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A Moving Screen
On June 16, 2005 the body of a female is discovered in the smoking shell of a house fire in Atlanta, Georgia. Without clues to identify the victim or the person responsible for what is ruled arson and murder, Dennis Cane, lead detective, decides to take one last look at the crime scene. He finds a single black thread. On June 24 another female victim is found in a neighboring county. Through his resourcefulness, Dennis learns that a black thread was found at the site of this crime, but the cases go cold due to lack of evidence and bodies that cannot be identified. Two jurisdictions. Two separate cases. Two brutal and horrifying murders.
Over the next three years, literally clinging to threads, he begins to see a pattern: women are dying twice a year on June 16 and 24 at the hands of a serial killer. A murderer with knowledge of forensics and the foresight to choose a different police jurisdiction for each of his crimes, who is escaping punishment. Only Dennis is paying attention. Waiting for the killer to make a mistake. On June 16, 2008 a woman is discovered in the city limits of Peach Grove, Georgia, where Dennis now works. The woman survives, but is unable to identify her assailant because of heavy sedation as she fights for her life. But Dennis knows that this is the break he’s been waiting for. Racing against time, Dennis joins forces with Merlot Candy, a private investigator and the two set out on a quest that will bring them in contact with more evil than they could have ever imagined.
Over the next three years, literally clinging to threads, he begins to see a pattern: women are dying twice a year on June 16 and 24 at the hands of a serial killer. A murderer with knowledge of forensics and the foresight to choose a different police jurisdiction for each of his crimes, who is escaping punishment. Only Dennis is paying attention. Waiting for the killer to make a mistake. On June 16, 2008 a woman is discovered in the city limits of Peach Grove, Georgia, where Dennis now works. The woman survives, but is unable to identify her assailant because of heavy sedation as she fights for her life. But Dennis knows that this is the break he’s been waiting for. Racing against time, Dennis joins forces with Merlot Candy, a private investigator and the two set out on a quest that will bring them in contact with more evil than they could have ever imagined.
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First published April 1, 2016
310 people want to read
About the author
Kris Allis
3 books8 followersKris Allis is a retired middle school French teacher. Her dream of writing a novel was fulfilled with her first novel "A False Start." She is married with three beautiful adult children who make her proud every day. She also has a dog, a terrier/schnauzer mix, who has successfully filled her empty nest. Kris enjoys reading, dancing, movies, basketball games, and bowling. She is an award winning member of Toastmasters International. Kris enjoys traveling and recently went on her first trip to the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Her second novel "A Moving Screen" was published this year. She is hard at work on the third novel of the series "Back Court,"
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
November 14, 2016
As I have gotten older, I have become more and more a fan of police procedurals and thrillers. There is just something about getting the chance to get inside the mind of a killer. From a safe distance, of course.
A MOVING SCREEN starts out with a great plot and interesting main characters however I didn't find that it lived up to its promise. It got bogged down with details that were repeated over and over. There are just so many times that I need to be told just what Merlot is wearing or just what protective equipment the nurse needs to wear when working with a severely burned victim.
I also found that the dialogue was stilted in places to the extent that the editor in me wanted to highlight it and send it back to the author. Another thing that slowed down the story was an overabundance of the details on the backgrounds of unimportant secondary characters.
The ending was great as I didn't see it coming which does make reading this book worthwhile in the end though I don't feel right recommending it to my readers without pointing out the issues. Now mind you that everyone's take on a book differs so always take my opinions with a grain of salt.
*** I received this book at no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed within are my own.
December 12, 2016
A MOVING SCREEN BY KRIS ALLIS- is a fast paced police thriller. The book just speeds along with a non stop thrill ride!
Det.Dennis Cane of homicide knows there's a serial killer but he's having a hard time convincing his superior of this. He has figured out that the killer is burning women to death on the dates of June 16th and 24th. For the last three years Cane's only lead is a black thread found at crime scenes in different jurisdictions. One night he gets a break, a survivor. Follow Det.Cane as he tracks down this person who's burning women alive!
I found the research that the author did very indepth. I have been in a burn unit so I know from first hand knowledge the look, the procedure and the smell that's there (my brother was the patient) The author captured that very well. I was so immersed into the book I didnt want to tear myself away from it! I cant wait for more books from this author. For fans of page turning thrillers A MOVING SCREEN is a MUST READ~
I received this book free from goodreads/netgalley in exchange for a review.
Det.Dennis Cane of homicide knows there's a serial killer but he's having a hard time convincing his superior of this. He has figured out that the killer is burning women to death on the dates of June 16th and 24th. For the last three years Cane's only lead is a black thread found at crime scenes in different jurisdictions. One night he gets a break, a survivor. Follow Det.Cane as he tracks down this person who's burning women alive!
I found the research that the author did very indepth. I have been in a burn unit so I know from first hand knowledge the look, the procedure and the smell that's there (my brother was the patient) The author captured that very well. I was so immersed into the book I didnt want to tear myself away from it! I cant wait for more books from this author. For fans of page turning thrillers A MOVING SCREEN is a MUST READ~
I received this book free from goodreads/netgalley in exchange for a review.
February 7, 2017
DNF I just couldn't go on with this book
September 7, 2017
Over the last three years, young women have been gruesomely murdered in and around Atlanta, Georgia by an unknown killer. Next to no evidence has been discovered and most of the victims have gone unidentified. Then, another murder happens in Peach Grove, an Atlanta suburb. This time, Police Detective Dennis Cane is determined that he will find the villain behind all this horrible death.
This is a decent book, with an interesting plot. Unfortunately, like many self-published books, this one needs additional editing and tightening to make it a really good novel.
Additional reveiw comments to follow.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
This is a decent book, with an interesting plot. Unfortunately, like many self-published books, this one needs additional editing and tightening to make it a really good novel.
Additional reveiw comments to follow.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
December 28, 2016
I won this book from a GoodReads give-away. I enjoy a good mystery and this one was very enjoyable. Dennis Cane is police detective who thinks there is a serial killer burning women to death. He has very little evidence. Merlot Candy is a private investigator who specializes in finding missing people. When a woman survives a fire meant to kill her turns out to be the missing person Merlot is looking for, the two team up to try and find the killer. This book constantly kept you on your toes and guessing clear up to the end. An interesting but sad ending that I didn't see coming.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 24, 2016
This book has a serial killer, a detective, and a private eye. Of course, has victims killed by fire. Is a three year long search for this vile individual. When the killing hits close to home it becomes personal and ends as a cliff hangar. Like mysteries so liked this novel. Thanks to Goodreads.
August 27, 2017
Follow up to A False Start with some of the same characters Anissa & Merlot - women are being murdered in a gruesome way on the same date each year.
Who's the killer and why?
Fast paced with short chapters.
Who's the killer and why?
Fast paced with short chapters.
January 11, 2017
A decent story. Death by fire has always been a fear of mine. Worse I think would be survival after severe burns. There is some of that but more so the search for the demon who is committing these depraved acts. A colorful collection of characters set out to solve these acts of murders. A meeting of individuals by happenstance lends the clues needed. It kept me guessing right up to the ending. But wait, there was no ending. Not sure but what some pages were missing. Seems not so I assume or guess or wonder and maybe hope there will be a follow on. Kris, don’t toy with me.
March 9, 2017
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to dig into this one and thought I would enjoy it. I like thriller/mystery books, especially when they're based on police investigations. But I just couldn't find myself interested in this one once I got started. There were too many details, too much repetition.
I really wanted to dig into this one and thought I would enjoy it. I like thriller/mystery books, especially when they're based on police investigations. But I just couldn't find myself interested in this one once I got started. There were too many details, too much repetition.
December 17, 2016
Interesting read I must say. I am now going to have to read the next book to see what happens as this story is interesting. This killer is unusual in their methods of killing, and the killer is unusual also. I will not dwell on that subject as it can spoil the book. I will say that the main characters are interesting to say the least. I like Merlot as he comes across as dapper and hilarious and I like Dennis as he seems like he can have a great sense of humor. I liked Sterling also as seemed like a bumbling moron, but it showed that appearances can be deceiving. I also must say this author is very similar to Robert Crais in terms of skill and with some practice, will reach that level sometime.
I received this book as part of the Goodreads Giveaways program.
I received this book as part of the Goodreads Giveaways program.
October 3, 2016
A 'Thriller/Murder Mystery' with an added twist! I really enjoyed this book, loved the pace of the story, the uncomplicated prose; pushed along nicely with the short chapter structure; including an intrinsic focus on time and dates. This provided orientation to the narrative and gave the reader the impression of the events happening in real-time.
The sequence of events played out in this chilling story bring together the main characters of 'Moving Screen', Dennis and Merlot; the High School buddies who played in the same Basket Ball Team. Dennis the Police Detective, and Merlot the Private Investigator start working on this case albeit it for differing reasons; and eventually brings them to a meeting of minds after their chance meeting in the same locality. This unlikely partnership works to solve this case and bring a killer to justice.
This is a good read, and yet I would of liked to have had a little more descriptive narrative in some of the scenes, but this may be a personal preference rather than a weakness in the writing style of the Author. The plot provided plenty of twist and turns, and kept me guessing as to whom is really responsible for the murders; and the underlying reasons for dishing out this type of malevolence.
'Moving Screen' leads to a climatic ending that did not disappoint, but may have been made even better; by teasing the reader with a little more of a chase. Even so, well worth a read.
booksandblarney.wordpress.com
The sequence of events played out in this chilling story bring together the main characters of 'Moving Screen', Dennis and Merlot; the High School buddies who played in the same Basket Ball Team. Dennis the Police Detective, and Merlot the Private Investigator start working on this case albeit it for differing reasons; and eventually brings them to a meeting of minds after their chance meeting in the same locality. This unlikely partnership works to solve this case and bring a killer to justice.
This is a good read, and yet I would of liked to have had a little more descriptive narrative in some of the scenes, but this may be a personal preference rather than a weakness in the writing style of the Author. The plot provided plenty of twist and turns, and kept me guessing as to whom is really responsible for the murders; and the underlying reasons for dishing out this type of malevolence.
'Moving Screen' leads to a climatic ending that did not disappoint, but may have been made even better; by teasing the reader with a little more of a chase. Even so, well worth a read.
booksandblarney.wordpress.com
January 5, 2017
First off, I want to thank the author, Kris Allis, for the complimentary copy (and the Christmas card!) in exchange for an honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed the pace of this, along with the nice twist at the end. A few of the things that I would change:
1. The repeated "same day" or date at the beginning of each chapter. I felt that this disrupted the flow and was not necessary, especially when it repeated "same day" for several chapters. This seemed obvious without the heading.
2. I have a gymnast daughter who wears many leotards and I can say that, due to the synthetic nature of the material, not one of them has ever left a thread anywhere. Therefore, I found the whole thread-at-the-crime-scenes scenario to be completely implausible. It would've worked better had it been a type of garment that tends to shed more.
3. I found there to be too many extraneous details that were a distraction and did not add to the overall plot. Sometimes the descriptions of the characters went off on tangents which were unnecessary. I feel that the flow would have been smoother with some editing.
Overall, though, this was an enjoyable read for any lover of suspense. I look forward to reading more from Kris Allis! Well done!
1. The repeated "same day" or date at the beginning of each chapter. I felt that this disrupted the flow and was not necessary, especially when it repeated "same day" for several chapters. This seemed obvious without the heading.
2. I have a gymnast daughter who wears many leotards and I can say that, due to the synthetic nature of the material, not one of them has ever left a thread anywhere. Therefore, I found the whole thread-at-the-crime-scenes scenario to be completely implausible. It would've worked better had it been a type of garment that tends to shed more.
3. I found there to be too many extraneous details that were a distraction and did not add to the overall plot. Sometimes the descriptions of the characters went off on tangents which were unnecessary. I feel that the flow would have been smoother with some editing.
Overall, though, this was an enjoyable read for any lover of suspense. I look forward to reading more from Kris Allis! Well done!
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February 9, 2017I was excited to win this book and was looking forward to reading it. I'm always looking for new authors. I was impressed on her research of the burn unit. How she hooked everything together with a 'black hair'. At the end of the book I said, 'Oh no'. You have to read the next book to find out 'who done it'.
January 23, 2017
A determined police detective believes a serial killer is at work in the Atlanta area, but because each case has been in a different jurisdiction, no concentrated effort has been applied to the multiple cases. But a survivor may be the break in the case he needs. A private detective specializing in missing persons determines a Jane Doe at a local burn unit is a woman he has been hired to find. This victim unknowingly reunites former high school basketball teammates in an effort to find the suspect who, if the police detective is right, will strike again in a week. Can the teamwork that won them a championship help them stop a killer? Well plotted and quickly paced. I did receive this book as a prize from Goodreads First Reads for my honest review.
February 6, 2017
I enjoyed this book. It was an easy book to dive into and stay interested. My only criticism is that the author was pretty painstakingly descriptive throughtout the whole book. Details of clothing, what a person was eating, how they held eye contact, etc. were the standard until it came time to wrap the story up. In literally a handful of pages the previous 380+ were put to bed, so to speak, with a lack of finality. Perhaps that is just my impression and another won't feel that way, but I felt the story deserved a bit more attention at the end even if that resulted in a few more chapters.
Even so, it was a decent book and I would recommend. I won this through a Goodreads.com giveaway from the author.
Even so, it was a decent book and I would recommend. I won this through a Goodreads.com giveaway from the author.
December 15, 2016
This is an touching thriller that the author gifted to me.
November 21, 2016
A colorful private detective and a small town homicide detective are forced to join forces to identify and capture a serial killer. These characters are quite well described, as are many others in the book. Suspense builds throughout the story, but the writing wanders off into trivial details enough to make the story less engrossing. Hopefully another book is in the offing to finish the story. The final chapter in this book reads like a "gotcha," as all the loose ends are tidily bundled up.
December 8, 2016
Received through FirstReads...
I pretty much read this one straight through. Just a good, entertaining mystery. If you're looking for a very complicated, twisty-turny plot, this is the wrong book. It's quite straightforward. I have to say I really liked the whimsical names a lot of the characters were given, it was a nice touch. It was a bit unsatisfying that there was no resolution, but I guess that just means I'll be reading the sequel.
I pretty much read this one straight through. Just a good, entertaining mystery. If you're looking for a very complicated, twisty-turny plot, this is the wrong book. It's quite straightforward. I have to say I really liked the whimsical names a lot of the characters were given, it was a nice touch. It was a bit unsatisfying that there was no resolution, but I guess that just means I'll be reading the sequel.
December 24, 2016
I truly enjoyed this book by Kris All is. Who has been killing these women for the last three
years in June on the same two dates. The detective Dennis Crane and private detective Merlot Candy end up working together to try and unravel the mystery. There are a couple of surprise
twists at the end. Thoroughly enjoyed this book. I received this book in a giveaway by Goodreads for my honest review.
years in June on the same two dates. The detective Dennis Crane and private detective Merlot Candy end up working together to try and unravel the mystery. There are a couple of surprise
twists at the end. Thoroughly enjoyed this book. I received this book in a giveaway by Goodreads for my honest review.
December 28, 2016
I really liked this murder mystery. I thought the book was well written, with an interesting plot.
The names of some of the characters, Candy and Cane, were kind of cute. I was not a fan of the very detailed description of unimportant facts, as in color of clothing, carpeting, leather chairs, etc. You just want to say, "Come on, lets move along here" I would read another book though, by Kris Allis.
I won this book through Goodreads, for an honest opinion.
The names of some of the characters, Candy and Cane, were kind of cute. I was not a fan of the very detailed description of unimportant facts, as in color of clothing, carpeting, leather chairs, etc. You just want to say, "Come on, lets move along here" I would read another book though, by Kris Allis.
I won this book through Goodreads, for an honest opinion.
October 15, 2016
Thank you to NetGalley for this book in exchange for an honest review.
Talk about suspense from start to finish! I loved the pace of the novel and the ending was definitely not one I came up with as I tried to solve the case as I read. I didn't feel the twists and turns in the story were overkill and I definitely look forward to more from this author.
Talk about suspense from start to finish! I loved the pace of the novel and the ending was definitely not one I came up with as I tried to solve the case as I read. I didn't feel the twists and turns in the story were overkill and I definitely look forward to more from this author.
November 21, 2016
A Moving Screen by Kris Allis was a very intriguing novel. I enjoyed the suspense of this book from start to finish. I enjoyed the rotating points of view and the way this story unfolds. Although this story did not end quite the way I would have liked, it was wonderfully written and exciting! Well done! I received this book for free in exchange for my honest feedback.
December 18, 2016
This is a book that I won in a Goodreads sweepstakes. I am a big fan of murder mysteries and this one definitely keep me guessing. I thought I knew who did it until I got to the end and I was wrong. I enjoyed the characters. The book was well written and kept my attention. I will look for more books written by Kris Allis in the future.
October 8, 2016
A really good thriller with a little added twist to keep the reader guessing. A good plot and great mix of characters with Detective Dennis and Merlot the P.I. working the case in partnership. I would recommend this book to lovers of thrillers and murder mysteries. Thanks to Net Galley for my copy.
October 20, 2016
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was completely hooked from the very first page. Some lovely twists through the book to keep it interesting. My one negative opinion was that sometimes too much description was given to pointless things.
I was completely hooked from the very first page. Some lovely twists through the book to keep it interesting. My one negative opinion was that sometimes too much description was given to pointless things.
October 6, 2020
Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 1
The story was very slow moving and it barely had any action in it. The characters were decent, but the story moved at such a snail's pace it was hard to appreciate them.
Rating: 1
The story was very slow moving and it barely had any action in it. The characters were decent, but the story moved at such a snail's pace it was hard to appreciate them.
August 10, 2017
I received this arc from Netgalley.
A great read!! A solid, well written book that I found interesting. There are some parts that are a little too detailed but I still enjoyed it. I especially loved the twist at the end. I hope to read other books by this author.
A great read!! A solid, well written book that I found interesting. There are some parts that are a little too detailed but I still enjoyed it. I especially loved the twist at the end. I hope to read other books by this author.
September 15, 2016
Excellent book, and it was as good as the first book.
January 9, 2017
This was a story with a twisted ending that I didn't see coming. Good writing kept me wanting to read and an unpredictable storyline that kept me guessing!
December 14, 2016
A Moving Screen hass strong characters and a good plot. A like to much details. A good read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews