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The Group #1
The Group
Sure, Ron Green had made a mistake, but it wasn't one that millions of other guys hadn't made before him. And maybe he deserved some sort of punishment, like his wife leaving him or his kids hating his guts. But this? Being the main suspect in a single murder was bad enough, but at the same time knowing he was a potential victim of a serial killer was even worse. However, before Green could convince the cops of his innocence, he first had to convince them the serial killer actually existed, and at the moment they weren't believing a thing he said.
- GenresMystery
268 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 12, 2014
2 people are currently reading
95 people want to read
About the author
Kevin R. Doyle
14 books228 followers A retired high-school teacher and former college instructor, Kevin R. Doyle is the author of numerous short horror stories. He’s also written four crime thrillers including The Group and The Anchor, and one horror novel, The Litter. In the last few years, he’s begun working on the Sam Quinton private eye series, published by Camel Press. The first Quinton book, Squatter’s Rights, was nominated for the 2021 Shamus award for Best First PI Novel. The sixth Sam Quinton book, The Booker, was released in August of 2025.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
September 14, 2014
I found The Group to be an entertaining read. A crime thriller with just enough twists and turns to keep you on the hop, wondering who the killer was. Crime being my most read genre, I read it and devour it, all types, many authors, so was glad to add this to my pile of crime fiction read.
Ron is a College Professor who is suffering in a cold and distant marriage, mostly from his doing thanks to an affair he had some months back. Unfortunately that affair comes back to haunt him in more ways than one when the woman he had the affair with is murdered, and suddenly all eyes on on Ron.
The book covers the journey Ron goes on after becoming a suspect in the murder, covered from both a personal perspective and a police perspective. The book keeps us guessing a fair bit about Ron, it's not clear if he was involved or not.
The pace of the book was really good, steady and even, no slow parts. I also felt the actual plot was interesting and a bit different. As an avid crime reader I can get very critical of crime novels and have some criticisms to offer further in my review, but for now I am going to focus on the positive stuff.
As the book progresses along, we hear more of where Ron met the woman he had the affair with, a focus group run by a PR company that he partook in some time ago. We begin to get some background built up as the book switches in time frames from the past to the present, it is done quite well, didn't feel disjointed at all whilst reading.
Then the murders keep adding up, and ramping up, they are now dealing with a serial killer....
Overall it's an interesting and intriguing read, I finished the book in just under 2 hours and did not get bored or feel I needed to put the book down. I was keen to find out who the killer was and if Ron was involved at all. Other characters are introduced throughout the book, and until the book all comes together sometimes we don't know who the person is speaking to us from the book, but don't worry, it all makes sense in the end.
I really liked the ending, I thought it had the right mix of suspense and action to give the reader a thrill and it was a satisfying grand finale.
So...where I felt the book had some weaknesses was in relation to the police and their procedures, there are some scenes that just would not happen in a real life murder investigation and I like it when a crime writer does really good research into their police procedural knowledge, to make the book authentic.
For almost all of the book Ron is a suspect in the first murder, he is constantly interviewed and there is excessive speculation and discussion about him BUT none of it is backed up or even a mention of a sliver of evidence, there is no forensic feedback from a lab about the murder victim, no autopsy results mentioned, or DNA results, nothing.
So they spend a lot of time chatting that he looks like their man but somehow in their world they never do an autopsy, or get a forensics report? So for that the book lost credibility for me, nearly every crime book I read that involves a murder introduces forensics, pathology and autopsy details, a big part of how they solve a murder and pin it on a suspect.
Then the constant interviewing of him based on "feeling" but no proof, unable to charge him of course. Lastly, there is a scene where the Detective allows Ron to watch and listen to a woman who has come in voluntarily to give information to the police. There is no way that this would be allowed or legal, for him to be able to watch and listen to that interview. So again, credibility points lost.
Until those parts this book was a 4 star read for me, I do believe the author has talent and I like his writing style very much, I think the plot was good but some detail is missing, it's too generalised and way to much speculation going on from everyone. We need some solid stuff too in our crime books, some facts and hard evidence.
But it was entertaining, readable and kept me hooked until the ending, which was, as I said a good ending to this book. With a tightening on police procedurals in his next crime thriller, the author will be on to a winner. Those that don't read avid amounts of crime may not pick up on what is lacking.
3 stars from me for The Group. I liked it, only dropped from 4 stars based on those things missing I mentioned, shame, I would have liked to have rated it more.
I received a copy of this book direct from the author in exchange for an honest review, my thanks for the opportunity to read and review it.
Ron is a College Professor who is suffering in a cold and distant marriage, mostly from his doing thanks to an affair he had some months back. Unfortunately that affair comes back to haunt him in more ways than one when the woman he had the affair with is murdered, and suddenly all eyes on on Ron.
The book covers the journey Ron goes on after becoming a suspect in the murder, covered from both a personal perspective and a police perspective. The book keeps us guessing a fair bit about Ron, it's not clear if he was involved or not.
The pace of the book was really good, steady and even, no slow parts. I also felt the actual plot was interesting and a bit different. As an avid crime reader I can get very critical of crime novels and have some criticisms to offer further in my review, but for now I am going to focus on the positive stuff.
As the book progresses along, we hear more of where Ron met the woman he had the affair with, a focus group run by a PR company that he partook in some time ago. We begin to get some background built up as the book switches in time frames from the past to the present, it is done quite well, didn't feel disjointed at all whilst reading.
Then the murders keep adding up, and ramping up, they are now dealing with a serial killer....
Overall it's an interesting and intriguing read, I finished the book in just under 2 hours and did not get bored or feel I needed to put the book down. I was keen to find out who the killer was and if Ron was involved at all. Other characters are introduced throughout the book, and until the book all comes together sometimes we don't know who the person is speaking to us from the book, but don't worry, it all makes sense in the end.
I really liked the ending, I thought it had the right mix of suspense and action to give the reader a thrill and it was a satisfying grand finale.
So...where I felt the book had some weaknesses was in relation to the police and their procedures, there are some scenes that just would not happen in a real life murder investigation and I like it when a crime writer does really good research into their police procedural knowledge, to make the book authentic.
For almost all of the book Ron is a suspect in the first murder, he is constantly interviewed and there is excessive speculation and discussion about him BUT none of it is backed up or even a mention of a sliver of evidence, there is no forensic feedback from a lab about the murder victim, no autopsy results mentioned, or DNA results, nothing.
So they spend a lot of time chatting that he looks like their man but somehow in their world they never do an autopsy, or get a forensics report? So for that the book lost credibility for me, nearly every crime book I read that involves a murder introduces forensics, pathology and autopsy details, a big part of how they solve a murder and pin it on a suspect.
Then the constant interviewing of him based on "feeling" but no proof, unable to charge him of course. Lastly, there is a scene where the Detective allows Ron to watch and listen to a woman who has come in voluntarily to give information to the police. There is no way that this would be allowed or legal, for him to be able to watch and listen to that interview. So again, credibility points lost.
Until those parts this book was a 4 star read for me, I do believe the author has talent and I like his writing style very much, I think the plot was good but some detail is missing, it's too generalised and way to much speculation going on from everyone. We need some solid stuff too in our crime books, some facts and hard evidence.
But it was entertaining, readable and kept me hooked until the ending, which was, as I said a good ending to this book. With a tightening on police procedurals in his next crime thriller, the author will be on to a winner. Those that don't read avid amounts of crime may not pick up on what is lacking.
3 stars from me for The Group. I liked it, only dropped from 4 stars based on those things missing I mentioned, shame, I would have liked to have rated it more.
I received a copy of this book direct from the author in exchange for an honest review, my thanks for the opportunity to read and review it.
January 16, 2016
The Group by Kevin R. Doyle is a murder-suspense novel that rates FIVE stars from start to finish.
It was un-put-downable. Yet when I finished, I still wanted more. So I read parts of it over again.
There is a parallel story line running along with the murder investigation. It's about a man at the end of his rope job hunting without success.
In the case of their victim, Diane Brewster, a graduate student & teacher's aide, the detectives investigating settle early on a suspect of a college professor, Ronald Green who had an affair with her. He had ended the affair when his wife found out the previous October. His marriage was dealt a harsh blow with the affair. When Ron became a murder suspect, it was the last straw in their teetering marriage.
There is a series of murders, each one worsening in brutality. The only common denominator seems to be the victims had all participated in a group over a year ago, to determine whether a political ad campaign would be successful or not. It wasn't.
There were lots of twists & turns as to the perpetrator. This story kept me guessing from beginning to end.
I highly recommend this book!
To purchase link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J...
It was un-put-downable. Yet when I finished, I still wanted more. So I read parts of it over again.
There is a parallel story line running along with the murder investigation. It's about a man at the end of his rope job hunting without success.
In the case of their victim, Diane Brewster, a graduate student & teacher's aide, the detectives investigating settle early on a suspect of a college professor, Ronald Green who had an affair with her. He had ended the affair when his wife found out the previous October. His marriage was dealt a harsh blow with the affair. When Ron became a murder suspect, it was the last straw in their teetering marriage.
There is a series of murders, each one worsening in brutality. The only common denominator seems to be the victims had all participated in a group over a year ago, to determine whether a political ad campaign would be successful or not. It wasn't.
There were lots of twists & turns as to the perpetrator. This story kept me guessing from beginning to end.
I highly recommend this book!
To purchase link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J...
August 29, 2014
When Ronald Green, a business professor at the local uni, finds out that his former lover, Diane, has been violently murdered, he thinks that from now on his entire life is going to be more difficult. He is wrong. His entire life turns into hell.
Right from their first visit in his office two local police detectives, Jack Hollis and Helen Lipscomb, consider him a suspect. His wife, Lynda, who had known about the affair but never imagined a murder, takes their two kids and moves out. Soon enough the entire campus whispers half-truths and downright lies behind Ron’s back and when he tries to confront them he meets a wall of silence. Some colleagues stop giving him the time of the day, some others pretend that nothing’s happened which is even worse. Ronald knows that, even though he hasn’t been officially charged with anything, let alone arrested or imprisoned, people around him have already declared him guilty. What can be done, especially that more murders follow the first one and the police still think it’s him?
Seeing that nobody has any good idea how to move the investigation forward, Ronald decides to find out the connection between the victims on his own. He hopes to clear his name in the process but all he gets are more troubles. Will he manage to discover the identity of the real culprit before he is ruined financially, jailed and defamed for good?
My impressions:
I liked this book but rather for things it didn’t have than for those it had. Let me explain.
The author managed to avoid most of clichés, plaguing your ordinary thriller – mind you it’s his first published book. The main character, Ronald, your ordinary college prof teaching such ‘exciting’ classes as basic entrepreneurship, was far from being your typical thriller protagonist, a paragon of male handsomeness, all brawn and (almost) no brains. No, he didn’t fall in love during the narration, he was recovering from an affair and then his wife left him so it was only too natural that he wanted some time alone – in my opinion another big asset. Still I bet plenty of authors would pair him with somebody – a female police officer, a colleague or a student – just to get a bigger target audience (allegedly those women who read thrillers, poor things, prefer them with a strong romantic story arc).
What didn’t work for me quite so well was the pace of narration. Our ordinary hero spent in my humble opinion too many pages moping around, drinking himself into oblivion and asking for help his friend, an attorney. After a while it became a bit boring and repetitive until finally poor Ron got a grip on himself, started to think and act. I completely understood his breakdown and I bet it would happen to 99% of people in Ron’s situation – suspected to be a murderer but never officially accused of anything, being judged and punished at work and at home – but in fiction sometimes it’s good to make your character pull him or herself by their proverbial bootstraps rather sooner than later. Also the narrative voice could have been more riveting but I guess you shouldn’t be too demanding with a debut novel. One small tip – make your characters funnier, let them say a witty anecdote or two, it always helps to enliven the story.
When it comes to the murder mystery it was nicely done but one tidbit prevented me from enjoying it thoroughly – perhaps I missed something but in my view the author didn’t give his readers a chance to work it out on their own because he was withdrawing the crucial info concerning the culprit till almost the very end. Finally the main villain. I did love the fact that Ron, when he discovered the whole truth, sympathized with them to some extent (I use ‘them’ because I don’t want to suggest the gender of the murderer). It was really well done, making the whole story a lot more complex than your ordinary whodunnit.
Final verdict:
This thriller could have been better but also it could have been far worse – take from a girl who’s read many quite horrible thrillers. Overall I was positively surprised how interesting it was and I never regretted I had accepted it for a review. I wish the author all the best; he definitely has a lot of potential.
Right from their first visit in his office two local police detectives, Jack Hollis and Helen Lipscomb, consider him a suspect. His wife, Lynda, who had known about the affair but never imagined a murder, takes their two kids and moves out. Soon enough the entire campus whispers half-truths and downright lies behind Ron’s back and when he tries to confront them he meets a wall of silence. Some colleagues stop giving him the time of the day, some others pretend that nothing’s happened which is even worse. Ronald knows that, even though he hasn’t been officially charged with anything, let alone arrested or imprisoned, people around him have already declared him guilty. What can be done, especially that more murders follow the first one and the police still think it’s him?
Seeing that nobody has any good idea how to move the investigation forward, Ronald decides to find out the connection between the victims on his own. He hopes to clear his name in the process but all he gets are more troubles. Will he manage to discover the identity of the real culprit before he is ruined financially, jailed and defamed for good?
My impressions:
I liked this book but rather for things it didn’t have than for those it had. Let me explain.
The author managed to avoid most of clichés, plaguing your ordinary thriller – mind you it’s his first published book. The main character, Ronald, your ordinary college prof teaching such ‘exciting’ classes as basic entrepreneurship, was far from being your typical thriller protagonist, a paragon of male handsomeness, all brawn and (almost) no brains. No, he didn’t fall in love during the narration, he was recovering from an affair and then his wife left him so it was only too natural that he wanted some time alone – in my opinion another big asset. Still I bet plenty of authors would pair him with somebody – a female police officer, a colleague or a student – just to get a bigger target audience (allegedly those women who read thrillers, poor things, prefer them with a strong romantic story arc).
What didn’t work for me quite so well was the pace of narration. Our ordinary hero spent in my humble opinion too many pages moping around, drinking himself into oblivion and asking for help his friend, an attorney. After a while it became a bit boring and repetitive until finally poor Ron got a grip on himself, started to think and act. I completely understood his breakdown and I bet it would happen to 99% of people in Ron’s situation – suspected to be a murderer but never officially accused of anything, being judged and punished at work and at home – but in fiction sometimes it’s good to make your character pull him or herself by their proverbial bootstraps rather sooner than later. Also the narrative voice could have been more riveting but I guess you shouldn’t be too demanding with a debut novel. One small tip – make your characters funnier, let them say a witty anecdote or two, it always helps to enliven the story.
When it comes to the murder mystery it was nicely done but one tidbit prevented me from enjoying it thoroughly – perhaps I missed something but in my view the author didn’t give his readers a chance to work it out on their own because he was withdrawing the crucial info concerning the culprit till almost the very end. Finally the main villain. I did love the fact that Ron, when he discovered the whole truth, sympathized with them to some extent (I use ‘them’ because I don’t want to suggest the gender of the murderer). It was really well done, making the whole story a lot more complex than your ordinary whodunnit.
Final verdict:
This thriller could have been better but also it could have been far worse – take from a girl who’s read many quite horrible thrillers. Overall I was positively surprised how interesting it was and I never regretted I had accepted it for a review. I wish the author all the best; he definitely has a lot of potential.
September 12, 2014
Just finished reading The Group by Kevin Doyle. It was surprisingly good. What starts as a seemingly average murder mystery (did he kill his ex-mistress or did his wife do it?) unfolds into a tangled web of murders connected by a seemingly innocuous event. Kevin Doyle has done a masterful job in creating a suspense novel which grips you from the beginning and delivers a surprise at the end. Professor Ron Greene becomes the center of police attention when a woman with whom he had been having an affair is found murdered. He is immediately a suspect even though he had ended the affair some months earlier. His marriage is on the rocks as a result of the affair. The media feed on the details and draw attention to Ron as a "person of interest", a police euphemism for someone they suspect but have no tangible evidence that would warrant charging him. As Ron struggles to protest his innocence his world is disintegrating. His wife leaves; he is up for tenure but instead is let go with little prospect of finding an equivalent job.
Other bodies start to appear. On the surface they are not linked but Ron informs the police that the second person murdered was also in a political focus group where Ron and his mistress had met. At first the police think that Ron murdered this other person to deflect suspicion from himself. When a third murder of a person from the same focus group occurs, the situation becomes more murky. Ron pulls himself up from the floor and begins to try to identify the others who participated in that group.
Meanwhile in parallel to this main story we follow the story of a person who lost his job and is going from interview to interview but failing to secure a replacement. The reason for his failure to secure another position is not clear except that it relates to something that happened at the company which let him go.
The novel comes to an exciting finish when Ron discovers the killer and realizes that he he himself is now a target. It's a close call but Ron survives. The identity of the killer comes as a surprise to us (although I admit I suspected the link about halfway through the book).
Doyle has created a clever novel, well written. I look forward to seeing more from him.
Other bodies start to appear. On the surface they are not linked but Ron informs the police that the second person murdered was also in a political focus group where Ron and his mistress had met. At first the police think that Ron murdered this other person to deflect suspicion from himself. When a third murder of a person from the same focus group occurs, the situation becomes more murky. Ron pulls himself up from the floor and begins to try to identify the others who participated in that group.
Meanwhile in parallel to this main story we follow the story of a person who lost his job and is going from interview to interview but failing to secure a replacement. The reason for his failure to secure another position is not clear except that it relates to something that happened at the company which let him go.
The novel comes to an exciting finish when Ron discovers the killer and realizes that he he himself is now a target. It's a close call but Ron survives. The identity of the killer comes as a surprise to us (although I admit I suspected the link about halfway through the book).
Doyle has created a clever novel, well written. I look forward to seeing more from him.
August 4, 2014
The Group by Kevin R. Doyle
Professor Ron Green's life is a mess. He was cheating on his wife and his lover ends up dead. Soon Ron is the number one suspect, but others are starting to turn up dead. Ron desperately wants to clear his name and soon begins to fear he may be the next victim.
Ron does a bit of his own investigating and the people in his focus group are the victims. What is the connection? Is one of his fellow members a killer? Will he end up dead? Or worse arrested for these murders.
A fast paced murder mystery. I liked Ron, he was flawed and not perfect. I liked the writing style of Kevin R. Doyle, he really brought out the emotional aspects of the story. I like that in a book. I feel those who love murder/mystery/thrillers will enjoy The Group.
Professor Ron Green's life is a mess. He was cheating on his wife and his lover ends up dead. Soon Ron is the number one suspect, but others are starting to turn up dead. Ron desperately wants to clear his name and soon begins to fear he may be the next victim.
Ron does a bit of his own investigating and the people in his focus group are the victims. What is the connection? Is one of his fellow members a killer? Will he end up dead? Or worse arrested for these murders.
A fast paced murder mystery. I liked Ron, he was flawed and not perfect. I liked the writing style of Kevin R. Doyle, he really brought out the emotional aspects of the story. I like that in a book. I feel those who love murder/mystery/thrillers will enjoy The Group.
October 3, 2023
THE GROUP is sure to keep readers guessing and turning pages!
The Group is another thrilling mystery tale from the talented pen of author Kevin R. Doyle, and it is sure to keep readers turning pages, anxiously looking for clues to what’s behind the murders, and surprised by its clever twists and turns.
The main character is Professor Ronald “Ron” Green, a family man in a troubled marriage made worse when his wife discovered he was cheating. Although they decided to try to get past his infidelity, in reality, the relationship was already too damaged to survive much longer anyway. The murder of Ron’s former lover and the police naming him a person of interest puts the couple’s private pain on display for all to see. The author perfectly captures the fragility of a marriage on the rocks, the prose exuding the feeling of “walking on eggshells” in every exchange, and that feeling quickly spills over into all aspects of Ron’s life once the police have him in their sights.The story is tension-riddled and fast-paced, leaving little space for readers to catch their breath without putting the book down. The pressure on Ron steadily increases, much like the tightening of a noose, and just when I thought a certain revelation would remove the police’s focus from him, they flip the initial interpretation, which only implicates Ron further.
The story is told from multiple points of view, named and unnamed characters, including Ron and police detectives, so readers are privy to both perspectives of the investigation. The truth is revealed as the seemingly unconnected viewpoints finally converge.The author’s writing style is comfortable and easy to read, with dashes of humor now and then that lighten the tension a bit. I was surprised by how quickly time passed and how much I’d read when I finally had to take a break.
With its intriguing, suspense-filled plot, flawed yet sympathetic characters, and mesmerizing storytelling, I recommend THE GROUP to mystery, thriller, and crime fiction readers.I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.
September 17, 2023
All he wanted was a job. In fact, after months of unemployment, he really needed it. But the rejections just kept coming. No one would give him a break.
Meanwhile, Ron—father, husband, student, teacher—has just found out that his ex-lover was murdered and was worried about being the prime suspect.
The premise grabs you right away. Ron is practically nerve-wracked about being the prime suspect. When talking to the cops, we find out that Ron met the woman at a focus group. Ron tells his whole story about how he met her and how their affair got started. I wasn’t sure how the nameless guy looking for a job tied into all this. And what about the dead guy with a bullet hole in head in the first chapter?
At times, the story hit a lag, slowing the whole thing down. When a second woman was found dead, it becomes apparent that the deaths may be connected to the focus group they were all in. Supposedly, this group was for a senator at the time. At this point, the read starts feeling too long. I kind of expected a quicker investigation and a riveting mystery. I really don’t think this story needed 50 chapters. There were just too many holes that didn’t quite fill in all the way and I wasn’t sure how they fit the rest of the story. Primarily what interested me was Ron being the murder suspect and who the real murderer was.
This was a fairly nice read about murders that some crime aficionados might enjoy. I just think it could’ve been better.
Meanwhile, Ron—father, husband, student, teacher—has just found out that his ex-lover was murdered and was worried about being the prime suspect.
The premise grabs you right away. Ron is practically nerve-wracked about being the prime suspect. When talking to the cops, we find out that Ron met the woman at a focus group. Ron tells his whole story about how he met her and how their affair got started. I wasn’t sure how the nameless guy looking for a job tied into all this. And what about the dead guy with a bullet hole in head in the first chapter?
At times, the story hit a lag, slowing the whole thing down. When a second woman was found dead, it becomes apparent that the deaths may be connected to the focus group they were all in. Supposedly, this group was for a senator at the time. At this point, the read starts feeling too long. I kind of expected a quicker investigation and a riveting mystery. I really don’t think this story needed 50 chapters. There were just too many holes that didn’t quite fill in all the way and I wasn’t sure how they fit the rest of the story. Primarily what interested me was Ron being the murder suspect and who the real murderer was.
This was a fairly nice read about murders that some crime aficionados might enjoy. I just think it could’ve been better.
September 26, 2023
I always make some notes while reading so I can recall a story for a review. Here are my first notations for The Group. “Professor (Ron) plays around on his wife and becomes a suspect because the lady he was sleeping with is killed violently. He pretty well becomes a piranha to everyone, loses his job, his wife, his kids, etc.” This might sound like a familiar theme, but it turned out that wasn’t true at all.
The story has several twists and turns, but it also has some tension that almost makes the reader feel helpless. Reading parts of it is like watching a bus hurtling towards a person in the road but not being able to get the person’s attention.
I have read other of Kevin Doyle’s books. Creating tension in the reader seems to be one of his skills. He seems to be able to create “sit on the edge of your seat” type of stories. This one was another of his successes.
The story has several twists and turns, but it also has some tension that almost makes the reader feel helpless. Reading parts of it is like watching a bus hurtling towards a person in the road but not being able to get the person’s attention.
I have read other of Kevin Doyle’s books. Creating tension in the reader seems to be one of his skills. He seems to be able to create “sit on the edge of your seat” type of stories. This one was another of his successes.
May 13, 2023
When you read these kinds of stories, you know they're fiction. But when you really stop and think about them, they could be so real. I felt for Ron in this one. This was so good. But it doesn't take much to ruin things in life. As he found out. Such a good book. I hope there may be more in the future. I liked the cops in this one.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 25, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. As you listen you start thinking over and over what could possibly come next.
By the time it ends, you wonder why you hadn’t thought the way the author was thinking when it was written, it surprised me and blew me a way in the best way.
Love all the characters, he makes them feel real and you feel like they are real people rather than characters in a book.
Great narration that really gives this another layer of enjoyment.
By the time it ends, you wonder why you hadn’t thought the way the author was thinking when it was written, it surprised me and blew me a way in the best way.
Love all the characters, he makes them feel real and you feel like they are real people rather than characters in a book.
Great narration that really gives this another layer of enjoyment.
November 6, 2023
This had everything you could want for an enjoyable read and it really delivered.
Action, drama, mystery, life-and-death struggle, twists that make your head spin and so much more.
The author, Kevin R. Doyle, drew me in with the world and characters.
A well-written and gritty thriller, although sometimes situational outcomes are too hard to believe possible but I sure love it when the good guy wins.
I enjoyed the performance from the narrator and the pace.
Action, drama, mystery, life-and-death struggle, twists that make your head spin and so much more.
The author, Kevin R. Doyle, drew me in with the world and characters.
A well-written and gritty thriller, although sometimes situational outcomes are too hard to believe possible but I sure love it when the good guy wins.
I enjoyed the performance from the narrator and the pace.
January 10, 2024
Well worth reading!
I loved this story and not only how it was written, but also how the narrator approached the performance of the book.
This was 100% the kind of mystery to keep you interested and unsure if you could figure it out, until the end. Listening to audiobooks always amplifies everything for me and keeps me more on my toes.
Great book, quirky, fun, interesting characters.
I loved this story and not only how it was written, but also how the narrator approached the performance of the book.
This was 100% the kind of mystery to keep you interested and unsure if you could figure it out, until the end. Listening to audiobooks always amplifies everything for me and keeps me more on my toes.
Great book, quirky, fun, interesting characters.
February 12, 2021
Kept me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out who did it. Must read!!!
October 3, 2023
The Group opens with the police on the scene of a murder. A woman has been killed but by who and why? The woman was a teaching assistant at the local college. This woman attended a group where she met Professor Ron Green and had an affair with him.
Now Ron’s life has been turned upside down. His wife is leaving him even though he ended the affair several months before. Ron is home feeding his children when he sees on the news that a woman has been murdered. Ron recognizes her as the woman Diane he had an affair with.
Because Ron had an affair with Diane and they met at the group he attended over a year ago he just knows that he is going to be blamed for her death. So Ron decides to go to the police himself and give his side of the story which of course makes him their number one suspect. The police can’t find any proof that Ron killed her so Ron sets out on his own to prove his innocence.
The Group kept me guessing as to who killed this woman right up until the end. One minute I would think that Ron was guilty and then the next I wasn’t so sure. But then I began to suspect Ron’s wife. But the more Ron investigated the more I wasn’t so sure who did it. The twists and turns kept piling up one after the other. I was racing to the end to see who did it.
But the big question is if Ron didn’t do it then who did? If Ron didn’t do it can he find out who did before the killer came after him?
Grab a copy of The Group today! As I do recommend it!
Now Ron’s life has been turned upside down. His wife is leaving him even though he ended the affair several months before. Ron is home feeding his children when he sees on the news that a woman has been murdered. Ron recognizes her as the woman Diane he had an affair with.
Because Ron had an affair with Diane and they met at the group he attended over a year ago he just knows that he is going to be blamed for her death. So Ron decides to go to the police himself and give his side of the story which of course makes him their number one suspect. The police can’t find any proof that Ron killed her so Ron sets out on his own to prove his innocence.
The Group kept me guessing as to who killed this woman right up until the end. One minute I would think that Ron was guilty and then the next I wasn’t so sure. But then I began to suspect Ron’s wife. But the more Ron investigated the more I wasn’t so sure who did it. The twists and turns kept piling up one after the other. I was racing to the end to see who did it.
But the big question is if Ron didn’t do it then who did? If Ron didn’t do it can he find out who did before the killer came after him?
Grab a copy of The Group today! As I do recommend it!
August 2, 2014
The Group. Kevin R. Doyle
I enjoyed this novel, which had an unusual 'hero' in Ron Green, who I could quite happily see in a series of crime thrillers.
The author has left plenty of potential for future books.
There were times when the writing was brilliant and potential best selling material. A well constructed plot, with an interesting, basic premise and motive for the killer. All based on a focus group.
The novel is exciting, interesting and different from the normal two a penny crime mystery thrillers.
The chapters and description lead one into the world of academia on the one hand, and that of law enforcement on the other.
Pen portraits of various victims or minor characters are so effective that the reader is able to immediately identify with them and respond accordingly.
There is very good, if not exceptional, characterisation and characters you can believe in, and empathise with . Above all, Ron is a flawed, yet likeable hero, causing readers to root for him and feel his despair as well as his hopefulness.
The story is excellent and has some twists and turns which cause the reader to change their mind about the outcomes and the people involved.
There is also great potential in the subsidiary characters of Lipscombe and Hollis who complement each other. These police officers add yet another dimension to this absorbing novel.
Overall this is a really good book, and an author to look out for. A great Summer read and a must for crime and thriller fans.
You have not heard the last of Kevin. R. Doyle .
Thea Hartley Reviewer.
I enjoyed this novel, which had an unusual 'hero' in Ron Green, who I could quite happily see in a series of crime thrillers.
The author has left plenty of potential for future books.
There were times when the writing was brilliant and potential best selling material. A well constructed plot, with an interesting, basic premise and motive for the killer. All based on a focus group.
The novel is exciting, interesting and different from the normal two a penny crime mystery thrillers.
The chapters and description lead one into the world of academia on the one hand, and that of law enforcement on the other.
Pen portraits of various victims or minor characters are so effective that the reader is able to immediately identify with them and respond accordingly.
There is very good, if not exceptional, characterisation and characters you can believe in, and empathise with . Above all, Ron is a flawed, yet likeable hero, causing readers to root for him and feel his despair as well as his hopefulness.
The story is excellent and has some twists and turns which cause the reader to change their mind about the outcomes and the people involved.
There is also great potential in the subsidiary characters of Lipscombe and Hollis who complement each other. These police officers add yet another dimension to this absorbing novel.
Overall this is a really good book, and an author to look out for. A great Summer read and a must for crime and thriller fans.
You have not heard the last of Kevin. R. Doyle .
Thea Hartley Reviewer.
August 10, 2015
The Group kept me on my toes throughout the whole thing. As the story progresses I found that my feeling for Professor Ronald Green vasilated as well. At first, I really liked the guy but then I found him to be a bit snobby. As the story unfolded, I realized he was not a bad guy but a man who was flawed and not particularly snobby but academic in how he views things. When he starts to blunder things, I start to root for him again.
Ronald Green made some bad choices but thought that since he ended things he was on the path to fixing his life, and career. The last thing he expected was to be the main suspect in a murder investigation. He does the right things in the beginning but then tries to help and makes things worse. You can say what you want, but the man is consistent.
As I was reading, I found myself talking to the character like I sometimes to the TV. It seems the more the he does to help the worse it gets. He has lost everything including his family, reputation. Every time there seems to be a shred of hope in sight, it seems to disappear just as it is in reach.
My heart was pounding. I like the twists and turns in the story. The story never seemed to lag or get boring. I was satisfied with the ending. The characters gave us a peek into their world to see what made them tick.
The two feeling I found most pleased with at the end of the book was not knowing what was going to happen next, and also the author did not rush to make the ending warm and fuzzy TV movie ending but invested the time to craft realistic and a surprising ending to the story.
Ronald Green made some bad choices but thought that since he ended things he was on the path to fixing his life, and career. The last thing he expected was to be the main suspect in a murder investigation. He does the right things in the beginning but then tries to help and makes things worse. You can say what you want, but the man is consistent.
As I was reading, I found myself talking to the character like I sometimes to the TV. It seems the more the he does to help the worse it gets. He has lost everything including his family, reputation. Every time there seems to be a shred of hope in sight, it seems to disappear just as it is in reach.
My heart was pounding. I like the twists and turns in the story. The story never seemed to lag or get boring. I was satisfied with the ending. The characters gave us a peek into their world to see what made them tick.
The two feeling I found most pleased with at the end of the book was not knowing what was going to happen next, and also the author did not rush to make the ending warm and fuzzy TV movie ending but invested the time to craft realistic and a surprising ending to the story.
April 27, 2014
The Group is a thought-provoking and cautionary tale of chance encounters, foolish choices, miscalculations and the fallacy of best laid plans.
Protagonist Professor Ronald Green's life is one of accomplishment and social acceptance. However, it teeters on a wobbly fence that soon plummets down a steep hill after a short lived affair that destroys his marriage and nearly his life. Selected to participate in a focus group for a political ad campaign, Ron soon becomes both a clueless victim and willing self-sabotager. Without an ounce of mercy, the author tears Ron's life into painful pieces.
In the background, is a down-on-his-luck job searcher plucked from front page news. Once successful, he is now overqualified humiliated and desperate. In today's economy, he is a neighbor, a friend or anyone of us. He was so real to me, I thought about him for days after finishing the book.
The Group delivers with strong writing, an intriguing and original plot and characters that are a part of the fabric of all of us. There are no heroes in The Group and no winners but readers are offered a few onerous omens not to get too comfortable with the illusion that life is either secure or sane.
Protagonist Professor Ronald Green's life is one of accomplishment and social acceptance. However, it teeters on a wobbly fence that soon plummets down a steep hill after a short lived affair that destroys his marriage and nearly his life. Selected to participate in a focus group for a political ad campaign, Ron soon becomes both a clueless victim and willing self-sabotager. Without an ounce of mercy, the author tears Ron's life into painful pieces.
In the background, is a down-on-his-luck job searcher plucked from front page news. Once successful, he is now overqualified humiliated and desperate. In today's economy, he is a neighbor, a friend or anyone of us. He was so real to me, I thought about him for days after finishing the book.
The Group delivers with strong writing, an intriguing and original plot and characters that are a part of the fabric of all of us. There are no heroes in The Group and no winners but readers are offered a few onerous omens not to get too comfortable with the illusion that life is either secure or sane.
September 10, 2016
Review: THE GROUP by Kevin Doyle
Compelling reading from a talented author provides hours of entranced attention in this mystery plus thriller plus homicide police procedural plus character study. A wide variety of characters populate here, each more imperfect than not, rendering them so very human.
A business professor, facing the potential collapse of his marriage while simultaneously preparing for the upcoming tenure consideration in just a few months, is shocked when his ex-lover is discovered, murdered; but for Professor Ron Green, that just begins to scratch the surface of all he is yet to endure. To paraphrase 18th century Fire-breather evangelist Jonathan Edwards, Green' s existence quickly becomes akin to.that of a spider's web dangling over the open pit of Hades.
Compelling reading from a talented author provides hours of entranced attention in this mystery plus thriller plus homicide police procedural plus character study. A wide variety of characters populate here, each more imperfect than not, rendering them so very human.
A business professor, facing the potential collapse of his marriage while simultaneously preparing for the upcoming tenure consideration in just a few months, is shocked when his ex-lover is discovered, murdered; but for Professor Ron Green, that just begins to scratch the surface of all he is yet to endure. To paraphrase 18th century Fire-breather evangelist Jonathan Edwards, Green' s existence quickly becomes akin to.that of a spider's web dangling over the open pit of Hades.
September 7, 2014
I received a PDF copy of this book from the author, in exchange for an honest review. The main character, Professor Ron Green, has his life turned upside down by the police after the murder of a woman with which he had previously had an affair. As the circumstantial evidence piles up, Ron's life begins to crumble. He falls victim to the police, who are under pressure to solve a seemingly unrelated pile of murders. Without giving away the plot, I can say that this situation is plausible in this day and age. This novel reads well - easy to follow and well crafted. You feel a connection to the main character straight away and I, for one, hoped that he was an innocent man caught up in a tailspin. Read this novel and you will find out what happens to Ron - is he guilty or innocent?
July 13, 2018
The Group by Kevin R. Doyle
Professor Ron Green's life is a mess. He was cheating on his wife and his lover ends up dead. Soon Ron is the number one suspect, but others are starting to turn up dead. Ron desperately wants to clear his name and soon begins to fear he may be the next victim.
Ron does a bit of his own investigating and the people in his focus group are the victims. What is the connection? Is one of his fellow members a killer? Will he end up dead? Or worse arrested for these murders.
A fast paced murder mystery. I liked Ron, he was flawed and not perfect. I liked the writing style of Kevin R. Doyle, he really brought out the emotional aspects of the story. I like that in a book. I feel those who love murder/mystery/thrillers will enjoy The Group.
Professor Ron Green's life is a mess. He was cheating on his wife and his lover ends up dead. Soon Ron is the number one suspect, but others are starting to turn up dead. Ron desperately wants to clear his name and soon begins to fear he may be the next victim.
Ron does a bit of his own investigating and the people in his focus group are the victims. What is the connection? Is one of his fellow members a killer? Will he end up dead? Or worse arrested for these murders.
A fast paced murder mystery. I liked Ron, he was flawed and not perfect. I liked the writing style of Kevin R. Doyle, he really brought out the emotional aspects of the story. I like that in a book. I feel those who love murder/mystery/thrillers will enjoy The Group.
July 13, 2018
The Group by Kevin R. Doyle
Professor Ron Green's life is a mess. He was cheating on his wife and his lover ends up dead. Soon Ron is the number one suspect, but others are starting to turn up dead. Ron desperately wants to clear his name and soon begins to fear he may be the next victim.
Ron does a bit of his own investigating and the people in his focus group are the victims. What is the connection? Is one of his fellow members a killer? Will he end up dead? Or worse arrested for these murders.
A fast paced murder mystery. I liked Ron, he was flawed and not perfect. I liked the writing style of Kevin R. Doyle, he really brought out the emotional aspects of the story. I like that in a book. I feel those who love murder/mystery/thrillers will enjoy The Group.
Professor Ron Green's life is a mess. He was cheating on his wife and his lover ends up dead. Soon Ron is the number one suspect, but others are starting to turn up dead. Ron desperately wants to clear his name and soon begins to fear he may be the next victim.
Ron does a bit of his own investigating and the people in his focus group are the victims. What is the connection? Is one of his fellow members a killer? Will he end up dead? Or worse arrested for these murders.
A fast paced murder mystery. I liked Ron, he was flawed and not perfect. I liked the writing style of Kevin R. Doyle, he really brought out the emotional aspects of the story. I like that in a book. I feel those who love murder/mystery/thrillers will enjoy The Group.
Read
December 5, 2024I'd like to take a moment to announce this, my first work appearing in audiobook form from Books in Motion.
The Group, a work originaly intended as a standalone but one which has garnered two sequels so far, is the story of a seemingly-innocent man who finds himself the suspect in a murder case which soon evolves into a case of serial murder. Notice I said that he's innocent, not good. Ron Green has his flaws, for sure, and it's those flaws which slowly, inexorably, lead him to be seen as a monster, not just by the police but by his friends, colleagues, and family as well.
What's more, he realizes he's the only person who knows the truth behind various killings, but he's the one person no one is willing to listen to.
The Group, a work originaly intended as a standalone but one which has garnered two sequels so far, is the story of a seemingly-innocent man who finds himself the suspect in a murder case which soon evolves into a case of serial murder. Notice I said that he's innocent, not good. Ron Green has his flaws, for sure, and it's those flaws which slowly, inexorably, lead him to be seen as a monster, not just by the police but by his friends, colleagues, and family as well.
What's more, he realizes he's the only person who knows the truth behind various killings, but he's the one person no one is willing to listen to.
August 23, 2014
I enjoyed this book. It was a quick read, but one reason was that I wanted to finish it to see what happens.
Professor Ron Green is part of a focus group where he meets a young attractive woman. They begin an affair. Married with two children, this is a big mistake. His wifefinds out and he breaks it off. Several months later she ends up dead and Ron is suspected of the murder. His life falls apart and more people from the focus group are killed. A great mystery which does not give away the culprit. A good first novel.
Professor Ron Green is part of a focus group where he meets a young attractive woman. They begin an affair. Married with two children, this is a big mistake. His wifefinds out and he breaks it off. Several months later she ends up dead and Ron is suspected of the murder. His life falls apart and more people from the focus group are killed. A great mystery which does not give away the culprit. A good first novel.
September 4, 2014
** I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.**
Wow. 'The Group' was a great suspense/thriller. I loved the storyline. The way this story unfolded was quite a roller coaster ride for the characters, all of which were great. The truth of such an occurrence and how it impacted lives of so many, especially Ron, was spot on. Well written. Kevin R. Doyle wrote an awesome book. I had a hard time putting it down. The facts and scenarios, to me, were described with precision. A definite add to your tbr list. Recommended read.
Wow. 'The Group' was a great suspense/thriller. I loved the storyline. The way this story unfolded was quite a roller coaster ride for the characters, all of which were great. The truth of such an occurrence and how it impacted lives of so many, especially Ron, was spot on. Well written. Kevin R. Doyle wrote an awesome book. I had a hard time putting it down. The facts and scenarios, to me, were described with precision. A definite add to your tbr list. Recommended read.
September 13, 2014
The Group is a murder mystery that has twists and turns instead of the normal suspects the cops usually look at and can pin love triangle, the book takes a twist that until near the end you never understood. Without giving anything away the book leads up to the end throughout then adds a twist, making this book hard to put down.
It earned the 5/5 star rating it is getting.
I was given a free copy in exchange for a honest review.
It earned the 5/5 star rating it is getting.
I was given a free copy in exchange for a honest review.
January 6, 2015
I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review; this in no way affected how I felt about this book or my review.
I was definitely entertained by this book. It was well written with good pace.
My review can be found at http://haziegaze.blogspot.co.uk/2014/...
I was definitely entertained by this book. It was well written with good pace.
My review can be found at http://haziegaze.blogspot.co.uk/2014/...
August 24, 2014
Once I started this book I couldn't leave it down. The plot was good and Professor Green was getting into more and more trouble as he tried to clear his name from being accused of his lovers murder which made you want to jump into the book to try to help him. A real page turner.
August 27, 2014
VERY GOOD story... Keeps you interested in what happens to Ron and why. I think the characters used the word "guy" WAY TO MUCH!! I do wish there was a little more character development to make me feel more connected to them. Overall a good read and a great story idea...
January 10, 2015
Good story with a great plot, plenty of twists and turns to keep you engaged throughout the book. This is the first release from this author and I would definitely read more from him.
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