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Gardiner and Renner #1
That Darkness
In this tour de force of psychological suspense, bestselling author Lisa Black draws from her experience as a forensic investigator to create two of the most fascinating characters in crime fiction: a killer with a unique sense of justice and a woman in a lifelong relationship with death…
That Darkness
As a forensic investigator for the Cleveland Police Department, Maggie Gardiner has seen her share of Jane Does. The latest is an unidentified female in her early teens, discovered in a local cemetery. More shocking than the girl's injuries--for Maggie at least--is the fact that no one has reported her missing. She and the detectives assigned to the case (including her cop ex-husband) are determined to follow every lead, run down every scrap of evidence. But the monster they seek is watching every move, closer to them than they could possibly imagine.
Jack Renner is a killer. He doesn't murder because he enjoys it, or because he believes himself omnipotent, or for any reason other than to make the world a safer place. When he follows the trail of this Jane Doe to a locked room in a small apartment where eighteen teenaged girls are anything but safe, he knows something must be done. But his pursuit of their captor takes an unexpected turn.
Maggie Gardiner finds another body waiting for her in the autopsy room--and a host of questions that will challenge everything she believes about justice, morality, and the true nature of evil …
Praise For Lisa Black and her bestselling novels
"Lisa Black writes with immediacy and unmatched authenticity." --Jeff Lindsay, New York Times bestselling author of the DEXTER series
"In Black's skillful hands, you're in for a surprise…a gifted storyteller." --Ridley Pearson
"A must-read for fans of Cornwell and Grafton." --Booklist
"Black, who is a forensic scientist, certainly knows her field." --Publishers Weekly
"Quite simply, one of the best storytellers around." --Tess Gerritsen
"Highly entertaining…Fans of forensic thrillers will look forward to seeing more." --Library Journal
"Pulse-pounding adventure…devilishly clever." --Mystery Scene
"Lisa Black heightens the suspense." --South Florida Sun-Sentinel
That Darkness
As a forensic investigator for the Cleveland Police Department, Maggie Gardiner has seen her share of Jane Does. The latest is an unidentified female in her early teens, discovered in a local cemetery. More shocking than the girl's injuries--for Maggie at least--is the fact that no one has reported her missing. She and the detectives assigned to the case (including her cop ex-husband) are determined to follow every lead, run down every scrap of evidence. But the monster they seek is watching every move, closer to them than they could possibly imagine.
Jack Renner is a killer. He doesn't murder because he enjoys it, or because he believes himself omnipotent, or for any reason other than to make the world a safer place. When he follows the trail of this Jane Doe to a locked room in a small apartment where eighteen teenaged girls are anything but safe, he knows something must be done. But his pursuit of their captor takes an unexpected turn.
Maggie Gardiner finds another body waiting for her in the autopsy room--and a host of questions that will challenge everything she believes about justice, morality, and the true nature of evil …
Praise For Lisa Black and her bestselling novels
"Lisa Black writes with immediacy and unmatched authenticity." --Jeff Lindsay, New York Times bestselling author of the DEXTER series
"In Black's skillful hands, you're in for a surprise…a gifted storyteller." --Ridley Pearson
"A must-read for fans of Cornwell and Grafton." --Booklist
"Black, who is a forensic scientist, certainly knows her field." --Publishers Weekly
"Quite simply, one of the best storytellers around." --Tess Gerritsen
"Highly entertaining…Fans of forensic thrillers will look forward to seeing more." --Library Journal
"Pulse-pounding adventure…devilishly clever." --Mystery Scene
"Lisa Black heightens the suspense." --South Florida Sun-Sentinel
369 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 26, 2016
676 people are currently reading
2640 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Black
267 books575 followersLisa Black spent the happiest five years of her life in a morgue. Strange, perhaps, but true. After ten years as a secretary, she went back to school to get a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Cleveland State University. In her job as a forensic scientist at the Cuyahoga County Coroner’s Office, she analyzed gunshot residue on hands and clothing, hairs, fibers, paint, glass, DNA, blood and many other forms of trace evidence, as well as crime scenes.
She had her life sorted out just the way she liked it until her husband got fed up with Cleveland snow and moved them to Florida, 1400 miles away from her family and her career. Not that she’s bitter or anything. Now she works as a Certified Latent Print Examiner and Certified Crime Scene Analyst for the city of Cape Coral, Florida, police department.
Lisa has lectured at writer’s conventions and appeared on panels. In her life as a writer she’s a member of Sisters In Crime, Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. In her life as a forensic specialist she’s a member of the American Academy of Forensic Scientists, the International Association for Identification, and the International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts. She has had over 1050 hours of instruction in forensic topics and has testified in over 60 trials.
Her book Perish was shortlisted for the inaugural Sue Grafton Memorial Award by Putnam and Mystery Writers of America. Her That Darkness is a #1 Amazon bestseller and Evidence of Murder is a NYT bestseller. Lisa was a Guest of Honor at 2021 Killer Nashville.
She had her life sorted out just the way she liked it until her husband got fed up with Cleveland snow and moved them to Florida, 1400 miles away from her family and her career. Not that she’s bitter or anything. Now she works as a Certified Latent Print Examiner and Certified Crime Scene Analyst for the city of Cape Coral, Florida, police department.
Lisa has lectured at writer’s conventions and appeared on panels. In her life as a writer she’s a member of Sisters In Crime, Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. In her life as a forensic specialist she’s a member of the American Academy of Forensic Scientists, the International Association for Identification, and the International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts. She has had over 1050 hours of instruction in forensic topics and has testified in over 60 trials.
Her book Perish was shortlisted for the inaugural Sue Grafton Memorial Award by Putnam and Mystery Writers of America. Her That Darkness is a #1 Amazon bestseller and Evidence of Murder is a NYT bestseller. Lisa was a Guest of Honor at 2021 Killer Nashville.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 381 reviews
July 16, 2017
If you like the following, you will like this book:
- In-depth forensic descriptions. This isn't just "they took some fingerprints" or "they found some DNA". This book gets into the nitty gritty of fingerprint patterns and methods, fiber analysis, crime scene dissection, etc.
- Crime suspense thrillers
- Vengence and vigilante justice
While at times I found some of the plot points far fetched and I had to fight hard to suspend my disbelief, I did enjoy this book. I thought the characters were interesting and the ideas unique. I think any crime fiction fan would find this at least moderately, if not thoroughly, enjoyable.
Side note: I am not sure what the title or the cover of the audio version I listened to have to do with the story. Not that it really matters, but usually I can tell where the title comes from, even if it isn't just a straight up short summary of the main plot. In this case, it is just two words that could seemingly apply to any dark drama. Now, the cover . . . looks to be a snowy, bucolic pasture with a gothic wrought iron gate. The story takes place mostly in downtown Cleveland and I don't remember any mention of snow. Oh well!
- In-depth forensic descriptions. This isn't just "they took some fingerprints" or "they found some DNA". This book gets into the nitty gritty of fingerprint patterns and methods, fiber analysis, crime scene dissection, etc.
- Crime suspense thrillers
- Vengence and vigilante justice
While at times I found some of the plot points far fetched and I had to fight hard to suspend my disbelief, I did enjoy this book. I thought the characters were interesting and the ideas unique. I think any crime fiction fan would find this at least moderately, if not thoroughly, enjoyable.
Side note: I am not sure what the title or the cover of the audio version I listened to have to do with the story. Not that it really matters, but usually I can tell where the title comes from, even if it isn't just a straight up short summary of the main plot. In this case, it is just two words that could seemingly apply to any dark drama. Now, the cover . . . looks to be a snowy, bucolic pasture with a gothic wrought iron gate. The story takes place mostly in downtown Cleveland and I don't remember any mention of snow. Oh well!
