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Agent Sayer Altair #1
Caged: A Novel
FBI neuroscientist Sayer Altair hunts for evil in the deepest recesses of the human mind. Still reeling from the death of her fiance, she wants nothing more than to focus on her research into the brains of serial killers. But when the Washington D.C. police stumble upon a gruesome murder scene involving a girl who'd been slowly starved to death while held captive in a cage, Sayer is called in to lead the investigation. When the victim is identified as the daughter of a high profile senator, Sayer is thrust into the spotlight.
As public pressure mounts, she discovers that another girl has been taken and is teetering on the brink of death. With evidence unraveling around her, Sayer races to save the second victim but soon realizes that they are hunting a killer with a dangerous obsession...a killer who is closer than she thought.
As public pressure mounts, she discovers that another girl has been taken and is teetering on the brink of death. With evidence unraveling around her, Sayer races to save the second victim but soon realizes that they are hunting a killer with a dangerous obsession...a killer who is closer than she thought.
400 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 10, 2018
432 people are currently reading
6289 people want to read
About the author
Ellison Cooper
7 books470 followersEllison Cooper has a Ph.D. in anthropology from UCLA, with a background in archaeology, cultural neuroscience, ancient religion, colonialism, and human rights. She has conducted fieldwork in Central America, West Africa, Micronesia, and Western Europe. She has worked as a murder investigator in Washington DC, and is a certified K9 Search and Rescue Federal Disaster Worker. She now lives in the Bay Area with her husband and son.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 609 reviews
June 28, 2023
Writing: cozy mystery | Plot: fine | Ending: nah bro
SYNOPSIS
Special Agent Sayer Altair is just tryna lie low and get some research done, but a creepy murder case involving cages and booby traps has her hittin the field.
MY OPINION
First things first: While Mattydashelf aka Matthew DaFoe on Goodreads may be a friend, we legit have completely opposite tastes. So I should've known that something in this book was gonna have me shotputting it out the window 😂 With this in mind, if you tend to agree with his ratings more often than not, disregard my lowly 2-star and check it out for yourself.
Okay, now let's get into it. I never want to read the word 'grunted' again. I'm not exaggerating when I say there was not ONE chapter that didn't include this word as a method of communication. In some occasions, it was used multiple times. And then in a very weird self-aware yet not moment, Agent Altair almost busts out laughing when two male agents communicate solely in grunts, deeming this a 'neanderthal' way to communicate. THE CALL IS FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE!!!!!
Next, this was an odd situation where despite the content being very dark and ominous, the scare-factor or rather clenched-cheeks-o'meter was quite low. It felt like I was reading a cozy mystery. Alternate cozy titles: 'Caged Birds Never Fly' or 'Caged & Cappuccino'. Now if Karin Slaughter and her scenic route storytelling or Lisa Gardner had taken on this plot, I think it would've been HITTIN. But alas, Ellison Cooper's lacklustre and emotionally-empty storytelling kept my heart rate pretty steady.
I can certainly appreciate the inclusion of Maya, Egyptian, and Greek mythology. Given Cooper's background, it's no surprise that this was the strongest part. The brain stuff was interesting too. These two aspects were the saving grace from it being a total one star bomb. And while these things were well-researched, everything else seemed to be running on vibes. Please don't tell me that software used by one of the highest branches of law enforcement in the US only records when a document is edited and not WHAT is edited. I mean FFS even Microsoft Word has tracked changes. You can't tell me that anyone with access can edit a report to their hearts content and there will be no trace of the original copy. PLZ.
Also, can someone tell me what was going on with Altair's character? I couldn't get a grip on her, and I don't think this was intentional. At the beginning, she's sending her Nana's calls straight to VM and acts like talking to her is so exhausting, which implies their relationship is fraught. But nope, they're actually very close and there's no ill feelings between them??? Now I've def been down bad in life and eaten boiled hot dogs in ramen more than once during my college days, but eating one singular cold hot dog for dinner is heinous.
I can't get into the rest without spoilies, so you know what time it is:
SPOILERS ALERT. SCROLL TO BOTTOM.
1. I can neither confirm nor deny the accuracy of the following events but it did make me scream ARE WE SERIOUSSSSS?? So at the end we find out that J.Crew Joan is the villain. During her Scooby Doo speech to Altair, she lifts her shirt to reveal THE IMPRINT OF TEETH BUSSIN OUT HER STOMACH AS WELL AS ONE LONG HAIR AND THE OUTLINE OF A FULLY DEVELOPED EAR NEAR HER ARMPIT? PARDON ME?????? I didn't even know what to Google to verify this info, but the closest 'answer' I came to was something called 'fetus-in-fetu' (tread lightly; some images I can never unsee) which is where the absorption of one twin in the womb goes a lil sideways and said twin continues to 'develop' in the surviving twin. Now my certified dumbass understanding is that the absorbed twin would grow in ONE location and not shatter and develop random body parts wherever it pleased?? Of course this is fiction but this is TOO FAR for me LOL. This is veering into horror territory. The author did include a note that prompted readers to visit her website to learn how much of the science is real, which is a great idea IF THE RELEVANT PAGES DIDN'T SAY 'COMING SOON'???? Given that this book was published in 2018, if you're going to make a promise IN PRINT like that, you need to have that sh!t ready to rock by d-day. Le sigh.
2. Altair visits the group home where two of the caged victims met and hung out and she meets the third musketeer who lo' and behold is also a twin who lost their twin in a tragic accident!!!! Immediate alarm bells right?? Not for Altair. She just gives ole girl and hug and says 'awww rip' and doesn't think about it again. Girl pretty much had 'victim #3' stamped on her head and Altair had the audacity to act shocked when she finds out that she'd been kidnapped. C'mon now.
3. Again, I don't know how accurate this is but from my limited Google searches, seems... inaccurate. At one point they get a DNA match from semen on the victim's forehead, so they haul the suspect in for questioning. Altair is told that the suspect doesn't have any record of existence before 2009, so she's like ok that's suss. Anyways, they arrest this man and then after 48 hrs he decides to reveal that it's impossible his semen was found on a victim because he's trans. My problem here is, just because you're trans and get 'new' ID (sorry if this is worded offensively), you wouldn't have your previous digital footprint completely wiped. Your SSN/SSI is still the same? Google tells me that you're only issues a new number if it's a WITSEC type thing, which this wasn't. I reckon if transitioning = new identity with no trace of your previous life, criminals would be all over this.
SPOILERS DONE.
All in all, if you think Karin Slaughter is too gory but you enjoy that content and you like straight-forward, no frills writing, this is for you.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: interesting case
Cons: lacklustre writing and storytelling, too many inconsistencies to ignore, characterizations were whacky, obtuse investigative 'work'
____________________________
For some sick reason, do you want to hear more of my nonsense? Check out my podcast: Novels & Nonsense streaming everywhere.
SYNOPSIS
Special Agent Sayer Altair is just tryna lie low and get some research done, but a creepy murder case involving cages and booby traps has her hittin the field.
MY OPINION
First things first: While Mattydashelf aka Matthew DaFoe on Goodreads may be a friend, we legit have completely opposite tastes. So I should've known that something in this book was gonna have me shotputting it out the window 😂 With this in mind, if you tend to agree with his ratings more often than not, disregard my lowly 2-star and check it out for yourself.
Okay, now let's get into it. I never want to read the word 'grunted' again. I'm not exaggerating when I say there was not ONE chapter that didn't include this word as a method of communication. In some occasions, it was used multiple times. And then in a very weird self-aware yet not moment, Agent Altair almost busts out laughing when two male agents communicate solely in grunts, deeming this a 'neanderthal' way to communicate. THE CALL IS FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE!!!!!
Next, this was an odd situation where despite the content being very dark and ominous, the scare-factor or rather clenched-cheeks-o'meter was quite low. It felt like I was reading a cozy mystery. Alternate cozy titles: 'Caged Birds Never Fly' or 'Caged & Cappuccino'. Now if Karin Slaughter and her scenic route storytelling or Lisa Gardner had taken on this plot, I think it would've been HITTIN. But alas, Ellison Cooper's lacklustre and emotionally-empty storytelling kept my heart rate pretty steady.
I can certainly appreciate the inclusion of Maya, Egyptian, and Greek mythology. Given Cooper's background, it's no surprise that this was the strongest part. The brain stuff was interesting too. These two aspects were the saving grace from it being a total one star bomb. And while these things were well-researched, everything else seemed to be running on vibes. Please don't tell me that software used by one of the highest branches of law enforcement in the US only records when a document is edited and not WHAT is edited. I mean FFS even Microsoft Word has tracked changes. You can't tell me that anyone with access can edit a report to their hearts content and there will be no trace of the original copy. PLZ.
Also, can someone tell me what was going on with Altair's character? I couldn't get a grip on her, and I don't think this was intentional. At the beginning, she's sending her Nana's calls straight to VM and acts like talking to her is so exhausting, which implies their relationship is fraught. But nope, they're actually very close and there's no ill feelings between them??? Now I've def been down bad in life and eaten boiled hot dogs in ramen more than once during my college days, but eating one singular cold hot dog for dinner is heinous.
I can't get into the rest without spoilies, so you know what time it is:
SPOILERS ALERT. SCROLL TO BOTTOM.
1. I can neither confirm nor deny the accuracy of the following events but it did make me scream ARE WE SERIOUSSSSS?? So at the end we find out that J.Crew Joan is the villain. During her Scooby Doo speech to Altair, she lifts her shirt to reveal THE IMPRINT OF TEETH BUSSIN OUT HER STOMACH AS WELL AS ONE LONG HAIR AND THE OUTLINE OF A FULLY DEVELOPED EAR NEAR HER ARMPIT? PARDON ME?????? I didn't even know what to Google to verify this info, but the closest 'answer' I came to was something called 'fetus-in-fetu' (tread lightly; some images I can never unsee) which is where the absorption of one twin in the womb goes a lil sideways and said twin continues to 'develop' in the surviving twin. Now my certified dumbass understanding is that the absorbed twin would grow in ONE location and not shatter and develop random body parts wherever it pleased?? Of course this is fiction but this is TOO FAR for me LOL. This is veering into horror territory. The author did include a note that prompted readers to visit her website to learn how much of the science is real, which is a great idea IF THE RELEVANT PAGES DIDN'T SAY 'COMING SOON'???? Given that this book was published in 2018, if you're going to make a promise IN PRINT like that, you need to have that sh!t ready to rock by d-day. Le sigh.
2. Altair visits the group home where two of the caged victims met and hung out and she meets the third musketeer who lo' and behold is also a twin who lost their twin in a tragic accident!!!! Immediate alarm bells right?? Not for Altair. She just gives ole girl and hug and says 'awww rip' and doesn't think about it again. Girl pretty much had 'victim #3' stamped on her head and Altair had the audacity to act shocked when she finds out that she'd been kidnapped. C'mon now.
3. Again, I don't know how accurate this is but from my limited Google searches, seems... inaccurate. At one point they get a DNA match from semen on the victim's forehead, so they haul the suspect in for questioning. Altair is told that the suspect doesn't have any record of existence before 2009, so she's like ok that's suss. Anyways, they arrest this man and then after 48 hrs he decides to reveal that it's impossible his semen was found on a victim because he's trans. My problem here is, just because you're trans and get 'new' ID (sorry if this is worded offensively), you wouldn't have your previous digital footprint completely wiped. Your SSN/SSI is still the same? Google tells me that you're only issues a new number if it's a WITSEC type thing, which this wasn't. I reckon if transitioning = new identity with no trace of your previous life, criminals would be all over this.
SPOILERS DONE.
All in all, if you think Karin Slaughter is too gory but you enjoy that content and you like straight-forward, no frills writing, this is for you.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: interesting case
Cons: lacklustre writing and storytelling, too many inconsistencies to ignore, characterizations were whacky, obtuse investigative 'work'
____________________________
For some sick reason, do you want to hear more of my nonsense? Check out my podcast: Novels & Nonsense streaming everywhere.
July 28, 2018
4.5 Stars!
Whew what a fast past thriller! I flew through this book in about 3ish hours. I also did this as a buddy read with a friend on Instagram and it has been really fun to have someone to talk to about this!
Sayer is an FBI Agent. She has had a rough past: her parents died in an accident and her fiancee was shot and killed on an FBI mission. One day she's called into a crime scene and they found a girl who has been starved to death and is in a cage as well as an animal with her. From here the investigation begins..
The victim is then identified as a high profile senator's daughter and the media is having a frenzy. The FBI is sweating not knowing who is doing the killings. The team goes through a ton of suspects and has a lot of DNA to back it up, however they start to put the pieces together that something is not adding up. Things are getting leaked minutes after they are discovered and documents are starting to get mishandled. Is this a job of someone inside the team?
This book is a crime thriller and I haven't read many crime thrillers before. I was totally engrossed in this the entire time. It's a really fast read so if you're looking for something to fly through. I personally enjoy a fast paced book so this was right up my alley!
What I loved about this book was that I thought I predicted the ending but it took a twist right at the very end. I thought I had pinned the character who had done the killings but I ended up being wrong. I really enjoyed the way the chapters ended in this book and that they were short. I felt like at each end of the chapter the author made a character announce that they may have found a new development and this made me want to continue to keep on reading. It's exactly what I enjoy in my thrillers. I also enjoyed the deep dive into the human brain and what characteristics can tell us what we are capable of.
This was my first read by Ellison Cooper and I would definitely read more. I suggest if you like crime thrillers to pick this one up. It came out on July 10th!
Whew what a fast past thriller! I flew through this book in about 3ish hours. I also did this as a buddy read with a friend on Instagram and it has been really fun to have someone to talk to about this!
Sayer is an FBI Agent. She has had a rough past: her parents died in an accident and her fiancee was shot and killed on an FBI mission. One day she's called into a crime scene and they found a girl who has been starved to death and is in a cage as well as an animal with her. From here the investigation begins..
The victim is then identified as a high profile senator's daughter and the media is having a frenzy. The FBI is sweating not knowing who is doing the killings. The team goes through a ton of suspects and has a lot of DNA to back it up, however they start to put the pieces together that something is not adding up. Things are getting leaked minutes after they are discovered and documents are starting to get mishandled. Is this a job of someone inside the team?
This book is a crime thriller and I haven't read many crime thrillers before. I was totally engrossed in this the entire time. It's a really fast read so if you're looking for something to fly through. I personally enjoy a fast paced book so this was right up my alley!
What I loved about this book was that I thought I predicted the ending but it took a twist right at the very end. I thought I had pinned the character who had done the killings but I ended up being wrong. I really enjoyed the way the chapters ended in this book and that they were short. I felt like at each end of the chapter the author made a character announce that they may have found a new development and this made me want to continue to keep on reading. It's exactly what I enjoy in my thrillers. I also enjoyed the deep dive into the human brain and what characteristics can tell us what we are capable of.
This was my first read by Ellison Cooper and I would definitely read more. I suggest if you like crime thrillers to pick this one up. It came out on July 10th!
June 14, 2018
Ellison Cooper's Caged is a well written police driven thriller with a mix of a strong female detective.
What I liked about Caged? I really liked how Sayer our main female detective had a strong background in Science. Sayer studies serial killers' brains and the general makeup of how it may appear more or less "normal"then what you would see in a non serial killer's brain. This was something I had never seen before in a crime/police procedural novel.
The story takes off with two police officers come across a mysterious crime scene, where Detective Sayer and Vik are called to the crime scene. Sayer finds the body of a women who happens to be the daughter of a strong senator. Sayer's case takes off from here and she wonders are there others that have been murdered/missing etc?
So.. some things that I had issues with... typical police procedural aspects to this one. Nothing unique about Sayer's team... I felt it was just different names but the same characters that you always see in police procedurals! I was expecting more of an original/unique set of characters and dialogue. I was a tad bit disappointed.
Also, little over half way there was a break in Sayer's case and it was just very unbelievable and little over the top for my taste. I was rolling my eyes big time...
I would recommend this one to those that have not dived too deep into the police/thriller procedural novels and are ok with dark details to the serial killer's crimes.
Overall, 3 stars for this one.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur books for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for my honest review.
Published to GR: 6/13/18
Publication date: 7/10/18
What I liked about Caged? I really liked how Sayer our main female detective had a strong background in Science. Sayer studies serial killers' brains and the general makeup of how it may appear more or less "normal"then what you would see in a non serial killer's brain. This was something I had never seen before in a crime/police procedural novel.
The story takes off with two police officers come across a mysterious crime scene, where Detective Sayer and Vik are called to the crime scene. Sayer finds the body of a women who happens to be the daughter of a strong senator. Sayer's case takes off from here and she wonders are there others that have been murdered/missing etc?
So.. some things that I had issues with... typical police procedural aspects to this one. Nothing unique about Sayer's team... I felt it was just different names but the same characters that you always see in police procedurals! I was expecting more of an original/unique set of characters and dialogue. I was a tad bit disappointed.
Also, little over half way there was a break in Sayer's case and it was just very unbelievable and little over the top for my taste. I was rolling my eyes big time...
I would recommend this one to those that have not dived too deep into the police/thriller procedural novels and are ok with dark details to the serial killer's crimes.
Overall, 3 stars for this one.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur books for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for my honest review.
Published to GR: 6/13/18
Publication date: 7/10/18
June 18, 2018
Caged by Ellison Cooper is a police procedural thriller with a bit of a twist on the lead investigator. Sayer Altair is with the FBI and a neuroscientist that has been doing a study of serial killers or more specifically their brains and trying to find anomalies that would distinguish them from normal human brains.
When two patrol officers get a call to an abandoned residence to check out a call to 911 from young girl they find the home closed up tight. Neighbors say they haven’t seen anyone coming or going there and without a definite point of origin for the call they leave. Twelve days later a call comes in for a horrible smell from the same abandoned home. Not only do they find the body of a young woman but both officers get shot.
Sayer Altair gets the call to lead the investigation into the homicide of the girl when it looks as if she was left alone to starve to death in a cage. The victim is soon identified as the daughter of a senator bringing the case into the spotlight and with evidence leading them the wrong direction Sayer finds herself struggling to make sense of the case when another victim is in danger.
First I’ll say I’m a bit hit or miss with police procedurals, things need to line up just right to make me love them overall. Caged really started off a strong read and I thought I would fall in love with it but slowly along the way I found little things here and there that brought my rating down a bit with this one.
First, I liked the idea of Sayer being a neuroscientist but at times I don’t think i was used enough in the book to make it stand out. The characters in here didn’t really stand out much other than the detail about Sayer so I didn’t really fall in love with them. The author seemed to concentrate on making the investigation feel real and sometimes too many little details get a tad boring to me but on the flip side of that some of the things also didn’t feel believable.. say calling up the lab about a test and they run one while on the phone, er those things take time.
So as you can see I was a bit up and down with this story as I was going along. Then I’d say fairly early on for this type of read I saw right through and picked out the killer too. Now there were plenty of suspicions and suspects tossed in so perhaps it was just plain luck but I’d also would have been more excited to be wrong so in the end the book ended up a bit meh for me.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more review please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
When two patrol officers get a call to an abandoned residence to check out a call to 911 from young girl they find the home closed up tight. Neighbors say they haven’t seen anyone coming or going there and without a definite point of origin for the call they leave. Twelve days later a call comes in for a horrible smell from the same abandoned home. Not only do they find the body of a young woman but both officers get shot.
Sayer Altair gets the call to lead the investigation into the homicide of the girl when it looks as if she was left alone to starve to death in a cage. The victim is soon identified as the daughter of a senator bringing the case into the spotlight and with evidence leading them the wrong direction Sayer finds herself struggling to make sense of the case when another victim is in danger.
First I’ll say I’m a bit hit or miss with police procedurals, things need to line up just right to make me love them overall. Caged really started off a strong read and I thought I would fall in love with it but slowly along the way I found little things here and there that brought my rating down a bit with this one.
First, I liked the idea of Sayer being a neuroscientist but at times I don’t think i was used enough in the book to make it stand out. The characters in here didn’t really stand out much other than the detail about Sayer so I didn’t really fall in love with them. The author seemed to concentrate on making the investigation feel real and sometimes too many little details get a tad boring to me but on the flip side of that some of the things also didn’t feel believable.. say calling up the lab about a test and they run one while on the phone, er those things take time.
So as you can see I was a bit up and down with this story as I was going along. Then I’d say fairly early on for this type of read I saw right through and picked out the killer too. Now there were plenty of suspicions and suspects tossed in so perhaps it was just plain luck but I’d also would have been more excited to be wrong so in the end the book ended up a bit meh for me.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more review please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
August 30, 2022
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I’m definitely on board for this as a series.
It has a very dark atmosphere with a Criminal Minds vibe. Profilers and some bureaucracy, with lots of disturbing puzzles that need solving. This completely connected with me, bringing together a lot of my favourite things, especially the psychology behind the murders.
It’s heavy on the procedural, medium on the twists - focused on the science side of the evidence, and less on physical events - and low thrills.
There are some explosions, traps and tricks and disturbing content – namely puppies and kittens in danger that will definitely stir your feels if you are anything like me.
Me, when people are in cages, dying of starvation and dehydration, scared and traumatized:
Me, when animals are in cages, dying of starvation and dehydration, scared and traumatized:
The serial killer is as looney-tunes as they come, doing some “experiments” that were definitely an elevated, original take on serial killer motivation that I found super interesting and occasionally disturbing.
With a main character who is a neuroscientist and serial killings that rely heavily on science and evidence that requires a Ph.D. to figure out, this book does a really good job at breaking those things down into bite-sized nuggets that us laymen readers can better digest.
Also, I’m not sure if I’m a huge fan of Sayer just yet. I like that she’s a smart, fierce doctor who has a mean streak and comes with some heavy baggage, but she's professional and gets shit done. But, she immediately rubbed me the wrong way with how she treated a puppy from a crime scene.
I know that might sound stupid, but I honestly don’t trust people who do not like animals. Although she eventually warmed to the dog, her first reaction to a helpless animal was “ugh, don’t make me deal with this creature. What an unwanted burden” and that stuck with me the whole time.
The Curse of the Bad First Impression. Is that a Nancy Drew novel?
She also lacked humour and was pretty one-note in her personality. Nothing about her really popped off the page, even when she was at her most manic during the investigation.
That really is the only downside to this novel. It could have used a tad more description and a little bit more personality from all the players. With just a little bit more time taken to flesh out the characters and make them their own people, to express thoughts and feelings in a more genuine way, and work on the dialogue so it didn’t feel so robotic, I think this book would have been a near-perfect read for me.
As it is, the crimes are twisted, the motivation is stunning and the writing is crisp and clean. It felt original in terms of plot.
Decidedly, a read worthy of your time.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 4 stars
book source: St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for a review.
I’m definitely on board for this as a series.
It has a very dark atmosphere with a Criminal Minds vibe. Profilers and some bureaucracy, with lots of disturbing puzzles that need solving. This completely connected with me, bringing together a lot of my favourite things, especially the psychology behind the murders.
It’s heavy on the procedural, medium on the twists - focused on the science side of the evidence, and less on physical events - and low thrills.
There are some explosions, traps and tricks and disturbing content – namely puppies and kittens in danger that will definitely stir your feels if you are anything like me.
Me, when people are in cages, dying of starvation and dehydration, scared and traumatized:
Me, when animals are in cages, dying of starvation and dehydration, scared and traumatized:
The serial killer is as looney-tunes as they come, doing some “experiments” that were definitely an elevated, original take on serial killer motivation that I found super interesting and occasionally disturbing.
With a main character who is a neuroscientist and serial killings that rely heavily on science and evidence that requires a Ph.D. to figure out, this book does a really good job at breaking those things down into bite-sized nuggets that us laymen readers can better digest.
Also, I’m not sure if I’m a huge fan of Sayer just yet. I like that she’s a smart, fierce doctor who has a mean streak and comes with some heavy baggage, but she's professional and gets shit done. But, she immediately rubbed me the wrong way with how she treated a puppy from a crime scene.
I know that might sound stupid, but I honestly don’t trust people who do not like animals. Although she eventually warmed to the dog, her first reaction to a helpless animal was “ugh, don’t make me deal with this creature. What an unwanted burden” and that stuck with me the whole time.
The Curse of the Bad First Impression. Is that a Nancy Drew novel?
She also lacked humour and was pretty one-note in her personality. Nothing about her really popped off the page, even when she was at her most manic during the investigation.
That really is the only downside to this novel. It could have used a tad more description and a little bit more personality from all the players. With just a little bit more time taken to flesh out the characters and make them their own people, to express thoughts and feelings in a more genuine way, and work on the dialogue so it didn’t feel so robotic, I think this book would have been a near-perfect read for me.
As it is, the crimes are twisted, the motivation is stunning and the writing is crisp and clean. It felt original in terms of plot.
Decidedly, a read worthy of your time.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 4 stars
book source: St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for a review.
July 23, 2018
A finely crafted and disturbing thriller with an incredibly likable main character. Instead of being your run of the mill detective, Sayer is a neuroscientist with the FBI. She holds a special interest in serial killers... more specifically, the brains of serial killers. She's working on proving a theory, but it's not working out quite as well as she had hoped. We're all used to damaged female detectives, but Cooper adds enough to Sayer to make her feel fresh while still relying on the tragic past authors often use. I think this is an impressive debut. It certainly kept me reading, and my guesses about the ending were dead wrong.
This case was always going to make headlines: a young woman's body has been found in a cage, starved and trapped But this case won't go away until it's solved: the young woman was the daughter of a politician. It'll stay in the papers until the killer is brought to justice, not only because of the grisliness of the crime but because of who she was. Sayer is uniquely qualified for the case, and is pulled from her work trying to prove her serial killer theory to solve it. Just as the pressure from the public reaches a breaking point, they discover another girl has been taken. Since the first young woman suffered for quite some time, they have a chance of finding her... even if she's in a cage, wishing she were dead. Will they get to her before it's too late?
There was a lot here I liked! I found the main character to be really interesting. Her co-workers need to be fleshed out more, and I hope they will be in the next book. That's right - hopefully we will get more of Sayer! I'm down to read the next book for sure. I can only hope it'll keep me on the edge of my seat as much as this one. I also particularly enjoyed the legends from different cultures represented. And if you add in some lovable animals to any book, it's going to make me like it just a little bit more. (I know, that doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the storyline, but you'll see.)
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Minotaur Books with St. Martin's Press. Thank you! My opinion is honest and unbiased.
This case was always going to make headlines: a young woman's body has been found in a cage, starved and trapped But this case won't go away until it's solved: the young woman was the daughter of a politician. It'll stay in the papers until the killer is brought to justice, not only because of the grisliness of the crime but because of who she was. Sayer is uniquely qualified for the case, and is pulled from her work trying to prove her serial killer theory to solve it. Just as the pressure from the public reaches a breaking point, they discover another girl has been taken. Since the first young woman suffered for quite some time, they have a chance of finding her... even if she's in a cage, wishing she were dead. Will they get to her before it's too late?
There was a lot here I liked! I found the main character to be really interesting. Her co-workers need to be fleshed out more, and I hope they will be in the next book. That's right - hopefully we will get more of Sayer! I'm down to read the next book for sure. I can only hope it'll keep me on the edge of my seat as much as this one. I also particularly enjoyed the legends from different cultures represented. And if you add in some lovable animals to any book, it's going to make me like it just a little bit more. (I know, that doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the storyline, but you'll see.)
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Minotaur Books with St. Martin's Press. Thank you! My opinion is honest and unbiased.
April 14, 2019
Wow! Wow! Ummmm.... yeah.... Wow! Caged was a pulse pounding, edge of your seat, who the hell done it and shit I didn’t see that coming thriller!
It kept me guessing the entire read. It has all the flavors for the mix needed for a good read: a strong female FBI agent with a twisty past, a sick twisted psychopath killer running wild, as well as a fun mix of other characters to keep you reading and keep you entertained. 5 stars for this one! Loved it!❤️
It kept me guessing the entire read. It has all the flavors for the mix needed for a good read: a strong female FBI agent with a twisty past, a sick twisted psychopath killer running wild, as well as a fun mix of other characters to keep you reading and keep you entertained. 5 stars for this one! Loved it!❤️
May 29, 2019
Dr. Sayer Altair is a neuroscientist, investigating the brains of serial killers for the FBI. But when the police find a young girl, dead, after being locked in a cage and left to starve, Sayer is called on to lead the murder investigation. The case intensifies when it turns out she's the daughter of a famous Senator. Soon another girl is missing and Sayer feels the pressure of the case surrounding her. Can she find this next victim before it's too late? And can she find the horrible person who is doing this--before they strike again?
This one had been on my shelf for a bit, and I picked it up as part of my self-imposed #readwhatyouown challenge. I also have the second book, Buried, coming up soon and wanted to read the first Sayer Altair book in the series.
I found Caged to be a quick, compelling read, and I warmed to Sayer immediately. She's a smart, complicated protagonist with her own set of issues, but also an endearing love of hot dogs, actual dogs, and a deep desire to solve her cases and help her victims. I had a slight sense of deja vu starting this one as I'd just recently read a book about another Ph.D. who was studying the brains of serial killers (The Killer on the Wall). What are the odds, right? (Fairly small, I suppose, when you read a ton of thrillers.)
This was a fast read--a race against time aided by short, quick chapters. I actually had a pretty good feeling about who our sicko killer was, but it didn't stop me from finding the entire book very compelling. The novel is a dark read, with the idea of a killer conducting experiments on caged girls very creepy. There's a lot going on--ties to mythology, Sayer's research, some mentions of Sayer's past (she's lost a loved one), office politics, Sayer's (wonderfully feisty) grandmother popping up, and more. At times, it's a bit much and some of the pieces don't feel fully explored, but overall, I enjoyed all the various plot lines.
Sayer is assisted by a great supporting cast (Ezra, one of her researchers, was my favorite, along with her FBI partner). Her grandmother, as mentioned, is also pretty fun. The thread of strong women in this one is interesting, and it's nice to have a main character whom--while obviously flawed--is still really tough and really smart. I'll read about them any day.
"'I think you might just be a badass, Sayer Altair.'"
I sometimes found the writing to be a little simplistic, especially when depicting Sayer's thoughts and feelings (along the lines of a little more telling versus showing). Still, it was well-written for a debut novel and well-done from a forensic and crime perspective--the author's background (Ph.D., murder investigator, and more) shows.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read. I'm always up for a good mystery that holds my interest, especially one featuring a strong female protagonist. I'm looking forward to reading Buried soon. 3.5+ stars.
Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Smashbomb
This one had been on my shelf for a bit, and I picked it up as part of my self-imposed #readwhatyouown challenge. I also have the second book, Buried, coming up soon and wanted to read the first Sayer Altair book in the series.
I found Caged to be a quick, compelling read, and I warmed to Sayer immediately. She's a smart, complicated protagonist with her own set of issues, but also an endearing love of hot dogs, actual dogs, and a deep desire to solve her cases and help her victims. I had a slight sense of deja vu starting this one as I'd just recently read a book about another Ph.D. who was studying the brains of serial killers (The Killer on the Wall). What are the odds, right? (Fairly small, I suppose, when you read a ton of thrillers.)
This was a fast read--a race against time aided by short, quick chapters. I actually had a pretty good feeling about who our sicko killer was, but it didn't stop me from finding the entire book very compelling. The novel is a dark read, with the idea of a killer conducting experiments on caged girls very creepy. There's a lot going on--ties to mythology, Sayer's research, some mentions of Sayer's past (she's lost a loved one), office politics, Sayer's (wonderfully feisty) grandmother popping up, and more. At times, it's a bit much and some of the pieces don't feel fully explored, but overall, I enjoyed all the various plot lines.
Sayer is assisted by a great supporting cast (Ezra, one of her researchers, was my favorite, along with her FBI partner). Her grandmother, as mentioned, is also pretty fun. The thread of strong women in this one is interesting, and it's nice to have a main character whom--while obviously flawed--is still really tough and really smart. I'll read about them any day.
"'I think you might just be a badass, Sayer Altair.'"
I sometimes found the writing to be a little simplistic, especially when depicting Sayer's thoughts and feelings (along the lines of a little more telling versus showing). Still, it was well-written for a debut novel and well-done from a forensic and crime perspective--the author's background (Ph.D., murder investigator, and more) shows.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read. I'm always up for a good mystery that holds my interest, especially one featuring a strong female protagonist. I'm looking forward to reading Buried soon. 3.5+ stars.
Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Smashbomb
May 8, 2019
Not for me.
I made it to page 100. Loved the opening and the writing in the beginning. Good voice, descriptions and setup. I was really carried along. I thought the dialogue was over tagged but that's easy to get around. Then I came to the part about how a smart, intelligent protagonist (a highly educated senior Special Agent) drives a motorcycle, which I could halfway accept. But then the motorcycle has a side car and she drives her 71 year old grandmother around in it.
Then there was the murder victim no one knew had a twin. The protagonist's grandmother knew about it and gave the information to the protagonist while they drove home in/on the motorcycle with the sidecar.
The opening started out as a tough and gritty and smart serial killer story then shifted to a mashup with smatterings of a cozy as if it couldn't decide which audience to pander to.
David Putnam the author of the Bruno Johnson series.
I made it to page 100. Loved the opening and the writing in the beginning. Good voice, descriptions and setup. I was really carried along. I thought the dialogue was over tagged but that's easy to get around. Then I came to the part about how a smart, intelligent protagonist (a highly educated senior Special Agent) drives a motorcycle, which I could halfway accept. But then the motorcycle has a side car and she drives her 71 year old grandmother around in it.
Then there was the murder victim no one knew had a twin. The protagonist's grandmother knew about it and gave the information to the protagonist while they drove home in/on the motorcycle with the sidecar.
The opening started out as a tough and gritty and smart serial killer story then shifted to a mashup with smatterings of a cozy as if it couldn't decide which audience to pander to.
David Putnam the author of the Bruno Johnson series.
October 7, 2020
This book really captures all the crime TV vibes... think Criminal Mind, which is one of my favorite shows so major win for me. If you too are a fan of shows such as this than CAGED need to make its way into your life as soon as humanly possible. Ellison Cooper being a debut novelist came as a bit of a surprise to me. Her writing is clean, and the story line flowed with ease. What set Ellison apart is that the events that take place within this story are gore to the core, but are logic and not a complete stretch of the imagination. There is just the right amount of thrills, gore, and electrifying suspense.
What a mind trick Ellison Cooper plays on her reader! There were SO many times that I thought I was on to who the sociopath committing all these murders was, and while I did catch on before the reveal, it was shocking it took me as long as it did with all the subtle clues that I had missed. I also am a sucker for novels with a strong female lead and CAGED most certainly has just that with our main female detective, Sayer. I kind of wish this was a series because I ended this wanting to continue stalking out serial killers with Sayer.
Front start to finish this novel had me captivated. There was not a moment where I wanted to pause the action that just kept elevating all the way to its satisfying ending. While I wish that there was further elaboration on the topic in which this novel ends, it was a satisfying cliffhanger. This ending will leave you pleading for more. I cannot wait to get my hands on whatever Ellison releases next. I'll leave you with this passage from CAGED where I feel Ellison described her very own book perfectly :
What a mind trick Ellison Cooper plays on her reader! There were SO many times that I thought I was on to who the sociopath committing all these murders was, and while I did catch on before the reveal, it was shocking it took me as long as it did with all the subtle clues that I had missed. I also am a sucker for novels with a strong female lead and CAGED most certainly has just that with our main female detective, Sayer. I kind of wish this was a series because I ended this wanting to continue stalking out serial killers with Sayer.
"I prefer to edify my mind rather than fill it with tripe and horror."
Front start to finish this novel had me captivated. There was not a moment where I wanted to pause the action that just kept elevating all the way to its satisfying ending. While I wish that there was further elaboration on the topic in which this novel ends, it was a satisfying cliffhanger. This ending will leave you pleading for more. I cannot wait to get my hands on whatever Ellison releases next. I'll leave you with this passage from CAGED where I feel Ellison described her very own book perfectly :
"it was like writing a mystery novel: throw in a few red herrings, a few exciting breakthrough...honestly its better than any of those crime drama TV shows"
June 5, 2018
If you like the show Mindhunter, look no further because
Caged
is ready to deliver you to the world of crime-fiction, meets police drama. Ellison Cooper's debut novel takes place in Washington DC, focusing on FBI neuroscientist Sayer Altair and the police force investigating true crime in the area. After two police officers stumble on a mysterious crime scene, agent Sayer Altair and Vik are staffed to figure out what happened. Sayer is still coping with the death of her fiance Jake, and in the midst of providing research on murderers and their genetic differences to why and how they can commit these heinous crimes. Once engulfed into the crime scene, Sayer finds the body of daughter Gwendolyn Van Hurst, the daughter of a media hungry senator. Gwendolyn has been missing for a year now, and her discovery just begins to form new questions about a mysterious case. Are they dealing with a serial killer? Are there other victims? And who is the mastermind in this whole production?
I'm very surprised that Caged is a debut novel, because Ellison Cooper's writing is very crisp and smart—she can tell a story while it crafts in your imagination. While Caged is dark and mysteriously, it's plagued by police procedural/detective novel clichés. Without spilling too many of them in this review, Sayer comes from a rough past, no matter how privileged her upbringing. Also, the relationship between Sayer and her team in the DC FBI is just so standard and typical of crime-fiction novels, that you can literally take the dialogue, switch out the names of the people, and BAM it's the next crime-fiction novel at your fingertips. I was expecting more original dialogue and a more interesting arc. A little over halfway through, a break in the case is so unbelievable that I knew I just needed to get this story over with.
That being said, the crimes committed in Caged were dark, disturbing, and yet oh so intriguing. This is definitely not the type of book that you'd read late at night without checking behind the shower curtain beforehand. I kind of got OA (on Netflix) vibes while reading about the victims. Caged provides the shock value that readers come to expect with this genre.
I would recommend readers to pick up Caged if they haven't dabbled too far into the crime fiction novel, but have a strong stomach for the grotesque.
I'm very surprised that Caged is a debut novel, because Ellison Cooper's writing is very crisp and smart—she can tell a story while it crafts in your imagination. While Caged is dark and mysteriously, it's plagued by police procedural/detective novel clichés. Without spilling too many of them in this review, Sayer comes from a rough past, no matter how privileged her upbringing. Also, the relationship between Sayer and her team in the DC FBI is just so standard and typical of crime-fiction novels, that you can literally take the dialogue, switch out the names of the people, and BAM it's the next crime-fiction novel at your fingertips. I was expecting more original dialogue and a more interesting arc. A little over halfway through, a break in the case is so unbelievable that I knew I just needed to get this story over with.
That being said, the crimes committed in Caged were dark, disturbing, and yet oh so intriguing. This is definitely not the type of book that you'd read late at night without checking behind the shower curtain beforehand. I kind of got OA (on Netflix) vibes while reading about the victims. Caged provides the shock value that readers come to expect with this genre.
I would recommend readers to pick up Caged if they haven't dabbled too far into the crime fiction novel, but have a strong stomach for the grotesque.
September 16, 2020
Cooper’s first offering featuring FBI neuroscientist Sayer Altair is fast-paced with plenty of twists. Sayer is the lead to solve the case of a serial killer who cages their victims. Interestingly, the author incorporates world mythology, DNA science, and the neurobiology of serial killers into the plot. Avid readers of thrillers will likely guess the identity of the villain fairly early, and the plot gets a little far-fetched at times. So, I recommend overlooking these flaws and just enjoy the convoluted plot with an appealing protagonist.
June 6, 2018
I was doing well, enjoying “Caged” and guessing along with the agents who the killer might be and what could be done to save the next potential victim. Unfortunately, the one thing I hoped wouldn’t happen, happened.
The story is very good, and the cast of characters have enough separation of personalities to keep them from blending together. The main character, Sayer, has personal issues that wind into her life without overshadowing the action (which is a welcome change from many of the special agent/detective novels on the market). While the serial killer idea has been done, author Ellison Cooper adds a few twists that make this story her own.
What I suspected might happen to the plot direction suddenly became more reality than fear. Like all readers, I enjoy when the author can devise a twist that is totally unexpected yet still makes sense. In her attempt to fool the reader, Ms. Cooper has elevated this story to the fantastic (as in unreal) level, forcing me to accept a possibility that frays the last remaining strands of my belief structure. Could this story happen? Maybe…possibly…then again…
What kept me reading until the end (and why I will recommend this book) is that despite the plot twist, Ms. Cooper’s writing saves the story from becoming a crash-and-burn. All the pieces tie together neatly, justifying the killer’s identity and providing an ending that, while unrealistic, still appears logical. The author even drops clues along the way, daring us to guess (good luck to you, I wasn’t even close).
Bottom Line: “Caged” is an enjoyable, satisfactory read, a crime thriller that will wrap you up in its structure and force you to keep reading until the last page. Even with the issue I described above, it is impossible to give this book less than four stars.
My thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a complimentary advance copy of this book.
The story is very good, and the cast of characters have enough separation of personalities to keep them from blending together. The main character, Sayer, has personal issues that wind into her life without overshadowing the action (which is a welcome change from many of the special agent/detective novels on the market). While the serial killer idea has been done, author Ellison Cooper adds a few twists that make this story her own.
What I suspected might happen to the plot direction suddenly became more reality than fear. Like all readers, I enjoy when the author can devise a twist that is totally unexpected yet still makes sense. In her attempt to fool the reader, Ms. Cooper has elevated this story to the fantastic (as in unreal) level, forcing me to accept a possibility that frays the last remaining strands of my belief structure. Could this story happen? Maybe…possibly…then again…
What kept me reading until the end (and why I will recommend this book) is that despite the plot twist, Ms. Cooper’s writing saves the story from becoming a crash-and-burn. All the pieces tie together neatly, justifying the killer’s identity and providing an ending that, while unrealistic, still appears logical. The author even drops clues along the way, daring us to guess (good luck to you, I wasn’t even close).
Bottom Line: “Caged” is an enjoyable, satisfactory read, a crime thriller that will wrap you up in its structure and force you to keep reading until the last page. Even with the issue I described above, it is impossible to give this book less than four stars.
My thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a complimentary advance copy of this book.
October 4, 2018
I love serial killer thrillers, so I was really excited to read Caged in the month of October - since I'd heard it was good and creepy, I figured it would fit in perfectly with the Halloween season! Caged started off with a bang, and kept me hooked the entire time. I originally planned on reading a few chapters before bed (I should have known better!) and ended up reading more than half of the book before I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore, and then finished the rest of it in one sitting the following day. I couldn't put it down! I was so hooked!
I really liked Sayer as our protagonist. She was a multi-faceted character who generally does a good job at separating work from her emotions (you have to in her job, otherwise you'd go crazy), but as her case progresses and more young girls are involved, she can't keep her emotions in check any longer. We get a glimpse of her background, in the mention of her fiancé who died while working a case for the FBI, and it definitely made me want to learn more about her character. There will be another book coming out next year that also features Sayer, so I'm excited to learn more about what happened with her fiancé, and to learn more about her in general.
I loved how fast paced the book was - I didn't feel like it dragged at any point. The killer in the book is very smart and meticulous - everything was well thought out and well planned, so fans of similar books (think The Fourth Monkey and UNSUB) will like this one! It's dark, but not as violent as Karin Slaughter's books, so people who like the subjects she writes about but have a hard time stomaching her gruesome, graphic descriptions should find this one to be a nice happy medium. I had a theory in the beginning of the book that turned out to be wrong, and didn't see what was actually happening until it was about to hit me in the face, which is always a win in my book - I love a good twist! All in all, I rated this one 5 stars, and am very much looking forward to the next book in the series! I definitely recommend this one to fans of twisted serial-killer-thrillers!
I really liked Sayer as our protagonist. She was a multi-faceted character who generally does a good job at separating work from her emotions (you have to in her job, otherwise you'd go crazy), but as her case progresses and more young girls are involved, she can't keep her emotions in check any longer. We get a glimpse of her background, in the mention of her fiancé who died while working a case for the FBI, and it definitely made me want to learn more about her character. There will be another book coming out next year that also features Sayer, so I'm excited to learn more about what happened with her fiancé, and to learn more about her in general.
I loved how fast paced the book was - I didn't feel like it dragged at any point. The killer in the book is very smart and meticulous - everything was well thought out and well planned, so fans of similar books (think The Fourth Monkey and UNSUB) will like this one! It's dark, but not as violent as Karin Slaughter's books, so people who like the subjects she writes about but have a hard time stomaching her gruesome, graphic descriptions should find this one to be a nice happy medium. I had a theory in the beginning of the book that turned out to be wrong, and didn't see what was actually happening until it was about to hit me in the face, which is always a win in my book - I love a good twist! All in all, I rated this one 5 stars, and am very much looking forward to the next book in the series! I definitely recommend this one to fans of twisted serial-killer-thrillers!
February 26, 2018
This was really different. A new twist to a detective thriller with a “bad guy” I didn’t guess after assuming the whole time I had it figured out early on. This kind of eludes to another book & I’m hoping that is so.
Thanks to Minotaur for this early copy:)
Thanks to Minotaur for this early copy:)
April 23, 2021
If you're looking for a modern take on the classic serial killer novel, Ellison Cooper has delivered a solid start to a promising series.
As usual, there's some pluses and minuses - this is the kind of three-star that's an average of good bits and less good bits, rather than a flat "meh" the whole way through. To get the negatives out of the way (because overall I did enjoy this); slightly clunky on the writing, though only sometimes - other descriptive portions were actually pretty gorgeous. Serial killer as devious genius trope comes out to a play a bit, too, and while there's some fun escapism to it, it goes as far as the evil genius gloating about how they pulled off the perfect crime, while having innocents at gunpoint.
But! There's definitely lot of good here. There's nice range of diverse characters, who are well written and feel like individuals. There's definite entertainment to be had, too, when I was able to turn the "but reality!" part of my brain off, and that can be a lot of fun. The procedural elements were solid, too, so a definite plus for anyone into that side of things.
Overall, a series I'll continue, partly because there's just a huge shortage in readable books in this genre, but partly because there's a lot of potential here.
As usual, there's some pluses and minuses - this is the kind of three-star that's an average of good bits and less good bits, rather than a flat "meh" the whole way through. To get the negatives out of the way (because overall I did enjoy this); slightly clunky on the writing, though only sometimes - other descriptive portions were actually pretty gorgeous. Serial killer as devious genius trope comes out to a play a bit, too, and while there's some fun escapism to it, it goes as far as the evil genius gloating about how they pulled off the perfect crime, while having innocents at gunpoint.
But! There's definitely lot of good here. There's nice range of diverse characters, who are well written and feel like individuals. There's definite entertainment to be had, too, when I was able to turn the "but reality!" part of my brain off, and that can be a lot of fun. The procedural elements were solid, too, so a definite plus for anyone into that side of things.
Overall, a series I'll continue, partly because there's just a huge shortage in readable books in this genre, but partly because there's a lot of potential here.
June 24, 2019
Wat een toppertje!
December 7, 2018
When a young girl is found dead in a cage, FBI neuroscientist Sayer Altair must take a break from her research into the brains of serial killers. This killer seems to be very sadistic, letting the young victim slowly starve to death, but strangely, had given the girl a puppy. The case is complicated further by the fact that the girl is the daughter of a senator. Sayer tries to figure out the killers motive, but the situation becomes dire when they realize another girl is locked up somewhere...
READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!
READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!
October 10, 2019
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
All I can say about Caged by Ellison Cooper is how on earth did I not read it sooner?!
What it's about: FBI neuroscientist Sayer Altair studies the brains of murderers trying to figure out why some people become killers, and some don't. When she isn't doing that, she is taking down bad guys for the FBI, and she has just gotten called in to lead a new case. Someone is holding young women in cages and the one that was just found happens to be the senator's daughter who went missing weeks ago. As Sayer tracks the killer while also being in the spotlight, she might find out the killer is closer to her than she ever could have guessed.
Okay so I do have more to say about this book. Caged is a crazy wild ride of a novel and there was always something happening. Pacing was oh-so-fast, and I just loved Sayer along with a few other characters. She is a total badass (she even has a motorcycle!) and is the epitome of a strong female character. I did end up yelling at her towards the end of the book to get her shit together already, but overall, I really loved her as a character.
Caged also gave me incredibly strong Criminal Minds vibes, and is a procedural to the max. There are occasional chapters with the title 'unknown location' which reminded me of when CM cuts to the killer. In my opinion this book is basically just CM in book form which I absolutely loved.
There isn't anything overly descriptive in Caged so I think this would be a great novel for people that like the fast pace and procedural aspect, but don't necessarily like gore. Don't get me wrong, this isn't fairies and flowers, but overall, I didn't find it too bad. I also loved the humor that Cooper managed to infuse which really helped with all the heavy themes.
Final Thought: If you are looking for a fast-paced procedural with a badass female lead that takes 'write what you know' to a whole new level, then Caged is a must read. I think this was a fantastic start to the Sayer Altair series and I'm already reading book two!
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
All I can say about Caged by Ellison Cooper is how on earth did I not read it sooner?!
What it's about: FBI neuroscientist Sayer Altair studies the brains of murderers trying to figure out why some people become killers, and some don't. When she isn't doing that, she is taking down bad guys for the FBI, and she has just gotten called in to lead a new case. Someone is holding young women in cages and the one that was just found happens to be the senator's daughter who went missing weeks ago. As Sayer tracks the killer while also being in the spotlight, she might find out the killer is closer to her than she ever could have guessed.
Okay so I do have more to say about this book. Caged is a crazy wild ride of a novel and there was always something happening. Pacing was oh-so-fast, and I just loved Sayer along with a few other characters. She is a total badass (she even has a motorcycle!) and is the epitome of a strong female character. I did end up yelling at her towards the end of the book to get her shit together already, but overall, I really loved her as a character.
Caged also gave me incredibly strong Criminal Minds vibes, and is a procedural to the max. There are occasional chapters with the title 'unknown location' which reminded me of when CM cuts to the killer. In my opinion this book is basically just CM in book form which I absolutely loved.
There isn't anything overly descriptive in Caged so I think this would be a great novel for people that like the fast pace and procedural aspect, but don't necessarily like gore. Don't get me wrong, this isn't fairies and flowers, but overall, I didn't find it too bad. I also loved the humor that Cooper managed to infuse which really helped with all the heavy themes.
Final Thought: If you are looking for a fast-paced procedural with a badass female lead that takes 'write what you know' to a whole new level, then Caged is a must read. I think this was a fantastic start to the Sayer Altair series and I'm already reading book two!
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
June 27, 2018
Despite the brutal content, Caged is ultimately a forgettable book for me.
I expected psychological suspense, based on the description, but this book is a straight forward police procedural. Sayer, the lead character, is a neuroscientist, yet her part is mostly interchangeable with any cop character. The brain science touched on regarding the specific serial murder case is minimal. The research Sayer is privately working on reads like it was lifted off a pop culture social science book. In fact, the research she talks about is now fairly well known and is certainly no longer groundbreaking stuff. I was disappointed that Sayer's neuroscience background wasn't a stronger part of the story.
The pacing is slow. We investigate along with Sayer, and then we go to the team's daily meetings and rehash everything we've already learned. These scenes could have been condensed for better flow. I found myself skimming a lot.
Character development is weak. Sayer slowly comes alive but gives us mixed messages. She rides a motorcycle, does her own thing despite what people think, and is independent. Yet she's also overly dramatic and, at times, seems desperate for approval. She continually ignores her grandmother's calls for no clear reason, leading us to believe they have a strained relationship at best, but then we later see they have a strong and loving relationship. The mixed messages make it difficult to get an honest sense of Sayer's character. The other characters don't have standout personalities, but only fill their intended parts.
This book has a solid start and definitely grabbed my interest. But all too quickly the pace slowed and the characters didn't give me anything special. The graphic content with the killer felt almost gratuitous; a way to grab the reader when the plot and characters weren't doing enough. And, finally, the ending was far too overblown and implausible for me to buy into the story as a whole.
*The publisher provided me with an ebook copy, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.*
I expected psychological suspense, based on the description, but this book is a straight forward police procedural. Sayer, the lead character, is a neuroscientist, yet her part is mostly interchangeable with any cop character. The brain science touched on regarding the specific serial murder case is minimal. The research Sayer is privately working on reads like it was lifted off a pop culture social science book. In fact, the research she talks about is now fairly well known and is certainly no longer groundbreaking stuff. I was disappointed that Sayer's neuroscience background wasn't a stronger part of the story.
The pacing is slow. We investigate along with Sayer, and then we go to the team's daily meetings and rehash everything we've already learned. These scenes could have been condensed for better flow. I found myself skimming a lot.
Character development is weak. Sayer slowly comes alive but gives us mixed messages. She rides a motorcycle, does her own thing despite what people think, and is independent. Yet she's also overly dramatic and, at times, seems desperate for approval. She continually ignores her grandmother's calls for no clear reason, leading us to believe they have a strained relationship at best, but then we later see they have a strong and loving relationship. The mixed messages make it difficult to get an honest sense of Sayer's character. The other characters don't have standout personalities, but only fill their intended parts.
This book has a solid start and definitely grabbed my interest. But all too quickly the pace slowed and the characters didn't give me anything special. The graphic content with the killer felt almost gratuitous; a way to grab the reader when the plot and characters weren't doing enough. And, finally, the ending was far too overblown and implausible for me to buy into the story as a whole.
*The publisher provided me with an ebook copy, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.*
November 17, 2023
~ 2,5*
Alles in allem ganz okay für zwischendurch. Die Mordermittlungen hatten einige Löcher und auch die Auflösung um die Identität des Killers war mir zu fad. Außerdem fand ich es etwas abstrus, dass die Ermittler jedem "falschen Hasen" hinterherlaufen, nur um dann die offensichtlich richtigen Hinweise gekonnt und völlig grundlos zu ignorieren.. Da ich die Kombination aus Ermittlungsarbeit, Forensik, Wissenschaft und neurologischen Themen mochte, kann ich mir aber trotzdem gut vorstellen, weitere Bücher der Autorin zu lesen.
Auch die Protagonistin ist mir einige Sympathiepunkte wert.
Alles in allem ganz okay für zwischendurch. Die Mordermittlungen hatten einige Löcher und auch die Auflösung um die Identität des Killers war mir zu fad. Außerdem fand ich es etwas abstrus, dass die Ermittler jedem "falschen Hasen" hinterherlaufen, nur um dann die offensichtlich richtigen Hinweise gekonnt und völlig grundlos zu ignorieren.. Da ich die Kombination aus Ermittlungsarbeit, Forensik, Wissenschaft und neurologischen Themen mochte, kann ich mir aber trotzdem gut vorstellen, weitere Bücher der Autorin zu lesen.
Auch die Protagonistin ist mir einige Sympathiepunkte wert.
November 24, 2019
Not my genre. I'm actually surprised I read it all the way through lol I'm the type of person who didn't even really enjoy the movie Se7en with Brad Pitt lol
This book was like this - oh we're pretty sure who the killer is now! chase chase chase, oh wait nooooo that's not the killer, oh wait wait over here! chase chase chase.. hmm.. noooooo... oh here here here! this is it! .... nope lol over and over again.
This book was like this - oh we're pretty sure who the killer is now! chase chase chase, oh wait nooooo that's not the killer, oh wait wait over here! chase chase chase.. hmm.. noooooo... oh here here here! this is it! .... nope lol over and over again.
December 24, 2018
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
A serial killer novel with an interesting premise that is smothered under the weight of PC pretentiousness.
I felt the reader did a good job, even if her Cajun accent needs some work.
A serial killer novel with an interesting premise that is smothered under the weight of PC pretentiousness.
I felt the reader did a good job, even if her Cajun accent needs some work.
August 19, 2018
4.5
Ich lese in letzter Zeit eigentlich nur noch selten Thriller, aber ab und an spricht mich dann doch mal ein Klappentext an, so auch "Todeskäfig".
Von Beginn an hat sowohl die Geschichte als auch der Schreibstil der Autorin sehr gut gefallen und ich mochte das Buch nicht wirklich aus der Hand legen. Der Fall ist spannend und überzeugt mit einigen Ungewöhnlichkeiten. Man erfährt in dem Buch viele interessante Fakten sowohl zur Neurologie als auch Mythologie. Dies fand ich eine sehr spannende Kombination.
Zudem fand ich die Ermittlerin Sayer Altair sehr sympathisch. Sie hat ihre Eigenarten und ebenfalls ihre Päckchen zu tragen, ohne die kommt ein Ermittler heutzutage wohl nicht mehr aus, aber sehr sympathisch fand ich, dass sie dennoch eine nette und umgängliche Frau ist. Nichts kann ich weniger leiden, wenn die Ermittler völlig in Selbstmitleid versinken, so war dies ein sehr positives Merkmal für mich.
An mancher Stelle hätte ich gerne noch einen Tick mehr Spannung vertragen, auch wenn man sich niemals sicher sein konnte, wer der Täter ist, so hatte man doch manchmal einen richtigen Gedankengang.
"Todeskäfig" war für mich endlich mal wieder ein Top Thriller und ich freue mich auf weitere Fälle mit Sayer Altair.
Ich lese in letzter Zeit eigentlich nur noch selten Thriller, aber ab und an spricht mich dann doch mal ein Klappentext an, so auch "Todeskäfig".
Von Beginn an hat sowohl die Geschichte als auch der Schreibstil der Autorin sehr gut gefallen und ich mochte das Buch nicht wirklich aus der Hand legen. Der Fall ist spannend und überzeugt mit einigen Ungewöhnlichkeiten. Man erfährt in dem Buch viele interessante Fakten sowohl zur Neurologie als auch Mythologie. Dies fand ich eine sehr spannende Kombination.
Zudem fand ich die Ermittlerin Sayer Altair sehr sympathisch. Sie hat ihre Eigenarten und ebenfalls ihre Päckchen zu tragen, ohne die kommt ein Ermittler heutzutage wohl nicht mehr aus, aber sehr sympathisch fand ich, dass sie dennoch eine nette und umgängliche Frau ist. Nichts kann ich weniger leiden, wenn die Ermittler völlig in Selbstmitleid versinken, so war dies ein sehr positives Merkmal für mich.
An mancher Stelle hätte ich gerne noch einen Tick mehr Spannung vertragen, auch wenn man sich niemals sicher sein konnte, wer der Täter ist, so hatte man doch manchmal einen richtigen Gedankengang.
"Todeskäfig" war für mich endlich mal wieder ein Top Thriller und ich freue mich auf weitere Fälle mit Sayer Altair.
October 29, 2019
Caged is a book that fellow reviewers informed me was so good and that I must read it. I checked it out from my local library and renewed it three times. With only one renewal remaining, I finally made time to read it and I am so glad I did! I'm also sorry it took me so long to pick it up.
Caged is a fast paced police procedural with a kickass heroine. Sayer Altair is pretty badass, but she does have a softer side which we see bits and pieces of. The story opens up with a bang and doesn't really let up. If you are into serial killer stories with just enough twists to keep you guessing, pick this one up!
Caged is a fast paced police procedural with a kickass heroine. Sayer Altair is pretty badass, but she does have a softer side which we see bits and pieces of. The story opens up with a bang and doesn't really let up. If you are into serial killer stories with just enough twists to keep you guessing, pick this one up!
August 31, 2020
The main character is a black female agent with a doctorate in behavioral sciences. She rides a motorcycle and in addition she has an irreverent personality. The character has a lot of similarities with Angela Marson’s Kim Stone character. The plot involves a serial killer that uses mythology as his killing theme. The writing is good and the characters are well defined. The pace is very good and the action non-stop. A fast and rewarding read. Also there is some very interesting medical and forensic information. The only drawback was the fact that the plot is more complicated than it has to be.
May 20, 2020
Caged by Ellison Cooper is the first book in her Special Agent Sayer Altair series (released on July 10, 2018)! There are two other books in the series: Buried (released July 16, 2019) and Cut to the Bone, which is set to be published on July 14, 2020 by Minotaur Books.
I started this series because I was approved by NetGalley to review the third book, Cut to the Bone, without realizing that it was even part of a series. Because I’m me, and because I cannot just pick up a book partway through a series, I thought I should start from the very beginning. Doing this enables me to become more familiar with the characters and their stories (I also avoid any character development spoilers!) before jumping in to the third book. With this background knowledge, I hope to be able to write some reviews that serve the entire series justice.
I’ll start by saying that I liked this book. I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it either. In all honesty, I think I would have enjoyed it far more had I read it a few years ago, before reading as many police procedurals and serial killer thrillers as I have now. That being said, I think that this could be a great book for readers who are new to the genre and want to get a feel for what it’s like.
This book started off amazing for me and I was sucked in from the very beginning. The body of a girl is found starved to death and held captive in a cage, in the basement of an abandoned booby-trapped house!? 😳 Soon after her body is discovered, the FBI realize that she is part of a much larger and extremely twisted serial killer experiment.
But unfortunately, while it started off great and has a chilling plot, a strong female lead, and a beautiful, eye-catching cover, this book never really delivered the suspense, or the thrill, that I was hoping for. As I continued to read, it fell into more of a stereotypical (and heavy) police procedural, with very few, but predictable, far-fetched and too-good-to-be-true twists. Normally I’m not bothered by a predictable plot, but there was just something about this one that felt too predictable. For readers who are not very familiar with the stereotypical police procedural and serial killer tropes, this book should surprise them.
Overall it was a decent read and I am looking forward to seeing where Cooper takes the rest of the characters in the series.
You can also see my full review on my blog and links to it on my bookstagram
I started this series because I was approved by NetGalley to review the third book, Cut to the Bone, without realizing that it was even part of a series. Because I’m me, and because I cannot just pick up a book partway through a series, I thought I should start from the very beginning. Doing this enables me to become more familiar with the characters and their stories (I also avoid any character development spoilers!) before jumping in to the third book. With this background knowledge, I hope to be able to write some reviews that serve the entire series justice.
I’ll start by saying that I liked this book. I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it either. In all honesty, I think I would have enjoyed it far more had I read it a few years ago, before reading as many police procedurals and serial killer thrillers as I have now. That being said, I think that this could be a great book for readers who are new to the genre and want to get a feel for what it’s like.
This book started off amazing for me and I was sucked in from the very beginning. The body of a girl is found starved to death and held captive in a cage, in the basement of an abandoned booby-trapped house!? 😳 Soon after her body is discovered, the FBI realize that she is part of a much larger and extremely twisted serial killer experiment.
But unfortunately, while it started off great and has a chilling plot, a strong female lead, and a beautiful, eye-catching cover, this book never really delivered the suspense, or the thrill, that I was hoping for. As I continued to read, it fell into more of a stereotypical (and heavy) police procedural, with very few, but predictable, far-fetched and too-good-to-be-true twists. Normally I’m not bothered by a predictable plot, but there was just something about this one that felt too predictable. For readers who are not very familiar with the stereotypical police procedural and serial killer tropes, this book should surprise them.
Overall it was a decent read and I am looking forward to seeing where Cooper takes the rest of the characters in the series.
You can also see my full review on my blog and links to it on my bookstagram
July 31, 2023
Damn. This book was just amazing. I need more of Agent Sayer in my life. Also, hell yes to Sayer being a black female PhD scientist.
August 15, 2018
Agent Sayer Altair bekommt einen grausamen Mordfall auf den Tisch. In einem großen Tierkäfig wird ein totes Mädchen gefunden, das elendig verdursten musste. Handelt es sich vielleicht um einen Serienmörder? Nachdem Sayer und ihr Team eine Weile im Dunkeln tappen, finden sie immer mehr Hinweise und lüften die Identität des Mädchens. Unglücklicherweise handelt es sich bei dem Opfer um die Tochter eines hochrangigen Politikers, welcher ihnen daraufhin die Ermittlungen ziemlich erschwert. Als man herausfindet, dass bereits ein weiteres Mädchen in einem Käfig eingeschlossen ist, setzt Agent Altair alles daran sie zu finden.
„Todeskäfig“ ist ein klassischer Ermittler-Thriller, in dem wir unserer Hauptfigur Sayer durch die Ermittlungen hinweg begleiten. Unterstützt wird sie von einem Team, das wir nach und nach auch etwas besser kennen lernen dürfen. Sayer erfüllt wieder mal so manches Klischee einer zurückgezogenen Ermittlerin, die nach einem tragischen Unfall niemanden mehr an sich ranlässt. Doch ganz langsam bröckelt auch bei ihr die Fassade.
Ich war wirklich ganz fasziniert von der Geschichte, die eine gute Mischung aus allseits bekannten Abläufen in Thrillern und einzigartigen Elementen ist. Viele Dinge hat man so schon mal in anderen Büchern gelesen und auch die grundlegende Idee in der Auflösung kannte ich schon durch andere Bücher. Und doch gibt es viele Dinge, die mir neu waren, oder auch auf neue Art verknüpft wurden.
„Todeskäfig“ habe ich sehr schnell durchgelesen gehabt, da die Story einfach sehr rasant und auch packend war. Die Autorin beherrscht einen sehr packenden Schreibstil, der dazu anregt, das Buch am liebsten in einem Stück wegzulesen.
Da „Todeskäfig“ der Auftakt zu einer ganzen Reihe sein soll, freue ich mich sehr auf die nachfolgenden Bände. Teil 2 erscheint leider erst im Sommer 2019 auf Englisch, wir müssen uns also noch eine Weile gedulden. Für mich war der Auftakt absolut gelungen!
„Todeskäfig“ ist ein klassischer Ermittler-Thriller, in dem wir unserer Hauptfigur Sayer durch die Ermittlungen hinweg begleiten. Unterstützt wird sie von einem Team, das wir nach und nach auch etwas besser kennen lernen dürfen. Sayer erfüllt wieder mal so manches Klischee einer zurückgezogenen Ermittlerin, die nach einem tragischen Unfall niemanden mehr an sich ranlässt. Doch ganz langsam bröckelt auch bei ihr die Fassade.
Ich war wirklich ganz fasziniert von der Geschichte, die eine gute Mischung aus allseits bekannten Abläufen in Thrillern und einzigartigen Elementen ist. Viele Dinge hat man so schon mal in anderen Büchern gelesen und auch die grundlegende Idee in der Auflösung kannte ich schon durch andere Bücher. Und doch gibt es viele Dinge, die mir neu waren, oder auch auf neue Art verknüpft wurden.
„Todeskäfig“ habe ich sehr schnell durchgelesen gehabt, da die Story einfach sehr rasant und auch packend war. Die Autorin beherrscht einen sehr packenden Schreibstil, der dazu anregt, das Buch am liebsten in einem Stück wegzulesen.
Da „Todeskäfig“ der Auftakt zu einer ganzen Reihe sein soll, freue ich mich sehr auf die nachfolgenden Bände. Teil 2 erscheint leider erst im Sommer 2019 auf Englisch, wir müssen uns also noch eine Weile gedulden. Für mich war der Auftakt absolut gelungen!
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September 5, 2018While I see this referred to as a "procedural," I wouldn't put it in that bucket. To me this falls firmly into "thriller." Yes, it does follow an investigation from the inside, but when I think Procedural I think of a slow series of steps and a close-ish to reality plot. This is not that. This is a Thriller where there's a new twist every five pages, with short chapters, and a highly unrealistic story. I keep waiting for the Thriller that really does it for me, but this wasn't it sadly. The setup was way too out there, the neuroscience hook was not scientific (oh no, 3 out of 12 don't fit my hypothesis, I must throw out the whole idea, honey that's not how science works), and the ticking clock didn't add to the stakes. This is how I react to most thrillers, though. So if Thrillers are your jam, this will probably suit you just fine.
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