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Doctors of Darkness #3
The First Cut
There’s a thin line between love and murder.
When “Love Doctors” Ian and Kate Culpepper are brutally murdered in their Carmel mansion on Valentine’s Day, Ava knows it’s karma. Because Ian’s leaving her for perfect Kate four years ago had cut her bone deep. And then they had the nerve to show up here, on her turf. With their perfect house and their perfect daughter and their matching perfect smiles.
It’s no wonder Ava can’t stop watching. It’s no wonder she can’t let go.
But Ian is far from perfect, and Ava owes a debt too. For the unforgivable thing they’d done together. The dark deed that severed their marriage in two. When Ava’s name is found inked in blood at the crime scene, a reckoning seems inevitable. Someone knows what she’s hiding. Someone sees what she’s done. And karma is ready to collect its pound of flesh.
When “Love Doctors” Ian and Kate Culpepper are brutally murdered in their Carmel mansion on Valentine’s Day, Ava knows it’s karma. Because Ian’s leaving her for perfect Kate four years ago had cut her bone deep. And then they had the nerve to show up here, on her turf. With their perfect house and their perfect daughter and their matching perfect smiles.
It’s no wonder Ava can’t stop watching. It’s no wonder she can’t let go.
But Ian is far from perfect, and Ava owes a debt too. For the unforgivable thing they’d done together. The dark deed that severed their marriage in two. When Ava’s name is found inked in blood at the crime scene, a reckoning seems inevitable. Someone knows what she’s hiding. Someone sees what she’s done. And karma is ready to collect its pound of flesh.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 8, 2018
519 people are currently reading
642 people want to read
About the author
Ellery A. Kane
17 books442 followersForensic psychologist by day, novelist by night, Ellery Kane has been writing--professionally and creatively--for as long as she can remember. Just like many of her main characters, Ellery loves to ask why, which is the reason she became a psychologist in the first place. Real life really is stranger than fiction, and Ellery's writing is often inspired by her day job. Evaluating violent criminals and treating trauma victims, she has gained a unique perspective on the past and its indelible influence on the individual. And she's heard her fair share of real life thrillers.
Ellery lives in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, a picturesque setting that provides the backdrop for many of her novels. If you don't find Ellery interviewing murderers behind prison walls or pecking away at her latest novel, she is probably at the gym landing a solid jab-cross to a punching bag; riding bicycles with her special someone; or enjoying a movie the old-fashioned way--at the theater with popcorn and Milk Duds.
Ellery was previously selected as one of ten semifinalists in the MasterClass James Patterson Co-Author Competition and is the author of the Doctors of Darkness, Rockwell and Decker, and Legacy Series, with two standalone thrillers from Bookouture coming in 2022.
If you'd like to receive a notification when new books are released, please sign up for Ellery's newsletter at ellerykane.com. Ellery also signs e-books on authorgraph.com.
Ellery lives in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, a picturesque setting that provides the backdrop for many of her novels. If you don't find Ellery interviewing murderers behind prison walls or pecking away at her latest novel, she is probably at the gym landing a solid jab-cross to a punching bag; riding bicycles with her special someone; or enjoying a movie the old-fashioned way--at the theater with popcorn and Milk Duds.
Ellery was previously selected as one of ten semifinalists in the MasterClass James Patterson Co-Author Competition and is the author of the Doctors of Darkness, Rockwell and Decker, and Legacy Series, with two standalone thrillers from Bookouture coming in 2022.
If you'd like to receive a notification when new books are released, please sign up for Ellery's newsletter at ellerykane.com. Ellery also signs e-books on authorgraph.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
December 7, 2018
*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.*
First off, I think this one creeped me out more than the other two! I also love how the world keep connecting and we get to see things from past books come into play. I won't be giving any spoilers as this is a series you need to read all on your own, it's worth it! That being said, nothing is ever want it seems in this series, I thought about half way through that I had things figured out and then more crazy stuff just keeps happening and my mind is blown away. This one kept me on my toes and hiding in my blankets.
The author always does a great job with her characters and the world building is great. I don't even normally read this kind of stuff and I'm hooked! Bait, line, and sinker! If that it's a glowing recommendation, I don't now what is. Read this series!
First off, I think this one creeped me out more than the other two! I also love how the world keep connecting and we get to see things from past books come into play. I won't be giving any spoilers as this is a series you need to read all on your own, it's worth it! That being said, nothing is ever want it seems in this series, I thought about half way through that I had things figured out and then more crazy stuff just keeps happening and my mind is blown away. This one kept me on my toes and hiding in my blankets.
The author always does a great job with her characters and the world building is great. I don't even normally read this kind of stuff and I'm hooked! Bait, line, and sinker! If that it's a glowing recommendation, I don't now what is. Read this series!
January 8, 2019
This is my first book by this author and will not be my last.
I didn't realize that this was the 3rd book in the Doctors of Darkness series but I will be starting the first 2 books next. I am guessing each can be read as a standalone.
Such a good read it was full of mystery and intrigue. It kept me turning the pages I did think it was pretty fast paced. I did find it slightly slow at the start and I did find it hard to follow at first but when I got right into it I couldn't put it down. I don't want to go into details of the story as I don't want to put any spoilers. I liked the writing and it is a well-written book. If you like a good thriller then I sure this book is for you.
I didn't realize that this was the 3rd book in the Doctors of Darkness series but I will be starting the first 2 books next. I am guessing each can be read as a standalone.
Such a good read it was full of mystery and intrigue. It kept me turning the pages I did think it was pretty fast paced. I did find it slightly slow at the start and I did find it hard to follow at first but when I got right into it I couldn't put it down. I don't want to go into details of the story as I don't want to put any spoilers. I liked the writing and it is a well-written book. If you like a good thriller then I sure this book is for you.
January 20, 2024
Despite the high rating, this book wasn’t for me. I couldn’t follow the story and it just didn’t make sense for me.
December 16, 2018
First, I want to thank Ellery Kang for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.
The First Cut by Ellery Kane is the best psychological thriller that I have ever read from her. She grasped my attention at the prologue like no other book of this genre has before. From then on out it just more intense.
Kudos goes out to Giovanni Auriemma for unforgettable covers. Plus, Mallory Rock for the amazing job she has done on artwork inside. She is incredibly talented as I known her to work with other authors I read and review for.
This book was suspenseful, gripping, mind boggling, creepy at times, heart wrenching, lots of twists and turns, it had a celebrity reality show spin to it that I was really into it, a love triangle, a crime, investigation.
Psychological Thrillers are my favorite genres and this book totally blew me away in so many ways. There were two scenes that after I read them, I knew that this book needs to be on the Lifetime Channel! This book was made for that channel!! Ellery if you are reading this you need to submit your manuscript to Lifetime or to Netflix!! That scene I am talking about is when Ava is proposed to by Ian and it is so creepy, she sees his house for the first time with pictures of his late wife still plastered all over the house. Come on that is a red flag there to say no to the proposal!! The other was the opening scene of the book how in-depth that first scene was.
I loved how Ellery kept updating her readers with articles in the paper about the updates of the case in the deaths of the “Love Doctors”. It made the story more interesting in my eyes. Then again I am all about pop culture and if this were true life it would be something I would be following in the news. I also like reading true crime books as well. So, this book was really up my alley as well.
My heart really hurt for was the truly innocent one in all of this. Maddie, their daughter whom is parent-less now. Who is hurting badly because of all this-to the fact where she is mute!! I just want to hold her and tell her she will be ok. No child should have had to witness what she had to!!
The book went from present day to Valentines Day’s in the past so you got a better feel for everything.
There were some amazing quotes in this book about marriage from the famous Ian Culpepper that were very spot on.
There is one quote that stuck out at me big time and I would like to share it with you. “Psychopharmacology has always been an interest of mine. I’d like to understand why some many people believe all their problems can be solved with a pill. You can’t medicate unhappiness.”
The First Cut by Ellery Kane is the best psychological thriller that I have ever read from her. She grasped my attention at the prologue like no other book of this genre has before. From then on out it just more intense.
Kudos goes out to Giovanni Auriemma for unforgettable covers. Plus, Mallory Rock for the amazing job she has done on artwork inside. She is incredibly talented as I known her to work with other authors I read and review for.
This book was suspenseful, gripping, mind boggling, creepy at times, heart wrenching, lots of twists and turns, it had a celebrity reality show spin to it that I was really into it, a love triangle, a crime, investigation.
Psychological Thrillers are my favorite genres and this book totally blew me away in so many ways. There were two scenes that after I read them, I knew that this book needs to be on the Lifetime Channel! This book was made for that channel!! Ellery if you are reading this you need to submit your manuscript to Lifetime or to Netflix!! That scene I am talking about is when Ava is proposed to by Ian and it is so creepy, she sees his house for the first time with pictures of his late wife still plastered all over the house. Come on that is a red flag there to say no to the proposal!! The other was the opening scene of the book how in-depth that first scene was.
I loved how Ellery kept updating her readers with articles in the paper about the updates of the case in the deaths of the “Love Doctors”. It made the story more interesting in my eyes. Then again I am all about pop culture and if this were true life it would be something I would be following in the news. I also like reading true crime books as well. So, this book was really up my alley as well.
My heart really hurt for was the truly innocent one in all of this. Maddie, their daughter whom is parent-less now. Who is hurting badly because of all this-to the fact where she is mute!! I just want to hold her and tell her she will be ok. No child should have had to witness what she had to!!
The book went from present day to Valentines Day’s in the past so you got a better feel for everything.
There were some amazing quotes in this book about marriage from the famous Ian Culpepper that were very spot on.
There is one quote that stuck out at me big time and I would like to share it with you. “Psychopharmacology has always been an interest of mine. I’d like to understand why some many people believe all their problems can be solved with a pill. You can’t medicate unhappiness.”
March 25, 2020
Ava is a psychologist with a heavy past. She has her favorite clients and some that she merely tolerates. After the twin murders of famous love doctors Ian and Kate Culpepper are announced, she starts to see the ways that the celebrities affected her various patients. None of them are more affected than Ava herself. Her mysterious past is tied to Ian’s in a dark and tumultuous way. And that past is coming back to haunt her. Someone wants her to go down for their murders but who?
First thing about this book is even though it is part of a series, it is a standalone. The characters within this story are not ones who have appeared in the series before. The First Cut starts with a bang and held me from the very first chapter. I found the main character, Ava, to be an interesting character. She was an unreliable narrator of sorts in the way that she introduces the reader to her world. Slowly, the truth is revealed through a series of memories and personal revelations. Ava isn’t a good person, but she isn’t a murderer either.
Every character in the story is fleshed out well, not just Ava. Throughout the story we see the way that Ava’s teenage years have affected her, and how that played out to what happened to her as an adult. As she comes to terms with her ex-husband’s death, she starts to evaluate her own behavior, getting to the root of why she behaves like she does. At the end of the story, we see a completely different Ava, and I loved how real her character development really felt.
The mystery and suspense in this story were good. I didn’t know who was the murderer until the last hour of the book. It was one of those mysteries so well-written that anyone could have done it. I spent the first half of the audiobook thinking it was Ava herself.
I definitely recommend this book to fans of psychological thrillers/mysteries.
Before this book, this author was new to me, but I will be reading the other books in this series for sure.
Narration was perfect.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
First thing about this book is even though it is part of a series, it is a standalone. The characters within this story are not ones who have appeared in the series before. The First Cut starts with a bang and held me from the very first chapter. I found the main character, Ava, to be an interesting character. She was an unreliable narrator of sorts in the way that she introduces the reader to her world. Slowly, the truth is revealed through a series of memories and personal revelations. Ava isn’t a good person, but she isn’t a murderer either.
Every character in the story is fleshed out well, not just Ava. Throughout the story we see the way that Ava’s teenage years have affected her, and how that played out to what happened to her as an adult. As she comes to terms with her ex-husband’s death, she starts to evaluate her own behavior, getting to the root of why she behaves like she does. At the end of the story, we see a completely different Ava, and I loved how real her character development really felt.
The mystery and suspense in this story were good. I didn’t know who was the murderer until the last hour of the book. It was one of those mysteries so well-written that anyone could have done it. I spent the first half of the audiobook thinking it was Ava herself.
I definitely recommend this book to fans of psychological thrillers/mysteries.
Before this book, this author was new to me, but I will be reading the other books in this series for sure.
Narration was perfect.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
January 6, 2019
4.5 Stars!
I did not realize this book was number 3 in a series until starting it. I was a little lost at the beginning but I quickly caught on. This is the first psychological thriller that I have read in a while and it was definitely a great pick!
I won't go into too much detail because I do not want to post any spoilers but this author's writing is captivating. I was sucked in from the very beginning! I absolutely love the use of newspaper articles and flashbacks to help tell the story and to give different perspectives of the plot events. Ava is a very interesting and strange character but I feel sympathetic based on her past.
I am currently adding the first two books of this series to my TBR list and starting them as soon as possible! If you enjoy fast-paced and chilling psychological thrillers, this book is definitely for you!
Reviewed by: Brianne M.
I did not realize this book was number 3 in a series until starting it. I was a little lost at the beginning but I quickly caught on. This is the first psychological thriller that I have read in a while and it was definitely a great pick!
I won't go into too much detail because I do not want to post any spoilers but this author's writing is captivating. I was sucked in from the very beginning! I absolutely love the use of newspaper articles and flashbacks to help tell the story and to give different perspectives of the plot events. Ava is a very interesting and strange character but I feel sympathetic based on her past.
I am currently adding the first two books of this series to my TBR list and starting them as soon as possible! If you enjoy fast-paced and chilling psychological thrillers, this book is definitely for you!
Reviewed by: Brianne M.
January 19, 2019
This was my first time reading a book by this author. I received an advanced copy, in exchanged for an honest review.
This is book 3 in the Doctors of Darkness series. I have not read books 1 & 2 but I feel this series can be read in any order or as standalones.
The characters and the plot were intriguing, and the story line kept me wanting to turn the next page to find out who did it.
Great story, will definitely be reading books 1 & 2.
This is book 3 in the Doctors of Darkness series. I have not read books 1 & 2 but I feel this series can be read in any order or as standalones.
The characters and the plot were intriguing, and the story line kept me wanting to turn the next page to find out who did it.
Great story, will definitely be reading books 1 & 2.
April 2, 2022
Really good, this one got me listening non-stop until the end.
With the, by now, usual messed-up protagonist and complex plot, this book is a great thriller that kept me guessing until the very end. And I really liked Ava :P
I also liked Kristin James' narration, although sometimes I get thrown out by her overly supercilious tone :P
With the, by now, usual messed-up protagonist and complex plot, this book is a great thriller that kept me guessing until the very end. And I really liked Ava :P
I also liked Kristin James' narration, although sometimes I get thrown out by her overly supercilious tone :P
June 9, 2019
i think this is my favorite so far.. interesting.. fast paced.. kept me on the edge of myseat.. i needed to know what was going to happen so i kept reading as fast as i could. it was wonderful.
July 10, 2021
Loves it!
Ok,...it took me a little longer to get thru this one only because I had so much going on but its finally done and I love this ending..best one yet!
Ok,...it took me a little longer to get thru this one only because I had so much going on but its finally done and I love this ending..best one yet!
January 24, 2019
Madison Culpepper is 4 years old when her parents Ian and Kate are brutally murdered in their home. Known as the "Love Doctors" who could have killed them on Valentine's Day?
Dr. Ava Lawson is shocked by the murders but can't help think that it could be karma for Ian leaving her for Kate. Now Ava is dating police officer Luke Donovan and soon she finds herself under suspicion for the murders.
Can Ava clear her name and can she figure out who could be setting her up before she's found guilty?
This was a great book and it got me engaged like the first one did which made me super excited!
Ava had quite the past and was linked to some unsavory characters through the book but it my heart I was pretty sure she did not commit the crimes! I really enjoyed her tracking people down and trying to piece everything together and I could tell slowly that she was getting closer and closer to the truth.
I wondered what was going to happen between Luke and Ava as suspicion began pointing towards her and I wasn't surprised with everything that happened between them although I was really disappointed in Luke.
There were various characters that I was mad at through the book for events that happened but things started looking up with a letter that was found although I was mad at what happened next!
I loved when I found out the twist with Kate as I wasn't expecting it but things just fell into place after that! Things got so intense after that and I could not put the book down!!
The end was super exciting and I was finally a little grateful for Ricky Sherman and who he brought with him! I felt bad that it still wasn't over for Ava but I was so proud of her at the very end of the book!
Dr. Ava Lawson is shocked by the murders but can't help think that it could be karma for Ian leaving her for Kate. Now Ava is dating police officer Luke Donovan and soon she finds herself under suspicion for the murders.
Can Ava clear her name and can she figure out who could be setting her up before she's found guilty?
This was a great book and it got me engaged like the first one did which made me super excited!
Ava had quite the past and was linked to some unsavory characters through the book but it my heart I was pretty sure she did not commit the crimes! I really enjoyed her tracking people down and trying to piece everything together and I could tell slowly that she was getting closer and closer to the truth.
I wondered what was going to happen between Luke and Ava as suspicion began pointing towards her and I wasn't surprised with everything that happened between them although I was really disappointed in Luke.
There were various characters that I was mad at through the book for events that happened but things started looking up with a letter that was found although I was mad at what happened next!
I loved when I found out the twist with Kate as I wasn't expecting it but things just fell into place after that! Things got so intense after that and I could not put the book down!!
The end was super exciting and I was finally a little grateful for Ricky Sherman and who he brought with him! I felt bad that it still wasn't over for Ava but I was so proud of her at the very end of the book!
August 3, 2019
I really didn't care for this book. It was so slow and to me was just so ridiculous. There are murders, affairs, a child who saw it all, stalkers and bad policemen. Just was over the top. I didn't care for the writing nor the story. The end just wrapped up in a nice little bow. My favorite genre is psychological/thriller/murder, this just didn't do it for me. I gave it 2 stars as it wasn't horrible but it wasn't good. My rating for 2 stars is it was "ok"
February 1, 2019
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The First Cut
Doctors of Darkness, Book #3
By Ellery Kane
Author’s Website: https://ellerykane.com/
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi
To most people Ian and Kate Culpepper looked like the perfect couple. Beautiful. Rich. Successful. They were both psychiatrists who co-hosted the show, Love Doctored, to catch cheating spouses with their infamous Fidelity Five test.
However, Ava Lawson has a different view of the couple. She’s the ex-wife that Ian doesn’t even admit publicly to having. He thoroughly replaced her with the new model, Kate. In fact, Love Doctored and the Fidelity Five were her ideas and she was originally supposed to co-host the show with him, until their marriage went horribly wrong. Ava thought she was getting away from Ian when she moved back to her hometown, to only have him follow, with the perfect family in tow.
Kate and Ian were found brutally murdered on Valentine’s Day and the murder weapon shows up in Ava’s desk at work! Ava has been sleeping with Luke, a sweet and hunky police officer in town. He, his brother Cooper, and their father are investigating the grisly murders. Could Ava’s secrets, half-truths, and lies finally catch up to her and end her relationship with Luke once and for all? Will an obsession with a man that threw her away be her undoing?
I absolutely love Ellery Kane’s writing! I have thoroughly enjoyed every book in this series! And, this novel was no exception!
I felt this story had a different vibe than the other two before it. The others seemed to be more focused on serial killers. This one focused more on a torrid love triangle … or love web may be more of a fitting description. The book flips back and forth from the present to Valentine’s Days (or anti-valentines) past with Ava and Ian. As we’re trying to figure out who killed Ian and Kate, we get more snippets of their past and the very real obsession that Ava has had with Ian all these years. Could she have killed them after all?
I can see how Ian roped all these women into relationships with him because I was drawn to him as well, while reading this book. Not that I wanted a relationship with him, mind you. However, I did enjoy getting to know him and seeing the evil that lurked behind a pretty face.
And, I absolutely adored Luke! He was too sweet and caring. I loved the way he played and flirted with Ava.
“Ava rolled onto her side to get a better view of Luke. He stood at the dresser, his back to her, his lower half wrapped in a towel. The only light came from the cracked bathroom door, a thin spotlight splitting his shoulder blades.
“I’m watching you,” she teased.
She couldn’t see his face, but she could picture it breaking into a lazy grin. Luke smiled a lot. And she like making him smile. could it really be that easy–that simple and straightforward, just as he’d promised her?
“In that case, let me give you something to look at.” The towel dropped to his feet, pooling without a sound.”
I felt he truly understood her. And, even when things looked their bleakest he still had faith in her, even if she didn’t deserve it. I figured he was going to get his heart crushed though!
The ending of this book left me smiling like an idiot!
This was another great read in this series. A perfect balance of love, obsession, and mystery. The characters were complex and intriguing and it was fun trying to figure out what makes them tic! I can’t wait to read more and see what psychological mayhem awaits me next!
And this song seems fitting with how obsessed Ava seemed throughout most of this book so I decided to include it …. Want you Back by Cher Lloyd.
*OBS would like to thank the author for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
The First Cut
Doctors of Darkness, Book #3
By Ellery Kane
Author’s Website: https://ellerykane.com/
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi
To most people Ian and Kate Culpepper looked like the perfect couple. Beautiful. Rich. Successful. They were both psychiatrists who co-hosted the show, Love Doctored, to catch cheating spouses with their infamous Fidelity Five test.
However, Ava Lawson has a different view of the couple. She’s the ex-wife that Ian doesn’t even admit publicly to having. He thoroughly replaced her with the new model, Kate. In fact, Love Doctored and the Fidelity Five were her ideas and she was originally supposed to co-host the show with him, until their marriage went horribly wrong. Ava thought she was getting away from Ian when she moved back to her hometown, to only have him follow, with the perfect family in tow.
Kate and Ian were found brutally murdered on Valentine’s Day and the murder weapon shows up in Ava’s desk at work! Ava has been sleeping with Luke, a sweet and hunky police officer in town. He, his brother Cooper, and their father are investigating the grisly murders. Could Ava’s secrets, half-truths, and lies finally catch up to her and end her relationship with Luke once and for all? Will an obsession with a man that threw her away be her undoing?
I absolutely love Ellery Kane’s writing! I have thoroughly enjoyed every book in this series! And, this novel was no exception!
I felt this story had a different vibe than the other two before it. The others seemed to be more focused on serial killers. This one focused more on a torrid love triangle … or love web may be more of a fitting description. The book flips back and forth from the present to Valentine’s Days (or anti-valentines) past with Ava and Ian. As we’re trying to figure out who killed Ian and Kate, we get more snippets of their past and the very real obsession that Ava has had with Ian all these years. Could she have killed them after all?
I can see how Ian roped all these women into relationships with him because I was drawn to him as well, while reading this book. Not that I wanted a relationship with him, mind you. However, I did enjoy getting to know him and seeing the evil that lurked behind a pretty face.
And, I absolutely adored Luke! He was too sweet and caring. I loved the way he played and flirted with Ava.
“Ava rolled onto her side to get a better view of Luke. He stood at the dresser, his back to her, his lower half wrapped in a towel. The only light came from the cracked bathroom door, a thin spotlight splitting his shoulder blades.
“I’m watching you,” she teased.
She couldn’t see his face, but she could picture it breaking into a lazy grin. Luke smiled a lot. And she like making him smile. could it really be that easy–that simple and straightforward, just as he’d promised her?
“In that case, let me give you something to look at.” The towel dropped to his feet, pooling without a sound.”
I felt he truly understood her. And, even when things looked their bleakest he still had faith in her, even if she didn’t deserve it. I figured he was going to get his heart crushed though!
The ending of this book left me smiling like an idiot!
This was another great read in this series. A perfect balance of love, obsession, and mystery. The characters were complex and intriguing and it was fun trying to figure out what makes them tic! I can’t wait to read more and see what psychological mayhem awaits me next!
And this song seems fitting with how obsessed Ava seemed throughout most of this book so I decided to include it …. Want you Back by Cher Lloyd.
*OBS would like to thank the author for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
April 24, 2024
Even though it was difficult to like any of the main characters, I loved this book! It's atypical for me to have that kind of reaction because I usually need to like at least one of the main characters in order to stick with the story and like it. But, wow this one grabbed me and didn't let go!
The main character is Ava who has a troubled past with a police detective for a father who had a dark side to him and then killed himself. She feared his darkness was within her, and when she meets Dr. Ian Culpepper, a psychiatrist, she is swept away by his charisma, passion, and has some connection with Ian's inner darkness as well. Together, they made a formidable couple, seeking revenge for any real or perceived slights. And one time their revenge went too far, way too far, and created a living, breathing hydra within Ava's gut, popping out to remind her anytime she thought love and happiness was within her grasp. But she now has a successful practice, delivering therapy to her clients and has a love connection of her own with Luke, who is a cop in the local police force, as is his dad and older, bully/brutal brother, Cooper.
Ian and Ava divorce because he began sleeping with one of his students, Kate, who became pregnant with his child. They married and together they became the Love Doctors on same-titled reality t.v. show. The idea had been Ava's but she is shunted aside by the younger, newer version of a beautiful t.v. host alongside Ian. The show's theme has hints of darkness, finding ways to trap unsuspecting partners into faithlessness - sort of a Jerry Springerness in the show.
Then Ian and Ava are found dead, brutally murdered. Luke and Cooper are investigating the deaths and up to now, they were not aware that Ava was married to Ian before, but they find the words "Ava" written in Ian's blood on the mirrors in the bathroom and so Ava must begin to share her secrets, some of her awful secrets, and they are numerous and awful!
I loved how this was written, set in present day and also dips back into the past, describing the truly nefarious schemes they put into play when they felt they were wronged and wanted revenge on the person(s) who wronged them. Those dips back into the past slow bring her up to the events of present day. Ava is a victim, she is a perpetrator, she is a schemer and a liar, but she is also looking to investigate to find out who is setting her up.
There is a lot going on in the book and I was truly and wholly engaged throughout. I highly recommend this!!
The main character is Ava who has a troubled past with a police detective for a father who had a dark side to him and then killed himself. She feared his darkness was within her, and when she meets Dr. Ian Culpepper, a psychiatrist, she is swept away by his charisma, passion, and has some connection with Ian's inner darkness as well. Together, they made a formidable couple, seeking revenge for any real or perceived slights. And one time their revenge went too far, way too far, and created a living, breathing hydra within Ava's gut, popping out to remind her anytime she thought love and happiness was within her grasp. But she now has a successful practice, delivering therapy to her clients and has a love connection of her own with Luke, who is a cop in the local police force, as is his dad and older, bully/brutal brother, Cooper.
Ian and Ava divorce because he began sleeping with one of his students, Kate, who became pregnant with his child. They married and together they became the Love Doctors on same-titled reality t.v. show. The idea had been Ava's but she is shunted aside by the younger, newer version of a beautiful t.v. host alongside Ian. The show's theme has hints of darkness, finding ways to trap unsuspecting partners into faithlessness - sort of a Jerry Springerness in the show.
Then Ian and Ava are found dead, brutally murdered. Luke and Cooper are investigating the deaths and up to now, they were not aware that Ava was married to Ian before, but they find the words "Ava" written in Ian's blood on the mirrors in the bathroom and so Ava must begin to share her secrets, some of her awful secrets, and they are numerous and awful!
I loved how this was written, set in present day and also dips back into the past, describing the truly nefarious schemes they put into play when they felt they were wronged and wanted revenge on the person(s) who wronged them. Those dips back into the past slow bring her up to the events of present day. Ava is a victim, she is a perpetrator, she is a schemer and a liar, but she is also looking to investigate to find out who is setting her up.
There is a lot going on in the book and I was truly and wholly engaged throughout. I highly recommend this!!
August 24, 2019
"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence."
"Love and hate are two sides of the same coin."
"Secrets come unearthed, rising like bones from a shallow grave."
Dr. Ava Lawson is a woman scorned in more ways than one. Her ex-husband, Dr. Ian Culpepper, stole her idea for a hit TV reality show, "Love Doctors", then divorced her in order to marry his pregnant mistress, Kate. When the two are found murdered in their home, Ava becomes a suspect.
As the book progresses, many dark truths are revealed. Ian and Kate seem to be the perfect couple, but there is darkness lurking behind every door of their lives. Ava is obsessed with Ian and Kate, following them, taking photos of various moments in their lives, and basically stalking them. Even though she is a psychologist, it seems that Ava is the one who needs therapy. Haunted by her father's suicide, Ian's betrayal and a huge secret that they share, Ava is on a road to destruction.
The author, Ellery Kane, has a wonderful writing style, drawing the reader into her stories. Having previously read the first two books in the "Doctors of Darkness" trilogy, I knew that this story would be suspenseful, full of angst, cringe-worthy decisions by the characters, and a twisted ending.
If you enjoy psychological thrillers, characters that make you want to grab them and shake some sense into them, and plenty of twists, you need to read this book (as well as the others in the series). In the end, Ava realizes that there are ways to kill the Hydra that has been inside her for so long: Own your guilt, admit you did wrong, accept your punishment, forgive yourself and ask for a second chance. Those are pretty good words to live by IMHO.
I was given the chance to read this book through a book review group and chose to review it.
"Love and hate are two sides of the same coin."
"Secrets come unearthed, rising like bones from a shallow grave."
Dr. Ava Lawson is a woman scorned in more ways than one. Her ex-husband, Dr. Ian Culpepper, stole her idea for a hit TV reality show, "Love Doctors", then divorced her in order to marry his pregnant mistress, Kate. When the two are found murdered in their home, Ava becomes a suspect.
As the book progresses, many dark truths are revealed. Ian and Kate seem to be the perfect couple, but there is darkness lurking behind every door of their lives. Ava is obsessed with Ian and Kate, following them, taking photos of various moments in their lives, and basically stalking them. Even though she is a psychologist, it seems that Ava is the one who needs therapy. Haunted by her father's suicide, Ian's betrayal and a huge secret that they share, Ava is on a road to destruction.
The author, Ellery Kane, has a wonderful writing style, drawing the reader into her stories. Having previously read the first two books in the "Doctors of Darkness" trilogy, I knew that this story would be suspenseful, full of angst, cringe-worthy decisions by the characters, and a twisted ending.
If you enjoy psychological thrillers, characters that make you want to grab them and shake some sense into them, and plenty of twists, you need to read this book (as well as the others in the series). In the end, Ava realizes that there are ways to kill the Hydra that has been inside her for so long: Own your guilt, admit you did wrong, accept your punishment, forgive yourself and ask for a second chance. Those are pretty good words to live by IMHO.
I was given the chance to read this book through a book review group and chose to review it.
March 11, 2019
“The First Cut” is actually the third book in a series called the ‘Doctors of Darkness’, the first book being ‘Daddy Darkest’ and the second is ‘The Hanging Tree’. I don’t think this made much difference to my immense enjoyment of the book as plenty of back-story was provided.
‘Love Doctors’ Ian and Kate Culpepper are brutally murdered in their Carmel mansion on Valentine’s Day. To Ava, its fate because Ian left her for the perfect Kate four years ago. Then they made their home close to Ava, complete with their perfect house and their perfect daughter and their matching perfect smiles. It’s no wonder that Ava can’t stop watching or that she can’t let go…
However, Ian is far from perfect, and Ava owes a debt too, for when they were together, they did an unforgivable thing - a dark deed that severed their marriage in two. Ava’s name is found inked in blood at the crime scene and someone knows what she’s hiding…
Ellery Kane has a very unique writing style that is perfect for this psychological thriller. Many of the characters, especially Ava, were so complex that, at first, it wasn’t easy to work out exactly how they contributed to the story. Eventually, as different aspects of the story were revealed, it all started to come together. This, though, is the foundation for a fantastic psychological thriller.
Overall, “The First Cut” is a sensational and thrilling read with lots of nail-biting and alarming moments that culminate in a fulfilling conclusion.
[Thanks to Hidden Gems and the author Ellery Kane for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.]
‘Love Doctors’ Ian and Kate Culpepper are brutally murdered in their Carmel mansion on Valentine’s Day. To Ava, its fate because Ian left her for the perfect Kate four years ago. Then they made their home close to Ava, complete with their perfect house and their perfect daughter and their matching perfect smiles. It’s no wonder that Ava can’t stop watching or that she can’t let go…
However, Ian is far from perfect, and Ava owes a debt too, for when they were together, they did an unforgivable thing - a dark deed that severed their marriage in two. Ava’s name is found inked in blood at the crime scene and someone knows what she’s hiding…
Ellery Kane has a very unique writing style that is perfect for this psychological thriller. Many of the characters, especially Ava, were so complex that, at first, it wasn’t easy to work out exactly how they contributed to the story. Eventually, as different aspects of the story were revealed, it all started to come together. This, though, is the foundation for a fantastic psychological thriller.
Overall, “The First Cut” is a sensational and thrilling read with lots of nail-biting and alarming moments that culminate in a fulfilling conclusion.
[Thanks to Hidden Gems and the author Ellery Kane for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.]
December 27, 2018
Brilliantly written psychological suspense that will have you captured and held prisoner to the words you are reading. The story will have you mentally pointing fingers at each character that Ava comes into contact with. At times you think you know who the murderer is, then something happens that takes you in another direction. The guessing game will continue until at one point you will find yourself face to face with the killer, along with their new potential victims. Besides the story of the current murder, you will be taken back in time to when the Doctor met his second wife. How their lives and marriage played out and how the actions taken by the two of them let to what happened to the Doctor and his current wife. Ava is that second wife, his first wife died prior to him meeting Ava who was one of his students. Both are therapists and have come up with a TV show to pitch where they would help couples who's marriages are in trouble. Problem is, the public wants the handsome doctor, but the feel that the blonde Kate would be better suited to sit beside the charming Doctor Ian Cunningham.
After Ian and Ava divorce we see how truly demented Ian is through stories of their past in Ava's memories. You can see how things have effected her and how he has made her into the woman she is today. But it also has you pointing one of those fingers in her direction when Ian and his wife are murdered.
An extremely well written story with characters that you will love and love to hate. I HIGHLY recommend this book! Amazing!
After Ian and Ava divorce we see how truly demented Ian is through stories of their past in Ava's memories. You can see how things have effected her and how he has made her into the woman she is today. But it also has you pointing one of those fingers in her direction when Ian and his wife are murdered.
An extremely well written story with characters that you will love and love to hate. I HIGHLY recommend this book! Amazing!
March 21, 2019
A weird mix of the ‘Love Doctors’ TV programme and a case of murder. The main character is Ava, the second ex-wife of Ian Culpepper – the ‘Love Doctor’ who is murdered along with his third wife – Kate. Ava thinks of it as karma! He ruined her life after divorcing her and remarrying a younger version, Kate, just some four years before. She had to keep their relationship and business life secret as part of her divorce settlement and moved to Carmel to get away from them. Only for them to move nearby four years later.
Ian and Ava have a shared secret and it seems someone else also knows what they did. Ava’s current boyfriend is a policeman and doesn’t know about most of her past, all under a different name. When Ian and Kate are murdered, Ava’s name is left, in blood, at the scene and she becomes a prime suspect. But, there are others who are also suspects – the husband of a woman who died on Ian’s show or another jealous student.
There are the expected twists and sudden surprises near the end as the story reaches its conclusion. Another woman enters the scenario and that was interesting to say the least! Events of the past, come back to haunt all of the main characters in the story. Karma certainly can come back and bite you! A good mix of an evil controlling ex, a chance of a new life, then just when Ava thinks life is turning a new leaf, everything goes wrong. A mix of decisions made and whether you can truly escape from the past. I received an ARC copy of this book from Hidden Gems and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
Ian and Ava have a shared secret and it seems someone else also knows what they did. Ava’s current boyfriend is a policeman and doesn’t know about most of her past, all under a different name. When Ian and Kate are murdered, Ava’s name is left, in blood, at the scene and she becomes a prime suspect. But, there are others who are also suspects – the husband of a woman who died on Ian’s show or another jealous student.
There are the expected twists and sudden surprises near the end as the story reaches its conclusion. Another woman enters the scenario and that was interesting to say the least! Events of the past, come back to haunt all of the main characters in the story. Karma certainly can come back and bite you! A good mix of an evil controlling ex, a chance of a new life, then just when Ava thinks life is turning a new leaf, everything goes wrong. A mix of decisions made and whether you can truly escape from the past. I received an ARC copy of this book from Hidden Gems and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
April 2, 2019
I received a free copy of The First Cut from Hidden Gems Books for an honest review.
And, honestly, it was a GREAT read. I'd fallen into a reading slump, dreading reading even books I loved. I started reading this and thought I'd struggle my way through yet another book and then take a little break and just veg out in front of the TV for a couple weeks. Oh but no! While it did take longer to read because I'd convinced myself I didn't "want to," The First Cut was outstanding. And the perfect breakthrough for the cursed reader's slump...
This was my foray into Ellery Kane's Doctors of Darkness series, and I will definitely be reading books one and two...and four when it's published.
Dr. Ava Lawson really has it bad; she's a Valentine's Scrooge with an ailing mother, a deceased (cop) father, and an ex husband who's left her for another woman (Ava 2.0, of sorts) and has shown up in her town with his picture-perfect family. Make that...her DEAD ex husband, as of Valentine's Day 2018. (Oy vey...) Worse yet, all signs point to Ava being the prime suspect. She makes for perfect anti-heroine fodder!
Reading, I was thinking to myself, "I think I've got it; I know what happened." Then there was the "Uh oh...maybe not!" moment where I was not quite so sure. All I knew was I HAD TO read this and see whodunit. Who? I couldn't read fast enough and had to sneak in lots of quality reading time at work. (NOT on my lunch break...oops.) Definitely another I-talk-to-my-books-and-tv-screen seal of approval with an added dash of omg.
And, honestly, it was a GREAT read. I'd fallen into a reading slump, dreading reading even books I loved. I started reading this and thought I'd struggle my way through yet another book and then take a little break and just veg out in front of the TV for a couple weeks. Oh but no! While it did take longer to read because I'd convinced myself I didn't "want to," The First Cut was outstanding. And the perfect breakthrough for the cursed reader's slump...
This was my foray into Ellery Kane's Doctors of Darkness series, and I will definitely be reading books one and two...and four when it's published.
Dr. Ava Lawson really has it bad; she's a Valentine's Scrooge with an ailing mother, a deceased (cop) father, and an ex husband who's left her for another woman (Ava 2.0, of sorts) and has shown up in her town with his picture-perfect family. Make that...her DEAD ex husband, as of Valentine's Day 2018. (Oy vey...) Worse yet, all signs point to Ava being the prime suspect. She makes for perfect anti-heroine fodder!
Reading, I was thinking to myself, "I think I've got it; I know what happened." Then there was the "Uh oh...maybe not!" moment where I was not quite so sure. All I knew was I HAD TO read this and see whodunit. Who? I couldn't read fast enough and had to sneak in lots of quality reading time at work. (NOT on my lunch break...oops.) Definitely another I-talk-to-my-books-and-tv-screen seal of approval with an added dash of omg.
January 12, 2019
"Only one of you left standing."
The bodies of Drs.Ian and Kate Culpepper were discovered at their home following Valentine's day.. The celebrity couple had been viciously stabbed, their four years old daughter, alive but mute, found been hiding in a safe place behind a bookshelf. On a mirror in the bathroom, the name Ava had been smeared in Ian's blood. Famous for a reality T.V.series entitled Love Doctored, in which people on the verge of divorce were brought together in confrontation, the psychiatrist's programme had been cancelled two years previously when one of the participants died.
The story of the investigation surrounding the murders is written in first person by Dr.Ava Lawson, ex-wife of Ian, herself in practice in the same city, as she works her way through memories from her meeting at University with her Professor, later to be her husband, and her loves, fears, guilt and obsessions. Cleverly presented, moving between present day and the Valentine's Days from eight years before, the book slowly reveals the whole picture leading to the murders - and who committed them.
Well written and mesmerizing in the way in which it draws in the reader despite the unpleasant nature of the various protagonists, this book has on ongoing creepy feel and the solution to the killings is elusive until close to the end.
The best of the three books in this series so far (each completely stand alone) and recommended to all who enjoy psychological thrillers
The bodies of Drs.Ian and Kate Culpepper were discovered at their home following Valentine's day.. The celebrity couple had been viciously stabbed, their four years old daughter, alive but mute, found been hiding in a safe place behind a bookshelf. On a mirror in the bathroom, the name Ava had been smeared in Ian's blood. Famous for a reality T.V.series entitled Love Doctored, in which people on the verge of divorce were brought together in confrontation, the psychiatrist's programme had been cancelled two years previously when one of the participants died.
The story of the investigation surrounding the murders is written in first person by Dr.Ava Lawson, ex-wife of Ian, herself in practice in the same city, as she works her way through memories from her meeting at University with her Professor, later to be her husband, and her loves, fears, guilt and obsessions. Cleverly presented, moving between present day and the Valentine's Days from eight years before, the book slowly reveals the whole picture leading to the murders - and who committed them.
Well written and mesmerizing in the way in which it draws in the reader despite the unpleasant nature of the various protagonists, this book has on ongoing creepy feel and the solution to the killings is elusive until close to the end.
The best of the three books in this series so far (each completely stand alone) and recommended to all who enjoy psychological thrillers
December 31, 2018
This is my first book by Ellery A Kane. As I was reading the book, I was confused by the naming of the chapters and the back and forth of present and past. After a few chapters I caught on. The newspaper clippings were a nice touch.
Ava was married to Ian Culpepper years ago. They divorced over the fact Ian was seeing someone else. That seems to be Ian's thing over the years. Ian then married Kate. They became known as the power couple called Love Doctors. Someone murdered them while their little girl was there. Before Ian died, he wrote Ava on the bathroom mirror in his blood. Ava became a suspect. She says she didn't do it. Ava owes a guy money, money she got from her ex husband. That money is known as extortion money. Ava is in a relationship with a cop whose dad is working the murder. But the cops family don't know she's the ex wife. Ava was watching this couple from a far. That could have been her life, her daughter. Someone is out to get her and make her pay. Ave thinks some one is following her. Ava was visiting her mom who is in a nursing home. Toward the end of the book, I was slowly putting 2 and 2 together. I was shocked to find out who did it. This book was fascinating and hard to put down
Ava was married to Ian Culpepper years ago. They divorced over the fact Ian was seeing someone else. That seems to be Ian's thing over the years. Ian then married Kate. They became known as the power couple called Love Doctors. Someone murdered them while their little girl was there. Before Ian died, he wrote Ava on the bathroom mirror in his blood. Ava became a suspect. She says she didn't do it. Ava owes a guy money, money she got from her ex husband. That money is known as extortion money. Ava is in a relationship with a cop whose dad is working the murder. But the cops family don't know she's the ex wife. Ava was watching this couple from a far. That could have been her life, her daughter. Someone is out to get her and make her pay. Ave thinks some one is following her. Ava was visiting her mom who is in a nursing home. Toward the end of the book, I was slowly putting 2 and 2 together. I was shocked to find out who did it. This book was fascinating and hard to put down
January 7, 2019
I truly love a suspense thriller. Looking at the fine details, trying to figure out a puzzle of the mind and motives behind it. The problem I usually have is I'm able to figure it all out about 30 per cent into it. That was not the case with this book!
The storyline was wonderful! From the moment I began reading to the very end, I could not figure out the who or why and that was exciting. There were so many twists and turns, I had no idea how this story would play out. The further along I read, the more questions developed. By the end, almost all questions had been answered and my heart could finally calm.
The characters were so uniquely complex, I had a difficult time figuring out how they all fit in. As the story unfolded, it all made sense. Ava was the most complex of them all. She confused me, frustrated me and made me question her mental health. By the end, I understood and I was super happy I wasn't able to piece it together.
Overall this was a great suspense read that kept me guessing, wondering and confused. I love I couldn't figure it out! I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy suspense thrillers. This was my first read by this author and it has prompted me to check out her other work!
The storyline was wonderful! From the moment I began reading to the very end, I could not figure out the who or why and that was exciting. There were so many twists and turns, I had no idea how this story would play out. The further along I read, the more questions developed. By the end, almost all questions had been answered and my heart could finally calm.
The characters were so uniquely complex, I had a difficult time figuring out how they all fit in. As the story unfolded, it all made sense. Ava was the most complex of them all. She confused me, frustrated me and made me question her mental health. By the end, I understood and I was super happy I wasn't able to piece it together.
Overall this was a great suspense read that kept me guessing, wondering and confused. I love I couldn't figure it out! I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy suspense thrillers. This was my first read by this author and it has prompted me to check out her other work!
February 5, 2019
The Final Cut (Doctors of Darkness #3) by Ellery Kane. This book is about Dr. Ava Lawson. She was once married to Ian Culpepper who was part of the love doctors. The women who has replaced her and Ian are now dead. This is a story of the solving of the crime of Mr. & Mrs. Culpeper's death, Ava's past relationship on how she became Mrs. Culpepper and her current obsessive relationship regarding her ex and her possible implication in his murder. Definitely another story with many twists and turns, who actually committed the crime and why. This story at times had my head spinning. At times I didn't know what in the heck was going on but once it was all revealed I was like " hell I didn't see that coming." This was definitely a strange series and the style of storytelling by the author was something I had never experienced. Once I got use to it, it made following the story easier. 3.5 stars for me.
January 5, 2019
4.5 Stars!
I did not realize this book was number 3 in a series until starting it. I was a little lost at the beginning but I quickly caught on. This is the first psychological thriller that I have read in a while and it was definitely a great pick!
I won't go into too much detail because I do not want to post any spoilers but this author's writing is captivating. I was sucked in from the very beginning! I absolutely love the use of newspaper articles and flashbacks to help tell the story and to give different perspectives of the plot events. Ava is a very interesting and strange character but I feel sympathetic based on her past.
I am currently adding the first two books of this series to my TBR list and starting them as soon as possible! If you enjoy fast-paced and chilling psychological thrillers, this book is definitely for you!
I did not realize this book was number 3 in a series until starting it. I was a little lost at the beginning but I quickly caught on. This is the first psychological thriller that I have read in a while and it was definitely a great pick!
I won't go into too much detail because I do not want to post any spoilers but this author's writing is captivating. I was sucked in from the very beginning! I absolutely love the use of newspaper articles and flashbacks to help tell the story and to give different perspectives of the plot events. Ava is a very interesting and strange character but I feel sympathetic based on her past.
I am currently adding the first two books of this series to my TBR list and starting them as soon as possible! If you enjoy fast-paced and chilling psychological thrillers, this book is definitely for you!
January 8, 2019
I have a love/hate relationship with books like this. I love the stories, but hate writing the reviews. Writing a review is incredibly difficult when you don't do spoilers. I would never do that! Especially not with this book. It is very hard for me to say much of anything about this book without giving something away. And I would never spoil this story for you. This is my favorite kind of book - one where I don't have it all figured about by half way through. This book was SOOOOO not that. It keeps you questing right up to the end.
This book is not a quick read as you want to read every word, so you don't miss something, anything. I was annoyed every time I had to put the book down and deal with life. You definitely want to read this book if you like suspenseful, dark, and twisty stories. This is my first book by Ellery Kane and it will definitely not be my last!!
This book is not a quick read as you want to read every word, so you don't miss something, anything. I was annoyed every time I had to put the book down and deal with life. You definitely want to read this book if you like suspenseful, dark, and twisty stories. This is my first book by Ellery Kane and it will definitely not be my last!!
January 8, 2019
What an intense book! We experience this story through the eyes of Ava, a psychologist and ex-wife of Ian Culpepper, famed TV relationship doctor along with his new wife, Kate. However, we are not sure we can trust Ava's perspective. Especially since all evidence points to her being the murderer of Ian and Kate.
Complicating matters is the fact that her boyfriend of a year, Luke, is a cop, along with his brother and father, who is the lead detective on the case. The book goes back and forth between the present, and various Valentine's Days over the previous eight years of Ava and Ian's meeting, relationship, marriage, and divorce. Many characters are not who they seem to be, and we never know who to believe. This is a page turning thriller that keeps us guessing until the end.
Complicating matters is the fact that her boyfriend of a year, Luke, is a cop, along with his brother and father, who is the lead detective on the case. The book goes back and forth between the present, and various Valentine's Days over the previous eight years of Ava and Ian's meeting, relationship, marriage, and divorce. Many characters are not who they seem to be, and we never know who to believe. This is a page turning thriller that keeps us guessing until the end.
December 28, 2018
Received an advance copy and loved it
i am a very fast reader, sometimes reading two or three books a week, and only when i find a book worthy, do i slow down and savor every word. Just finished this, with tears in my eyes and throat. watching the build up and being stopped time and time again by a memorable phrase that made me think, made me feel. Some authors have many one or two or three of these in a good book, while i didnt count, there must have been at least 30 of them. Don't want to start the next book, just want to stay with this one and let it simmer. it is on my short list to re read.
i am a very fast reader, sometimes reading two or three books a week, and only when i find a book worthy, do i slow down and savor every word. Just finished this, with tears in my eyes and throat. watching the build up and being stopped time and time again by a memorable phrase that made me think, made me feel. Some authors have many one or two or three of these in a good book, while i didnt count, there must have been at least 30 of them. Don't want to start the next book, just want to stay with this one and let it simmer. it is on my short list to re read.
January 25, 2024
I loved the author's writing, very picturesque with exquisite use of language throughout. Wonderful similes. The storytelling though I found a bit meandering at times, with a choppy flow and I found it arrived at the destination by taking a lot of gratuitous detours. I appreciate that it didn't adhere to the standard blueprint, that it was not a 'straight up' police procedural, that it blended genres. I admit to getting a confused a few times as to what role some side characters played, their relevance to the plot but then it came together in the end. The reveal of the killer was a bit anti-climactic and predictable but I would still recommend this book.
November 29, 2018
Chilling, haunting, and brilliantly written. I loved this book and admit I didn't sleep so I could finish it. Ellery Kane manages to squeeze every last drop of terror and psychosis out of her characters, drawing us in so deep that we start to question what we thought we knew about the characters and about ourselves. The lingering doubt, the questions, the nervous biting of nails and clenching of teeth... All the brilliant side-effects of this author's incredible approach to this genre. Would give six stars if I could.
January 8, 2019
Love Ellery Kane! I wait for her books to come out,then I read them as fast as I can to see what kind of psychological mayhem she will bring and I have not been disappointed as yet! This is the 3rd installment in this series and it hits that spot that craved a good, creepy, twisty book that would hook me by the teeth and pulled me through this long cold winter now I am waiting again! Thank you Ellery Kane for writing another awesome book in the Doctors of Darkness series and letting me have early access and allowing me to read and review!
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