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Windsor #1
A Tainted Mind
OBSESSED with her job as a medical examiner and lead consultant with the FBI, Dr. Vivienne "Vivi" DeMarco is a woman running from her own demons. And finding the remains of a body on the side of a road in rural upstate New York wasn’t part of her plan.
FRUSTRATED that the ghosts from his past won’t leave him alone, Ian MacAllister makes for a reluctant Deputy Chief of Police of Windsor, New York. But as more victims are discovered, all women that bear a shocking resemblance to Dr. DeMarco, he knows he’ll need to call on all the skills he learned as an Army Ranger if he wants to keep her safe.
DENIED over and over again of the one thing he desires most, a killer may have finally reached his breaking point. The only question that remains is, will he take Vivi and Ian with him?
FRUSTRATED that the ghosts from his past won’t leave him alone, Ian MacAllister makes for a reluctant Deputy Chief of Police of Windsor, New York. But as more victims are discovered, all women that bear a shocking resemblance to Dr. DeMarco, he knows he’ll need to call on all the skills he learned as an Army Ranger if he wants to keep her safe.
DENIED over and over again of the one thing he desires most, a killer may have finally reached his breaking point. The only question that remains is, will he take Vivi and Ian with him?
326 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 17, 2013
542 people are currently reading
529 people want to read
About the author
Tamsen Schultz
42 books349 followersTamsen Schultz is the author of several romantic suspense novels and American Kin (a short story published in Line Zero Magazine). In addition to being a writer, she has a background in the field of international conflict resolution, has co-founded a non-profit, and currently works in corporate America. Like most lawyers, she spends a disproportionate amount of time thinking (and writing) about what it might be like to do something else. She lives in Northern California in a house full of males including her husband, two sons, three cats, a dog, and a gender-neutral, but well-stocked, wine rack.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
July 3, 2019
This is a well-written, fast paced romantic suspense novel. It has likable, engaging characters, a strong, intelligent and capable female protagonist, and a mystery that will keep you guessing until the end. It is a real page-turner that I could not put down! I highly recommend it. I am looking forward to reading the other novels in Ms. Schultz's Windsor series with great anticipation.
June 22, 2017
This is the first novel Tamsen.
The story starts off with a dead body and a medical examiner who needs a vacation. As the story continues so does the characters development which readers will appreciate. While the authors has a lot of talk and only a little action. The conversation were on point with the story and the author was still able to bring to life the world Tamsen was able to create.
Tamsen is able to create a small town feel that readers are pulled into a world of safety even though their is a serial killers out there hunting in the small town.
Their is romance with sex scenes that work into the story without being in the readers face.
The story has a nice flow, keeps readers engaged until the last page.
Advance Copy from Netgalley for Honest opinion. I was also sent book two which I will review also.
The story starts off with a dead body and a medical examiner who needs a vacation. As the story continues so does the characters development which readers will appreciate. While the authors has a lot of talk and only a little action. The conversation were on point with the story and the author was still able to bring to life the world Tamsen was able to create.
Tamsen is able to create a small town feel that readers are pulled into a world of safety even though their is a serial killers out there hunting in the small town.
Their is romance with sex scenes that work into the story without being in the readers face.
The story has a nice flow, keeps readers engaged until the last page.
Advance Copy from Netgalley for Honest opinion. I was also sent book two which I will review also.
August 3, 2016
I really enjoyed reading A Tainted Mind. It’s a mystery and romance that builds to a suspenseful climax and has a satisfying ending. The focus of the story is about finding a killer after Dr. Vivienne DeMarco discovers a skeleton as she’s passing through the small town of Windsor, New York. Vivi decides to work with Deputy Chief of Police, Ian MacAllister, to solve the case. The blossoming romance between them occurs over the course of the story and is cleverly connected to the case itself.
Vivi and Ian meet under unfortunate circumstances when she contacts him about a corpse she finds. When they first begin working together, Vivi is a reluctant colleague even after Ian persuades her to help solve the murder, and there’s no insta-love or insta-lust in this book. The romance between them develops gradually over the course of the story, and their backstories, professions, sense of duty and driving need to help others unite them as kindred spirits.
Both are straightforward and honest in expressing their feelings and growing desire for one another. They have the uncanny ability to read, understand, and reassuringly respond to each other even when thoughts are left unspoken. The mutual respect, support, and easy camaraderie between them gradually moves to a deeper level of trust, love, and devotion that make them a great fit together. It was refreshing to read a romance that skips the head games and wishy-washy feelings couples sometimes experience as they find their way to each other.
When Vivi and Ian meet, both are lost and uncertain of the future direction of their lives. Even though they are both in their early-to-mid thirties, their consistent level of maturity, knowledge, and wisdom make them appear older than they are. At the age of 33, I couldn’t believe how much Vivi had already accomplished. She’s a genius who started college at sixteen, and now she’s a police detective, medical examiner, FBI consultant, and adjunct professor. It seems she has spent her adult life solely focused on her career. Her career background was almost too much to be believable –but it’s fiction, right? Her expertise and vast knowledge play a crucial role in solving the case and, although Ian is impressed with her skills, he is never intimidated, jealous, or threatened by her qualifications.
Ian is ex-special forces and new to this line of work. He isn’t even certain he wants his job and feels insecure when faced with his first major case. Ian isn’t always the confident, alpha male often ascribed to other male characters who work in his field, and I like that he isn’t afraid to reveal his vulnerabilities and self-doubts about his capabilities as the case becomes more complicated. However, Vivi’s unwavering faith in him and her quiet encouragement help enable him to step up and lead his team to solve this daunting case rather than sitting back and allowing the FBI to come in and take over.
The attraction and sexual tension between Vivi and Ian is described is emphasized early in the story, and they have one intense, passionate scene together, but their romance never overshadows their mission to find the person responsible for a series of murdered and missing women. It was fascinating to watch Ian’s team discover the clues and evidence that lead them to an unsuspecting killer motivated by a surprising obsession. Shultz provides lots of detailed explanations behind this complex, tedious process in contrast to TV crime shows where crimes are solved in an hour.
This was a great story and I look forward to reading more of Shultz’s work in the future.
I received a copy of this book from the author for an honest review.
Vivi and Ian meet under unfortunate circumstances when she contacts him about a corpse she finds. When they first begin working together, Vivi is a reluctant colleague even after Ian persuades her to help solve the murder, and there’s no insta-love or insta-lust in this book. The romance between them develops gradually over the course of the story, and their backstories, professions, sense of duty and driving need to help others unite them as kindred spirits.
Both are straightforward and honest in expressing their feelings and growing desire for one another. They have the uncanny ability to read, understand, and reassuringly respond to each other even when thoughts are left unspoken. The mutual respect, support, and easy camaraderie between them gradually moves to a deeper level of trust, love, and devotion that make them a great fit together. It was refreshing to read a romance that skips the head games and wishy-washy feelings couples sometimes experience as they find their way to each other.
When Vivi and Ian meet, both are lost and uncertain of the future direction of their lives. Even though they are both in their early-to-mid thirties, their consistent level of maturity, knowledge, and wisdom make them appear older than they are. At the age of 33, I couldn’t believe how much Vivi had already accomplished. She’s a genius who started college at sixteen, and now she’s a police detective, medical examiner, FBI consultant, and adjunct professor. It seems she has spent her adult life solely focused on her career. Her career background was almost too much to be believable –but it’s fiction, right? Her expertise and vast knowledge play a crucial role in solving the case and, although Ian is impressed with her skills, he is never intimidated, jealous, or threatened by her qualifications.
Ian is ex-special forces and new to this line of work. He isn’t even certain he wants his job and feels insecure when faced with his first major case. Ian isn’t always the confident, alpha male often ascribed to other male characters who work in his field, and I like that he isn’t afraid to reveal his vulnerabilities and self-doubts about his capabilities as the case becomes more complicated. However, Vivi’s unwavering faith in him and her quiet encouragement help enable him to step up and lead his team to solve this daunting case rather than sitting back and allowing the FBI to come in and take over.
The attraction and sexual tension between Vivi and Ian is described is emphasized early in the story, and they have one intense, passionate scene together, but their romance never overshadows their mission to find the person responsible for a series of murdered and missing women. It was fascinating to watch Ian’s team discover the clues and evidence that lead them to an unsuspecting killer motivated by a surprising obsession. Shultz provides lots of detailed explanations behind this complex, tedious process in contrast to TV crime shows where crimes are solved in an hour.
This was a great story and I look forward to reading more of Shultz’s work in the future.
I received a copy of this book from the author for an honest review.
January 7, 2014
I thank the author for a copy of this in paperback, and what follows is my own opinion of the book.
I found myself quite unable to put the book down once I had begun reading it. I finally had to stop to get some sleep, which is not unusual for my reading habits!
I was quickly engrossed in this suspense story, in what turned out to be a serial killer mystery, in which all (or most?) of the victims bore a resemblance to Dr. Vivienne DeMarco, the story's heroine, a child prodigy who started college at age 16, and who was a medical examiner and FBI consultant twelve years later. To say that she was obsessed with her work is an understatement. She is taking a long-neeeded leave of absence as the story begins.
Her hero counterpart is Ian MacAllister, a former Army Ranger who is now the Deputy Chief of Police in a small upstate NY town. He suffers from some PTSD nightmares, among other things, and is very glad his boss is away on vacation when a dead body surfaces by the road after a drenching storm.
For some reason, I had some difficulty keeping the names of the other characters straight, perhaps because I was reading so fast. It also took me a few days to return to the book, which was an unplanned delay, so I had to back up a couple of chapters to get back to where I left off in my memory.
The second point to keep this from a 5-star rating for me was that right away I figured out who the killer was just from reading about the characters active, or passively noted, early in the book. Maybe once or twice I had a slight doubt, but I almost never figure out whodunnit in mysteries.
Having said this, I think Tamsen Schultz can write well and this book will definitely not be the last of her works I read.
n.b. If you do not like any intimacy between hero and heroine, you are advised to turn a couple of pages. There is not an overabundance of this in detail, for the mystery story itself is set in the premier place, which I very much liked.
I found myself quite unable to put the book down once I had begun reading it. I finally had to stop to get some sleep, which is not unusual for my reading habits!
I was quickly engrossed in this suspense story, in what turned out to be a serial killer mystery, in which all (or most?) of the victims bore a resemblance to Dr. Vivienne DeMarco, the story's heroine, a child prodigy who started college at age 16, and who was a medical examiner and FBI consultant twelve years later. To say that she was obsessed with her work is an understatement. She is taking a long-neeeded leave of absence as the story begins.
Her hero counterpart is Ian MacAllister, a former Army Ranger who is now the Deputy Chief of Police in a small upstate NY town. He suffers from some PTSD nightmares, among other things, and is very glad his boss is away on vacation when a dead body surfaces by the road after a drenching storm.
For some reason, I had some difficulty keeping the names of the other characters straight, perhaps because I was reading so fast. It also took me a few days to return to the book, which was an unplanned delay, so I had to back up a couple of chapters to get back to where I left off in my memory.
The second point to keep this from a 5-star rating for me was that right away I figured out who the killer was just from reading about the characters active, or passively noted, early in the book. Maybe once or twice I had a slight doubt, but I almost never figure out whodunnit in mysteries.
Having said this, I think Tamsen Schultz can write well and this book will definitely not be the last of her works I read.
n.b. If you do not like any intimacy between hero and heroine, you are advised to turn a couple of pages. There is not an overabundance of this in detail, for the mystery story itself is set in the premier place, which I very much liked.
June 15, 2017
A Tainted Mind is my first read by author Tamsen Schultz. Both law enforcers, Vivi is strong but you get to see her awkwardness around people she doesn’t know and Ian is a protective, guarded man. Both have their demon but they will need to align when a spate of women who look like Vivi start disappearing. I loved the strong storyline balancing suspense and romance to bring me a great read. I look forward to reading more by this author
January 26, 2020
Thoroughly enjoyable, well-written thriller with believable characters and a plot that kept me interested right to the end.
Some lovely touches as well: the small town where a shopkeeper lists the businesses that haven't survived (so very very true!), Ian's terse dialogue (no fluffy pointless chatter), the lack of drama over his PTSD and Vivienne's very calm reaction to it, a mother who isn't obsessed with getting her son married to anything in a skirt and who treats any female in her son's company with courtesy instead of subjecting the poor woman to the third degree.
I made numerous highlights - far too many to repeat here. Yes, there were a couple of ?? moments, but the good FAR outweighed the 'not-so-good'.
I rarely read a thriller to the end. Too many so called 'gripping' novel are anything but, and I appreciated the fact that this was not touted as 'gripping' or with a 'shocking twist'. Instead I found a solid, believable thriller with honest, hard-working characters who treated each other with respect.
Lovely. Simply lovely.
Some lovely touches as well: the small town where a shopkeeper lists the businesses that haven't survived (so very very true!), Ian's terse dialogue (no fluffy pointless chatter), the lack of drama over his PTSD and Vivienne's very calm reaction to it, a mother who isn't obsessed with getting her son married to anything in a skirt and who treats any female in her son's company with courtesy instead of subjecting the poor woman to the third degree.
I made numerous highlights - far too many to repeat here. Yes, there were a couple of ?? moments, but the good FAR outweighed the 'not-so-good'.
I rarely read a thriller to the end. Too many so called 'gripping' novel are anything but, and I appreciated the fact that this was not touted as 'gripping' or with a 'shocking twist'. Instead I found a solid, believable thriller with honest, hard-working characters who treated each other with respect.
Lovely. Simply lovely.
November 5, 2020
An amazing romantic suspense story! Twists and turns and too many suspects in the race to stop the serial killer. Vivi and Ian are perfect for each other.
Lots of technical issues, but explained very well.
Going onto book 2.
Lots of technical issues, but explained very well.
Going onto book 2.
January 27, 2015
Tamsen Schultz's A TAINTED MIND A WINDSOR NOVEL delivers a story that has something for everyone. Schultz weaves her story around the small community of Windsor, New York. Readers who enjoy a story with mystery and suspense will be hooked from the time they open the cover of A TAINTED MIND to the end. Tamsen Schultz's story is full of thrills and surprises and a thread of romance. The threads of romance are an integral part of Schultz's story. While driving towards Windsor, New York, Vivienne DeMarco stops to change a flat tire and the excitement begins. She finds the remains of a body in a sinkhole by the road. Later she helps determine there is a serial killer in Windsor, New York.
Each character receives additional development when Schultz wants her readers to know more of their backstory. One of the two main characters is Vivienne DeMarco, an accomplished investigator, FBI consultant, and Medical Examiner with many family ties and nationwide law enforcement connections. DeMarco has a tainted past that haunts her. The other main character is Ian MacAllister, Deputy Chief of Police of Windsor P.D., an ex-military special forces who returned home after an injury. Ian went into law enforcement because he did not know what else to do. He has family ties all over the county.
Some of the side characters show the broad scope of Vivienne DeMarco contacts. Many of them are her relatives with great investigative skills. Four side characters play important roles in A TAINTED MIND. Vivienne's two cousins Naomi an Brian are media investigators and a distant cousin Travis is a location scout for movie producers. We have one more character Nick Lavortoy, an army special investigator with a dark history.
Schultz does a wonderful job of keeping the suspense and mystery alive from beginning to the end of the story. The weaving of romance among key characters could be dangerous for the characters involved. We watch MacAllister and DeMarco form a team to find the serial killer at large. They are trying to identify the motive of the serial killer and his or her obsession. Their research has found the serial killing murder spree goes back years. Modern research skills are part of the team. This mystery has plenty of action with Schultz illustrating modern technology to find answers and identify suspects quicker. The team hopes to find the killer's motive and obsession in time to stop the increasing body count.
Building suspense, tension, and enhancing danger to the main characters is masterfully done by Schultz. We see modern law enforcement work at its best and learn that common sense and gut feelings still help bring killers to justice. We see how caring for one another still is a strong thread to keep relationships work. In A TAINTED MIND the team helps identify suspects using modern technology,but MacAllister and DeMarco still need common sense to make good decisions. Tamsen Schultz has given us a 5 star mystery an ending you will not believe until you read it. It is easy for me to recommend Schultz's A TAINTED MIND and give it a rating 5 star.
Each character receives additional development when Schultz wants her readers to know more of their backstory. One of the two main characters is Vivienne DeMarco, an accomplished investigator, FBI consultant, and Medical Examiner with many family ties and nationwide law enforcement connections. DeMarco has a tainted past that haunts her. The other main character is Ian MacAllister, Deputy Chief of Police of Windsor P.D., an ex-military special forces who returned home after an injury. Ian went into law enforcement because he did not know what else to do. He has family ties all over the county.
Some of the side characters show the broad scope of Vivienne DeMarco contacts. Many of them are her relatives with great investigative skills. Four side characters play important roles in A TAINTED MIND. Vivienne's two cousins Naomi an Brian are media investigators and a distant cousin Travis is a location scout for movie producers. We have one more character Nick Lavortoy, an army special investigator with a dark history.
Schultz does a wonderful job of keeping the suspense and mystery alive from beginning to the end of the story. The weaving of romance among key characters could be dangerous for the characters involved. We watch MacAllister and DeMarco form a team to find the serial killer at large. They are trying to identify the motive of the serial killer and his or her obsession. Their research has found the serial killing murder spree goes back years. Modern research skills are part of the team. This mystery has plenty of action with Schultz illustrating modern technology to find answers and identify suspects quicker. The team hopes to find the killer's motive and obsession in time to stop the increasing body count.
Building suspense, tension, and enhancing danger to the main characters is masterfully done by Schultz. We see modern law enforcement work at its best and learn that common sense and gut feelings still help bring killers to justice. We see how caring for one another still is a strong thread to keep relationships work. In A TAINTED MIND the team helps identify suspects using modern technology,but MacAllister and DeMarco still need common sense to make good decisions. Tamsen Schultz has given us a 5 star mystery an ending you will not believe until you read it. It is easy for me to recommend Schultz's A TAINTED MIND and give it a rating 5 star.
September 28, 2013
A Tainted Mind finds Vivienne DeMarco on "vacation" driving through rural New York. She finds herself in the small town of Windsor where she finds a body on the side of the road and calls the police. This is how she meets Ian MacAllister, Deputy Chief of Police of Windsor. Vivi has many jobs, some of which are medical examiner and a consultant with the FBI so she wants to stay involved with the body identification. Both Vivi and Ian have baggage but are drawn to each other.
They determine that the body found was a crime of a serial killer. They learned this after finding other cases very similar to this one. They get help with the investigation from many others including law enforcement and Vivi's cousins.
Schultz has very good character development in this novel. I could really picture the characters as they went about their lives.
The only thing I found hard to believe was all the "jobs" Vivi had. Sure she was a genius but all the stuff she was expert in was a bit hard to accept.
A Tainted Mind kept me in suspense all the way through. I was amazed with the ending and loved it.
Please note that I received this novel free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.
They determine that the body found was a crime of a serial killer. They learned this after finding other cases very similar to this one. They get help with the investigation from many others including law enforcement and Vivi's cousins.
Schultz has very good character development in this novel. I could really picture the characters as they went about their lives.
The only thing I found hard to believe was all the "jobs" Vivi had. Sure she was a genius but all the stuff she was expert in was a bit hard to accept.
A Tainted Mind kept me in suspense all the way through. I was amazed with the ending and loved it.
Please note that I received this novel free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.
October 5, 2013
I was torn on what rating to give this book because there were times I would have stopped reading it if I had not agreed to review it but at other times I found myself enjoying the book so I went with a medium rating because it did not hold my attention throughout the entire book.
The biggest problem I had with the book was it dragged on way to slowly for my taste. There was way to much stuff that bogged the story down and made the entire story get lost. I must say the speed did pick up in the last third of the book and the action and story improved making me glad that I did not give up on the book.
I loved the plot and the concept of the book but as I said before it dragged on a bit more then I like and in parts it lost my attention. I also picked up on some grammar mistakes which annoy me to no end when I am reading a published book.
Overall it is not a bad book but I am on the fence is I will read the next one in the series. If I knew that it moved along as well as the end of this book did I would gladly pick it up but if it is as slow as the start as this book is I may shy away from it.
I would give this author a chance if you do not mind a slow start in a book for me it is not a personal favorite.
The biggest problem I had with the book was it dragged on way to slowly for my taste. There was way to much stuff that bogged the story down and made the entire story get lost. I must say the speed did pick up in the last third of the book and the action and story improved making me glad that I did not give up on the book.
I loved the plot and the concept of the book but as I said before it dragged on a bit more then I like and in parts it lost my attention. I also picked up on some grammar mistakes which annoy me to no end when I am reading a published book.
Overall it is not a bad book but I am on the fence is I will read the next one in the series. If I knew that it moved along as well as the end of this book did I would gladly pick it up but if it is as slow as the start as this book is I may shy away from it.
I would give this author a chance if you do not mind a slow start in a book for me it is not a personal favorite.
August 14, 2013
Wonderfully written, suspenseful tale. Amazingly well researched, in several areas - pathology of serial killers, police procedures, and psychology of PTSD. The plot is credible as is the romance. I eagerly await her next work.
September 24, 2013
Wow, what a great story. A real page turner that was hard to put down. Kept me in suspense until the very end. A very shocking ending to a great story. Can’t wait to read the other books in the series.
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November 15, 2024
This is the first book I have read by this author, and I loved it! The story unfolds effortlessly. The characters are introduced gradually, and the reader gets to know them a little better as the story goes on. The main character, Vivienne DeMarco, is on the move, having succumb to the stress of her job (or jobs) and needs a break. By chance she ends up in a small town after discovering a body on the side of the road where she had to stop for a flat tire. Of course she meets the local police deputy chief, Ian MacAllister, and the story takes off.
Vivi, as she prefers to be called, is the county Medical Examiner and member of the Boston Police Department as well as a consultant for the FBI. So you can imagine where the story is headed. She can't help but become involved in investigating this situation. As the story develops Ian and Vivi build a solid relationship as they discover another dead body. This gets Vivi really thinking about what's going on, and of course Ian doesn't like the thought of crimes like this happening in his community.
Well, it's a very long story as the investigation continues and more murders of similar circumstances are found in other parts of the country. Very interesting doesn't begin to describe how well this whole book is written. Oh, I must mention another component to the story. Ian and Vivi develop a very close relationship that eventually includes romance and sex. It's great the way the author has included this in the story, making the lead characters to be real humans, not simply professionals.
There are many more details I could include in my review, but I don't want to spoil the suspense for any readers. Just get your hands on this book and enjoy!
Vivi, as she prefers to be called, is the county Medical Examiner and member of the Boston Police Department as well as a consultant for the FBI. So you can imagine where the story is headed. She can't help but become involved in investigating this situation. As the story develops Ian and Vivi build a solid relationship as they discover another dead body. This gets Vivi really thinking about what's going on, and of course Ian doesn't like the thought of crimes like this happening in his community.
Well, it's a very long story as the investigation continues and more murders of similar circumstances are found in other parts of the country. Very interesting doesn't begin to describe how well this whole book is written. Oh, I must mention another component to the story. Ian and Vivi develop a very close relationship that eventually includes romance and sex. It's great the way the author has included this in the story, making the lead characters to be real humans, not simply professionals.
There are many more details I could include in my review, but I don't want to spoil the suspense for any readers. Just get your hands on this book and enjoy!
November 27, 2017
A Tainted Mind is the first book in the thrilling Windsor series by Tamsen Schultz. A riveting, chilling, romantic suspense that's a must read! With an enthralling storyline, complex characters, mystery, intense situations, danger, and intriguing twists and turns, this story will capture you from the beginning, and keep you on the edge of your seat till the very end. A fantastic story, and a great start to this series.
The story was very well written, terrific characters that were easy to connect with, a slow build romance that will steal your heart, and was overall a great read. There were a lot of details throughout the story to make it easier to understand what was going on, or to explain the different techniques that were used throughout the case, but no so much that it bogged down the story or made it boring in anyway, only more intriguing.
This is the first book I have read by this author, and it most certainly will not be the last. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this series, as well as other books from this author.
I strongly recommend this book, series, and great author.
I have voluntarily reviewed this complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
The story was very well written, terrific characters that were easy to connect with, a slow build romance that will steal your heart, and was overall a great read. There were a lot of details throughout the story to make it easier to understand what was going on, or to explain the different techniques that were used throughout the case, but no so much that it bogged down the story or made it boring in anyway, only more intriguing.
This is the first book I have read by this author, and it most certainly will not be the last. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this series, as well as other books from this author.
I strongly recommend this book, series, and great author.
I have voluntarily reviewed this complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
September 13, 2020
Holy Mary Sue, Batman. Mary Poppins, I mean, Vivi DeMarco is a forensic psychologist, a facial reconstruction artist, an FBI consultant, a professor, a medical examiner and a Boston PD detective, plus she's beautiful and has an IQ north of 160. She's Practically Perfect In Every Way. Every male in the book is in awe/love with her (including the little kid and the dog) except for the gay guy, and he was in love with her brother just to keep it all in the family. The scale of the plot is a little ridiculous but the mechanics of it are pretty good. There's just WAY too much relationship rigmarole, and I say this as a long time romantic suspense reader. The relationship should heighten tensions and push the plot forward, not stagnate it every time things get interesting. If everything was cut by at least 1/3 (Vivi's accomplishments, the number of victims, the amount of relationship gushing, the number of Characters Who Will Appear In Future Books we had to meet) it would be a decent book.
October 10, 2020
This is an amazing book about a serial killer of women who happen to look like the main character, Vivi. It is quite a who-dun-it story, leaving readers looking for clues to solve the mystery. I was impressed with several things. One is the great description of life in the small town of Windsor, which sets a nice background for the whole Windsor series I guess. The second is the impressive knowledge the author must have about forensics, in describing everything about the dead bodies. And the third is that there was a lot of attention to details of all kinds which, unfortunately, maybe made the book longer than it needed to be, but the details added a lot of interest to the characters and events. As Vivi becomes in danger herself, and falls in love, this book becomes a great romantic suspense. I highly recommend it!
January 13, 2021
Vivienne DeMarco, an extraordinary medical examiner, is on a much-needed vacation when she gets a flat tire and discovers a body on the side of the road. When she reports it to the local acting police chief, Ian MacAllister, she is on the path to her entire life changing.
This book was excellent. First of all, the story had a great flow. The characters are all complex and interesting with complete histories unfolding in the story. The plot kept me guessing, even though I was sure I just knew who was the culprit, there was just enough doubt that I couldn’t wait to finish. And everything tied in to a complete finish.
I definitely plan to continue on with this author.
This book was excellent. First of all, the story had a great flow. The characters are all complex and interesting with complete histories unfolding in the story. The plot kept me guessing, even though I was sure I just knew who was the culprit, there was just enough doubt that I couldn’t wait to finish. And everything tied in to a complete finish.
I definitely plan to continue on with this author.
February 2, 2021
This was a good book. The plot was well thought out, the characters had depth and the story was very interesting. I will agree with some of the other reviews that the heroine was a bit of an over the top over achiever, and it bordered on the annoying. The heroine wasn’t necessarily unlikeable, just unbelievable. Additionally, this came up under the romantic suspense category and I’m going to have to disagree. Yes, the characters developed a romantic relationship during to book, but it was secondary to the plot. If that’s what you are looking for in a book, settle in, because I think you will enjoy this one! Me? I was looking for more romance this time around.
August 1, 2018
I'm so excited to have discovered this series of books! The timing of how the story unfolds, the way the clues are parceled out and the characters themselves were just very well done.
I haven't read anything by this author before, but I've already purchased the second book in this series and have started reading it. I love this type of book and am so happy to have a new author to read.
If you like mystery and/or suspense novels, this is definitely a book for you to check out. I can't recommend this highly enough!
I haven't read anything by this author before, but I've already purchased the second book in this series and have started reading it. I love this type of book and am so happy to have a new author to read.
If you like mystery and/or suspense novels, this is definitely a book for you to check out. I can't recommend this highly enough!
April 19, 2021
This is the first book I read from this author and let me tell you that I loved it! Such a good book with great characters that keeps you obsessed with every page since the first one. The ending of this book.. come on! I just didn´t expect it! Can´t wait to read other books from this great writer! Amazing job! a must-read! A fantastic book that has it all! I happily endorse this story to any and all who are looking for a fiction enjoyable read and a completely different experience than anyone could imagine on their own. ¡Great book!
July 31, 2023
brilliant story
A exhausted and burnt out highly talented FBI and a police officer manages to stumble across a body in a very small town on her way to nowhere. The deputy, who has ptsd wants her to stay and help, as well as get to know him better.
Along this dreadful harrowing story of multiple murders, it appears that Vivi is in actual fact the catalyst for the murders, and that Ian, because they have become close is now in danger.
Who will they find who is close enough to Vivi, and unhinged enough, to want to kill and will they both survive.
A exhausted and burnt out highly talented FBI and a police officer manages to stumble across a body in a very small town on her way to nowhere. The deputy, who has ptsd wants her to stay and help, as well as get to know him better.
Along this dreadful harrowing story of multiple murders, it appears that Vivi is in actual fact the catalyst for the murders, and that Ian, because they have become close is now in danger.
Who will they find who is close enough to Vivi, and unhinged enough, to want to kill and will they both survive.
June 20, 2022
Thank you for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
A vacation long overdue for Vivienne DeMarco turns into a nightmare, she calls the local police to report the body she comes across on a washed out road. Enter Ian McAllister, Deputy Police Chief, a former Ranger and add danger, a serial killer and attraction. You get a gripping story of obsession, murder and a growing love.
A fantastic series starter!
A vacation long overdue for Vivienne DeMarco turns into a nightmare, she calls the local police to report the body she comes across on a washed out road. Enter Ian McAllister, Deputy Police Chief, a former Ranger and add danger, a serial killer and attraction. You get a gripping story of obsession, murder and a growing love.
A fantastic series starter!
October 10, 2017
I really enjoyed this well written "who done it" a very entertaining, well paced story with likeable interesting characters, the ending wasn't a surprise... I thought I'd figured out who did it, but enjoyed getting to the resolution. I look forward to more stories set in this location with these people.
April 9, 2020
I reread a Tainted Mind on kindle unlimited yesterday, since I gave away my hard copy awhile back. Diving back into Vivi and Ian’s story was a great way to enjoy an otherwise gray day of sheltering in place. The characters, story, and suspense kept me reading for a few hours instead of just for a short break from tasks. Can’t wait to reread the rest of the series.
January 26, 2021
What a terrific ride! The 2 main characters were impressive and their relationship had all of the feels. The area was also attractive and added to the tragedy of the story.
The story was tight, well written and the timing was on point. The editing was great. You could visualize the scenes in your head and 'feel' when the mc's were cold and wet, it was that descriptive.
Highly recommended.
The story was tight, well written and the timing was on point. The editing was great. You could visualize the scenes in your head and 'feel' when the mc's were cold and wet, it was that descriptive.
Highly recommended.
March 24, 2021
3.5 stars
good book well written but probably won't re read this book again
1 stars - did not finish
2 stars - finished the book but skipped lots of it
3 stars - finished the book but won't read it again (may have skipped a few pages
4 stars - finished the book really enjoyed it and would probably re read at a later date
5 stars - loved the book and would definitely re read multiple times
good book well written but probably won't re read this book again
1 stars - did not finish
2 stars - finished the book but skipped lots of it
3 stars - finished the book but won't read it again (may have skipped a few pages
4 stars - finished the book really enjoyed it and would probably re read at a later date
5 stars - loved the book and would definitely re read multiple times
August 14, 2021
A Tainted Mind
The plot was great. Vivienne draws herself into the town by getting involved into a body she found in the side of the road. This was not what her vacation was randomly in her plans. She and Ian meet and the story begins. Ready, anxiously to read the next book in the series.
The plot was great. Vivienne draws herself into the town by getting involved into a body she found in the side of the road. This was not what her vacation was randomly in her plans. She and Ian meet and the story begins. Ready, anxiously to read the next book in the series.
December 17, 2021
Loved it
Loved every page. It was very suspenseful and moved at a pace that I like. You kept me guessing at every page what evidence they would or would not find. Who did it and what would happen next. Gonna read the next book in this series next. As always keep writing and I will keep reading. Thank you.
Loved every page. It was very suspenseful and moved at a pace that I like. You kept me guessing at every page what evidence they would or would not find. Who did it and what would happen next. Gonna read the next book in this series next. As always keep writing and I will keep reading. Thank you.
December 4, 2022
Great characters and mystery
I love the characters in this first book in the series. I love the comradery among them. They are smart, loyal, and interesting. The mystery is full of twists and is very entertaining! The romance adds nice flavor. I look forward to the next book in the series.
I love the characters in this first book in the series. I love the comradery among them. They are smart, loyal, and interesting. The mystery is full of twists and is very entertaining! The romance adds nice flavor. I look forward to the next book in the series.
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