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Detective Cooper Devereaux #3
False Witness
'FALSE WITNESS' is a new thriller starring Alabamian police Detective Cooper Devereaux, who confronts a murderer dubbed the Birthday Killer. A woman disappears on the way to her 20th birthday party. Three days later her body is found neatly laid out on the grounds of a Birmingham cemetery. The following week, a second woman disappears on her twenty-first birthday. Her body is discovered in a crematorium parking lot, and grisly forensic evidence leads Detective Devereaux to make a high-profile arrest. Two days later, with the suspect still in custody, another woman disappears. It's her 22nd birthday. Can Devereaux correct his mistake and find the next victim before it's too late? And if not, how many more lives will be lost before the man the tabloids are calling the Birthday Killer can be brought to justice?
RUNNING TIME ⇒ 9hrs. and 25mins.
©2018 Andrew Grant (P)2018 Recorded Books
RUNNING TIME ⇒ 9hrs. and 25mins.
©2018 Andrew Grant (P)2018 Recorded Books
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 2, 2018
148 people are currently reading
884 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Grant
13 books404 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Andrew Grant (born 1968, Birmingham, England) is the younger brother of bestselling thriller writer Lee Child. After graduating from the University of Sheffield, where he studied Drama and English Literature, Grant founded a theatre company that produced original material, culminating with a critically successful appearance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Grant remained in Sheffield after graduating from university but now lives with his wife, the novelist Tasha Alexander, on a nature preserve in Wyoming.
Series:
* David Trevellyan
Andrew Grant (born 1968, Birmingham, England) is the younger brother of bestselling thriller writer Lee Child. After graduating from the University of Sheffield, where he studied Drama and English Literature, Grant founded a theatre company that produced original material, culminating with a critically successful appearance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Grant remained in Sheffield after graduating from university but now lives with his wife, the novelist Tasha Alexander, on a nature preserve in Wyoming.
Series:
* David Trevellyan
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January 25, 2018Excellent and complex police procedural featuring Detective Cooper Devereaux. Set in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, this third in the series continues with a new case for Devereaux as he also continues to come to grips with his personal backstory.
Two victims, both women nabbed and murdered on subsequent nights, on their 21st birthday. Wrapped in sheets and delivered to the doorstep of a public place, the women did not know each other or have any connections. The press soon dubs this the B/DK -- the birthday killer case. Devereaux and his current partner, Tommy Garretty, begin the painstaking efforts to figure out who is doing this. There are quite a few possible suspects at first, but the list dwindles as time drags on without any progress. Then a third girl's body is found.
Meanwhile, there are some parallel stories that involve Cooper's long-dead father and some domestic drama with his girlfriend (the mother of his daughter). Because of this, I think it's very important to read these in order. Unfortunately, I didn't have access to #2, but some of the blanks were filled in with revelations in this book. I like seeing the progress that Devereaux is making toward self-acceptance and personal growth. He's quite the maverick in many ways, but his character is growing on me. As the main character, I'd say that he is the most fully developed of those in the novel. I continue to be very worried about his daughter, Nicole, and feel like his girlfriend, Alexandra, has serious blinders on and that is going to lead to a huge problem in, hopefully, the next in the series where THE ISSUE will be acknowledged and handled! NO SPOILERS.
The complicated investigation leads to a satisfying conclusion and I'm looking forward to the next in series. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the e-book ARC to read and review.
Two victims, both women nabbed and murdered on subsequent nights, on their 21st birthday. Wrapped in sheets and delivered to the doorstep of a public place, the women did not know each other or have any connections. The press soon dubs this the B/DK -- the birthday killer case. Devereaux and his current partner, Tommy Garretty, begin the painstaking efforts to figure out who is doing this. There are quite a few possible suspects at first, but the list dwindles as time drags on without any progress. Then a third girl's body is found.
Meanwhile, there are some parallel stories that involve Cooper's long-dead father and some domestic drama with his girlfriend (the mother of his daughter). Because of this, I think it's very important to read these in order. Unfortunately, I didn't have access to #2, but some of the blanks were filled in with revelations in this book. I like seeing the progress that Devereaux is making toward self-acceptance and personal growth. He's quite the maverick in many ways, but his character is growing on me. As the main character, I'd say that he is the most fully developed of those in the novel. I continue to be very worried about his daughter, Nicole, and feel like his girlfriend, Alexandra, has serious blinders on and that is going to lead to a huge problem in, hopefully, the next in the series where THE ISSUE will be acknowledged and handled! NO SPOILERS.
The complicated investigation leads to a satisfying conclusion and I'm looking forward to the next in series. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the e-book ARC to read and review.
April 28, 2018
3.75 stars. A 21 year old woman disappears on her birthday and her body is found wrapped up in sheets tied like a birthday present. Detective Cooper Devereaux and his partner Garetty are called to the scene. The next day, another wrapped body turns up and it's also her 21st birthday. As the detective follow-up with family and acquaintances, they discover each of the women gave up a child to adoption. Cooper's on-again, off-again relationship with Alexandra is tenuous as she struggles with his family baggage.
This book shows old fashioned police work with detectives asking many followup questions. I liked this book better than the previous one. Cooper methodically follows the evidence as well as his gut feelings. The author leads the reader to a suspect, then gives an alibi, then maybe not, so I sometimes felt like I was going around in circles to find the serial killer.
This book shows old fashioned police work with detectives asking many followup questions. I liked this book better than the previous one. Cooper methodically follows the evidence as well as his gut feelings. The author leads the reader to a suspect, then gives an alibi, then maybe not, so I sometimes felt like I was going around in circles to find the serial killer.
December 28, 2017
3 1/2 Stars out of 5
This is not a stand alone novel it is part of a series. I found myself a little lost in the first several chapters because I jumped in on book 3 which is my fault.
That being said there were many times a quick update instead of a long drawn out one would have been much better and simpler. Several times I wondered if the author was trying to make a number count as there was more information than was needed for several scenes. Before readers are half way though the book they know that Cooper Devereaux has an amazing apartment and the location and how rich he is and the car he drives. Which I totally want a (Porsche).
The story has way to many plot holes that might be told in the next book in the series but leaves readers a bit confused wondering if the author forgot about the details that mattered in the story.
Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine publishing for the advance copy.
#netgalley #AndrewGrant
This is not a stand alone novel it is part of a series. I found myself a little lost in the first several chapters because I jumped in on book 3 which is my fault.
That being said there were many times a quick update instead of a long drawn out one would have been much better and simpler. Several times I wondered if the author was trying to make a number count as there was more information than was needed for several scenes. Before readers are half way though the book they know that Cooper Devereaux has an amazing apartment and the location and how rich he is and the car he drives. Which I totally want a (Porsche).
The story has way to many plot holes that might be told in the next book in the series but leaves readers a bit confused wondering if the author forgot about the details that mattered in the story.
Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine publishing for the advance copy.
#netgalley #AndrewGrant
November 8, 2021
RATING 3.5 STARS
A multi facet thriller with the characters that drive it and the who done it to keep you going.
Deveraux's current case on the murder of a young woman whose body is found at the cemetery, neatly wrapped in sheets brings his career, his personal life, and his past at a cross roads. This plot is all about connecting the dots. When the murder turns into a serial murders with the same MO, Deveraux and his partner must find the connections to the victim and the killer. One witness gives them a start but it ends up turning in circles until a missing piece is discovered.
What I liked about Deveraux was his ability to make the connections. He also did this in his personal life. A marriage that is on the brink unless he finds answers from his past. The lesson learned is the past can define you or refine you. That becomes the choice. It was for him and the irony it was for the victims and the killer. Not giving anything away because part of reading a good a book is discovery.
A special thank you to Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
A multi facet thriller with the characters that drive it and the who done it to keep you going.
Deveraux's current case on the murder of a young woman whose body is found at the cemetery, neatly wrapped in sheets brings his career, his personal life, and his past at a cross roads. This plot is all about connecting the dots. When the murder turns into a serial murders with the same MO, Deveraux and his partner must find the connections to the victim and the killer. One witness gives them a start but it ends up turning in circles until a missing piece is discovered.
What I liked about Deveraux was his ability to make the connections. He also did this in his personal life. A marriage that is on the brink unless he finds answers from his past. The lesson learned is the past can define you or refine you. That becomes the choice. It was for him and the irony it was for the victims and the killer. Not giving anything away because part of reading a good a book is discovery.
A special thank you to Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
December 28, 2017
3 1/2 Stars out of 5
This is not a stand alone novel it is part of a series. I found myself a little lost in the first several chapters because I jumped in on book 3 which is my fault.
That being said there were many times a quick update instead of a long drawn out one would have been much better and simpler. Several times I wondered if the author was trying to make a number count as there was more information than was needed for several scenes. Before readers are half way though the book they know that Cooper Devereaux has an amazing apartment and the location and how rich he is and the car he drives. Which I totally want a (Porsche).
The story has way to many plot holes that might be told in the next book in the series but leaves readers a bit confused wondering if the author forgot about the details that mattered in the story.
Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine publishing for the advance copy.
#netgalley #AndrewGrant
This is not a stand alone novel it is part of a series. I found myself a little lost in the first several chapters because I jumped in on book 3 which is my fault.
That being said there were many times a quick update instead of a long drawn out one would have been much better and simpler. Several times I wondered if the author was trying to make a number count as there was more information than was needed for several scenes. Before readers are half way though the book they know that Cooper Devereaux has an amazing apartment and the location and how rich he is and the car he drives. Which I totally want a (Porsche).
The story has way to many plot holes that might be told in the next book in the series but leaves readers a bit confused wondering if the author forgot about the details that mattered in the story.
Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine publishing for the advance copy.
#netgalley #AndrewGrant
January 18, 2018
This book didn't hold my interest at all. I can't say that I liked much of anything about the story.
For starters, there is very little character development. Most of the characters are one-dimensional, placed in the story to fit a need and nothing more. Devereaux comes off as arrogant and not particularly likable.
The story is largely plot-driven, which leads me to my next problem: The subplots take away from the main story rather than enhance it. The major plot about the serial killer is formulaic but has promise in the content. Then we have a subplot featuring Devereaux's girlfriend, whose sole part in this story is to research genetics so she can decide whether she wants to stay with the man she loves. Her crisis felt overblown and her narrative parts a needless distraction. Then we have the blackmail of Devereaux, which isn't as much blackmail as it is an attempt to get him to pay a whole lot of money for information. Devereaux's reaction to both his girlfriend and the blackmail is more of a non-reaction. His character has no spark.
The pace is quick and there are a few good action scenes. But it wasn't enough to breathe life into the story for me.
This is the third book in the Detective Cooper Devereaux series, which I didn't know when I requested it to read. That was nowhere in the description at the time. I haven't read the first two books, and, in my opinion, this one does not work well as a stand-alone. The two subplots are carried over (I assume) from the previous books. Initially it's all vague and not much from the past books is filled in here. This book ends with a cliffhanger on one of the subplots, which I assume will carry on to book 4.
*The publisher provided me with an advance copy, via LibraryThing, in exchange for my honest review.*
For starters, there is very little character development. Most of the characters are one-dimensional, placed in the story to fit a need and nothing more. Devereaux comes off as arrogant and not particularly likable.
The story is largely plot-driven, which leads me to my next problem: The subplots take away from the main story rather than enhance it. The major plot about the serial killer is formulaic but has promise in the content. Then we have a subplot featuring Devereaux's girlfriend, whose sole part in this story is to research genetics so she can decide whether she wants to stay with the man she loves. Her crisis felt overblown and her narrative parts a needless distraction. Then we have the blackmail of Devereaux, which isn't as much blackmail as it is an attempt to get him to pay a whole lot of money for information. Devereaux's reaction to both his girlfriend and the blackmail is more of a non-reaction. His character has no spark.
The pace is quick and there are a few good action scenes. But it wasn't enough to breathe life into the story for me.
This is the third book in the Detective Cooper Devereaux series, which I didn't know when I requested it to read. That was nowhere in the description at the time. I haven't read the first two books, and, in my opinion, this one does not work well as a stand-alone. The two subplots are carried over (I assume) from the previous books. Initially it's all vague and not much from the past books is filled in here. This book ends with a cliffhanger on one of the subplots, which I assume will carry on to book 4.
*The publisher provided me with an advance copy, via LibraryThing, in exchange for my honest review.*
December 24, 2017
This was the first I've read of this author and series. As the third in the series, there was a lot to be desired. I think if I'd been reading the series from the start it would have been a decent story. The writing was decent but so much relied on previous information that just was never provided or just holes that were glossed over.
Yet, on the other hand, there was so much unnecessary detail and repetitive information about Birmingham, Alabama that I would have gladly traded hearing about how the main character, Cooper Devereaux's apartment was at City Federal 20 times to find out why he was filthy rich. Or perhaps a little less detail about how one would drive (in their fancy Porsche) to get from the police station to a witnesses home, and a little background on why his father is/isn't a mass murderer.
Which brings me to the, maybe, half dozen 2 page chapters about Alexandra (girlfriend? wife? ex-wife? trying to come with terms with being in a relationship with the son of a maybe/maybe not mass murderer. Zero background on what was going on with that whole situation and so little of it sprinkled in that it did not fit at all.
And lastly, there were a lot of holes left at the end which not much can be said without giving away the ending other than something needed to tie in the letters to mom somewhere along the way. And a quick blurb that says a half the sheets in the linen closet where missing??? That means this person had at least 4 sets of sheets to begin with... I can't say I know many people who fit that description.
Thank you to Ballantine Books for an advanced copy of this book!
Yet, on the other hand, there was so much unnecessary detail and repetitive information about Birmingham, Alabama that I would have gladly traded hearing about how the main character, Cooper Devereaux's apartment was at City Federal 20 times to find out why he was filthy rich. Or perhaps a little less detail about how one would drive (in their fancy Porsche) to get from the police station to a witnesses home, and a little background on why his father is/isn't a mass murderer.
Which brings me to the, maybe, half dozen 2 page chapters about Alexandra (girlfriend? wife? ex-wife? trying to come with terms with being in a relationship with the son of a maybe/maybe not mass murderer. Zero background on what was going on with that whole situation and so little of it sprinkled in that it did not fit at all.
And lastly, there were a lot of holes left at the end which not much can be said without giving away the ending other than something needed to tie in the letters to mom somewhere along the way. And a quick blurb that says a half the sheets in the linen closet where missing??? That means this person had at least 4 sets of sheets to begin with... I can't say I know many people who fit that description.
Thank you to Ballantine Books for an advanced copy of this book!
July 7, 2022
This is the tenth volume I have read by Andrew Grant, actually it is the eighth by just him, I have read the two he wrote with his brother Lee Child, published under the name Andrew Child. I believe Grant has 9 books published under the name Andrew Grant, and two contributions to anthologies. He has also contributed to one anthology as Andrew Child. I picked a few of his books after reading Even. I have enjoyed both his offerings in the Reacher series, and also now enjoyed the books I have read in his own series. This is the second last of his books not written with his brother.
I believe Grant has three series and a standalone novel. I decided to read the series in parallel, I have been reading a book in each series and circling back. This is they first trilogy I have finished, and I finished the two Paul McGrath. In my opinion all of his books are worth the read. And the three series could all be expanded. Andrews books are great crime thrillers. I hope he continues these series as well as taking up the penmanship of the Reacher novels.
I stated in a previous review that I had not known that Andrew Grant was Andrew Child and had read this story; I would have stated that it reminded me a lot of the Reacher novels. Except that David Trevellyan if still active duty for the Royal Navy and home office. But his style, panache, and focus are similar to Reacher’s. The same could be said for Detective Cooper Devereaux. And other that he is still actively a police officer even greater similarities.
Part of the description of this book states:
“A woman disappears on her twenty-first birthday. The following day her body is found, wrapped neatly like a gift in a crumbling, sun-speckled graveyard. What does Detective Devereaux have to go on? Very little. No motive, no suspects. Then another victim is discovered in a crematorium parking lot. Again, she was killed on her twenty-first birthday. Again, her body was wrapped like a gift. By the third murder the tabloids have dubbed the homicidal monster the Birthday Killer—and Devereaux is under the gun.
While Devereaux’s own violent and mysterious past nips at his heels, and his fragile home life threatens to unravel, he can’t afford to be anything but totally obsessed with the frantic search through the many layers of this city, from its wealthy enclaves to its dark criminal underbelly. The only certainty is that Devereaux is hunting a killer determined to fulfill a deranged agenda in which women’s lives are extinguished like candles on a cake.”
Cooper does not always follow the rules, but he always seems to get the job done. He always seeks to get the bad guys and protect the innocent. He has a storied past, and in this story that past catches up to him and there are secret, Someone is blackmailing him for some evidence that his father was actually innocent, and his mentor and guide was actually a very very very bad man. But things are not always what they seem. And Cooper is willing to be patient and get to the bottom of this story. While separated from his long estranged girlfriend and daughter he has a rough case. Someone is killing young women on their 21st birthdays. The case has some very misleading information, and Cooper must walk a fine line. But the birthday killer must be stopped and Cooper must follow his gut even if it is contrary to the evidence.
A lot of readers of this book would make comparisons to Reacher, especially if they are aware of the author’s legal name. But Cooper is a different character and the story told in a different manner. I greatly appreciated seeing into Devereaux’s mind, process and thought patterns. While we are left watching him put the pieces together. With the first two we were given some hints where the story was going next, some loose ends that needed tying up. But less so this time, really just 1 question.
I am uncertain if this is planned as just a trilogy. But I can hope there will be further books in the future. It is a great series. This book was hard to put down I consumed it over 2 days in a few different sittings. It is an excellent read. If you enjoy a good crime, suspense, thriller with great action this is a book for you. I am still certain fans of Reacher, Bourne, Jack Ryan would all appreciate Cooper and how he gets the job done. It was another great read from Grant’s pen!
I believe Grant has three series and a standalone novel. I decided to read the series in parallel, I have been reading a book in each series and circling back. This is they first trilogy I have finished, and I finished the two Paul McGrath. In my opinion all of his books are worth the read. And the three series could all be expanded. Andrews books are great crime thrillers. I hope he continues these series as well as taking up the penmanship of the Reacher novels.
I stated in a previous review that I had not known that Andrew Grant was Andrew Child and had read this story; I would have stated that it reminded me a lot of the Reacher novels. Except that David Trevellyan if still active duty for the Royal Navy and home office. But his style, panache, and focus are similar to Reacher’s. The same could be said for Detective Cooper Devereaux. And other that he is still actively a police officer even greater similarities.
Part of the description of this book states:
“A woman disappears on her twenty-first birthday. The following day her body is found, wrapped neatly like a gift in a crumbling, sun-speckled graveyard. What does Detective Devereaux have to go on? Very little. No motive, no suspects. Then another victim is discovered in a crematorium parking lot. Again, she was killed on her twenty-first birthday. Again, her body was wrapped like a gift. By the third murder the tabloids have dubbed the homicidal monster the Birthday Killer—and Devereaux is under the gun.
While Devereaux’s own violent and mysterious past nips at his heels, and his fragile home life threatens to unravel, he can’t afford to be anything but totally obsessed with the frantic search through the many layers of this city, from its wealthy enclaves to its dark criminal underbelly. The only certainty is that Devereaux is hunting a killer determined to fulfill a deranged agenda in which women’s lives are extinguished like candles on a cake.”
Cooper does not always follow the rules, but he always seems to get the job done. He always seeks to get the bad guys and protect the innocent. He has a storied past, and in this story that past catches up to him and there are secret, Someone is blackmailing him for some evidence that his father was actually innocent, and his mentor and guide was actually a very very very bad man. But things are not always what they seem. And Cooper is willing to be patient and get to the bottom of this story. While separated from his long estranged girlfriend and daughter he has a rough case. Someone is killing young women on their 21st birthdays. The case has some very misleading information, and Cooper must walk a fine line. But the birthday killer must be stopped and Cooper must follow his gut even if it is contrary to the evidence.
A lot of readers of this book would make comparisons to Reacher, especially if they are aware of the author’s legal name. But Cooper is a different character and the story told in a different manner. I greatly appreciated seeing into Devereaux’s mind, process and thought patterns. While we are left watching him put the pieces together. With the first two we were given some hints where the story was going next, some loose ends that needed tying up. But less so this time, really just 1 question.
I am uncertain if this is planned as just a trilogy. But I can hope there will be further books in the future. It is a great series. This book was hard to put down I consumed it over 2 days in a few different sittings. It is an excellent read. If you enjoy a good crime, suspense, thriller with great action this is a book for you. I am still certain fans of Reacher, Bourne, Jack Ryan would all appreciate Cooper and how he gets the job done. It was another great read from Grant’s pen!
March 4, 2018
Sadly False Witness does not meet my 100 page rule whereby if I am not totally engrossed in a book after 100 pages I stop reading. This book has an interesting premise-- someone is murdering young women on their 21st birthdays, gift wrapping their bodies in sheets and leaving them for hapless workers to find. Detective Cooper Devereaux is trying to find the killer before another woman is killed.
The first and biggest problem with this book is that it is impossible to tell the three detectives- Devereaux, his partner and his lieutenant-- apart (sorry, I don't have the book in front of me and it's not worth walking into the other room to get it and find their names.) Well, the lieutenant is a woman so that's kind of a distinguishing factor. But they all have the same "bad cop" approach to interrogating witnesses.
The lieutenant and Devereaux are going to question a TV star about his car which may be involved in one of the murders. On the way, the lieutenant cautions Devereaux to tread carefully because Mr. TV Star has connections and they don't need him to complain to the mayor or the press about being mistreated by the cops. Yet, when they get to the house, the lieutenant proceeds to aggressively interrogate the TV star and threaten to take him to the police station for being non-cooperative when he doesn't immediately answer her first question.
The attack interrogation method is used on everybody-- the people who find the bodies, the family members of the dead women- heck, I'm surprised they don't grab someone's dog and threaten to haul it off to the pound if it doesn't answer their questions. (Of course, I haven't finished the book. That may come later.)
There's also a back story involving Devereaux's father, a cop who was killed when Devereaux was a boy. The father's former partner claims to have some explosive info about the dad's death and is offering it to Devereaux for several hundred thousand dollars. And there's Devereaux's wife, who has separated from him because of something she found out and is now finding that all other men come up short when measured against Devereaux.
Rather than read through yet another painful interrogation I decided to stop reading the book lest they decide that I might be a suspect and reach out from the pages of the book to put the thumbscrews on me.
PS: Ha! I just looked at the book's product page on Amazon and noticed that it takes place in Birmingham, Alabama. I honestly could not tell from the pages of the book that it was taking place in the deep south. I thought the location was a burb near New York City. There was absolutely nothing to give the reader any hints as where the book was taking place. Sure, it mentioned that they were in Birmingham, but that could have been Birmingham, Michigan for all I could tell. Just another weakness to add to poor character development and stupid secondary plots-- failure to establish atmosphere.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the advance proof of this book from Amazon in exchange for honest review.
The first and biggest problem with this book is that it is impossible to tell the three detectives- Devereaux, his partner and his lieutenant-- apart (sorry, I don't have the book in front of me and it's not worth walking into the other room to get it and find their names.) Well, the lieutenant is a woman so that's kind of a distinguishing factor. But they all have the same "bad cop" approach to interrogating witnesses.
The lieutenant and Devereaux are going to question a TV star about his car which may be involved in one of the murders. On the way, the lieutenant cautions Devereaux to tread carefully because Mr. TV Star has connections and they don't need him to complain to the mayor or the press about being mistreated by the cops. Yet, when they get to the house, the lieutenant proceeds to aggressively interrogate the TV star and threaten to take him to the police station for being non-cooperative when he doesn't immediately answer her first question.
The attack interrogation method is used on everybody-- the people who find the bodies, the family members of the dead women- heck, I'm surprised they don't grab someone's dog and threaten to haul it off to the pound if it doesn't answer their questions. (Of course, I haven't finished the book. That may come later.)
There's also a back story involving Devereaux's father, a cop who was killed when Devereaux was a boy. The father's former partner claims to have some explosive info about the dad's death and is offering it to Devereaux for several hundred thousand dollars. And there's Devereaux's wife, who has separated from him because of something she found out and is now finding that all other men come up short when measured against Devereaux.
Rather than read through yet another painful interrogation I decided to stop reading the book lest they decide that I might be a suspect and reach out from the pages of the book to put the thumbscrews on me.
PS: Ha! I just looked at the book's product page on Amazon and noticed that it takes place in Birmingham, Alabama. I honestly could not tell from the pages of the book that it was taking place in the deep south. I thought the location was a burb near New York City. There was absolutely nothing to give the reader any hints as where the book was taking place. Sure, it mentioned that they were in Birmingham, but that could have been Birmingham, Michigan for all I could tell. Just another weakness to add to poor character development and stupid secondary plots-- failure to establish atmosphere.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the advance proof of this book from Amazon in exchange for honest review.
December 10, 2017
Gifts!
I received this book free from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. Set in Birmingham, Alabama in the present day, this novel was written by Andrew Grant and published by Ballantine Books, an imprint of Random House – New York in 2018. The story involves the murder of two young women (and, later, a third) on their twenty-first birthdays. The only thing they seemed to have had in common was that they had both had babies that were given up for adoption at birth, and that they died on their twenty-first birthdays. Cooper Devereaux is the lead detective on the case. Devereaux is dealing with his own demons as he works his way through the evidence and the witness interviews to solve his case. His father had been a known criminal who had been killed by the police when Cooper was a child, himself. The trauma resulting from his traumatic learning of his father’s death, and of his criminal record, led to a troubled childhood for young Devereaux. Thankfully, he was helped by the cop who had handled his father’s case, even to the extent of sponsoring Cooper’s entry into the Birmingham Police Academy. Unfortunately, Alexandra, his girlfriend and mother of his daughter Nicole, has learned of his troubled past and left him for the second time after an eight-year separation in order to think things over.
Only minor inconsistencies were noted in the book. One was the consternation of the detectives over not having a photograph of a potential suspect to show to a witness. Never mind that the suspect drove vehicles in his place of work and, presumably, held a valid Alabama driver’s license. Couldn’t they get a photograph from the DMV?
The story is well-told, and well-written. The action is consistently fast-paced. Because of the beginning of the novel, readers will be pretty certain of who they believe the murderer is, but this is a police procedural story, and the police have not figured it out, yet. At least, readers might think they know the identity of the killer. But they can’t really be sure. The author keeps us guessing right up to the end of the story, which has a few plot twists. The plot is easily able to hold our interest as Devereaux and his partner, working with an FBI agent and more-senior police officers grind through the complex, and sometimes contradictory, evidence. Unfortunately, more innocents must die before the murders are solved, but Devereaux does everything in his power to prevent that.
I liked the protagonist, Cooper Devereaux, and I thought the dialogue was realistic, as were details about the environs of Birmingham, although I have never been there. This is an easy, entertaining read. It is crisp, without an excess of self-analysis and romance to make one wonder about the genre. I enjoyed reading this story and would recommend it to others. I will definitely read the next of this author’s works.
Only minor inconsistencies were noted in the book. One was the consternation of the detectives over not having a photograph of a potential suspect to show to a witness. Never mind that the suspect drove vehicles in his place of work and, presumably, held a valid Alabama driver’s license. Couldn’t they get a photograph from the DMV?
The story is well-told, and well-written. The action is consistently fast-paced. Because of the beginning of the novel, readers will be pretty certain of who they believe the murderer is, but this is a police procedural story, and the police have not figured it out, yet. At least, readers might think they know the identity of the killer. But they can’t really be sure. The author keeps us guessing right up to the end of the story, which has a few plot twists. The plot is easily able to hold our interest as Devereaux and his partner, working with an FBI agent and more-senior police officers grind through the complex, and sometimes contradictory, evidence. Unfortunately, more innocents must die before the murders are solved, but Devereaux does everything in his power to prevent that.
I liked the protagonist, Cooper Devereaux, and I thought the dialogue was realistic, as were details about the environs of Birmingham, although I have never been there. This is an easy, entertaining read. It is crisp, without an excess of self-analysis and romance to make one wonder about the genre. I enjoyed reading this story and would recommend it to others. I will definitely read the next of this author’s works.
February 8, 2025
Cooper Devereaux has personal issues. He's been living with his seven year old daughter and her mother since they reconnected about a year ago. But Alexandra isn't sure she is ready for the next step or that she ever will be. Cooper's father was a policeman like Cooper is, and there's evidence that the father may have been a killer. Is that the sort of thing that can be passed down? Can she live with that for her daughter and any future children?
But a policeman rarely can wait until personal issues get fixed and Cooper is no exception. A young girl's body has been found, wrapped up like a present. She was about to turn twenty-one. The young woman had come back to town about a year ago and was turning her life around after a bad boyfriend had upended it. Now she is dead and Cooper and his partner are assigned the case.
Another body is soon found, wrapped like the first. Like the first, it is a young woman about to have her twenty-first birthday. Another thing ties the women together. In the last year, both have had a baby that they gave up for adoption. Who is killing them?
Andrew Grant is an English author although this book is set in Birmingham, Alabama. He is the brother of Lee Child and sometimes writes with him. This is the third Cooper Devereaux novel in the series. The interplay of Cooper's personal problems and the search to find a serial killer is interesting and moves the plot and pace along. Readers will be cheering for Cooper on both fronts as he seems a good man who is forever fighting his past. This book is recommended for mystery readers.
But a policeman rarely can wait until personal issues get fixed and Cooper is no exception. A young girl's body has been found, wrapped up like a present. She was about to turn twenty-one. The young woman had come back to town about a year ago and was turning her life around after a bad boyfriend had upended it. Now she is dead and Cooper and his partner are assigned the case.
Another body is soon found, wrapped like the first. Like the first, it is a young woman about to have her twenty-first birthday. Another thing ties the women together. In the last year, both have had a baby that they gave up for adoption. Who is killing them?
Andrew Grant is an English author although this book is set in Birmingham, Alabama. He is the brother of Lee Child and sometimes writes with him. This is the third Cooper Devereaux novel in the series. The interplay of Cooper's personal problems and the search to find a serial killer is interesting and moves the plot and pace along. Readers will be cheering for Cooper on both fronts as he seems a good man who is forever fighting his past. This book is recommended for mystery readers.
January 19, 2018
This was my first book by this author and I have to say, I am not impressed with his writing style at all. The story line itself is good, but Mr. Grant has his characters say things that are utter nonsense. I understand he was born in England, however, these characters are in Birmingham, AL and the author lives in Wyoming now. I have never read a thriller/mystery where the police notify a mother that her child had been murdered, wrapped in a of couple sheets like a present and left at a cemetery by saying, "I'm afraid I have some very bad news for you. Sometime yesterday afternoon, or possibly evening, your daughter was assaulted. She was injured. The injury was very severe. By the time she was found, it was too late to do anything to save her. I am very sorry to have to tell you this, but your daughter didn't survive." And this was after questioning the mother for several pages, with the mother asking if her daughter was OK the whole time. The police tell a person right away that a loved one is dead. They don't question you first. At least not in any other book like this I've read. And then they notified the boyfriend with these exact same words later! Makes it sound as if the woman may have survived if anyone could have found her in time or something, instead of that she was murdered by being strangled. There are several other instances in this book that are equally silly nonsense, which made me think this author is just not my cup of tea. I won't be reading anything else by him.
January 19, 2018
Alabama police detective Cooper Devereaux chases a cunning serial killer terrorizing the city of Birmingham in this edge-of-your-seat thriller for readers of James Lee Burke, Craig Johnson, and Robert Crais.
A woman disappears on her twenty-first birthday. The following day her body is found, wrapped neatly like a gift in a crumbling, sun-speckled graveyard. What does Detective Devereaux have to go on? Very little. No motive, no suspects. Then another victim is discovered in a crematorium parking lot. Again, she was killed on her twenty-first birthday. Again, her body was wrapped like a gift. By the third murder the tabloids have dubbed the homicidal monster the Birthday Killer—and Devereaux is under the gun.
While Devereaux’s own violent and mysterious past nips at his heels, and his fragile home life threatens to unravel, he can’t afford to be anything but totally obsessed with the frantic search through the many layers of this city, from its wealthy enclaves to its dark criminal underbelly. The only certainty is that Devereaux is hunting a killer determined to fulfill a deranged agenda in which women’s lives are extinguished like candles on a cake.
A woman disappears on her twenty-first birthday. The following day her body is found, wrapped neatly like a gift in a crumbling, sun-speckled graveyard. What does Detective Devereaux have to go on? Very little. No motive, no suspects. Then another victim is discovered in a crematorium parking lot. Again, she was killed on her twenty-first birthday. Again, her body was wrapped like a gift. By the third murder the tabloids have dubbed the homicidal monster the Birthday Killer—and Devereaux is under the gun.
While Devereaux’s own violent and mysterious past nips at his heels, and his fragile home life threatens to unravel, he can’t afford to be anything but totally obsessed with the frantic search through the many layers of this city, from its wealthy enclaves to its dark criminal underbelly. The only certainty is that Devereaux is hunting a killer determined to fulfill a deranged agenda in which women’s lives are extinguished like candles on a cake.
February 23, 2018
Who is killing women on their 21st birthday and leaving them wrapped up in sheets as if they are presents? This is the case that Devereaux and his partner, Garretty, are handed when the first body shows up. As they work through the evidence, which there is not much, and check out the usual suspects they seem to be just spinning their wheels when a second body is found and an eye witness comes forward, but is the eyewitness believable. While this is going on Devereaux is working on a personal case that may lead to evidence that will prove his father's innocence. What about his relationship with Alexandra, will she be willing to take him back.
They lose a prime suspect, and some want the case closed at that, but some just does not sit right with Devereaux and keeps digging into both cases. He has a new suspect, but must release him for lack of evidence and another woman goes missing while he is in custody. Will he be able to solve this case and the personal one or are they both to be left up in the air as unsolved?
An excellent read and I look forward to more from Andrew Grant.
They lose a prime suspect, and some want the case closed at that, but some just does not sit right with Devereaux and keeps digging into both cases. He has a new suspect, but must release him for lack of evidence and another woman goes missing while he is in custody. Will he be able to solve this case and the personal one or are they both to be left up in the air as unsolved?
An excellent read and I look forward to more from Andrew Grant.
December 22, 2017
This is my first Andrew Grant and his 3rd Cooper Devereaux. I found it to be a fast paced book and an easy read with enough twist and turns to keep you to the very end. First you have the murder of two women each killed on their 21st birthday and left wrapped in a sheet with a bow. Then you have someone blackmailing Devereaux about his past and it's something his girlfriend is having trouble with.
What I like about Devereaux is that he is written like an average man not some super hero cop. All the characters are well written and there is enough back story that you don't feel like you have to read the first 2 books. That being said I have already purchased the first two because I really liked this one and am excited to get my collection of the Devereaux series started.
I received this book from LibraryThing Early Reviewer for an honest review.
What I like about Devereaux is that he is written like an average man not some super hero cop. All the characters are well written and there is enough back story that you don't feel like you have to read the first 2 books. That being said I have already purchased the first two because I really liked this one and am excited to get my collection of the Devereaux series started.
I received this book from LibraryThing Early Reviewer for an honest review.
December 26, 2017
What did the dead women have in common? Why were they murdered and wrapped up like gifts on their birthdays? Each of them had given up a child for adoption but is that the key? Hah- no spoilers here. This is a fast paced procedural for fans of the serial killer sub genre. Cooper is a smart guy but he really does have some issues, especially dealing with his personal history and with Alexandra, the mother of his daughter. I liked that he worked cooperatively as part of a team (so rare in this type of tale). Grant also has spent time researching Birmingham (am curious how natives feel about this). This is the third book in the series and while the action didn't seem dependent on the back story, some of the personal relationships (notably with Alexandra) were a tad hazy for me. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
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May 11, 2021THREE . FIVE STARS: This is the third book in this series and I hear it may be the last though the way it concludes certainly leaves the door open. It was good but not great. My score may reflect the fact that I was rather disappointed as I enjoyed his previous efforts better, I will certainly read his next one as he is a good writer.
A woman disappears on her twenty-first birthday. The following day her body is found, wrapped neatly like a gift in a crumbling, sun-speckled graveyard. What does Detective Devereaux have to go on? Very little. No motive, no suspects. Then another victim is discovered in a crematorium parking lot. Again, she was killed on her twenty-first birthday. Again, her body was wrapped like a gift. By the third murder the tabloids have dubbed the homicidal monster the Birthday Killer—and Devereaux is under the gun.
A woman disappears on her twenty-first birthday. The following day her body is found, wrapped neatly like a gift in a crumbling, sun-speckled graveyard. What does Detective Devereaux have to go on? Very little. No motive, no suspects. Then another victim is discovered in a crematorium parking lot. Again, she was killed on her twenty-first birthday. Again, her body was wrapped like a gift. By the third murder the tabloids have dubbed the homicidal monster the Birthday Killer—and Devereaux is under the gun.
October 31, 2024
This is the third book in this series, and apparently there aren’t anymore, at least for now. As with the other two, this book held my interest so well that I read it through in one sitting. False Witness isn’t quite as good as the first two, but it’s still very good.
A note about my ratings: Most of my ratings are a four. It isn’t that I’m an easy grader, but rather I don’t spend time on a book anymore if it looks like it won’t measure up. I used to have this personal rule that once I started a book I had to finish it, believing that every book has something to offer. Maybe so, but there are too many good books out there to bother trudging through one that’s boring.
Another reason is because Goodreads only allows single digits grades — no 3.5s — and out of respect for the author's efforts to educate and entertain I round up.
A note about my ratings: Most of my ratings are a four. It isn’t that I’m an easy grader, but rather I don’t spend time on a book anymore if it looks like it won’t measure up. I used to have this personal rule that once I started a book I had to finish it, believing that every book has something to offer. Maybe so, but there are too many good books out there to bother trudging through one that’s boring.
Another reason is because Goodreads only allows single digits grades — no 3.5s — and out of respect for the author's efforts to educate and entertain I round up.
December 29, 2017
This is the third book in a series featuring Detective Cooper Devereaux from Birmingham, Alabama. I have not read the prior books. There is a history with Devereaux and his attorney girlfriend and their daughter. While this book can be read as a stand alone, additional background on the MC would have been nice. Questions unanswered.
A young girl celebrating her 21st birthday is found dead, wrapped like a Birthday present. Then another girl is found the same way. Devereaux and his partner are trying to find the killer and find themselves going in circles when all their suspects produce alibis.
The book moves quickly, the story good, the solution evident but tangled.
A segue way into the next book is the conclusion.
Read as an ARC from LibraryThing.
A young girl celebrating her 21st birthday is found dead, wrapped like a Birthday present. Then another girl is found the same way. Devereaux and his partner are trying to find the killer and find themselves going in circles when all their suspects produce alibis.
The book moves quickly, the story good, the solution evident but tangled.
A segue way into the next book is the conclusion.
Read as an ARC from LibraryThing.
April 12, 2018
Even though this is Book #3...unless you are a RIO die hard... you don't have had to have read the first two books in order to follow this one. One thing that Andrew Grant excels at is throwing the reader false leads and red herrings. The characters are so well defined that each "suspect" seems like the right one...and then we are off on another chase. I have to admit even with all the suspects presented I didn't see the twist at the end of the story. I first "met" Andrew Grant in 2009 with the first book in his David Trevellyan series and have read everything that he has published since. Those that like police procedures and authors like James Patterson and Lee Child (Andrew's brother), will more than likely enjoy any of Andrew Grants books.
January 2, 2018
This book is part of the Cooper Devereaux series but you don’t need to read the previous books to follow this book. This book is about the murder of 3 women, two of them are murdered on their 21st birthday. An FBI profiler is also working with Devereaux and his partner on the case. They need to act fast before there is a 4th victim. If you like police procedurals this is a good one for you. There are plenty of suspects for you to choose from and lots of plots twists. I didn’t see the final twist in the story coming. Devereaux also faces some of his own personal issues in the story. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy of this book.
December 11, 2017
I found it much better than the previous Cooper Devereaux books. The author is getting better and better at his craft, and his latest novel shows it. Still, I would suggest you pick up the first book and then the second because the secondary plot (related to Alexandra and Cooper's personal history) will make much more sense. Also Cooper's quirky character and lifestyle will be easier to understand that way.
Full review: False Witness by Andrew Grant
Full review: False Witness by Andrew Grant
February 24, 2019
This is the third book in the series and it was a fairly good read. As part of it is a continuation of a
subplot established in the first two books in the series, I kind of wish that I had read them both more recently so I could more easily enjoy that part of the novel. When the next in the series comes out before reading it, I will skim the first three books to reacquaint myself with the subplot story line.
subplot established in the first two books in the series, I kind of wish that I had read them both more recently so I could more easily enjoy that part of the novel. When the next in the series comes out before reading it, I will skim the first three books to reacquaint myself with the subplot story line.
December 27, 2020
I read all three of the "False" series, but unfortunately not very close together. I assume there is another planned as the ending leaves us wondering. Deveraux is an interesting character, but some of the other characters are strange. The murders themselves in this book are strange. Still, I pretty much enjoyed it and if -- and it's a big if -- I run across number 4 of the False series, I will probably read it. Not the best I ever read, but certainly not the worst.
January 2, 2018
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read False Witness by Andrew Grant.
This is a police procedureal - well written and descriptive. I have not read this series before, but I do think those that follow this Detective will really like it.
Well written and detail oriented.
Fans of this genre will enjoy this book.
This is a police procedureal - well written and descriptive. I have not read this series before, but I do think those that follow this Detective will really like it.
Well written and detail oriented.
Fans of this genre will enjoy this book.
January 10, 2018
I thought this book was really good. It held my interest and moved along fairly quickly.I think in the middle of the story, it became a little muddled, but it didn't last too long, and picked back up again. I would definitely read other books by Andrew Grant...
January 16, 2018
I really enjoyed reading this book. This was the first book by this author I’ve read and I will be adding him to my list of authors to read. I want to start the series from the beginning although I didn’t feel like I was missing too much of the back story in this book.
May 6, 2018
I received this book through goodreads giveaways. The mystery surrounds a serial killer and the efforts of Detective Cooper Devereaux. A fast past crime novel...the third in the series. At times the subplot was a little hard to follow, but an enjoyable read.
January 7, 2020
Grant is one of my new favorite authors...this book was excellent. One of those that you don't want to end! I couldn't put it down. Lee Child is another one of my favorites and they are brothers, did not know this.
September 24, 2021
Different series, better story. I like Deveraux, the charachter, and the reading goes on very fluentli.
Agai Grant does not end his book and and leaving something out, probabluy for a futre book, and again his cameos, which leave me absolutely untouched.
Agai Grant does not end his book and and leaving something out, probabluy for a futre book, and again his cameos, which leave me absolutely untouched.
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