21 Weeks: Weeks 8-14

21 Weeks #8-14

by R.A. LaShea

21 weeks. 20 victims. 2 cops at odds. 1 serial killer. Week 8 When a woman with dreams of Vegas stardom becomes the victim of her own gory production, it connects back to a previous death at the same location, as Detective Beck Nash’s probe into old cases reveals a startling truth. Week 9 A dying man in prison for a murder committed by their serial killer, the team must search for a way to free him, while their current murder is especially troubling for everyone, and, to keep her adopted family safe, Detective Beck Nash proves there is nothing she won’t do. Week 10 When a distillery owner is found fermenting in a tank of his own wort, the alcohol throws the science into uncertainty, while the investigation reveals a dark side to their victim, and a chance encounter puts Detectives Nash and Williams in mortal danger. Week 11 Juggling multiple murders the same week, the details of one victim’s past throws everything the team thought they knew about their killer into question, as legal limitations get in the way of the investigation, and Detective Beck Nash sees something in the killer’s previous murder sprees no one has ever seen before. Week 12 With new information regarding the killer’s pattern and old murder scenes, Detective Beck Nash and team have some idea where their killer might strike next. Focusing their attention on a swanky strip club near The Las Vegas Strip, nothing, however, can prepare them for how the killer’s next murder plays out. Week 13 Best guess as to where their killer will strike next taking the team into the storm drainage tunnels under the city, Detective Beck Nash seeks help from a trusted old friend, while going head-to-head with a recruit with whom she couldn’t have less in common. Week 14 Reason to believe a missing woman with a traumatic past, and a strange affliction, will be their next victim, Detective Beck Nash and team try to figure out where their killer may surface next, as a break in the investigation gives them whole new insight into the mind of a madman. 21 Weeks is a fast-paced police procedural thriller series that ramps up in intensity with each victim that falls until its explosive final week. This series is about a serial killer. There will be violence. There will be language. There will be other adult things. It is intended for a mature audience.

393 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 5, 2016

Reviews

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gruesome? ✔️ Brutal? ✔️ Addicting? ✔️

The plot. We once again tag along as Beck and her Scooby gang of misfits and fellow cops continue to race against the clock to find the 20 year killer. But how does he keep outsmarting everyone? Things are about to get messy and even more dangerous as the team slowly closes in on this maniac.

The characters. Beck is still her bad ass self and LaShea does an even better job of making me love the secondary characters that are part of her team, in particular Justine and Baxton, proving that smart really is the new sexy. As for the victims. Week 13 was the one that got to me the most. Talk about an insanely cruel and violent way to leave this life.

The writing. Really? You need me to spell it out for you? IT'S GOOD. Just take a look at what some of the other trusted reviewers have said.

The special. The murders taking place during the weeks in this second part of the series feel slightly more violent. There was surprisingly also a moment when I was completely grossed out and was very thankful I didn't have to read about a certain act involving... you know what you'll realize what I'm talking about when you read this book.

The negative. Nothing book related but work kept getting in the way of my reading. Perhaps I should have waited until I got back home to start this second part. *snort* I couldn't even type that with a straight face!

The verdict. Question: is it a good idea for my claustrophobic, anxiety ridden ass to start reading book three while I'm about to be stuck in a metal can and hurtling through the air at 720 kilometers an hour? No. But you bet your sweet ass I'm doing it anyway!

Overall a 4,5* rating but not quite ready for that 5*.. yet.

[Farah · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I don't exactly write typical lesfic fare, so people expecting that are generally disappointed. Each to their own, though. I'm not going to change what I write or how I write because Angry from Arkansas didn't get the romance she was after"
- Cari Hunter, author of The Dark Peak Series

A thriller trilogy, too many victims but only one sadistic, psychopath killer. Will Ms.LaShea keep the momentum going, engage her readers, continue giving false hopes, have some mercy on her victims/readers? Yes, Probably, Definitely Not.

The murder of Sharon Tate back in 1969 still gutted me until today. According to her murderer/s, she was begging for the life of her unborn child but it fell to deaf ears as they stabbed her 16 times, she was 8 and a half months pregnant. It took me 4 months after reading Week 1 - 7 to read the sequel. Why? I couldn't forget about two of the victims in that book. One was made to relive her nightmare for hours - the madman's favorite MO and the other - a drug addict, working hard to live a better life only to fall into his hands.

Did LaShea run out of ideas for the killings in this sequel?
No. She added new, blood-curdling methods. However, the killings were not as disturbing as the first book so I was able to relax and focused on the investigation aspect of capturing the fcukshit - Desk job, going through the old file cases can be fruitful. However, it was hard to connect the murders, even when the heartlessfcukedup was reusing his old crime scenes for new artworks.

Beck, Williams, Bishop, Baxton, Martinez and the rest of the LVPD were at their best once again - working tirelessly, having each others' backs and always hopeful on saving the victim/s. They were regular people - don't walk on water, cut them and they'll bleed.

Dear future readers, LaShea is a gifted author. She gave beautiful/heart-wrenching/ brief backstories to most of her victims and the probability of you falling for them is quite high. I fell hard for the two in Book 1 and never thought LaShea will be able to up her game in this. I. was. dead. wrong. She ripped my heart out, took it for a ride through the 7 gates of hell, wearing a frigging Liverpool jersey, then pushed it back into my battered body and I ended this books with big, fat, ugly tears. My heart is completely broken and I am still crying as I'm typing this. How great is an author? The one who can still make you cry over her fictional character and this victim will be in my heart for a long time, I'm pretty sure.

Highly recommended but proceed with caution, prepare care package/s before reading for the aftermath. I think I need to watch We Bought A Zoo - repeatedly and donuts for every meal, for the next couple of days. How could you, LaShea 😭😭😭

[Agirlcandream · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a gripping series. Murders most bizarre. The twenty year killer continues to outsmart Beck, Williams and Bishop but they are getting closer. Beck is homing in on patterns and her ability to get into the mind of this maniac is helping the detectives reach his victims in minutes instead of hours.
Loved the scenes in the network of storm tunnels under the streets of Las Vegas.

Powerful stuff. I'm eager to see what creative killing methods we get in the final book in this trilogy. I'm keen to understand his motivations after all this bloodshed. Bring it On LaShea, bring it on.

[Somia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The hunt for a serial killer who always seems a dozen steps ahead of them continues. In this book, the author has kept up the pace, ensured a lovely layer of emotional intensity, and continues to reveal facets of the characters that ensure I remain engaged and eager for more. It was nice to be back with Beck, Williams, Bishop, Baxton, Martinez and the rest of the squad. I seem to be warming up to Bishop when I really disliked him at the start of the first book!

Be warned some of the descriptions of the victims are a little gruesome – I found myself wincing/cringing a little as I read. The tension was vibrating off the page, especially towards the end, and had me leaning over in my seat worried that Williams, Beck or someone else in the team would be hurt or worse – killed.

In this book we see a more emotional side to Beck, and more about her personal life and friendships is revealed, all this along with the continued hunt for the serial killer means that despite the book being 408 pages, it didn’t feel long at all – I finished wanting more.

Towards the 97% mark there is a make out scene which indicates Beck is what society today would term bisexual, the intimacy she shares with her old friend Carmen, is clear but the tensions due to the different paths they’ve chosen mean that the bond they have, whilst still there, is marred by the messiness of life.

[Corrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

R.A. LaShea (aka Riley LaShea) is blowing our collective (Book Club Buddie D. and moi) minds as we continue the super intense police procedural thriller 21 Weeks: 8-14.

Beck Nash of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide division is still after sadistic serial killer Psycho Jesus and LaShea provides us with a wide variety of unusual crime scene locations (crocodile pit, distillery, strip club, drainage tunnels) . Despite the novel’s length (over 500 pages), the author keeps it fresh by presenting every week as a totally new and chilling adventure and it really makes you want to keep reading. The case continues to grow and deepen as we get further into the mindset of this unusually cruel and brazen killer.

I cannot praise this author loud enough, she really got what it takes. Don’t miss out!

Themes: intense shit got more intense, scenes might be triggering, we see a bit more of Beck’s bi-sexual nature, this serial killer is as evil as they come, great characters, fantastic dialogue, addictive read.

5 stars

[Bugs · Rating 5 out of 5]

*This commentary applies to all 3 installments of "21 Weeks"
(Weeks 1-7, 8-14 & 15-21)*


How do you catch a perfect killer?

R.A. LaShea's tour de force of a serial crime saga, "21 Weeks" that spanned out in 3 7-week installments, is prolly the best constructed and executed crime procedural series I've ever read in any fic yet! Thanks to an enthusiastic recommendation from one of my GR mates (Cheers, Farah!), I grabbed a copy and never looked back! My goodness! It was like watching the entire case on-screen! So meticulous. So methodical. So absorbing and addictive. In fact, LaShea's design of the entire case is so ready to be adapted from book-to-screen. imho! "21 Weeks" is truly one of the most original serial crimes created, what with the types of killings constructed and the methodology of solving it.

First off, I was immediately drawn to the aesthetic structure of LaShea's presentation of her story - dividing it into weeks. Reminded me of the TV series, "24," but instead of every episode representing one hour, this one was by week. And in each week, starting from "Week 1," the story began with the day, the location and the time, reminiscent of the TV series, "Law & Order." With this technique, I discovered that my brain was processing my reading of each Week as if it were a week instead of my usual reading time of x minutes to finish a chapter (Week). In essence, the constant display of the day and time on the pages tricked my brain into slowing down the reading time lapse to match LaShea's. I can't explain it any other way, so if you think I'm bonkers, maybe I am! Ignore this! Anyway, it literally brought Beck and Co.'s entire investigation of each homicide to life, for me, making my experience much more acute! In addition to this effective structure of presentation, one of the best bits was that I felt like LaShea gave me, the reader, the opportunity to work through and determine the killer's modus operandi myself rather than spoon-feeding me, you know? Simply brilliant!

Full commentary here... In Bugs' Own Words

[JulesGP · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beck Nash continues to chase after the twenty year killer, each week bringing up more possibilities of what evil humans can do to each other. It’s the details that grip you and pull you under. There’s no “one foot in, one foot out” with this book. The mc’s, victims, and supporting characters are full bodied and so real. You’re going to laugh with them, relive their full lives, and hurt for them as they experience some of the worst.

And then, there’s Beck Nash. About as raw and out of control and loyal and endearing as you’ll see in a fictional story. She cannot be defined. Beck loves who she wants, possesses a complex heart, and brawls bare fisted because that’s all she knows. I think everyone should read this series at some point, if nothing else, to marvel at the storytelling.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

This writer deserves more followers and accolades.

[HL · Rating 5 out of 5]

You have to read the Weeks 1-7 before reading this book. The gruesome meter has increased in the second 7 weeks. The quality of cases and investigation has fully departed from Rizolli & Isles-ish to be more CSI-esq. But there are some lighthearted moments in this book albeit fleetingly and I suspect it’s to help balance out the freakish moments so don’t get too comfortable but do enjoy those moments because they are really good.

[RD · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded to 5

Really enjoyed following this case through Nash’s eyes. The secondary characters are so well rounded, and even one-off appearances like Serena, the dancer, have an impact with the reader.

Only reason why it’s not a 5 is that I did think the underground tunnels pursuit later in the book dragged and I was a bit bored.

I also loved seeing more of Baxton in this second compilation. ❤️

[Margaret L. Hedman · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!

21 Weeks will keep you flipping the pages faster and faster. Yes, there are horrible scenes with a dead body every few pages. But you will still want to know what happens next.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

So good!

Again, this is such a compelling read. Haven’t been this wrapped up in a story for years. Beck is amazing and a bit tortured herself. Still enjoying Beck’s posse as well. On to book three, yea!