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The Precinct #12
Takedown
SWAT Captain Michael Cutler's pulse was racing. He should have been thinking about the intense hostage crisis he'd just diffused. But he couldn't keep his mind off of her—Jillian Masterson, the leggy brunette who had come to him for protection from an obsessive stalker. He certainly hadn't been looking for love, especially with someone fifteen years his junior. But their chemistry was undeniable. As the stalker's threats intensified, Michael knew he'd go to any lengths to bring him down. Even if that entailed giving Jillian some very personal security....
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 1, 2010
29 people are currently reading
379 people want to read
About the author
Julie Miller
295 books368 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
USA TODAY Bestselling author Julie Miller writes breathtaking romantic suspense. She's won a National Readers Choice Award and two Daphne du Maurier Awards among other prizes. She was also honored to receive a Career Achievement Award from RT BookReviews and has been a finalist for many national and international awards. Her books have appeared on the USA Today, Publisher's Weekly, Amazon and BookScan Top 100 Romances bestseller lists.
Writing about Kansas City cops, Julie has crafted bestselling, award-winning books for Harlequin Intrigue. In addition, Ms. Miller publishes romantic suspense books with a military twist. Millions of copies of her books have been sold in print and digital formats around the world.
USA TODAY Bestselling author Julie Miller writes breathtaking romantic suspense. She's won a National Readers Choice Award and two Daphne du Maurier Awards among other prizes. She was also honored to receive a Career Achievement Award from RT BookReviews and has been a finalist for many national and international awards. Her books have appeared on the USA Today, Publisher's Weekly, Amazon and BookScan Top 100 Romances bestseller lists.
Writing about Kansas City cops, Julie has crafted bestselling, award-winning books for Harlequin Intrigue. In addition, Ms. Miller publishes romantic suspense books with a military twist. Millions of copies of her books have been sold in print and digital formats around the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
April 28, 2010
Someone is sending Jillian Masterson love letters. The creepy kind. And the "message" is underlined with roses and beaten up and dead people. Really not something every girl wishes for.
Coupled with her attraction to SWAT Captain Michael Cutler, older, mature...and father of one of her PT patients, Jilly has a really shitty week.
After the slightest disappointment of Beauty and the Badge, Ms. Miller returns in her usual style with yet another amazing installment in her ongoing series about the KCPD's 4th precinct members.
With its equal measure of romance (fifteen year age gap isn't much!, besides Jillian and Michael are simply meant to be together) and suspense (with the added chills of a quasi-thriller embodied by Jillian's twisted "Loverboy" stalker), tight plot, great pacing and wonderful characters this story is a definite keeper and highly recommended by this satisfied reader.
Coupled with her attraction to SWAT Captain Michael Cutler, older, mature...and father of one of her PT patients, Jilly has a really shitty week.
After the slightest disappointment of Beauty and the Badge, Ms. Miller returns in her usual style with yet another amazing installment in her ongoing series about the KCPD's 4th precinct members.
With its equal measure of romance (fifteen year age gap isn't much!, besides Jillian and Michael are simply meant to be together) and suspense (with the added chills of a quasi-thriller embodied by Jillian's twisted "Loverboy" stalker), tight plot, great pacing and wonderful characters this story is a definite keeper and highly recommended by this satisfied reader.
January 2, 2012
Terrific book. I've already read the Precinct:SWAT books, so I enjoyed going back and reading Captain Michael Cutler's story. At the beginning of the book, we see him as the worried single dad, concerned about his son's physical therapy progress. Jillian is the physical therapist. She has developed what she feels is a crush on Michael (he is 15 years older than she is), Michael has noticed her as a woman, but the age difference bothers him. When he finds out about her stalker, he goes into protector mode, and quickly realizes he has deeper feelings for her than he thought he did. Meanwhile, Jillian feels that her past keeps her from having a relationship with anyone, but especially Michael. When the stalker increases his activities, their feelings also intensify. The ending was fantastic, and I loved the way father and son were able to open up with each other.
March 8, 2019
Reread October 2017- I have read this book once a year (really more like two or three) since it released and it’s just as fresh and riveting as the first time!
I wasn't a big fan of Jillian beforehand, but she has come a long way since her first introduction in the series! I'll admit though, what sold me on the story was Michael Cutler Sr. He may be an older guy, but it just goes to show, sexiness does not go out the door with a few silver strands of hair!
Takedown has been on my keeper shelf since it first came out! It's a great story about second chances in life and love. With a fantastic blend of suspense/action to balance out the romance, it’s also the perfect length for a quick and satisfying read!
I wasn't a big fan of Jillian beforehand, but she has come a long way since her first introduction in the series! I'll admit though, what sold me on the story was Michael Cutler Sr. He may be an older guy, but it just goes to show, sexiness does not go out the door with a few silver strands of hair!
Takedown has been on my keeper shelf since it first came out! It's a great story about second chances in life and love. With a fantastic blend of suspense/action to balance out the romance, it’s also the perfect length for a quick and satisfying read!
June 17, 2020
This was a good book. I did NOT expect this to be a 5 star-er. Almost all harlequin books are max 4 star-ers for me and this took me completely by surprise. I loved almost everything about it. And this has also made me realise that I might have a huge thing for cops/fbi/any law enforcement official.
17/06/2020 edit: Holy shit my dudes, this book really is sweet as fuck. I LOVE it. Love love looove it.
17/06/2020 edit: Holy shit my dudes, this book really is sweet as fuck. I LOVE it. Love love looove it.
July 26, 2011
I have a confession to make, before I review Takedown. I don't read the back covers of my favorite authors, and I don't read the cast of characters listed in the front of the book. With one eye open I will glance at the book list to make an attempt at reading the books in order. That being said I have read Julie Miller's Precinct books completely out of order, which in most cases doesn't matter but with Takedown at the very least try to read Kansas City Christmas first, or better yet all of The Precinct: Brotherhood of the Badge. The reason I suggest this is that Jillian the female lead has a fair amount of back story in Kansas City Christmas. Takedown is a gritty and suspenseful intrigue, with sympathetic characters set in the complex world of Julie Miller's Kansas City Precinct, and a very entertaining read.
November 1, 2023
I loved this story. I am a sucker for a heroine who has overcome her tough past and made something of herself. She helps others, loves her family and is so great. Love the hero too. Protective yet strong and just a good man!
February 25, 2018
Jillian Masterson has a chequered past. After losing her parents in a plane crash at sixteen, she turned to drugs and men who were not good for her to cope. However, she decided to get clean after nearly being raped, and she’s been sober for eleven years when the book starts. She’s a physical therapist and one of her patients is teenager Mike Cutler, Jr, who lost the use of his legs after being in a car accident that killed his friend.
Mike’s father, Michael, is a SWAT captain. He lost his wife to cancer two years previously, and he’s been busy trying to grieve and deal with the guilt of not being able to save her. At forty-four, he doesn’t think twenty-eight year old Jillian would look twice at him (I’m being picky, but it’s mentioned several times that he’s fifteen years older than her throughout the book, but he’s actually sixteen). However, Jillian is very much attracted to him but doesn’t think he’d give her a second glance because of their age difference.
Jillian is being stalked by someone who knows her very well and looks to be following her. When Michael finds out, she reluctantly accepts his help in finding out who this creep is. What was done nicely was the romance. Yes, they have a big age gap and yes, it gave them both pause, but I like that Ms Miller didn’t drag it out and have them flip flop back and forth. Michael had not been in relationship since his wife died and Jillian was too busy with her sobriety and getting her degree to think about a relationship she was not emotionally ready for, so it was nice to see them both be willing to give it a chance. Jillian is surrounded by law enforcement – her brother is a former cop turned DA investigator, his wife is the police commissioner (and she’s also ten years old than him, so I must dig out their book which I think I have and read it), her sister is a medical examiner and her husband is also a cop. They all work together to try and figure out who is stalking Jillian.
I pretty much guessed who the stalker was from the beginning, because it’s always someone you least suspect, although I did vacillate between two people as the author threw in a second possible suspect. I’m so glad Michael and Jillian worked through their issues to get their happily ever after. If you haven’t read any books by Julie Miller, you should.
Mike’s father, Michael, is a SWAT captain. He lost his wife to cancer two years previously, and he’s been busy trying to grieve and deal with the guilt of not being able to save her. At forty-four, he doesn’t think twenty-eight year old Jillian would look twice at him (I’m being picky, but it’s mentioned several times that he’s fifteen years older than her throughout the book, but he’s actually sixteen). However, Jillian is very much attracted to him but doesn’t think he’d give her a second glance because of their age difference.
Jillian is being stalked by someone who knows her very well and looks to be following her. When Michael finds out, she reluctantly accepts his help in finding out who this creep is. What was done nicely was the romance. Yes, they have a big age gap and yes, it gave them both pause, but I like that Ms Miller didn’t drag it out and have them flip flop back and forth. Michael had not been in relationship since his wife died and Jillian was too busy with her sobriety and getting her degree to think about a relationship she was not emotionally ready for, so it was nice to see them both be willing to give it a chance. Jillian is surrounded by law enforcement – her brother is a former cop turned DA investigator, his wife is the police commissioner (and she’s also ten years old than him, so I must dig out their book which I think I have and read it), her sister is a medical examiner and her husband is also a cop. They all work together to try and figure out who is stalking Jillian.
I pretty much guessed who the stalker was from the beginning, because it’s always someone you least suspect, although I did vacillate between two people as the author threw in a second possible suspect. I’m so glad Michael and Jillian worked through their issues to get their happily ever after. If you haven’t read any books by Julie Miller, you should.
March 18, 2018
I enjoyed Takedown. I read it again in preparation to reading Kansas City Cop since we revisit Mike Cutler Jr.
Takedown is the story of redeeming love where one person doesn't think she is worthy and the other thinks his time has passed. Julie Miller has knit together a touching story of redemption, recovery, second chances, and new beginnings.
We meet Captain Michael Cutler, SWAT commander, and Jillian Masterson whose family has a law enforcement legacy. She chose a season of addiction to cope with the death of her parents.
On the surface it would seem that these two have nothing in common but Mike Jr., her patient. As the story unfolds we learn that Jillian is giving at the expense of her safety at times, as she's trying to make up for a misspent youth and a legacy of addiction and bad choices. Those choices should have destroyed her but instead they empowered her to make life transforming decisions when addiction led to an attempted rape, her wake up call. We also learn that Captain Cutler is a widower with a son who lived through a horrific accident after his mother died leaving his friend dead and him broken and alive. We have the usual teen angst compounded by the accident. We get to experience their road to redemption and recovery.
Their lives intersect on two levels, professionally and personally, Jillian as Captain Cutler's son's physical therapist and when an obsessive stalker sets his sights on Jillian. While Jillian is helping his son heal Captain Cutler is in protector mode.
It's a fast read and well written story. It will keep you turning pages as you try to figure out who is stalking Jillian. There are some great cheering moments as well as some wow, I don't believe that happened that bring out how stalking is truly a serious crime that should be taken seriously and not just blown off.
Julie Miller's The Precinct series is great and one of my favorite reads. I highly recommend this author, this series, and this book!
Takedown is the story of redeeming love where one person doesn't think she is worthy and the other thinks his time has passed. Julie Miller has knit together a touching story of redemption, recovery, second chances, and new beginnings.
We meet Captain Michael Cutler, SWAT commander, and Jillian Masterson whose family has a law enforcement legacy. She chose a season of addiction to cope with the death of her parents.
On the surface it would seem that these two have nothing in common but Mike Jr., her patient. As the story unfolds we learn that Jillian is giving at the expense of her safety at times, as she's trying to make up for a misspent youth and a legacy of addiction and bad choices. Those choices should have destroyed her but instead they empowered her to make life transforming decisions when addiction led to an attempted rape, her wake up call. We also learn that Captain Cutler is a widower with a son who lived through a horrific accident after his mother died leaving his friend dead and him broken and alive. We have the usual teen angst compounded by the accident. We get to experience their road to redemption and recovery.
Their lives intersect on two levels, professionally and personally, Jillian as Captain Cutler's son's physical therapist and when an obsessive stalker sets his sights on Jillian. While Jillian is helping his son heal Captain Cutler is in protector mode.
It's a fast read and well written story. It will keep you turning pages as you try to figure out who is stalking Jillian. There are some great cheering moments as well as some wow, I don't believe that happened that bring out how stalking is truly a serious crime that should be taken seriously and not just blown off.
Julie Miller's The Precinct series is great and one of my favorite reads. I highly recommend this author, this series, and this book!
June 1, 2022
I was hoping I'd like it more, but Jillian annoyed me too much and Michael was just meh. And I was kind of icked by the fact that she was closer in age to his son than to him. Incoming rant, beware.
February 19, 2018
Exciting read! When I heard that Julie Miller's upcoming release KANSAS CITY COP was Mike Cutler Jr.'s story, I had to go revisit a blast from the past and re-read his dad's story where we first met Mike! It was great the first time around, and now all these years later still just as attention grabbing and heart warming. The characters are easy to like and you find yourself routing for them to get together from the start. The added affection of the teenage boys makes for a well-rounded story. I really enjoyed it!
When Kansas City SWAT Captain Michael Cutler learns that his son's physical therapist has a stalker, he steps in to help protect her. He's already been attracted to her, but since he's 15 years older than her and has done a whole world of living before her time, he hasn't acted on it ... but close proximity and her making it clear she feels it too makes it hard to resist!
Jillian Masterson adores the teens she works with as a physical therapist. Two of them in particular have snuck their way into her heart, so she inserts herself a little more than normal into their every day lives. She has a past she's glad to have out-grown, but the letters and gifts she's been receiving recently make her wonder if one part of it is coming back to haunt her. Can Michael help her get to the bottom of what's going on? And can she convince him that the chemistry they feel needs to be acted on?
When Kansas City SWAT Captain Michael Cutler learns that his son's physical therapist has a stalker, he steps in to help protect her. He's already been attracted to her, but since he's 15 years older than her and has done a whole world of living before her time, he hasn't acted on it ... but close proximity and her making it clear she feels it too makes it hard to resist!
Jillian Masterson adores the teens she works with as a physical therapist. Two of them in particular have snuck their way into her heart, so she inserts herself a little more than normal into their every day lives. She has a past she's glad to have out-grown, but the letters and gifts she's been receiving recently make her wonder if one part of it is coming back to haunt her. Can Michael help her get to the bottom of what's going on? And can she convince him that the chemistry they feel needs to be acted on?
September 12, 2018
I loved the story of Jillian and Michael! Both are aware of their attraction to one another from the start, and both are determined not to follow through with it. But circumstances bring them together and it gets harder and harder to stay away from each other.
Read
November 3, 2022A Go To Woman!
Wow, great romance about a woman who has conquered childhood ills; turned her life into a success; pays it forward! Exciting action packed adventure! Plus the hero is an older, fit, man! Loved it!
Wow, great romance about a woman who has conquered childhood ills; turned her life into a success; pays it forward! Exciting action packed adventure! Plus the hero is an older, fit, man! Loved it!
November 11, 2018
I love how action packed this was I am starting to like this series even though i am reading them out of order
October 4, 2019
I’m docking one star for the sheer level of copaganda.
March 27, 2020
I really enjoyed this story.
July 10, 2020
Awesome
I just finished reading this book and it was awesome from beginning to end! I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
I just finished reading this book and it was awesome from beginning to end! I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
November 3, 2020
I originally read this book several years ago and re-read it 11/3/20
July 7, 2022
The cheesiness of this series finally started to annoy me. I'll keep reading because I like the suspense part but ... bleh.
May 1, 2024
3.75 ⭐️
Sweet tender love.
Sweet tender love.
November 22, 2012
(This book would rate a 4.5 except for one key reason discussed at the end of this review. It was very enjoyable to read.) Jillian Masterson had dug herself out of a pretty deep hole. She had escape her addicts past to become a successful physical therapist. Unfortunately, someone from her past doesn't seem willing to let it go and her stalker has begun to scare her. It so happens that she has two special patients that she's working with, one of which is the son of a SWAT Captain. Michael Cutler is about 15 years older than she is but he enflames her senses in ways she hasn't felt before as an adult. As for Michael he's grateful for what she's doing for his son but he's thrilled by what she's doing for him, but surely he's too old for her. When the stalker gets creative, Michael and Jillian decide that life is too short to worry about things like age. This book would have rated much higher, closer to 4.5 stars if she hadn't made the villain Jillian's psychiatrist. It was disappointing that the man who was so invaluable to Jillian's recovery from drug addiction would turn out to be so awful and I think it hurt the image of the profession. Yes, that's a lot to hold a romance to but Miller knows how to write and I would definitely pick up another by her for that reason. This was hard to put down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2016
Hero:
Captain Michael Cutler 44 —Commander of KCPD’s premier SWAT team, has a 16 year old son
Heroine: Jillian Masterson 28, physical therapist, ex drug addict
POV: 3rd person, Alternating between H&h
He pressed his thumb against the soft pink swell of her lips and the desire to claim those beautiful lips throbbed inside him. “Sweetheart, I’m fifteen years older than you. But I’m sure not feeling like a daddy watching out for his little girl.
This was a sweet little book. Completely forgettable of course but good to pass time.
He climbed into the bed behind her and spooned his body to hers, pulling the covers up over them both. “Sleep, sweetheart.” Brushing her tangled hair off her face, he whispered a promise against her ear. “You’re safe.”
=======================================
Who's the obsessive stalker - I always like to know the bad guy from the beginning just to see how they act and what not.
Heroine: Jillian Masterson 28, physical therapist, ex drug addict
POV: 3rd person, Alternating between H&h
He pressed his thumb against the soft pink swell of her lips and the desire to claim those beautiful lips throbbed inside him. “Sweetheart, I’m fifteen years older than you. But I’m sure not feeling like a daddy watching out for his little girl.
This was a sweet little book. Completely forgettable of course but good to pass time.
He climbed into the bed behind her and spooned his body to hers, pulling the covers up over them both. “Sleep, sweetheart.” Brushing her tangled hair off her face, he whispered a promise against her ear. “You’re safe.”
=======================================
Who's the obsessive stalker - I always like to know the bad guy from the beginning just to see how they act and what not.
September 2, 2017
Sexy SWAT Capt Michael Cutler falls for his teenage son's physical therapist, Jillian Masterson, 15 years his junior in this romantic suspense.
March 31, 2025
I read this book when it first came out several years ago, but after just having finished Ms. Miller's latest book Kansas City Cop, I had to savor Takedown again. This is one of my all time favorite books, mostly because the H/h have a 15 year age gap. I don't think falling in love is only for 20 somethings. Jillian has an unwanted stalker who professes to love her. Michael Cutler is a SWAT captain and father to one of Jillian's physical therapy patients. Their relationship develops as Michael and Jillian try to discover who this "Loverboy" is.
As always Ms. Miller's books hook the reader in from the very beginning, and takes the reader on a wild ride. This book can be read as a stand alone, so treat yourself and pick this one up!
As always Ms. Miller's books hook the reader in from the very beginning, and takes the reader on a wild ride. This book can be read as a stand alone, so treat yourself and pick this one up!
September 2, 2012
Didn't finish
March 28, 2013
Honestly, I didn't expect to like Jillian's story because I haven't cared for her up till this point, but I was won over. Great story and great romance.
April 9, 2014
As always, Julie Miller doesn't disappoint!
September 29, 2013
Harlequin is a mixture of romance and mystery...love it
February 11, 2014
This book was good. It had a good dose of mystery, romance and intrigue to keep me interested. I myself enjoy a good SWAT story every once in a while and this was good.
May 4, 2014
Not a bad book. A little cheesy in my opinion, but all in all it was a good read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews