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Devil's Charm
Detective Lexie Garner had never seen a murder like this. Officer Ben McCormick lies dead in the street, his insides cooked, but not a mark on him. She has to find who killed him…and how.
Lexie and her partner, Colin Jacobs, are led to McCormick’s cold case, the murder of a notorious drug kingpin. It seems all of the suspects – the ice queen widow, the jilted accountant, and even McCormick’s wife – have good reasons to want the case to stay closed. But the evidence found at the scene—strange DNA and a mysterious necklace—forces Lexie to abandon logic and accept the only other explanation. The suspect that they are looking for may not be human. When Jacobs becomes the target, she has to either go with her gut at the risk of losing her career or follow procedure and risk losing Jacobs.
Lexie and her partner, Colin Jacobs, are led to McCormick’s cold case, the murder of a notorious drug kingpin. It seems all of the suspects – the ice queen widow, the jilted accountant, and even McCormick’s wife – have good reasons to want the case to stay closed. But the evidence found at the scene—strange DNA and a mysterious necklace—forces Lexie to abandon logic and accept the only other explanation. The suspect that they are looking for may not be human. When Jacobs becomes the target, she has to either go with her gut at the risk of losing her career or follow procedure and risk losing Jacobs.
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Published May 9, 2018
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About the author
Leslie Conner
4 books4 followersLeslie Conner is an author of mystery and suspense, who occasionally dips her toes into the supernatural world. Her first series, The Detective Lexie Garner trilogy (which includes Devil’s Charm, The Fifth Grave, and The Underground) is available on Amazon. When she's not writing about murder and monsters, she hangs out in Tennessee with her cat, Loki. Visit her at LeslieConnerBooks. com.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 1, 2018
A police procedural with an added supernatural element.
I’m not really sure where I come down on this one, whether I like it or not.
Its an interesting take on things, but it just didn’t really fit. The police work in the story was light and ineffectual with no real sense of getting anywhere. The supernatural element felt forced and superfluous. It almost read like the author couldn’t pick who the murderer was so went back and added a supernatural antagonist to tie up loose ends.
I think perhaps the lack of grittiness and suspense, which you usually find in abundance in both of the genres that are mixed here, is what lets the story down.
The protagonist should be smart and decisive and a stellar detective, one who follows the leads wherever they take her, even into what she believes is myth and legend. Instead she seems to bumble about and have the answer fall in her lap. Its kind of disappointing. I want to see her as someone that I want to be, not someone who makes me wince and needs the men around her to lead her by the hand. First the ‘little brother’ type character tells her to look at demons, then he finds her a male expert who tells her exactly whats going on and how to win. Her surrogate father makes the other cops, all men, listen and help search while secretly thinking shes off her rocker. The men distract the demon so she can banish it with the tools the expert gave her, but wait, she cant manage that herself either and has to be saved by her surrogate dad again, even though he’s barely holding his guts in.
The writing itself was good, so good that you don’t notice it and get lost in the words. Thats not an easy thing and is the mark of great potential in my opinion.
Perhaps with some character development and a more planned out storyline this could be the start of a great series.
I received a complimentary copy from VRO in return for an honest review.
I’m not really sure where I come down on this one, whether I like it or not.
Its an interesting take on things, but it just didn’t really fit. The police work in the story was light and ineffectual with no real sense of getting anywhere. The supernatural element felt forced and superfluous. It almost read like the author couldn’t pick who the murderer was so went back and added a supernatural antagonist to tie up loose ends.
I think perhaps the lack of grittiness and suspense, which you usually find in abundance in both of the genres that are mixed here, is what lets the story down.
The protagonist should be smart and decisive and a stellar detective, one who follows the leads wherever they take her, even into what she believes is myth and legend. Instead she seems to bumble about and have the answer fall in her lap. Its kind of disappointing. I want to see her as someone that I want to be, not someone who makes me wince and needs the men around her to lead her by the hand. First the ‘little brother’ type character tells her to look at demons, then he finds her a male expert who tells her exactly whats going on and how to win. Her surrogate father makes the other cops, all men, listen and help search while secretly thinking shes off her rocker. The men distract the demon so she can banish it with the tools the expert gave her, but wait, she cant manage that herself either and has to be saved by her surrogate dad again, even though he’s barely holding his guts in.
The writing itself was good, so good that you don’t notice it and get lost in the words. Thats not an easy thing and is the mark of great potential in my opinion.
Perhaps with some character development and a more planned out storyline this could be the start of a great series.
I received a complimentary copy from VRO in return for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2018
Leslie is a local author and graduate of SIUC’s Masters in English Lit program.
Devil’s Charm is her first novel and the first of the Lexie Garner. A police procedural with a paranormal twist. A bit of Bones meets X-Files. Romantic tension included
Devil’s Charm is her first novel and the first of the Lexie Garner. A police procedural with a paranormal twist. A bit of Bones meets X-Files. Romantic tension included
July 13, 2021
Excellent story, great character development, and original plot. Story has a great pace and keeps you guessing until the end. Recommended.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews