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Shaye Archer #1
Malevolent
Everyone wondered about Shaye Archer’s past. Including Shaye.
Shaye Archer’s life effectively began the night police found her in an alley, beaten and abused and with no memory of the previous fifteen years, not even her name. Nine years later, she’s a licensed private investigator, with a single goal—to get answers for her clients when there aren’t supposed to be any.
And maybe someday, answers for herself.
Emma Frederick thought her nightmare was over when she killed her abusive husband, but someone is stalking her and tormenting her with mementos from her past. With no evidence to support her claims, the police dismiss her claims as post-traumatic stress, but Shaye is convinced that someone is deliberately terrorizing Emma…playing a cat and mouse game with only one goal in mind.
To kill Emma.
Shaye Archer’s life effectively began the night police found her in an alley, beaten and abused and with no memory of the previous fifteen years, not even her name. Nine years later, she’s a licensed private investigator, with a single goal—to get answers for her clients when there aren’t supposed to be any.
And maybe someday, answers for herself.
Emma Frederick thought her nightmare was over when she killed her abusive husband, but someone is stalking her and tormenting her with mementos from her past. With no evidence to support her claims, the police dismiss her claims as post-traumatic stress, but Shaye is convinced that someone is deliberately terrorizing Emma…playing a cat and mouse game with only one goal in mind.
To kill Emma.
357 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 3, 2015
7394 people are currently reading
9321 people want to read
About the author
Jana Deleon
107 books4,254 followersNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jana DeLeon was raised in southwest Louisiana among the bayous and gators. Her hometown is Carlyss, but you probably won't find it on a map. Her family owned a camp located on a bayou just off the Gulf of Mexico that you could only get there by boat. The most important feature was the rope hammock hanging in the shade on a huge deck that stretched out over the water where Jana spent many hours reading books.
Jana and her brother spent thousands of hours combing the bayous in a flat-bottom aluminum boat, studying the natural habitat of many birds, nutria and alligators. She would like you to know that no animals were injured during these "studies," but they kept makers of peroxide in business.
Jana has never stumbled across a mystery or a ghost like her heroines, but she's still hopeful.
She now resides in Dallas, Texas, with the most spoiled Sheltie in the world.
Jana and her brother spent thousands of hours combing the bayous in a flat-bottom aluminum boat, studying the natural habitat of many birds, nutria and alligators. She would like you to know that no animals were injured during these "studies," but they kept makers of peroxide in business.
Jana has never stumbled across a mystery or a ghost like her heroines, but she's still hopeful.
She now resides in Dallas, Texas, with the most spoiled Sheltie in the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,287 reviews
March 4, 2018
This was quite an enjoyable read for an iBook freebie! It sucked me in right from the beginning, it’s been awhile since I’ve read a thriller that captured my attention so thoroughly. Normally I can see the plot twists coming from a mile away but this book kept me guessing the whole way through. I really enjoyed the main character, her past really intrigued me and I’d really love to know more about it!
February 21, 2016
This was a really promising start to a new series--complex heroine, interesting suspense, likeable characters--until the deus ex machina of an ending. There truly was no hint of the identity of the culprit until nearly the end, and I felt cheated.
So a full star off of what had been a really good story for the out-of-left-field villain. I probably will read the next book in the series as the story otherwise was quite good. Let's hope the author doesn't pull the same nonsense in that one.
So a full star off of what had been a really good story for the out-of-left-field villain. I probably will read the next book in the series as the story otherwise was quite good. Let's hope the author doesn't pull the same nonsense in that one.
December 28, 2016
Okay, I admit it: I'm a sucker for a free book. But even when that opportunity gets dumped in my lap (or more appropriately, my inbox), I'm careful what I pick because I hate wasting my precious time on a loser. Well, I'm delighted to report that this one's a gem. Better yet, it's the first in what is billed as a three-book series, so now I can look forward to reading two more.
Featured is a mid-20s private investigator named Shaye Archer, who lives and works in New Orleans. She's a mystery herself; found beaten and horribly abused around the age of 15, she was adopted by a wealthy woman and counseled by that woman's close friend, an ultra-competent psychiatrist. Still, she has no memory at all of her life up to the time she apparently escaped from her unknown captor. Heck, she doesn't even know her real name, so she chose one for herself (though where on the planet she came up with Shaye is a total mystery to me; hey, maybe it will turn out she's related to Frank Zappa or Gwyneth Paltrow).
Even before she's got furniture in her small office, she gets a client. Emma Frederick, a hospital nurse, is sure she's got a malicious stalker - but since she's got no proof, the police aren't taking her complaints seriously. Worse, the stalker looks exactly like her former husband, even though it can't be him; when he turned violent and tried to kill her, she beat him to it - killing him in what the police determined to be self-defense.
In part because of Shaye's own experiences, she believes that Emma really is in danger, even though they both know it can't be her dead husband. But who could it be? When Shaye begins to dig into her investigation, the stalker clearly isn't pleased; suddenly, as those close to Shaye (and Shaye herself) become targets, the race is on to get to him before he gets to them. Along the way, Shaye manages to get on the good side of a "good" cop - one who believes Emma really is in danger but can't do much because he's stuck with a near-retirement partner who doesn't have the slightest interest in rocking the boat - or for that matter, doing any real work. And here's a big surprise: The good guy also is good-looking, single and not too far from Shaye's age.
The action moves along quickly - and, for those who are sensitive to such things, sometimes in rather gory detail - all the way to the end. Well, almost; I probably could have done without the last chapter, which seemed to be tacked on as an afterthought. It did, however, set the stage for the next book in the series, and I'm certainly ready to pick up where this one left off. All in all, an impressive start!
Featured is a mid-20s private investigator named Shaye Archer, who lives and works in New Orleans. She's a mystery herself; found beaten and horribly abused around the age of 15, she was adopted by a wealthy woman and counseled by that woman's close friend, an ultra-competent psychiatrist. Still, she has no memory at all of her life up to the time she apparently escaped from her unknown captor. Heck, she doesn't even know her real name, so she chose one for herself (though where on the planet she came up with Shaye is a total mystery to me; hey, maybe it will turn out she's related to Frank Zappa or Gwyneth Paltrow).
Even before she's got furniture in her small office, she gets a client. Emma Frederick, a hospital nurse, is sure she's got a malicious stalker - but since she's got no proof, the police aren't taking her complaints seriously. Worse, the stalker looks exactly like her former husband, even though it can't be him; when he turned violent and tried to kill her, she beat him to it - killing him in what the police determined to be self-defense.
In part because of Shaye's own experiences, she believes that Emma really is in danger, even though they both know it can't be her dead husband. But who could it be? When Shaye begins to dig into her investigation, the stalker clearly isn't pleased; suddenly, as those close to Shaye (and Shaye herself) become targets, the race is on to get to him before he gets to them. Along the way, Shaye manages to get on the good side of a "good" cop - one who believes Emma really is in danger but can't do much because he's stuck with a near-retirement partner who doesn't have the slightest interest in rocking the boat - or for that matter, doing any real work. And here's a big surprise: The good guy also is good-looking, single and not too far from Shaye's age.
The action moves along quickly - and, for those who are sensitive to such things, sometimes in rather gory detail - all the way to the end. Well, almost; I probably could have done without the last chapter, which seemed to be tacked on as an afterthought. It did, however, set the stage for the next book in the series, and I'm certainly ready to pick up where this one left off. All in all, an impressive start!
September 10, 2016
Another book that felt very amateurish! UGH! I didn't finish this book. The book felt like it was written by a teenager without much writing experience. A young, female PI signs on a new female client that is being stalked. We know very early on that the stalker is following the client prior to visiting the PI. To ensure that the stalker does not know that the PI is actually a PI when she visits the client at her home, she poses as an interior decorator by taking a large book of fabric swatches to the home. If the stalker was watching the client, he would have most likely already know the young girl is a PI! The PI finds a letter left for the client but doesn't bag it as evidence....just picks it up and puts it in her bag. The PI believes the client has a GPS on her car, allowing the stalker to track her but doesn't check the car or tell the client until much later......really! This would also have allowed the stalker to know the client was visiting a PI.
A book filled with so many holes so early on.
I don't recommend reading this book.
A book filled with so many holes so early on.
I don't recommend reading this book.
November 4, 2015
I absolutely loved this book. It was difficult to put it down. I so wasn't expecting the stalker. Looking forward to learning about Shaye's past and of course her future Detective Jackson Lamotte!!!
January 17, 2026
Before Jana Deleon found her groove with Cozy Mystery Series heroine Fortune Redding and Swamp Team 3, she wrote this Mystery series about Shaye Archer, a woman who suffered memory loss but went on to become a Private Investigator. Shaye is a closed off character who kinda reminded me of another Private Investigator Kinsey Milhorne with shades of Eve Dallas. With shadows in her past, Shaye helps others with problems the police can't or won't get involved with. I don't know what I expected with this book, I knew it was a mystery, but I guess I didn't expect something so dark.
