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Orchestrating Murder
By day, he wears a mask, concealing his true nature from the world. By night, he conducts his plans, carefully composing death for those deemed less worthy in his eyes of existence.
When bodies of convicted felons start turning up, Detective Gregory Shaw is called upon to investigate. His suspicions fall on a well-known attorney, but can he prove his hunch holds merit?
When bodies of convicted felons start turning up, Detective Gregory Shaw is called upon to investigate. His suspicions fall on a well-known attorney, but can he prove his hunch holds merit?
236 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 28, 2018
2 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
Heather Osborne
29 books128 followersHeather Osborne was born and raised in California. She has a Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Victimology, as well as coursework in Early Childhood Education. In 2009, she moved to Scotland. Heather has been writing short stories for as long as she can remember. She also has written and directed several plays. In her spare time, Heather enjoys reading, writing (of course!), theatre, as well as caring for her young son.
She also reviews for Readers' Favorite.
She also reviews for Readers' Favorite.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
September 10, 2018
I’ve just had a lovely afternoon reading this. Firstly I delayed reading this and I think it’s due to the title as I’m not keen on orchestra music. Let me say that was a big mistake. If I had have known how good it was I’d have jumped right in.
I loved the pace of the story. From the start to finish I didn’t want to put my kindle down. The author has weaved a story that sucks you right in. The characters are solid and well written. Some characters are likeable.. others well I wasn’t sure about.
I absolutely loved this story. I thought I knew what was going to happen and then next thing I know bam. I sure loved the emotions the author pulled me through while reading this.
Cannot wait to read more from this author.
I loved the pace of the story. From the start to finish I didn’t want to put my kindle down. The author has weaved a story that sucks you right in. The characters are solid and well written. Some characters are likeable.. others well I wasn’t sure about.
I absolutely loved this story. I thought I knew what was going to happen and then next thing I know bam. I sure loved the emotions the author pulled me through while reading this.
Cannot wait to read more from this author.
September 16, 2018
A really well thought out novel with real depth to the characters. Osborne knows her subject and it shows. Add a natural flair for writing and you have a novel that's a terrific read.
December 22, 2019
I loved the way the subplots were intricately woven together in this audiobook to spin a tale of deceit, love, murder, and vengeance. Edward is a lawyer representing a firm whose clients have begun to turn up dead. He hardly pays attention to this or the ramblings of his boss when his eyes are set on a beautiful doctor. At first, she is wooed by Edward, but after her friend on the police task warns her he may be potentially dangerous, she begins to back off. From there, the story escalates in a deadly game of cat and mouse.
I’ve never come across a thriller book where I generally thought the killer was a different person than it was. I love books that I can’t predict, and this one had that and more. Not to mention the tragic ending and the twist at the end. Very powerful thriller. I’ll definitely be checking out more work by this author.
Narration was smooth and easy to listen to. Great compliment to the story.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
I’ve never come across a thriller book where I generally thought the killer was a different person than it was. I love books that I can’t predict, and this one had that and more. Not to mention the tragic ending and the twist at the end. Very powerful thriller. I’ll definitely be checking out more work by this author.
Narration was smooth and easy to listen to. Great compliment to the story.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
September 3, 2018
In Orchestrating Murder, bodies belonging to convicted felons keep turning up. Detective Gregory Shaw is called upon to investigate. His suspicions fall on a well-known legal firm. Can he prove his hunch though? The story centres around, Detective Shaw, Dr Young and members of the legal firm. As the story continues these characters intertwine in a real page-turner of a novel.
The characters are all well written, you get to know them well. All characters come with a good amount of back story so you feel like you can relate to them. The lead characters are especially relatable. I found myself considering them friends by the end of the book. I would have liked to get to know the supporting characters more. However, there is room for a sequel to do this in.
The book is an easy read, that keeps you guessing. The story flows so well you find yourself turning page after page. After the perpetrator is revealed you turn the pages waiting for him to be caught.
I have to say I enjoyed this book until the last 10%. I simply did not like the end hence, I had to score it 4 stars rather than 5. The fact I didn't like the end may say more about me as a reader than the author. Many others may disagree with me and like the ending. Personally, the ending spoilt the book for me. Having said that I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I finished. It has definitely served the purpose of keeping the book in my mind.
I urge you to give this book a read and would be interested in your opinion of the end. I look forward to reading more from this author especially if a sequel is imminent.
The characters are all well written, you get to know them well. All characters come with a good amount of back story so you feel like you can relate to them. The lead characters are especially relatable. I found myself considering them friends by the end of the book. I would have liked to get to know the supporting characters more. However, there is room for a sequel to do this in.
The book is an easy read, that keeps you guessing. The story flows so well you find yourself turning page after page. After the perpetrator is revealed you turn the pages waiting for him to be caught.
I have to say I enjoyed this book until the last 10%. I simply did not like the end hence, I had to score it 4 stars rather than 5. The fact I didn't like the end may say more about me as a reader than the author. Many others may disagree with me and like the ending. Personally, the ending spoilt the book for me. Having said that I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I finished. It has definitely served the purpose of keeping the book in my mind.
I urge you to give this book a read and would be interested in your opinion of the end. I look forward to reading more from this author especially if a sequel is imminent.
September 4, 2018
After enjoying Osborne’s Rae Hatting series, I was very pleased to see that she’d published this stand-alone thriller.
The book kicks off with a very tense opening. After the prologue, you’ll want to keep reading the whole book in one go!
Parts of the book are written from the antagonist’s point of view. Getting an in-depth insight into their thoughts and actions was chilling and disturbing. Occasional glimpses into the victims pain and uncertainty can, at times, be an uncomfortable reading experience, which is testament to the quality of the writing.
As in the Rae Hatting series, Osborne combines a complicated criminal investigation with a little romance. The elements work well, without the romance taking over the story. If there had been more romance than there was, it may have put me off the story, but Osborne gets the mixture just right.
I’d highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys the crime/suspense/thriller genres. It’s an excellent read that will keep you guessing and wondering where the story will take you next.
The book kicks off with a very tense opening. After the prologue, you’ll want to keep reading the whole book in one go!
Parts of the book are written from the antagonist’s point of view. Getting an in-depth insight into their thoughts and actions was chilling and disturbing. Occasional glimpses into the victims pain and uncertainty can, at times, be an uncomfortable reading experience, which is testament to the quality of the writing.
As in the Rae Hatting series, Osborne combines a complicated criminal investigation with a little romance. The elements work well, without the romance taking over the story. If there had been more romance than there was, it may have put me off the story, but Osborne gets the mixture just right.
I’d highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys the crime/suspense/thriller genres. It’s an excellent read that will keep you guessing and wondering where the story will take you next.
September 9, 2018
****4.5 stars****
An author’s mind can be a scary, twisted place, and after reading the atmospheric, spine-chilling, suspense-laden, crime thriller, Orchestrating Murder by Heather Osborne I can say I never want to get on her bad side - like EVER! *shudders*
A killer on a crusade. A veteran detective determined to bring him to justice - whatever it takes. And a gifted doctor caught in the crosshairs.
I’m a sucker for trying to work out who the ‘bad guy’ in a story is, and I did have a hunch with this one. What was that? *cocks ear* Am I going to tell you if I was right? Umm, nope *snorts* Once you’ve read the book, come back and we can discuss our theories.
Like conducting a symphony orchestra, the author builds and weaves the story, note by note, until the crescendo hits with a blinding finale that left me breathless.
Yup, I was doing my best ‘Laura catching flies’ look... no comments please!
I just love when an author throws me for a loop and Heather definitely accomplished that. This was a book that gripped me from the off and the author’s writing was such that it was an ‘easy’ read and flowed well. So much so that I devoured the story in a couple of hours.
I had a couple of niggles which just stopped this book from being an outright 5 stars, but I now have another new-to-me author from 2018 to add to my watch list.
You can’t get better than that!
An author’s mind can be a scary, twisted place, and after reading the atmospheric, spine-chilling, suspense-laden, crime thriller, Orchestrating Murder by Heather Osborne I can say I never want to get on her bad side - like EVER! *shudders*
A killer on a crusade. A veteran detective determined to bring him to justice - whatever it takes. And a gifted doctor caught in the crosshairs.
I’m a sucker for trying to work out who the ‘bad guy’ in a story is, and I did have a hunch with this one. What was that? *cocks ear* Am I going to tell you if I was right? Umm, nope *snorts* Once you’ve read the book, come back and we can discuss our theories.
Like conducting a symphony orchestra, the author builds and weaves the story, note by note, until the crescendo hits with a blinding finale that left me breathless.
Yup, I was doing my best ‘Laura catching flies’ look... no comments please!
I just love when an author throws me for a loop and Heather definitely accomplished that. This was a book that gripped me from the off and the author’s writing was such that it was an ‘easy’ read and flowed well. So much so that I devoured the story in a couple of hours.
I had a couple of niggles which just stopped this book from being an outright 5 stars, but I now have another new-to-me author from 2018 to add to my watch list.
You can’t get better than that!
July 14, 2021
I enjoyed this book very much. It was a bit darker than cosy crime, but not what I’d call gritty. I thought the main characters were well drawn and the story was quite pacy. I listened to it as an audiobook and found it to be the right length. The narrator read the book well and kept my interest.
I think the ending to the book moved it up to a 4 star read for me, as I hadn’t expected what happened to happen! I would definitely seek out more of Heather’s books.
I think the ending to the book moved it up to a 4 star read for me, as I hadn’t expected what happened to happen! I would definitely seek out more of Heather’s books.
July 27, 2021
This book was a really pleasant surprise. I prefer books set in the UK, but do occasionally stray, and in this case I'm glad I did. This is an excellent, dark serial killer thriller with an exciting storyline. interesting characters, and a teeny bit of romance. The story is well written, flows really well and I couldn't help listening way past my bedtime because I wanted to know how the story ended. And wow, that ending was quite shocking and unexpected! I will definitely be looking for more books written by this author.
The story was made even better by the excellent narration of Holly Palance.
The story was made even better by the excellent narration of Holly Palance.
July 13, 2021
AUDIOBOOK
This is a really dark and thrilling audio about a serial killer who is targeting the scum of society and playing vigilante in a world where sometimes the bad guys to not get punished. It’s a race against time to find out who is responsible as innocent people get caught in the crossfire this ending totally shocked me. Loved it
This is a really dark and thrilling audio about a serial killer who is targeting the scum of society and playing vigilante in a world where sometimes the bad guys to not get punished. It’s a race against time to find out who is responsible as innocent people get caught in the crossfire this ending totally shocked me. Loved it
August 7, 2021
It was a fun little thriller. You have a few unlikeable characters who you can easily believe are capable of murder, a grumbly police detective who has just finished a messy divorce, and an accomplished doctor (who is our main love interest). The pacing was good and I was never bored with the book even if certain elements are a bit predictable.
Let’s talk about the ladies first. Dr. Lindsay Young lives with her mom and her little toddler son. I forget what her specialty is but that doesn’t matter for the book because nearly all her page time features her romantically. Edward, a finnicky lawyer, is courting her. Meanwhile, Greg Shaw (our detective) has long-suppressed feelings for her. I recall a third woman, who, again, is sexualized. When Lindsay and her mom chat, it’s about Lindsay’s love life. So this tale doesn’t pass the Bechdel test. I would have liked the ladies to have a bigger role, actually be plot-relevant.
The murder mystery was fun. At first, I had multiple suspects but as the plot moved along, it quickly became clear that there was a red herring. So I was able to eliminate that person from my suspect list, which really just left one possibility. It is a small caste, making it easy to guess who did the deed. Yet I didn’t see this one little twist coming that involved how the killer related to someone they know well.
I liked that this story brought up how some human lives are valued more than others and it challenges the reader to assess where they stand on it. Is the murder of a drug addict any less worthy of our attention than the death of an innocent child? Stuff like that. So I appreciate that little bit of depth to the story. Over all, it was fun. 3/5 stars.
The Narration: Holly Palance did a good job. I liked her voice for Dr. Lindsay Young and loved how she aged it up for Lindsay’s mom, making them sound related. She also had a good voice for the detective which was distinct from the lawyers. Though I did sometimes get the two lawyers mixed up when they were talking because they both come off as snooty (as the story dictates). The pacing was good and there were no tech issues with the recording. 4/5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are 100% my own.
Let’s talk about the ladies first. Dr. Lindsay Young lives with her mom and her little toddler son. I forget what her specialty is but that doesn’t matter for the book because nearly all her page time features her romantically. Edward, a finnicky lawyer, is courting her. Meanwhile, Greg Shaw (our detective) has long-suppressed feelings for her. I recall a third woman, who, again, is sexualized. When Lindsay and her mom chat, it’s about Lindsay’s love life. So this tale doesn’t pass the Bechdel test. I would have liked the ladies to have a bigger role, actually be plot-relevant.
The murder mystery was fun. At first, I had multiple suspects but as the plot moved along, it quickly became clear that there was a red herring. So I was able to eliminate that person from my suspect list, which really just left one possibility. It is a small caste, making it easy to guess who did the deed. Yet I didn’t see this one little twist coming that involved how the killer related to someone they know well.
I liked that this story brought up how some human lives are valued more than others and it challenges the reader to assess where they stand on it. Is the murder of a drug addict any less worthy of our attention than the death of an innocent child? Stuff like that. So I appreciate that little bit of depth to the story. Over all, it was fun. 3/5 stars.
The Narration: Holly Palance did a good job. I liked her voice for Dr. Lindsay Young and loved how she aged it up for Lindsay’s mom, making them sound related. She also had a good voice for the detective which was distinct from the lawyers. Though I did sometimes get the two lawyers mixed up when they were talking because they both come off as snooty (as the story dictates). The pacing was good and there were no tech issues with the recording. 4/5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are 100% my own.
September 14, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed Orchestrating Murder by Heather Osborne. I read it in less than 24 hours. Matter of fact, I got up in the middle of the night to finish reading. I was drawn to the book within the first 1 1/2 pages of the Prelude. Heather Osborne has blossomed into a precise and competitive writer. As I was reading Orchestrating Murder, I thought I was reading a book by one of my favorite crime authors, Michael Connelly, Patricia Cornwell, or James Patterson. The author did a great job with her characters, and made the reader really like, or really hate, them! The ending was so unexpected that I was originally mad at the author, however, after contemplating the book for a bit, I feel that it was a genius move for Heather Osborne to take the unexpected route! I look forward to more from Heather Osborne!
January 3, 2019
Orchestrating Murder had me hooked on the story within the first chapter. It was very well written and kept me on the edge of my seat! I couldn't get enough of this book! Thrilling!!! I was so upset with the end of the story until I thought about it, it just wouldn't have been as realistic with a different ending. This isn't my normal genre, but I definitely enjoyed it and would love to see more books of this quality from Heather Osborne. I really enjoyed the narration by Holly Palance!
August 8, 2021
Audiobook review
A really good creepy vibe from this story.
It was much more than the blurb said it was and the whole creepiness of the masked person ran well.
Narrator was good too. At 1st I thought a bit too polite but no, they carried it off well.
A really good creepy vibe from this story.
It was much more than the blurb said it was and the whole creepiness of the masked person ran well.
Narrator was good too. At 1st I thought a bit too polite but no, they carried it off well.
July 2, 2019
Orchestrating Murder. Wow. What an awesome book! I didn't realize how emotionally invested I was until the end and I was begging for it not to be over! Fingers remain crossed for a sequel.
I love all the musical allusions as well. Being a music freak, I appreciate how it is mixed into the book. That and Tchaikovsky is one of my favorite composers.
The audio production was superb as well. The narrator does a great job of giving each character their own voice and the emotions really flow.
I received the audiobook at my request from the author/narrator/publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I love all the musical allusions as well. Being a music freak, I appreciate how it is mixed into the book. That and Tchaikovsky is one of my favorite composers.
The audio production was superb as well. The narrator does a great job of giving each character their own voice and the emotions really flow.
I received the audiobook at my request from the author/narrator/publisher in exchange for an honest review.
August 17, 2021
An intriguing storyline and great characters, what more could you want. Just as I thought I knew who the perpetrator was everything changed. An excellent read.
July 30, 2021
A dark thriller which kept your attention from the beginning right up to the very end. Someone is punishing convicted felons for their crimes, as the bodies mount can Detective Shaw and his partner solve the crimes. They know who they think has done it, proving it is another matter. This was a great paced audio book, with well drawn out characters you got to know through the book. This was a really good story, with an ending I wasn't expecting. Will definitely be looking out for more by this author.
April 17, 2020
Great plot. Characters are well planned and relatable. I had a hunch that proved correct, but there were many details I missed. Will definitely read/listen again.
April 7, 2020
I received a free audio copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I loved this book! It was a fun listen! I definitely didn't know what to expect when I saw the cover and title, but I enjoyed it!
The only thing I would have loved to see more of would have been more character development! I enjoyed the characters, but I felt like I I could have gotten to know them a little bit better with more character development.
It was still a great read! Thank you!
I loved this book! It was a fun listen! I definitely didn't know what to expect when I saw the cover and title, but I enjoyed it!
The only thing I would have loved to see more of would have been more character development! I enjoyed the characters, but I felt like I I could have gotten to know them a little bit better with more character development.
It was still a great read! Thank you!
April 26, 2021
For starters, I'm not satisfied with the ending. I'm a little confused as to why Edward would all of a sudden change his mind to pass on the legacy of Wilks' work. He seemed so adamant against Wilks and his goals for Edward. I think Lindsey and Shaw were caught in the web and couldn't seem to get themselves out of it. Lindsey didn't deserve what she got, but sometimes things aren't as they seemed. There are many POV's which I don't mind as long as the characters voicing their viewpoints are relevant to the story. Overall, this was an okay read.
January 3, 2022
I finished this book in a day. It was an easy, enticing, and engaging read. I thought I had the killer figured out in the first few chapters but I was wrong. The back story for each character makes you feel like you actually know them, even the characters with smaller parts.
I like the twist and turns of this book and wasn’t expecting the twist in the encore. It was definitely a good book to start my 2022 reading. Highly recommend.
I like the twist and turns of this book and wasn’t expecting the twist in the encore. It was definitely a good book to start my 2022 reading. Highly recommend.
January 8, 2022
*review for audible version*
I was captivated from the start and listened to it in one sitting the narrator did the novel complete justice. The ending was completely opposite of how I thought it would go.
The characters were well rounded and overall the story had me engrossed.
I was captivated from the start and listened to it in one sitting the narrator did the novel complete justice. The ending was completely opposite of how I thought it would go.
The characters were well rounded and overall the story had me engrossed.
January 25, 2023
Short entertaining thriller, held my interest and some nice twists at end.
Listened to audiobook at 90% of normal speed.
Listened to audiobook at 90% of normal speed.
October 24, 2018
Great book! Loved the characters as they were very well fleshed out. The pacing was fantastic, keeping me up well past my bedtime. Plenty of twists and turns kept me guessing, and the ending was definitely unexpected. I'd recommend. Nice work!
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews