Exposed

Tough Justice #1.1

by Carla Cassidy

A new job. A new case. A new criminal... ?

Special Agent Lara Grant will do anything to get her mark - until her last undercover case, infiltrating the notorious Moretti crime ring, forced her to get close to the top. Way. Too. Close...

Now starting a new job in New York City, all Lara wants is to leave the ghosts of her past behind. Until a dramatic sniper attack leaves Lara's face - and real name - all over the media. In the blink of an eye, her cover is blown, her identity exposed.

Then a woman's body is found, branded with the ritual Moretti tattoo. Someone knows who Lara is... and exactly how to make her pay...

Part 1 of 8 in a chilling, high-octane FBI thriller TOUGH JUSTICE from NYT bestselling author Carla Cassidy and Tyler Anne Snell, Carol Ericson and Gail Barrett.

Genres: Suspense, Mystery, Thriller, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary, Audiobook, Novella

127 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 3, 2023

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tough Justice: Exposed Part 1/8 by Carla Cassidy is a 2016 Harlequin Special Release publication.

I have always enjoyed serials, and wish there were more of them out there. With the busy lives many of you live, it can be a challenge to fit reading into your routine. Serials are a great way to incorporate reading into a tight schedule, plus, I love how each installment leaves you hotly anticipating the next story in the series, which encourages people to continue reading, whereas a novel can feel too daunting at times, and are easily abandoned. So, I think this is a great idea and it’s a fun way to spice things up a little.

I am looking forward to the next installment and can’t wait to find out what happens next. Could there eventually be a little romance between Lara and Nick? Will Lara stop the Moretti’s before they murder again? Stay tuned!
This review is the copyrighted property of Night Owl Reviews.

[Linda Strong · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read several of Carla Cassidy's books, mainly her MYSTERY/SUSPENSE and ROMANTIC SUSPENSE. In this series of 8 parts, featuring FBI Agent Lara Grant, Carla shares the writing experience with Carol Erickson, Gail Barrett, and Tyler Anne Snell. Each of them have written 2 books in this series.

This book introduces Lara Grant and focuses on her past. She spent a year under cover and brought down a major mafia drug trafficker. She then went into Witness Protection until all members of the gang were tried, convicted, and locked away for good. Or were they ..... ?

Lara has barely met her new partner and the rest of the team when she's called out. A man is on a ledge, ready to jump, but asks for Lara by name. After several hours of trying to talk him down, he confesses to the killing of a young girl, and lets himself be talked off the ledge.

Found in his possession is a stamp and ink pad. The stamp is a replica of a tattoo that the mafia used to mark their 'possessions'. It will remain a question as a sniper ends his life.

And then a young woman with the same name as Lara is murdered. Now the chase is on to see where this threat is coming from .....

This was a short story, and a quick, easy read. The book focuses on Lara, her secrets, her trust issues. She is well fleshed out and I think she will make a very good series character. Her new partner, Nick Delano, has a past and secrets of his own. I look forward to learning much more about him.

I gave it 5 stars ... I like the story and I look forward to see where it goes from here.

My thanks to the author / Harlequin (US & Canada) -Harlequin Special Releases /NetGalley who furnished a digital copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

NOTE: As of today's date, book may be pre-ordered from Amazon US free. Book will be available 1/12/2016.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm thankful for the free download from Netgalley in return for my honest review although in its Kindle format it is currently free from Amazon, http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tough-Justice...
This is the first book in a series of 8 titles around a FBI investigation in New York City. A new team has been put together to tackle certain cases but before they can even begin an older case, thought resolved returns to haunt them and in particular Special Agent Lara Grant. She was instrumental in assisting the arrest and imprisonment of the major players in the Moretti crime syndicate.
However, like a many headed hydra the organisation seems to be active and as deadly as ever. Moretti seems to be orchestrating his former crime ring from within prison and rather than being destroyed by Lara's undercover efforts he is out for revenge on her betrayal including everything she holds dear.
The eight short stories in this Tough Justice series have been written by a different author each time, they have taken 2 episodes each so it will be interesting to see how the collaboration works.
This first one is Exposed by Carla Cassidy who will return for the final instalment. With the writing being compact and factural, with fleshed out characters like TV scriptwriting this project will work up to a point but I feel each writer will have to work to a formula to ensure they are seemless. Time will tell, it is certainly good to be in it from the start and I did enjoy the scene setting in this first thriller.
I love a good ledge hugger and potential jumper and this scenario kicks off the book in dramatic style. Lara perhaps should have been worried when the would be suicide asked for her by name.
The danger of such a series is that everyone needs to buy into it as future stories on Kindle are 99p meaning an outlay potentially of £6.93. I remember buying magazines in my childhood with free gifts at the start and reduced prices to suck you in. Perhaps today something about the solar system with weekly parts to build the space station. What you fail to understand at the outset is there are 144 weekly copies to collect and you'll end up paying more to build your copy of the space station that the actual one cost!
It is frustrating therefore to be caught on this hook ready to be reeled in at the cost of £6.93 but as a project, I personally believe it could be worth it and should be supported for this interesting literary enterprise. I hope part of the fun will be seeing if there are any discernable differences with each author's approach.

[Mollien Fote Osterman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Exposed (Part 1 of 8)
Author: Carla Cassidy
Series: Tough Justice 1
Publisher: Harlequin Special Releases
Release Date: January 12, 2016
Genre(s): Murder, Crime, Mystery
Page Count: 85 pages
Heat Level: # 0 flames out of 5
Rating: # 4.5 stars out of 5
Blurb:

A new job. A new case. A new criminal…?
Special Agent Lara Grant will do anything to get her mark—until her last undercover case, infiltrating the notorious Moretti crime ring, forced her to get close to the top. Way. Too. Close…
Now starting a new job in New York City, all Lara wants is to leave the ghosts of her past behind. Until a dramatic sniper attack leaves Lara's face – and real name – all over the media. In the blink of an eye, her cover is blown, her identity exposed.
Then a woman's body is found, branded with the ritual Moretti tattoo. Someone knows who Lara is…and exactly how to make her pay…
Part 1 of 8 in a chilling, high-octane FBI thriller TOUGH JUSTICE from NYT bestselling author Carla Cassidy and Tyler Anne Snell, Carol Ericson and Gail Barrett.

Review:

This is the first part of an eight part series. It will be written by what appears to be four different authors. The first part, written by Carla Cassidy, was an interesting, exciting read. There is so much going on. The back story of Lara Grant. Some information about the time she spent undercover as part of the Moretti crime ring. Less information about the murder of her mom. There is also questions concerning a mysterious family. Tie in a person on the ledge of a high rise luxury hotel who asks for Lara by name who ends up being murdered after Lara talks him down. As well as two other murders that seem to be linked all together.
Get ready for an exciting thriller. Can’t wait to see how this all comes together. I hope that the other authors keep the fast paced action as interesting as this first part.

Find this book on Goodreads


ARC provided by author via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. Reviewed by Mollien from Alpha Book Club

[Chris C - A Midlife Wife · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the moment you start this book you know you will be in for a wild ride. This action packed start to an 8 part series is a hot and heavy ride that can only get better.

Carla Cassidy kicks off this mini series with a quick read that is full of action and lays a wonderful foundation for the rest of the books to come. What is unique is that these books are going to be written by four different authors. What a cool concept!

The suspense, twists, and turns that this series is going to take is evident in this installment. Ms. Cassidy brings an engrossing read with strong character development that throws you right into the streets along with the agents and officers. Chilling and intense situations with plenty of detail is found in this hot crime drama. No romance yet, but I can see where it is going and I cannot wait!!

Grab on and hold your breath for this series! It is going to be a bumpy ride. Hopefully we don't have too long to wait between installments! This is one series you want to start from the beginning!!

[CLM · Rating 3 out of 5]

Through 2/28, I am giving away the first installment of a fast paced romantic suspense thriller, set in NYC and featuring a superhero type FBI agent, Lara Grant. Enter through this link to my review: http://perfectretort.blogspot.com/201...

[Kris (My Novelesque Life) · Rating 3 out of 5]

EXPOSED
(Tough Justice: #1)
Written by Carla Cassidy
2016, 85 Pages
Genre: serial, mystery, suspense, romantic suspense

(I received an ARC from the NETGALLEY in exchange for an honest review.)

★★★

This eighty-five page novella took me a long time to read because it could not hold my attention. The suspense wasn't there and it felt like there were more characters than was needed. I will not be continuing the serial.

k (My Novelesque Life)

[Fictionophile · Rating 2 out of 5]

Anyone who enjoys fast-paced romantic suspense will enjoy this story. It is the first novella in an eight part serial which features FBI Agent Lara Grant. Lara is a beautiful, though damaged woman who has recently just come back to work after spending time deep undercover infiltrating the Moretti crime family. She was responsible for putting this evil, manipulative man behind bars and has spent a year in a safe house following his arrest and the arrest of some of his crew.

Upon her return to work she is immediately thrown into a new case which has links to her former life. Also, she has a new partner, a ruggedly handsome, yet secretive, agent.

Set in New York City, this serial is to be written by a different author for each part. I like the serial aspect and think it encourages reading for those with busy schedules. Also the cliff-hanger ending fills the reader with anticipation for the next installment.

This novella reads like a TV movie of the week, with lots of action, physical attraction, and a somewhat far-fetched story line. I can understand its appeal, but this is not my cup of tea. I found some of the plot to be quite unbelievable and although I know fiction should stretch the imagination, I think that crime fiction, even romantic suspense fiction such as this, should be more true to life. Some of the plot devices are ones I’ve seen before, so I found them quite predictable. I won’t be reading any more of the Tough Justice serial.

Thanks to Harlequin via NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC of this novella in exchange for my honest review.

[Ted Tayler · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Competent cop thriller"

On the surface, this was a good opener to a series, with several interesting twists that set it apart from the run-of-the-mill cop thriller. I'm not sure whether I want to read the subsequent instalments however; as the lead characters tended to be one-dimensional, and there were some passages where their back stories were laid on too thickly, with a trowel, and things became repetitive. With seven more stories to unfold, that could become tedious.

[Vivian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lara Grant spent several years in deep undercover to bring down the Moretti syndicate. Her undercover work was so successful that she then had to spend a year in a safe house to protect her life. She's just returned to work in the FBI when she's called out to talk to a man on a ledge. A man that asked for her by name. A man she doesn't know. After talking this criminal off the ledge, she escorts him from the building only to have him killed in front of her by a sniper. Now the entire world, including the Moretti's, know that Lara is back at work. Lara begins work with her team of FBI agents to try and determine what link, if any, the deceased has to the Moretti syndicate. The more they dig, the more questions are raised. When an innocent jogger is found murdered in the park, it becomes clear that these crimes are linked; not only to the Moretti's but to Lara. Can the FBI determine who is behind these crimes before another crime occurs? Is Lara a target?

Tough Justice: Exposed was an incredibly quick read, not just because of its length, but because it is a fast-paced read. The reader gradually gets to know Lara as the investigations begin, and she is just as enigmatic as the crimes being committed. If you enjoy fast-paced suspense thrillers, then you'll definitely want to add Tough Justice: Exposed to your reading list. Tough Justice: Exposed is the first book in the Tough Justice series. Each book will be written by a different author, but feature the same characters and story. I look forward to reading the next seven installments and finding out what happens next.

[Petra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exposed was a very short, quick read, part 1 of 8, which will be written by four different authors.
This one introduces Special Agent Lara Grant who has just come out of hiding after taking down a notorious crime ring by working undercover. On her first day back working with her old boss but a new team and a new partner, she is involved in a shooting which seems to be related to the syndicate she helped to put away. Another murder follows, and it becomes clear that Lara may be targeted personally.
I really enjoyed this fast paced and exciting story. There is obviously a lot more to Lara and to her new partner Nick. Interesting characters with secrets and trust issues, and although I'm not a fan of entertainment in short installments, I enjoyed the story and the writing so much that I am willing to follow this serial to see where it goes.
I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Susan Hampson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant beginning to a new series. This isn't a long book, more of a novella in size but Carla Cassidy certainly knows how to make every word count.

When FBI agent Lara Grant is told a man planning to jump from a building has asked to speak to her she doesn't hesitate in going to talk to him. It should have been straight forward but Lara's life is about to come crashing down as her past quickly catches her up.

You are bombarded with a lot of information in this novel but the story is so fascinating that I didn't have any problems remembering who was who and what was happening. It has far more than a twist than I first thought and it is brilliant. There is a bit of a cliffhanger end to entice you into book 2 of 8, which I know I most certainly want to read.

I wish to thank Netgalley and Harlequin Books for allowing me to read and review this book.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I normally don't do serials since I hate getting snippets of stories doled out at a snail's pace (can you say impatient?) but since these were all out and they were done by different authors, I was curious.

This series started out with a bang. As I was reading, I didn't think I'd get into Laura's character but as the book went on (and it was short) I found myself rooting for her. When the end came... and it ended with a "bang" and a cliffie (I have the next one YES!) I was totally captivated and I have to know what happens next. If you try this one (and it is free at the time of writing the review) get the second book. You don't want to be left hanging! :) It was a good start to this serial.

[Namita · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are into a series book full of mystery this is for you . It starts off with a FBI agent Lara Grant joining a Crisis Management Unit . She has just come out of the safe house after bringing the Moretti gang to justice .But to her surprise and shock they have come back to extract revenge on her .The book ends in cliffhanger and you have to read the whole series to finish the story of Lara Grant and her partner Nick Delano who is dealing with his own truth issues
Overall a good , fast read leaving you with a lot of questions in the end .


You can read more about this and other book reviews on my blog https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

[Zoe Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was okay, a little short and perhaps not my favourite type of book (I don't get why books have multiple parts, especially as this book is in 8 parts - why not just have one big book?). It was a free download and I can't really complain, an okay story with okay characters, nothing out of the ordinary. It was an enjoyable read, but certainly not the best crime/thriller I've read. The writing, however, was interesting and I can see why it's so popular.

3 stars.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first instalment in a gripping thriller which made me want to keep turning the pages to find out what was going on. Lara is a fab character in some ways but she isn't to her partner and for that I want to shake her. I love Cass and her attitude is great despite what her life has brought her so far. I'm looking forward to reading more.

Thanks goes to net galley and the publishers for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Cap · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, I picked this book up for two reasons at first:

1) I was on Scribd, and it was one of the handful of audiobooks I had available

2) I saw who the audiobook narrator was. And knew I’d love it. She narrated This Savage So g, and loved her in it!

So I dived in. And fell in love. I honestly don’t read much outside of YA Fantasy, so this was kinda like a breath of fresh air. The only thing I don’t like? That there are many books in the series, and now I’m gonna have to read them all 🤣

[Donna Maguire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is part one of the new novel, Tough Justice - it was fast paced, full of detail and I loved it - I have pre-ordered the second instalment already and can't wait for it to be delivered. Its looking to be a thrilling read and one I'm really looking forward too.

[Claire Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review:
Tough Justice 1: Exposed by Carla Cassidy
Harlequin, 12th Jan 2016

Synopsis:
Special Agent Lara Grant will do anything to get her mark—until her last undercover case, infiltrating the notorious Moretti crime ring, forced her to get close to the top. Way. Too. Close…

Now starting a new job in New York City, all Lara wants is to leave the ghosts of her past behind. Until a dramatic sniper attack leaves Lara’s face – and real name – all over the media. In the blink of an eye,o edges where she needs to be.

Review:
You definitely need to have part two on hand after you've finished Exposed. This one is short and to the point at 94 pages, so it shouldn't take long to reach the conclusion. It's exciting, entertaining and escapism.

#BookReview #ToughJustice #Exposed #CarlaCassisy #HarlequirnUK

[Kari · Rating 3 out of 5]

I definitely enjoyed the first installment. I was sucked in enough that I am looking forward to finishing out the series to see what happened next. I do have some mixed feelings about not having read the first series involving these characters. I think readers would benefit from reading the first set before this one. In the recaps, there are some spoilers that I fear might ruin things if I go back and read series one after this one. At the same time, the recaps did allow me to see more into the characters to get a feel for them in this installment. I never really felt like I was missing anything that took away from my enjoyment.

I look forward to reading the rest of the installments. I want to know who is bombing New York City and why.

[Linda Rorex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Special Agent Lara Grant has returned to the FBI after taking down the Moretti syndicate and taking a year off to recuperate. Lara is assigned to talk a jumper off of a ledge only for the jumper to be shot by a sniper after talking him off the ledge. Then a jogger has been killed in the park. Lara and her team must determine if there is a link between the deceased jumper, the jogger and the Moretti syndicate. This is book 1 of the Tough Justice series by Carla Cassidy. I really enjoyed this impressive short story crime thriller novel.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is NOT a book. I listened to it and realized it was just a snippet of an actual story. I've since gone and obtained all of them. There was enough to whet one's appetite here. A bit of background that's missing from previous books perhaps. But nothing so required outside of someone living in a house with a child. That was not explained.
The story kept moving. This was more of a few introductory chapters with a little story.

[Vickie Raynor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was riveting from page one! I’m always a little apprehensive when reading a new author, but within the first couple of pages, I couldn’t put the book down! I finished it in less than a day. A lot of clues, but even more questions. Definitely left me wanting more. I kept waiting for more to happen and kept holding my breath. The perfect suspense book and I can’t wait to find out how it ends!! Provided by NetGalley.

[Elayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lara returns to work as an FBI agent after a year undercover with the Moreti Crime Syndicate, followed by a year as a protected witness during their trial.
On her very first day a suicidal jumper asks for her by name and a series of bizarre occurrences linking her, apparently, to the Morettis, happen.
I really need to read what happens next! There are 7 more parts to the story...

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first "installment" of 8, it's a short book to listen to :). The main character is an FBI agent who is living with ghosts and consequences of previously being undercover. She is guarded and skeptical, as one can imagine, and we get introductions to what is going on and the different characters involved as several murders take place and her new team begin investigating.

[BookLoverUpAllNight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Action packed! Received the e-box set for free as a Romance Insider panelist from Hallmark/Avon while participating in surveys on romance books. This is book 1 were you are introduced to Lara and FBI undercover agent who put away an organized crime boss and went underground for a year. A child abductor is murdered and a woman in Central Park where the calling card of the murderer leads back to the crime boss. Lara, her new team and partner race to find clues to stop the madness. Lara disguises herself and takes painstaking steps to make sure she is not followed( subway, bus, rental from airport) to upstate NY to make sure a situation is secure. When she arrives home, the situation she thought was secure as the title states was just exposed, which leads to the cliff hanger on book 1.

[Lennie Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an exciting police/fbi mystery. 😊 I really liked it, especially listening to it on audible. The narrator did a wonderful job. I almost started sobbing a couple times. It wasn't too long either, which was great. I love me some shorter books. 😃😁

Highly recommended for mystery fans.

[Carla Douglass · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting

The characters are new so it takes time to learn where they all fit. The storyline is interesting but I know know this like one chapter and you have to buy each one if you want to get to the end

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun quick read (listen really, I "read the audio"). Cliffhanger. I'll enjoy the rest of this series.

[Brendan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe.

Not my usual choice,but give it a go.Don't care for the leave them hanging ending.Feels like you have been manipulated .