Killer View

Jessie Mercado

by Roy Johansen, Iris Johansen (Foreword)

New York Times bestselling author Roy Johansen delivers a thrill-a-minute read featuring a fearless heroine for hire.

Kendra Michaels, blind before gaining her sight via a revolutionary surgical procedure, offers her razor-sharp senses to assist her friend Jessie Mercado in a baffling case. An army vet and former bodyguard for the rich and famous, Jessie has faced all kinds of danger but one thing the motorcycle-riding private investigator has never encountered before is an  incarceration consultant .

Preparing wealthy people to go to prison is big business. When Owen Blake of Mamertine Consulting hires Mercado to find his missing partner, their suspect list is filled with recently released white-collar criminals, a few drug kingpins, and a couple of murderers to keep things interesting.

As witnesses turn up dead and car chases leave destruction in their wake, Jessie and Kendra learn just how far someone will go to keep the fate of one man hidden. But why? Together they must hunt down the lethal secrets of Blake’s company, hell-bent on staying one step ahead of disaster.


 

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

352 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 8, 2022

About the author

Roy Johansen is a New York Times-bestselling mystery/suspense author and screenwriter.

He was awarded the Edgar Allen Poe award from the Mystery Writers of America in the Best Television Miniseries or Movie category for his original screenplay "Murder 101". He continues to write screenplays for Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, Disney, and MGM.

He has written several mystery/suspense novels on his own, but Roy Johansen also collaborates with his mother, Iris Johansen, on several best-selling mystery novels, including Storm Cycle, The Hannah Bryson series, and The Kendra Michaels series.

Reviews

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging, well written with never a dull moment. Roy Johnsen is a new one of my favorite authors. 9 of 10 stars

[Miya (severe pain struggles, slower at the moment) · Rating 4 out of 5]

As expected this was fast paced and fun. Suspenseful and page turning goodness. I am sure this will be loved by many.

[Tanja ~ KT Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is all Jessie Mercado! Can she get her own series, please? I mean, I guess it kind is but, you know what I'm saying. This is an incredibly fast-paced, no-nonsense kind of read. I love the rhythm and cadence of Jessie. Or should I say Johansen's writing style? It's oddly comforting the way the dialogue flows and moves. It's easy and fun for the reader.

One missing business partner has Owen Blake knocking on Jessie's door. He and his currently missing partner, help criminals prepare for jail. It's no surprise that the reason he could be missing is due in part to their business. What happens next is a nail-biting wild ride.

Always entertaining and a must-buy anytime there's a new release. I can't sing enough praise for Roy Johansen.

~Tanja


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[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast pace from the very start, and doesn't let up at all, and when you thought you had the answers you find out you only have some of them . And the twist , wow , it makes the story even more enjoyable . The narrator mad the story even more enjoyable as well , which how she made the characters come to life, and give them their own personality .

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ended up quite enjoying this. As a PI thriller, it was great. Did it change my life? No. But I don't read thrillers to change my life. I liked Jesse as and main character and liked a number of side characters. I'm not sure if this is stand alone or if it will continue, but I would like to continue with Jesse. My understanding is this is a spin off from the Kendra Michaels series by Iris Johansen/Roy Johansen. So even though Goodreads is listing it as #9 in that series, it really can stand alone. I may look into the Kendra Michaels series now that I've read this one.

Content: some language; implied sex (but very closed door); violence expected in PI themed books

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though we have limited Kendra appearances (and NO!!!! Adam appearances), this detective story is quite solid and really fleshes out the character of Jessie. Jessie is a good girlfriend for Kendra, and it seems gets along better with the cops than she and Adam do.

The shenanigans of Jessie and her romantic interests are quite good and this story kept my attention throughout. Though I really want more Kendra/Adam, I can see myself getting interested in more Jessie action too.

[Richard Bankey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a good read with plenty of action. I enjoyed all of the characters and it was a good story. Now I have to go find all of the previous books in this series to read. 4.25 🌟

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

*won a free advanced read copy from Goodreads giveaway

Not my normal read to be honest, but that's kind of the joy of winning free books. You step outside of your comfort zone and maybe even get to enjoy yourself. Without monetary obligations.

That was a fast paced, thrilling ride.
Jessie is a badass with a lot of very colourful friends.
Brice was my favourite though... It's hard not to fall for the handsome movie star. But even harder when he's sweet and cares about Jessie with his whole being.
And Jessie even though she says otherwise, enjoys the affection but she shouldn't keep such a sweet human at arm's length. Let him in Jessie! Let him in! Accept that it's inevitable!!

Anyhow... The book was thrilling and moved so quickly it felt like I was watching a movie not reading a book. Everything progressed quickly and was very telly not showy. You know how they always say to show how things happen instead of telling. This book doesn't really follow that.
Other than the actual "surprise" for why this was all going down. Everything else was pretty much tied up in a bow.
That might not be everyone's cup of tea. But as someone who will watch spoilers but still enjoy the ride leading up, didn't mind it at all. It takes away from the guesswork and lets you focus on the story.

This book is full of cliches. The badass PI, she wears shades and leather jacket and rides a motorcycle and is badass but soft for the people she cares about. To name the glaring one.
There was a car chase, things going up in flames, security guards that are masters in martial arts taking out bad guys.
It was charming in a campy way.

Also as someone who hasn't read any of the other books, I was not even remotely lost. I like series like that.

All in all - good book!
Happy Reading!

[Anne - Books of My Heart · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sort of spinoff within the Kendra Michaels series about Jesse Mercado. I like her and it was dangerous, high action investigation. She has a sort of boyfriend who is a famous star who does his own stunts. The relationship is much like the one between Kendra and Lynch. The guy pursuing, the woman denying there is a relationship.

Kendra shows up briefly at the beginning and end of the case.

[Lex 🇲🇽 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4⭐️s

This book had no business being this entertaining and fast paced. Amazing.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book includedJessie Mercado, retired vet, and PI to the rich and famous. It also had Kendra Michael’s, and a famous superstar named Brice. Jessie is hired to find a missing partner , of an agency that handles affairs ,of the wealthy while they do time in prison. The agency has two partners, when one fails to show for an important meeting Jessis is hired to find him. It was a good mystery. It had lots of red herrings, perhaps to many. Jessie gets hurt, people get murdered, than Brice becomes her body guard, lover, friend and tags along for the ride. She worked with the police to a point, and then more agencies become involved as another body turns up. You know who is behind part of it, but the reason is why. Then Kendra Michael’s shows up , and things move a lot faster. The ending was good, and everything made sense. It did not keep me hung on every word, but I liked it. The bickering, and back, and forth between Jessis, and Brice was tiresome. She cares, but she is a loner, and private person, and he is a huge star, and he is thronged by people. They figure out a solution for a short period, but it cannot be permanent. The long talk never really reaches any conclusion, on their relationship. I gave it a 3.5, but in Goodreads, it rounded off to a four. I like Eve Duncan’s friends, and she has several other characters she writes about. This just didn’t have the same punch that most of hers have.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Killer View by Roy Johansen that I read and reviewed on my own.
This is the first book in the Jessie Mercado series and it was one heck of a way to introduce Jessie in her own series. True, her pal Kendra Michaels made a couple of appearances but that just added to the book because we all need a little Kendra now and then.
I loved Jessie running her PI business and trying to find the a guy that helps criminals prepare to go to jail. The action started right away when Jessie’s first witness is killed in front of her and someone tries to kill her and it does not end until Jessie and her friends take down the perpetrator.
This is a high action suspense book that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat from the start. I could not put it down and I can’t wait for the next book to come out. Roy Johansen took Jessie Mercado to a level of her own in her own books. I hope she turns into the next Eve Duncan!
Killer View gets five out of five stars from me!

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked that the author wrote a book focusing on Jessie Mercado. Jessie has a hard shell, but inside she's a softie. She cares about her friends and family; she doesn't want the to get hurt.
At the start of this book Jessie was handed a case from her friend, Kendra Michaels, who was going away, on business. It was fun seeing that all her friends wanted to help Jessie with the case since she'd be working it all alone. They wanted to protect her; keep her safe.
I was a little disappointed that Adam didn't make it into this book; maybe next time.

[Diane Saul · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a continuation of the Kendra Michaels series, alto Kendra doesn’t play a major role in the book. P. I. Jessie Mercado has been hired to find a missing person. The deeper she gets into the case the more she finds she is being lied to, by her client. The closer she gets to the solution of the case the more people turn up dead. The suspense starts from the beginning of the book and never stops and there is a bit of a twist at the end of the book. Alto this is part of a series it could be read as a stand alone. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

[Scott Butki]

I like this series including this book in which david wrote it solo - the rest are written with his mom.
i cant help wondering how they decide who writes what. do they alternate chapters? characters?
or does she come up with an outline and he does the hard work which is what i suspect Joe Patterson does

[Kylie]

DNF

[Randy Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, a spin off of the Kendra Michaels series by Roy and his mother, Iris.

[anndee · Rating 4 out of 5]

first of all, thank you to the publisher for hosting the giveaway in which I won a copy of this book. This book was such a thrilling read. I was kept guessing how everything was going to be tied together right up until the very end! I love the witty and intricate characters, as well as the fine details that are woven all the way through the story.

[Doris J. · Rating 2 out of 5]

cheated

I thought this was going to be about Kendra And Jessie but it was only Jessie basically. I was really disappointed.

[Helen Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kendra Michaels enlists her friend Jessie Mercado to take on a baffling case. This job is unusual because her client is an incarceration consultant.

Owen Blake is CEO of Mamertine Consulting. They help wealthy people get their affairs in order before going to prison. Owen needs Jessie to help find his missing partner before his company goes under.

Jessie gets some assistance from her hot movie star friend, some beefy bodyguards and the unique abilities of Kendra. There will be murders, car chases from one harrowing experience to the next before this case is solved.

[Katie | niftyreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of my favorite characters in books are the side characters, and that is how I met Jessie Mercardo. Needless to say, I was excited she was getting her own book! KILLER VIEW by Roy Johansen is Jessie taking center stage as the lead in an investigation, and I loved it! She always catches unique details, and this time wasn’t any different.

One thing that attracted Jessie to me in the KENDRA MICHAELS books was that she has different rules than the police as a private investigator. So, it was neat to see how she solved the case compared to them, and now we have a whole book!

This crime is super intriguing as it’s for an incarceration consultant, which I did not know was a thing, but surprisingly it is not made up. 🤯 It’s a person who gets paid to help get affairs in order before a person goes to prison, can keep things in order while they are there, and/or help them acclimate when they get out. Reading about those tidbits alone was interesting to me, but I loved the whole book!

Don’t tell Kendra Michaels, but I like Jessie Mercado’s book slightly better! (I’m still a Kendra fan!) It was more fun, and I like all the characters - Kendra even makes an appearance!

Oh! And it’s not necessary to read a KENDRA MICHAELS book to read this. You can go in completely blind and enjoy it.

If you like crime-solving/whodunit books that are fast-paced, this is a book for you. It’s a quick read that keeps you turning the pages. It’s a lot of fun and will keep you guessing until the end!

Thanks to Novel Suspects and Grand Central Publishing for the gifted book!

Content Warnings: gun violence

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Killer View features private eye Jessie Mercado, her friend, kind of with benefits, movie superstar Jake Brice, an array of characters that apparently feature in Iris Johansen's Kendra Michaels series and, for a cameo but crucial period, Kendra Michaels using her super powers of observation. This whole book had a cartoonish feel to it, from the characters to the settings to the plot. It is fairly well written, i.e., flows well, grammatical, characters do things that are inherently consistent to the author's descriptions of them, etc. That's the only reason I could finish this, But it is just... not a book I could get into emotionally. Not one character is likable. Some live by super moral codes. But they are all shallowly drawn with little to like or hate because of their superficiality. The plot, a missing person search for a partner in a business that makes going to jail easier for convicts with money, dragged and the developments were ho hum. Not one thing was scary. Not one thing was thrilling. I just did not care. It gets a 3 star rating because anything less than that would reflect a book I could not or would not finish and this is very likely to be entertaining to people of different sensibilities and expectations than mine. No thank you.

[Lindsey Domokur · Rating 5 out of 5]

I expected to like this book, but I didn’t expect to love it so much! This book was so face paced and kept me guessing the whole time. I loved new characters as well as some of my old favorites. I’ve been a Johansen fan for as long as I can remember and I’m absolutely loving this new generation. Thank you so much to Grand Central Pub for an early copy!

[Amy Hook-Therrien · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast paced read full of humor and lightheartedness, mixed with murder and mystery. Love the physically strong and sharp whitted female lead character! Cannot wait to see what Roy Johansen comes up with next!

[Candy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A first rate book. Roy’s first solo outing in Kendra Michaels series focused on Jessie Mercado. Kendra was only in the book towards the end. I missed her, but Jessie was a strong protagonist who carried the story along nicely. Good cast of characters—fun good guys and creepy bad ones. Looking forward to more.

[Deborah Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the forest

This was a very great read. The author keeps you on the edge of your seat and makes you laugh along the way while you are solving the case.

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Killer View by Roy Johansen is part of the Kendra Michaels universe. Kendra has a bit part in this book. Roy wanted to delve into the character of Jesse Mercado a little deeper and wrote this solo novel.

"Jesse is a PI and gets a eferral from Kendra. Owen Blake of Mamertine Consulting hires her to find his missing partner. Mamertine helps prepare wealthy people for prison terms so their client list is full of white-collar criminals, drug kingpins and a couple of murderers. As witnesses turn up dead and car chases leave destruction Jesse will find out just how far someone will go to keep hidden."

This is an entertaining story from Johansen. Kendra pops up near the end and works her sensory magic, but this is Jesse's show. It's good to see the extra layers to her hard-headed and stubborn character.

This is a crime-fiction/thriller. Fans of the Kendra Michaels series will definitely like this. Lots of action in this one and a surprising villian.

Hope we get more Jesse Mercado stories.

[Johanna Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic read! This is the second book I've read following Jessie Mercado, a private investigator with a great circle of friends.

What did I like? This book is one crazy ride. Jessie gets hired to find a man but with every thread that unravels it seems like three more take it's place. I really enjoyed the cast of characters that set out to help Jessie, including the sexy Brice that Jessie finds herself caring about.

Would I recommend or buy? Roy Johansen usually coauthors with his mother Iris. It's really enjoyable to see some similar techniques with such great storytelling. I loved the book and the character Jessie. I'm also a fan of his Kendra books!

Five stars! I received a complimentary ARC to read and voluntarily left a review! Fantastic book!

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book!

This book continues the storyline started in previous Iris/Roy Johansen novels featuring Kendra Michaels and Jessie Mercado, and it does not disappoint! Fast action, mystery, danger, witty comebacks, and a bit of romantic interplay between Jessie and Brice, a famous movie actor friend/lover of hers.

I really enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the next in the series.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

[Dsbook · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Jessie Mercado series. I am really enjoying this series. I love the cast of characters and the plot line. Will definitely be watching for the next book in this series