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A Blacklick Valley Mystery #2
A Reason To Kill
Domestic Violence Entangled in
Mystery and Intrigue....
WHEN THE MAN YOU LOVE TURNS INTO YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE...WHAT THEN?
"Long strands of hair, now matted with blood, fell across her face as she crawled across the carpet. Like a hawk swooping toward its prey, Frank reached down and pulled her up by the hair, wrenching an arm behind her back. His fist pulled back again and a well-planned blow shot viciously into her stomach. The wind was knocked out of her. She couldn’t breathe. Still she struggled to escape. He pulled back his fist and hit her again, low in the abdomen. Laura doubled over as an agonizing pain ripped through her body, and she dropped to the floor again. A vicious kick landed into her belly, and she screamed in agony. She tried to roll away, to pull her knees up, protect her baby; but the pain consumed her and waves of blackness rolled over her, threatening to sweep her away."
________________________________________
It’s time to return once again to Blacklick Valley and the unsuspecting inhabitants who live within its borders.
________________________________________
Frank Kinkaid is every woman’s dream-come-true—handsome, powerful, sophisticated, and very, very rich. A dream-come-true, that is, until he becomes her worst nightmare. For under this charismatic facade lies a man obsessed by the need to control, a man who regards women as objects to possess, to exploit, and to use to his own advantage, a man driven by heartless cruelty.
For the magnetic Kinkaid, armed with shrewdness and charm, money and women seem easy to come by. But will one of these women, drawn in by fate, ultimately prove to be his demise?
One storm-filled day in late April, the exquisitely stunning Laura O’Malley quite literally runs into Frank Kinkaid. Kinkaid has always loved beautiful women, comparing them to a fine thoroughbred or a rare piece of art. He immediately aspires to make Laura his own. She, on the other hand, is taken by both Kinkaid’s charm and good looks and is soon caught up by this handsome and charismatic stranger who charms and beguiles her. Little does she realize the consequences that lie ahead.
Annie Ross is a young and naïve girl struggling to make it through her last year of college after a failed romance that has left her torn and broken. Coming from simple and provincial roots and a strict religious upbringing, she seems utterly unaware of her striking appeal and sexual allure to a man like Frank Kinkaid. Her loneliness and naiveté combine to make her an easy and vulnerable target for Kinkaid who sweeps her into a world she has only read about. Her life will change in a way she could never have imagined.
Samantha Jessup grew up the hard way and learned early on that you had to fight for your place in the world. Ambitious and driven, Samantha has developed into a tough-minded, uncompromising businesswoman. Although strong-willed and highly successful, even she is no match for the cunning Frank Kinkaid and the destruction he brings into her life.
But on a dark and turbulent summer night, in the wake of a violent storm brought in on a hot westerly wind, Frank Kinkaid will finally pay for his sins, will finally meet his destiny. The question is, “Who will become his executioner?”
Mystery and Intrigue....
WHEN THE MAN YOU LOVE TURNS INTO YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE...WHAT THEN?
"Long strands of hair, now matted with blood, fell across her face as she crawled across the carpet. Like a hawk swooping toward its prey, Frank reached down and pulled her up by the hair, wrenching an arm behind her back. His fist pulled back again and a well-planned blow shot viciously into her stomach. The wind was knocked out of her. She couldn’t breathe. Still she struggled to escape. He pulled back his fist and hit her again, low in the abdomen. Laura doubled over as an agonizing pain ripped through her body, and she dropped to the floor again. A vicious kick landed into her belly, and she screamed in agony. She tried to roll away, to pull her knees up, protect her baby; but the pain consumed her and waves of blackness rolled over her, threatening to sweep her away."
________________________________________
It’s time to return once again to Blacklick Valley and the unsuspecting inhabitants who live within its borders.
________________________________________
Frank Kinkaid is every woman’s dream-come-true—handsome, powerful, sophisticated, and very, very rich. A dream-come-true, that is, until he becomes her worst nightmare. For under this charismatic facade lies a man obsessed by the need to control, a man who regards women as objects to possess, to exploit, and to use to his own advantage, a man driven by heartless cruelty.
For the magnetic Kinkaid, armed with shrewdness and charm, money and women seem easy to come by. But will one of these women, drawn in by fate, ultimately prove to be his demise?
One storm-filled day in late April, the exquisitely stunning Laura O’Malley quite literally runs into Frank Kinkaid. Kinkaid has always loved beautiful women, comparing them to a fine thoroughbred or a rare piece of art. He immediately aspires to make Laura his own. She, on the other hand, is taken by both Kinkaid’s charm and good looks and is soon caught up by this handsome and charismatic stranger who charms and beguiles her. Little does she realize the consequences that lie ahead.
Annie Ross is a young and naïve girl struggling to make it through her last year of college after a failed romance that has left her torn and broken. Coming from simple and provincial roots and a strict religious upbringing, she seems utterly unaware of her striking appeal and sexual allure to a man like Frank Kinkaid. Her loneliness and naiveté combine to make her an easy and vulnerable target for Kinkaid who sweeps her into a world she has only read about. Her life will change in a way she could never have imagined.
Samantha Jessup grew up the hard way and learned early on that you had to fight for your place in the world. Ambitious and driven, Samantha has developed into a tough-minded, uncompromising businesswoman. Although strong-willed and highly successful, even she is no match for the cunning Frank Kinkaid and the destruction he brings into her life.
But on a dark and turbulent summer night, in the wake of a violent storm brought in on a hot westerly wind, Frank Kinkaid will finally pay for his sins, will finally meet his destiny. The question is, “Who will become his executioner?”
- GenresThriller
314 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 12, 2014
10 people are currently reading
418 people want to read
About the author
Donna Cummins
8 books39 followersNew Release NIGHTMARE
I'm pleased to announce that my new release NIGHTMARE, Book 5 in The Blacklick Valley Mystery Series, is now available in print and eBook on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Nightmare-Blac...
I hope you will check out NIGHTMARE as the final webs of mystery are untangled and for the exciting and shocking conclusion of The Blacklick Valley Mysteries. Love to have you give it a read and leave your comments in a review on Goodreads and Amazon. It's your interest and opinions that keep us writers inspired to keep on writing!
Here's a little taste of the Prologue (slightly revised to avoid spoilers):
"The rain moved in from the west, over the hazy, steel-blue mountains and across the verdant valleys below like a sheer gossamer veil as fine as any Laotian silk. It moved slowly, steadily, forward—at first, silent as a Pharaoh’s tomb, then with the faintest whisper of sound. On it came as if by some invisible force, and with it came the change of light that cast the landscape in luminous green, almost as if the terrain itself projected some ethereal light from within. Then the whisper turned to a stirring and the stirring to a thrum, and jagged bolts of lightning zigzagged across the darkening sky, cutting with razor-sharpness through the swelling thunderheads on the charcoal horizon.
An evening thunderstorm in late April was not uncommon to the inhabitants of Blacklick Valley, and the man who hunched over the litter-strewn desk in the study of the neat, two-story colonial on Fennimore Street barely took notice of the oncoming storm. The patter of fat raindrops against window glass was little more than white noise, a mere distraction.
He rested his head in his hands, his splayed fingers slicing through a swathe of unkempt hair now receding from a high forehead. He sat alone, unmoving, his vacuous eyes staring at nothing but the desk’s wood-grained surface. In front of him rested a half-empty glass of Jack Daniels, the amber contents long ago grown warm and diluted, its filmy surface mirroring the overhead light in distorted reflection.
He was deep in thought. But he was not at peace. His mind tumbled with unformed thoughts like flickering scenes from a fast-forwarded film. An image of (XXXXX’s) face once again flitted across the canvas of his mind.
“Damn it!” he mumbled aloud, his words indistinguishable, slurred as they were by agitation and alcohol. “Why the hell couldn’t you have done it right? Why didn’t you stick to the plan? Stupid…! Should have taken care of it myself from the beginning.” He continued his angered and disparaging litany for some minutes, senselessly berating (someone) who was long dead and gone.
It wasn’t the first time.
Again, he ran trembling fingers back through his thinning hair, then rubbed at his burning, blood-shot eyes as his mind skipped back in time to that September day now over a year and a half ago when he’d run into (his former friend) on a busy street in downtown Pittsburgh.
He had (suggested they have coffee and his friend had) accepted—more from curiosity than interest. And thus, began the clandestine conversations over the next weeks and months that led them down a path of evil intent, each motivated by greed, avarice, and malicious vindictiveness….
(They) met as frequently as possible between the months of September and December, devising a plan, developing a scheme where they could kill two birds with one stone, as they often laughed about. By December they were ready to put their plan into action. No one would ever suspect their connection to one another nor the connection between (their victims’) demise—just another psychotic serial killer, choosing his victims at random.
Now, (he) picked up his lukewarm drink and took a sip, thinking that it all could have worked out so splendidly. Could have—if (his friend) hadn’t been so stupid. Had stuck to the plan. But, no. No! Did nothing but get … killed.
Thank God, he’d gotten away with his own part i
I'm pleased to announce that my new release NIGHTMARE, Book 5 in The Blacklick Valley Mystery Series, is now available in print and eBook on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Nightmare-Blac...
I hope you will check out NIGHTMARE as the final webs of mystery are untangled and for the exciting and shocking conclusion of The Blacklick Valley Mysteries. Love to have you give it a read and leave your comments in a review on Goodreads and Amazon. It's your interest and opinions that keep us writers inspired to keep on writing!
Here's a little taste of the Prologue (slightly revised to avoid spoilers):
"The rain moved in from the west, over the hazy, steel-blue mountains and across the verdant valleys below like a sheer gossamer veil as fine as any Laotian silk. It moved slowly, steadily, forward—at first, silent as a Pharaoh’s tomb, then with the faintest whisper of sound. On it came as if by some invisible force, and with it came the change of light that cast the landscape in luminous green, almost as if the terrain itself projected some ethereal light from within. Then the whisper turned to a stirring and the stirring to a thrum, and jagged bolts of lightning zigzagged across the darkening sky, cutting with razor-sharpness through the swelling thunderheads on the charcoal horizon.
An evening thunderstorm in late April was not uncommon to the inhabitants of Blacklick Valley, and the man who hunched over the litter-strewn desk in the study of the neat, two-story colonial on Fennimore Street barely took notice of the oncoming storm. The patter of fat raindrops against window glass was little more than white noise, a mere distraction.
He rested his head in his hands, his splayed fingers slicing through a swathe of unkempt hair now receding from a high forehead. He sat alone, unmoving, his vacuous eyes staring at nothing but the desk’s wood-grained surface. In front of him rested a half-empty glass of Jack Daniels, the amber contents long ago grown warm and diluted, its filmy surface mirroring the overhead light in distorted reflection.
He was deep in thought. But he was not at peace. His mind tumbled with unformed thoughts like flickering scenes from a fast-forwarded film. An image of (XXXXX’s) face once again flitted across the canvas of his mind.
“Damn it!” he mumbled aloud, his words indistinguishable, slurred as they were by agitation and alcohol. “Why the hell couldn’t you have done it right? Why didn’t you stick to the plan? Stupid…! Should have taken care of it myself from the beginning.” He continued his angered and disparaging litany for some minutes, senselessly berating (someone) who was long dead and gone.
It wasn’t the first time.
Again, he ran trembling fingers back through his thinning hair, then rubbed at his burning, blood-shot eyes as his mind skipped back in time to that September day now over a year and a half ago when he’d run into (his former friend) on a busy street in downtown Pittsburgh.
He had (suggested they have coffee and his friend had) accepted—more from curiosity than interest. And thus, began the clandestine conversations over the next weeks and months that led them down a path of evil intent, each motivated by greed, avarice, and malicious vindictiveness….
(They) met as frequently as possible between the months of September and December, devising a plan, developing a scheme where they could kill two birds with one stone, as they often laughed about. By December they were ready to put their plan into action. No one would ever suspect their connection to one another nor the connection between (their victims’) demise—just another psychotic serial killer, choosing his victims at random.
Now, (he) picked up his lukewarm drink and took a sip, thinking that it all could have worked out so splendidly. Could have—if (his friend) hadn’t been so stupid. Had stuck to the plan. But, no. No! Did nothing but get … killed.
Thank God, he’d gotten away with his own part i
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 2, 2014
The Cummins Dilemma
Reading a Donna Cummins book presents the reader with a dilemma almost from the opening page. There is a great story there and the natural instinct is to follow it…quickly. But in reading at pace, one tends not to savour language, not to appreciate nuances, not to pause over passages of particular lyricism. And in reading Cummins, there is forever an inner voice chiding the reader, demanding that he slow down, that he stop flying though some of the most poetic and descriptive language that he is ever likely to find in modern literature.
Cummins has an almost Wordsworthian love of nature, an exceptionally keen eye for the delights nature has to offer, and an ability to present what she sees in imaginative and innovative ways. Most of all, she has a hugely extensive vocabulary that allows her to capture the very depths of what she sees and present it to her readers in writing that is rich in imagery, bursting with colour and laced with vivid detail. How can one ‘fly’ through language like this? How can one not take time to immerse oneself in (to use Cummins’ own words) ‘…the ‘tapestries she creates’, to relish, even taste, the very words with which the pictures are constructed? And therein, for me, lies the Cummins dilemma. Do I follow the story because I am impatient to learn what happens next or do I sacrifice a level of suspense in order to pause at each beautiful word-painting and simply immerse myself in the perfection of it?
And yet, A Reason to Kill is a story, at times a very grim story. Just as I wallowed in the enchanting depictions of the author’s native Pennsylvania, I was appalled by the horrors inflicted on the hapless Laura by her psychopathic husband, Frank. Skilled as she is in depicting the glories of nature, Cummins is equally skilled at recounting the blows of spousal abuse. And, my heavens, are those blows painful! They make for shocking and distressing reading. Why do you stay with him, Laura? Why do you stay? Yet is not that ever the pattern of the abused wife? They wait, they hope against hope for change, they pray for the young lover they first knew to re-emerge. But he never does. All that remains is the raging monster that beats her and beats her and beats her…
Frank Kinkaid deserved to die.
And there is, too, Annie Ross. Poor, poor Annie, intelligent, beautiful but naïve and innocent. Annie is seduced into a life she had never known, a life filled with glitz and glamour but, unknown to her, underpinned by deceit and lies. Left isolated, kept on tenterhooks for months, forced to abort a baby that she had so badly wanted to love and to cherish, Annie’s life suddenly crashes around her. Driven into desolation, depression, drained of all the spirit and the goodness that defined her, she descends into a world of rage and hate until she is Annie Ross no longer except in name.
Frank Kinkaid deserved to die.
Finally there is Samantha Jessup, strong, perceptive and quietly building a business that would ensure that never again would she have to endure the poverty that had blighted her childhood. She sees through the counterfeit charm that had allowed Frank Kinkaid to break the hearts of so many women and scornfully rejects his advances. But she does not see the extent of the evil in his heart, the vileness that burns her home and business to the ground almost destroying Samantha with them. And Samantha experiences a rage and a hatred that shakes her to the very core of her being.
Frank Kinkaid deserved to die.
BUT WHO KILLED HIM?
See if you can guess.
A Reason to Kill is a multi-layered book that can be enjoyed on many levels. If you are not that kind of reader then you can simply enjoy a great story. Aficionados of romance with a twist of mystery and intrigue will love this book. I strongly recommend it.
Reading a Donna Cummins book presents the reader with a dilemma almost from the opening page. There is a great story there and the natural instinct is to follow it…quickly. But in reading at pace, one tends not to savour language, not to appreciate nuances, not to pause over passages of particular lyricism. And in reading Cummins, there is forever an inner voice chiding the reader, demanding that he slow down, that he stop flying though some of the most poetic and descriptive language that he is ever likely to find in modern literature.
Cummins has an almost Wordsworthian love of nature, an exceptionally keen eye for the delights nature has to offer, and an ability to present what she sees in imaginative and innovative ways. Most of all, she has a hugely extensive vocabulary that allows her to capture the very depths of what she sees and present it to her readers in writing that is rich in imagery, bursting with colour and laced with vivid detail. How can one ‘fly’ through language like this? How can one not take time to immerse oneself in (to use Cummins’ own words) ‘…the ‘tapestries she creates’, to relish, even taste, the very words with which the pictures are constructed? And therein, for me, lies the Cummins dilemma. Do I follow the story because I am impatient to learn what happens next or do I sacrifice a level of suspense in order to pause at each beautiful word-painting and simply immerse myself in the perfection of it?
And yet, A Reason to Kill is a story, at times a very grim story. Just as I wallowed in the enchanting depictions of the author’s native Pennsylvania, I was appalled by the horrors inflicted on the hapless Laura by her psychopathic husband, Frank. Skilled as she is in depicting the glories of nature, Cummins is equally skilled at recounting the blows of spousal abuse. And, my heavens, are those blows painful! They make for shocking and distressing reading. Why do you stay with him, Laura? Why do you stay? Yet is not that ever the pattern of the abused wife? They wait, they hope against hope for change, they pray for the young lover they first knew to re-emerge. But he never does. All that remains is the raging monster that beats her and beats her and beats her…
Frank Kinkaid deserved to die.
And there is, too, Annie Ross. Poor, poor Annie, intelligent, beautiful but naïve and innocent. Annie is seduced into a life she had never known, a life filled with glitz and glamour but, unknown to her, underpinned by deceit and lies. Left isolated, kept on tenterhooks for months, forced to abort a baby that she had so badly wanted to love and to cherish, Annie’s life suddenly crashes around her. Driven into desolation, depression, drained of all the spirit and the goodness that defined her, she descends into a world of rage and hate until she is Annie Ross no longer except in name.
Frank Kinkaid deserved to die.
Finally there is Samantha Jessup, strong, perceptive and quietly building a business that would ensure that never again would she have to endure the poverty that had blighted her childhood. She sees through the counterfeit charm that had allowed Frank Kinkaid to break the hearts of so many women and scornfully rejects his advances. But she does not see the extent of the evil in his heart, the vileness that burns her home and business to the ground almost destroying Samantha with them. And Samantha experiences a rage and a hatred that shakes her to the very core of her being.
Frank Kinkaid deserved to die.
BUT WHO KILLED HIM?
See if you can guess.
A Reason to Kill is a multi-layered book that can be enjoyed on many levels. If you are not that kind of reader then you can simply enjoy a great story. Aficionados of romance with a twist of mystery and intrigue will love this book. I strongly recommend it.
October 12, 2018
Excellent Read
If you enjoy mysteries with surprise endings this is the book for you. Due to the focus on sexual, physical and mental abuse you may want to share and discuss this book with those you care about.
If you enjoy mysteries with surprise endings this is the book for you. Due to the focus on sexual, physical and mental abuse you may want to share and discuss this book with those you care about.
March 27, 2015
A REASON TO KILL is Book 2 in the Blacklick Valley Mystery Series and is a bit different from RAIN OF TERROR (Book 1). Although both books are classic 'Whodunit' mysteries and both are set in my mythical region of ‘Blacklick Valley’ in the Allegheny Mountains of western Pennsylvania, there are also some significant differences. While RAIN OF TERROR is set in a rural community near Evanstown with Jed Tyler as county sheriff, A REASON TO KILL is set in the bustling college town of Waverly on the northwestern edge of the Valley. Also, A REASON TO KILL introduces a whole new cast of characters with only minor references to some of the people, places, and events featured in RAIN OF TERROR. The third book in the series is entitled ANGUISH and will be released sometime in 2015. ANGUISH is primarily a sequel to RAIN OF TERROR and picks up where Book 1 ends. However, a number of characters from A REASON TO KILL are blended into ANGUISH. For this reason,I highly recommend that the three books be read in the order that I wrote them for the sake of clarity in fully understanding the dynamics of ANGUISH.
Some people have asked me what my thinking was behind the writing of the first two books. Well...let me tell you.
RAIN OF TERROR was written because of my deep and abiding concern for the safety and vulnerability of our children in today’s society and to remind us of our solemn obligation as parents, grandparents, educators, and concerned citizens to protect and safeguard them in every way possible. A REASON TO KILL, on the other hand, focuses on a different issue entirely—the ugly specter of domestic violence and the chilling, life-changing trauma inflicted upon women, usually behind closed doors, every day and every night across America and around the world—even right this minute! The objective of A REASON TO KILL is to bring to the forefront—if only in a small way—awareness of the unacceptable violence perpetrated against women.
If you suspect that someone you know may be a victim of domestic violence or if you, yourself, are a victim, there is help available—a place where someone CARES ABOUT YOU.
IF YOU NEED HELP
For more information or to get help, please call:
THE NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE AT 1-800-799-7233
THE NATIONAL SEXUAL ASSAULT HOTLINE AT 1-800-656-4673
THE NATIONAL TEEN DATING ABUSE HOTLINE AT 1-866-331-9474
So, my friends, I am hoping that some of you will take the time to read A REASON TO KILL—not just for the momentary entertainment value but also as a reminder of the victimization of women and how you might help to make a difference.
Some people have asked me what my thinking was behind the writing of the first two books. Well...let me tell you.
RAIN OF TERROR was written because of my deep and abiding concern for the safety and vulnerability of our children in today’s society and to remind us of our solemn obligation as parents, grandparents, educators, and concerned citizens to protect and safeguard them in every way possible. A REASON TO KILL, on the other hand, focuses on a different issue entirely—the ugly specter of domestic violence and the chilling, life-changing trauma inflicted upon women, usually behind closed doors, every day and every night across America and around the world—even right this minute! The objective of A REASON TO KILL is to bring to the forefront—if only in a small way—awareness of the unacceptable violence perpetrated against women.
If you suspect that someone you know may be a victim of domestic violence or if you, yourself, are a victim, there is help available—a place where someone CARES ABOUT YOU.
IF YOU NEED HELP
For more information or to get help, please call:
THE NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE AT 1-800-799-7233
THE NATIONAL SEXUAL ASSAULT HOTLINE AT 1-800-656-4673
THE NATIONAL TEEN DATING ABUSE HOTLINE AT 1-866-331-9474
So, my friends, I am hoping that some of you will take the time to read A REASON TO KILL—not just for the momentary entertainment value but also as a reminder of the victimization of women and how you might help to make a difference.
July 13, 2015
This book came as a surprise... it's even better than the first book in this series and I thought that one was terrific!
Following the brutal murder of a man, we hear from 3 different women who were involved with him in one way or another. They all have a motive to kill this man.
One is his wife. We learn of his courtship of her. We also learn how cruel he can be ..how abusive, mentally, physically, sexually. Domestic violence at its worst.
Then we hear from the girlfriend ... he employs the same wooing phrases to drag this young college student into his web. Oh how he wishes his wife was more like the girlfriend. At least, until she turns up pregnant.
And then there's the woman who owns a real estate company. He cheats her out of a huge ten million-dollar deal, and when she threatens him with telling his wife about the girlfriend, he retaliates by burning down not only her business, but her house, as well.
The homicide detective is charged with interviewing all these women, trying to find the killer. The ending will shock you!
There are layers upon layers in this book. Each layer reveals who these women are ... are any of them capable of a brutal killing? How much rage does it take ... when is the line crossed?
The characters and the situations in which they find themselves are so believable. The author did a terrific job in describing the suspects. By the time I got half way through the book, I was thinking this very charming, good-looking man deserved everything he got ..and then some.
5 stars from me!
My thanks to the author who furnished a copy of her book in exchange for an honest review.
Following the brutal murder of a man, we hear from 3 different women who were involved with him in one way or another. They all have a motive to kill this man.
One is his wife. We learn of his courtship of her. We also learn how cruel he can be ..how abusive, mentally, physically, sexually. Domestic violence at its worst.
Then we hear from the girlfriend ... he employs the same wooing phrases to drag this young college student into his web. Oh how he wishes his wife was more like the girlfriend. At least, until she turns up pregnant.
And then there's the woman who owns a real estate company. He cheats her out of a huge ten million-dollar deal, and when she threatens him with telling his wife about the girlfriend, he retaliates by burning down not only her business, but her house, as well.
The homicide detective is charged with interviewing all these women, trying to find the killer. The ending will shock you!
There are layers upon layers in this book. Each layer reveals who these women are ... are any of them capable of a brutal killing? How much rage does it take ... when is the line crossed?
The characters and the situations in which they find themselves are so believable. The author did a terrific job in describing the suspects. By the time I got half way through the book, I was thinking this very charming, good-looking man deserved everything he got ..and then some.
5 stars from me!
My thanks to the author who furnished a copy of her book in exchange for an honest review.
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September 19, 2015Wow
This book was definitely thrilling and the ending dear lord was very shocking. This is my first book read by this author and I have to say she is quite a wordsmith and is good at crafting characters that seem so real to life.
This book was definitely thrilling and the ending dear lord was very shocking. This is my first book read by this author and I have to say she is quite a wordsmith and is good at crafting characters that seem so real to life.
October 4, 2018
This was one of those books you don't want to stop reading once you start! Frank Kincaid is not a nice man. On the outside, he is handsome, successful and charming. But on the inside, he is a very different person. The book starts off with the story of Frank and Laura (a beautiful young woman he marries and then abuses), moves on to the story of Frank and Annie (another young beautiful woman who is manipulated by Frank) and ends with the story of Frank and Samantha. Unlike Laura and Annie, Samantha does not have a sexual relationship with Frank but is involved with him through business and once again he shows his dark side. The final portion of the book is about what happens to Frank and who finally had had enough to end his reign of terror. I have to admit, I was totally blown away by the ending. Great read. Looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series.
October 25, 2014
Another great story in a richly worded and well crafted mystery series. This is the kind of book that fireplaces and a bottomless cup of tea were made for. Brilliantly worded with poet worthy emotion wrapped around each phrase and idea. The suspense (after the initial hook) is slow building and draws the reader in, while painting a vivid world...expertly. Cummins' narrative style harkens back to the classic adult mysteries of yesteryear and drives the reader, forcing the next page to be turned long after the phrase "one more chapter" slips into your head. Bravo!
One can't help but be entangled emotionally in each of the characters, feeling the stress that the author lavishes on their lives. Who dunnit? You won't regret being drawn in to find that answer.
I recommend this story to anyone who likes a classically styled, richly worded murder mystery interwoven with narrative of the lives involved.
One can't help but be entangled emotionally in each of the characters, feeling the stress that the author lavishes on their lives. Who dunnit? You won't regret being drawn in to find that answer.
I recommend this story to anyone who likes a classically styled, richly worded murder mystery interwoven with narrative of the lives involved.
March 1, 2015
A REASON TO KILL is one of the best, if not the best book I have read in the past several years. Donna Cummins has a very descriptive, and perhaps poetic, writing style which enabled me to visualize the scenes she was describing. I almost felt like I was present right there in the story. I read the book a little more slowly than normal since I was enjoying her writing style and descriptive writing.
She is also a very good story teller and this story just flowed along smoothly from beginning to end. She also stirred my emotions along the way from hating Frank to feeling good about the other characters little victories along the way. This was a book that I spent reading later into the night than normal. It was "one more page" or "one more chapter" that I just had to read to find out what would happen next before I could put the book away for the night.
I enjoy a good mystery and this book certainly was all of that.
She is also a very good story teller and this story just flowed along smoothly from beginning to end. She also stirred my emotions along the way from hating Frank to feeling good about the other characters little victories along the way. This was a book that I spent reading later into the night than normal. It was "one more page" or "one more chapter" that I just had to read to find out what would happen next before I could put the book away for the night.
I enjoy a good mystery and this book certainly was all of that.
January 27, 2015
This is my second book of the author and although I personally liked the first one more, this book has an important social message. Reason to kill is the story of the rich and arrogant lawyer, Frank Kinkaid who has been involved with three women. The story depicts his relationship with each of the woman and how it turned into hatred. One of them becomes the reason of his death.
The subject of domestic violence is quite sensitive because we often hear or see or read about such incidents and kudos to the author for bringing up the topic and weave an entertaining story out of it. While reading, you also notice the author’s love for nature and as she describes the change of scenes, the settings visually appears in front of your eyes.
Nicely written book and the one you can’t leave in between.
The subject of domestic violence is quite sensitive because we often hear or see or read about such incidents and kudos to the author for bringing up the topic and weave an entertaining story out of it. While reading, you also notice the author’s love for nature and as she describes the change of scenes, the settings visually appears in front of your eyes.
Nicely written book and the one you can’t leave in between.
November 16, 2014
Donna Cummins has done it again! This thought provoking book is not only a great mystery but also deals with domestic violence in an effective and sometimes graphic way. This is the second book in her series but it is not a sequel to the first book and stands alone. The descriptive prose brings the reader right into the story compelling interest in and care for the characters. Although I downloaded and read the first page in October, I began to actually read the book yesterday and could not put it down.
June 9, 2016
Again I never saw it coming!
Although this is the second book in a series of four it could be read as a stand alone mystery. The only thing tying this to the first book is the location itself. If you love good writing and mysteries where you never see it coming, this is the series for you
Although this is the second book in a series of four it could be read as a stand alone mystery. The only thing tying this to the first book is the location itself. If you love good writing and mysteries where you never see it coming, this is the series for you
December 2, 2014
i enjoyed this book very much...i couldn't go to sleep till i finished the book..i know i'll read more books by Donna Cummins in the future
January 7, 2015
Thought the book was pretty darn good. Had to keep going to find out who the killer was and never in a million years did I see the ending that way. Can't wait to read another of your books.
February 29, 2016
I had a really hard time getting into this book. Once I did it went ok but it felt like a slog the whole time. On the good side I thought I guessed the 'whodunit' but I wasn't sure til the very end and that NEVER happens so it was a nice change.
I know some people really like the authors poetic style, but I think I prefer stories to be more concise. I felt like every little thing was described in so much detail and so many times that I couldn't follow the actual thread of the story. Its like a 'word problem' in math where they have five paragraphs and all you need is 1+5=6.
Admittedly, there were some lovely passages with very beautiful descriptions with a very lyrical flow. But there were also a lot of clunky, wordy overly detailed passages that the story was lost and I didn't appreciate the beautiful passages as much as I would have if there were just less words overall.
*I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review as part of the Goodreads First Reads program.
I know some people really like the authors poetic style, but I think I prefer stories to be more concise. I felt like every little thing was described in so much detail and so many times that I couldn't follow the actual thread of the story. Its like a 'word problem' in math where they have five paragraphs and all you need is 1+5=6.
Admittedly, there were some lovely passages with very beautiful descriptions with a very lyrical flow. But there were also a lot of clunky, wordy overly detailed passages that the story was lost and I didn't appreciate the beautiful passages as much as I would have if there were just less words overall.
*I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review as part of the Goodreads First Reads program.
September 23, 2016
Fantastic writer. This is one of the best books I have read in awhile. I never would have guessed who killed him. I recommend this book to anyone that loves a good mystery.
I can't wait to order the next one in this series. I think I will read everything she has written. And will recommend it to all my friends and relatives.
I can't wait to order the next one in this series. I think I will read everything she has written. And will recommend it to all my friends and relatives.
September 1, 2016
Good book
A little too much weather, home, or restaurant description for me. The book itself was a great book. Outlining domestic violence as well as the lack of empathy in people. Throughout you still see hope and strength. One twist of an ending.
A little too much weather, home, or restaurant description for me. The book itself was a great book. Outlining domestic violence as well as the lack of empathy in people. Throughout you still see hope and strength. One twist of an ending.
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