Killer Instinct

Joanna Mitchell Thrillers #1

by Barbara Winkes

"Barbara Winkes creates a compelling trilogy that pulls you in from page one and refuses to let go..." - Kimberly Amato, author of the Jasmine Steele Mysteries

Enough is enough.

Joanna's career ends after she kills a murderer and fails to cover her tracks. After serving a prison sentence, she struggles to pick up the pieces.

She keeps her distance from her former colleagues, save for Vanessa, the Internal Affairs inspector who was the lead investigator on Joanna's case.

When a predator resurfaces, Joanna can't stay away, even at the cost of losing everything...Including Rue, the woman she's been falling for.

Genres: Mystery, Lesbian, LGBT, Thriller, Audiobook, Crime, Adult

188 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 29, 2018

About the author

Barbara Winkes writes suspense and romance with lesbian characters at the center. She has always loved stories in which women persevere and lift each other up. Expect high drama and happy endings.

Discover a variety of genres, serial and standalone. Women loving women always take the lead.

Reviews

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not the normal cop story. Joanne is a former cop, after killing a serial killer, she lost everything and had to spend some time in prison. Now she's working in a warehouse and lives a slow life. She has just one friend left from since the incident, and very few from the time in prison. As a murder reminds her of a case long ago, which she never was able to close, her instincts kick in and she can't resist investigating. She wants to help, but that isn't so easy with her as persona non grata in the precinct.

The story is fast paced, thrilling with some twist and turns, suspense and mystery. The characters are very well developed with flaws and edges, but exactly that makes them real. Especially Joanne is a very interesting and complex character. She cares a lot about the victims of the serial killers, but for her own life, she doesn't let anybody come close. Until she meets Rue. Will the two of them have a chance for a loving relationship?

My rating 4.5 stars
An ARC was given to me by the author

[Jude Silberfeld-Grimaud · Rating 4 out of 5]

At some point in my life, all I read were thriller and mystery books. I loved the intellectual challenge, but I think the main reason was that at a time when there wasn’t as much choice in lesfic, mainstream thriller and mystery novels were where I found badass women. A few years ago, I had a burn out / melt down / whatever and couldn’t deal with the evil on which these stories are built anymore. I’ve going back at it lately, and I try to be more picky. I’m older, I know what I like and dislike.

Killer Instinct opens with a pretty traditional scene, where a woman escapes her killer. I don’t need the author to give me all the all the gory details to understand the killer is an awful person and I was happy to find that Barbara Winkes seems to be on the same page as me. In a few sentences, I got that this woman had just been through a very traumatic experience and was running for her life. It was just enough and the story could begin.

The most interesting part of the book is the main character, Joanna. She’s a former cop who had to spend a few years in prison for killing a serial killer in cold blood. She shares an unlikely friendship with the Internal Affairs inspector who sent her to jail at the time, Vanessa. What happened to the woman from the first scene reminds her of an old cold case. She can’t help getting involved, especially when her new lover Rue disappears.

I loved the relationships between Joanna and Vanessa on one hand and between Joanna and Rue on the other. Joanna’s internal struggles about the old case, the new one, the one that put an end to her career, all were absolutely captivating. TJ Richards’ narration was excellent, too.

[Cherie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the plot. I liked the MCs- Joanna the ex cop and her girlfriend Rue. But the characters were barely developed and the dialogue was sparse between them. The book is about solving the mystery and not a lot on emotions or romance.

[Endlesscribbles · Rating 2 out of 5]

I normally enjoy Barbara Winkes’s books. But I think I need to actually read Killer Instinct instead of the audiobook version. The narrator reading of this book was rather flat and that did nothing to help the storyline..

[Annette Mori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbara Winkes is an absolute master with lesbian thrillers. It is hard for me to decide which one I like best, because they are all so good. I gobbled this book in a couple of days. Like all her thrillers it was very fast paced. However, the fact that this book was fast paced and action packed is not what makes this book rise to the top. What makes this, as well as all her other books, rise above the din is her masterful creation of complex characters. I like flawed characters and I don’t think any other writer does them better than Barbara Winkes. I don’t ever worry about not liking one of her books and this was story certainly lived up to the high expectations I have for all of her books. You can’t ever go wrong with one of her thrillers and you get something that stands out among the many others in this category because of the amazing characters she creates.

[Alealea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicely paced mystery. The relationships and history between characters are delightfully complex and multidimensionnal.
Two minuses:
The mystery in itself doesn't rock the boat and the destructive spiral trip of self pity of the main character was a bit tiring sometimes.

[Heather Henkel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

I really enjoyed this book! I liked the fact that you got to read about life after she got out but couldn't let go.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, this is the problem with self-published books. You. Still. Need. An editor. They are GOOD! They will improve your work! And then we won't have a story riddled with spelling errors, grammatical errors, and incorrectly used punctuation. I don't aim to be picky, but that sort of thing should be the bare minimum. It's hard to stay into a story that has so many little, easily fixable things going on.

As for the plot. I liked the concept. The execution didn't wow me. Too much given too quickly (half the fun of a mystery thriller is never knowing more than a few pieces of the puzzle at any time). Also, sometimes the transitions, from scene-to-scene, POV to POV, and even within thoughts and dialogue, was too abrupt. No proper segue, which would confuse me, which would force me to backtrack to figure out what I missed, and that was even worse than the spelling errors. Especially as a fast reader, to be jolted out of the story like that is rough. And then it happens over and over....

Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be reading the next book. It just didn't capture me enough, and I fear more of the same issues in the next.

[Carol Hutchinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was great and didn’t disappoint.

I love how with Barbara Winkes you know you are getting a fantastic story, great plot, intricate detail and complex characters but at the same time you never really know how it is all going to go….and that is what makes Barbara’s stories so AMAZING!!!!

This was a gritty crime with a difference. Ex-cop Joanna finds herself intrigued by a similar case of a serial killer to one she had many years ago that lead to her own fate as a murderer and stint behind bars. In a desperate attempt to regain control on something she feels needs closure she works with friends and ex-colleagues to hopefully stop another monster. But, it gets personal for Joanna when Rue becomes involved and a very intense story is unleashed.

A fantastic story with intrigue to keep you hooked at every turn of a page and not to be missed!

[J H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gritty ex-detective story (3 1/2 stars)

SAPPHIC BOOK BINGO: not a romance, out of your comfort zone, dare; UNICORN: more than two POVs (possibly other categories)

A bitter, former homicide detective that committed vigilante justice against a serial killer started noticing similar actions of recent murders that paralleled an old, unsolved case. The MC did her prison time, found a warehouse job to help ends meet, but spent a significant amount of time drinking booze to forget her past and the demise of her career. Former detective colleagues refused to listen to her relevant information due to her making the department look bad, their loss of trust in her, and her drinking problem.

The story was will written, the characters and criminals were complex, but I just didn't like the MC. I can't recall ever reading about a law enforcement person committing a vigilante killing before, and that was a new and intricate part of the story. People understood, and secretly applauded her actions, but the reputation of the force was extremely compromised. It was understandable that she coped poorly with her former decisions and actions, but she was not a character that I wanted to relate to for my reading enjoyment.

Some readers look for, and appreciate a MC like this, but I don't. The story and protagonist were too dark and gritty for me. It wasn't a bad story - it just wasn't for me.

[JAYNE · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thriller full of twists and turns that kept me guessing. Excellent narration by TJ Richards which enhanced the story for me.

[Mallory · Rating 3 out of 5]

Low on holiday feels, and high on intrigue, this Christmas thriller will keep you guessing.

Disclaimer: I received and ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Content warning: violence against women, murder of women, homophobic father, abandoned by father, alcohol abuse

Joanna, an ex-cop who served time for killing a serial offender in cold blood, just can’t seem to let her old life go. Or maybe, her past has a way of catching up with her. Her life after prison is simple, if not boring. She works in a warehouse and spends time with her two straight female friends: a former fellow inmate, Kira, and the IAB cop that sent her to jail, Vanessa. Her and Vanessa spend most of their time together getting drunk, arguing, and picking up respective one-night stands. An attempted murder in her hometown, with a profile like one of her old cases, forces her to navigate her relationship with her former partner on the force, Theo.

Killer Instinct is an entertaining read. I didn’t personally like the snippets into other character points of view—it happens so infrequently and with different characters throughout the book that it seemed more distracting than beneficial. I would have preferred finding out plot points and relevant case information at the same time the protagonist Joanna does. But, as a reader, knowing outside information did increase the suspense factor. My other critique is that the supporting cast was not developed enough to be really invested in them. I wanted to know more about their back story and certainly more about Joanna and Venessa’s road to becoming friends.

Overall, there were enough twists and turns for me to consider this book a “page turner”, and at 165 pages it is definitely a quick read. This is a thriller, but there is also a romantic undercurrent, and despite Joanna’s penchant for one-night stands (the sex throughout is of the fade to black variety), she might have finally met a woman worth having a relationship with. Will her past keep coming back to bite her, ruining her chances at a longer term relationship? Will Joanna help her friend catch a killer and finally excise her demons? You’ll have to read it for yourself to find out.

[Ken Finlay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joanna was a police officer, now she is a convicted murderer recently released from prison.
She doesn't regret what she did - she killed a serial killer before he could kill again. Unfortunately for her, she just rang his doorbell and shot him four times.
Luckily for her the jury believed he was a monster but there's that old problem about taking the law into your own hands. If she'd just thought about it a bit she could have got away with it.
She's free, working a dead end job, and getting involved in a case which harks back to her days on the force.
About a third of the way in my problem is that Joanna is a an emotional vacuum - she's a lesbian, drinks too much, but seems happy enough to be generally miserable.
And then, within a chapter or two, she begins to come alive. Additional information adds some flesh to her bones and to what made her the woman she became.
What did annoy me at this stage was the author promoting the LGBTQ agenda - it may be important to her, but, as a reader, it is not important to me. I don't care that Joanna's father is a homophobe and an unpleasant individual.
Just because your lifestyle is legal doesn't entitle you to demand that everyone likes it - I could care less one way or the other, but I don't like books with a message, whether it be religious, political or sexual. Be a little more subtle about it and we'll get along fine.
That said, I'll get down off my soapbox, and say that the book ends well.
3 Stars.

[AC · Rating 4 out of 5]

The character of Joanne is so complex—she accepts her current life, still thinks like a detective, avoids personal relationships, but cares as deeply about wanting justice for those from a case in her past that seem to be related to a current incident. As a former member of law enforcement, she crossed that line in the sand that cannot be overlooked, taking justice in her own hands. Winkes successfully creates realistic characters with both flaws and redeeming qualities. A story of justice—perhaps not in the way we are used to, but justice just the same. Is there a happy ending in Joanne’s future? There could be…there could be at least a sense of peace in her life.
I found myself on the edge of my seat a few times. Winkes is very good at developing suspenseful situations, evil characters and good characters with less than stellar intentions. I highly recommend it.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

there is something inside you that changes when you're forced to use a weapon with lethal intent, even when you act in defense of yourself or others

either you can't imagine it happening ever, or you cannot imagine hesitating for a moment being willing to do it again.

Joanna took the life of a killer and confirmed that her own life was irrevocably changed once she was prepared and determined to take his life.

Echoes from her past come back to haunt her when she has survived prison and the loss of position, prestige, income- but she still feels the heartbeat of a hunter

how many lives might be lost this time, especially since Joanna has so little left to give?

action packed suspense and drama, with challenging romances, and some bigoted bystanders who might otherwise have been family or colleagues

[Maaike F · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second Winkes book and what I love is that the characters are flawed. Joanna is not some superhero cop, but her emotions got the better of her and she felt she had no other choice than kill a sob serial killer. She paid for it greatly though and that’s where the story starts. Of course, her cop instincts lure her into another investigation into a serial killer. But Joanna is no longer a cop. Somehow she finds herself in the middle of the investigation, where she ends up finding redemption and even love.

It took me a little to get into the story as I didn’t find Joanna a likable character at first. The people around her were trying but she wouldn’t really let anyone in. Later on I found out why and I learned to love her. I guess the writer made me go through the same process as the side characters, so good job!

[terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great suspense to read. Joanna’s instinct to follow up on what seems to be related to her old cases when she was still on the police force is great, even though she is no longer a cop and is shunned basically by all but one of her old friends is hard. Her friendship with Vanessa is her only lifeline to her old life. I really like Rue and how she and Joanna got together. Joanna’s determination to help with the case is great. I think this is a great book and has awesome characters and really keeps you guessing what’s going to happen next. I would highly recommend this book to others. Enjoy.

[monica.b.czuba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Killer instinct :'A Lesbian Thriller

A story of a ex detective who killed a serial killer and went to prison. Coming out losing all her friends her father who turns his back on her after she tells him she a lesbian. She has a job and drinks /smoked and the occasion up. She meet a woman one night only for the woman to contact again to repeat it out for her wanting her to have a threesome. which she declines butt then a young woman is found stabbed but has escaped and is hospital . It remind her not a old case and she get involved. This is a good story and well written..
The author Barbara Winkes did a good job writing this book.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not your typical serial killer book. This is the first book by this author I've read, or listened to, and the first book I've listened to by the narrator. The writing in this book was well done. I didn't like the main character Joanna, and she just never grew on me. But, that is completely on me and nothing to do with the writer's writing. The narrator did a good job, but she had a lot of female characters to voice and there were times that those voices bled together making it hard for me to distinguish who was speaking. Otherwise, this was a good introduction to a new to me author and narrator! I'll look for more of their work!

[Jamie (TheRebelliousReader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. This was such an intense and intriguing read. Joanna is a former cop who went to prison for killing a serial killer and I found her character to be absolutely fascinating. She’s such an intense character and I’m glad there are two more books because I’m excited to see some more growth from her and also learn more of her backstory. Her relationship with Rue was well done. Rue was really likable. There are some really good action scenes and I really like Winkes’s writing style. For this to be such a short read it was so addictive and packs a punch. I’m excited to continue on with the series.

[Zayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Gotta say it but that was well done. Still think that the Carpenter-Harding series is still one of the best, most polished series out there that gets better with each book exploring new, intimate facets of their intertwined lives.
I will look forward to going back into that series again once fully completed, but I can't wait to see what happens in these next two books in the Joanna Mitchell Book. I do wish that she would've just gotten off the murder charges because she was in her right to protect Rue. That is legal. Especially since there was plenty of damning evidence against the killers for torture and attempted murder.
Lets see what kinda crazy stuff happens next.

[DR · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read an earlier book by Miss Winkes and this book doesn't disappoint either. I kept wondering how long Joanna had been in prison and how much older was she and Rue from the serial killer's victims. It was a description that hung in the air as I read the snippets of the prison experience from Joanna's and Kira's point of view.
Well written (and it was joy to read a well-edited book) scenes that described the passing of time effectively. I felt the cold and the fear and the helplessness of the victims and the police.
Read the book. I can't share anymore or I'll spoil it.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

A rare DNF for me. The story might be the bee's knees, but the writing, isn't.

'with impossible effort, Christina pushed herself...." um, she did it, so clearly the effort was NOT impossible.

'never get warm again, not in a million years....' find a better way to say it.

'a crimson stain on the pristine white snow....' and, again with the most obvious descriptive terms.

'in an instant, his life was drastically changed....' ouch, again.

And all of that only in the first few pages. Oy.

[Michele Howell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Great Suspense/Mystery

Joann was once a police officer who shot and killed a murderer. Unfortunately the circumstances landed her in jail. Murder cases she had worked while on the force has her working with her good friend still on the force. Serial murders are once again occurring and it's a race against time for Joann to try and protect herself & the ones she loves from becoming the next victim.

[Candace · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author tried hard, but overall the book did not work for me. I didn't mind the wordos ("new" for "knew," "boasted" for "boosted," etc.), and I appreciated the author's efforts to create a community for her characters, but the plotting was silly and sometimes senseless, and there was a lot of what I call "thrashing," where the author circles around and around on a single idea or conflict, rather than moving the story forward.

[Carolyn G. Manuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always A Cop

Joanne Mitchell had been a police detective when she killed a serial killer. Unfortunately it wasn’t accidental or in the line of duty. After serving her prison sentence she works in a warehouse unloading boxes to pay the bills. The a case she never solved comes back to life and she needs to find a killer. A thriller with a love story and more than one villain. Great author.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joanna is finally free to be herself after being released from prison. On a judgment call, she killed a suspect in self-defense. The plea did her no good. Now out she experiences another killer on the loose. Will she be able to assist the former detectives on this case or will she end up dead or worse back in prison?

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The gray area between right & wrong

An action-packed, entertaining story with interesting characters & riveting plot lines dealing with issues of morality, justice & humanity & the costs, contradictions & consequences from the conditions & conflicts.

It was a very enjoyable read. I recommend this book.

[Jo Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

DOUBLE WOW!!

This is one hell of a great detective story!so many twists and turns a great plot and so many wonderfully written characters and a love story too boot.Loved it I hope there are more to follow

[Ginger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tense, suspenseful

Well written, tense and suspenseful

Great character development

Strong female characters trying to do the right thing legally, morally and still live their lives