Guilt Game

The Extractor #1

by L.J. Sellers

Roxanne MacFarlane is the Extractor—a former CIA agent who specializes in rescuing people from dangerous situations. She lives on the edge and works outside the law, but desperate families know she’s the only operative who can bring their missing loved ones home. Driven by guilt over the loss of her sister to a polygamous cult, she will stop at nothing to save her clients.

When Dave and Jenny Carson ask her to find their daughter, Mia, and extract her from a charismatic cult leader who preys on young women with guilt issues, Rox is eager to help them. But the experimental treatment she just started in order to improve her atypical brain patterns forces her to face conflicting newfound emotions while working feverishly to find the secret compound and craft a strategy to get Mia out.

When the bodies of young women who match Mia’s description turn up, Rox must fast-forward her plans. But the situation is more complicated and dangerous than she realizes, and her own life is soon in jeopardy. Can Rox save Mia and bring down a ruthless predator before more young women fall victim?

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

238 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 6, 2017

About the author

I write the bestselling Detective Jackson mystery/thriller series—a four-time Readers Favorite award winner—as well as the Agent Dallas series, the Extractor thrillers, and provocative standalone thrillers. My 30 novels have been highly praised and have sold more than a million copies.

I reside in Eugene, Oregon where my many of my novels are set, and I'm also an award-winning journalist who earned the Grand Neal. When not plotting murders, I enjoy standup comedy, cycling, social networking, and attending mystery conferences. I've also been known to jump out of airplanes.

Reviews

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 STARS

Meet Roxanne (Rox) McFarlane ... ex-cop, ex-CIA agent who now owns and runs her own private investigator business. Mainly she specializes in rescuing people who have been recruited into cults, or children kidnapped by non-custodial parents. She didn't save her sister who was in a cult and this is her self imposed atonement for that. Her stepfather, Marty, who is a retired cop is her assistant when needed.

Rox is trying to improve what she sees as her issues. She has just started an experimental treatment to improve her atypical brain patterns. She doesn't always identify emotions in other people ... and she has problems expressing her own. These treatments may even help her in her chosen profession. The only person who is not so happy with the results are her boyfriend of sorts...Kyle.. also a homicide detective.

When Rox is contacted by the Carsons, she learns their daughter, Emma, has joined something called the Sisters of Love. Emma caused the death of her best friend while texting and driving and she really wants/needs to atone. Sisters of Love promises to give her that. It doesn't hurt that Emma's parents are also very rich.

While Rox and Marty are plotting and planning how to extract Emma, Kyle is dealing with an investigation into several murders of young women ... young women who resemble Emma.

As their cases start to meet, Rox finds herself facing a more dangerous situation that she had bargained for. And the deeper she gets involved, the more she faces a personal danger.

This is a new series by this author and it looks like it will be a compelling one to read. I really enjoyed the character of Rox and I hope she becomes more fleshed out as the next books are done. Very interested in her brain treatments and how they affect her personal and private life. Marty is a great second character and I would love to see more of him. I would love his backstory.

(The only con I came across I thought was a big one. At one point Marty confesses that he has a terminal illness. Yet closer to the end of the story, he mentions his health .. but a completely different problem. Minus a point for that one.) THIS WILL BE CORRECTED WHEN BOOK IS RELEASED.

Otherwise, the story premise was a good one with an interesting take on cults and how young people are sucked in. Looking forward to the next book.

Many thanks to the author / Thomas & Mercer / Negalley for the digital copy of this book. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

To me the sign of a good book is one you can read in only two sittings and spend the time you aren't reading it thinking about it, and Guilt Game for me was just that book. I was completely intrigued and hooked from the second I understood just what Roxanne's job was, to the moment it finished.

In fact I'm already hoping that this is the first of a new series, as I would love to see more from Roxanne. For she is an Extractor - someone who tries to extract people either from abusive parents, or from cults, or other dangerous situations. She needs to come up with a plan that gets her into as little trouble as possible, while fulfilling the wishes of her client, to get a loved one to safety.

The case this book focuses on is tricky as its trying to get a young girl away from a cult. The cult seems to prey on women which suffer from huge amounts of guilt and thus Emma was a prime target for them. Her parents just want her home safely, and its up to Roxanne, or Karina as she is known for work, to try and find out everything she can about the cult leader and how it operates.

Rox isn't on her own completely she has a step dad who is an ex-cop and her currently boyfriend is with the police working on a large case of his own. Rox is also slightly different from "normal" people and has just started a magnetic therapy treatment to try to get her brain patterns to become more regular. You can see after each session slight changes in her personality, which I found quite interesting.

Guilt Game is certainly a different take on a thriller, but it is now less compulsive. I was really concerned for the cult members, curious as to the sections focusing on the leader, and generally loved the investigating and thought processes Roxanne had.

I thoroughly enjoyed Guilt Game where the action ramped up as the story progressed leaving me surprised with the direction of the ending. Yet another great book from the talented L.J. Sellers.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[Constantine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating: 2.0/5.0

This book was like a rollercoaster for me and I do not mean in a good way. It kept changing between boring and average at best. The book is considered a mystery/thriller but to be honest I felt the story was very linear and had no much thrill to it. The writing was OK and easy as it is mainly written in dialogues between the characters.

The characters were shallow and lacked depth. There is this scene when the stepdad falls at home and he calls the main character for help and she instead asks him to call 911 because she is busy spying on someone she suspects might lead to something for solving a case she has taken up. I mean seriously!!?

Many things were done in an unrealistic way that makes you question if this is a thriller or a fantasy. An example is where the main character Rox mentions that she is going for a treatment. I thought maybe she is suffering from a trauma from the past but no, it turned out that it is some new form of magnetic brain therapy to make her senses sharper so she can be more aware of her surroundings and read people's emotions more accurately!

I might sound a bit harsh reviewing this book, but I am trying not to be and I don't want to mention other cringy stuff so that I won't spoil the story for others. I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and this is my honest unbiased review of it. I am going with a 2.0 meh stars out of 5.0

[Theresa]

Hmmmmmmm.
I DNF'd this after one chapter at precisely this line: "Rox pulled on black sneakers, hurried to the living room, and called, "Clear!" A cop's term for 'safe' or 'okay to enter'." Right.
I can already tell this will not be my kind of book so thanks to Netgalley for the ARC but I'd rather focus my time on something else.

[Robyn Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this new series by the wonderful L.J. Sellers we meet Roxanne MacFarlane, known to her friends as Rox. She used to work for the CIA but left to become an extractor ( someone who rescues people from situations. whether they want to be or not.). Her motivation comes from the fact that her sister was brainwashed into joining a cult and was eventually murdered.
In this book a couple is missing their daughter Emma. Emma has been overwhelmed by her guilt (from killing her friend in a car wreck) and has joined a cult. Her parents want her out no matter the cost so they turn to Roxanne, who with the help of her stepfather Marty takes the case.
What makes Roxanne a unique character has atypical brain patterns. She doesn't register or feel emotions like most people do. During this book, we find out that Rox has started taking treatments to change it. When the treatments start to work, Rox has to struggle with those changes and ultimately decide if she wants to continue down that path. Is it better to feel? Or not? How will these changes affect her relationships? Read and see! lol
This new series will keep you on the edge of your seat, with your teeth clenched and hope in your heart. Will they succeed in extracting Emma before the cult leader can abuse her? or worse before a serial killer moves in for the kill? Will Rox be able to handle the changes the treatments are causing? What is going to happen with Marty?? Gotta read to find out!!!

[Red · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I was hoping for another Lt. Jackson story, Guilt Game did not disappoint me. Rox is the “extractor.” She rescues young people from abusive situations. This is an extremely well written book. It moves at a steady pace and I found it hard to put down. The characters have definite personalities, and are easy to visualize. My guess would be that this is a stand-alone book, but I could stand to see more of Rox and Marty in the future…even though it looks like that would be a limited future.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a giveaway. I really like this genre and it looked like an intriguing story.

In the end, I enjoyed it, but I wouldn't call it outstanding or particularly memorable. The writing is solid and the story is entertaining. The characters feel a bit contrived and are not really relatable, but the story is interesting and I enjoyed reading it.

[Rebekah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am super conflicted about this book. First of all it deals with a subject I'm interested in (cults and saving people who are in them); secondly it takes place in Portland, one of my favorite places. However, the book is super predictable and cringey at parts so I had a hard time with it. I would like to read subsequent books in the series and see if it improves.

[Books 'n' All Promotions · Rating 5 out of 5]

My rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars

Rox is an ex cop and ex CIA turned PI her partner in (fighting) crime is her step Dad Marty. The 2 have a strange relationship they live together but don’t! They are partners but not!, however, whatever they are (or not( they) are very close and have a good working and personal relationship. Rox specialises in 'extracting' people from dangerous or unhealthy situations and returning them to their loved one/s.

Rox is in a relationship with Kyle, a police officer, but suffers from emotional issues for which she decides to try a new type of treatment. The treatment, although it seems to be working, causes a rift in her relationship with Kyle which isnt helped when their paths cross in their respective working lives. I am still a bit unsure of Rox she has had a rough deal in life and I ought to sympathise with that but….

Marty, you have to love. He is the Dad everyone would love to have. He treats Rox like his own daughter even though she isnt and has been mother and father to her as her own mother deserted them when she was young. He has Rox' back every step of the way.

The story revolves around a cult that is grooming young girls who have guilt issues and rich parents there are many twists and turns and the story is reasonably fast moving. I am not sure what Kyle brought to the story and overall the book fell a little short of the mark for me. However, it is the first in a new series and I am a big fan of L J Sellers so I will definitely be reading further books in this series.

Thank you to Netgalley who provided me with an advance copy of this book

#netgalley #thankspublishers #booksnall

[David Highton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as some of her other books

[Minke · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was ok for me. I liked finding out, in the end, the motive behind the crime mystery but for the most part, I felt kind of detached while reading this book. Maybe because I couldn't relate to the characters so in the end it just felt like kind of blah until the last chapter or so.

[Kath · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big fan of this author's Jackson series, one of the first I read on my Kindle way back when and have also read her Dallas series and several stand alone books so I was quite excited to see that she has started a new series to add to the mix.
In this book, we meet Roxanne, a former CIA agent who has taken the skills she learned there and is now working privately as an extractor. Together with her step-father, Marty, they now work, often on the wrong side of the law, to rescue people who are deemed to be in peril - sometimes against what they themselves believe. We first meet her at the end of her previous, successful assignment but it isn't long before her services are called upon again; to extract a young woman from a cult.
One of the things I really love about this author is her main characters. You usually get them wounded or afflicted in a certain way, but here the author makes them a little bit different. Roxanne here has a very interesting disorder with her brain patterns and emotions and she has just started undergoing some treatment that changes the way she looks at things; the way she acts and behaves. I found her journey here to be an interesting addition to the main story, complementing it very well. She also has her own personal reasons for doing what she does and so her emotional awakening is especially poignant at times. It always helps when I click with the main character from the off and I definitely did that with both Roxanne and Marty. I especially loved the relationship between them.
The action comes thick and fast at times, at others it is slow and calculating, reflecting on the situation at the time. I found this to be very balanced. The slower times giving me food for thought and respite from the fast frenetic moments. The cult itself is very well described. The reasons for how and why they target vulnerable people was especially chilling, as were their ulterior motives for doing what they do. Scary stuff indeed.
All in all, a very good series opener which left me totally satisfied at the end and has me eager for book two. Can't ask for anything else.

My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

[Rich Grazian]

The one thing that I simply love about LJ Sellers book series is that you feel like you really know the main character. Every book leaves you wanting more and this one doesn't fail. The main character Rox is genuine and good hearted and to me is someone you want on your side. I don't want to give anything away but I couldn't put this thriller down. I can't wait for book 2.

[John W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

GUILT GAME delivers a unique look at the who and why individuals turn to rescue someone who is dealing with dangerous circumstances. L.J. Seller introduces her readers to Roxanne MacFarlane, a former CIA agent ,who specializes extracting people from situations that may be dangerous. Regardless, families come to Roxanne because she has a reputation of doing what is necessary to bring their missing family member home. Sellers shares Rox’s backstory including details of the loss of her sister and her relationship with her father.

Sellers place her readers inside Roxanne’s head so they can understand what makes her unique. The author shares details of Roxanne having atypical brain patterns. Readers learn Rox doesn’t understand or register emotions like most people do. The author shares details of an experimental treatment program that can alter or help people like Roxanne feel emotions. Rox faces the decision if she wants to continue the treatment. She needs to determine if the changes will affect her work and her relationships.

The fast moving storyline increases at the turn of each page. Rox meets with the parents, Dave and Jenny Carson, whose daughter Emma has fallen under the charms of a fast-talking cult leader. Emma is drawn into his cult choosing to live in the cult's secret compound outside of the city. Rox and her father, Marty begin developing a strategy to find the compound and create a plan to save Emma.

Sellers introduces support characters and their history and explains their roles at the time they enter the storyline. The tension and intrigue increases as the pace of the storyline increases with the discovery of young women’s bodies. The addition of several subplots helps the author change directions and adds several twists and turns to the storyline. Readers follow Rox as she implements her plan to save Emma and eliminate a predator of young women. Action increases at the turn of every page keeping readers on their toes and holding their breath as Seller moves towards the challenging ending of GUILT GAME, the first in Sellers’ new series featuring Roxanne MacFarlane, Extractor.

[Monte Brogdon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely freaking loved it. Rox is an amazing character and I really enjoyed her chemistry with Marty, her stepfather. The story seems to be the first in a series and I can't wait for the next one. It follows Rox, a former CIA analyst who runs a PI business and occasionally employs her stepfather, Marty, who is a retired police officer. Together they take on cases involving girls who need to be extracted from dangerous cults. This is a personal mission for Rox and Marty, as Rox's sister Jolene was killed by a cult leader after being sexually assaulted repeatedly by him, years ago. She is tasked with extracting Emma, a girl who is struggling with her own guilt following a car accident, which resulted in the death of her friend, from Sister Love. Sister Love is a cult that preys on girls like Emma, who are suicidal and struggle with guilt. They take everything from them and bleed their families dry. Rox makes it her mission to both extract Emma and shut down Sister Love for good.

The thing that makes this story so intriguing to me is Rox and her personality disorder. She doesn't sense emotion and does display emotion or affection, but she is undergoing treatment for it and it starts to show. It makes her happier and it shows in her relationship with her stepfather. Unfortunately it also causes a rift between her boyfriend and her, but in the long run, it is a great thing. I can't wait to read more of her story and see where she goes.

[Madelon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I believe that I read my first L. J. Sellers book, THE SEX CLUB, Book 1 In her Detective Jackson series, in 2014, and she has been on my 'if-she-writes-it-I-will=read-it' list from about half way through that novel. The characters in her books are real flesh and blood people that draw you into their lives. As you read, you care about the things that happen to them and the things that happen around them. Every recurring character has a story, and it is keeping that backstory for each of them moving forward that makes me need to know what happens next.

GUILT GAME is book one, in a new series, with new people to meet that each have their own story to tell. Like her predecessors, Roxanne MacFarlane, AKA Rox, is flawed. A perfect protagonist always comes off as plastic, foibles and quirks add reality and humanity. I am intrigued by the premise of an analytical mind desiring the action of field work. Rox is an ex-cop and ex-CIA agent that has struck out on her own because at both jobs she found herself at a desk crunching data.

GUILT GAME is a story within a story, a protagonist within a protagonist, and both of them have unexpected twists and turns. At times, the stories seem like two, independent cases, but, at times, you will wonder when they will intersect. That's the thing with Sellers' books, you might think you know where the plot is headed, and then, in the end, everything changes.

I am looking forward to the next chapter in the life of Rox MacFarlane to see where the action takes her.

I obtained this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

[Elaine Emmerick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ KNOCK OUT READ!!

Guilt Game is a heart-pounding, page-turning read! Roxanne MacFarlane is an Extractor; she's an ex-cop and ex-CIA. She and her step-dad, Marty, take cases which needs her expertise.

Rox receives a call from Jenny Carson; her daughter, Emma, has joined a cult called "Sister Love" and hasn't heard from her in months. Jenny wants Rox to get her out of the cult and she agrees to take the case.

Rox is starting treatment called "Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation". Her hope with the treatment is that it will make her a better investigator and person by being able to read people better and express her newfound emotions.

Rox finds out the founders of the cult are Deacon Blackstone and Margo Preston. The best way to get Emma out is for Blackstone and Margo to be away from the work camp. After an unsuccessful attempt, Rox and Marty try again. Rox gets to the door, asks for Emma and is able to get inside. She finds Emma and starts to leave when...... You'll have to read it to find out!

Guilt Game is the first book of "The Extractor" series. L.J. Sellers has once again written a well thought-out story. It's easy to read, fast-paced and full of suspense. She has created characters that you care about. I love the relationship Rox has with her step-dad. There isn't anything they would do for each other. As a fan of L.J.'s "Detective Jackson" series - I knew Guilt Game would be a knock-out read! I was not disappointed!! I give it a 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ thumbs up! I look forward to reading book 2, "Broken Boys"!!

[Susan Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roxanne (aka Rox) MacFarlane is a former cop, turned CIA agent and now private investigator. Rox’s specialty is extraction – going into risky environments to safely remove vulnerable individuals from dangerous situations. Rox’s latest case revolves around teenage Emma, who’s been unwittingly recruited by a psychopathic cult leader. Rox’s twenty-thousand dollar fee is motivation enough, but when the case becomes personal Rox knows there’s no way she’s letting Emma’s emotionally devastated parents down.

I found this book at my local library. I don’t normally read anything before reading any prior reviews, but I grabbed this on a whim and I wasn’t at all disappointed!

The author’s writing is quick, compelling and highly engaging. She definitely knows how to build up the suspense and anticipation. I loved that the protagonist is a strong and independent woman, with a mind of her own. The relationship between Rox and her stepdad Marty was wonderful. The Autism aspect was an excellent addition to the story – I enjoyed reading about Rox’s brain-altering treatments, which I found fascinating.

The story is filled with plenty of twists, turns and suspense. I definitely didn’t see the ending coming at all, which shows that this author certainly knows her stuff. This is an excellent Crime/Mystery/Suspense novel and I recommend it highly!

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton, https://ebookreviewgal.com

[Blagica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given an advanced copy of Guilt Game in exchange for my honest review. This was my first book by this author but it will not be my last. I thought this book had a great concept and good fallow through. I have a weak spot for cult stories so this was right up my alley. Rox is the “extractor” she is a former CIA agent who removes people from abusive situations. You connect with the character of Rox because her motivation for helping these broken people from these situations is the fact that her sister was brainwashed and killed because she belonged to a cult. She enlists the help of her stepfather Marty to take on a new case to extract a young wealthy woman named Emma from a cult. The only thing I could not connect with in this book were the treatments that Roxanne has started to undergo to change her brain patterns to make her more in-tune with her feelings. I feel while those treatments may be real that it did not really add to the story I would have read the book regardless. I think everyone is born with the ability to feel so it was hard to wrap my mind around the concept. This is a good quick edge of your seat read and you will not see the ending coming. Overall a 4 star read, I look forward to seeing how it will progress.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thomas & Mercer, as well as NetGalley, provided me with an electronic copy of Guilt Game. I voluntarily chose to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Roxanne MacFarlane is a former CIA agent who specializes in rescuing people trapped in dangerous situations. When she is hired to extract a young woman from a cult, will Roxanne's complicated personal situation put her in danger?

Rox has a backstory that is not all that unique in books similar to this one. She is a private investigator with some form of autism and the only thing that sets Rox apart is that she is trying an experimental treatment. Getting either positive or negative feedback about the treatments, depending on which person she talks to, Rox is determined to work on her issues. The biggest problem that I had with the whole side plot was that it did not seem realistic. The treatment starts to work too quickly and the author is not convincing enough that it would work in the first place. Police departments around the country have their eyes pealed on cult activity, so it did not seem realistic that Sister Love would fall under the radar. Overall, Guilt Game was a quick read, but there were too many plot holes that ruined the total effect.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goodreads Giveaway:

I have never read a crime/adventure novel where the main character was on the autistic scale. In the book, the young woman decides to undergo treatments that stimulate her brain to help her read emotion on other's faces while she helps a family retrieve their daughter from a cult. I thought Sellers did a great job in explaining the emotional disadvantage the protagonist had and how that affected her work. I hope that Sellers continues to use this young woman to make the conversation about autism normal. This woman is working and living on her own, and is able to articulate her own disadvantage as well as how much she is affected by these brain treatments. The emotional evolution of the protagonist is amazing.

The rest of the story line is not as amazing, but definitely worth a read. I mean I rated it four stars so it's pretty great. There's a lot of action and geographical movement within the story which really keeps your mind engaged and rooting for the home team to get this girl to safety. I highly suggest this to everyone.

[Nichole · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the plot, even though I had it mostly figured out early on in the book. I was incredibly disappointed by the writing. The conversation sections were not well written and didn’t sound at all like natural conversations. They were hard to read and unbelievable. A lot of the inner though was written similarly and I had a hard time reading it. If it was used only for the main character and the thoughts were simplistic and abrupt it might have worked better because of the character she was. The omniscient portions should have been written more complex if the writer was trying to have the main character’s thoughts seem different. There were some many random details that just sounded like afterthoughts thrown in to develop a scene or character. I can agree it was an easy short read with an interesting plot but I had a hard time getting through the writing because it grated on me. I still am willing to give the author another chance at a different series that seemed to be well reviewed. Hopefully, they have better flow.

[Ellen White · Rating 5 out of 5]

GUILT GAMES by LJ. Sellers the first in her new series The Extractor. Published by Thomas - Mercer. Release date June 6
Rox, as The Extractor, will only do a service if you don't mention where her office is, or what her services are. She also is expensive to hire. She only wears blue, and has a boyfriend who has made it past her quirks for 6 months. Her past was with the CIA, she lost a sister to the cult, now having treatments to alter her brain waves. New client / case find Emma Carson, is she in the cult, alive, parents just want to know. This is what Rox does, find missing people, with help from Marty. Well written, keeps the edge to the story, of how she, The Extractor works. As to the brain treatment,to notice what other people are thinking and feeling is that working for her. Then her boyfriend Kyle is he still in the picture. Another great series by Seller's. Given ARC by Net Galley for my voluntary review and my honest opinion .

[Rhonda Siserir · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really hard to put down. The characters were well fleshed out. I loved the fact that the main character, Roxanne, was 6 ft, 170 pounds and was getting treatments for her disorder (read to find out). She wasn't perfect, but she was pretty awesome and smart, not needing a man to rescue her. Her stepdad was a great sidekick and I enjoyed their rapport.

Psychology is one of my favorite subjects and I really enjoyed the cult side of the story. The cult was written very well. You could tell Ms. Sellers had done her homework! All the markers for a cult were present in the book, including the lovebombing, isolation and giving up of possessions. Additionally, the treatment that Roxanne was receiving is believable- I actually heard a story on NPR of a man who had done something similar for his disorder.

Overall a wonderful book! Can't wait to read more from this Author!

[Deborah Gebhardt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. A fast moving thrill ride.
Roxanne (Rox) MacFarlane is a high functioning autistic. Raised with her half-sister by her stepfather, she followed him into the police force and then left for the CIA. She wanted work in the field, but her highly analytic mind "sentenced" her to office-duty, so she quit and opened her own detective agency. She specializes in finding the lost, kidnapped and extracting people from cults.
Meanwhile, she has started treatment to help "normalize" her brain, so she can better react with "normal" people.
Her current case is to extract a depressed young woman from what her parents think is a cult. Led by a man who prays on depressed young women, but, meanwhile there is a serial killer lose is the same area. Will the cases overlap?

[Rachel (atimetothrill) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't have a whole lot to say other than this was basically your average thriller. I liked the book and I like Rox and Marty as a team. I probably will read more of the series as the books come out. There were some things that I wasn't sure why they were in the story - like the father of a previous extracted boy calling and threatening Rox out of nowhere, which was then resolved without the reader's involvement or any details given...I didn't know the point of even bringing that up in the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Janis · Rating 4 out of 5]

We've read books before about female private investigators. This is a new series about another female private investigator, also ex-cop. She is autistic and receiving new treatments to help her with that. She specializes in extractions. Both of these last two things are new twists in my reading experience. I found the parts about the treatments to be fascinating. I assume it's a real thing? I never heard of it before. The effects they have on her life & consequently her close relationships as she figures out how to deal with the changes wasn't a huge part of the plot, but it was the most interesting to me. Thanks so much for the advance copy. I definitely enjoyed it.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Rating 2.5) —- Unfortunately, this was just blah. Blah twist, blah characters, blah suspense, blah reference to cults, blah reference to Rox being atypical …. blah, blah, blah. It was all just too simple and nothing was really explored - like Rox being atypical could have been dealt with in a really interesting way yet it just says she has these 2 treatments and she cries and that means she’s now cured. I’m not saying that this isn’t possible but the little I know of being atypical, it’s not ‘fixed’ as simply as this. I just felt like this was a missed opportunity, like many other themes in the book, which could have been explored in much more interesting ways.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, the writing was meh. Sometimes it was well-written, but others it was cringe-worthy. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed the plot and the story was riveting. The main character is unlike any main character I've read before and I really enjoyed her relationship with her step-dad. The other intriguing part of the story was how Rox was getting magnetic treatments done. It was mostly in the background, but it was so interesting to me since it is something I've never actually heard of before.

Overall a good plot and well-developed characters!

[Angeladyrcz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one started off really fast paced for me and caught my attention right away, but I felt like it fell off in the middle a little bit. The whole premise was great and I love the idea of Rox and her job of "extracting" kidnapped victims to return them to their parents. I feel like there were quite a few things going on that I wanted more detail on (Rox's treatment, her relationship with her boyfriend, etc.) but I did still enjoy the story. I hope the series continues and the character development goes just a little deeper.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity!