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Tessa Leoni #3
Crash & Burn
Nicole Frank shouldn’t have survived the car accident, much less the crawl up the steep ravine. One thought allows her to defy the odds and flag down help—she must save Vero. If the girl even exists.
Arriving at the scene, Sergeant Wyatt Foster joins the desperate hunt for a missing child, only to learn that Nicky suffers from a rare brain injury that causes delusions. According to her husband, there is no child. Never has been. And yet Nicky remains adamant. She must save Vero.
For Wyatt and investigator Tessa Leoni, nothing about this case is simple. It turns out Nicky has recently suffered more than one close accident. Is she indeed delusional, as her husband claims, or perhaps she knows more than she thinks? Because clearly someone out there won’t rest till Nicky crashes and burns….
Arriving at the scene, Sergeant Wyatt Foster joins the desperate hunt for a missing child, only to learn that Nicky suffers from a rare brain injury that causes delusions. According to her husband, there is no child. Never has been. And yet Nicky remains adamant. She must save Vero.
For Wyatt and investigator Tessa Leoni, nothing about this case is simple. It turns out Nicky has recently suffered more than one close accident. Is she indeed delusional, as her husband claims, or perhaps she knows more than she thinks? Because clearly someone out there won’t rest till Nicky crashes and burns….
480 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 3, 2015
1677 people are currently reading
14032 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Gardner
82 books20.4k followersLisa Gardner is the #1 New York Times bestselling thriller author of the Frankie Elkin series, as well as the Detective D.D. Warren, the FBI Profilers and the PI Tessa Leoni series.
Her current suspense novels feature Frankie Elkin, an everyday, average person who specializes in finding missing people. When the locals have given up, when the media has never bothered to care, Frankie takes on the challenge. From looking for a missing teen in inner city Boston to searching for a missing hiker in the wilds of Wyoming to rescuing a possibly kidnapped girl on a remote island in the Pacific, Frankie is on the case!
Lisa lives in the mountains of New Hampshire with two crazy pups. When not writing, Lisa loves to hike, play cribbage, and, of course, read!
Her current suspense novels feature Frankie Elkin, an everyday, average person who specializes in finding missing people. When the locals have given up, when the media has never bothered to care, Frankie takes on the challenge. From looking for a missing teen in inner city Boston to searching for a missing hiker in the wilds of Wyoming to rescuing a possibly kidnapped girl on a remote island in the Pacific, Frankie is on the case!
Lisa lives in the mountains of New Hampshire with two crazy pups. When not writing, Lisa loves to hike, play cribbage, and, of course, read!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,351 reviews
July 15, 2023
Writing: typical Lisa Gardner (solid) | Plot: again, typical—went off da rails | Ending: SIDE EYE
Phat ass trigger warning: sexual child abuse, grooming, addiction, domestic violence | 3.5 rounded down
SYNOPSIS
After a brutal car accident, Nicky Frank frantically tells paramedics that her daughter Vero is in the car. But there's no one in the car, and Nicky's husband swears they've never had kids. DUN DUN DUN!!!!!
MY OPINION
So the first 40% of this is a straight up BANGER ALERT. I was thinking: wooow the day has come where she's matched the greatness of Live to Tell. The plot? So thicc it makes everyone in the room uncomfortable (shoutout to Drake). Is Vero real? What's up with Mr. and Mrs. Spooktacular (the Franks)? My ass was fully snatched up.
Unfortunately, things kinda went sideways from 60% onward. The phrase "Vero wants to fly" was starting to make my eye twitch every time I read it. And once the whole Vero thing was revealed, I was low-key disappointed. In a way, I'm not mad that Gardner went OTT, I just wish had went OTT in a different direction. The big reveal was hella contrived and I found the dialogue extremely corny. That meeting between Nicky and her mom????? I need to know what Wyatt and Tessa were doing while these two ladies talked AT each other for 10 pages straight LOL. FYI if my mom sells me to a madame for 10k, do NOT bury me next to her under any circumstances. I will most certainly haunt the life outta you.
Keeping this one short and sweet because it's kinda old so it'll only be on your radar if you're a Gardner fan. I would say: yes, read it. But it still doesn't top Live To Tell. Idk if anything will.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: well-written, first 40% is a banger
Cons: repetitive, didn't like the direction the plot went (tbh it felt like she had something different planned but ended up taking a long-ass detour?), ending was contrived, dialogue was cheesy
____________________________
For some sick reason, do you want to hear more of my nonsense? Check out my podcast: Novels & Nonsense streaming everywhere.
Phat ass trigger warning: sexual child abuse, grooming, addiction, domestic violence | 3.5 rounded down
SYNOPSIS
After a brutal car accident, Nicky Frank frantically tells paramedics that her daughter Vero is in the car. But there's no one in the car, and Nicky's husband swears they've never had kids. DUN DUN DUN!!!!!
MY OPINION
So the first 40% of this is a straight up BANGER ALERT. I was thinking: wooow the day has come where she's matched the greatness of Live to Tell. The plot? So thicc it makes everyone in the room uncomfortable (shoutout to Drake). Is Vero real? What's up with Mr. and Mrs. Spooktacular (the Franks)? My ass was fully snatched up.
Unfortunately, things kinda went sideways from 60% onward. The phrase "Vero wants to fly" was starting to make my eye twitch every time I read it. And once the whole Vero thing was revealed, I was low-key disappointed. In a way, I'm not mad that Gardner went OTT, I just wish had went OTT in a different direction. The big reveal was hella contrived and I found the dialogue extremely corny. That meeting between Nicky and her mom????? I need to know what Wyatt and Tessa were doing while these two ladies talked AT each other for 10 pages straight LOL. FYI if my mom sells me to a madame for 10k, do NOT bury me next to her under any circumstances. I will most certainly haunt the life outta you.
Keeping this one short and sweet because it's kinda old so it'll only be on your radar if you're a Gardner fan. I would say: yes, read it. But it still doesn't top Live To Tell. Idk if anything will.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: well-written, first 40% is a banger
Cons: repetitive, didn't like the direction the plot went (tbh it felt like she had something different planned but ended up taking a long-ass detour?), ending was contrived, dialogue was cheesy
____________________________
For some sick reason, do you want to hear more of my nonsense? Check out my podcast: Novels & Nonsense streaming everywhere.
February 27, 2015
I have read a lot of Lisa Gardner's books now and I have enjoyed every single one of them. This one was no exception. The story was intriguing and half the time it was impossible to even know who our main character was! I found it very difficult to put the book down especially the last part as it raced towards its conclusion. A really great read and an easy five stars.
August 9, 2020
In this 3rd book in the 'Tessa Leoni' series, the private detective helps her cop boyfriend search for a missing child. The book can be read as a standalone.
*****
Following an automobile accident Nicky Frank is injured but able to crawl to the back of the car to attempt to rescue her young daughter Vero. Vero's not in the car, however, and the police search for her in the surrounding woods with the help of a sniffer dog.
The dog can't find the girl's scent and - when Nicky is brought to the hospital - her husband Thomas tells the cops that the couple have no children. Moreover, Nicky - a scotch-loving alcoholic - has recently suffered several head injuries, resulting in amnesia and delusions.
The police wonder if Vero really exists and if Thomas is responsible for his wife's 'accidents.' Police Sergeant Wyatt Foster and his team investigate the case.....
.......with the unofficial help of Foster's girlfriend, private investigator Tessa Leoni.
When Foster and his partner drive Nicky around to re-enact the day of the accident things take a very dramatic turn and her husband Thomas becomes a #1 person of interest.
As the story unfolds a number of unpleasant people and situations are encountered including an alcoholic mother, wife abuse, a creepy brothel, and so on.
To say more would risk spoilers. The book is an intense psychological thriller full of twists and turns but it has some problems. Nicky comes across as not only disturbed but whiny and repetitive - constantly going on and on about finding Vero, and saving Vero, and Vero wanting to fly, and Vero's tea parties, and Vero this and Vero that.
The reader gets it that's she's obsessed with Vero but a little of this goes a long way. In short, better editing may have made for a better story.
The book comes to a sensational and striking climax that satisfactorily explains all the mysteries in the story. All in all a pretty good mystery.
You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/
January 31, 2015
AWESOME! Pretty much her best yet. A must read for any crime lover. Or just book lover, because the story is so great and the characters are amazing.
February 8, 2015
Disappointing
Slow and repetitive, it fell short of my expectations. I had to force myself to finish. Loved her prior books but not this one.
Slow and repetitive, it fell short of my expectations. I had to force myself to finish. Loved her prior books but not this one.
May 22, 2020
If you’ve never read a book by Lisa Gardner, I strongly suggest you consider it. I’ve been a big fan of her D.D. Warren Boston detective series, but I’ve only recently started reading her Tessa Leoni novels. Crash and Burn , the third in the set, is one that had me on the edge of my seat for all of a day, which is how much time it took me to burn through it. D.D. makes a brief appearance once again.
“Vero learned to fly.”
It’s something Nicole Frank plays in her head over and over. There are many images of flying throughout this book. Right from the start, Nicky feels herself flying as her car sails over a ravine. She’s died twice, she thinks. Nicky is a troubled, unhappy woman. As she walks away from her third accident in recent months, she has suffered her third concussion. Sergeant Wyatt Foster wonders if they are all accidents. Her husband Thomas seems too anxious to hurry him and fellow detective Kevin Santos along. Is he hiding something, or is he merely overly protective? Nicky herself seems fearful of her husband at times. I was mystified – and intrigued.
Vero. Who is Vero? Vero lives in Nicky’s head. Constantly. Is she real? Was she ever real? There were times when I thought I had it figured out, and in a way, I did, but I had only touched the surface.
The deeper Wyatt digs, the more tangled the mystery seems to get. Nicole and Thomas have a complex, co-dependent relationship. It seemed abusive, but I wasn’t sure. Certainly there was abuse somewhere in Nicky’s past? I liked Wyatt when he was introduced in Touch and Go , and I liked him more in this one. We barely even see Tessa in the first third of this story, but she does make more of an impact later in the book. It’s helpful to know her background to understand her relationship with Wyatt. On one hand, Nicky and Thomas Frank are involved in a very tricky situation. On the other, Wyatt and Tessa are in a fairly new relationship and must also manage professional boundaries in this case. Gardner does a great job portraying the intricacy of these relationships.
Fire is another recurring image, and it all makes sense in the end. That’s all I can say about that, except to tell you that Crash and Burn practically had me burning the midnight oil to get to the end. I look forward to reading the next Tessa and Wyatt adventure – except now I have D.D.’s next case, When You See Me , waiting in my inbox! Can’t wait!
5 blazing stars
November 10, 2015
I have been a long time fan of Lisa Gardner & read most of her stand alone reads + a few in the D D Warren series & all were good but Crash & Burn was a totally different read which is nice.
She combined Psychological & police procedural which i think worked i absolutely loved this book one of her best yet was scary at times with the description of a little girl called Vero VERO WANTS TO FLY!! it just captivated me from the beginning to the end.
When Nicky Frank is found in a car crash she is calling for Vero her daughter but she is nowhere to be found so Sergeant Wyatt Foster is investigating the little girls disappearance but there is nothing to suggests she exists at all.
What happens from here on in is a woman who thinks she is going insane with lies deceit & many unanswered questions.
Highly recommended
She combined Psychological & police procedural which i think worked i absolutely loved this book one of her best yet was scary at times with the description of a little girl called Vero VERO WANTS TO FLY!! it just captivated me from the beginning to the end.
When Nicky Frank is found in a car crash she is calling for Vero her daughter but she is nowhere to be found so Sergeant Wyatt Foster is investigating the little girls disappearance but there is nothing to suggests she exists at all.
What happens from here on in is a woman who thinks she is going insane with lies deceit & many unanswered questions.
Highly recommended
July 1, 2016
4.25 Stars
She died once. But that’s not Nicole Frank’s biggest secret. Trouble is, even she can’t dissect it in its entirety. Her husband Thomas can, but he’s not talking. Not to Wyatt Foster or Kevin Santos, the detectives struggling to locate Vero, the little girl Nicole insists accompanied her when her Audi took a nosedive down a ravine.
Discovering Nicole suffered two previous brain traumas, Foster and Santos suspect Thomas Frank an abuser, possibly the reason Nicole has a protracted and unhealthy appetite for Glenlivet scotch.
The ongoing search for Vero uncovers a host of sinister secrets, and Gardner masterfully constructs layers of intrigue and page-turning suspense even the most perceptive reader may have difficulty deciphering.
Despite this novel’s complexity, Gardner leaves us with no loose ends, something that can’t be said of all equally successful writers. At times — though only occasionally — I would have preferred less redundancy. Otherwise, Crash & Burn is five-star worthy.
She died once. But that’s not Nicole Frank’s biggest secret. Trouble is, even she can’t dissect it in its entirety. Her husband Thomas can, but he’s not talking. Not to Wyatt Foster or Kevin Santos, the detectives struggling to locate Vero, the little girl Nicole insists accompanied her when her Audi took a nosedive down a ravine.
Discovering Nicole suffered two previous brain traumas, Foster and Santos suspect Thomas Frank an abuser, possibly the reason Nicole has a protracted and unhealthy appetite for Glenlivet scotch.
The ongoing search for Vero uncovers a host of sinister secrets, and Gardner masterfully constructs layers of intrigue and page-turning suspense even the most perceptive reader may have difficulty deciphering.
Despite this novel’s complexity, Gardner leaves us with no loose ends, something that can’t be said of all equally successful writers. At times — though only occasionally — I would have preferred less redundancy. Otherwise, Crash & Burn is five-star worthy.
February 26, 2015
As the car flew through the air, all she could think was “Vero wants to fly” – but the landing was the hardest part. Bloodied, badly injured; Nicole Frank’s first thoughts were for Vero – the little girl who was lost. As she struggled from the car, then up the impossibly steep ravine in the rain and darkness, Nicky knew she had to get help for Vero…
When the ambulance, which had been summoned by a passing motorist, had taken the injured and delirious woman off to hospital, Sergeant Wyatt Foster and his men searched for the missing child. But the evidence of a second person in the vehicle was just not there. And when the dog squad was called in, the result was obvious – there had been no other person in the wrecked car. When Nicky’s husband Thomas arrived on the scene, he advised the officers in a tired but shattered voice that his wife had a brain injury from previous concussions – she was delusional a lot of the time plus he also denied any knowledge of Vero.
As Wyatt discussed the injured woman and the circumstances of the accident with his girlfriend, Tessa Leoni, his frustration mounted. He knew this was something more than just an unfortunate accident, and his gut feeling was seldom wrong. Tessa was an investigator and had been in the police department so knew how these things worked. She had also worked with Detective D.D. Warren, who was currently on sick leave from a work related injury. But the strangeness of this particular case was baffling them all.
As Nicky’s mind drifted, Thomas was by her side. He loved her; would do anything to make her smile again – so why was she afraid? And why did Wyatt feel that everything was wrong with the situation? Suddenly with the long ago past nudging into the present, it seemed there was more to this simple but serious car accident than anyone could find. Would they be able to work out the answers before it was too late for Nicky?
Wow! Lisa Gardner has done it again! Crash & Burn is absolutely brilliant with a breathtaking plot that is riddled with tension and suspense. An absolutely gripping psychological thriller that I have no hesitation in recommending highly.
When the ambulance, which had been summoned by a passing motorist, had taken the injured and delirious woman off to hospital, Sergeant Wyatt Foster and his men searched for the missing child. But the evidence of a second person in the vehicle was just not there. And when the dog squad was called in, the result was obvious – there had been no other person in the wrecked car. When Nicky’s husband Thomas arrived on the scene, he advised the officers in a tired but shattered voice that his wife had a brain injury from previous concussions – she was delusional a lot of the time plus he also denied any knowledge of Vero.
As Wyatt discussed the injured woman and the circumstances of the accident with his girlfriend, Tessa Leoni, his frustration mounted. He knew this was something more than just an unfortunate accident, and his gut feeling was seldom wrong. Tessa was an investigator and had been in the police department so knew how these things worked. She had also worked with Detective D.D. Warren, who was currently on sick leave from a work related injury. But the strangeness of this particular case was baffling them all.
As Nicky’s mind drifted, Thomas was by her side. He loved her; would do anything to make her smile again – so why was she afraid? And why did Wyatt feel that everything was wrong with the situation? Suddenly with the long ago past nudging into the present, it seemed there was more to this simple but serious car accident than anyone could find. Would they be able to work out the answers before it was too late for Nicky?
Wow! Lisa Gardner has done it again! Crash & Burn is absolutely brilliant with a breathtaking plot that is riddled with tension and suspense. An absolutely gripping psychological thriller that I have no hesitation in recommending highly.
March 4, 2015
This book has a dollhouse (women and children trafficking/prostitution) theme similar to Taylor Stevens' The Doll, and many other excellent novels. Gardner executes this mystery so flawlessly readers will keep turning its pages well past bedtime. The New Hampshire GPS-doesn't-work-here setting is certainly authentic; I've experienced it.
Only an author of Gardner's expertise could keep the Nicky Frank identity shifting and concussed/memory recovery scenes going so clearly. The book's forensics are well-researched, and it has great plot twists, right through the final page. Crash & Burn is a great read.
Only an author of Gardner's expertise could keep the Nicky Frank identity shifting and concussed/memory recovery scenes going so clearly. The book's forensics are well-researched, and it has great plot twists, right through the final page. Crash & Burn is a great read.
May 19, 2017
Crash & Burn was another riveting mystery from Lisa Gardner! As with most of her stories, I was glued to the pages as Nicky and Thomas’ mystery unraveled.
We’re thrown into Nicky’s story as she’s crawling from a wreck, bloody and injured, soaked in whiskey and screaming for a child, Vero. Who is Vero? Where is she? These are questions that Nicky can’t even answer herself since she’s suffered three traumatic brain injuries within the last six months; the car crash, and two other separate home accidents. As we learn more about Vero, it’s apparent there are many secrets hidden in Nicky’s tangled and confused mind. Sergeant Wyatt Foster is determined to untangle this web of confusion before Nicky has another “accident”.
Thomas, Nicky’s husband of twenty-two years seemed devoted and protective, but also tired and resigned. He’s definitely hiding something and knows more that he’s willing to share. I was suspicious of Thomas, but at the same time I desperately hoped he had nothing to do with Nicky’s accidents. He truly seemed to love and care for Nicky.
“I dreamed the first time I saw you,” he murmurs, his voice low and husky. “I spotted you, across the proverbial crowded room. You weren’t looking at me at all. But I saw you and I…I felt I’d waited my whole life just for that moment. To find you. You consumed me, Nicky. You still do.”
Even though Nicky’s mind would warn her against him, her body and heart drew her to him. But still, things did not add up. Fractured and terrifying memories keep coming, revealing more and more, and Nicky wants answers, but those will certainly come at a price.
“Just remember,” he says, as he moves me away from him. “The problem with asking questions is that you can’t control all the answers.”
Tessa is a clever and confident investigator, but a “lone wolf” as D.D. Warren likes to call her. I think that has started to change, especially since her relationship with Wyatt. She no longer has to shoulder things on her own. Wyatt is well suited for Tessa, with their backgrounds in law enforcement they have a lot in common. I liked the support they gave each other both on the job and off. D.D. Warren is part of this story, and I suspect she may become more important to Tessa in the coming stories, as well. Having this support will probably become vital to Tessa, especially since her past is posing a possible problem now… I must say, I’m a little worried.
The future is unreliable, and three years later, the past can still come back to haunt you.
Crash & Burn is the third book in the Tessa Leoni series, and can be read as a stand-alone and still enjoy it. The story is centered mainly on Nicky and Thomas, Tessa and Wyatt’s current case, but you’d miss Tessa’s past, what’s formed her character, and that would be unfortunate. Tessa has many layers, and when I first “met” her in Love You More, I was impressed by her cool and calm thinking under extreme pressure. Wyatt also gets a POV and I enjoyed having his side of things.
Lisa Gardner writes mysteries that will keep you thinking about them long after you’ve read the last page. Disturbing, compelling, and addictive.
A copy was kindly provided by Dutton Adult via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
We’re thrown into Nicky’s story as she’s crawling from a wreck, bloody and injured, soaked in whiskey and screaming for a child, Vero. Who is Vero? Where is she? These are questions that Nicky can’t even answer herself since she’s suffered three traumatic brain injuries within the last six months; the car crash, and two other separate home accidents. As we learn more about Vero, it’s apparent there are many secrets hidden in Nicky’s tangled and confused mind. Sergeant Wyatt Foster is determined to untangle this web of confusion before Nicky has another “accident”.
Thomas, Nicky’s husband of twenty-two years seemed devoted and protective, but also tired and resigned. He’s definitely hiding something and knows more that he’s willing to share. I was suspicious of Thomas, but at the same time I desperately hoped he had nothing to do with Nicky’s accidents. He truly seemed to love and care for Nicky.
“I dreamed the first time I saw you,” he murmurs, his voice low and husky. “I spotted you, across the proverbial crowded room. You weren’t looking at me at all. But I saw you and I…I felt I’d waited my whole life just for that moment. To find you. You consumed me, Nicky. You still do.”
Even though Nicky’s mind would warn her against him, her body and heart drew her to him. But still, things did not add up. Fractured and terrifying memories keep coming, revealing more and more, and Nicky wants answers, but those will certainly come at a price.
“Just remember,” he says, as he moves me away from him. “The problem with asking questions is that you can’t control all the answers.”
Tessa is a clever and confident investigator, but a “lone wolf” as D.D. Warren likes to call her. I think that has started to change, especially since her relationship with Wyatt. She no longer has to shoulder things on her own. Wyatt is well suited for Tessa, with their backgrounds in law enforcement they have a lot in common. I liked the support they gave each other both on the job and off. D.D. Warren is part of this story, and I suspect she may become more important to Tessa in the coming stories, as well. Having this support will probably become vital to Tessa, especially since her past is posing a possible problem now… I must say, I’m a little worried.
The future is unreliable, and three years later, the past can still come back to haunt you.
Crash & Burn is the third book in the Tessa Leoni series, and can be read as a stand-alone and still enjoy it. The story is centered mainly on Nicky and Thomas, Tessa and Wyatt’s current case, but you’d miss Tessa’s past, what’s formed her character, and that would be unfortunate. Tessa has many layers, and when I first “met” her in Love You More, I was impressed by her cool and calm thinking under extreme pressure. Wyatt also gets a POV and I enjoyed having his side of things.
Lisa Gardner writes mysteries that will keep you thinking about them long after you’ve read the last page. Disturbing, compelling, and addictive.
A copy was kindly provided by Dutton Adult via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 30, 2015
Note to authors: please don't use a POV of a crazy, manic, amnesiac with Traumatic Brain Injury. It sounds something like this "Where's Vero? Am I Vero? who was I talking about, green is pretty, I smell mowed grass, Vero wanted to fly, I love him, I hate him, where's my hat, do I have a hat, I like hats..." It gave me anxiety just listening to it! The audio version, I'm sure, made it 10x worse. Other than that, this book had plenty of twists and turns, and an entertaining (if pretty far-fetched) story. I just couldn't let go of the crazy.
February 10, 2015
Crash & Burn is the latest Lisa Gardner title in the Tessa Leoni series. The novel begins with Nicole Frank descending from a long fall off of a cliff in her luxury SUV. She reemerges "reborn" and in search of her young daughter Vero. As she climbs from the wreckage of her Audi, back up the hill, bloodied and disoriented, she tells the first person she sees that she needs to find her daughter.
As the story progresses and the possible crime of driving under the influence is investigated, things get very strange for the head investigator Wyatt (who is also Tessa's love interest). There seems to be more questions than answers as the search for a missing child unravels into a search for a woman's missing past.
Immediately Gardner takes hold of the reader and refuses to let go. There are so many twists and turns that it's hard to keep track. Our staring character has some brain malfunctions, her husband could possibly be a murderer, and there are just so many holes there's no way to really judge where Gardner is taking this latest crime thriller. And I loved that about this title... and kinda hated.
What I wasn't so happy about is how the story came together in the end. I felt like there was a rush to just get the book over with because it was getting a tad bit convoluted with the many possible twists and turns. Nothing ever felt really resolved for me in reference to Nicky. After reading this title it will make you think twice about what people will do, or sell, for a quick buck.
Ultimately, Crash & Burn is a worthwhile read, definitely. Gardner never lets me down when it comes to providing a nail-biting thriller worth a few hours of my day to crash and burn. Even so, I wasn't over the moon about this title but Gardner is my go-to and has not lost a devoted fan in me.
Copy provided by Penguin Group via Netgalley
As the story progresses and the possible crime of driving under the influence is investigated, things get very strange for the head investigator Wyatt (who is also Tessa's love interest). There seems to be more questions than answers as the search for a missing child unravels into a search for a woman's missing past.
Immediately Gardner takes hold of the reader and refuses to let go. There are so many twists and turns that it's hard to keep track. Our staring character has some brain malfunctions, her husband could possibly be a murderer, and there are just so many holes there's no way to really judge where Gardner is taking this latest crime thriller. And I loved that about this title... and kinda hated.
What I wasn't so happy about is how the story came together in the end. I felt like there was a rush to just get the book over with because it was getting a tad bit convoluted with the many possible twists and turns. Nothing ever felt really resolved for me in reference to Nicky. After reading this title it will make you think twice about what people will do, or sell, for a quick buck.
Ultimately, Crash & Burn is a worthwhile read, definitely. Gardner never lets me down when it comes to providing a nail-biting thriller worth a few hours of my day to crash and burn. Even so, I wasn't over the moon about this title but Gardner is my go-to and has not lost a devoted fan in me.
Copy provided by Penguin Group via Netgalley
July 9, 2024
This took me way too long to read for what it was, Lisa Gardner has a few series that bleed into each other and I found this one messy. I haven't enjoyed this series as much as the D.D Warren series. The first chapter didn't engulf me, it didn't give me any desire to read on and it pretty much stayed that way throughout.
I didn't like the main character and didn't really care what happened to her, I never fell for the red herring and the reveal was just ok. There was a lot of sensitive topics in this one, sexual assault especially. To say this is part of the Tessa Leoni series is a stretch she is barely in it, there is a little about her personal life and she gets a little involved in the case but I didn't really have any follow on from the others.
I won't be continuing with this series I just don't think this one is worth any of me time. Although I like Lisa Gardner this kind of series is becoming less and less interesting to me. My reading taste has definitely changed recently and I am slowly reading/unhauling my thriller/detective books.
I didn't like the main character and didn't really care what happened to her, I never fell for the red herring and the reveal was just ok. There was a lot of sensitive topics in this one, sexual assault especially. To say this is part of the Tessa Leoni series is a stretch she is barely in it, there is a little about her personal life and she gets a little involved in the case but I didn't really have any follow on from the others.
I won't be continuing with this series I just don't think this one is worth any of me time. Although I like Lisa Gardner this kind of series is becoming less and less interesting to me. My reading taste has definitely changed recently and I am slowly reading/unhauling my thriller/detective books.
July 3, 2022
4 stars
I love all of Lisa Gardners writing. This book was no exception.
After Nikki crashes her car and the police find her. She’s starts telling them that her daughter Vero was with her.
Her husband Tom tells a different story. Nikki has suffered a few concussions in the past and tends to forget things.
An investigation starts into the whereabouts of Vero and turns into more than a missing persons search.
Tom turns into a suspect after some searching.
This book is #3 in the series. This can be read as a stand-alone as I haven’t read the first 2 but intend to.
I love all of Lisa Gardners writing. This book was no exception.
After Nikki crashes her car and the police find her. She’s starts telling them that her daughter Vero was with her.
Her husband Tom tells a different story. Nikki has suffered a few concussions in the past and tends to forget things.
An investigation starts into the whereabouts of Vero and turns into more than a missing persons search.
Tom turns into a suspect after some searching.
This book is #3 in the series. This can be read as a stand-alone as I haven’t read the first 2 but intend to.
February 20, 2015
By the time I'd finished the first half-dozen chapters of this book - the third in the author's series featuring investigator Tessa Leoni - I was so freaked out I considered calling it quits. But under no circumstances should you interpret that to mean it's a terrible or poorly written story.
In fact, it's just the opposite. The book begins with an investigation of a spectacular crash of an SUV driven by Nicky Frank, who ignores extensive injuries to claw her way out of the wreckage. She was, she claims, desperate to find a young girl named Vero who is presumed to be her daughter and a passenger in the vehicle. After an extensive but futile search for the child, the investigators, including police Sgt. Wyatt Foster, visit Nicky at the hospital where she's recuperating. There, they learn from her husband of 22 years, Thomas, that she has suffered two other recent concussions, is in frail mental health and - most important - is not and never has been a mother. Turns out Nicky is the client of Tessa's P.I. firm, and coincidentally, Tessa is in a relationship with Wyatt; so, he calls her in to help.
Okay, so what's the freaky part? Well, in between chapters laying out the progress of the investigation are those told from Nicky's point of view; and both what she knows and what she doesn't remember is downright frightening. A few more missing bits and pieces are re-conjured up in her memory each time she gets a chance to tell her story in print, and although I was certain everything would come together in the end, there are only dribbles of clues as to the how, when, where or who.
There are even a few appearances by the author's other series character, Detective D.D. Warren, who's recuperating from a serious injury that's sidelined her career. Her friend Tessa, it seems, is trying to coerce the detective into joining her firm, and handing her an assignment while she's got some spare time on her hands not only will go a long way toward accomplishing that, but may help Tessa and Wyatt get to the bottom of their investigation as well. I'll note here that I've read most of the Warren books (the most recent, Fear Nothing, earned 5 stars from me as well).
Much as I'd like to be more explicit, there isn't much more I can reveal without spoiling things for other readers except to say that Nicky's memories get darker and more twisted as her recollections return in odd pieces that in the end come together to form a rather horrific picture.
And that, my friends, is book review-speak for Read. This. One. Now.
In fact, it's just the opposite. The book begins with an investigation of a spectacular crash of an SUV driven by Nicky Frank, who ignores extensive injuries to claw her way out of the wreckage. She was, she claims, desperate to find a young girl named Vero who is presumed to be her daughter and a passenger in the vehicle. After an extensive but futile search for the child, the investigators, including police Sgt. Wyatt Foster, visit Nicky at the hospital where she's recuperating. There, they learn from her husband of 22 years, Thomas, that she has suffered two other recent concussions, is in frail mental health and - most important - is not and never has been a mother. Turns out Nicky is the client of Tessa's P.I. firm, and coincidentally, Tessa is in a relationship with Wyatt; so, he calls her in to help.
Okay, so what's the freaky part? Well, in between chapters laying out the progress of the investigation are those told from Nicky's point of view; and both what she knows and what she doesn't remember is downright frightening. A few more missing bits and pieces are re-conjured up in her memory each time she gets a chance to tell her story in print, and although I was certain everything would come together in the end, there are only dribbles of clues as to the how, when, where or who.
There are even a few appearances by the author's other series character, Detective D.D. Warren, who's recuperating from a serious injury that's sidelined her career. Her friend Tessa, it seems, is trying to coerce the detective into joining her firm, and handing her an assignment while she's got some spare time on her hands not only will go a long way toward accomplishing that, but may help Tessa and Wyatt get to the bottom of their investigation as well. I'll note here that I've read most of the Warren books (the most recent, Fear Nothing, earned 5 stars from me as well).
Much as I'd like to be more explicit, there isn't much more I can reveal without spoiling things for other readers except to say that Nicky's memories get darker and more twisted as her recollections return in odd pieces that in the end come together to form a rather horrific picture.
And that, my friends, is book review-speak for Read. This. One. Now.
March 2, 2015
I was so excited to read this book, and as I started it, I remember thinking that it is so refreshing to read a book by Gardner because she never lets me down. I hate to say that after reading this one, I felt disappointed. I thought that Crash & Burn was strange and confusing. It felt very different to me than her other books, and wasn't nearly as enjoyable.
The book features Nicky Frank, a woman who comes to the attention of Wyatt Foster and Tessa Leoni after she crashes her car in a driving and drinking accident. What follows is a twisted story that involves a search for a missing child, and then the revelation that Nicky is suffering from a brain injury. As the truth is revealed, there are many surprises along the way.
Lisa Gardner is one of my favorite authors, and I don't enjoy not loving one of her books. I am glad I read it, as I don't want to miss anything that happens in one of her series. I will be looking forward to her next, and hoping that is is more like what I've come to expect from her.
The book features Nicky Frank, a woman who comes to the attention of Wyatt Foster and Tessa Leoni after she crashes her car in a driving and drinking accident. What follows is a twisted story that involves a search for a missing child, and then the revelation that Nicky is suffering from a brain injury. As the truth is revealed, there are many surprises along the way.
Lisa Gardner is one of my favorite authors, and I don't enjoy not loving one of her books. I am glad I read it, as I don't want to miss anything that happens in one of her series. I will be looking forward to her next, and hoping that is is more like what I've come to expect from her.
January 25, 2016
Following a car accident on a dark, wet road in the Northern Woods of New Hampshire, we meet Nicky Frank, whose only thought is to find her little girl, Vero. But no trace can be found for a second person, including by an intrepid police dog. Sergeant Wyatt Foster is called in to discover that Nicky is on her third concussion over the past six months and suspects her husband, Thomas. Lots of twists, especially Frank and Nicky's mysterious past and constant movement. An okay read, but way too much "Vero wants to fly" and too long to get to the end, which was not as satisfying as other books Lisa Gardner has written. She is better than this one.
February 2, 2015
When Nicky Frank crawls out of the wreckage of her crashed car screaming for someone to find a little girl called Vero, a search is started to find her and investigations start to find out the cause of Nicky’s accident. Sergeant Wyatt Foster soon has doubts about what appears to be a clear cut drink driving accident and decides to follow his hunches. The investigation isn’t helped by the fact that Nicky is suffering from amnesia caused by concussion. Part of the story is told from Nicky’s point of view and we see right into her mind, which sometimes it not an easy place to be, with her mixed up memories and confusion. We also see the story from Wyatt’s viewpoint and at times really feel his frustration as he tries to work things out.
Just what did cause Nicky’s accident?
Can she trust her husband?
And most important of all, just who is Vero?
This was a cracking read with plenty of twists and turns that really keep you guessing and your mind working overtime to try and work everything out. We have Nicky, her husband Thomas and Vero – just who are these people and what is their story?
I really enjoyed this read which kept my interest and really intrigued me. When the truth did come out about Nicky’s accident, which is only part of the story incidentally, I did feel a tiny bit sceptical but on the whole this was a really cracking read. Whilst this is not the first in the series it can be read as a standalone. There was only a relatively small part of the book that I felt out of the loop on.
Thanks to the publishers for the review copy.
Just what did cause Nicky’s accident?
Can she trust her husband?
And most important of all, just who is Vero?
This was a cracking read with plenty of twists and turns that really keep you guessing and your mind working overtime to try and work everything out. We have Nicky, her husband Thomas and Vero – just who are these people and what is their story?
I really enjoyed this read which kept my interest and really intrigued me. When the truth did come out about Nicky’s accident, which is only part of the story incidentally, I did feel a tiny bit sceptical but on the whole this was a really cracking read. Whilst this is not the first in the series it can be read as a standalone. There was only a relatively small part of the book that I felt out of the loop on.
Thanks to the publishers for the review copy.
February 3, 2015
Like many people I’m a huge fan of Lisa Gardner’s various crime mysteries and thrillers and adore the seamless way that each “separate” series she writes blends into each other – in this particular novel it is Wyatt Foster taking front and centre as he investigates a mysterious car crash, a missing child who may or may not exist and finds himself caught up in a strange case with its roots firmly in the past.
All of the books are real page turners but this one was a definite addiction – as we follow Wyatt’s investigation we also hear from the car crash victim – Nicky Frank – who struggles with memory after suffering a rather unlikely number of concussions and is therefore not that much help either to herself or to the police. Her disjointed thoughts, feelings and memories are what made this novel for me, I was fascinated and very emotionally involved with Nicky as she struggled to make sense of what was going on around her.
The mystery element is complex and beautifully done with little strands heading out in various directions, eventually leading to some dark deeds and extremely wicked people. Nicky wants the truth but may not be prepared or able to take it, Wyatt is determined as always and will push to get to the heart of things. All in all this is a terrifically readable, often surprising and always engaging mystery thriller, with some cameo appearances from our favourites and an additonal insight into what makes Wyatt tick. Brilliant.
It was Lisa Gardner though so I was not really expecting any different. Highly Recommended.
Happy Reading Folks!
All of the books are real page turners but this one was a definite addiction – as we follow Wyatt’s investigation we also hear from the car crash victim – Nicky Frank – who struggles with memory after suffering a rather unlikely number of concussions and is therefore not that much help either to herself or to the police. Her disjointed thoughts, feelings and memories are what made this novel for me, I was fascinated and very emotionally involved with Nicky as she struggled to make sense of what was going on around her.
The mystery element is complex and beautifully done with little strands heading out in various directions, eventually leading to some dark deeds and extremely wicked people. Nicky wants the truth but may not be prepared or able to take it, Wyatt is determined as always and will push to get to the heart of things. All in all this is a terrifically readable, often surprising and always engaging mystery thriller, with some cameo appearances from our favourites and an additonal insight into what makes Wyatt tick. Brilliant.
It was Lisa Gardner though so I was not really expecting any different. Highly Recommended.
Happy Reading Folks!
March 4, 2015
It has been so long since I've read a mystery novel. I had heard great things about Lisa Gardner. This is my first introduction to her work and I'm ready for more!
We meet Nicky, a badly-injured woman who was involved in a terrible automobile accident. She makes her way out of her demolished vehicle and manages to flag down a passerby. When help arrives, she frantically informs them that she has to find Vero--that she's just a little girl. And the search begins for this missing young child....
This story kept me guessing and wondering from the start (the sign of a great mystery!) Every time I thought I'd figured something out, I was surprised by yet another shocking twist. Though this is the third book in a series, I didn't feel as though I missed anything by not having read the first two books. The story was enthralling and had a good, satisfying ending that answered all of my lingering questions.
February 22, 2015
I read my first Lisa Gardner book in 2011. Actually, I read most of her books in 2011. I've been in love with her books ever since. This book is outstanding. From page one to the end, I was buried in this book. I'd sit back every once in a while so I could catch my breath and digest the storyline. Man, what a storyline! You want twists and turns? You want suspense? You want characters to empathize with? You want to be puzzled? Read this book. It's going to be one of my favorites for 2015!
February 3, 2017
I so did not like this book - it could have been a novella and it would have been better in my opinion.
It dealt with the past, then the present, then the past, then the present, etc. I'm not a fan of first person naratives to begin with. The basic story should have been sufficient, but repetition on what had happened in the main "victim's" life, just turned me off on this book. I found myself skimming -not a good sign. Not so sure I will continue with this particular series, thought it would be better after Touch & Go (which wasn't a bad read).
Barely 2 stars
It dealt with the past, then the present, then the past, then the present, etc. I'm not a fan of first person naratives to begin with. The basic story should have been sufficient, but repetition on what had happened in the main "victim's" life, just turned me off on this book. I found myself skimming -not a good sign. Not so sure I will continue with this particular series, thought it would be better after Touch & Go (which wasn't a bad read).
Barely 2 stars
October 29, 2018
Crash & Burn
3.5 Stars
On a dark and deserted stretch of road in a raging storm, Nicole Frank not only survives a horrendous crash, but manages to climb a ravine in search of help for the young girl she insists was in the car with her. However, a subsequent search yields no sign of the missing child, and Detective Sergeant Wyatt Foster is even more baffled when Nicky's husband explains that she suffers from confusion as a result of a rare brain injury. So who is Nicky and why did her car go off the road? Are her recent accidents random or is someone trying to kill her?
An intriguing premise with likable characters. Unfortunately, the pacing is problematic; the twists and turns are predictable and there is little to no progression for Tessa's character.
To begin with, this is classified as book #3 in the Tessa Leoni series. However, Tessa's actual role in the story is minimal at best and most of the narrative is presented from Wyatt Foster's 3rd person POV with some chapters from Nicky Franks 1st person POV.
The mystery revolving around the search for a missing girl and the revelations stemming from the investigation into Nicky's past are very compelling. That said, most of the details that emerge are quite obvious, and the pacing is choppy with excessive internal musings and unnecessary repetition of plot points.
In terms of Tessa's personal storyline, she is now in a relationship with Wyatt and readers are given no information on how this came about following the events of the previous book. There is also a possible threat to her now peaceful life, but this is completely underdeveloped and as Gardner has not announced whether the series will be continuing, the reader is left up in the air.
On a final note, the dual male/female narration of the audiobook is alright although the male narrator sounds childish when narrating the female characters and often comes across as condescending.
All in all, an entertaining psychological thriller, but not one of Gardner's better works.
3.5 Stars
On a dark and deserted stretch of road in a raging storm, Nicole Frank not only survives a horrendous crash, but manages to climb a ravine in search of help for the young girl she insists was in the car with her. However, a subsequent search yields no sign of the missing child, and Detective Sergeant Wyatt Foster is even more baffled when Nicky's husband explains that she suffers from confusion as a result of a rare brain injury. So who is Nicky and why did her car go off the road? Are her recent accidents random or is someone trying to kill her?
An intriguing premise with likable characters. Unfortunately, the pacing is problematic; the twists and turns are predictable and there is little to no progression for Tessa's character.
To begin with, this is classified as book #3 in the Tessa Leoni series. However, Tessa's actual role in the story is minimal at best and most of the narrative is presented from Wyatt Foster's 3rd person POV with some chapters from Nicky Franks 1st person POV.
The mystery revolving around the search for a missing girl and the revelations stemming from the investigation into Nicky's past are very compelling. That said, most of the details that emerge are quite obvious, and the pacing is choppy with excessive internal musings and unnecessary repetition of plot points.
In terms of Tessa's personal storyline, she is now in a relationship with Wyatt and readers are given no information on how this came about following the events of the previous book. There is also a possible threat to her now peaceful life, but this is completely underdeveloped and as Gardner has not announced whether the series will be continuing, the reader is left up in the air.
On a final note, the dual male/female narration of the audiobook is alright although the male narrator sounds childish when narrating the female characters and often comes across as condescending.
All in all, an entertaining psychological thriller, but not one of Gardner's better works.
April 8, 2021
I thought I wanted to finish this book, but I really don't. DNF @ 59%.
I've read Lisa Gardner many times before, and she's typically a reliable police procedural writer. But the subject here, a woman desperately seeking her young daughter after they were in a car crash, is just handled so badly. I only picked this up because it's part of the Tessa Leoni series, but this is more Wyatt from NH State Police than private eye Tessa anyway.
I've read Lisa Gardner many times before, and she's typically a reliable police procedural writer. But the subject here, a woman desperately seeking her young daughter after they were in a car crash, is just handled so badly. I only picked this up because it's part of the Tessa Leoni series, but this is more Wyatt from NH State Police than private eye Tessa anyway.
February 16, 2015
Finished and found this to be my least favorite of all of Lisa Gardner's books.
April 1, 2017
3.5 stars
This book is fast-paced and full of questions...which are thankfully answered eventually!
I really enjoyed this mystery/thriller - it is in the middle of a series but this didn't hinder my reading experience (although maybe I would have rated higher if the investigating characters were already people I knew because as it was they were 'just' investigators I didn't particularly care about, but there is clearly a lot of history there).
Still a great read.
This book is fast-paced and full of questions...which are thankfully answered eventually!
I really enjoyed this mystery/thriller - it is in the middle of a series but this didn't hinder my reading experience (although maybe I would have rated higher if the investigating characters were already people I knew because as it was they were 'just' investigators I didn't particularly care about, but there is clearly a lot of history there).
Still a great read.
October 18, 2016
Although I had never read any of the Tessa Leoni series, I have read two novels featuring Boston's favourite detective, D.D. Warren, so I had a fair idea of what to expect from a Lisa Gardner novel; namely blood-pumping exhilaration and more questions than answers before Gardner unwinds the whole thing and leaves her readers with their jaws gaping... The great thing about Lisa Gardner is that she drops her readers in the thick of the action from the off and from then on it is a frenetic race for answers. Crash & Burn must surely be one of her most labyrinthine plots to date and as Gardner poses questions and knocks them down, readers will need their wits about them to keep ahead of the game.
One might assume that a cop in the wilds of New Hampshire would have it easier than the hustle and bustle of a city detective.. Not so, and when Sergeant Wyatt Foster is confronted by what should be a straightforward scenario of a drunk driver in inclement weather missing the bend and sailing over into the woodland ravine, nothing is quite as simple as it looks. The reason for this is the identity of the woman driving the vehicle, Nicky Frank, who drags her battered body up the treacherous ravine focused on one thing: getting help for Vero, her little girl who was in car with her. The search dogs can't pick up a second scent and when the women's husband tells Wyatt that they are childless, his first assumption is that Nicole is well and truly out of the game. Prepare for things to get a lot less clear cut when her husband, Thomas Frank, relays the details of the three successive concussions which have left her floundering with post-concussive syndrome and prone to confusion, rambling and time-lapses. Significantly, every successive concussion has raised Nicky's susceptibility to alcohol exponentially, meaning a little goes a very long way.
When the initial questions don't provide the expected answers, Wyatt and his partner, Kevin Santos, are drawn to Nicky's shifty and over-protective husband, Thomas, but it isn't just the cops who need answers, it is Nicky Frank too. In the six-months since they moved to the area surely her three successive concussions are down to more than simply being accident prone? All the indications point to a controlling husband and Wyatt is forced to unpick his way to the answers, never knowing whether he will be faced with the sane or skittish Nicky. When Nicky's blood alcohol reading does not put her over the limit and her vehicle is found to be in neutral, Wyatt thinks Thomas knows more than he is saying. However the questions do not end there.. Nicky remembers leaving her home early evening Wednesday, so where has she been until 5 o'clock the next morning? Why did she drive so far from her home before purchasing any alcohol and where has she been to account for the excess mileage that registers on her odometer? Even more worryingly, why has the stability control on the vehicle been deactivated? This is a riddle and a half with Nicky's confusion rearing its head and fragments of different times frames merging into one. But stick with Nicky's confused rants about "dying for the second time" and "Vero wanting to fly" and trust in Lisa Gardner to anchor Crash & Burn home.
Sergeant Wyatt Foster has the patience of a saint as he and sidekick Kevin Santos consider every aspect of the car accident, and along the way Lisa Gardner will pose questions about the logistics of a road traffic accident that will not even have entered the average persons mindset. Prepare for things to become even more bizarre when call logs show contact between Nicky Frank and Tessa Leoni, a former state trooper turned private security specialist working for Northledge Investigations and she is drawn into the fray. Not only is Tessa the significant other in Wyatt Foster's life, but her employers at Northledge have been hired on a retainer looking into a personal matter for Nicky Frank, not that Nicky has any memory of just what that is in her current state and Tessa's firm are bound by strict confidentiality clauses..
Crash & Burn works perfectly as a standalone if you haven't read either of the two previous books featuring Tessa Leoni and I really warmed to the caring Sergeant Wyatt Foster and hope to see more of the Wyatt and Tessa tie-up. Admittedly this is serpentine plot and this is a novel that demands attention and needs rapid consumption. Miss something along the way and Gardner might lose her less attentive readers but these are the joys of running with Lisa Gardner, an author who is as versatile discussing close combat shoot outs with psychopaths in Boston to the finer details of a car crash in the wilds of New Hampshire.. Crash & Burn requires mental dexterity of the highest order and for readers new to Gardner's writing my first advice would be to ease yourself in with one of her less convoluted plots.
One might assume that a cop in the wilds of New Hampshire would have it easier than the hustle and bustle of a city detective.. Not so, and when Sergeant Wyatt Foster is confronted by what should be a straightforward scenario of a drunk driver in inclement weather missing the bend and sailing over into the woodland ravine, nothing is quite as simple as it looks. The reason for this is the identity of the woman driving the vehicle, Nicky Frank, who drags her battered body up the treacherous ravine focused on one thing: getting help for Vero, her little girl who was in car with her. The search dogs can't pick up a second scent and when the women's husband tells Wyatt that they are childless, his first assumption is that Nicole is well and truly out of the game. Prepare for things to get a lot less clear cut when her husband, Thomas Frank, relays the details of the three successive concussions which have left her floundering with post-concussive syndrome and prone to confusion, rambling and time-lapses. Significantly, every successive concussion has raised Nicky's susceptibility to alcohol exponentially, meaning a little goes a very long way.
When the initial questions don't provide the expected answers, Wyatt and his partner, Kevin Santos, are drawn to Nicky's shifty and over-protective husband, Thomas, but it isn't just the cops who need answers, it is Nicky Frank too. In the six-months since they moved to the area surely her three successive concussions are down to more than simply being accident prone? All the indications point to a controlling husband and Wyatt is forced to unpick his way to the answers, never knowing whether he will be faced with the sane or skittish Nicky. When Nicky's blood alcohol reading does not put her over the limit and her vehicle is found to be in neutral, Wyatt thinks Thomas knows more than he is saying. However the questions do not end there.. Nicky remembers leaving her home early evening Wednesday, so where has she been until 5 o'clock the next morning? Why did she drive so far from her home before purchasing any alcohol and where has she been to account for the excess mileage that registers on her odometer? Even more worryingly, why has the stability control on the vehicle been deactivated? This is a riddle and a half with Nicky's confusion rearing its head and fragments of different times frames merging into one. But stick with Nicky's confused rants about "dying for the second time" and "Vero wanting to fly" and trust in Lisa Gardner to anchor Crash & Burn home.
Sergeant Wyatt Foster has the patience of a saint as he and sidekick Kevin Santos consider every aspect of the car accident, and along the way Lisa Gardner will pose questions about the logistics of a road traffic accident that will not even have entered the average persons mindset. Prepare for things to become even more bizarre when call logs show contact between Nicky Frank and Tessa Leoni, a former state trooper turned private security specialist working for Northledge Investigations and she is drawn into the fray. Not only is Tessa the significant other in Wyatt Foster's life, but her employers at Northledge have been hired on a retainer looking into a personal matter for Nicky Frank, not that Nicky has any memory of just what that is in her current state and Tessa's firm are bound by strict confidentiality clauses..
Crash & Burn works perfectly as a standalone if you haven't read either of the two previous books featuring Tessa Leoni and I really warmed to the caring Sergeant Wyatt Foster and hope to see more of the Wyatt and Tessa tie-up. Admittedly this is serpentine plot and this is a novel that demands attention and needs rapid consumption. Miss something along the way and Gardner might lose her less attentive readers but these are the joys of running with Lisa Gardner, an author who is as versatile discussing close combat shoot outs with psychopaths in Boston to the finer details of a car crash in the wilds of New Hampshire.. Crash & Burn requires mental dexterity of the highest order and for readers new to Gardner's writing my first advice would be to ease yourself in with one of her less convoluted plots.
July 20, 2015
Rating: 3.5.
I have to admit guys, I was disappointed I'm this one, and this is the first time I'm saying this about any of Lisa Gardners books, of which I've read many. This book is the third in the Tessa Leoni series ,and no its not a must to read the first two to enjoy this book but I would recommend it as a few minor storylines relate to the characters previous doings and character development, as with most series, isn't as thorough as when you meet the characters. But really, this book isn't about Tessa Leoni, ex police officer turned private security specialist at all. She has little more than a cameo role here.
The story revolves around a woman Nicky Frank, who suffered through a terrible car accident when her car went over a ravine in the New Hampshire wilderness late one night , or early one morning I should say, as it happened at 500AM. Nicky survives, climbing up the ravine, flagging down a passing motorist. As she's being loaded into the ambulance she cries out to the officer on scene, telling him that "Vero" is still down there. Enter Tessa's boyfriend of six months, Wyatt Foster, a Sergeant Detective with the North County Police. After hours of searching , even after they put the dogs on it, no trace of anybody else in the vehicle. So Wyatt heads to the hospital where he meets husband, Thomas Frank, who explains that prior to this accident his wife, on the six months they have lived here, has had 2 other concussions, one due to a fall down basement stairs, the other because she tripped coming out the front door. Wyatt becomes suspicious, and since alcohol was found in the vehicle he begins to investigate the wreck as a possible DWI.
I felt this story was very slow to build. You have main character Nicky. Every other chapter is written in her voice. But due to the concussions, Nicky is confused and disoriented, not even able to recognize her husband of 22 years when she came to in the hospital. So we slowly follow the trek of revelations about the past as Nicky's damaged brain tries to put together not only the night of the accident, but the state of her present life, and as we will see, most importantly, her past.
The chapters not written in Nicky's voice are in Wyatt's, as he tries to put together what happened the night of the accident. The main question weighing on both of our main characters is Who is Vero? When that revelation is finally made the book takes a quick turn , and although the tension ratchets up , the accident , which took up the first half of the book, takes a backseat to the events of Nicky's past as they slowly begin to click into place.
The ending felt forced to me, like the book was now 400 pages and it was time to be over, so solutions to the books mysterys were shoved into a few chapters. The accident and questions surrounding it, especially the mysterious 3 concussions, was riding in the backseat by the end of the book, leaving certain aspects unanswered, and in my opinion ,the explanations that were given left alot to be desired.
This was the first Gardner book I didn't thoroughly enjoy. I would still recommend it to her avid readers who have read the first couple of books In. the series, but don't push it to the top of you To Read list.
***Anyone who has read this book, I'd love to talk about my feeling on the ending, but don't want spoilers in my review! Send me a message if you would like to chat about this book, I definitely want to get some things off my chest!
I have to admit guys, I was disappointed I'm this one, and this is the first time I'm saying this about any of Lisa Gardners books, of which I've read many. This book is the third in the Tessa Leoni series ,and no its not a must to read the first two to enjoy this book but I would recommend it as a few minor storylines relate to the characters previous doings and character development, as with most series, isn't as thorough as when you meet the characters. But really, this book isn't about Tessa Leoni, ex police officer turned private security specialist at all. She has little more than a cameo role here.
The story revolves around a woman Nicky Frank, who suffered through a terrible car accident when her car went over a ravine in the New Hampshire wilderness late one night , or early one morning I should say, as it happened at 500AM. Nicky survives, climbing up the ravine, flagging down a passing motorist. As she's being loaded into the ambulance she cries out to the officer on scene, telling him that "Vero" is still down there. Enter Tessa's boyfriend of six months, Wyatt Foster, a Sergeant Detective with the North County Police. After hours of searching , even after they put the dogs on it, no trace of anybody else in the vehicle. So Wyatt heads to the hospital where he meets husband, Thomas Frank, who explains that prior to this accident his wife, on the six months they have lived here, has had 2 other concussions, one due to a fall down basement stairs, the other because she tripped coming out the front door. Wyatt becomes suspicious, and since alcohol was found in the vehicle he begins to investigate the wreck as a possible DWI.
I felt this story was very slow to build. You have main character Nicky. Every other chapter is written in her voice. But due to the concussions, Nicky is confused and disoriented, not even able to recognize her husband of 22 years when she came to in the hospital. So we slowly follow the trek of revelations about the past as Nicky's damaged brain tries to put together not only the night of the accident, but the state of her present life, and as we will see, most importantly, her past.
The chapters not written in Nicky's voice are in Wyatt's, as he tries to put together what happened the night of the accident. The main question weighing on both of our main characters is Who is Vero? When that revelation is finally made the book takes a quick turn , and although the tension ratchets up , the accident , which took up the first half of the book, takes a backseat to the events of Nicky's past as they slowly begin to click into place.
The ending felt forced to me, like the book was now 400 pages and it was time to be over, so solutions to the books mysterys were shoved into a few chapters. The accident and questions surrounding it, especially the mysterious 3 concussions, was riding in the backseat by the end of the book, leaving certain aspects unanswered, and in my opinion ,the explanations that were given left alot to be desired.
This was the first Gardner book I didn't thoroughly enjoy. I would still recommend it to her avid readers who have read the first couple of books In. the series, but don't push it to the top of you To Read list.
***Anyone who has read this book, I'd love to talk about my feeling on the ending, but don't want spoilers in my review! Send me a message if you would like to chat about this book, I definitely want to get some things off my chest!
February 9, 2015
What can I say about a book that I have not been able to put down for the past two days and wish I could started all over again? Lisa Gardner is an author who I admire. I've been reading the books for quite a while and each of them are more intense and exciting than the last. I highly recommend this book to all readers, particularly those who enjoy mysteries and thrillers. You get a healthy dose of twists and turns.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books for allowing me to read and provide an honest review of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books for allowing me to read and provide an honest review of this book.
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