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Black CATs #1
Fade to Black
'Dean Taggert, a former street cop turned FBI agent, has accepted a transfer into a new CAT for one reason: he needs to remove the violence from his life in order to get his ex to give him more time with his son. Not easy to do when he's been thrust into the darkest, most violent investigation of his career. A psychopath calling himself the Reaper is auctioning off murder at a deviant cyber club called Satan's Playground, and Dean and his team are forced to helplessly witness the killer's brutal crimes online. Stacey Rhodes is happy in her quiet, sleepy little town of Hope Valley, Virginia, where she has taken over as Sheriff because of her father's ill health. Nothing much seems to happen here, except for the mysterious disappearance of the town bad girl a year ago. So she is shocked when a sexy, brooding FBI agent intrudes on her world, bringing evidence that the missing local girl was the victim of a serial killer. Even more shocking, that serial killer might be someone she knows. Maybe even someone she loves....'
345 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 7, 2009
135 people are currently reading
2100 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 150 reviews
November 4, 2018
I couldn't finish it. The writing felt stilted and mechanical. The story didn't hold my interest and I couldn't connect with the characters.
July 18, 2009
5 stars – Romantic Suspense/Thriller
I didn’t know anything about this author previously and the book was a total impulse buy, so I was very pleasantly surprised by this intense, taut, romantic suspense thriller. I started reading it last night at 8 pm and stayed up until 2:30 am to finish…I simply couldn’t put it down.
Special Agent Dean Taggert leaves behind his career with the FBI’s Violent Crimes Unit to join the newly formed Cyber Action Team to escape the brutality and nightmares of his past work with the VCU and as a former street/vice cop and to convince his ex-wife to grant him more time with their 7-year-old son. The FBI’s Cyber Action Team’s mission is to investigate Internet-related threats/crimes, but never in a million years did Agent Taggert think his new position with CATs would thrust him into the darkest, most violent and disturbing murder investigation of his long career.
There’s a sadistic, psychotic serial killer who calls himself the Reaper auctioning off murder to the highest bidder on a demented cyber club called Satan’s Playground. After witnessing 8 vicious, brutal kills by the Reaper online, it’s up to Dean and the rest of the CATs to stop him before he finds and auctions his next victim. Their only solid clue is a missing person’s report of the first victim that leads them to the peaceful, small town of Hope Valley, Virginia, and right into Sheriff Stacey Rhodes’s backdoor.
Razor-sharp, smart, calm-under-pressure Stacey Rhodes came back to her quiet, sleepy hometown to recover from a violent past working with the Virginia State Police and to take over as Sheriff for her father. Nothing could have prepared her for the shocking truth that the town’s local bad girl reported missing 18 months prior was the victim of a psychopathic serial killer, or even more disturbing, that the Reaper could very well be one of her town’s own citizens.
Special Agent Dean Taggert and Sheriff Stacey Rhodes feel immediate, intense chemistry and share a deep, mutual respect as they work together to try and solve the case. The attraction between the lead characters is instantaneous, but the slower paced, toned down romantic development is more believable since the timing and events of the case leave little chance for them to act on their feelings. Although there is a satisfying romance at the core of the story between the H/H, I would probably classify this as a dark romantic thriller, rather than just a romantic suspense. There is one emotionally charged, steamy sex scene between Dean and Stacey that’s very tastefully done and doesn’t distract from the story’s realism or volatile pace.
The premise of Fade to Black reminds me a bit of a cross between a CSI episode and the movie Untraceable starring Diane Lane and Billy Burke. It’s a very well written, fast paced, gripping, clever, gritty, and chilling dark suspense/thriller with a taut, well crafted plot and intriguing characters. The H/H are very likable, and the author does a great job of pulling you in and making you care deeply for them both and their relationship. There is a large cast of secondary characters and several potential suspects, lots of twists and surprises, and the story keeps you guessing until the very final moments. Every time I thought I had it all figured out, more layers would be revealed and/or something happened to prove me wrong, which is unusual and exciting for me since I often figure out the whodunnit and ending.
So if you don’t mind a romantic suspense/thriller with an intense, dark plot that has fairly graphic depictions of murder, but that is well done, realistic, and doesn’t hold back, then you’ll find it here. This is the first in the Black CATs trilogy, and I’ll definitely read the next book in the series, Pitch Black, when it comes out in August’2009! 5 stars!
I didn’t know anything about this author previously and the book was a total impulse buy, so I was very pleasantly surprised by this intense, taut, romantic suspense thriller. I started reading it last night at 8 pm and stayed up until 2:30 am to finish…I simply couldn’t put it down.
Special Agent Dean Taggert leaves behind his career with the FBI’s Violent Crimes Unit to join the newly formed Cyber Action Team to escape the brutality and nightmares of his past work with the VCU and as a former street/vice cop and to convince his ex-wife to grant him more time with their 7-year-old son. The FBI’s Cyber Action Team’s mission is to investigate Internet-related threats/crimes, but never in a million years did Agent Taggert think his new position with CATs would thrust him into the darkest, most violent and disturbing murder investigation of his long career.
There’s a sadistic, psychotic serial killer who calls himself the Reaper auctioning off murder to the highest bidder on a demented cyber club called Satan’s Playground. After witnessing 8 vicious, brutal kills by the Reaper online, it’s up to Dean and the rest of the CATs to stop him before he finds and auctions his next victim. Their only solid clue is a missing person’s report of the first victim that leads them to the peaceful, small town of Hope Valley, Virginia, and right into Sheriff Stacey Rhodes’s backdoor.
Razor-sharp, smart, calm-under-pressure Stacey Rhodes came back to her quiet, sleepy hometown to recover from a violent past working with the Virginia State Police and to take over as Sheriff for her father. Nothing could have prepared her for the shocking truth that the town’s local bad girl reported missing 18 months prior was the victim of a psychopathic serial killer, or even more disturbing, that the Reaper could very well be one of her town’s own citizens.
Special Agent Dean Taggert and Sheriff Stacey Rhodes feel immediate, intense chemistry and share a deep, mutual respect as they work together to try and solve the case. The attraction between the lead characters is instantaneous, but the slower paced, toned down romantic development is more believable since the timing and events of the case leave little chance for them to act on their feelings. Although there is a satisfying romance at the core of the story between the H/H, I would probably classify this as a dark romantic thriller, rather than just a romantic suspense. There is one emotionally charged, steamy sex scene between Dean and Stacey that’s very tastefully done and doesn’t distract from the story’s realism or volatile pace.
The premise of Fade to Black reminds me a bit of a cross between a CSI episode and the movie Untraceable starring Diane Lane and Billy Burke. It’s a very well written, fast paced, gripping, clever, gritty, and chilling dark suspense/thriller with a taut, well crafted plot and intriguing characters. The H/H are very likable, and the author does a great job of pulling you in and making you care deeply for them both and their relationship. There is a large cast of secondary characters and several potential suspects, lots of twists and surprises, and the story keeps you guessing until the very final moments. Every time I thought I had it all figured out, more layers would be revealed and/or something happened to prove me wrong, which is unusual and exciting for me since I often figure out the whodunnit and ending.
So if you don’t mind a romantic suspense/thriller with an intense, dark plot that has fairly graphic depictions of murder, but that is well done, realistic, and doesn’t hold back, then you’ll find it here. This is the first in the Black CATs trilogy, and I’ll definitely read the next book in the series, Pitch Black, when it comes out in August’2009! 5 stars!
February 20, 2024
Ein bestialischer Killer macht das Internet unsicher. Er versteigert die Entscheidung darüber, wie sein nächstes Opfer sterben soll, an zahlungswillige Perverse und lädt Filme seiner Taten dann im Netz hoch.
Dean, Ermittler einer Spezialeinheit zur Bekämpfung von Internetkriminalität landet bei seinen Ermittlungen in der Kleinstadt Hope Valley, in der es wenig hoffnungsvoll zugeht. Misshandelte Ehefrauen, Teenager, die andere mobben, verschwundene Frauen, ein Mann, der sein Grundstück mit Argusaugen und Waffen vor Eindringlingen schützt. Lediglich der örtliche Sheriff Stacey lässt Deans Herz höher schlagen. Sie arbeiten kaum wenige Stunden zusammen, da fühlt er sich schon zu ihr hingezogen.
Ich muss sagen, dass ich den Fall wirklich sehr interessant fand und Leslie Parrish etwas geschafft hat, was ich schon lange bei keinem Thriller mehr hatte: Ich hatte bis zum Schluss keine Ahnung, wer der Täter ist. Sie führt sehr viele männliche Figuren ein und das kommt ihr irgendwann zu Gute, wenn man anfängt, darüber zu grübeln, wer es gewesen sein könnte. Die Auflösung wirkt dann aber trotzdem schlüssig und ich habe mich gefragt, wie ich das übersehen konnte.
Die Insta-Love hingegen hat mich ziemlich mit den Augen rollen lassen. Dean und Stacey schmachten sich vom ersten Augenblick an und ihre Hormone überfluten sämtliche Ermittlungen. Und zwar, ohne, dass sie sich richtig kennenlernen. Und als sie sich dann kennenlernen ist es so schnell so intensiv, dass es unglaubwürdig war. Aber weil ich den Ermittlerteil in diesem Buch sehr mochte, dieser echt spannend und undurchsichtig war, mochte ich das Buch trotzdem gerne.
Man merkt dem Aspekt des Internets an, dass das Buch schon einige Jahre auf dem Buckel hat, aber das hat dem Lesespaß keinen Abbruch getan. Ich werde mit der Reihe auf jeden Fall weiter machen.
Dean, Ermittler einer Spezialeinheit zur Bekämpfung von Internetkriminalität landet bei seinen Ermittlungen in der Kleinstadt Hope Valley, in der es wenig hoffnungsvoll zugeht. Misshandelte Ehefrauen, Teenager, die andere mobben, verschwundene Frauen, ein Mann, der sein Grundstück mit Argusaugen und Waffen vor Eindringlingen schützt. Lediglich der örtliche Sheriff Stacey lässt Deans Herz höher schlagen. Sie arbeiten kaum wenige Stunden zusammen, da fühlt er sich schon zu ihr hingezogen.
Ich muss sagen, dass ich den Fall wirklich sehr interessant fand und Leslie Parrish etwas geschafft hat, was ich schon lange bei keinem Thriller mehr hatte: Ich hatte bis zum Schluss keine Ahnung, wer der Täter ist. Sie führt sehr viele männliche Figuren ein und das kommt ihr irgendwann zu Gute, wenn man anfängt, darüber zu grübeln, wer es gewesen sein könnte. Die Auflösung wirkt dann aber trotzdem schlüssig und ich habe mich gefragt, wie ich das übersehen konnte.
Die Insta-Love hingegen hat mich ziemlich mit den Augen rollen lassen. Dean und Stacey schmachten sich vom ersten Augenblick an und ihre Hormone überfluten sämtliche Ermittlungen. Und zwar, ohne, dass sie sich richtig kennenlernen. Und als sie sich dann kennenlernen ist es so schnell so intensiv, dass es unglaubwürdig war. Aber weil ich den Ermittlerteil in diesem Buch sehr mochte, dieser echt spannend und undurchsichtig war, mochte ich das Buch trotzdem gerne.
Man merkt dem Aspekt des Internets an, dass das Buch schon einige Jahre auf dem Buckel hat, aber das hat dem Lesespaß keinen Abbruch getan. Ich werde mit der Reihe auf jeden Fall weiter machen.
October 26, 2009
Sometimes you get really lucky when you pick up a random book at the book store...this was one of those times. These days I don't buy many random, unknown author books (lack of reading time and money), but I'm a big romantic suspense fan and it's the one genre I will still occasionally pick up a random book for. So when I saw this in the store and thought it looked interesting, I decided to give it a try. It wasn't until I got home and looked up the book on GR that I found out I actually did know the author as Leslie Parrish is a pseudonym for Leslie Kelly who writes romance/romantic comedies. And I'd read a couple of her books and enjoyed them. I figured this book would likely be good, but I wasn't sure how Kelly (as Parrish) would translate to romantic suspense. I have to say she does very well in this genre. I was totally hooked and loved the book on all levels.
Summary:
The Black CATs are an FBI Cyber Action Team lead by Wyatt Blackstone, a bit of a down and out FBI agent, who investigate internet-based murders. The team is made up of a combination of computer techs and street agents. Dean Taggert was a street agent who decided he needed to get away from all the darkness his investigations exposed him to, the effects of which had a hand in destroying his marriage and distancing him from his son. He thought the CATs job would lighten up his life.
Then one of his teammates discovers a deeply undercover website called Satan's Playground where all kinds of vile virtual atrocities are played out. But worse, he finds videos posted are being posted by a man calling himself The Reaper in which women are being murdered in real life. There are eight snuff videos so far, meaning eight dead women. This type of investigation is exactly what Dean didn't want to be part of, but once he gets involved, he's all in. He wants the bastard caught.
His investigation leads him to Hope Valley, Virginia and to Sheriff Stacey Rhodes. There is an instantaneous attraction between the two, but Dean is wary of ever getting seriously involved again and Stacey isn't ready for serious involvement...she's got emotional scars of her own. But as the investigation heats up in The Reaper, the two can't avoid the attraction, or the feelings building between them.
Review:
For me, this was a true blue romantic suspense book. There's a really solid suspense plot that hooked me, kept me reading, and surprised me at the end. And there's a nice, full-bodied romance between two great characters. The balance between the two was perfect and made this just an all around awesome book.
I really liked both Stacey and Dean. Stacey is a strong, intelligent, independent woman...but not so independent that she acts stupid...with a good heart and just generally nice. And Dean is an all around good guy with a little Alpha in him, but not so much he tries to be a controlling brute. He respects Stacey's intelligence and experience and though he wants to protect her, he doesn't try to tell her what to do. They made a great couple and I thought complemented each other nicely. There was a little bit of steaminess to the book as well, but not a lot.
The suspense plot was fantastic. Which, okay, is weird to say about a story featuring snuff films, but it was well done by the author. Parrish isn't as police procedural as some other authors; she focuses more on the human aspect, but the investigative part was still good. It's creepy, twisted, disturbing...a storyline that will make you shudder because it's entirely plausible in real life. I was totally sucked into what was going on and just wanted to keep reading to see what would happen next.
I thought I knew who the bad guy was from very early on...and it turned out I was completely and utterly wrong. The ending came as a complete surprise to me. I would have never guessed the bad guy's identity, but it made complete sense once I knew. So I have to give kudos to Parrish for the whodunit part of the story. I always love to be surprise by how things work out.
I don't really have any criticisms of the book. It worked for me on all levels. I even liked that the supporting characters (upcoming main characters) got some POV scenes. It makes the series feel much more well-rounded. I just thought everything worked well in this book and I'd say it's likely one of the best ones I've read so far this year.
For those of you romantic suspense fans, especially those who like Karen Rose, Kate Brady, Beverly Barton, etc, I think this is a book you'd like.
WARNING, this book contains: disturbing descriptions of murder and other dark themes.
Summary:
The Black CATs are an FBI Cyber Action Team lead by Wyatt Blackstone, a bit of a down and out FBI agent, who investigate internet-based murders. The team is made up of a combination of computer techs and street agents. Dean Taggert was a street agent who decided he needed to get away from all the darkness his investigations exposed him to, the effects of which had a hand in destroying his marriage and distancing him from his son. He thought the CATs job would lighten up his life.
Then one of his teammates discovers a deeply undercover website called Satan's Playground where all kinds of vile virtual atrocities are played out. But worse, he finds videos posted are being posted by a man calling himself The Reaper in which women are being murdered in real life. There are eight snuff videos so far, meaning eight dead women. This type of investigation is exactly what Dean didn't want to be part of, but once he gets involved, he's all in. He wants the bastard caught.
His investigation leads him to Hope Valley, Virginia and to Sheriff Stacey Rhodes. There is an instantaneous attraction between the two, but Dean is wary of ever getting seriously involved again and Stacey isn't ready for serious involvement...she's got emotional scars of her own. But as the investigation heats up in The Reaper, the two can't avoid the attraction, or the feelings building between them.
Review:
For me, this was a true blue romantic suspense book. There's a really solid suspense plot that hooked me, kept me reading, and surprised me at the end. And there's a nice, full-bodied romance between two great characters. The balance between the two was perfect and made this just an all around awesome book.
I really liked both Stacey and Dean. Stacey is a strong, intelligent, independent woman...but not so independent that she acts stupid...with a good heart and just generally nice. And Dean is an all around good guy with a little Alpha in him, but not so much he tries to be a controlling brute. He respects Stacey's intelligence and experience and though he wants to protect her, he doesn't try to tell her what to do. They made a great couple and I thought complemented each other nicely. There was a little bit of steaminess to the book as well, but not a lot.
The suspense plot was fantastic. Which, okay, is weird to say about a story featuring snuff films, but it was well done by the author. Parrish isn't as police procedural as some other authors; she focuses more on the human aspect, but the investigative part was still good. It's creepy, twisted, disturbing...a storyline that will make you shudder because it's entirely plausible in real life. I was totally sucked into what was going on and just wanted to keep reading to see what would happen next.
I thought I knew who the bad guy was from very early on...and it turned out I was completely and utterly wrong. The ending came as a complete surprise to me. I would have never guessed the bad guy's identity, but it made complete sense once I knew. So I have to give kudos to Parrish for the whodunit part of the story. I always love to be surprise by how things work out.
I don't really have any criticisms of the book. It worked for me on all levels. I even liked that the supporting characters (upcoming main characters) got some POV scenes. It makes the series feel much more well-rounded. I just thought everything worked well in this book and I'd say it's likely one of the best ones I've read so far this year.
For those of you romantic suspense fans, especially those who like Karen Rose, Kate Brady, Beverly Barton, etc, I think this is a book you'd like.
WARNING, this book contains: disturbing descriptions of murder and other dark themes.
November 4, 2009
Enjoyed the first book in the Black CATS (Cyber Action Team) series set primarily in the fictitious small town of Hope Valley, Virginia. Nicely written, excellent suspense-thriller-romance with two well rounded main characters.
Stacey Rhodes followed the family legacy and moved back to Hope Valley to finish out her ailing father's term as town sheriff. A "Rhodes" had been the sheriff for several generations and she wanted less murder and mayham in her police career, so the opportunity and timing fit. Stacey was a very likable (refreshing) character because she was competent and strong without going overboard. She didn't have a lot of hangups and was a tell-it-like-it-is kinda gal.
Dean Taggart arrives in Hope Valley with the Black CATS team (FBI) to investigate a serial killer. I enjoyed his character and he made my "heartthrob theme." He was strong, without being overprotective, provided backup without overshadowing.... Laughed at the good-cop, bad-cop scene!
There is one nasty, gruesome, serial killer who used a private Internet chat/game room full of perverts and sick-os in this book and the "who-done-it" was a big part of the suspense. However, only one death is detailed, the others are talked about. The romance is right up-front in this one, no lurking in the sidelines, surfacing toward the end. I liked that. Nicely done.
PG13
Stacey Rhodes followed the family legacy and moved back to Hope Valley to finish out her ailing father's term as town sheriff. A "Rhodes" had been the sheriff for several generations and she wanted less murder and mayham in her police career, so the opportunity and timing fit. Stacey was a very likable (refreshing) character because she was competent and strong without going overboard. She didn't have a lot of hangups and was a tell-it-like-it-is kinda gal.
Dean Taggart arrives in Hope Valley with the Black CATS team (FBI) to investigate a serial killer. I enjoyed his character and he made my "heartthrob theme." He was strong, without being overprotective, provided backup without overshadowing.... Laughed at the good-cop, bad-cop scene!
There is one nasty, gruesome, serial killer who used a private Internet chat/game room full of perverts and sick-os in this book and the "who-done-it" was a big part of the suspense. However, only one death is detailed, the others are talked about. The romance is right up-front in this one, no lurking in the sidelines, surfacing toward the end. I liked that. Nicely done.
PG13
September 29, 2009
Special Agent Dean Taggert, member of a special Cyber Action Team (CAT) dealing in Internet-related murders, comes into the small town of Hope Valley, Virginia, pursuing a case that might have something to do with a missing person reported seventeen months ago.
Up until now, everybody in Hope Valley, Sheriff Stacey Rhodes included, though local girl Lisa Zimmerman had simply taken off with one of her druggie boyfriends. A video, found on a "specialized" website catering to the lowest of the low on the humane scale, appropriately called Satan's Playground proves them all wrong. Lisa had been murdered that night seventeen months ago...And she knew her killer.
Having literally escaped back home to Hope Valley from what she's seen and experienced during her stint in state police, Stacey Rhodes, can't believe blood and death have invaded her small, serene home town. And that the killer, with a deadly handle of The Reaper, still on the loose, slowly but inexorably letting go of his grasp on reality, could be someone she knows, someone she works with, someone she loves.
With the time between the murders escalating and the Reaper becoming more and more brazen with his Internet murder-auctions, Stacey, Dean and his CAT team race against the clock to uncover the Reaper's identity and save his next intended victim...
This is the first book in a suspense/thriller series (it appears a trilogy for now) by Leslie Parrish. Fade to Black started with a compelling and utterly chilling prologue, and the suspense didn't let up until the fast-paced, completely unexpected finale.
The plot was great, well-developped and well-written, the pacing great (thought it dragged its feet a little at the beginning, but that's to be expected with a first book in any series), the characters were nicely drawn and "fully-dimensional", the dynamic was great and the chills and thrills throughout the story compelled me to finish this one in one sitting.
Though some might find the multiple-character POW and procedural part of the story somewhat boring and uneventful, it helped develop the reader's understanding of the characters and what made each of them tick, brought the whole apprehending-the-killer procedure a little closer to the reader's understanding, along with nicely sketching the initial team dynamic, which, as the story progressed, developped into true team-work. Six completely different characters, literally forced to work together sight unseen, developped a new, strong team-bond throughout the story, promising even more excitement in the future.
I absolutely loved the cat-and-mouse game between the killer and his pursuers, the clues that seemed to bring them closer to the killer, yet contradicted themselves at the same time. The suspect list was an arm long, with new clues pointing in different directions and possibilities with each page, and I loved the utter surprise the Reaper's identity presented. Never saw that one coming.
The different twists and turns, smaller sub-plots, great characters, wonderful pacing, the chilling suspense, and that little touch of romance (though I wouldn't miss it if it weren't there) make Fade to Black a truly wonderful and compelling read. A great first installment in this series and I can't wait to read the rest.
P.S. Shawna, thanks a bunch for pointing me in the direction of this beauty. ;)
Up until now, everybody in Hope Valley, Sheriff Stacey Rhodes included, though local girl Lisa Zimmerman had simply taken off with one of her druggie boyfriends. A video, found on a "specialized" website catering to the lowest of the low on the humane scale, appropriately called Satan's Playground proves them all wrong. Lisa had been murdered that night seventeen months ago...And she knew her killer.
Having literally escaped back home to Hope Valley from what she's seen and experienced during her stint in state police, Stacey Rhodes, can't believe blood and death have invaded her small, serene home town. And that the killer, with a deadly handle of The Reaper, still on the loose, slowly but inexorably letting go of his grasp on reality, could be someone she knows, someone she works with, someone she loves.
With the time between the murders escalating and the Reaper becoming more and more brazen with his Internet murder-auctions, Stacey, Dean and his CAT team race against the clock to uncover the Reaper's identity and save his next intended victim...
This is the first book in a suspense/thriller series (it appears a trilogy for now) by Leslie Parrish. Fade to Black started with a compelling and utterly chilling prologue, and the suspense didn't let up until the fast-paced, completely unexpected finale.
The plot was great, well-developped and well-written, the pacing great (thought it dragged its feet a little at the beginning, but that's to be expected with a first book in any series), the characters were nicely drawn and "fully-dimensional", the dynamic was great and the chills and thrills throughout the story compelled me to finish this one in one sitting.
Though some might find the multiple-character POW and procedural part of the story somewhat boring and uneventful, it helped develop the reader's understanding of the characters and what made each of them tick, brought the whole apprehending-the-killer procedure a little closer to the reader's understanding, along with nicely sketching the initial team dynamic, which, as the story progressed, developped into true team-work. Six completely different characters, literally forced to work together sight unseen, developped a new, strong team-bond throughout the story, promising even more excitement in the future.
I absolutely loved the cat-and-mouse game between the killer and his pursuers, the clues that seemed to bring them closer to the killer, yet contradicted themselves at the same time. The suspect list was an arm long, with new clues pointing in different directions and possibilities with each page, and I loved the utter surprise the Reaper's identity presented. Never saw that one coming.
The different twists and turns, smaller sub-plots, great characters, wonderful pacing, the chilling suspense, and that little touch of romance (though I wouldn't miss it if it weren't there) make Fade to Black a truly wonderful and compelling read. A great first installment in this series and I can't wait to read the rest.
P.S. Shawna, thanks a bunch for pointing me in the direction of this beauty. ;)
July 8, 2014
4 1/2 stars (rounded down to 4 stars, because the mystery/suspense was way stronger than the romance and that affected my connection to the H/h)
November 11, 2011
Wow! I Wasn't Expecting That!
I've never been so pleased to have stumbled across a book written by an author I'd never read before and given the book a chance based on nothing more than the genre (romantic thrillers are a favorite of mine) and the reviews. Fade to Black is one of the better ones I've read. I'm very happy I found it!
The genre itself presupposes a small amount of formula - there has to be a bad guy (or group of bad guys) that do bad things who need to be stopped from continuing to do those things as soon as possible. Given how many romantic suspense/thrillers I've read, I'm perfectly okay with the formulaic requirement. Often what separates the grain from the chaff in this genre isn't what's happening, it's how it happens and who it happens to.
That's truly what puts Leslie Parrish's Fade to Black a head above others I've read - especially recently.
Well-paced, carefully plotted, and not excessively gruesome while still being horrifying, Fade to Black offers up a solid cast of characters that don't feel like new characters. In fact, I was truly surprised this is a first book in a loose series, because the secondary characters in particular - the Black CATs - and their history seemed solid and fleshed out, and gave me more of a sense of history between them and in their work than I would expect for a first book. Very well done, because reading Fade to Black felt like sliding on a pair of really comfy jeans already broken in.
And about those characters - thank you, Leslie Parrish for giving your book and your readers a male lead who wasn't an overprotective, chest-thumping troglodyte and a female lead who wasn't a neurotic victim-in-waiting. Maybe I haven't been reading the right books, because lately I've been stuck in books with whiney, self-absorbed female leads who manage glaring moments of stupidity and self-destruction with males falling all over themselves to either save or protect them, no matter how much nicer it'd be for the reader if they just got dead.
And for the record there is a wide, thick line between "strength" and "bitch," people, and women can have one without being the other. I wish more authors would realize that. Parrish does.
Fade to Black's Sheriff Stacey Rhodes is an intelligent, competent, professional woman who handles herself and her job with aplomb. She has depth and carries some baggage, but nothing that cripples her...or the reader by being hammered over the head with it over and over and over. Stuff she needs to work through. Special Agent Dean Taggert is a better man than he thinks he is, and is also good at what he does, and his baggage from his recent divorce hasn't turned him against women or made him bitter against women in general. And he loves his son.
When these two meet under circumstances I'd image no law enforcement agent would ever want to contemplate, the sparks are instant, but the acting on them completely realistic and refreshingly adult. As their relationship strengthens and deepens, it does so in a healthy, real way that was such a...relief...after some of the overwrought emotional tugs-of-war that I've read. It was surprisingly satisfying and gave me something to smile about.
And believe me, given what's going on around them, I needed something to smile about. I've read darker in the genre, but Parrish doesn't pull any punches - she just keeps most of the gore from those punches off screen. If I had to guess, I think some people may be disturbed by aspects of this book, and the way in which certain scenes are dealt with. Personally I found it dark, but craftily written. Nothing damaging or haunting (I've read one or two that have given me nightmares...and I don't scare easy), but dark, so be warned if you don't like dark.
Though...if you don't like dark, perhaps this isn't the genre for you.
All in all, a solid read that I enjoyed very much, and I've already downloaded Pitch Black, to be read soon. I'll be keeping my eye out for anything else Parrish has written or will write. I really like how she does it.
Note: Originally reviewed on Amazon.com on 8/25/09.
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Check out all my reviews at One Good Book Deserves Another.
I've never been so pleased to have stumbled across a book written by an author I'd never read before and given the book a chance based on nothing more than the genre (romantic thrillers are a favorite of mine) and the reviews. Fade to Black is one of the better ones I've read. I'm very happy I found it!
The genre itself presupposes a small amount of formula - there has to be a bad guy (or group of bad guys) that do bad things who need to be stopped from continuing to do those things as soon as possible. Given how many romantic suspense/thrillers I've read, I'm perfectly okay with the formulaic requirement. Often what separates the grain from the chaff in this genre isn't what's happening, it's how it happens and who it happens to.
That's truly what puts Leslie Parrish's Fade to Black a head above others I've read - especially recently.
Well-paced, carefully plotted, and not excessively gruesome while still being horrifying, Fade to Black offers up a solid cast of characters that don't feel like new characters. In fact, I was truly surprised this is a first book in a loose series, because the secondary characters in particular - the Black CATs - and their history seemed solid and fleshed out, and gave me more of a sense of history between them and in their work than I would expect for a first book. Very well done, because reading Fade to Black felt like sliding on a pair of really comfy jeans already broken in.
And about those characters - thank you, Leslie Parrish for giving your book and your readers a male lead who wasn't an overprotective, chest-thumping troglodyte and a female lead who wasn't a neurotic victim-in-waiting. Maybe I haven't been reading the right books, because lately I've been stuck in books with whiney, self-absorbed female leads who manage glaring moments of stupidity and self-destruction with males falling all over themselves to either save or protect them, no matter how much nicer it'd be for the reader if they just got dead.
And for the record there is a wide, thick line between "strength" and "bitch," people, and women can have one without being the other. I wish more authors would realize that. Parrish does.
Fade to Black's Sheriff Stacey Rhodes is an intelligent, competent, professional woman who handles herself and her job with aplomb. She has depth and carries some baggage, but nothing that cripples her...or the reader by being hammered over the head with it over and over and over. Stuff she needs to work through. Special Agent Dean Taggert is a better man than he thinks he is, and is also good at what he does, and his baggage from his recent divorce hasn't turned him against women or made him bitter against women in general. And he loves his son.
When these two meet under circumstances I'd image no law enforcement agent would ever want to contemplate, the sparks are instant, but the acting on them completely realistic and refreshingly adult. As their relationship strengthens and deepens, it does so in a healthy, real way that was such a...relief...after some of the overwrought emotional tugs-of-war that I've read. It was surprisingly satisfying and gave me something to smile about.
And believe me, given what's going on around them, I needed something to smile about. I've read darker in the genre, but Parrish doesn't pull any punches - she just keeps most of the gore from those punches off screen. If I had to guess, I think some people may be disturbed by aspects of this book, and the way in which certain scenes are dealt with. Personally I found it dark, but craftily written. Nothing damaging or haunting (I've read one or two that have given me nightmares...and I don't scare easy), but dark, so be warned if you don't like dark.
Though...if you don't like dark, perhaps this isn't the genre for you.
All in all, a solid read that I enjoyed very much, and I've already downloaded Pitch Black, to be read soon. I'll be keeping my eye out for anything else Parrish has written or will write. I really like how she does it.
Note: Originally reviewed on Amazon.com on 8/25/09.
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Check out all my reviews at One Good Book Deserves Another.
May 16, 2020
I´m unable of enjoy a romance with the huge amount of violence against children and women that there is in this one. It borders on bad taste. The crimes are so salvage, so nauseating and so horrifying that they belong to police reports only (and sadly). But not to a romance.
It has been brutal.
Dnf @ 50%.
***
Soy incapaz de disfrutar leyendo un romance con la cantidad brutal de violencia contra menores y mujeres que hay en esta historia. Casi roza el mal gusto. Los crímenes son tan brutales, desagradables y horripilantes que pertenecen a las páginas de sucesos de un periódico (por desgracia) no a un romance.
Ha sido brutal.
Lo dejo al 50%.
It has been brutal.
Dnf @ 50%.
***
Soy incapaz de disfrutar leyendo un romance con la cantidad brutal de violencia contra menores y mujeres que hay en esta historia. Casi roza el mal gusto. Los crímenes son tan brutales, desagradables y horripilantes que pertenecen a las páginas de sucesos de un periódico (por desgracia) no a un romance.
Ha sido brutal.
Lo dejo al 50%.
April 13, 2018
Fade to Black
4 Stars
The Black CATs is a new FBI cyber team dedicated to solving murders originating on the Internet. The newest case involves a serial killer auctioning off his kills on an underground website. The team track the killer’s first victim to a small-town and Special Agent Dean Taggert is assigned to liaise with the local Sheriff Stacey Rhodes. As the two develop a personal relationship alongside the professional, they find themselves in a race against time to locate a sadistic psychopath before he kills again…
Fans of the TV show Criminal Minds will find themselves in familiar territory with the Black CATs. Although the subject matter is exceedingly disturbing, Kelly handles it all with subtlety and a minimum of blood and gore.
The plot is a solid police procedural with the traditional investigative techniques and an abundance of suspects. Even though there are sufficient clues as to the killer’s identity, Kelly manages some clever slight of hand and the ultimate reveal is quite a surprise.
The romance is similar to many others in the genre with cooperation between the FBI and local law enforcement turning into something more. Dean and Stacey are both appealing characters with their own personal baggage, but this never interferes with either their professionalism or their growing emotional connection that builds slowly after the initial physical attraction.
All in all, Fade to Black is a well-written romantic thriller that includes all the right elements for an entertaining read. I have the rest of the series and look forward to continuing with it.
4 Stars
The Black CATs is a new FBI cyber team dedicated to solving murders originating on the Internet. The newest case involves a serial killer auctioning off his kills on an underground website. The team track the killer’s first victim to a small-town and Special Agent Dean Taggert is assigned to liaise with the local Sheriff Stacey Rhodes. As the two develop a personal relationship alongside the professional, they find themselves in a race against time to locate a sadistic psychopath before he kills again…
Fans of the TV show Criminal Minds will find themselves in familiar territory with the Black CATs. Although the subject matter is exceedingly disturbing, Kelly handles it all with subtlety and a minimum of blood and gore.
The plot is a solid police procedural with the traditional investigative techniques and an abundance of suspects. Even though there are sufficient clues as to the killer’s identity, Kelly manages some clever slight of hand and the ultimate reveal is quite a surprise.
The romance is similar to many others in the genre with cooperation between the FBI and local law enforcement turning into something more. Dean and Stacey are both appealing characters with their own personal baggage, but this never interferes with either their professionalism or their growing emotional connection that builds slowly after the initial physical attraction.
All in all, Fade to Black is a well-written romantic thriller that includes all the right elements for an entertaining read. I have the rest of the series and look forward to continuing with it.
June 21, 2016
Two-haiku review:
Serial killer
He's FBI cyber team
She's small-town sheriff
Terrific suspense
Like cyber Criminal Minds
And nice romance, too
Serial killer
He's FBI cyber team
She's small-town sheriff
Terrific suspense
Like cyber Criminal Minds
And nice romance, too
July 21, 2011
Amazing read!
This is the first book in Leslie Parrish's BlackCAT series.
The stories are about an 'experimental' FBI team fondly known amongst it's members as the BlackCAT's (black because their team leader's name is Wyatt Blackstone and CAT for Cyber Action Team). Their whole purpose is to solve actual murders that occur or are 'posted' on line. The team consists of field agents as well as IT specialists.
This story captures the reader right from the get go.
What I love most about this author is that the lead characters are intelligent, strong, compassionate, and have great senses of humor even though the stories are rather dark and disturbing.
I can't wait to read the next story in the series!
This is the first book in Leslie Parrish's BlackCAT series.
The stories are about an 'experimental' FBI team fondly known amongst it's members as the BlackCAT's (black because their team leader's name is Wyatt Blackstone and CAT for Cyber Action Team). Their whole purpose is to solve actual murders that occur or are 'posted' on line. The team consists of field agents as well as IT specialists.
This story captures the reader right from the get go.
What I love most about this author is that the lead characters are intelligent, strong, compassionate, and have great senses of humor even though the stories are rather dark and disturbing.
I can't wait to read the next story in the series!
February 18, 2018
A crazy wild ride with suspense and romance blended in just right.
I don't have much to say here other than I was very happy with it... I kept thinking how the serial killer kept making such stupid mistakes or kept believing the wrong thing but once they tell you who it is you realize that it fits the person. Usually we have smart serial killers and in the end their arrogance is what messes them up but here we have a killer who makes mistakes because he's weak and is only arrogant in a fake world, and in the reveal we understand why. I liked this little twist in things from the RS serial killer 'norm'.
I enjoy Leslie Parrish's RS books very much so I hope she keeps them coming.
I don't have much to say here other than I was very happy with it... I kept thinking how the serial killer kept making such stupid mistakes or kept believing the wrong thing but once they tell you who it is you realize that it fits the person. Usually we have smart serial killers and in the end their arrogance is what messes them up but here we have a killer who makes mistakes because he's weak and is only arrogant in a fake world, and in the reveal we understand why. I liked this little twist in things from the RS serial killer 'norm'.
I enjoy Leslie Parrish's RS books very much so I hope she keeps them coming.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2016
Geez, this was as pretty good FBI/police mystery/romance. I didn't realize at first that Leslie Parrish is Leslie Kelly. I have read a couple of Kelly's Blaze stories and enjoyed them. I think this side of her writing nature is even better. The characters were interesting and I always appreciate an author who can make a strong female character is is neither a bitch nor a ball buster. I will read the rest of the Black Cats series for sure.
July 5, 2010
Rating: 4.95 // Action: 5 / Emotion: 4.95 / Romance: 4 / Sensuous: 4 / Intrigue: 5 / Humor: 5 / Tears: 3
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First time to read a Leslie Parrish book. Absolutely loved it! Grabbed attention from opening page. Kept it to the ending page. Fade To Black , is the first Black CATs Novel. It contains all the elements to make it a perfect five-point-oh book. {1} Action and adventure ran from start to finish. {2} Edge-of-your-seat suspense. There was a large pool of potential villains for the protagonists to sift through to find the serial killer. Parrish kept the reader guessing until the very end. (I guessed wrong.) {3} A strong sense of romance pervaded the story even though both hero and heroine were not at all the mushy types. {4} The sexual tension between Dean and Stacey was so strong, it could almost be cut with a knife. It started the minute they met each other. The only reason the book was not a 5.0, was because of the scarcity of love scenes. But that one love scene was filled with fiery heat and magic. Just wanted more of that heat and magic. {5} And finally, Parrish strongly engaged the reader's emotions. She caused tears to flow as well as laughter to erupt.
Wyatt Blackstone is introduced as the Supervisory Special Agent in charge of a team made up of misfits expected to crash and fail. They are called Black CATs because they are considered the black sheep of all the Cyber Action Teams. They are given no support from other divisions of the FBI because many agents are angry because their friends and co-workers were jailed or lost their jobs when Wyatt blew the whistle on internal corruption.
Dean Taggert served five years with Baltimore PD vice, and seven years with FBI ViCAP. Dean's ex-wife used his job as an excuse to restrict the amount of time he could spend with his seven-year-old son, Jared. Dean transferred to the Black CATs in an effort to get away from the darker crimes encountered in ViCAP. Just his luck that he becomes the lead agent on a serial killer case. The Reaper has been auctioning off to fellow subscribers of 'Satan's Playground' the means of death for his victims, to be viewed on said site.
Dean heads out to the little town of Hope Valley, Virginia to investigate because The Reaper's first victim's body was never recovered and she obviously knew her killer. Dean was surprised to find an ex-Virginia State Police officer serving as the sheriff. Stacey Rhodes was serving the last two years of her father's term when he was incapacitated by arthritis. Stacey was also running away from the emotional trauma of having served with VSP during the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre.
As Dean and Stacey look for The Reaper, they fight their mutual attraction. They both have so much emotional baggage that it takes them a while to work through their issues to decide to give in to their desires. There is just such magnetism between Dean and Stacey. One cannot help but be drawn in by their strength of character as they look for a killer while slowly letting down emotional barriers.
Parrish makes Stacey so real. Parrish developed interesting supporting characters for Stacey to interact with. {1} Connie, the sheriff's quirky receptionist/dispatcher, who is dating Stacey's wonderful, full-of-integrity father. {2} Tim Rhodes, Stacey's brother, returned from Iraq injured inside and out and causes Stacey some difficult moments, even going so far as to inducing her to put him on the prospective killer list. {3} Mitch Flanagan, Stacey's chief-deputy, who overcame an abusive father and tries to help his trouble-making younger brother. {4} Winnie Freed, the down-trodden mother of The Reaper's first victim, who has come in to Stacey's office every Wednesday to ask about the status of her missing daughter's case.
Parrish also develops a wonderful rapport between Dean's teammates. {1} Kyle Mulrooney, the barrel-chested, jovial, sarcastic older agent, who tweaks Dean every chance he gets. {2} Jackie Stokes, a striking African-American forensics expert, computer specialist, who has a bad attitude and a strong maternal instinct. {3} Brandon Cole, the hyper-active, young computer genius who brought The Reaper case to light. {4} Lily Fletcher, the team's other IT Specialist, wears her emotions on her face for all to see. She is driven to help the team because she lost her nephew to a rapist and her sister to suicide.
Parrish makes Wyatt and his team so real that one can't help but root for them to win their case and show the rest of the agency that they are, in fact, a viable, successful addition to the FBI. Since Fade To Black is the first book in the Black CATs Trilogy, one cannot but hope that by the time the third book ends, the team will have overcome the odds stacked against them. Go Underdogs!!!!
Fade To Black is a definite must-read. It has quickly become a favorite. It definitely goes in the "to be re-read" stack. Can't wait to read book two, Pitch Black .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 14, 2020
Well written female lead character. Police procedural aspect of story fell a bit short for me. *3.5
February 21, 2015
This book had a lot of things that I liked: a hero and heroine that acted like adults instead of whiny teenagers and real life law enforcement agents that were not Dragnet clones. Then why didn’t I enjoy this book more?
I should first note that I don't like serial killer plots. To make the story exciting, authors usually resort to omnipotent killers that stay ahead of the police every step of the way, that nobody ever sees and that go around killing people left and right. Ms. Parrish handled some of those aspects here very well so this story wasn’t trite and preposterous: the killer never knew the FBI was in his trail and understood he would eventually be caught (there wasn’t a cackle of mad laughter at the FBI’s expense when they didn’t catch up to his evil genius.) However, the book still managed to be slow and plodding, which is the antithesis of what romantic suspense is supposed to be.
I didn’t figure out who was the killer but there wasn’t enough information to find him out. There were no details about the kills, we never know how most of them died, how long it took, where were their bodies found, etc. A good mystery gives the readers clues they can follow not some vague allusions that are so general that are almost useless.
As I already mentioned, I really liked this couple. The hero was instantly attracted to the heroine but not only the physical...by her actions, he immediately learned a lot about her. I found it refreshing that he was attracted to her personality more than anything. Not only that, but he liked that she was a strong woman who could do her job well and never underestimated her because she was a female. In essence, he was a really good modern hero: protective and caring but trusted that she could handle herself on her own.
The heroine on the other hand, was one of the best female law enforcement professionals I’ve seen in romance. She knew she was good and she wasn’t threatened by the FBI or anybody else. She was professional, smart, capable, level headed and confident in her abilities. Even though she dealt with sexism all the time, she didn’t feel the need to prove anything to anybody. She didn’t let personal feelings get in the way of catching the bad guy and trusted the hero to be good at his job. She was also honest and wasn’t afraid to take the initiative and didn’t play any games.
I can’t remember the last time I read about such a mature couple and it was really refreshing.
Overall, this book had some really good parts but others were somewhat sloppy. I’m not sure if I’ll continue the series because I like more intense suspense plots in my romantic suspense but if you are not interested in the mystery, then you may enjoy it more than I.
I should first note that I don't like serial killer plots. To make the story exciting, authors usually resort to omnipotent killers that stay ahead of the police every step of the way, that nobody ever sees and that go around killing people left and right. Ms. Parrish handled some of those aspects here very well so this story wasn’t trite and preposterous: the killer never knew the FBI was in his trail and understood he would eventually be caught (there wasn’t a cackle of mad laughter at the FBI’s expense when they didn’t catch up to his evil genius.) However, the book still managed to be slow and plodding, which is the antithesis of what romantic suspense is supposed to be.
I didn’t figure out who was the killer but there wasn’t enough information to find him out. There were no details about the kills, we never know how most of them died, how long it took, where were their bodies found, etc. A good mystery gives the readers clues they can follow not some vague allusions that are so general that are almost useless.
As I already mentioned, I really liked this couple. The hero was instantly attracted to the heroine but not only the physical...by her actions, he immediately learned a lot about her. I found it refreshing that he was attracted to her personality more than anything. Not only that, but he liked that she was a strong woman who could do her job well and never underestimated her because she was a female. In essence, he was a really good modern hero: protective and caring but trusted that she could handle herself on her own.
The heroine on the other hand, was one of the best female law enforcement professionals I’ve seen in romance. She knew she was good and she wasn’t threatened by the FBI or anybody else. She was professional, smart, capable, level headed and confident in her abilities. Even though she dealt with sexism all the time, she didn’t feel the need to prove anything to anybody. She didn’t let personal feelings get in the way of catching the bad guy and trusted the hero to be good at his job. She was also honest and wasn’t afraid to take the initiative and didn’t play any games.
I can’t remember the last time I read about such a mature couple and it was really refreshing.
Overall, this book had some really good parts but others were somewhat sloppy. I’m not sure if I’ll continue the series because I like more intense suspense plots in my romantic suspense but if you are not interested in the mystery, then you may enjoy it more than I.
October 10, 2009
I will warn you before I start to review this book: I’m not a passionate suspense reader. In my whole life I read not more than 5 or 6 books in this genre. I never could really connect with this books so I stopped reading them. So why did I buy this one? I read so many wonderful reviews about this series that there was no other possibility as to read this books. And I’m really happy I did it.
The series is all about the Black Cats, a new subdivision of the FBI. They try to solve Internet crimes but the rest of the FBI is not very happy to have this new division. The head of the Black CATs had his difficulties with some people in the bureau and so no-one wants to support them. The CATs are a really mixed bunch of people- a few computer nerds work together with hard assed agents who seem to eat nails for breakfast.
This book focuses on the suspense plot and the romance takes a seat behind it. The story is fast paced and gripping. Mrs. Parrish created a great combination of the cold fact side of the investigation and the hands on bloody side. Some scenes are really hard to digest but I’m a real horror movie junkie so I had really no problem with that. The case itself was very intriguing and from the start I wanted to get this guy. It’s a real page-turner and I didn’t know who the bad guy is till nearly the end(I guessed right two pages before it was revealed- I’m not sure if that counts).
As said the romance is not the front role here but the relationship between Dean and Stacey is wonderful developed. I really liked that the whole thing started slow. Would have been strange to see them chasing a crazy and disgusting murderer and hopping in the sack after the first meeting.
Dean is a real hard ass agent but he shows his sweet side when he is near our little Sherriff. He’s caring and a oh so sweet father. He’s really good at his job and knows what he does.
Stacey is a really strong character and I liked her right from the start. She stands her (wo)man in her job and doesn’t back down from problems. She knows how to handle people, the good and the bad and runs her town with real determination.
I would have liked a little more romance in the story but I really enjoyed the book and will definitely read the next book ASAP.
The series is all about the Black Cats, a new subdivision of the FBI. They try to solve Internet crimes but the rest of the FBI is not very happy to have this new division. The head of the Black CATs had his difficulties with some people in the bureau and so no-one wants to support them. The CATs are a really mixed bunch of people- a few computer nerds work together with hard assed agents who seem to eat nails for breakfast.
This book focuses on the suspense plot and the romance takes a seat behind it. The story is fast paced and gripping. Mrs. Parrish created a great combination of the cold fact side of the investigation and the hands on bloody side. Some scenes are really hard to digest but I’m a real horror movie junkie so I had really no problem with that. The case itself was very intriguing and from the start I wanted to get this guy. It’s a real page-turner and I didn’t know who the bad guy is till nearly the end(I guessed right two pages before it was revealed- I’m not sure if that counts).
As said the romance is not the front role here but the relationship between Dean and Stacey is wonderful developed. I really liked that the whole thing started slow. Would have been strange to see them chasing a crazy and disgusting murderer and hopping in the sack after the first meeting.
Dean is a real hard ass agent but he shows his sweet side when he is near our little Sherriff. He’s caring and a oh so sweet father. He’s really good at his job and knows what he does.
Stacey is a really strong character and I liked her right from the start. She stands her (wo)man in her job and doesn’t back down from problems. She knows how to handle people, the good and the bad and runs her town with real determination.
I would have liked a little more romance in the story but I really enjoyed the book and will definitely read the next book ASAP.
September 11, 2015
I found this a very fast-paced romantic thriller. Miles ahead of Karen Rose's latest! The romance was nicely balanced and the two protagonists were a perfect complement to each other. No angst in their relationship and while I enjoy that in my romances, in my romantic thrillers, they do tend to get in the way especially if the protags are professionals trying to do a job.
In FTB's case, both FBI agent Dean and Sheriff Stacey are professional in their actions from start to finish. There's enough show rather than tell in this book so to be told that Stacey had switched from personal to professional mode every time she did that got rather repetitive.
If you have a sensitive stomach, you might not like this book as the killing are rather gruesome even if there isn't much detail given (Thank God!) but I must say the author (Leslie Kelly writing contemps as L. Parrish) has given internet sex crimes a rather original twist. I certainly felt the anguish of the CAT team as the killer eluded them again and again and was sympathised with Stacey when she finally caved in to the trauma of her previous job where she was one of those who responded to the Virgina tech shooting.
Both tread carefully even as they admit to their attraction towards each other early in the book and Parrish did a good job IMO not to let their romance get in the way of the assignment.
If there's anything I didn't like, it was -
In FTB's case, both FBI agent Dean and Sheriff Stacey are professional in their actions from start to finish. There's enough show rather than tell in this book so to be told that Stacey had switched from personal to professional mode every time she did that got rather repetitive.
If you have a sensitive stomach, you might not like this book as the killing are rather gruesome even if there isn't much detail given (Thank God!) but I must say the author (Leslie Kelly writing contemps as L. Parrish) has given internet sex crimes a rather original twist. I certainly felt the anguish of the CAT team as the killer eluded them again and again and was sympathised with Stacey when she finally caved in to the trauma of her previous job where she was one of those who responded to the Virgina tech shooting.
Both tread carefully even as they admit to their attraction towards each other early in the book and Parrish did a good job IMO not to let their romance get in the way of the assignment.
If there's anything I didn't like, it was -
January 23, 2018
Stayed up until 5am to finish this one. Pretty damn good! Stacey and Dean are both well-developed characters that are smart, determined, and courageous. I really liked them and had no complaints about either of them.
I know this is listed as a romantic suspense, but the romance really does take an appropriate back seat to solving the horrendous crimes being committed by the Reaper. There's a little bit of posturing, a sex scene, and a HEA, but the meat of this story is the suspense. And boy, was the suspense good! I had considered who the killer was due to a single sentence, but dismissed it pretty quickly. The other suspects seemed a lot more likely. Nope! I guarantee you'll be surprised at the big reveal.
The reason this book wasn't a five star read for me was because of the climax. It wasn't exactly a dud, but after all the build up, it could have been much more explosive and dramatic. I almost feel like the author had had enough of the whole story and just wanted to get it over with.
Basically, this was a really good story. The mystery stays a total mystery, the horror is appropriately horrifying, the romance was sweet and sensual, the characters were three-dimensional and the good guys were actually good people. No TSTL moments. No steadfast and stubborn denial of facts. No over-the-top plot devices. I was totally into it, start to finish and would definitely recommend it.
I know this is listed as a romantic suspense, but the romance really does take an appropriate back seat to solving the horrendous crimes being committed by the Reaper. There's a little bit of posturing, a sex scene, and a HEA, but the meat of this story is the suspense. And boy, was the suspense good! I had considered who the killer was due to a single sentence, but dismissed it pretty quickly. The other suspects seemed a lot more likely. Nope! I guarantee you'll be surprised at the big reveal.
The reason this book wasn't a five star read for me was because of the climax. It wasn't exactly a dud, but after all the build up, it could have been much more explosive and dramatic. I almost feel like the author had had enough of the whole story and just wanted to get it over with.
Basically, this was a really good story. The mystery stays a total mystery, the horror is appropriately horrifying, the romance was sweet and sensual, the characters were three-dimensional and the good guys were actually good people. No TSTL moments. No steadfast and stubborn denial of facts. No over-the-top plot devices. I was totally into it, start to finish and would definitely recommend it.
August 2, 2014
Special Agent Dean Taggert moved from the FBI's Violent Crimes Unit to the Cyber Action Team (CATs) thinking that he would be investigating internet fraud. But his first big case is the worst he has ever seen. A co-worker has found a secret web site called Satan's Playground. A madman calling himself The Reaper, has murdered eight victims, taped the murders, and is showing them on his web site. He auctions off the means to his upcoming murders to the members of the site.
The investigation leads Dean to a small Virginia town where the first murder took place where he enlists the help of Sheriff Stacey Rhodes and her deputies. They believe the murderer has ties to the little town, and must work fast to uncover the culprit.
This was an interesting beginning to Parrish's Black CATs series. Both Dean and Stacey are strong, well-defined characters. Dean isn't one of those over-protective men who think women are incapable of doing the job. Stacey isn't the usual "victim" waiting to be saved by her hero. It's nice to have characters with depth who truly like each other.
The mystery itself is dark, but not too gross for the squeamish (me). There are several suspects and I found myself changing my mind about who the villain was. Of course, I never guessed the right person. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
The investigation leads Dean to a small Virginia town where the first murder took place where he enlists the help of Sheriff Stacey Rhodes and her deputies. They believe the murderer has ties to the little town, and must work fast to uncover the culprit.
This was an interesting beginning to Parrish's Black CATs series. Both Dean and Stacey are strong, well-defined characters. Dean isn't one of those over-protective men who think women are incapable of doing the job. Stacey isn't the usual "victim" waiting to be saved by her hero. It's nice to have characters with depth who truly like each other.
The mystery itself is dark, but not too gross for the squeamish (me). There are several suspects and I found myself changing my mind about who the villain was. Of course, I never guessed the right person. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
May 31, 2012
FBI Agent Dean Taggert tried to get into a less violent line of work. That's why he transferred to the Black CATs team. But when the computer geniuses discover an internet gaming site called Satan's Playground he knows his life is going to be far from easy until this killer is caught.
Satan's Playground is where sickos go to live out their torture, death, and usually rape infested fantasies. But it's all computer based, until videos are found of the mutilation and prolonged death of eight women. The worst part, the videos aren't fake. The team has identified seven of the eight victims. But the first victim's remains have yet to be found. The team gets a lead and heads to the small town of Hope Valley to investigate. They have reason to believe that Hope Valley is the killers hometown.
Once at Hope Valley, Dean meets Sheriff Stacey Rhodes. The two feel instant attraction towards each other. However the list of suspects is ever growing. People Stacey never would have suspected are on the list. Even her own brother and best deputy. The race to find the killer before he strikes again is on.
Great book full of twists and turns. I couldn't pin down who the killer was. I kept flipping back and forth between two people the whole book. I was kept in suspense until the very end.
Satan's Playground is where sickos go to live out their torture, death, and usually rape infested fantasies. But it's all computer based, until videos are found of the mutilation and prolonged death of eight women. The worst part, the videos aren't fake. The team has identified seven of the eight victims. But the first victim's remains have yet to be found. The team gets a lead and heads to the small town of Hope Valley to investigate. They have reason to believe that Hope Valley is the killers hometown.
Once at Hope Valley, Dean meets Sheriff Stacey Rhodes. The two feel instant attraction towards each other. However the list of suspects is ever growing. People Stacey never would have suspected are on the list. Even her own brother and best deputy. The race to find the killer before he strikes again is on.
Great book full of twists and turns. I couldn't pin down who the killer was. I kept flipping back and forth between two people the whole book. I was kept in suspense until the very end.
June 6, 2014
When Leslie Kelly introduced us to the CAT series, she told us an intricate dark tale of cyber crime and violence. For Sheriff Stacey Rhodes, when someone turned up missing in her small town, it became big news. As for the CAT team with Dean Taggert, they're after sexual predators online, especially when they saw it online and on tape. Before Stacey knew it, both law enforcements agents collide and work on the same case. For Stacey and Dean, sparks fly between them and get to know each other. Little did they know, that someone's after her and someone's a suspect in Hope Valley, Virginia, who's the Reaper and set up live auctions on Satan's Playground. When they closed in as a suspect, someone else turned up dead and later, a boy goes missing. Right under her nose, she couldn't believe who's responsible for darkening her small town with a shocking twist in the end.
November 15, 2010
I'm having a hard time rating this. THis was a good book with a good, strong story. But I didn't love it. I only finished it to see if I was correct about the bad guy (I wasn't). I think maybe I didn't get invested in the characters enough. IDK. Maybe it's just my reading slump.
May 19, 2015
This grabbed me from the start and I had difficulty putting it down. The killer isn't guessed and was a surprise. I enjoyed 2 strong leads that complemented each other.
May 14, 2014
I'm all for a good thriller, but the subject matter was so disturbing, that I couldn't enjoy the suspense of it. This author takes it to a really dark place. Not for me.
December 2, 2016
3.5 Sterne
June 27, 2019
a deceptively placid small town harbors a vicious internet savvy serial killer. a handsome FBI agent and a sexy female sheriff share sparks and the investigation. Seems like the town harbors plenty of creepy characters. But when a child is snatched the odds are upped and the duo must amp up their efforts to end the nightmare.
this is a readable book. the romance was predictable and, frankly, not that interesting. the agent had the usual baggage: workaholic, divorced, not enough time with his kid. At least they didn't throw in a drug/alochol addiction. The sheriff is the usual stunningly beautiful, capable, woman, traumatized by a tragedy. Unfortunately, her lapses were just unacceptable. There is an incident of animal abuse(the killing is not detailed;) accompanied by vandalism and the sheriff opts to clean up herself without the assistance of forensics or making a report. S
Bizarre menacing calls are also not reported. But most irritating of all is the very obvious solution to the first murder is missed by the local and the FBI. There were way too many characters. Other than feeling bad that the victims were murdered, there is little development of their backstories. what is there leads the reader to begrudgingly concede the killer may not be far off in his selections. It did run a bit long . Easy if flawed read. 2.5 stars
this is a readable book. the romance was predictable and, frankly, not that interesting. the agent had the usual baggage: workaholic, divorced, not enough time with his kid. At least they didn't throw in a drug/alochol addiction. The sheriff is the usual stunningly beautiful, capable, woman, traumatized by a tragedy. Unfortunately, her lapses were just unacceptable. There is an incident of animal abuse(the killing is not detailed;) accompanied by vandalism and the sheriff opts to clean up herself without the assistance of forensics or making a report. S
Bizarre menacing calls are also not reported. But most irritating of all is the very obvious solution to the first murder is missed by the local and the FBI. There were way too many characters. Other than feeling bad that the victims were murdered, there is little development of their backstories. what is there leads the reader to begrudgingly concede the killer may not be far off in his selections. It did run a bit long . Easy if flawed read. 2.5 stars
February 6, 2018
The FBI is on the trail of the Reeper. A sick individual who auctions off manner of death online to fellow deviants. FBI agent Dean Taggert and the Cyber Team are on the case with Sheriff Stacey Rhodes. One of the victims was from her town.
This is the first book in the Black Cats series. It grabbed me from the first page and I couldn’t put it down. If you don’t mind dark suspense mixed in with romance this book is it. I would give this book 4 1/2 stars. This book was so good I plan to continue on with the series.
This is the first book in the Black Cats series. It grabbed me from the first page and I couldn’t put it down. If you don’t mind dark suspense mixed in with romance this book is it. I would give this book 4 1/2 stars. This book was so good I plan to continue on with the series.
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