It’s been five months since one of the most prolific serial killers to ever exist rained pain and fear down upon their city, and Beck Nash and her colleagues at Las Vegas Metro have finally returned to some sense of normalcy.
Then, a cargo container full of body parts turns up in a Vegas warehouse, bearing the marks of a man believed to be dead.
With Beck in the cross hairs of both the killer and the FBI, she and her partner, Kevin Williams, will have to find a way to do what they did before – uncover clues that don’t exist and capture a murderer who should have already been caught.
21 Weeks Later is a stand-alone sequel to the 21 Weeks series.
Warning: This book is about a serial killer. There will be violence. There will be language. There will be other adult things. It is intended for a mature audience.
The plot. Las Vegas is traded for Cleveland as Beck and her partner Williams assist the FBI and the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Department with finding a killer whose work bears a striking resemblance to that of the 20 year killer.
The characters. Since most of the story takes place in a new location, there are several new characters introduced. Most of them are (very) likable while I wanted one in particular to fall face first into a pile of manure. I also really liked the developments in Beck's personal relationships. Hopefully we'll see that continue this Fall with another book release.
The writing. The story started off with a bang as LaShea drags you right back into the action and continues to build the suspense surrounding this killer's identity. There were moments when I questioned in which direction she was taking this story since it felt very different from what I had previously read. By the time I got to the end however, all questions were answered and I sat there looking absolutely horrified at my e-reader.
The special. This book was a fantastic setup for another series every bit as haunting as the 21 weeks series. Finally, have you taken a good look at that cover? Did you notice what's hanging between the letters K & S?
The negative. I skimmed a little during certain parts of the book because the author, through Beck, summed up what previously happened. It's not a large part of the narrative but I didn't want to relive the horrors of those poor victims.
The verdict. I couldn't have started this series at a better time because I'm really going to need the break between now and a potential new release this fall. This series is so good but make no mistake, it's not for the faint-hearted. Overal rating is a 4,25*.
Copycat killer - The copycat effect is the tendency of sensational publicity about violent murders or suicides to result in more of the same through imitation. The term was first coined around 1916 due to the crimes that were inspired by Jack the Ripper.
I became a fan of LaShea's thriller last year, her 21 Weeks Series should be placed among the best in the genre, alongside - Hawkins, Slaughter, Flynn. To have the lead, one of my book girlfriends, Beck Nash as a bisexual made it even more special.
I did not know about 21 Weeks Later, it wasn't the right time for me to be reading it - AO's semifinals, Coronavirus, Anxiety attacks but I could not resist. LaShea's back to being a master at pushing the uncomfortable envelope towards her readers without going over the top. The story was tense and exciting, full of twists and unexpected turns. It was dark, dramatic and weird.
Nash was again the target of a new/old serial killer - since I am not a law enforcement officer, I'm allowed to use such term without having my arse kicked. Our fearless yet always cautious leader was given the opportunity to partner with her better halves, Williams and Baxton. There weren't enough scenes of Nash and her potential love interest in the previous books but LaShea sort of made it up in this sequel so fans of romance, do rejoice. Caution, LaShea wasn't trying to impress her readers with her romance writing skill, their scenes were minimal and mostly work related but beautifully written, I probably highlighted all of them. Beck was still adjusting having someone in her life and with great - intelligent + kind + hot girlfriend, comes great responsibility in keeping her alive. There were moments where I wanted to twist her nipples for making decisions on her own instead of discussing them with the gf but I waited patiently for Beck to come to her senses and she did not disappoint.
Okay, the thriller. Of all 4 books, this was the easiest to read. Later was very different in both tone and storyline from The 21 Weeks Series, but there were similarities - the anxiety-inducing level of curiosity the author drummed up and the way in which I found myself clinging to the characters. Whether good or bad in nature, this author’s character development was on-point. She had a knack for dragging feelings out of me that even I couldn't fully understand at times. So be prepared, you might find yourself like me, sympathizing with someone you never would have imagined giving a second thought.
I absolutely adore LaShea's writing style. It's smart, engaging and just draws you IN. There is not a single drawn out moment or a wasted word.This is my kind of book, a deep character study and a sense of dread coming with each plot turn. You have no idea how this will end, but you know it is not going to be a happy one until you read the VERY LAST PAGE, and you don't even know the Mother of all Plot Twists that is waiting to make your next few days a miserable one
Beck Nash is back on the trail of a serial killer eerily similar to the one she hunted in the police procedural, 21 Weeks.
I do wish that less time had been spent on highlighting what had come before.
Some small moments of tension created here for me, actually had me a little anxious and it's those moments, albeit smaller than I would have liked that ensure I'll read the next book. I'm hoping the next book will have me on the edge of my seat like the book before this.
Some books seep into your subconscious and hitch a ride into the course of your everyday thoughts and emotions. LaShea’s 21 Weeks series does that but in a bed of razors or a hair-shirt kind of way. In the originals, a master class evil was on the loose in Las Vegas and the detectives chasing behind were always woefully outdone and outmaneuvered. Beck Nash, a wild child of an investigator, led the way through death and destruction at its most visceral level. By all means, read those books. But this review is about 21 Weeks Later, the next steps in the series where we revisit enigmatic Beck Nash and her main crew but they are on the hunt for a different killer in Cleveland. Or are they?
Another fantastic read, plenty of adrenaline infusing thrills, but while the first volumes were grandiose, Later is more of a solidly thought out procedural. My only wish and why I drop down to 4.5 stars is that I felt it did not kick off from the start the way the originals did. The first 1/4 of Later felt like a reassembling of pieces, a gathering of forces and maybe it was needed to acquaint anyone not familiar with the original series. However, as soon as everything was set, the narrative took off and didn’t stop until the end. Nowhere near as gruesome as the first books in case anyone’s wondering and although there’s a f/f couple present, this is not a romance.
Another perfect score!!! This serie is by far my favorite. The suspense, the plot, the intrigue, everything is there. Can't wait to read the Weeks ahead.
This series is absolutely addictive! It’s so interesting how you can feel dread, tension and anticipation with every page turn. This installment wasn’t as heavy as the journey of the first killer, which to me was a positive. I still had a bit of an eye roll/suspension of disbelief moment at the end, but overall it was still pretty grounded (and gory!) and the stakes were believable.
I also appreciated seeing Nash going through the aftermath of the Benji case. No way you can simply go on with your life after such trauma without consequences to your psyche, and it helped me have a deeper emotional connection to the story (though I still think we should’ve seen a bit more grief after what happened on week 18 - I’m still having issues recovering from just reading that).
I’m hopeful on the next chapter we’ll get to see more of her personal life and how the events of the pasts months affected the dynamics with her brother and niece, and how her own romantic relation is evolving. Not only Nash, but the other characters as well. Baxton continues to be part of the reason I’m so into these books, I keep wishing we could see more of her.
And for those who don’t know what to read after finishing this book, I recommend giving Trigger (Jessica Webb) a try. Something about the writing style and composition of the suspense reminds me of that book :)
This is an interesting and intriguing story with strong , well developed characters and an action packed story line. The author does a great job bringing the story to life with detailed writing and vividly painted scenes. It's a fast paced story that had me glued to the pages right to the end. Great Read !!!
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
21 Weeks Later is a stand-alone sequel to the 21 Weeks series and is the first book I have read by this author.
I found this to be a great crime thriller and police procedural. The characters are intelligent and driven. The storyline is well written and kept my interest from start to finish as Beck Nash and her partner try to find a copycat serial killer.
I would love to read other books by this author. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is my first time reading anything by this author and it’s the type of book that makes my having insomnia not seem so bad as it means I get to stay up and read this wonderful book. It’s a fast-paced action-packed story that had me glued to my kindle as I eagerly turned page after page completely unable to take a break until I had read it cover to cover. I’m definitely going to be keeping an eye out for more by this author in the future.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This series is so very good, although I do not know how RA LaShea keeps topping the previous murders with even more gruesome murders. Loving Beck & Shannon finally together. That’s a match I wanted throughout the first 21 Weeks. I am hooked for the next installment, regardless of how many there are.
This book was amazing! I loved the first books of the 21 weeks series. It's so awesome watching Beck and the team figure follow clues and chase after serial killers. The first 21 weeks were insane. And OMG 21 Weeks Later. This is such a great thriller series, it's crazy! I definitely recommend reading this series if you're okay with some of the more graphic scenes.
ALSO THAT ENDING THO. Please keep writing, we need the next book!!