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Detective Margaret Nolan #3
The Devil You Know
LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan returns in The Devil You Know, the next book in the series where P. J. Tracy “seems to have found her literary sweet spot” (New York Times Book Review).
Los Angeles has many faces: the real LA where regular people live and work, the degenerate underbelly of any big city, and the rarified world of wealth, power, and celebrity. LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan’s latest case plunges her into this insular realm of privilege, and gives her a glimpse of the darkness behind the glitter.
The body of beloved actor Evan Hobbes is found in the rubble of a Malibu rockslide a day after a fake video ruins his career. It’s not clear to Nolan if it’s an accident, a suicide, or a murder, and things get murkier as the investigation expands to his luminary friends and colleagues. Meanwhile, Hobbes’ agent is dealing with damage control, his psychotic boss, and a woman he’s scorned. But when his powerful brother-in-law is murdered, he and Nolan both find themselves entangled in a scandalous deception of deadly proportion that shakes the very foundation of Hollywood’s untouchables.
Los Angeles has many faces: the real LA where regular people live and work, the degenerate underbelly of any big city, and the rarified world of wealth, power, and celebrity. LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan’s latest case plunges her into this insular realm of privilege, and gives her a glimpse of the darkness behind the glitter.
The body of beloved actor Evan Hobbes is found in the rubble of a Malibu rockslide a day after a fake video ruins his career. It’s not clear to Nolan if it’s an accident, a suicide, or a murder, and things get murkier as the investigation expands to his luminary friends and colleagues. Meanwhile, Hobbes’ agent is dealing with damage control, his psychotic boss, and a woman he’s scorned. But when his powerful brother-in-law is murdered, he and Nolan both find themselves entangled in a scandalous deception of deadly proportion that shakes the very foundation of Hollywood’s untouchables.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 17, 2023
About the author
P.J. Tracy
23 books1,800 followersPJ Tracy is the pseudonym of mother-daughter writing duo P.J. and Traci Lambrecht, winners of the Anthony, Barry, Gumshoe, and Minnesota Book Awards. Their ten novels in the Monkeewrench series, MONKEEWRENCH, LIVE BAIT, DEAD RUN, SNOW BLIND, SHOOT TO THRILL, OFF THE GRID, THE SIXTH IDEA, NOTHING STAYS BURIED, THE GUILTY DEAD, and ICE COLD HEART have become national and international bestsellers. PJ passed away in December 2016, and Traci started a new series set in Los Angeles, featuring Detective Margaret Nolan. DEEP INTO THE DARK, DESOLATION CANYON, THE DEVIL YOU KNOW, and CITY OF SECRETS are available anywhere you buy your books!
THE DEEPEST CUT, the eleventh Monkeewrench novel will be released on September 9th, 2025.
Learn more about PJ Tracy at pjtracy.com
Follow them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PJTracyAuthor/
Look them up on Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/pjtracy.com
THE DEEPEST CUT, the eleventh Monkeewrench novel will be released on September 9th, 2025.
Learn more about PJ Tracy at pjtracy.com
Follow them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PJTracyAuthor/
Look them up on Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/pjtracy.com
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December 13, 2022
The Devil You Know by P.J. Tracy
(Detective Margaret Nolan #3)
I listened to the first two books in this series and read this third offering. There are so many characters in this story and we get deep into the head of not just the regulars but characters that we'll probably (or for sure) just see in this book. Even little used side characters can be given some character development, which I like, but it can add a lot of information to wrap one's mind around. Detective Nolan is the person this series is named after but she shares the starring role with a wounded veteran, Sam, who Margaret befriended in an earlier book.
The Hollywood movers and shakers are a pretentious, snooty, snotty, conniving, stab you in the back, spit on your grave, best caviar and champagne for breakfast bunch. A few of them can have their endearing moments and a couple are deadly vipers with the venom they spew without much provocation. I could barely get through the overly wordy thoughts of some of these people. They make my thoughts seem like a first grade primer but I think I'm happier than this lot. I connect much better with the working class law enforcement types, especially since a few of them can be pretty simple and funny, such as Margaret's partner, Detective Crawford.
The story starts with a body and then more bodies pile up. This is a tangled tale and the farther the detectives go in their investigations the more the same names seem to appear in the trails that are left behind. How many more people are going to be snuffed out almost under the detectives' noses? There are a lot of people that I suspect until some of them are "eliminated" from my suspect list in a very permanent way. The story starts very slowly for me since there is almost too much wordy building of character for the Hollywood types. But once Margaret gets on the job of solving crime, I think the story gets good. You might want to take notes if you want to keep this tangled web from scrambling your brain.
Pub January 17, 2023
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
(Detective Margaret Nolan #3)
I listened to the first two books in this series and read this third offering. There are so many characters in this story and we get deep into the head of not just the regulars but characters that we'll probably (or for sure) just see in this book. Even little used side characters can be given some character development, which I like, but it can add a lot of information to wrap one's mind around. Detective Nolan is the person this series is named after but she shares the starring role with a wounded veteran, Sam, who Margaret befriended in an earlier book.
The Hollywood movers and shakers are a pretentious, snooty, snotty, conniving, stab you in the back, spit on your grave, best caviar and champagne for breakfast bunch. A few of them can have their endearing moments and a couple are deadly vipers with the venom they spew without much provocation. I could barely get through the overly wordy thoughts of some of these people. They make my thoughts seem like a first grade primer but I think I'm happier than this lot. I connect much better with the working class law enforcement types, especially since a few of them can be pretty simple and funny, such as Margaret's partner, Detective Crawford.
The story starts with a body and then more bodies pile up. This is a tangled tale and the farther the detectives go in their investigations the more the same names seem to appear in the trails that are left behind. How many more people are going to be snuffed out almost under the detectives' noses? There are a lot of people that I suspect until some of them are "eliminated" from my suspect list in a very permanent way. The story starts very slowly for me since there is almost too much wordy building of character for the Hollywood types. But once Margaret gets on the job of solving crime, I think the story gets good. You might want to take notes if you want to keep this tangled web from scrambling your brain.
Pub January 17, 2023
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
January 8, 2023
This is the third book in the series featuring Los Angeles Police Department Detective Margaret Nolan. The first chapter grabs readers and pulls them into a police procedural that is full of murder, investigation, and the personal lives of the characters.
Margaret is competitive, hates to lose, loves her job, and has a sense of humor. However, she also isn’t sure where she wants her relationship with Detective Remy Beaudreau to go. She’s relatable and the secondary characters were very well developed. However, there are a lot of them. It might be easier to assimilate them if one has read the first two books in the series as some are reoccurring characters.
After the first chapter, the second chapter seemed somewhat out of place. It took a while for both chapters to fit into the story line. However, the novel is enjoyable and everything comes together well. The plot is twisty and the story gradually builds momentum, but the conclusion was slightly predictable. Despite this, I enjoyed the descriptive story that had a great mix of investigation and the personal lives of the characters.
The author balances the shocking and upsetting aspects of the novel with the personal lives of several of the main characters plus the ongoing investigation. With actors, police officers, talent agents, veterans, and musicians, there is a look at the life behind the scenes that many don’t see. Themes include death, murder, friendship, family, privilege, and much more.
Overall, this was a complex police procedural with compelling characters. With the several sub-plots, it kept me turning the pages. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series. While this worked as a standalone novel for me, I believe the series would be best read in order.
St. Martin’s Press – Minotaur Books and P.J. Tracy provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for January 17, 2023.
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My 3.86 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
Margaret is competitive, hates to lose, loves her job, and has a sense of humor. However, she also isn’t sure where she wants her relationship with Detective Remy Beaudreau to go. She’s relatable and the secondary characters were very well developed. However, there are a lot of them. It might be easier to assimilate them if one has read the first two books in the series as some are reoccurring characters.
After the first chapter, the second chapter seemed somewhat out of place. It took a while for both chapters to fit into the story line. However, the novel is enjoyable and everything comes together well. The plot is twisty and the story gradually builds momentum, but the conclusion was slightly predictable. Despite this, I enjoyed the descriptive story that had a great mix of investigation and the personal lives of the characters.
The author balances the shocking and upsetting aspects of the novel with the personal lives of several of the main characters plus the ongoing investigation. With actors, police officers, talent agents, veterans, and musicians, there is a look at the life behind the scenes that many don’t see. Themes include death, murder, friendship, family, privilege, and much more.
Overall, this was a complex police procedural with compelling characters. With the several sub-plots, it kept me turning the pages. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series. While this worked as a standalone novel for me, I believe the series would be best read in order.
St. Martin’s Press – Minotaur Books and P.J. Tracy provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for January 17, 2023.
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My 3.86 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
November 24, 2022
The third in the detective Margaret Nolan series works best if you've read the series in order. Otherwise, there are too many relationships that might confuse the reader.
Tracy sets up a great premise here. A Disney actor is “filmed” in a compromising video, but it would appear that it’s a deep fake. Then before anything can really be done, his dead body is found in a landslide.
L.A. is as much a character as the humans in this story. The earthquakes, ocean vistas and high end real estate. There are also a host of characters, mostly mentally unstable. It’s not a flattering portrait of the Hollywood set. But it did make for an interesting whodunit. Nolan and Al have their work cut out for them, especially as the body count rises. There’s also a side story concerning Sam which has nothing to do with the mystery and appears to just be a method of keeping him as part of the story.
I adore Tracy’s use of the English language. “ “Steady, girls and boys, don’t drop my body!” Weil crowed to his corpse Sherpas like a Teutonic coxswain.” And that’s just an example of a vocabulary rich book.
There are lots of moving parts here which demand the reader pay attention. I was able to suss out the murderer early on, but there was a twist I didn’t see coming. It didn’t dampen my enjoyment of the story.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.
Tracy sets up a great premise here. A Disney actor is “filmed” in a compromising video, but it would appear that it’s a deep fake. Then before anything can really be done, his dead body is found in a landslide.
L.A. is as much a character as the humans in this story. The earthquakes, ocean vistas and high end real estate. There are also a host of characters, mostly mentally unstable. It’s not a flattering portrait of the Hollywood set. But it did make for an interesting whodunit. Nolan and Al have their work cut out for them, especially as the body count rises. There’s also a side story concerning Sam which has nothing to do with the mystery and appears to just be a method of keeping him as part of the story.
I adore Tracy’s use of the English language. “ “Steady, girls and boys, don’t drop my body!” Weil crowed to his corpse Sherpas like a Teutonic coxswain.” And that’s just an example of a vocabulary rich book.
There are lots of moving parts here which demand the reader pay attention. I was able to suss out the murderer early on, but there was a twist I didn’t see coming. It didn’t dampen my enjoyment of the story.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.
January 5, 2023
The body of actor Evan Hobbes is found in the rubble of a Malibu rockslide a day after a fake video threatens to ruin his career. It’s not clear to Detective Margaret Nolan whether it’s an accident, a suicide, or a murder. Then the bodies of the powerful brother-in-law of Hobbes's agent and an unknown starlet are found together. Is there a connection between the two cases?
In case you haven't already picked up on the fact, I'm a sucker for a widget and pounced on an invitation to read this. I really enjoyed the book but I was wishing I had taken the time to read at least one of the previous books in the series as there are many references to people and previous events that went over my head. I wasn't totally lost but I did have to keep going back to remind myself who someone was. The writing was very smooth and I really liked Margaret Nolan as a character as well as her partner Detective Al Crawford. Some of the Hollywood characters were also quite quirky and well fleshed out. You might need a score card to keep everyone straight. I'd really like to read one or both of the previous books as it sounded like there were some tantalizing threads in them. If you're a fan of this series, I highly recommend this installment ... or even if you're not! Also, what a beautiful cover! 3.5 stars rounded up. I'm pretty sure it would've been a solid 4 if I had read the previous books.
My thanks to Minotaur Books and Sara Beth Haring of St. Martin's Press via Netgalley for providing access to this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: January 17, 2023
In case you haven't already picked up on the fact, I'm a sucker for a widget and pounced on an invitation to read this. I really enjoyed the book but I was wishing I had taken the time to read at least one of the previous books in the series as there are many references to people and previous events that went over my head. I wasn't totally lost but I did have to keep going back to remind myself who someone was. The writing was very smooth and I really liked Margaret Nolan as a character as well as her partner Detective Al Crawford. Some of the Hollywood characters were also quite quirky and well fleshed out. You might need a score card to keep everyone straight. I'd really like to read one or both of the previous books as it sounded like there were some tantalizing threads in them. If you're a fan of this series, I highly recommend this installment ... or even if you're not! Also, what a beautiful cover! 3.5 stars rounded up. I'm pretty sure it would've been a solid 4 if I had read the previous books.
My thanks to Minotaur Books and Sara Beth Haring of St. Martin's Press via Netgalley for providing access to this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: January 17, 2023
December 22, 2022
Unfortunately, The Devil You Know didn't quite make it for me. I didn't realize that this novel was the third in a series until I added it to my Goodreads list. However, since I've read quite a few novels midway through a series, I thought The Devil You Know could be one that I could read as a standalone. I was mistaken.
I was lost from the get-go since a majority of the characters were all established from the previous novels. That being said, I was floundering, trying desperately to get some bearing. It felt as though I got plopped into the middle of a movie with an expectation to figure out the beginning.
Though I generally read at least 30 - 33% of a novel before casting judgement, I just couldn't do it this time. One unfortunate star.
I received a digital ARC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
I was lost from the get-go since a majority of the characters were all established from the previous novels. That being said, I was floundering, trying desperately to get some bearing. It felt as though I got plopped into the middle of a movie with an expectation to figure out the beginning.
Though I generally read at least 30 - 33% of a novel before casting judgement, I just couldn't do it this time. One unfortunate star.
I received a digital ARC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
November 21, 2022
This is a well-written, fast paced, entertaining, crime thriller. It has a likable, intelligent, strong and capable female protagonist, murder, mystery, intrigue, wit, Hollywood scandal, twists and turns, and a satisfying conclusion. This is the third entry in P.J. Tracy's Detective Margaret Nolan series, and can be read and enjoyed as a stand alone. The author's note is interesting, insightful, and truly appreciated. P.J. Tracy, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley kindly provided me with an ARC of this novel, and this is my honest opinion.
November 7, 2022
Thank you to both Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of The Devil You Know.
Los Angeles has many faces: the real LA where regular people live and work, the degenerate underbelly, as found in any big city, and the rarified world of wealth, power, and celebrity. LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan’s latest case plunges her into the middle of all of it!
Possibly I would have appreciated The Devil You Know had I read the first two books in the series. Unfortunately, I didn't feel like I was getting to really know and understand the characters, even though the book was fairly slow-paced. Also, I found the bouncing around between the thoughts and feelings of the different characters to be rather confusing. I wonder if some of the characters could have been left out, which would have made for a more tightly-written story.
My apologies to the author and publisher but this book just wasn't for me.
Los Angeles has many faces: the real LA where regular people live and work, the degenerate underbelly, as found in any big city, and the rarified world of wealth, power, and celebrity. LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan’s latest case plunges her into the middle of all of it!
Possibly I would have appreciated The Devil You Know had I read the first two books in the series. Unfortunately, I didn't feel like I was getting to really know and understand the characters, even though the book was fairly slow-paced. Also, I found the bouncing around between the thoughts and feelings of the different characters to be rather confusing. I wonder if some of the characters could have been left out, which would have made for a more tightly-written story.
My apologies to the author and publisher but this book just wasn't for me.
December 4, 2022
The Devil You Know (Detective Margaret Nolan #3) by P. J. Tracy
Thriller - Available on January 17th.
The Devil You Know is book 3 in the Detective Margaret Nolan series. I read it as a stand-alone. The characters took me a while to get acquainted with since I had no knowledge of the history of the first two books. Soon after I started reading, it became an intriguing murder mystery with unexpected twists. This novel would make an excellent movie with such a diverse cast.
Synopsis:
LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan is called to investigate the death of well-known actor Evan Hobbes. He is found dead in the debris of a rock slide in Malibu the day after a hoax video was released to tarnish his reputation. There are three possibilities: an accident, a suicide, or a murder. Detective Nolan has to decide which one it is. The investigation expands to Evan's friends, family, and coworkers as police follow the baffling clues in the case.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to review this amazing thriller. I look forward to reading more from P. J. Tracy.
#TheDevilYouKnow #bookishcommunity #bookstagramcommunity #readingcommunity #Books #bookfriends #booksbooksbooks #booksta #bookstagram #newtobookstagram #bookreview #bookreviews #instabookstagram #bookish #bookishielife #Audible #newtobookstagram #newtoinsta #newtoinstagra #Bookishcom #trending #bestsellingbooks #b
Thriller - Available on January 17th.
The Devil You Know is book 3 in the Detective Margaret Nolan series. I read it as a stand-alone. The characters took me a while to get acquainted with since I had no knowledge of the history of the first two books. Soon after I started reading, it became an intriguing murder mystery with unexpected twists. This novel would make an excellent movie with such a diverse cast.
Synopsis:
LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan is called to investigate the death of well-known actor Evan Hobbes. He is found dead in the debris of a rock slide in Malibu the day after a hoax video was released to tarnish his reputation. There are three possibilities: an accident, a suicide, or a murder. Detective Nolan has to decide which one it is. The investigation expands to Evan's friends, family, and coworkers as police follow the baffling clues in the case.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to review this amazing thriller. I look forward to reading more from P. J. Tracy.
#TheDevilYouKnow #bookishcommunity #bookstagramcommunity #readingcommunity #Books #bookfriends #booksbooksbooks #booksta #bookstagram #newtobookstagram #bookreview #bookreviews #instabookstagram #bookish #bookishielife #Audible #newtobookstagram #newtoinsta #newtoinstagra #Bookishcom #trending #bestsellingbooks #b
December 11, 2022
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, P.J. Tracy, and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Long a fan of P.J. Tracy and their work (from the era when it was a duo and now a single author), I have followed things from the Monkeewrench series to this new collection. While things have proven to be less impactful for me, the stories remain strong and have the needed spark to attract many readers. Full of action and set on the West Coast, Tracy keeps the reader guessing in this unique police procedural that has subtle undertones of personal struggle. Tracy has done well as a single author, though I do miss the duo that had my rapt attention with every turn of the page.
LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan is back with a new case that takes her into all aspects of the city’s citizenry, including the stars who feel that they are untouchable. While the every day citizen toils and the dark underbelly use crime to get by, there is a privilege the rich feel they have, and Nolan sees this first hand. She’s also forced to contend with her own issues, which might pale in comparison, but are still prevalent as she does her job each day.
Prominent actor Evan Hobbes turns up dead in the rubble of a recent rockslide. Shouldering accusations of child pornography kept Hobbes from being able to live his best life, but Detective Nolan thinks that there might have been more than a rockslide involved in his death. The world of the entitled makes Nolan’s job all the more difficult, parsing through truth and deception. Still, Detective Nolan is determined to get to the bottom of what’s happened and who might have wanted to smear Hobbes’ name.
When another body turns up, with strong connections to Hobbes, Detective Nolan is all but assured that there is a killer on the loose; someone with an axe to grind and message to deliver. Detective Nolan will have to work with her team to get to the bottom of what’s happening, all while she tries to deflect the gleam of riches and entitlement that stardom leaves in its wake. With a killer hiding, Detective Nolan knows that this will be a challenge, but when has she ever shied way from it? A great addition to the series!
Authors surely undergo a transformation for a number of reasons, be they personal changes or writing styles. P.J. Tracy is one of those authors, moving from a strong mother-daughter duo into the daughter alone after the death of the elder. I have seen a significant change in the writing, which is to be expected. I have not been able to connect as much with this new series, but it could simply be that my writing tastes have shifted as well. Still, this is a series that has a great deal of potential and should attract the attention of many readers.
The key to a strong police procedural is to keep the crime at the centre of the narrative and build from there. P.J. Tracy does that well, adding her own flavouring with characters and setting development. Plot twists throughout keep the reader guessing, which permits things to be less than predictive. I appreciated this, as well as shorter chapters, which propelled the story forward. While I did not feel as connected to the story, I can appreciate how some would find this to be their perfect reading experience.
Kudos, Madam Tracy, for a decent novel that is sure to impress many, even if it was not something about which I can rave.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Long a fan of P.J. Tracy and their work (from the era when it was a duo and now a single author), I have followed things from the Monkeewrench series to this new collection. While things have proven to be less impactful for me, the stories remain strong and have the needed spark to attract many readers. Full of action and set on the West Coast, Tracy keeps the reader guessing in this unique police procedural that has subtle undertones of personal struggle. Tracy has done well as a single author, though I do miss the duo that had my rapt attention with every turn of the page.
LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan is back with a new case that takes her into all aspects of the city’s citizenry, including the stars who feel that they are untouchable. While the every day citizen toils and the dark underbelly use crime to get by, there is a privilege the rich feel they have, and Nolan sees this first hand. She’s also forced to contend with her own issues, which might pale in comparison, but are still prevalent as she does her job each day.
Prominent actor Evan Hobbes turns up dead in the rubble of a recent rockslide. Shouldering accusations of child pornography kept Hobbes from being able to live his best life, but Detective Nolan thinks that there might have been more than a rockslide involved in his death. The world of the entitled makes Nolan’s job all the more difficult, parsing through truth and deception. Still, Detective Nolan is determined to get to the bottom of what’s happened and who might have wanted to smear Hobbes’ name.
When another body turns up, with strong connections to Hobbes, Detective Nolan is all but assured that there is a killer on the loose; someone with an axe to grind and message to deliver. Detective Nolan will have to work with her team to get to the bottom of what’s happening, all while she tries to deflect the gleam of riches and entitlement that stardom leaves in its wake. With a killer hiding, Detective Nolan knows that this will be a challenge, but when has she ever shied way from it? A great addition to the series!
Authors surely undergo a transformation for a number of reasons, be they personal changes or writing styles. P.J. Tracy is one of those authors, moving from a strong mother-daughter duo into the daughter alone after the death of the elder. I have seen a significant change in the writing, which is to be expected. I have not been able to connect as much with this new series, but it could simply be that my writing tastes have shifted as well. Still, this is a series that has a great deal of potential and should attract the attention of many readers.
The key to a strong police procedural is to keep the crime at the centre of the narrative and build from there. P.J. Tracy does that well, adding her own flavouring with characters and setting development. Plot twists throughout keep the reader guessing, which permits things to be less than predictive. I appreciated this, as well as shorter chapters, which propelled the story forward. While I did not feel as connected to the story, I can appreciate how some would find this to be their perfect reading experience.
Kudos, Madam Tracy, for a decent novel that is sure to impress many, even if it was not something about which I can rave.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
January 25, 2023
Thank you to the author P.J. Tracy, publisher Dreamscape Media LLC, and as always NetGalley, for an advance audio copy of THE DEVIL YOU KNOW.
I have to hand it to Abby Craden, the narrator for the audiobook, because she kept me entertained enough to get me through this one. Also, I'm so impressed she was able to voice such an enormous cast of characters, though that ended up being kind of part of the problem also. She simply didn't have the vocal range to give each of them the distinction they needed. We have to forgive her though, she's only one human. How many different ways can she express her voice?
Which brings me to my main point, which is that I couldn't follow this audiobook. I couldn't keep the characters straight because there were too many of them and they all behaved similarly to each other. So even if I had read the book rather than listened, I think character distinction would still have been a problem.
I couldn't follow anything that happened because I never really understood who was speaking or their stakes. And I couldn't invest because I never understood what was at stake! By the time I reached the end, I was so confused, I didn't even realize I had just been fed the climax.
But I did notice the lack of denouement.
I've read from other reviewers that THE DEVIL YOU KNOW reads better if you've read the other books in the series. Unfortunately, I didn't even know this book was part of a series when I requested it from NetGalley. I still think single books should be able to stand on their own, however, especially mysteries.
So take this review with a grain of salt. I'm giving it 3 stars because I could tell that the writing is excellent. I'm going to try this writer again!
Rating: 🤔🤔🤔 / 5 confused me's
Recommend? Yes? If you read the others.
Finished: January 24 2023
I have to hand it to Abby Craden, the narrator for the audiobook, because she kept me entertained enough to get me through this one. Also, I'm so impressed she was able to voice such an enormous cast of characters, though that ended up being kind of part of the problem also. She simply didn't have the vocal range to give each of them the distinction they needed. We have to forgive her though, she's only one human. How many different ways can she express her voice?
Which brings me to my main point, which is that I couldn't follow this audiobook. I couldn't keep the characters straight because there were too many of them and they all behaved similarly to each other. So even if I had read the book rather than listened, I think character distinction would still have been a problem.
I couldn't follow anything that happened because I never really understood who was speaking or their stakes. And I couldn't invest because I never understood what was at stake! By the time I reached the end, I was so confused, I didn't even realize I had just been fed the climax.
But I did notice the lack of denouement.
I've read from other reviewers that THE DEVIL YOU KNOW reads better if you've read the other books in the series. Unfortunately, I didn't even know this book was part of a series when I requested it from NetGalley. I still think single books should be able to stand on their own, however, especially mysteries.
So take this review with a grain of salt. I'm giving it 3 stars because I could tell that the writing is excellent. I'm going to try this writer again!
Rating: 🤔🤔🤔 / 5 confused me's
Recommend? Yes? If you read the others.
Finished: January 24 2023
December 27, 2022
Special thanks to NetGalley and the author for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: January 17, 2023
The body of actor Evan Hobbes is found in a pile of rubble after an exclusive party in Los Angeles. Although the death is considered accidental, Detective Margaret Nolan has an inkling that something isn’t right and Nolan’s hunch is confirmed when friends of Hobbes start turning up dead. Nolan and her partner must investigate the rich and famous of Hollywood’s elite, navigating the celebrity social scene in order to find out who would kill Evan, and why.
“The Devil You Know” is the third installment in the Detective Margaret Nolan series, by author P.J. Tracy (a pseudonym for mother-daughter writing pair P.J and Traci Lambrecht). This was my first foray into both Tracy’s work and the Nolan series, and “Devil” is definitely one of those novels where you should read the other two novels first, as it can be quite confusing for a first timer, due to the abundance of characters. There are multiple POV’s, besides Margaret’s (including friends and coworkers of Margaret) which makes for a pretty impressive headcount. It was easy enough to follow the plot though, and to keep track of the big players, which made for an easier-than-expected read.
This is a police procedural from start to finish, so details of the police investigation (across two departments) and all of the involved agencies and agents are represented, which is typical in this genre. The language isn’t thick with lingo or jargon, though, and I really enjoyed delving into the investigation alongside Maggie and her team.
The plot was fast-paced and I was invested enough in the characters to continue reading through to the end, even though some elements confused me (due to their presence in previous novels I have not read). Murder among the Hollywood elite? Why, yes please.
The ending of this novel was what I expected, although there was a nice twist that added the element of surprise. Tracy can craft an elegant, creative novel with an action-packed plot, and I would be interested in reading the other two novels in the series, and anything that comes after. I really enjoyed Nolan as the lead character, and I look forward to seeing her again.
Expected publication date: January 17, 2023
The body of actor Evan Hobbes is found in a pile of rubble after an exclusive party in Los Angeles. Although the death is considered accidental, Detective Margaret Nolan has an inkling that something isn’t right and Nolan’s hunch is confirmed when friends of Hobbes start turning up dead. Nolan and her partner must investigate the rich and famous of Hollywood’s elite, navigating the celebrity social scene in order to find out who would kill Evan, and why.
“The Devil You Know” is the third installment in the Detective Margaret Nolan series, by author P.J. Tracy (a pseudonym for mother-daughter writing pair P.J and Traci Lambrecht). This was my first foray into both Tracy’s work and the Nolan series, and “Devil” is definitely one of those novels where you should read the other two novels first, as it can be quite confusing for a first timer, due to the abundance of characters. There are multiple POV’s, besides Margaret’s (including friends and coworkers of Margaret) which makes for a pretty impressive headcount. It was easy enough to follow the plot though, and to keep track of the big players, which made for an easier-than-expected read.
This is a police procedural from start to finish, so details of the police investigation (across two departments) and all of the involved agencies and agents are represented, which is typical in this genre. The language isn’t thick with lingo or jargon, though, and I really enjoyed delving into the investigation alongside Maggie and her team.
The plot was fast-paced and I was invested enough in the characters to continue reading through to the end, even though some elements confused me (due to their presence in previous novels I have not read). Murder among the Hollywood elite? Why, yes please.
The ending of this novel was what I expected, although there was a nice twist that added the element of surprise. Tracy can craft an elegant, creative novel with an action-packed plot, and I would be interested in reading the other two novels in the series, and anything that comes after. I really enjoyed Nolan as the lead character, and I look forward to seeing her again.
January 29, 2023
P.J. Tracy’s new series is back for its third instalment – and sunny Los Angeles never held so many dark secrets as it does in The Devil You Know.
When Hollywood actor Evan Hobbs is targeted by a nasty deepfake video, it looks like it will be the final death knoll for a career already well into a downhill slide. But after an earthquake rattles the Beverly Hills, his body is discovered amid a landslide, and suddenly the death knoll is all too literal – and Tinseltown has any number of sins its inhabitants will kill to keep buried.
I’ve been enjoying this new series from an author I’ve loved for years, but The Devil You Know is absolutely my favorite so far. It feels like this is the book where P.J. Tracy has really hit her stride, getting comfortable with the characters and combining them with a tense, twisty storyline that hits every story beat at the perfect moment.
Margaret Nolan definitely comes to the fore here, Sam and Melody being present but very much taking a back seat to our series protagonist. I enjoyed that change of pace – as much as I love those characters, I’ve been very keen to see Margaret get her time in the spotlight, and this feels like the first in the series that centers her as the main character over Sam.
The plot is still satisfyingly complex, but I felt the action was a little more grounded in this outing as well. I like that – it’s a little more plausible, but still had me captivated and needing to know how it all happened. All in all, I really enjoyed this book, and am looking forward to seeing this series continue to develop and grow.
When Hollywood actor Evan Hobbs is targeted by a nasty deepfake video, it looks like it will be the final death knoll for a career already well into a downhill slide. But after an earthquake rattles the Beverly Hills, his body is discovered amid a landslide, and suddenly the death knoll is all too literal – and Tinseltown has any number of sins its inhabitants will kill to keep buried.
I’ve been enjoying this new series from an author I’ve loved for years, but The Devil You Know is absolutely my favorite so far. It feels like this is the book where P.J. Tracy has really hit her stride, getting comfortable with the characters and combining them with a tense, twisty storyline that hits every story beat at the perfect moment.
Margaret Nolan definitely comes to the fore here, Sam and Melody being present but very much taking a back seat to our series protagonist. I enjoyed that change of pace – as much as I love those characters, I’ve been very keen to see Margaret get her time in the spotlight, and this feels like the first in the series that centers her as the main character over Sam.
The plot is still satisfyingly complex, but I felt the action was a little more grounded in this outing as well. I like that – it’s a little more plausible, but still had me captivated and needing to know how it all happened. All in all, I really enjoyed this book, and am looking forward to seeing this series continue to develop and grow.
November 18, 2022
Good with interesting twists but so many characters I kept getting lost.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I really enjoy reading a great detective story especially when it’s a female lead. The authors tend to give us all of the issues that come with a position like that for a woman. That usually involves discrimination, working twice as hard, recognition issues, and more.
This one followed that theme to a degree with the detective a very likable woman who is smart and well-versed in her craft. The story brings us an unlikely murder which quickly becomes multiple murders, all with very mysterious and suspicious connections.
Tracy allows the characters to dive deep into the story as a chunk of the storyline involves points of view from the family of the victims and surrounding characters. The police procedural seemed less front-focused to me. I would have enjoyed more from Maggie's and her partner's POV.
The Devil You Know is a gripping tale that is interesting and complex in many ways. But there are a lot of characters involved. So much so, that I kept getting lost in who is who.
I would definitely read another installment in the series. This one was easy to follow as a stand-alone and I was connected with the detective and her works. I just wanted more from her.
* copy received for review consideration
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/the-devil-yo...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I really enjoy reading a great detective story especially when it’s a female lead. The authors tend to give us all of the issues that come with a position like that for a woman. That usually involves discrimination, working twice as hard, recognition issues, and more.
This one followed that theme to a degree with the detective a very likable woman who is smart and well-versed in her craft. The story brings us an unlikely murder which quickly becomes multiple murders, all with very mysterious and suspicious connections.
Tracy allows the characters to dive deep into the story as a chunk of the storyline involves points of view from the family of the victims and surrounding characters. The police procedural seemed less front-focused to me. I would have enjoyed more from Maggie's and her partner's POV.
The Devil You Know is a gripping tale that is interesting and complex in many ways. But there are a lot of characters involved. So much so, that I kept getting lost in who is who.
I would definitely read another installment in the series. This one was easy to follow as a stand-alone and I was connected with the detective and her works. I just wanted more from her.
* copy received for review consideration
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/the-devil-yo...
January 7, 2023
Margaret Nolan investigates the death of a Disney star who had a deep fake child pornography video surface just before before his body was found in rubble that fell from a cliff during an earthquake. Was this an accident? Suicide? Murder? As she investigates the Hollywood elite she finds that it's easier to find someone with a motive than without.
I'm going to give this one the benefit of the doubt and say I might have enjoyed it more had I read the first two books in the series. Usually with this genre you can jump right in, but nothing in this book hooked me. I didn't get to know any characters well enough to care about them. I really tried to get into the mystery but I couldn't and by 60% in, where it should have at least started getting interesting, I found myself just wishing to be done with it instead of turning pages wanting to know what was going to happen next.
2.5 stars
I'm going to give this one the benefit of the doubt and say I might have enjoyed it more had I read the first two books in the series. Usually with this genre you can jump right in, but nothing in this book hooked me. I didn't get to know any characters well enough to care about them. I really tried to get into the mystery but I couldn't and by 60% in, where it should have at least started getting interesting, I found myself just wishing to be done with it instead of turning pages wanting to know what was going to happen next.
2.5 stars
January 13, 2023
In book #3 of this series, LAPD Homicide Detective Margaret Nolan and her partner investigate the death of a beloved actor who has just been demonized by an apparently deep-fake video of child pornography currently making the rounds on social media. Was he totally innocent? The case gets complicated by more bodies piling up.
I found the story a little hard to get into at first with its several plot lines and characters but it eventually comes together well and had me turning pages quickly to see what would happen next. An intriguing police procedural with a satisfying ending.
I received an arc from the author and publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and opinions expressed are my own. I also received a beautiful hardcover book from the publisher recently--many thanks! #TheDevilYouKnowBook
I found the story a little hard to get into at first with its several plot lines and characters but it eventually comes together well and had me turning pages quickly to see what would happen next. An intriguing police procedural with a satisfying ending.
I received an arc from the author and publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and opinions expressed are my own. I also received a beautiful hardcover book from the publisher recently--many thanks! #TheDevilYouKnowBook
January 18, 2023
3.5 Stars
Evan Hobbs a famous, wholesome type of actor is found dead in a beach cliff landside the day after a faked video showing him as a child molester. Is it an accident, suicide, or murder? Detective Margaret Nolan and her partner, Al Crawford are called to the scene to figure it out.
The blurb makes it sound like Evan’s agent, Seth Baum, is part of the investigation into the death of Evan, but while we do get his POV he’s not part of the investigation. He’s what you’d expect an agent in that cutthroat business in Hollywood, but he was one of the more likeable of the array of unlikable characters here. The workings of the entertainment business featured in this case. The lengths people will go for fame and fortune is unsettling.
Sam Easton was also part of the story, but not featured in the investigation at all. There was some movement in his personal life, but to be honest his story wasn’t of much interest to me. Margaret’s personal life, her romance with Remy was on the backburner, but I didn’t mind that either, because the mystery was the most interesting part of the story anyhow.
I do enjoy a good police procedural, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as the previous Monkeywrench series. Still, it was an entertaining mystery. I did figure out the main plot but there was a surprise at the end I wasn’t expecting!
I alternately listened to the audio version and read an e-copy. Abby Craden is a performer I’m familiar with and I enjoyed her performance of both male and female voices. I listened at my usual 1.5-1.75x normal speed.
A copy was kindly provided by Minotaur Books and Dreamscape Media in exchange for an honest review.
Evan Hobbs a famous, wholesome type of actor is found dead in a beach cliff landside the day after a faked video showing him as a child molester. Is it an accident, suicide, or murder? Detective Margaret Nolan and her partner, Al Crawford are called to the scene to figure it out.
The blurb makes it sound like Evan’s agent, Seth Baum, is part of the investigation into the death of Evan, but while we do get his POV he’s not part of the investigation. He’s what you’d expect an agent in that cutthroat business in Hollywood, but he was one of the more likeable of the array of unlikable characters here. The workings of the entertainment business featured in this case. The lengths people will go for fame and fortune is unsettling.
Sam Easton was also part of the story, but not featured in the investigation at all. There was some movement in his personal life, but to be honest his story wasn’t of much interest to me. Margaret’s personal life, her romance with Remy was on the backburner, but I didn’t mind that either, because the mystery was the most interesting part of the story anyhow.
I do enjoy a good police procedural, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as the previous Monkeywrench series. Still, it was an entertaining mystery. I did figure out the main plot but there was a surprise at the end I wasn’t expecting!
I alternately listened to the audio version and read an e-copy. Abby Craden is a performer I’m familiar with and I enjoyed her performance of both male and female voices. I listened at my usual 1.5-1.75x normal speed.
A copy was kindly provided by Minotaur Books and Dreamscape Media in exchange for an honest review.
November 25, 2022
It has been said that Hollywood is not only a geographical place on the map of the world, but an idea and a frame of mind. The author’s success in this installment is that she perfectly conveys the idea and mindset of Hollywood. While I might not have liked the Hollywood characters, they were a true representation of this ‘unreal’ setting.
What I loved:
✔️LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan returns
✔️Crafty title
✔️Shows us the many faces of the City of Angels
✔️Explores the scandals and deceptions of Hollywood
✔️Fast paced crime thriller/police procedural
✔️Refreshingly rich vocabulary for this genre
✔️Hooked for book 4
✔️Gorgeous cover
✔️Reveals more of her central characters backstories
What I struggled with:
🤔Swearing and sex
🤔Too many secondary characters and subplots bogged the story down
🤔Sam’s role was unclear as were the ‘way too long’ glimpses into the Hollywood scene
🤔Mystery too easy to solve
🤔Ending
🤔over-polished/wordy/descriptive prose
Although I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the previous two in the series, it won’t stop me from anticipating another great read in book 4!
I was gifted this copy by St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
What I loved:
✔️LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan returns
✔️Crafty title
✔️Shows us the many faces of the City of Angels
✔️Explores the scandals and deceptions of Hollywood
✔️Fast paced crime thriller/police procedural
✔️Refreshingly rich vocabulary for this genre
✔️Hooked for book 4
✔️Gorgeous cover
✔️Reveals more of her central characters backstories
What I struggled with:
🤔Swearing and sex
🤔Too many secondary characters and subplots bogged the story down
🤔Sam’s role was unclear as were the ‘way too long’ glimpses into the Hollywood scene
🤔Mystery too easy to solve
🤔Ending
🤔over-polished/wordy/descriptive prose
Although I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the previous two in the series, it won’t stop me from anticipating another great read in book 4!
I was gifted this copy by St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
January 19, 2023
I didn’t realize when I picked this book up that it was book three in a series. Most of the time with mysteries that doesn’t really matter much, but in this case I don’t recommend starting in the middle of this series. I found the style to be a bit chaotic and it was hard to keep characters straight. I think this was worsened by not having read the previous two books, but that wasn’t the complete problem for me because I had equal trouble with the reoccurring characters and with the characters specific to this book. The chapters cycle quickly between perspectives (although sometimes sticking to one character for a couple just to throw you further off), but sometimes I didn’t know what perspective I was reading for a paragraph or two. The mystery was not bad, and I like the resolution a lot. It was interesting, but hard to get invested into because of the confusion I struggled with. I think there’s a lot of potential here especially because I liked the main detective quite a bit.
November 16, 2022
304 pages
3 stars
Seth Lehman is a reprehensible character. Aside from that, I found that I didn’t like any of the actresses and actors portrayed in the book. Perhaps the only good one was killed in the landslide.
Detectives Maggie Nolan and Al Crawford respond to a body being found in a landslide. The body is the famous and widely loved actor named Evan Hobbes. Was it suicide? Murder? Accident? We must wait for the autopsy.
I liked the detectives. Nolan was driven and determined to discover what happened to Mr. Hobbes. The rest of the story was kind of blah, blah… The violent domestic scenes and Seth’s behavior made the book rather tedious.
I truly enjoy police procedurals and I was hoping that this book would be a solid procedural. While the police work was good, the rest of the novel just didn’t have it for me.
This is the first time that I have been disappointed by a book from St. Martin’s Press. I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read and review. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.
3 stars
Seth Lehman is a reprehensible character. Aside from that, I found that I didn’t like any of the actresses and actors portrayed in the book. Perhaps the only good one was killed in the landslide.
Detectives Maggie Nolan and Al Crawford respond to a body being found in a landslide. The body is the famous and widely loved actor named Evan Hobbes. Was it suicide? Murder? Accident? We must wait for the autopsy.
I liked the detectives. Nolan was driven and determined to discover what happened to Mr. Hobbes. The rest of the story was kind of blah, blah… The violent domestic scenes and Seth’s behavior made the book rather tedious.
I truly enjoy police procedurals and I was hoping that this book would be a solid procedural. While the police work was good, the rest of the novel just didn’t have it for me.
This is the first time that I have been disappointed by a book from St. Martin’s Press. I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read and review. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.
November 8, 2022
A clever, gripping thriller with lots of twists and a fun detective to root for. Maggie Nolan is a detective for the LAPD who’s used to working cases for not only the rich and glitzy actors, but the homeless and destitute. When the body of a popular actor is found dead after an earthquake, she needs to find out if he was alive or dead before But then, more bodies start appearing. Wonderfully twisty and fast-paced.
January 28, 2023
I tried I really did but this book lost me first in print and then in audio. The early chapters were so wordy, over descriptive that I lost what the author was trying to say and then by the time the story got going and some of the over descriptions stopped I was lost and just not wanting to go back and retrace the earlier pages. So I tried the audio even though that was not the format I had originally requested. I did get further but found I was no longer interested and just not willing to spend the time. Maybe due to it being 3rd in a series, not sure, but just not for me.
So I will not try to rate this book as I DNFed at about 40%. Think I will not be requesting further arc's from this site for awhile.
Thanks, Kerry McCabe
So I will not try to rate this book as I DNFed at about 40%. Think I will not be requesting further arc's from this site for awhile.
Thanks, Kerry McCabe
August 28, 2024
This was meh….too many characters and not enough about the mc. Also set against a Hollywood backdrop,which is not my favorite in any story. I have the ARC of her new book coming up so I was trying to catch up on her back catalogue.
August 3, 2022
Maggie, a detective with the LA police, has been called to a case where a body is found on the rocks. Is it a tragic accident, or murder? (This man has just been vilified in social media with a viral video showing him to be a child molester, which he claimed was a deep fake, fabricated by someone with a grudge.) There is another storyline with Maggie’s friend Sam, a disabled vet with PTSD, who finds a letter from an ancestor which reminds him of his own struggles. Three and a half stars. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC.
November 29, 2022
The author continues her Margaret Nolan series. For me this one was a utter disappointment. I found the characters uninteresting and the storyline cumbersome and uninteresting. Hopefully the author bounces back with the next book in the series.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog.
February 4, 2023
The author tackles Hollywood (stars, agents, parties, scandals, murders) in her third book featuring Detective Margaret (Maggie) Nolan.
The twisty mystery was great fun, in that most of the Hollywood type main characters were unlikable. The author indulges in some marvelously snarky comments. I didn't really care about who killed either of the victims, as they were Not Nice People.
But I did care about Maggie, who is dealing with 1)the emotional fall-out from her previous case, and 2) her current romantic relationship. Thank goodness for Al, her police partner, who is steady as a rock. (I love Al). Sam Easton has only a minor part in this book, but it was good to see him. Maybe next book he will have more to do.
I am ready for the next book--whenever it arrives.
The twisty mystery was great fun, in that most of the Hollywood type main characters were unlikable. The author indulges in some marvelously snarky comments. I didn't really care about who killed either of the victims, as they were Not Nice People.
But I did care about Maggie, who is dealing with 1)the emotional fall-out from her previous case, and 2) her current romantic relationship. Thank goodness for Al, her police partner, who is steady as a rock. (I love Al). Sam Easton has only a minor part in this book, but it was good to see him. Maybe next book he will have more to do.
I am ready for the next book--whenever it arrives.
October 23, 2022
Set in the wealth, power, and celebrity glamour of Los Angeles, “The Devil You Know” opens as LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan is called to investigate the death of Disney star Evan Hobbes; his body found in the rubble of a Malibu rockslide the day after a fake-video ruins his career. Wading through the evidence and examining possible suspects with her partner, Detective Nolan searches for the truth to determine whether this was a homicide, suicide or accidental death. The investigation heats up when more bodies are found including a Disney Executive and brother-in-law of Hobbes agent Seth Lehman as well as an unidentified female outside his beach house.
Fast paced and well-written P. J. Tracy draws the reader into a puzzling case that has Nolan and her partner questioning reluctant, temperamental and arrogant suspects as they search for clues to murders that seem to have no predictable motive. Tension and suspense quickly escalate with more homicide cases as scandal and deception rock the “foundations of Hollywood” and its elite. All too quickly the plot flows seamlessly to a shocking, unexpected conclusion.
Among a compelling and multifaceted host of characters is LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan, the daughter of a retired US army colonel who’s an astute woman with keen instincts; Hobbes agent, the wealthy and arrogant Seth Lehman; his sister Essie Baum the vulnerable, humiliated wife of immoral Executive David Baum; and privileged, psychotic Brit, Rebecca Wodehouse. All these personalities and more add to a novel you won’t put down until finished.
I liked “The Devil You Know” and intend to read other novels in the Detective Nolan series.
Fast paced and well-written P. J. Tracy draws the reader into a puzzling case that has Nolan and her partner questioning reluctant, temperamental and arrogant suspects as they search for clues to murders that seem to have no predictable motive. Tension and suspense quickly escalate with more homicide cases as scandal and deception rock the “foundations of Hollywood” and its elite. All too quickly the plot flows seamlessly to a shocking, unexpected conclusion.
Among a compelling and multifaceted host of characters is LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan, the daughter of a retired US army colonel who’s an astute woman with keen instincts; Hobbes agent, the wealthy and arrogant Seth Lehman; his sister Essie Baum the vulnerable, humiliated wife of immoral Executive David Baum; and privileged, psychotic Brit, Rebecca Wodehouse. All these personalities and more add to a novel you won’t put down until finished.
I liked “The Devil You Know” and intend to read other novels in the Detective Nolan series.
February 10, 2023
This is book three of the Detective Margaret Nolan series. I really enjoyed the first two and this one didn't disappoint. The Devil You know was a very nice addition to the series. It was a well paced and compelling thriller/mystery, that kept me invested all the way through. This was a twisty, dark, and enthralling story. There are plenty of suspects and the investigation by Margaret and her partner was a well analyzed process. I do wish that Sam Easton had played a role in this one as he did in the previous installments.
Overall this was an enjoyable read and I can see myself continuing with this series.
Thank you, Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Overall this was an enjoyable read and I can see myself continuing with this series.
Thank you, Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 18, 2023
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for accepting my request to read and review The Devil You Know.
Author: P.J. Tracy
Published: 01/17/23
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
This didn't work for me. I finished the book; however, it took a great deal of restraint. I was thoroughly disgusted with the level of swearing that supersedes profanity. Women's genitalia jointly with Christian faith is pure trash.
The book had too many characters, and flow charts were not included. The dialogue ran on and on. I was reading on Kindle, and it was frustrating. With a physical book, I could have flipped and scanned.
Author: P.J. Tracy
Published: 01/17/23
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
This didn't work for me. I finished the book; however, it took a great deal of restraint. I was thoroughly disgusted with the level of swearing that supersedes profanity. Women's genitalia jointly with Christian faith is pure trash.
The book had too many characters, and flow charts were not included. The dialogue ran on and on. I was reading on Kindle, and it was frustrating. With a physical book, I could have flipped and scanned.
December 21, 2022
This is the third in the series featuring LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan; having read and enjoyed the first two, I was happy to be approved for a pre-release copy of this one. My initial reaction after finishing it is that I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the other two, but the difference is negligible and I'm pretty sure came simply because there's a bit of an overload of characters in this one.
Tapping into technology trends, highly successful actor Evan Hobbes, who has been "outed" as a pedophile in a deep fake video, is found at the bottom of a rockslide in Malibu. Conventional wisdom says an accident or even suicide, given the fake video's damage to his career, but closer investigation reveals that murder goeth before the fall. His agent, Seth Lehman, is shattered by Hobbes's death, but he's too busy fighting with his over-the-top witchy agency boss, Rebecca Wodehouse. All of them, plus a glamorous movie star, were at the posh home of a Disney exec when Hobbes went over the hill, and while everyone, including the exec's wife, seem distraught, Nolan and her competent and very likable partner Al Crawford are pretty sure the killer came from their ranks. Complicating matters is that just about every character is connected to another one (or two, or three) - Lehman, for instance, is the brother of the Disney executive's wife; as for who's sleeping with whom, well, I pretty much lost track after awhile.
Meantime, a side story follows happenings in the life of Nolan's friend Sam Easton (familiar to those who have read previous books), who still suffers from PTSD but is getting his life together and even considering a job with the LAPD. Nolan's case heats up when a second character turns up dead (with an M.O. similar to the Hobbes case). The case sends Nolan and Crawford all over their not-so-little section of California to find pieces that hopefully will come together to make the puzzle whole and makes her yearn for Remy, her own person of interest, who's away to take care of personal business. All in all, a never-a-dull-moment story that ends with a twist. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. Well done!
Tapping into technology trends, highly successful actor Evan Hobbes, who has been "outed" as a pedophile in a deep fake video, is found at the bottom of a rockslide in Malibu. Conventional wisdom says an accident or even suicide, given the fake video's damage to his career, but closer investigation reveals that murder goeth before the fall. His agent, Seth Lehman, is shattered by Hobbes's death, but he's too busy fighting with his over-the-top witchy agency boss, Rebecca Wodehouse. All of them, plus a glamorous movie star, were at the posh home of a Disney exec when Hobbes went over the hill, and while everyone, including the exec's wife, seem distraught, Nolan and her competent and very likable partner Al Crawford are pretty sure the killer came from their ranks. Complicating matters is that just about every character is connected to another one (or two, or three) - Lehman, for instance, is the brother of the Disney executive's wife; as for who's sleeping with whom, well, I pretty much lost track after awhile.
Meantime, a side story follows happenings in the life of Nolan's friend Sam Easton (familiar to those who have read previous books), who still suffers from PTSD but is getting his life together and even considering a job with the LAPD. Nolan's case heats up when a second character turns up dead (with an M.O. similar to the Hobbes case). The case sends Nolan and Crawford all over their not-so-little section of California to find pieces that hopefully will come together to make the puzzle whole and makes her yearn for Remy, her own person of interest, who's away to take care of personal business. All in all, a never-a-dull-moment story that ends with a twist. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. Well done!
February 6, 2023
The Devil You Know Earns 5/5 L.A. Sunsets … Compelling & Suspenseful Gem!
Kira Tanner, a young model and actress, wasn’t suppose to be at the Santa Barbara beach house, she wasn’t suppose to find the dead man on the bed, and definitely, she wasn’t suppose to end up dead herself. What explosive evidence is hidden in this double murder?
Daphna Love is a popular actress, strikingly beautiful and talented, whose “chronic discontent” is lessened thru her innocent voyeurism. She watches from behind her sunglasses everyday people in everyday situations creating in her mind the details and scenarios of their lives. Although she’s impulsive and demanding, she knows what she wants, but are there limits to what she’ll accept?
Seth Lehman’s professional success has been waning, not unnoticed by his boss Rebecca Wodehouse, and with his most lucrative client, Evan Hobbes, prominently featured in a disturbing deepfake video with a minor, Seth fears he is destined for the streets. Maybe he could get Daphna Love to sign a contract for his representation to fill the void in his bank account as well as in his life. Will Seth’s plan work or be a bridge too far?
Evan Hobbs, once the darling of Hollywood, had himself been struggling for relevancy, but the video, however manufactured, will ruin all of his prospects. He’d approached the federal cybercrimes unit, and Special Agent Darcy Moore is convinced Evan is the victim of a well-produced fake video as he claims … of course, does it matter when his body is found in the aftermath of a Southern California tremor? Will his public persona stand up to official scrutiny?
Esse Baum, trophy wife of major Hollywood executive David Baum and Seth Lehman’s sister, enjoys privilege with all its perks and problems, but having her party a possible crime scene has put her into debilitating hysterics. Her brother arrives for support amidst his own meltdown, but Esse’s unable to get ahold of her husband … and now it seems highly unlikely she ever will. Will the blind eye she uses in her marriage prove to be more 20/20 vision?
L.A. Brilliant! I chose to go beyond by “cozy” comfort zone with P.J. Tracy’s newest book in her three-book Detective Margaret Nolan series and didn’t regret a moment. The complex drama has several third person narratives, but it’s easily followed and compelling as the different storylines converge with several “Oh my-s!” and “Wow-s!” that punctuate an engaging investigation. The Hollywood community, of course, with all its elitist personalities, narcissistic attitudes, and tarnished reputations is the perfect backdrop for greed, jealousy, egos, and all manner of addictions and deviances that ultimately murder is the answer. The trickle of clues from crime scene to the lab, from Malibu to Santa Barbara, from official sources to accidental discovery from what you’d expect to shocking revelations, kept me flipping the pages til I reached the final shocking arrest. P.J. Tracy’s story was extremely well written, rich in vocabulary with clever references and witty snark that enriched and informed my experience, short chapters (my favorite), diverse characters, multiple investigations, and dialogue that did well to illustrate the varied personalities. A great way to start out 2023 with a candidate for on of my best of the year!
Disclosure: I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press thru NetGalley. My review is voluntary with honest insights and comments.
Kira Tanner, a young model and actress, wasn’t suppose to be at the Santa Barbara beach house, she wasn’t suppose to find the dead man on the bed, and definitely, she wasn’t suppose to end up dead herself. What explosive evidence is hidden in this double murder?
Daphna Love is a popular actress, strikingly beautiful and talented, whose “chronic discontent” is lessened thru her innocent voyeurism. She watches from behind her sunglasses everyday people in everyday situations creating in her mind the details and scenarios of their lives. Although she’s impulsive and demanding, she knows what she wants, but are there limits to what she’ll accept?
Seth Lehman’s professional success has been waning, not unnoticed by his boss Rebecca Wodehouse, and with his most lucrative client, Evan Hobbes, prominently featured in a disturbing deepfake video with a minor, Seth fears he is destined for the streets. Maybe he could get Daphna Love to sign a contract for his representation to fill the void in his bank account as well as in his life. Will Seth’s plan work or be a bridge too far?
Evan Hobbs, once the darling of Hollywood, had himself been struggling for relevancy, but the video, however manufactured, will ruin all of his prospects. He’d approached the federal cybercrimes unit, and Special Agent Darcy Moore is convinced Evan is the victim of a well-produced fake video as he claims … of course, does it matter when his body is found in the aftermath of a Southern California tremor? Will his public persona stand up to official scrutiny?
Esse Baum, trophy wife of major Hollywood executive David Baum and Seth Lehman’s sister, enjoys privilege with all its perks and problems, but having her party a possible crime scene has put her into debilitating hysterics. Her brother arrives for support amidst his own meltdown, but Esse’s unable to get ahold of her husband … and now it seems highly unlikely she ever will. Will the blind eye she uses in her marriage prove to be more 20/20 vision?
L.A. Brilliant! I chose to go beyond by “cozy” comfort zone with P.J. Tracy’s newest book in her three-book Detective Margaret Nolan series and didn’t regret a moment. The complex drama has several third person narratives, but it’s easily followed and compelling as the different storylines converge with several “Oh my-s!” and “Wow-s!” that punctuate an engaging investigation. The Hollywood community, of course, with all its elitist personalities, narcissistic attitudes, and tarnished reputations is the perfect backdrop for greed, jealousy, egos, and all manner of addictions and deviances that ultimately murder is the answer. The trickle of clues from crime scene to the lab, from Malibu to Santa Barbara, from official sources to accidental discovery from what you’d expect to shocking revelations, kept me flipping the pages til I reached the final shocking arrest. P.J. Tracy’s story was extremely well written, rich in vocabulary with clever references and witty snark that enriched and informed my experience, short chapters (my favorite), diverse characters, multiple investigations, and dialogue that did well to illustrate the varied personalities. A great way to start out 2023 with a candidate for on of my best of the year!
Disclosure: I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press thru NetGalley. My review is voluntary with honest insights and comments.
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