The Perfect Facade

Jessie Hunt #12

by Blake Pierce

A group of suburban moms go out to a high-end hotel in the big city to celebrate their 40th birthday, and the night gets wild—too wild. When they wake from their sordid night to find a dead body amongst them, Jessie must unravel what happened that night. Could the murderer be one of them?

Or are they being targeted?

A fast-paced psychological suspense thriller with unforgettable characters and heart-pounding suspense, THE JESSIE HUNT series is a riveting new series that will leave you turning pages late into the night.

Genres: Thriller, Audiobook, Fiction, Mystery, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Psychological Thriller

199 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 8, 2021

About the author

Blake Pierce is author of the bestselling RILEY PAGE mystery series, which includes seven books (and counting). Blake Pierce is also the author of the MACKENZIE WHITE mystery series, comprising four books (and counting); of the AVERY BLACK mystery series, comprising four books (and counting); and of the new KERI LOCKE mystery series.

An avid reader and lifelong fan of the mystery and thriller genres, Blake loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.blakepierceauthor.com to learn more and stay in touch.

Reviews

[Tonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you BookSirens for my ARC. Jessie Hunt, a criminal profiler, is asked to help solve the murder that occurred during a girls’ night gone wrong. Claudia is a happy suburban housewife who appears to have a wonderful life with a loving family. When she ends up dead the morning after her birthday celebration, unanswered questions start to pile up. Who killed Claudia and why did she have to die? Detective Karen Bray and Jessie Hunt join forces in this suspenseful, fast paced thriller. Although this book is part of a series, it can definitely be read as a standalone. Many twists and turns lead to an exciting conclusion and cleverly builds anticipation for the next installment in this compelling series.

[RK_reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have always been a fan of Blake Pierce's criminal profiler Jessie Hunt, right from Book 1 of the series and so after a week of intense reading, the newly released Book 12 seemed like a 'perfect' choice to wind down.

The 40th birthday celebrations of a rich housewife, Claudia Wender, is brought to a premature halt when she is found dead with her skull bashed in. Jessie Hunt, who is now a faculty member at UCLA, teaching criminal profiling, is once again lured by her former boss at the LAPD, Captain Decker to consult on the case. Using her excellent profiling and detecting skills, Jessie, along with Detective Karen Bray and police researcher Jamil Winslow, bring the killer to justice.

'The Perfect' series is akin to having cop procedurals, like Bosch, Castle or Chicago.P.D in book form, but with a less intriguing plot. I, for one, am beginning to wonder whether the author is sticking to a rather formulaic concept for the series, where the crimes are committed by disgruntled spouses. Having said that, the two parallel storylines for Hannah and Ryan have tweaked my interest, ensuring that my loyalty still remain with the series and the author. Not to forget, the return of the 'Night Stalker,' nemesis of Jessie's deceased mentor guarantees that the upcoming books in the series are prone to get more suspenseful and intriguing than this one.

Overall, this one was just meh for me. Don't get me wrong; Jessie Hunt continues to be my guilty read, though I am just disappointed in the lack of originality in the plot.

[Cathy Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a Jessie Hunt fan so I am always looking for clues to figure out who the killer in the mystery is whether it is man or woman. I had to go back and read that prologue a couple of times trying to figure out if I missed something. Anyways, this story is full of twists and turns. With her boyfriend Ryan Hernandez still trying to get back on his feet and come back to work. Then there is her sister Hannah needing an adrenaline rush to prove that she has some emotions and that she is somewhat, what you would call normal.
This mystery takes Jessie Hunt back to that Orange County community where she had a miscarriage and her husband was trying to frame her for a murder. If that doesn't top all he tried to kill her and was put in jail. We found out that the men in that community was running escorts out of a club that they had and was closed down now. She runs into her neighbor when she was living there. Kimberly her neighbor happens to be one of the ladies at the hotel room where the murder happens. She happened to be out with her friends Lauren, Veronica and the guest of honor and the person murdered Claudia. She was called into work on this murder because she use to live in the community these women were from and because Captain Decker felt she could speak their language. So she goes to work with a officer she worked with before from the Hollywood Division a Detective Karen Bray. So with the help of Jessie Hunt Profiler a new mystery begins to be solved. I am glad that Jamil is mentioned in this story and I am glad that he is part of the HHS division like Ryan and Jessie herself.
I loved this story but I am kinda getting upset with this smidgen of a look into the mind of the Night Hunter and not anymore being said about it until the end of the story. I love Jessie Hunt Profiler, though, and I am waiting on the next story that is pre-ordered and I am glad I have
pre-ordered the next two stories that's how much I love her stories and most of Blake Pierce's stories I am purchased and read. There is Keri Locke which I have finished and then I am working on Riley Paige and then there is the European stories so Blake keeps me busy with mystery books to read. Thank you Blake Pierce.

[Allison Hawkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy this series. Every book can probably be read as a standalone since they solve a different case in each book, but there is enough of the plot that carries over so it’s great to read them all. I liked how this one brought back ties to the very first book and started to bring in a new mystery from another character’s past. I will say I didn’t really like the Hannah character’s “subplot” in this one (seems like she needs to be doing something else to seek thrills), but it sounds like she might in the next book. 🎧

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

another perfect story by Blake Pierce.

Jessie Hunt is asked to consult on a murder in Hollywood. Her boyfriend is progressing well in PT. Her sister Hannah is out looking for thrills by trying to expose a pedophile, which of course means a dangerous situation for the teen. And of course she is sneaking out do do this. This girl could end up with a job like Jesse if she can keep herself alive. She is exceptionally smart. On to the next perfect story.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another in this series that is amazing.

[Jenn McEvoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This audiobook was fantastic! Loved the plot and characters. This has been one of my favorite series to listen to!

[Roxayn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am frustrated with this series but have found enough that interests me to read several Jessie Hunt books. They are quick, easy reads and although the plots are predictable, they are generally interesting. I like this genre and particularly like books with strong female protagonists. Although I like the concepts of the characters in this series, they never develop into characters I actually like or care about. They feel more like caricatures or cliches. Jessie and other female characters often come across as immature and shallow, which frustrates me as I really want to like them. My reading alternates between text and audio. For this, I listened to the audio version. A good narrator is golden but, unfortunately, this narrator did not enhance the book. A good portion of the book is narrated in a slow, almost sleazy voice that is hard to listen to and cheapens Jessie. It is also important to be professional and pronounce words/names correctly (e.g. carotid or Leif - which she pronounces as "Leaf"). I also understand the challenges when writing a series, but the repeated rehashing of previous events in every book becomes monotonous. I would prefer a recap at the beginning of the book which could be skipped for readers who know the history. Clearly, most reviewers are bigger fans than I am. I feel like the author has more potential to develop quality books and characters but isn't there yet.

[Deanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was pretty low key; probably the most boring one of the lot so far. You gotta love Jessie's insistence on addressing the suspect alone in the room with no back up. Luckily this one was peaceful (until the husband lost his mind) but I highly doubt any of this would happen in real life.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another winner from a versatile mystery author, The Perfect Facade has a lot of different threads running through it. Some of those threads are resolved, some are not, making a good starting point for another novel. This is part of a series of books involving Jessie Hunt who has a history as a detective, but has, apparently, settled in as a profiler. She lives in a romantic relationship with a detective recovering from severe injuries and with her much younger sister. I don't think I've read other books in this particular series, but that doesn't seem to be a dreadful problem in understanding this novel as much of the relevant history is recapped in the book. So we know there was a violent and unfortunate marriage in Jessie's background and some other issues that may be influencing the teenage sister. So one does not feel they've been plunked down in the middle of something they can't understand. Character development is important to enjoying this sort of mystery, and it is handled well. As is often the case in a mystery, there are an unrealistically (IMO) small number of people solving a fairly complex crime, but a book like this hinges more on characters you can develop a relationship to rather than procedures.

I've come to realize that I must choose to start a Blake Pierce book when it is not essential to have a full night of sleep as I tend to get wrapped up in these books and fall asleep with the book open.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Perfect Facade, by Blake Pierce, is a fast-paced psychological suspense thriller that asks the question what happens when a group of suburban moms go out to a high-end hotel in the big city to celebrate one of their 40th birthday, and the night gets wild—too wild and someone ends up dead. Are they being targeted or is one of them a murderer?

Jessie Hunt, a criminal profiler, is asked to help solve the murder that occurred during a girls’ night out gone deadly wrong. A seemingly happy suburban housewife, Claudia, ends up dead the morning after her birthday celebration. Why was she killed and who did it? Detective Karen Bray and Jessie Hunt joined together to answer these questions.

Overall this was a fast-paced thriller with exciting several twists - some seemed obvious to me, but there were a few surprises.

This is my first book in the Jessie Hunt series, of which there are twelve. I didn’t feel like I missed anything by not reading the previous books as the past is mentioned quite a bit. However, there is also mystery within the main mystery involving Jessie’s sister, which left me kind of confused since the storylines never crossed. Perhaps it is a setup for the next in the series? I dunno.

Thank you BookSirens for the ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. ❤️️

[Delphia Von Heeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Perfect Facade is Book 12 in A Jessica Hunt Psychological Suspense Series. Blake Pierce writes exciting thrillers with strong females. Jessica was now consulting with LAPD because she was lecturing at UCLA on criminal profiling. I have read all of the books in this series and The Perfect Facade is as exciting as the other books in the series. Her boyfriend, Ryan Hernandez, is still rehabbing from being knifed in book 11. Blake Pierce has written multiple layers to the story. Jessica is profiling a murder with Detective Karen Bray; her half sister, Hannah, is looking into the disappearance of a 14 year old girl. Blake weaves the telling of both stories in an exciting way that had me reading as fast as possible. At the end of book 11, the reader meets a deadly mass murderer, Night Hunter, who has begun killing again. Night Hunter killed his next victim, Jen, in this book. So far, no one had put together that he is back and as deadly as ever. I can’t wait to read the next book in this outstanding series. If you have not read the previous books, Blake Pierce does give the backstory as needed to help the reader understand the characters. If you like police thrillers, this is the series for you! I received an arc for my honest review.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

What really amazes me about Blake Pierce’s mystery series is that of the several books I have read each series seems to be a quite different type of mysteries. ( I admit I haven’t read every series, YET, but count on it I intend to do that. All the ones I have read are good entertainment.) My perception is that Pierce can write cozies, detective mysteries, and suspense mysteries equally well. He also seems to be a prolific writer, so readers can return to his series and find a good read time and time again.

The Perfect Facade is book #12 in the Jessie Hunt series. It is my first read in this series and I wondered if I would have to do a lot of catching up on what went before. It wasn’t necessary; it could easily be a stand alone book. I enjoyed the elements of the story that were about the investigation and the secondary storylines.

I appreciate that in the books I have read Pierce keeps gore and ugliness to a minimum. I do read some uglier books (and the newspaper). Sometimes I need a break from all the horrible stuff. It’s good to read about a murder investigation that focuses on smart detection and still avoid the very worse humans do to each other.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Susan Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story kept my interest throughout. I enjoyed the mystery and didn't figure it out until pretty close to the end. There were a few things that struck me as "off" or a little less than believable, but mostly it was fairly credible. You can read this as a standalone, but there are some spoilers in regards to earlier books, so if you plan to read the series you may want to start at the beginning. There are still a few typos in this book (about 6-7), which I always find distracting, but that's my issue I suppose. I'm old enough to remember books without typos - if you can imagine such a thing. There are three stories in this book. The main one is resolved. Another is a sub-plot and is resolved in a rushed manor at the end. The third is NOT resolved, and is designed to entice the reader to pick up the next in the series. I don't mind a few paragraphs at the end leading into the next book in a series, but there was just enough mention of that storyline throughout the book that I thought it was part of this book. I'd give it about 3.7 stars, which rounds up to 4. I did receive an advance review copy, but this is my honest and voluntary review.

[Cristina's Chronicles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got a free ARC for this book through Booksirens.com in exchange of an honest review.

The first thing to note about this book is that it is number 12 in a series and that I haven't read any of the previous ones. This fact didn't ruin my reading experience.
Jessie's story gets recapped many times during the book, so I never felt left out. The only storyline that didn't really make sense to me and was a little difficult to follow was Hannah's (Jessie's sister). I couldn't understand what case she was doing and why, but it's a small part of the book so it didn't really matter.
I love the fact that the chapters are short, they always leave you with a cliffhanger and you can't help yourself but to keep reading. The story is amazingly written. Every detail has a meaning and you manage to follow the investigation like ypu're part of the LAPD team.
I like to brag obout the fact that I usually am able to find the culprit before the book/movie/TVseries shows me who commited the crime, but here I could not see who it was until Jessie found out. That's amazing for me.
Now I think I'm going to read all the other books in the series!

[Santhosh Shankar (The Book Talk With Santhu) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: Jessie Hunt is a former detective who has settled on being a profiler due to her history. She is suddenly involved in a murder case where a group of mothers went to celebrate their friend’s birthday and found her to dead next morning. Who might have done this? Is it her friend? Her family? Or someone else? The Perfect Facade answers them quite well

Review: I haven’t read the whole series yet, but that was not inhibiting my involvement or understanding of this book. The author has planned very well so any reader could catch up with the history of Jessie Hunt when reading this book. More importantly the character development and the history the author spins, really nudges the reader to read more of his previous works to find out what really happened. This book is a very interesting read for me and I was not bored anywhere(Trust me I get bored very easily). Among all these, what I found very attractive is the vocabulary the author has chosen, there were unique words sprinkled everywhere like stars in the night sky which feels as beautiful as them too. I would readily read Blake Pierce’s work anywhere anytime.

I thought that Jessie Hunt’s history could not have been repeated so many times. This book cannot be a standalone, as there are many subplots which are a bit distracting.

Verdict: ⅘ stars

Recommendation: This book is a treat for any book fanatic. Mystery seekers can devour this and I have heard that all of Blake Pierce’s works are the same. With no complicated plot and very well set characters, I recommend this to beginners as well.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Happy Reading Y’all

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[Claudete Takahashi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this story does not tell a real murder case while reading it I had the impression of reading something very similar to some stories in the news. There is a lot of deceit, hate, gossip, betrayal, fake friendships, and the most shallow reasons for a crime. There's also Hannah and her need for a thrill without really measuring all the consequences for herself and for those around her, in a way very similar to those around her age that look for thrills and chills in drugs, dangerously driving, excessive drinking, and so on. This story, for me, is a lot like real life. However, as always, is well written, with mystery and action well placed within the plot, and very entertaining!!!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Christie Gerren · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Perfect Facade, book twelve of the Jessie Hunt series. I have been a huge fan of the Jessie Hunt series since book one.

The 40th Birthday celebrations of a rich house wife come to a screaming halt when birthday girl Claudia Wender is found in her hotel room dead with her skull crushed in. The infamous Jessie Hunt is called in to help with the investigation. As always the book started out with a jaw dropper and continued to a good story line, but the ending was just okay for me. Do not get me wrong I am still a big Jessie Hunt fan and this series is still a favorite of mine, I just think for how strong and jaw dropping the book started out with, it could have had a stronger ending. I still love following Jessie and her life story, this case was just not my favorite to follow, but I still enjoyed my read.

[Anne G. Kasaba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced murder mystery that is well written. True psychological suspense with protagonists that are likable and have multiple layers of depth. In addition there is a mystery within the main mystery involving the primary protagonists sister.

Jesse is juggling a lot. She's raising a teenage sister who worries that her feelings are repressed. She's dealing with her boyfriend who is struggling through a disability caused by her ex. She's quit her job as a profiler and is teaching at a college. And now her former Captain has manipulated her into working a murder of a wealthy woman who everyone claims to love.

I received an arc of this book and voluntarily provided a review.

[Lucy Appadoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy the Jesse Hunt thrillers, and this is the 12th book in the series. I am captivated by Jesse's bravery and resilience. I am fascinated by her partner, Ryan who had been injured badly and is still recovering. I am also intrigued by her half-sister, Hannah who has secrets of her own and is quite the enigma. Both Ryan and Hannah keep Jesse grounded and give her the sense of family she had lost over the years. In this story, she is investigating the death of a young, wealthy woman and teams up with an easy-going detective, but not all is as it seems with the red-herrings she brings up. A book that will keep you hooked from the very beginning. Love the series!

[Hannah May]

3.5/5

I had fun with this book in the series. Did I guess the killer before Jessie figured it out? Yes. I announced it to my sister and she laughed at me. But it’s okay because I was right. I am excited that Ryan is getting back I tot he swing of things. I was not expecting Hannah to get up to the things she did in this book. I’m worried about what she will end up doing throughout the series and how far she will take it. I’m excited for the next book since Ryan is putting together some information that we started getting from the previous book and this book (but he didn’t have access to it until now)

[Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent psychological thriller. Have enjoyed all the books I have read of Blakes. She has a way of spinning a tale that keeps you reading. Although this book is part of a series, can be read as a standalone. How could a birthday celebration turn into the celebrant being brutally murdered in a locked hotel room surrounded by her closest friends? Who would want to kill a woman who is loved by everyone? What could the motif possibly be? Can Jessie and Karen figure it out with having no physical evidence? Highly recommend. Received a free copy and this is my honest voluntary review.

[Amy Moreno · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite part about Blake Pierce's books are that he does a fantastic job of giving just enough detail to entice you into reading the next book, but he closes out this book perfectly. No cliffhangers here, just a teaser to make me want to rush out and grab the next installment of his "I am a strong, incredible, accomplished women who can kick butt and be interesting while I do it" series. I have not read a bad series from him yet.

I received an ARC to review but my opinions are all mine.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first in the series that I did not read in order. Skipping ahead 5+ books in the series did leave me some questions about what I have missed, yet not so much that a person needs to think they must read them all in order. As always, Pierce's book move at a quick clip. This one was about a group of women having a 40th birthday part at hotel and waking up to one of the group (the birthday girl) dead in her bed. Jessie crosses paths with a woman in the neighborhood where she lived in the first book in her series.

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Darcy Speed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I absolutely loved The Perfect Facade. This “devour-it-in-one-sitting” murder mystery was fast-paced, suspenseful, and gripping. I loved the minute details of the police procedures, and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to find out who did it. The story-within-the-story honestly had my heart pounding when Jessie’s sister Hannah took it upon herself to find a lost teenager. I can’t wait for the next one!

[Jeni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to the audiobook. This is the 12th in the Jessie Hunt series.
There's a good balance of mystery, detective work and personal life as the main characters (including Jessie, her boyfriend Ryan, & her 1/2 sister Hannah) continue to be fleshed out. This one starts with a suburban Mom killed in a hotel room amongst female friends who were celebrating her 40th birthday.
Side plots include Hannah's addiction to dangerous situations, as well as Ryan's rehab.

[Marcie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Wounds can heal. I have the scars."

Oh! My! Hell!!!

I'm not ashamed to admit that with each and every Blake Pierce book, I guess and guess and guess "who Dun it!" AND I am NEVER surprised to find out how very wrong and off I am!

🤣😂🤣

I have NEVER won a game of Clue, BTW. And my Mom NEVER lost one! I still have no idea how she could figure it out!!

This one had me guessing all over the place!

It's a good thing I'm not a detective or a criminal profiler.

Onto Lucky Book #13

[Crystal Hudson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always enjoy a good Jesse Hunt. I love the mystery and the way it all comes together. This one seemed to be a bit of a repeat of a previous one so while I still enjoyed it, it didn’t really hit the mark the same way. I do enjoy being able to follow these characters as their lives progress though so I still enjoyed it, this just felt like a “filler episode” to set more ground work for the main characters of the series.

[Brandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I tried so very hard and thought for sure I knew the outcome of this mystery, but like always I was way off base. This was a fantastic read and like always no cliffhanger just some bits and pieces to make you wonder what's next. Great book by an amazing writer.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.