Cruel Intent

Ali Reynolds #4

by J.A. Jance

From New York Times bestselling author J.A. Jance comes a chilling tale of suspense, where a cold-blooded murderer lures former newscaster Ali Reynolds into a chilling web of online romance—and doom.

On the SingleatHeart.com dating site, bored housewives can find romance with married men looking for sex without strings. But these “married singles” are flirting with more than just their vows—at the heart of this salacious service, a vengeful computer hacker is playing games with people’s lives...and deaths.

Ex-television journalist Ali Reynolds just wants a break from excitement. In the midst of a remodel on her home, the last thing she expects is a murder investigation that will stop the construction. But when the savagely murdered body of stay-at-home mom Morgan Forester is found, Ali’s contractor Bryan is the prime suspect. Bryan swears he has nothing to do with his wife’s murder—but as the investigation progresses, Ali seems to be the only resident of Sedona who believes him.

Determined to prove Bryan’s innocence, Ali unknowingly lands herself directly in the path of a calculating killer. In a world filled with encrypted computer traps and life-threatening lies, will Ali be able to decode the actions of a ruthless man determined to destroy women—before he uses his wicked website to find her?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook, Thriller, Suspense, Crime, Mystery Thriller

352 pages, Hardcover

First published December 2, 2008

About the author

Judith Ann Jance is the top 10 New York Times bestselling author of the Joanna Brady series; the J. P. Beaumont series; three interrelated thrillers featuring the Walker family; and Edge of Evil, the first in a series featuring Ali Reynolds. Born in South Dakota and brought up in Bisbee, Arizona, Jance lives with her husband in Seattle, Washington, and Tucson, Arizona.

Series:
* J.P. Beaumont
* Joanna Brady
* Ali Reynolds
* Walker Family

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bryan Forester was the contractor for the renovations to Ali Reynolds’ home. She found him a hardworking, likeable man so when his wife Morgan was discovered by their two young daughters, Lacy and Lindsay, battered to death on their front porch, Ali was shocked to discover everyone, including the local Homicide Detective Dave Holman, immediately had Bryan as the murderer.

Ali’s conviction that Bryan was innocent started her on a chain of events that brought danger to everyone she cared for. Would she find the answers before it was too late?

Cruel Intent is the 4th in the Ali Reynolds series by J.A. Jance and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I haven’t read the previous in the series, but this did perfectly well as a standalone. I’ve had it on my real bookshelf after purchasing it at a discount many years ago – I’m glad I’ve finally read it. The reader knows who the perpetrator is from the start, with chapters dedicated to that person, but the tension as I headed toward the conclusion was breathtaking. Recommended.

[Alisa]

DNF @15%……..because, yikes, this author should never write about POC or LGBTQA+. I think he/she’s trying to be inclusive but it’s a giant, stereotype mess.

Also, super boring. I read the first few books in this series many years ago & enjoyed them. I thought I’d get back to it since it’s a long series now. It didn’t stand up to the test of time

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cruel Intent (J.A. Jance)

A suspense/thriller. Ali is having her house renovated, when she finds her contractors wife has been murdered. Soon he becomes the number one suspect, but Ali is not too sure about his guilt, even though the whole town has him pegged as guilty. Soon Ali finds herself in a fight for her life as the killer is hot on her trail.

Likable characters, fast paced and suspenseful. Fun read for those who like a bit of humor in their murder mystery dramas.

[Carl Alves · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of late I've been really souring on the insane overabundance of serial killer novels. They have been so overdone of late that it was hard to trudge through yet another one. Still, Cruel Intent was a pretty easy read and had a lighter tone than some of the others I've read lately. In Cruel Intent, ex TV journalist Ali Reynolds gets involved in a murder case when the contractor working on her case is investigated and later arrested for murder. In the process, she comes across a website devoted to married people hooking up and gets in the crosshairs of the killer. My biggest problem is that their was so much extraneous information that was neither pertinent to the story or remotely interesting. I think Jance could have cut a quarter of the novel out and not missed a beat. The whole side story where Ali was in charge of giving a scholarship was pointless. With a better editor this novel would have improved greatly.
Carl Alves - author of Two For Eternity

[Randy Daugherty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cruel Intent by J.A.Jance this was my first time reading Jance and may be why I rated it lower just not being use to her style though I did find the book a good read.
The characters are well developed and interesting and more they are very believable. We all can relate to the trials that all the characters are going through.
We start with a murdered woman, a beautiful wife and mother, she is also having an affair not just one but a string leaving the police with one viable suspect the husband.
Brian is a hard working father and husband, one who turns a blind eye than to lose his kids. When charged with his wife's murder he turns to Ali Reynolds, a writer to help him out.
The investigation leads Ali to a dating site and brings her into the sites of the true murderer, not just one who has killed but one who has done it many times over the years.
The question is can Ali figure this all out before she or those close to her fall to this psycho makes for a good read.

The one thing you need to take from this book, is never mess with an elderly lady with a taser!This was my first time reading of J.A.Jance but it will not be my last as I will give Jance more than a chance to make me a fan and I want to learn more of Ali and her adventures.

[Clare · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took me ages to finish this one I kept picking it up and putting it down as I just couldn't seem yo care about any of the characters. The Ali Reynolds series is definitely my least favourite by J A Jance and I'm not sure I can bring myself to carry on with it.

[Vannessa Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why J.A. Jance would choose to create a character as ridiculous as Ali Reynolds only she knows!

Ali Reynolds grew up with intelligent parents and she raised an intelligent son yet Ali Reynolds lacks common sense, common reasoning skills, and she’s slow to catch on. Yet, she was a successful journalist. Ali seems to possess what is called all book sense and no common sense.

J. A. Jance had a winner in her J. P. Beaumont character whom I like and always looked forward to the next book.

Cruel Intent is one of the better Ali Reynolds stories. In this installment Ali is restoring a mansion when the manager of her construction crew is taken in for questioning for the murder of his wife.

Ali Reynolds is behaving more like an adult then a broken hearted child as she had in past stories.

I read the Ali Reynolds stories because I’m a fan of J. A. Jance but I prefer the J. P. Beaumont stories because they’re more interesting.

[Linda Munro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know how I missed this book, but I spent my day listening to it and I'm glad I did

When a woman is found murdered by her two young children, the local police believe the husband did it. What Ali Reynolds wants is a break, in stead she finds her construction project is about to be stopped because of this murder investigation. What is worse is that Brian Forester, owner of the construction firm remodeling Ali's new home is also the number one suspect in his wife's Morgan Forester's murder. Brian says he did not murder his wife; it seems that Ali is the only person in Sedona that believes him.

Ali is determined to prove Brian's innocence, but, her attempts place her right in the middle of the killer's path.

[Sheila Beaumont · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth in the Ali Reynolds series, and I've thoroughly enjoyed them all. Like the others, this one has good writing, a thrilling, fast-paced story, and likable and interesting characters. Leland Brooks, the butler, is a wonderful addition to the cast. I've only recently discovered J.A. Jance, and now I'm looking forward to reading all of her books.

[Russ]

J.A. Jance is a prolific writer of mysteries. She currently has 4 different series in publication. Her books are quick easy reads.

[John (Just bought an Oculus 2 VR, so less time to read these days!) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great by this author

Absolutely loved it. There was so much going on, but it tied well together and even had time for some character development.

[Carol Jones-Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scary Warning: On a dating site, singleatheart.com, bored housewives can find romance with married men looking for sex without strings. But these "married singles" are flirting with more than just their vows. At the heart of this seemingly innocent service, a vengeful computer hacker is playing games with people's lives...and deaths. The scene is set in Sedona, Arizona. I personally have had relatives that lived in Prescott and Phoenix, and they would take vacations to Sedona. I went with them once, and it's a delightful town to visit.

When her contractor's unfaithful wife is brutally murdered, former TV anchorwoman Ali Reynolds sets out to prove the husband's innocence in spite of skepticism on the part of Ali's detective boyfriend, a situation that strains their relationship and catches the attention of the real killer.

Cruel Intent is the fourth book in J.A. Jance's Ali Reynolds series. It's a light, easy to comprehend book. Reynolds has day to day problems she handles in imperfect ways. I like that. It gives a sense of reality to a mystery series where the crimes find the main character rather than the other way around.

Cruel Intent is about a man who uses his computer skills to find and hurt women. That's clear in the first couple of pages, so it's not a spoiler. I llke comparing the good guys to the bad guy. Another computer guru who operates a legal up front business genuinely cares about his customers. He is a construction contractor who genuinely loves his childen and is willing to sacrifice his own happiness for theirs. And Ali's family is an important part of this story. Her son, Chris, and his fiance are planning a wedding and experiencing typical problems with that process. That part was fun. Her mother is also a major player in this story. The one issue I had with this story concerns Ali's relationship with her mother and a choice Ali makes late in the book. I won't say anything more than that.

Cruel Intent is a good choice for people who like light, but sometimes violent, mysteries with characters we readers feel we might just know.

She also is the only person that feels that Bryan is innocent and the only one that believes Bryan. The last thing she expects is a murder investigation that will discontinue the construction on her home. But when the savagely murdered body of stay-at-home mom Morgan Forester is found, Ali's contractor Bryan is quickly identified as the prime suspect. Bryan swears he has nothing to do with his wife's murder.

This plot is really frightening. Ali unbeknownst to herself lands herself directly in the path of a vicious murderer. In a world filled with encrypted computer traps and life-threatening lies, will Ali be able to decode the actions of a ruthless man determined to destroy women -- before he uses his wicked website to find her? GULP!!! How would he do that? I also got the feeling that the town saw Bryan with evidence, and she see's a frame-up. Shall we toss a coin?

This is a pretty good book. Recommend if you like this type of read... Enjoy reading!!

[JBradford · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have yet to find a book by J.A. Jance that was not well worth the reading. It is escape fiction, perhaps, but it is good escape fiction, with a generally interesting cast of fully understandable characters involved in a complex plot that gives us understanding of how these people interact with what is going on around them to the extent that we can determine whether we might or would want to act that way, too. Isn‘t that what learning is all about? In addition, I am always eager to see how successful authors work out their plots—and with more than 27 best-selling novels to her credit, J.A. Jance certainly is a successful author.

This is actually the fourth book in a series featuring Ali Reynolds, now an ex-television journalist, who has come back to her home town in Sedona, Arizona, which was also the locale of at least the two previous books in the series, none of which I have read, unfortunately. The relationship she had established with Dave Holman, the Sedona detective who proved her innocence when she was accused of having murdered her second husband, has cooled off somewhat--or rather, put somewhat on hold , as Dave has been custody of his two daughters and they seem to be consuming much of whatever free time he has from the detecting business. Meanwhile, Ali’s grown son, Chris, a teacher in the local elementary school, is living with her--but he is getting ready to marry Athena, another teacher in his school. At the same time, Ali has purchased a crumbling mansion, which she is busy restoring, with the hope that she can move into it by Thanksgiving, leaving the upscale mobile home (which boasts a studio basement) she inherited from her aunt to Chris and Athena … with that restoration, which is actually being done by a local contractor, Bryan Forester and his crew, under the watchful eye of Leland Brooks, a diminutive and elderly gentleman who has been having a homosexual relationship with the local judge for some years, and who apparently used to be the butler for one of the now-departed characters in a previous novel in the series, and who has adopted the idea of helping Ali get over her depression as his new hobby. Is the scene all set? Not quite: you also need to know that Ali’s parents own and operate the only good café in town (which is not the way I remember Sedona, a beautiful small city surrounded by an even more beautiful desert), with both of them being characters in their own right.

Along comes Peter Winter, a doctor down in Phoenix, who has two hobbies. One hobby is operating a somewhat raunchy Internet dating service, named Singleatheart, which is aimed to appeal to people who are not happy with their married state. His second hobby is beguiling lonely housewives among his clientele who look like his deceased wife--and then killing them, as he did her, as well as his mother. In this particular case, his newest victim, done away with in the prologue, is Morgan Forester, Bryan’s wife, and he is increasing his entertainment in the process by trying to get the murder blamed on someone else whose identity he has stolen by means of the online dating service records. Would you believe that all this is in the prologue to the book?

The rest of the book, of course, involves Ali’s escapades, as her detective boyfriend sets out to pin the murder on Bryan, which means that her new house will not be ready for the Thanksgiving feast, which causes Ali to try to figure out for herself what the true story is, which means that she gets involved with the Singleatheart dating service, bringing her to the attention of the murderous doctor, who sets out to take care of her but finds that the person at home is not Ali but little Leland Brooks, who just happened to have served in Her Majesty’s Royal Marines when he was younger. Meanwhile, Ali has found additional help in the form of a geeky recluse who also has moved back to Sedona after making his fortune in clandestine Internet activities in the outside world, who just happens to know exactly how to hack into the Singlesatheart data network. There are a half dozen other interesting characters who appear during the book, also, each with their own set of problems and promises, but I think I’ve given you enough to go on without spoiling the plot, which twists and turns, as all of J.A. Jance’s plots do.

[Joanne Cheek · Rating 1 out of 5]

This story never got off the ground for me. DNF.

[William Bentrim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cruel Intent by J. A. Jance

Ali Reynolds just wanted to get into her house and make Thanksgiving dinner. Little did she know that a serial killer would thrust his ugly way into her hopes for a pleasant holiday.

This mystery really moved. Jance put the pedal to the metal and never let up. Ali is a likeable heroine who cares about people around her. She is tolerant of others and their differences. Her butler, Leland, provides her with a steady hand when she lets her emotions run away. Her relationship with her Mother and Dad came off as authentic and familiar. I found her a very believable character. Peter Winters, the psychopathic serial killer was almost stereotypically evil. He had no redeeming characteristics. Jance populated the book with characters that are entertaining and believable. The tension in the story and the action will provide every adrenal junkie a great rush. I liked the book enough to go out and get the two Ali Reynold’s novels that preceded it.

I highly recommend the book.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy the Ali Reynolds books in large part because the settings comprise places that are familiar to me. She may be unrealistic, as bemoaned by other readers, but aren't most "detectives?" I just like a good story in which all the questions are answered at the end. This book was good; however, I missed the motivation for the murders of the other women. Were they killed because they were unfaithful or were they killed in order for their computer information to be stolen, as was hinted at the end of the book? Other than that one detail, I thought it was a pretty good page turner...

[Donnie McDow · Rating 4 out of 5]

i have read quite a few j.a. jance books and never one i didn't like but this one-what bugged me most is 'dave the detective' didn't detect much and i didn't find 'any'thing remotely romantic about him that ali would be attracted to. he started to bug me about 1/2 way through the book all the way to the end and the end seemed to go on about 50 pgs. too long but a good read anyway. i liked her 'kick ass' mom but not so much, the whiny dad.

[Aspen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, I didn't totally finish it...I got about 100 pages into it and it was nothing but crap...the character were horribly done, the plot was predictable and there are so many side plots and random characters that have absolutely nothing to do with the main plot. I am ashamed that American literature has sunk so low.

[Grumblebuffin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jance uses the technique (not common in mysteries) of revealing the solution and all the mysteries concurrent with the activities of the heroine. Thus, we sit by and watch her slowly, ever so slowly, catch on to what is happening. It is tedious and unenjoyable.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars - bumped to five because I couldn't put it down.

The villain was truly terrifying.

The storylines regarding hosting Thanksgiving and the interference of Ali's mother were distracting and superfluous.

[Mish · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to say that I found this book to be a bit of a brainless read. I enjoyed it however it was just not as well written as her others that I have read.

[Carole Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was on of the author's Ali Reynolds books and it was good. As usual Ali gets wrapped up in a murder and almost gets killed, but there's humor and surprise and it was an enjoyable rea.

[Gerard · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many characters spoil the read. Could have been better without so many of them.

[Donn Lorber · Rating 2 out of 5]

An ok story that is predictable and not inspiring

[Linda Lpp · Rating 3 out of 5]

First book to read in the Ali Reynolds series-am sure I missed background information, but am not fretting about it. At least another book off my tbr shelf. And I did like the book.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed books by this author for many years now. Her characters feel like friends and I always enjoy visiting with them. The mystery is good, as always, but it’s the development of characters and the family and friend interactions that really make this a great read. And since I lived near Sedona for several year that always adds to my enjoyment.

[Linda Rawlins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cruel Intent - Ali Reynolds #4 is about a crazed killer who finds his victims through a dating service.

[Momma-Bear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another intriguing tale by Jance. I like the way she writes in simple and understandable language, not lacking in suspense and substance!

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite book series and just because this book only received 3 stars doesn't mean it wasn't a good book. It just wasn't her best one and I will certainly be continuing with the series. As a matter of fact, I already have the next book on order from the library.

In book 4 of the Ali Reynolds series, Ali's new home is being remodeled and Bryan Forrester is her top notch contractor in charge of this large undertaking. However, soon into the book, Bryan's wife, Morgan, is found bludgeoned on her front porch by her twin daughters as they get off the bus after school. Dave Hollman, Chief of Police, and Ali's on again off again boyfriend automatically suspects Bryan, the husband. Suspicious items are found that keep making Bryan look more guilty by the second but Bryan swears he didn't do it. Ali, having been in Bryan's position when her own ex-husband was killed believes him and goes about trying to help Bryan even though this goes against everything Dave, her boyfriend, believes.

Bryan knows that Morgan was cheating on him and had embezzled money from his company because he found evidence of this on back-up files on their computer. He didn't leave Morgan because he didn't want to lose his girls. During the investigation, Bryan gives Ali copies of his files from his computer for safe keeping because he is notices that there are some strange disappearances of a few files on his original computer. Ali decides to do some digging of her own and finds that Morgan was involved in a dating site specializing in married people looking for other married people for a no strings fling. Wanting to investigate further, Ali signs up for SingleAtHeart, unknowing that when she signed up, a Trojan horse virus was unleashed into her computer capturing her every keystroke. Thankfully, she had previously signed up for a service that quickly detects any virus. With the help of B. Simpson, they return the favor by sending whomever sent the virus another worm that steals their files and crashes that computer. The decision to do this is based on trying to catch the would be identity thief and gather data to take to the police. Little do Ali and B know that they have just stepped into a huge mess with a man now so desperate to get his files back, their lives may be in jeopardy.

I listened to the audio version of this book and Jance keeps the same narrator throughout the series to keep continuity so when I return to the series, each of which I have listened to the audio as well as read the book along with it, I felt like I was catching up with old friends. Kudos to Jance on her decision to keep the same narrator who does a great job modifying her voice for varying characters. Also by using the same narrator, I feel like the main character is a real person who I return to with every new book I read.

This may not be the best in the series and definitely predicable, I still love the characters and their quirks. I will certainly be continuing with the series. 3 stars.

[Marcia Haskell · Rating 4 out of 5]

"From New York Times bestselling author J.A. Jance comes a chilling tale of suspense, where romance turns deadly at the hands of a man whose heart is filled with... CRUEL INTENT On a dating site, singleatheart.com, bored housewives can find romance with married men looking for sex without strings. But these "married singles" are flirting with more than just their vows. At the heart of this seemingly innocent service, a vengeful computer hacker is playing games with people's lives...and deaths. Ex-television journalist Ali Reynolds just wants a break from excitement. In the midst of a remodel, the last thing she expects is a murder investigation that will stop the construction on her home. But when the savagely murdered body of stay-at-home mom Morgan Forester is found, Ali's contractor Bryan is the prime suspect. Bryan swears he has nothing to do with his wife's murder -- but as the investigation progresses Ali seems to be the only resident of Sedona who believes him. Determined to prove Bryan's innocence, Ali unknowingly lands herself directly in the path of a calculating killer. In a world filled with encrypted computer traps and life-threatening lies, will Ali be able to decode the actions of a ruthless man determined to destroy women -- before he uses his wicked website to find her?"

I enjoyed this book and got caught in the twists and turns of the plot. While the last turn - having the killer turn up at Ali's under-construction house - and having neither Ali nor Leland recognize the possibility - seemed implausible.
However what fascinated me about this book was J.A. Jance's ability to capture the secondary characters, their personalities, traits, and situation in a few paragraphs and bring them to life. I have tried to analyze how she does it - reviewing the language and writing style. After that I decided she embeds the feelings into our subconscious by magic - that's the only possibility. When I wake up think "I'm so glad those twins have their grandfather in their lives" Something supernatural is going on. Her ability to handle secondary plots makes this book one of the best pieces of writing I've read in a while.