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Raised as siblings by an itinerant “gypsy” family, knife expert Bobby Cain, trained by the US military in the lethal art of covert eliminations, and Harper McCoy, nurtured by the US Navy and the CIA to run black ops and wage psychological warfare, are now civilians. Of a sort. Employing the skills learned from the “family” and their training, they now fix the unfixable. Case in point: Retired General William Kessler hires the duo to track down his missing granddaughter, a Vanderbilt University co-ed. Their search leads them to a small, bucolic, lake-side town in central Tennessee and into a world of prostitution, human trafficking, and serial murder. The question then becomes: Will their considerable skills be enough for Cain and Harper to save the young woman, and themselves, from a sociopath with “home field” advantage, a hunter’s skills, and his own deeply disturbing agenda?

294 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 8, 2019

586 people are currently reading
297 people want to read

About the author

D.P. Lyle

34 books153 followers
DP Lyle, MD is the Macavity and Benjamin Franklin Silver Award winning and Edgar, Agatha, Anthony, Scribe, Silver Falchion, and USA Best Book Award nominated author of many non-fiction books as well as numerous works of fiction.

He has worked with many novelists and with the writers of popular television shows such as Law & Order, CSI: Miami, Diagnosis Murder, Monk, House, Medium, and Pretty Little Liars and others

For the past 35 years, he has practiced Cardiology in Orange County, California. He is the co-host, along with Jan Burke, of Crime and Science Radio, a twice-monthly program on Suspense Radio.



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5 stars
435 (58%)
4 stars
220 (29%)
3 stars
72 (9%)
2 stars
13 (1%)
1 star
8 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
Profile Image for Maranda.
930 reviews37 followers
September 28, 2019
Bobby Cain and Harper McCoy were both raised in a gypsy family and had all the connections of brother and sister. Having been separated to their own endeavors and training these two now form a team known for solving problems and righting wrongs. Lyle presents a very interesting detective story that leads the reader down a less traveled road. "A copy of this book was provided by Suspense Publishing via NetGalley with no requirements for a review. Comments here are my honest opinion." Look for more in this A CAIN/HARPER THRILLER (#1) series.
Profile Image for K-BRC.
1,027 reviews
October 6, 2020
Nobody does creepy characters like Dp Lyle. This is one you will not want to miss either. Spooky good.
Profile Image for Suspense Magazine.
569 reviews90 followers
October 9, 2019
From BookTrib:

Imagine a person sick enough to buy kidnapped women, tattoo them like animals and then release them as sporting prey. That’s the basis of D.P. Lyle’s aptly titled new thriller Skin in the Game (Suspense Publishing), and it’s a premise so horrific and disturbing you’ll have to stop at times to take a breath.

You’ll keep reading in large part because you can’t imagine an antagonist who’s more deserving of an unhappy ending, and you’ll want to know if the story turns out that way.

Ultimately, Skin in the Game is about hunting and pits those who hunt in the garden of good against those who choose the garden of evil. Like rubberneckers at a traffic accident, we follow the killer and his demented friends stalking women forced to run for their lives. However, the hunters become the hunted thanks to the private investigative team of Bobby Cain and Harper McCoy.

A veteran thriller writer and teacher on the art of writing crime fiction, Lyle uses Skin in the Game to introduce these two new heroes, and the Cain-McCoy pairing offers rich dynamics for future stories.

Raised by itinerant gypsies as siblings, Cain and McCoy are both seasoned veterans of dark operations who left government service to become private investigative “fixers” who don’t hesitate to use extra-normal procedures to get the results their clients want. Their sibling relationship provides an interesting departure from the usual special-ops buddy pairings or male-female partnerships that mainly focus on sexual tension. Bobby Cain also destroys the cliché about never bringing a knife to a gunfight. His knife-tossing superpower serves him well and sharpens the story (pun intended).

As the story opens, Cain is enlisted by retired Gen. William Kessler, a legendary figure in military and espionage circles who helped Cain launch his career, to locate his missing granddaughter. Cindy Grant is a sophomore at Vanderbilt University, and Cain and McCoy soon discover alarming details: She was lured into joining several other attractive coeds who work as escorts to rich men. It seemed like a lark; a chance for some thrills and easy money. Instead, Cindy has become a victim of human trafficking, setting off a chain of events that’s far worse than Kessler could ever imagine.

Once the General learns the brutal details, it reinforces his determination that Cain and McCoy must find the perpetrators and deal with them using suffering at least equal to the pain inflicted. Going back and forth between Nashville and rural Tennessee, they identify possible suspects. Evidence is scant, so they take big risks to get closer to the human trafficking network recruiting the young women. Rural Tennessee settings are important parts of the story. Cain and McCoy find themselves operating on the killer’s home turf.

Fortunately for them, most of the bad actors in this story aren’t brilliant opponents. Although their actions are profoundly evil, they do things that more sophisticated or thoughtful criminals wouldn’t do. That makes some of the set pieces less plausible and a bit more predictable. But it won’t stop you from reading to the end.

Cain and McCoy are strong believers in the “ends justify the means” school of moral choices. Although the book is certainly not science fiction, its broad strokes reminded me of the reboot of Battlestar Galactica, a sci-fi series that came of age shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and often had its characters face dilemmas in which they had to decide if extreme measures were justified to combat extreme evil.

Watching Lyle’s main characters face such choices provides extra dimension and energy to the story. How far will the sibling team go to carry out the demands of Gen. Kessler and their own definitions of justice? In their future adventures, it won’t be surprising if Cain and McCoy again face the issue of whether “revenge” and “justice” can truly be synonyms, or at least live as neighbors on the same street.
Profile Image for 3 no 7.
751 reviews23 followers
November 13, 2019
“Skin in the Game” by D. P. Lyle entices readers with a skillful story set in a small town in Tennessee. It is filled with beautiful geography but also with terror, madness, and cunning. The account is firmly grounded with a “down-home storytelling” style; it is entertaining and focused but with colorful details that keep readers captivated. The action is conversation driven, so readers hear what people say to each other, say about each other and, and say about the events. Incidents are described from various points of view with all intertwined into a frightening and intricate plot line. The investigative process on all levels is detailed, specific, and at times almost clinical.

The characters provide the foundation of the story. This is not just the account of a terrible crime; it is the story of those who perpetrated it, suffered because of it, and most importantly, those who solved it. The main characters, Bobby Cain and his sister Harper McCoy, are flawed, but dedicated, focused, and well skilled. They have intricate backstories that endear them to readers. Readers learn how they grew into their present day selves, and how they developed the skills needed for the task at hand. Additional characters, both good and not so good, are complex, true-to-life, and a supplement to the action.

Of course Lyle includes in a nice plug for books and authors when characters are cautioned to be careful what they say;
“Mother’s a crime writer. You might end up in one of her books.”
There is also a reminder for readers as well;
“I expect you to go to Amazon and give it five stars.”

I received a review copy of “Skin in the Game” from D. P. Lyle and Suspense Publishing. It was a little creepy, but still enjoyable to read, and yes, per the narrative’s instructions, I gave it five stars.
Profile Image for BookTrib.com .
1,987 reviews162 followers
Read
October 9, 2019
Imagine a person sick enough to buy kidnapped women, tattoo them like animals and then release them as sporting prey. That’s the basis of D.P. Lyle’s aptly titled new thriller Skin in the Game (Suspense Publishing), and it’s a premise so horrific and disturbing you’ll have to stop at times to take a breath.

You’ll keep reading in large part because you can’t imagine an antagonist who’s more deserving of an unhappy ending, and you’ll want to know if the story turns out that way.

Ultimately, Skin in the Game is about hunting and pits those who hunt in the garden of good against those who choose the garden of evil. Like rubberneckers at a traffic accident, we follow the killer and his demented friends stalking women forced to run for their lives. However, the hunters become the hunted thanks to the private investigative team of Bobby Cain and Harper McCoy.

A veteran thriller writer and teacher on the art of writing crime fiction, Lyle uses Skin in the Game to introduce these two new heroes, and the Cain-McCoy pairing offers rich dynamics for future stories.

Raised by itinerant gypsies as siblings, Cain and McCoy are both seasoned veterans of dark operations who left government service to become private investigative “fixers” who don’t hesitate to use extra-normal procedures to get the results their clients want. Their sibling relationship provides an interesting departure from the usual special-ops buddy pairings or male-female partnerships that mainly focus on sexual tension. Bobby Cain also destroys the cliché about never bringing a knife to a gunfight. His knife-tossing superpower serves him well and sharpens the story (pun intended).

The rest of the review: https://booktrib.com/2019/10/sibling-...
Profile Image for Anita Rodgers.
Author 19 books56 followers
March 27, 2022
A retired general calls on former special ops siblings with unique skill sets to locate his missing granddaughter. Fast-paced read with a decent payoff at the end. A little too much backstory injected throughout the novel for my tastes and I found myself skimming over those parts. The first three chapters were a bit choppy and disjointed, but the story smooths out after that.

I actually would've rated it a 3.5 but that wasn't an option.

It wasn't exactly my usual read, so others may like it more than I did. Worth reading though.
Profile Image for starlitpages.sya.
5 reviews1 follower
September 6, 2019
It was at first the genre, of course, that got me to stumble across Skin in the Game. But it was the description of Cain and Harper's background that got me to click the request button from Netgalley. Siblings working together as a pair of private detectives (of sorts)? Interesting. Raised together in a makeshift family of Gypsies? I'm in. I almost forgot about the serial killer they had to catch.

x

Characters-wise, I won't go into Cain and Harper's professional skills because you'd expect them to be good - and they were better. What I appreciated most was that they were not... These coolly distant agents who had seen too much in the world to be emotionally available to the rest of it anymore? I know they were good at blending in with the more ordinary us - to seem socially normal for example, when needed - but while they were obviously hardened by their experiences, they could still be genuinely warm - they were. I think this makes it obvious that I was (half) expecting a pair of coldhearted, all-business-like agents who came in, got the deeds done, went out with a splatter and a bang XD Yes yes, I didn't know better.

Cain and Harper aside, I sure want to hear from Mama B again, hopefully from Chief Laura Cutler and her delightful mother too >_<

x

I wondered what our serial killer was trying to accomplish when first meeting him on the page. It sounded ugly, what he was working his victim into. But further in, when I realized his... Intention, I couldn't help but imagine in my head, and even Cain thought the outcome was beautiful when he saw the final presentation. Putting it like this makes me nauseous, but I hope I get somebody interested in the book. Go pick it up |:

There are also issues of prostitution and human-trafficking. Where they almost always lead to devastate me, more so the loved ones left behind. The book gave a good insight on one of the ways they operate.

x

And so. 4 and half stars. Setting, characters, plot all well-developed and engrossing. Unique, in this case - at least to me. This is the first work by D.P. Lyle that I've read. It won't be the last.

Thank you Netgalley (:
Profile Image for Cathy Geha.
4,345 reviews119 followers
October 9, 2019
Skin in the Game by D.P. Lyle
A Cain/Harper Thriller #1

Excellent introduction to a new series by an author I have never read before but look forward to reading again in the future. This story grabbed my on the first page and kept me quickly turning pages till the very end. The book eventually reminded me of a movie I saw with my father decades ago. One that had Peter Fonda in it – a movie that I have never been able to forget. This book will no doubt linger like that movie did. It was dark and disturbing and I was definitely hoping that Cain and Harper would manage to do the job they set out to accomplish.

Bad things happen to people in big cities and small towns. Sometimes the expertise of people like Cain and Harper is needed to “fix things” and if I ever needed to have someone on my side I would hope to find someone as accomplished as these two. This book was dark and gritty and made me thankful that I have not run into situations like the ones presented in this story.

I loved Cain and Harper and look forward to reading more about them in future books in this series. They are strong, capable and willing to do what it takes. I am interested in learning more about both of them and wonder what the next book will be about.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and Suspense Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars
Profile Image for Laurie Tell.
519 reviews12 followers
August 5, 2019
Just finished this book and I'm not sure what to say, except maybe wow!

This was gripping, and twisted, and thrilling. I loved the main characters and will be looking for more books with them as the lead. I loved the writing style, and was totally drawn into the story.

I've read hundreds, maybe thousands of "detective" novels and this ranks right up there.

I want to thank the publisher and #netgalley for the advance copy. This didn't affect my review.
Profile Image for Allen Gregory.
Author 5 books5 followers
March 26, 2021
Full of intrigue - and a very creepy antagonist! An excellent read! D.P. Lyle spins a very good yarn with lots of interesting twists and a satisfying conclusion. The real highlight of the read for me was the backstory of the two protagonists, Harper and Cain. Their lifelines were woven expertly into the fabric of the story and made the story even better. Good read - you'll find yourself reading "just one more chapter" until you're done...
53 reviews
November 25, 2020
Good plotting and enjoyable to read. It is unfortunate that the author does not know the difference between the present and past tense of the word "lie." In every instance he sticks with the word "lay." As in "lay down," instead of "lie down." Well that got me to rate the book as a 4 instead of a 5.
922 reviews11 followers
December 3, 2020
Intense Hardcore Reading at its Best!

Not for weak-knee readers, D.P. Kyle is a master at creating some of the most evil characters ever who have no conscious what so ever! Great plot keeps developing throughout the story through to the final page, with no "dead" paragraphs anywhere in the book! A masterful crime thriller!
Profile Image for Geraldine M.
254 reviews1 follower
December 5, 2020
Thriller

Action packed, fast-paced. I couldn't put it down. Someone is buying women, beautiful women, who the narcissist thins he can improve upon by rattling their bodies. And then the hunt begins, or does it? This is a must read. Great story telling Great characters and takes place in Tennessee.
256 reviews
January 26, 2021
Lovable characters in a surprisingly story

The hero characters are well constructed and written. Each has his/her own merits, making them attractive. The story is really crazy, making readers wonder how they could exist. There are minor missed editing errors, e.g. the words, us or me, apear in the third person tenses.
Profile Image for Greg.
1,635 reviews96 followers
May 29, 2020
A little slow until later in the book, likely because it's the first in a series, and the author needed to set up the main characters' backstories. Very weird (gruesome) bad guy. Cain and Harper are interesting...I hope they get fleshed out (no pun intended) a little more in future books.
Profile Image for Michael.
376 reviews6 followers
November 24, 2020
Excellent Thriller

A very good edge of the seat thriller... a page turner that was hsrd to put down. The story was well written, ha a fast pace and did not disappoint in any way...read it in one sitging. Looking forward to Book 2.
Profile Image for Aparna J.
430 reviews5 followers
November 26, 2020
Absolutely breathtaking

One of the best thrillers, I have ever read. Cain and Harper's background story was awesome. The way they tracked down the killer/ killers was fabulous. It's a wonderful read.
417 reviews2 followers
November 27, 2020
Nice

I loved the book. It was filled with enough action to keep me from wanting to put the book down. I read it overnight. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a ton and smart read.
43 reviews
December 2, 2020
Intrigue aplenty

Having started this book I was in two minds whether to continue after the first couple of chapters.I am glad I stuck with it once the story got into it's stride I was completely absorbed and am looking forward to the next in the series
Profile Image for Nicole.
29 reviews1 follower
December 9, 2020
Super dark...

...but thrilling entertainment. But I should emphasize dark! Cain and Harper are badasses. The serial killers didn’t stand a chance. But that doesn’t mean everything worked out in the end...
484 reviews
November 24, 2020
Game

Another author who has a love affair with bad language, particularly "f" this and that. Give me an author who can make a point without this kind of dirt.
Profile Image for Phyllis.
Author 4 books
November 27, 2020
Cain and Harper great characters with interesting backstories. The MO of the bad guy was a twist that I didn't see coming. Good read.
55 reviews1 follower
November 29, 2020
Decent action some implausible plot twists.

Not sure the bad guys’ behavior made sense. Well written and edited. I will read more thrillers by this author.
544 reviews2 followers
December 2, 2020
A very good and complicated murder mystery

Cain and Harper go off to rescue a young lady but she is killed and they bust up the whole situation
20 reviews
December 6, 2020
Great read

Loved every minute of this book. The author kept it interesting throughout.
Would definitely recommend; a little different to the usual kidnapping and killing.
6 reviews
December 13, 2020
Highly recommend

This is great writing. The thriller is intense & I highly recommend this book. Sick and twisted but a great read.
Profile Image for Matthew Brooky.
2 reviews
December 20, 2020
Great Read

This is an excellent storyline. The murders are intriguing and it is hard to put the book down. I recommend.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews

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