Fatal Starts

Jess Kimball Thriller #0.5-1

by Diane Capri

They stole her son. She wants him back.

Bestselling JESS KIMBALL SUSPENSE THRILLER SERIES Begins Here. Special Edition. Special Price. Limited time. From award-winning New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author DIANE CAPRI in this special combined edition of the first novel and first novella in the highly addictive Jess Kimball Thrillers Series.

Introducing Jess Kimball, the relentless heroine you'll really love. Jess is on a mission only she believes in, only she can complete. Her son was stolen. She wants him back. While she searches, she's on your side.

Jess is a fiery woman, driven by her own past to fight for crime victims the justice system has failed. How can she win against killers who refuse to follow the rules?

Fatal Enemy - Jess Kimball hadn’t been in the same room with Richard Martin for more than a dozen years. Worse things than Richard had happened to her since she’d seen him last. He’d find out soon enough that she wasn’t a gullible sixteen-year-old anymore. She was his enemy now and he was hers, whether he knew it or not.

Jess decided long ago she would never yield to him again. Richard Martin would make his choice tonight. Would they become fatal enemies? In this tense battle of nerve and guile, who will survive?

Fatal Distraction - Three years ago, beloved Florida Governor Helen Sullivan’s world shattered when her only son died in a senseless car crash, killing his best friend, too. Helen quickly discovered Eric’s crash was no accident and lured the killer to her son’s funeral to be caught. When the shooting ceased in the small country church, Helen believed her nightmare was over. Instead, she’d unwittingly escalated her duel with a cunning and patient assassin.

Now, high profile investigative journalist Jess Kimball is driven to find the horrifying truth. Is the real killer still out there? Helen and Jess together face the determined killer in a pitched battle of wit and nerve. Who will survive?

For fans of Mary Higgins Clark, Greg Iles, Karin Slaughter, Lisa Gardner, Lee Child, Jack Reacher, John Grisham, and James Patterson’s Women's Murder Club

Genres: Ebooks

316 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 12, 2012

About the author

Bestselling author Diane Capri is a recovering lawyer. She’s a snowbird who divides her time between Florida and Michigan. An active member of Mystery Writers of America, Author’s Guild, International Thriller Writers, and Sisters in Crime, she loves to hear from readers and is hard at work on her next novel.

Connect with her online:
Twitter: http://twitter.com/@DianeCapri
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Diane-...

Here’s the Long version, if you’re looking for more info:

#1 Amazon Bestselling Author Diane Capri’s work is what the #1 worldwide publishing phenomenon Lee Child calls “Full of thrills and tension, but smart and human, too.” Margaret Maron, Edgar, Anthony, Agatha and Macavity Award-winning MWA Past President, says: “Expertise shines on every page.” And Library Journal raves: “….offers tense legal drama with courtroom overtones, twisty plots, and loads of atmosphere. Recommended.”

Diane’s new Jess Kimball series kicked off with Fatal Distraction, opening as the #3 Bestselling Legal Thriller, behind John Grisham. Diane’s new Hunt for Jack Reacher series began with Don’t Know Jack, which garnered #1 Bestseller spots on Mystery, Hard-boiled Mystery, Police Procedural, Women Sleuths, and Legal Thriller lists both in the U.S. and U.K. Don’t Know Jack was followed by two bestselling short stories in the Hunt for Jack Reacher series, Jack in a Box and Jack and Kill. Diane’s Judge Wilhelmina Carson mysteries were praised by Romantic Times and garnered the coveted “Top Pick.” Diane’s savvy, spunky character, attorney Jennifer Lane, stars in her own romantic suspense series, which kicks off with Annabelle’s Attack.

Diane is the past Executive Vice President of International Thriller Writers, past member of the Board of the Florida Chapter of Mystery Writers of America, and active in Sisters in Crime and other writing organizations. She comes to writing after a successful legal career and is married to her college sweetheart. She loves her nomadic snowbird existence preferring perpetual summer migrating from Florida to Michigan each year.

Diane says she writes mystery and suspense for the same reason she reads: to find out what happens, why people do what they do, and how to bring justice to an unjust world.Her books are translated in twenty territories. Diane loves to hear from readers. Contact her at: DianeCapri.com/Contact to receive notice of new releases, subscribe to Diane’s blog, or simply connect with her.

Reviews

[Louie the Mustache Matos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fatal Starts is a boxed set of thrillers by Diane Capri starring Jess Kimball as a victim's advocate who had her child abducted. She is searching for the abductor of her child, but in the interim, she has decided that the justice system doesn't serve the adult parental figures of an abducted child well enough. She adds her voice to theirs in order to compel lawyers and law-enforcement to work harder, try more strategies, bend over backwards.

In Fatal Enemy, the story might have been taken from a headline. We read the reality of these narratives in newspapers and magazines, so. . . yeah, that happens. There is truth in this fiction, and it feels horrifying in a way that monster stories can’t.

I enjoyed this short intro to Kimball but found the subject really disturbing. Fatal Distraction is one of Capri's best stories where Jess Kimball is interviewing the governor to discern if Governor Sullivan will consider granting a stay of execution to a known child-killer when the governor’s mansion is attacked, and Jess is caught up in the subsequent firestorm.

This is a real thriller with distinct plots happening simultaneously and concurrently. Not really a murder mystery in the traditional sense, but absolutely a real thriller with high suspense and horror elements.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping and fast paced; Fatal Starts in really one prologue and one full length novel in one. The first reveals to us how our main character Jess gets her drive and determination to follow the crime and help the victims. The 2nd brings us to the Governor of Florida and her take of grieving mother and defender of justice. Jess our super sleuth/journalist uncovers clues and evidence that may exonerate a death row inmate and stay his execution. More murders and mayhem ensues as the storyline unfolds. Great story!

[kathleen r. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was okay, a very quick read. The plot is super-thin, ultra predictable. From the first chapter we know who the bad guy is. We also know how unlikely the protagonists are: A short-timer governor of Florida, playing out just the last few weeks of her 2nd term. A free-flying "investigative" journalist trying to cope with her own loss; a vague number of family members who have been made victims of the real killer; and a psychotic child-killer about to be executed for a crime he did not, at least this once in all likelihood, commit. I think I have read this plot line in so many thrillers, it is worn out and fading from my point of interests.
The action is also unlikely. People are always where they are supposed to be; good luck is something the killer continuously self-advocates for his mission, and law enforcement are either over-the-top dedicated or under the covers hopelessly inept. So there are lots of different camps for people to belong somewhere in the story, but it felt like it was a stretch to force them to life and give them some personality.
The one thing that should have been a saving grace would focus on how the killer grew up to be who he was, but there simply wasn't enough background or history. In one small paragraph toward the ending the explanation is lamely shuttled out that he grew up in living in a small apartment, in the poor side of town, over a mortuary/funeral home. So he's teased and embarrassed. That's just not enough reason to become a sociopathic grief counselor, in his profession because-why?
The story has some real flaws in the level of believability. Readers are expected to accept the premise of this sociopathic individual who decides to use his position of supposed power over others and the other characters except one seemingly don't question anything he says or does. Several think he's creepy and weird but the only one who really has any clue at all until the end is supposedly suffering from "Lock-down" syndrome, a complex neurophysiological disorder that renders its sufferers effectively unable to communicate with the outside world even though they may be "awake, alive, and aware" within their minds. To some degree, "Lock-down" syndrome is a very real and pathological event, but not enough is known about it in current medical practices to be more than a theory. I doubt very many lay persons understand or can accept such a phenomenon, so to use it as a pivotal plot line is taking things a bit too close to science fiction, rather than the mystery-thriller genre.
I am not a fan of sequel or serial fiction. If I like a book enough to continue to follow the author, I don't like to feel that if I miss one of the "installments", I also miss clues or storylines that depend upon the preceding novel for clarification. The "looking-back" structure bores me. In my experience what follows a sudden hindsight moment generally ends in some sort of regret. I prefer stand alone fiction, with only very few exceptions. I enjoy characters who manage to present, prove, and prevent their situations from becoming worse or more complicated than is necessary. Moving forward allows them to grow whereas always looking back or over their shoulders indicates to me a failure to learn from their issues, whether they are good or bad is not relevant. All life is a lesson. I suppose I am more inclined to enjoy characters who resolve their issues and move on.
All in all, I would say this is fiction-light. It doesn't really have a happy ending, and the conclusion is left pretty much on the back burner. We never do finally find out how things began or how they ended. I don't think I will continue to read this author.

[Tony Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thornberry, FL. (Valencia County). Governor Helen “Iron Cowgirl” Sullivan (FL., wife/mother, nee Carter, former prosecutor), Oliver Sullivan (husband/father), were in attendance, as were many others of their son Eric Sullivan’s funeral service/burial.
His BMF Ryan Jones had been killed in the car accident also.

Lots of rumors floating around as to whose fault it was.
Pastor Rickard delivered a eulogy & later Dr. Benjamin “Ben” Fleming (Milton’s grief counselor, Ph.D. psychologist) closed the casket.
Milton Jones (Ryan’s father) started to make a huge scene but Sheriff MacKenzie Green, SA Frank Temple (FDLE) & others intervened. He had a gun.
Lots of shots exchanged.
Fatal Distraction
Tallahassee, FL. Jessica “Jess” Kimball (Investigative Journalist) had interviewed Governor Helen Sullivan.
Mike Caldwell (news photographer) was asked to leave the room.
The subject matter was David Manson’s Abolition Project protestors (outside), & Tommy Taylor’s execution dates/schedule. This rally erupted into a pandemonium. 1 dead, & 10 injured.
Helen was running for US Senate.
Later Governor Sullivan got an urgent call the ranch barn w/horses was on fire.
Todd Dale (ranch mgr.) was dead.
Oliver was lifeline to the hospital.

Dr. Ed Stackler (ER), gave Governor Sullivan the current progress.
Marilyn “Mattie” Crawford, Todd Dale, & Vivian Ward (wife/mother, wheelchair bound) had been killed.

I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.

A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written who-dunnit murder mystery book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great murder mystery movie, or better yet a mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.

Thank you for the free author AugustBooks; BookFunnel; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)

[Sandra Holladay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fatal Enemy-2 stars: This is a short, only 39 pages, that is full of action but a secondary character who is TSTL. With custody problems, why didn’t she change the code on her alarm system? After the botched attempt at kidnapping and successful escape, why didn’t Jess tell her to change the code? This is survival 101.
.At the end, Richard, supposedly cool, collected, and very much in control, chooses to try to kill Jess and the kid in front of border patrol agents who have guns. He wouldn’t try to do this where he is sure to succeed? Too many holes in this one..

Fatal Distraction-3 stars: An ok read. Main characters are developed well enough, lots of action, an awful lot of telling rather than showing. Easy enough to figure out the bad guy.

[Darla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read Book 8 of this series which is the first part of this book and the beginning of Jess Kimball's story. I liked it and thought I would like what the author said was the "best book of the series", the next part of this book. I didn't! I thought it dwelled too long on a topic that was distasteful to me and was filled with so much gratuitous violence, I couldn't finish it. And, I loved the older Stephen King novels. I may go back at some point (doubtful) and finish it. Frankly, I would give it less stars but I don't want to vilify what I didn't read.

[Pauline Frost · Rating 5 out of 5]

Both books one and two start off this thriller series with enough action you get hooked right away. I cannot wait to read the next one in the series. Both are standalone reads but once you get hooked you want to continue reading more about the adventure and action going on. A well written perfectly paced story pulling you in from the start.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved both of these books. They were great with many twists and turns before you go to the actual
evil doer. They both kept me guessing to the end. As do all of Diane Capri's books, I have read several and always look forward to the next one in my tbr pile.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

very good

[Yumiko Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an enjoyable read but I really didn't see anything too outstanding with it.

[Janice Foley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book started off really slow but picked up finally. The main character is a journalist doing a story about a murderer on death row. His time is about up but is he guilty?

[Kerryn Forsyth · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories had me always on the edge of my seat. Well written and fast paced.

[Nickie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Women are in the foreground, for a change !
Quite a good study of characters. The story develops at the right pace and it's not gore even if there are several victims.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping. Action packed. Well written. I'll definitely read more of the Fatal series by Diane Capri.

[Charles Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good books. Could not put my tablet down. Just kept on reading.