this she has been through a divorce and lost her brother, also a policeman, who was killed when he was on duty.
While Lexie is facing up to all of this the final blow came when her professional partner, Josh Harrison walks out on their close and loving personal relationship when his sister commits suicide. Josh should have been the tough one but he takes leave, goes to Bali and drowns his sorrows in a constant alcoholic binge.
Lexie is back with her first professional partner DS Brad Sommers when they are called to a bizarre possible suicide when a young woman is found near to Clovelly Beach holding a single red rose. When the body is turned Lexie sees a small very recognisable tatoo which she has seen recently on a woman in a bar. What stuns her is that the woman was with her ex-husband Zak who soon becomes one of the main suspects.
There are soon many suspects when they find out that the murdered woman, Melissa McDermott, a nurse from the UK was a very big party girl and extremely promiscuous. The case turns into a murder investigation when the pathologist finds a single needle wound in her neck.The case deepens when the Pathologist also comments that she had seen a another possible suicide recently with a similar puncture in her neck.
Once again Karen Davis shows us her considerable inside knowledge of the dynamics of the force and the different types of officers - the young, the aggressive, the old and weary, the predators etc. - who have to work together on a difficult case. They again have their range of unusual nicknames - Cakes, Batman and even Amazing Grace. She also gives us an insight into undercover work, especially for those who choose to work undercover for years and have to take on the persona of the people they are investigating.
All in all another it was a good authentic police/crime thriller but it didn't have the same impact on me as the first book in the series, probably because I guessed the killer early in the book and felt the reactions of Josh to his sister's death was over done and Lexie's reactions on his return were a somewhat unbelievable.
I started reading this book first and quickly realised that, although it can be read as a standalone, there were some personal dynamics from the first book that I would miss. So I put it aside and read SINISTER INTENT first and I'm glad I did. This book was an enjoyable and page-turning read and I look forward to other books in the series.
My thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book for review.
During six years as a uniformed cop, Lexie Rogers has reached her career objective - to be a plain clothes detective. To get there she experienced a lot of terrible things, including being stabbed and left for dead by a member of a violent bikie gang and at the end of the first book in the series, SINISTER INTENT she was shot when facing up to a couple of renegade cops. She relives these incidents daily. On top of all of this she has been through a divorce and lost her brother, also a policeman, who was killed when he was on duty.
While Lexie is facing up to all of this the final blow came when her professional partner, Josh Harrison walks out on their close and loving personal relationship when his sister commits suicide. Josh should have been the tough one but he takes leave, goes to Bali and drowns his sorrows in a constant alcoholic binge.
Lexie is back with her first professional partner DS Brad Sommers when they are called to a bizarre possible suicide when a young woman is found near to Clovelly Beach holding a single red rose. When the body is turned Lexie sees a small very recognisable tatoo which she has seen recently on a woman in a bar. What stuns her is that the woman was with her ex-husband Zak who soon becomes one of the main suspects.
There are soon many suspects when they find out that the murdered woman, Melissa McDermott, a nurse from the UK was a very big party girl and extremely promiscuous. The case turns into a murder investigation when the pathologist finds a single needle wound in her neck.The case deepens when the Pathologist also comments that she had seen a another possible suicide recently with a similar puncture in her neck.
Once again Karen Davis shows us her considerable inside knowledge of the dynamics of the force and the different types of officers - the young, the aggressive, the old and weary, the predators etc. - who have to work together on a difficult case. They again have their range of unusual nicknames - Cakes, Batman and even Amazing Grace. She also gives us an insight into undercover work, especially for those who choose to work undercover for years and have to take on the persona of the people they are investigating.
All in all another it was a good authentic police/crime thriller but it didn't have the same impact on me as the first book in the series, probably because I guessed the killer early in the book and felt the reactions of Josh to his sister's death was over done and Lexie's reactions on his return were a somewhat unbelievable.
I started reading this book first and quickly realised that, although it can be read as a standalone, there were some personal dynamics from the first book that I would miss. So I put it aside and read SINISTER INTENT first and I'm glad I did. This book was an enjoyable and page-turning read and I look forward to other books in the series.
My thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book for review.
February 24, 2017
Hard to put down - loved it :)
February 22, 2015
The second Lexie Rogers book from ex-cop Karen M Davis, it's interesting to note that we've now got a couple of female ex-cops from similar areas writing police procedural style books, although to this reader's eye, completely different sensibilities.
Given that this is the second book, it's worth mentioning that you might be best to start at the very beginning with these two. A lot of the back story of Rogers and her rather complicated personal life is going to need that fill in, despite a bit of catch up in DEADLY OBSESSION.
Part of the reason for that recommendation is that this is a series that concentrates heavily on the personal. Rogers is a determined and conscientious cop that battles over, through and around a lot of baggage. An ex-husband, old friends, an off-again relationship with a colleague, the death of his sister that precipitated that split, the death of her own brother years ago, a flirty current colleague, a good friendship with her working partner Sommers and well... there's a lot of personal here. I was reminded (and not in a good way) of another police procedural series, out of England, where the personal has packed the procedural elements into a suitcase and lost them in baggage control. It's hard to park the sneaking concern that we might be heading for that self-same lost baggage office with this series.
Which would be a pity, as the procedural elements here are pretty good, although to be fair the villain of the piece stood out like the proverbial dog's appendage - and the why got wound up in even more personal baggage. Rogers and Sommers are, though, a good pairing of cops, dedicated and talented. The team that they work with is good, and there are some characters there that could stand a little more time in the limelight.
Perhaps one more for fans of romantic suspense than this reader, I'm not giving up on Lexie Rogers. I just hope for her sake that she chooses to pack away the overwhelming personal angst and get on with the job.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
Given that this is the second book, it's worth mentioning that you might be best to start at the very beginning with these two. A lot of the back story of Rogers and her rather complicated personal life is going to need that fill in, despite a bit of catch up in DEADLY OBSESSION.
Part of the reason for that recommendation is that this is a series that concentrates heavily on the personal. Rogers is a determined and conscientious cop that battles over, through and around a lot of baggage. An ex-husband, old friends, an off-again relationship with a colleague, the death of his sister that precipitated that split, the death of her own brother years ago, a flirty current colleague, a good friendship with her working partner Sommers and well... there's a lot of personal here. I was reminded (and not in a good way) of another police procedural series, out of England, where the personal has packed the procedural elements into a suitcase and lost them in baggage control. It's hard to park the sneaking concern that we might be heading for that self-same lost baggage office with this series.
Which would be a pity, as the procedural elements here are pretty good, although to be fair the villain of the piece stood out like the proverbial dog's appendage - and the why got wound up in even more personal baggage. Rogers and Sommers are, though, a good pairing of cops, dedicated and talented. The team that they work with is good, and there are some characters there that could stand a little more time in the limelight.
Perhaps one more for fans of romantic suspense than this reader, I'm not giving up on Lexie Rogers. I just hope for her sake that she chooses to pack away the overwhelming personal angst and get on with the job.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
October 16, 2014
Having devoured Sinister Intent, the first book written by Karen M. Davis about her female crime investigator on the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, Lexie Rogers, I was fortunate enough to be provided with a copy of Deadly Obsession by the Reading Room and the Publisher. I am glad that I read Sinister Intent prior to Deadly Obsession, as it contains personal dynamics about the character Lexie Rogers that definitely enhances your reading to the novel. In Deadly Obsession, the second instalment of the series, Lexie Rogers is back with her partner Brad Sommers, who make an excellent investigative team. This time they take a step away from bikie gang wars, as they find themselves knee deep in an investigation involving a murder of a young nurse that is set up to look like a suicide. Soon the two find connections to previous suicides, which become a little too close to home for Lexie. As Lexie grows into her role as Detective by taking a lead role in the case, she finds herself battling personal demons such as a recent breakup, resumed communication with her ex husband and violent flashbacks from a previous violent case. A cat and mouse chase to capture the suspect begins for Lexie and her team, but it soon becomes clear to Lexie that this case is more connected to her past than she could ever imagine.
Once again Karen M Davis’s twenty plus experience on the Police Force shines through in this intense and gripping procedural crime thriller. The plot was original and genuinely interesting, I especially loved the twist at the end, which I did not see coming! Overall, I found Deadly Obsession a most fitting sequel to a series that I have become hooked on and am most looking forward to the next book from Karen M Davis.
Thank you to The Reading Room and the Publisher, Simon & Schuster for a copy of the book for review.
Once again Karen M Davis’s twenty plus experience on the Police Force shines through in this intense and gripping procedural crime thriller. The plot was original and genuinely interesting, I especially loved the twist at the end, which I did not see coming! Overall, I found Deadly Obsession a most fitting sequel to a series that I have become hooked on and am most looking forward to the next book from Karen M Davis.
Thank you to The Reading Room and the Publisher, Simon & Schuster for a copy of the book for review.
August 23, 2014
Welcome back, Detective Lexie Rogers! A second thrilling ride from Karen M. Davis - you do have me hooked on Lexie's adventures. This gritty murder mystery is anything but objective - Lexie has the knack of being followed by psychos, and everything becomes personal, or 'deadly obsessional'. It all comes back full circle to deep grudges (unhinged, totally whack-job deep) against her and her family, friends, you name it. I couldn't put the book down once I'd started. I was holding my breath and needed to find out who the villain was - I guessed wrong, as usual. Good job, Karen, a fabulously scary read. And thanks for the tantalizing glimpses of biker Rex from Sinister Intent. Bring on #3!
November 12, 2014
I loved this book because there was something different about the author's storytelling that made it stand out from others in the crime/detective genre. The difference for me was a real sense of being part of the action. I really felt as though I was on the job WITH the team; not simply an observer. I enjoyed Sinister Intent (book 1) but the Lexie/Josh relationship in this novel is developing nicely. It is genuine and enjoyable (not over done) and Josh is just so darn cute! There is a twist to the story that surprised and delighted, leaving this reader totally satisfied and looking forward to the next book (and more of Josh, I hope!!)
December 12, 2014
My View:
“Never doubt the gut instinct.” (p193)
This is the second book in the Lexie Rogers series and I really enjoyed the pace, the narrative arcs, the characters and the resolution. Karen M Davis fantastic Australian crime fiction writer who has a very solid base of knowledge to call on when writing her novels; she had a twenty year career in the New South Wales police department – her personal operational experience, the language and dialogue between the cops in her fictional works shine through her fictional works.
To say I enjoyed this book is a bit of an understatement and I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.
“Never doubt the gut instinct.” (p193)
This is the second book in the Lexie Rogers series and I really enjoyed the pace, the narrative arcs, the characters and the resolution. Karen M Davis fantastic Australian crime fiction writer who has a very solid base of knowledge to call on when writing her novels; she had a twenty year career in the New South Wales police department – her personal operational experience, the language and dialogue between the cops in her fictional works shine through her fictional works.
To say I enjoyed this book is a bit of an understatement and I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.
February 12, 2018
Lexie Rogers is a detective based in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. She is working the case of a nurse found dead and the question is was it murder or suicide. Being Australian I liked the setting but I found a bit drawn out and unnecessarily mysterious like someone standing in front of you telling you that they have a secret but aren't going to tell you what it is. There is a lot of Lexie's personal life along with her police work and at times it gets all mixed up.
Some of the characters are annoying and the interactions frustrating structured that it makes this only an okay sort of book and nothing spectacular.
Some of the characters are annoying and the interactions frustrating structured that it makes this only an okay sort of book and nothing spectacular.
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