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Ziba MacKenzie #2
Drei Gräber
Innerhalb einer Woche werden im Londoner Stadtteil Primrose Hill zwei junge Frauen erstochen aufgefunden. Scotland Yard geht von einem Serienkiller aus und schaltet die Profilerin Ziba MacKenzie ein. Doch Ziba beunruhigt noch etwas ganz anderes: Die beiden Frauen haben eine verblüffende Ähnlichkeit mit ihr selbst. Sie weiß, dass dieser Fall ihr letzter sein könnte, wenn sie dem Killer zu nahe kommt. Ihr bleibt nur eins: Sie muss herausfinden, was die beiden Toten verbindet, bevor sie selbst zum Opfer wird …
400 pages, Paperback
First published March 26, 2019
873 people are currently reading
2177 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Selman
15 books364 followersAfter graduating from Oxford University, Victoria Selman studied Creative Writing at the City Lit and wrote for the Ham & High and Daily Express newspapers.
In 2013 she won the Full Stop Short Story Prize and her first novel, Blood for Blood, was shortlisted for the 2017 Debut Dagger Award.
Victoria lives in London with her husband and two sons.
In 2013 she won the Full Stop Short Story Prize and her first novel, Blood for Blood, was shortlisted for the 2017 Debut Dagger Award.
Victoria lives in London with her husband and two sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 171 reviews
March 26, 2019
Blood for Blood was my Amazon First Reads selection for January and I absolutely loved (!) the book and the character, Ziba Mackenzie, a former special ops agent now freelance profiler working for the MET in London. When I found out there was a second book in the series, I was thrilled! NOTHING TO LOSE is the continuation of Ziba's story and she is back, despite her personal loss and her close encounter with a serial killer in Blood for Blood.
When Ziba gets a call in the middle of the night regarding the second murder eerily similar to one a few weeks before, she isn't thrilled to be called back to work and there are those at the MET who aren't there with open arms to welcome her either. Ziba has just discovered a hard drive with information pertaining to her murdered husband's last case and much of that information points directly back to dirty cops somewhere within the MET. However, when Ziba arrives on at the scene of the murder she realizes that the murder victims bear an uncanny resemblance to her. If anyone should profile this case, it is Ziba. With divided attention, Ziba throws herself into both cases but her split attentiveness could lead to danger.
Ziba Mackenzie is a character full of flaws. She brassy, rash, drinks too much, is moody, abrasive and impulsive. These are her good qualities, actually. They are what make her an excellent profiler and an interesting person for a thriller. You know from the beginning that she will end up in trouble; there's simply no way for her to avoid it. You also know that if you needed someone working on your case, you'd want someone like Ziba. Victoria Selma does a fantastic job bringing this character to life. I can envision exactly what Ziba would look like, how she sounds, even to the point that I want to tell her to cut out the slang already when it gets to be too "over the top." When you, as a reader, can feel the character's persona then you know the writer has done their job. In addition, the plot is ripped from today's headlines. It's gripping, suspenseful and not so horrific - although it is quite awful - that I would think it's unbelievable. Selma even goes to the point of explaining a fugue state involving one of the victims and a nuance of that state of which most people are unaware. It's attention to detail like this that puts Nothing to Lose in category of top-notch thriller. If you like action as well as old fashion detective work, you will love Nothing to Lose. And yes, you can read this as a stand alone, there is plenty of back story included, but I highly encourage you to read both books.
When Ziba gets a call in the middle of the night regarding the second murder eerily similar to one a few weeks before, she isn't thrilled to be called back to work and there are those at the MET who aren't there with open arms to welcome her either. Ziba has just discovered a hard drive with information pertaining to her murdered husband's last case and much of that information points directly back to dirty cops somewhere within the MET. However, when Ziba arrives on at the scene of the murder she realizes that the murder victims bear an uncanny resemblance to her. If anyone should profile this case, it is Ziba. With divided attention, Ziba throws herself into both cases but her split attentiveness could lead to danger.
Ziba Mackenzie is a character full of flaws. She brassy, rash, drinks too much, is moody, abrasive and impulsive. These are her good qualities, actually. They are what make her an excellent profiler and an interesting person for a thriller. You know from the beginning that she will end up in trouble; there's simply no way for her to avoid it. You also know that if you needed someone working on your case, you'd want someone like Ziba. Victoria Selma does a fantastic job bringing this character to life. I can envision exactly what Ziba would look like, how she sounds, even to the point that I want to tell her to cut out the slang already when it gets to be too "over the top." When you, as a reader, can feel the character's persona then you know the writer has done their job. In addition, the plot is ripped from today's headlines. It's gripping, suspenseful and not so horrific - although it is quite awful - that I would think it's unbelievable. Selma even goes to the point of explaining a fugue state involving one of the victims and a nuance of that state of which most people are unaware. It's attention to detail like this that puts Nothing to Lose in category of top-notch thriller. If you like action as well as old fashion detective work, you will love Nothing to Lose. And yes, you can read this as a stand alone, there is plenty of back story included, but I highly encourage you to read both books.
March 17, 2019
The second book in the Ziba MacKenzie series by Victoria Selman. Ziba is a profiler who works on gruesome murder cases. Her latest case involves the murder of two women who bear a striking resemblance to Ziba, making her a potential target. In addition to this case, Ziba is secretly investigating her husband's murder, which was never solved.
The first book in this series is Blood for Blood. In the first book, Ziba wasn't all that interesting to me, but I enjoyed her character more in this book. Maybe I was more in the mood for this type of read, or maybe this one is just a better book. Could go either way. Anyway, I recommend reading Blood for Blood first, but Nothing To Lose can be read as a standalone.
This story is told over a series of days as Ziba works to discover who is behind two gruesome murders. To complicate matters, Ziba seems to be a target herself, adding an extra layer of suspense. While the women's murders presents an interesting and twisty case, I also enjoyed Ziba's investigation into her husband's death.
A highly entertaining read for fans of crime fiction. Fast-paced, suspenseful, and exciting.
I received a free eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The first book in this series is Blood for Blood. In the first book, Ziba wasn't all that interesting to me, but I enjoyed her character more in this book. Maybe I was more in the mood for this type of read, or maybe this one is just a better book. Could go either way. Anyway, I recommend reading Blood for Blood first, but Nothing To Lose can be read as a standalone.
This story is told over a series of days as Ziba works to discover who is behind two gruesome murders. To complicate matters, Ziba seems to be a target herself, adding an extra layer of suspense. While the women's murders presents an interesting and twisty case, I also enjoyed Ziba's investigation into her husband's death.
A highly entertaining read for fans of crime fiction. Fast-paced, suspenseful, and exciting.
I received a free eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 25, 2019
Nothing to Lose is the second book in the superb freelance criminal profiler Ziba Mackenzie series, based on the mean streets of London town; I have to say I loved this instalment even more than the opener as it takes you hostage for a very entertaining and thoroughly gripping few hours. These thrillers remind me of Criminal Minds in book form, a programme that has long ranked among my all-time favourites. I find the building of the unsubs profile absolutely fascinating and that transferred into huge page-turning potential here. Boy did I turn those pages till late into the night, or early into the morning depending on which way you look at it, but there was no chance of sleep until I had found out exactly how it ended.
There are two compelling strands to the plot; both are credible and interesting enough to engage with any problem for the duration of the story, and although I predicted quite a lot of what happened ahead of time it was so well written with a cast of such stellar characters that it did not put me off wanting to read it in its entirety. I'm pleased I did as there were still a few surprises in store for me. I'm looking forward to seeing if I warm to Ziba a little more in future books and hope we see a softer, more human side to her personality as right now she's rather snarky and spiky but clearly intelligent and dogged in her pursuit of those who are to face the full force of the law.
Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer for an ARC.
There are two compelling strands to the plot; both are credible and interesting enough to engage with any problem for the duration of the story, and although I predicted quite a lot of what happened ahead of time it was so well written with a cast of such stellar characters that it did not put me off wanting to read it in its entirety. I'm pleased I did as there were still a few surprises in store for me. I'm looking forward to seeing if I warm to Ziba a little more in future books and hope we see a softer, more human side to her personality as right now she's rather snarky and spiky but clearly intelligent and dogged in her pursuit of those who are to face the full force of the law.
Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer for an ARC.
October 16, 2019
Nothing to Lose is a great thriller. It was a fast and exciting read.
February 6, 2023
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Listen, I like this series!! Maybe it won’t sound like it for the bulk of this review, but I do. I like the MC, Ziba. I think she’s interesting, layered and a tough female character in this genre. But this sequel to Blood for Blood persists in my biggest problem from the first book – Ziba, and the rest of the cops, seem really fucking dumb.
Ziba is described as a highly-skilled criminal profiler and ex-special forces badass, but she consistently whiffs on seeing the very obvious answer to a mystery. She takes FOR👏EV👏ER to pick up a clue the reader will catch immediately. That’s a problem. The highly skilled main character doesn’t live up to the big description she’s been given.
I wish it wasn’t so. I truly do. Because this UK-based crime series is heads above other UK-crime series in a lot of ways – no recycled tropes or character types, and no fucking book covers of a woman in a red coat walking through some kind of goddamn field.
Where are you going, lady?! The crimes happened in central London! There’s nothing in that field!
I also wish this series would chill the fuck out when it comes to criminal profiling lectures. There’s got to be a better way to share this information without making me feel like I'm reading a textbook paragraph for those who have never picked up a crime novel before. I’ve got Wikipedia and 15-seasons of Criminal Minds under my belt, too. Not everything needs to be a Ted Talk.
Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.
Ziba is hunting a killer who is murdering women who look strikingly similar to her in both trivial things like hair colour, and deeper aspects like ethnicity. Is Ziba a target herself? Well, duh. That’s not a spoiler, but fuck if Ziba doesn’t take 800 years to figure it out. While doing the serial killer task force thing, Ziba also becomes laser-focused on the mystery behind her husband’s horrific murder. This novel explored the circumstances of that tragedy a lot more than the first, giving you a better understanding of Ziba’s grief and motivations.
The dead husband thing, and then the ending of the novel, started to reach Qanon levels of conspiracy and weirdness, so I wasn’t exactly into it. But that's a personal taste thing. I’m just not into conspiracies and government shit that becomes ridiculous. I just don’t have it in me.
That all said, I like this series. It relies heavily on the psychological element of profiling to catch criminals and that 100% works for me – even if Ziba isn’t as quick to figure shit out as the reader. The secondary characters are brought to life as individuals and the interactions between them and Ziba are spicy; punchier than the typical in other procedurals. Ziba was more human in this second novel, more of her life is explored and she had more human moments outside of the case that provides a clearer picture of her life and where her head & heart are at.
I love when a crime thriller can introduce more personal aspects of the main character without forcing a cheesy romance subplot or creating drama for drama’s sake. Detectives are more than their careers, and to explore that in a genuine way is always going to work for me.
This is a solid police procedural that appears to be setting up something big for the next novel. I’m here for it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 4 stars
Book source: The publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review
Listen, I like this series!! Maybe it won’t sound like it for the bulk of this review, but I do. I like the MC, Ziba. I think she’s interesting, layered and a tough female character in this genre. But this sequel to Blood for Blood persists in my biggest problem from the first book – Ziba, and the rest of the cops, seem really fucking dumb.
Ziba is described as a highly-skilled criminal profiler and ex-special forces badass, but she consistently whiffs on seeing the very obvious answer to a mystery. She takes FOR👏EV👏ER to pick up a clue the reader will catch immediately. That’s a problem. The highly skilled main character doesn’t live up to the big description she’s been given.
I wish it wasn’t so. I truly do. Because this UK-based crime series is heads above other UK-crime series in a lot of ways – no recycled tropes or character types, and no fucking book covers of a woman in a red coat walking through some kind of goddamn field.
Where are you going, lady?! The crimes happened in central London! There’s nothing in that field!
I also wish this series would chill the fuck out when it comes to criminal profiling lectures. There’s got to be a better way to share this information without making me feel like I'm reading a textbook paragraph for those who have never picked up a crime novel before. I’ve got Wikipedia and 15-seasons of Criminal Minds under my belt, too. Not everything needs to be a Ted Talk.
Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.
Ziba is hunting a killer who is murdering women who look strikingly similar to her in both trivial things like hair colour, and deeper aspects like ethnicity. Is Ziba a target herself? Well, duh. That’s not a spoiler, but fuck if Ziba doesn’t take 800 years to figure it out. While doing the serial killer task force thing, Ziba also becomes laser-focused on the mystery behind her husband’s horrific murder. This novel explored the circumstances of that tragedy a lot more than the first, giving you a better understanding of Ziba’s grief and motivations.
The dead husband thing, and then the ending of the novel, started to reach Qanon levels of conspiracy and weirdness, so I wasn’t exactly into it. But that's a personal taste thing. I’m just not into conspiracies and government shit that becomes ridiculous. I just don’t have it in me.
That all said, I like this series. It relies heavily on the psychological element of profiling to catch criminals and that 100% works for me – even if Ziba isn’t as quick to figure shit out as the reader. The secondary characters are brought to life as individuals and the interactions between them and Ziba are spicy; punchier than the typical in other procedurals. Ziba was more human in this second novel, more of her life is explored and she had more human moments outside of the case that provides a clearer picture of her life and where her head & heart are at.
I love when a crime thriller can introduce more personal aspects of the main character without forcing a cheesy romance subplot or creating drama for drama’s sake. Detectives are more than their careers, and to explore that in a genuine way is always going to work for me.
This is a solid police procedural that appears to be setting up something big for the next novel. I’m here for it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 4 stars
Book source: The publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review
February 4, 2020
After finishing the second book in the Ziba MacKenzie series, it’s time for me to say farewell to Ziba. Ziba is meant to be a highly trained, super intelligent ex-special forces profiler, but time and time again, she fails to see the obvious, and time and time again, she does the most stupid things. Her character just doesn’t make sense to me. The plot here was interesting, but once again the Wikipedia-like psychology lectures were too much. And listening to the audio, I wanted to scream at Ziba to stop using “Aye” all the time. Overall, just a bad case of book character and reader/listener mismatch. I’m sure others will enjoy this more than I did.
March 12, 2019
With thanks to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.
Nothing to Lose is the second book featuring ex special forces turned profiler Ziba Mckenzie. I missed the first book in the series but Nothing to Lose can easily be read as a standalone.
The plot had two distinct threads running through the story. Two years earlier Ziba`s husband Duncan a policeman, had been shot outside a restaurant. The killing looked professional but the gunman was never found. Ziba found a flashdrive that Duncan had taken the trouble to hide behind a fake plug socket. On it were concerns that Duncan had about a investigation called Sunlight. Excited to find a lead she went to the man who was investigating Duncan`s murder Bodi Caulder. Calder became defensive and asked for the flashdrive that Ziba had found. When one of the detectives in the Sunlight investigation commits suicide after speaking to Ziba she decided to do her own private investigation. Ziba discovered a scandal that could rock the police and British government.
Meanwhile Ziba was called in the early hours to the grisly murder of lawyer Lily Abian. Her murder bared the same hallmarks to the murder of young mum Yasmin Pejman who worked at the same firm. Another clue was that both Lily and Yasmin looked similar to herself. Ziba decided that the killer was emasculated by a female and was taking his anger out on another female. Her boss DI Issacson did not believe in profiling preferring old fashion policework.
Nothing To Lose was a fast paced book with short snappy chapters which kept tempting me to read just one more page. I enjoyed both investigations especially the murder of Yasmin and Lily. The book was very twisty, turny and I loved the double bluff at the end which I did not see coming.
I thought Ziba was a very interesting character, intelligent and tough enough to join the special forces. Ziba`s used military phrases which was not surprising, but as an English person she also used aye and scuttlebutt which stood out to me. I liked Wolfie who was Duncans`s best friend, although Ziba was attracted to Wolfie she was scared to move on. I hope they get together in the next book.
I am glad I have found another new author and look forward to her next book.
October 24, 2019
Nothing to Lose is the second in the police procedural series featuring former Special Forces Agent turned Offender Profiler, Ziba MacKenzie. Having missed the first book in the series - Blood for Blood - I was happy to jump straight in and read this independently without any issues as the author, Victoria Selman, provided enough background to allow me to feel comfortable with the characters and setting. Set in the London town of Primrose Hill Ziba made a rather flawed, angry, impulsive and abrasive Profiler however, I would have gladly had her on my team.
This novel was a fantastic, electrifying and solid police procedural and I really warmed to Ziba from the outset. It was a well-balanced crime-thriller that had me glued to the pages and I didn't want to put it down as I was desperate to know the outcome of the story.
The up-to-the-minute plot was very cleverly written being so gripping and suspenseful but not unbelievably horrific. With two distinct threads running through the story, I could have been overwhelmed by the number of characters in the book, but each individual had a defined role in the story. As Ziba embarked on an exciting and exhilarating mission to solve the cases, all of the time the tension was being ratcheted up a notch as Victoria Selman hit me with some captivating misdirection and planted a few red herrings. The writing flowed effortlessly with a swift pace to it as Nothing to Lose delved into topics of abusive relationships and the power of evil with doses of deception,violence and brutality.
A brilliant, nail-biting and highly recommended crime-thriller.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
This novel was a fantastic, electrifying and solid police procedural and I really warmed to Ziba from the outset. It was a well-balanced crime-thriller that had me glued to the pages and I didn't want to put it down as I was desperate to know the outcome of the story.
The up-to-the-minute plot was very cleverly written being so gripping and suspenseful but not unbelievably horrific. With two distinct threads running through the story, I could have been overwhelmed by the number of characters in the book, but each individual had a defined role in the story. As Ziba embarked on an exciting and exhilarating mission to solve the cases, all of the time the tension was being ratcheted up a notch as Victoria Selman hit me with some captivating misdirection and planted a few red herrings. The writing flowed effortlessly with a swift pace to it as Nothing to Lose delved into topics of abusive relationships and the power of evil with doses of deception,violence and brutality.
A brilliant, nail-biting and highly recommended crime-thriller.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
November 28, 2019
I enjoyed this book, I like Mac and the way she thinks things through and reverts to her skill set. I do get irritated by how silly she is and how frequently she puts herself in danger.
I did like the twists and turns in this book too.
I did like the twists and turns in this book too.
December 21, 2018
I would like to thank Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of Nothing to Lose, the second novel to feature freelance criminal profiler Ziba MacKenzie.
When two similar looking women are killed and eviscerated in just over a week The Met calls in Ziba to help the investigation, not that her help is welcomed with open arms. Ziba, however, is distracted as she has just uncovered new evidence in her hunt for her husband’s killer.
I thoroughly enjoyed Nothing to Lose which is an exciting thriller with two strong plot lines. I must admit that I had a good idea where they were both going from early on in the novel, perhaps because I read so much crime fiction, but it didn’t spoil my appetite for the detail and the way the two plots unfold, especially as the author has a good few twists up her sleeve. I found it a gripping read from start to finish.
The novel is mostly told from Ziba’s first person perspective with some interjections from an unnamed abused wife who suspects her husband of being the killer. This latter is extremely well done, bringing a whiff of smoke and mirrors to proceedings. Ziba’s narrative is interesting as being in the first person it brings the reader up close and personal with her character and experience. I’m not sure that I like her all that much. She seems humourless, hard and driven with few soft edges but that may be due to the loss of her husband and her need for justice. It’s difficult to tell on the basis of one novel.
Nothing to Lose is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
When two similar looking women are killed and eviscerated in just over a week The Met calls in Ziba to help the investigation, not that her help is welcomed with open arms. Ziba, however, is distracted as she has just uncovered new evidence in her hunt for her husband’s killer.
I thoroughly enjoyed Nothing to Lose which is an exciting thriller with two strong plot lines. I must admit that I had a good idea where they were both going from early on in the novel, perhaps because I read so much crime fiction, but it didn’t spoil my appetite for the detail and the way the two plots unfold, especially as the author has a good few twists up her sleeve. I found it a gripping read from start to finish.
The novel is mostly told from Ziba’s first person perspective with some interjections from an unnamed abused wife who suspects her husband of being the killer. This latter is extremely well done, bringing a whiff of smoke and mirrors to proceedings. Ziba’s narrative is interesting as being in the first person it brings the reader up close and personal with her character and experience. I’m not sure that I like her all that much. She seems humourless, hard and driven with few soft edges but that may be due to the loss of her husband and her need for justice. It’s difficult to tell on the basis of one novel.
Nothing to Lose is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
January 8, 2019
Nothing To Lose is a thrilling serial killer mystery. Twists and turns enough to grab your attention and keep it until the end. It's a good read overall.
March 27, 2019
Nothing to Lose is the second book in Victoria Selman’s mystery series featuring Ziba MacKenzie, a freelance criminal profiler who consults with New Scotland Yard. (I reviewed the first book, Blood for Blood, here.) In it, Ziba investigates two crimes: the recent serial murders of young Persian women who look remarkably like herself and the murder of her husband some two years earlier.
The story begins in the third person, with the Saturday interrogation of a suspect. It then moves backward in time three days to Wednesday, when the serial murders started. The plot develops rapidly, and the time frame of both investigations is approximately one month. After the opening chapter, however, Selman tells the story in Ziba’s first-person narrative voice, interspersed with occasional but increasingly frantic blog posts from a potential murder victim. These blog posts provide crucial data needed to understand the resolution of the serial murders case, so pay attention!
I enjoyed the book on the whole, though an editor really should’ve condensed its 143 short chapters into fewer but longer ones. It seems to me that the number of the chapters made the book “feel” longer than it actually is. The serial murders plot receives the lion share of attention and is the best developed of the two cases. It involves two hard plot twists. I had an inkling of the first twist about halfway through, but the second one caught me by surprise. So, good on the author!
The husband-murder plot was less successful, in my opinion. In murder mysteries, it’s not uncommon for the lead character to investigate several crimes at once. (Think of just about any Bosch novel, for example.) Here, however, the second investigation distracted me more than it enhanced my enjoyment of the novel. Given the criminal enormity in the background of Ziba’s husband’s murder—he was with Scotland Yard too—it might’ve been better had Selman made this crime the focus of an entire book, not a sideline to the main plot.
One other small criticism: In my review of Blood for Blood, I mentioned that it had an “ensemble of secondary characters that grow on you.” Unfortunately, with the exceptions of Ziba herself and Jack Wolfe, her late husband’s best mate and a potential love interest, none of the characters from the first novel reappear in the second, at least not beyond a mention on a page or two. That was disappointing to me, as I’d grown to like some of the secondary characters in Ziba’s circle of acquaintance.
So, just four stars from me, not five. While Nothing to Lose wasn’t as good as Blood for Blood, it was still an enjoyable read, and I look forward to Book Three.
Book Reviewed
Victoria Selman, Nothing to Lose (Seattle, WA: Thomas & Mercer, 2019).
P.S. If you found my review helpful, please click “Helpful” on my Amazon review page.
The story begins in the third person, with the Saturday interrogation of a suspect. It then moves backward in time three days to Wednesday, when the serial murders started. The plot develops rapidly, and the time frame of both investigations is approximately one month. After the opening chapter, however, Selman tells the story in Ziba’s first-person narrative voice, interspersed with occasional but increasingly frantic blog posts from a potential murder victim. These blog posts provide crucial data needed to understand the resolution of the serial murders case, so pay attention!
I enjoyed the book on the whole, though an editor really should’ve condensed its 143 short chapters into fewer but longer ones. It seems to me that the number of the chapters made the book “feel” longer than it actually is. The serial murders plot receives the lion share of attention and is the best developed of the two cases. It involves two hard plot twists. I had an inkling of the first twist about halfway through, but the second one caught me by surprise. So, good on the author!
The husband-murder plot was less successful, in my opinion. In murder mysteries, it’s not uncommon for the lead character to investigate several crimes at once. (Think of just about any Bosch novel, for example.) Here, however, the second investigation distracted me more than it enhanced my enjoyment of the novel. Given the criminal enormity in the background of Ziba’s husband’s murder—he was with Scotland Yard too—it might’ve been better had Selman made this crime the focus of an entire book, not a sideline to the main plot.
One other small criticism: In my review of Blood for Blood, I mentioned that it had an “ensemble of secondary characters that grow on you.” Unfortunately, with the exceptions of Ziba herself and Jack Wolfe, her late husband’s best mate and a potential love interest, none of the characters from the first novel reappear in the second, at least not beyond a mention on a page or two. That was disappointing to me, as I’d grown to like some of the secondary characters in Ziba’s circle of acquaintance.
So, just four stars from me, not five. While Nothing to Lose wasn’t as good as Blood for Blood, it was still an enjoyable read, and I look forward to Book Three.
Book Reviewed
Victoria Selman, Nothing to Lose (Seattle, WA: Thomas & Mercer, 2019).
P.S. If you found my review helpful, please click “Helpful” on my Amazon review page.
April 19, 2020
I love Ziba MacKenzie. She's a foul-mouthed, wise-cracking, ex-special forces firecracker who works as an independent criminal profiler. It's a smart back-story. It gives her great wisdom, strength and fighting techniques way beyond her tiny frame, and access to the police without actually having to be a copper. Hats off to Victoria Selman for coming up with Ziba. Throw in an interesting racial mix - her parents are Iranian and her late husband was Scottish so she's throwing 'aye' and 'wee' all over the place.
In the second Ziba MacKenzie book, our heroine is torn between trying to find out who killed two small Iranian-heritage women who just happen to look every so much like her, and trying to get to the bottom of who killed her husband, two years earlier. And, lurking in the background are unresolved feelings between Ziba and her late husband's best friend.
Neither plotline is too complex and most readers will probably follow the trail of crumbs and work out what's going on before Ziba does. That's fine by me. What I don't enjoy are twisty-turny wildly complicated plots where you get to the end and realise that there is zero-chance that anybody could have worked out whodunnit (and a strong suspicion that the author pulled it out of a hat in the last couple of chapters).
With regards to the 'Sunlight' sub-plot, I did feel it was based on a very high profile 'real world' investigation that was subsequently shown to be a pack of lies and fantasy but the story was still handled well.
In the second Ziba MacKenzie book, our heroine is torn between trying to find out who killed two small Iranian-heritage women who just happen to look every so much like her, and trying to get to the bottom of who killed her husband, two years earlier. And, lurking in the background are unresolved feelings between Ziba and her late husband's best friend.
Neither plotline is too complex and most readers will probably follow the trail of crumbs and work out what's going on before Ziba does. That's fine by me. What I don't enjoy are twisty-turny wildly complicated plots where you get to the end and realise that there is zero-chance that anybody could have worked out whodunnit (and a strong suspicion that the author pulled it out of a hat in the last couple of chapters).
With regards to the 'Sunlight' sub-plot, I did feel it was based on a very high profile 'real world' investigation that was subsequently shown to be a pack of lies and fantasy but the story was still handled well.
March 5, 2019
I would first like to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a free, advanced copy of "Nothing to Lose" in exchange for an honest review.
Her debut thriller "Blood for Blood" quickly climbed the charts for good reason. Now, follow Ziba Mackenzie once again in the second book of the series.
Being as I was such a huge fan of her debut novel "Blood for Blood", I had high expectations for Victoria Selman and her 2nd book "Nothing to Lose". As another fast -aced, hard hitting thriller, Selman did not disappoint.
In this sequel, Ziba once again finds herself being called for her profile expertise. As she builds the profile and as the serial killer continues to target victims, she realizes that the victims all look like her. Could she be the killer's next target? While trying to help police with the profile and catching their newest serial killer, Ziba also becomes determined to solve her husband's murder. He has left loose ends in his own private investigation and Ziba takes it upon herself to pick up where he left off. As she continues to get closer and closer to finding answers, she also becomes less and less sure of herself. Are there murderers and dangerous criminals that are truly "untouchable"? How much power is too much and can this power protect their secrets forever?
As Ziba continues to work on both cases, she finds herself paying more attention to the investigations than the dangerous situations she puts herself in. She has a few close calls and a few times where readers are sure that her luck will eventually run out. She almost gets distracted by trying to find answers to her husband's murder and this could give the serial killer an opportunity to make her his next victim.
Overall, this book was fast paced and I finished it pretty quickly. I really like the short chapters in Victoria Selman's books and sometimes they read like a criminal investigation TV show. Her writing is easy to read while still providing enough details, and of course suspense. At times, this book became a little confusing because of all of the characters involved in both of the cases she was giving attention to but all of the characters played a purpose. It wasn't as if someone walking down the sidewalk while Ziba was driving was given a random name for you to try to remember for no reason.
I am really looking forward to seeing what else Victoria Selman has in store for Ziba Mackenzie. I'm definitely a fan.
-D
Her debut thriller "Blood for Blood" quickly climbed the charts for good reason. Now, follow Ziba Mackenzie once again in the second book of the series.
Being as I was such a huge fan of her debut novel "Blood for Blood", I had high expectations for Victoria Selman and her 2nd book "Nothing to Lose". As another fast -aced, hard hitting thriller, Selman did not disappoint.
In this sequel, Ziba once again finds herself being called for her profile expertise. As she builds the profile and as the serial killer continues to target victims, she realizes that the victims all look like her. Could she be the killer's next target? While trying to help police with the profile and catching their newest serial killer, Ziba also becomes determined to solve her husband's murder. He has left loose ends in his own private investigation and Ziba takes it upon herself to pick up where he left off. As she continues to get closer and closer to finding answers, she also becomes less and less sure of herself. Are there murderers and dangerous criminals that are truly "untouchable"? How much power is too much and can this power protect their secrets forever?
As Ziba continues to work on both cases, she finds herself paying more attention to the investigations than the dangerous situations she puts herself in. She has a few close calls and a few times where readers are sure that her luck will eventually run out. She almost gets distracted by trying to find answers to her husband's murder and this could give the serial killer an opportunity to make her his next victim.
Overall, this book was fast paced and I finished it pretty quickly. I really like the short chapters in Victoria Selman's books and sometimes they read like a criminal investigation TV show. Her writing is easy to read while still providing enough details, and of course suspense. At times, this book became a little confusing because of all of the characters involved in both of the cases she was giving attention to but all of the characters played a purpose. It wasn't as if someone walking down the sidewalk while Ziba was driving was given a random name for you to try to remember for no reason.
I am really looking forward to seeing what else Victoria Selman has in store for Ziba Mackenzie. I'm definitely a fan.
-D
August 2, 2024
Set in London. 385 pp. I devoured this in more or less one sitting. Ziba continues to delight, and this is a fast-paced, twisty, page-turning plot.
buddy read thread
Nothing to Lose (Ziba MacKenzie, #2) by Victoria Selman
buddy read thread
Nothing to Lose (Ziba MacKenzie, #2) by Victoria Selman
April 28, 2019
Excellent Read!
I came across this author randomly and was hooked from the first book, Blood for Blood. This book was even better and I am fully invested in the main character, Ziba. I can't wait for her next book in this series!
I came across this author randomly and was hooked from the first book, Blood for Blood. This book was even better and I am fully invested in the main character, Ziba. I can't wait for her next book in this series!
March 28, 2019
Fuck yes, this was intense!
April 25, 2019
This wasn’t perfect but I liked it enough to give it a 5. The British phrases were a little distracting but also gave me a chuckle. Ziba isn’t perfect. She catches lots of little things then misses some big ones. Even things that become obvious to the reader. I’ll let that go though because it made me feel smart! Haha. I’ve seen reviews that complained about the romantic sub-plot & honestly I don’t understand the complaints. You can be a strong woman & still want to have people in your life. Wanting a man doesn’t make a woman weak! It’d annoy me more if she was oblivious & determined to stay alone to honor her husband’s memory. That’s not noble. That’s pretty much self abuse. I’m looking forward to more books in this series. Meanwhile I’ll go clean my bang stick. Yikes!
September 2, 2023
Decent thriller - offender profiler working in Scotland Yard on a murder takes the opportunity to chase down clues relating to the murder of her detective husband two years ago.
February 17, 2019
Nothing to Lose Victoria Selman
I have to admit that I didn’t realise when I downloaded this that it was the second book in the series. The first book being Blood for Blood which is on my has to be read pile. Although I will say its plenty good enough to be read as a standalone.
How spooky for Ziba MacKenzie a freelance profiler to attend the second crime scene of a horrific murder, as soon as she see the victim she realises that the victim looks just like her as does the victim earlier in the week. Both women have been horrifically mutilated and graphically displayed, their wombs ripped out being the most gruesome of the victims injuries. Ziba and DCI Falcon soon realise that they could possibly have a serial killer on the loose.
Ziba has lost her husband Duncan through foul play so while she works on the murder of the two females she is desperately trying to figure out what happened to him. As if that’s not enough to be going on with she’s also confused about her feelings for Duncan’s best friend Jack.
This is a fast paced thriller that will find you reading ‘just one more chapter’. Its definitely a book I will be recommending to everyone.
Read for an honest review. Thank you Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley
I have to admit that I didn’t realise when I downloaded this that it was the second book in the series. The first book being Blood for Blood which is on my has to be read pile. Although I will say its plenty good enough to be read as a standalone.
How spooky for Ziba MacKenzie a freelance profiler to attend the second crime scene of a horrific murder, as soon as she see the victim she realises that the victim looks just like her as does the victim earlier in the week. Both women have been horrifically mutilated and graphically displayed, their wombs ripped out being the most gruesome of the victims injuries. Ziba and DCI Falcon soon realise that they could possibly have a serial killer on the loose.
Ziba has lost her husband Duncan through foul play so while she works on the murder of the two females she is desperately trying to figure out what happened to him. As if that’s not enough to be going on with she’s also confused about her feelings for Duncan’s best friend Jack.
This is a fast paced thriller that will find you reading ‘just one more chapter’. Its definitely a book I will be recommending to everyone.
Read for an honest review. Thank you Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley
February 2, 2019
I loved the first book in this series so went ahead and request an ARC of Nothing to Lose because I couldn’t wait for the release date.
Blood for Blood kept me hooked because clues where left to put the reader off the scent and every time you thought you figured it out, bam, nope think again.
With Nothing to Lose those same red herrings were fed through but I didn’t fall for it this time. I actually figured out who the murderer was early on and was bitterly disappointed that I’d got the measure of the author so quickly. I was so wrong! Out of left field right at the end of the book a plot twist. Well hot damn, did not see that one coming!
Another really great read from Victoria Selman. Cannot wait for the next book.
Blood for Blood kept me hooked because clues where left to put the reader off the scent and every time you thought you figured it out, bam, nope think again.
With Nothing to Lose those same red herrings were fed through but I didn’t fall for it this time. I actually figured out who the murderer was early on and was bitterly disappointed that I’d got the measure of the author so quickly. I was so wrong! Out of left field right at the end of the book a plot twist. Well hot damn, did not see that one coming!
Another really great read from Victoria Selman. Cannot wait for the next book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2018
I read this in a day,which always means it kept me interested enough to turn the pages quickly.
I didn't always enjoy the flipping between storylines though.
I'd just get into the flow of our serial killer story,and then we're talking about a 2 year old death that hasn't been solved.
However both stories were rounded off... slightly in a complicated manner for the killer story.
Always good to read new ideas on who and why though.
I didn't always enjoy the flipping between storylines though.
I'd just get into the flow of our serial killer story,and then we're talking about a 2 year old death that hasn't been solved.
However both stories were rounded off... slightly in a complicated manner for the killer story.
Always good to read new ideas on who and why though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 27, 2022
🌟Eine klare Leseempfehlung für diesen spannenden und authentischen Thriller!🌟
Innerhalb einer Woche werden im Londoner Stadtteil Primrose Hill zwei junge Frauen erstochen aufgefunden. Scotland Yard geht von einem Serienkiller aus und schaltet die Profilerin Ziba MacKenzie ein. Doch Ziba beunruhigt noch etwas ganz anderes: Die beiden Frauen haben eine verblüffende Ähnlichkeit mit ihr selbst. Sie weiß, dass dieser Fall ihr letzter sein könnte, wenn sie dem Killer zu nahe kommt. Ihr bleibt nur eins: Sie muss herausfinden, was die beiden Toten verbindet, bevor sie selbst zum Opfer wird …
,,Drei Gräber“ ist ein Thriller und der zweite Fall für Profilerin Ziba MacKenzie von Victoria Selman, der am 14.3.2022 im Goldmann-Verlag erschienen ist. Nachdem mir schon der Vorgängerband ,,Sieben Opfer“ unheimlich gut gefallen hat, war ich auf diesen Inhalt deshalb umso gespannter. Und ja, die Autorin hat es auch zum zweiten Mal geschafft, mich voll und ganz in den Bann zu ziehen. Von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite wurde mir ein geschickter, gut durchdachter, unvorhersehbarer und spannender Thriller mit einem genialen Plot geboten. Überraschende Wendungen haben mich bis zum Schluss begleitet, die hier das i-Tüpfelchen waren. Ich bin mit Ziba MacKenzie auf eine rasante Mörderjagd gegangen, denn diesmal hatte sie direkt zwei Fälle aufzuklären. Parallel zum Fall des Frauenmörders versucht sie weiterhin den Grund für den plötzlichen Mord an ihrem Mann auf den Grund zu gehen. Denn als sie in ihrer Wohnung einen USB-Stick mit rätselhaften Botschaften entdeckt, will sie endlich Klarheit. Sie ist unheimlich hartnäckig, gräbt immer tiefer in der Vergangenheit. Nachdem sie mehr über eine geheimnisvolle Operation namens Sunlight erfahren möchte, kommt sie nach und nach erschreckende Machenschaften auf die Spur.
Dieser Weg wird von plötzlichen Unfällen und Todesfällen begleitet, doch trotzdem gibt MacKenzie nicht auf. Sie ist ein unheimlich cooler und taffer Charakter, der mir wirklich sehr gut gefällt. Mit ihr hat die Autorin eine kluge, sympathische und sachkundige Profilerin erschaffen, die in ihrer Arbeit vollkommen aufgeht. Dank ihres messerscharfen Verstandes arbeitet sie als Beraterin für das Scotland Yard, da sie sich perfekt in die Köpfe verschiedener Verbrecher hineinversetzen kann. Auch versteht sie es, die Zeichen der Körpersprache hervorragend zu deuten, sodass sie Lügner sicher enttarnen kann. Nichts entgeht ihr und ihre Erklärungen, bzw. Begründungen verschiedener Analysen fand ich neben der eigentlichen Handlung sehr spannend. MacKenzie ist authentisch, lebendig und exzellent ausgearbeitet. Die kompletten 512 Seiten wird fast nur aus ihrer Perspektive geschrieben, weshalb ich ihre Höhen und Tiefen die ganze Zeit miterlebt habe. Ich habe mit ihr mitgefiebert und mitgezittert, ihre Täterprofile waren für mich verständlich und logisch ausgearbeitet. Diese fand ich ebenfalls hoch interessant, denn der Thriller enthält auch psychologische Aspekte, die sehr gut zum Gesamtinhalt passen. Die kurzen und abwechslungsreichen Kapitel, wo sich zwischendurch eine mysteriöse weibliche Stimme meldet, sorgen für einen schnellen Lesefluss.
Während MacKenzie heimlich mehr über Sunlight erfährt, hält sie der brutale Serienmörder regelmäßig auf Trab. Da er in London schon zwei Mal zugeschlagen hat, läuft ihr die Zeit davon. Obwohl ihr Täterprofil feststeht und verschiedene Verdächtige vernommen werden, lässt der Erfolg auf sich warten. MacKenzie fallen im Laufe der Ermittlungen Details auf, die sie erst zu spät entdeckt. Als sie dem Frauenmörder dicht auf den Fersen ist, wurde ich auch hier nochmal von einer Wendung überrascht, die von der Autorin geschickt eingefädelt wurde. Immer dann, wenn ich mir sicher war, wer nun der wahre Täter ist, kam es schließlich doch immer ganz anders als zuerst gedacht. So wurde ich regelmäßig auf falsche Fährten geführt, was den Spannungsbogen extrem hochgehalten hat.
MacKenzies’ Gedanken und Handlungen wurden bildlich beschrieben, insgesamt ist der Schreibstil der Autorin generell sehr flüssig, bildlich und authentisch. Nach diesem Band bin ich zum richtigen Fan der Powerfrau Ziba MacKenzie geworden. Nicht nur die Fälle halten sie ordentlich auf Trab, auch ihre Zerrissenheit und ihr Gefühlschaos hat sie sehr menschlich erscheinen lassen. Zum Journalisten und guten Freund Jack pflegt sie ein freundschaftliches Verhältnis. Doch ihre Schuldgefühle gegenüber ihrem toten Mann lassen sie auch diesmal nicht los. Dennoch schaut sie positiv in die Zukunft, weshalb ich mich über eine weitere Fortsetzung erneut freuen würde. ,,Drei Gräber" hat mich deshalb wieder komplett überzeugt und ich vergebe eine ganz klare Leseempfehlung!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Innerhalb einer Woche werden im Londoner Stadtteil Primrose Hill zwei junge Frauen erstochen aufgefunden. Scotland Yard geht von einem Serienkiller aus und schaltet die Profilerin Ziba MacKenzie ein. Doch Ziba beunruhigt noch etwas ganz anderes: Die beiden Frauen haben eine verblüffende Ähnlichkeit mit ihr selbst. Sie weiß, dass dieser Fall ihr letzter sein könnte, wenn sie dem Killer zu nahe kommt. Ihr bleibt nur eins: Sie muss herausfinden, was die beiden Toten verbindet, bevor sie selbst zum Opfer wird …
,,Drei Gräber“ ist ein Thriller und der zweite Fall für Profilerin Ziba MacKenzie von Victoria Selman, der am 14.3.2022 im Goldmann-Verlag erschienen ist. Nachdem mir schon der Vorgängerband ,,Sieben Opfer“ unheimlich gut gefallen hat, war ich auf diesen Inhalt deshalb umso gespannter. Und ja, die Autorin hat es auch zum zweiten Mal geschafft, mich voll und ganz in den Bann zu ziehen. Von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite wurde mir ein geschickter, gut durchdachter, unvorhersehbarer und spannender Thriller mit einem genialen Plot geboten. Überraschende Wendungen haben mich bis zum Schluss begleitet, die hier das i-Tüpfelchen waren. Ich bin mit Ziba MacKenzie auf eine rasante Mörderjagd gegangen, denn diesmal hatte sie direkt zwei Fälle aufzuklären. Parallel zum Fall des Frauenmörders versucht sie weiterhin den Grund für den plötzlichen Mord an ihrem Mann auf den Grund zu gehen. Denn als sie in ihrer Wohnung einen USB-Stick mit rätselhaften Botschaften entdeckt, will sie endlich Klarheit. Sie ist unheimlich hartnäckig, gräbt immer tiefer in der Vergangenheit. Nachdem sie mehr über eine geheimnisvolle Operation namens Sunlight erfahren möchte, kommt sie nach und nach erschreckende Machenschaften auf die Spur.
Dieser Weg wird von plötzlichen Unfällen und Todesfällen begleitet, doch trotzdem gibt MacKenzie nicht auf. Sie ist ein unheimlich cooler und taffer Charakter, der mir wirklich sehr gut gefällt. Mit ihr hat die Autorin eine kluge, sympathische und sachkundige Profilerin erschaffen, die in ihrer Arbeit vollkommen aufgeht. Dank ihres messerscharfen Verstandes arbeitet sie als Beraterin für das Scotland Yard, da sie sich perfekt in die Köpfe verschiedener Verbrecher hineinversetzen kann. Auch versteht sie es, die Zeichen der Körpersprache hervorragend zu deuten, sodass sie Lügner sicher enttarnen kann. Nichts entgeht ihr und ihre Erklärungen, bzw. Begründungen verschiedener Analysen fand ich neben der eigentlichen Handlung sehr spannend. MacKenzie ist authentisch, lebendig und exzellent ausgearbeitet. Die kompletten 512 Seiten wird fast nur aus ihrer Perspektive geschrieben, weshalb ich ihre Höhen und Tiefen die ganze Zeit miterlebt habe. Ich habe mit ihr mitgefiebert und mitgezittert, ihre Täterprofile waren für mich verständlich und logisch ausgearbeitet. Diese fand ich ebenfalls hoch interessant, denn der Thriller enthält auch psychologische Aspekte, die sehr gut zum Gesamtinhalt passen. Die kurzen und abwechslungsreichen Kapitel, wo sich zwischendurch eine mysteriöse weibliche Stimme meldet, sorgen für einen schnellen Lesefluss.
Während MacKenzie heimlich mehr über Sunlight erfährt, hält sie der brutale Serienmörder regelmäßig auf Trab. Da er in London schon zwei Mal zugeschlagen hat, läuft ihr die Zeit davon. Obwohl ihr Täterprofil feststeht und verschiedene Verdächtige vernommen werden, lässt der Erfolg auf sich warten. MacKenzie fallen im Laufe der Ermittlungen Details auf, die sie erst zu spät entdeckt. Als sie dem Frauenmörder dicht auf den Fersen ist, wurde ich auch hier nochmal von einer Wendung überrascht, die von der Autorin geschickt eingefädelt wurde. Immer dann, wenn ich mir sicher war, wer nun der wahre Täter ist, kam es schließlich doch immer ganz anders als zuerst gedacht. So wurde ich regelmäßig auf falsche Fährten geführt, was den Spannungsbogen extrem hochgehalten hat.
MacKenzies’ Gedanken und Handlungen wurden bildlich beschrieben, insgesamt ist der Schreibstil der Autorin generell sehr flüssig, bildlich und authentisch. Nach diesem Band bin ich zum richtigen Fan der Powerfrau Ziba MacKenzie geworden. Nicht nur die Fälle halten sie ordentlich auf Trab, auch ihre Zerrissenheit und ihr Gefühlschaos hat sie sehr menschlich erscheinen lassen. Zum Journalisten und guten Freund Jack pflegt sie ein freundschaftliches Verhältnis. Doch ihre Schuldgefühle gegenüber ihrem toten Mann lassen sie auch diesmal nicht los. Dennoch schaut sie positiv in die Zukunft, weshalb ich mich über eine weitere Fortsetzung erneut freuen würde. ,,Drei Gräber" hat mich deshalb wieder komplett überzeugt und ich vergebe eine ganz klare Leseempfehlung!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
January 3, 2020
Finished reading: January 3rd 2020
“Serial murderers always make the headlines. It's the rubbernecker phenomenon: evil fascinates us. But when it's on our doorstep all that changes.”
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
August 19, 2019
I read the first book in the series (Blood For Blood) back in February, when I needed a distraction from life. I enjoy the mystery genre, and that book appeared to be a low-stakes, interesting-enough read. I liked that the protagonist (Ziba MacKenzie) wasn’t just another mediocre white guy with a god complex who drinks whiskey as a substitute for his personality. I then read “Blood For Blood” in its entirety (and immediately forgot about it), even though after the first couple of chapters, Ziba started to sound like a college freshman attempting to write their first forensics/psychology research paper.
I chose to read “Nothing To Lose” because it popped up on the main menu after I signed up for a free trial of Kindle Unlimited. Plus, I had just moved to another state and needed another low-stakes, interesting-enough read. And sweet Beelzebub, who signed off on its publication? I am not trying to cut down the author who spent time and effort on writing another book, but someone on her team did her dirty by not offering her constructive criticism. Ziba calls a fellow adult on her investigative team “Big Daddy” and literally discards her clothing and goes on a mini-shopping spree after finding a bug in her apartment in the middle of the book. The author makes a big deal about Ziba’s size by pointing out that she wears an XXS top, which is an odd and almost fetishistic detail to include when she is supposed to be an ex-elite Special Forces soldier. More importantly, I will not be able to forget all of those passages where Ziba explains her thinking when doing her job and profiling that sound like entries on forensic psychology straight-up lifted from Wikipedia.
But guess what? Come November, I will read the third book in the Ziba MacKenzie series because I am not a quitter.
I chose to read “Nothing To Lose” because it popped up on the main menu after I signed up for a free trial of Kindle Unlimited. Plus, I had just moved to another state and needed another low-stakes, interesting-enough read. And sweet Beelzebub, who signed off on its publication? I am not trying to cut down the author who spent time and effort on writing another book, but someone on her team did her dirty by not offering her constructive criticism. Ziba calls a fellow adult on her investigative team “Big Daddy” and literally discards her clothing and goes on a mini-shopping spree after finding a bug in her apartment in the middle of the book. The author makes a big deal about Ziba’s size by pointing out that she wears an XXS top, which is an odd and almost fetishistic detail to include when she is supposed to be an ex-elite Special Forces soldier. More importantly, I will not be able to forget all of those passages where Ziba explains her thinking when doing her job and profiling that sound like entries on forensic psychology straight-up lifted from Wikipedia.
But guess what? Come November, I will read the third book in the Ziba MacKenzie series because I am not a quitter.
December 18, 2020
While there are some mentions to events that happened in book one (mainly with the killer featured in the previous novel), this one could technically could be read as a stand-alone. The problem is, much like in book one, I didn't really care for Ziba herself.
We are told that she is not only ex-special forces, but also a highly trained criminal profiler. However, time and again in this novel she not only makes some highly illogical (and dangerous) choices, but she also misses important clues time and again.
Another thing that I had issue with (and this is most likely due in part to the fact that I am American, however I should be clear that I do not have this issue with any other book that takes place in the UK), there were so many slang terms used that I sometimes had trouble understanding. And while I get that some people do have a relaxed way of speaking, in a professional setting, it struck me as off. This again could be in part to Ziba's constant inner musings about how everyone around her is a jerk, or doesn't like her (gee I wonder why), or in one case "retarded" (yes the author actually chose to use that word to describe someone's actions).
The plots themselves were interesting enough, and thankfully separate enough that I didn't have trouble following along. I was a little surprised that the secondary plot was also mostly resolved in this book as I expected the author to drag it out to the third. However, there is still one major plot point still left to be resolved (and that is the death of her husband that took place before the start of the first book).
Overall, I probably will pick up the third (and I believe final) book in this series just to see how it all ends. Just not anytime soon.
We are told that she is not only ex-special forces, but also a highly trained criminal profiler. However, time and again in this novel she not only makes some highly illogical (and dangerous) choices, but she also misses important clues time and again.
Another thing that I had issue with (and this is most likely due in part to the fact that I am American, however I should be clear that I do not have this issue with any other book that takes place in the UK), there were so many slang terms used that I sometimes had trouble understanding. And while I get that some people do have a relaxed way of speaking, in a professional setting, it struck me as off. This again could be in part to Ziba's constant inner musings about how everyone around her is a jerk, or doesn't like her (gee I wonder why), or in one case "retarded" (yes the author actually chose to use that word to describe someone's actions).
The plots themselves were interesting enough, and thankfully separate enough that I didn't have trouble following along. I was a little surprised that the secondary plot was also mostly resolved in this book as I expected the author to drag it out to the third. However, there is still one major plot point still left to be resolved (and that is the death of her husband that took place before the start of the first book).
Overall, I probably will pick up the third (and I believe final) book in this series just to see how it all ends. Just not anytime soon.
April 29, 2023
Nothing to Lose by Victoria Selman took me on a ride to say the least. Overall, there good and bad aspects to the story. I loved the fact that Ziba was a woman of color. As a woman of color myself, I related a lot to the character especially given the treatment of women of color as they are seen more as statistics and victims rather than people, in the eyes of the law and in the eyes of the public. Another good aspect would be the speed of things. Though the story mainly takes place over the course of roughly 3-4 days I felt as though it did the characters and the work they are doing justice. But with this book taking place over the course of 3-4 days, there are unnecessary chapters I felt as though would fit in with the previous chapter that did not need its own chapter that had nothing to do with the investigation but rather was just filler chapters. I also loved how Ziba wants to solve the murder of these women . Catching the murderer of the women and her psychological breakdown of the suspect throughout the whole book was very impressive, but also pretty predictable to be honest. Some of the things I have read online, or I have heard it while watching true crime documentaries. Another good aspect of the book would have to be how this book tackles crimes on a mental and societal level. We are taken through her thought process as she sees these victims that look like just her. But we are also taken through crimes that have BIG implications and BIG names attached to them which I think is a little more on the "underdog wins" kind of side that I also enjoyed. The book was a great read, I could relate to it, and it definitely drew me in.
March 28, 2022
I recently read and enjoyed the first book in Victoria Selman’s Ziba Mackenzie series, and I bought the second book, Nothing to Lose straight away on the back of reading the first. I absolutely love Victoria’s writing. It’s pacy and so well written and I fly through her books at break-neck speed.
This time around, Ziba Mackenzie is on the hunt for a sadistic serial killer who is targeting pregnant women in a cruel and terrifying way. The clock is really ticking as Ziba and the team try to track the killer down. You get a real sense that the team are racing against time and that they will need to do a lot of things right, for things to go their way. I could also clearly see the real challenges Ziba is facing in her personal life, particularly in dealing with the death of her husband, which Victoria draws on well to make her come to life.
There is also another voice which we hear from, from someone who is close to the killer. These scenes really added to the tension. It made me think that something terrible was going to happen to this person, and I was desperate for them to go to the police with what they knew. I thought Victoria Selman did a fantastic job of capturing the desperation in this character’s voice. There is a real sense of mystery surrounding this person and I liked how Victoria Selman kept me intrigued. I had to know who this person was.
Victoria Selman always writes short and snappy chapters, which is what keeps me flying through the novel. Her writing is taut and the suspense keeps ticking up a notch with every page. I thought Victoria did a brilliant job in wrapping the plot of the novel up, and I liked the way how she did it. I was surprised in the direction she took the book, as I definitely thought it was heading another way.
Nothing to Lose is a brilliant addition to this series and I will definitely be reading the third book as soon as I can. If you enjoy gritty and dark crime thrillers that are impossible to put down then you need to try this series if you haven’t done so already. I highly recommend it.
This time around, Ziba Mackenzie is on the hunt for a sadistic serial killer who is targeting pregnant women in a cruel and terrifying way. The clock is really ticking as Ziba and the team try to track the killer down. You get a real sense that the team are racing against time and that they will need to do a lot of things right, for things to go their way. I could also clearly see the real challenges Ziba is facing in her personal life, particularly in dealing with the death of her husband, which Victoria draws on well to make her come to life.
There is also another voice which we hear from, from someone who is close to the killer. These scenes really added to the tension. It made me think that something terrible was going to happen to this person, and I was desperate for them to go to the police with what they knew. I thought Victoria Selman did a fantastic job of capturing the desperation in this character’s voice. There is a real sense of mystery surrounding this person and I liked how Victoria Selman kept me intrigued. I had to know who this person was.
Victoria Selman always writes short and snappy chapters, which is what keeps me flying through the novel. Her writing is taut and the suspense keeps ticking up a notch with every page. I thought Victoria did a brilliant job in wrapping the plot of the novel up, and I liked the way how she did it. I was surprised in the direction she took the book, as I definitely thought it was heading another way.
Nothing to Lose is a brilliant addition to this series and I will definitely be reading the third book as soon as I can. If you enjoy gritty and dark crime thrillers that are impossible to put down then you need to try this series if you haven’t done so already. I highly recommend it.
December 21, 2018
Ziba MacKenzie gaat in een teal van Scotland Yard als profiler aan het werk om de moordenaar van Yasmin Pejman en Lily Abian op te sporen. Nadat Ziba's man Duncan twee jaar eerder is doodgeschoten, vindt Ziba op een verborgen plek in huis een USB-stick. Ze leidt eruit af dat Duncan aan een zaak onder de codenaam Sunlight werkte die top secret moest blijven. Waarschijnlijk is hij daarom doodgeschoten. Met haar vriend Jack Wolf die journalist is, gaat ze op zoek naar de waarheid rond Sunlight. Al snel komt ze erachter dat personen van de politie erbij betrokken zijn.
Ziba moet twee zaken tegelijkertijd zien op te lossen en dat valt niet mee. Ze moet woekeren met haar tijd en daar komt nog bij dat ze in beide zaken behoorlijk wordt tegengewerkt. Selman weet dit mooi te verwoorden. Ze is op haar best in het weergeven van de denkwijze van Ziba als profiler.
Het verhaal wordt voor een belangrijk deel verteld door Ziba in de eerste persoon. Intrigerend zijn de korte tussenhoofdstukken waarin een vrouw vertelt dat ze denkt dat haar man de moordenaar is.
De twee verhaallijnen worden kundig met elkaar afgewisseld. De ene verhaallijn heeft een duidelijk eind; met de andere maakt Selman zich wat gemakkelijk af; hiervan had ze heel wat meer kunnen maken.
Dank aan Netgalley en de uitgever Thomas & Mercer voor het beschikbaar stellen van deze ARC. Ik ben benieuwd naar het eerste boek met Ziba MacKenzie: Blood for Blood.
Ziba moet twee zaken tegelijkertijd zien op te lossen en dat valt niet mee. Ze moet woekeren met haar tijd en daar komt nog bij dat ze in beide zaken behoorlijk wordt tegengewerkt. Selman weet dit mooi te verwoorden. Ze is op haar best in het weergeven van de denkwijze van Ziba als profiler.
Het verhaal wordt voor een belangrijk deel verteld door Ziba in de eerste persoon. Intrigerend zijn de korte tussenhoofdstukken waarin een vrouw vertelt dat ze denkt dat haar man de moordenaar is.
De twee verhaallijnen worden kundig met elkaar afgewisseld. De ene verhaallijn heeft een duidelijk eind; met de andere maakt Selman zich wat gemakkelijk af; hiervan had ze heel wat meer kunnen maken.
Dank aan Netgalley en de uitgever Thomas & Mercer voor het beschikbaar stellen van deze ARC. Ik ben benieuwd naar het eerste boek met Ziba MacKenzie: Blood for Blood.
April 3, 2019
5 stars until Ziba pulled two TSTL stunts
I enjoyed reading this well-written entry in the new Ziba McKenzie profiler series by Victoria Selman. Ziba is working a Scotland Yard serial killer case, plus she’s doing an off-the-books investigation of her husband’s murder.
In the serial murder case, she must make herself relevant and be heard, because the DI in charge and his team treat her as an outsider. The victims closely resemble her, but she nor any on the murder team are bothered enough to follow-up. In her husband’s case, when she mentions possible new evidence, the waste-of-space DI in charge becomes unusually helpful and wants to see her and the evidence ASAP.
Both murder cases are complicated but carefully plotted. However, I believe the storyline about her husband’s death could been the backbone for another book.
Ziba Mckenzie hews true to her character as presented in the first book, “Blood For Blood.” Intelligent but prickly and at times testy, she speaks her mind and is comfortable with military-speak and NSFW words.
4 stars because whilst Ziba was sleep-deprived, she drank a lot of wine and made a TSTL decision. She lived, but later, she went rogue again and landed in an almost-FUBAR situation.
Yes, I know the author was setting up twists. Eye roll emoji here.
I enjoyed reading this well-written entry in the new Ziba McKenzie profiler series by Victoria Selman. Ziba is working a Scotland Yard serial killer case, plus she’s doing an off-the-books investigation of her husband’s murder.
In the serial murder case, she must make herself relevant and be heard, because the DI in charge and his team treat her as an outsider. The victims closely resemble her, but she nor any on the murder team are bothered enough to follow-up. In her husband’s case, when she mentions possible new evidence, the waste-of-space DI in charge becomes unusually helpful and wants to see her and the evidence ASAP.
Both murder cases are complicated but carefully plotted. However, I believe the storyline about her husband’s death could been the backbone for another book.
Ziba Mckenzie hews true to her character as presented in the first book, “Blood For Blood.” Intelligent but prickly and at times testy, she speaks her mind and is comfortable with military-speak and NSFW words.
4 stars because whilst Ziba was sleep-deprived, she drank a lot of wine and made a TSTL decision. She lived, but later, she went rogue again and landed in an almost-FUBAR situation.
Yes, I know the author was setting up twists. Eye roll emoji here.
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