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Jane Candiotti #1
Fall from Grace
When David Perry confides the sordid details of his bitter divorce to a sympathetic stranger, he never imagines the nightmare he would unleash. Now his socialite wife is dead, brutally murdered by a man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants…
Veteran San Francisco homicide detective Jane Candiotti never allows her personal feelings to interfere with the job—until Jenna Perry is found strangled in the hills of Marin County. Now to uncover the truth, Jane must dig into the secrets of the city’s most powerful families, a hunt that will draw her inextricably closer to David and his young daughter…and to the cold-blooded killer stalking their every move.
Veteran San Francisco homicide detective Jane Candiotti never allows her personal feelings to interfere with the job—until Jenna Perry is found strangled in the hills of Marin County. Now to uncover the truth, Jane must dig into the secrets of the city’s most powerful families, a hunt that will draw her inextricably closer to David and his young daughter…and to the cold-blooded killer stalking their every move.
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First published April 22, 1998
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About the author
Clyde Phillips
13 books34 followersClyde Phillips is a prominent writer for television and film, he created Get Real and Parker Lewis Can't Lose for Fox and Suddenly Susan for NBC. He lives with his wife and daughter in California, and Martha's Vineyard, M.A.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
August 12, 2014
The story is good. I don't think it ever gets bogged down. However, it really lacks professionalism on the parts of the detectives, especially Candiotti.
It is so frustrating. Why the heck is Inspector Candiotti sleeping with one of the suspects in an ongoing murder case? Why isn't the husband the prime suspect? Why is Candiotti sharing information about the ongoing case with someone outside of the department? Makes me wonder who's leading the investigation-the suspect or the detectives. When an item is found which could possibly be evidence, the suspect tells them something about it, which they believe -no questions asked.
While the book is listed under hard-boiled and mystery, it is neither. The reader knows early on who the perpetrator is. Couldn't be any less mysterious than that. But...great twist towards the end. Ha ha Candiotti!
So, while it was frustrating in several areas, it was decent enough that I am going to try the second in the series "Blindsided".
Saran Wrap in the microwave - nice. Instant cheese. Lol
It is so frustrating. Why the heck is Inspector Candiotti sleeping with one of the suspects in an ongoing murder case? Why isn't the husband the prime suspect? Why is Candiotti sharing information about the ongoing case with someone outside of the department? Makes me wonder who's leading the investigation-the suspect or the detectives. When an item is found which could possibly be evidence, the suspect tells them something about it, which they believe -no questions asked.
While the book is listed under hard-boiled and mystery, it is neither. The reader knows early on who the perpetrator is. Couldn't be any less mysterious than that. But...great twist towards the end. Ha ha Candiotti!
So, while it was frustrating in several areas, it was decent enough that I am going to try the second in the series "Blindsided".
Saran Wrap in the microwave - nice. Instant cheese. Lol
July 12, 2016
This reminded me of one of those old mystery novels where nothing makes sense and the end turns out to be completely outlandish. I hated this book. Usually, I will appreciate a book in one aspect or another but not this one. I couldn't stand the characters and then in the end, the puppeteer pulling all the strings didn't even make sense. The ending and how the story was supposed to all come together was just too unbelievable. I resent this book for taking a day out of my life when I could have been reading something else.
This is the first time I have given a bad review. I did not take it lightly.
This is the first time I have given a bad review. I did not take it lightly.
April 9, 2017
I have to admit my review is going to be a little biased. I just learned that the author wrote for one of my FAVORITE TV shows of the 90's 'Parker Lewis Can't Lose' - "Synchronize Swatches"
On to the book. The beginning of the book relates a lot of seeming disconnected stories and introduces a lot of people. It might seem like the author is crazy but if you get through these vignettes you are richly rewarded with a deeply layered plot that will keep you; or at least me, guessing until the end.
This isn't really a mystery you know who is doing the killing, in most cases, what you don't know is why and Cui bono? The author doesn't as much as introduce Red herrings as merely hint at them. I honestly believed I had figured out who the 'real' baddy was and I was wrong wrong wrong. But it won't come as a total surprise and upon reflection there were plenty of clues I ignored.
The main character in the book is a woman in her late 30's who is a SF homicide inspector. She loves her job but is unhappy with her life in general. She feels lonely and that reflects in her decisions.
On to the book. The beginning of the book relates a lot of seeming disconnected stories and introduces a lot of people. It might seem like the author is crazy but if you get through these vignettes you are richly rewarded with a deeply layered plot that will keep you; or at least me, guessing until the end.
This isn't really a mystery you know who is doing the killing, in most cases, what you don't know is why and Cui bono? The author doesn't as much as introduce Red herrings as merely hint at them. I honestly believed I had figured out who the 'real' baddy was and I was wrong wrong wrong. But it won't come as a total surprise and upon reflection there were plenty of clues I ignored.
The main character in the book is a woman in her late 30's who is a SF homicide inspector. She loves her job but is unhappy with her life in general. She feels lonely and that reflects in her decisions.
September 1, 2016
Good story.
Author is talented, creating and producing TV shows, this book will make a good series. But I won't watched it, there are many killings and sex. Main two characters are not likeable. One narcissists, egotistical and other one might be good in her job but very needy person. Story started with plane crash, successful, wealth man with nineteen others killed. When I am reading a mystery/thriller don't want graphic and long sex scenes, like to keep with the suspense. Many authors if they want to develop the characters, they write about sex, but leave it for us to imagine the details. Ending is shacking, feel very bad about the Lilly.
Author is talented, creating and producing TV shows, this book will make a good series. But I won't watched it, there are many killings and sex. Main two characters are not likeable. One narcissists, egotistical and other one might be good in her job but very needy person. Story started with plane crash, successful, wealth man with nineteen others killed. When I am reading a mystery/thriller don't want graphic and long sex scenes, like to keep with the suspense. Many authors if they want to develop the characters, they write about sex, but leave it for us to imagine the details. Ending is shacking, feel very bad about the Lilly.
August 30, 2016
I read the third book in this series many years ago and enjoyed it enough that I wanted to read the first two. But I never found them in the library or bookstore until I ran across this one.
Phillips put plenty of tension and nerve-tingling action in the story. He added a final twist as well, one I suspected from about mid-way through the book
He also gave Jane Candiotti plenty of side issues to deal with, but spent too many words detailing her agonizing over them. And he put too many words into covering several secondary characters’ issues. These sometimes gave the story a scattered feel in places, as if he didn’t quite know where to go next so he just wrote whatever came to mind to keep moving forward.
Phillips tells the story from a somewhat omniscient POV, which allows for some head hopping. It broke the flow of the story for me because I had to ‘reset’ my focus to the POV of the scene’s main character each time. Had he stayed in that primary character’s head, the story would have flowed better.
Two deaths – one a murder, the other a suicide – early in the book disappeared from the story until almost the end of the book. Another murder disappeared completely as if it never happened, as if the police never looked into it at all (something they should have done since it was related to the main crime).
Phillips also committed two terminology errors that bug many people. He used ‘cordite’ to describe the smell of gunshots (Cordite hasn’t been used in ammunition since around the end of WWII), and he called the ammo holder in a semi-automatic pistol a clip (It’s a magazine).
Still, Phillips did a good enough job that I’ll come back for the rest of this series and may even re-read that third book.
Phillips put plenty of tension and nerve-tingling action in the story. He added a final twist as well, one I suspected from about mid-way through the book
He also gave Jane Candiotti plenty of side issues to deal with, but spent too many words detailing her agonizing over them. And he put too many words into covering several secondary characters’ issues. These sometimes gave the story a scattered feel in places, as if he didn’t quite know where to go next so he just wrote whatever came to mind to keep moving forward.
Phillips tells the story from a somewhat omniscient POV, which allows for some head hopping. It broke the flow of the story for me because I had to ‘reset’ my focus to the POV of the scene’s main character each time. Had he stayed in that primary character’s head, the story would have flowed better.
Two deaths – one a murder, the other a suicide – early in the book disappeared from the story until almost the end of the book. Another murder disappeared completely as if it never happened, as if the police never looked into it at all (something they should have done since it was related to the main crime).
Phillips also committed two terminology errors that bug many people. He used ‘cordite’ to describe the smell of gunshots (Cordite hasn’t been used in ammunition since around the end of WWII), and he called the ammo holder in a semi-automatic pistol a clip (It’s a magazine).
Still, Phillips did a good enough job that I’ll come back for the rest of this series and may even re-read that third book.
August 24, 2013
OK...either I am reading WAY too many mysteries or this book was highly predictable. I found it to be overly dramatic and didn't like the portrayal of the female protagonist as someone who was an overly emotional/easily manipulated and therefore, an unprofessional police detective controlled by her sexual desire. What made it worse...I guessed the ending from a mile away making this a very long read. I need to review the 4th book in the series, but feel I have enough grasp on the characters and such that I can do so without reading the other two books prior to it. If I wasn't reviewing book #4, I would stop reading this series.
December 14, 2016
Couldn't even finish
My apologies to the author, as I am completely unaware if this slow starting plot ever pans out- but whoever narrated the audible version of this should NEVER READ ANOTHER BOOK OUT LOUD AGAIN. The complete lack of intonation, inflection, or ability to stopover-enunciating EVERY SINGLE SENTENCE as if it were suspenseful to hear that someone opened a door was so horribly distracting that I had to quit listening.
My apologies to the author, as I am completely unaware if this slow starting plot ever pans out- but whoever narrated the audible version of this should NEVER READ ANOTHER BOOK OUT LOUD AGAIN. The complete lack of intonation, inflection, or ability to stopover-enunciating EVERY SINGLE SENTENCE as if it were suspenseful to hear that someone opened a door was so horribly distracting that I had to quit listening.
February 25, 2017
This was a decent mystery with good characters, but I struggled with it. Part of the problem was that there were so many things going on that seemed unrelated.
January 5, 2019
Easy read and reasonably enjoyable for 80% of the tale if you can overlook the ridiculous central conceit of a homicide detective jumping into bed with the main suspect at the first opportunity. Add in the ludicrous (but predictable) way her partner discovers her whereabouts towards the end and it really starts to fall apart. And are people really capable of light-hearted long-winded conversation when they’ve just been shot in the chest?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2020
Pretty decent book. Always fun to read an older book with no, or few, of today's technological gadgets! I started being mildly disappointed with the whole blackmail thing - not giving anything away, happens pretty early on - but it did redeem itself. Way big twist at the end. Did not see that coming! If you like crime drama that doesn't contain a lot of unnecessary graphic description, you should like this one. (Turns out it is first in a series. I would definitely read another.)
December 21, 2021
This is one of those books that you need a seat belt for. You start page one and it's a wild and fast ride to the end. It's about folks from the toney side of San Francisco, the San Francisco homicide squad and murders with so many plot twists you feel like you need to stretching exercises when you finish to get yourself unwound. It's good. It's a first novel and he's just come out with number 2. It features the same homicide detective and her partner.
May 8, 2017
Excellent read
This book is the first of a series that is exciting and terrifying. The characters are real and there are several twists and turns in each book. Each book can be read as stand alone, but it is fun reading the series in order. I highly recommend this book and the whole series.
This book is the first of a series that is exciting and terrifying. The characters are real and there are several twists and turns in each book. Each book can be read as stand alone, but it is fun reading the series in order. I highly recommend this book and the whole series.
March 15, 2024
Poor Audiobook Narration
This may be a good book. However, I intended to use the audiobook to read this while I exercised and drove. The narration was awful. The intonation went up nonesensically at the end of each phrase or sentence. I simply couldn't listen to past the first few chapters.
This may be a good book. However, I intended to use the audiobook to read this while I exercised and drove. The narration was awful. The intonation went up nonesensically at the end of each phrase or sentence. I simply couldn't listen to past the first few chapters.
September 14, 2017
Very good.
Fall From Grace by Clyde Phillips was a well written book for a first effort. There were a few twists and turns I wasn't fully expecting that helped to keep the story interesting. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
Fall From Grace by Clyde Phillips was a well written book for a first effort. There were a few twists and turns I wasn't fully expecting that helped to keep the story interesting. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
February 11, 2017
Many unexpected twists and turns in the plot
Impossible to guess what was coming next in this book. Fascinating juggling of what to reveal to the reader and when. Very well written .
Impossible to guess what was coming next in this book. Fascinating juggling of what to reveal to the reader and when. Very well written .
August 4, 2017
Fall from Grace
The title is better than the book but the book
Was pretty enjoyable except the little forays into the inner workings of Jane kind of a melodramatic let down not consistent with the over all tone of the whole.
The title is better than the book but the book
Was pretty enjoyable except the little forays into the inner workings of Jane kind of a melodramatic let down not consistent with the over all tone of the whole.
March 31, 2018
Slow but worth the wait
Started slow but picked up rapidly. The characters were well thought of and found myself immersed in all of them.
Looking forward to the next book in the series.
Started slow but picked up rapidly. The characters were well thought of and found myself immersed in all of them.
Looking forward to the next book in the series.
June 1, 2020
It was very exciting and you kept wanting to read more. I would recommend this book who likes to read a exciting mystery novel.
Every good exciting on your toes mystery novel. I would highly recommend reading this book and others filling this one by Clyde Phillips.
Every good exciting on your toes mystery novel. I would highly recommend reading this book and others filling this one by Clyde Phillips.
May 6, 2021
Now this is what I’m talking about when I hear the word thriller. Reminiscent of the early Lehane novels, and has a villain that you will immediately hate. I don’t want to give to much away but I really enjoyed this and can’t wait to read the rest in the series.
September 1, 2022
on his work with Dexter and Nurse Jackie you know when Clyde Phillips is working it- but really think that Candiotti comes off weak and just plain Lucky that her partner and Lieutenant stay on her side.
December 25, 2016
Loved this story
Had me going...many different twist
Well written...i would recommend this to anyone who likes to be taken for a ride
Had me going...many different twist
Well written...i would recommend this to anyone who likes to be taken for a ride
May 10, 2017
Great read!
This story started a little slow but quickly had me engrossed. Lots of plot twists and surprises! Great characters and overall great read.
This story started a little slow but quickly had me engrossed. Lots of plot twists and surprises! Great characters and overall great read.
June 16, 2017
Good beginning to a detective series and introduction to characters. Some surprises in the storyline helped the read. Will try #2.
January 16, 2020
I really tried, but I couldn't. Meh...too many good books out there.
June 15, 2020
Excellent story. I highly recommend this police procedural.
March 22, 2021
Didn't like the style of writing. Too much unnecessary detail.
September 4, 2021
Read in 1999. A noir thriller.
October 3, 2022
Exciting tale of a creepy disheveled mechanic preying on a wealthy family and the local police department attempting to find him. Very good read.
October 18, 2022
It's the money. It's always about the money.
November 12, 2022
Just a bit too unbelievable and a detective that should not be on the job.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews