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Crime Scene Connection

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Her writing was fiction,

until a killer made the danger very real…

A serial killer’s imitating crime scenes from Addison Keller’s bestselling novel, determined to make her the final victim. But with former police officer Jace Montana and his dog at her side, Addison might just be able to unmask the murderer. With time running out as the killer closes in, she must confront her past and unravel long-buried secrets…and hope they can all escape with their lives.

From Harlequin Love Inspired Courage. Danger. Faith.

216 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 1, 2021

69 people are currently reading
234 people want to read

About the author

Deena Alexander

41 books454 followers
Deena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, where she met and married her high school sweetheart. She recently relocated to Florida with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Now she enjoys long walks in nature all year long, despite the occasional alligator or snake she sometimes encounters. Deena's love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn't sleep through the night, and she now works full time as a writer and a freelance editor.

To learn more about Deena and her latest writing endeavors, visit her at www.deenaalexander.com and on facebook and twitter and don't forget to sign up for her newsletter.

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5 stars
148 (64%)
4 stars
55 (24%)
3 stars
16 (7%)
2 stars
8 (3%)
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1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
Profile Image for Kristina Hall.
Author 19 books431 followers
December 10, 2021
Characters: I loved that Addison (the main lady) was an author! And Jace (the main guy) was an intriguing addition to the story. I did think both Addison's and Jace's backstories could've been tied to their current stories a little better. I felt like there was some disconnect between Addison the abused wife vs. her current version and Jace the depressed alcoholic vs. his current version. It was almost like they were totally different characters in the past. If that makes any sense ...

Language: Clean.

Moral: Maybe forgiveness? I believe Addison was Catholic, and there were a few lines of weird theology.

Plot: I loved how much action this plot contained! I didn't have a chance to get bored.

Romance: Clean. A few kisses?

Writing: Deena Alexander's writing style fit this story well. It was fast-paced and worked great for a suspenseful story like this one. I look forward to reading more by her in the future.

Overall: Crime Scene Connection was an entertaining read, and I'd recommend it to those who enjoy Christian fiction and romantic suspense.
Profile Image for Carrie Schmidt.
Author 1 book507 followers
February 1, 2021
4.5 stars

I’m always simultaneously excited and nervous to read a debut novel – excited because “what if i find a new fave author?!?” and nervous because “what if I really don’t like it?”. Well, any anxiety I might have felt about Crime Scene Connection by Deena Alexander flew out the window with the first chapter. The immediately-intense suspense drew me in completely, and I think I barely breathed until the end.

Both Addison and Jace are deliciously layered characters with sobering backstories, yet they remained relatable at the same time. I really liked both characters – and of course enjoyed watching them fall in love. But the star of the show for me was Jace’s loving & fiercely protective dog Phoenix. The author did a great job of giving him such personality while not taking away from the guard dog he is. That’s a fine line to walk sometimes but i thought it was perfectly done here.

The suspense elements in Crime Scene Connection were excellently written as well, and I couldn’t put it down until everyone was finally safe. Not only did we have the immediate danger of someone killing people based on Addison’s book – and trying to kill her too – but we have the larger backstory involving the murder of Jace’s wife and the corrupt behavior of Addison’s ex-husband … and whether either of those are related to what’s going on with Addison right now. These were all so well-plotted out that I kept going back to make sure this was the author’s debut novel because the backstories of Addison, Jace, Conner, and Maris felt like I should have been able to find these events in another book.

Bottom Line: Wow! What a fabulous debut! Intense, fast-paced suspense with layered characters and a multidimensional plot too. I was completely engaged from beginning to end, and you won’t be able to put it down either. The romance is sweet & swoony, too, but Phoenix the dog stole my heart even more. This is definitely a must read for fans of Lynette Eason, Jessica Patch and etc. I can’t wait for Deena Alexander’s next novel!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

first seen at Reading Is My SuperPower
Profile Image for Nada Sobhi.
Author 3 books219 followers
January 9, 2021
Crime Scene Connection by Deena Alexander is a mystery and thriller novel with bits of romance and I believe it falls under Christian literature as well.

I loved how the book opens directly with fast-paced action. No introduction. Addison Keller is in her room struggling with the fact that not only has a killer mimicked the crime scene in her new best-selling novel, but also sent her before and after pictures of the victim.

"The same long dark hair as the rest of the victims Addison had conjured up. Guilt hammered her. If she hadn't written that book, the killer might never have chosen these victims."

Then she hears footsteps and has to make a run for it. That's when the pace spirals and we dive deeper into the action. It's also short after that we meet the second main character, Jace.
A former cop, who had to leave the force because of Addison's corrupt-cop-ex-husband, Jace is all about protection. He's forced to help Addison but as the story progresses, he begins to admire her and see the other side of her. The side that says she didn't know her husband was corrupt or "a monster."

Crime Scene Connection is narrated from the third person perspective of the two main characters: Addison and Jace. That said, we don't get a repetition of events, as I've seen in books that offer two viewpoints. Instead, the dual points of view add to the suspense and allow the author to jump between scenes and emotions.

The main characters in Crime Scene Connection are flawed. And Deena Alexander points that out in the end. Flaws make characters stronger and better. Surprisingly, Addison's flaw is selflessness!

You'd think selflessness is a virtue. But with Addison, it isn't. In fact, there were many instances where I felt her selflessness was over-the-top. It wasn't believable and it annoyed the hell out of me.

"Don't you get it? I can't be responsible for another murder. I can't stand the thought of another woman dying because I chose her, because I brought her to the attention of some serial killer."

There is also the multiple references to statements from the Bible, which made me think Crime Scene Connection falls under Christian literature. The reason is the Christian bit was evident in the book compared to other mysteries I've read. And it put me off a bit. Mainly because I wasn't expecting it.

Also part of the characters belief made it appear as if they were too conservative or over-the-top. That's how I felt about it. Like the scene where Addison was three and her mother lied. (You'll have to read it to find out).

I don't have a problem with religion being part of the equation. I've read the Reverend Annabelle Dixon Series by Alison Golden and the Christian bit didn't bother me, even though the main character was a reverend.

In terms of pace, Crime Scene Connection is super-fast-paced and enjoyable. That said, the pace means the book takes place in 2 to 3 days, which hurts the believability of the novel. For almost 3 days, almost none of the main characters gets any sleep. These are my thoughts.

As for the mystery, it's a powerful and gripping one. From the first chapter, Addison is being targeted by a killer and she doesn't know why. In addition, she has childhood memories that she keeps pushing inwards into her mind.

Add to that, her ex-husband Brandon wants to make her life miserable. Or she's overdoing it in believing anything she does, he'll turn into hell for her.

So, Addison is literally running from everyone and everything in her life. That said, there's strength to her character and a willingness to sacrifice herself so that others don't get hurt.

In addition to the killer getting inspiration from her book, the book itself is part of a series and the first part ends without catching the killer, while the second book hasn't been released. Addison has to try writing more to see if she can uncover the killer's motives in Crime Scene Connection in order to get back to her life.

"Yeah, well there's another problem."
"What's that?"
"It didn't happen until book two."
"I thought you said book two hasn't come out yet."
She held his gaze. "It hasn't."


In the course of Crime Scene Connection, Jace questions the logic of a mystery novel where the killer isn't found. Addison gives a why-not argument, although I'd have to agree with Jace on that one.

There's some romance in Crime Scene Connection. But for me it wasn't believable because of the two-day timeline of the book. It's true Addison and Jace are placed in a terrible situation and have to give comfort to one another. But I felt that falling in love in the span of two days was too much. If it had at least taken a week, I'd have been able to swallow it just a bit.

I also felt that Jace's character developed more than Addison. Addison is a complex character. She gives off strength and weakness at the same time.

Overall, I think Crime Scene Connection is an interesting thriller. I'd been expecting a mystery but the pace combined with the action and mystery turned into an entirely different experience. A good one too.

Overall rating: 4 stars.

Note: I got a free copy of Crime Scene Connection by Deena Alexander as part of a blog tour via Lori Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

Profile Image for Maureen Timerman.
3,230 reviews490 followers
December 15, 2020
This is a page-tuner, with non-stop action, and you soon find yourself ducking. Just when you think you are safe, nope, at least not for long.
Life has been hard for Addison, she is now a published author, and getting her life on track, especially after her disastrous marriage. Now, it seems someone is playing out scenes from her book, and bodies are appearing, will she end up being one? Or her estranged sister?
Enter Jace and his dog, and he is happy to help out a childhood friend Conner, but he didn’t realize whom he was helping. These two have a big distrust of each other, can they work through their dislike, and work towards saving her life and others.
This story has a lot of twists and turns, and danger does seem to come from more than one direction, but who or whom are the culprits.
This is one you won’t want to put down until you have answers!

I received this book through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and was not required to give a positive review.
Profile Image for  Jody Reads Smut.
1,101 reviews258 followers
January 9, 2021
An action-packed romantic suspense page-turner. I really enjoyed Crime Scene Connection it was a fast-paced read. This is a new to me author and I look forward to reading more by her. This is a story about author; Addison Keller who writes suspense, and now she learns that a serial killer is imitating murders from her books. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves a suspenseful action-packed page-turner.

I would like to thank the author and Great Escapes Book Tours for the copy in exchange for my honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Profile Image for Hannah.
2,844 reviews1,436 followers
April 9, 2021
When a writer's mystery starts coming true, there isn't much that surprises her anymore. Nothing about the danger is new to her, after her prior divorce from a psychotic local police detective. Now the police won't pay attention to her because her ex had ruined her credibility completely.

The story is heavily plot-driven, to the point where there's so much in the book that my head was spinning and I didn't get as deep into the character as I've have preferred. Otherwise it's a great read and I had a hard time figuring out who was doing what during the story.
Profile Image for Mark.
2,489 reviews52 followers
May 4, 2021
Awesome read.....great plot, characters, and suspense
Profile Image for Jjean.
1,152 reviews23 followers
January 17, 2022
Fast read, just had to read one more chapter - intense suspense - well written with interesting characters - action, mystery, murder, family saga, romance all in one -
Profile Image for June Jacobs.
Author 50 books152 followers
January 7, 2021
This is a fast-paced, edgy suspense novel filled with tension and well-developed characters . . .

I was surprised to learn that 'Crime Scene Connection' is Deena Alexander's debut novel! This book has an intriguing and intricate plot, multi-layered characters, and loads of nail-biting suspense.

The female lead, Addison Keller, is an author whose life quickly turns into a horror story when someone begins killing random women in exactly the same manner as the killer in her most recent bestselling book.

The action begins on the third page and never lets up. Danger, stress, and a host of questionable people keep the reader engaged the entire way through this twisting and turning story.

Jace Montana, the PI assigned to guard Addison, is one of the good guys and his dedication to Addison's safety is admirable. One of my favorite characters was Jace's German shepherd, Phoenix. This well-trained dog is everything a frightened person who is being pursued by a killer would want—loyal, intelligent, perceptive, alert, and intuitive. His addition to the story was meaningful and significant.

Addison has mounds and mounds of baggage and traumas from her past to contend with in addition to escaping the clutches of whomever is trying to catch her in the main plot. With the help of Jace; her brother-in-law, Connor; and her estranged sister, Maris; Addison is able to move forward to the point where she can resolve the mystery behind who the killer is and why he is behaving in this manner.

This is one of the best romantic suspense novels I have read in the past year because of the reasons shared above. I will look forward to reading many more suspense novels by this author.

Highly-recommended to fans of Christian/clean suspense, Christian/clean romance, and Christian/clean mysteries.

This book is completely clean in language and content.

I received a copy of this book from the author through the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours Company. My thoughts and opinions are solely my own.

###################
Profile Image for Yvonne.
1,338 reviews266 followers
January 4, 2021
Suspense author, Addison Keller, is stunned when she learns a real life serial killer is imitating the murders in her fictional novel. She is determined to find out who the killer is before another victim is found. To add to the horror of it all, the killer plans to make Addison his final victim.

Former police officer, Jace Montana, is sent to protect her. Unfortunately, there’s some bad history in both of their lives which just adds to all the drama. The bottom line is that they have to find a killer before anyone else ends up dead.

It’s a heart-stopping race to the end in this romantic suspense. This book is action-packed from page one and it never loses it’s excitement. The author never loses her momentum.

I found the characters to be likeable with demons in their past that need to be conquered. Their attraction for each other creates sparks throughout the book. I couldn’t help but cheer for this couple to work things out and get their happily-ever-after.

This is a new-to-me author and I’ll be looking for more of her books. She certainly has a great talent to keep reader's guessing until the very end.



FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from the author and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Profile Image for Glenda Parker.
Author 14 books21 followers
January 25, 2021
My review today is on the Love Inspired Suspense, Crime Scene Connection. This is Deena's first book for LIS. It's an awesome book and I look forward for her next story. This one is well written, action packed, and full of drama. Faith is woven into this story like a well woven tapestry. Although it could be scary since I'm an author. It's like note to self, don't write a story about a serial killers. I don't want them coming after me.

Addison Keller is an author. She wrote a trilogy about a serial killer. In it she wrote about a nightmare she had been plagued with since a child as the first murder. After the release of the first book the killer began imitating her book in minute details. She began receiving pictures of the crime scenes in emails and threatening messages. Could the killer be her monster of an ex-husband? How can she stop the killer before he kills her sister? Can she trust the man her brother-in-law sent to rescue her?

Jace Montana was once a police officer until Maris, Addison's sister wrote an expose on Addison's husband and the police force. Jace had lost his job and crawled into a bottle. His wife had been killed and he became worse but a dog showed up on his doorstep and had turned him around. Conner (his best friend) called. He is married to Maris and he asks Jace to watch Addison and help her. When a man goes in her home in the middle of the night and Addison sneaks out the back window, he moves into rescue her. How can he keep her safe? Is it his old boss that's after her?

A journey of terror as the serial killer imitates her writing but quickly escalates. God has a plan for these two, a plan for a hope and a future. God has a plan for you too, a plan for peace and not destruction. Give Him your heart and watch move in your life, even in this time of turmoil.
Profile Image for Connie Hill.
1,881 reviews47 followers
January 7, 2021
Oh I love when I can read debut books by authors. Crime Scene Connection by Deena Alexander is a MUST read. In this book we meet best selling author Addison Keller. However, someone is taking her stories and creating real life crimes. The killer is determined to make Addison the final crime. Former police officer, Jace Montana is sent in to protect her. Both Jace and Addison have some buried hurt and secrets that can potentially harm the partnership. They need to try and work together to figure out who is behind all of this. Since it's a Love Inspired there is romance entwined in it. I love how the author created characters that have broken pasts. The author has also created a story that will leave your heart pounding. It starts out with full of action right out of the gate. It continues through the entire book,



I received a copy of this book through the Great Escape Virtual Blogging program - all thoughts are my own.
Profile Image for Deb Whitney.
164 reviews1 follower
January 25, 2021
The cover alone intrigued me when I purchased this book. This is a great book. There is a depth to this story that makes it so much more than a suspense read. Deena Alexander held my attention through these pages, my heart was beating fast often enough that I felt I'd been running a race! But she knows just how to slow the pace and let you catch your breathe before ramping it up again!

This is a great book. To say more would spoil it. If you love suspense this book is it!

Highly recommend!
Profile Image for Marcie Robinson.
357 reviews5 followers
February 10, 2022
“Crime Scene Connection” by Deena Alexander is a WOW of a debut.

Someone is recreating crime scenes from Addison Keller’s novel and is now after her.
Jace Montana, former cop, is asked by his best friend to protect Addison.
Both have deep-seated trust issues, but have to work together to find the killer.

Ms. Alexander pens a suspense filled with twists, not revealing the true villain until the final pages.
96 reviews6 followers
June 29, 2021
Pretty good book

Never had read this author's books before but I'm sure I will.again. Very suspenseful and kept you guessing about who the killer was. The characters were well suited for each other and they both got a second chance. Also a book about forgiveness and learning to trust.
383 reviews3 followers
December 24, 2021
Crime scene connection

This is the scariest story I have read in a long time. It is to close to today and the unsavory people in law enforcement. I respect law enforcement because I know the majority are fabulous along with their families. The family disfuction is another social issue we live with daily
Profile Image for Megan_the_book_witch Morrow.
113 reviews
January 6, 2021
This book was so amazing! I tried to take my time with it because I didn’t want it to end but I did want it to end haha. I finally couldn’t put it down and finished it. I’m pretty sure this was the first book I’ve read by this author but I want more.
Profile Image for Library Queen.
660 reviews6 followers
May 18, 2021
This was insta-love, but such a strong story. It was fantastic. I took off a star because of the insta-love, and I figured out who the killer was, but the writing was great.

Just realized this was her debut story! Congrats!
181 reviews
September 26, 2021
Really well written. The mystery wasn't easy to figure out, which I appreciated. The characters both had backstories that brought them to the present day in the book. There was lots of action and suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next.
Profile Image for Karen & Gerard.
Author 1 book26 followers
February 18, 2022
This was a pretty good murder mystery with the personal journey of Addison and Jace learning to forgive and being drawn to each other. I liked that Jace's dog was in it throughout. It has suspense, mystery and romance all wrapped up together. (Karen's review)
730 reviews4 followers
January 20, 2025
Addison writes a best selling novel. A serial killer is using her novel to kill women. The end of the novel ends with the final victim which may be Addison. Former police officer Jace and his dog are sent to keep her safe. This was a good mystery. (I did figure out who the killer was.)
Profile Image for Susan Snodgrass.
2,002 reviews273 followers
January 22, 2021
3.5. Deena Alexander is a new to me author and I enjoyed the suspense in this book. Well written with good characters and a nice plot. I'll definitely read more of her work.
Profile Image for LA.
461 reviews22 followers
February 27, 2021
I read this in one sitting.
I believe this is the author's debut and I'm looking forward to more.
Lots of action, intrigue and exciting scenes that keeps the reader engaged from the first sentence.
Profile Image for Karen O'Herron.
218 reviews2 followers
December 16, 2021
Great read

Very suspenseful and kept you guessing all the way to the end. The ending was not expected. Going to look for more books by this author.
152 reviews
February 20, 2022
Great Book

This book was wonderful! It has romance, faith and suspense. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters were well written and believable.
Profile Image for Peggy.
14 reviews1 follower
October 29, 2023
Great book. I kept thinking, this would make a good movie.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews

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