What do you think?
Rate this book
Bad Girl
She never meant for it to happen. . . .
For Chicago Thomas, aka Windy, it was an offer too good to the chance to head the forensics lab at the Las Vegas Police Department. With her six-year-old daughter in tow, Windy moves to Sin City hoping to start over with a loving fiancé—far from the sad memories of a first marriage that ended in tragedy. But the job of her dreams is about to take a nightmarish turn.
She wanted to be a good girl. . . .
Though the first murders appear to be random, they are savage in their an entire family, butchered in their own home. Only a few days later, another family meets the same grisly fate. To Ash Leighton, the enigmatic chief of the Metro Violent Crime Unit, the signs are a serial killer is stalking Las Vegas.
But she just couldn’t help herself. . . .
In a breathless race against time, the lines between good and bad, right and wrong, begin to blur, and Windy and Ash find themselves irresistibly drawn to each other. In a town where nothing is what it seems, only the evidence doesn't lie. And Windy may have to pay for the truth with her life. Sometimes being good is dangerous.
For Chicago Thomas, aka Windy, it was an offer too good to the chance to head the forensics lab at the Las Vegas Police Department. With her six-year-old daughter in tow, Windy moves to Sin City hoping to start over with a loving fiancé—far from the sad memories of a first marriage that ended in tragedy. But the job of her dreams is about to take a nightmarish turn.
She wanted to be a good girl. . . .
Though the first murders appear to be random, they are savage in their an entire family, butchered in their own home. Only a few days later, another family meets the same grisly fate. To Ash Leighton, the enigmatic chief of the Metro Violent Crime Unit, the signs are a serial killer is stalking Las Vegas.
But she just couldn’t help herself. . . .
In a breathless race against time, the lines between good and bad, right and wrong, begin to blur, and Windy and Ash find themselves irresistibly drawn to each other. In a town where nothing is what it seems, only the evidence doesn't lie. And Windy may have to pay for the truth with her life. Sometimes being good is dangerous.
452 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
3 people are currently reading
328 people want to read
About the author
Michele Jaffe
26 books407 followersMichele Jaffe (b. March 20 in Los Angeles, California), is an American writer. She has authored novels in several genres, including historical romance, suspense thrillers, and novels for Young Adults.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
November 18, 2013
Well done for a mystery-suspense-thriller. The last two hours were edge-of-your-seat-could-not-stop-reading.
Windy (female) is the main character forensics expert. She reminded me of Sherlock Holmes in a couple scenes. Her observations impressed me. There were a lot of good ideas in the clues and ways of solving of the mystery. There was a red herring and I was ok with that.
I like third person. We are inside the killer’s head but we don’t know who the killer is until the last quarter of the book.
A negative for some readers is harm to children. Charles does horrible things to his wife and stepson. The killer gets a mother to do what the killer wants by holding a knife to her children. Another mother is terrified as the killer threatens her daughter. Harm to children is a guaranteed way to make readers feel terror, hurt, pain, fear.... but I’d rather not read about it. Some back story showing abuse to a child causing the child to become a killer is ok, but there was a lot more than that which bothered me. If you’re ok with that, it’s an excellent book for mystery lovers. The crimes are graphic and gory - if that is a concern.
Some things were not answered and I wanted to know.
1. The killer captured character A. Character B shows up which saves A’s life. The author never said how character B knew where to go and when.
2. One character C changed their name. How did C do that, when, and why? Some characters knew C’s old name and I assume the new name. How was that working?
3. What ever happened to Charles?
There is a happy ending. And toward the end a romantic relationship occurs, but it is a minor part of the story. This is not for romance readers because not enough is done with that relationship.
The cover is a bad mismatch. It looks like chick lit. It should be changed to something dark and serious.
The narrator Teri Clark Linden was very good. I didn’t notice her which means I wasn’t thinking about her and taken out of the story.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 14 hrs and 17 mins. Swearing language: strong but rarely used. Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: three brief ones. Setting: current day Las Vegas, Nevada. Book copyright: 2003. Genre: mystery suspense thriller.
Windy (female) is the main character forensics expert. She reminded me of Sherlock Holmes in a couple scenes. Her observations impressed me. There were a lot of good ideas in the clues and ways of solving of the mystery. There was a red herring and I was ok with that.
I like third person. We are inside the killer’s head but we don’t know who the killer is until the last quarter of the book.
A negative for some readers is harm to children. Charles does horrible things to his wife and stepson. The killer gets a mother to do what the killer wants by holding a knife to her children. Another mother is terrified as the killer threatens her daughter. Harm to children is a guaranteed way to make readers feel terror, hurt, pain, fear.... but I’d rather not read about it. Some back story showing abuse to a child causing the child to become a killer is ok, but there was a lot more than that which bothered me. If you’re ok with that, it’s an excellent book for mystery lovers. The crimes are graphic and gory - if that is a concern.
Some things were not answered and I wanted to know.
1. The killer captured character A. Character B shows up which saves A’s life. The author never said how character B knew where to go and when.
2. One character C changed their name. How did C do that, when, and why? Some characters knew C’s old name and I assume the new name. How was that working?
3. What ever happened to Charles?
There is a happy ending. And toward the end a romantic relationship occurs, but it is a minor part of the story. This is not for romance readers because not enough is done with that relationship.
The cover is a bad mismatch. It looks like chick lit. It should be changed to something dark and serious.
The narrator Teri Clark Linden was very good. I didn’t notice her which means I wasn’t thinking about her and taken out of the story.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 14 hrs and 17 mins. Swearing language: strong but rarely used. Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: three brief ones. Setting: current day Las Vegas, Nevada. Book copyright: 2003. Genre: mystery suspense thriller.
May 29, 2018
This book is a phenomenal and edgy thriller. It was published almost 10 years before Gone Girl, and I wonder if it was perhaps a bit ahead of its time. Had it come out in more recent years, I suspect it would have garnered more attention.
As in most good thrillers, there is a lot more going on here than immediately meets the eye. For that reason, I'll keep plot description to a minimum. The basic plotline follows Chicago "Windy" Thomas, a single mother who has recently moved with her daughter to Las Vegas to head up the forensics lab. Very soon after her arrival, she finds herself drawn into a truly grisly series of murders (seriously, the depictions of violence here are not for the faint of heart or stomach). It's the sort of case where the more one learns about the killer, the more disturbing the crimes become.
This intense investigation throws Windy together with Ash Laughton, the Chief of the Violent Crime Unit. The two work well together, and the chemistry between them runs pretty hot,too.
The book switches perspective back and forth between perpetrators and suspects, but it's always pretty easy to tell whose universe we're inhabiting in any given chapter. As a reader, seeing the whole universe of characters makes for a thrilling reading experience because the author does a great job of fleshing out complicated characters - and that includes the suspects, too. And because we deal with folks who aren't 100% forthcoming even with themselves, the fact that readers see into the worlds of the various characters doesn't take away the element of surprise. This book has a lot of twists and turns to it, and I definitely didn't figure them all out before the end.
I'm sad to see that Jaffe seems to have stopped writing suspense after 2 books, but I'm glad that I was able to discover Bad Girl.
As in most good thrillers, there is a lot more going on here than immediately meets the eye. For that reason, I'll keep plot description to a minimum. The basic plotline follows Chicago "Windy" Thomas, a single mother who has recently moved with her daughter to Las Vegas to head up the forensics lab. Very soon after her arrival, she finds herself drawn into a truly grisly series of murders (seriously, the depictions of violence here are not for the faint of heart or stomach). It's the sort of case where the more one learns about the killer, the more disturbing the crimes become.
This intense investigation throws Windy together with Ash Laughton, the Chief of the Violent Crime Unit. The two work well together, and the chemistry between them runs pretty hot,too.
The book switches perspective back and forth between perpetrators and suspects, but it's always pretty easy to tell whose universe we're inhabiting in any given chapter. As a reader, seeing the whole universe of characters makes for a thrilling reading experience because the author does a great job of fleshing out complicated characters - and that includes the suspects, too. And because we deal with folks who aren't 100% forthcoming even with themselves, the fact that readers see into the worlds of the various characters doesn't take away the element of surprise. This book has a lot of twists and turns to it, and I definitely didn't figure them all out before the end.
I'm sad to see that Jaffe seems to have stopped writing suspense after 2 books, but I'm glad that I was able to discover Bad Girl.
August 16, 2016
Not being a crime/mystery type of book reader - though admittedly I've never actually tried the genre - I found this book to be a real page turner. Although it was easy to be persuaded to keep reading on because the chapter increments were so small, easily 2 page to 5 page long chapters. A couple of twists were good, though I'm still deciding whether I like the big twist about who the killer was. The romance angle of the book was meh, but that's coming from a cynic who doesn't believe that one can fall madly in love with someone in the span of 2-3 weeks, raving murderer on the loose or otherwise. Some of the "clues" and thought process of the criminalist didn't jive, but can be easily overlooked as it's fair to argue that not everyone can understand how one might connect clues and conclusions.
Overall, it was an enjoyable and easy read.
Overall, it was an enjoyable and easy read.
August 28, 2016
For the crime drama/suspense I give this a 4 star with no problem. But the romance took a backseat in the story for the first 3/4s of the book and only gets about 2 stars from me. I would definitely recommend it to people who love crime drama/suspense type novels with a side order of romance.
February 4, 2017
could not put it down!
very, very well written. I can normally smash through a book in one sitting, but this is quite a long read, but totally worth it. it never slows down and it doesnt go into agonising detail. Just great storytelling and 3D characters.
very, very well written. I can normally smash through a book in one sitting, but this is quite a long read, but totally worth it. it never slows down and it doesnt go into agonising detail. Just great storytelling and 3D characters.
May 18, 2023
War insgesamt schon spannend aber jetzt nicht so arg, dass ich es gar nicht mehr aus der Hand legen konnte. Die letzten 200 Seiten waren die besten!
January 17, 2009
I found myself becoming annoyed with Windy's constant need for validation. It felt, at times, as though, when around Ash, she was particularly hard on herself because she knew that he would build her back up. I can see how she would need that after being with someone like Bill, who did nothing but heap guilt onto her shoulders and pressure her into the perfect woman for him, but it seemed like she was seeking out this validation every other chapter. It just got old after a while.
I also had a problem with the dialogue. Not necessarily the conversations held, but the way that they were presented. I expect dialogue to read like people talk, and rarely did it come across as the way people actually talk. The lack of contractions made the dialogue stilted and that made it hard for me to get the character voices in my head. I was halfway through the book before I was automatically rephrasing most of the dialogue in a way that I could have those characters really talking to me.
I thought Harry's abuse was a little extreme. She gave examples of people who cared about him, and we're supposed to believe that they just didn't care enough? He was locked in a basement and he wasn't fed for who knows how long. I realize that there's a lot that people don't see, a lot that people don't want to see, especially in the time that he grew up, but it seems like she went overboard with it. I thought he'd become the sympathetic serial killer, but I didn't gain sympathy for him. I just kept going, "Come on! There's more?" And to believe, then, that after all that, Charles just left? I'm leaning more toward that Charles was actually Harry's first victim.
I did, however, love the twist of Harry being Hank. At first, I thought that he was really Bill, and what a twist that would have been! I didn't expect Hank, probably because he popped up so rarely that he wasn't really in my head as a suspect once it was made clear that Eve was not the killer.
Overall, I enjoyed the book as a nice little romantic suspense read. I like Michele Jaffe's young adult books better, but I'd be open to reading more of her adult work. She has interesting plotlines, and the narrative is good enough to keep me intrigued, sometimes to push me to go to the next chapter when I know I should stop and go to bed, but this book just didn't wow me.
I also had a problem with the dialogue. Not necessarily the conversations held, but the way that they were presented. I expect dialogue to read like people talk, and rarely did it come across as the way people actually talk. The lack of contractions made the dialogue stilted and that made it hard for me to get the character voices in my head. I was halfway through the book before I was automatically rephrasing most of the dialogue in a way that I could have those characters really talking to me.
I thought Harry's abuse was a little extreme. She gave examples of people who cared about him, and we're supposed to believe that they just didn't care enough? He was locked in a basement and he wasn't fed for who knows how long. I realize that there's a lot that people don't see, a lot that people don't want to see, especially in the time that he grew up, but it seems like she went overboard with it. I thought he'd become the sympathetic serial killer, but I didn't gain sympathy for him. I just kept going, "Come on! There's more?" And to believe, then, that after all that, Charles just left? I'm leaning more toward that Charles was actually Harry's first victim.
I did, however, love the twist of Harry being Hank. At first, I thought that he was really Bill, and what a twist that would have been! I didn't expect Hank, probably because he popped up so rarely that he wasn't really in my head as a suspect once it was made clear that Eve was not the killer.
Overall, I enjoyed the book as a nice little romantic suspense read. I like Michele Jaffe's young adult books better, but I'd be open to reading more of her adult work. She has interesting plotlines, and the narrative is good enough to keep me intrigued, sometimes to push me to go to the next chapter when I know I should stop and go to bed, but this book just didn't wow me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2012
The book is packed with a lot of twists and turns that leave you wondering who the killer is. Although the answer to that question is answered before the end of the book it is still interesting to see how Windy and her team work. I was a bit disappointed by the last four chapters though, they felt a bit rushed, as if the author wanted to get it over with real quick... A very entertaining book nevertheless!
April 20, 2022
La primera mitad no parecía tan compleja y convincente, pero después hubo muchos giros y vueltas en la historia que, tal vez, me marearon mucho. ODIABA la portada, así que aplacé su lectura hasta que no tuve nada más que leer.
May 27, 2020
Aunque hay muchas cosas que no cuadran y otras que me parecen ridículas, por ejemplo: que la prota no hable nada de español teniendo en cuenta sus antecedentes, este libro me ha enganchado y me ha sorprendido.
February 5, 2021
Sometimes you need a sexy procedural story about a serial killer, and this one fits the bill. Badass female lead, sexy partner with romantic tension, and a twisted killer leaving mutilate bodies around Vegas. It's pretty violent and grotesque, but also a fun and diverting read if you're in the mood for a killer story.
April 1, 2019
This book was amazing! It had every aspect in it, that it should have! I loved it!!!!
April 20, 2021
I picked this up not expecting very much, and was pleasantly surprised by a thriller with lots of twists and turns. An enjoyable read.
January 2, 2023
Starting the year with a book that kept me up until 1am must be an omen for good things.
January 22, 2024
Intense, gripping, hard to put down. Unpredictable plot.
This book is on par with those from Freida McFadden and Lisa Gardner.
This book is on par with those from Freida McFadden and Lisa Gardner.
March 19, 2013
This book is on my read, reread, and read again list it is amazing. I first read it when I was in seventh grade (inappropriate? yes) and it blew my mind. Essentially it is a mystery novel that chronicles the life of a serial killer, the women he blames for turning him into a killer, and the detective that is handling the case whom he has fallen for and plans on killing.
The novel is full of suspense, literally edge of my seat the entire time and every other time I've read it. There is also just the right amount of romance to counteract the gory details of families of 4 or more being butchered to death and then posed for artistic affect.
I gave this book five stars because it is something that I wouldn't mind, and haven't minded reading over and over and over again.
The novel is full of suspense, literally edge of my seat the entire time and every other time I've read it. There is also just the right amount of romance to counteract the gory details of families of 4 or more being butchered to death and then posed for artistic affect.
I gave this book five stars because it is something that I wouldn't mind, and haven't minded reading over and over and over again.
August 22, 2009
Chicago Thomas (AKA Windy) moves to Vegas to start a new life after something traumatic happens in Virginia. Windy is a cop investigating a serial killer targeting families. Windy's is working closely with her gorgeous boss, Ash Laughton. The romance is inevitable and rather sweet.
There are lots of surprises and many plot twists. This is one book that keeps you guessing until the last page. The crimes are brutal and fully described. (So if you're squeamish, skip this book!) What wonderful characters Michele Jaffe has created in both Windy and Ash. Too bad this isn't a series as I would enjoy reading more featuring these two.
There are lots of surprises and many plot twists. This is one book that keeps you guessing until the last page. The crimes are brutal and fully described. (So if you're squeamish, skip this book!) What wonderful characters Michele Jaffe has created in both Windy and Ash. Too bad this isn't a series as I would enjoy reading more featuring these two.
July 25, 2011
Sometimes I feel for women authors. George Eliot had a point. This book reads like any police procedural written by male authors that I like. You have your usual crazy serial killer, and minor romance/family time. But the cover of this book looks like a chick-lit cover or romance novel (and bad ones at that). Despite the fact that this book came recommended from someone who's judgment I trust - it sat on my TBR pile for many months, because, it turns out, even I judge a book by its cover. I even ordered the other book in this 'series,' Loverboy - but I'm going to be honest - that cover is even worse.
July 22, 2016
Mit einem leichten Einsteig fängt das Buch an zu seinem Albtraum zu werden. Einem genialen Albtraum! Morde so kalt und ecklig dass es mir die Haare aufstellt, so detailreich geschildert das sich mir der Magen umdreht und so gut durchgeführt dass die Polizei vor einem Rätsel steht. Ich habe das Buch richtig genossen, die Gänsehaut, die Schockmomente und auch die Tatorte. Das Buch steckt voller Überraschungen, wenigen langweiligen Ermittlungen und sehr viel Blut. Ein Thriller der einen besonderen Platz in meinem Regal verdient - einfach weil er unglaublich spannend ist! Schlaflose Nächte gibts kostenlos dazu!
October 9, 2020
I know the crime/mystery is very, very dark, but I'm still surprised this book isn't rated higher. It's one of my all-time favorites, probably because I can relate to the working mom who loves her job and her kid dynamic. This has an incredibly competent yet human heroine, a compelling (but creepy) story, humor, and romance. For me, it hit all the spots and I've re-read it lots of times. Similar in tone/heaviness of crimes to In Death stories, but set in present times (a bit in the past actually by now, it's not a brand-new book).
May 23, 2012
"Bad Girl", by Michele Jaffe , is a phenomenal mystery.In the begging of the book I thought I was not going to like it, but when Windy moved to "Sin City", Las Vegas, things started to get interesting.This book has lots of twists and turns that will leave you questioning the murders that go down in "Sin City".
March 24, 2013
To me the book cover looked cheesy and I had low expectations but it ended up being a great mystery book and I liked the main character, especially for the portrayal of her as a strong women, high up in the ranks in a traditionally male field. it also was nice to read about balancing work and family. Overall a good mystery.
Read
October 7, 2010Mir gefiel der Schreibstil, aber ich musste das Buch früher beenden, da mich die Morde zu sehr mitgenommen haben. Das Cover hat mich nicht wirklich auf den Inhalt vorbereitet. Morde an Kindern nehmen mich zu sehr mit. Da ich neugierig war, musste ich zumindest noch das Ende lesen.
November 20, 2013
Loved the book when I read it in 2004. I'm raising my rating after listening to the newly produced audiobook narrated by Teri Clark Linden. Terrific thriller with fully realized characters...including the villain.
October 27, 2011
Excellent stand-alone mystery. Great characters, even the bad guys, though sometimes the dialogue is a little awkward. Several plot twists that readers will likely see coming, but they don't really detract from the experience.
March 15, 2008
Really well-written and a great writer. Must look for more by her. Great crime writer.
August 22, 2008
I was hooked instantly into this book. I loved how graphic and realistic it was - until the end. It was a little hokey.
March 19, 2009
good mystery
February 11, 2012
Some creepy stuff it there, but really good.
March 10, 2011
This book was so different then I thought it as going to be from what the cover looked like but it was SOOO good. One of those happy surprises that you can't put down till your done.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews