Dead Lock

FBI Thriller #24

by Catherine Coulter

This exhilarating FBI thriller by #1 New York Times bestselling author Catherine Coulter finds Savich and Sherlock confronting two baffling mysteries.

A young wife is forced to confront a decades-old deadly secret when a medium connects her to her dead grandfather.

A vicious psychopath wants ultimate revenge against Savich, but first, she wants to destroy what he loves most—his family.

A series of three red boxes are delivered personally to Savich at the Hoover Building, each one containing puzzle pieces of a town only FBI agent Pippa Cinelli recognizes. Savich sends in Cinelli to investigate undercover but someone knows who she is.

Savich and Sherlock are up to their eyebrows in danger, but can they figure out the red box puzzle and the young wife’s secret before it’s too late?

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Romance, Crime

498 pages, Unknown Binding

First published July 28, 2020

Reviews

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every FBI thriller in this series contains two different cases to solve. In this one, we have the young wife of a US Representative (quite young—as in she’s the age of her husband’s children) who gets a message from a psychic about an old crime her grandfather may have committed, and the next day is nearly abducted. I was a little confused on this plot thread at first as it took a lot of explaining to get going, but eventually things fell into place and the FBI end of things picked up.

The other side of things, the puzzle piece one, started off with a bang, with an unbalanced person out to get FBI agent Savich and puzzle pieces in red unmarked boxes being sent to FBI headquarters. When they depict a grisly image and only one person on the FBI team recognizes the location, she’s dispatched back to her hometown to investigate. It’s also Halloween while all this is happening, which makes for some good ambiance (loved the description of the oatmeal ghost cookies and the spiked orange punch at the party.)

This one had a little bit of everything. Abductions and narrow escapes. Fires! Lots of crazy relationships, jealousies, May-December romances and crazy histories to sort out. I was intrigued to say the least, and enjoyed seeing how things played out.

[JEN A · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of this book from Net Galley and the publisher in return for an honest review. The release date for this book is 28 July 2020

Catherine Coulter is one of my favorite authors and boy does she deliver with this novel. The latest addition to her FBI series is incredibly engrossing and such a good read. The book’s two plots are well thought out and intriguing. You definitely feel invested in the main characters and the supporting cast adds great flavor to both of the plots. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves a good, no make that a great intriguing novel.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had not read Catherine Coulter in years, and this book helped remind me why she is such a successful mystery writer. This book is the 24th (!!) in a series I had not read in quite some time, but it functions very well as a stand-alone, even though it includes a subplot set in motion by previous books.

I really enjoyed the initial setup and mystery of the book, in which a psychic medium seeks out Rebekah to tell her she has a message from her recently deceased grandfather about a hidden fortune. The question becomes: is the medium psychic, or is she working with someone else who wants to find the treasure for themselves? The FBI gets involved — on the FBI end of the story there are quite a lot of characters, no doubt featured in other books and a little hard to keep straight for a newbie, but all interesting and compelling. I wasn’t as interested in the subplot about the psychopath from previous books but I was able to follow it just fine. My favorite part of the book was the main plot with Rebekah, the medium and the treasure.

Rebekah was my favorite character - I also loved her grandfather and Agent Savitch. The mystery unfolds very well with a great twist. The plot fits together as perfectly at the end as the puzzle pieces featured in the story. This is a very good law enforcement procedural with a fun and interesting mystical twist, and the treasure hunt is a pretty cool centerpiece for the mystery. This is a great book for fans of traditional whodunits and FBI procedurals.

Thanks to Catherine Coulter, NetGalley and Gallery books for the ARC of this twisty mystery!

[Monnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, actually.

This series featuring really cool (and now married with a young son) FBI agents Dillon Savich and Lacey Sherlock is in second place when it comes to books from this author - I absolutely love her "Brit in the FBI" series co-written with J.T. Ellison. That said, I was excited to start this book - the 24th in the series. But sadly, it just doesn't measure up to the others I've read. The writing doesn't rise to the usual standard, the plot just didn't grab me and one of the characters I hope to never "see" again.

There's more than one story going on here, the first of which centers around Marsia Gay, who is in a correctional treatment facility in Washington, D.C. - and Savich is responsible for putting her there, so she's out to get him. She's also out to get another prisoner - a woman who has agreed to testify against her in an upcoming trial. Meanwhile, Rebekah, the young wife of a powerful U.S. Senator, visits a female medium named Zoltan, who claims Rebekah's late grandfather wants her to reveal a "secret" he passed on to her before he died. And, Savich is puzzled when he gets a red box containing part of a jigsaw that shows an unidentified pier cluttered with dead birds.

As fate (and the plot) would have it, FBI agent Pippa Cinelli, a financial expert who has been sent on a temporary basis to help Savich and Sherlock and their team, spots the puzzle. And wonder of wonders, she recognizes the scene as a pier in her home town (wow, what are the chances?) So, she's sent back, at first to work as an undercover agent, to see if she can find out who sent the puzzle and why. Ultimately, she connects with the local police chief, and the two begin a more in-depth investigation that's rife with potential danger.

Almost from the moment Pippa appeared, I suspected she was being groomed for a spin-off series; that feeling intensified when she was given the lion's share of page time. Actually, I hoped that would be the case; she struck me as childish and borderline silly - so if she got her own series, I could simply ignore it. Now that I've finished this book, I doubt that she'll be setting off on her own, so I'm hoping she'll be taking a background spot (the farther back the better) in the future. That police chief, on the other hand, is a totally engaging character, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of him.

Most of the main characters take turns at being the targets of the bad guys and gals, and there's a fair amount of action to hold readers' attention right up to the end as the pieces of all the puzzles come together. This certainly isn't my favorite of the series, but it's definitely worth reading.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher in exchange for an fair and honest review.

Woo-Hoo!! Summertime and a new FBI thriller. Beach chair, here I come! I've had a great time lazing on the beach and enjoying this book in between chasing grandkids. I have to say that the plot was a tad complicated to have so many interruptions and I found myself backtracking a bit. But, I had a wonderful time with Savich, Sherlock, Sean and the other characters. I'm not going to detail the plot much, there was a lot going on. I'm going to let you discover it all on your own.

Marcia Gay is a psychopath that Savach was instrumental is nailing. She is a vengeful b**** who is out to get both Savich, his family and the lover who turned on her. Her vengeance against Savich starts with a series of red gift boxed with macabre puzzle pieces. The puzzle depects the hometown of Agent Pippa Cinelli and she volunteers to go undercover and find the connection with Savich and Gay.

Meanwhile, Savach saves a young woman, Rebekah Manvers, from a kidnapping that has to be connected to her visit with a medium who has spoken for her grandfather and a secret, the Big Take, he wants her to uncover. Digging into this is not what Rebekah wants to do, but to uncover who is behind her attempted kidnapping, she has to.

[Lou Jacobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this is the 24th book in this beloved FBI thriller series , it can certainly be enjoyed and understood as a stand alone novel. Two story-lines are seamlessly interwoven proving Coulter to be a masterful storyteller. Yet again, she delivers a suspenseful an engaging thriller that keeps the reader on the edge of the seat until the thrilling conclusion. Once again ... we enter the ever forboding world of the husband and wife duo of FBI agents , Dillon Savich and Lacey Sherlock, Marsia Gay, known psychopath, is locked behind bars and awaiting a trial that may never happen ... the star witness is a co-conspirator that may not survive her prison confinement. Marsia wants revenge on Savich and wants to destroy what he holds most dear ... his wife and son, Sean. Savich incidentally appears at the right place and thwarts an abduction attempt of Rebeka ... the rich , very young wife of an older Senator. In the course of investigation, Savich learns that Rebeka has just attended a "fake" seance with the mysterious medium, Zoltan. The medium insisted that her beloved and deceased grandfather had contacted her and needed to urgently talk with her. Rebekah was skeptical and would not reveal the contents of a memorized poem that was entrusted to her to keep secret. Apparently this may prove helpful in uncovering the whereabouts of a cache of ill-gotten gains from a remote heist that may have been orchestrated by her grandfather. At the same time, Savich starts to receive a series of three red boxes at the Hoover Building ... each containing a selection of puzzle pieces slowly revealing a pier, littered with bones and dead birds. One of the agents, Pippa Cinelli qickly identifies the site of the mysterious pier, as her home town of St Lumus. The chase is on!
Coulter seamlessly weaves a complex, twisted narrative revealing a possible linkage to the ongoing events. The plot inexorably escalates into a page turner, culminating in an exhilarating and unexpected denouement .
Nothing deep here .... just pure unadulterated fun!! Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review. Publication Date: July 28, 2020
( at readersremains.com )

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read.

Original review still stands: There is only one series that I have been reading for years and years. This is the series. This is the one book I look forward to every year with giddy anticipation. It doesn't matter that it is written by one of my very favorite authors, whom I have also been reading for years and years, no matter the subject matter. That is just icing on the cake. My mom, while she was still alive, also was giddy reading this series. Each time I pick up a new book in this fabulous series, I always think that my mom undoubtedly already beat me to it (which never occurred while she was still with me) and read it already. ;) I just LOVE Sherlock and Savich. I LOVE the clever mysteries and never being able to figure them out (which is rare for me). I simply love these books have re-read the entire series more than once. Looks like I'm due again.

Another excellent addition the Catherine Coulter's FBI series. Another loooonnnnngggg year wait. Sigh. It will be worth it, as always!

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have followed this FBI series by Catherine Coulter that features Savich and Sherlock in one way or another. Over the years, Savich's team have grown and changed and each new book usually introduces a couple of new characters. This time, it's new FBI agent Pippa who was sent undercover to her old hometown to investigate a series of ominous puzzles sent to Savich. There, she works with the chief of police Wilde, especially after she was knocked unconscious and tied up by an assailant as she investigates. There is also another plotline with a Congressman's young wife whose late grandfather is supposed to have come talk to her through a medium. The mystery there is a hidden treasure that this grandfather may or may not have stolen years before. Both story lines don't really mesh though, so it's like reading 2 short stories in one book. Pippa is a nice enough character. I wish there's more of Chief Wilde and we learn about his back story more. Overall, for those who have read this series before, it's a good enough book. It's like we're checking in on Savich and company and finding out how they're doing.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read every Catherine Coulter book, that being said, I didn't much care for this one. It felt like she spent an extraordinary amount of time introducing the characters and starting their path in the story. I was on page 260 before it felt like any action was going to take place. And then it felt disjointed, like someone running across the stage every 30 minutes in a play. With Savich and Sherlock, there is usually more action and that was what I was missing.

[Robin Loves Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good that I had to read it twice! I truly love this FBI series by Catherine Coulter and had been eagerly awaiting the 24th title as this is one of my favorite series. This thrilling book is one that seamlessly weaves together two storylines. I honestly don't know which one was more intriguing to me, and like I said, this book already got a reread from me.

The story begins with Rebekah Manvers finding herself in front of a medium called Zoltan. Rebekah was especially close to her grandfather, so when she is contacted and told that he is calling for her, Rebekah just has to see what she might learn. Of course, she was skeptical, but her curiosity won out. Then there is Marsia Gay. Currently awaiting trial and more angry with FBI agent Dillon Savich than she can bear. Savich is responsible for her incarceration and as far as Marsia is concerned, he is a dead man walking - even if it means his family gets caught in whatever crossfire Marsia lays out.

Savich is torn. Of course his most important objective is to keep his wife, fellow FBI agent Lacey Sherlock, and their son Sean safe. Not only must Savich dig deeper where it concerns Marsia, there is something going on with Rebekah, especially after she almost loses her life. So Savich must turn over every stone, especially considering the medium is someone new in Rebekah's life.

As always, Savich's intuition is right on target when he suspects the medium that contacted Rebekah is not all she is cracked up to be. Sherlock and another FBI agent Pippa Cinella become a part of the investigation, revealing rather confusing connections that no doubt will eventually tie together.

As a jigsaw puzzle enthusiast, I was drawn to the cover, as well as how puzzles were part of one of the cases Savich was working on. Having read all the previous books in this series, as well as Coulter's Brit in the FBI series, I love how she brought in the aspect of puzzles when it came to getting to the bottom of what was going on.

As always Savich and Sherlock are as tight as can be, although the romantic in me wouldn't have minded a few more scenes with just the two of them. However, missing that part certainly did not take away my enjoyment of this book. The first time I read the book it was in one sitting and the second time I downloaded the audiobook, and also listened to it in one sitting. The crafty talent of Coulter shone through from the very start to the arresting conclusion. Now, to wait another year for the 25th book in the series.

Many thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Barbara Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Series: FBI Thriller #24
Publication Date: 7/28/20
Number of Pages: 480

I can hardly believe it is the twenty-fourth book in the series and it is just as exciting and interesting as the first book – and I have read all of them. The book, as always, is very well-written, well-paced, and well-plotted. Savich and Sherlock are, yet again, in the cross-hairs of a psychopath who is very cunning and bent on revenge. What nefarious plans does the psycho have in store for them? Oh! You’ll just really need to read the story to find out. As with most of these books, we have two stories to follow - with multiple agents involved – which means it is a very busy read – and I love that!

The ’main’ story involves a psychopath bent on revenge against Savich because he has her locked up for attempted murder. She plans and executes a complex scheme to rob Savich of everything that gives his life meaning. It will take all of Savich and Sherlock’s skills along with a couple of new characters, Agent Pippa Cinelli and Police Chief Wilde, to thwart the plot and see that justice prevails.

The secondary story revolves around a lovely young art forgery expert, a medium, a dead lawyer, a dead congressman, and huge family secrets. Rebekah Clarkson Manvers, an art forgery expert, and wife of a congressman twice her age has absolutely no clue there are secrets in her family. She isn’t close to either her mother or her grandmother, but she and her grandfather were very close and she still misses him every day. When a medium, Zoltan, calls Rebekah to ask to meet with her because Rebekah’s grandfather has been contacting her and really wants to speak with her, Rebekah is skeptical, but agrees. What follows is a head-spinning series of events that reveal deadly secrets that can and will team a family apart.

If you love mystery and suspense, you’ll love this series. As soon as I finish a book in the series, I start counting the days until it is time for the release of the next. They are always great reads and this addition to the series is certainly no exception to that. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Mel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dear Ms. Coulter
Can't you come up with something new? Where's that rollercoaster crazy sauce plot that has been so entertaining in this series? For too long it's been the same old stuff in every book. Villain is fucking crazy evil and almost always female. They shoot/slice/stab or run over Sherlock. They hate and want to slowly torture Savich to death. Savich has a supernatural experience which helps solve the case. This last tale was so obvious and an utterly predictable bore. What gives? No FBI colleague romance either....

[Maranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great FBI Thriller with married agents Savich and Sherlock. With the aid of Pippa Cinelli who is a wiz at financial data; the team more than stumble on immense action packed pages. Love this author and especially this series. "A copy of this book was provided by Gallery Books via Netgalley with no requirements for a review. Comments here are my honest opinion." Lots of Heat and flames!

[Chris Conley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy mackerel! Every one of these FBI books is better than the one before it. Coulter manages to find delightfully creepy situations for Dillon and Sherlock to escape while introducing new and interesting characters.
I especially like the way folks from other stories pop in and out of each new story.
I was so lucky and got this book in one of the giveaways. I was so tickled to get it and devoured it right away!

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a continuation of another Savach-Sherlock FBI series, but you really do not need to previous story. Marisa Gay is in prison, awaiting a new trial convinced she will be released. But she has put together a series of events, one involving her arch-nemesis Dylan Savach. She wants him dead, but first she wants him to witness the death of Sherlock and their son Sean. In addition, he is involved in saving a Congressman's young wife from being kidnapped. She too has her enemies, who want her to recount all the old fantastic stories her Grandfather told her about The Big Take.
Great storyline!

[Elaine Nickolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
This ended up being a good story despite the initially confusing story line laid out by the author.

[Anne Szlachcic · Rating 4 out of 5]

This latest book by this prolific Author is a welcome return of FBI agents Savich and Sherlock .

A newly married young woman is contacted by a Medium , Zoltan - her recently deceased Grandfather wants to contact her ! Just what is The Big Take ?
Against her better judgement she attends the séance - and despite the theatrics decides against furthering the contact . However on her way home she is almost kidnapped , her saviour FBI Agent Dillon Savich .
Determined to keep her safe Savich arranges protection whilst he investigates - but he has problems nearer to home .
Some one is determined that all those he holds dear must suffer - his home is set on fire with his wife and child inside , other attacks follow .
Just who is out to get him ? are there clues in the boxes he has received daily at headquarters ?
Jealousy, money, ransom lead to a dead standstill - Deadlock !

Another entertaining thriller with many twists and turns along the way . A thoroughly enjoyable read .

[Charlotte Pawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first look at the FBI Savich and Sherlock series. A past case will affect them both when someone with a grudge will weave a tangled web to get their revenge. What starts as a series of red boxes delivered to Savich with puzzle pieces linked to the hometown of FBI agent Cinelli and the attempted kidnapping of Congressman’s wife Rebekah will bring to life old mysteries and accidents that are not what they seem. Money, revenge and murder keeps you on you toes till the end of this thrilling book. This will definitely not be my last look at this FBI series.

[Mythri · Rating 1 out of 5]

For the first time in my life, I had to DNF a book because of the terrible writing. To be dead honest, the writing seemed like a middle school student learning how to write long stories, and the characters spoke to each other as if they knew they were in a book and someone was reading the story.

Genuinely couldn't put up with the writing long enough to figure out what happens (but according to other reviews it wasn't a particularly inventive plot anyway)

[Ariana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed another book in this series. Crazy since its book 24 or something. It was full of action for me and it was great to end my day with a book that I didn't have to go somewhere quiet to read so I didn't lose what was going on in the story. There was more innuendos in this book then in the past ones. Or I just picked up on them this time. A handful of language from the perps as well. So I removed a star for these reasons.

[Jackie Mungle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful book as always, It kept me up late reading , had a couple different story lines going at one time, and I enjoyed that very much, I wish they would have told where the bonds where, that would have been nice to have found out.I look forward to the next Catherine Coulter Book.

[Bea]

Standard Coulter formula except extra light on the romance, but enjoyable. Coulter's FBI books follow a predictable path, there are rarely surprises, but for me, that makes them the equivalent of comfort food. I know exactly what to expect and they're smooth.

[Diane Karpus · Rating 1 out of 5]

Zoltan?? seriously??..ridiculous premise

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I said it the last time I finished a Savich and Sherlock novel, and I'll say it again. I never realize how much I've missed them, until I read about them again! I love their chemistry, I can easily picture them in real life.

I don't know that I particularly loved the storyline, it didn't feel believable, but I love Catherine Coulter's writing style and I loved visiting with these characters again. Worth picking up!

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was super disappointed with this book! I had been looking forward to listening to this since July and it's now December - First, we have new readers - Tim Campbell & Hillary Huber - It was often hard to discern which character was speaking, because their voices did not change that much, so could not always distinguish who was speaking.

Next, the stories just didn't gel for me. I expected more chemistry between the characters. I assume their might be another story with some of these characters in the future, based on Griffin's reaction, at the end.

Hopefully Coulter's next book will be better!

[Paraphrodite · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

This was a much more straight forward story with Savich drawn into a couple of cases, one of which clearly involved someone who has a personal vendetta against him.

Curiously, Sherlock was very much in the background for any of the case solving. Her time on page was more as wife and mother, even though there were definitely some harrowing moments.

The story was engrossing enough that I did stay up to finish it until very early this morning. I'm interested to find out what's going to happen with Griffin!

[Karen ReadsALot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great start. Predictable ending.

[Colleen Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up. Deadlock is part of a FBI series about Agents Savich and Sherlock, a married partnership. This was my first book within the series and perhaps because I was unfamiliar with the personalities of the characters, it just never really resonated with me. There was a duel storyline for the plot, and it was fairly well written, but not overly interesting, in my opinion. I’m sure that readers of the series would find this novel more exciting with the additional character details.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have followed Catherine Coulter for many years, and her books never disappoint. Savich, and Sherlock are both hands on in this exciting mystery. It soon becomes evident someone hates Savich, and is after his family. The book has several mysteries going on at once. Are they intertwined? Is there more than one puppet master.? The ending was exciting, and pulled all the loose ends together. All the characters had depth, and purpose. Another winner of a book, and rated five stars.

[Joann 'bartunek' prashek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Goodreads for the opportunity to review the book. I was leery since it is #24 in the series, but found it very easy to follow and could justifiably be a stand-alone. I enjoyed getting to know the characters weaving together two story lines. Spirituality, secrets and suspenseful!