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Black CATs #2
Pitch Black
After a botched investigation left him wounded and disgraced, Special Agent Alec Lambert was forced to transfer onto Wyatt Blackstone's team. This former profiler has lost his edge, buried by the guilt he feels over another agent's death. But he'll need all his skills when he realizes he's getting another crack at a case that has haunted him. A serial killer known as the Professor is now using the latest e-mail schemes to lure his victims and the Black CATs are on his trail.
Samantha Dalton didn't set out to become an online vigilante, until her grandmother was swindled out of everything she owned. Devoting herself to exposing fraud and preventing tragedies from happening to other families, Sam has gained fame and success with her website and a recently released book. A hermit since her ugly divorce, Sam really doesn't want the outside world intruding on her privacy. Especially not when that outside world is a sexy FBI agent who tells her she has a cyber connection to a murdered teenage boy.
When the killer opens a line of communication with Sam via her website, Alec and his team enlist her help to stop him. There's one thing they don't know, however. The Professor doesn't just see Sam Dalton as an anonymous online foe. He is, in fact, her number one fan. He's been watching her, waiting for the time to be right to make his move. He just isn't sure what that move will be.
Samantha Dalton didn't set out to become an online vigilante, until her grandmother was swindled out of everything she owned. Devoting herself to exposing fraud and preventing tragedies from happening to other families, Sam has gained fame and success with her website and a recently released book. A hermit since her ugly divorce, Sam really doesn't want the outside world intruding on her privacy. Especially not when that outside world is a sexy FBI agent who tells her she has a cyber connection to a murdered teenage boy.
When the killer opens a line of communication with Sam via her website, Alec and his team enlist her help to stop him. There's one thing they don't know, however. The Professor doesn't just see Sam Dalton as an anonymous online foe. He is, in fact, her number one fan. He's been watching her, waiting for the time to be right to make his move. He just isn't sure what that move will be.
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 8, 2009
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675 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
January 8, 2017
Very enjoyable romantic suspense story. Heroine Samantha devotes her time to writing a blog warning of dangers on the internet. Hero Alec, former profiler and newest member of the FBI’s Cyber Action Team (a/k/a the Black CATs), needs Sam’s help on his latest investigation. Murderer, The Professor, is luring his victims through internet scams, which actually end up being a lot creepier than it sounds.
Fast-paced story with just the right mix of suspense and romance. Sexual tension throughout. I really liked the members of the Black CATs team; they were an interesting group of people. This book had me guessing throughout as to the killer’s identity. Very entertaining read.
Fast-paced story with just the right mix of suspense and romance. Sexual tension throughout. I really liked the members of the Black CATs team; they were an interesting group of people. This book had me guessing throughout as to the killer’s identity. Very entertaining read.
October 28, 2009
Rating: 4.5 / 5
Nearly as good as the first book in the series. Not quite, but definitely close. I have to admit I'm highly impressed with Leslie Kelly's (aka Leslie Parrish's) jump into the romantic suspense genre.
Series Note: this book is the 2nd book in Parrish's Black CATs trilogy - which is about an FBI Cyber Action Team that investigates internet related murder. I would highly recommend read the books in order.
Summary:
Alex Lambert is new to the Black CATs. He transferred in after an investigation went bad and he was shot and his partner killed. The opportunity may be his last shot with the FBI. He soon learns that there was an underlying reason Wyatt Blackstone recruited him for the team...hunting down The Professor, a serial killer who lures victims via scams and sets them up die while keeping his hands clean. The Professor has now started using internet scams to lure victims, bringing the Black CATs team into play. Alec is familiar with the case and is determined to catch the man this time.
He pays a visit to Samantha Dalton, and internet anti-spam/scam guru who had contact with one of the Professors victims. Sam is devastated to learn about what happened and freely helps the FBI. It doesn't hurt that Alec is easy on the eyes and seems attracted to her. But Alec has learned in the past never to get distracted during an investigation. He may want Sam, but anything that'll happen between them will have to wait until after the professor is caught. Especially now that they believe the Professor is looking to Sam as his next victim.
Review:
I'm really enjoying this series. It's well-written, engaging, the characters are great, the storylines great. I would never have expected this type of series from Leslie Kelly (writing as Parrish).
Before I read the first book, I wondered why Kelly (or her publisher) decided to go with a pseudonym for her switch to romantic suspense. A lot of authors these days write across multiple genres. But once I read the first book I saw how drastically different the style was from Kelly's romance/romantic comedy books. I can see how someone who is a fan of Kelly would pick up the romantic suspense books by default and then be shocked by the content. They are much, much, much darker than what she typically writes. I think you have to be a fan of romantic suspense to enjoy them.
From someone who is a diehard romantic suspense fan, I think Parrish (Kelly) has done a really great job with this series. The storyline in this book is not quite as creepy as the first, but still scary. Anyone using the internet these days knows there's a risk...being scammed, identity stolen, etc. But to think that someone would lure you out and kill you just because you were dumb enough to fall for their tricks...well, that's damn creepy to think about! Very realistic type of story.
The romance was a little more understated than the romance of the first book. Alec is reluctant to start a relationship with Sam until the case is over. He doesn't want distractions so even though they both want each other, they keep putting it off and saying once they catch them they'll see what's what. Which, okay, is total logical and the right thing to do, but it does make the romance of a ROMANTIC suspense drag some. I didn't mind it too much because the chemistry was so obvious and you knew it would happen sooner or later. But I also wouldn't have minded if they'd gotten to it quicker.
Another thing I like about this series is that the other characters are actively involved and you get snippets from those who will be featured in another story. There's been a building storyline between Lily and Wyatt that Parrish dropped in a scene here and there for in the first two books. I think it really builds the anticipation of what is to come, and really adds a level of cohesiveness to the series as a whole. I've read some series where the books are completely disconnected from each other and I just don't enjoy that.
But on the whole, I enjoyed this book. The beginning might have been a smidge slow and the romance not quite as good as the first book, but I still enjoyed it a great deal. I'm really looking forward to reading the final book in the trilogy.
Nearly as good as the first book in the series. Not quite, but definitely close. I have to admit I'm highly impressed with Leslie Kelly's (aka Leslie Parrish's) jump into the romantic suspense genre.
Series Note: this book is the 2nd book in Parrish's Black CATs trilogy - which is about an FBI Cyber Action Team that investigates internet related murder. I would highly recommend read the books in order.
Summary:
Alex Lambert is new to the Black CATs. He transferred in after an investigation went bad and he was shot and his partner killed. The opportunity may be his last shot with the FBI. He soon learns that there was an underlying reason Wyatt Blackstone recruited him for the team...hunting down The Professor, a serial killer who lures victims via scams and sets them up die while keeping his hands clean. The Professor has now started using internet scams to lure victims, bringing the Black CATs team into play. Alec is familiar with the case and is determined to catch the man this time.
He pays a visit to Samantha Dalton, and internet anti-spam/scam guru who had contact with one of the Professors victims. Sam is devastated to learn about what happened and freely helps the FBI. It doesn't hurt that Alec is easy on the eyes and seems attracted to her. But Alec has learned in the past never to get distracted during an investigation. He may want Sam, but anything that'll happen between them will have to wait until after the professor is caught. Especially now that they believe the Professor is looking to Sam as his next victim.
Review:
I'm really enjoying this series. It's well-written, engaging, the characters are great, the storylines great. I would never have expected this type of series from Leslie Kelly (writing as Parrish).
Before I read the first book, I wondered why Kelly (or her publisher) decided to go with a pseudonym for her switch to romantic suspense. A lot of authors these days write across multiple genres. But once I read the first book I saw how drastically different the style was from Kelly's romance/romantic comedy books. I can see how someone who is a fan of Kelly would pick up the romantic suspense books by default and then be shocked by the content. They are much, much, much darker than what she typically writes. I think you have to be a fan of romantic suspense to enjoy them.
From someone who is a diehard romantic suspense fan, I think Parrish (Kelly) has done a really great job with this series. The storyline in this book is not quite as creepy as the first, but still scary. Anyone using the internet these days knows there's a risk...being scammed, identity stolen, etc. But to think that someone would lure you out and kill you just because you were dumb enough to fall for their tricks...well, that's damn creepy to think about! Very realistic type of story.
The romance was a little more understated than the romance of the first book. Alec is reluctant to start a relationship with Sam until the case is over. He doesn't want distractions so even though they both want each other, they keep putting it off and saying once they catch them they'll see what's what. Which, okay, is total logical and the right thing to do, but it does make the romance of a ROMANTIC suspense drag some. I didn't mind it too much because the chemistry was so obvious and you knew it would happen sooner or later. But I also wouldn't have minded if they'd gotten to it quicker.
Another thing I like about this series is that the other characters are actively involved and you get snippets from those who will be featured in another story. There's been a building storyline between Lily and Wyatt that Parrish dropped in a scene here and there for in the first two books. I think it really builds the anticipation of what is to come, and really adds a level of cohesiveness to the series as a whole. I've read some series where the books are completely disconnected from each other and I just don't enjoy that.
But on the whole, I enjoyed this book. The beginning might have been a smidge slow and the romance not quite as good as the first book, but I still enjoyed it a great deal. I'm really looking forward to reading the final book in the trilogy.
July 17, 2015
Looking back at my rating/review for the first book, I concluded that this one was not as engaging as its predecessor. Despite the intriguing initial chapters, the story lost its appeal for me after I put it down (what, I need to sleep!)
I wonder if it was because Alec, as the hero, felt more Beta than Alpha man -- and I'm used to Alpha men in Romantic Suspense? I liked that Samantha, the heroine, was written as someone who was a hermit but not because she was shy or lonely woman. In fact, she was quite vindictive against spammers, with her books, her tips to avoid scams, her blog... She also a bit grumpy to Alec in the beginning and it was quite refreshing. But like I said, when they were together, I just didn't 'feel' it.
The mystery was nice okay'; the villain had potential. I definitely didn't figure it out so the reveal of the villain was quite well done. But the whole other chapters from Lily Fletcher, which clearly was written as a set-up for the next book was too distracting. I didn't really feel empathy towards Lily before and with her POV inserted here during some intense moments didn't exactly make me connected with her better.
So I read the first book four years ago -- and I will probably wait a bit longer before I start book #3
I wonder if it was because Alec, as the hero, felt more Beta than Alpha man -- and I'm used to Alpha men in Romantic Suspense? I liked that Samantha, the heroine, was written as someone who was a hermit but not because she was shy or lonely woman. In fact, she was quite vindictive against spammers, with her books, her tips to avoid scams, her blog... She also a bit grumpy to Alec in the beginning and it was quite refreshing. But like I said, when they were together, I just didn't 'feel' it.
The mystery was nice okay'; the villain had potential. I definitely didn't figure it out so the reveal of the villain was quite well done. But the whole other chapters from Lily Fletcher, which clearly was written as a set-up for the next book was too distracting. I didn't really feel empathy towards Lily before and with her POV inserted here during some intense moments didn't exactly make me connected with her better.
So I read the first book four years ago -- and I will probably wait a bit longer before I start book #3
April 15, 2018
Pitch Black
2 Stars
The first book in this series is an entertaining thriller with romantic elements. Unfortunately, this is a disappointing follow-up.
To begin with, the hero and heroine do not appear in the first book. Consequently, the development of their backstories shares page time with additional storylines resulting in a hurried and unrealistic feel. The same is true of the "lust at first sight" romance, which lacks foundation and emotional intimacy. Moreover, the physical attraction between Alec and Sam is uninspired.
The serial killer plot fares a bit better although there are insufficient clues to enable the reader to figure out the identity of the culprit themselves. The underlying motivation for the murders is compelling, but many of the details surrounding the initial deaths are murky with too much telling and not enough showing. This results in a disconnect between the reader and the narrative.
Finally, it is never a good thing when the secondary characters are more appealing than the primary. The development of Lily Fletcher's story alongside that of the Black CATs leader, Wyatt Blackstone, is far more engaging than that of the primary characters. Thus, I am hopeful that the final installment in the series will be an improvement on this one. Time will tell!
2 Stars
The first book in this series is an entertaining thriller with romantic elements. Unfortunately, this is a disappointing follow-up.
To begin with, the hero and heroine do not appear in the first book. Consequently, the development of their backstories shares page time with additional storylines resulting in a hurried and unrealistic feel. The same is true of the "lust at first sight" romance, which lacks foundation and emotional intimacy. Moreover, the physical attraction between Alec and Sam is uninspired.
The serial killer plot fares a bit better although there are insufficient clues to enable the reader to figure out the identity of the culprit themselves. The underlying motivation for the murders is compelling, but many of the details surrounding the initial deaths are murky with too much telling and not enough showing. This results in a disconnect between the reader and the narrative.
Finally, it is never a good thing when the secondary characters are more appealing than the primary. The development of Lily Fletcher's story alongside that of the Black CATs leader, Wyatt Blackstone, is far more engaging than that of the primary characters. Thus, I am hopeful that the final installment in the series will be an improvement on this one. Time will tell!
July 14, 2014
3 1/2 stars (rounded down to 3 stars, because the time spent settting up the next book in the series was distracting and, to be honest, I was more interested in that than the current crime/mystery)
June 21, 2016
Two-haiku review:
He's FBI team
She's computer scam expert
Target of killer
Excellent suspense
Flawed characters with good depth
Romance is just right
He's FBI team
She's computer scam expert
Target of killer
Excellent suspense
Flawed characters with good depth
Romance is just right
September 30, 2010
Rating: 4.5 // Action: 5 / Emotion: 4.5 / Romance: 4 / Sensuous: 3 / Intrigue: 4.5 / Humor: 9 / Tears: 1
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Pitch Black introduces Alec Lambert as a new addition to Wyatt Blackstone's Black CATs. Wyatt had angered the wrong people at the Hoover Building, thus his team's future was up in the air. Alec had trusted the wrong woman on his last assignment and he had suffered through being shot and losing his partner as well as being transferred to the black sheep Cyber Action Team of the FBI. Alec had been on the fast track towards being a respected member of the Behavioral Analysis Unit. Working with the Black CATs was his last chance to keep his job with the FBI.
Alec became the focal point in a new murder being handled by the Black CATs because it was believed that the killer was The Professor, a serial killer Alec had been pursuing for three years. His new partner is Jackie Stokes, the attractive African-American forensics expert introduced in Fade To Black , Book One of The Black CATs Trilogy. Parrish has a wonderful way of drawing the reader in and making the people in her books seem so real and believable. Like the immediate testing of loyalties between Alec and Jackie as they drive to their first interview. Alec is afraid for his life because Jackie drives like she's on a NASCAR race track and can't help but comment when Jackie throws out a salvo about Wyatt being the best man she has ever worked with.
Alec and Jackie arrive at the home of a reclusive computer jock, Samantha Dalton. Sam has been on a crusade to try and educate internet users about scams and con men since her grandmother was bilked out of her retirement by an online scam three years ago. She has a regular site with a faithful following. She has written a book and posts a new scam editorial every Wednesday. She is reclusive because her confidence took a heavy, embarrassing blow when her cheating husband divorced her a year ago.
The sensuality level between Alec and Sam began the moment they met and played prevalently throughout the book. Even though they were mutually attracted they both had trust issues to fight before they succumbed to their lusts. Sam was so distrustful of men that she had a sleep shirt that read "Graduate of the School of All Men Suck." Alec was on the job and could not get involved with a witness again because he was so aware of the catastrophe that occurred when he trusted his witness during his last assignment. Even though they waited until the end of the book, the one love scene between Alec and Sam was full of spice, romance and heat.
Parrish provided enough possible serial killer suspects to keep the reader guessing until the very end of the book. She did a great job with mis-direct. (I got it wrong again.) Another tool to keep the reader on edge was the frequent visits Parrish paid to the killer's mind throughout the book, including his efforts to lure his next victim to her death. The killer also started fixating on Sam and her column, believing he could convert her to his way of thinking. It was because The Professor responded to Sam's weekly "rant" as "Darwen" that she became closely involved with Alec in the resolution of the case.
Parrish has a wonderful ability to make the characters she creates realistic and human. They have quirks that entertain. Like having two FBI agents sitting on your couch next to your clean, unfolded laundry. Like having an FBI agent leave an interview to deal with a policeman who likes to write tickets for illegal parking. Like having a best friend who blurts out embarrassing sexual comments on your answering machine while company is in the room. She creates such entertaining characters while keeping the readers suspensefully enthralled about what is going to happen next. She draws the reader in from page one and doesn't let go until the last page of the book.
Wyatt did not make as many appearances nor was his black sheep status further developed in Pitch Black . Although they made several appearances, Dean Taggert ( Fade To Black hero), Kyle Mulrooney nor Brandon Cole played predominant roles in book two. Jackie, however, became a more vivid personality. Her no-nonsense personality was displayed as well as an enhancement of her maternal instincts.
Lily Fletcher was featured in this book. Without getting Wyatt's approval, Lily continued to pursue her efforts to find the pedophile, 'lovesprettyboys' introduced in book one of the trilogy. An ambitious, cut-throat, Wyatt-hating supervisor of another Cyber Action Team, Tom Anspaugh, solicited Lily's help to electronically trap the pedophile she obsessed about. Lily's shy, tortured personality was further developed and her conflicted, compassionate nature tugged at the heart. Lily's involvement with Tom's team gave the reader another surprise near the end of this book.
Leslie Parrish has written another winner with Pitch Black , the second Black CATs Novel. It had all the ear-marks of a great read. Nail-biting suspense. Action-filled pages. Hunky, handsome, tortured, alpha hero. Tortured, beautiful, intelligent heroine. Blatant, rampant sexual tension between hero and heroine. Spicy, heated love scene. A surprise action-packed, hero-saves-the-heroine ending. Emotional heart tugs. And, of course, the requisite, happily-ever-after.
Anyone who loves a good Romantic Suspense will love Pitch Black . It is worthy of finding itself on any "to be re-read" list, right beneath Fade To Black . Cannot wait to read book three, Black At Heart .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2009
Alec Lambert had gotten too close to a witness a few months back. A serious lapse in judgment that had cost Alec a stint in the hospital, his girlfriend, and his dog (taken by the said girlfriend), not to mention the life of a fellow FBI agent...And now, even Alec's certain promotion to Supervising Special Agent in his BAU unit.
Actually he's been brought down a heap of notches, stuck in the new CAT unit lead by Wyatt Blackstone. A unit investigating Internet-related murders. Knowing the Black CATs reputation, Alec isn't very pleased, but at least he's still an FBI agent, isn't he?
His appreciation of his new team, his new position, and his new boss's cunning comes the first day of Alec's new position. A serial killer, the Professor, the BAU has been after for years, has switched on-line, luring his victims using different Internet scams.
Just hours before his untimely demise, the Professor's latest victim had been in contact with a woman who's made her life calling to warn Internet users of such scams, Samantha Dalton a.k.a. Sam the Spaminator.
Alec and his new partner immediately head onto Ms. Dalton's doorstep, unwittingly pulling the woman into the dangerous cat-and-mouse game that is about to get even more perilous and deadly.
This is the second book in the Black CATs trilogy by the talented Leslie Parrish, and if it's at all possible, even better than the first book, Fade to Black.
The plot was as good as the first book, with all its intricacies and different POW, but the pacing (while dragging a little at the beginning of the first book) has definitely improved, remaining consistent throughout the story.
Ms. Parrish has introduced another Blackstone's CAT member to the mix, someone mentioned only in passing in the first installment, but that proved to be an invaluable addition to the mixed team. I adored Alec, with all his little contradictions (the hardened FBI agents don't appear to hardened after all when the right person in involved ;)), that twinkle in his eye, and the protective streak a mile wide.
I had some problems with Sam Dalton at the beginning, the woman was a real mess. I've never been divorced myself, so I wouldn't know how it felt, but after a year you thought she'd have moved on. Well, she did in the course of this story and I ended up loving her just as much as every other "misfit" in Wyatt's CAT group.
The suspense was even more gripping, firmly crossing the threshold into thriller territory, IMHO. The serial killer was utterly twisted without having gone into stalker territory, but a stalker-ish serial killer...Talk about creepy. And yet again, his identity was once again a huge surprise, a nice respite from some other RS books when the villain's identity is so transparent it almost makes you cry.
Yeah, I definitely loved this book. The plot was nice and twisty, the pacing great, the characters, though some already familiar, still interesting, their dynamic has apparently grown even more from Fade to Black, the villain was a complete wacko and a complete surprise, the suspense chilling, thrilling, and unrelenting, the familiarity of the Internet world and its scams (and the dread that something like this might happen in real life, we've all received a similar message in our inbox), and that extra touch of romance (a bit hotter this time, maybe?) combined in a perfect mix.
The only real problem I've encountered in this book was the CAT IT specialist Lily Fletcher. I knew from the start of Fade to Black that she would be a real wild-card, despite her emotional side or because of it, and kept hoping she'd finally see reason. She didn't, (almost) destroying the most important factor in the dynamic of the entire team - trust. What happened to her wasn't "nice", but it wasn't unexpected either...But now, having read the blurb for Black at Heart, the final installment in this amazing trilogy, that completely confirmed my suspicion about the shy IT and the big boss (*wink wink*), I'm really looking forward to reading the last book and see what Ms. Parish would come up with.
I can't wait!!!
Actually he's been brought down a heap of notches, stuck in the new CAT unit lead by Wyatt Blackstone. A unit investigating Internet-related murders. Knowing the Black CATs reputation, Alec isn't very pleased, but at least he's still an FBI agent, isn't he?
His appreciation of his new team, his new position, and his new boss's cunning comes the first day of Alec's new position. A serial killer, the Professor, the BAU has been after for years, has switched on-line, luring his victims using different Internet scams.
Just hours before his untimely demise, the Professor's latest victim had been in contact with a woman who's made her life calling to warn Internet users of such scams, Samantha Dalton a.k.a. Sam the Spaminator.
Alec and his new partner immediately head onto Ms. Dalton's doorstep, unwittingly pulling the woman into the dangerous cat-and-mouse game that is about to get even more perilous and deadly.
This is the second book in the Black CATs trilogy by the talented Leslie Parrish, and if it's at all possible, even better than the first book, Fade to Black.
The plot was as good as the first book, with all its intricacies and different POW, but the pacing (while dragging a little at the beginning of the first book) has definitely improved, remaining consistent throughout the story.
Ms. Parrish has introduced another Blackstone's CAT member to the mix, someone mentioned only in passing in the first installment, but that proved to be an invaluable addition to the mixed team. I adored Alec, with all his little contradictions (the hardened FBI agents don't appear to hardened after all when the right person in involved ;)), that twinkle in his eye, and the protective streak a mile wide.
I had some problems with Sam Dalton at the beginning, the woman was a real mess. I've never been divorced myself, so I wouldn't know how it felt, but after a year you thought she'd have moved on. Well, she did in the course of this story and I ended up loving her just as much as every other "misfit" in Wyatt's CAT group.
The suspense was even more gripping, firmly crossing the threshold into thriller territory, IMHO. The serial killer was utterly twisted without having gone into stalker territory, but a stalker-ish serial killer...Talk about creepy. And yet again, his identity was once again a huge surprise, a nice respite from some other RS books when the villain's identity is so transparent it almost makes you cry.
Yeah, I definitely loved this book. The plot was nice and twisty, the pacing great, the characters, though some already familiar, still interesting, their dynamic has apparently grown even more from Fade to Black, the villain was a complete wacko and a complete surprise, the suspense chilling, thrilling, and unrelenting, the familiarity of the Internet world and its scams (and the dread that something like this might happen in real life, we've all received a similar message in our inbox), and that extra touch of romance (a bit hotter this time, maybe?) combined in a perfect mix.
The only real problem I've encountered in this book was the CAT IT specialist Lily Fletcher. I knew from the start of Fade to Black that she would be a real wild-card, despite her emotional side or because of it, and kept hoping she'd finally see reason. She didn't, (almost) destroying the most important factor in the dynamic of the entire team - trust. What happened to her wasn't "nice", but it wasn't unexpected either...But now, having read the blurb for Black at Heart, the final installment in this amazing trilogy, that completely confirmed my suspicion about the shy IT and the big boss (*wink wink*), I'm really looking forward to reading the last book and see what Ms. Parish would come up with.
I can't wait!!!
August 2, 2014
Special Agent Alec Lambert has been on the trail of the Professor for some time. Now working with the FBI's Cyber Action Team, he has once again run across the Professor, a serial killer who lures his victims with Internet scams. Alec soon discovers that the killer has contacted scam expert Samantha Dalton. Recruiting Sam to help the FBI with this case, Alec becomes attracted to her. As they draw closer to discovering the Professor's identity, they realize Sam may be the killer's next target.
Another great romantic suspense story in Parrish's Black CATs series. I had the killer all picked out in the first half of the book. Well, I was totally wrong. This book has enough plot twists to keep you guessing. It also has an interesting sub-plot that I hope they pick up in the next book. The characters are well-drawn. The heroine could have made the usual too-stupid-to-live choices that romance heroines make. Luckily, the author chose to create a smart heroine who doesn't take chances. I highly recommend this book. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
Another great romantic suspense story in Parrish's Black CATs series. I had the killer all picked out in the first half of the book. Well, I was totally wrong. This book has enough plot twists to keep you guessing. It also has an interesting sub-plot that I hope they pick up in the next book. The characters are well-drawn. The heroine could have made the usual too-stupid-to-live choices that romance heroines make. Luckily, the author chose to create a smart heroine who doesn't take chances. I highly recommend this book. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
October 30, 2009
This second installment of the CAT (Cyber Action Team) series wasn't as good for me as the first one, Fade To Black. Not sure why but it's probably my fault for reading it in fits and starts. Then again, if it had been a page-turner, I know I would have made time for it.
I also found the portions dealing with Lily disruptive and though clearly to set her up for the next book, Black At Heart, overdone. It pulled me out of the main story and that was already getting a little saggy in the middle right up to the end.
I'm relieved to finally be able to put this book away in my Read shelf and will give myself a break before I pick up Wyatt's book. I wanted to give PB a 3-star rating but felt it would be a little unfair since I suspect much of the lack of enjoyment was my fault, not the author's.
I also found the portions dealing with Lily disruptive and though clearly to set her up for the next book, Black At Heart, overdone. It pulled me out of the main story and that was already getting a little saggy in the middle right up to the end.
I'm relieved to finally be able to put this book away in my Read shelf and will give myself a break before I pick up Wyatt's book. I wanted to give PB a 3-star rating but felt it would be a little unfair since I suspect much of the lack of enjoyment was my fault, not the author's.
August 14, 2011
Wow, great book! I just recently found this author's new paranormal romance series Extrasensory Agents--which I loved--so now I'm going back and reading her earlier Black CATS series.
Couldn't put Pitch Black down--stayed up late finishing it last night! This book had great mystery and edge-of-your-seat suspense. Parrish writes great 'bad guys'--really creepy! I've read a lot of books about the FBI's behavioral analysis agents, violent crimes field agents, etc. It was good to read a something different. I liked her Internet/computer team.
I also liked how the romance was handled--the tension builds over the book and they don't immediately fall into bed together. I liked the characters and am VERY interested to read the next book. The setup for it was well done.
Couldn't put Pitch Black down--stayed up late finishing it last night! This book had great mystery and edge-of-your-seat suspense. Parrish writes great 'bad guys'--really creepy! I've read a lot of books about the FBI's behavioral analysis agents, violent crimes field agents, etc. It was good to read a something different. I liked her Internet/computer team.
I also liked how the romance was handled--the tension builds over the book and they don't immediately fall into bed together. I liked the characters and am VERY interested to read the next book. The setup for it was well done.
September 15, 2009
Thought this series was a great beginning for this new author. I'm a fan of romantic suspense and this series included both!
July 23, 2011
AMAZING!!!
Hot, broken, loyal, strong, law enforcement Alpha's....need I say more? ...well yes I will review to follow
Hot, broken, loyal, strong, law enforcement Alpha's....need I say more? ...well yes I will review to follow
February 6, 2018
A FBI Cyber Action Team is on the hunt for a killer. The killer uses the internet to lure his victims. FBI Spec Agent ALEC Lambert teams up with scam expert Samantha Dalton to catch the killer.
This is the 2nd book in the Black Cats series and it lives up to the first. I would give this book 4 1/2 stars. It is a fast paced read, with romance, and edge of your seat suspense. I highly recommend this series based on the 2 I have read. I am going on to read the 3rd book in the series, Black At Heart.
October 21, 2018
Series keeps you guessing till the end!
This team of FBI is different from the usual making reading about their cases so fun. The clues and mysteries are written so well when you think The Professor is just another cyber thief you are in for so much more. Read in one day and love the attention to details you need to pay attention to or you miss the entire trail Kelly wants you to follow to solve the crime.
This team of FBI is different from the usual making reading about their cases so fun. The clues and mysteries are written so well when you think The Professor is just another cyber thief you are in for so much more. Read in one day and love the attention to details you need to pay attention to or you miss the entire trail Kelly wants you to follow to solve the crime.
March 17, 2017
Black CATs #2
I changed my mind to the bad guy was two or three times during the course of this book and I still got it wrong! I love it! It takes a lot to fool me and I am ecstatic that she did! I'm off to read the next book in the series…
Read:
March 15, 2017 - Kindle Unlimited (in a set of the three books in this series)
I changed my mind to the bad guy was two or three times during the course of this book and I still got it wrong! I love it! It takes a lot to fool me and I am ecstatic that she did! I'm off to read the next book in the series…
Read:
March 15, 2017 - Kindle Unlimited (in a set of the three books in this series)
December 2, 2017
This is certainly a page turner! Alec Lambert is a former profiler. He is on the hunt for a
serial killer who uses the internet to get to his victims. Scam expert Samantha Dalton may
be able to help Alec. Alec is attracted to Sam but he knows he has to be professional. As
they get closer to the killer, they realize that Sam is possibly the killer's next target.
serial killer who uses the internet to get to his victims. Scam expert Samantha Dalton may
be able to help Alec. Alec is attracted to Sam but he knows he has to be professional. As
they get closer to the killer, they realize that Sam is possibly the killer's next target.
December 2, 2018
Although FBI Special Agent Alec Lambert is new to the Black CATs team, he and the rest of the team are soon investigating a killer who attracts his victims using an Internet scheme. His given name is Darwin.
A fast paced well-written mystery with romance thrown in (could of survived without that aspect) which kept me guessing the identity of the killer to the last moment
A fast paced well-written mystery with romance thrown in (could of survived without that aspect) which kept me guessing the identity of the killer to the last moment
June 7, 2017
A great book!
This book is a fast paced, thrill ride from the first chapter. It has everything, murder, mystery, love. The characters are very likable and you'll find yourself reading well into the night! I can't wait to read the next book!!!
This book is a fast paced, thrill ride from the first chapter. It has everything, murder, mystery, love. The characters are very likable and you'll find yourself reading well into the night! I can't wait to read the next book!!!
November 1, 2017
Excellent
A really good read. The pages turn themselves, once you start reading you do not want to stop until the last page. The suspense, twists and turns just keeps you guessing. If you've not read any of this author's work and like the genre I recommend.
A really good read. The pages turn themselves, once you start reading you do not want to stop until the last page. The suspense, twists and turns just keeps you guessing. If you've not read any of this author's work and like the genre I recommend.
November 5, 2018
Great book though Lily's scenes were not so great & those who disses Blackstone.
I don't know why people dislike Blackstone, exposing dirty agents should be a good thing unless the FBI has turned into criminals then it's understandable.
I don't know why people dislike Blackstone, exposing dirty agents should be a good thing unless the FBI has turned into criminals then it's understandable.
May 27, 2017
Another great book in the series. It hooks you right away so make sure you have the time to finish it.
August 27, 2018
Watching
This is a very good book portraying many of the issues in our history and present. You will be drawn into the book so easily and it will be hard to set it down.
This is a very good book portraying many of the issues in our history and present. You will be drawn into the book so easily and it will be hard to set it down.
November 26, 2019
Wow this is a really great series by Leslie A Kelly!!!:) Really enjoyed Sam & Alecs story.
December 6, 2016
Das war der letzte Band der Reihe für mich.
November 11, 2011
~* 4.5 Stars *~
Parrish is Fast Becoming a Favorite of Mine in This Genre!
Leslie Parrish does it again! She's given us the second installment of what I've heard is a Black CATs trilogy (though they're so good, I can't help but hope they continue), and in keeping with the first, Fade to Black, she's knocked the romantic suspense genre on its butt with the well-paced, finely-crafted, and emotionally taut Pitch Black.
Alec Lambert is an FBI profiler who's a bit on the outs with the Bureau after a bust went bad and left an agent dead and put Lambert in the hospital with gunshot wounds. He's still on some emotionally shaky ground, doubting his own abilities as he starts his latest assignment working for Wyatt Blackstone's Cyber Action Team (CAT). Unfortunately for a pair of teen boys, best of friends to the very very end and victims of an old nemesis of Alec's, Lambert has to hit the ground running on his very first day with the team in a race against time and cyberspace to catch their killer, the notorious Professor. That ground leads Alec straight to Samantha Dalton, divorcee and near recluse, and definitely a woman with a mission against all things cyber crime. She was the last one to have any contact with one of the victims, and her world is about to blow apart when she realizes she may not just hold the key, she may actually be the key to the Professor's capture. If she lives through it.
As I was with Fade to Black, I was extremely impressed with the mature development of the relationship between the romantic leads, Alec and Sam. It's such a delight to see a relationship that has both sparks flying and realistic progression given the surrounding story line. To me, this aspect really sets Parrish's books head and shoulders above many many others I've read. And there's so much depth given to each character, deftly and subtly woven into the plot instead of seeming at odds with it. Such a treat to read.
A caution, though, as Parrish has another unique skill that doesn't lead to the warm fuzzies. Her skill at bringing the reader right into victims' experiences gives us a disturbing insight that sets her apart from others I've read in the genre. It's also, I feel, what brings true darkness and horror into her books. They're not particularly gory - in fact, Fade to Black in particular could have been and wasn't - but they do touch a deep chord and leave no room for doubting a human monster's capacity for depraved cruelty. Not by languishing in the mind of the killer, but by humanizing the victims and familiarizing us with them even as they die.
It's dark stuff at times, and may not be for all readers. I have a pretty much love/hate relationship with it, myself, actually - love it on an intellectual level, but it resonates a sorrow deep enough in me that I can still feel it days later.
All in all, I highly recommend Leslie Parrish's Fade to Black and Pitch Black. I did like Fade to Black just a wee bit more, as Sheriff Stacey Rhodes and Agent Dean Taggert are two of my all-time favorite characters in this genre, and there was one part of Pitch Black where Sam's actions struck me as almost stereotypical-victimish, doing something she should have known better than to do, though I do understand her reasons for doing them. Still, that doesn't detract too much from my enthusiastic enjoyment of this book and the ongoing trilogy.
Note: This review was originally published on Amazon.com on 8/25/09.
~*~*~*~
Check out all my reviews on One Good Book Deserves Another.
Parrish is Fast Becoming a Favorite of Mine in This Genre!
Leslie Parrish does it again! She's given us the second installment of what I've heard is a Black CATs trilogy (though they're so good, I can't help but hope they continue), and in keeping with the first, Fade to Black, she's knocked the romantic suspense genre on its butt with the well-paced, finely-crafted, and emotionally taut Pitch Black.
Alec Lambert is an FBI profiler who's a bit on the outs with the Bureau after a bust went bad and left an agent dead and put Lambert in the hospital with gunshot wounds. He's still on some emotionally shaky ground, doubting his own abilities as he starts his latest assignment working for Wyatt Blackstone's Cyber Action Team (CAT). Unfortunately for a pair of teen boys, best of friends to the very very end and victims of an old nemesis of Alec's, Lambert has to hit the ground running on his very first day with the team in a race against time and cyberspace to catch their killer, the notorious Professor. That ground leads Alec straight to Samantha Dalton, divorcee and near recluse, and definitely a woman with a mission against all things cyber crime. She was the last one to have any contact with one of the victims, and her world is about to blow apart when she realizes she may not just hold the key, she may actually be the key to the Professor's capture. If she lives through it.
As I was with Fade to Black, I was extremely impressed with the mature development of the relationship between the romantic leads, Alec and Sam. It's such a delight to see a relationship that has both sparks flying and realistic progression given the surrounding story line. To me, this aspect really sets Parrish's books head and shoulders above many many others I've read. And there's so much depth given to each character, deftly and subtly woven into the plot instead of seeming at odds with it. Such a treat to read.
A caution, though, as Parrish has another unique skill that doesn't lead to the warm fuzzies. Her skill at bringing the reader right into victims' experiences gives us a disturbing insight that sets her apart from others I've read in the genre. It's also, I feel, what brings true darkness and horror into her books. They're not particularly gory - in fact, Fade to Black in particular could have been and wasn't - but they do touch a deep chord and leave no room for doubting a human monster's capacity for depraved cruelty. Not by languishing in the mind of the killer, but by humanizing the victims and familiarizing us with them even as they die.
It's dark stuff at times, and may not be for all readers. I have a pretty much love/hate relationship with it, myself, actually - love it on an intellectual level, but it resonates a sorrow deep enough in me that I can still feel it days later.
All in all, I highly recommend Leslie Parrish's Fade to Black and Pitch Black. I did like Fade to Black just a wee bit more, as Sheriff Stacey Rhodes and Agent Dean Taggert are two of my all-time favorite characters in this genre, and there was one part of Pitch Black where Sam's actions struck me as almost stereotypical-victimish, doing something she should have known better than to do, though I do understand her reasons for doing them. Still, that doesn't detract too much from my enthusiastic enjoyment of this book and the ongoing trilogy.
Note: This review was originally published on Amazon.com on 8/25/09.
~*~*~*~
Check out all my reviews on One Good Book Deserves Another.
July 16, 2012
Inhalt
Alec Lambert, FBI Agent und neuester Mitstreiter des "Cyber Action Team" um Wyatt Blackstone, ist auf der Spur eines Serienmörders der von der Polizei nur "Der Professor" genannt wird. Einmal ist er ihm schon entwischt doch dieses Mal will der Agent ihn schnappen. Dazu engagieren die Black CAT's die Computerspezialistin Samantha "Sam" Dalton und versuchen so, näher an den Wahnsinnigen heranzukommen, der sich seine Opfer über das Internet aussucht, sie ködert und sie dann kaltblütig in eine Falle lockt. Als der Mörder auf Sam aufmerksam wird und immer mehr Interesse an ihr zeigt, eskaliert die Situation...
Fazit
Bei "Im Netz des Todes" handelt es sich um den zweiten Roman aus der Reihe "Black CATs" von Leslie Parrish. Wer den ersten Roman gelesen hat, dem geht es vielleicht ähnlich wie mir: Ich war eher enttäuscht von diesem Roman. Es dauert sehr lange bis die Geschichte wirklich ins Rollen kommt, trotz der Tatsache das auf den ersten 50 Seiten 2 Jugendlich sterben müssen zieht sich die Geschichte eher in die Länge und es dauert eine gefühlte Ewigkeit bis Spannung aufgebaut wird. Bis Sam Dalton ins Visier des Mörders gerät vergehen gut und gerne 250 Seiten, erst dann wird es etwas spannender und lässt sich flüssiger lesen als am Anfang. Die Geschichte an sich ist aber eine interessante Idee, hätte meiner Meinung nach aber besonders am Anfang wesentlich spannender und interessanter ausgebaut werden können. Wer Band 1 nicht gelesen hat, findet die vielen Informationen über Band 1 vermutlich eher nervig, wer (aus welchem Grund auch immer) Band 2 zuerst liest, verdirbt sich die Vorfreude auf den ersten Band doch gehörig, denn selbst der Mörder wird beim Namen genannt und einige Details verraten.
Der Charakter von Samantha Dalton ist interessant, zuerst spielt sie die unnahbare, verletzte geschiedene Frau und dann kann sie es nicht abwarten bis sie den attraktiven Alec Lambert in die Kiste bekommt - eine interessante aber fixe Entwicklung und manchmal wusste ich nicht wirklich was damit anzufangen. Trotzdem ist sie eine taffe Frau in den Dreißigern, die versucht ihr "verpfuschtes" Leben und ihre gescheiterte Ehe zu vergessen und neu anzufangen, auf eigenen Beinen zu stehen und anderen Menschen gutes zu tun.
Alec Lambert erscheint als sympathischer, wenn auch auf Grund seiner Vergangenheit wenig selbstbewusster, junger Agent, der seine Arbeit liebt und alles daran setzen will um den Professor zu schnappen. Lange versucht er seine Gefühle für Samantha Dalton zu unterdrücken und professionell zu bleiben, dies macht ihn sehr sympathisch und wesentlich realistischer als die um 180° gewandelte Samantha.
Das Team um Wyatt Blackstone ist, wie schon in Band 1, bunt zusammengewürfelt, doch jeder einzelne der Protagonisten wirkt nett, realistisch und setzt alles daran um den Serienkiller zu fassen. Besonders sympathisch fand ich die Figur der Lily Fletcher, denn man erfährt wieder viel über ihre Vergangenheit, die sie in ihrem Beruf auch heute noch beeinträchtigt. Dadurch rückt sie etwas mehr in den Vordergrund als ihre Kollegen und ihr Charakter wird etwas deutlicher dargestellt, ihre Schwächen und Stärken werden aufgezeigt.
Leslie Parrish schreibt wie immer in einem flüssigen, lockeren Schreibstil, der gut zu lesen und zu verstehen ist. Die Kapitel sind weder zu lang noch zu kurz und die Schrift ist ausreichend groß abgedruckt. Wie schon erwähnt war ich von diesem Roman eher enttäuscht, werde ihn aber trotzdem 3 von 5 Sternen geben, denn als es endlich spannend wurde, konnte und wollte man dann doch sehen wie das ganze sein Ende nimmt. Nach etwa 2 Dritteln des Buches gerät man also doch noch in eine spannende Geschichte, obwohl mich die Aufklärung über die Identität des "Professors" doch sehr überrascht und nicht so sehr überzeugt hat - die Nebengeschichte um Lily, sowie eine überraschende Wendung machen das Buch aber auf irgendeine Art und Weise lesenwert.
Alec Lambert, FBI Agent und neuester Mitstreiter des "Cyber Action Team" um Wyatt Blackstone, ist auf der Spur eines Serienmörders der von der Polizei nur "Der Professor" genannt wird. Einmal ist er ihm schon entwischt doch dieses Mal will der Agent ihn schnappen. Dazu engagieren die Black CAT's die Computerspezialistin Samantha "Sam" Dalton und versuchen so, näher an den Wahnsinnigen heranzukommen, der sich seine Opfer über das Internet aussucht, sie ködert und sie dann kaltblütig in eine Falle lockt. Als der Mörder auf Sam aufmerksam wird und immer mehr Interesse an ihr zeigt, eskaliert die Situation...
Fazit
Bei "Im Netz des Todes" handelt es sich um den zweiten Roman aus der Reihe "Black CATs" von Leslie Parrish. Wer den ersten Roman gelesen hat, dem geht es vielleicht ähnlich wie mir: Ich war eher enttäuscht von diesem Roman. Es dauert sehr lange bis die Geschichte wirklich ins Rollen kommt, trotz der Tatsache das auf den ersten 50 Seiten 2 Jugendlich sterben müssen zieht sich die Geschichte eher in die Länge und es dauert eine gefühlte Ewigkeit bis Spannung aufgebaut wird. Bis Sam Dalton ins Visier des Mörders gerät vergehen gut und gerne 250 Seiten, erst dann wird es etwas spannender und lässt sich flüssiger lesen als am Anfang. Die Geschichte an sich ist aber eine interessante Idee, hätte meiner Meinung nach aber besonders am Anfang wesentlich spannender und interessanter ausgebaut werden können. Wer Band 1 nicht gelesen hat, findet die vielen Informationen über Band 1 vermutlich eher nervig, wer (aus welchem Grund auch immer) Band 2 zuerst liest, verdirbt sich die Vorfreude auf den ersten Band doch gehörig, denn selbst der Mörder wird beim Namen genannt und einige Details verraten.
Der Charakter von Samantha Dalton ist interessant, zuerst spielt sie die unnahbare, verletzte geschiedene Frau und dann kann sie es nicht abwarten bis sie den attraktiven Alec Lambert in die Kiste bekommt - eine interessante aber fixe Entwicklung und manchmal wusste ich nicht wirklich was damit anzufangen. Trotzdem ist sie eine taffe Frau in den Dreißigern, die versucht ihr "verpfuschtes" Leben und ihre gescheiterte Ehe zu vergessen und neu anzufangen, auf eigenen Beinen zu stehen und anderen Menschen gutes zu tun.
Alec Lambert erscheint als sympathischer, wenn auch auf Grund seiner Vergangenheit wenig selbstbewusster, junger Agent, der seine Arbeit liebt und alles daran setzen will um den Professor zu schnappen. Lange versucht er seine Gefühle für Samantha Dalton zu unterdrücken und professionell zu bleiben, dies macht ihn sehr sympathisch und wesentlich realistischer als die um 180° gewandelte Samantha.
Das Team um Wyatt Blackstone ist, wie schon in Band 1, bunt zusammengewürfelt, doch jeder einzelne der Protagonisten wirkt nett, realistisch und setzt alles daran um den Serienkiller zu fassen. Besonders sympathisch fand ich die Figur der Lily Fletcher, denn man erfährt wieder viel über ihre Vergangenheit, die sie in ihrem Beruf auch heute noch beeinträchtigt. Dadurch rückt sie etwas mehr in den Vordergrund als ihre Kollegen und ihr Charakter wird etwas deutlicher dargestellt, ihre Schwächen und Stärken werden aufgezeigt.
Leslie Parrish schreibt wie immer in einem flüssigen, lockeren Schreibstil, der gut zu lesen und zu verstehen ist. Die Kapitel sind weder zu lang noch zu kurz und die Schrift ist ausreichend groß abgedruckt. Wie schon erwähnt war ich von diesem Roman eher enttäuscht, werde ihn aber trotzdem 3 von 5 Sternen geben, denn als es endlich spannend wurde, konnte und wollte man dann doch sehen wie das ganze sein Ende nimmt. Nach etwa 2 Dritteln des Buches gerät man also doch noch in eine spannende Geschichte, obwohl mich die Aufklärung über die Identität des "Professors" doch sehr überrascht und nicht so sehr überzeugt hat - die Nebengeschichte um Lily, sowie eine überraschende Wendung machen das Buch aber auf irgendeine Art und Weise lesenwert.
January 26, 2015
The story was good, smart and much more realistic than most of the stuff I have read in this genre, the MCs didn't do idiotic things, and I actually did NOT guess who the killer was. I am shocked and a little ashamed, since I am usually very good at calling it. Very well done, author. I thought it was Rick Young for the longest time, and then Dale Carter. I was played!
There were some word misplacements, and once or twice the actions were wrong or out of order. I can't remember the first example ( she stood up after she was already described standing up sort of thing) but the second one would be when the killer gets out of the vehicle, then pulls it into the storage container. It should be the other way around, shouldn't it? Lol. But those are really just things an editor would have caught.
I loved that the heroine was a messy hermit. A smart one. Thank you, author, for not making her do stupid things from getting over emotional. That's hard to find in heroines, period. By smart, I don't just mean she was described as smart. She actually showed it consistently. Hallelujah.
My only issue with her was that she seduced him before the case was closed. She knew he was trying to keep it professional, and she knew his story, so why did she risk messing up his second chance? Yeah, yeah, I know. Gotta get that sex scene in for the romance part. I just would've been okay if they had actually waited until afterwards, like they had planned. Plus, her whole "embracing life again" attitude was too cheesy for my tastes. This is what happens when a non-feelsy person reads a thriller-romance, though. Lol
There were some word misplacements, and once or twice the actions were wrong or out of order. I can't remember the first example ( she stood up after she was already described standing up sort of thing) but the second one would be when the killer gets out of the vehicle, then pulls it into the storage container. It should be the other way around, shouldn't it? Lol. But those are really just things an editor would have caught.
I loved that the heroine was a messy hermit. A smart one. Thank you, author, for not making her do stupid things from getting over emotional. That's hard to find in heroines, period. By smart, I don't just mean she was described as smart. She actually showed it consistently. Hallelujah.
My only issue with her was that she seduced him before the case was closed. She knew he was trying to keep it professional, and she knew his story, so why did she risk messing up his second chance? Yeah, yeah, I know. Gotta get that sex scene in for the romance part. I just would've been okay if they had actually waited until afterwards, like they had planned. Plus, her whole "embracing life again" attitude was too cheesy for my tastes. This is what happens when a non-feelsy person reads a thriller-romance, though. Lol
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2015
synopsis:
alec is newly arrived to the cat team. it's the place where agents who screw up are supposedly sent to founder, although the team leader is determined to take a smash on the wrist and turn it in to a positive thing, which is why only the best of the "undesirables" are interviewed for his team. when alec reviews a case that the team is looking at, he realizes it's a killer that he's been after for awhile. the guy seems to be using internet scams in order to lure people in to his murder traps and once they're there, offers them the opportunity to save themselves, in his mind at least, if they would just stay calm and think. alec and team contact a scam expert, who has been warning people against all the cyber scams that are out there. sam has been alone since her husband divorced her for someone younger, and the first time that she meets alec, she is still in her pjs with bedhead. when the team realizes that the killer has been contacting sam, and that she may be his obsession, things start moving quickly.
what i liked: that alec and sam were both professionals and didn't come out of character in order to have a relationship. they still did their jobs, just built around what they were doing. i also liked that the team seemed to gel so nicely around alex. i liked that the scandal that alec was involved in wasn't the typical sexual favours being used one.
what i didn't like: there wasn't a lot of time to really get to know the characters, because they kind of hit the ground running and stayed at that speed.
alec is newly arrived to the cat team. it's the place where agents who screw up are supposedly sent to founder, although the team leader is determined to take a smash on the wrist and turn it in to a positive thing, which is why only the best of the "undesirables" are interviewed for his team. when alec reviews a case that the team is looking at, he realizes it's a killer that he's been after for awhile. the guy seems to be using internet scams in order to lure people in to his murder traps and once they're there, offers them the opportunity to save themselves, in his mind at least, if they would just stay calm and think. alec and team contact a scam expert, who has been warning people against all the cyber scams that are out there. sam has been alone since her husband divorced her for someone younger, and the first time that she meets alec, she is still in her pjs with bedhead. when the team realizes that the killer has been contacting sam, and that she may be his obsession, things start moving quickly.
what i liked: that alec and sam were both professionals and didn't come out of character in order to have a relationship. they still did their jobs, just built around what they were doing. i also liked that the team seemed to gel so nicely around alex. i liked that the scandal that alec was involved in wasn't the typical sexual favours being used one.
what i didn't like: there wasn't a lot of time to really get to know the characters, because they kind of hit the ground running and stayed at that speed.
September 7, 2016
Oh my. Another very suspenseful read. Absolutely loved this second book in the Black CATs series. FBI Special Agent Alec Lambert is chasing after this bad guy they call the Professor for the past three years. One of the leads sends him to Samantha Dalton's door. Since the death of her grandmother Samantha has been an online blogger blogging about the dangers of online scams. She becomes the obsession of the Professor who reveals his name to be Darwin. When Darwin finds out that Samantha is helping the FBI to try to capture him he decides she will be his next victim. So Alec and Samantha are on the wire trying to find Darwin before he lures another victim to their deaths. It's so great because you think you know who the bad guy is but then the story takes a twist and it's someone else. I love that! I had my suspects lined up but then one by one they were eliminated as suspects until the very end. The romance that built in this story was really great too. Definitely more suspense than romance I think but it works. Very realistic development of feelings between the two leads. And there is also a secondary story line about another agent, Lily Fletcher, that makes you have to read book three to find out what happens to her. I so can't wait!
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