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Ellen Harper #1
Drop Dead Perfect
A disturbing and gruesome serial killer is on the loose with a distinct calling card: after every murder, he stages his victim’s body with meticulous attention to detail—perfectly dressed, perfectly made-up, and pinned with the disconcerting message “NOT HER.” This serial killer won’t settle for anything less than perfection.
Forensics expert Ellen Harper is assigned to investigate the bizarre string of crimes. Reeling from a recent divorce, she channels her emotions and energy into protecting the women of Chicago from the deranged killer. To complicate matters, Brice Rogers, a good-looking detective with some issues of his own, is working the case at her side.
As the body count climbs, Ellen must attempt to conquer her own demons, piece together the workings of a mind born of hate, and find the murderer before he kills again. And again.
Revised edition: This edition of Drop Dead Perfect includes editorial revisions.
Forensics expert Ellen Harper is assigned to investigate the bizarre string of crimes. Reeling from a recent divorce, she channels her emotions and energy into protecting the women of Chicago from the deranged killer. To complicate matters, Brice Rogers, a good-looking detective with some issues of his own, is working the case at her side.
As the body count climbs, Ellen must attempt to conquer her own demons, piece together the workings of a mind born of hate, and find the murderer before he kills again. And again.
Revised edition: This edition of Drop Dead Perfect includes editorial revisions.
265 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 5, 2013
174 people are currently reading
819 people want to read
About the author
Rick Murcer
38 books68 followersRick Murcer lives in Michigan and like many in that part of the country lost his job in 2008 due to a decline in the economy. An experienced executive, he sent out over 600 resumes without success. With unemployment benefits waning and savings nearly depleted he did the only logical thing he could think of...decide to become a writer.
Fortunately for Rick, he defied all conventional wisdom about self-publishing and literally became an overnight sensation. His first three books Caribbean Moon, Deceitful Moon, and Emerald Moon sold more than 300,000 copies between April and October 2011. He had two books in Amazon's top ten for many weeks and became both a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author.
Rick graduated from Michigan State University and is fairly new to the game of writing. Proving his knack for storytelling, the first piece he had ever written, Herb's Home Run, was published by The Writer's Journal in 2002. Rick attributes his success to hard work and God's blessing and believes that you can achieve any goal you wish if you just set your mind to it.
Rick has been married longer than his wife likes to admit, and they have two grown children, three grandkids, and a blind, black Lab named Max, who serves as Rick's "writing" dog. Each morning Max pushes Rick to his writing room so that the dog can snore on his rug while Rick ponds away on the keys. And pounds away he does. Rick is one of those amazing writers that are so energized by the stories in their heads the words just flow onto the page. He has many works in progress so expect more titles from him in the near future.
Fortunately for Rick, he defied all conventional wisdom about self-publishing and literally became an overnight sensation. His first three books Caribbean Moon, Deceitful Moon, and Emerald Moon sold more than 300,000 copies between April and October 2011. He had two books in Amazon's top ten for many weeks and became both a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author.
Rick graduated from Michigan State University and is fairly new to the game of writing. Proving his knack for storytelling, the first piece he had ever written, Herb's Home Run, was published by The Writer's Journal in 2002. Rick attributes his success to hard work and God's blessing and believes that you can achieve any goal you wish if you just set your mind to it.
Rick has been married longer than his wife likes to admit, and they have two grown children, three grandkids, and a blind, black Lab named Max, who serves as Rick's "writing" dog. Each morning Max pushes Rick to his writing room so that the dog can snore on his rug while Rick ponds away on the keys. And pounds away he does. Rick is one of those amazing writers that are so energized by the stories in their heads the words just flow onto the page. He has many works in progress so expect more titles from him in the near future.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
December 13, 2015
'.....you don't really know people. We only get to see what they show us,....', or sometimes we see only what we want to see in them.
Ellie Harper is a forensic technician who is not having a good day.
She has the bodies of two women, found only hours apart, both carefully staged, both with notes pinned to them reading "NOT ME". Her partner has been murdered, and vital evidence from the second crime scene is missing. She has bumped into her asshole of an ex-husband, and assaulted him (again). She has been hauled over the coals by her father, who is also her boss, after a violent altercation with a co-worker, even though she hadn't thrown the first punch. You might be forgiven for thinking that Ellie has a problem with anger-management.
Oh, and did I mention that another woman is missing?
Or, that for the first time since her divorce, she has feelings for someone?
A lot to pack into one day!
This is a fast paced, absorbing book with plenty of action. Occasionally it threatened to get a little schmaltzy, but never quite made it.
All together this is an entertaining and worthwhile read.
Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing and author Rick Murcer for the gift of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Ellie Harper is a forensic technician who is not having a good day.
She has the bodies of two women, found only hours apart, both carefully staged, both with notes pinned to them reading "NOT ME". Her partner has been murdered, and vital evidence from the second crime scene is missing. She has bumped into her asshole of an ex-husband, and assaulted him (again). She has been hauled over the coals by her father, who is also her boss, after a violent altercation with a co-worker, even though she hadn't thrown the first punch. You might be forgiven for thinking that Ellie has a problem with anger-management.
Oh, and did I mention that another woman is missing?
Or, that for the first time since her divorce, she has feelings for someone?
A lot to pack into one day!
This is a fast paced, absorbing book with plenty of action. Occasionally it threatened to get a little schmaltzy, but never quite made it.
All together this is an entertaining and worthwhile read.
Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing and author Rick Murcer for the gift of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 11, 2015
Ellen (Ellie) Harper is a Forensics Expert working for the Chicago PD. If you like forensic details and watch TV shows like CSI, you will love this book.
Women are being kidnapped, then killed, and staged at various places around the city with a sign that says Not Her. Ellie is called in to work along side the detectives who have been struggling with these crimes.
Besides these brutal crimes, Ellie is swimming in her own problems. Time hasn't softened the blow she received when her husband divorced her. She certainly still needs anger-management classes. Her father is her boss ... and they haven't always been close.
There are several surprises in store for the reader. Some things I thought were coming never materialized. Other things jumped out at me and made me go back to see if I had missed anything. This is my cup of tea when it comes to reading about serial killers.
I like Ellie because she is just so human ... like the rest of us. Her job is everything and she's doing her best not to clock a particular female detective every time she sees her. You have to give her credit for at least trying. There is one area of the book that I actually started laughing... she runs into her ex-husband at a convenience store. Their interaction is priceless.
This was an easy read with surprises along the way and the action was exciting and entertaining. I gave it 4 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for allowing me to read and review.
Women are being kidnapped, then killed, and staged at various places around the city with a sign that says Not Her. Ellie is called in to work along side the detectives who have been struggling with these crimes.
Besides these brutal crimes, Ellie is swimming in her own problems. Time hasn't softened the blow she received when her husband divorced her. She certainly still needs anger-management classes. Her father is her boss ... and they haven't always been close.
There are several surprises in store for the reader. Some things I thought were coming never materialized. Other things jumped out at me and made me go back to see if I had missed anything. This is my cup of tea when it comes to reading about serial killers.
I like Ellie because she is just so human ... like the rest of us. Her job is everything and she's doing her best not to clock a particular female detective every time she sees her. You have to give her credit for at least trying. There is one area of the book that I actually started laughing... she runs into her ex-husband at a convenience store. Their interaction is priceless.
This was an easy read with surprises along the way and the action was exciting and entertaining. I gave it 4 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for allowing me to read and review.
August 29, 2014
This book turned up on as a feature on one of the free/low-cost ebook services to which I belong, and it sounded interesting. When I visited Amazon.com to learn more, I discovered it was free through my new membership in KindleUnlimited. Sold, I said; the author has quite a few other books under his belt, and this one - subtitled "An Ellen Harper Psycho-Thriller Book 1" - had better-than-decent reviews.
When I started reading, though, I wasn't quite as thrilled; in fact, after the first half-dozen chapters, the word "trite" came to mind. One female character is described as having three sidekicks (God, a Glock and a Smith & Wesson) and apparently thinks the Internet is possessed by the Devil. "Oh Lord," I said to myself, "I sure hope this gets better."
Happily, it did, although it never quite reached the level of a book I'd rave about. It begins as Ellen Harper, a forensics technologist, is trying without much success to get over a nasty divorce. Her captain, Big Harv, has warned her to ditch the surly behavior and get down to business, and she's trying to take the advice seriously. Still, it's hard - even with help from a friend or two - including the Bible-thumping gun lover mentioned above.
Then, dead bodies of beautiful young women start turning up throughout Chicago, each tagged with a calling card that no one can figure out. As a top forensic tech, Ellen is tapped for the case; and the chase, as one would expect, reels around Ellen, her partner and other people she loves.
Part of the problem for me is that I never developed much feeling for any of the characters, including Ellen. Yeah, I know divorce can get ugly, but for gosh sake, woman, get on with your life. Toward the end, the action gets fast and furious with lots of twists and turns - which on the plus side made it a real page-turner at that point. But for the most part, what happens seems contrived and unrealistic; the characters do things no self-respecting law enforcement person would do for no logical reason.
Everything considered, I this isn't a bad book, but it'll never make my list of 200 favorites.
When I started reading, though, I wasn't quite as thrilled; in fact, after the first half-dozen chapters, the word "trite" came to mind. One female character is described as having three sidekicks (God, a Glock and a Smith & Wesson) and apparently thinks the Internet is possessed by the Devil. "Oh Lord," I said to myself, "I sure hope this gets better."
Happily, it did, although it never quite reached the level of a book I'd rave about. It begins as Ellen Harper, a forensics technologist, is trying without much success to get over a nasty divorce. Her captain, Big Harv, has warned her to ditch the surly behavior and get down to business, and she's trying to take the advice seriously. Still, it's hard - even with help from a friend or two - including the Bible-thumping gun lover mentioned above.
Then, dead bodies of beautiful young women start turning up throughout Chicago, each tagged with a calling card that no one can figure out. As a top forensic tech, Ellen is tapped for the case; and the chase, as one would expect, reels around Ellen, her partner and other people she loves.
Part of the problem for me is that I never developed much feeling for any of the characters, including Ellen. Yeah, I know divorce can get ugly, but for gosh sake, woman, get on with your life. Toward the end, the action gets fast and furious with lots of twists and turns - which on the plus side made it a real page-turner at that point. But for the most part, what happens seems contrived and unrealistic; the characters do things no self-respecting law enforcement person would do for no logical reason.
Everything considered, I this isn't a bad book, but it'll never make my list of 200 favorites.
October 1, 2015
~3.5 stars~
Crime and thriller type books are not my go to genre, but I saw this was offered on KindleUnlimited, and decided, why not? When I first started this, I was a bit skeptical because I found the first half of this plot to be slow moving. It did pick up though. As far as suspenseful, it did have that element but I still felt it was a bit predictable. I also wish that the relationship between the hero and heroine would have developed more. I don’t feel their relationship, or either character for that matter, had much depth. It was still a decent read though, and I will likely check out some more of this writers work.
Crime and thriller type books are not my go to genre, but I saw this was offered on KindleUnlimited, and decided, why not? When I first started this, I was a bit skeptical because I found the first half of this plot to be slow moving. It did pick up though. As far as suspenseful, it did have that element but I still felt it was a bit predictable. I also wish that the relationship between the hero and heroine would have developed more. I don’t feel their relationship, or either character for that matter, had much depth. It was still a decent read though, and I will likely check out some more of this writers work.
May 29, 2015
I received this book from Amazon Publishing and NetGalley for an honest review. The official release date is May 26th.
I’m a sucker for a good crime thriller and DROP DEAD PERFECT, while flawed, served up the thrills in spades!
This is a book that kept me guessing until the very end. There were plot points that came about that I didn’t see coming at all, and that’s always a nice surprise when you’ve read as many crime thrillers as I have because to be quite honest, after awhile, you can start to see the same situations reoccurring book to book, but that wasn’t the case here; I didn’t have any idea how this was going to end.
The book has its moments of graphic imagery, but it’s not overly gory or gross in its depictions of murder. The killer here is quite creepy and his motives drive the story forward, are slowly revealed and will keep you guessing as to what he’s going to do next.
CSI and main protagonist, Ellen Harper, is a tough as nails character that I really enjoyed for the most part in this book, but she is part of one of the biggest problems this book has; it’s maturity level. Sure, adults can suffer from anger issues, I get that, but some of the things she does in this book will make you roll your eyes at just how immature they are. She flips out way too easily for it to be believable for someone in her position and the cop character –and Ellen’s worst enemy – Bella Sanchez is even worse. Not only that, but some of the dialog is so middle school and amateurish, that the book suffers because of it.
At 263 pages, DROP DEAD PERFECT is a fast paced read if you are looking for crime thriller that is fresh and will keep you on your toes. I give this one a 4/5
I’m a sucker for a good crime thriller and DROP DEAD PERFECT, while flawed, served up the thrills in spades!
This is a book that kept me guessing until the very end. There were plot points that came about that I didn’t see coming at all, and that’s always a nice surprise when you’ve read as many crime thrillers as I have because to be quite honest, after awhile, you can start to see the same situations reoccurring book to book, but that wasn’t the case here; I didn’t have any idea how this was going to end.
The book has its moments of graphic imagery, but it’s not overly gory or gross in its depictions of murder. The killer here is quite creepy and his motives drive the story forward, are slowly revealed and will keep you guessing as to what he’s going to do next.
CSI and main protagonist, Ellen Harper, is a tough as nails character that I really enjoyed for the most part in this book, but she is part of one of the biggest problems this book has; it’s maturity level. Sure, adults can suffer from anger issues, I get that, but some of the things she does in this book will make you roll your eyes at just how immature they are. She flips out way too easily for it to be believable for someone in her position and the cop character –and Ellen’s worst enemy – Bella Sanchez is even worse. Not only that, but some of the dialog is so middle school and amateurish, that the book suffers because of it.
At 263 pages, DROP DEAD PERFECT is a fast paced read if you are looking for crime thriller that is fresh and will keep you on your toes. I give this one a 4/5
August 2, 2015
This ARC kindly provided by NetGalley on behalf of the publisher.
I really enjoyed reading this one. Through almost all of this I thought the ex was involved somewhere, but no, the knee to the balls Ellie delivered whilst shopping was all the closure she needed.
It was easy and fun to read with a great story. The only thing I would have really liked to see added would be an epilogue or just one more chapter... Big Harv’s just out of surgery & given the interaction between Brice & Ellie, there’s obviously a relationship in the making. I just would have liked to see a little more to know that Ellie was happy & getting her life back on track.
I really enjoyed reading this one. Through almost all of this I thought the ex was involved somewhere, but no, the knee to the balls Ellie delivered whilst shopping was all the closure she needed.
It was easy and fun to read with a great story. The only thing I would have really liked to see added would be an epilogue or just one more chapter... Big Harv’s just out of surgery & given the interaction between Brice & Ellie, there’s obviously a relationship in the making. I just would have liked to see a little more to know that Ellie was happy & getting her life back on track.
May 27, 2015
Thanks Thomas & Mercer and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this very entertaining book.
I really liked this book and couldn't believe how quick it went. This one cut right to the chase in the first chapter teasing you to read further just to figure what in the heck this killer guy was doing. There were a couple of funny parts, something unusual for a crime mystery book, but I liked it. There were also some surprises that I totally did not see coming.
I really enjoyed the characters in this book as well. I would read more books in this series as I really liked Ellen Harper a lot. She's a very smart woman who doesn't take any crap and I like that a lot!!!
A great story, great characters, couple of chuckles, crazy psycho serial killer and a very strong female lead. What's not to like?
I really liked this book and couldn't believe how quick it went. This one cut right to the chase in the first chapter teasing you to read further just to figure what in the heck this killer guy was doing. There were a couple of funny parts, something unusual for a crime mystery book, but I liked it. There were also some surprises that I totally did not see coming.
I really enjoyed the characters in this book as well. I would read more books in this series as I really liked Ellen Harper a lot. She's a very smart woman who doesn't take any crap and I like that a lot!!!
A great story, great characters, couple of chuckles, crazy psycho serial killer and a very strong female lead. What's not to like?
October 19, 2015
I love, this cover.
This was a fun afternoon read.
It kept me turning the pages but I must say when I got to the stage where I realized we are not dealing with only one crazy person I started to get a bit bored. This is very overdone now.
What I loved was the relationship between the female lead and her dad. That was really good and fun and it kept me reading once I realized that the dad will not simply be written out of the story.
Do not get too technical in this book. It is written for escapism not for analysis.
If this is your genre, I say go for it.
WaAr
This was a fun afternoon read.
It kept me turning the pages but I must say when I got to the stage where I realized we are not dealing with only one crazy person I started to get a bit bored. This is very overdone now.
What I loved was the relationship between the female lead and her dad. That was really good and fun and it kept me reading once I realized that the dad will not simply be written out of the story.
Do not get too technical in this book. It is written for escapism not for analysis.
If this is your genre, I say go for it.
WaAr
August 15, 2013
First book in a new series about a police woman turned forensic examiner. Fast moving and full of action. No profanity for the sake of profanity. I will read more in this series. Author has another series that I plan to try.
July 25, 2014
A new series with new characters but still Rick Murcer does not disappoint. Everytime I thought I had it figured out there was another twist and the ending was totally unexpected. Can't wait until the next book!
January 5, 2015
I love Rick Murcer’s Manny William’s series so it was a no-brainer that I would devour this one as fast as his others. His writing is never bogged down with pages of fancy descriptions but has a lot of dialogue, which is what makes the story fast paced. He also seems to have a good knowledge of how a police department is run so there isn't anything that makes the reader doubt what is happening. It took no time at all to get hooked on Murcer’s newest protagonist, Ellen Harper, a hotshot forensic tech with an uncanny ability to put pieces together and help solve the hard cases. Ellen has had some rough times in the recent past- a messy divorce and dealing with the loss of her mother- and she’s having a hard time getting past these issues, getting called into her boss’ office over and over for her anger issues. To make matters worse (or maybe better), the police chief Ellen has to answer to also happens to be her dad.
There’s a new serial killer in town, a nasty murderer who kidnaps beautiful women, tortures them and then strangles them, leaving them for the police to find with the cryptic message “Not Her.” Ellen has a big job to do, searching through all the evidence for any tiny clue that will lead to the murderer before the next kidnapped victim shows up dead. But like any good thriller, Ellen catches the eye of the killer and she ends up working to save herself too.
This book starts off fast and doesn’t slow down. Ellen is a great character with a lot of depth, and as the story goes along we get to know her and see her grow throughout the book. The other characters fit well into the story too and it all pieces together to make an ending that you won’t believe. I loved this book and really hope that another book in the series is coming soon. Another winning series for sure by Rick Murcer!
There’s a new serial killer in town, a nasty murderer who kidnaps beautiful women, tortures them and then strangles them, leaving them for the police to find with the cryptic message “Not Her.” Ellen has a big job to do, searching through all the evidence for any tiny clue that will lead to the murderer before the next kidnapped victim shows up dead. But like any good thriller, Ellen catches the eye of the killer and she ends up working to save herself too.
This book starts off fast and doesn’t slow down. Ellen is a great character with a lot of depth, and as the story goes along we get to know her and see her grow throughout the book. The other characters fit well into the story too and it all pieces together to make an ending that you won’t believe. I loved this book and really hope that another book in the series is coming soon. Another winning series for sure by Rick Murcer!
August 25, 2016
Drop Dead Perfect...what can I say? I hadn't even finished Chapter One and I could tell our main perpetrator was a nut job...but the extent of the nuttiness just kept growing as the story went on!
I was just settling into the story and liking the characters (other than our nutty serial killer) and then Chapter 14 (there are 52 chapters so only a quarter of the way in) threw a cat amongst the pigeons! My hand flew to my mouth in shock!!
I liked the character of Ellen/Ellie; she doesn't hold back but she's methodical in her work, processing the crime scene. She doesn't want other opinions to cloud her judgment or findings. I loved the spark Ellie has with Brice; I would be interested to see if anything further will happen between the pair in future books (hint hint Mr Murcer). I really liked the main character being a forensic specialist rather than a detective or police officer; it made a refreshing change to have the crime solved through science!
Having had a nosey at the author's profile on Amazon, I will be getting one of the Manny Williams books to try.
A big thank you to Thomas & Mercer, Amazon Publishing and Netgalley for giving me this ebook in return for my unbiased review.
I was just settling into the story and liking the characters (other than our nutty serial killer) and then Chapter 14 (there are 52 chapters so only a quarter of the way in) threw a cat amongst the pigeons! My hand flew to my mouth in shock!!
I liked the character of Ellen/Ellie; she doesn't hold back but she's methodical in her work, processing the crime scene. She doesn't want other opinions to cloud her judgment or findings. I loved the spark Ellie has with Brice; I would be interested to see if anything further will happen between the pair in future books (hint hint Mr Murcer). I really liked the main character being a forensic specialist rather than a detective or police officer; it made a refreshing change to have the crime solved through science!
Having had a nosey at the author's profile on Amazon, I will be getting one of the Manny Williams books to try.
A big thank you to Thomas & Mercer, Amazon Publishing and Netgalley for giving me this ebook in return for my unbiased review.
February 10, 2016
I won this book, for free, on Goodreads First Reads. When I won this book, I thought, "why did I enter to win this book?". When I picked it up to read it, I thought, "why did I wait so long to read it?". It was THAT good and I am kicking myself for not reading it sooner. As I was reading it, I talked about a little bit about what I was reading at work and now, I have several people waiting in line to read it. The book is CSI-like and is about a serial killer and takes place in Chicago. It is a fast ready and I could hardly put it down. I read it on my lunch hour at work and before I went to sleep at night, but alas, I had to go back to work and had to sleep. If you like the crime genre, this book is definitely for you!!
August 14, 2013
After reading Murcer's Manny Williams books, I was intrigued by this new series featuring Ellen Harper. A more accurate rating would be 3 1/2 stars, if that was possible. I liked the main characters and the story line did draw me in. BUT, just as with the Manny Williams books, enough already with the overdone plots! The story line could have been well done/developed with half as many wacked out, psycho characters all crammed into the same book! Save some of them for the next story for goodness sakes!
April 22, 2016
I won this through Goodreads giveaway.
It was good, not the best mystery I've read, but included some surprises. I would read the next book if it becomes a series. I want to know more about the protagonist and her close associates. I can recommend it to those who mysteries about serial killers with a little romance thrown in.
It was good, not the best mystery I've read, but included some surprises. I would read the next book if it becomes a series. I want to know more about the protagonist and her close associates. I can recommend it to those who mysteries about serial killers with a little romance thrown in.
July 7, 2015
A CSI, Ellen Harper, is the main character - she has anger issues after her husband ran off with another woman. I think her anger issues were a little too much is why I didn;t like the book as much as I would have otherwise. A light, fun mystery
March 29, 2016
I LOVED THIS BOOK
I seriously couldn't stop reading this story. I loved the characters, the flow of the plot, everything. He had me from the beginning. Intense, suspenseful and so hard to put down!
I seriously couldn't stop reading this story. I loved the characters, the flow of the plot, everything. He had me from the beginning. Intense, suspenseful and so hard to put down!
April 1, 2018
(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)
A disturbing and gruesome serial killer is on the loose with a distinct calling card: after every murder, he stages his victim’s body with meticulous attention to detail—perfectly dressed, perfectly made-up, and pinned with the disconcerting message “NOT HER.” This serial killer won’t settle for anything less than perfection.
Forensics expert Ellen Harper is assigned to investigate the bizarre string of crimes. Reeling from a recent divorce, she channels her emotions and energy into protecting the women of Chicago from the deranged killer. To complicate matters, Brice Rogers, a good-looking detective with some issues of his own, is working the case at her side.
As the body count climbs, Ellen must attempt to conquer her own demons, piece together the workings of a mind born of hate, and find the murderer before he kills again. And again.
This was a good, fun read. Everything I expect from this genre was evident - good guy, bad guy, mystery, thrills, suspense...it was all there, in logical order, with little to no editing errors. Overall, in that aspect, it was a good story.
The issues I had were in character development - they were either plain and boring or were either neurotic or just the very best at everything - and there was no real clear direction for the plot. It felt like the really good idea that got us started was abandoned for a simpler, safer alternative halfway through.
If you are looking for a quick afternoon read, then this could be the book for you!
Paul
ARH
A disturbing and gruesome serial killer is on the loose with a distinct calling card: after every murder, he stages his victim’s body with meticulous attention to detail—perfectly dressed, perfectly made-up, and pinned with the disconcerting message “NOT HER.” This serial killer won’t settle for anything less than perfection.
Forensics expert Ellen Harper is assigned to investigate the bizarre string of crimes. Reeling from a recent divorce, she channels her emotions and energy into protecting the women of Chicago from the deranged killer. To complicate matters, Brice Rogers, a good-looking detective with some issues of his own, is working the case at her side.
As the body count climbs, Ellen must attempt to conquer her own demons, piece together the workings of a mind born of hate, and find the murderer before he kills again. And again.
This was a good, fun read. Everything I expect from this genre was evident - good guy, bad guy, mystery, thrills, suspense...it was all there, in logical order, with little to no editing errors. Overall, in that aspect, it was a good story.
The issues I had were in character development - they were either plain and boring or were either neurotic or just the very best at everything - and there was no real clear direction for the plot. It felt like the really good idea that got us started was abandoned for a simpler, safer alternative halfway through.
If you are looking for a quick afternoon read, then this could be the book for you!
Paul
ARH
December 31, 2016
This is an enjoyable read, with some very compelling moments, but I cannot fully endorse this book as a "must read" simply because it seems to try too hard at times: the budding relationship feels a bit forced; the closest friend of the main character was needlessly thrown into the climax of the story; and the final plot twist was not necessary and felt clumsy. I do not want to be too harsh as I was entertained, but I am left wondering just how much better this book could have been if the author had perhaps been more focused on the critical plot elements and less focused on generic plot and character devices.
December 29, 2016
"A Perfect Story ... Enthralling!"
In this intense crime novel, a disturbed, gruesome serial killer is on the loose in Chicago. He's seeking perfection in women ... if they aren't perfect, they are dead. Forensics expert Ellen Harper is investigating these murders, along with detective Brice Rogers who has some issues which Ellen has to deal with. Things are tense as the body count rises. This story has a major twist near the end; it is captivating, awesome, and well written. It's a story which shocks you, but it also has a tinge of romance. I loved it.
In this intense crime novel, a disturbed, gruesome serial killer is on the loose in Chicago. He's seeking perfection in women ... if they aren't perfect, they are dead. Forensics expert Ellen Harper is investigating these murders, along with detective Brice Rogers who has some issues which Ellen has to deal with. Things are tense as the body count rises. This story has a major twist near the end; it is captivating, awesome, and well written. It's a story which shocks you, but it also has a tinge of romance. I loved it.
August 20, 2023
Intriguing, suspenseful mystery!
Ellen Harper, CSI, has anger issues since her divorce, and she is working on this problem. A woman's body is found posed on a park bench. Rick Murcer writes compellingly to keep the readers attention to see what will happen next. If you like a good mystery with some surprises, then you should like this book. Happy reading! 😊
Ellen Harper, CSI, has anger issues since her divorce, and she is working on this problem. A woman's body is found posed on a park bench. Rick Murcer writes compellingly to keep the readers attention to see what will happen next. If you like a good mystery with some surprises, then you should like this book. Happy reading! 😊
January 8, 2017
Good read
Thought it was great. I loved the different perspectives of each character from chapter to chapter. It was not very suspenseful more as I just wanted to know why the murders were happening. Overall it was a great book that I found on kindle unlimited.
Thought it was great. I loved the different perspectives of each character from chapter to chapter. It was not very suspenseful more as I just wanted to know why the murders were happening. Overall it was a great book that I found on kindle unlimited.
January 30, 2018
This was another good, suspenseful serial killer novel - my favorite genre for right now. These characters are well written, intense plot, I think you will enjoy this read if this is the genre for you!
August 14, 2018
Riveting and well-written
Dark and disturbing, with twists, action, and well-defined, larger than life characters. Not for the faint of heart, but a good read for those who aren't afraid to peer into the dark potential of humanity.
Dark and disturbing, with twists, action, and well-defined, larger than life characters. Not for the faint of heart, but a good read for those who aren't afraid to peer into the dark potential of humanity.
July 8, 2021
Can’t finish
Sorry but I just can’t finish this and I would hazard a guess that if I didn’t it would get 1 instead of 2 stars. The bickering and fighting between the detectives is unproductive, unprofessional and just down right irritating.
Sorry but I just can’t finish this and I would hazard a guess that if I didn’t it would get 1 instead of 2 stars. The bickering and fighting between the detectives is unproductive, unprofessional and just down right irritating.
July 28, 2017
Drop dead prrfect
I liked the story and the plot twist was very unexpected. Written very well. I will look for other books by Rick Murcer.
I liked the story and the plot twist was very unexpected. Written very well. I will look for other books by Rick Murcer.
August 30, 2018
Definitely some twists
Interesting storyline that kept my attention. Hoping there's followup books with same characters. Want to see more of lead and how she does her job.
Interesting storyline that kept my attention. Hoping there's followup books with same characters. Want to see more of lead and how she does her job.
November 1, 2024
Love me a rick murcer! And this was a page turner! Not dissapointed 1 day read
March 5, 2017
CSI fans will love it
The story is fast moving and an enjoyable ride. Liked the characters a lot. Some interesting twists along the way. Good, quick Saturday read.
The story is fast moving and an enjoyable ride. Liked the characters a lot. Some interesting twists along the way. Good, quick Saturday read.
March 7, 2017
Great read!
I really enjoyed this book, it was fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat. Thanks, I look forward to reading more by this author.
I really enjoyed this book, it was fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat. Thanks, I look forward to reading more by this author.
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