What do you think?
Rate this book
The Blue Journal: A Detective Anthony Walker Novel
When one of Randi Conway’s psychotherapy patients is found dead of a gunshot wound, the investigation is turned over to Detective Anthony Walker.
Formerly a New York City cop, Walker now serves on the police force of an affluent community in Fairfield County, Connecticut. He lives among the privileged gentry, where he understands that appearances are often far removed from reality. This certainly proves to be true in the death of Elizabeth Knoebel, when Walker discovers that she had been keeping a private journal entitled “SEXUAL RITES”.
In her diary, Elizabeth was recording the explicit details of her sexual adventures with various men, many of whom were married to the women in her therapy group. Elizabeth was a predator bent on seducing and, in some instances, humiliating these men, obsessed with a perverse mission that Walker believes led to her murder.
As Walker uncovers the secrets of Elizabeth’s memoir, he becomes convinced that her killer is another of Randi Conway’s patients.
But which one?
Formerly a New York City cop, Walker now serves on the police force of an affluent community in Fairfield County, Connecticut. He lives among the privileged gentry, where he understands that appearances are often far removed from reality. This certainly proves to be true in the death of Elizabeth Knoebel, when Walker discovers that she had been keeping a private journal entitled “SEXUAL RITES”.
In her diary, Elizabeth was recording the explicit details of her sexual adventures with various men, many of whom were married to the women in her therapy group. Elizabeth was a predator bent on seducing and, in some instances, humiliating these men, obsessed with a perverse mission that Walker believes led to her murder.
As Walker uncovers the secrets of Elizabeth’s memoir, he becomes convinced that her killer is another of Randi Conway’s patients.
But which one?
- GenresMystery
367 pages, Paperback
First published January 6, 2015
About the author
L.T. Graham
1 book26 followersL.T. Graham is my pen name while I keep my identity confidential. In reality, I am a New England-based suspense writer, and the author of several successful novels.
The Blue Journal is my first novel written under this pseudonym, and I am currently at work on the next Detective Anthony Walker novel in the series.
I love to connect with my readers, so feel free to drop me a question or shout out!
The Blue Journal is my first novel written under this pseudonym, and I am currently at work on the next Detective Anthony Walker novel in the series.
I love to connect with my readers, so feel free to drop me a question or shout out!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
March 5, 2015
Plenty of mystery, vivid characters, unexpected turns with
tons of colorful suspects will keep you guessing until the very
end.
The murdered victim is a member of the local social elite who
is in a therapy group for couples which she uses to find herself
sexual partners. The victim keeps a journal of all her sexual
experiences. She describes how she meets her partners, how she
seduces them and her journal’s sexual exploits includes quite a
few men and women in town. Now this blue journal becomes
the center of the investigation.
Anthony Walker, a former NYPD member is now a detective
of the Darien PD in Connecticut. He is assigned the case since
it is unusual for this area to have such a violent, complex
situation. Randi Conway, a local psychotherapist was seeing all
the therapy group couples either individually or in group therapy.
The journal seems to indicate that someone Randi was treating
is the murderer. But who? The husband? one of the scorned
lovers, a jealous wife or someone not directly related to the
groups.
Thank you to Word Slinger Publicity for this eBook. My
opinion is my own.
tons of colorful suspects will keep you guessing until the very
end.
The murdered victim is a member of the local social elite who
is in a therapy group for couples which she uses to find herself
sexual partners. The victim keeps a journal of all her sexual
experiences. She describes how she meets her partners, how she
seduces them and her journal’s sexual exploits includes quite a
few men and women in town. Now this blue journal becomes
the center of the investigation.
Anthony Walker, a former NYPD member is now a detective
of the Darien PD in Connecticut. He is assigned the case since
it is unusual for this area to have such a violent, complex
situation. Randi Conway, a local psychotherapist was seeing all
the therapy group couples either individually or in group therapy.
The journal seems to indicate that someone Randi was treating
is the murderer. But who? The husband? one of the scorned
lovers, a jealous wife or someone not directly related to the
groups.
Thank you to Word Slinger Publicity for this eBook. My
opinion is my own.
March 27, 2015
I must admit that from the blurb on the back of the book, THE BLUE JOURNAL had me expecting a murder mystery with characters and themes along the lines of Robert B. Parker. Granted, his protagonist Police Lieutenant Anthony Walker is the classically damaged cop whose accepts employment in a small New England town for the sake of his family only to have his now ex-wife and kids leave for a more luxurious and financially sound life courtesy of his ex’s new, uber rich hubby while Walker is left with nothing but his job of crime solving. That is where the similarity ends.
Walker’s investigation into the murder of wealthy socialite Elizabeth Knoebel leads him to her computer journal and the prurient, dark reflections of this unhappy, heartless woman who is hell bend on the destruction of others in her wealthy community.
THE BLUE JOURNAL is more than blue, it verges on red hot as it delves into the infidelities of its many characters. The author, could be attempting some sort of social commentary concerning the psychological destruction caused by today’s sexual freedom and lack of mores, however most of the character’s in this novel appear to possess few redeeming qualities. Additionally, having the cop search for a killer via one contrived clue after another found in the journals’ salacious pages soon becomes repetitive and often offensive. NOTE: The JOURNAL may take readers into voyeuristic realms of erotica that many may unwittingly enter if not advised of the subject matter in advance.
While the diary does provide some background as to the possible motive each character in this tangle of relationships may have for murder, exactly how much licking and sucking can a reader swallow (pun intended). This would have been a much better read if the author had practiced some restraint with the sexual aspects of the story.
Walker’s investigation into the murder of wealthy socialite Elizabeth Knoebel leads him to her computer journal and the prurient, dark reflections of this unhappy, heartless woman who is hell bend on the destruction of others in her wealthy community.
THE BLUE JOURNAL is more than blue, it verges on red hot as it delves into the infidelities of its many characters. The author, could be attempting some sort of social commentary concerning the psychological destruction caused by today’s sexual freedom and lack of mores, however most of the character’s in this novel appear to possess few redeeming qualities. Additionally, having the cop search for a killer via one contrived clue after another found in the journals’ salacious pages soon becomes repetitive and often offensive. NOTE: The JOURNAL may take readers into voyeuristic realms of erotica that many may unwittingly enter if not advised of the subject matter in advance.
While the diary does provide some background as to the possible motive each character in this tangle of relationships may have for murder, exactly how much licking and sucking can a reader swallow (pun intended). This would have been a much better read if the author had practiced some restraint with the sexual aspects of the story.
December 14, 2014
I won an ARC of The Blue Journal: A Detective Anthony Walker Novel by L. T. Graham from Goodreads.
In The Blue Journal, author L. T. Graham has created a murder mystery full of secrets and possible suspects. The reader is presented with a handful of motives, most stemming from the victim's secret journal in which she, Elizabth Knoebel, recorded the details of her many sexual exploits and affairs.
Pulled into the mystery are not only the protagonist, Detective Anthony Walker, but also the psychologist, Randi Conway, who counseled the majority of the suspects individually or in group therapy. Unfortunately for Randi, the group therapy was a "hunting ground" for the seductive Elizabeth Knoebel.
Graham does an excellent job of creating suspicion, in the reader's mind, of everyone who interacts with the two protagonists. All the characters are complex and well drawn, the protagonists likable. The dénouement is very satisfying.
The Blue Journal is an excellent novel for mystery aficionados who enjoy solving the crime along with the protagonist. It is especially a great read for those who revel in contemplating all the possible, far-reaching ramifications of criminal behavior.
L. T. Graham has written a truly solid mystery.
In The Blue Journal, author L. T. Graham has created a murder mystery full of secrets and possible suspects. The reader is presented with a handful of motives, most stemming from the victim's secret journal in which she, Elizabth Knoebel, recorded the details of her many sexual exploits and affairs.
Pulled into the mystery are not only the protagonist, Detective Anthony Walker, but also the psychologist, Randi Conway, who counseled the majority of the suspects individually or in group therapy. Unfortunately for Randi, the group therapy was a "hunting ground" for the seductive Elizabeth Knoebel.
Graham does an excellent job of creating suspicion, in the reader's mind, of everyone who interacts with the two protagonists. All the characters are complex and well drawn, the protagonists likable. The dénouement is very satisfying.
The Blue Journal is an excellent novel for mystery aficionados who enjoy solving the crime along with the protagonist. It is especially a great read for those who revel in contemplating all the possible, far-reaching ramifications of criminal behavior.
L. T. Graham has written a truly solid mystery.
October 17, 2015
THE BLUE JOURNAL is the first in a new series by the author of the Jordan Sander series. Jeffrey Stephens is writing this new series, starring Lieutenant Anthony Walker, under the pseudonym L. T. Graham. In THE BLUE JOURNAL, we discover that Lt Anthony Walker moved to wealthy Fairfield County, Connecticut, from his job on the NYPD. He made the move to give a better life to his family; however, his wife became enamored of the wealthy lifestyle a cop's salary could not support, and Walker now finds himself divorced, alone, and stuck in the suburbs. Finding that his work life is strikingly less dramatic in Connecticut than it was in the city, Walker is finally able to use some of his skills when a local socialite is found murdered in her bed.
Suddenly, the serene surface of life in the suburbs is revealed to be covering a hotbed of infidelity and disturbance. The murdered woman had been keeping a diary in which she detailed her sexual exploits with virtually every man, and quite a few women, in town. Each of these conquests has his or her own reasons for killing Elizabeth Knoebel, and almost all of them were seeing a local psychologist, Randi Conway, either individually or in group sessions. Walker unofficially teams up with Randi, though Randi has her own demons and occasionally throws Walker off as much as she helps him.
Graham broadcasts the murderer mid-way through the book, enough so that even I picked it up. When I'm reading a mystery, I enjoy thinking about who the culprit is, but I tend not to spend a lot of energy on figuring it out and am often surprised. In this case, I felt a little as I do when I watch an hour-long mystery on TV. At about the 20 minute mark, the killer usually shows up. In THE BLUE JOURNAL, the timeline was different but the concept held. That said, however, knowing (or thinking I knew) who the murderer was did not detract from my enjoyment of the book. Both Anthony Walker and Randi Conway are well-realized characters, and their relationship develops convincingly throughout the book. The minor characters are not left under- developed, although their shortcomings are explored in much more depth than their strengths.
Elizabeth Knoebel's diary provides a structure to the book and the character development; however, the language of Elizabeth's entries is always prurient and often offensive. I skimmed the sections where the diary was "reproduced," attempting to pick up what was necessary to the plot without having to read what felt gratuitous. The diary sections help to clarify the kind of person Elizabeth was, providing many of the book's characters with motives for her murder. Nonetheless, I found them difficult to read.
Graham made me care for Anthony Walker during this book, so I look forward to future installments in the series. It will be interesting to see if Randi Conway was a part of Walker's life simply to further the plot of THE BLUE JOURNAL, or if she will continue to play a role.
This review first appeared at www.reviewingtheevidence.com.
Suddenly, the serene surface of life in the suburbs is revealed to be covering a hotbed of infidelity and disturbance. The murdered woman had been keeping a diary in which she detailed her sexual exploits with virtually every man, and quite a few women, in town. Each of these conquests has his or her own reasons for killing Elizabeth Knoebel, and almost all of them were seeing a local psychologist, Randi Conway, either individually or in group sessions. Walker unofficially teams up with Randi, though Randi has her own demons and occasionally throws Walker off as much as she helps him.
Graham broadcasts the murderer mid-way through the book, enough so that even I picked it up. When I'm reading a mystery, I enjoy thinking about who the culprit is, but I tend not to spend a lot of energy on figuring it out and am often surprised. In this case, I felt a little as I do when I watch an hour-long mystery on TV. At about the 20 minute mark, the killer usually shows up. In THE BLUE JOURNAL, the timeline was different but the concept held. That said, however, knowing (or thinking I knew) who the murderer was did not detract from my enjoyment of the book. Both Anthony Walker and Randi Conway are well-realized characters, and their relationship develops convincingly throughout the book. The minor characters are not left under- developed, although their shortcomings are explored in much more depth than their strengths.
Elizabeth Knoebel's diary provides a structure to the book and the character development; however, the language of Elizabeth's entries is always prurient and often offensive. I skimmed the sections where the diary was "reproduced," attempting to pick up what was necessary to the plot without having to read what felt gratuitous. The diary sections help to clarify the kind of person Elizabeth was, providing many of the book's characters with motives for her murder. Nonetheless, I found them difficult to read.
Graham made me care for Anthony Walker during this book, so I look forward to future installments in the series. It will be interesting to see if Randi Conway was a part of Walker's life simply to further the plot of THE BLUE JOURNAL, or if she will continue to play a role.
This review first appeared at www.reviewingtheevidence.com.
March 1, 2015
This book has it all! Murder, sex, power, romance, intrigue! An affluent wife named Elizabeth Knoebel in CT is found shot in the head in her bed naked. There is no evidence of robbery or sexual assault. The wife is part of a therapy group for unhappy wives. Most of these women's husbands are in a similar group with the same female therapist, Randi Conway. When it is learned that Elizabeth was writing a book chronicalling her sexual exploits with various men and women suddenly everyone in these therapy groups are suspects. Det. Walker is handed the case and he has to tread lightly because he's the hired help and most of the suspects are upper society with connections. It's a very interesting plot and it keeps you guessing until the end. I really liked Det. Walker and Dr. Conway and hope they return in other stories.
April 20, 2015
Wow what a great mystery/thriller. I can honestly say that this is one book that I did not figure out who the killer was before the author did the big reveal. My opinion on who it was jumped back and forth throughout the whole book and boy was I way off. I found myself laughing at the group sessions as they were very easy to imagine.
This is a great book and I now wish that I owned every book from this author. L. T. Graham was able to bring the characters to life so that they could be any person walking down the street. I did not feel like the story veered off course and I did not get bored while reading the story. That is always a big plus for me.
I give this book 5 stars because I have not enjoyed a book this much in a long time. Most books I can easily figure out the plot and get bored before I finish the book, not so with this one.
This is a great book and I now wish that I owned every book from this author. L. T. Graham was able to bring the characters to life so that they could be any person walking down the street. I did not feel like the story veered off course and I did not get bored while reading the story. That is always a big plus for me.
I give this book 5 stars because I have not enjoyed a book this much in a long time. Most books I can easily figure out the plot and get bored before I finish the book, not so with this one.
February 20, 2015
Detective Anthony Walker has a murder to investigate. Local socialite Elizabeth Knoebel was murdered in bed, with no witnesses, but a found journal gives plenty of suspects. With the help of Dr. Conway, Elizabeth’s group therapist, Walker tries to assess and rule out the suspects. This puts Dr. Conway having to choose keeping ethics or giving Walker important information to help the case along.
I liked Walker from the start. He’s brash, says what he means, and takes nothing off of anyone. This had me guessing all the way through. And just when I thought I had figured out who the killer was, I was blindsided. I also liked the way Dr. Conway and Walker were thrown together in this investigation, and hope they stay together throughout the series.
I liked Walker from the start. He’s brash, says what he means, and takes nothing off of anyone. This had me guessing all the way through. And just when I thought I had figured out who the killer was, I was blindsided. I also liked the way Dr. Conway and Walker were thrown together in this investigation, and hope they stay together throughout the series.
March 2, 2015
I loved a good mystery that keeps me guessing. This one kept me guessing to the very end. Elizabeth wasn't a very nice person and the more that is revealed, the more suspects there are. And the more that the reader hates her. She's one of those murder victims that you can't help but have some sympathy for the killer. I thought characters, too. Hope to read more Detective Anthony Walker novels and I hope to see more of Randi Conway as well.
February 13, 2015
Awesome Awesome Book !!!!! One I can read over and over !!!!!!
January 18, 2015
This book promised to be a good suspense. I found it very slow and repetitive. The book jumped between way too many characters and quite frankly I found it a bit boring.
March 2, 2015
This was a very good book. It was clear, well thought out. I liked and felt for the characters. The steamy sex diary was a bit much, though.
May 9, 2015
The Blue Journal drew me in from the beginning, and held my interest all the way to the end. This book is full of mystery and strong character building and will keep you guessing for the whole book, who killed Elizabeth, who killed Fred? You won't know till you read it. This book is about the murder of Mrs. Elizabeth Knoebel, A very outgoing egotistical woman, who believed she was top of the line better than everyone. This is where detective Anthony Walker and Dr. Randi Conway come in. Both of these people are working Mrs. Knoebels case to try and solve her murder. Ms. Conway is Ms. Knoebels psychotherapist, she was her marriage counselor because her and her husband were having lots of problems, Detective Anthony Walker was a small-town Detective in Connecticut, he was called in on this case because it was a strange case. Detective Anthony Walker and Dr. Conway both read a diary that Mrs. Knoebel Wrote detailing each and every one of Mrs Elizabeth's lovers, and each and every detail of their sexual experiences. This diary also lead the detective and miss Conway to believe that Elizabeth had been sleeping with members of Miss Conways male patient classes and the husbands of the female patients. And also that she had slept with one female. And since Elizabeth had so many secrets she was murdered because of it. Mr. Graham has detailed the sexual experience scenes very good, meaning only mature audiences should read this book. As Walker and Randi work closer and closer to find the murderer they become closer to each other, ending up with two days of passion for them both. Dt. Walker and . After all that I really thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone, of age that is. I hope this review is ok Mr. Graham as I said I'm not good at writing reviews. Thanks again for the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2015
Elizabeth Knoebel is killed. Leaving behind a diary with the title 'Sexual Rites' describing her various sexual encounters with both man and woman. The entries show she was a predator and did not mind humiliating her partners. Police officer Anthony Walker is confronted with a lot of possible suspects. Hoping to find out more about Elizabeth he contacts her psychotherapist Randi Conway.
Yes there is a lot of explicit language in this book. Starting first with a diary entry and a description of the murder I got the feeling I would not finish this book. I am no fan of too many details. Eventually the tone softened a bit except for the diary entries but they were not many entries in the rest of the story.
Anthony is your stereotype detective, divorced, likes drinks, cannot seem to keep his hands of woman involved in cases. The little view you get of his life and why he got divorced can work for him though I had a hard time buying it. He is an ok character, likeable enough to hope everything will work out. Randi on the other hand was totally confusing. She seemed to have a big problem with keeping a professional distance towards her clients which made me angry at her a lot.
The developments in the story do not always provide enough details to puzzle along easily but it is possible.
Yes there is a lot of explicit language in this book. Starting first with a diary entry and a description of the murder I got the feeling I would not finish this book. I am no fan of too many details. Eventually the tone softened a bit except for the diary entries but they were not many entries in the rest of the story.
Anthony is your stereotype detective, divorced, likes drinks, cannot seem to keep his hands of woman involved in cases. The little view you get of his life and why he got divorced can work for him though I had a hard time buying it. He is an ok character, likeable enough to hope everything will work out. Randi on the other hand was totally confusing. She seemed to have a big problem with keeping a professional distance towards her clients which made me angry at her a lot.
The developments in the story do not always provide enough details to puzzle along easily but it is possible.
April 6, 2015
This was a Goodreads win. It's a woman who keeps a journal of her sexual explorations. It starts off with an excerpt and I was worrying that it was going to be too detailed for me. That thought quickly left my mind as I got involved with the story's characters, twists and the turns. I was so curious about the author and did a Google check to learn more. The book was written by a New England-based suspense writer using a pen name. The person responsible certainly knows how to weave a story and kept me glued to the book. My understanding is another Detective Anthony Walker is in the makings and I do want to read it as well.
January 27, 2015
THE BLUE JOURNAL is a great beach read for your winter vacation or to accompany you on a cold winter Sunday next to a fire - you will not want to put it down. LT Graham depicts a suburban town gone wrong in a suspenseful and steamy way... this is what 'Fifty Shades' should have been! Anxiously awaiting for the next Anthony Walker book!
January 29, 2015
The Blue Journal is a compelling and sexy story, full of interesting personalities. Like any good mystery, it had me hooked right from the start, and kept me wanting more as I tried to put the pieces of the puzzle together. But it also had a depth other stories of this type do not have as it explored relationships and sexuality. Looking forward to Graham's next novel.
March 2, 2015
Very good mystery, kept you guessing and very interested right to the end. Would recommend.
January 28, 2015
Scintillating page turner; one mystery begets the next, keeping the reader in suspense and hungry for answers.
They arrive,at times in shocking fashion. Smart, taut and compellingly written.
They arrive,at times in shocking fashion. Smart, taut and compellingly written.
February 24, 2015
Can't wait to read more about Detective Walker
June 29, 2020
While the premise of the book sounded very good, I found it to be pretty formulaic. Additionally, there were, in my opinion, too many characters - most of whom weren't sufficiently developed. This book was recommended to me, so I finished it, but otherwise it wouldn't have passed my 50-page rule. The characters were mostly superficial and I didn't really care about the outcome of the story. The sex scenes were an atypical addition to a thriller and were well-written, but I still don't think I'll pick up Graham's next work.
March 31, 2018
This was the first book that I have read from this author and I thought it was great!
June 8, 2018
I just wish I knew why she was like this.
January 29, 2015
The Blue Journal
Written by L.T. Grahm
Genere(s): Mysytery, Semi-Erotic
Publisher: Seventh Street Books
Disclaimer: I was provided a review copy of this book however at no point was I threatened with a damning diary entry by an evil woman if I did not write a review.
Description: When one of Randi Conway’s psychotherapy patients is found dead of a gunshot wound, the investigation is turned over to Detective Anthony Walker. Formerly a New York City cop, Walker now serves on the police force of an affluent community in Fairfield County, Connecticut. He lives among the privileged gentry, where he understands that appearances are often far removed from reality. This certainly proves to be true in the death of Elizabeth Knoebel, when Walker discovers that she had been keeping a private journal entitled “SEXUAL RITES”. In her diary, Elizabeth was recording the explicit details of her sexual adventures with various men, many of whom were married to the women in her therapy group. Elizabeth was a predator bent on seducing and, in some instances, humiliating these men, obsessed with a perverse mission that Walker believes led to her murder. As Walker uncovers the secrets of Elizabeth’s memoir, he becomes convinced that her killer is another of Randi Conway’s patients. But which one?
I enjoy mysteries, especially ones where you can’t solve until the very end, maybe a few pages before the big reveal. The Blue Journal will keep you guessing until the end. I will warn you, based on the title you should know that there are a few naughty bits in this book. Happily it didn’t seem like Graham was trying to hide an erotica novel in a mystery, rather it was a mystery that contained some (no too much) erotica.
I really enjoyed the large amount of suspects in this crime. Normally you've got three to five folks that could have done it, in The Blue Journal there are closer to ten and at least nine of them are legitimate suspects. It took Graham a bit of time to “get” to all of them, but each one had just enough motive to want to do the deed. None of the motives seemed forced and none of the characters came off too much like red herrings, which was nice. Yes some of the characters seemed more likely to be the killer than others, but there wasn’t one clear front-runner. Graham was careful to slip in subtle tidbits that kept everyone guilty and innocent the whole time.
Detective Anthony Walker was a bit cliché. Worked in the big city for ten years, left the job he loved for a better life for his family. Got divorced, now he uses all of the skills he gained in a small town, yet he retains his big city sarcasm. You’ve seen it before and you’ll see it again. Even as cookie cutter as Walker is, he was still very likeable and as a reader I wanted him to succeed. Rather than making him uber clever Graham decided to make him uber direct! That directness led to some clever moments, but Walker didn’t come off as one of those crime fighters who should really be writing for Saturday Night Live.
As for the blue parts of the novel, I was very worried that the book would be written like a porn movie, lots of sex and barely enough mystery to even call it a mystery. I was wrong and I was very happy to be wrong. I’d say there are no more than 30 or so pages of diary entries, if that. Most of these entries describe sexual acts, none really deviant and the art of controlling your partner emotionally. Yes Elizabeth could have been an interesting character in 50 Shades of Grey but based on her entries the seduction while resulting in pleasure was more based on control and causing emotional pain than the simple act of achieving an orgasm.
There was one part of the novel where Elizabeth’s cold and formal Husband was sitting with the laptop that contained all of the damning evidence that seemed forced. You have this character who has shown no emotion and was very formal, who spends a page or two thinking very poetically. We all have our other sides, but this seemed more like the author trying to find a spot to write some feelings about love and life down rather than what would have been the true thoughts of that character. The observations were good and well written, but they should have been attached to a different character.
This was a good mystery. It had a good balance of action and gum shoeing. The characters were interesting and it was fun to see their top layers peeled off and seeing what would be revealed next. Using Elizabeth as a specter who drove the story was enjoyable as well. That was nothing new, but it has been done before because it works. I’m not as committed to learning more about Det. Walker as I am to reading the next mystery that Graham writes. I like Walker, but I enjoyed the mystery more. Until the next novel I guess I’ll have a minor case of the blues.
Note This Review first appeared at www.popcults.com
Written by L.T. Grahm
Genere(s): Mysytery, Semi-Erotic
Publisher: Seventh Street Books
Disclaimer: I was provided a review copy of this book however at no point was I threatened with a damning diary entry by an evil woman if I did not write a review.
Description: When one of Randi Conway’s psychotherapy patients is found dead of a gunshot wound, the investigation is turned over to Detective Anthony Walker. Formerly a New York City cop, Walker now serves on the police force of an affluent community in Fairfield County, Connecticut. He lives among the privileged gentry, where he understands that appearances are often far removed from reality. This certainly proves to be true in the death of Elizabeth Knoebel, when Walker discovers that she had been keeping a private journal entitled “SEXUAL RITES”. In her diary, Elizabeth was recording the explicit details of her sexual adventures with various men, many of whom were married to the women in her therapy group. Elizabeth was a predator bent on seducing and, in some instances, humiliating these men, obsessed with a perverse mission that Walker believes led to her murder. As Walker uncovers the secrets of Elizabeth’s memoir, he becomes convinced that her killer is another of Randi Conway’s patients. But which one?
I enjoy mysteries, especially ones where you can’t solve until the very end, maybe a few pages before the big reveal. The Blue Journal will keep you guessing until the end. I will warn you, based on the title you should know that there are a few naughty bits in this book. Happily it didn’t seem like Graham was trying to hide an erotica novel in a mystery, rather it was a mystery that contained some (no too much) erotica.
I really enjoyed the large amount of suspects in this crime. Normally you've got three to five folks that could have done it, in The Blue Journal there are closer to ten and at least nine of them are legitimate suspects. It took Graham a bit of time to “get” to all of them, but each one had just enough motive to want to do the deed. None of the motives seemed forced and none of the characters came off too much like red herrings, which was nice. Yes some of the characters seemed more likely to be the killer than others, but there wasn’t one clear front-runner. Graham was careful to slip in subtle tidbits that kept everyone guilty and innocent the whole time.
Detective Anthony Walker was a bit cliché. Worked in the big city for ten years, left the job he loved for a better life for his family. Got divorced, now he uses all of the skills he gained in a small town, yet he retains his big city sarcasm. You’ve seen it before and you’ll see it again. Even as cookie cutter as Walker is, he was still very likeable and as a reader I wanted him to succeed. Rather than making him uber clever Graham decided to make him uber direct! That directness led to some clever moments, but Walker didn’t come off as one of those crime fighters who should really be writing for Saturday Night Live.
As for the blue parts of the novel, I was very worried that the book would be written like a porn movie, lots of sex and barely enough mystery to even call it a mystery. I was wrong and I was very happy to be wrong. I’d say there are no more than 30 or so pages of diary entries, if that. Most of these entries describe sexual acts, none really deviant and the art of controlling your partner emotionally. Yes Elizabeth could have been an interesting character in 50 Shades of Grey but based on her entries the seduction while resulting in pleasure was more based on control and causing emotional pain than the simple act of achieving an orgasm.
There was one part of the novel where Elizabeth’s cold and formal Husband was sitting with the laptop that contained all of the damning evidence that seemed forced. You have this character who has shown no emotion and was very formal, who spends a page or two thinking very poetically. We all have our other sides, but this seemed more like the author trying to find a spot to write some feelings about love and life down rather than what would have been the true thoughts of that character. The observations were good and well written, but they should have been attached to a different character.
This was a good mystery. It had a good balance of action and gum shoeing. The characters were interesting and it was fun to see their top layers peeled off and seeing what would be revealed next. Using Elizabeth as a specter who drove the story was enjoyable as well. That was nothing new, but it has been done before because it works. I’m not as committed to learning more about Det. Walker as I am to reading the next mystery that Graham writes. I like Walker, but I enjoyed the mystery more. Until the next novel I guess I’ll have a minor case of the blues.
Note This Review first appeared at www.popcults.com
February 7, 2021
I can't lie, I spent a lot of this wondering if the author was male or female. It's not something I'd ordinarily think about, but the material inspired it. Anyway, my usual issue with mystery is an inability to keep the litany of characters straight. I didn't have that issue with this book. They were all distinct. That in itself makes a good mystery to me.
I admit to skimming the journal entries. They were very florid, and full of generalizations like "you see, the thing with all women is...." It also described Elizabeth as being popular with men because she had an ability to be all things to all people. That's why I kept wondering if the author was a guy. I still don't know. Ah, well.
I admit to skimming the journal entries. They were very florid, and full of generalizations like "you see, the thing with all women is...." It also described Elizabeth as being popular with men because she had an ability to be all things to all people. That's why I kept wondering if the author was a guy. I still don't know. Ah, well.
June 3, 2015
This review originally appeared on my blog at www.gimmethatbook.com.
Thanks to the author for gifting me this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first book in a new series by LT Graham (pen name of an undisclosed successful suspense writer). The subtitle is “A Detective Anthony Walker novel”, hinting that he will continue to be the main character around which the stories will be structured. Graham has done a good job with this one, and I’ll probably look for the second book once it comes out.
The plot is simple: a manipulative woman named Elizabeth Knoebel is murdered, and there is a large cast of characters who are suspects. Her husband is cold and hard to read; her therapist is legally obligated to not disclose anything she’s learned through therapy; and it comes out that Elizabeth was vilified by the other members of her therapy group.
There is some salacious content in the form of a journal that Elizabeth was writing, and the plot revolves around these questions: who are the men (and women) that she seduced, and who hated her enough to kill her?
THE BLUE JOURNAL is a basic police procedural, no fancy words, minimal blood and gore…but lots of suspense and red herrings. All the characters look guilty at one point or another in this book which means the solution is not obvious until the end. Walker is an amiable enough guy, and his background gradually becomes revealed to the reader, making him somewhat of a sympathetic character. There are a few other characters who are perhaps destined to be regulars in this burgeoning series as well, such as the police chief, at odds with Walker’s detective work; and Walker’s sidekick Kovie.
The beleaguered therapist, Randi Conway, seems to have no other patients except her marriage counseling group—they barge in and out of her office at will, and at times she feels that she’s lost control of the therapy. It got annoying to me that she was in such control of her emotions, or perhaps it just seemed that way, compared to Elizabeth’s lusty and conniving behavior.
Graham’s writing style is competent; there are a few loose ends that are not tied up at the end of the book, but that really doesn’t detract from the book as a whole. I would have liked to learn more about Elizabeth’s motivation, why she was writing that journal, why she was playing the games that she did. Her character is killed within the first few pages, and is only mentioned in recollection. The reader mainly gets to know her via her own words, as parts of her journal are included here and there. The x-rated content of the diary seems to be in harsh juxtaposition to the rest of the writing. I know that the author framed the story this way to give us some insight into Elizabeth’s character, but after the first few times the action was broken up to switch to a journal entry, it just became repetitious. That’s really the only complaint I have about THE BLUE JOURNAL.
All and all, a solid first outing from this mystery writer. We shall see if Graham can keep the momentum going with the next book.
Thanks to the author for gifting me this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first book in a new series by LT Graham (pen name of an undisclosed successful suspense writer). The subtitle is “A Detective Anthony Walker novel”, hinting that he will continue to be the main character around which the stories will be structured. Graham has done a good job with this one, and I’ll probably look for the second book once it comes out.
The plot is simple: a manipulative woman named Elizabeth Knoebel is murdered, and there is a large cast of characters who are suspects. Her husband is cold and hard to read; her therapist is legally obligated to not disclose anything she’s learned through therapy; and it comes out that Elizabeth was vilified by the other members of her therapy group.
There is some salacious content in the form of a journal that Elizabeth was writing, and the plot revolves around these questions: who are the men (and women) that she seduced, and who hated her enough to kill her?
THE BLUE JOURNAL is a basic police procedural, no fancy words, minimal blood and gore…but lots of suspense and red herrings. All the characters look guilty at one point or another in this book which means the solution is not obvious until the end. Walker is an amiable enough guy, and his background gradually becomes revealed to the reader, making him somewhat of a sympathetic character. There are a few other characters who are perhaps destined to be regulars in this burgeoning series as well, such as the police chief, at odds with Walker’s detective work; and Walker’s sidekick Kovie.
The beleaguered therapist, Randi Conway, seems to have no other patients except her marriage counseling group—they barge in and out of her office at will, and at times she feels that she’s lost control of the therapy. It got annoying to me that she was in such control of her emotions, or perhaps it just seemed that way, compared to Elizabeth’s lusty and conniving behavior.
Graham’s writing style is competent; there are a few loose ends that are not tied up at the end of the book, but that really doesn’t detract from the book as a whole. I would have liked to learn more about Elizabeth’s motivation, why she was writing that journal, why she was playing the games that she did. Her character is killed within the first few pages, and is only mentioned in recollection. The reader mainly gets to know her via her own words, as parts of her journal are included here and there. The x-rated content of the diary seems to be in harsh juxtaposition to the rest of the writing. I know that the author framed the story this way to give us some insight into Elizabeth’s character, but after the first few times the action was broken up to switch to a journal entry, it just became repetitious. That’s really the only complaint I have about THE BLUE JOURNAL.
All and all, a solid first outing from this mystery writer. We shall see if Graham can keep the momentum going with the next book.
September 7, 2015
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Blue Journal by L.T. Graham is a sexually-charged murder mystery. It is part police-procedural mystery and part erotic diary. L.T. Graham is the pen name of an established suspense writer.
The Blue Journal is told primarily from the point of view of Detective Anthony Walker. He’s a transplanted from the NYPD to a small town in Connecticut. The murder victim’s electronic diary/book chapters break-up the police procedural and provide segues to investigation of the various suspects. Interspersed with these are chapters on how a local psychologist/marriage therapist, Dr. Randi Conway, is intricately involved with the murder victim and the suspects. There is a sense of menace whenever the story turns to Dr. Conway. She is an unwitting link between victim, suspect and the police. There is quite a lot going on in this book, but the complexity makes it more interesting.
Murder victim, Elizabeth Knoebel, is not a nice person nor is she well liked. Her journal entries are sexually explicit, and they spell out the extent of her underhanded manipulation of everyone around her. Every move she makes is part of her game. Sadly for her, someone got tired of her game and ended it rather permanently. Sadly for the reader, just about everyone in the book is a suspect. One of the police characters says, “…we’ve got too many damned suspects”, and I must concur. The most likely suspects are thoroughly investigated, and not too many of them are crossed off Detective Walker’s list until close to the end of the story. There are twists and turns and red herrings, but I was able to figure out the murderer well before the end of the book.
The main characters, Randi Conway and Anthony Walker, are developed as they get to know one another. The secondary characters are developed as they are investigated by the police. Readers have a clear picture of everyone who is tangentially involved in the mystery. The plot is evenly paced with a sense of dread and foreboding throughout. Detective Walker’s poker face and solid sleuthing eventually solve this small town murder.
The Blue Journal was a 3.5 star read for me, and I am looking forward to L.T. Graham’s next Detective Walker murder mystery!
***Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fansite: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.ng ***
The Blue Journal by L.T. Graham is a sexually-charged murder mystery. It is part police-procedural mystery and part erotic diary. L.T. Graham is the pen name of an established suspense writer.
The Blue Journal is told primarily from the point of view of Detective Anthony Walker. He’s a transplanted from the NYPD to a small town in Connecticut. The murder victim’s electronic diary/book chapters break-up the police procedural and provide segues to investigation of the various suspects. Interspersed with these are chapters on how a local psychologist/marriage therapist, Dr. Randi Conway, is intricately involved with the murder victim and the suspects. There is a sense of menace whenever the story turns to Dr. Conway. She is an unwitting link between victim, suspect and the police. There is quite a lot going on in this book, but the complexity makes it more interesting.
Murder victim, Elizabeth Knoebel, is not a nice person nor is she well liked. Her journal entries are sexually explicit, and they spell out the extent of her underhanded manipulation of everyone around her. Every move she makes is part of her game. Sadly for her, someone got tired of her game and ended it rather permanently. Sadly for the reader, just about everyone in the book is a suspect. One of the police characters says, “…we’ve got too many damned suspects”, and I must concur. The most likely suspects are thoroughly investigated, and not too many of them are crossed off Detective Walker’s list until close to the end of the story. There are twists and turns and red herrings, but I was able to figure out the murderer well before the end of the book.
The main characters, Randi Conway and Anthony Walker, are developed as they get to know one another. The secondary characters are developed as they are investigated by the police. Readers have a clear picture of everyone who is tangentially involved in the mystery. The plot is evenly paced with a sense of dread and foreboding throughout. Detective Walker’s poker face and solid sleuthing eventually solve this small town murder.
The Blue Journal was a 3.5 star read for me, and I am looking forward to L.T. Graham’s next Detective Walker murder mystery!
***Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fansite: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.ng ***
August 3, 2015
Critics agree The Blue Journal (Seventh Street Books), by L.T. Graham, is "a perfect mix of love gone wrong and suspenseful mystery,” "the PERFECT read for a summer day.” Kindling the blaze is marriage, infidelity and divorce; fueling the fire is a private journal titled Sexual Rites. As a former NY Cop untangles the steamy secrets of a dead woman's memoir, everything points to her psychotherapist. Is it one of his patients? And if so, which one…
L. T. Graham is the pen name of Jeffrey Stephens, author of the best-selling Jordan Sandor series, Targets of Deception, Targets of Opportunity and Targets of Revenge.
Review: This is a really good mystery. There is a small town, its rich residents, their secrets and lies, and a dead woman. Perfect setting for a noir film. I really enjoyed the character of Detective Anthony Walker. Not perfect but smart and trying really hard to do what is right for his kids. All the characters are well written with the exception of the dead woman. She is introduced to us via her "journal" and other peoples reactions to her behavior. we really don't have a clue what motivated her to be the nasty human she was. We do however have some very graphic sex scenes written in her journal by her own hand. The twists and turn in this novel are really well done. It is a great story. I was put off a little by the graphic sex in her journal. The book begins and ends with chapters from her journal. I know that graphic sex seems to be in every book since 50 Shades of Gray, but I view it as a crutch used to pull a reader in instead of just telling a great story. Because of this I gave this book four stars.
L. T. Graham is the pen name of Jeffrey Stephens, author of the best-selling Jordan Sandor series, Targets of Deception, Targets of Opportunity and Targets of Revenge.
Review: This is a really good mystery. There is a small town, its rich residents, their secrets and lies, and a dead woman. Perfect setting for a noir film. I really enjoyed the character of Detective Anthony Walker. Not perfect but smart and trying really hard to do what is right for his kids. All the characters are well written with the exception of the dead woman. She is introduced to us via her "journal" and other peoples reactions to her behavior. we really don't have a clue what motivated her to be the nasty human she was. We do however have some very graphic sex scenes written in her journal by her own hand. The twists and turn in this novel are really well done. It is a great story. I was put off a little by the graphic sex in her journal. The book begins and ends with chapters from her journal. I know that graphic sex seems to be in every book since 50 Shades of Gray, but I view it as a crutch used to pull a reader in instead of just telling a great story. Because of this I gave this book four stars.
May 23, 2015
L.T. Graham weaves a tale of deceit, mystery, murder, suspense, and sexual prowess in The Blue Journal. Elizabeth Knoebel was part of the social elite and used psychologist Randi Conway’s couples group as a hunting ground for sexual partners and kept a journal of their encounters. Enter, Detective Anthony Walker, a former NYC cop who suspects one of Ms. Conway’s patients much be the killer.
There are so many twists and turns during this story that it never gets boring. Just when I thought I had it figured out, I was proved wrong and HAD to keep reading for more! Not only was the mystery and suspense intense, but the sexual tension and encounters were SPICY!!! YUM!!! This is the PERFECT read for a summer day with nothing else to do – because you won’t want to put it down!
I received a complimentary copy of this book for review.
There are so many twists and turns during this story that it never gets boring. Just when I thought I had it figured out, I was proved wrong and HAD to keep reading for more! Not only was the mystery and suspense intense, but the sexual tension and encounters were SPICY!!! YUM!!! This is the PERFECT read for a summer day with nothing else to do – because you won’t want to put it down!
I received a complimentary copy of this book for review.
May 18, 2015
In compliance with FTC guidelines, I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
An interesting whodunit that left me guessing to the end. Characters that you felt sorry for, loved to hate, and those you could relate to people you know. The story line was interesting and move along at a good pace. I found myself liking a couple of quotes and highlighting them to read again and again, especially one about memories.
Looking forward to reading more from L.T. Graham
An interesting whodunit that left me guessing to the end. Characters that you felt sorry for, loved to hate, and those you could relate to people you know. The story line was interesting and move along at a good pace. I found myself liking a couple of quotes and highlighting them to read again and again, especially one about memories.
Looking forward to reading more from L.T. Graham
August 20, 2015
Your typical run of the mill who dunnit. The culprit was not too much of a surprise. Writing quality is fair. Enjoyable as a beach read, but I don't know if I would recommend it to my serious reading friends. Too much fluff.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews