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Tooth and Nail
“The Vigilante” was my case. He killed killers. Rapists. Drug-dealing scum. All the ugly crumbs that fell through the cracks of willfully blind justice. I spent five years hunting him until I realized I didn’t really want to catch him. So I walked away—from the case, from my failure, from my big-city life in Detroit to start over with my husband in Merryn, Kansas.
My devils came with me. Bodies matching his M.O. were found in a cold storage unit wrapped up in macabre tribute—each victim with some tie to me. He won’t let me go, won’t let me run. There’s part of me that doesn’t want him to. It’s the same part that wonders if his way might be the only way. At least as far as my husband is concerned. I found Jacob’s Altoids tin in our fire pit—it was full of human teeth. Trophies from the women he raped. He’s a special investigator for the KBI, assigned to the task force that’s supposed to be hunting this master predator. He’ll never be caught unless someone takes matters into their own hands. When he’s sleeping soundly, so trusting next to me in the dark, I tell myself I’m a good cop. I’m no Vigilante.
But I’ve been wrong before.
My devils came with me. Bodies matching his M.O. were found in a cold storage unit wrapped up in macabre tribute—each victim with some tie to me. He won’t let me go, won’t let me run. There’s part of me that doesn’t want him to. It’s the same part that wonders if his way might be the only way. At least as far as my husband is concerned. I found Jacob’s Altoids tin in our fire pit—it was full of human teeth. Trophies from the women he raped. He’s a special investigator for the KBI, assigned to the task force that’s supposed to be hunting this master predator. He’ll never be caught unless someone takes matters into their own hands. When he’s sleeping soundly, so trusting next to me in the dark, I tell myself I’m a good cop. I’m no Vigilante.
But I’ve been wrong before.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 23, 2018
50 people are currently reading
523 people want to read
About the author
Sara Lunsford
5 books29 followersSara Lunsford also writes as Saranna DeWylde and Sara Arden.
Sara Lunsford was a segregation officer at an all male maximum security facility and promoted to the rank of sergeant before leaving corrections to pursue a full time writing career. Sara’s fiction has been published under pseudonyms in magazines, anthologies and novel length work. She is currently working on other nonfiction projects and thrillers.
Sara Lunsford was a segregation officer at an all male maximum security facility and promoted to the rank of sergeant before leaving corrections to pursue a full time writing career. Sara’s fiction has been published under pseudonyms in magazines, anthologies and novel length work. She is currently working on other nonfiction projects and thrillers.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
May 13, 2018
I had the privilage of reading this as an ARC and I am astounded with how talented and beautifully this story is written.
I've always loved antiheroes.
The quote “Every villian is a hero in his own mind.” comes to mind every time an author is able to brilliantly execute a story, however, this is a little different. It's more authentic, it's real, and thriller I enjoyed oh so much.
When I originally got offered an ARC for this amazing thriller, I was ecstatic!
From character depth to the suspenseful plot, this had my attention all throughout the book.
I read it all in one sitting. I was engrossed in the writing, content, and all the gory details. From the description alone I couldn’t help but be impressed and was anxiously waiting for its release!
There is no fluff, from the beginning you sense the urgency of our main character and recognize what a kickass woman she is. She is someone who's in every one of us. She is real. She is admirably preceptive, and I FLOVED her!
The primary characters and the secondary characters were extremely well developed. There are moments where the main character will give you all the feels, make you feel her fearlessness, and the antagonist will have you swearing and hoping for his eternal death. This was a great read and most definitely a reread!
I've always loved antiheroes.
The quote “Every villian is a hero in his own mind.” comes to mind every time an author is able to brilliantly execute a story, however, this is a little different. It's more authentic, it's real, and thriller I enjoyed oh so much.
When I originally got offered an ARC for this amazing thriller, I was ecstatic!
From character depth to the suspenseful plot, this had my attention all throughout the book.
I read it all in one sitting. I was engrossed in the writing, content, and all the gory details. From the description alone I couldn’t help but be impressed and was anxiously waiting for its release!
There is no fluff, from the beginning you sense the urgency of our main character and recognize what a kickass woman she is. She is someone who's in every one of us. She is real. She is admirably preceptive, and I FLOVED her!
The primary characters and the secondary characters were extremely well developed. There are moments where the main character will give you all the feels, make you feel her fearlessness, and the antagonist will have you swearing and hoping for his eternal death. This was a great read and most definitely a reread!
December 13, 2017
I received this as an ARC.
Whoa. Just ... whoa. Where to even begin? This book was like a Lifetime movie, but more for HBO. It was dark and twisted and dirty and oh so entertaining. I could not put it down.
You know right from the beginning (not to mention the blurb) that Shannon is married to an evil dude so this part isn't a spoiler. However, he's the guy in charge of capturing.... the guy... that is actually him. Got that? OK, so we start right out with Shannon discovering his victims' teeth and realizing that even with those trophies she needs more proof because this guy is untouchable. She has to continue playing loving wife to this sick monster WHILE investigating her own monster, The Vigilante, so she has one sicko at home who she knows the identity of but hasn't got enough proof and she is chasing another sicko who could be ANYONE. Whoever he is, he certainly knows her because the case has morphed into some sort of twisted courtship and not only does Shannon need to find out who the guy is to stop him from killing, she has to make sure she still wants to stop him. After all, he's killing bad people. Is that not justice?
I'm afraid to say anything else and risk a spoiler but I definitely recommend this book if you like characters that struggle with that line between good and mayyyyyybe a little just plain wrong. The author did a great job creating flawed characters that are so freaking REAL and BRUTALLY HONEST that you find yourself rooting for the good guys, the bad guys, and the whatever-they-are-because-you-don't-know-anymore guys.
Whoa. Just ... whoa. Where to even begin? This book was like a Lifetime movie, but more for HBO. It was dark and twisted and dirty and oh so entertaining. I could not put it down.
You know right from the beginning (not to mention the blurb) that Shannon is married to an evil dude so this part isn't a spoiler. However, he's the guy in charge of capturing.... the guy... that is actually him. Got that? OK, so we start right out with Shannon discovering his victims' teeth and realizing that even with those trophies she needs more proof because this guy is untouchable. She has to continue playing loving wife to this sick monster WHILE investigating her own monster, The Vigilante, so she has one sicko at home who she knows the identity of but hasn't got enough proof and she is chasing another sicko who could be ANYONE. Whoever he is, he certainly knows her because the case has morphed into some sort of twisted courtship and not only does Shannon need to find out who the guy is to stop him from killing, she has to make sure she still wants to stop him. After all, he's killing bad people. Is that not justice?
I'm afraid to say anything else and risk a spoiler but I definitely recommend this book if you like characters that struggle with that line between good and mayyyyyybe a little just plain wrong. The author did a great job creating flawed characters that are so freaking REAL and BRUTALLY HONEST that you find yourself rooting for the good guys, the bad guys, and the whatever-they-are-because-you-don't-know-anymore guys.
March 29, 2018
Wow! I was riveted the entire way and had to force myself to put this book down at times and attend to appointments and normal life! Lots of twists and turns along the way and I was guessing who the Vigilante was for a very long time. I wanted a slightly different ending but that's really a quibble.
Highly recommended if you like tough, gritty detective stories and strong female characters.
I'll be checking out the rest of Sara Lunsford's books after this. I got interested in this one after reading Lunsford's memoir, "Sweet Hell on Fire," which I also highly recommend.
Highly recommended if you like tough, gritty detective stories and strong female characters.
I'll be checking out the rest of Sara Lunsford's books after this. I got interested in this one after reading Lunsford's memoir, "Sweet Hell on Fire," which I also highly recommend.
October 8, 2018
I haven't read anything by this author so I was not sure what to expect. But I was pleasantly surprised! I reallllllllly enjoyed this, but then again I can get scared pretty easily. I could not put this down! Some of it was predictable yet some of it was not. I REALLY hope there is a sequel!
January 31, 2018
AMAZING! Tooth and Nail by Sara Lunsford is a warped and twisted road that will suck you in and make you question everything. This is a crime drama/psycho thriller that will keep you up at night.
Shannon is a terrific detective. In Detroit she solved 6 of 7 serial killer cases. Then she and her husband moved to small town Merryn, Kansas. The problem is the 7th unsolved has followed her and is leaving her gifts. And how good a detective can she be when she finds herself married to a serial rapist, liar and more.
This one left me sleeping with the lights on.
Shannon is a terrific detective. In Detroit she solved 6 of 7 serial killer cases. Then she and her husband moved to small town Merryn, Kansas. The problem is the 7th unsolved has followed her and is leaving her gifts. And how good a detective can she be when she finds herself married to a serial rapist, liar and more.
This one left me sleeping with the lights on.
June 15, 2018
This book has 99 problems and typos were only like 12 of them.
June 14, 2018
I really didn't like it. It was all about the Hero philosophizing and talking dirty. Almost was like letters to Penthouse without the sex.
May 20, 2018
Oh dear. Definitely not one for me. I did not enjoy the poorly imagined characters, despite the strong female lead. The dialogue - such a lot of it too - was wooden and the story not great. For me a waste of time...
August 6, 2018
I wasn't a super big fan of this predictable triller from Sara Lunsford. I was super excited to read this because I have been on a thriller kick recently, but unfortunately this one did not live up to expectations. I predicted the ending from the time I met the character, so the "plot twist" was not one at all. I did enjoy the author's writing style. Her phrasing was excellent. Her dialogue was realistic. For me the biggest downfall was that if I'm going to read a thriller, I do not want to predict the end so early on.
Shannon, the main character, and her husband are both cops and moved to a small town in the midwest in order to escape a vigilante serial killer who has been driving Shannon crazy. Shannon discovers very early on in the novel that her husband is a rapist, murder, and having an affair with her best friend. Shannon befriends a local author who is working on writing a thriller book and is fascinated with Shannon.
At one point, the author friend, Christian, says to Shannon that he is just a plot device in her story. That is how it felt. So much of the book is Shannon's perspective on all of the events and her grappling with anger, guilt and her motivations. It felt like every other character was underdeveloped and just a plot device to get Shannon to her ending. Shannon was a very cliche strong, cop character and at many points I was frustrated with her.
Ultimately, it wasn't a bad read. I was engaged, I did want to see how it ended. That being said, the biggest downfall was how predictable the story was.
Shannon, the main character, and her husband are both cops and moved to a small town in the midwest in order to escape a vigilante serial killer who has been driving Shannon crazy. Shannon discovers very early on in the novel that her husband is a rapist, murder, and having an affair with her best friend. Shannon befriends a local author who is working on writing a thriller book and is fascinated with Shannon.
At one point, the author friend, Christian, says to Shannon that he is just a plot device in her story. That is how it felt. So much of the book is Shannon's perspective on all of the events and her grappling with anger, guilt and her motivations. It felt like every other character was underdeveloped and just a plot device to get Shannon to her ending. Shannon was a very cliche strong, cop character and at many points I was frustrated with her.
Ultimately, it wasn't a bad read. I was engaged, I did want to see how it ended. That being said, the biggest downfall was how predictable the story was.
May 27, 2018
I rarely give a two to any book. This one could have been good except for some flaws that greatly affected the reading experience.
1. If there’s a way to use a cliche, it will be used.
2. The book starts out well, with a plot and unusual premise that make you want to read it. This only lasts through a small portion at the beginning. There are too many side stories for the cast of characters, for just one book, or to be in any way plausible. It felt at times like a synopsis of a cop show’s entire season in one book.
3. Sadly, the editing greatly affected this one as well. Missing words plagued the pages.
4. Again, maybe a new editor would have helped. The dialogue was stilted and it rarely gave any indication of who was speaking. nonverbal cues during the dialogue would have also been nice.
5. The dirty bits weren’t really spicy and seemed intended just to hook a “Fifty Shades of Gray” fan crowd. The book tried too hard for raunchiness.
1. If there’s a way to use a cliche, it will be used.
2. The book starts out well, with a plot and unusual premise that make you want to read it. This only lasts through a small portion at the beginning. There are too many side stories for the cast of characters, for just one book, or to be in any way plausible. It felt at times like a synopsis of a cop show’s entire season in one book.
3. Sadly, the editing greatly affected this one as well. Missing words plagued the pages.
4. Again, maybe a new editor would have helped. The dialogue was stilted and it rarely gave any indication of who was speaking. nonverbal cues during the dialogue would have also been nice.
5. The dirty bits weren’t really spicy and seemed intended just to hook a “Fifty Shades of Gray” fan crowd. The book tried too hard for raunchiness.
May 16, 2018
She says it from the beginning, but you still never see it coming...You start with the one serial killer we know, and the one she's hunting - but who is playing with her...by the end, we've got 2 serial killers in her life, and she's become who she's supposed to be, who she was meant to be...but only one person KNEW HER and could bring her true self out...how could that be? GREAT READ...fast, well-written...if you read these books and Watch these shows, you might be seen the second serial killer coming, but never the way Ms. Lunsford brings it about. Will definitely be back for more of hers!!
May 29, 2018
I was really impressed with this book. Several times I found myself highlighting certain phrases and passages as I was reading, so I could go back and read it again.
Very unique heroine, and truly scary bad guys.
I hope to see more from this author, in this genre in the future.
Highly recommend!
Very unique heroine, and truly scary bad guys.
I hope to see more from this author, in this genre in the future.
Highly recommend!
May 15, 2018
Shannon was talking for me.
Wow. Living in a suburb of Detroit made this story more personal for me. The female character was superb, in that she was vulnerable yet unstoppable. My hero.
Wow. Living in a suburb of Detroit made this story more personal for me. The female character was superb, in that she was vulnerable yet unstoppable. My hero.
May 16, 2018
Wow, what a rollercoaster ride
I expected a gritty thriller but got way more than I expected. The book literally doesn't let you go. And then when you get compliant, the author takes you in her hands and twists hard and fast.
I expected a gritty thriller but got way more than I expected. The book literally doesn't let you go. And then when you get compliant, the author takes you in her hands and twists hard and fast.
June 4, 2018
Good read
Interesting story line but predictable ending...heroine of the piece seemed too trusting for a police officer who was supposed to have caught five or was it six serial killers? Enjoyed the book but was too simplistic.
Interesting story line but predictable ending...heroine of the piece seemed too trusting for a police officer who was supposed to have caught five or was it six serial killers? Enjoyed the book but was too simplistic.
June 5, 2018
Woooooow!
Total page Turner. I've read most of Sara's work, and she keeps getting better. This one had me in tears from laughing and from sorrow. I hope there's a series about these characters!
Total page Turner. I've read most of Sara's work, and she keeps getting better. This one had me in tears from laughing and from sorrow. I hope there's a series about these characters!
August 29, 2018
A brutal and evocative police procedural featuring Detective Shannon Bradford as she squares off against The Vigilante Killer and The Terrible Toothfairy Rapist. A brash, feminist, voice in the contemporary thriller, dripping with razor blade dread.
May 25, 2018
Good
A good book that will keep your interest and keep you guessing and soon you will enjoy Shannon and all that she's dealing with.
A good book that will keep your interest and keep you guessing and soon you will enjoy Shannon and all that she's dealing with.
August 4, 2018
This is the most ridiculous book I have ever read
January 26, 2018
Um, wow. This book will take you on a ride from the very first chapter all the way through to the end I could not put it down. You only think you know what's happening a story of a cop chasing a killer who kills scumbags, the vigilante. But everything blurs and right becomes wrong and wrong is right and it's all upside down only to fall into place the way it should. I can't give away too much and it is so hard to write a review of this without giving away spoilers, but this is a must-read. MUST read! I love Sara Lunsford's work and I think this is the very best I have read from her. You can see so much heart and soul poured blood through this ink and wordcrafting. She has surprised me and with all the twists and turns you'll be surprised too.
December 4, 2018
AMAZING! Tooth and Nail by Sara Lunsford is a warped and twisted road that will suck you in and make you question everything. This is a crime drama/psycho thriller that will keep you up at night.
Shannon is a terrific detective. In Detroit she solved 6 of 7 serial killer cases. Then she and her husband moved to small town Merryn, Kansas. The problem is the 7th unsolved has followed her and is leaving her gifts. And how good a detective can she be when she finds herself married to a serial rapist, liar and more.
This one left me sleeping with the lights on.
Shannon is a terrific detective. In Detroit she solved 6 of 7 serial killer cases. Then she and her husband moved to small town Merryn, Kansas. The problem is the 7th unsolved has followed her and is leaving her gifts. And how good a detective can she be when she finds herself married to a serial rapist, liar and more.
This one left me sleeping with the lights on.
May 31, 2018
This is both a thriller and a mystery as the police officer heroine works to bring two predators to justice--one known to her, and one unknown. Lunsford does a great job of showing Shannon's angst over the impossible situation she's been put in.
Read
May 16, 2018Although she says it all along, I still didn't see it coming!
The one serial killer in the story, we find out right away...but the other? You kinfpd of KNOW if you've read enough of these books and watched enough of these shows, but you just don't see it coming the way it does. And you certainly don't see it continuing on...GOOD STORY, well-written...kept my attention ( which the last couple of books I've picked up lately haven't done), so all-in-all, a good read.
The one serial killer in the story, we find out right away...but the other? You kinfpd of KNOW if you've read enough of these books and watched enough of these shows, but you just don't see it coming the way it does. And you certainly don't see it continuing on...GOOD STORY, well-written...kept my attention ( which the last couple of books I've picked up lately haven't done), so all-in-all, a good read.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews