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Wicked #5
Wicked Dreams
New York Times bestselling masters of pulse-pounding suspense Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush reunite in a gripping stand-alone thriller set in the eerie world of The Colony, a haven on the wild Oregon coast for a group of women marked for death by a madman.
On the wild Oregon coast, tucked between the mountains and the sea, stands Siren Song, home to a group of women known as The Colony. Their aunt hoped the isolated lodge would be a sanctuary, a place where she could protect them and their special gifts. But nowhere is safe from the man who has marked them for death . . .
The note pinned to the dead body found on the remote beach has no name, just Ravinia Rutledge's phone number and the words "Next of Kin." Ravinia insists she doesn't recognize the man on the mortuary slab, but she suspects Detective Nev Rhodes doesn't believe her. He can tell that she's one of them--the Siren Song women.
Five years after moving away from The Colony, Ravinia has carved out a life as a private investigator whose specialty is helping others locate their missing loved ones. Yet sometimes, it's better if the missing are never found. "Good Time Charlie" is the name given to a monster from her past, a man whom she and her sisters hoped was gone forever. But the dead man on the beach is a sign that Charlie has merely been waiting, preparing to fulfill his mission to rid the world of the Siren Song women--and anyone else who gets in his way.
Rhodes has his own reasons for being fascinated with The Colony and its surroundings--a place marked by unexplained deaths and tragedies. Rhodes plays by the rules, but there are forces at work here that defy notions of law and order. And despite Ravinia's reluctance to team up with Nev, it's the only way to stop an adversary determined to see that each and every member of The Colony will die at his hands . . .
On the wild Oregon coast, tucked between the mountains and the sea, stands Siren Song, home to a group of women known as The Colony. Their aunt hoped the isolated lodge would be a sanctuary, a place where she could protect them and their special gifts. But nowhere is safe from the man who has marked them for death . . .
The note pinned to the dead body found on the remote beach has no name, just Ravinia Rutledge's phone number and the words "Next of Kin." Ravinia insists she doesn't recognize the man on the mortuary slab, but she suspects Detective Nev Rhodes doesn't believe her. He can tell that she's one of them--the Siren Song women.
Five years after moving away from The Colony, Ravinia has carved out a life as a private investigator whose specialty is helping others locate their missing loved ones. Yet sometimes, it's better if the missing are never found. "Good Time Charlie" is the name given to a monster from her past, a man whom she and her sisters hoped was gone forever. But the dead man on the beach is a sign that Charlie has merely been waiting, preparing to fulfill his mission to rid the world of the Siren Song women--and anyone else who gets in his way.
Rhodes has his own reasons for being fascinated with The Colony and its surroundings--a place marked by unexplained deaths and tragedies. Rhodes plays by the rules, but there are forces at work here that defy notions of law and order. And despite Ravinia's reluctance to team up with Nev, it's the only way to stop an adversary determined to see that each and every member of The Colony will die at his hands . . .
544 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 27, 2022
1789 people are currently reading
29544 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Jackson
271 books9,568 followersLisa Jackson is the number-one New York Times bestselling author of over ninety-five novels, including the Rick Bentz and Reuben Montoya Series, the Pescoli and Alvarez Series, the Savannah series, and numerous stand alone novels. She also is the co-author of One Last Breath, Last Girl Standing, and the Colony Series, written with her sister and bestselling author Nancy Bush, as well as the collaborative novels Sinister and Ominous, written with Nancy Bush and Rosalind Noonan. There are over thirty million copies of her novels in print and her writing has been translated into twenty languages.
Before she became a nationally bestselling author, she was a mother struggling to keep food on the table by writing novels, hoping against hope that someone would pay her for them. Today, neck deep in murder, her books appear on The New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly national bestseller lists.
With dozens of bestsellers to her name, Lisa Jackson is a master of taking readers to the edge of sanity—and back—in novels that buzz with dangerous secrets and deadly passions. She continues to be fascinated by the minds and motives of both her killers and their pursuers—the personal, the professional, and the downright twisted. As she builds the puzzle of relationships, actions, clues, lies, and personal histories that haunt her protagonists, she must also confront the fear and terror faced by her victims and the harsh and enduring truth that, in the real world, terror and madness touch far too many lives and families.
Visit http://www.LisaJackson.com where you can find a Media Kit with photos and more information.
Before she became a nationally bestselling author, she was a mother struggling to keep food on the table by writing novels, hoping against hope that someone would pay her for them. Today, neck deep in murder, her books appear on The New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly national bestseller lists.
With dozens of bestsellers to her name, Lisa Jackson is a master of taking readers to the edge of sanity—and back—in novels that buzz with dangerous secrets and deadly passions. She continues to be fascinated by the minds and motives of both her killers and their pursuers—the personal, the professional, and the downright twisted. As she builds the puzzle of relationships, actions, clues, lies, and personal histories that haunt her protagonists, she must also confront the fear and terror faced by her victims and the harsh and enduring truth that, in the real world, terror and madness touch far too many lives and families.
Visit http://www.LisaJackson.com where you can find a Media Kit with photos and more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 231 reviews
December 26, 2022
Wicked Dreams
by Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush is a suspenseful and atmospheric crime thriller with some supernatural elements. This fifth novel in The Colony series was well crafted and hooked me in the prologue. A note pinned to a dead body has Ravinia Rutledge’s cell phone number and the words “Next of Kin”. Did he drown or was he murdered?
Ravinia left The Colony five years ago and has become a private investigator based in Portland, Oregon. However, Charlie, a man whom she and her sisters hoped was dead, may be back. If so, their lives are in danger. Detective Neville Rhodes is fascinated with The Colony and with Ravinia. As deaths continue to occur, Ravinia and Neville talk and attempt to stop the antagonist.
The characterization was excellent in this novel. Ravinia and Nev were both likeable characters and the antagonist was an adversary that I will not soon forget. While Ravinia is practical and levelheaded, she is willing to lie or withhold the truth to protect her family. Nev is finding his way as the newest detective in the police department. However, things haven’t been easy coming back to his childhood hometown where he’s forced to confront his past. The secondary characters played pivotal roles with both familiar faces and some new characters that added another dimension to the plot line.
This writing duo brings a twisty and chilling tale to readers. The tension kept me on the edge of my seat as I anxiously turned the pages. The psychic gifts that the members of Ravinia’s family have add additional depth to the crime thriller and romantic suspense aspects of the book. However, this is more of a crime thriller than a romantic suspense novel.
The world-building is phenomenal and fits well with the story line. Whether it’s Echo Island, the beach, or Siren Song, I could easily visualize the settings. The plot is deeply involved with several twists to the story to keep readers captivated all the way to its dramatic conclusion.
The authors brought suspense, interesting characters, and an exciting story line together in a thrilling novel. I am looking forward to reading more stories by these two gifted writers. If you enjoy intriguing crime thrillers with a little romance and some supernatural suspense, then this may be the book for you. I highly recommend reading the books in order. There are a large number of characters, and introduction over time helps.
Kensington Books, Lisa Jackson, and Nancy Bush provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for December 27, 2022. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
-------------------------------------
My 4.09 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
Ravinia left The Colony five years ago and has become a private investigator based in Portland, Oregon. However, Charlie, a man whom she and her sisters hoped was dead, may be back. If so, their lives are in danger. Detective Neville Rhodes is fascinated with The Colony and with Ravinia. As deaths continue to occur, Ravinia and Neville talk and attempt to stop the antagonist.
The characterization was excellent in this novel. Ravinia and Nev were both likeable characters and the antagonist was an adversary that I will not soon forget. While Ravinia is practical and levelheaded, she is willing to lie or withhold the truth to protect her family. Nev is finding his way as the newest detective in the police department. However, things haven’t been easy coming back to his childhood hometown where he’s forced to confront his past. The secondary characters played pivotal roles with both familiar faces and some new characters that added another dimension to the plot line.
This writing duo brings a twisty and chilling tale to readers. The tension kept me on the edge of my seat as I anxiously turned the pages. The psychic gifts that the members of Ravinia’s family have add additional depth to the crime thriller and romantic suspense aspects of the book. However, this is more of a crime thriller than a romantic suspense novel.
The world-building is phenomenal and fits well with the story line. Whether it’s Echo Island, the beach, or Siren Song, I could easily visualize the settings. The plot is deeply involved with several twists to the story to keep readers captivated all the way to its dramatic conclusion.
The authors brought suspense, interesting characters, and an exciting story line together in a thrilling novel. I am looking forward to reading more stories by these two gifted writers. If you enjoy intriguing crime thrillers with a little romance and some supernatural suspense, then this may be the book for you. I highly recommend reading the books in order. There are a large number of characters, and introduction over time helps.
Kensington Books, Lisa Jackson, and Nancy Bush provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for December 27, 2022. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
-------------------------------------
My 4.09 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
December 23, 2022
I didn’t realize this was book 5 of a series and actually the conclusion of that series. This series also seems to be connected with some other series the authors have. Normally with mysteries or thrillers I don’t think it’s super important to read them all in order, but despite plenty of explanations of backstory in this one I do think this series would be better read in order (despite failing to do that myself). I really like that this book was set in a fictional small town with an isolated island next to it on the Oregon Coast because I grew up on the Oregon Coast. It’s always fun to have real locations or landmarks called out. A group of women with extraordinary skills are going to need to face evil, but evil is part of the family and his own special powers. Lots of crazy family history/dynamics. It’s a story told from lots of perspectives which I always enjoy. It’s an interesting world. I wish I’d started at the start, but regardless I did enjoy this thriller.
October 23, 2022
Wicked Dreams by Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush
Siren Song is a remote island off the Oregon coast. This mysterious place is back in the brand new book Wicked Dreams by New York Times bestselling authors Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush.
Synopsis:
Despite Ravinia Rutledge's assurances to Detective Nev Rhodes, she suspects he doesn't believe her when she claims the man in the mortuary doesn't look like her. Ravinia says she does not know him. The only information pinned to the dead body is Ravinia Rutledge's contact information and the words "Next of Kin." Can Detective Rhodes tell that she’s one of them... "the Siren Song women"? Some call it The Colony, but others insist it's a cult. In the case of women with unusual psychic abilities, it is their secret. Will evil take it all back?
Wicked Dreams is part of a series. Although it was interesting as a stand-alone, it would have been better if I had read the previous books first. The plot is lengthy, so plan on taking some time to read it. Nancy Bush's writing is new to me, but I am a fan of Lisa Jackson. This novel definitely brings adventure to the table thanks to the talented team of authors.
Wicked Dreams is available on December 27th.
Thank you, NetGalley and Kensington Books, for sharing this intriguing novel with me. Your kindness is appreciated.
#WickedDreams
Siren Song is a remote island off the Oregon coast. This mysterious place is back in the brand new book Wicked Dreams by New York Times bestselling authors Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush.
Synopsis:
Despite Ravinia Rutledge's assurances to Detective Nev Rhodes, she suspects he doesn't believe her when she claims the man in the mortuary doesn't look like her. Ravinia says she does not know him. The only information pinned to the dead body is Ravinia Rutledge's contact information and the words "Next of Kin." Can Detective Rhodes tell that she’s one of them... "the Siren Song women"? Some call it The Colony, but others insist it's a cult. In the case of women with unusual psychic abilities, it is their secret. Will evil take it all back?
Wicked Dreams is part of a series. Although it was interesting as a stand-alone, it would have been better if I had read the previous books first. The plot is lengthy, so plan on taking some time to read it. Nancy Bush's writing is new to me, but I am a fan of Lisa Jackson. This novel definitely brings adventure to the table thanks to the talented team of authors.
Wicked Dreams is available on December 27th.
Thank you, NetGalley and Kensington Books, for sharing this intriguing novel with me. Your kindness is appreciated.
#WickedDreams
August 27, 2022
The vast amount of characters in chapters 1-3 alone is very overwhelming and hard to keep track of, it's almost dizzying. The story itself is a good one, but I don't view this as a "stand-alone" novel as it ties in to two book series, Wicked by Lisa Jackson & Nancy Bush, and Colony by Nancy Bush. I would need to have read the whole collection of 6 previous books (I haven't) before I felt comfortable with the story and characters. Having not read these 6 books left me in the dark for a lot of the story leading me to be confused.
December 5, 2022
This was a good mystery/suspense thriller that involves women with some special gifts. The story is set in the town of Deception Bay on the coast of Oregon (at least I think it was Oregon). There is a house there called Siren Song (cool name!) which is home base to the gifted women. I wish I had read the previous books that spawned this one: The Colony series by Lisa jackson and Nancy Bush; this book needs the historical background. I still enjoyed it, but felt I would have benefited from the earlier books. I may go back and read them because this one was so interesting.
The suspense in the book was just enough to keep you on edge. The women of Siren Song had a mysterious history that kept me wanting to know morel. I enjoyed the character Rivenia Rutledge and admired her for striking out on her own and trying to distance herself from her family, even though in the end family always comes first. The investigation kept my attention and the characters were well developed. There were some good twists and turns to keep me wondering.
Thanks to Kensington Books through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on
December 27, 2022.
The suspense in the book was just enough to keep you on edge. The women of Siren Song had a mysterious history that kept me wanting to know morel. I enjoyed the character Rivenia Rutledge and admired her for striking out on her own and trying to distance herself from her family, even though in the end family always comes first. The investigation kept my attention and the characters were well developed. There were some good twists and turns to keep me wondering.
Thanks to Kensington Books through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on
December 27, 2022.
August 23, 2022
Deception Bay. Home of a group of women with strange gifts, some call them witches from Siren Song. I just love these two names, Deception Bay and Siren Song, you just know it’s going to get creepy!
A body turns up on the shore and Ravina gets a call from a detective since the body had her phone number on it. How is it all related? How much family is involved? There are many tantalizing layers to this paranormal book that it was a treat to read.
Hear the call of the Siren Song and read this book!
If you need a chilling, creepy read, with many layers, this book is for you!
#deceptionbaymurdermystery #sirensong
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc of this book
A body turns up on the shore and Ravina gets a call from a detective since the body had her phone number on it. How is it all related? How much family is involved? There are many tantalizing layers to this paranormal book that it was a treat to read.
Hear the call of the Siren Song and read this book!
If you need a chilling, creepy read, with many layers, this book is for you!
#deceptionbaymurdermystery #sirensong
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc of this book
September 11, 2022
Wicked Dreams
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Thriller
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 12/27/22
Author: Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush
Publisher: Kensignton Books
Pages: 384
GR: 4.00
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Kensignton Books and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Siren Song is the home to a group of women known as The Colony. Nowhere is safe from the man who has marked them for death. The note pinned to the dead body found on the remote beach has no name, just Ravinia Rutledge's phone number and the words "Next of Kin." Ravinia doesn’t know the man, Detective Nev Rhodes does not believe her. Five years after moving away from The Colony, Ravinia has carved out a life as a private investigator whose specialty is helping others locate their missing loved ones. Despite Ravinia's reluctance to team up with Nev, it's the only way to stop an adversary determined to see that each and every member of The Colony will die at his hands . . .
My Thoughts: This is part of a series from the queen of thrillers, Lisa Jackson teaming up with Nancy Bush; even being part of a series, I had no issues keeping up as the story progressed. Siren Song + Deception Bay = a good thriller. There a a host of characters in the first few chapters, sometimes it be overwhelming, but as the story progresses, you start to get the hang of who is who. I loved the unusual plot, it kept the storyline very intriguing. This was a rollercoaster read that spoke hatred, deep seated fear, slight paranormal, and a flare of mystery. The characters are well flushed out with depth, mystery, and creatively written. The authors’ writing was complex, suspenseful, twisty, and brilliantly spun. This is scheduled for release right after Christmas, I highly recommend preordering!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Thriller
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 12/27/22
Author: Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush
Publisher: Kensignton Books
Pages: 384
GR: 4.00
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Kensignton Books and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Siren Song is the home to a group of women known as The Colony. Nowhere is safe from the man who has marked them for death. The note pinned to the dead body found on the remote beach has no name, just Ravinia Rutledge's phone number and the words "Next of Kin." Ravinia doesn’t know the man, Detective Nev Rhodes does not believe her. Five years after moving away from The Colony, Ravinia has carved out a life as a private investigator whose specialty is helping others locate their missing loved ones. Despite Ravinia's reluctance to team up with Nev, it's the only way to stop an adversary determined to see that each and every member of The Colony will die at his hands . . .
My Thoughts: This is part of a series from the queen of thrillers, Lisa Jackson teaming up with Nancy Bush; even being part of a series, I had no issues keeping up as the story progressed. Siren Song + Deception Bay = a good thriller. There a a host of characters in the first few chapters, sometimes it be overwhelming, but as the story progresses, you start to get the hang of who is who. I loved the unusual plot, it kept the storyline very intriguing. This was a rollercoaster read that spoke hatred, deep seated fear, slight paranormal, and a flare of mystery. The characters are well flushed out with depth, mystery, and creatively written. The authors’ writing was complex, suspenseful, twisty, and brilliantly spun. This is scheduled for release right after Christmas, I highly recommend preordering!!
September 17, 2022
Lately, I have been on a bit of a mystery/ suspense kick and I needed this as the last three books I had tried which were a mix of romance/ suspense have been DNFS and blah. I was excited for this book as I hadn't read a Lisa Jackson in years, as about 10 years ago now I went on a Lisa Jackson kick after just discovering her mysteries and she became one of my authors-to-read. Then, of course, you know how it goes in the world of bookworms with new authors popping up every day. I was on the fence about this book though as it was good enough to keep persevering yet at times, I wanted to give up as I felt like I slogged my way through this one. It was a slow-burn read. The book starts with Declan Bancroft Snr confronted by Charlie and then two bodies turn up dead amongst others as there are a lot of funerals in this book. We learn that there is an island in Deception Bay where a colony of females lived under the watchful eye of their Aunt Catherine and each of the female’s aka Siren Song has special paranormal/ supernatural abilities. This book has everything from romantic suspense, murder, and paranormal and supernatural aspects. Someone is hunting down the colony and wants the townspeople of Deception Bay/ Echo Island to pay after casting him out and now it's up to Ravinia Rutledge to band her sisters and a few extras together to stop him once and for all. This book is part of a series, but the way it was written was easy to follow and can be read as a stand-alone tale. If you are wanting an easy read and you don't mind the slower pace of fiction tales, then Wicked Dreams by Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush is the read for you. The theme of the book reminded me of authors like Abbie Roads and Christine Feehan.
August 11, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Deception Bay Detective Neville Rhodes finds a dead body washed up on the beach across from Echo Island with the phone number listed as next of kin. When he calls the number he finds PI Ravinia Rutledge who denies knowledge of this body. What does all this have to do with Echo Island and the mysterious women of Siren Song known as The Colony? This book is a page turner that you cannot put down once you start. So many layers to unravel.
ARC provided by NetGalley and Kensington Books in exchange for honest review.
Deception Bay Detective Neville Rhodes finds a dead body washed up on the beach across from Echo Island with the phone number listed as next of kin. When he calls the number he finds PI Ravinia Rutledge who denies knowledge of this body. What does all this have to do with Echo Island and the mysterious women of Siren Song known as The Colony? This book is a page turner that you cannot put down once you start. So many layers to unravel.
ARC provided by NetGalley and Kensington Books in exchange for honest review.
February 20, 2023
I was not able to finish the book. I gave up almost halfway through. I am a fan of Lisa Jackson’s books, and I’m really surprised that it wasn’t readable. The story with the women at the Colony was just too far-fetched and very boring. It was difficult to keep all the characters straight too. After a while, I just didn’t care. I’m sure I’ll read more of her books in the future, and I’m sure they will be better than this one.
August 29, 2022
Wicked Dreams. What a great title. I requested this book on the title alone, without reading anything about the book. And I really liked it, … I love it when that happens! Also, a couple names in the book I loved were Deception Bay and Siren Song. How awesome are those? This book is part thriller and part paranormal, always makes for a good combo. I thought this book was very well written, and I enjoyed it a lot. Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 11, 2022
I loved the setting. Siren Song (shiversome!), the house; the idea of the women at The Colony, Deception Bay (love that), it had all the makings of a wonderful tale.
However, I was quite lost for much of the book and found the jumping about and many characters-related-to-characters a bit dizzying. I also discovered, only after I'd finished the book, that it was the culmination of a series, something I wish I'd known before embarking on it.
Great potential, but a bit of a letdown for me.
2.5 stars. Many thanks for the ARC.
However, I was quite lost for much of the book and found the jumping about and many characters-related-to-characters a bit dizzying. I also discovered, only after I'd finished the book, that it was the culmination of a series, something I wish I'd known before embarking on it.
Great potential, but a bit of a letdown for me.
2.5 stars. Many thanks for the ARC.
December 19, 2022
First and foremost, I did not know this was the last in a series when I requested the eARC from NetGalley. It wasn’t listed as part of a series on GR and the NetGalley book summary was pretty vague, and also did not list it as part of a series. Both book summaries were not a very good description of the book’s storylines. It wasn't until I finished the book and was going to post my review onto Amazon that I noticed it was listed as book five of The Colony series.
There are BOATLOADS of characters in this book, and most of them are introduced in the first 20% of the story after a massive info dump on their various backgrounds, and agendas for being in the same place at the same time. Furthermore, there is another info dump on the connections for most of the characters (specifically the ones that share any DNA) regarding their totally convoluted family tree that’s several generations high with a crazy mess of lines and branches going in all different directions.
At this point, I was seriously contemplating DNFing the book because it seemed more like it was part of a series than a standalone. Hubby, who is a long-time fan of several Lisa Jackson series as well as many of her standalones, has tried to get me into her for quite a while now. I mentioned to him that I was kind of confused and lost about this book and how Jackson should have done a prequel to it. After a good laugh, he informed that it was the final installment of a series. UUUGGGHHH!!!!! I hate it when I unknowingly don’t start a series from the start for this exact reason. However, since I received the eARC from the publisher, I am committed to finishing the book, and providing my honest opinion.
Anyway, there is the primary storyline that is the investigation of a “John Doe” on the beach across from a place called Echo Island, aka “The Colony”. The Colony is an island where several generations of women (the Siren Song women), many of whom possess “special abilities”, and who grew up and lived on the island with little to no contact with the town on shore or the rest of the world. Any boys born on the island, were eventually removed and put up for adoption as well as some of the girls; some of girls also escaped The Colony and ran away to live free of The Colony's strict rules and lifestyle. One of the boys grows up to be a psychopath and comes after the Siren Song. This is not a spoiler since it was revealed in the first 10% of the story.
There are secondary storylines, one is the budding romantic interest between Detective Nev, the person who discovered the John Doe, and one of the Siren Song, Ravinia. Initially, Ravinia claimed she didn’t know the John Doe, but as the note indicated, the John Doe’s next of kin is Ravinia, his half-sister. Yep, that’s right, the John Doe is Silas Rutledge, Ravinia’s half-brother and one of the boys that was given up for adoption; not the psychopath one, the other one.
Shortly after the first murder, there is another one and another one and another one and another one and………etc. The investigations of all the murders becomes the primary storyline. Pretty early, it becomes obvious that finding and killing Declan Jr/Charlie (the psychopathic brother) becomes another storyline for several of the characters. Most of the story revolves around these kill missions as well as the murder investigations. Finally, I reached the last 15-20% of the story, which was the best part of the story, for several reasons. Most of the ultimate goals and missions came together in the final part of the story and it got intense and scary for many of the characters.
For me, the ending and the subsequent epilogue and authors notes were the redeeming parts of the story. This is where a lot of my confusion surrounding the characters, their relationships and the storylines was cleared up and explained with, yet another, info dump.
I enjoy a lot of different types of fiction, including, but not limited to, murder mysteries, urban fantasy, paranormal romances and supernatural thrillers. This story has many of those aspects and tones to it, which kept it interesting for me. This is the third book by Lisa Jackson that I’ve read. So far, she’s been a hit and miss for me: one 4star story and one 2star story. This one falls somewhere in between, hence, the 3star rating. For me, this story DOES NOT work well as a standalone, based on my earlier comments about the all the info dumps and character backgrounds. If I had read the rest of the series, I may have enjoyed it more. Enough said😊
I want to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
@NetGalley @KensingtonBooks @WickedDreams
There are BOATLOADS of characters in this book, and most of them are introduced in the first 20% of the story after a massive info dump on their various backgrounds, and agendas for being in the same place at the same time. Furthermore, there is another info dump on the connections for most of the characters (specifically the ones that share any DNA) regarding their totally convoluted family tree that’s several generations high with a crazy mess of lines and branches going in all different directions.
At this point, I was seriously contemplating DNFing the book because it seemed more like it was part of a series than a standalone. Hubby, who is a long-time fan of several Lisa Jackson series as well as many of her standalones, has tried to get me into her for quite a while now. I mentioned to him that I was kind of confused and lost about this book and how Jackson should have done a prequel to it. After a good laugh, he informed that it was the final installment of a series. UUUGGGHHH!!!!! I hate it when I unknowingly don’t start a series from the start for this exact reason. However, since I received the eARC from the publisher, I am committed to finishing the book, and providing my honest opinion.
Anyway, there is the primary storyline that is the investigation of a “John Doe” on the beach across from a place called Echo Island, aka “The Colony”. The Colony is an island where several generations of women (the Siren Song women), many of whom possess “special abilities”, and who grew up and lived on the island with little to no contact with the town on shore or the rest of the world. Any boys born on the island, were eventually removed and put up for adoption as well as some of the girls; some of girls also escaped The Colony and ran away to live free of The Colony's strict rules and lifestyle. One of the boys grows up to be a psychopath and comes after the Siren Song. This is not a spoiler since it was revealed in the first 10% of the story.
There are secondary storylines, one is the budding romantic interest between Detective Nev, the person who discovered the John Doe, and one of the Siren Song, Ravinia. Initially, Ravinia claimed she didn’t know the John Doe, but as the note indicated, the John Doe’s next of kin is Ravinia, his half-sister. Yep, that’s right, the John Doe is Silas Rutledge, Ravinia’s half-brother and one of the boys that was given up for adoption; not the psychopath one, the other one.
Shortly after the first murder, there is another one and another one and another one and another one and………etc. The investigations of all the murders becomes the primary storyline. Pretty early, it becomes obvious that finding and killing Declan Jr/Charlie (the psychopathic brother) becomes another storyline for several of the characters. Most of the story revolves around these kill missions as well as the murder investigations. Finally, I reached the last 15-20% of the story, which was the best part of the story, for several reasons. Most of the ultimate goals and missions came together in the final part of the story and it got intense and scary for many of the characters.
For me, the ending and the subsequent epilogue and authors notes were the redeeming parts of the story. This is where a lot of my confusion surrounding the characters, their relationships and the storylines was cleared up and explained with, yet another, info dump.
I enjoy a lot of different types of fiction, including, but not limited to, murder mysteries, urban fantasy, paranormal romances and supernatural thrillers. This story has many of those aspects and tones to it, which kept it interesting for me. This is the third book by Lisa Jackson that I’ve read. So far, she’s been a hit and miss for me: one 4star story and one 2star story. This one falls somewhere in between, hence, the 3star rating. For me, this story DOES NOT work well as a standalone, based on my earlier comments about the all the info dumps and character backgrounds. If I had read the rest of the series, I may have enjoyed it more. Enough said😊
I want to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
@NetGalley @KensingtonBooks @WickedDreams
December 27, 2022
Creepy Conclusion!!
This story has been along time coming. I have read the other books in this series but its been so long ago I couldn't remember anything about them except I did enjoy them a lot.
This group of women have always been mysterious with there strange powers. A series that has been a different from any of these authors other books and there have been many . Some better than others.
Ravina has left the fold of Siren Song to become a PI and find Charlie a evil "Brother" of the group.
The conclusion was exciting, suspenseful and will have you checking over your shoulder creeped out. Everything you expect from this sister author team. Keeps you on edge and turning the pages as fast as you can.
This story has been along time coming. I have read the other books in this series but its been so long ago I couldn't remember anything about them except I did enjoy them a lot.
This group of women have always been mysterious with there strange powers. A series that has been a different from any of these authors other books and there have been many . Some better than others.
Ravina has left the fold of Siren Song to become a PI and find Charlie a evil "Brother" of the group.
The conclusion was exciting, suspenseful and will have you checking over your shoulder creeped out. Everything you expect from this sister author team. Keeps you on edge and turning the pages as fast as you can.
July 16, 2024
Genuinely one of the worst books I have ever read. The plot was bad with too many characters and not enough development. I understand how/why this is considered a standalone book within a series, but good lord how are there FIVE books like this one??? Absolutely not. I would not recommend this to anyone I actually like. Maybe someone I hated who needed to understand what a BAD book is. I should have put it down and never picked it back up within the first fifty pages. 1/5 stars solely because there was one character who wasn’t absolutely god awful but barely had any chapters and still managed to suck.
September 12, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Books, Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush for an ARC of Wicked Dreams. I have read each book in this series and love them. I find the special powers that the main characters have to be one of the most interesting parts of the book. The story was a fast paced thriller and full of suspense. It was fun trying to guess where and who the killer was in the story. I highly recommend reading this book and the books in this series.
May 6, 2023
Ugh
I usually like her books but couldn't make it even half way through this one. Chapters worth of back stories that make your eyes cross. Not much of a cohesive plot. Miss.
I usually like her books but couldn't make it even half way through this one. Chapters worth of back stories that make your eyes cross. Not much of a cohesive plot. Miss.
December 18, 2022
Ravinia and the women of Siren Song are back. Charlie is trying to regain his strength and end his sister's lives. The path of death and destruction that Charlie leaves is vast. Ravinia and detective Rev must find him and stop him for good.
It has been years since I read "the Colony" or "Wicked" series by Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush, I definitely need to go back and reread them. I wanted to rush through this book, but forced myself to slow down and savor it. It still ended all to quickly. I can't say enough about how much I loved this book. If i could give it 10 stars, I would. I've always enjoyed Lisa Jackson's writing style and Nancy Bush compliments it fantastically. If you haven't read the books before this, it's OK, you don't have to. It will add to your wish list, though. Because, once you read this book, you'll want to read the others.
Thank you to netgalley, Kensington Books, Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush for this complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
It has been years since I read "the Colony" or "Wicked" series by Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush, I definitely need to go back and reread them. I wanted to rush through this book, but forced myself to slow down and savor it. It still ended all to quickly. I can't say enough about how much I loved this book. If i could give it 10 stars, I would. I've always enjoyed Lisa Jackson's writing style and Nancy Bush compliments it fantastically. If you haven't read the books before this, it's OK, you don't have to. It will add to your wish list, though. Because, once you read this book, you'll want to read the others.
Thank you to netgalley, Kensington Books, Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush for this complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 8, 2025
Even though I hadn’t read any of the other books in the Wicked series, Wicked Dreams was easy to follow and pulled me in right away. The story centers around a group of gifted sisters who must protect their sanctuary, the Siren Song Lodge, from their sinister brother, “Good Time Charlie.” I loved the suspenseful vibe, that had a mix of mystery and supernatural elements that kept things interesting.
One of the most riveting parts was that no one knew what Charlie looked like. It added a layer of tension and mystery that really worked. My favorite scene was the showdown between Ravinia and Charlie. It was both thrilling and satisfying.
Overall, this was an entertaining read with strong female characters, a haunting setting, and a plot that explores how far people will go to protect what they love. Definitely worth picking up if you enjoy suspense with a supernatural twist!
One of the most riveting parts was that no one knew what Charlie looked like. It added a layer of tension and mystery that really worked. My favorite scene was the showdown between Ravinia and Charlie. It was both thrilling and satisfying.
Overall, this was an entertaining read with strong female characters, a haunting setting, and a plot that explores how far people will go to protect what they love. Definitely worth picking up if you enjoy suspense with a supernatural twist!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2023
This book was fast-paced, action packed, and adrenaline producing. The characters were well drawn, intriguing, and incredibly brave. Their devotion and loyalty to one another, especially the women, was inspiring. Despite the overall implausibility of the story, I remained riveted until the final page.
I only learned in the afterword that this is the fifth, and probably final, book in a series. I've read a fair amount of Lisa Jackson books, but didn't know she had co-authored books with Nancy Bush, whom I'd never heard of. I will definitely return to the beginning and read this series from the start.
It was among the most convoluted stories I've ever read, and I'm not sure I followed all the threads to their final unraveling, but I loved every minute of it.
I only learned in the afterword that this is the fifth, and probably final, book in a series. I've read a fair amount of Lisa Jackson books, but didn't know she had co-authored books with Nancy Bush, whom I'd never heard of. I will definitely return to the beginning and read this series from the start.
It was among the most convoluted stories I've ever read, and I'm not sure I followed all the threads to their final unraveling, but I loved every minute of it.
December 11, 2022
(3.5) The premise drew me in and I completely missed this was a conclusion to a series. No doubt a satisfying conclusion for everyone who read it. It starts with a murder and I hunkered down to be entranced. I was confused. There are a lot of characters and the authors do their best to explain the back ground when they come on the pages. There are just so many! As a conclusion I imagine everyone wanted to see their characters wrapped up. I have no doubt that was done. I was intrigued enough with the hints of special talents and with Ravina and Dev that I stayed the course and I am glad I did, it was worth it. Many thanks for the arc! I freely volunteer my thoughts and opinions. #Wickeddreams #lisajackson #nancybush #kensingtonbooks #netgalley
June 27, 2024
I’m giving this book 2 stars because it is the only Wicked book I’ve read and with so many characters and many of them called by different names it wasn’t an enjoyable book to read. If you started with the series one it might be different. Plus I don’t really like anything with so called supernatural powers so it didn’t fit my wheel house. I wanted to quit half way through but powered on only to realize i could’ve predicted the ending. Really it was a waste of my reading time.
August 12, 2025
Weird but enjoyable after you get past the initial confusion of who are the multitude of quickly introduced characters and how they all fit together. A family tree at the books beginning would have been helpful!
February 8, 2023
The finale to the Wicked series. As always suspenseful, full of twist and turns. Sadly see it end but wow what a great series.
January 27, 2023
Maybe I am just a picky reader, but this book! I don’t even know where to begin my review. A few books ago I read jealousy by Nancy Bush. And that did not get a very good rating. I have posted my review of that at the bottom of this post as a reference to what I am talking about. First of all the last book in the series was in 2014. Eight years later you’re writing another book? I’m not sure why we couldn’t write a book that wasn’t a carryover from a book from eight years ago. As you can see in my post below I did not like the names of the characters. And they carried over to this book as well. How many DeClans Can you have in a book. And are we talking about Henry? Or are we talking about Charlie? and is it Cassandra or is it Maggie? There were so many characters in this book that I had a hard time keeping up. Now I’m typically I love Lisa Jackson and I have not had any problems with any other Nancy bush books. But this is really making me second-guess wanting to read more books.I ended up skimming a lot of the end of this book. I just wanted it to be over.
Jealousy review=
I’d give it 2 1/2 stars. This book was so slow moving. I was halfway through the book before someone actually died. The other thing that I had a problem with were the names in this book. I struggled throughout the book with who is who. So you have Layla, Lyle, and Lucy. No, that’s not so unusual in a family, but it makes following characters hard. And then let’s talk about the grandfather Lyle, Abbott Crissman, Junior, or simply called Junior. Lyle Abbott Crissman, the third called simply Abbott. And then don’t forget about the original Lyle Abbott Chrisman simply called Criss. Who the hell was who? And then let’s talk about September, August, July, June? And I may have missed it. There was probably a May and April in there too. Let’s be a little bit more original with some names. Overall just kind of a boring read for me. Don’t get me wrong. The story could’ve been good but it just didn’t hold. My interest in the ending was pretty anti-climatic too.
Jealousy review=
I’d give it 2 1/2 stars. This book was so slow moving. I was halfway through the book before someone actually died. The other thing that I had a problem with were the names in this book. I struggled throughout the book with who is who. So you have Layla, Lyle, and Lucy. No, that’s not so unusual in a family, but it makes following characters hard. And then let’s talk about the grandfather Lyle, Abbott Crissman, Junior, or simply called Junior. Lyle Abbott Crissman, the third called simply Abbott. And then don’t forget about the original Lyle Abbott Chrisman simply called Criss. Who the hell was who? And then let’s talk about September, August, July, June? And I may have missed it. There was probably a May and April in there too. Let’s be a little bit more original with some names. Overall just kind of a boring read for me. Don’t get me wrong. The story could’ve been good but it just didn’t hold. My interest in the ending was pretty anti-climatic too.
August 28, 2022
Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush brings us to Siren Song in Oregon. There, we meet the women known as The Colony where they live with their aunt who protects them and their special powers. We meet Ravinia when she is contacted by Detective Rhodes to identify a body found on the beach with her name and number pinned to him. As a private investigator, Ravinia turns her attention to finding a monster from her past. Problem is that there are several people looking for him as well. As Ravinia searches for answers, we get to go along with her and discover more about her past and connection to not only The Colony, but also the killer. We also get to see how Ravinia and Rhodes have to work together to find Good Time Charlie, the man Ravinia and her family need gone forever from their lives. Will they find him in time before he strikes again? Where will their investigations lead them?
Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush brings us the story of Ravinia and Rhodes' search for Charlie. As the search intensifies, we get to see how all the characters interact with each other and how everything is related. See how things end for Ravinia and Rhodes and the family known as The Colony.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I would like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for this privilege.
Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush brings us the story of Ravinia and Rhodes' search for Charlie. As the search intensifies, we get to see how all the characters interact with each other and how everything is related. See how things end for Ravinia and Rhodes and the family known as The Colony.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I would like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for this privilege.
July 27, 2023
Couldn't finish it - too many characters, story line did not grab my interest, & like others, I didn't know this was from a series
June 22, 2023
Co-written with author Nancy Bush, this is the last of a series "Wicked", written by Jackson.
The setting is the Oregon coast and the plot centers around a sect of mysterious women known by the townspeople as "The Colony" who reside in an old lodge called Siren Song. Different rumors have circled over the years with varying stories about the women who live there, their mysterious past and their psychic, supernatural powers.
Detective Nev Rhodes recalls all the folklore dating back to his youth. He has recently returned to the area as Tillamook's County Sheriff's newest detective. Being back has stirred up the painful memories of that tragic day he and his friends cast out to Echo Island. Rumored to be inhabited by a witch from the colony, his friends Spence and Duncan convinced him to row out to the island to determine if the rumors were true. Returning here has made him decide that in order to live here he will need to confront his past to try and put the tragedy behind him. As he looks at Echo island, remembering that fateful day and wondering if the island was indeed cursed, he looks down at the beach, and spots what appears to be a motionless body on the sand. Quickly making his way down the steep trail, he finds a deceased man with no visible injuries. Oddly, there is a note tagged to his jacket that says "Next of Kin" and includes a phone number. No identification; just the note. Looking down at the unknown dead man, Rhodes wonders if the victim tempted fate just like he and his friends did all those years ago, and perhaps drowned in an effort to row to or from the island. Rhodes hopes the phone number will lead him to more answers. He puts it his jacket to follow up before the evidence team arrives on the scene.
Once the body has been transferred to the morgue, Rhodes calls the number. A woman answers and when Rhodes explains the situation of finding a deceased man on the beach with her phone number tagged to his body, she advises she is in Portland but reluctantly agrees to his request to meet him at the hospital morgue. Upon arrival she introduces herself as Ravina Rutledge and tells Rhodes she grew up near Deception Bay and she's one of them-one of the women from the colony. But she has moved on from life at Siren Song and is now a private investigator. She looks at the body, and with controlled composure, states she has never seen this man and has no idea who he is or why there would've been a note tagged to him with her phone number. Despite her lack of emotion, Rhodes senses she is purposely keeping her cool but definitely hiding something. He finds her both attractive and intriguing. When he questions her again, she is defensive and asks if he is calling her a liar. She re-states that she does not know who the deceased man is and is late for a funeral, before promptly leaving. But when he questioned her, he felt a strange searing sensation near his heart. Were the stories about the women of the Siren Song true? Did they have extra-sensory powers? He didn't want to make too much of the strange feeling he had. It was likely related to the stressful situation of being slapped by his late friend Spence's mom at Spence's dad's funeral. It had been difficult to attend, re-living the tragedy of losing his friends Spencer and Duncan out at Echo island all those years ago. And when Spencer's mother Candy re-blamed him for Spence's death after all these years, it wasn't just the physical sting of the slap that hurt, but the emotional pain of her condemning words. He wasn't responsible for his friends deaths. In fact, it was him that tried to talk them out of the dangerous trip to Echo island. They managed to reach the island that fateful day and Spence ran to an old cabin on the island, returning quickly with a claim that a crazy woman came on to him, begging him to make love to her. They boarded the old row boat, but before Nev and Duncan could debate with their friend about what was possibly just youthful bragging, high storm winds blew in, tossing up huge waves and capsizing the boat. Nev manged to locate Spence but not Duncan. He did everything to save Spence, holding onto him in the storm until they were rescued; but sadly his college friend succumbed in the hospital hours later from a blow to his head he suffered during the storm. Nev Rhodes only wrong doing was he survived and Spence and Duncan didn't. Guilt was the weight he carried with him all these years since.
No sooner had Rhodes filed the report about the John Doe death and discovery, when another body was discovered by a dune. This time the victim is well known and his wife claims he has been murdered. Maybe his John Doe didn't drown? Maybe they have a serial murder on their hands. His hope is that the enchanting Ravina Rutledge will change her mind and tell him what she seems to be hiding. Perhaps they are both trying to put their past behind them but he's going to need her help to catch a killer.
A suspenseful plot that will keep most readers engaged. I experienced some of the writing to be repetitive and other parts to be sparse and challenging with respect to the introduction of a wide host of characters. What was confusing was some of the characters are referenced with more than one name. The characters may have been easier to keep track of, had I read the prequels in the "Wicked" series as they were being introduced and developed. Despite these couple of points, Wicked Dreams was still an enjoyable and suspenseful novel even as a stand-alone read.
The setting is the Oregon coast and the plot centers around a sect of mysterious women known by the townspeople as "The Colony" who reside in an old lodge called Siren Song. Different rumors have circled over the years with varying stories about the women who live there, their mysterious past and their psychic, supernatural powers.
Detective Nev Rhodes recalls all the folklore dating back to his youth. He has recently returned to the area as Tillamook's County Sheriff's newest detective. Being back has stirred up the painful memories of that tragic day he and his friends cast out to Echo Island. Rumored to be inhabited by a witch from the colony, his friends Spence and Duncan convinced him to row out to the island to determine if the rumors were true. Returning here has made him decide that in order to live here he will need to confront his past to try and put the tragedy behind him. As he looks at Echo island, remembering that fateful day and wondering if the island was indeed cursed, he looks down at the beach, and spots what appears to be a motionless body on the sand. Quickly making his way down the steep trail, he finds a deceased man with no visible injuries. Oddly, there is a note tagged to his jacket that says "Next of Kin" and includes a phone number. No identification; just the note. Looking down at the unknown dead man, Rhodes wonders if the victim tempted fate just like he and his friends did all those years ago, and perhaps drowned in an effort to row to or from the island. Rhodes hopes the phone number will lead him to more answers. He puts it his jacket to follow up before the evidence team arrives on the scene.
Once the body has been transferred to the morgue, Rhodes calls the number. A woman answers and when Rhodes explains the situation of finding a deceased man on the beach with her phone number tagged to his body, she advises she is in Portland but reluctantly agrees to his request to meet him at the hospital morgue. Upon arrival she introduces herself as Ravina Rutledge and tells Rhodes she grew up near Deception Bay and she's one of them-one of the women from the colony. But she has moved on from life at Siren Song and is now a private investigator. She looks at the body, and with controlled composure, states she has never seen this man and has no idea who he is or why there would've been a note tagged to him with her phone number. Despite her lack of emotion, Rhodes senses she is purposely keeping her cool but definitely hiding something. He finds her both attractive and intriguing. When he questions her again, she is defensive and asks if he is calling her a liar. She re-states that she does not know who the deceased man is and is late for a funeral, before promptly leaving. But when he questioned her, he felt a strange searing sensation near his heart. Were the stories about the women of the Siren Song true? Did they have extra-sensory powers? He didn't want to make too much of the strange feeling he had. It was likely related to the stressful situation of being slapped by his late friend Spence's mom at Spence's dad's funeral. It had been difficult to attend, re-living the tragedy of losing his friends Spencer and Duncan out at Echo island all those years ago. And when Spencer's mother Candy re-blamed him for Spence's death after all these years, it wasn't just the physical sting of the slap that hurt, but the emotional pain of her condemning words. He wasn't responsible for his friends deaths. In fact, it was him that tried to talk them out of the dangerous trip to Echo island. They managed to reach the island that fateful day and Spence ran to an old cabin on the island, returning quickly with a claim that a crazy woman came on to him, begging him to make love to her. They boarded the old row boat, but before Nev and Duncan could debate with their friend about what was possibly just youthful bragging, high storm winds blew in, tossing up huge waves and capsizing the boat. Nev manged to locate Spence but not Duncan. He did everything to save Spence, holding onto him in the storm until they were rescued; but sadly his college friend succumbed in the hospital hours later from a blow to his head he suffered during the storm. Nev Rhodes only wrong doing was he survived and Spence and Duncan didn't. Guilt was the weight he carried with him all these years since.
No sooner had Rhodes filed the report about the John Doe death and discovery, when another body was discovered by a dune. This time the victim is well known and his wife claims he has been murdered. Maybe his John Doe didn't drown? Maybe they have a serial murder on their hands. His hope is that the enchanting Ravina Rutledge will change her mind and tell him what she seems to be hiding. Perhaps they are both trying to put their past behind them but he's going to need her help to catch a killer.
A suspenseful plot that will keep most readers engaged. I experienced some of the writing to be repetitive and other parts to be sparse and challenging with respect to the introduction of a wide host of characters. What was confusing was some of the characters are referenced with more than one name. The characters may have been easier to keep track of, had I read the prequels in the "Wicked" series as they were being introduced and developed. Despite these couple of points, Wicked Dreams was still an enjoyable and suspenseful novel even as a stand-alone read.
June 19, 2024
Entertaining mystery relationship listening. 🎧
This kindle novel is from my Kindle Unlimited account book 5 of 5
Another series completed.
Everyone is returning to the colony. Then a man is murdered and the adventure begins with several interesting characters lots of action, misdirection, and violence leading to the conclusion.
I would recommend this series and authors to reader of romantic family and friends relationships mystery novels. 2024
This kindle novel is from my Kindle Unlimited account book 5 of 5
Another series completed.
Everyone is returning to the colony. Then a man is murdered and the adventure begins with several interesting characters lots of action, misdirection, and violence leading to the conclusion.
I would recommend this series and authors to reader of romantic family and friends relationships mystery novels. 2024
December 28, 2022
Witchery, fantasy, murder and revenge. The problem I had with this book was the confusing multitude of characters. It was difficult to keep track of the familial relationships, thus causing me confusion and a lack of interest.
Sorry, I didn’t enjoy this book.
2 stars for the author’s effort
Thank you NetGalley, and Kensington publishing for the advanced copy in return for my honest review.
Sorry, I didn’t enjoy this book.
2 stars for the author’s effort
Thank you NetGalley, and Kensington publishing for the advanced copy in return for my honest review.
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