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Jessica Shaw #1
Thin Air
She investigates missing persons -- now she is one.
Private investigator Jessica Shaw is used to getting anonymous tips. But after receiving a photo of a three-year-old kidnapped from Los Angeles twenty-five years ago, Jessica is stunned to recognize the little girl as herself.
Eager for answers, Jessica heads to LA's dark underbelly. When she learns that her biological mother was killed the night she was abducted, Jessica's determined to solve a case the police have forgotten. Meanwhile, veteran LAPD detective Jason Pryce is in the midst of a gruesome investigation into a murdered college student moonlighting as a prostitute. A chance encounter leads to them crossing paths, but Jessica soon realizes that Pryce is hiding something about her father's checkered history and her mother's death.
To solve her mother's murder and her own disappearance, Jessica must dig into the past and find the secrets buried there. But the air gets thinner as she crawls closer to the truth, and it's getting harder and harder to breathe.
289 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2019
30933 people are currently reading
29585 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Gray
8 books1,150 followersLisa Gray is an Amazon #1, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal bestselling author and has sold over one million books. She has been longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize and an ITW Thriller Awards finalist. Lisa previously worked as the chief Scottish soccer writer at the Press Association and the books columnist at the Daily Record Saturday Magazine. She is the author of the bestselling Jessica Shaw series and standalone thrillers The Dark Room, To Die For, and The Final Act. Lisa lives in Glasgow and writes full time. Learn more at www.lisagraywriter.com and connect with Lisa on social media @lisagraywriter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,242 reviews
July 12, 2019
overall an excellent read ... initially the multiple plots are confusing, as they are intended to be, but Gray has a firm grasp and the pieces fall into place ... one criticism: the characters involved in the ending could have been more developed earlier in the story; instead they come as a surprise, which is good, but also as 'who are they?' which is bad ... This was Gray's first novel; I am inclined to read the next in this series
February 16, 2025
What a nice surprise audio!! Awesome narrating, Amy Landon! Jessica investigates missing persons. A photo of a 3 year girl that went missing 25 years ago...surprising and shocking to find out it is herself. Jason, LAPD detective is investigating a murdered college student moonlighting as a prostitute. When he crosses paths with Jessica, he hides information about her. She learns her mother was murdered and she was taken.
There are a lot of characters to dissect... their paths and interactions, plus two timelines, but over all a fun mystery to solve.
There are a lot of characters to dissect... their paths and interactions, plus two timelines, but over all a fun mystery to solve.
May 6, 2022
Hit me in the head with a mallet! why did I read this one? I had been putting this one off for ages but decided to give this a go… again I ask myself WHY? as I am not a fan of Private Investigators should have known better.
Jessica Shaw has been a P I for seven years five in NY , she lives out of her truck gets jobs everywhere she can, but she seeks out people that disappear into THIN AIR… pardon the pun she gets a message that a three year old girl goes missing she looks at the picture & finds out it is her.
We you can tell how this story is going to go? Jessica didn’t appeal to me at all I don’t know why? there were a lot of editing issues that got on my nerves a good writer should have his or her editing done properly, I don’t usually pick on stuff like that it was just awful 1.5 stars at best.
Jessica Shaw has been a P I for seven years five in NY , she lives out of her truck gets jobs everywhere she can, but she seeks out people that disappear into THIN AIR… pardon the pun she gets a message that a three year old girl goes missing she looks at the picture & finds out it is her.
We you can tell how this story is going to go? Jessica didn’t appeal to me at all I don’t know why? there were a lot of editing issues that got on my nerves a good writer should have his or her editing done properly, I don’t usually pick on stuff like that it was just awful 1.5 stars at best.
July 20, 2019
Thin Air is an excellent thriller. It kept me guessing all through.
