The Killing Hour

by Cheryl Bradshaw

USA Today Bestselling BookSuburban housewife Juliette Granger has been living a secret life ... a life that's about to turn deadly for everyone she loves.Fearing for her life after witnessing a gruesome murder, Juliette Granger whisks her two-year-old daughter Nora away in the dead of night and flees, planning to start a new life in a small, forgettable town under an alias. An hour into the escape, headlights flash behind her. A vehicle pulls alongside, and a masked man demands she stop the car. She refuses him, and a deadly game of cat and mouse begins.If you love a fast-paced mystery with a surprising twist, you'll enjoy Roadkill, written by a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author.Readers are Saying:"Skillfully plotted, keeps you riveted until the end!" ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️"Intense writing, and the plot was very grand." ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️"I was glued until the last page." ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️"Gritty characters that I just loved." ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Thriller, Crime

244 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 6, 2018

About the author

Cheryl Bradshaw is a New York Times and 11-time USA Today bestselling author writing in multiple genres, including mystery, thriller, romantic suspense, supernatural suspense, and poetry. She is a Shamus Award finalist for best private eye novel of the year, an eFestival of Words winner for best thriller, and has published over fifty books since 2011.

Raised in Southern California, she now lives in North Texas. When she's not writing, she loves jet-setting to new countries, exploring the outdoors, and playing with her grandbabies.

For a free eBook, click here: http://cherylbradshaw.com/get-a-free-...

Book series in order by Cheryl Bradshaw:

Georgiana Germaine (Mystery Series)

1. Little Girl Lost - USA Today Bestseller
2. Little Lost Secrets
3. Little Broken Things
4. Little White Lies
5. Little Tangled Webs
6. Little Shattered Dreams
7. Little Last Words
8. Little Buried Secrets
9. Little Stolen Memories
10. Little Empty Promises
11. Little Hidden Fears

Sloane Monroe Mystery/Thriller Series

0. Silent As the Grave (prequel to series)
1. Black Diamond Death
2. Murder in Mind
3. I Have a Secret
4. Stranger in Town - Shamus Award Finalist
5. Bed of Bones - USA Today Bestseller
6. Hush Now Baby - USA Today Bestseller
7. Gone Daddy Gone - USA Today Bestseller
8. Smoke and Mirrors - USA Today Bestseller

Sloane Monroe Stories - Mystery Novella Series
(with characters from the main series)

1. Deadly Sins: Sloth
2. Deadly Sins: Wrath
3. Deadly Sins: Lust
4. Deadly Sins: Greed
5. Deadly Sins: Envy
6. Deadly Sins: Pride

Sloane & Maddie Peril Awaits - Mystery Series
(Spinoff Series with Sloane Monroe & her sidekick Maddie)

1. The Silent Boy
2. The Shadow Children
3. The Broken Soul
4. The Widow Maker
5. The Familiar Stranger

Addison Lockhart Ghost Mystery Series

1. Grayson Manor Haunting
2. Rosecliff Manor Haunting
3. Blackthorn Manor Haunting
4. Belle Manor Haunting
5. Crawley Manor Haunting

Stand Alone Mystery/Thriller Novels

1. Eye for Revenge - USA Today Bestseller
2. The Perfect Lie
3. Hickory Dickory Dead - USA Today Bestseller
4. Roadkill - USA Today Bestseller

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story had great potential and it started off very promising! I'm confused by the great ratings this book has received. The entire story was transparent, at best. The characters, who ended up being important, were underdeveloped, and at times they seemed they were only a name on a page and I had a hard time telling who was who. I was really waiting for something MORE or BIGGER than how it ended. This book never exploded into something nailbiting edge of your seat kind of WOW book, which it could have been, but it just was a mellow simmer all the way through.

[Jakky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hesitated about rating this one. There is potential for a good whodunit story here, with characters that could become quite relatable. However, a few things threw me off. Way off. For one thing, the characters’ reactions and/or dialogue didn’t always fit with the situations (ex.: 2 yr-old Nora speaks like a 6 yr-old). And then I kept getting sidetracked by poor grammar (ex.: “If he would of known she was coming, he would have....”) and misuse of certain words (ex.: Aunt Cora’s condition had declined, not “digressed”). I might have enjoyed the story more if I hadn’t been rolling my eyes so much.

I don’t blame the author. I blame the lack of quality editing and proofreading.

[Kimberly Orr · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. The bones of a good story are here,but the beginning was really confusing and there were lots of plot holes. This was the Scooby Doo book for the Scooby Doo readathon - wish it had been better!

[Joy Perry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent but not anything to write home about... Meh

[Lynda Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do enjoy Cheryl Bradshaw's books a great deal. My favourite series by her is the Haunting one, though the Sloane Monroe books are a very close second.. This is a standalone as far as I'm aware. Once again she's created some very likeable characters and a very intriguing, mysterious story. The synopsis reminded me of the film Duel, yet the book really isn't anything like I expected as it turned out. Despite this, it's still a cracking read.
I've only knocked one star off because she did THAT thing some authors do and that is to misspell their own character's name !! That is always an unforgiveable transgression for me, especially as it didn't get spotted, either. Such a shame. The character started out as an Ann but morphed into Anna after a couple of mentions in her original incarnation !!
One spelling mistake wasn't one I recall happening upon before, either......writing sewn and not sown ! She also wrote digressed when regressed makes better sense in the context it was used. This line doesn't read right to me, either, "There was no point to lie to him now." She used that peculiar expression again as well, that I only ever see in her books, "Mmmkay ?" Speechmarks were missed and the odd apostrophe was misplaced but it wasn't too frightfully presented. There's just no getting past that name being written incorrectly, unfortunately.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art of successfully using deception is a skill worth mastering if you know how to use it. The author certainly mastered that with this book. Both the synopsis and the first quarter of the book lead to you believe one thing and things change when then the first of many twists happens.

This certainly a unique way to write a book and once I got used it I enjoyed the suspense and mystery

[Misty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Caveat: Everyone and their mothers enjoyed this. Spoiler—I didn’t.

So here we have a book, Roadkill, that begins by introducing Juliette Granger, mother to young Nora, on the run with her daughter. Her character is believable and well developed from that very first paragraph. Then, spoiler—she dies. Quickly. The only character in any way built from the ground up is taken out in a most gruesome manner, and her daughter is missing. Enter Juliette’s sister, Raine. Now here’s a character about whom I couldn’t possibly have cared any less. The fact that she is searching for her niece is admirable, but beyond that there just wasn’t anything redeeming. Trying to imagine her in the role of medical examiner, as she claims, is like trying to find shapes in the clouds—you squint and turn your head and STILL can’t see Aunt Lou’s mirror image, although your sister swears it’s there. Yeah, just not buying it.

So let’s sum it up:
Juliette is on the run with her daughter—and a lot of money.
Juliette is killed (roadkill, if you will)
Nora is missing.
Everyone dies except Raine and Nora
The end.

I just saved you hours that could otherwise have been wasted trying to find value here. You’re welcome.

[Jodi Pomerleau · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story, and was surprised by the negative reviews. I like to think I am a harsh critic, but some of the reviews were scathing. I simply enjoyed this. I had not read any book blurbs so did not know going in that Juliette had witnessed a murder, and that was why she was on the run. The author wove that little tidbit in piece by piece, making this a well planned out mystery. Readers are left to determine who Juliette really was, and how she got herself into such a dire situation. I thought she was a prostitute, but was glad to find out I was wrong about that. All in all, it was a good mystery and a good enough read to want to read more. Best mystery in the world? Not even close, but you won't be wasting any time reading this one.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

One supposed suicide can be accepted, but two... not such a coincidence. As the bodies pile up the cops know everything isn't what they are made to believe it is. The victims sister isn't as convinced it was suicide and with her 'help' and perseverance, along with what the detectives are able to discover they are finally able to piece together everything that happened. This thriller is written differently than your usual book. It changes between multiple POVs throughout, including those of the bad guys. (It might take you a few lines to realize whose POV you are reading.) It is also written in a way that that you don't really know whats going on at first... or the why's, at least until later in the book. Keeping the mystery, a mystery. There are a couple surprises throughout. The characters are well written. They aren't too complex as we don't really get into their backgrounds so much. There is no sexual content, but there is some mild violence (primarily shooting.)

*I volunteered to review an ARC of this book.

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

Juliette Granger whisks her two-year-old daughter Nora away in the dead of night after witnessing a gruesome murder. Her plans are to go to a small town where no one knows her and start her life over for her and her daughter, safe from anyone. New names, new place. But as she is driving along, soon a car approaches her from behind and flashes its lights. Who is it? The killer? Juliette is hiding more than just a murder she witnessed, she has a past that she is also running from. The car is not going to let her get away so easily, can Juliette out maneuver the other driver? What about other people on the road? Will anyone come to her rescue or is she really all alone to fight for her and her daughter's lives? You will need to read the book to find out. Warning.....swearing, including the f-bombs. But if you like a woman who isn't afraid to show anyone 'what it takes to come out ahead and live' then this book is for you! I love how Cheryl interweaves the mystery and yet has such complex characters that you just want to stand up and root for!

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by Ms Bradshaw and it certainly won't be my last. I loved this book. The characters were well developed. This book kept me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out how they were going to catch the bad guys. I figured out right away who the bed guys were, only because I love suspense thrillers and figuring out the bad guy before anybody in the book. Most of the time I am correct because I have read plenty of books like this, and I pay close attention to the details. If you love suspense thrillers, which are just that with no unnecessary scenes filling up the pages, then I highly recommend this book.

[Shannen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Roadkill is one of those kind of thriller novels that does a great job of drawing you in from the very beginning. The opening pages are very dramatic and mysterious as mother, Juliette, is on the run with her young daughter from some unknown source of danger. Without revealing too much, the book follows the mystery of Juliette's runaway and the circumstances surrounding it, including the aftermath.

The short chapters made this a very easy read and the mystery made it quite a page-turner. Unfortunately, beyond this there wasn't that much that was enjoyable about the book and the ending was very underwhelming, meaning that even the mystery of the plot fell flat.

Like most of the other thrillers I've read, the beginning starts with so much promise, but the answers that were given were such a slap in the face. A child could've conjured up the plot for this story within 5 minutes. There's no depth, no complexity, no intelligence or time devoted to developing it. It's quite pathetic. I was imagining all types of scenarios and outcomes, all of which were a million times more thoughtful, thrilling, entertaining and creative than the one that Bradshaw chose. It felt like there were so many unanswered questions and a complete lack of closure at the end. Everything that was built up and all of the questions that were asked were just left hanging, and the ending felt very rushed and unearned.

Aside from a disappointing ending and lacklustre plot, the characters were one-dimensional. Juliette is at the centre of the story throughout but we're never given any real answers to exactly WHO the real Juliette is. Juliette's younger sister, Raine, is also a central character and thankfully, was much more interesting and likeable than Juliette herself. I related a lot to Raine's independence, determination, thirst for justice and commitment to her family. In fact, she was probably the only character in the whole book I actually liked. The others lacked in any kind of personality or complexity and were nothing more than cardboard cut-outs. Juliette's husband, Seth, was your typical "nice guy" with nothing more to offer. Likewise Detective, Ford, was your typical "good guy" who was actually completely useless. At various points I was convinced he wasn't a real detective and someone more sinister because I couldn't believe that a real detective would be so utterly terrible at his job. Not only does he do nothing to actually solve the case he's assigned to, but he allows Raine to take over and do the leg-work, whilst he spends a majority of his time pining after her.

As for the other characters - the "bad guys" - they were so boring to read about. Their actions were dark, we're talking cold-blooded-murder dark, and yet it was normalised within the story. There was no awareness from the characters that their actions were wrong, and even when there was it was done so poorly that I had no sympathy for them. The exploration of morality was none existent and there was no attempt to dig beneath the surface of these villanous characters. The big bad, Max, had the most pitiful reason for his actions that all I could do was laugh. Nobody with any sense or humanity would behave the way he did under the circumstances he found himself in.

As a result of the one-dimensional nature of the characters, it was hard to connect to any of them or to be emotionally involved in the story. I was reading to get to the end and find answers without really having a stake in what would happen to any of the characters. I didn't care who died or who got a happy ending, I just cared about getting to the end and getting some answers. This meant that for me, the reading experience was very hollow.

Overall, Roadkill wasn't a bad reading experience, but it certainly wasn't a good one either. It was a rather forgettable story with forgettable characters. It lacked any kind of originality or creativity and was a rehash of the same unimaginative plot I've read time and time again. Furthermore, the ending was poor and felt unfinished, leaving a lot of unanswered questions.

[Merry Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the very first page you are drawn into a thrilling roller coaster, edge of your seat ride. A very scared Juliette takes her toddler daughter, Nora with her and escapes from her suburban life and husband, Seth in the still of the night. What did she see that scared her so. Why did she feel the need to escape to a small town and not tell anyone where she is going, not even her older sister, Raine, although she was going to stop there on her way to disappearing with Nora. When Juliette is found dead because her car went over the guard rail and dropped 100 feet down and Nora is not found in the car and is missing, we have a dilemma. So goes a series of deaths, murders twists and turns and a missing Nora among other persons who go missing. Raine is not satisfied with official explanations and since she is a Forensic Pathologist, she is aware of some things that need to be explained. Her ally becomes a police detective, Ford and together they try to solve the mystery, murders and Nora's disappearance. This is a well put together thriller with great well developed main characters. I would love to read a continuation of this book from the end, but I will not give anything away! You must read this book, you would definitely not be disappointed! I received an ARC from the author, but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

[Zala · Rating 1 out of 5]

I honestly thought I am going to give this book clean 5 stars without complaint. The beginning was amazing. I loved Julia, I loved the pasing...
And then her pov ended. It was downhill from there. The sister is such a stereotypical female character that I don't even remember her name. Basically, beautiful, with all men at her heals, single because she is too devoted to her job and has of course been hurt in the past, a bitch to practically everyone except we are supposed to take that as badass and sassy, and of course, smarter than anyone else in the book about everything, no matter how far from her field of expertese it is.
That, for me, destroyed what could have been a great book. Another thing which bothered me was that the dialogues were completely unrealistic. I remember thinking on multiple occasions: 'who talks like that?' But then it went further, the main character actually commented on another character using too many adjectives which surely meant they were lying.
In short, I am not happy about this book, especially because it promised so much in the beginning that by the time I came to the end, I was furious.

[Robert Crouch · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Juliette Granger drives away in the middle of the night with her young daughter, a masked man forces her off the road. The following day, her car is found at the bottom of a canyon with her inside. There’s no sign of her daughter.

Juliette’s sister Raine is left to work out what happened. Why didn’t her sister arrive as planned? Was her loving and faithful husband, Seth, responsible for her death? Raine embarks on an investigation that reveals a secret side to Juliette’s life that she never expected.

I love stories where someone has a hidden side to their life. And while the story starts off with a bang, it took a while to hook me in as the layers of Juliette’s life were stripped away. Once a glimpse of this other life is revealed, the story becomes more of a thriller than a murder mystery.

There is the usual cast of suspects, all with motives. Everything gets complicated and the tension rises to an exciting climax and resolution.

The author always produces a good mystery and this is no exception with strong, believable characters, an intriguing premise, and plenty of conflict and drama to keep you turning the pages.

[Dawson Claybrook · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished reading the book and even though I didn't really like having to read some of the sexual pieces I have to say that I really enjoyed it. I picked it up for free from the apple books app so I could do my book report for the month, expecting it not to be very good. However as I read the book I found that it was actually pretty great. Even though most of the book the reader has more pieces to put together than the characters it was still really fun to put the pieces together from their perspective. The characters are a tiny bit dull in the first couple of chapters but quickly picks up. The only thing I think could've been better is Raine's early interactions with detective Ford. It seems a little unrealistic and the fact that Raine is a forensic scientist sort of just gets slapped in with no previous acknowledgment. Other than that the book was great and if you're not bothered by the sexual parts of the book then I would definitely recommend to read it.

[Anne Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This mystery/thriller starts a bit slow and then picks up speed as the story progresses. The way the narrative shifts from all-knowing third person to first person was also a bit disconcerting in the beginning, but fell into place as the pieces began to connect. One senses immediately the side actions of Ford and Raine's growing mutual attraction as they seek to determine just what happened to Raine's sister, Juliette and Juliette's daughter, Nora. The pieces begin to fall into place for them as well while the death count rises. Sorry, no spoilers here.

The book has a few technical issues that a good proofreader would catch, as well as a couple of grammatical errors of the wrong word kind, extra word kind, and omitted word kind. They aren't serious detractions, but my editor's eye always seems to catch these things. Still, a good tale for those who love a whodunit.

[Joan Buell · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK, as thrillers go.

The story was somewhat engaging, but I was often confused by the frequent change in narrators, all using the first person. A few times I was two pages into a chapter before realizing who the narrator was. Several repeated words and phrases should have been caught by an editor, and misuse of idioms ( the pit in my stomach, instead of in the pit of my stomach). Several times there were inappropriate sexual references...somehow, I don't think a man facing a loaded gun would take time to comment on the woman's curves in her tight jeans. Deaths seemed to happen too easily and rapidly with few repercussions. I have read lots of thrillers this summer and this definitely was not a favorite.

[Judi Haley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Juliette Granger is leaving her husband, she sneaks out of the house and take their child, two year old, Nora. On the way to her sister's house, Juliette calls and says she is on the way and has left her husband. She just wrote him a note and left.

Her sister, Raine, starts getting worried when several hours later she can't reach her sister and she should have been there by now. Fearing the worst, she leaves home to see if she can find her. On the road, she sees an accident and hoping it is not Juliette and Nora.

Now begins a cat and mouse game as Raine tries to figure out what happened to her sister and especially Nora. This is a fast paced novel and I really enjoyed it.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dominoes

This is an entertaining standalone thriller from a proven best selling author. A Las Vegas suburban housewife leaves her home in the middle of the night with her two year old daughter strapped into her car seat. Her older sister in St George, Utah gets a call that they are on their way to her, but they don't arrive. When Raine calls Juliette back, there's no answer, so she gets in her car and drives in their direction. And the investigation begins. Is Juliette leaving her husband, as she told Raine? Or is something else going on? Because things aren't adding up, and the body count is rising.

[BeverlyB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Juliette Granger is running away from something and something more dangerous than the husband she is leaving behind. She has a plan and she leaves with her 2 year old daughter without her husband waking up. She keeps looking to see if she's been followed but it appears she's made a clean getaway. But after calling her sister, Raine, to let her know that she's on her way, she sees a car coming fast in her rear view mirror. The car pulls alongside her and tells her to pull over. She refuses and a deadly game of cat and mouse begins. And that's the start of the book. This book kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end. A quick fast read! Exactly what I was looking for!

[Corinne · Rating 3 out of 5]

My 6P review: Premise, Plot, People, Place, Prose/Pace, Praise

Who is Juliette Granger? After witnessing a murder, she disappears with her daughter and a deadly cat-and-mouse game ensues.

This had such an exciting premise and I was very keen to read this book. It unfortunately didn’t quite deliver. The characters were flat and the dialogue was terrible. The two year old spoke better than the adults at times.

I wanted to like the main characters but they were so underdeveloped.

When a premise says “surprising twist” believe it or not, I was actually expecting one. This didn’t happen either.

It was, however, a quick and easy read.

99/150=0.66
3⭐️

[Ruth A Calvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book grabbed you from the very first chapter. It was one of the best mysteries I have read in a long time. It really is a true thriller!! It does keep you on the edge of your seat. The characters are well defined and those being murdered or dying by their own hand are really a surprise! One or two you hoped would survive, welllllll…………………...I read most of the book waiting for my car to be serviced. It was SO good I hated for it to end. I have been reading this author for some time and if you haven't read her books you need to.

[Judi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roadkill is a thrilling page turner! Juliette Granger flees her unsuspecting husband in the middle of the night with their daughter Nora, but she never makes it to her sister Raine's house. Her car and her body are found at the bottom of a gorge, but Nora is missing. Raine races against the clock to unravel the mystery that was her sister's life. As the body count keeps climbing, Raine and detective Will ford team up to try to find Nora before it's too late. I was provided an Arc and this is my honest review. This is a fantastic new book by Cheryl Bradshaw!!

[Jilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Suburban housewife Juliette Granger has been living a secret life ... a life that's about to turn deadly for everyone she loves.

Fearing for her life after witnessing a gruesome murder, Juliette Granger whisks her two-year-old daughter Nora away in the dead of night and flees, planning to start a new life in a small, forgettable town under an alias. An hour into the escape, headlights flash behind her. A vehicle pulls alongside, and a masked man demands she stop the car. She refuses him, and a deadly game of cat and mouse begins.

[Cari Glover · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read,though it had several flaws in its accuracy.

This book was a good read. However, there were several flaws with it accuracy regarding the police procedure and the language of a two year old. I have been married to a Leo for 26 years and have been a pediatric nurse for 29 years. With this knowledge of police procedures and childhood development, these inaccuracies Grated on my ever loving nerves. That is why I gave it three stars. However if these in accurate sees were not in this novel, I would’ve given it five stars.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Road Kill
By; Cheryl Bradshaw
Ms. Bradshaw knows how to grab you right at the start and you are hooked. Love the story. Did not want to put it down. Characters are well developed. There are twist, turns, mystery, and action. Be sure and grab you a seat and hold on for the ride of your life.
I was given a complimentary ARC of this book , but was not told that I had to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

[paula b · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story

My first read by this author. Great mystery with lots of suspense and drama..... The characters are awesome and some of them are downright scary and dangerous. The story starts with a kidnapping of a sweet little girl and a murder...... You have to keep reading to find out why this is happening and how it's all going to end.
Will be reading more from this Great Author.

[Carol Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Wow what an author you meet Juliette her daughter and within less than an hour she is dead and the real story begins. Seth her husband learns within in a two day period the woman he thought he was married to did not really exist but a woman with lots of secrets and he would meet his death without reason. The only good point to this story is the young child is able to live and thrive with her aunt. This author is fantastic will follow

[Sheila Barbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roadkill

I enjoyed reading this book, it was suspenseful with unexpected twists and turns. As Rains attempts to find out how her sister really died (with assistance from Detective Forde) she is faced with one roadblock after another. The story comes to a quick end as she figured out t who the culprit is. I would have liked to learn more about the characters, and how Julliette (Raines sister) became involved with her murderer.