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The Bodies Left Behind
The instant New York Times bestselling thriller from the “master of ticking bomb suspense” (People) who created Lincoln Rhyme and Kathryn Dance is “a tour de force…the suspense never flags” (Kirkus Reviews).
When a night-time call to 911 from a secluded Wisconsin vacation house is cut short, offduty deputy Brynn McKenzie leaves her husband and son at the dinner table and drives up to Lake Mondac to investigate. Was it a misdial or an aborted crime report?
Brynn stumbles onto a scene of true horror and narrowly escapes from two professional criminals. She and a terrified visitor to the weekend house, Michelle, flee into the woods in a race for their lives. As different as night and day, and stripped of modern-day resources, Brynn, a tough deputy with a difficult past, and Michelle, a pampered city girl, must overcome their natural reluctance to trust each other and learn to use their wits and courage to survive the relentless pursuit. The deputy's disappearance spurs both her troubled son and her new husband into action, while the incident sets in motion Brynn's loyal fellow deputies and elements from Milwaukee's underside. These various forces race along inexorably toward the novel's gritty and stunning conclusion.
The Bodies Left Behind is an epic cat-and-mouse chase, told nearly in real-time, and is filled with Deaver's patented twists and turns, where nothing is what it seems, and death lingers just around the next curve on a deserted path deep in the midnight forest.
When a night-time call to 911 from a secluded Wisconsin vacation house is cut short, offduty deputy Brynn McKenzie leaves her husband and son at the dinner table and drives up to Lake Mondac to investigate. Was it a misdial or an aborted crime report?
Brynn stumbles onto a scene of true horror and narrowly escapes from two professional criminals. She and a terrified visitor to the weekend house, Michelle, flee into the woods in a race for their lives. As different as night and day, and stripped of modern-day resources, Brynn, a tough deputy with a difficult past, and Michelle, a pampered city girl, must overcome their natural reluctance to trust each other and learn to use their wits and courage to survive the relentless pursuit. The deputy's disappearance spurs both her troubled son and her new husband into action, while the incident sets in motion Brynn's loyal fellow deputies and elements from Milwaukee's underside. These various forces race along inexorably toward the novel's gritty and stunning conclusion.
The Bodies Left Behind is an epic cat-and-mouse chase, told nearly in real-time, and is filled with Deaver's patented twists and turns, where nothing is what it seems, and death lingers just around the next curve on a deserted path deep in the midnight forest.
546 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 11, 2008
1252 people are currently reading
4630 people want to read
About the author
Jeffery Deaver
509 books11.7k followers#1 international bestselling author of over thirty novels and three collections of short stories. His books are sold in 150 countries and translated into 25 languages. His first novel featuring Lincoln Rhyme, The Bone Collector, was made into a major motion picture starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. He's received or been shortlisted for a number of awards around the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,105 reviews
May 18, 2019
This story is all over and would be better without brat stepsons, other whiny children and cheating husbands who needlessly interfere with some solid plot lines. 5 of 10 stars
March 3, 2016
Jeffery Deaver writes really good thrillers and I had high expectations form this book. I thoroughly enjoyed most of the book and while in the beginning I had made up my mind that the novel merits a four star. Only towards the end I decided that this one is going to get a three star.
This is a stand alone thriller where the protagonist, Deputy Brynn responds to a 911 call from an isolated vacation house only to come across two cold-blooded killers- Hart and Compton, who had killed the couple in the house. In the confrontation that ensues Brynn loses her gun & car and gets injured. While hiding from the killers she finds a young woman -Michelle who was a guest at the house.
The two women team up and try to save themselves. They not only have to fight off the killers they have to survive the night in the hostile forest as well. Michelle is a rich city girl who keeps whining all the time and as usual the two slowly develop a friendly relationship. What I liked was a similar thing happening between Hart - the brain behind the murders and his new partner Compton, who initially arrogant and sarcastic of Hart's carefulness slowly develops a respect for him.
The chase scenes are really good. I am not going in to the specifics but there are some really good action scenes - they will make you turn the pages to know what happens next. I also enjoyed how Brynn and Hart would try to outsmart each other.
In addition to these, there are also addition elements such as a powerful union boss, a mild looking man who knows how to intimidate as well as shoot a rifle and works for the union boss, a cow boy deputy, gun toting meth cookers, Brynn's secret past etc. People are good at hiding their true motives and there quite a few red herrings there.
This book contains the trademark twists Deaver's books are known for. As I have said before the book will keep you engrossed but there are some things which I found somewhat a let down. Foremost being the motive behind the crime and the way the story ended. It could have been much better.The scenes involving Brynn's spoilt son, Brynn's issues with her husband Graham were a bit boring. Hart is shown as killer who plans well then how can he make a stupid mistake when he got a chance to kill Brynn and Michelle.
This is just a thriller, to be read and enjoyed - not to be taken seriously. If you love fast paced thrillers with plenty of action and twists then this book will help pass the time.
This is a stand alone thriller where the protagonist, Deputy Brynn responds to a 911 call from an isolated vacation house only to come across two cold-blooded killers- Hart and Compton, who had killed the couple in the house. In the confrontation that ensues Brynn loses her gun & car and gets injured. While hiding from the killers she finds a young woman -Michelle who was a guest at the house.
The two women team up and try to save themselves. They not only have to fight off the killers they have to survive the night in the hostile forest as well. Michelle is a rich city girl who keeps whining all the time and as usual the two slowly develop a friendly relationship. What I liked was a similar thing happening between Hart - the brain behind the murders and his new partner Compton, who initially arrogant and sarcastic of Hart's carefulness slowly develops a respect for him.
The chase scenes are really good. I am not going in to the specifics but there are some really good action scenes - they will make you turn the pages to know what happens next. I also enjoyed how Brynn and Hart would try to outsmart each other.
In addition to these, there are also addition elements such as a powerful union boss, a mild looking man who knows how to intimidate as well as shoot a rifle and works for the union boss, a cow boy deputy, gun toting meth cookers, Brynn's secret past etc. People are good at hiding their true motives and there quite a few red herrings there.
This book contains the trademark twists Deaver's books are known for. As I have said before the book will keep you engrossed but there are some things which I found somewhat a let down. Foremost being the motive behind the crime and the way the story ended. It could have been much better.The scenes involving Brynn's spoilt son, Brynn's issues with her husband Graham were a bit boring. Hart is shown as killer who plans well then how can he make a stupid mistake when he got a chance to kill Brynn and Michelle.
This is just a thriller, to be read and enjoyed - not to be taken seriously. If you love fast paced thrillers with plenty of action and twists then this book will help pass the time.
August 29, 2023
You can run, you can hide. But you can't escape
Read it 2 years ago, saw the book on my bookshelf while searching for a book, so thought of reviewing it today..
I can remember that the cover of the book excited me to buy it from the NBT book fair. The cover was a different one than this one on Goodreads, it was a green-colored one containing trees and a blurred image of a person in the bushes; suggesting that this would be a thriller.
Coming to the actual review, I'd say that the story was actually a thriller and an adrenaline-charged cat and mouse tale that was full of twists and double-crosses. Add to this, the background in which the novel is set. It is a distant lake house in the countryside and a late-night call to the police emergency station gets cut in between. Guess what next? The off-duty deputy who goes to find out what has happened stumbles onto the scene of a murder and an exciting manhunt, full of twists and returns from the apparent dead ensues in the lush.
All in all, a deserving thriller to be read on a cold night, the cold sets the perfect atmosphere for reading this
Coming to rating, I'd round my 3.7 rating (owing to some red herring, otherwise I'd have given it 4.4) to 4. (how I wish yet again, and again, that Goodreads should have a decimal rating system, which would help readers to "precisely" rate a book)
Read it 2 years ago, saw the book on my bookshelf while searching for a book, so thought of reviewing it today..
I can remember that the cover of the book excited me to buy it from the NBT book fair. The cover was a different one than this one on Goodreads, it was a green-colored one containing trees and a blurred image of a person in the bushes; suggesting that this would be a thriller.
Coming to the actual review, I'd say that the story was actually a thriller and an adrenaline-charged cat and mouse tale that was full of twists and double-crosses. Add to this, the background in which the novel is set. It is a distant lake house in the countryside and a late-night call to the police emergency station gets cut in between. Guess what next? The off-duty deputy who goes to find out what has happened stumbles onto the scene of a murder and an exciting manhunt, full of twists and returns from the apparent dead ensues in the lush.
All in all, a deserving thriller to be read on a cold night, the cold sets the perfect atmosphere for reading this
Coming to rating, I'd round my 3.7 rating (owing to some red herring, otherwise I'd have given it 4.4) to 4. (how I wish yet again, and again, that Goodreads should have a decimal rating system, which would help readers to "precisely" rate a book)
January 11, 2021
This was pick for my Mystery Book Club so I really wanted to read and I like this author. I enjoyed The Bone Collector books and tv series. This book drove me a little crazy because it was almost 500 pages of people walking in the woods in a state park, with the main characters chasing each other and other people showing up all over the place. They do finally get out of the park and go on with their lives but after we finish the book we are left with wondering what happened to the main "bad guy". Who killed him? It is an interesting story but to me a little lenghty on the wandering through the state park.
September 20, 2013
I read this to familiarize myself with another popular fiction author. Not nearly as insulting as the Stuart Wood's thriller that I read, but still a pandering, quasi-intellectual thriller that annoyed me. It basically consisted of a female deputy stumbling into a crime scene, trying to escape the bad guys who figure out her tricks, who set up new ones to trap her. She figures the traps out, avoids them and sets up a new tricky escape. Wash, rinse, repeat. This happens over and over to the point of boredom. Not to mention that the writing is an insult to its Wisconsin setting. Deaver, who is from Illinois, writes just like a person from Illinois who rents a cabin in the Dells and goes to visit Wisconsin for a week every summer, thus making him an expert on the North Woods. Gimme a break, Deaver -- "The U of W"? No one calls it that. It's UW. Trust me: I'm from Wisconsin. I went to UW. Midwestern "reserve" prevents us from calling the hills of Wisconsin mountains? We don't call 'em mountains because we know they're just hills (though there is Wildcat Mountain at a lofty, what, 1200 feet?)... Boring.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2025
This one has been on my to-read list since Jul2022, making it a candidate for my 2025 cleaning out the to-read closet challenge. This is only the fourth book I’ve read from Deaver, all of them this year, so he’s a new author for me, despite his body work.
The book summary just introduces the primary storyline and pretty much the start of the story. I love it when a story just grabs you from the get-go and never lets up. That’s the way to start a crime thriller. What the book summary doesn’t say is that the murders are suspected to be a hit on one of the murdered victims, who was a lawyer for a case against a suspected corrupt union leader, Mankowitz. It’s revealed early in the story that Mankowitz has a law enforcement officer on his payroll.
Deputy Brynn thinks she’s just checking out a cutoff 911 call in a remote section on the outskirts of a large national park but discovers a grisly double murder and is soon running for her life from the two killers. Brynn ends up in her car and drowning in the lake; she’s discovered by a woman named Michelle, who is believed to be the missing friend that came up with them. Much of the story revolves around the two women running from the two killers, Hart and Louis. Brynn is smart and trained in basic survival tactics and Brynn and Michelle manage to trick and thwart Hart and Louis a few times along a rugged and treacherous mountain trail.
It's at the halfway point that a new storyline is introduced and Brynn’s and Michelle’s escape becomes even more complicated and dangerous. By this point, I am obsessed with the story and trying to sneak in a few minutes here and there to find out how some intense and scary scene played out. Deep into the second half, there is a wild and crazy twist in the story that I never saw coming!!! Loved the finale!!! Whoo hoo!!
The character development of Brynn, Michelle, Hart and Louis was well done. It was kind of creepy watching the connection between Brynn and Hart, who started calling Brynn the trickster and how he compared the two to each other. The pacing was action-packed and fast-paced from the get-go. Once again, had me totally committed from the start. The storyline was very interesting, especially during the chase through the mountains and the finale. The writing was probably the best I’ve seen among all the other books of Deaver’s that I have read – so far (I will definitely read more). I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.4 that I am going to round down to a 4star review.
The book summary just introduces the primary storyline and pretty much the start of the story. I love it when a story just grabs you from the get-go and never lets up. That’s the way to start a crime thriller. What the book summary doesn’t say is that the murders are suspected to be a hit on one of the murdered victims, who was a lawyer for a case against a suspected corrupt union leader, Mankowitz. It’s revealed early in the story that Mankowitz has a law enforcement officer on his payroll.
Deputy Brynn thinks she’s just checking out a cutoff 911 call in a remote section on the outskirts of a large national park but discovers a grisly double murder and is soon running for her life from the two killers. Brynn ends up in her car and drowning in the lake; she’s discovered by a woman named Michelle, who is believed to be the missing friend that came up with them. Much of the story revolves around the two women running from the two killers, Hart and Louis. Brynn is smart and trained in basic survival tactics and Brynn and Michelle manage to trick and thwart Hart and Louis a few times along a rugged and treacherous mountain trail.
It's at the halfway point that a new storyline is introduced and Brynn’s and Michelle’s escape becomes even more complicated and dangerous. By this point, I am obsessed with the story and trying to sneak in a few minutes here and there to find out how some intense and scary scene played out. Deep into the second half, there is a wild and crazy twist in the story that I never saw coming!!! Loved the finale!!! Whoo hoo!!
The character development of Brynn, Michelle, Hart and Louis was well done. It was kind of creepy watching the connection between Brynn and Hart, who started calling Brynn the trickster and how he compared the two to each other. The pacing was action-packed and fast-paced from the get-go. Once again, had me totally committed from the start. The storyline was very interesting, especially during the chase through the mountains and the finale. The writing was probably the best I’ve seen among all the other books of Deaver’s that I have read – so far (I will definitely read more). I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.4 that I am going to round down to a 4star review.
June 29, 2020
This is for the most part a very generic and highly predictable action thriller. Only on the last 100 pages the author comes up with a bit too many unexpected twists and a kind of forced and uninteresting ending.
Altogether below Deaver’s usual standard.
2.5 stars downgraded
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Dieses Buch unterscheidet sich massiv von Jeffrey Deavers Lincoln Rhyme-Reihe und bleibt deutlich unter seinem üblichen Niveau.
Zur Story: Ein junges wohlhabendes Paar wird in seinem Wochenendhaus im Wald von 2 Profikillern erschossen. Eine dazukommende lokale Polizisten trifft auf die Mörder und muss zusammen mit einer zufällig anwesenden Freundin des Paares vor den Mördern in die Wälder fliehen.
Der größte Teil des Buches beschreibt in 3 Handlungssträngen die Flucht der beiden Frauen, das Vorgehen der beiden Killer bei der Verfolgung und das Verhalten von Kollegen und Familie der Polizistin. Dieser Teil ist sehr generisch und vollkommen vorhersehbar.
Auf den letzten 100 Seiten macht die Geschichte dann etliche vollkommen unerwartete und leider auch äußerst unplausible Wendungen und kommt zu einem abrupten und eher langweiligen Schluss.
Unterm Strich leider kein Buch das ich weiterempfehlen würde, aber im Notfall schon lesbar.
2,5 Sterne abgerundet.
Altogether below Deaver’s usual standard.
2.5 stars downgraded
------------------------------------
Dieses Buch unterscheidet sich massiv von Jeffrey Deavers Lincoln Rhyme-Reihe und bleibt deutlich unter seinem üblichen Niveau.
Zur Story: Ein junges wohlhabendes Paar wird in seinem Wochenendhaus im Wald von 2 Profikillern erschossen. Eine dazukommende lokale Polizisten trifft auf die Mörder und muss zusammen mit einer zufällig anwesenden Freundin des Paares vor den Mördern in die Wälder fliehen.
Der größte Teil des Buches beschreibt in 3 Handlungssträngen die Flucht der beiden Frauen, das Vorgehen der beiden Killer bei der Verfolgung und das Verhalten von Kollegen und Familie der Polizistin. Dieser Teil ist sehr generisch und vollkommen vorhersehbar.
Auf den letzten 100 Seiten macht die Geschichte dann etliche vollkommen unerwartete und leider auch äußerst unplausible Wendungen und kommt zu einem abrupten und eher langweiligen Schluss.
Unterm Strich leider kein Buch das ich weiterempfehlen würde, aber im Notfall schon lesbar.
2,5 Sterne abgerundet.
October 14, 2024
One to be read only if (a) you've nothing much else to read and (b) someone else paid for it and left it on a train....
Amazing research work perhaps, but the story fails on so many levels as soon as you start thinking about it (I know, that's always a dangerous thing to do with authors who churn out so many books in such a short period, but I just can't help it).
Someone else here mentioned the repetitive nature of the chase through the forest - and another person commented on the weird ability of the protagonists to see accurate detail over long distances through thick forest in the dead of night. I found myself wondering if the remaining 200 or so pages would be more of the same....
Sadly, they weren't as the book got worse once all the plot twists and extraneous character details suddenly kicked in. I'm not going to spoil the ending as I don't want a scolding from the Goodreads spoiler police, but let's just say that Deaver must have lots of very gullible readers if this was a best seller. I felt cheated by the ending as it was just so literally "out of character" compared with what had gone on before. The same is true of the twists and turns in the plot. We are expected to believe that people would not, even through hours of hiking, hardship and the obligatory "sharing", discuss the event that completely unexpectedly got them into their predicament. Thriller & detective novel writers love coincidences but this one takes it to the point of absurdity.
As for the characters and their hang-ups, motivations, fears etc. - well, we're talking psych 101 soap opera stuff here. However, for all you soap addicts, the happy ending for all the good guys, however tortured, confused or misguided, is reassuringly (if unbelievably) safe and sound.
Amazing research work perhaps, but the story fails on so many levels as soon as you start thinking about it (I know, that's always a dangerous thing to do with authors who churn out so many books in such a short period, but I just can't help it).
Someone else here mentioned the repetitive nature of the chase through the forest - and another person commented on the weird ability of the protagonists to see accurate detail over long distances through thick forest in the dead of night. I found myself wondering if the remaining 200 or so pages would be more of the same....
Sadly, they weren't as the book got worse once all the plot twists and extraneous character details suddenly kicked in. I'm not going to spoil the ending as I don't want a scolding from the Goodreads spoiler police, but let's just say that Deaver must have lots of very gullible readers if this was a best seller. I felt cheated by the ending as it was just so literally "out of character" compared with what had gone on before. The same is true of the twists and turns in the plot. We are expected to believe that people would not, even through hours of hiking, hardship and the obligatory "sharing", discuss the event that completely unexpectedly got them into their predicament. Thriller & detective novel writers love coincidences but this one takes it to the point of absurdity.
As for the characters and their hang-ups, motivations, fears etc. - well, we're talking psych 101 soap opera stuff here. However, for all you soap addicts, the happy ending for all the good guys, however tortured, confused or misguided, is reassuringly (if unbelievably) safe and sound.
March 19, 2014
This novel is about a policewoman, Brynn, investigating a short 911 call who then walks in on a double murder. She is forced into the woods of Wisconsin fleeing for her life and this story details her journey from the criminals.
This is a thriller and I liked the idea. This book's problem was the execution. I believe authors will try to get too cute with twists and turns and as a result, they take away credibility from their work. This is what happened in this book. There was never "Are you kidding me?" moment even though there were many attempts at it. Also, the ending was a miss for me. I thought it was anticlimactic and I was disappointed with it.
If you are looking for a taut thriller, I would look somewhere else. This author has produced better books than this one.
This is a thriller and I liked the idea. This book's problem was the execution. I believe authors will try to get too cute with twists and turns and as a result, they take away credibility from their work. This is what happened in this book. There was never "Are you kidding me?" moment even though there were many attempts at it. Also, the ending was a miss for me. I thought it was anticlimactic and I was disappointed with it.
If you are looking for a taut thriller, I would look somewhere else. This author has produced better books than this one.
October 29, 2019
A stand alone novel by Jeffery Deaver first published in 2008.
A classic tension packed cat and mouse thriller.
The local police gets a 911 call that says “the” nothing else just “the”. The call is from a mobile phone; sorry that should in the American vernacular; cell phone. By lengthy inquiries they are able to pin point where the call originated. It came from an address that’s nowhere near anywhere, at least an hour from the nearest town. The chief of police decided that someone should go and check that all is well. The job is given to Officer Brynn McKenzie. Brynn was not too happy about driving all that distance just as she and her family were about to sit down for their evening meal.
But that’s the job description so off she goes to see what’s what.
Five minutes away from the address she was given she receives a call from the chief telling her that it was a mistaken call and to come on back. Brynn, not too happy at the waste of her time decides to go to the address for the simple reason that she didn’t think her bladder would hold out until she got home.
So, pulling up the front door, she is about to knock when she see what looks to be two bodies lying on the lounge floor.
Not only were there two dead bodies but two gunmen were running around and also a very frightened young woman trying her best not to get killed.
So what we have now is, two females, one a police officer in the middle of a State Park being chased for their lives by two very angry gunmen.
The problem for the reader is that no one is who you think they are. Revelation after revelation will keep you turning pages so fast it will make your head spin.
A highly entertaining 4 star read.
A classic tension packed cat and mouse thriller.
The local police gets a 911 call that says “the” nothing else just “the”. The call is from a mobile phone; sorry that should in the American vernacular; cell phone. By lengthy inquiries they are able to pin point where the call originated. It came from an address that’s nowhere near anywhere, at least an hour from the nearest town. The chief of police decided that someone should go and check that all is well. The job is given to Officer Brynn McKenzie. Brynn was not too happy about driving all that distance just as she and her family were about to sit down for their evening meal.
But that’s the job description so off she goes to see what’s what.
Five minutes away from the address she was given she receives a call from the chief telling her that it was a mistaken call and to come on back. Brynn, not too happy at the waste of her time decides to go to the address for the simple reason that she didn’t think her bladder would hold out until she got home.
So, pulling up the front door, she is about to knock when she see what looks to be two bodies lying on the lounge floor.
Not only were there two dead bodies but two gunmen were running around and also a very frightened young woman trying her best not to get killed.
So what we have now is, two females, one a police officer in the middle of a State Park being chased for their lives by two very angry gunmen.
The problem for the reader is that no one is who you think they are. Revelation after revelation will keep you turning pages so fast it will make your head spin.
A highly entertaining 4 star read.
April 19, 2023
Found this very slow going in the beginning but once it was several chapters in big did it take.off. The dynamic between the two women was brilliantly written i thought as was the pain of those left at home to wait. Don't want to say too much as to give away any of the plot points would be to totally spoil the reading enjoyment of anybody who hasn't read it. Only four stars because of the slow start but we'll worth it in the end..........
August 20, 2014
Every time I was steered one way, Deaver within a page or two, steers me another way.
Bad guys turn with the turn of a page, into good guys. Same with good guys.
And this was throughout the book including the last page.
I've read a couple of Jeffery Deaver's novels but due to this one, I'm increasing my consumption because it was so, so good.
Bad guys turn with the turn of a page, into good guys. Same with good guys.
And this was throughout the book including the last page.
I've read a couple of Jeffery Deaver's novels but due to this one, I'm increasing my consumption because it was so, so good.
May 31, 2015
This one was very unlike the Jeffery Deaver I'm used to. It wasn't as exciting, suspenseful, or interesting as his books usually are. In fact, it was downright boring and VERY slow in some parts. About 70 percent of the book just feels like it's dragging. I understand the whole "cat and mouse" hunting thing will mostly be description, but there are ways to write a book like this more interesting (see Dean Koontz's "Intensity").
This? Fairly uneventful and just tedious a bit. Plus an ending that felt rushed and just tacked on, like even he got bored of the story and just wanted to end it as quickly as possible.
There are way better Jeffery Deaver books out there. Most of them.
This? Fairly uneventful and just tedious a bit. Plus an ending that felt rushed and just tacked on, like even he got bored of the story and just wanted to end it as quickly as possible.
There are way better Jeffery Deaver books out there. Most of them.
July 18, 2014
Solid storytelling. After all, Jeffery Deaver is not called "master of deception" for nothing.
Basically, a "cat-and-mouse" story but Deaver was very clever to put in twists and turns that you would find this book hard to put down. What makes this suspense thriller engaging is that the detective is a woman named Deputy Brynne McKenzie and she has another woman as companion mouse Michelle a sort of bystander because she happened to be in the crime scene when the deputy responded to 511. The two ladies lost in the forest being chased by two sets of killers and some added characters along the way all make this quite an intriguing read.
My second Deaver. I liked this a lot better than his Roadside Crosses (2 stars) because this pumps full of action from start to finish sans melodrama. The only thing that I thought a bit overboard is when McKenzie lost all her chances for a swift getaway from the scene. She lost her cellphone, car keys, etc in a quick span of time. I mean what really are the chances when you are a deputy officer who has had training and been into that kind of situation for many years? But anyway, this being an escapist (for entertainment) read should not really make me question these kinds of things.
A good companion while traversing the traffic of EDSA especially now that the rain season has set in.
I liked this book. I should get me more Deavers.
Basically, a "cat-and-mouse" story but Deaver was very clever to put in twists and turns that you would find this book hard to put down. What makes this suspense thriller engaging is that the detective is a woman named Deputy Brynne McKenzie and she has another woman as companion mouse Michelle a sort of bystander because she happened to be in the crime scene when the deputy responded to 511. The two ladies lost in the forest being chased by two sets of killers and some added characters along the way all make this quite an intriguing read.
My second Deaver. I liked this a lot better than his Roadside Crosses (2 stars) because this pumps full of action from start to finish sans melodrama. The only thing that I thought a bit overboard is when McKenzie lost all her chances for a swift getaway from the scene. She lost her cellphone, car keys, etc in a quick span of time. I mean what really are the chances when you are a deputy officer who has had training and been into that kind of situation for many years? But anyway, this being an escapist (for entertainment) read should not really make me question these kinds of things.
A good companion while traversing the traffic of EDSA especially now that the rain season has set in.
I liked this book. I should get me more Deavers.
May 31, 2020
Jeffery Deaver once again delivers heart-stopping thrills and suspense in a classic cat and mouse game of a book!
Wisconsin County Sheriff's Deputy Brynn McKenzie is called away from the dinner table to investigate a vacation house on Lake Mondac after a 911 call is cut short. McKenzie arrives at the scene, only to find a young couple shot dead in their own home. But McKenzie's investigation is about to become a deadly game of cat and mouse, when she realizes that the killers, 2 professional hitmen haven't yet left the crime scene.
McKenzie is now on the run, deprived of her gun and unable to call for backup, with the killers hot on her trail, and her only companion is the lone survivor of the shooting, a friend of the deceased. McKenzie is in for one long night, deep in the hostile wilderness of Wisconsin.
The story held my interest right until the very end, a must-read for Deaver fans!
Wisconsin County Sheriff's Deputy Brynn McKenzie is called away from the dinner table to investigate a vacation house on Lake Mondac after a 911 call is cut short. McKenzie arrives at the scene, only to find a young couple shot dead in their own home. But McKenzie's investigation is about to become a deadly game of cat and mouse, when she realizes that the killers, 2 professional hitmen haven't yet left the crime scene.
McKenzie is now on the run, deprived of her gun and unable to call for backup, with the killers hot on her trail, and her only companion is the lone survivor of the shooting, a friend of the deceased. McKenzie is in for one long night, deep in the hostile wilderness of Wisconsin.
The story held my interest right until the very end, a must-read for Deaver fans!
January 6, 2023
I feel cheated as the book started very well and I was hooked to the cat and mouse game. This was going to be a 5 starrer until the twists started and the plot did not make any sense.
January 24, 2021
Imi place foarte mult Jeffery Deaver, insa aceasta carte mi-a placut cel mai putin din tot ce am citit pana acum scris de el. Cartea s-a ramificat in toate directiile, uneori nefericit, lipsind un echilibru intre cele doua parti ale romanului. Prima parte este foarte obositoare, resimti pur si simplu oboseala lui Brynn care rataceste toata noaptea prin parcul national, de iti vine sa te uiti la ceas, sa vezi cand se lumineaza si ies din padure. Pe cat de sinuos este drumul prin padure si presarat de intamplari, pe atat de rapid se desfasoara lucrurile in ultima parte, care ar fi fost mult mai interesant de explorat decat relatia lui Brynn cu sotul, fostul si fiul.
July 9, 2022
The incredibly talented and prolific Jeffrey Deaver executes a brilliant stand alone thriller with a complex plot powered by a myriad of imaginative twists and turns, steady pace and an unforgettably crafted protagonist. It's a quite original take on a cat and mouse chase in the Wisconsin woods between an interestingly lethal hit team and a smart and resourceful deputy sheriff caught by surprise. One of the best thrillers I've had the pleasure of reading this year. I hope to continue striking literary gold!
May 2, 2013
Stand alone thriller that ultimately struck me as rather lazy. The protagonist is a female police officer in a small town. She has the standard type family problems with a few gaps in her past where the author can insert things of interest to move the story along later in the book.
She is responds to a routine looking call out in a remote area of her patch. She finds two bodies and disturbs two miscreants. She manages to lose gun, cell phone, access to car etc and picks up a stray female who happens to have been with the couple. The women head for the woods followed by said miscreants and a game of cat and mouse ensues. Throw in a lot of nature red in tooth and claw, a caravan full of people cooking up crystal meth, a shady union boss, a collection of local police looking in the wrong place and you have the idea.
There are lots of twists (some very obvious) and, of course, no one is quite who they seem. So what's not to like?
Well, some of the twists are so obvious they slap you in the face. There are too many impossibles (like the chase through the woods in the dark). The ending is very unconvincing and way too neat. The problem here is that the author clearly very much likes one of the characters and it was obvious to me that there was no way that things were going to end badly for this particular character; hence neat ending.
There are some pluses; the chapters are very short. I read it last thing at night as my late night read; I have been sleeping very well.
She is responds to a routine looking call out in a remote area of her patch. She finds two bodies and disturbs two miscreants. She manages to lose gun, cell phone, access to car etc and picks up a stray female who happens to have been with the couple. The women head for the woods followed by said miscreants and a game of cat and mouse ensues. Throw in a lot of nature red in tooth and claw, a caravan full of people cooking up crystal meth, a shady union boss, a collection of local police looking in the wrong place and you have the idea.
There are lots of twists (some very obvious) and, of course, no one is quite who they seem. So what's not to like?
Well, some of the twists are so obvious they slap you in the face. There are too many impossibles (like the chase through the woods in the dark). The ending is very unconvincing and way too neat. The problem here is that the author clearly very much likes one of the characters and it was obvious to me that there was no way that things were going to end badly for this particular character; hence neat ending.
There are some pluses; the chapters are very short. I read it last thing at night as my late night read; I have been sleeping very well.
March 5, 2009
This was the first Jeffery Deaver book that I have read, and it will definitely not be the last. I found myself engrossed in this book from the beginning, and I did not want to put it down. I enjoyed the suspenseful storyline, and was surprised by a couple of unexpected plot twists. Brynn McKenzie was a great heroine, a strong, resilient sheriff's deputy whose intrepid acts in her professional environment do not carry over into her personal life. I also enjoyed the character of Brynn's husband, Graham Boyd. The Bodies Left Behind was a thoroughly enjoyable, fast paced book in which most of the action takes place in a twelve hour period.
When off duty deputy Brynn McKenzie is asked to check out a 911 call in a fairly remote area, she is stunned to discover a gruesome murder scene, with the perpetrators still on site. Brynn is forced to escape the murderers on foot in a wooded area. She soon comes across another female who has fled the house where the murders took place. Brynn uses all of her skills and determination to try to elude the killers. The two women on the run encounter many complications as they try to make it to safety. As events unfold, Brynn must also unravel the complicated and dangerous scheme involved in the murders.
I thought that this book was very well written, and I enjoyed the style of the author. The plot was not predictable or easy to figure out, with its unexpected developments. I liked the characters, and found myself caught up in what they were experiencing. I found this to be a very satisfying read.
When off duty deputy Brynn McKenzie is asked to check out a 911 call in a fairly remote area, she is stunned to discover a gruesome murder scene, with the perpetrators still on site. Brynn is forced to escape the murderers on foot in a wooded area. She soon comes across another female who has fled the house where the murders took place. Brynn uses all of her skills and determination to try to elude the killers. The two women on the run encounter many complications as they try to make it to safety. As events unfold, Brynn must also unravel the complicated and dangerous scheme involved in the murders.
I thought that this book was very well written, and I enjoyed the style of the author. The plot was not predictable or easy to figure out, with its unexpected developments. I liked the characters, and found myself caught up in what they were experiencing. I found this to be a very satisfying read.
March 24, 2009
Brynn McKenzie, a deputy police officer in a rural Wisconsin town, is called upon to investigate a questionable 911 call. She travels to an isolated home at the edge of the Marquette State Park, a huge area, with thick forests, lakes, streams and formidable cliffs. When she arrives at the home, she is confronted with a bloody murder scene and worse. Her problems have barely begun!
Jefferey Deaver has spun a suspenseful tale with many unexpected twists and turns occuring throughout the narrative- until the conclusion.
Jefferey Deaver has spun a suspenseful tale with many unexpected twists and turns occuring throughout the narrative- until the conclusion.
March 1, 2021
Off-Duty Deputy Sheriff Brynn McKenzie responds to a 911 call far out in the wilderness only to find herself and a terrified survivor of a double homicide running for their lives. The two killers need to ensure there are no witnesses, so both women must die.
With more twists and turns, the story ensures you’ll never see the danger before you feel the knife in your back. Nothing is as it seems, and no one can be trusted.
Fans of all-out action, spine-tingling suspense and murder mysteries will love this thriller by award-winning master storyteller, Jeffery Deaver.
With more twists and turns, the story ensures you’ll never see the danger before you feel the knife in your back. Nothing is as it seems, and no one can be trusted.
Fans of all-out action, spine-tingling suspense and murder mysteries will love this thriller by award-winning master storyteller, Jeffery Deaver.
June 18, 2022
This was a pretty disappointing book in comparison to Deaver's other novels. I'm a big fan of his twist-and-turn plot lines, and while I don't care for the profanity he puts in his books, they usually keep me on the edge of my seat. He has some of his characteristic plot twists, but overall it's a lame plot and the ending is pretty non-climactic. Probably the worst Deaver book I've read, although some people might enjoy this.
April 28, 2020
A smart stand alone thriller by Deaver. Not wanting to give away the plot, the book is well summarised by the (London) Times 'This is not just an adrenaline charged manhunt but a game of deception and multiple double cross that keeps the reader guessing right up to the end'... and the Times is so right, whenever you think you understand what's going on another twist just blindsides you... good read. 7 out of 12.
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September 7, 2025Read by Holter Graham, this audiobook left me all teary-eyed and pretty much in love with the narrator and also with the amazing and talented author. It was my first Deaver book and I had no idea what to expect, but the description met my current mood to read something survivor-y. It certainly hit the spot and went above and beyond by giving me a well-written story to be completely immersed in. Now I want more of Deaver's writing and Graham's voice.
October 26, 2024
A good early stand alone novel from author Jeffery Deaver. A nice change from the Lincoln Rhymes series I enjoy so much.
Good characters, sound plot and lots of action make this an enjoyable read. One of the authors lesser known novels but well worth reading.
Lots of twists and turns are thrown in to keep you off the scent.
Good characters, sound plot and lots of action make this an enjoyable read. One of the authors lesser known novels but well worth reading.
Lots of twists and turns are thrown in to keep you off the scent.
April 18, 2020
4.5 stars
July 11, 2019
A deputy takes a call along a remote lake after a 9-1-1 call that was disconnected. She goes and finds two bodies and is being hunted by the killers. She an another victim are playing cat & mouse games in the remote state park trying to evade the killers and survive. A clever, suspenseful chase. Then the books turns on a dime and things change. Loved it!
February 16, 2010
Normally I enjoy Jeffrey Deaver's work. Unfortunately in The Bodies Left Behind he let me down. The book begins when an off-duty deputy stumbles into a "hit" that seems connected to a union organizer.
Our heroine quickly finds herself on the run from the hitmen and meets up with another woman in the woods who presents herself as a house guest of the victims who managed to escape after wounding one of the gunmen.
The bulk of the book follows their efforts to elude the criminals and flee through the woods. Of course, cellphones get conveniently lost and no one seems to have a working phone in the nearby vacation homes.
After a number of MacGyver-ish maneuvers our heroine and her new best friend elude the killers.
In case you want to delve into this one, I won't spoil the plot. However, I will say the plot twists near the end seem labored and completely contrived. There is almost the sense that Deaver is toying with the reader trying to see how many hackneyed twists and turns he can pull out of his hat to try to keep the story on life support.
Jeffrey Deaver can write much better than this. He can also create much more interesting plots and characters. This book is nowhere near the level of his hit bestseller Lincoln Rhyme novels and even falls far short of his less well plotted novels featuring Kathryn Dance.
Our heroine quickly finds herself on the run from the hitmen and meets up with another woman in the woods who presents herself as a house guest of the victims who managed to escape after wounding one of the gunmen.
The bulk of the book follows their efforts to elude the criminals and flee through the woods. Of course, cellphones get conveniently lost and no one seems to have a working phone in the nearby vacation homes.
After a number of MacGyver-ish maneuvers our heroine and her new best friend elude the killers.
In case you want to delve into this one, I won't spoil the plot. However, I will say the plot twists near the end seem labored and completely contrived. There is almost the sense that Deaver is toying with the reader trying to see how many hackneyed twists and turns he can pull out of his hat to try to keep the story on life support.
Jeffrey Deaver can write much better than this. He can also create much more interesting plots and characters. This book is nowhere near the level of his hit bestseller Lincoln Rhyme novels and even falls far short of his less well plotted novels featuring Kathryn Dance.
April 7, 2014
- 1st pet peeve is in the beginning…even though the town was small the police dept who answered the 911 call were clueless and worthless. By the time they gather up information on a simple 911 call, the people would have died…then it would be like what’s the point of even having a 911 if they aren’t good at their jobs.
- I also didn’t buy the fact these “killers” who unexpectedly come upon Michelle and her husband in this cabin…decide to chase after Brynn and Michelle instead of just running and getting the hell out of town…especially since they know they are chasing a COP who apparently know what they are doing and not afraid to shoot…and Brynn and Michelle didn’t even really get a good look at them…even though one of the killers consider that he has no choice but to chase Michelle because of her being a lawyer on some case back in Milwaukee…this chase was still ridiculous
- This chase was not engaging at all, not exciting, nothing surprising came of it...nothing thrilling about it…no real action taking place…so in other words…this book and chase was BORING…
- Also, everyone seemed to be kind of dumb in this book….with no common sense it seems. The only person I had a little fear of was James Jensen… and he wasn’t even the one doing the chasing and killing…
- I also didn’t buy the fact these “killers” who unexpectedly come upon Michelle and her husband in this cabin…decide to chase after Brynn and Michelle instead of just running and getting the hell out of town…especially since they know they are chasing a COP who apparently know what they are doing and not afraid to shoot…and Brynn and Michelle didn’t even really get a good look at them…even though one of the killers consider that he has no choice but to chase Michelle because of her being a lawyer on some case back in Milwaukee…this chase was still ridiculous
- This chase was not engaging at all, not exciting, nothing surprising came of it...nothing thrilling about it…no real action taking place…so in other words…this book and chase was BORING…
- Also, everyone seemed to be kind of dumb in this book….with no common sense it seems. The only person I had a little fear of was James Jensen… and he wasn’t even the one doing the chasing and killing…
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