June 15, 2019
Private investigator Jessica Shaw lives out of her pickup truck. Wanders around and picks up work where she can. Mostly she tries to solve missing persons cases, people who vanished into Thin Air (get it???)... Then she gets an anonymous email about a missing person - a 3 year old child that looks exactly like her from an old photo, because it is her. That starts her search to find out who she is, who her parents were, all tied together with a murder the night her father disappeared with her. It was an okay story, pretty implausible, but I can suspend belief for a while. But... the writing was not awesome. From one section of just a few pages there were these gems: "her legs tangled in bedsheets as thin as cigarette papers", "The heat outside was as heavy as a wool coat", "a woman whose short life seemed to have had more missing pieces than a yard sale jigsaw puzzle", "gates flanked on either side by hedges as neat as a Brazilian wax". By about the third one, I was laughing... It wasn't all that bad, but it could have used a good editor... maybe 2 1/2 stars on a generous day. This is apparently the start of a series that I won't be finishing.
May 3, 2020
I really enjoyed this easy read about a private investigator who very early in the story (maybe even in the summary?) realizes she is a key player in her current investigation. Lots of characters and interesting backstories - somewhat predictable but still a nice distraction. The kind of book when you don’t want to think hard, just be entertained.
I would definitely read more in this series! 👍🏻
I would definitely read more in this series! 👍🏻
June 14, 2019
I'm mixed about this book. For the most part it was OK, sometimes interesting but I did find it easy to put down.
I figured out the killer the moment the character was introduced so it was important how the investigation went that made the story work. For the most part, the investigation was OK. There was actually some footwork involved. I liked the characters of Price and his partner Medina.
I thought it was extremely weird and a little too contrived that all the major players are essentially sitting in the same chair 25 years after Jessica's mother was killed. Plus Jessica was a little TSTL at the end which was disappointing.
The contents of the envelope from her "dad" was a nice touch.
I figured out the killer the moment the character was introduced so it was important how the investigation went that made the story work. For the most part, the investigation was OK. There was actually some footwork involved. I liked the characters of Price and his partner Medina.
I thought it was extremely weird and a little too contrived that all the major players are essentially sitting in the same chair 25 years after Jessica's mother was killed. Plus Jessica was a little TSTL at the end which was disappointing.
The contents of the envelope from her "dad" was a nice touch.
May 2, 2019
Missing person PI Jessica Shaw is looking for her next gig when she realizes that she is her own client. Alicia Lavelle, abducted at age three the night her mother was murdered is Jessica’s real identity. The picture of the missing girl holding the Barbie, *her* Barbie is actually Jessica which means her father lied all these years. A college student Amy Ong is missing and found butchered in a similar manner to Eleanor Lavelle, Jessica’s mother. Could there be a connection and if so, Jessica may be next?
THIN AIR is more mystery than thrilled. Lisa Gray hooked me in with the intriguing plot and different points of view. I couldn’t help to hope for a happy ending for Jessica, she certainly deserved it. The secretive small town cast of characters led me had no shortage of plausible suspects. Most everyone had something to hide.
THIN AIR is the first in a two part series with Jessica Shaw. I can’t wait to read the sequel. What I liked about THIN AIR is that the story was complete at the end, no cliffhanger to make me buy the next book. I do not like waiting a year to finish a story so props to Gray for trusting readers will care enough to buy book two.
THIN AIR is more mystery than thrilled. Lisa Gray hooked me in with the intriguing plot and different points of view. I couldn’t help to hope for a happy ending for Jessica, she certainly deserved it. The secretive small town cast of characters led me had no shortage of plausible suspects. Most everyone had something to hide.
THIN AIR is the first in a two part series with Jessica Shaw. I can’t wait to read the sequel. What I liked about THIN AIR is that the story was complete at the end, no cliffhanger to make me buy the next book. I do not like waiting a year to finish a story so props to Gray for trusting readers will care enough to buy book two.
June 25, 2019
Thin Air (Jessica Shaw)
By Lisa Gray
1⭐
If I could give it 0 stars I would. I try my best not to write many bad reviews. However if I am going to write a review it is going to be honest . This is my first read by this author and may just be the last.This is the first book in a new Jessica Shaw series by Lisa Gray. I figured out the killer early on and there was just too much unnecessary description. At times she would write 2 pages describing a room. This was done over and over. Thin Air is told from several points of view and alternating timelines . And was very confusing. The past (the 90s when Jessica was first abducted )and in the present (as Jessica works to solve the mystery of her past) all while Detective Pryce works a mystery in the present. Thin Air is Advertised as a thriller,however there is nothing thrilling about it . In fact ,It's a very, very boreing read. It didn't keep me hooked at all. I kelpt putting the book down not really wanting to pick it back up. The main character was very unlikeable and uninteresting . And done some really stupid things.Such as drinking a quart of scotch in a short time, topped it off with a glass of wine laced with sleeping pills. Pretty much through the whole book All she did was drink and smoke. All of the Characters were underdeveloped and not believable. It was very clear the author did little if any research on law enforcement language, procedures, etc. Another thing that bugged me was the author seems to enjoy describing many minor character in a harsh negative way. Examples : bartender, with acne scarred face and limp hair, waitress old, her red hair is from a bottle, her breasts aren't natural, her fingernails fake, her tight-fitting uniform reminds me of a porn star, oh, and her name tag is crooked). It's not just the people she describes this way. She also describes places and objects like this. Another example was the bar stool with a rip in it from which the foam rubber cushion erupts like a popped pimple. Ewww gross and unnecessary. At times i wondered if an immature 5 th grader was writing. Save yourself time and money and pass on this one.
By Lisa Gray
1⭐
If I could give it 0 stars I would. I try my best not to write many bad reviews. However if I am going to write a review it is going to be honest . This is my first read by this author and may just be the last.This is the first book in a new Jessica Shaw series by Lisa Gray. I figured out the killer early on and there was just too much unnecessary description. At times she would write 2 pages describing a room. This was done over and over. Thin Air is told from several points of view and alternating timelines . And was very confusing. The past (the 90s when Jessica was first abducted )and in the present (as Jessica works to solve the mystery of her past) all while Detective Pryce works a mystery in the present. Thin Air is Advertised as a thriller,however there is nothing thrilling about it . In fact ,It's a very, very boreing read. It didn't keep me hooked at all. I kelpt putting the book down not really wanting to pick it back up. The main character was very unlikeable and uninteresting . And done some really stupid things.Such as drinking a quart of scotch in a short time, topped it off with a glass of wine laced with sleeping pills. Pretty much through the whole book All she did was drink and smoke. All of the Characters were underdeveloped and not believable. It was very clear the author did little if any research on law enforcement language, procedures, etc. Another thing that bugged me was the author seems to enjoy describing many minor character in a harsh negative way. Examples : bartender, with acne scarred face and limp hair, waitress old, her red hair is from a bottle, her breasts aren't natural, her fingernails fake, her tight-fitting uniform reminds me of a porn star, oh, and her name tag is crooked). It's not just the people she describes this way. She also describes places and objects like this. Another example was the bar stool with a rip in it from which the foam rubber cushion erupts like a popped pimple. Ewww gross and unnecessary. At times i wondered if an immature 5 th grader was writing. Save yourself time and money and pass on this one.
December 30, 2018
She investigates missing persons—now she is one.
I really enjoyed this fast paced un-putdownable mystery/thriller with an enticing premise that delivered on the nose, and then some!
The main character, Jessica Shaw, is fun and feisty- the kind of girl you want to have on your side (and definitely go for a drink with!) I can't wait for the next in the series.
I really enjoyed this fast paced un-putdownable mystery/thriller with an enticing premise that delivered on the nose, and then some!
The main character, Jessica Shaw, is fun and feisty- the kind of girl you want to have on your side (and definitely go for a drink with!) I can't wait for the next in the series.
June 18, 2019
This was an accomplished debut thriller set in California from an author who surprisingly turned out to be Scottish! It seems to be the start about a series about Private Investigator Jessica Shaw, and while I didn’t particularly like her as a character, I reminded myself that I have often taken a while to warm up to some of my now favourite heroines, and that prickliness can be far more interesting than niceness. I will definitely be keen to follow her future adventures.
Jessica Shaw is a loner, travelling the country following the sudden death of her beloved father, going where the work takes her, but when she is sent an anonymous email about a child who disappeared 25 years earlier, she is shocked to recognise herself. When she arrives at the scene, she discovers that her mother, a beautiful bar girl with a difficult past, was brutally murdered the same night she was taken, and no one was ever arrested for the crime.
Meanwhile, LAPD detective Jason Pryce is investigating the murder of a college student in a seedy motel, but discovers that she too had secrets.
This was well written, with just enough descriptions to set a scene without being distracting, a wide range of potential suspects and an intriguing mystery with the reveal of the perpetrator coming as a complete surprise to me. Yes there is a reliance on coincidence which is a common feature of first time authors, but it wasn’t excessive. Jessica is a talented and driven detective who drinks too much, which is a bit of a cliché, but as her story is revealed my interest and sympathy both grew. I liked Jason and hope that he will return in future books. Violence mostly occurs off camera, there is some swearing and a scene in a strip club but no sex.
My thanks to NetGalley for the arc which allowed me to give an honest review.
Thin Air is available now, and is still on NetGalley at the time of writing.
Jessica Shaw is a loner, travelling the country following the sudden death of her beloved father, going where the work takes her, but when she is sent an anonymous email about a child who disappeared 25 years earlier, she is shocked to recognise herself. When she arrives at the scene, she discovers that her mother, a beautiful bar girl with a difficult past, was brutally murdered the same night she was taken, and no one was ever arrested for the crime.
Meanwhile, LAPD detective Jason Pryce is investigating the murder of a college student in a seedy motel, but discovers that she too had secrets.
This was well written, with just enough descriptions to set a scene without being distracting, a wide range of potential suspects and an intriguing mystery with the reveal of the perpetrator coming as a complete surprise to me. Yes there is a reliance on coincidence which is a common feature of first time authors, but it wasn’t excessive. Jessica is a talented and driven detective who drinks too much, which is a bit of a cliché, but as her story is revealed my interest and sympathy both grew. I liked Jason and hope that he will return in future books. Violence mostly occurs off camera, there is some swearing and a scene in a strip club but no sex.
My thanks to NetGalley for the arc which allowed me to give an honest review.
Thin Air is available now, and is still on NetGalley at the time of writing.
May 31, 2019
Really happy to have chosen this as May's First Read.
A novel twist on the private investigator formula. What happens when a troubled and drifting PI who specialises mainly in finding missing people gets an anonymous message suggesting she looks into a disappearance from 25 years ago, only to realise the little girl who disappeared was her? How does she handle the fact that her whole life may have been a lie, a sham, the people she grew up with weren't who she thought they were and she had a whole other life stolen away from her about which she has no knowledge?
Well, what happens is she determines to try to solve the mystery, even if what she finds is painful. But there are other factors at play, not least a gruesome murder of a beautiful young woman, led by a detective she has seen before. Coincidence or twist?
While I'm not sure about the premise of a missing-persons private detective basically working as an "ambulance chaser" looking for cases to work unsolicited (seems a strange way to try to make a living), it is fundamental in setting up the plot. Where it goes from there is genuine intrigue which creates a page turner that keeps you gripped.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who likes mysteries, private eye stories or procedurals. An element of psychological thriller but that's definitely not its main artery. Where Jessica Shaw goes from here, I'm not sure. There is obviously a second book for her in the pipeline, so we'll see where the author can take her next.
Recommended 4 stars, another author I will be looking to add to my TBR lists.
A novel twist on the private investigator formula. What happens when a troubled and drifting PI who specialises mainly in finding missing people gets an anonymous message suggesting she looks into a disappearance from 25 years ago, only to realise the little girl who disappeared was her? How does she handle the fact that her whole life may have been a lie, a sham, the people she grew up with weren't who she thought they were and she had a whole other life stolen away from her about which she has no knowledge?
Well, what happens is she determines to try to solve the mystery, even if what she finds is painful. But there are other factors at play, not least a gruesome murder of a beautiful young woman, led by a detective she has seen before. Coincidence or twist?
While I'm not sure about the premise of a missing-persons private detective basically working as an "ambulance chaser" looking for cases to work unsolicited (seems a strange way to try to make a living), it is fundamental in setting up the plot. Where it goes from there is genuine intrigue which creates a page turner that keeps you gripped.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who likes mysteries, private eye stories or procedurals. An element of psychological thriller but that's definitely not its main artery. Where Jessica Shaw goes from here, I'm not sure. There is obviously a second book for her in the pipeline, so we'll see where the author can take her next.
Recommended 4 stars, another author I will be looking to add to my TBR lists.
July 9, 2019
Thin Air has been on my to-read shelf for nearly a month because as soon as I read the synopsis, I was hooked. So, as you can probably imagine, I practically hyperventilated when I saw it on NetGalley. I've never downloaded something so fast!
While I enjoyed the concept, I wouldn't necessarily say the outcome was unpredictable. Now, this isn't generally too hard to overlook, especially if the other bits are top tier, but unfortunately Thin Air didn't meet my expectations. I liked the characters just fine, although it often felt like the author was trying too hard to make Jessica seem all cool and tough. The writing was plagued by unnecessary descriptions, and/or weird ones like "..hedges as neat as a Brazilian wax." I've never really thought of things in terms of bikini waxes, but you do you, Lisa Gray.
One more thing that bugged me: everything was so convenient. I barely remember what I did yesterday, but these people have crystal clear memories of things that occurred two and a half decades ago, and they're all working at/frequenting the same places.
Overall, I wouldn't call this a thriller by any means, but it is an enjoyable read. It held my interest, though I don't think I'll be reading the next ones.
A huge thank you goes out to NetGalley and the publisher for providing with a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review!
While I enjoyed the concept, I wouldn't necessarily say the outcome was unpredictable. Now, this isn't generally too hard to overlook, especially if the other bits are top tier, but unfortunately Thin Air didn't meet my expectations. I liked the characters just fine, although it often felt like the author was trying too hard to make Jessica seem all cool and tough. The writing was plagued by unnecessary descriptions, and/or weird ones like "..hedges as neat as a Brazilian wax." I've never really thought of things in terms of bikini waxes, but you do you, Lisa Gray.
One more thing that bugged me: everything was so convenient. I barely remember what I did yesterday, but these people have crystal clear memories of things that occurred two and a half decades ago, and they're all working at/frequenting the same places.
Overall, I wouldn't call this a thriller by any means, but it is an enjoyable read. It held my interest, though I don't think I'll be reading the next ones.
A huge thank you goes out to NetGalley and the publisher for providing with a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review!
May 20, 2019
I read a lot, and I've never read a book with this premise. THIN AIR is unique. And the way the author, Lisa Gray, pulls it off is exceptional. I enjoyed the clever twists and turns that led to an incredibly satisfying end. I highly recommend this book.
January 30, 2022
Really enjoyed this story about a private eye. Wonderful.
May 13, 2019
I don't hand out five star ratings too frequently. But Thin Air kept me gripped all the way to the end. I got this book as part of Amazon's Kindle First program. As an Amazon Prime member, each month I get to choose on of at least six titles for no additional charge. This month I chose Thin Air.
The surprising part is that I actually read it. I have over nine hundred books on my Kindle (probably nothing compared to some people), and when I finish a title, I normally go back to the oldest title in my library. So I have yet to read one of my Kindle First titles. Until this one.
Prologue: The book begins with a murder. Written in first person from the perspective of the killer. We have no clue who it is, other than the indication that the person murdered seems to know the murderer.
Jessica Shaw is a private investigator. Originally hailing from New York (or so she thinks), she has left there and travels around, living out of cheap hotels, wherever she can find a job to work. She specializes in missing persons.
One day, as she sits in a diner, in Simi Valley, trying to figure out where to go next, she gets an email from a "John Doe," simply titled "Your next case?" She opens the email, which included only a link to a missing persons website. She clicks on the link and sees the photo of a missing person, a two or three year old kid. She had seen the photo before.
Because the kid was her.
Now there's a plot line I've never seen before. I am instantly hooked! From this point, the story shifts back and forth between several people. One of them is Amy Ong, the girl who is murdered in the prologue. As the story unveils, we get bits and pieces of what has happened to her and why.
We are also introduced to an LAPD detective named Jason Pryce. The thing is, Jessica had seen him before, too. She finally realized that she had seen him at her father's funeral a few years back.
As this story unfolds, the connections get more and more complex. There are unexpected twists and turns that simply leave the reader almost gasping for air. Perhaps I'm being overly dramatic, but it really felt that way. There were quite a few, "Oh, my GOSH!" moments in the story. Those are the things that keep me reading.
There would, no doubt, be some who would disagree with me, but I would put this story right up there with The Girl On the Train. It kept me that interested. And the ending, well, lets just say I didn't see that coming.
I will definitely be on the lookout for more of Lisa Gray's work.
The surprising part is that I actually read it. I have over nine hundred books on my Kindle (probably nothing compared to some people), and when I finish a title, I normally go back to the oldest title in my library. So I have yet to read one of my Kindle First titles. Until this one.
Prologue: The book begins with a murder. Written in first person from the perspective of the killer. We have no clue who it is, other than the indication that the person murdered seems to know the murderer.
Jessica Shaw is a private investigator. Originally hailing from New York (or so she thinks), she has left there and travels around, living out of cheap hotels, wherever she can find a job to work. She specializes in missing persons.
One day, as she sits in a diner, in Simi Valley, trying to figure out where to go next, she gets an email from a "John Doe," simply titled "Your next case?" She opens the email, which included only a link to a missing persons website. She clicks on the link and sees the photo of a missing person, a two or three year old kid. She had seen the photo before.
Because the kid was her.
Now there's a plot line I've never seen before. I am instantly hooked! From this point, the story shifts back and forth between several people. One of them is Amy Ong, the girl who is murdered in the prologue. As the story unveils, we get bits and pieces of what has happened to her and why.
We are also introduced to an LAPD detective named Jason Pryce. The thing is, Jessica had seen him before, too. She finally realized that she had seen him at her father's funeral a few years back.
As this story unfolds, the connections get more and more complex. There are unexpected twists and turns that simply leave the reader almost gasping for air. Perhaps I'm being overly dramatic, but it really felt that way. There were quite a few, "Oh, my GOSH!" moments in the story. Those are the things that keep me reading.
There would, no doubt, be some who would disagree with me, but I would put this story right up there with The Girl On the Train. It kept me that interested. And the ending, well, lets just say I didn't see that coming.
I will definitely be on the lookout for more of Lisa Gray's work.
June 26, 2019
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. Opinions shared are mine.
When choosing a mystery, I want to read about an interesting main character, smart unveiling of the clues, and a satisfying ending. Thin Airfollow by Lisa Gray met all of these requirements!
Jessica Shaw may be young-ish, but she’s certainly not new to the party. She’s smart and resourceful, while still being a decently likeable person. In this first book, the reader finds out pretty quickly who Jessica Shaw really is. The problem is, no one knows why her identity was kept secret for so long.
There are so many characters in this story that it was difficult to keep up at times. The story also alternated perspectives, which helped to round out the mystery. It was unclear how two seemingly unrelated crimes could be connected; I was impressed by the clean way it was wrapped up at the end of the book.
The author left some clues that pointed to the killer as soon as the character appeared in the story. The how and why didn’t become clear, though, until the final pages. I was invested in Jessica’s story and wanted to keep reading. Thin Air contained more profanity than I typically read. It also contained many scenes with alcohol (like, a lot.) Though the writing style was overall easy to read, there were so many peculiar similes included as if the author had a checklist to fulfill. It wasn’t bad, just curious!
I really appreciated the portrayal of police officers in Thin Air. Sometimes novels present cops as dirty and corrupt. In this story, though, their hard work and diligence really paid off. I loved that! I hope I get to read the next book in the Jessica Shaw series.
When choosing a mystery, I want to read about an interesting main character, smart unveiling of the clues, and a satisfying ending. Thin Airfollow by Lisa Gray met all of these requirements!
Jessica Shaw may be young-ish, but she’s certainly not new to the party. She’s smart and resourceful, while still being a decently likeable person. In this first book, the reader finds out pretty quickly who Jessica Shaw really is. The problem is, no one knows why her identity was kept secret for so long.
There are so many characters in this story that it was difficult to keep up at times. The story also alternated perspectives, which helped to round out the mystery. It was unclear how two seemingly unrelated crimes could be connected; I was impressed by the clean way it was wrapped up at the end of the book.
The author left some clues that pointed to the killer as soon as the character appeared in the story. The how and why didn’t become clear, though, until the final pages. I was invested in Jessica’s story and wanted to keep reading. Thin Air contained more profanity than I typically read. It also contained many scenes with alcohol (like, a lot.) Though the writing style was overall easy to read, there were so many peculiar similes included as if the author had a checklist to fulfill. It wasn’t bad, just curious!
I really appreciated the portrayal of police officers in Thin Air. Sometimes novels present cops as dirty and corrupt. In this story, though, their hard work and diligence really paid off. I loved that! I hope I get to read the next book in the Jessica Shaw series.
August 1, 2019
Private Investigator Jessica Shaw received an email showing a newspaper article featuring a twenty-five-year-old mystery. It said a woman named Eleanor Lavelle was murdered and her three-year-old daughter was missing and had yet to be found. When Jessica looked at the photo of the child, she realized that it was a picture of herself. This makes her question everything her late father ever told her about their lives. Now she must look into her mother's murder to find out what really happened.
As Jessica begins her investigation in the suburbs of Los Angeles, Detective Jason Pryce and his partner Vic Medina are looking into the viscous murder of a college student Amy Ong. Jessica sees Detective Pryce's interview on the local news and recognizes him as a person who attended her father's funeral. When she tries to contact him, she believes he may know something about her father's past.
Lisa Gray was a new author for me. The story pulled me in immediately. It was told from various perspectives, including Jessica, Det. Price, Eleanor Lavelle, on the night of her murder, and Amy Ong on the night of her murder. Sometimes it was a bit confusing to switch between the past and present with the two murders. This story kept me guessing. The many people who were interviewed about the murders added some noteworthy information throughout the story. This is the first book in the Jessica Shaw series. I liked it enough to want to read the next one when it comes out. My rating: 4 Stars.
As Jessica begins her investigation in the suburbs of Los Angeles, Detective Jason Pryce and his partner Vic Medina are looking into the viscous murder of a college student Amy Ong. Jessica sees Detective Pryce's interview on the local news and recognizes him as a person who attended her father's funeral. When she tries to contact him, she believes he may know something about her father's past.
Lisa Gray was a new author for me. The story pulled me in immediately. It was told from various perspectives, including Jessica, Det. Price, Eleanor Lavelle, on the night of her murder, and Amy Ong on the night of her murder. Sometimes it was a bit confusing to switch between the past and present with the two murders. This story kept me guessing. The many people who were interviewed about the murders added some noteworthy information throughout the story. This is the first book in the Jessica Shaw series. I liked it enough to want to read the next one when it comes out. My rating: 4 Stars.
August 18, 2019
Review to come.
April 14, 2020
This book was an easy one to put down, and it was all going through one ear and out the other. I thought that they kind of had too much going on in only a short matter of pages. Overall though, it kind of connected. I had a small two people who I thought were to murders of both girls, but none were right, lol. The plot was good, and thickened in the ending. I wish the ending was different, it made me mad and didn't satisfy me. This book was pretty good, but I don't think I'd read it again. Wasn't bad though. Took a week to read. I would recommend....
February 13, 2020
Suspenseful. It's a book that will keep you guessing until the end; and what an ending!
So, if you have a chance, take a gander. You probably won't be disappointed.
So, if you have a chance, take a gander. You probably won't be disappointed.
May 11, 2019
This is the first book by Lisa Gray that I have read and won't be my last. In fact, this one is a series and another one about Jessica Shaw will be coming out soon.
Jessica is a Private Detective. When her father passed away, she had a hard time with his death. She sold everything, and just wanders around the country investigating missing persons and murder cases. She takes all kinds of cases though.
When she is in a small town going over what case she might take on next, she gets an email from John Doe. She is given a link to click on, what she finds will changer her whole life. She is on a Missing Persons Page, and the picture of a three year old girl, is her. Now Jessica, doesn't know who she is and when she finds out information on the case, she finds that the little girl was missing, when her Mother was found dead. So her whole life was lies? Who was the mother and dad that raised her?
This one really moves along and didn't guess the ending..I always love that! Really great read, not to be missed. Look forward to more by this author.
Jessica is a Private Detective. When her father passed away, she had a hard time with his death. She sold everything, and just wanders around the country investigating missing persons and murder cases. She takes all kinds of cases though.
When she is in a small town going over what case she might take on next, she gets an email from John Doe. She is given a link to click on, what she finds will changer her whole life. She is on a Missing Persons Page, and the picture of a three year old girl, is her. Now Jessica, doesn't know who she is and when she finds out information on the case, she finds that the little girl was missing, when her Mother was found dead. So her whole life was lies? Who was the mother and dad that raised her?
This one really moves along and didn't guess the ending..I always love that! Really great read, not to be missed. Look forward to more by this author.
July 19, 2019
Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK / Thomas & Mercer for this arc.
This was a fast read for me, but then it is less than 300 pages. Initially, I found it to be a little incoherent as the chapters bounced from character to character and in between 2 different time lines 25 year apart, but yet in the same neighborhood. I thought Jessica was an intriguing character in the beginning, but not particularly likeable. As the story progressed, I found her to be less intriguing and more of a mess. It seemed like she was using her questions of her parentage as an excuse to drink and then drink some more. But then I didn't much care for most of the other characters either. The story line was interesting if contrived and I kept reading to find it's resolution.
2.5 stars rounded up
This was a fast read for me, but then it is less than 300 pages. Initially, I found it to be a little incoherent as the chapters bounced from character to character and in between 2 different time lines 25 year apart, but yet in the same neighborhood. I thought Jessica was an intriguing character in the beginning, but not particularly likeable. As the story progressed, I found her to be less intriguing and more of a mess. It seemed like she was using her questions of her parentage as an excuse to drink and then drink some more. But then I didn't much care for most of the other characters either. The story line was interesting if contrived and I kept reading to find it's resolution.
2.5 stars rounded up
June 1, 2019
This book will grip you from the very start and it has multiple layers to pull away. It has many twist and turns from it and you will not want to put this down. No matter what else is going on around you. One not to be missed.
July 8, 2019
A dull book, not least because this PI is investigating herself. Yes, really. She is an alcohol abuser and a drifter and commitment phobe too. A cardboard cast of characters surrounds her. Two stars for the competent though uninspired writing. I’ll be giving the rest of this series a miss.
January 16, 2023
Kurgusal olarak iyi, gayet akıcı. Katil faktörü de güzel, sıkılmadan okudum. Sıkıntı olarak görebileceğim tek şey karakterler olabilir, belki serinin başıdır diye bilemiyorum ama biraz sığ demek doğru olur. Yani ben yıllardır kayıp çocuk olduğumu öğrensem kafayı yerdim heralde.
December 14, 2024
Previše banalno napisano. Radnju ću zaboraviti nakon par sati 🫣
May 15, 2019
SOME MAY CONSIDER THIS A SPOILER!!!!!! POSITIVES; It was a creative concept for mystery. Gray's description of Hollywood felt real. It was like the set of the series Goliath. NEGATIVES; Dropping the story of one character when something was about to be revealed in one chapter and taking up another character's perspective in the next, only made it a little confusing and did not add to the story (this works sometimes,here not so much). The answer to the main mystery could be easily guessed 1/4 of the way through the book, the second was a good twist and nice tie into the last (it was sweet but a little late). I am not feeling the main character Jessica, she drank a lot, smoked alot, had a tattoo and pierced nose, not a lot of depth there. I read in bed before I sleep, I judge a book by how many nights it takes me to read it. I started this book ahead on my reading challenge now I am behind.
May 1, 2019
Intriguing plot
My choice of First Reads for May, the synopsis intrigued me-a picture from the past linking Jessica to a murder and a missing child. The author goes back and forth between the main characters, each with a different perspective.
I try not to do spoilers, so I will just say- this story is interesting and it is the start of a series. I look forward to reading more about Jessica Shaw- I like the author's writing style.
My choice of First Reads for May, the synopsis intrigued me-a picture from the past linking Jessica to a murder and a missing child. The author goes back and forth between the main characters, each with a different perspective.
I try not to do spoilers, so I will just say- this story is interesting and it is the start of a series. I look forward to reading more about Jessica Shaw- I like the author's writing style.
July 22, 2019
I really liked this one. The idea was good and I thought the author did a good job with the setting of the story. I liked the main characters and how they interacted. I thought the mystery part of the story was fast paced. This is the beginning of series and I will definitely be watching for the next book. I had never read this author and received this book from Kindle First Reads and I highly recommend it.
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