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Emily Stone #1
Compulsion
When Serial Killers Terrorize a California Beach Community, One Woman Stands in Their Way
Emily Stone doesn’t have a badge. But that hasn’t stopped her from tracking down some of the West’s most dangerous child-killers. Armed with a digital SLR camera, laptop computer and her trusty Beretta, Stone uses her innate gift for detective work to identify the perps ― and then anonymously e-mail the evidence to the cops.
Now, the hunt for two brazen serial killers on the loose right in her own coastal California town threatens to expose Stone’s identity ― unraveling her carefully constructed cover and jeopardizing her life’s work. But when she gets too close to the action, this razor-sharp hunter becomes the hunted. Cooperating with the handsome local police detective could be the only hope for stopping the rampage directed at unsuspecting young women ― and saving herself. Can they piece together the clues in time?
Compulsion mixes CSI-style investigation with a ripped-from-the-headlines plot and a dose of romance for a keeps-you-guessing, fast-paced and savvy thriller, right up until the shocking finale.
Emily Stone doesn’t have a badge. But that hasn’t stopped her from tracking down some of the West’s most dangerous child-killers. Armed with a digital SLR camera, laptop computer and her trusty Beretta, Stone uses her innate gift for detective work to identify the perps ― and then anonymously e-mail the evidence to the cops.
Now, the hunt for two brazen serial killers on the loose right in her own coastal California town threatens to expose Stone’s identity ― unraveling her carefully constructed cover and jeopardizing her life’s work. But when she gets too close to the action, this razor-sharp hunter becomes the hunted. Cooperating with the handsome local police detective could be the only hope for stopping the rampage directed at unsuspecting young women ― and saving herself. Can they piece together the clues in time?
Compulsion mixes CSI-style investigation with a ripped-from-the-headlines plot and a dose of romance for a keeps-you-guessing, fast-paced and savvy thriller, right up until the shocking finale.
301 pages, Paperback
First published October 31, 2008
953 people are currently reading
751 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Chase
32 books582 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning and USA Today Best Selling crime fiction author, as well as a consulting criminologist. She has written the popular Detective Katie Scott Series and the Emily Stone Thriller Series.
Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master's degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent psychopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells. In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling.
She is an affiliate member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists, and member of the International Thriller Writers. www.authorjenniferchase.com
Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning and USA Today Best Selling crime fiction author, as well as a consulting criminologist. She has written the popular Detective Katie Scott Series and the Emily Stone Thriller Series.
Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master's degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent psychopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells. In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling.
She is an affiliate member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists, and member of the International Thriller Writers. www.authorjenniferchase.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
December 30, 2015
I bought this book because it was recommended and had pretty good reviews. How could this possibly have gotten all these 4 & 5 star reviews? It is all over the place and needs a good editor badly. Very, very badly. The author had a good premise but no idea of how to voice that premise in a logical and readable manner. I know it's only .99 but your Amazon $ would be better spent elsewhere not to mention your reading time.
August 27, 2016
It's a screen play. No, it's a novel. No, it's a comic book with no pictures....what is this? I have never read such a horrible mix of badly put together sentences. Did no one edit this book? Was the translator broken? The plot, if there is one, is lost in the badly written sentences. The verb tenses are messed up, the sentences don't come together and the reader (me) was left wondering how this person thought they could write. I just can't wrap my head around how this author has ever had more than 1 star. I didn't finish the book. Obviously. I only got 24% through and quit.
October 20, 2021
COMPULSION [2013] (Emily Stone Series Book 1) By Jennifer Chase
My Review One Star*
I purchased this book because one of the genre designations happened to be “Vigilante Justice Thrillers”. The description sounded interesting and the content of the customer reviews made the book sound too good to be true. One reader stated that it was a “a fast read with short chapters” and at least that proved to be true.
First, I read an outstanding novel one time that was remarkable for its sheer number of editing errors. Customer reviews were largely negative because of all of the mistakes when the book was printed or when it was released as an eBook, maybe both. In my case, I was motivated to “excuse” this problem only because of the sheer elegance of the content. But in this case the inexcusable number of spelling and grammatical errors (not to mention frequent font changes for no discernible reason), made it difficult to follow the story line and to take the contents seriously. The writing is stilted and amateurish, for instance:
“Further he states, “Check back in on the cell in half an hour.”
I don’t mean to sound ruthless but “Further he states”? Then toward the end of the book there was the hysterical line:
“She was right about there being two serial killers and each one had his own demons to exercise.”
It immediately conjured an image of the two killers working out at the gym on a treadmill.
The first part of the story line depicts our protagonist (Emily) at the conclusion of a successful mission in Arizona. She has single handedly identified and silently stalked the sexual child predator responsible for the serial torture murders of three children. Emily has reached the end game, submitting the products of her surveillance and investigative work into a concise, collated meticulous file and emailed it to the police authorities anonymously. This was a little bit of a letdown due to the creative license taken with the word “vigilante” in my opinion.
Unfortunately, the narrative deteriorated right after a somewhat promising if a little bit disappointing start. Emily returns a little belatedly to her home in sunny California to find out that there is an active serial killer on the loose in her neighborhood, and maybe just as concerning a threatening new neighbor is occupying the house next door busying himself terrorizing the elderly occupants of the small community.
Emily decides to voice her concerns to the police and interrupts Homicide Detective Rick Lopez of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office. Emily can’t help but notice that he is shuffling through homicide photographs. She isn’t satisfied with what she considers to be a brush-off about her reported problem of a potentially dangerous neighbor. Unfortunately, it is obvious to the reader that sparks are flying between these two.
The criticisms are really too many to enumerate about this debut novel. Where to start? The narrative is sliced into easy to consume small slivers with captions informing the reader of the day and military time. Experienced homicide detective Rick Lopez arrives at the first crime scene after the forensic team, beat cops, and a couple of his own homicide team are already there. The two detectives are obnoxious, disrespectful, arrogant and flippant. The victim has her right arm severed clean at the shoulder and replaced by the body part of another (unknown) victim. The two arrogant bozos tell their superior Rick Lopez that there were both organized and disorganized elements to the crime scene. One lets the term “signature” slip off his tongue like a long-time profiler from Quantico. This is compounded by Rick announcing that what they had on their hands was not one, but two killers, one organized offender and one a disorganized offender. He expounds that they had one serial killer “training” a second serial killer. A figurative boatload of serial profiling was elucidated upon based solely on the discovery of one body.
But this process of divination is nothing compared to civilian Emily coming in to further fill out the profile. She picks up a closeup picture of the tear marks on the neck and announces to the boys:
“He somehow thinks that he’s going to become something else.”
Emily tells Rick that the killer possesses the victim (and each successive victim) through the severed arm he carries forward and, in this way, accumulates the ultimate power and transition he craves.
This assertion that Emily is somehow able to create a profile “on the fly” (after new boyfriend Rick initially made outrageous deductions based on one victim) is just crazy. The reader knows of course that there is in fact two killers and that one of them fancies himself transforming into a peregrine falcon. However, there is virtually no character development for the killers, no rational reason that the two of them should have hooked up in the first place, and also nothing in the novel to describe how the victims were murdered.
If that isn’t bad enough, the narrative starts inserting stuff like:
“In order to get to the next level and keep the killing phases moving forward in a chronological order, they must kill each time with a new heightened sense of urgency as well as the use of pure, terrifying ingenuity.”
What does that even MEAN? The author hasn’t described how the pair kill, alone what their individual fantasies are…etc. Oh, and before I forget, the fruitcake out of control neighbor is the killer, well at least one of them. He’s so disorganized that he is terrorizing elderly neighbors to use his tree trimming business and flying apart at the seams throwing things like a temper tantrum in kindergarten.
Emily and Rick, her soul mate for life (that she just met a few days ago) know that the serial killer is driving across country to their location expressly to murder her. The author writes such memorable lines as:
“He takes one last look at the woman he knows that he’s going to marry one day…”
This kind of romantic fantasy nonsense just adds another dimension of misery to this already convoluted mess of a story line. The author tries for a “Silence of The Lambs” and Danielle Steele hybrid but it’s just one big mishmash of drivel. Some of the elements that the writer tries to throw into the tale are shamelessly derivative. The severing of a limb from one body being placed in correct anatomical position on a second victim sounded like shades of the classic SWITCH By William Bayer. The bit about Emily divining from the similar tear marks on the victims that the killer thought that he was “becoming something else” is straight from SOL and RED DRAGON (Buffalo Bill and the objects he places in the throats of his victims…or the mirrors smashed at the murder scenes by Dollarhyde in his becoming more than a mortal man as in Milton’s great Red Dragon). In this case the author expects us to buy into a nutjob’s belief that by severing an upper limb from one woman and placing it on the next victim (and rinse, repeat) that he will somehow down the line become a Peregrine Falcon. I can’t count how many serial killer thrillers have the serial murderer placing a trophy from one victim on the next victim and so on. That’s derivative, too (even if it IS a body part). That said, how in the world does one get from that particular signature that the killer is going to “become” a Peregrine Falcon???
I actually read this entire book, and normally I reserve one star for novels I was simply unable to finish reading. However, in this case I have to make an exception because I didn’t find any redeeming qualities at all. This is without question the worst book I have read this year.
THE WORST BOOK I’VE READ ALL YEAR; CONVOLUTED DRIVEL WITH GRAMMAR ERRORS FOR COMIC RELIEF
My Review One Star*
I purchased this book because one of the genre designations happened to be “Vigilante Justice Thrillers”. The description sounded interesting and the content of the customer reviews made the book sound too good to be true. One reader stated that it was a “a fast read with short chapters” and at least that proved to be true.
First, I read an outstanding novel one time that was remarkable for its sheer number of editing errors. Customer reviews were largely negative because of all of the mistakes when the book was printed or when it was released as an eBook, maybe both. In my case, I was motivated to “excuse” this problem only because of the sheer elegance of the content. But in this case the inexcusable number of spelling and grammatical errors (not to mention frequent font changes for no discernible reason), made it difficult to follow the story line and to take the contents seriously. The writing is stilted and amateurish, for instance:
“Further he states, “Check back in on the cell in half an hour.”
I don’t mean to sound ruthless but “Further he states”? Then toward the end of the book there was the hysterical line:
“She was right about there being two serial killers and each one had his own demons to exercise.”
It immediately conjured an image of the two killers working out at the gym on a treadmill.
The first part of the story line depicts our protagonist (Emily) at the conclusion of a successful mission in Arizona. She has single handedly identified and silently stalked the sexual child predator responsible for the serial torture murders of three children. Emily has reached the end game, submitting the products of her surveillance and investigative work into a concise, collated meticulous file and emailed it to the police authorities anonymously. This was a little bit of a letdown due to the creative license taken with the word “vigilante” in my opinion.
Unfortunately, the narrative deteriorated right after a somewhat promising if a little bit disappointing start. Emily returns a little belatedly to her home in sunny California to find out that there is an active serial killer on the loose in her neighborhood, and maybe just as concerning a threatening new neighbor is occupying the house next door busying himself terrorizing the elderly occupants of the small community.
Emily decides to voice her concerns to the police and interrupts Homicide Detective Rick Lopez of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office. Emily can’t help but notice that he is shuffling through homicide photographs. She isn’t satisfied with what she considers to be a brush-off about her reported problem of a potentially dangerous neighbor. Unfortunately, it is obvious to the reader that sparks are flying between these two.
The criticisms are really too many to enumerate about this debut novel. Where to start? The narrative is sliced into easy to consume small slivers with captions informing the reader of the day and military time. Experienced homicide detective Rick Lopez arrives at the first crime scene after the forensic team, beat cops, and a couple of his own homicide team are already there. The two detectives are obnoxious, disrespectful, arrogant and flippant. The victim has her right arm severed clean at the shoulder and replaced by the body part of another (unknown) victim. The two arrogant bozos tell their superior Rick Lopez that there were both organized and disorganized elements to the crime scene. One lets the term “signature” slip off his tongue like a long-time profiler from Quantico. This is compounded by Rick announcing that what they had on their hands was not one, but two killers, one organized offender and one a disorganized offender. He expounds that they had one serial killer “training” a second serial killer. A figurative boatload of serial profiling was elucidated upon based solely on the discovery of one body.
But this process of divination is nothing compared to civilian Emily coming in to further fill out the profile. She picks up a closeup picture of the tear marks on the neck and announces to the boys:
“He somehow thinks that he’s going to become something else.”
Emily tells Rick that the killer possesses the victim (and each successive victim) through the severed arm he carries forward and, in this way, accumulates the ultimate power and transition he craves.
This assertion that Emily is somehow able to create a profile “on the fly” (after new boyfriend Rick initially made outrageous deductions based on one victim) is just crazy. The reader knows of course that there is in fact two killers and that one of them fancies himself transforming into a peregrine falcon. However, there is virtually no character development for the killers, no rational reason that the two of them should have hooked up in the first place, and also nothing in the novel to describe how the victims were murdered.
If that isn’t bad enough, the narrative starts inserting stuff like:
“In order to get to the next level and keep the killing phases moving forward in a chronological order, they must kill each time with a new heightened sense of urgency as well as the use of pure, terrifying ingenuity.”
What does that even MEAN? The author hasn’t described how the pair kill, alone what their individual fantasies are…etc. Oh, and before I forget, the fruitcake out of control neighbor is the killer, well at least one of them. He’s so disorganized that he is terrorizing elderly neighbors to use his tree trimming business and flying apart at the seams throwing things like a temper tantrum in kindergarten.
Emily and Rick, her soul mate for life (that she just met a few days ago) know that the serial killer is driving across country to their location expressly to murder her. The author writes such memorable lines as:
“He takes one last look at the woman he knows that he’s going to marry one day…”
This kind of romantic fantasy nonsense just adds another dimension of misery to this already convoluted mess of a story line. The author tries for a “Silence of The Lambs” and Danielle Steele hybrid but it’s just one big mishmash of drivel. Some of the elements that the writer tries to throw into the tale are shamelessly derivative. The severing of a limb from one body being placed in correct anatomical position on a second victim sounded like shades of the classic SWITCH By William Bayer. The bit about Emily divining from the similar tear marks on the victims that the killer thought that he was “becoming something else” is straight from SOL and RED DRAGON (Buffalo Bill and the objects he places in the throats of his victims…or the mirrors smashed at the murder scenes by Dollarhyde in his becoming more than a mortal man as in Milton’s great Red Dragon). In this case the author expects us to buy into a nutjob’s belief that by severing an upper limb from one woman and placing it on the next victim (and rinse, repeat) that he will somehow down the line become a Peregrine Falcon. I can’t count how many serial killer thrillers have the serial murderer placing a trophy from one victim on the next victim and so on. That’s derivative, too (even if it IS a body part). That said, how in the world does one get from that particular signature that the killer is going to “become” a Peregrine Falcon???
I actually read this entire book, and normally I reserve one star for novels I was simply unable to finish reading. However, in this case I have to make an exception because I didn’t find any redeeming qualities at all. This is without question the worst book I have read this year.
THE WORST BOOK I’VE READ ALL YEAR; CONVOLUTED DRIVEL WITH GRAMMAR ERRORS FOR COMIC RELIEF
March 29, 2009
Take a seat, grab a bag of popcorn, and get ready to dive into Compulsion. From page one, Jennifer Chase grips readers with a compelling story centered around the heroine Emily Stone and her passion for tracking down child abductors. When she discovers that a duo of local serial killers are after her, threatening to expose her identity and her end her life.
I found myself unable to peel myself away from this crime fiction novel, as the short chapters written from various perspectives kept the story going at a fast, thrilling pace. Personally, I found myself to be a little bit antsy while reading it, considering how news broke that a convict had escaped in my town.
Jennifer Chase is sure to have a fantastic career as a novelist and I look forward to reading her future work. Until the very last page, be prepared to have only one force causing you to turn the pages: absolute Compulsion.
Reviewed by Chase Brooks, author of Hello, My Love
I found myself unable to peel myself away from this crime fiction novel, as the short chapters written from various perspectives kept the story going at a fast, thrilling pace. Personally, I found myself to be a little bit antsy while reading it, considering how news broke that a convict had escaped in my town.
Jennifer Chase is sure to have a fantastic career as a novelist and I look forward to reading her future work. Until the very last page, be prepared to have only one force causing you to turn the pages: absolute Compulsion.
Reviewed by Chase Brooks, author of Hello, My Love
July 1, 2022
This book was a story in the making for some time. I finally decided to write it early last year. Thrillers, suspense and mystery novels are my favorite types of books to read. I hope that thriller lovers enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed writing it!
February 28, 2009
Here is a different kind of heroine who isn't afraid to take on the worst kind of killers.The story is fast paced and will keep you up all night reading.Chase knows how to build up suspense right up to the end. Great reading.
September 19, 2009
Emily Stone has a life mission. Her goal is to track down child killers and get evidence against them and then email the evidence to the police anonymously.
After one such report, she's run off the road in a hit and run accident.
Her car is wrecked and when police ask her about the weapons and laptop in the car, she tells them she's a writer and sometimes is in danger and the weapons, which are registered, are for protection.
When she gets home, her friend, Theresa Blandon, tells her about a crazy neighbor who just moved in and has been intimidating the neighbors.
Det. Ray Lopez is at his desk when Emily arrives at the station to ask the police to look into the neighbor, Donald Everett, and see what his background is. At first Ray is preoccupied but then he checks and finds that there have been many complaints against Everett but there's not enought for a search warrant. Ray is also captivated by Emily.
Emily can't seem to stop herself. At this point in the story, Emily's motivation is still unclear to the reader but not long after being run off the road and hospitalized, she hears of a murder of a young woman and she's back hunting serial killers. She goes to Pajaro, Arizona and looks for a likely place where the killers might commit their crimes. She finds the scene where the woman's body was found after being raped and murdered. Emily enters an old building looking for clues when the door slams behind her and someone locks her in. She hears a car leave and then a pit bull begins smashing against the door in an attempt to reach Emily. Emily is able to kick out an old wall and just reaches her car before the dog can get to her.
Back at home, she does something to upset Everett. Her motivation here is unclear and she seems to give no thought to what the crazy man might do to her friend Theresa or other neighbors. This seems illogical.
After leaving Everett, Emily knows where Ray Lopez is staying and visits him. She tells him about her past and that it is because her parents were murdered that she has this vandetta against serial killers. Then she asks Ray if he needs another pair of eyes to catch the serial killers who are working together in a current series of killings.
There is some good action in the book but the character doesn't make sense in some actions, i.e. going to the place where a murdered victim has been found without her weapons. Her decision against the crazy neighbor also seemed illogical.
That being said, it is an intelligent novel but still hard to read due to the sensitive matter of killers taking lives so easily. Still, give the novel a three and a half star rating.
After one such report, she's run off the road in a hit and run accident.
Her car is wrecked and when police ask her about the weapons and laptop in the car, she tells them she's a writer and sometimes is in danger and the weapons, which are registered, are for protection.
When she gets home, her friend, Theresa Blandon, tells her about a crazy neighbor who just moved in and has been intimidating the neighbors.
Det. Ray Lopez is at his desk when Emily arrives at the station to ask the police to look into the neighbor, Donald Everett, and see what his background is. At first Ray is preoccupied but then he checks and finds that there have been many complaints against Everett but there's not enought for a search warrant. Ray is also captivated by Emily.
Emily can't seem to stop herself. At this point in the story, Emily's motivation is still unclear to the reader but not long after being run off the road and hospitalized, she hears of a murder of a young woman and she's back hunting serial killers. She goes to Pajaro, Arizona and looks for a likely place where the killers might commit their crimes. She finds the scene where the woman's body was found after being raped and murdered. Emily enters an old building looking for clues when the door slams behind her and someone locks her in. She hears a car leave and then a pit bull begins smashing against the door in an attempt to reach Emily. Emily is able to kick out an old wall and just reaches her car before the dog can get to her.
Back at home, she does something to upset Everett. Her motivation here is unclear and she seems to give no thought to what the crazy man might do to her friend Theresa or other neighbors. This seems illogical.
After leaving Everett, Emily knows where Ray Lopez is staying and visits him. She tells him about her past and that it is because her parents were murdered that she has this vandetta against serial killers. Then she asks Ray if he needs another pair of eyes to catch the serial killers who are working together in a current series of killings.
There is some good action in the book but the character doesn't make sense in some actions, i.e. going to the place where a murdered victim has been found without her weapons. Her decision against the crazy neighbor also seemed illogical.
That being said, it is an intelligent novel but still hard to read due to the sensitive matter of killers taking lives so easily. Still, give the novel a three and a half star rating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2010
Get ready for a page-turner! Compulsion is a thriller that will chill you as you turn up the heat flipping through the pages to see what will happen next. The action is furious and quick-paced. The plot twists and turns deliciously. The characters are engaging and will make you feel as if you know them intimately. God bless you if you ever meet up with a serial killer such as the two demons who do their dastardly deeds in this book!
I have not read a chiller that was as engaging as this book in years, though Ms. Chase's sequel won't disappoint either. I actually read her next book, Dead Game, first. It didn't really matter except for the fact that I already had a clue as to how the first book might turn out for the heroic protagonist, Emily Stone.
Emily Stone is a former sheriff who becomes a one-woman sleuth of pedophile and serial killers as the result of a personal childhood tragedy. She stealthily stalks those who would victimize the vulnerable and unsuspecting.
I loved every moment of my read! I have not been as engaged in a thriller since the books of Stephen King or Dean Koontz. The thing that I love about Ms. Chase's characters are that they are so much more fleshed out than some characters within other thrillers. Ms. Chase obviously is an adept student of human nature and she relates well with her fellow woman and man.
I also loved the fact that this book, along with its sequel, has a spiritual dimension. I will leave that to you to determine for yourself. The beauty of that was that I felt even more drawn into the stories since they reminded me of the untold mysteries of life. Ms. Chase has developed a series that is bound to be as successful as those of other well-established writers. Don't miss either of her first two books. I will be anxiously awaiting the next book in the series.
Davis Aujourd'hui
author of The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude and its upcoming sequel, Babes in Bucksnort
I have not read a chiller that was as engaging as this book in years, though Ms. Chase's sequel won't disappoint either. I actually read her next book, Dead Game, first. It didn't really matter except for the fact that I already had a clue as to how the first book might turn out for the heroic protagonist, Emily Stone.
Emily Stone is a former sheriff who becomes a one-woman sleuth of pedophile and serial killers as the result of a personal childhood tragedy. She stealthily stalks those who would victimize the vulnerable and unsuspecting.
I loved every moment of my read! I have not been as engaged in a thriller since the books of Stephen King or Dean Koontz. The thing that I love about Ms. Chase's characters are that they are so much more fleshed out than some characters within other thrillers. Ms. Chase obviously is an adept student of human nature and she relates well with her fellow woman and man.
I also loved the fact that this book, along with its sequel, has a spiritual dimension. I will leave that to you to determine for yourself. The beauty of that was that I felt even more drawn into the stories since they reminded me of the untold mysteries of life. Ms. Chase has developed a series that is bound to be as successful as those of other well-established writers. Don't miss either of her first two books. I will be anxiously awaiting the next book in the series.
Davis Aujourd'hui
author of The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude and its upcoming sequel, Babes in Bucksnort
August 20, 2009
Where to start? I liked the book, however, I'm not a fan of present tense, it just throws me for some reason, I don't know why. That's not a deficiency of the book, just a personal preference of mine :)
That preference aside, it was a good story.
There were twists and turns in the plot. Some I saw coming, others I didn't. There were times I was confident in what I thought would happen, only to doubt myself a few pages later. I love to try to figure out who did it, and how an author's going to wrap things up, and when the author surprises me, that's a good thing.
For those of you who are fans of true crime shows, I think you'll like this book, I could almost hear the man with the deep voice reading the book, as if it was the narration for one of those shows.
I like Emily, alot. It was good to see her motivations, and to see her strength of will and her character, I wish Emily Stone really existed, we could use more people like her.
That preference aside, it was a good story.
There were twists and turns in the plot. Some I saw coming, others I didn't. There were times I was confident in what I thought would happen, only to doubt myself a few pages later. I love to try to figure out who did it, and how an author's going to wrap things up, and when the author surprises me, that's a good thing.
For those of you who are fans of true crime shows, I think you'll like this book, I could almost hear the man with the deep voice reading the book, as if it was the narration for one of those shows.
I like Emily, alot. It was good to see her motivations, and to see her strength of will and her character, I wish Emily Stone really existed, we could use more people like her.
January 14, 2012
A serial killer huntress
Everyone rates books on different things. For myself it’s whether or not the pages keep turning, and if it’s a story that draws me back to my Kindle to pick up where I left off. Chase’s unique writing style in COMPULSION fits this description.
Emily Stone has a past, and it drives her to find serial killers and bring the family of the victims some closure and justice. What she doesn’t realize is her line of work is about to catch up with her when she becomes the target of a serial-killing duo.
With just enough graphic details to round out crime scenes, and relatable characters you care about, COMPULSION will pull you through until the very satisfying conclusion.
If you’re looking for a thriller that has both action and a splash of romance, I highly recommend this book. I know I’ll be reading more in the Emily Stone series.
~~
Same review as seen on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/review/R1CNNH3S...
Everyone rates books on different things. For myself it’s whether or not the pages keep turning, and if it’s a story that draws me back to my Kindle to pick up where I left off. Chase’s unique writing style in COMPULSION fits this description.
Emily Stone has a past, and it drives her to find serial killers and bring the family of the victims some closure and justice. What she doesn’t realize is her line of work is about to catch up with her when she becomes the target of a serial-killing duo.
With just enough graphic details to round out crime scenes, and relatable characters you care about, COMPULSION will pull you through until the very satisfying conclusion.
If you’re looking for a thriller that has both action and a splash of romance, I highly recommend this book. I know I’ll be reading more in the Emily Stone series.
~~
Same review as seen on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/review/R1CNNH3S...
March 5, 2009
With her special talents and keen sense of criminal behavior, Emily Stone is on a mission to save innocent lives and take out the perpetrator at all costs. As a secret informer, she spends her time helping the police, revealing crucial information that she discovers.
As serial killers terrorize California, Stone is yet again on another mission to help the police stop the insanity before another victim is horribly murdered. But Stone becomes the target as the tables are turned and the serial killers begin to stalk her. Now Stone is in a race for her life, as she must face the insatiable evil that lurks closer than she could ever have imagined.
Jennifer Chase has written a gripping novel that pushes for a hope for resolve ending. She delivers on every accord. A highly recommend read with a satisfying end. I look forward to her next novel. Tamera Lawrence, author of The Pond.
As serial killers terrorize California, Stone is yet again on another mission to help the police stop the insanity before another victim is horribly murdered. But Stone becomes the target as the tables are turned and the serial killers begin to stalk her. Now Stone is in a race for her life, as she must face the insatiable evil that lurks closer than she could ever have imagined.
Jennifer Chase has written a gripping novel that pushes for a hope for resolve ending. She delivers on every accord. A highly recommend read with a satisfying end. I look forward to her next novel. Tamera Lawrence, author of The Pond.
June 26, 2016
The premise of a serial hunter had me intrigued. Now that I've finished the book, Emily Stone didn't prove to be much of a hunter rather than serial killer bait who managed to survive. She's a good character, but there were too many distractions for me to enjoy this book. None of the law enforcement references and procedures were anywhere close to reality and was disappointing. The "profiling" portion of the story was rather vague and could have been made stronger to enhance the story. The dynamic with the "hunky" detective was plain and the insight to the killers were very cliche'and boring. The point of view constantly switching was, at times, hard to follow and the story needs some serious editing. I will not be reading any more of her books.
October 18, 2010
This was in general a good book. There were many things I liked about this novel including Emily's relentless attitude towards taking down serial killers, the looks into the lives of two radically different serial killers, and the way Emily was completely selfless in her pursuits of the worst kinds of killers. This novel was a little heavy on the police details which greatly effected my opinion, but to others that may be extremely appropriate. The book was a quick read and I will definitely read another one of this author's books in the future.
October 21, 2010
Compulsion tells the story of Emily Stone, talent for putting together pieces of evidence and recognizing things that elude law enforcement. Her main goal is to track serial killers and put them away she work,s alone, and anonymously, she sends an email with all the evidence to the police or the FBI.This is one of books you just don,t want to put down. Its a thiller and the suspense is strong. I look forward to more books by Jennifer Chase.
September 5, 2016
2 1/2 *stars REALLY
EMILY SUCH A SMART/STUPID WOMAN I COULDN’T UNDERSTAND WHY SHE DIDN’T HAVE A HIGH TECH SECURITY SYSTEM ON HER HOME. WTF? SHE HAS SO MANY MISHAPS I WONDERED HOW SHE COULD STILL BE FUNCTIONING. I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE MORE EXCITING BUT IT JUST NEVER PICKED UP FOR ME. THE STORY LINE SOUNDED SO GOOD BUT FOR SOME REASON IT WASN’T. ‘-\
EMILY SUCH A SMART/STUPID WOMAN I COULDN’T UNDERSTAND WHY SHE DIDN’T HAVE A HIGH TECH SECURITY SYSTEM ON HER HOME. WTF? SHE HAS SO MANY MISHAPS I WONDERED HOW SHE COULD STILL BE FUNCTIONING. I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE MORE EXCITING BUT IT JUST NEVER PICKED UP FOR ME. THE STORY LINE SOUNDED SO GOOD BUT FOR SOME REASON IT WASN’T. ‘-\
October 15, 2017
Tough Read
It was a very tough read. No real character development. It seemed that the writer took everything they knew about criminology and just threw it on the page. The plot wasn’t bad, it needed better writing and development. I’m going to chalk it up to the first book in the series. But not sure I could read another one.
It was a very tough read. No real character development. It seemed that the writer took everything they knew about criminology and just threw it on the page. The plot wasn’t bad, it needed better writing and development. I’m going to chalk it up to the first book in the series. But not sure I could read another one.
April 19, 2022
What a great start to what is to be a great series!!!
This was a terrific book. Brilliant characters, a thrilling storyline and a surprising twist at the end. Emily is a complex character. She had a career that she luved, good friends, her life all planned out. Then she learned some devastating information and in doing the right thing she lost everything. Since then she's lived in the shadows. Always hiding, always hunting; either child abuser/killers and/or serial killers! Then she meets a dedicated detective who really understands her and also meets a dedicated serial killer whose dedication is to kill her. Now she's on the run from both of them. Who will find who first? Don't miss this outstanding book. Highly recommended.
This was a terrific book. Brilliant characters, a thrilling storyline and a surprising twist at the end. Emily is a complex character. She had a career that she luved, good friends, her life all planned out. Then she learned some devastating information and in doing the right thing she lost everything. Since then she's lived in the shadows. Always hiding, always hunting; either child abuser/killers and/or serial killers! Then she meets a dedicated detective who really understands her and also meets a dedicated serial killer whose dedication is to kill her. Now she's on the run from both of them. Who will find who first? Don't miss this outstanding book. Highly recommended.
November 23, 2024
I struggle to believe that this is actually a published work. I finished it, despite my overwhelming desire to DNF. I just had to see if things improved, or figure out an explanation for how this series continued. This is a draft, at best. Glaring grammatical errors on EVERY page making it almost unreadable. I cringed physically every time I crossed a completely incorrect sentence. I love this genre, it’s almost all I read. I’m an easy reader, I don’t judge too harshly or look to discover plot holes. I’ve read 51 books so far this year and I’ve only given 4-5 star reviews. I wish I hadn’t wasted the time, I just hope I can spare you from doing the same. I will absolutely not be continuing with this author.
December 3, 2020
I want to like this book more than I did. I like Emily as a character. Early on, I was afraid she was going to be completely devoid of any likability, but that wasn't the case. I also think the concept is interesting, but the execution wasn't as good as the premise. I also wonder if an early draft accidentally got published. There were a lot of editing mistakes and a lot of the story is written in present tense, which is unusual, but occasionally the story goes back into the more conventional past tense. The story was entertaining and interesting enough, if a little predictable.
May 17, 2020
It was okay, there were a lot of grammatical errors which was annoying. There seemed to be a lot of different characters introduced, I had to keep flipping back to keep track of who was who. The romance aspect was cringeworthy, I found myself rolling my eyes many times. The second half of the book was completely predictable, aside from the who done it.. you knew exactly what was going to happen and how. As far as the who done it, the killers didn't seem to fit the profile to me.
June 4, 2022
Awesome book
I loved this book very much. It will have you on the edge of your seat so many times. It pulls you in and doesn't let go till the very end. The writing is really engaging and you feel like you are right there in the action. There needs to be people out in the world that can work like this to help solve the worst of crime. Emily goes above and beyond to put away paedophiles and serial killers. Can't wait to read the next book!
I loved this book very much. It will have you on the edge of your seat so many times. It pulls you in and doesn't let go till the very end. The writing is really engaging and you feel like you are right there in the action. There needs to be people out in the world that can work like this to help solve the worst of crime. Emily goes above and beyond to put away paedophiles and serial killers. Can't wait to read the next book!
November 2, 2023
A fantastic beginning to this series!
I was intrigued by the unique concept of this series, and it certainly exceeded my expectations. Emily Stone has survived a few tragedies in her life. Instead of letting the grief and other emotions crush her, she uses it as fuel, along with her determination, to hunt down those who dare hurt children. It's definitely not a story or series that you'll want to miss!
I would definitely recommend this book, series, and outstanding author.
I was intrigued by the unique concept of this series, and it certainly exceeded my expectations. Emily Stone has survived a few tragedies in her life. Instead of letting the grief and other emotions crush her, she uses it as fuel, along with her determination, to hunt down those who dare hurt children. It's definitely not a story or series that you'll want to miss!
I would definitely recommend this book, series, and outstanding author.
March 23, 2020
Terrible. The sentence structure, misspelled words and poor grammar gave me the “compulsion” to tear this book up. The author jumped around so much the reader couldn’t tell which locality the main character, Emily Stone, was in. I have read later books this author has written and thankfully they are much better than the first.
May 8, 2020
Didn't like the ending
Why so many killings? What was the reason for killing her parents? I thought I read that Rick talked the neighbors to take the dog. Yet here he is.. I don't understand the reason for the last funeral at the cemetery. Funeral burials are expensive. To many questions.
Why so many killings? What was the reason for killing her parents? I thought I read that Rick talked the neighbors to take the dog. Yet here he is.. I don't understand the reason for the last funeral at the cemetery. Funeral burials are expensive. To many questions.
February 28, 2021
Neither believable nor well-written
Proof that editors and rewrites are needed. Reads like a first draft that needs massive rewriting and a great editor. All research seems to be from popular fiction and movies. Also the typography was inconsistent and annoying. The only good part was that I did not have to pay to read it.
Proof that editors and rewrites are needed. Reads like a first draft that needs massive rewriting and a great editor. All research seems to be from popular fiction and movies. Also the typography was inconsistent and annoying. The only good part was that I did not have to pay to read it.
December 17, 2023
Suspenseful, action packed thriller with twists to keep you engaged till the very end
This author doesn't disappoint. Although there were several typos the story line is suspenseful and keeps the reader engaged and wanting to see what happens next through the entire book. The twist it takes at the end was a perfect way to finalize the book.
This author doesn't disappoint. Although there were several typos the story line is suspenseful and keeps the reader engaged and wanting to see what happens next through the entire book. The twist it takes at the end was a perfect way to finalize the book.
September 16, 2024
awesome!
I loved the characters and story! This book is a bit different than I usually read on serial killers! Emily, Rick, Mike & Sargent are a great team. I like how she goes about searching and finding killers and kidnappers &!gets proof & sends it to the authorities! Waiting for the next book!!
I loved the characters and story! This book is a bit different than I usually read on serial killers! Emily, Rick, Mike & Sargent are a great team. I like how she goes about searching and finding killers and kidnappers &!gets proof & sends it to the authorities! Waiting for the next book!!
February 1, 2025
Killing Spree
Three different women are found dead after being raped and murdered. Rick is the young detective in charge of the cases. One of the telling signs the murderer leaves is an amputated but it's not the woman's arm. Emily meets Rick because she makes a complaint about her new neighbor.
Three different women are found dead after being raped and murdered. Rick is the young detective in charge of the cases. One of the telling signs the murderer leaves is an amputated but it's not the woman's arm. Emily meets Rick because she makes a complaint about her new neighbor.
January 29, 2020
Absolutely zero character development
First off, needs a new editor. So many things made no sense about the heroine and her journey through this book. Lots of unanswered scenes and questions. Worst book I read in a long time. Sorry not sorry
First off, needs a new editor. So many things made no sense about the heroine and her journey through this book. Lots of unanswered scenes and questions. Worst book I read in a long time. Sorry not sorry
February 23, 2020
I recently read another book by this author that I enjoyed, so I decided to go back and start this series. The writing in this book was terrible. I wanted to put it down and move on but forced myself to finish it. The storyline itself was ok but the way it was written out in the book didn't flow.
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