April 11, 2016
That Darkness (Gardiner and Renner, #1) by Lisa Black is the first book in a new series featuring forensic investigator Maggie Gardiner and Homicide Detective Jack Renner, who happens to be a vigilante killer on the side. (This is not a spoiler, it is in the book description.) Just like Ms. Black’s other series, this one is also set in my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio and it is very accurately portrayed.
Maggie is obsessed with every little detail of her job and has no life outside of work. When corpses start turning up with the same mode of death, she starts to suspect a serial killer. All of the bodies except one belong to life-long criminals which makes her fear a vigilante is operating in Cleveland and could possibly be a member of the police force.
Jack is on a mission to avenge a death in his past and as long he is searching for his prey, he feels the need to eliminate others who he knows from research will violently offend again. Jack knows Maggie is like a dog with a bone about the similar cases and hopes to find and complete his final mission before he has to leave town.
Once again Ms. Black gives her readers a book with very descriptive forensic details. The plot flows at a steady pace throughout the story. My only problem was that as interesting as I found Jack’s character and the debate about vigilantism, Maggie’s character was not very developed. I will be continuing with future books and hope that Maggie evolves more fully and I also want to know how Jack is handled.
Thanks very much to Kensington Books and Net Galley for allowing me to read this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Maggie is obsessed with every little detail of her job and has no life outside of work. When corpses start turning up with the same mode of death, she starts to suspect a serial killer. All of the bodies except one belong to life-long criminals which makes her fear a vigilante is operating in Cleveland and could possibly be a member of the police force.
Jack is on a mission to avenge a death in his past and as long he is searching for his prey, he feels the need to eliminate others who he knows from research will violently offend again. Jack knows Maggie is like a dog with a bone about the similar cases and hopes to find and complete his final mission before he has to leave town.
Once again Ms. Black gives her readers a book with very descriptive forensic details. The plot flows at a steady pace throughout the story. My only problem was that as interesting as I found Jack’s character and the debate about vigilantism, Maggie’s character was not very developed. I will be continuing with future books and hope that Maggie evolves more fully and I also want to know how Jack is handled.
Thanks very much to Kensington Books and Net Galley for allowing me to read this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
May 1, 2016
Mixed read for me. Loved all the crime scene analysis, the details, the investigating, in which the author has much experience. Also liked the question of vigilante justice, the moral ambiguity of the question. When someone is so evil that other people are nothing to them, people to be abused, thrown away, shouldn't they be stopped no matter what the means, or who delivers the justice. Up for personal opinion. Human trafficking and all its horrendous after effects, also addressed. So many positives. But, for me the story stalled at times, I lost interest but than something would happen and I'd think okay, just go with the flow. The ending though, that surprised me and not in a good way. Though I can see some reader's liking this twist.
ARC from Netgalley.
ARC from Netgalley.
June 3, 2016
That Darkness by Lisa Black is a 2016 Kensington publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first book in the Gardiner and Renner series.
I’m not entirely sure my feelings about this book are entirely settled just yet, however, even though I have a few lingering feelings of unease, I thought this story was pretty clever.
Maggie is a fingerprint expert working in forensics and Jack is a cop working homicide. They cross paths after a spate of dead bodies show up in the Cleveland morgue, all of them murder victims. While they seem unconnected, forensics tie them together and it nags at Maggie, who is perhaps a little OCD. But, her powers of observation could be her undoing when evidence begins leading her to the most unlikely suspect she could ever imagine.
This is one of those times when I struggle with what to leave in or what to leave out in a review. Suffice it to say, Jack Renner is a most interesting man, a man with a hidden agenda, one that Maggie inadvertently stumbles across. This part of the story was very well executed because the reader is well aware of Jack’s after hours activities. So, I was on pins and needles as Maggie begins to methodically connect the dots. Does her knowledge put her in danger? Will she expose Jack?
The crime element exposes all manner of lowlifes and losers who parade through the criminal justice system without being rehabilitated, or those who walk away with a slap on the wrist or get off Scot free, and who continue to terrorize and murder at will. This novel explores the flaws in our system as well the temptation one may entertain of taking the law into their own hands. This type of personality, the vigilante, is not without conscience, like, say, Dexter, who is sociopathic. The vigilante is righting a wrong and so could evoke a certain amount of empathy from the reader and perhaps even garner some respect, become something akin to the antihero.
In this type of setup, I questioned my own moral code as I caught myself actually hoping Maggie would remain in the dark. Two wrongs never make a right, but are there gray areas? Is it right to cheer this character on or feel relief if they escape prosecution themselves?
To balance out the equation, we have a 'by the book' character, in Maggie, who is sharp, dedicated, and sees things in a right or wrong manner, until she crosses paths with Jack, who leaves her feeling conflicted, up against a wall, forced to make a choice she will have to live with for a long time come.
Did she do the right thing? What would you do? How do I feel about her decision?
Although I don’t know what’s going to happen next in the series or what plans the author may have for the characters, it should be very interesting indeed.
Overall, this is a very well written crime novel and a compelling, thought provoking thriller. It’s unique, dark, and at times brutally graphic and raw with emotion, but also provides a smattering of dark humor which is like the cherry on the cake.
I’m definitely on board for book two!
This is the first book in the Gardiner and Renner series.
I’m not entirely sure my feelings about this book are entirely settled just yet, however, even though I have a few lingering feelings of unease, I thought this story was pretty clever.
Maggie is a fingerprint expert working in forensics and Jack is a cop working homicide. They cross paths after a spate of dead bodies show up in the Cleveland morgue, all of them murder victims. While they seem unconnected, forensics tie them together and it nags at Maggie, who is perhaps a little OCD. But, her powers of observation could be her undoing when evidence begins leading her to the most unlikely suspect she could ever imagine.
This is one of those times when I struggle with what to leave in or what to leave out in a review. Suffice it to say, Jack Renner is a most interesting man, a man with a hidden agenda, one that Maggie inadvertently stumbles across. This part of the story was very well executed because the reader is well aware of Jack’s after hours activities. So, I was on pins and needles as Maggie begins to methodically connect the dots. Does her knowledge put her in danger? Will she expose Jack?
The crime element exposes all manner of lowlifes and losers who parade through the criminal justice system without being rehabilitated, or those who walk away with a slap on the wrist or get off Scot free, and who continue to terrorize and murder at will. This novel explores the flaws in our system as well the temptation one may entertain of taking the law into their own hands. This type of personality, the vigilante, is not without conscience, like, say, Dexter, who is sociopathic. The vigilante is righting a wrong and so could evoke a certain amount of empathy from the reader and perhaps even garner some respect, become something akin to the antihero.
In this type of setup, I questioned my own moral code as I caught myself actually hoping Maggie would remain in the dark. Two wrongs never make a right, but are there gray areas? Is it right to cheer this character on or feel relief if they escape prosecution themselves?
To balance out the equation, we have a 'by the book' character, in Maggie, who is sharp, dedicated, and sees things in a right or wrong manner, until she crosses paths with Jack, who leaves her feeling conflicted, up against a wall, forced to make a choice she will have to live with for a long time come.
Did she do the right thing? What would you do? How do I feel about her decision?
Although I don’t know what’s going to happen next in the series or what plans the author may have for the characters, it should be very interesting indeed.
Overall, this is a very well written crime novel and a compelling, thought provoking thriller. It’s unique, dark, and at times brutally graphic and raw with emotion, but also provides a smattering of dark humor which is like the cherry on the cake.
I’m definitely on board for book two!
November 12, 2020
"Is it better to do the right thing or the legal thing?"
What's a cop to do when he craves justice and there just doesn't seem to be any??? Well, he takes matters into his own hands. Jack Renner, Cleveland homicide detective just wants to make the world a safer, more 'just' place. He kills, but only the lowlifes who have escaped the traditional methods of justice - the ones that present a danger to others. He reminded me more than a little of the Dexter character created by Jeff Lindsay. Though where Dexter is a sociopath who wants to kill and gets rid of criminals as a killing 'outlet', our man Jack Renner seems to be 'normal' but with an underlying personal reason for his foray into vigilantism. A reason not divulged to the reader right away... He prides himself on killing in a humane way - of doing a job that needs doing. He feels he is protecting society.
Jack Renner can't be a bad person... his housemate (and confidante) is a ex-stray cat he took in named Greta.
Maggie Gardiner is a civilian forensic investigator working for the Cleveland Police Department. Her specialty is fingerprint analysis and the little details are her forte. Once married to a police detective, she is now a loner, a workaholic who walks Cleveland's city streets at night to stave off loneliness and life's stresses.
Patty Wildwood is a hard-working homicide detective. She is on a never-ending treadmill of murder cases to solve and she welcomes Maggie's assistance hoping it will lighten her heavy workload.
It seems that three shots to the head at very close range with a .22 caliber handgun is becoming a very common method of murder in Cleveland.
When trace evidence similarities present themselves in the bodies of several of her latest cases, Maggie is the first to believe that given the fact that all the victims appear to be career criminals, that there might be a vigilante at work in Cleveland.
Jack, ever wary of Maggie and her speculations, wants to find out how much she knows and whether he is on her radar. He tries to convince Maggie that they are 'on the same side' knowing that he will be caught sooner or later, and he is comfortable with that - though he would like to do some more 'work' first.
Maggie begins to suspect that the killer could be a member of the police force - but voicing that speculation would be unhealthy for her career with the Cleveland P.D.
A novel that portrays the ethical questions surrounding vigilantism, in "That Darkness" the reader is unsure whether or not they should be rooting for the 'bad guy'... If you do then does that kind of thinking breed chaos?
The climax of the story takes place at the Rockefeller Mansion at Euclid and East 40th in Cleveland. After reading it you will have images in your mind that you will never forget.
The beautiful cover of this book is what first attracted me, but the cover in no way suggests the darkness of the title. Anyone interested in character-driven suspense, and those who enjoy forensic detail, will enjoy this title, the first in a new series featuring Jack and Maggie. I'm hoping to learn a little more about Maggie in subsequent novels. It is not a 'whodunit', rather, it is a 'whydunit'. I find I like whydunit's more and more.
Many thanks to Kensington Books via NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this novel for reading and review.
This review was originally published on my blog: Fictionophile
To see the complete review visit: https://fictionophile.wordpress.com/2...
What's a cop to do when he craves justice and there just doesn't seem to be any??? Well, he takes matters into his own hands. Jack Renner, Cleveland homicide detective just wants to make the world a safer, more 'just' place. He kills, but only the lowlifes who have escaped the traditional methods of justice - the ones that present a danger to others. He reminded me more than a little of the Dexter character created by Jeff Lindsay. Though where Dexter is a sociopath who wants to kill and gets rid of criminals as a killing 'outlet', our man Jack Renner seems to be 'normal' but with an underlying personal reason for his foray into vigilantism. A reason not divulged to the reader right away... He prides himself on killing in a humane way - of doing a job that needs doing. He feels he is protecting society.
Jack Renner can't be a bad person... his housemate (and confidante) is a ex-stray cat he took in named Greta.
Maggie Gardiner is a civilian forensic investigator working for the Cleveland Police Department. Her specialty is fingerprint analysis and the little details are her forte. Once married to a police detective, she is now a loner, a workaholic who walks Cleveland's city streets at night to stave off loneliness and life's stresses.
Patty Wildwood is a hard-working homicide detective. She is on a never-ending treadmill of murder cases to solve and she welcomes Maggie's assistance hoping it will lighten her heavy workload.
It seems that three shots to the head at very close range with a .22 caliber handgun is becoming a very common method of murder in Cleveland.
When trace evidence similarities present themselves in the bodies of several of her latest cases, Maggie is the first to believe that given the fact that all the victims appear to be career criminals, that there might be a vigilante at work in Cleveland.
Jack, ever wary of Maggie and her speculations, wants to find out how much she knows and whether he is on her radar. He tries to convince Maggie that they are 'on the same side' knowing that he will be caught sooner or later, and he is comfortable with that - though he would like to do some more 'work' first.
Maggie begins to suspect that the killer could be a member of the police force - but voicing that speculation would be unhealthy for her career with the Cleveland P.D.
A novel that portrays the ethical questions surrounding vigilantism, in "That Darkness" the reader is unsure whether or not they should be rooting for the 'bad guy'... If you do then does that kind of thinking breed chaos?
The climax of the story takes place at the Rockefeller Mansion at Euclid and East 40th in Cleveland. After reading it you will have images in your mind that you will never forget.
The beautiful cover of this book is what first attracted me, but the cover in no way suggests the darkness of the title. Anyone interested in character-driven suspense, and those who enjoy forensic detail, will enjoy this title, the first in a new series featuring Jack and Maggie. I'm hoping to learn a little more about Maggie in subsequent novels. It is not a 'whodunit', rather, it is a 'whydunit'. I find I like whydunit's more and more.
Many thanks to Kensington Books via NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this novel for reading and review.
This review was originally published on my blog: Fictionophile
To see the complete review visit: https://fictionophile.wordpress.com/2...
May 7, 2016
2.5
Mixed emotions about this one. Jack Renner is a homicide cop who works for the Cleveland Police Department. He's a vigilante cop (we know this from the start) trying to avenge something from his past. Maggie Gardiner is a Forensic Crime Scene Tech who also works for the Cleveland Police Department. She is working alongside Jack and other fellow police officers on some sketchy recent homicides that just "don't feel quite right" to her. The story started off good then seemed to stall for a bit and it lost my interest. The investigative research was done quite well. It seemed to take off the last quarter of the story but the ending seemed a bit far fetched. Seems to be the beginning of a series. I think it could grow into a good story but both characters need to be developed a little more.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC.
Mixed emotions about this one. Jack Renner is a homicide cop who works for the Cleveland Police Department. He's a vigilante cop (we know this from the start) trying to avenge something from his past. Maggie Gardiner is a Forensic Crime Scene Tech who also works for the Cleveland Police Department. She is working alongside Jack and other fellow police officers on some sketchy recent homicides that just "don't feel quite right" to her. The story started off good then seemed to stall for a bit and it lost my interest. The investigative research was done quite well. It seemed to take off the last quarter of the story but the ending seemed a bit far fetched. Seems to be the beginning of a series. I think it could grow into a good story but both characters need to be developed a little more.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC.
June 27, 2017
Maggie's work involves collecting fiber, mineral, hair and blood samples from crime scenes. Looking through her microscope, she uncovers similarities between victims. Maggie starts thinking there is a vigilante, but that only happens on television.
Jack Renner is a detective. He picks up the pieces that the law let's slip through the cracks. Someone has to take action. Why not him?
That Darkness is a suspense novel. The two main characters we get to know very well through, primarily, narration. The plot and subplots are well defined. The description is superb. The ending is satisfactory.
Jack Renner is a detective. He picks up the pieces that the law let's slip through the cracks. Someone has to take action. Why not him?
That Darkness is a suspense novel. The two main characters we get to know very well through, primarily, narration. The plot and subplots are well defined. The description is superb. The ending is satisfactory.
July 10, 2016
This is my first book by this author. It is well written, fast paced, and I liked the main character, Maggie, a forensic investigator. The killer and his motives are revealed early on and brings questions of right vs wrong. Ending surprised me and the continuation of this series should be interesting. Thank you Kensington for my free copy!!!
