Five years have passed since Alex Toles walked away from the covert world of international espionage. Alex spends her days as an instructor at the police academy, and her evenings coaching the local high school track team. Life in the Toles household has fallen into a familiar routine. Alex and her wife Cassidy have built their life around juggling the needs of their teenage son, a precocious seven-year-old, and a pair of equally mischievous twins. Their day to day world seems to hold more challenges and greater rewards for Alex than any case she ever sought to solve. All that is about to change. A missing teenager's photography project will lead Alex into the woods of Connecticut, and the twisted mind of a sadistic killer. Paired with an unlikely partner, Alex will face old ghosts and new demons as new adversaries shine light on shadows of the past. Travel with Alex and Cassidy, Claire and Hawk, Rose and Helen, and the crazy Toles clan as they navigate an uncertain world and a growing family. Politicians and agents, moms and children, mishaps and new horizons—every person is part of a story, and some stories refuse to go UNTOLD.
Nancy Ann Healy is a woman of many talents and interests. She has worked as everything from a bookstore manager to a standup comedian, and she enjoys movies, theater, and karaoke in her free time. Healy is happily married to her wife, Melissa. Together they have a son, Chris, and two dogs, Maggie and Sydney Bristow. The family currently lives in Connecticut, where Healy is completing her studies in social justice through Arizona State University and working on her second novel.
Five years have gone by since Alex and her friends solved the conspiracy of the century. Now Alex is leading a normal laid back life with her wife Cassidy and their children. That is until she gets a call from an old friend.
Suddenly she is back in the thick of it. This time on the trail of a serial killer. Another old friend, Hawk, teams her up with an old adversary, Claire. As it happens they work really well together despite their history.
Another point I really enjoyed was the way she connected this book to J A Armstrong's By Design Series. We meet old friends like Candace, JD and Michelle.
The plot is good. A real mystery. I like Alex and Cassidy. I think they are one of my favourite lesbian couples. This book shows us how their family has grown. Even with the addition of some adults. It's a really enjoyable read. You could read this as stand-alone, but then you wouldn't really understand all the connections. I reread the others before I started this one. Enjoy!
Firstly, this is book 5 in the Alex and Cassidy series and I picked this up after reading the blurb without reading books 2,3,4 in the series. It can be read as a stand-alone as long as one is familiar with the characters. Secondly, only after reading this book I figured out that Nancy Ann Healy and JA Armstrong are the same people. This is a sort of crossover book that also features characters from Armstrong's By Design series. It's not necessary to read those books but I have read them and it was nice to makethe connection. This was a really good murder mystery featuring an established couple. The author maintains the suspense throughout and also does a good job of bringing out the emotions of the different characters - Alex's frustration at not being able to find the killer is so palpable. I hope she continues the series - maybe she can rebrand it as Alex and Claire mysteries.
This is a real page turner with chilling chapters, an evil villain (and that’s an understatement) with a creepy twisted mind, a heartstopping quest and chock-full with tension and twists. It keeps you on the edge of your seat. Don’t worry, there are also laughing out loud moments, witty banter, tenderness, passion, adorable kids and the heartwarming love of the Toles clan. And as you can expect from this writer, it is brilliantly written. I know without a doubt you going to love it. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
I didn’t really enjoy the previous book Conspiracy and had decided not to read this book when it was published, but it has received good reviews and there is the tie-in to the author’s By Design series which I thought might be interesting. I enjoy the intermingling of the Domestic drama with the investigation into a serial killer, but at times it does suffer from seemingly endless circular conversations that get nowhere.
The problem with a story that is part of two different books, is that once you have read one of them it changes the way you appreciate the second book. As I had already read By Design- Campaign Trail, I knew the ending for this story. Part of the problem is that it is difficult not think the investigators are being particularly slow not to pick up on what now seems obvious because I already know the answers.
Also book 5 is an outstanding thriller with some romance. I can’t get more exciting about this great thriller series.
We meet again with Alex and Cassidy about five years after book 4 ends. The life in the Toles family was a little bit on the quieter side, job-related. But not on the family side, beside Dylan an Mackenzie, they now have the twins Abby and Connor.
Alex is working as an instructor at the police academy, but it didn’t take long and a sadistic killer brings Alex back to the FBI, where she’s paired with a partner who challenges her on more than one level. It was great to see Claire again, she was always an intriguing person.
The thriller part is a creepy show of human cruelty and the hunt is a really big challenge, who brings old demons to surface for the two agents. They also have to find a way to trust each other, after their shared history. I enjoyed very much the day to day business of Alex and Claire and how they grow on each other.
Beside the thriller element, there is always the Toles family. This moments makes you smile and sometimes laughing, the dialogues are witty and heartwarming. The kids are adorable. And there is Claire’s relationship with Hawk, all the struggles and fears Claire is facing, when Hawk want’s to take the next step in the relationship. The only thing I wanted to know more about was Hawk. She appears in book 4 but we didn’t get to know her very good.
Once more, I did not want to put the book down and had the steel moments to continue reading. I highly recommend the whole series. My rating 5 stars.
I didn’t know that Nancy Ann Healy and JA Armstrong are the same person. After meeting Candace and Jameson from JA’s series By Design, I have to start reading this series too.
There is much to enjoy about this read. First, the interaction between Alexis and Cassidy is endearing and oh so supportive of each other. Their day-to-day is interesting with one of the children heading off to college and possibly a new addition. Really enjoyed the Hawk and Claire story line. Hawk is a very caring, supportive and patient person who speaks frankly which is exactly what Claire needs. The story was thrilling and quite the page turner although unsettling.
Ok I love Alex and Cassidy series....but this one is by far my all time favorite. I love the relationship development between Alex and Claire. Omg I don't know what to say. If you haven't read this series you are missing out. I definitely recommend this book.
This was a good book. Good solid mystery. I just wish it had focused more on the mystery and less on the backstory of each character. Readers know their history. Did not care much for the crossover, felt it was unnecessary to the overall story. Alex is the same as always. A bit over the top, and the usual quit her job thing about fifty times. Saint Cassidy is....well.... herself. Not a lot of need for the little woman in this one except to tell Alex, again, not to quit. Claire is the same scene stealer she has been in every single book. The author did throw her a bone with Hawk. Readers don't know her. She appeared out of the blue in book four. Readers have no ideal what she even looks like so those scenes were like Claire talking to a blank wall. Wish the author had concentrated her writing on the killer and Alex and Claire's attempt to apprehend him. A lot less on the personal side since it was so difficult to even visualize it. Still a good solid read and one I would recommend for those readers who have read the series.
This book jumps five years and stays on US soil as Alex and Cassidy have moved beyond The Collective where Alex is now a police training instructor and coach while Cassidy is the glue that holds the family together. When a teenager goes missing, Alex is lured back to the FBI and partnered with her nemesis Claire. They finally learn to trust one another as they follow the tracks of a sadistic serial killer.
I loved how Nancy incorporates Candace and Jameson from the By Design series into this one. While reading that series previously, I always wondered about their connection to Alex and Cassidy.
Nancy's writing was brilliant filled with clever plots and with clever rhymes from the killer which kept it from being too gruesome. It was thrilling, gripping and exciting, and the humor within the family always lightened the mood of the story. What a brood! I love those kids! Narrator Cassandra York did another outstanding job! Brava!!!
Riveting and a touch of beauty. I couldn't allow myself to stop reading. I now read all 5 books and all are awesome! Sure the love story is what drew me to follow Alex and Cassidy's story line. The author had blended the world of deception with human nature's compulsions. Love and the joy of the life in the story of the two protagonists brought me to the vivid color of my own imaginations. Not the least the witty dialogs of the characters. I can only hope that Alex and Cassidy's story will continue. Not sure if I really like that this latest book have left me somewhat in a flux because I feel that there is more story beneath the surface. Perhaps it's purposeful but nonetheless, I find the brilliance of the way the author have picked up the story and ended with a family get together beautiful.
The new beginning is just as awesome as the first one
“Not everyone is broken … Sometimes they’re just evil.”
“We all have demons. Putting them on shelves to avoid facing them down never works. One way or another they always come back to haunt you until you stand up and face them.” + • + • + • +
As Alex & Cassidy have moved on to the next chapter in their lives post The Collective, their new beginning seems to be just as exciting & awesome as their old one!
It was enjoyable with nice flow & effortless progression to its engaging narrative & its ever-expanding roster of likeable & personable core characters make it a very very very enjoyable to read.
Another chapter in the Alex and Cassidy series. It is packed with thrilling and at times chilling scenes. We also get to see Candace & JD from the JA Armstrong's By Design series. This thriller was creepy and kind of scary, especially if you are a parent. It is well written, paced, and fleshed out. Especially Claire. I love the deeper insight into her. And of course, I love Cassidy. All in all, this is a wonderful extension of the series and I hope we see more of them. Watching Alex & Claire chase the baddies would be awesome. Thank you to the author for sharing her talent with us.
I'm so glad that the author decided to do another book in this series. She didn't disappoint, the storyline pulled me right in. It was like getting reacquainted with a old friend. It takes a skilled writer to crossover two different series and get it right. It has a mixture of suspense, evilness, laughter and love all tied into one. If you love a good suspense story with a bit of family fun thrown in you will enjoy this book. I do recommend that you read the first 4 books first
This book follows Alex and Cassidy five years later in their marriage from the fourth book. A serial killer has come to light and Alex is faced with a decision to make about returning to her investigating roots, or remaining as an instructor and a coach. The thrills and chills never get old or end in very well written series. This tale also brings in more characters from J A Armstrong's "By Design" series, including Candace and Jameson. Both of these series belong on your must-read list.
I love this series enough to overlook the consistent spelling errors of a few words. I love the characters and plot, the intrigue, and the relationship between Alex and Cassidy.
I'm a military veteran and officers are not enlisted - they are commissioned when they go through West Point and the Naval Academy in Alex's and Dylan's case. Also, JD has a past with Alex and Cassidy, and she would have been referred to as "JD" by everyone except for Candace. She should have been referred to that in third person as well.
Alex and Cassidy now have four kids and a huge extended family. Alex is happy as an instructor at the Police Academy and as the high school track coach. When a teen girl disappears in the forest and her body is later found in New York she returns to the FBI to hunt down a serial killer. Teamed with Claire she learns to trust her new partner. An intense police procedural with strong male and female characters. Gripping and exciting. Great author and narrator.
Characters are believable, the story is full; I especially enjoyed the sections about the killer's movements. The methodical & meticulous process of the FBI agents wasn't boring. The killer was dangerous and Ms Healy didn't have to write the gory details (my imagination worked overtime). Well written, just the right pace and it was a great read. This is a series to have on any bookshelf.
I love the storyline of Alex and Cassidy, including the children, grandparents, and partners. Nancy keeps readers spell bound through out the work, and the entire series. I look forward to the next book in this series. Keep up the OUTSTANDING writing. We all love your books.
This book has a great mix of laughter, suspense and LOVE, which is something we all need right now. The crossover with Can dance and Jamison was awesome. This whole series is great and I cannot wait for the next book.
This book continues to develop known characters and the thrills, twists, and turns kept this reader turning pages. Looking forward to the next book with this family.
This series just gets better.I find myself staying up later and later to finish each book.Thank the Gods I am retired. Well written and twist and turns to keep you guessing . I recommend it For a great read get them all.
A fantastic series, I enjoyed the intrigue through the books and although I knew the ending before I started this book, it was fascinating to learn how they got to the solution. Please please do some more in this series
I have enjoyed all of the books in the different series. I also look forward to hopefully many more stories in the different series by this author. I very much recommend all of these books.
I gave it five stars because I love Alex and Cassidy I hope that I will be reading more of their books I recommend a series every time a new book comes out I start the series from the beginning.