Mördande hetta

Dept 6 Hired Guns #3

by Brenda Novak, Eva Nilo (Translator)

En mördare – sju offer. Eller fler …?
Sju kvinnor hittas mördade i öknen utanför Skull Valley i Arizona. Jonah Young från Department 6 har kallats in som konsult av sheriffen i Yavapai County för att hjälpa till att lösa morden. Men Jonah är inte alls förberedd på de problem som uppstår då han tvingas samarbeta med en kvinna ur sitt förflutna, privatdetektiven Francesca Moretti.

Tio år tidigare var de ett par, men Jonah svek Francesca på värsta tänkbara sätt. Hon har inte förlåtit honom och hon är säker på att hon aldrig kommer att göra det heller. Men i Skull Valley har hon blivit anlitad av släktingar till en kvinna som mördats på samma sätt som kvinnorna i öknen. Att avstå från uppdraget är inget alternativ och hon måste samarbeta med Jonah. Snart har de en misstänkt – men alltför många frågor återstår. Frågor de måste hitta svaren på. För om de tar fel kan det bli det sista de gör …

Genres: Romantic Suspense, Romance, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Contemporary, Ebooks

425 pages, Paperback

First published September 17, 2010

About the author

It was a shocking experience that jump-started Brenda Novak’s bestselling author career.

“I caught my day-care provider drugging my children with cough syrup and Tylenol to get them to sleep while I was away,” Brenda says. “It was then that I decided that I needed to do something from home.”

However, writing was the last profession she expected to undertake. In fact, Brenda swears she didn’t have a creative bone in her body. In school, math and science were her best subjects, and when it came time to pick a major in college, she chose business.

Abandoning her academic scholarship to Brigham Young University at the age of 20 in order to get married and start a family, Brenda dabbled in commercial real estate, then became a loan officer.

“When I first got the idea to become a novelist, it took me five years to teach myself the craft and finish my first book,” Brenda admits. “I learned how to write by reading what others have written. The best advice for any would-be author: read, read, read….”

Brenda sold her first book, and the rest is history. Now a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, she continues to publish two or three novels a year, in a variety of genres.

Brenda and her husband, Ted, live in Sacramento and are the proud parents of five children—three girls and two boys. Now that they are empty-nesters, she spends her free time babysitting her two grandchildren.

When she’s not with her family or writing, Brenda is usually raising money for diabetes research. To date, she's raised almost $2.6 million. Her youngest son, Thad, has diabetes, and Brenda is determined to help him and others like him. She also enjoys traveling, watching sporting events and biking--she rides an amazing 20 miles every day!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-...

Reviews

[Booklover · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am rating this book only from crime angle part,the only reason i completed the book was cause i wanted to know who was the killer,twist and turns kept me glued to the story.

On romance angle part did not like it.Jonah-Fran their relationship started on lies,Jonah hid that he was married before he met Fran and then he slept with Fran's best friend Adriana cause he realized he is in love with her(i was like WTH???).Jonah regrets it but what he did he accepts he did it knowing what he was doing and he was taking advantage if the fact Adriana had crush in him.

Adriana one selfish faithless friend,how can Fran forgive her for what she did and later my doubts proved right,she is not what she seems,she was always in love with Jonah and when she got the opportunity she grabbed it and betrayed her best friend.Not once did she think what she was doing,she acted solely on hopes that Jonah will come to love her,even when she got pregnant with Jonah's child she gave birth hoping they will get married,together they will raise the baby but when all her hopes dashed away she gave up the baby for adoption,even after 10 years when Jonah is back yet again her hopes arise of winning Jonah's love.All in all what a "B****".Think she even lied about the facts of that night to Fran cause Jonah was drunk but she was sober enough to know what was happening yet she went ahead and had sex with him(says a lot about her,completey started disliking her)but when she comes clean and Fran breaks off the friendship she has a nerve to get angry at Fran.When yet again her hopes are dashed she goes back to her husband Stan and two boys.

Fran one TSTL woman,first of all i just could'nt understand how can she forgive Adriane for cheating but not Jonah.They were both involved and both hurt her and betrayed her.But later when she comes to know Adriana did purposely what she did least then she had a sense and broke it off with her.Liked the answer she gave "You choose him first that night"

Jonah he was selfish stupid jerk but his character redeemed,he paid for his actions and least he had decency enough to acknowledge that he was a selfish "B*****d".

Overall i am saying only from crime angle i liked it but on relationship angle disliked it.Would have still liked it cause the issues were talked out but a "Cheating child"is a big no-no for me.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Killer Heat
3 stars (4 for the plot and 2 for the romance)

Good suspense plot but awful characterization.

This book has to have the most TSTL heroine that has ever existed. Not only is she the most inept private investigator who gets into the most stupid situations and alienates every law enforcement officer in her vicinity, but she also remains friends with the self-absorbed b*tch (a very fitting description) who betrayed her in the most basic of ways, and manages to forgive for the selfish jerk who broke her heart.

The hero is a cheat and a hypocrite. His excuses for his unforgivable behavior are not only unconvincing but offensive, and his reconciliation with the heroine is unrealistic in the extreme.

The investigation into a serial killer targeting women associated with a local salvage yard operator is the book’s only saving grace. The suspects are well-developed and the motivations compelling. Nevertheless, the identity of the killer is exceedingly obvious and the climax and resolution are rushed. The epilogue is also completely superfluous.

Brenda Novak is a skilled writer as evinced by the 2nd book in this series. However, this is definitely NOT one of her better works.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think I could do what Francesca did. To take Joshua back and still be friends with Adriana. All I have to say is....WOW

[Maja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stars: ⭐ 4.0 ⭐

Main characters:
- Francesca: ❣️❣️❣️❣️
- Jonah: ❣️❣️❣️❣️

POV: The story is told from Francesca and Jonah's POV in third person and here we have a few POVs from villains too

Romance: It's Romantic Suspense with second chance trope and with a little bit of angst. It is good

Chemistry: 🔥🔥🔥🔥

OW/OM drama: OW drama (Francesca's best friend)

Love triangle: No

Cheating: Yes, in the past. One (drunk) night and one mistake...

Triggers: Cheating, murders, serial killer, child from one (drunk) night stand and adoption

Funny moments: No

Sad moments: Well, kind of. We can feel her hurt and fear for love again

Favorite characters: Francesca. She is strong heroine

The ending: Happy ending, but so bad written... It's very disappointing

[L Cherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely an interesting mystery that had me guessing until the end.

[‘Sup? · Rating 2 out of 5]

Suspense plot was good, but the protagonists--hero, heroine, and heroine's BFF-- were pretty unlikeable characters with few redeeming qualities. I found myself wishing for the opposite of an HEA for all of them more than once. And also wondering how such as TSTL heroine (my absolute worst literary pet peeve) could be a private investigator, let alone a former cop.

[Sheila Samuelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5 Stars!!
Review:
This was only the 2nd Novel ive read by Brenda but i have to say i really love her writing and storytelling style. This was my first time reading a book in this series by her and even tho its not my favorite i did enjoy it very much.

The Characters are fun and interesting to read about. It was hard to pick just one as my favorite since none of the characters grabbed me enough to be a favorite.

The Setting was beautifully described which made me feel like i was actually in Arizona while reading, especially when the scenery was described.

Overall a Good Book 3 in this Romantic Suspense Series!! Can't wait to read more by Brenda in the future!!

[Vikki Vaught · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I expect with Ms. Novak, there is plenty of action and suspense in this story with compelling characters and a great plot. Happy reading and listening!

[Beatrice Followill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great suspense,action packed right from the start, no slow burn. Great characters,Fran puts her life in danger trying to catch a serial killer, old past loves show upto help, great storyline!

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put it down!

[Heather B · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first Brenda Novak. Unfortunately, I didn't realize it was part of a series, which is my own fault, but I didn't have any trouble following along with this one.

Francesca is a PI hired by a woman to find her missing sister, April. Francesca's investigation leads her to a salvage yard, owned and operated by a nasty brute named Butch. It also brings her back in contact with her ex, Jonah, who she broke up with back in college.

I liked the story - the investigation brought them two different suspects and there were enough clues to make you think it could have been either of them. I liked Jonah, but I really disliked what I heard about him from ten years ago. In fact, Francesca lost a few points with me just for entertaining the notion of getting back together with him. I found her friendship with Adrianna pretty unbelievable, as well.

However, as much as I liked this current Jonah, I really, really, didn't like Francesca. She was whiny immature and had absolutely not respect for laws or rules. A PI who actually acted like this wouldn't be in business very long. I get that she really wanted to find April and the killer of the victims, but her methods were astoundingly stupid. I kept waiting for her to stomp her feet and hold her breath until she got her way. No matter how many direct orders she got from the police involved in the case, she defied every one of them, constantly putting herself and others in danger, endangering the investigation, and making an already tense situation even worse. At one point, when the lead detective was reminding her, for the 15th time, that she was off the case and needed to stay away, she actually responded with "Maybe I will and maybe I won't." Seriously. I had no respect for this woman at all.

And I didn't love the ending. I don't want to give anything away, but it was entirely too deus ex machina for my taste.

I've had another book from this series on my wish list for a while, and I'm going to read it. I really liked Novak's writing style and the story itself, and based on the blurb I've read, I think I'll like it a lot more.

[TinaNoir · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn't impressed with Francesca PI skillz. I don't think I would ever hire her. She seems a bit incompetent and not in a funny Stephanie Plum kinda way.

The book had a curious effect of seeming to hover around both the regular plot of a serial killer and the romance plot where the hero betrayed the heroine in past and they are still dealing with the fall out. I did not feel that the story had a true grasp on each element or that it ever engaged fully in the narrative. It was as if as I was reading I kept waiting for the story to happen.

The serial killer story was a bit derailed by all the WTF? moments I had with Francesca, the police and Jonah. The romance story actually had a lot of angsty potential with Jonah having cheated on Francesca very blatantly and with intent. The third party was still in the picture and the three had to interact. But this all fell curiously flat as well.

So yeah, not a hit in either to romance or the suspense dept.

[Cenna Lipscomb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like the romance part of this story. I found the heroine to be silly and ineffective as a PI. and couldn't believe she had been a policewoman. Moreso the romance in this story bordered on too much angst, I don't think I could have forgiven either person for how they betrayed her, especially her best friend, who had his baby, and after 10 years when it looked as if Fran and Jonah were a couple again,, her best friend would have chucked her marriage and kids to get Jonah hurting her friend again. What a selfish bitch. Jonah was an asshole, and he almost destroyed Fran. I know people change, however Adriana still wanted Jonah and didn't want Fran to be with him. Overall the murder mystery was good the rest of it was not likeable.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good storyline, the plot was well paced and kept me guessing between a few people until closer to the end. Really wished there would have been more scenes between Jonah and Fran. Their story was so emotional it felt like the scenes I was waiting for relating to their relationship in the second half the book just weren't enough.

[Singletary · Rating 1 out of 5]

24/2016/303

If you thought this was a great book, you are not going to like my review whatsoever. In reading over 300 suspense books, I have never seen a more inept private investigator that Francesca. Not only that, I can’t possibly imagine her being on a police force for 10 years, no less. She belongs nowhere near law enforcement or investigating. Picture it: She trespassed onto Butch’s property, trying to find evidence that he’s the murderer. She gets caught by him and loses her purse and cell phone at the same time. Police are called and she is warned NOT to go back on that property uninvited. What does she do? She goes back again to sneak around and gets caught again. It is so unbelievable in my mind that any legitimate PI or police officer would take that risk a 2nd time.

Perhaps it is very unfair for me to write this having read only one of her books. I found many sentences that didn’t make any sense. She writes very unlikable characters. Francesca, the star of the book, has to work with her former boyfriend, Jonah. Ten years ago he cheated on her with her best friend, Adriana. Francesca broke off the relationship, hating him forever. If that’s the case, why does her heart jump every time she talks to him or has to work with him? Adriana did get pregnant by Jonah and she gave the baby up for adoption. Adriana has since married and has two young sons, but she still has a burning desire for Jonah. I found that this made for very uncomfortable reading.

[Myra Marquis Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't want this to end where it did. I wanted more answers more loose ends tied. Although I was not happy with all of the characters in this offering of Mrs. Novak's, I am a huge fan of her novels.

Some of the characters are more believable than others. Kind of tired of the local law enforcement being portrayed as less then useless...but at least he wasn't as bad as Barney Fife! No way should the bff been forgiven period. I understand the reasoning but nope! Didn't see the final twist until right before..so well done.

Time to put Department 6 to rest and delve into some light reading before I head back to Alaska for the new offering in The Evelyn Talbot Chronicles "Hello Again" which is due out this fall!!

[Ashley Hedden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Killer Heat (Dept 6 Hired Guns #3) was another great read by Brenda Novak. In Skull Valley, seven women’s bodies were discovered. Jonah is a private security operative who works for Department 6 and hired by the sheriff to help solve the murders. Unfortunately he has to work with private investigator, Francesca, who he hurt in the past. Ten years ago, he betrayed her trust in the worst way possible. She has never forgiven him but know she must find out who killed these women. They quickly focus on a suspect, but he may not be the culprit. I really enjoyed Jonah and Francesca’s story. I can’t wait to read more by Brenda Novak.

[Agnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the Department 6 series, especially this one. Kept me going because I could not figure out who was killing all those women.

But the story brings us to Jonah Young from Dept 6, hooked up with Francesca - his love of many years before - now they have to work together to get the killer. Between their past history and their present job on finding the killer - sparks fly. A little romance, quick tempers and lots of suspense....brings you to a surprise ending.

[Ellen White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Francesca her goal to find missing people alive, now alone, and with finding a recent kill, could she escape. The assault she had was the guy also connected to the grave of seven women. She is called in to work with
Jonah an old flame,to figure out what happened. Puzzling case, is the woman she was asked to find, connected to those women in case of Jonah’s. and with clues to the end. Another case to figure out and readers will enjoy.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book #3 in the Dept. 6 Hired Gun Trilogy. Jonah Young is a consultant hired by the sheriffs department in Arizona to investigate when the bodies of seven women are discovered. When he shows up, he is surprised to learn that he will be working with a woman from his past - private investigator Francesca Moretti. Can they let what happen in the past define their future? Read on and see...

[Kylah · Rating 3 out of 5]

the crime/ mystery aspect was super interesting and well developed. i didn’t like most of the characters but it has nothing to do with the writing/ quality of the book - i simply didn’t like the characters and their personality/ histories. the romance okay, but was a little butchered by wide characters. the ending felt a bit rushed and could be better developed (which is why it got 3 stars not 4)

[Judy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am used to Brenda novas typical storyline of woman and man bicker through most of the book, can't live with you, can't live without you. But her stories are usually so good you skim over those parts. Not in this book, the majority of the story is about the man and woman and it isn't until the last 30 pages that it actually gets interesting. Very disappointing book.

[Lynn Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Brenda’s books and this one is no exception! So full of action and suspense and love! Just when you think you have it figured out she throws in a very good twist to confuse you! You will love this book to! Hurry and get it. Thanks Brenda!

[Debi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the suspense of this novel and it left me guessing until closer to the end. I had hoped though, for more romance from this novel and also got tired quickly of the story between her best friend and old boyfriend.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the Department 6 series. Each book can stand along to read, but I read each one of them together.

Maybe somewhere down the road, Brenda Novak can combine a book where The Stand and Department 6 can work together.

[Barbara Talbott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seven women have been murdered in Skull Valley, Arizona. Jonah Young , a private security investigator and Francesca Moretti, a private investigator have been hired by the county sheriff to investigate and solve the murders. A fascinating story that keeps your attention.

[Crystal Crandall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of danger

This wonderful story is full of danger to keep you reading. Once again Brenda Novak delivers a story full of adventure and danger in a beautifully written way. You wont be disappointed in this story

[Ujjwala · Rating 2 out of 5]

i liked the mystery part and was invested in knowing about the killer and his motives. the killer when revealed in the story surprised me too.

however, the romance was a big NO. i did not like it and wished the heroine would have found someone else.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another re-read with friends I am introducing to my dear friend Brends Novak. With limited funds, it is great to revisit her great books. I only keep 2 authors books, Brenda Novek and Janet Evonovich. You can't go wrong reading and of Brenda's books. I highly recommend her.

[Mary Cutter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Killer Heat

This is an amazing book. The tension in the characters build throughout the story and is enhanced with the many surprising situations. The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to read more. Highly recommend this book.