August 11, 2022
This book was chosen by my Mystery book club for this month and we had meeting Tuesday night with a really good discussion about the book. I did have a few issues with the book. It was a good story and a little different the main characters were very likeable, after a while. It took me a while to understand them. Mostly to me, the book did not flow that well. It was a little confusing to me how each chapter had a time at the beginning and I did not always understand those times because they went back and forth over each other. Also, I thought there was too much information about the forensic side of the story, Too much information, took up too much time. I do realize that this is the author's speciality, but the tape deal drove me crazy. Most everyone in the book club said they would read another book in this series just to see what happened to the two main characters.
April 20, 2016
This is the beginning of a new series by this author. The reader is introduced to Maggie Gardiner, a Forensic Investigator (think CSI) with the Cleveland Police Department.
When Maggie is called in to investigate evidence, or lack of same, in several recent murders, she is surprised to find clues that seem to point to one killer of all the victims. All of the deceased have been on the wrong side of the law for various reasons ... they were all rapists, child molesters, etc. And none of them were held responsible for their crimes.
Jack Renner is a killer. He doesn't kill because he particularly enjoys it .. he just wants them all to pay. He wants justice for the victims and closures for the families.
There is a twist to this story that you discover fairly close to the beginning of this novel. No spoilers ... so all I will say is that it was unexpected, but absolutely kept me glued to my chair to see what would happen next. The ending also came as a surprise ... it certainly wasn't what I had imagined.
I really enjoyed the characters. Maggie is extremely smart, and focused on her job to the exclusion of a private life. She's really good at what she does and she's calm under pressure. She makes a good serial character.
Jack isn't what I expected, either, but at heart I think he's a good guy. That's something you, as a reader, will have to determine for yourself.
The novel will have you thinking .... Is it better to do the right thing or the legal thing? How do you know it's the right thing if it's not legal?
I'm really looking forward to the next book in this series!
Many thanks to the author / Kensington Books/ NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
When Maggie is called in to investigate evidence, or lack of same, in several recent murders, she is surprised to find clues that seem to point to one killer of all the victims. All of the deceased have been on the wrong side of the law for various reasons ... they were all rapists, child molesters, etc. And none of them were held responsible for their crimes.
Jack Renner is a killer. He doesn't kill because he particularly enjoys it .. he just wants them all to pay. He wants justice for the victims and closures for the families.
There is a twist to this story that you discover fairly close to the beginning of this novel. No spoilers ... so all I will say is that it was unexpected, but absolutely kept me glued to my chair to see what would happen next. The ending also came as a surprise ... it certainly wasn't what I had imagined.
I really enjoyed the characters. Maggie is extremely smart, and focused on her job to the exclusion of a private life. She's really good at what she does and she's calm under pressure. She makes a good serial character.
Jack isn't what I expected, either, but at heart I think he's a good guy. That's something you, as a reader, will have to determine for yourself.
The novel will have you thinking .... Is it better to do the right thing or the legal thing? How do you know it's the right thing if it's not legal?
I'm really looking forward to the next book in this series!
Many thanks to the author / Kensington Books/ NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
April 26, 2016
A special thank you to Kensington and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Nice Cover.
Lisa Black’s introduction to her first installment of Gardiner and Renner #1, THAT DARKNESS, is a psychological crime suspense of justice, morality, and evil, keeping you page-turning.
Maggie Gardiner, a forensic investigator for the Cleveland Police Department has a new case. An unidentified white female twelve to fifteen years of page, blonde hair, and blue eyes--discovered in a local cemetery. A Jane Doe. A runaway? No one has reported her missing. Symbolic?
Jack Renner is a Homicide Detective for Cleveland PD. (A serial killer). He believes in justice. Good at details. A vigilante. Truth and Justice. Morality. Evil. Revenge.
Glad to meet another Florida crime author ---who currently works as a latent print examiner and CSI for Cape Coral, Police Department in Florida, working mostly with fingerprints and crime scenes. Drawing on her expertise as a forensic scientist, she has analyzed gunshot residue on hands and clothing, hairs, fibers, paint, glass, DNA, blood and many other forms of trace evidence, as well as crime scenes.
With some good forensics, humor, a unique cat and mouse twist, and a suspenseful mystery of good and evil--keeps the reader guessing and speculating.
Looking forward to more from the author, and future books in the series.
"But if thine eye by evil, thy
whole body shall be
full of darkness.
If therefore the light that is in
thee be darkness,
how great is that darkness!"
Matthew 6:23
JDCMustReadBooks
Lisa Black’s introduction to her first installment of Gardiner and Renner #1, THAT DARKNESS, is a psychological crime suspense of justice, morality, and evil, keeping you page-turning.
Maggie Gardiner, a forensic investigator for the Cleveland Police Department has a new case. An unidentified white female twelve to fifteen years of page, blonde hair, and blue eyes--discovered in a local cemetery. A Jane Doe. A runaway? No one has reported her missing. Symbolic?
Jack Renner is a Homicide Detective for Cleveland PD. (A serial killer). He believes in justice. Good at details. A vigilante. Truth and Justice. Morality. Evil. Revenge.
Glad to meet another Florida crime author ---who currently works as a latent print examiner and CSI for Cape Coral, Police Department in Florida, working mostly with fingerprints and crime scenes. Drawing on her expertise as a forensic scientist, she has analyzed gunshot residue on hands and clothing, hairs, fibers, paint, glass, DNA, blood and many other forms of trace evidence, as well as crime scenes.
With some good forensics, humor, a unique cat and mouse twist, and a suspenseful mystery of good and evil--keeps the reader guessing and speculating.
Looking forward to more from the author, and future books in the series.
"But if thine eye by evil, thy
whole body shall be
full of darkness.
If therefore the light that is in
thee be darkness,
how great is that darkness!"
Matthew 6:23
JDCMustReadBooks
October 8, 2020
When I started this book, I wasn’t sure that I was going to like it. More to the point…I wasn’t sure I was going to like that the heroine is essentially pulled over to the “dark side”. She goes from a fairly firm belief in what is right and what is wrong, to somewhere in the middle just waiting to fall one way or the other. This slip is enforced by a decision that she makes that is in total conflict with what we were lead to think that she embraces. Perhaps it’s just a different way to look at justice and revenge. Being the first book in this series it does give the reader insight into how Jack…a detective with more deep, dark secrets than you can ever imagine…and Maggie…a forensic expert that is a genius when it come to evidence identification, actually come to be together. It’s one of the strangest associations I have ever found in any book with the exception of maybe Jeff Lindsay's Dexter series. I believe that this is going to be the beginning of what will become a really good series if this pair stay involved.
April 18, 2016
Does a vigilante killer justifiably protect future victims of crime by eliminating repeat offenders which the court system failed to put away? That's one of the moral questions posed in Lisa Black's new crime series "Gardiner and Renner".
Jack Renner is a homicide detective with the Cleveland PD. He is also a serial killer. He sees his job as protecting society, and if that means killing perpetrators of crime who went unpunished in order to prevent them from hurting anybody else, so be it.
Maggie Gardiner is a forensic technician with sharp observation, dogged determination and a meticulous eye for trace evidence.
This was a really appealing set up for a police procedural. These two are working together on an investigation while Maggie's razor-sharp logic gradually uncovers Jack's secrets.
That Darkness contains a lot of details about forensics. The author worked as a forensic scientist and is now a latent print examiner. Her expert knowledge of crime scenes and trace evidence is obvious. Fans of CSI will probably love it. I found it quite interesting, but it was a little too detailed for me and slowed down the pace a bit.
The two main characters were really interesting, but I felt I didn't get to know them enough. Maggie more than Jack appeared a bit flat. Considering there were some quite emotional scenes, neither Maggie nor Jack seemed to feel very much.
A slow build-up but the last 30% were definitely gripping. I am quite interested to see how both of them and their relationship will develop (hopefully) in the next book. A solid 3.5 stars rounded up because of the later part of the book.
I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Jack Renner is a homicide detective with the Cleveland PD. He is also a serial killer. He sees his job as protecting society, and if that means killing perpetrators of crime who went unpunished in order to prevent them from hurting anybody else, so be it.
Maggie Gardiner is a forensic technician with sharp observation, dogged determination and a meticulous eye for trace evidence.
This was a really appealing set up for a police procedural. These two are working together on an investigation while Maggie's razor-sharp logic gradually uncovers Jack's secrets.
That Darkness contains a lot of details about forensics. The author worked as a forensic scientist and is now a latent print examiner. Her expert knowledge of crime scenes and trace evidence is obvious. Fans of CSI will probably love it. I found it quite interesting, but it was a little too detailed for me and slowed down the pace a bit.
The two main characters were really interesting, but I felt I didn't get to know them enough. Maggie more than Jack appeared a bit flat. Considering there were some quite emotional scenes, neither Maggie nor Jack seemed to feel very much.
A slow build-up but the last 30% were definitely gripping. I am quite interested to see how both of them and their relationship will develop (hopefully) in the next book. A solid 3.5 stars rounded up because of the later part of the book.
I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 25, 2017
This was a lil slow to start but really picked up towards the end. I think this is the perfect set up for a great series & I'm anxious to read the next one!
May 24, 2016
'He looked at her as if he didn't know her which illustrated how closed he had arrived to the edge, jacked up, blood thirsty, but also elated. This had been his goal for a long time, and if she had tried to stop him he would kill her. She had no doubt of that.'
Forensic investigator, Maggie Gardiner has an unidentified female body in her early teens, discovered in a local cemetery. While the girl’s injuries are shocking, more so is the fact that no one has reported her missing.
Jack Renner is a cop. But Maggie thinks there is something a little 'off' about him. And as the bodies pile up in the autopsy room, her uneasy feelings about Jack become stronger.
I have very mixed feelings on this book, resulting in a 2 1/2 star rating from me.
The opening chapter is magnificent. The problem being that once you set this sort of standard, it is difficult to maintain the pace and quality. In this case, it just didn't happen. I was never distracted to the point I wanted to abandon the book, but I do admit to my attention wandering. The good bits came in waves, interspersed with mediocre 'flat' sections.
This, along with a few inconsistencies/procedural errors, were enough to demote what I had initially hoped was going to be a spectacular 'can't put this book down' read into one that spread over 6 days - a long time for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an ARC of That Darkness in exchange for an honest unbiased review.
Forensic investigator, Maggie Gardiner has an unidentified female body in her early teens, discovered in a local cemetery. While the girl’s injuries are shocking, more so is the fact that no one has reported her missing.
Jack Renner is a cop. But Maggie thinks there is something a little 'off' about him. And as the bodies pile up in the autopsy room, her uneasy feelings about Jack become stronger.
I have very mixed feelings on this book, resulting in a 2 1/2 star rating from me.
The opening chapter is magnificent. The problem being that once you set this sort of standard, it is difficult to maintain the pace and quality. In this case, it just didn't happen. I was never distracted to the point I wanted to abandon the book, but I do admit to my attention wandering. The good bits came in waves, interspersed with mediocre 'flat' sections.
This, along with a few inconsistencies/procedural errors, were enough to demote what I had initially hoped was going to be a spectacular 'can't put this book down' read into one that spread over 6 days - a long time for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an ARC of That Darkness in exchange for an honest unbiased review.
October 4, 2024
The quality of the writing, the actual mechanics, probably rated three stars or 3 1/2 stars. It was fine.
My lower rating results from the wild improbabilities in the plot. Our heroine, Maggie, is so incredibly brilliant that she solves every mystery before any of the detectives have a clue—-and she is not a detective. And the idea that the detectives would just handover huge parts of these murder cases to a forensic tech is, to me, mind-bogglingly improbable. The author stretched credibility too far.
I wasn’t crazy about Jack, but I liked him. Maggie was a little bit too much stereotype—carried to an extreme—of the smart, independent, hard-driving woman who can do anything. And there were scenes that went on and on..Maggie talking with one (of the improbably multitudinous) sources in bureaucracy that owe her favors, Maggie escaping from the locked room…
Unlike a lot of other reviewers of the book on this site, I like the ending.
I’m not sure I’d continue the series, except that I bought the next several audiobooks on special, so I probably will.
Audiobook narrator Kiersten Potter was fine. 3.5 stars.
My lower rating results from the wild improbabilities in the plot. Our heroine, Maggie, is so incredibly brilliant that she solves every mystery before any of the detectives have a clue—-and she is not a detective. And the idea that the detectives would just handover huge parts of these murder cases to a forensic tech is, to me, mind-bogglingly improbable. The author stretched credibility too far.
I wasn’t crazy about Jack, but I liked him. Maggie was a little bit too much stereotype—carried to an extreme—of the smart, independent, hard-driving woman who can do anything. And there were scenes that went on and on..Maggie talking with one (of the improbably multitudinous) sources in bureaucracy that owe her favors, Maggie escaping from the locked room…
Unlike a lot of other reviewers of the book on this site, I like the ending.
I’m not sure I’d continue the series, except that I bought the next several audiobooks on special, so I probably will.
Audiobook narrator Kiersten Potter was fine. 3.5 stars.
June 27, 2020
Is it ever okay to kill? To solve the issues with our justice system outside the courtroom? And what if you're so very careful, but you're still a suspect because of one determined woman? Great book dealing with a few hard subjects including what drives a man's or woman's soul to cause so much pain to others?
April 1, 2016
Source: I got a copy through netgalley, I am grateful to them, the publisher and the author for this opportunity.
3.5 stars.
This book deals with the concept of vigilante justice. Is it acceptable to kill someone, after he escaped legal prosecution to save his future victims?
In the book, just like in real life we have no clear definitive answer, but exploring the idea was really interesting all the same.
We have Maggie Gardiner,a forensic investigator for the Cleveland Police Department, she is meticulous with a keen eye for details.
Jack Renner, vigilante cop who nudges his "Clients" to an early grave as humanely as possible ( short of a guillotine in his own words)
What's a little different is that we know who the killer is, and what his motives are from the first chapter, so we just watch Maggie put the pieces together.
I liked the idea of the book, I also liked the details of the different procedures of Maggie's work. As the author herself is a forensic scientist, it felt real.
What I didn't really like, were ( funny enough) the two main characters. I thought we needed more information about them, they felt a little flat, maybe that can be remedied in the upcoming sequels.
All in all, it was a nice little crime book, would recommend it to fans of the genre.
3.5 stars.
This book deals with the concept of vigilante justice. Is it acceptable to kill someone, after he escaped legal prosecution to save his future victims?
In the book, just like in real life we have no clear definitive answer, but exploring the idea was really interesting all the same.
We have Maggie Gardiner,a forensic investigator for the Cleveland Police Department, she is meticulous with a keen eye for details.
Jack Renner, vigilante cop who nudges his "Clients" to an early grave as humanely as possible ( short of a guillotine in his own words)
What's a little different is that we know who the killer is, and what his motives are from the first chapter, so we just watch Maggie put the pieces together.
I liked the idea of the book, I also liked the details of the different procedures of Maggie's work. As the author herself is a forensic scientist, it felt real.
What I didn't really like, were ( funny enough) the two main characters. I thought we needed more information about them, they felt a little flat, maybe that can be remedied in the upcoming sequels.
All in all, it was a nice little crime book, would recommend it to fans of the genre.
December 3, 2018
This is the first one of a series of thrillers. I’d give it 3,5 stars. It is an interesting read as there is a lot of attention to the way police works. You see that sometimes finding small leads can ask days of searching and trying.
But this detail is a bit slowing down the pace of the book, which makes it not allways an easy read.
On top of it, I had my doubts about some of the characters. The main characters are interesting, but not allways consistent and/or logical.
But this detail is a bit slowing down the pace of the book, which makes it not allways an easy read.
On top of it, I had my doubts about some of the characters. The main characters are interesting, but not allways consistent and/or logical.
May 4, 2016
I didn't think I'd read any of Lisa Black's books before when I requested this one - but then I glanced over her bio after I finished this book, and realized that she wrote a couple of books under the name Elizabeth Becka. I read
Trace Evidence
several years ago, and enjoyed it a lot.
That Darkness is plotted well and decently paced, for the most part. I think the explanations about forensic technique were a little over the top, though. They took up a lot of time and space and made the story drag whenever one of them showed up. I mean, we all watch CSI or something similar (at least, most people who read this type of book do, I would think), and we don't need this stuff explained, or we don't care enough to have it explained in every minute detail. At least I didn't.
The setting was the same way - detailed explanations of the cityscape of Cleveland, Ohio. A more uninteresting city never existed, and I don't care where the streets go or for the historical significance of buildings in Cleveland, Ohio. Not one bit.
I think this is a case of "write what you know," being taken as a corollary of "write everything you know." I think the author got too caught up in showing us how much she knows about forensics and geography and forgot (at times) that she was telling us a story. A fictional story.
Those were the main detractor from this book for me. It could've used some better characterization, but I've found that that's almost to be expected from a crime thriller.
The story arc on this thriller, though, is unique. I don't want to have any spoilers here, but I really, really liked Jack Renner and I thought his story arc was compelling and the end of this novel was fantastic. I couldn't figure out how Ms. Black would end this without pissing me off, but she went against almost every single crime novel trope and expectation and ended it in a way that was believable but amazing at the same time. I loved it!
This book was a fun read, for the most part. If the author tones down the techie soliloquys and the geographic tours, I think this series will be one to watch. (Is it a series? I think it is, based on the subtitle here on GR, but I guess I'm not sure how she'll pull off a series with these two MCs. That will be fascinating!)
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for a egalley of this book for review. All opinions expressed in this review, however, are my own.
TL;DR: Has a few pitfalls, but all in all a good mystery novel. And that ending!! Something different here.
**********************************
Whoosh. That one really crescendoed! Loved the ending.
Full review to come.
That Darkness is plotted well and decently paced, for the most part. I think the explanations about forensic technique were a little over the top, though. They took up a lot of time and space and made the story drag whenever one of them showed up. I mean, we all watch CSI or something similar (at least, most people who read this type of book do, I would think), and we don't need this stuff explained, or we don't care enough to have it explained in every minute detail. At least I didn't.
The setting was the same way - detailed explanations of the cityscape of Cleveland, Ohio. A more uninteresting city never existed, and I don't care where the streets go or for the historical significance of buildings in Cleveland, Ohio. Not one bit.
I think this is a case of "write what you know," being taken as a corollary of "write everything you know." I think the author got too caught up in showing us how much she knows about forensics and geography and forgot (at times) that she was telling us a story. A fictional story.
Those were the main detractor from this book for me. It could've used some better characterization, but I've found that that's almost to be expected from a crime thriller.
The story arc on this thriller, though, is unique. I don't want to have any spoilers here, but I really, really liked Jack Renner and I thought his story arc was compelling and the end of this novel was fantastic. I couldn't figure out how Ms. Black would end this without pissing me off, but she went against almost every single crime novel trope and expectation and ended it in a way that was believable but amazing at the same time. I loved it!
This book was a fun read, for the most part. If the author tones down the techie soliloquys and the geographic tours, I think this series will be one to watch. (Is it a series? I think it is, based on the subtitle here on GR, but I guess I'm not sure how she'll pull off a series with these two MCs. That will be fascinating!)
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for a egalley of this book for review. All opinions expressed in this review, however, are my own.
TL;DR: Has a few pitfalls, but all in all a good mystery novel. And that ending!! Something different here.
**********************************
Whoosh. That one really crescendoed! Loved the ending.
Full review to come.
April 3, 2016
3.5 stars
There's moral question at the heart of this police procedural involving the hunt for a serial killer. What if all the victims are perpetrators of horrific crimes who the justice system failed to put away?
Jack Renner has no problem with their demise. In fact, he's the killer. The tricky part is juggling his day job as one of the detectives trying to solve the cases.
It's not so clear cut for Maggie Gardiner, a forensic tech with the Cleveland PD who spends hours collecting & analyzing trace evidence from the crime scenes. Her encyclopedic knowledge & acute observational skills gradually make her wonder if the killer is someone who has a lot of experience with homicides. Like a cop, maybe.
From the get-go it's clear these two are on a collision course & it's an interesting set up. As the body count rises, the MC's circle closer & closer to each other as they work together as part of the team chasing down leads.
Despite a great premise, a couple of things prevented me from getting completely pulled into the story. Both MC's are solitary people & we spend a lot of time in their heads. But there is little character development & by the last chapter, I felt I knew them no better than I did at the beginning. In the final pages (strongest part of the book IMHO) some background info is revealed that helped me understand them a bit more.
The other thing was the amount of space devoted to forensic information. I guessed early on the author has a background in the field & her passion is obvious. But for someone picking up a thriller, the frequent long passages describing every fibre & how it's tested may be more than they need to know. It slows the pace & when my eyes started glazing over I began skimming ahead to find either something happening or some dialogue. It could easily be edited without affecting plot lines, leaving more space to explore the characters & their relationships.
But I kept reading just to find out how it all shakes out when the truth is revealed. The ending sets the stage for book #2 & if it's a more character driven story, I'd be curious to see what Jack & Maggie get up to next. If you're a huge fan of CSI-type shows, you may enjoy it more than I did.
There's moral question at the heart of this police procedural involving the hunt for a serial killer. What if all the victims are perpetrators of horrific crimes who the justice system failed to put away?
Jack Renner has no problem with their demise. In fact, he's the killer. The tricky part is juggling his day job as one of the detectives trying to solve the cases.
It's not so clear cut for Maggie Gardiner, a forensic tech with the Cleveland PD who spends hours collecting & analyzing trace evidence from the crime scenes. Her encyclopedic knowledge & acute observational skills gradually make her wonder if the killer is someone who has a lot of experience with homicides. Like a cop, maybe.
From the get-go it's clear these two are on a collision course & it's an interesting set up. As the body count rises, the MC's circle closer & closer to each other as they work together as part of the team chasing down leads.
Despite a great premise, a couple of things prevented me from getting completely pulled into the story. Both MC's are solitary people & we spend a lot of time in their heads. But there is little character development & by the last chapter, I felt I knew them no better than I did at the beginning. In the final pages (strongest part of the book IMHO) some background info is revealed that helped me understand them a bit more.
The other thing was the amount of space devoted to forensic information. I guessed early on the author has a background in the field & her passion is obvious. But for someone picking up a thriller, the frequent long passages describing every fibre & how it's tested may be more than they need to know. It slows the pace & when my eyes started glazing over I began skimming ahead to find either something happening or some dialogue. It could easily be edited without affecting plot lines, leaving more space to explore the characters & their relationships.
But I kept reading just to find out how it all shakes out when the truth is revealed. The ending sets the stage for book #2 & if it's a more character driven story, I'd be curious to see what Jack & Maggie get up to next. If you're a huge fan of CSI-type shows, you may enjoy it more than I did.
April 4, 2022
What do we have here?
A cop/serial killer that is supposed to be so good at getting away with murder and yet makes mistakes left and right and acts like a complete moron at all times.
A genius forensic investigator that almost has Sherlock Holmes levels of deductive power and yet doesn't come close to adding up the clues that the cop/serial killer literally leaves everywhere to the point that a 5 year old could crack the case. Honestly, he does everything but grab her and shout "I'M THE KILLER YOU IMBECILE!!!".
Another bad guy that helps move the plot along near the end by suddenly behaving in a way that he previously has shown he never would (nor would anyone that isn't an insane person, which this person isn't). It's like he knew the end of the book was near and the plot was stalling so he said "I guess I had better go berserk and massively incriminate myself in a bunch of terrible crimes right in front of law enforcement so that we can end this turkey".
I can't give it one star because I was never bored and never wanted to give up on it (although my eyes rolled around so much that they got quite the workout).
Bonus points for the line where someone wishes they had stayed home to play Playstation because "they had just gotten to the seventh level and they thought they knew how to get to the eighth". The seventh level of what? Pac Man? Did a grandma who hasn't seen a videogame since Atari write that line? I understand that levels exist in some games but who talks like that without even referencing what the heck they are playing?
A cop/serial killer that is supposed to be so good at getting away with murder and yet makes mistakes left and right and acts like a complete moron at all times.
A genius forensic investigator that almost has Sherlock Holmes levels of deductive power and yet doesn't come close to adding up the clues that the cop/serial killer literally leaves everywhere to the point that a 5 year old could crack the case. Honestly, he does everything but grab her and shout "I'M THE KILLER YOU IMBECILE!!!".
Another bad guy that helps move the plot along near the end by suddenly behaving in a way that he previously has shown he never would (nor would anyone that isn't an insane person, which this person isn't). It's like he knew the end of the book was near and the plot was stalling so he said "I guess I had better go berserk and massively incriminate myself in a bunch of terrible crimes right in front of law enforcement so that we can end this turkey".
I can't give it one star because I was never bored and never wanted to give up on it (although my eyes rolled around so much that they got quite the workout).
Bonus points for the line where someone wishes they had stayed home to play Playstation because "they had just gotten to the seventh level and they thought they knew how to get to the eighth". The seventh level of what? Pac Man? Did a grandma who hasn't seen a videogame since Atari write that line? I understand that levels exist in some games but who talks like that without even referencing what the heck they are playing?
August 18, 2017
This is an interesting partnership. Gardiner works in coroner office working with fingerprints primarily and when needed trace evidence. Renner is a cop who deals out his own justice.
For once the female in the story doesnt go off and do stupid things on her own. Her downfall is she is too curious. When various bodies have the same trace evidence but no other connection, she comes up with a list of buildings to investigate.
Renner tracks suspects he believes is guilty of their crimes but the justice system failed to convict them of their crimes.
Their worlds collide when Renner is assigned to accompany Gardiner on her quest to figure out where the building is that was the kill room and how these bodies are connected and who is doing the killing.
This book is set in my hometown and Black does a terrific job of keeping landmarks, roads and even future construction true to the city
For once the female in the story doesnt go off and do stupid things on her own. Her downfall is she is too curious. When various bodies have the same trace evidence but no other connection, she comes up with a list of buildings to investigate.
Renner tracks suspects he believes is guilty of their crimes but the justice system failed to convict them of their crimes.
Their worlds collide when Renner is assigned to accompany Gardiner on her quest to figure out where the building is that was the kill room and how these bodies are connected and who is doing the killing.
This book is set in my hometown and Black does a terrific job of keeping landmarks, roads and even future construction true to the city
April 1, 2016
A cop who is a vigilante. That is a question that can be debated for years. Although I understand why one would do that type of thing.
This was a great story with lots of bad characters, bad in the sense that they were not good people. I sped through this book, wanting to know who was next on the agenda. I knew Jack had an ultimate goal, but I wasn't aware of the goal's atrocious crimes until the end of the book. That woman got off easy.
This was my first Lisa Black book and it will not be my last. I was definitely immersed in the story and could not put the book down. One thing I was curious about, and of course this is fiction, the author wrote that they were doing away with trace. That seemed strange to me, but like I said, it is fiction.
Huge thanks to Kensington and Net Galley for combining to provide me with this e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a great story with lots of bad characters, bad in the sense that they were not good people. I sped through this book, wanting to know who was next on the agenda. I knew Jack had an ultimate goal, but I wasn't aware of the goal's atrocious crimes until the end of the book. That woman got off easy.
This was my first Lisa Black book and it will not be my last. I was definitely immersed in the story and could not put the book down. One thing I was curious about, and of course this is fiction, the author wrote that they were doing away with trace. That seemed strange to me, but like I said, it is fiction.
Huge thanks to Kensington and Net Galley for combining to provide me with this e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
March 10, 2017
A mix read for me. What I can say is that this book could have been sooo much better! You know who the killer is - right from the start of the book, even reading the jacket of the book. Which is fine. Then you have a Maggie (Gardiner) a super CSI agent who can find a cat hair- and make an entire case out of it.
It's about vigilante justice- a cop and a CSI agent- I did finish the book- for I just had to see how it ended- and most likely will read number 2 , because I just can't imagine what could be next- But that does not mean that I can really recommend this book/series either- sometimes, when something has the potential of being good- and it isn't - I have to 'tune' in to see how off the mark I am. But that is just me..... Interesting idea all around, just perhaps a better out come with a different author.
It's about vigilante justice- a cop and a CSI agent- I did finish the book- for I just had to see how it ended- and most likely will read number 2 , because I just can't imagine what could be next- But that does not mean that I can really recommend this book/series either- sometimes, when something has the potential of being good- and it isn't - I have to 'tune' in to see how off the mark I am. But that is just me..... Interesting idea all around, just perhaps a better out come with a different author.
April 25, 2016
4 stars
Huge thanks to Lisa Black, Kensington Books and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoy books about crime scene investigators so am always on the look out for new books where they play a main character. This is a good read, there's no mystery about it, just science and police work, along with violence and bad guys and I really enjoyed it.
This is the first book in a series following both o these tenacious characters and I can't wait for the next instalment.
Huge thanks to Lisa Black, Kensington Books and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoy books about crime scene investigators so am always on the look out for new books where they play a main character. This is a good read, there's no mystery about it, just science and police work, along with violence and bad guys and I really enjoyed it.
This is the first book in a series following both o these tenacious characters and I can't wait for the next instalment.
April 25, 2016
New character by Lisa Black and she doesn’t disappoint. Maggie Gardiner is a forensic investigator with the Cleveland Police Department. While investigating several murders all clues point to one killer. These killings are vigilante justice and someone is killing criminals who have escaped justice. Little does she know the killer may be closer than she thinks. Great read. I would like to thank the Publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this ARC.
January 28, 2018
Interesting and thought-provoking. I am interested to see where the series heads.
April 20, 2016
This one started off like gangbusters. But about halfway through, my enthusiasm started to drop off, and by the end, I decided that my actual rating is 3.5 stars. The book is good enough, though, that I rounded up to 4 for the websites that don't allow half-stars; the story was well-written (if implausible in several places), and I'm sure many readers of murder mysteries/police procedurals will find lots to love about it.
In addition to an enticing description, I was intrigued because the story takes place in Cleveland - just over an hour's drive from my northeastern Ohio home and a city I've visited way too many times to count. It might, I figured, rank up there with the books from author Les Roberts, whose private investigator Milan Jacovich, who ranks high on my Top 10 list of favorite characters, lives and works in the city once dubbed the "mistake on the lake." Like Jacovich (and Roberts), I love the place - except maybe when we're driving on on East 9th on a day the Indians or Browns are at home.
Sure enough, I got what I wanted in terms of setting; right from the start came references to loads of places familiar to me including University Circle, Terminal Tower, the Old Stone Church and the incomparable West Side Market (for that alone I thank the author and publisher, via NetGalley, for giving me an advance copy in exchange for a review). Forensic investigator Maggie Gardiner makes her way, often on foot, in and around these places, initially as she tries to identify the body of a teenage girl who is found in an historic cemetery. Then, another body turns up, and another - and Maggie tries to connect the dots together with cohorts that include an ex-husband (he, BTW, doesn't play much of a role, making that relationship next to meaningless as far as anything in the story goes).
Also working with the department is sociologist Jack Renner, who first meets Maggie during a department meeting and then later on the downtown streets, where he entices her into a local pub for a bite to eat. She's not terribly impressed with him during either meeting, but she becomes more curious when some of the dots she's been chasing start to line up in his direction. What she doesn't know at first (but readers do, from the beginning), is that Jack is a killing machine. In fact, he's got an agenda close to the heart that hides his .22 revolver: Taking down, vigilante style, dastardly career criminals who have thus far managed to escape the prosecution he's convinced they deserve.
As much as anything, the book is a treatise on the age-old question of whether the end ever justifies the means. For Jack, the answer is crystal clear; Maggie, though, has a more difficult time making up her mind (and for that matter, so does Jack, although his agonizing leans more toward whether or not he cleaned up every droplet of blood or other trace evidence that could lead to his identity).
And therein lies is the reason I didn't give the book a higher rating. If I had a quarter for every drawn-out "what if," "why should/shouldn't I," "did I or didn't I," "maybe he's thinking this or maybe that" coming from the two of them, I'd easily have enough to buy a pre-game dinner for two at the House of Blues on Euclid Avenue.
Of course, I won't reveal anything about how the investigation proceeds or ends or Maggie's much-overthought conclusions, although I will say there seems to me to be a probability that she and Jack will be reunited and this is the first of a series. If that happens, I hope all the extraneous (to me) mental "stuff" will be absent and the focus will turn more toward serious character development. But in any event, I'm more than willing to give the pair another go. Bring 'em on.
In addition to an enticing description, I was intrigued because the story takes place in Cleveland - just over an hour's drive from my northeastern Ohio home and a city I've visited way too many times to count. It might, I figured, rank up there with the books from author Les Roberts, whose private investigator Milan Jacovich, who ranks high on my Top 10 list of favorite characters, lives and works in the city once dubbed the "mistake on the lake." Like Jacovich (and Roberts), I love the place - except maybe when we're driving on on East 9th on a day the Indians or Browns are at home.
Sure enough, I got what I wanted in terms of setting; right from the start came references to loads of places familiar to me including University Circle, Terminal Tower, the Old Stone Church and the incomparable West Side Market (for that alone I thank the author and publisher, via NetGalley, for giving me an advance copy in exchange for a review). Forensic investigator Maggie Gardiner makes her way, often on foot, in and around these places, initially as she tries to identify the body of a teenage girl who is found in an historic cemetery. Then, another body turns up, and another - and Maggie tries to connect the dots together with cohorts that include an ex-husband (he, BTW, doesn't play much of a role, making that relationship next to meaningless as far as anything in the story goes).
Also working with the department is sociologist Jack Renner, who first meets Maggie during a department meeting and then later on the downtown streets, where he entices her into a local pub for a bite to eat. She's not terribly impressed with him during either meeting, but she becomes more curious when some of the dots she's been chasing start to line up in his direction. What she doesn't know at first (but readers do, from the beginning), is that Jack is a killing machine. In fact, he's got an agenda close to the heart that hides his .22 revolver: Taking down, vigilante style, dastardly career criminals who have thus far managed to escape the prosecution he's convinced they deserve.
As much as anything, the book is a treatise on the age-old question of whether the end ever justifies the means. For Jack, the answer is crystal clear; Maggie, though, has a more difficult time making up her mind (and for that matter, so does Jack, although his agonizing leans more toward whether or not he cleaned up every droplet of blood or other trace evidence that could lead to his identity).
And therein lies is the reason I didn't give the book a higher rating. If I had a quarter for every drawn-out "what if," "why should/shouldn't I," "did I or didn't I," "maybe he's thinking this or maybe that" coming from the two of them, I'd easily have enough to buy a pre-game dinner for two at the House of Blues on Euclid Avenue.
Of course, I won't reveal anything about how the investigation proceeds or ends or Maggie's much-overthought conclusions, although I will say there seems to me to be a probability that she and Jack will be reunited and this is the first of a series. If that happens, I hope all the extraneous (to me) mental "stuff" will be absent and the focus will turn more toward serious character development. But in any event, I'm more than willing to give the pair another go. Bring 'em on.
April 6, 2016
I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley and Kensington Books.
I absolutely devoured this novel in one day. Normally I hesitate to say that about a novel because, to me, it almost makes it seem that the book was so lightweight that there wasn't much there to dig into as a reader. Nothing, absolutely nothing, could be farther from the truth as it applies to this story. I was so engaged with these characters, helping them to solve these murders and yet hiding the information that would solve these murders at the same time. Finally I realized I was "helping" two characters going in completely opposite directions and one of the me's reading this was destined to be upset. Maybe. This novel has an absolutely superb premise that simply can't work and yet Lisa Black made it work. Hot Dog! Where do I sign up for the next one?
This is the first book in a new series written by Lisa Black, this one featuring an over thirty, divorced woman who began working in the Cleveland, Ohio, law enforcement department as a civilian criminalist but who has now moved on to include crime scenes and fingerprint analysis, Maggie Gardiner. Her counterpoint in fiction is in his early fifties, a divorced man, a homicide detective, Jack Renner. These two are on the same side in the law enforcement world but because of their access to an incredible amount of information, one is walking down a very secret, very dark, very well hidden track. Someone has made the decision to take the law into their own hands and become a vigilante to right a horrible wrong. Collateral damaged along the way? Well, it's all something that just happens on the way to completing a good cause.
For me, this novel had such wonderfully written characters because the author made them completely realistic and believable. Oh, how tired I get of reading nonsensical fantasy when it comes to homicide investigations. Yes, these novels are fiction and some license has to be given to an author to portray their fictional crime fighters in the way they want, but Lisa Black shows you can have honest representations of career criminal investigators and still have them be interesting, logical, thinking people. Add to all of this that question which confounds all of us from time to time - how far would I go to right a terrible injustice. What factors should be taken into consideration when you determine right from wrong?
Thank goodness there are more novels by this author already published. Even if they do feature a different set of main characters at least I know where to go exploring when I'm in the mood to check out more.
I absolutely devoured this novel in one day. Normally I hesitate to say that about a novel because, to me, it almost makes it seem that the book was so lightweight that there wasn't much there to dig into as a reader. Nothing, absolutely nothing, could be farther from the truth as it applies to this story. I was so engaged with these characters, helping them to solve these murders and yet hiding the information that would solve these murders at the same time. Finally I realized I was "helping" two characters going in completely opposite directions and one of the me's reading this was destined to be upset. Maybe. This novel has an absolutely superb premise that simply can't work and yet Lisa Black made it work. Hot Dog! Where do I sign up for the next one?
This is the first book in a new series written by Lisa Black, this one featuring an over thirty, divorced woman who began working in the Cleveland, Ohio, law enforcement department as a civilian criminalist but who has now moved on to include crime scenes and fingerprint analysis, Maggie Gardiner. Her counterpoint in fiction is in his early fifties, a divorced man, a homicide detective, Jack Renner. These two are on the same side in the law enforcement world but because of their access to an incredible amount of information, one is walking down a very secret, very dark, very well hidden track. Someone has made the decision to take the law into their own hands and become a vigilante to right a horrible wrong. Collateral damaged along the way? Well, it's all something that just happens on the way to completing a good cause.
For me, this novel had such wonderfully written characters because the author made them completely realistic and believable. Oh, how tired I get of reading nonsensical fantasy when it comes to homicide investigations. Yes, these novels are fiction and some license has to be given to an author to portray their fictional crime fighters in the way they want, but Lisa Black shows you can have honest representations of career criminal investigators and still have them be interesting, logical, thinking people. Add to all of this that question which confounds all of us from time to time - how far would I go to right a terrible injustice. What factors should be taken into consideration when you determine right from wrong?
Thank goodness there are more novels by this author already published. Even if they do feature a different set of main characters at least I know where to go exploring when I'm in the mood to check out more.
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