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Baxter and Holt #3
Las Vegas Crime
What happens here, stays here.
Detectives Laura Baxter and Jack Holt are members of the elite: Las Vegas Metro PD, one of the toughest and most respected law enforcement agencies in the United States. In the middle of a city with two million residents and 43 million annual visitors, they’re searching for a missing girl and the ruthless killers who snatched her.
The girl: gone
A teenage girl is boldly kidnapped from her school, minutes after her mother dropped her off. While a frenzied search begins, bringing together the entire police force of the city that never sleeps, for Detectives Baxter and Holt this isn’t a crime like any other; it is personal.
The crime: audacious
Stakes have never been higher, inside and outside the exclusive casino walls, where only the richest few dare to venture. Innocent lives are mere gambling chips, thrown on the table and lost with a nonchalant shrug in pursuit of the end game strategy: total control of the city. For the man with such unbounded ambition, no price is too high, no gamble too risky. Rien ne va plus but murder.
The choice: impossible
Detective Holt is faced with an inconceivable decision: sacrifice everything he holds sacred or jeopardize the life of an innocent girl. But the man holding all the cards in this game of life and death isn’t willing to negotiate; he’s only willing to kill.
In Las Vegas, few things end well.
Two mavericks make an intriguing team. Baxter and Holt trust each other with their lives, only not with their secret plans.
If you’re a fan of James Patterson, David Baldacci, Lee Child, and Robert Dugoni, you’ll be enthralled by this riveting, entertaining mystery thriller that will keep you reading until the break of dawn.
BOOKS BY LESLIE WOLFE
All the books are standalone, regardless of series; think Costco, not IKEA. This is a ride you won’t want to miss!
Baxter and Holt Series
-- Las Vegas Girl
-- Casino Girl
-- Las Vegas Crime
Tess Winnett Series
-- Dawn Girl
-- The Watson Girl
-- Glimpse of Death
-- Taker of Lives
Self-Standing Novels
-- Stories Untold
Alex Hoffmann Series
-- Executive
-- Devil’s Move
-- The Backup Asset
-- The Ghost Pattern
-- Operation Sunset
328 pages, ebook
First published November 16, 2018
3635 people are currently reading
607 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
September 19, 2022
For all the talk about them being mavericks, the principal characters of Las Vegas Crime, police detectives Jack Holt and Laura Baxter, sure rely a lot on the resources of their department and the FBI. Together with the help of a computer-wiz colleague named Fletch, a team of FBI agents, their chief and other officers, they spend all 295 pages of this rather simply plotted story rescuing Holt’s teenaged daughter, who along with other girls had been kidnapped by a local drug lord and sex trafficker.
The widowed Baxter, who hails from the UK, had been partnered with the divorced Holt for only a month before they began sleeping together against department regulations. Evidently they desired to be partners in more ways than one.
It’s not clear why or how making Baxter British adds anything to the book, except for the opportunity to pepper the text with words like “bollocks.” In one passage at page 22, presumably intended for the lady readers, Baxter finds herself admiring Holt’s “nice, tight arse” — an observation I found unnecessary … and arsinine.
Curiously by page 175, Baxter is referring to Holt’s “ass” instead of his arse. Who knows, maybe after spending the last 153 pages in Las Vegas she feels more American?
It’s also not clear what the Las Vegas locale adds to the story, since kidnapping and sex trafficking there seem the same as they are everywhere else. But I suppose the story has to take place some place, so why not Las Vegas? It certainly sounds more exciting than if it took place in Poughkeepsie.
Maybe it’s because the city is surrounded by desert, some of the kidnapped girls were buried alive there and their bodies were discovered by vultures flying overhead. But that’s a far cry from what most of us think about when we think about Vegas.
The story smoothly chugs along before derailing in chapter 33. Holt is being held captive by the drug lord who kidnapped his daughter. Baxter, feeling powerless to help him, devises a plan to rescue him even she calls a Hail Mary because it would take a miracle to work.
In the real world her plan would be preposterous, but in crime fiction with a plucky female character like Baxter so common these days, it’s de rigueur.
If you’re wondering whether her plan works then I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you. For the rest of us, I’m sorry to say, the predictable story ends with a yawn and no surprises.
According to the author’s profile she claims to have broken down barriers of traditional thrillers, but she certainly hasn’t done it with this book.
The widowed Baxter, who hails from the UK, had been partnered with the divorced Holt for only a month before they began sleeping together against department regulations. Evidently they desired to be partners in more ways than one.
It’s not clear why or how making Baxter British adds anything to the book, except for the opportunity to pepper the text with words like “bollocks.” In one passage at page 22, presumably intended for the lady readers, Baxter finds herself admiring Holt’s “nice, tight arse” — an observation I found unnecessary … and arsinine.
Curiously by page 175, Baxter is referring to Holt’s “ass” instead of his arse. Who knows, maybe after spending the last 153 pages in Las Vegas she feels more American?
It’s also not clear what the Las Vegas locale adds to the story, since kidnapping and sex trafficking there seem the same as they are everywhere else. But I suppose the story has to take place some place, so why not Las Vegas? It certainly sounds more exciting than if it took place in Poughkeepsie.
Maybe it’s because the city is surrounded by desert, some of the kidnapped girls were buried alive there and their bodies were discovered by vultures flying overhead. But that’s a far cry from what most of us think about when we think about Vegas.
The story smoothly chugs along before derailing in chapter 33. Holt is being held captive by the drug lord who kidnapped his daughter. Baxter, feeling powerless to help him, devises a plan to rescue him even she calls a Hail Mary because it would take a miracle to work.
In the real world her plan would be preposterous, but in crime fiction with a plucky female character like Baxter so common these days, it’s de rigueur.
If you’re wondering whether her plan works then I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you. For the rest of us, I’m sorry to say, the predictable story ends with a yawn and no surprises.
According to the author’s profile she claims to have broken down barriers of traditional thrillers, but she certainly hasn’t done it with this book.
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January 20, 2020💝 FREE on Amazon today (12/22/2018)! 💝
Blurb:
What happens here, stays here.
Detectives Laura Baxter and Jack Holt are members of the elite: Las Vegas Metro PD, one of the toughest and most respected law enforcement agencies in the United States. In the middle of a city with two million residents and 43 million annual visitors, they’re searching for a missing girl and the ruthless killers who snatched her.
The girl: gone
A teenage girl is boldly kidnapped from her school, minutes after her mother dropped her off. While a frenzied search begins, bringing together the entire police force of the city that never sleeps, for Detectives Baxter and Holt this isn’t a crime like any other; it is personal.
The crime: audacious
Stakes have never been higher, inside and outside the exclusive casino walls, where only the richest few dare to venture. Innocent lives are mere gambling chips, thrown on the table and lost with a nonchalant shrug in pursuit of the end game strategy: total control of the city. For the man with such unbounded ambition, no price is too high, no gamble too risky. Rien ne va plus but murder.
The choice: impossible
Detective Holt is faced with an inconceivable decision: sacrifice everything he holds sacred or jeopardize the life of an innocent girl. But the man holding all the cards in this game of life and death isn’t willing to negotiate; he’s only willing to kill.
In Las Vegas, few things end well.
Two mavericks make an intriguing team. Baxter and Holt trust each other with their lives, only not with their secret plans.
Blurb:
What happens here, stays here.
Detectives Laura Baxter and Jack Holt are members of the elite: Las Vegas Metro PD, one of the toughest and most respected law enforcement agencies in the United States. In the middle of a city with two million residents and 43 million annual visitors, they’re searching for a missing girl and the ruthless killers who snatched her.
The girl: gone
A teenage girl is boldly kidnapped from her school, minutes after her mother dropped her off. While a frenzied search begins, bringing together the entire police force of the city that never sleeps, for Detectives Baxter and Holt this isn’t a crime like any other; it is personal.
The crime: audacious
Stakes have never been higher, inside and outside the exclusive casino walls, where only the richest few dare to venture. Innocent lives are mere gambling chips, thrown on the table and lost with a nonchalant shrug in pursuit of the end game strategy: total control of the city. For the man with such unbounded ambition, no price is too high, no gamble too risky. Rien ne va plus but murder.
The choice: impossible
Detective Holt is faced with an inconceivable decision: sacrifice everything he holds sacred or jeopardize the life of an innocent girl. But the man holding all the cards in this game of life and death isn’t willing to negotiate; he’s only willing to kill.
In Las Vegas, few things end well.
Two mavericks make an intriguing team. Baxter and Holt trust each other with their lives, only not with their secret plans.
August 30, 2019
I'm sorry for the short and uninformative reviews at present, well they're not really reviews at present. I'm just trying to get on record that I've read the books (ages ago). Proper reviews will recommence when I'm more up to date and can remember more about the books.
This one, I recall, was quite good. Crime fighting duo Baxter and Holt made progress with a disappearance on the slimmest of chances and evidence. Good police work, something about a casino chip. I'm thinking there must be another book to come because there are still a lot of unanswered questions about backgrounds etc although we got a bit more this time around. A very good series.
This one, I recall, was quite good. Crime fighting duo Baxter and Holt made progress with a disappearance on the slimmest of chances and evidence. Good police work, something about a casino chip. I'm thinking there must be another book to come because there are still a lot of unanswered questions about backgrounds etc although we got a bit more this time around. A very good series.
February 18, 2019
4.5
Gruelsome and gut wrentching crime. Intense and nail biting investigation and chasing.
Las Vegas Crime bares Baxter and Holt’s secret and their bond tightened. Yeah, mediocre plot bit I told you it’s the duo that spiced everything up!
Gruelsome and gut wrentching crime. Intense and nail biting investigation and chasing.
Las Vegas Crime bares Baxter and Holt’s secret and their bond tightened. Yeah, mediocre plot bit I told you it’s the duo that spiced everything up!
January 17, 2019
I am lovin’ the Baxter and Holt detective series and definitely want more of them!
Snowman…but not one you ever want to meet
Baxter and Holt are partners, but not matter how hard Laura tries, she can’t keep her hands off of Jack and awakes with him…in her bed. Then the phone rings.
‘They’ had her…Meredith, Holt’s daughter. Is it payback for the sins of the father?
Snowman is a big time drug dealer looking to expand his business. Holt knew it was him.
I can hardly wait to ride shotgun in another breathtaking mystery filled with danger and suspense.
Jen, his wife, is a class A BITCH.
Alyssa…OMG…the horror humans are capable of rears its ugly head.
The girls…they are playing a frightening, dangerous game.
Young girls, sex trafficking and all the horrors that entails make me livid, my skin crawls…
Another top notch, gut wrenching, white knuckled thriller by Leslie Wolfe. I love Laura Baxter, an in your face, I’ll do it my way and you’ll like it woman. And Holt, her partner…two peas in a pod. Bring it on!
See more at fundinmental
Snowman…but not one you ever want to meet
Baxter and Holt are partners, but not matter how hard Laura tries, she can’t keep her hands off of Jack and awakes with him…in her bed. Then the phone rings.
‘They’ had her…Meredith, Holt’s daughter. Is it payback for the sins of the father?
Snowman is a big time drug dealer looking to expand his business. Holt knew it was him.
I can hardly wait to ride shotgun in another breathtaking mystery filled with danger and suspense.
Jen, his wife, is a class A BITCH.
Alyssa…OMG…the horror humans are capable of rears its ugly head.
The girls…they are playing a frightening, dangerous game.
Young girls, sex trafficking and all the horrors that entails make me livid, my skin crawls…
Another top notch, gut wrenching, white knuckled thriller by Leslie Wolfe. I love Laura Baxter, an in your face, I’ll do it my way and you’ll like it woman. And Holt, her partner…two peas in a pod. Bring it on!
See more at fundinmental
January 4, 2019
Evokes Great Emotion
This book grabs from the very beginning. It is written in a style that brings the reader into every scene sharing emotions with the characters. The subject of human trafficking with kidnapped young girls forms the basis of the plot. As in the other Las Vegas crime novels, the characters are stereotypes, but that's not a bad thing. The FBI agent becomes a willing helper which is somewhat unique in this genre. I stayed up late to finish the book.
This book grabs from the very beginning. It is written in a style that brings the reader into every scene sharing emotions with the characters. The subject of human trafficking with kidnapped young girls forms the basis of the plot. As in the other Las Vegas crime novels, the characters are stereotypes, but that's not a bad thing. The FBI agent becomes a willing helper which is somewhat unique in this genre. I stayed up late to finish the book.
November 19, 2018
Blasted right through this "gritty" thriller in no time. Yes, it was that compelling of a read. I'm not gonna say any more about it than than. I'm totally hooked on these Baxter and Holt adventures. Leslie Wolfe certainly knows how to get your attention and then some. Give it a try. You'll see.
Cheers and happy reading!
JIM in MT
http://blackdogebooks.com/
Cheers and happy reading!
JIM in MT
http://blackdogebooks.com/
November 19, 2018
Baxter and Holt back again.
Doesn't disappoint...characters keep evolving and it's entertaining to see more layers exposed in each book. As always, Wolfe tells a compelling story that makes me waiting for the next chapter.
Doesn't disappoint...characters keep evolving and it's entertaining to see more layers exposed in each book. As always, Wolfe tells a compelling story that makes me waiting for the next chapter.
November 18, 2018
Great series!
This is a fantastic series, I’ve not read a book quite like this before, the characters are awesome. I really hope Ms. Wolfe continues with this series.
This is a fantastic series, I’ve not read a book quite like this before, the characters are awesome. I really hope Ms. Wolfe continues with this series.
November 11, 2020
Lack of protocol, Holt’s daughter is kidnapped from school. Dressed as cops, no questions were asked. For the girl, Meredith, age fifteen, was only seconds and realized she had been kidnapped. What the men didn’t realize was parents were notified immediately, not when school got out. Her friend Casey now terrified, of what happened the night before, when they were in a club and drinking, thinking she would be next. Holt didn’t want help, the brother of cops weren’t to be told, and his patience was missing.
Once again the realization, the details that have been given, shock us, how, and why. We are drawn in, and the emotions of these young girls, this will haunt, and change them for life. It is a gripping story to the end, and very well written.
Once again the realization, the details that have been given, shock us, how, and why. We are drawn in, and the emotions of these young girls, this will haunt, and change them for life. It is a gripping story to the end, and very well written.
September 19, 2018
A Las Vegas kidnapping. A young girl is kidnapped after her mother drops her off at school. The search begins for our two intrepid police detectives who have to put everything in the line to save the girl. This is an excellent read for the genre.....DEHS
December 3, 2018
Disturbing
The story had confusing moments. The main characters have pasts that are somewhat clarified, but not completely. We learn a little at a time and that leaves things confused somewhat. The story ends with a hook into the next book. I’m not crazy about that technique.
The story had confusing moments. The main characters have pasts that are somewhat clarified, but not completely. We learn a little at a time and that leaves things confused somewhat. The story ends with a hook into the next book. I’m not crazy about that technique.
November 26, 2018
A first-class thriller with perfect pacing...
Bestselling author Leslie Wolfe weaves another great mystery, thriller and suspense, with intriguing twists and turns that will easily captivate the reader’s attention from the beginning. The author paints a gripping and spellbinding detective story in a very vivid and convincing way. In addition, the characters are drawn with great credibility and conviction. It’s a fast-paced novel that will keep you engaged from the first page to the last.
The book description gives a sneak preview: ‘Detectives Laura Baxter and Jack Holt are members of the elite: Las Vegas Metro PD, one of the toughest and most respected law enforcement agencies in the United States. In the middle of a city with two million residents and 43 million annual visitors, they’re searching for a missing girl and the ruthless killers who snatched her.
When a teenage girl is daringly kidnapped from her school, minutes after being dropped off, a frenzied search begins, involving the entire police force of a city that never sleeps. But for Detectives Baxter and Holt this isn’t a crime like any other; it is personal.
A bold and merciless serial killer preys on young girls and leaves them out to die in the cold and dreadful expanse of the Mojave Desert, unable to move, to scream, to fight for their lives.
Now Detective Holt is faced with an agonizing decision: he can sacrifice all that he holds dear or jeopardize the life of an innocent girl, his own flesh and blood. The man holding all the cards in this game of life and death isn’t willing to negotiate; he’s only willing to kill…’
Las Vegas Crime: A Gripping Serial Killer Thriller (Baxter and Holt Book 3) had every element a good story should have. An intriguing plot, attention to detail, but best of all fleshed out, well-written and well-rounded character development. There’s an abundance of well-illustrated scenes that make you feel like you are right there in the story, and that’s something I really look for in a good book.
Very interesting and appealing, this work had me engrossed from the beginning. The story flowed from scene to scene with ease, and the author shows exceptional ability (as always) when it comes to storytelling. There is plenty of non-stop action in this page turner that will take the reader on a truly gripping and intriguing journey.
I enjoyed the story, character development, and dialogue. There were plenty of plot twists that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book's mystique. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of the novel in my head to see if I could figure more out. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much. A first-class thriller with perfect pacing. Not much is as it appears here, which is just the way fans of mystery, thriller and suspense will want it.
I’m a big fan of this author so I’ll be looking forward to reading more from Leslie Wolfe in the future. I would recommend this book and would add that it has a distinctly cinematic feel to it. I see no reason why it couldn’t be adapted for the Silver Screen or a TV detective series. Five stars from me.
Bestselling author Leslie Wolfe weaves another great mystery, thriller and suspense, with intriguing twists and turns that will easily captivate the reader’s attention from the beginning. The author paints a gripping and spellbinding detective story in a very vivid and convincing way. In addition, the characters are drawn with great credibility and conviction. It’s a fast-paced novel that will keep you engaged from the first page to the last.
The book description gives a sneak preview: ‘Detectives Laura Baxter and Jack Holt are members of the elite: Las Vegas Metro PD, one of the toughest and most respected law enforcement agencies in the United States. In the middle of a city with two million residents and 43 million annual visitors, they’re searching for a missing girl and the ruthless killers who snatched her.
When a teenage girl is daringly kidnapped from her school, minutes after being dropped off, a frenzied search begins, involving the entire police force of a city that never sleeps. But for Detectives Baxter and Holt this isn’t a crime like any other; it is personal.
A bold and merciless serial killer preys on young girls and leaves them out to die in the cold and dreadful expanse of the Mojave Desert, unable to move, to scream, to fight for their lives.
Now Detective Holt is faced with an agonizing decision: he can sacrifice all that he holds dear or jeopardize the life of an innocent girl, his own flesh and blood. The man holding all the cards in this game of life and death isn’t willing to negotiate; he’s only willing to kill…’
Las Vegas Crime: A Gripping Serial Killer Thriller (Baxter and Holt Book 3) had every element a good story should have. An intriguing plot, attention to detail, but best of all fleshed out, well-written and well-rounded character development. There’s an abundance of well-illustrated scenes that make you feel like you are right there in the story, and that’s something I really look for in a good book.
Very interesting and appealing, this work had me engrossed from the beginning. The story flowed from scene to scene with ease, and the author shows exceptional ability (as always) when it comes to storytelling. There is plenty of non-stop action in this page turner that will take the reader on a truly gripping and intriguing journey.
I enjoyed the story, character development, and dialogue. There were plenty of plot twists that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book's mystique. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of the novel in my head to see if I could figure more out. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much. A first-class thriller with perfect pacing. Not much is as it appears here, which is just the way fans of mystery, thriller and suspense will want it.
I’m a big fan of this author so I’ll be looking forward to reading more from Leslie Wolfe in the future. I would recommend this book and would add that it has a distinctly cinematic feel to it. I see no reason why it couldn’t be adapted for the Silver Screen or a TV detective series. Five stars from me.
January 17, 2019
Las Vegas Crime
Las Vegas Crime is the third book in Leslie Wolfe’s Baxter and Holt series; I strongly recommend reading in the appropriate order to get maximum enjoyment. This series follows police detectives Laura Baxter and Jack Holt.
In my review of the second book, I gave an accurate description of this series and it still applies: this book and series are very much a police procedural, but a tangled one of imperfect people who find themselves pulled in many directions while trying to also do their jobs. And with a previous review I noted the poor decision making of one of the detectives; in actuality, they both have poor decision making skills. They both tend to plunge into situations without forethought and then find themselves having to clean up a mess, or dead bodies. I found that behavior annoying in this book, though it managed to work out for them, again.
This storyline reveals some of Holt’s secrets and more, pushes him to the edge in order to save his daughter. If this were real life, these two police detectives would long be fired from their jobs and I would be on board with that decision. Seriously, the number of people killed by the detectives is just no big deal in the series. But, this is fiction. When I first started this book I was a little disappointed by the crazy behavior of Holt. And then I got into the crazy, fast-paced story and found myself unable to stop reading until I had finished the entire book in a few hours. Though Holt believes he’s capable of everything and needs no help from anyone, Baxter is there to save the day when it’s proven he does need the help.
I think for me, personally, what keeps this from being a 5-star read is my need for my good guys to be good guys - blatantly ignoring rules and laws when convenient, is not good guys being good guys. Regardless, this is a really well-written, action-packed series that grabs your attention from the first page. I can’t wait for the next book and can’t recommend enough that you give this series a try, especially if you enjoy thrillers, mysteries, and police procedurals!
Rating: 4.5 stars
**Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.**
Las Vegas Crime is the third book in Leslie Wolfe’s Baxter and Holt series; I strongly recommend reading in the appropriate order to get maximum enjoyment. This series follows police detectives Laura Baxter and Jack Holt.
In my review of the second book, I gave an accurate description of this series and it still applies: this book and series are very much a police procedural, but a tangled one of imperfect people who find themselves pulled in many directions while trying to also do their jobs. And with a previous review I noted the poor decision making of one of the detectives; in actuality, they both have poor decision making skills. They both tend to plunge into situations without forethought and then find themselves having to clean up a mess, or dead bodies. I found that behavior annoying in this book, though it managed to work out for them, again.
This storyline reveals some of Holt’s secrets and more, pushes him to the edge in order to save his daughter. If this were real life, these two police detectives would long be fired from their jobs and I would be on board with that decision. Seriously, the number of people killed by the detectives is just no big deal in the series. But, this is fiction. When I first started this book I was a little disappointed by the crazy behavior of Holt. And then I got into the crazy, fast-paced story and found myself unable to stop reading until I had finished the entire book in a few hours. Though Holt believes he’s capable of everything and needs no help from anyone, Baxter is there to save the day when it’s proven he does need the help.
I think for me, personally, what keeps this from being a 5-star read is my need for my good guys to be good guys - blatantly ignoring rules and laws when convenient, is not good guys being good guys. Regardless, this is a really well-written, action-packed series that grabs your attention from the first page. I can’t wait for the next book and can’t recommend enough that you give this series a try, especially if you enjoy thrillers, mysteries, and police procedurals!
Rating: 4.5 stars
**Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.**
November 18, 2019
Another superb book in this terrific series. This is the 5th book I've read by this author this year and she never disappoints. I don't see many mentions of her at all yet her books are very, very good and she should be more widely acclaimed than she is for sure.
This book was the 3rd of the Baxter & Holt series and I've given all of them 5*. I hope there are going to be more (and of the Tess Winnett series, too). In the meantime, I am going to start from the beginning with her and read the Alex Hoffmann series of stories.
This story was left quite open-ended and so she really needs to carry on with this series so we can see how Baxter gets on with her newest investigation. I really enjoy how she works along with Holt. I also like young Fletcher a great deal. They're a terrific team and get some great results and I enjoy reading how they attain said results.
I spotted a word missed from a sentence, "...when she remembered I took space in her living room" and I would've capitalised all these brand names-oxy, Vicodin, ecstasy, then this sentence needs to have how replaced by what, "....instead of obsessing over how Karyn looked like." Then at one point she refers to east-side clients and I think that should've read west-side ? I am not a great fan of her using helo and ambo for ambulance and helicopter, either. However, these are all pretty minor gripes and it's an easy 5* from me. Keep them coming, Ms Wolfe, you're doing a splendid job.
This book was the 3rd of the Baxter & Holt series and I've given all of them 5*. I hope there are going to be more (and of the Tess Winnett series, too). In the meantime, I am going to start from the beginning with her and read the Alex Hoffmann series of stories.
This story was left quite open-ended and so she really needs to carry on with this series so we can see how Baxter gets on with her newest investigation. I really enjoy how she works along with Holt. I also like young Fletcher a great deal. They're a terrific team and get some great results and I enjoy reading how they attain said results.
I spotted a word missed from a sentence, "...when she remembered I took space in her living room" and I would've capitalised all these brand names-oxy, Vicodin, ecstasy, then this sentence needs to have how replaced by what, "....instead of obsessing over how Karyn looked like." Then at one point she refers to east-side clients and I think that should've read west-side ? I am not a great fan of her using helo and ambo for ambulance and helicopter, either. However, these are all pretty minor gripes and it's an easy 5* from me. Keep them coming, Ms Wolfe, you're doing a splendid job.
January 5, 2019
Leslie Wolfe's storytelling in her chronicles of detectives Laura Baxter and Jack Holt delves deliciously into the sordid behaviors of human depravity and then explains the consequences in ways even the most insulated can find alarming. In "Las Vegas Crime," the third in the Baxter and Holt series, the author deftly weaves mystery with abject horror and disgust for what is hardly far-flung crime. She takes on trafficking of young girls and hits just about every button, every impact of loss, from the victim to the family and the community. This starts with a scene setter of a dancer slowly losing her ability to control her own body. But it continues. She becomes the crux of the tale. A character that epitomizes what is a truly horrific modern-day form of slavery and discard of people who have done nothing to deserve their brush with a criminal element that uses suffering as a medium of exchange. In the novel, Holt's life is torn apart and he ignores the consequences as he rushes at his own peril to save his family. Baxter is left with either going rogue or minding her Ps and Qs while the FBI chases shadows while victims die. It's classic Wolfe. She's an intense writer who exposes very real threats in ways that make her one of the best.
January 7, 2019
Seems like you can't miss with a Leslie Wolfe novel. I would be hard pressed to select one for my favorite because I have not yet read one I did not enjoy.
The case Holt and Baxter catches in Las Vegas Crime becomes personal when Holt's daughter is kidnapped by what appears to be a serial killer who is preying on young girls. To keep from being ordered off the case as well as trying to do everything possible to not further endanger his daughter's life, Holt does not report her kidnapping and he and Baxter risk their careers by going against procedure and using every possible method to find his daughter as well as the persons involved in killing these young girls.
Ms. Wolfe continues developing Holt and Baxter's characters in this 3rd book of the series. I have come to like them more in each book as I better get to know them. Her writing is so descriptive I can envision the events as they occur. She paces the story so well and keeps you so enthralled it is nearly impossible to not read it in one sitting.
If you are looking for a thrilling escape from everyday life, I highly recommend Las Vegas Crime! If you prefer to listen to your books, the audible version narrated by Gwendolyn Druyor is terrific as well.
The case Holt and Baxter catches in Las Vegas Crime becomes personal when Holt's daughter is kidnapped by what appears to be a serial killer who is preying on young girls. To keep from being ordered off the case as well as trying to do everything possible to not further endanger his daughter's life, Holt does not report her kidnapping and he and Baxter risk their careers by going against procedure and using every possible method to find his daughter as well as the persons involved in killing these young girls.
Ms. Wolfe continues developing Holt and Baxter's characters in this 3rd book of the series. I have come to like them more in each book as I better get to know them. Her writing is so descriptive I can envision the events as they occur. She paces the story so well and keeps you so enthralled it is nearly impossible to not read it in one sitting.
If you are looking for a thrilling escape from everyday life, I highly recommend Las Vegas Crime! If you prefer to listen to your books, the audible version narrated by Gwendolyn Druyor is terrific as well.
January 18, 2019
Yes!!!! Start with book 1 and come along, you will not be disappointed. This book was running on high the whole way through. Beginning to end, fast paced, intrigue, surprises just an incredible book. I was thrilled to receive this arc because I became a Baxter Holt addict in book1 and 2. The series is getting better and better, more streamlined, easy to follow. People to hate, People to root for and the back ground is always based on reality which is a scary thought. Drugs, white slavery, and the constant struggle for parents, children and out intrepid Baxter and Holt. I will freely admit I wanted to just smack Holt myself! Always ragging on Baxter about not sharing, and keeping things to herself. Pot meet Kettle. Baxter just ruled this book, used her brain, her beauty and sets up for book 4. (ready Leslie, please :) I started this and finished in one day. It made me think, it evoked sadness, laughter, pride, awe it made me step outside my world as I rode with Baxter and Holt
November 29, 2018
Wow, I loved this book. From the first page until the last, I couldn't put it down, it was like being on a roller coaster ride. Definitely one you could add to your audio collection to listen to again and again.
This is the third Baxter and Holt book and even though I enjoyed the other two this is by far my favourite. It has everything you could want in a story- good guy you love to love and bad guys you love to hate, computer side kicks and even FBI agents.
Baxter once again has to channel her dark side and brake some rules when her partners daughter is kidnapped. Heads need to be smashed and bones broken, as well as a sick killer to be caught. This killer might keep you up at night not because it went into graphic details, it was just the thought of what he does with his victims. I would still recommend the book though and the nice thing is you don't need to have read the other books first but if you are going to read this one you might as well.
This is the third Baxter and Holt book and even though I enjoyed the other two this is by far my favourite. It has everything you could want in a story- good guy you love to love and bad guys you love to hate, computer side kicks and even FBI agents.
Baxter once again has to channel her dark side and brake some rules when her partners daughter is kidnapped. Heads need to be smashed and bones broken, as well as a sick killer to be caught. This killer might keep you up at night not because it went into graphic details, it was just the thought of what he does with his victims. I would still recommend the book though and the nice thing is you don't need to have read the other books first but if you are going to read this one you might as well.
February 22, 2019
Las Vegas Crime was a frightening story for any parent of young teenage girls. Sadly, the scenario was scarily convincing and reinforced that there are some very evil, sadistic people in this world. Thank goodness for Holt and Baxter, and all the real crime fighters, who daily risk their lives trying to stop these perpetrators and corrupt syndicates.
Leslie Wolfe certainly knows how to write a compelling novel and she had my attention from the first page of Las Vegas Crime. Unlike the first two books in the series, this one did not have any humour, but there was a real sense of desperation and urgency that had me turning the pages.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and hope there are more books to come starring Laura Baxter and Jack Holt. They make a formidable team.
Leslie Wolfe certainly knows how to write a compelling novel and she had my attention from the first page of Las Vegas Crime. Unlike the first two books in the series, this one did not have any humour, but there was a real sense of desperation and urgency that had me turning the pages.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and hope there are more books to come starring Laura Baxter and Jack Holt. They make a formidable team.
November 24, 2018
Detectives Laura Baxter and Jack Holt still putting the bad guys behind bars in Sin City, but this time the case hits home. The readers finally get more insight into Jack and the man he is, as well as more of Laura’s life in England. Laura and Jack’s professional relationship is front and center, as the level of the trust these two have managed to obtain is the key to their success, and this is a case they can’t lose. As readers of this captivating Series know, these two are willing to do what is necessary, legal or not, to clean up the streets of Vegas. The closeness these two achieve at work is finally starting to take hold in their personal life, as well. I sure hope there is more from Laura and Jack. 4.25 Stars
November 29, 2018
This is the third book in the series, which is getting better and better with each book. The characters evolve and we learn more about them, and root more for them when they find themselves in trouble.
This book is so far the darkest and the most intense with many twists and turns that would keep the reader turn the pages late into the night.
The only thing I just could not really "buy" was Baxter's performance as a bad-ass drug lord's right hand. If anything it was under-performed, and I was surprised they actually bought her act. I cannot quite imagine her doing another undercover stint, but I do love her passion for solving the most unspeakable crimes and her chemistry with Holt.
This book is so far the darkest and the most intense with many twists and turns that would keep the reader turn the pages late into the night.
The only thing I just could not really "buy" was Baxter's performance as a bad-ass drug lord's right hand. If anything it was under-performed, and I was surprised they actually bought her act. I cannot quite imagine her doing another undercover stint, but I do love her passion for solving the most unspeakable crimes and her chemistry with Holt.
November 21, 2018
Leslie Wolfe’s Baxter and Holt stories always dig in to the underbelly of Las Vegas, and Las Vegas Crime is no different, maybe a whole lot grittier in that it centers on child sex slavery. Las Vegas Crime is my favorite of the series because it reveals just how damaged my favorite detectives – Baxter and Holt- are and some of their previous secrets are exposed. This book hooked me from the outset and held me captive until the end. I’m really looking forward to seeing how this partnership evolves in the next book.
March 19, 2019
Really good.This series is Great.
This one makes you want more.Baxter and Holt go after Holts kidnapped daughter.The plan is to find the man who Holt knows,who deals in drugs and sex traffic before his daughter is killed or used in the sex trade.Holt ready to give his life and Baxter is ready to fight them heads on.With dead girls being found in the desert it's just a matter of short time before his daughter becomes one more.This is a great team I want to read more from this team.I highly recommend this writer's books.
This one makes you want more.Baxter and Holt go after Holts kidnapped daughter.The plan is to find the man who Holt knows,who deals in drugs and sex traffic before his daughter is killed or used in the sex trade.Holt ready to give his life and Baxter is ready to fight them heads on.With dead girls being found in the desert it's just a matter of short time before his daughter becomes one more.This is a great team I want to read more from this team.I highly recommend this writer's books.
July 14, 2021
While this was, as usual, a well written and fast paced story.
It's the first book I've read from Leslie that I've been disappointed in.
No matter how brazen the attempt to take a child from the school campus, Officers or not.
You are NOT going to be taking someone else child from the school premises without the express permission of the parents! You're definitely NOT going to be leaving the premises with going through the schools office to check her out for today.
Good story that was ruined by unbelievability.
It's the first book I've read from Leslie that I've been disappointed in.
No matter how brazen the attempt to take a child from the school campus, Officers or not.
You are NOT going to be taking someone else child from the school premises without the express permission of the parents! You're definitely NOT going to be leaving the premises with going through the schools office to check her out for today.
Good story that was ruined by unbelievability.
May 15, 2025
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
When Baxter finds the bodies of a couple of fifteen year old half buried in the desert,she and Holt go looking for the perpetrator. This leads them to a drug dealer called the 'Snowman'. It turns out that his crew has been kidnapping the fifteen year old girls off the street and forcing them into prostitution.
When Baxter and Holt get close to the drug dealers they kidnap Holt's daughter and threaten to turn her out on the street. B&H go looking for the girl and eventually the whole Police Force is looking for her.
When Baxter finds the bodies of a couple of fifteen year old half buried in the desert,she and Holt go looking for the perpetrator. This leads them to a drug dealer called the 'Snowman'. It turns out that his crew has been kidnapping the fifteen year old girls off the street and forcing them into prostitution.
When Baxter and Holt get close to the drug dealers they kidnap Holt's daughter and threaten to turn her out on the street. B&H go looking for the girl and eventually the whole Police Force is looking for her.
November 26, 2018
Baxter and Holt Are Back
When Holt's daughter is kidnapped by a drug lord known as Snowman, Holt breaks all the rules to find her. Baxter, as always, shines in her pursuit of justice and having Holt's back. The world of sex trafficking, drugs, and murder are never the same when Baxter and Holt zero in on them. The gritty side of Vegas, not the bright lights, is the backdrop of the story. I was gifted this book by the author.
When Holt's daughter is kidnapped by a drug lord known as Snowman, Holt breaks all the rules to find her. Baxter, as always, shines in her pursuit of justice and having Holt's back. The world of sex trafficking, drugs, and murder are never the same when Baxter and Holt zero in on them. The gritty side of Vegas, not the bright lights, is the backdrop of the story. I was gifted this book by the author.
August 9, 2019
I enjoyed the plot and story of this book a lot. It had good pacing and I only caught myself zoning out once. The only complaint I have is that it's really weird on the audiobook when Baxter starts speaking with a British accent. It's a lot less noticeable in this book than it was in book #1, but to me, it's choppy and distracting.
This is a solid police procedural that I enjoyed reading. I was given this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
This is a solid police procedural that I enjoyed reading. I was given this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
September 14, 2020
Fast paced, caught me from the beginning. This is the first Holt & Baxter I've read and it does stand alone but probably one would have more insight if having read the first two. It moved along quickly and the tension was high. Baxter took off in a rather unrealistic direction that was just silly in my opinion. That cost my rating a star. I enjoyed the book overall and will likely read more in this series.
December 13, 2021
Las Vegas Crime (Baxter and Holt #3) was a good read by Leslie Wolfe. A teenage girl is kidnapped from her school, minutes after her mom dropped her off. This kidnapping brings the entire police force together, as this case is personal for Detective Holt. Detective Baxter and Holt will do anything they need to in order to find the young girl. I enjoyed reading this book and can't wait to read more by the author.
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