Emma Fredrick's husband is dead. She knows he is; she killed him. So how is he terrorizing her? That is the question Shay Archer, newly minted Private Investigator, has to answer.
Emma Fredrick's husband is dead. She knows he is; she killed him. So how is he terrorizing her? That is the question Shay Archer, newly minted Private Investigator, has to answer.
August 18, 2015
Девять лет назад на улицах Нового Орлеана нашли девушку. Грязную, израненную, шокированную...
Уже в больнице выяснилось, что она явно прошла через ад. Многолетний ад. Кости в теле были сломаны по несколько раз и, так как медицинскую помощь не оказывали, срослись неправильно. Неизвестную долго держали в плену и подвергали пыткам.
Врачи определили, что ей около пятнадцати лет.
Вот и вся информация. Девушка не помнила ни своей прошлой жизни, ни своего имени, ни своего мучителя. Разосланные по всей стране фото и призывы не помогли. Она словно появилась из ниоткуда.
2015 год. Шэй Арчер так ничего и не вспомнила, но каким-то чудом сумела наладить жизнь. Огромную роль в этом сыграли взявшая ее под опеку соцработник (чью фамилию Шэй теперь и носит) и замечательный психолог.
Шэй прилежно училась и наконец получила лицензию частного детектива.
И первое же ее дело связано с насилием над женщиной.
Муж Эммы Фредерик изменился после военной командировки. Он пугал ее, бил. И в один прекрасный день Эмма муженька зарезала. Самооборона.
Но через какое-то время ее начинают преследовать, и Эмма четко видит лицо сталкера - это ее погибший муж. И ублюдок точно так же насвистывает песенку про слепых мышат и явно слишком много знает о жизни Эммы.
Полиция не верит, а вот Шэй Арчер берется за расследование.
Которое осложняется собственными кошмарами Шэй. Она не знает, что из них вымысел, а что - пробуждающиеся воспоминания.
**********************
Джана меня удивила. И в хорошем, и в плохом смысле.
Сначала о хорошем: это очень напряженный и жутковатый триллер. После "cozy mystery" в исполнении автора - весьма неожиданно.
На некоторых моментах сердце замирало.
Плюс в романе много сильных женщин (и Эмма, и Шэй, и ее приемная мать, и подруга матери - психолог), что мне тоже понравилось. А вот мужчины как-то не впечатляют, но на это можно закрыть глаза.
Описательная часть чудесная, Новый Орлеан атмосферен, история захватывает.
А вот диалоги...
Диалоги меня разочаровали. Слишком пафосные и напыщенные на мой вкус.
Да, я поняла, что с Шэй случилось нечто страшное. И да, я могу составить мнение о героине самостоятельно. По ее словам и поступкам. А не по тому, как часто и сопливо все вокруг обсуждают ее "жуткое прошлое" и как не устают повторять, мол, Шэй такая умница-разумница-сильная-и-смелая.
Спасибо.
Ненавижу, когда в тексте активно давят на болевые точки и пытаются что-то навязать. Расскажите мне историю, а я уж сама решу, кого любить, а кого ненавидеть.
В общем, смешанные впечатления. Иногда хотелось, чтоб все заткнулись и автор ограничилась описаниями и действиями)))
Но послевкусие занятное, жду продолжение серии.
Уже в больнице выяснилось, что она явно прошла через ад. Многолетний ад. Кости в теле были сломаны по несколько раз и, так как медицинскую помощь не оказывали, срослись неправильно. Неизвестную долго держали в плену и подвергали пыткам.
Врачи определили, что ей около пятнадцати лет.
Вот и вся информация. Девушка не помнила ни своей прошлой жизни, ни своего имени, ни своего мучителя. Разосланные по всей стране фото и призывы не помогли. Она словно появилась из ниоткуда.
2015 год. Шэй Арчер так ничего и не вспомнила, но каким-то чудом сумела наладить жизнь. Огромную роль в этом сыграли взявшая ее под опеку соцработник (чью фамилию Шэй теперь и носит) и замечательный психолог.
Шэй прилежно училась и наконец получила лицензию частного детектива.
И первое же ее дело связано с насилием над женщиной.
Муж Эммы Фредерик изменился после военной командировки. Он пугал ее, бил. И в один прекрасный день Эмма муженька зарезала. Самооборона.
Но через какое-то время ее начинают преследовать, и Эмма четко видит лицо сталкера - это ее погибший муж. И ублюдок точно так же насвистывает песенку про слепых мышат и явно слишком много знает о жизни Эммы.
Полиция не верит, а вот Шэй Арчер берется за расследование.
Которое осложняется собственными кошмарами Шэй. Она не знает, что из них вымысел, а что - пробуждающиеся воспоминания.
**********************
Джана меня удивила. И в хорошем, и в плохом смысле.
Сначала о хорошем: это очень напряженный и жутковатый триллер. После "cozy mystery" в исполнении автора - весьма неожиданно.
На некоторых моментах сердце замирало.
Плюс в романе много сильных женщин (и Эмма, и Шэй, и ее приемная мать, и подруга матери - психолог), что мне тоже понравилось. А вот мужчины как-то не впечатляют, но на это можно закрыть глаза.
Описательная часть чудесная, Новый Орлеан атмосферен, история захватывает.
А вот диалоги...
Диалоги меня разочаровали. Слишком пафосные и напыщенные на мой вкус.
Да, я поняла, что с Шэй случилось нечто страшное. И да, я могу составить мнение о героине самостоятельно. По ее словам и поступкам. А не по тому, как часто и сопливо все вокруг обсуждают ее "жуткое прошлое" и как не устают повторять, мол, Шэй такая умница-разумница-сильная-и-смелая.
Спасибо.
Ненавижу, когда в тексте активно давят на болевые точки и пытаются что-то навязать. Расскажите мне историю, а я уж сама решу, кого любить, а кого ненавидеть.
В общем, смешанные впечатления. Иногда хотелось, чтоб все заткнулись и автор ограничилась описаниями и действиями)))
Но послевкусие занятное, жду продолжение серии.
July 22, 2020
Amazing story.
Shaye Archer's character itself was not a normal one and kept me riveted on the story. The plot and premise of the story was multi layered and the twists and turns of the story were enjoyable till the very end.
Shaye Archer's character itself was not a normal one and kept me riveted on the story. The plot and premise of the story was multi layered and the twists and turns of the story were enjoyable till the very end.
September 30, 2016
SPOILER ALERT
I have always liked reading mystery and detective stories, so when I got the opportunity to read this book I welcomed it with open hands. Malevolent is the first book in the Shaye Archer series. It is a mix of not so good detective work and an even worse suspense and mystery aura.
The book starts with Shaye, the main protagonist, accepting a new client at her private detective agency. We know right of the bat with what case the book will be dealing with. The case is a detective cliché, dealing with stalking due to murder. That is a bit disappointing; this topic has been covered in detective books from top to bottom already and is certainly nothing fresh. It reeks of death, as a matter of fact.
As far as detective skills go - we are told at the beginning that Shaye is just starting in the whole detective business. While that prepares us for a few beginner mistakes, which is fine, it does certainly not prepare us for the apathetic detective. Shaye is made out to be a very smart woman, but her actions disprove that. While she is posing as an interior designer, she picks up the envelope left by the stalker and puts it in her bag, like a complete amateur. There is just nothing there that would make her stand out more as a detective than a random person passing by. Her solving skills are really bad, which brings me to the next point.
Shaye caught the wrong guy. Rings a bell? Yes, another familiar tune. Somehow all writers manage to implement catching the wrong guy in their books without fail and it is annoying. As a reader you will be able to see that before anyone else in the book does. And that does not make it a fun read whatsoever.
Plot twist without any background is pointless and stupid. You will find out at the end, that the person behind the stalking is actually a character that had five lines in the whole book. It was like the author thought it would be really interesting to do that and screw with us readers. I do not mind screwing around but making the main antagonist someone that was not involved in the main story whatsoever is just dumb. You cannot even relate to that character because of that and when the moment of revelation comes you are just left unconcerned and uninterested.
All in all, it is a good enough read if you have nothing else to read, and you just want to waste some time on a book that you will not remember or regret reading.
I have always liked reading mystery and detective stories, so when I got the opportunity to read this book I welcomed it with open hands. Malevolent is the first book in the Shaye Archer series. It is a mix of not so good detective work and an even worse suspense and mystery aura.
The book starts with Shaye, the main protagonist, accepting a new client at her private detective agency. We know right of the bat with what case the book will be dealing with. The case is a detective cliché, dealing with stalking due to murder. That is a bit disappointing; this topic has been covered in detective books from top to bottom already and is certainly nothing fresh. It reeks of death, as a matter of fact.
As far as detective skills go - we are told at the beginning that Shaye is just starting in the whole detective business. While that prepares us for a few beginner mistakes, which is fine, it does certainly not prepare us for the apathetic detective. Shaye is made out to be a very smart woman, but her actions disprove that. While she is posing as an interior designer, she picks up the envelope left by the stalker and puts it in her bag, like a complete amateur. There is just nothing there that would make her stand out more as a detective than a random person passing by. Her solving skills are really bad, which brings me to the next point.
Shaye caught the wrong guy. Rings a bell? Yes, another familiar tune. Somehow all writers manage to implement catching the wrong guy in their books without fail and it is annoying. As a reader you will be able to see that before anyone else in the book does. And that does not make it a fun read whatsoever.
Plot twist without any background is pointless and stupid. You will find out at the end, that the person behind the stalking is actually a character that had five lines in the whole book. It was like the author thought it would be really interesting to do that and screw with us readers. I do not mind screwing around but making the main antagonist someone that was not involved in the main story whatsoever is just dumb. You cannot even relate to that character because of that and when the moment of revelation comes you are just left unconcerned and uninterested.
All in all, it is a good enough read if you have nothing else to read, and you just want to waste some time on a book that you will not remember or regret reading.
October 1, 2016
Too many unrealistic situations. Ringing a company and asking a home address of an employee and getting it. Can't see that happening. Ringing a hospital and asking the receptionist if a certain nurse had clocked out and getting that information. No can't see that happening either. A nurse dispensing a med from a pill bottle. I've never seen that. Meds are usually dispensed in paper cups. Then Shaye was the most abused child ever. The dr who treated her was the best doctor ever, the old nurse the best nurse ever. The social worker and psychiatrist were the best of the best, blah blah blah. Too much.
December 25, 2017
Oh my, what a disappointment. This started so well, I thought it'd be a great read and that I'd follow with the series but gee was I wrong!
Soon enough it became overwordy, melodramatic and boring. The villain was way over the top, too caricature-evil and the PI too weak and naive but constantly praised by the other characters as clever and strong--without any showing of such qualities. The humor attempts were pathetic and often times full of misogyny and ableism.
And then, when I thought it couldn't get any worse...
Soon enough it became overwordy, melodramatic and boring. The villain was way over the top, too caricature-evil and the PI too weak and naive but constantly praised by the other characters as clever and strong--without any showing of such qualities. The humor attempts were pathetic and often times full of misogyny and ableism.
And then, when I thought it couldn't get any worse...
September 16, 2018
I found this book on my kindle and honestly don’t remember how it got there. But why the hell did it take me so long to read this gem!
Shaye is a PI with an incredibly sad past, most of which she doesn’t even remember, or has blocked out. Luckily when she was found as a confused, tortured child, a wonderful social worker stepped in to help, Corrine.
Shaye has just opened her office as a new PI when in walks Emma. A nurse that’s needs her help. She killed her abusive husband, something which he deserved. However, now she’s being stalked and tormented by him?????!!!!! Or is she!
This book was fabulous!!!!
I will be purchasing the next instalment “Sinister”, ASAP!
Shaye is a PI with an incredibly sad past, most of which she doesn’t even remember, or has blocked out. Luckily when she was found as a confused, tortured child, a wonderful social worker stepped in to help, Corrine.
Shaye has just opened her office as a new PI when in walks Emma. A nurse that’s needs her help. She killed her abusive husband, something which he deserved. However, now she’s being stalked and tormented by him?????!!!!! Or is she!
This book was fabulous!!!!
I will be purchasing the next instalment “Sinister”, ASAP!
January 11, 2019
Malevolent by Jana Deleon is the first book in the Shaye Archer Mystery series. Private Investigator Shaye Archer is hired by Emma Archer who is being stalked after having killed her abusive husband several months earlier. Shaye has her own mysterious past of abuse of which she has no memory. A terrifying, nail biting psychological thriller with plenty of suspense and plenty of twists and turns. The main let down was the identity of the killer which seemed a bit far fetched, but otherwise I enjoyed it very much.
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November 2, 2017FREE on Amazon today (11/02/2017)!
February 17, 2017
I picked up this book as a breather from non-fictions that I have been reading lately. The book starts with an interesting premise with a female protagonist. The lead character has been well defined with a murky past (probably for the sequel) and well off present which justifies a lot of literary liberties in the current story.
My issue with the book is it never goes beyond being okay and you can anticipate the climax from miles before the end. There are way too many coincidences and investigation never hits any major road block, the only super power our lead investigator seems to possess is "empathy". If you are Lousiana native you may give an extra star but I am not. I may someday pick up the next book but not for now.
My issue with the book is it never goes beyond being okay and you can anticipate the climax from miles before the end. There are way too many coincidences and investigation never hits any major road block, the only super power our lead investigator seems to possess is "empathy". If you are Lousiana native you may give an extra star but I am not. I may someday pick up the next book but not for now.
April 7, 2017
Hmmm what did I think? I'm debating between 3 and 4 stars...but tending to 4...so it's a good 3.76.
It was suspenseful...but I couldn't connect with the MC's and the plot seemed so construed...so forced. For example, the h was asking questions and different people were telling her things, they never ever wanted to tell anybody on earth and here comes Shaye, a very young private investigator, and the people open up at the first question asked. You know what I mean? The end was surprising, I never would have thought that way.
So while it was suspenseful, gripping and nice, something was off for me.
It was suspenseful...but I couldn't connect with the MC's and the plot seemed so construed...so forced. For example, the h was asking questions and different people were telling her things, they never ever wanted to tell anybody on earth and here comes Shaye, a very young private investigator, and the people open up at the first question asked. You know what I mean? The end was surprising, I never would have thought that way.
So while it was suspenseful, gripping and nice, something was off for me.
September 26, 2016
The first book in the Shaye Archer series by Jana Deleon. Shaye Archer was found nine years ago with her memory gone. Now she is opening up her own private investigation office at the age of 24. Her first client is Emma Frederick, a nurse who is being stalked by someone who looks like her dead husband.
The story involving Emma Frederick is wrapped up in this book but there are questions at the end regarding Shaye Archer and her story. One that is apparently answered later in the series. This is not a romance series and, unlike Ms. Deleon's previous series I've read, this is more on the serious side without the silly humor found in Miss Fortune Mystery and Ghost-in-Law series. I love Ms. Deleon's humor but I did not miss it here. The subject matter simply didn't call for humor. I really enjoyed it and happily skip away to start the next book.
The story involving Emma Frederick is wrapped up in this book but there are questions at the end regarding Shaye Archer and her story. One that is apparently answered later in the series. This is not a romance series and, unlike Ms. Deleon's previous series I've read, this is more on the serious side without the silly humor found in Miss Fortune Mystery and Ghost-in-Law series. I love Ms. Deleon's humor but I did not miss it here. The subject matter simply didn't call for humor. I really enjoyed it and happily skip away to start the next book.
October 16, 2016
This is an interesting murder mystery where the private investigator herself has been a victim of a horrific crime that she doesn't fully remember. This is the first of a three installment series with this investigation focused on Emma Frederikson, who is being stalked by her thought to be dead ex husband. The lead character, Shay Archer helps her get to the bottom of it and it has interesting twist which is a requirement for a good murder mystery. Looking forward to the next installment, Sinister.
January 25, 2017
This was a good read. I loved the twist at the end that I never saw coming. There is violence in it but still an enjoyable book. The characters were well developed and at times I felt I was right there in New Orleans. I will certainly read other books the author writes with Shaye as the main character
August 7, 2018
We are in the process of moving, so my choice of books has been limited to mysteries and thrillers. This one was a freebie that I obtained through Book Bub. Oftentimes with these books, you get what you pay for: nothing. But this book was quite good and in the future I would not hesitate to buy a book by this author. The author immediately grabs the attention of the reader and the pace never slows. It has a cast of strong female characters whose actions and back stories are believable and intriguing. My only criticism of the book is that it could have benefited from the services of a professional proofreader as there are multiple typos and other proofing errors (at least in Kindle edition). That said, none are so bad that they distract from the plot or character development.
February 15, 2025
For most of the book, this was a solid 3.5 star read, but while the ending was definitely unpredictable, I thought it was super problematic in some ways. TW: stalking, murder, gore, transphobia
October 9, 2020
I enjoyed this book!
I originally picked it up because my book club on my reader group chose it for our October monthly read.
Malevolent was full of twists and turns and it kept me guessing until nearly the end. I suggest this one for all my thriller-lover friends!
I originally picked it up because my book club on my reader group chose it for our October monthly read.
Malevolent was full of twists and turns and it kept me guessing until nearly the end. I suggest this one for all my thriller-lover friends!
January 6, 2018
This was a good book! It reminded me a lot of Mr Perfect by Linda Howard tho
February 17, 2019
It was an interesting book. It is unrealistic, but still a good story. It wasn’t great in my opinion, but I still enjoyed it.
June 1, 2018
Malevolent, by Jana Deleon, had an interesting beginning. Readers are given a glimpse of Detective Shaye Archer's disturbing childhood, which immediately grabbed my attention. Like many mysteries I have encountered this year, the detective, Shaye, has a personal mystery from her past that is way more interesting than the main plot line. However, I do not think I am going to continue reading the series because I do not really enjoy novels about child abuse.
January 2, 2022
After a promising start, I thought things came to a conclusion rather easily. The writing is good though, and I can see why the series seems to have a good following. Unsure whether I'll be reading the second.
October 24, 2019
I have a generous two stars for a disappointment of a book.
I went into this first installment of the Shay Archer series with my expectations somewhere in the middle.
I didn’t expect that the books would be as fun and exciting as her other series, but I’d hoped to find this book much less boring than I did.
Honestly, it was like I was reading a completely different author. The only thing that told me I wasn’t was the repeated employment of descriptive phrases and lines of dialogue that appear in the series of hers I like.
If one more “blush crept up” a woman’s “neck,” or warning about “young [women]” “taking risks” issued forth from an overprotective mother or paternal figure/potential love interest I was going to jump out a window.
No joke, if a 24-year-old woman needs to be told repeatedly to “be careful,” she ought not to be allowed to cross the street, let alone operate a motor vehicle.
The other huuuuuuge problem I had was the narrator’s inability or unwillingness to even attempt to affect a Louisiana/Nola accent.
I got no sense of the setting and had to keep reminding myself that the book took place in a city in the south and not LA, New York, Chicago, or Boston.
But this isn’t all on the narrator. The author is lazy here as well. We get nothing of the magic that is Nola. Rather, what we get is the hospital, the protagonist’s apartment/office, the police station, an old house, and one quick trip to a shack in the sticks. It was like going on a business trip; you’re in this interesting place but never see anything other than the boardroom, your hotel room and the airport.
As for the protagonist, I got through the entire book and there was no connection at all. while I can identify with her on some level, I have no sense of her what so ever. There is nothing there to distinguish her as an autonomous, three-dimensional character other than the title of the series.
More importantly, if authors want readers to take their heroines seriously, they should, in my opinion, refrain from reminding them over and over again of their youth, inexperience, and frailty.
There are better, more sophisticated ways to depict vulnerability, and I expected better from this author.
Also, you know you’ve got trouble when the killer has more presence than the person whose job it is to bring him to justice. This character should not be this flat or insubstantial. Perhaps a first-person POV for this character might have helped a little, but who knows.
I saw very little investigating on her part. What she does is ask a few questions and check in with the cops as though she were one of the lowly uniforms tasked with knocking on doors after a crime.
At best, she is the female half of a police partnership. I understand that it behooves PIs to cultivate a healthy relationship with local law enforcement, but the degree to which Shay deals with Jackson makes little sense.
Also, I don’t buy that someone would go to the wall for a client the way that Shay did for Emma; Shay’s acting as body guard strikes me weird, not simply because it is far beyond the duties of a private detective but because the author spends the first 30 percent of the book reminding readers that a strong wind could blow her over.
Also, I’m really not down with Shay’s choice to lie, by omission, to her mother about why she was targeted. If Shay was so worried about her mother’s wanting to take an active role in the investigation, she should have given her some kind of busy work that she could do while recovering from the beating.
The adult thing to do would be to say “Mom, I’m so, so sorry that you were set up, beaten, and nearly killed because of my job. I know you are worried and that you want to help, so here are some phone calls I want you to make and some other things I want you to look at while you’re in bed.”
The whole thing smacks of immaturity and selfishness, and I ain’t here for it.
All in all, while I do plan to give another installment of this series a try, and while I am willing to allow for some problematic writing in a “first book,” I have to say that I’m not especially impressed with anything Shay Archer has to offer.
I’m off to re-read the Mis Fortune mysteries and dig into my Halloween reading.
I went into this first installment of the Shay Archer series with my expectations somewhere in the middle.
I didn’t expect that the books would be as fun and exciting as her other series, but I’d hoped to find this book much less boring than I did.
Honestly, it was like I was reading a completely different author. The only thing that told me I wasn’t was the repeated employment of descriptive phrases and lines of dialogue that appear in the series of hers I like.
If one more “blush crept up” a woman’s “neck,” or warning about “young [women]” “taking risks” issued forth from an overprotective mother or paternal figure/potential love interest I was going to jump out a window.
No joke, if a 24-year-old woman needs to be told repeatedly to “be careful,” she ought not to be allowed to cross the street, let alone operate a motor vehicle.
The other huuuuuuge problem I had was the narrator’s inability or unwillingness to even attempt to affect a Louisiana/Nola accent.
I got no sense of the setting and had to keep reminding myself that the book took place in a city in the south and not LA, New York, Chicago, or Boston.
But this isn’t all on the narrator. The author is lazy here as well. We get nothing of the magic that is Nola. Rather, what we get is the hospital, the protagonist’s apartment/office, the police station, an old house, and one quick trip to a shack in the sticks. It was like going on a business trip; you’re in this interesting place but never see anything other than the boardroom, your hotel room and the airport.
As for the protagonist, I got through the entire book and there was no connection at all. while I can identify with her on some level, I have no sense of her what so ever. There is nothing there to distinguish her as an autonomous, three-dimensional character other than the title of the series.
More importantly, if authors want readers to take their heroines seriously, they should, in my opinion, refrain from reminding them over and over again of their youth, inexperience, and frailty.
There are better, more sophisticated ways to depict vulnerability, and I expected better from this author.
Also, you know you’ve got trouble when the killer has more presence than the person whose job it is to bring him to justice. This character should not be this flat or insubstantial. Perhaps a first-person POV for this character might have helped a little, but who knows.
I saw very little investigating on her part. What she does is ask a few questions and check in with the cops as though she were one of the lowly uniforms tasked with knocking on doors after a crime.
At best, she is the female half of a police partnership. I understand that it behooves PIs to cultivate a healthy relationship with local law enforcement, but the degree to which Shay deals with Jackson makes little sense.
Also, I don’t buy that someone would go to the wall for a client the way that Shay did for Emma; Shay’s acting as body guard strikes me weird, not simply because it is far beyond the duties of a private detective but because the author spends the first 30 percent of the book reminding readers that a strong wind could blow her over.
Also, I’m really not down with Shay’s choice to lie, by omission, to her mother about why she was targeted. If Shay was so worried about her mother’s wanting to take an active role in the investigation, she should have given her some kind of busy work that she could do while recovering from the beating.
The adult thing to do would be to say “Mom, I’m so, so sorry that you were set up, beaten, and nearly killed because of my job. I know you are worried and that you want to help, so here are some phone calls I want you to make and some other things I want you to look at while you’re in bed.”
The whole thing smacks of immaturity and selfishness, and I ain’t here for it.
All in all, while I do plan to give another installment of this series a try, and while I am willing to allow for some problematic writing in a “first book,” I have to say that I’m not especially impressed with anything Shay Archer has to offer.
I’m off to re-read the Mis Fortune mysteries and dig into my Halloween reading.
December 31, 2016
I'll definitely read the next one in this series although I do think this one went on a bit. Certain happenings could have been omitted altogether and didn't add anything to the main story itself. She also did something I noted 3 times where she doesn't explain something at first mention but did so later on. For example, talking about a chap going for a beer with coworkers, yet we didn't know what job he was in now, then this sentence, "He added a packet of the fake stuff" which was explained in a later mention as being artificial sweetener.....quite strange. There was a lot of female hysteria and tyres squealing which was all getting a little tiresome and I was lost at Shaye's grandfather saying "It's going to take a magician to sort it out". Didn't understand this at all !!
I spotted a couple of apostrophe mistakes and odd words dropped from sentences like the or a, become was used in place of became then at one juncture Clara was concerned about Shaye when I think it was meant to be Emma but that whole Miss Melody story wasn't needed, in my humble opinion.
Shaye's back story is interesting and I do look forward to learning more about this and also to see how things develop with Jackson the detective.
I spotted a couple of apostrophe mistakes and odd words dropped from sentences like the or a, become was used in place of became then at one juncture Clara was concerned about Shaye when I think it was meant to be Emma but that whole Miss Melody story wasn't needed, in my humble opinion.
Shaye's back story is interesting and I do look forward to learning more about this and also to see how things develop with Jackson the detective.
January 26, 2018
This was a good start to a new thriller series. This had never come across my radar but I saw some GR friends talking about it and it was free so I figured I had nothing to lose. I liked the heroine a lot and the side characters were all interesting. The plot was creepy and I didn't see the bad guy coming. Totally surprised me. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
October 17, 2018
now i am hooked. This was such a great, easy and creative book. i was hooked after the first page.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
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