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Adele Sharp #1
La vida en sus manos
FBI special agent Adele Sharp is a German-and-French raised American with triple citizenship—and an invaluable asset in bringing criminals to justice as they cross American and European borders.
When a serial killer case spanning three U.S. states goes cold, Adele returns to San Francisco and to the man she hopes to marry. But after a shocking twist, a new lead surfaces and Adele is dispatched to Paris, to lead an international manhunt.
Adele returns to the Europe of her childhood, where familiar Parisian streets, old friends from the DGSI and her estranged father reignite her dormant obsession with solving her own mother’s murder. All the while she must hunt down the diabolical killer, must enter the dark canals of his psychotic mind to know where he will strike next—and save the next victim before it’s too late.
An action-packed mystery series of international intrigue and riveting suspense, LEFT TO DIE will have you turning pages late into the night.
Books #2 and #3 in the series – LEFT TO RUN and LEFT TO HIDE – are also available for preorder!
286 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 30, 2020
4379 people are currently reading
5106 people want to read
About the author
Blake Pierce
687 books5,784 followersBlake 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 601 reviews
October 13, 2020
So, is anyone feeding that turtle? RIP
October 26, 2023
Left to Die is the exceptional first book in an FBI series created by the Blake Pierce publishing house. The main character is Adele Sharp, an agent with triple citizenship from France, and Germany to go along with her citizenship in the United States which serves as a very useful tool in her pursuit of a serial killer from her past.
This fits very well with the quick-paced, high-octane, heart-stopping, pulse-pounding, action-laden, suspense-filled novels that are typical of the Pierce name. This one also includes some horrific creep elements that overshadow much of the drama.
Agent Sharp pursues the killer through various countries only to find that the killer is familiar with her past, may have had something to do with her mother's murder, and may in fact have set his eyes on her father. To understand what motivates the killer, she must enter his psyche, endure the obstacles of a diseased thought process, and escape with all her faculties intact.
There is blood, gore, and serial killer, slasher, horrors ahead. This is my fourth horror novel perfect for the Halloween season.
This fits very well with the quick-paced, high-octane, heart-stopping, pulse-pounding, action-laden, suspense-filled novels that are typical of the Pierce name. This one also includes some horrific creep elements that overshadow much of the drama.
Agent Sharp pursues the killer through various countries only to find that the killer is familiar with her past, may have had something to do with her mother's murder, and may in fact have set his eyes on her father. To understand what motivates the killer, she must enter his psyche, endure the obstacles of a diseased thought process, and escape with all her faculties intact.
There is blood, gore, and serial killer, slasher, horrors ahead. This is my fourth horror novel perfect for the Halloween season.
May 21, 2020
Left to Die is an adult suspense/thriller following Adele Sharp, an FBI Special Agent with unique triple citizenship in the U.S., Germany, and France that allows her to aid in catching criminals in those countries. When a serial killer's trail leads to a series of dead ends, Adele returns home to marry the love of her life. But her dreams of domesticity are shattered as she finds that the killer is indeed on the move, and Adele needs to find him before it's too late.
A first for me by this author, there were many elements I thoroughly enjoyed. The glimpses into the killers' mind were a rush and made me want to read on. Adele herself had moments where she evoked plenty of empathy in me, but unfortunately, there were too many instances where she felt flat. I was unsure about the semantics of how jurisdiction would work with triple citizenship and Adele being primarily U.S. based and that caused some confusion, but other than that I found the premise to be very interesting.
I did love the investigative phase and the colorful characters that Adele met during it. The aging Parisian police officer, John Renee brought a much-needed tension with Adele in terms of character interaction and I was glad for their team up for this reason.
It did not work for me in all the ways I look for in a thriller, but I cannot deny that it was entertaining.
A first for me by this author, there were many elements I thoroughly enjoyed. The glimpses into the killers' mind were a rush and made me want to read on. Adele herself had moments where she evoked plenty of empathy in me, but unfortunately, there were too many instances where she felt flat. I was unsure about the semantics of how jurisdiction would work with triple citizenship and Adele being primarily U.S. based and that caused some confusion, but other than that I found the premise to be very interesting.
I did love the investigative phase and the colorful characters that Adele met during it. The aging Parisian police officer, John Renee brought a much-needed tension with Adele in terms of character interaction and I was glad for their team up for this reason.
It did not work for me in all the ways I look for in a thriller, but I cannot deny that it was entertaining.
June 4, 2021
I found myself laughing audibly for the exact wrong reason — the book is laughably bad. Tortured metaphors, flat characters, inconsistent tempo and tone; you name it.
Don’t bother.
Don’t bother.
February 17, 2022
I fell in love with Blake's books when I first read 'Before He Kills.' After that, I just had to gather her investigator series (mainly when complimentary copies existed on GooglePlay Books & Amazon). Again, perhaps I enjoy her creation better as the central protagonist is invariably a woman.
Left to Die is a suspense/nail-biter fiction & the foremost in the Adele Sharp Detective series. Adele is an FBI Special Agent who has triple citizenship (every person's vision) of the USA, Germany & France, which permits her to operate across nations & capture the offenders. She is now pursuing a serial killer who obeys a remarkable way of killing individuals based on age. Adele is at a dead-end in locating this individual & is returning home to the love of her life, but that gets broken as well when her long-time boyfriend argues that career is forever her passion & he can't get his head around it any longer. Will she cope with the turmoil in her private life, or will she set out again on the quest for this serial assassin?
I enjoyed this narrative & found it very addictive. The way Adele is depicted fighting her own emotional problems while also dealing with her professional life is a lovely learning takeaway. It's absolutely real-life-like & not merely an imaginary personality invention. The story, the personalities, the script just stand out & keep one thinking.
Blake is absolutely freaking amazing & I shall read more of her books shortly. I desire to suggest her books to every mystery fan out there; you fellas won't halt at only one!!
Left to Die is a suspense/nail-biter fiction & the foremost in the Adele Sharp Detective series. Adele is an FBI Special Agent who has triple citizenship (every person's vision) of the USA, Germany & France, which permits her to operate across nations & capture the offenders. She is now pursuing a serial killer who obeys a remarkable way of killing individuals based on age. Adele is at a dead-end in locating this individual & is returning home to the love of her life, but that gets broken as well when her long-time boyfriend argues that career is forever her passion & he can't get his head around it any longer. Will she cope with the turmoil in her private life, or will she set out again on the quest for this serial assassin?
I enjoyed this narrative & found it very addictive. The way Adele is depicted fighting her own emotional problems while also dealing with her professional life is a lovely learning takeaway. It's absolutely real-life-like & not merely an imaginary personality invention. The story, the personalities, the script just stand out & keep one thinking.
Blake is absolutely freaking amazing & I shall read more of her books shortly. I desire to suggest her books to every mystery fan out there; you fellas won't halt at only one!!
April 20, 2020
Pretty good. I don't usually read murder mysteries. I rather liked that the female character wasn't this super perfect figure. It was a little predictable but still a fun listen. (I listened to the audiobook on Hoopla.)
April 27, 2025
Une nouvelle série policière de Blake Pierce, cette fois avec une Agent de FBI avec triple nationalité, Allemande, Française, et Américaine ce qui va la permettre de suivre les tueurs en série dans les trois pays en se renseignant avec INTERPOL.
Une nouvelle personnalité que je l a trouvé trop rigide trop sèche et elle a sa philosophie personnelle de la vie, mais au fils des page j ai aimé la nouvelle Agent Sharp qui travaillait durement afin de résoudre l affaire complexe dédiée à elle sans piste et sans indice, était un grand défi mais elle a réussi à le surmonter avec succès.
J'aimerais bien connaitre le déroulement de son travail ainsi que j'aimerais lire encore les tome suivants de cette série, et surement ça sera pas le dernier.
En dévoilant encore plus des personnage de Blake Pierce les Femmes Héroïnes Des Agents De FBI en différent spécialité et personnalité.
Good One ..
Une nouvelle personnalité que je l a trouvé trop rigide trop sèche et elle a sa philosophie personnelle de la vie, mais au fils des page j ai aimé la nouvelle Agent Sharp qui travaillait durement afin de résoudre l affaire complexe dédiée à elle sans piste et sans indice, était un grand défi mais elle a réussi à le surmonter avec succès.
J'aimerais bien connaitre le déroulement de son travail ainsi que j'aimerais lire encore les tome suivants de cette série, et surement ça sera pas le dernier.
En dévoilant encore plus des personnage de Blake Pierce les Femmes Héroïnes Des Agents De FBI en différent spécialité et personnalité.
Good One ..
December 14, 2020
Silly Not Sharp
A serial killer wields his lethal skills on different continents. A multilingual FBI agent with triple citizenship pursues him from the states to Europe. But he is clever enough to turn the tables on her.
This is a silly story that quickly becomes as annoying as it is unbelievable. First the agent doesn't have a clue about the killer's identity or how he selects his victims. Other than having a thing for certain ages and a brutal manner of death they know nothing. Very unlikely they would fly her over and put her in charge of the investigation. But then professionalism is not a hallmark here. The behaviour of the characters is appalling. Sharp's partner constantly calls her "American Princess" which quickly becomes irritating and offensive. He refuses to remove his legs forcing a female member of another agency to have to climb over him. Which she does, even worse. There is a bar in the basement and Sharp's former supervisor behaves . poorly compromising Sharp's ability to perform. But even worse is when they finally have someone who got away there is no follow-up. Maybe he died or moved to Canada. There is nothing about him after he is taken to the hospital. Then when they are going to interview suspects, one of whom is likely to be the killer,they split up. This is not a sharp mystery; it is a silly one.
A serial killer wields his lethal skills on different continents. A multilingual FBI agent with triple citizenship pursues him from the states to Europe. But he is clever enough to turn the tables on her.
This is a silly story that quickly becomes as annoying as it is unbelievable. First the agent doesn't have a clue about the killer's identity or how he selects his victims. Other than having a thing for certain ages and a brutal manner of death they know nothing. Very unlikely they would fly her over and put her in charge of the investigation. But then professionalism is not a hallmark here. The behaviour of the characters is appalling. Sharp's partner constantly calls her "American Princess" which quickly becomes irritating and offensive. He refuses to remove his legs forcing a female member of another agency to have to climb over him. Which she does, even worse. There is a bar in the basement and Sharp's former supervisor behaves . poorly compromising Sharp's ability to perform. But even worse is when they finally have someone who got away there is no follow-up. Maybe he died or moved to Canada. There is nothing about him after he is taken to the hospital. Then when they are going to interview suspects, one of whom is likely to be the killer,they split up. This is not a sharp mystery; it is a silly one.
May 12, 2021
Meh. 2 1/2 stars. I won’t be reading any more of this series.
September 25, 2021
No me gustó nada , es todo lo que puedo decir .
November 15, 2021
Holy- Woah! This was freaking awesome ~~
TBH this was completely unexpected, the writing, the plot, the characters-
I mean they did have the typical Blake Pierce flow in them,
"Female agent-dark past-crime-lot's of blood-etc etc"
But the feel, the excitement and unpredictability was magnificent
For a moment I completely forgot that it was written by Blake Pierce, no unnecessary trauma and crying, no dumb and emotional decisions taken by the female lead and most importantly, the characters knew how to keep it all cool and professional.
In all, I wasn't disappointed. It was all worth it ~
Coming to the story, it's real creepy at times and just so fabulous! Our Agent Sharp is definitely a character you'll love and her partner Agent Reece and mentor Agent Robert are some of the most fabulous side characters!!
The story is so intriguing and wholesome!!
If I go into the details, I won't be able to control myself from fangirling xD
This is a masterpiece and I'd recommend this to everyone whose a fan of thriller ^^
Final rating - 5/5
Recommended? Y E S (duh)
TBH this was completely unexpected, the writing, the plot, the characters-
I mean they did have the typical Blake Pierce flow in them,
"Female agent-dark past-crime-lot's of blood-etc etc"
But the feel, the excitement and unpredictability was magnificent
For a moment I completely forgot that it was written by Blake Pierce, no unnecessary trauma and crying, no dumb and emotional decisions taken by the female lead and most importantly, the characters knew how to keep it all cool and professional.
In all, I wasn't disappointed. It was all worth it ~
Coming to the story, it's real creepy at times and just so fabulous! Our Agent Sharp is definitely a character you'll love and her partner Agent Reece and mentor Agent Robert are some of the most fabulous side characters!!
The story is so intriguing and wholesome!!
If I go into the details, I won't be able to control myself from fangirling xD
This is a masterpiece and I'd recommend this to everyone whose a fan of thriller ^^
Final rating - 5/5
Recommended? Y E S (duh)
May 13, 2020
FBI special agent Adele Sharp is a German-and-French raised American with triple citizenship—and an invaluable asset in bringing criminals to justice as they cross American and European borders.
When a serial killer case spanning three U.S. states goes cold, Adele returns to San Francisco and to the man she hopes to marry. But after a shocking twist, a new lead surfaces and Adele is dispatched to Paris, to lead an international manhunt.
Adele returns to the Europe of her childhood, where familiar Parisian streets, old friends from the DGSI and her estranged father reignite her dormant obsession with solving her own mother’s murder. All the while she must hunt down the diabolical killer, must enter the dark canals of his psychotic mind to know where he will strike next—and save the next victim before it’s too late.
An action-packed mystery series of international intrigue and riveting suspense, LEFT TO DIE will have you turning pages late into the night.
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 believeable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
When a serial killer case spanning three U.S. states goes cold, Adele returns to San Francisco and to the man she hopes to marry. But after a shocking twist, a new lead surfaces and Adele is dispatched to Paris, to lead an international manhunt.
Adele returns to the Europe of her childhood, where familiar Parisian streets, old friends from the DGSI and her estranged father reignite her dormant obsession with solving her own mother’s murder. All the while she must hunt down the diabolical killer, must enter the dark canals of his psychotic mind to know where he will strike next—and save the next victim before it’s too late.
An action-packed mystery series of international intrigue and riveting suspense, LEFT TO DIE will have you turning pages late into the night.
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 believeable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
November 28, 2022
Ugh. I was hoping for a new thriller series to immerse myself in, but I found too many annoying issues gathering into a whole heap of stuff I didn't like - on top of a narrator I really didn't like.
I found details I just didn't recognise at all as an actual European (Like... Uhm... Adele doesn't even have ONE credit card? For real??? You just wave around an American dollar in Paris like an idiot!?) and soon started to feel like the book was crammed full of American preconceived stereotypes about first France and then Germany. (Unsure which was worse.)
The research that went into the police work and characters felt about as deep and well thought out as the short fiction projects I wrote in school as a 14-year-old. (That's to say: Not at all.)
The police detectives are ... shallow, but also really unprofessional.
(But of course the French police is, I mean he is French!)
A suspect is raced to a police station on no grounds at all other than not being at work for a few weeks - then harassed by the French guy (because he's kind of a dick - and French) - and no one bothers to check for any evidence!?
By then I was 10 000% convinced I would dump this series for good because it was just SO STUPID and unbelievable I wanted to bang my head against something.
No real psychology was ever researched to explain the bad guy's motivations. He's just bad because he's ... insane. You know. Like back in the early 90s!
Once again: Ugh.
I started out really hopeful, but then it went downhill - and the narrator really helped.
Adele Sharp is supposed the be good at languages - but the narrator can't even fake a French accent without almost swallowing her tongue. It was embarrassing and I kept wondering if she'd been hired because there was a tight budget and she was on sale, or something.
Really, really cringe.
Everyone involved in the book seemed to know next to nothing about Europe - or Europol or ... anything. It's just an American mishmash of things you're supposed to simply "buy". A story that just happens to happen outside of the US while a youngish FBI agent (very much NOT Clarice Starling!) runs free to almost do whatever she wants because she's got three citizenships.
She's also supposed to be the cleverest person in the room - which really isn't hard when everyone in the room clearly is an idiot.
Not recommended.
I found details I just didn't recognise at all as an actual European (Like... Uhm... Adele doesn't even have ONE credit card? For real??? You just wave around an American dollar in Paris like an idiot!?) and soon started to feel like the book was crammed full of American preconceived stereotypes about first France and then Germany. (Unsure which was worse.)
The research that went into the police work and characters felt about as deep and well thought out as the short fiction projects I wrote in school as a 14-year-old. (That's to say: Not at all.)
The police detectives are ... shallow, but also really unprofessional.
(But of course the French police is, I mean he is French!)
A suspect is raced to a police station on no grounds at all other than not being at work for a few weeks - then harassed by the French guy (because he's kind of a dick - and French) - and no one bothers to check for any evidence!?
By then I was 10 000% convinced I would dump this series for good because it was just SO STUPID and unbelievable I wanted to bang my head against something.
No real psychology was ever researched to explain the bad guy's motivations. He's just bad because he's ... insane. You know. Like back in the early 90s!
Once again: Ugh.
I started out really hopeful, but then it went downhill - and the narrator really helped.
Adele Sharp is supposed the be good at languages - but the narrator can't even fake a French accent without almost swallowing her tongue. It was embarrassing and I kept wondering if she'd been hired because there was a tight budget and she was on sale, or something.
Really, really cringe.
Everyone involved in the book seemed to know next to nothing about Europe - or Europol or ... anything. It's just an American mishmash of things you're supposed to simply "buy". A story that just happens to happen outside of the US while a youngish FBI agent (very much NOT Clarice Starling!) runs free to almost do whatever she wants because she's got three citizenships.
She's also supposed to be the cleverest person in the room - which really isn't hard when everyone in the room clearly is an idiot.
Not recommended.
March 10, 2021
FBI Special Agent Adele Sharpe is sent to Europe to work with the DGSI and the BKA (French and German FBI equivalents respectively) to track down a serial killer of young women and who may have also killed her mother or knows who killed her mother. She works out that the killer is a redhead and is somehow associated with a German pharma corporation. Her European colleagues clearly don't want her to succeed; the French DGSI agent is rude calling her 'American princess' and constantly referring to overweight people as 'American fat'. BTW - is the author anti-American? Her German colleagues are more subtle in their treatment of her; the low-level agent they send to assist her appears to be straight out of training school.
Adele may be tri-lingual and may understand the cultures of three different countries but she cuts a rather sad figure when the author writes this description of her - 'Adele never had a home. She wasn’t German enough, French enough, American enough for anyone to claim her as one of theirs unless they wanted something from her. She spoke with the slightest of accent in every language, unable to fully call one hers'.
The chase for the killer continues and a member of Adele's family gets caught up in the net. But all is well at the end which comes with a little twist.
This review is written by Shawn Callon, author of The Diplomatic Spy.
https://smile.amazon.com/Diplomatic-S...
Adele may be tri-lingual and may understand the cultures of three different countries but she cuts a rather sad figure when the author writes this description of her - 'Adele never had a home. She wasn’t German enough, French enough, American enough for anyone to claim her as one of theirs unless they wanted something from her. She spoke with the slightest of accent in every language, unable to fully call one hers'.
The chase for the killer continues and a member of Adele's family gets caught up in the net. But all is well at the end which comes with a little twist.
This review is written by Shawn Callon, author of The Diplomatic Spy.
https://smile.amazon.com/Diplomatic-S...
March 24, 2024
Adele is a detective for the FBI she comes home from a case and she is expecting her boyfriend to propose but she gets dumped instead because of her job. She has the opportunity to travel to France to work on a serial killer case, thought to be the same person she was pursuing in the US. Good timing for her and off she goes. This story is fast paced, I liked Adele’s character but the plot seemed predictable, would of appreciated a twist or two, something original. 3.5 stars.
August 14, 2021
A copycat killer is on the loose causing mayhem across three US states. When one of the lead agents gets too close, the killer flees to Paris. Luckily, the agent has triple citizenship and can easily follow the killer and take lead oversees.
The case itself and its tie back to the agent’s history was interesting. But there is very little believability factor. The dialogue between character is odd and doesn’t flow at times. When the suspect is caught, there’s no further development into the “whys” behind the killings. The story ends and leads in to the subsequent books in the series. There was so much potential with this storyline but overall the book fell flat.
This is the first book of Blake Pierce’s that I didn’t like. If you are basing your opinion of this author’s writing from this one...don’t. I know Blake Pierce can do better and has written better books.
The case itself and its tie back to the agent’s history was interesting. But there is very little believability factor. The dialogue between character is odd and doesn’t flow at times. When the suspect is caught, there’s no further development into the “whys” behind the killings. The story ends and leads in to the subsequent books in the series. There was so much potential with this storyline but overall the book fell flat.
This is the first book of Blake Pierce’s that I didn’t like. If you are basing your opinion of this author’s writing from this one...don’t. I know Blake Pierce can do better and has written better books.
April 25, 2020
Yeah....I didn’t like this book very much. It got to the point that I would cringe every time she mentioned her triple citizenship or not having a home. I actually cheered when her colleague, Robert, called her out on it. When I got to the end, the final confrontation with the killer was comical with no real understanding as to the motives of his actions.
January 18, 2025
La traduction en français laisse parfois à désirer. Certaines invraisemblances dans le récit, qui est par ailleurs assez prévisible.
January 4, 2023
This is an easy listen through audiobook. The ending was a little predictable but I plan on continuing with the series
February 15, 2021
Okay, so normally if I don’t read at least fifty or so pages, I don’t bother with a review, but ugh, I had some thoughts I need to share. One, I shouldn’t have bothered because I’m not into thrillers and in those early pages, there wasn’t anything else to attract my attention.
What is it with the trope of having a main character who is so messed up? Esp. one who works in law enforcement. I’m very much over the tortured soul becomes federal agent thing. Don’t they have to go through rigorous background checks and psychological exams? The main character here comes across as a ticking timebomb or maybe a mental breakdown looking for a place to happen.
Speaking of overused tropes, don’t even get me started on what’s her name’s perfect looks. Five foot six, blonde hair, green eyes, runner’s physique, trilingual, blah, blah, blah. I guess because she’s mentally flawed, she doesn’t have to have any physical flaws? I hate when characters are described as being so perfectly attractive – sounds fake but okay. I thought the boyfriend leaving after buying himself a watch (so he was conveniently spotted a jewelry store) was another eye roll put in just to break the girl’s heart so she can get together with a hot agent later.
And then there’s a character named Lee Grant. And she’s referred to as either Agent Lee or Grant. That’s backwards, but okay. And really, she’s named after two civil war generals? That’s dumb.
All and all, skip the hell out of this one. Trust me.
What is it with the trope of having a main character who is so messed up? Esp. one who works in law enforcement. I’m very much over the tortured soul becomes federal agent thing. Don’t they have to go through rigorous background checks and psychological exams? The main character here comes across as a ticking timebomb or maybe a mental breakdown looking for a place to happen.
Speaking of overused tropes, don’t even get me started on what’s her name’s perfect looks. Five foot six, blonde hair, green eyes, runner’s physique, trilingual, blah, blah, blah. I guess because she’s mentally flawed, she doesn’t have to have any physical flaws? I hate when characters are described as being so perfectly attractive – sounds fake but okay. I thought the boyfriend leaving after buying himself a watch (so he was conveniently spotted a jewelry store) was another eye roll put in just to break the girl’s heart so she can get together with a hot agent later.
And then there’s a character named Lee Grant. And she’s referred to as either Agent Lee or Grant. That’s backwards, but okay. And really, she’s named after two civil war generals? That’s dumb.
All and all, skip the hell out of this one. Trust me.
April 28, 2020
I listen to the audiobook and overall it wasn't a bad book. I enjoyed Adele and her character, but at times I wanted to slap her. The reason I rated it stars less is because of the ending with her and the killer. I just couldn't understand how she let things happen like she did. It frustrated me to listen to it. Also, it baffled me how she felt and handled handguns.
June 14, 2021
Honest 2,5 stars. Felt a bit rushed towards the end- especially guessing by the typos. I liked the idea of the story- an agent with three nationalities and an international mystery, but the tropes were a bit general.
December 26, 2021
This was boring! Poor turtle, what happened to the person at the hospital, when someone says no don't come why would you come? I prefer my MC to be a bit more confident her self loathing was hella annoying. I will not continue with th series.
December 11, 2022
I think the 1 star says enough.
January 14, 2023
New series and author for me. I enjoyed this one and have already started book 2.
Read
January 9, 2024DNF @ 21% due to extreme yawning.
May 16, 2025
⭐⭐⭐½ (3.5 stars)
A quick, entertaining thriller that kept me hooked, but didn’t blow me away. Well-paced, fun, and easy to get through — but not especially deep or surprising. That said, I’ll definitely be continuing the series!
I finished Left to Die in just one day, and I have to say — it was a fun and fast-paced ride! I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed how gripping it was right from the start.
The story moves quickly, with almost no filler, which made it a really easy listen/read. But after finishing, I found out the book is only about 212 pages, and that explains a lot. While I appreciated the efficiency, I couldn’t help but feel like it lacked some depth.
I wanted more backstory — especially for the FMC. She was likable, but her character felt a bit flat. I also really enjoyed the small glimpses we got into characters like John and the relationship with her father, but again, those elements could’ve been more fleshed out.
Plot-wise, this was a solid thriller — entertaining, engaging, and never slow — but it wasn’t anything especially memorable. It’s definitely one of those books you enjoy in the moment, but might not remember in detail later.
I did enjoy the international setting — the fact that the story spans multiple countries added a lot of movement. But I do wish the scenery and atmosphere had been described more vividly. It had potential, but we were barely given enough to really feel immersed in the setting.
A quick, entertaining thriller that kept me hooked, but didn’t blow me away. Well-paced, fun, and easy to get through — but not especially deep or surprising. That said, I’ll definitely be continuing the series!
I finished Left to Die in just one day, and I have to say — it was a fun and fast-paced ride! I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed how gripping it was right from the start.
The story moves quickly, with almost no filler, which made it a really easy listen/read. But after finishing, I found out the book is only about 212 pages, and that explains a lot. While I appreciated the efficiency, I couldn’t help but feel like it lacked some depth.
I wanted more backstory — especially for the FMC. She was likable, but her character felt a bit flat. I also really enjoyed the small glimpses we got into characters like John and the relationship with her father, but again, those elements could’ve been more fleshed out.
Plot-wise, this was a solid thriller — entertaining, engaging, and never slow — but it wasn’t anything especially memorable. It’s definitely one of those books you enjoy in the moment, but might not remember in detail later.
I did enjoy the international setting — the fact that the story spans multiple countries added a lot of movement. But I do wish the scenery and atmosphere had been described more vividly. It had potential, but we were barely given enough to really feel immersed in the setting.
December 25, 2022
I think 2.5 stars. I wanted was a mystery-police style read. I didn’t mind the story but I really just didn’t love the MC and the constant talking about the German French US thing….not really really bad but not my fave. I’ll try book 2 and see if it gets better.
April 18, 2022
3.5 stars. I listened to this book. I might have enjoyed it better if I had read it because the narrator was off putting especially when she tried to speak with French and German accents greatly taking away from the story line. This is the first book in the Adele Sharpe mystery series. Adele Sharp is an FBI agent who grew up in France and Germany because of her father who was in the military. Also Adele’s mother is French. In this book she is pursuing a killer whom she believed killed her mother years ago. A murder similar to her mother’s had occurred in Paris. Adele is determined to find the killer to avenge her mother. Her dogged determination identifies that the killer is German and has red hair. She follows him from Paris to Germany and in a confrontation in her father’s home (he’s been living there since his divorce from Adele’s mother), Adele learns from the killer that another killer whom this one was copying had killed her mother. At the end of the book Adele is determined to find her mother’s killer. Ok listen.
August 15, 2022
Adele Sharp is a young FBI agent, on the trail of a serial killer that she hunts across the US. The killer’s victims have no connection at all except a pattern in the ages – the first victim was 29, then 28 and so on, with the last one being 25. Adele’s lead has run cold, and just when she thinks she needs a break and is looking forward to her wedding – there is a sad twist in the tale. And she is called back from her planned vacation because the killer has struck again with a 24 year old victim, this time in Paris. As Adele chases thin leads across France with rather unfriendly coworkers in this country, she relives a personal tragedy that has a link to the killer.
This is the first book in the Adele Sharp mystery series, and is so good that I immediately bought the next one, and cannot wait to start reading it.
The story starts with a rather personal setback for Adele that makes you readily want to empathize with her. The pace of storytelling is tight, with the killer’s actions are described carefully, with care and empathy, and you start rooting for the victims and keep hoping that they will be saved. The clues leading to the killer are cleverly thought out.
The best part of the story for me was the way Adele is described as handling very situation – with her mental and physical techniques so neatly explained that I wanted to learn and copy them myself. There is one questioning technique she uses on a powerful executive that simply had me floored.
What fell a little flat in the story were the character arcs of Adele’s father and one of her close friends; both felt slightly superficial. I also did not find the romantic tone at the end charming; it was a little dissatisfying. But this is eclipsed by the otherwise well written mystery.
Final verdict:
With an average reading time of about 4.5 hours, Left to die is a great Sunday read! It will have you rooting for Adele and is a very engaging thriller.
This is the first book in the Adele Sharp mystery series, and is so good that I immediately bought the next one, and cannot wait to start reading it.
The story starts with a rather personal setback for Adele that makes you readily want to empathize with her. The pace of storytelling is tight, with the killer’s actions are described carefully, with care and empathy, and you start rooting for the victims and keep hoping that they will be saved. The clues leading to the killer are cleverly thought out.
The best part of the story for me was the way Adele is described as handling very situation – with her mental and physical techniques so neatly explained that I wanted to learn and copy them myself. There is one questioning technique she uses on a powerful executive that simply had me floored.
What fell a little flat in the story were the character arcs of Adele’s father and one of her close friends; both felt slightly superficial. I also did not find the romantic tone at the end charming; it was a little dissatisfying. But this is eclipsed by the otherwise well written mystery.
Final verdict:
With an average reading time of about 4.5 hours, Left to die is a great Sunday read! It will have you rooting for Adele and is a very engaging thriller.
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