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Kill the Messenger
With this new thriller, The New York Times bestselling author Tami Hoag delivers her own message to suspense fans Don't turn off the lights, and keep reading if you dare. From the gritty streets of Los Angeles to its most protected enclaves of prestige and power to the ruthless glamour of Hollywood, a killer stalks his prey. A killer so merciless no one in his way is safe—not even the innocent.
At the end of a long day battling street traffic, bike messenger Jace Damon has one last drop to make. But en route to delivering a package for one of L.A.'s sleaziest defense attorneys, he's nearly run down by a car, chased through back alleys, and shot at. Only the instincts acquired while growing up on the streets of L.A. allow him to escape with his life—and with the package someone wants badly enough to kill for.
Jace returns to Lenny Lowell's office only to find the cops there, the lawyer dead, and Jace himself considered the prime suspect in the savage murder. Suddenly he's on the run from both the cops and a killer, and the key to saving himself and his ten-year-old brother is the envelope he still has—which holds a message no one wants the truth.
In a city fueled by money, celebrity, and sensationalism, the murder of a bottom-feeding mouthpiece like Lenny Lowell won't make the headlines. So when detectives from the LAPD's elite robbery/homicide division show up, homicide detective Kev Parker wants to know why. Parker is on the downhill slide of a once-promising career, and he doesn't want to be reminded that he used to be one of the hotshots, working cases that made instant celebrities of everyone involved. Like the case of fading retty-boy actor Rob Cole, accused of the brutal murder of his wife, Tricia Crowne-Cole, daughter of one of the most powerful men in the city, L.A.'s latest "crime of the century."
Robbery/Homicide has no reason to be looking at a dead small-time scumbag lawyer or chasing a bike messenger...unless there's something in it for them. Maybe Lenny Lowell had a connection to something big enough to be killed for. Parker begins a search for answers that will lead him to a killer—or the end of his career. Because if there's one lesson he's learned over the years, it's that in a town built on fantasy and fame, delivering the truth can be deadly.
At the end of a long day battling street traffic, bike messenger Jace Damon has one last drop to make. But en route to delivering a package for one of L.A.'s sleaziest defense attorneys, he's nearly run down by a car, chased through back alleys, and shot at. Only the instincts acquired while growing up on the streets of L.A. allow him to escape with his life—and with the package someone wants badly enough to kill for.
Jace returns to Lenny Lowell's office only to find the cops there, the lawyer dead, and Jace himself considered the prime suspect in the savage murder. Suddenly he's on the run from both the cops and a killer, and the key to saving himself and his ten-year-old brother is the envelope he still has—which holds a message no one wants the truth.
In a city fueled by money, celebrity, and sensationalism, the murder of a bottom-feeding mouthpiece like Lenny Lowell won't make the headlines. So when detectives from the LAPD's elite robbery/homicide division show up, homicide detective Kev Parker wants to know why. Parker is on the downhill slide of a once-promising career, and he doesn't want to be reminded that he used to be one of the hotshots, working cases that made instant celebrities of everyone involved. Like the case of fading retty-boy actor Rob Cole, accused of the brutal murder of his wife, Tricia Crowne-Cole, daughter of one of the most powerful men in the city, L.A.'s latest "crime of the century."
Robbery/Homicide has no reason to be looking at a dead small-time scumbag lawyer or chasing a bike messenger...unless there's something in it for them. Maybe Lenny Lowell had a connection to something big enough to be killed for. Parker begins a search for answers that will lead him to a killer—or the end of his career. Because if there's one lesson he's learned over the years, it's that in a town built on fantasy and fame, delivering the truth can be deadly.
528 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 6, 2004
630 people are currently reading
3522 people want to read
About the author
Tami Hoag
100 books6,132 followersTami Hoag is the #1 internationally bestselling author of more than thirty books published in more than thirty languages worldwide, including her latest thrillers—BITTER SEASON, COLD COLD HEART and THE 9TH GIRL. Renowned for combining thrilling plots with character-driven suspense, Hoag first hit the New York Times Bestseller list with NIGHT SINS, and each of her books since has been a bestseller.
She leads a double life in Palm Beach County, Florida where she is also known as a top competitive equestrian in the Olympic discipline of dressage. Other interests include the study of psychology, and mixed martial arts fighting.
Visit her at www.tamihoag.com, Facebook.com/TamiHoag and on Twitter @TamiHoag
She leads a double life in Palm Beach County, Florida where she is also known as a top competitive equestrian in the Olympic discipline of dressage. Other interests include the study of psychology, and mixed martial arts fighting.
Visit her at www.tamihoag.com, Facebook.com/TamiHoag and on Twitter @TamiHoag
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 613 reviews
November 16, 2017
This is a stand alone book and probably one of my favorites by Ms Hoag. I've recently discovered her writing and have gone back and read most of her books (opted out of most of her earlier romance novels). At first I didn't think I was going to like the book this much but I was totally pulled into the story.
April 24, 2023
When bike messenger Jace Damon gets a call from the dispatcher telling him to pick up a package at Attorney Lenny Lowell's office for delivery, he doesn't know how much his life is going to change. It's a cold, rainy night and Jace just wants to go home. Jace picks up the package from Lenny and tries to make the drop; but someone else wants the package. He is chased, beaten, and shot at, finally hiding in an alley until the gunman goes away. Making his way back to Lenny's office to return the package, he finds that Lenny has been murdered. The police have cordoned off the area and Jace is their number one suspect.
Detective Kev Parker is assigned the case. Lenny had a lot of enemies; but the clues are pointing straight to the bike messenger who was at the office earlier in the evening. But Kev has his doubts. When the elite Robbery/Homicide Division detectives shows up at the scene, he knows something is up. They would not be interested in the death of a sleazy attorney unless it ties to one of their cases. But RHD isn't talking.
Jace isn't about to talk to the cops and tell them what he knows. He has lived off-the-grid for several years, taking care of his ten-year-old brother since their mother died. He is afraid that the cops will put his brother in foster care and throw him in jail.
How did I miss reading this book when it came out? This is an action-packed story that I couldn't put down. We know there is a man chasing Jace, trying to get the package that he still has on him. But who hired this man and what does that package contain? My rating: 5 Stars.
Detective Kev Parker is assigned the case. Lenny had a lot of enemies; but the clues are pointing straight to the bike messenger who was at the office earlier in the evening. But Kev has his doubts. When the elite Robbery/Homicide Division detectives shows up at the scene, he knows something is up. They would not be interested in the death of a sleazy attorney unless it ties to one of their cases. But RHD isn't talking.
Jace isn't about to talk to the cops and tell them what he knows. He has lived off-the-grid for several years, taking care of his ten-year-old brother since their mother died. He is afraid that the cops will put his brother in foster care and throw him in jail.
How did I miss reading this book when it came out? This is an action-packed story that I couldn't put down. We know there is a man chasing Jace, trying to get the package that he still has on him. But who hired this man and what does that package contain? My rating: 5 Stars.
February 21, 2021
Jace Damon bisikletli kuryelik yapan sıradan bir çocuktur. Kardeşi Tyler ile ilgilenmekten başka pek bir derdi yoktur. Ne yazık ki son paketini almaya gittiğinde olanlar olur ve müşterisi ölü bulunur. Polisin dikkatini üzerine çeken Jace şüpheli olur ve kaçış başlar.
Tami Hoag kitaplarına göre daha basit bir kitap olsa da kovalamacası yüksek ortalama bir polisiyeydi. Bazı karakterlerle çok kolay bağ kurdum ve sevdim. Çeviride ara ara hafif bir sıkıntı hissettim ama geneline çok yansımadı.
Genel olarak ortalama bir kitap olduğunu söyleyebilirim. Okunabilir.
Tami Hoag kitaplarına göre daha basit bir kitap olsa da kovalamacası yüksek ortalama bir polisiyeydi. Bazı karakterlerle çok kolay bağ kurdum ve sevdim. Çeviride ara ara hafif bir sıkıntı hissettim ama geneline çok yansımadı.
Genel olarak ortalama bir kitap olduğunu söyleyebilirim. Okunabilir.
September 10, 2019
Great thriller lots of suspense. don't know why I waited so long to read this one.
December 31, 2024
Завършвам годината с добър трилър, с неочакван край и симпатичен детектив. :-)
"Не беше сигурен дали вярва в духове, но вярваше в душата. Вярваше в съществуването на нещо, което създаваше битието; енергията, която определяше един човек като човешко същество. Понякога, когато се разхождаше сам на местопрестъплението, му се струваше, че може да почувства тази енергия около себе си. Сякаш тя продължаваше да съществува. Друг път нямаше нищо. Празнота, пустош, вакуум."
"Знаменитите престъпници отново са на мода, Паркър. Това е ретро риалити шоу. Всичко в името на справедливия гняв."
"— Да се срещнем до продавача на еспресо.
— Ти плащаш.
— Някога в живота си носила ли си пари със себе си?
— Никога. Аз съм момиче с принципи."
"Аз не съм добър, нито снизходителен губещ. Взех всичко, което имах по случая, и си излязох."
"Най-доброто, което човек можеше да направи с един лош ден, бе да го изживее и приключи с надеждата, че следващият ще бъде по-добър."
"Не беше сигурен дали вярва в духове, но вярваше в душата. Вярваше в съществуването на нещо, което създаваше битието; енергията, която определяше един човек като човешко същество. Понякога, когато се разхождаше сам на местопрестъплението, му се струваше, че може да почувства тази енергия около себе си. Сякаш тя продължаваше да съществува. Друг път нямаше нищо. Празнота, пустош, вакуум."
"Знаменитите престъпници отново са на мода, Паркър. Това е ретро риалити шоу. Всичко в името на справедливия гняв."
"— Да се срещнем до продавача на еспресо.
— Ти плащаш.
— Някога в живота си носила ли си пари със себе си?
— Никога. Аз съм момиче с принципи."
"Аз не съм добър, нито снизходителен губещ. Взех всичко, което имах по случая, и си излязох."
"Най-доброто, което човек можеше да направи с един лош ден, бе да го изживее и приключи с надеждата, че следващият ще бъде по-добър."
May 26, 2013
Have you ever read a book and thought, "This would make a great movie."? So it goes with Kill The Messenger. Tami Hoag is a fairly new author......to me.......and so far I'm really enjoying her books. I've seen so many Hoag books over the years; seen a shelf full of her work at the library and thought she must be pretty good to have so many best selling books but, still, I never picked up any of her work. Man. What I've been missing. She is a superb writer, quickly drawing you in and keeping your attention until the very last page. And the surprise ending is just that.....a big surprise. I never once had the slightest inkling of 'who dun it'.
You find yourself quickly rooting for Jace and Tyler. Dare I say you become very protective of them and you just want to take them in and keep them safe? Jace is that rare breed of young man who is all about protecting and caring for his brother, putting himself last. And Tyler. He's just so lovable. You're given a glimpse of what kind of man he'll grow into. A man much like his big brother.
Parker is a good guy but you see him in a couple of moments where you know he can be cruel if he wants to. I'm still not sure if I liked Abby Lowell. She could be quite the b*tch when she felt like it......and she felt like it quite a lot. For me, it was only at the end that she really redeemed herself. Davis doesn't really come into the story at first. And there we find a demented psycho who'll stop at nothing to get what he wants.
Hoag adds some great supporting characters. Madame Chen and Andi are both so easy to love. Ruiz and Kyle are so easy to despise. Hoag really brings all of her characters to life, makes them seem so real.
The non-stop action puts you on the edge of your seat and leaves you satisfied with a story well told. This is a must for the reader who really seeks thrills and action in his/her reading fodder.
Bike messenger Jace Damon is on his last delivery of a long day-a package from one of L.A.'s sleaziest defense attorneys, Lenny Lowell. But when Jace tries to make the drop, he is chased, shot at, and barely escapes with the package-and his life. Meanwhile, Lowell has been murdered and Jace finds himself suspect number one,
In a city fueled by money, celebrity, and sensationalism, the slaying of a bottom-feeder like Lowell won't make headlines. So when LAPD's elite show up, homicide detective Kev Parker want to know why. Parker begins a search for answers that will lead him to a killer-or to the end of his career. Because if there's one lesson Parker has learned over the years, it's that in a town built on fame and fantasy, delivering the truth can be murder.
You find yourself quickly rooting for Jace and Tyler. Dare I say you become very protective of them and you just want to take them in and keep them safe? Jace is that rare breed of young man who is all about protecting and caring for his brother, putting himself last. And Tyler. He's just so lovable. You're given a glimpse of what kind of man he'll grow into. A man much like his big brother.
Parker is a good guy but you see him in a couple of moments where you know he can be cruel if he wants to. I'm still not sure if I liked Abby Lowell. She could be quite the b*tch when she felt like it......and she felt like it quite a lot. For me, it was only at the end that she really redeemed herself. Davis doesn't really come into the story at first. And there we find a demented psycho who'll stop at nothing to get what he wants.
Hoag adds some great supporting characters. Madame Chen and Andi are both so easy to love. Ruiz and Kyle are so easy to despise. Hoag really brings all of her characters to life, makes them seem so real.
The non-stop action puts you on the edge of your seat and leaves you satisfied with a story well told. This is a must for the reader who really seeks thrills and action in his/her reading fodder.
Bike messenger Jace Damon is on his last delivery of a long day-a package from one of L.A.'s sleaziest defense attorneys, Lenny Lowell. But when Jace tries to make the drop, he is chased, shot at, and barely escapes with the package-and his life. Meanwhile, Lowell has been murdered and Jace finds himself suspect number one,
In a city fueled by money, celebrity, and sensationalism, the slaying of a bottom-feeder like Lowell won't make headlines. So when LAPD's elite show up, homicide detective Kev Parker want to know why. Parker begins a search for answers that will lead him to a killer-or to the end of his career. Because if there's one lesson Parker has learned over the years, it's that in a town built on fame and fantasy, delivering the truth can be murder.
February 9, 2024
Много добър трилър! Добре развити герои, интересна, много действие, бързо се чете!
September 5, 2007
KILL THE MESSENGER (Suspense/Police Procedural) - VG
Tami Hoag – 25th book
Bantam Books, 2004 – Hardcover
Bike messenger Jace Damon makes one last run of the day and ends up running for his life when the lawyer who gave him the package is murdered. Jace is both the prime suspect of the police and the target for someone who wants that package..
*** I have loved Tami Hoag’s books since her early romantic/suspense novels and she has only gotten better. There are wonderful characters, great suspense, fast-paced action, and a twist at the end I didn’t see coming. I picked this book up thinking I’d read a few pages and didn’t put it down until I’d finished it. This is a great read!
Tami Hoag – 25th book
Bantam Books, 2004 – Hardcover
Bike messenger Jace Damon makes one last run of the day and ends up running for his life when the lawyer who gave him the package is murdered. Jace is both the prime suspect of the police and the target for someone who wants that package..
*** I have loved Tami Hoag’s books since her early romantic/suspense novels and she has only gotten better. There are wonderful characters, great suspense, fast-paced action, and a twist at the end I didn’t see coming. I picked this book up thinking I’d read a few pages and didn’t put it down until I’d finished it. This is a great read!
December 1, 2016
This is a stand alone book by the author with a great synopsis, so I had to read it. It also makes up my letter 'K' for the A-Z challenge this year.
Synopsis
At the end of a long day battling street traffic, bike messenger Jace Damon has one last drop to make. But en route to delivering a package for one of L.A.'s sleaziest defense attorneys, he's nearly run down by a car, chased through back alleys, and shot at. Only the instincts acquired while growing up on the streets of L.A. allow him to escape with his life—and with the package someone wants badly enough to kill for.
Jace returns to Lenny Lowell's office only to find the cops there, the lawyer dead, and Jace himself considered the prime suspect in the savage murder. Suddenly he's on the run from both the cops and a killer, and the key to saving himself and his ten-year-old brother is the envelope he still has—which holds a message no one wants delivered: the truth.
In a city fueled by money, celebrity, and sensationalism, the murder of a bottom-feeding mouthpiece like Lenny Lowell won't make the headlines. So when detectives from the LAPD's elite robbery/homicide division show up, homicide detective Kev Parker wants to know why. Parker is on the downhill slide of a once-promising career, and he doesn't want to be reminded that he used to be one of the hotshots, working cases that made instant celebrities of everyone involved. Like the case of fading retty-boy actor Rob Cole, accused of the brutal murder of his wife, Tricia Crowne-Cole, daughter of one of the most powerful men in the city, L.A.'s latest "crime of the century."
Robbery/Homicide has no reason to be looking at a dead small-time scumbag lawyer or chasing a bike messenger...unless there's something in it for them. Maybe Lenny Lowell had a connection to something big enough to be killed for. Parker begins a search for answers that will lead him to a killer—or the end of his career. Because if there's one lesson he's learned over the years, it's that in a town built on fantasy and fame, delivering the truth can be deadly.
I did not think I was going to like this book when I first started it mainly because of our main protagonist Kev Parker, which was a pretty disappointing thought considering I love Hoag's writing. He seemed a lot like Lucas Davenport, a character written by John Sandford that I really did not care for at all. A very over the top egotistical guy. But despite that, I liked the plotline so I kept on reading. The book got a lot better the further I went in the story. A lot of great mystery with a twist that I would never have guessed and it flowed really well. It was a pretty engaging story.
Now for the characters, all I can say is that they definitely will grow on you. Each one with their own little quirks that annoyed the hell out of me, but somehow it ended up that I could relate to them in one way or another. There was quite the mix of characters, from orphans to Chinese fish marketers to bike messengers. All of them were quite unique and well developed. Kev Parker, the main detective, just really bothered me for the first quarter of the book, and then he kind of shifted to a point where I got to see the real him and ended up liking him a lot. So that made me happy. Not all that flawed, but he had that potential. I am sure our Author could right a prequel/sequel to this and bring out all sorts of issues he may have.
I can recommend this to anyone who likes a good mystery, or to anyone who is a Hoag fan and wants a stand alone to read. Well written with plenty of action and excitement.
Synopsis
At the end of a long day battling street traffic, bike messenger Jace Damon has one last drop to make. But en route to delivering a package for one of L.A.'s sleaziest defense attorneys, he's nearly run down by a car, chased through back alleys, and shot at. Only the instincts acquired while growing up on the streets of L.A. allow him to escape with his life—and with the package someone wants badly enough to kill for.
Jace returns to Lenny Lowell's office only to find the cops there, the lawyer dead, and Jace himself considered the prime suspect in the savage murder. Suddenly he's on the run from both the cops and a killer, and the key to saving himself and his ten-year-old brother is the envelope he still has—which holds a message no one wants delivered: the truth.
In a city fueled by money, celebrity, and sensationalism, the murder of a bottom-feeding mouthpiece like Lenny Lowell won't make the headlines. So when detectives from the LAPD's elite robbery/homicide division show up, homicide detective Kev Parker wants to know why. Parker is on the downhill slide of a once-promising career, and he doesn't want to be reminded that he used to be one of the hotshots, working cases that made instant celebrities of everyone involved. Like the case of fading retty-boy actor Rob Cole, accused of the brutal murder of his wife, Tricia Crowne-Cole, daughter of one of the most powerful men in the city, L.A.'s latest "crime of the century."
Robbery/Homicide has no reason to be looking at a dead small-time scumbag lawyer or chasing a bike messenger...unless there's something in it for them. Maybe Lenny Lowell had a connection to something big enough to be killed for. Parker begins a search for answers that will lead him to a killer—or the end of his career. Because if there's one lesson he's learned over the years, it's that in a town built on fantasy and fame, delivering the truth can be deadly.
I did not think I was going to like this book when I first started it mainly because of our main protagonist Kev Parker, which was a pretty disappointing thought considering I love Hoag's writing. He seemed a lot like Lucas Davenport, a character written by John Sandford that I really did not care for at all. A very over the top egotistical guy. But despite that, I liked the plotline so I kept on reading. The book got a lot better the further I went in the story. A lot of great mystery with a twist that I would never have guessed and it flowed really well. It was a pretty engaging story.
Now for the characters, all I can say is that they definitely will grow on you. Each one with their own little quirks that annoyed the hell out of me, but somehow it ended up that I could relate to them in one way or another. There was quite the mix of characters, from orphans to Chinese fish marketers to bike messengers. All of them were quite unique and well developed. Kev Parker, the main detective, just really bothered me for the first quarter of the book, and then he kind of shifted to a point where I got to see the real him and ended up liking him a lot. So that made me happy. Not all that flawed, but he had that potential. I am sure our Author could right a prequel/sequel to this and bring out all sorts of issues he may have.
I can recommend this to anyone who likes a good mystery, or to anyone who is a Hoag fan and wants a stand alone to read. Well written with plenty of action and excitement.
September 15, 2019
I've been meaning to re-read Tami Hoag's Kill the Messenger as I recall it to be an excellent read, and I gave it high marks the first time around, practically a decade ago. I'm happy to say I wasn't wrong then. This book is still one of the most gripping and compelling reads out there. The humanity of the characters is what drew me in the first time, and again now, I loved all the main players. There's"disgraced" LAPD detective Kev Parker, the young bike messenger, Jace Damon and his little brother Tyler, there's Mrs. Chen at the Chinese Fish market - all these people felt very authentic and I enjoyed my time with them. Young Tyler especially.
The murder plot and political scandal, it wasn't all that difficult to understand - we as readers are a bit misled as to who's really behind this plot, and that's for all the people on the good side of justice, to get to the bottom of.
For a synopsis of the book, I'd advice you to consult other reviews. I will not go into that. I will just say that this book's still one of my favorite books by Tami Hoag (and I love many), because I believe in these characters, in young vulnerable, yet strong Jace, in smart young Tyler and in Parker. Wish there were more books with Det. Kev Parker.
The murder plot and political scandal, it wasn't all that difficult to understand - we as readers are a bit misled as to who's really behind this plot, and that's for all the people on the good side of justice, to get to the bottom of.
For a synopsis of the book, I'd advice you to consult other reviews. I will not go into that. I will just say that this book's still one of my favorite books by Tami Hoag (and I love many), because I believe in these characters, in young vulnerable, yet strong Jace, in smart young Tyler and in Parker. Wish there were more books with Det. Kev Parker.
January 14, 2022
A while-I-was-weedeating audiobook. Good characters and vert suspenseful. Parker is the man! THe messenger was a cool-headed, smart kid who skirts death at all turns... or des he? Read the story to find out.
What is it with novels that portray the hero cop as being an unconventional, guy who bends the rules to solve the case? Seems that I have run into a rash of them over the past two years or so. Can't you authors try something else?
What is it with novels that portray the hero cop as being an unconventional, guy who bends the rules to solve the case? Seems that I have run into a rash of them over the past two years or so. Can't you authors try something else?
December 23, 2008
Tami Hoag seems to be branching out these days. The last few books of hers I've read have abandoned her established mold of setting up a hero and heroine (both of whom have angsty pasts they're trying to overcome, and one or both of whom may be involved in law enforcement) embroiled in solving a nasty, suspenseful crime while they inexorably become embroiled in each other. Her latest, Kill the Messenger, has plenty of nasty, suspenseful crime--but barely a whiff of any romance. There's the slightly shady cop who's actually a decent sort despite his checkered past, and while he's got a love interest, their relationship is established already when the book starts and is not in fact a driving factor in the plot at all. And the other protagonists--a young bike messenger who winds up being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and his incredibly smart little brother--are not entirely outside the Hoag mold; we've had prior books, such as the Night Sins/Guilty as Sin duet, where a lot of camera time is spent on a kid.
And I liked the plot; it was suitably convoluted, slathered with the glitz of L.A. culture. Problem was, I think there was too much glitz and not quite enough substance. Most of the main characters seemed little more than barely sketched in archetypes to me: the Street Youth With a Heart of Gold, the Incredibly Smart Child, the Shady but Decent Detective, the Noble Chinese Matriarch, the Crooked Cops Interfering with the Hero Who Really Wants Justice Done. Hoag's writing seemed clunkier to me this time around as well--it was more simplistic, and that might have actually worked some with the story being set in L.A., except that the prose interfered with the story rather than letting it flow to me. And it didn't help that Hoag gave her two young protagonists a very Hollywood-esque sort of ending that was way too damned self-referential to her own work, including not only the title of this novel but the title of her next one as well.
There were some aspects of the story that I liked, I'll grant. Though I don't think he got enough character development, and there were times when I thought he was an outright asshole, I did like Detective Parker. The fact that he didn't get a happy ending, and how he wound up reacting to it, gave his character some much-needed substance. And I did like the character Eta.
But all in all, Hoag has done better. It's not terribly likely I'll want to read this one again.
And I liked the plot; it was suitably convoluted, slathered with the glitz of L.A. culture. Problem was, I think there was too much glitz and not quite enough substance. Most of the main characters seemed little more than barely sketched in archetypes to me: the Street Youth With a Heart of Gold, the Incredibly Smart Child, the Shady but Decent Detective, the Noble Chinese Matriarch, the Crooked Cops Interfering with the Hero Who Really Wants Justice Done. Hoag's writing seemed clunkier to me this time around as well--it was more simplistic, and that might have actually worked some with the story being set in L.A., except that the prose interfered with the story rather than letting it flow to me. And it didn't help that Hoag gave her two young protagonists a very Hollywood-esque sort of ending that was way too damned self-referential to her own work, including not only the title of this novel but the title of her next one as well.
There were some aspects of the story that I liked, I'll grant. Though I don't think he got enough character development, and there were times when I thought he was an outright asshole, I did like Detective Parker. The fact that he didn't get a happy ending, and how he wound up reacting to it, gave his character some much-needed substance. And I did like the character Eta.
But all in all, Hoag has done better. It's not terribly likely I'll want to read this one again.
September 29, 2011
This one is leaning towards 4 1/2 stars for me. Fantastic characters with a twisting plot. There was one point in the story that I was sitting there with my mouth agape in surprise. It's been awhile since I have read any Tami Hoag. This one did not disappoint. I listened to the audio version & as usual, Scott Brick gave it that extra something special for me. I am still new to the whole audio thing but so far, Scott Brick is my favorite reader by a mile. I am going to have to see is there are any other Hoag books that feature Kev Parker, the detective in this story. If not, I certainly hope Tami Hoag has plans of continuing with him. I LOVED his character.
July 26, 2025
Had me on the edge of my seat. Did not see the twist.
I want more books about Det. Kev Parker!
Book 47 of of 2025. Finally leaves the TBR after 6 years
I want more books about Det. Kev Parker!
Book 47 of of 2025. Finally leaves the TBR after 6 years
December 23, 2015
Tôi thắc mắc không biết mọi người phát âm họ của bà tác giả thế nào. Vì tôi thường gọi bà là Hoàng-bỏ-huyền. Chuyện này được thêm vào vì tôi chả biết phải mở đầu thế nào thôi, nó cũng chẳng có nghĩa lý gì đâu.
Trước nay tiểu thuyết trinh thám của các nữ tác giả thường không gây được sự ngưỡng mộ cho lắm. Phụ nữ thì thường bị phân tâm và không khách quan. Tôi thấy vậy bởi vì chính tôi cũng nghĩ vậy, và khi người ta đã tâm niệm một thứ gì đó thì thường lái các sự việc khách quan theo hướng chủ quan của mình. Tất nhiên là trừ cụ bà Agatha ra vì cụ ấy thuộc một đẳng cấp khác rồi. Nói nãy giờ nhưng ý của tôi là văn của Tami Hoag hầu như có rất ít các tình tiết uỷ mị cơ, ít nhất thì mấy thứ yêu đương cũng xuất hiện rất ít và không có ảnh hưởng gì nhiều đến cốt truyện chính.
Mặc dù tôi khá thích cuốn này nhưng đây không phải là một cuốn trinh thám khiến người ta phải trầm trồ. Nếu kéo xuống so đo thì cuốn này cũng chỉ ở mức trung bình khá. Vì vụ án trong sách không phải loại lắt léo khó đoán, nó chỉ ghi được ưu điểm là tình tiết nhanh như phim hành động mà thôi. Cả cuốn sách cũng không đến mức rùng rợn hay phải bật trưng đèn giữa đêm như cái bìa sau có nói đến - dù mấy đoạn miêu tả nạn nhân cũng gợi cảm ra phết. May mà tôi cũng không tin lắm vào cái bìa sau.
*
Lúc mới đầu đọc sách, tôi cứ tưởng nhân vật chính là J.C Ramon. Nhưng được nửa cuốn mới ngã ngửa ra là ông thám tử Kev Parker mới là "main". Cũng có thất vọng một chút nhưng tại vì ngay từ đầu cuốn sách đã chẳng đi theo những dự đoán của tôi nên một chút đó cũng chỉ dừng lại ở một chút mà thôi. Tôi cứ nghĩ câu chuyện sẽ xảy ra nhanh gọn trong một đêm nhưng nó kéo dài tận những ba ngày. Tôi cứ nghĩ cậu bé JC sẽ điều tra chính nhưng hoá ra cậu chỉ làm nền cho cái ông thám tử Parker. Tôi cứ nghĩ con gái nạn nhân sẽ đóng vai trò cốt yếu nhưng rốt cuộc cô ta lại chẳng đóng một vai trò gì đáng kể.
Thay vào đó cốt truyện lại đi theo chiều hướng đưa một tay thám tử lên làm anh hùng và đưa một nhân vật mà lúc đầu méo biết có liên quan gì xuống làm hung thủ. Tuy tôi cũng có sự nghi ngờ với nhân vật này nhưng cái kiểu quay ngoắt 180 độ như vậy khiến tôi không thoải mái.
Thông thường cái kiểu cốt truyện hung thủ là một người không ai ngờ đến sẽ khiến cho độc giả bất ngờ và ấn tượng, nhưng diễn ra riết thì nó cũng nhàm. Vả lại tự dưng một người tôi thích thích bị gán cho hung thủ thì tôi sẽ có cảm giác giống như bị phản bội. Đây chắc chắn là điểm trừ cho cuốn sách.
*
Thế chân vạc là một thế vững chắc. Tuân theo định lý cứ ba điểm tạo thành một mặt phẳng thì cứ ba bên kiên trì điều tra nhau sẽ tạo thành một cuốn sách dày. Và nếu bên nào cũng giấu giếm sự thật thì cuộc điều tra sẽ trở thành một nùi bòng bong. Tôi đã vẽ ra sơ đồ mối quan hệ của tất cả các nhân vật trong cuốn sách này và phát hiện ra nó chẳng giúp gì được cho tôi cả. Có những nhân vật không biết được nêu tên lên để làm cái gì và nếu nhìn sơ đồ thì tôi chỉ thấy mấy đường nguệch ngoạc như một đứa trẻ vẽ bậy vậy.
*
Tôi chẳng thích cuốn này vì câu chuyện trinh thám của nó, tôi thích nó vì hai anh em nhà Ramon và gia đình không cần huyết thống của họ. Có cái gì đó của họ làm tôi thích lắm nên tôi chấp nhận cả cuốn sách đầy rẫy lỗi chính tả và một vài lỗi dịch thuật (mà tôi phát hiện ra được) kia.
Tôi kể nhiều điểm trừ của cuốn sách ở trên cũng chỉ để khẳng định một điều là cho dù nó có nhiều lỗi như vậy nhưng tôi vẫn thích nó vì một vài câu chuyện khác. Giống như cụ Nguyễn Du từng tả Vân sắc nước hương trời xong chỉ kết một câu Kiều còn đẹp hơn ý. Học tập cổ nhân đúng là không có dễ, ngồi ê chân rồi mới gõ được vài chữ.
*
Đáng lẽ tôi định để điểm 4/5 vì Tyler, vì bà Chen, vì Eta. Nhưng tôi sẽ phải chỉnh xuống 3/5 do cái kết làm tôi không được thoải mái cho lắm. Vả lại có một đoạn cứ kiểu được nhét vào cho nó có tính nhân văn vậy. Hơn nưa, còn vì bà tác giả đã cắt cổ cô Eta đáng mến nữa chứ.
Trước nay tiểu thuyết trinh thám của các nữ tác giả thường không gây được sự ngưỡng mộ cho lắm. Phụ nữ thì thường bị phân tâm và không khách quan. Tôi thấy vậy bởi vì chính tôi cũng nghĩ vậy, và khi người ta đã tâm niệm một thứ gì đó thì thường lái các sự việc khách quan theo hướng chủ quan của mình. Tất nhiên là trừ cụ bà Agatha ra vì cụ ấy thuộc một đẳng cấp khác rồi. Nói nãy giờ nhưng ý của tôi là văn của Tami Hoag hầu như có rất ít các tình tiết uỷ mị cơ, ít nhất thì mấy thứ yêu đương cũng xuất hiện rất ít và không có ảnh hưởng gì nhiều đến cốt truyện chính.
Mặc dù tôi khá thích cuốn này nhưng đây không phải là một cuốn trinh thám khiến người ta phải trầm trồ. Nếu kéo xuống so đo thì cuốn này cũng chỉ ở mức trung bình khá. Vì vụ án trong sách không phải loại lắt léo khó đoán, nó chỉ ghi được ưu điểm là tình tiết nhanh như phim hành động mà thôi. Cả cuốn sách cũng không đến mức rùng rợn hay phải bật trưng đèn giữa đêm như cái bìa sau có nói đến - dù mấy đoạn miêu tả nạn nhân cũng gợi cảm ra phết. May mà tôi cũng không tin lắm vào cái bìa sau.
*
Lúc mới đầu đọc sách, tôi cứ tưởng nhân vật chính là J.C Ramon. Nhưng được nửa cuốn mới ngã ngửa ra là ông thám tử Kev Parker mới là "main". Cũng có thất vọng một chút nhưng tại vì ngay từ đầu cuốn sách đã chẳng đi theo những dự đoán của tôi nên một chút đó cũng chỉ dừng lại ở một chút mà thôi. Tôi cứ nghĩ câu chuyện sẽ xảy ra nhanh gọn trong một đêm nhưng nó kéo dài tận những ba ngày. Tôi cứ nghĩ cậu bé JC sẽ điều tra chính nhưng hoá ra cậu chỉ làm nền cho cái ông thám tử Parker. Tôi cứ nghĩ con gái nạn nhân sẽ đóng vai trò cốt yếu nhưng rốt cuộc cô ta lại chẳng đóng một vai trò gì đáng kể.
Thay vào đó cốt truyện lại đi theo chiều hướng đưa một tay thám tử lên làm anh hùng và đưa một nhân vật mà lúc đầu méo biết có liên quan gì xuống làm hung thủ. Tuy tôi cũng có sự nghi ngờ với nhân vật này nhưng cái kiểu quay ngoắt 180 độ như vậy khiến tôi không thoải mái.
Thông thường cái kiểu cốt truyện hung thủ là một người không ai ngờ đến sẽ khiến cho độc giả bất ngờ và ấn tượng, nhưng diễn ra riết thì nó cũng nhàm. Vả lại tự dưng một người tôi thích thích bị gán cho hung thủ thì tôi sẽ có cảm giác giống như bị phản bội. Đây chắc chắn là điểm trừ cho cuốn sách.
*
Thế chân vạc là một thế vững chắc. Tuân theo định lý cứ ba điểm tạo thành một mặt phẳng thì cứ ba bên kiên trì điều tra nhau sẽ tạo thành một cuốn sách dày. Và nếu bên nào cũng giấu giếm sự thật thì cuộc điều tra sẽ trở thành một nùi bòng bong. Tôi đã vẽ ra sơ đồ mối quan hệ của tất cả các nhân vật trong cuốn sách này và phát hiện ra nó chẳng giúp gì được cho tôi cả. Có những nhân vật không biết được nêu tên lên để làm cái gì và nếu nhìn sơ đồ thì tôi chỉ thấy mấy đường nguệch ngoạc như một đứa trẻ vẽ bậy vậy.
*
Tôi chẳng thích cuốn này vì câu chuyện trinh thám của nó, tôi thích nó vì hai anh em nhà Ramon và gia đình không cần huyết thống của họ. Có cái gì đó của họ làm tôi thích lắm nên tôi chấp nhận cả cuốn sách đầy rẫy lỗi chính tả và một vài lỗi dịch thuật (mà tôi phát hiện ra được) kia.
Tôi kể nhiều điểm trừ của cuốn sách ở trên cũng chỉ để khẳng định một điều là cho dù nó có nhiều lỗi như vậy nhưng tôi vẫn thích nó vì một vài câu chuyện khác. Giống như cụ Nguyễn Du từng tả Vân sắc nước hương trời xong chỉ kết một câu Kiều còn đẹp hơn ý. Học tập cổ nhân đúng là không có dễ, ngồi ê chân rồi mới gõ được vài chữ.
*
Đáng lẽ tôi định để điểm 4/5 vì Tyler, vì bà Chen, vì Eta. Nhưng tôi sẽ phải chỉnh xuống 3/5 do cái kết làm tôi không được thoải mái cho lắm. Vả lại có một đoạn cứ kiểu được nhét vào cho nó có tính nhân văn vậy. Hơn nưa, còn vì bà tác giả đã cắt cổ cô Eta đáng mến nữa chứ.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2024
3-3.5 stars.
First book I’ve read by Tami Hoag. The reviews made it seem like it was going to be a suspenseful thriller. While there were moments of suspense, at times, it felt a little dragged out, and like some of the plot lines or characters got lost for a little bit. If this was condensed some, I think it would have made a tighter, more suspenseful, turn-the-page, can’t put down novel.
Overall though, the plot was intriguing enough, and the ending had some twists I didn’t see coming, which was nice, and helped redeem the book some.
Looking forward to reading more by her in the future to see if the formula is the same or if this was maybe a one-off.
First book I’ve read by Tami Hoag. The reviews made it seem like it was going to be a suspenseful thriller. While there were moments of suspense, at times, it felt a little dragged out, and like some of the plot lines or characters got lost for a little bit. If this was condensed some, I think it would have made a tighter, more suspenseful, turn-the-page, can’t put down novel.
Overall though, the plot was intriguing enough, and the ending had some twists I didn’t see coming, which was nice, and helped redeem the book some.
Looking forward to reading more by her in the future to see if the formula is the same or if this was maybe a one-off.
July 8, 2016
I’ve been a fan of Tami Hoag for a while, but this book was pretty……. eh. I just didn’t connect with any of the characters. Maybe it’s because this book was written from the pov of the male characters. Anyway, I was disappointed.
February 18, 2008
The story was kind of dry in this book and a couple times it was hard to follow.
July 15, 2015
My first Tami Hoag book and a good choice to. Terrific easy to read thriller. Highly recommended.
September 2, 2020
A good city romp and the meaning of family and need for support.
September 26, 2010
Good murder, mystery and suspense. A bad guy is having trouble catching and killing a bicycle messenger (the hero).
STORY BRIEF:
Jace is a bike messenger, about 19 years old. He has been taking care of his younger brother Tyler for six years, ever since his mother died. Jace and Tyler live in a room with the Chen family in Chinatown. They fear the police and social services because they don’t want to be separated into foster homes. At the end of a long day, Jace has one last messenger run. He picks up an envelope from sleazy attorney Lenny. When he gets to the delivery location, someone tries to run him over and shoot him, but Jace gets away. Jace then learns that Lenny was killed shortly after Jace saw him. The murder weapon was an item Jace had touched. Jace is on the run and hiding from the murderer and the police. Parker is the detective on the case. Parker is suspicious when politically connected detectives from another jurisdiction want to take over the case.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
Jace is the star. It feels like a roller coaster ride watching Jace speed through traffic on his bike, survive crashes, outrun the bad guys and stay alive due to amazing survival instincts. He reminds me of a rodent scurrying around back alleys and buildings that no one can catch. This was a good story, excellent writing. I didn’t want to stop reading it. It has a happy ending. I’m a lover of romance novels and rarely read straight mysteries, which is what this is, but I enjoyed it. My only complaint was wanting more details at the end about what happened to certain people, see Spoilers below.
I don’t want to be misleading, so I want to point out that the Jace story (roller coaster ride) takes up less than half of the time. The other half of the time is with Parker the detective, investigating and slowly unraveling the mystery, which was more like a typical investigation story. The best parts of the book were about Jace and his brother Tyler.
There were some intelligent and thought provoking comments that I marked and continued to think about after the story. Pages 49 and 75 talk about keeping one’s private life secret. Knowledge is power and others will spin it around and use it against you. Page 93: she enjoyed being angry. Anger was the fuel for her energy making her feel bigger and stronger. Page 146: why men kill and why women kill.
DATA:
Story length: 419 pages. Swearing language: strong. No sexual language or content. Setting: current day Los Angeles, California. Copyright: 2004. Genre: mystery suspense.
CAUTION MINOR SPOILERS:
I wanted more details at the end of the book. I was confused and wanted to know what Parker was going to do. He was suspended for 30 days and yet he said he quit. I also wanted to see some justice and pain for the DA and Kyle. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen to them. The author was vague. Also, I was unclear about Kyle shooting a woman earlier, it may have been accidental. I wanted to know more.
STORY BRIEF:
Jace is a bike messenger, about 19 years old. He has been taking care of his younger brother Tyler for six years, ever since his mother died. Jace and Tyler live in a room with the Chen family in Chinatown. They fear the police and social services because they don’t want to be separated into foster homes. At the end of a long day, Jace has one last messenger run. He picks up an envelope from sleazy attorney Lenny. When he gets to the delivery location, someone tries to run him over and shoot him, but Jace gets away. Jace then learns that Lenny was killed shortly after Jace saw him. The murder weapon was an item Jace had touched. Jace is on the run and hiding from the murderer and the police. Parker is the detective on the case. Parker is suspicious when politically connected detectives from another jurisdiction want to take over the case.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
Jace is the star. It feels like a roller coaster ride watching Jace speed through traffic on his bike, survive crashes, outrun the bad guys and stay alive due to amazing survival instincts. He reminds me of a rodent scurrying around back alleys and buildings that no one can catch. This was a good story, excellent writing. I didn’t want to stop reading it. It has a happy ending. I’m a lover of romance novels and rarely read straight mysteries, which is what this is, but I enjoyed it. My only complaint was wanting more details at the end about what happened to certain people, see Spoilers below.
I don’t want to be misleading, so I want to point out that the Jace story (roller coaster ride) takes up less than half of the time. The other half of the time is with Parker the detective, investigating and slowly unraveling the mystery, which was more like a typical investigation story. The best parts of the book were about Jace and his brother Tyler.
There were some intelligent and thought provoking comments that I marked and continued to think about after the story. Pages 49 and 75 talk about keeping one’s private life secret. Knowledge is power and others will spin it around and use it against you. Page 93: she enjoyed being angry. Anger was the fuel for her energy making her feel bigger and stronger. Page 146: why men kill and why women kill.
DATA:
Story length: 419 pages. Swearing language: strong. No sexual language or content. Setting: current day Los Angeles, California. Copyright: 2004. Genre: mystery suspense.
CAUTION MINOR SPOILERS:
I wanted more details at the end of the book. I was confused and wanted to know what Parker was going to do. He was suspended for 30 days and yet he said he quit. I also wanted to see some justice and pain for the DA and Kyle. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen to them. The author was vague. Also, I was unclear about Kyle shooting a woman earlier, it may have been accidental. I wanted to know more.
December 14, 2018
4.5/5
This one was a surprising pleasuring reading. I was skeptical at first, but it changed fast by the thrill and the succession of calamities that, at first, our protagonist was dragged in. After the thrilling start, Hoag starts to develop the characters and there was when I realized that the protagonist was a whole different person. More experienced hence wiser and with a lot of background for a good and fulfilling development. For a short story, she managed to do a good job towards him and prove me wrong.
Perceiving LA as a hunting field is a thrilling (at some points even claustrophobic) yet awesome experience. The lack of options and the constant life and death situations at the point of view of the Messenger, the Killer and the Investigator dragged me to the plot and held me till the end.
Looking back the plot twist at the climax made me feel like there had to have more background to the first perpetrator. But right after, she bothers to explain what was happening, how and why. Not that awesome but yet a really good end.
This one was a surprising pleasuring reading. I was skeptical at first, but it changed fast by the thrill and the succession of calamities that, at first, our protagonist was dragged in. After the thrilling start, Hoag starts to develop the characters and there was when I realized that the protagonist was a whole different person. More experienced hence wiser and with a lot of background for a good and fulfilling development. For a short story, she managed to do a good job towards him and prove me wrong.
Perceiving LA as a hunting field is a thrilling (at some points even claustrophobic) yet awesome experience. The lack of options and the constant life and death situations at the point of view of the Messenger, the Killer and the Investigator dragged me to the plot and held me till the end.
Looking back the plot twist at the climax made me feel like there had to have more background to the first perpetrator. But right after, she bothers to explain what was happening, how and why. Not that awesome but yet a really good end.
February 17, 2015
Jace Damon is a bicycle messenger who ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time. Jace is raising his younger brother Tyler after the death of their mother. They live over a fish store in Chinatown thanks to the grace of Madame Chen. Jace is working 2 jobs and going to school part time. When he gets a call to do one last delivery on a rainy night he can't turn "Eta" down. He picks up the package at a lawyer's office and heads off to the address given. The address is an empty lot and the only thing there is a large car waiting to run him down. He barely escapes with his life and when he opens the package, he sees that it contains negatives. He later finds out the lawyer who gave him the package has been murdered. He can't go to the police because he is afraid he will be locked up and Tyler will end up in foster care, never to be seen again. A thrilling story with lots of twists. Very enjoyable.
June 5, 2015
Smart, appealing Los Angeles procedural. I loved the primary setting in DTLA. As a former resident and frequent visitor to this neighborhood, Hoag got a lot right about the setting, especially the scene in Pershing Square. My place of work, Los Angeles Public Library, even made a cameo!
Great detective lead. Kev Parker was smart, compassionate, and flawed. His side career was the most LA - everyone has connections the Industry! I also enjoyed the beginning chapters from the bike messenger's POV, Eta's chapters, and the sensationalist murder trial of a charming, cheating sociopath named Cole. Ahem.
Great detective lead. Kev Parker was smart, compassionate, and flawed. His side career was the most LA - everyone has connections the Industry! I also enjoyed the beginning chapters from the bike messenger's POV, Eta's chapters, and the sensationalist murder trial of a charming, cheating sociopath named Cole. Ahem.
March 5, 2009
My main problems with this book:
- Characters who do not behave the way they seem to believe they should: One of the main characters constantly thinks how he can't trust anyone, etc, but he is constantly doing so.
- A plot that thinks it's clever.
- A plot twist that is without real impact because I didn't care at all about how it affected the characters.
- Characters I didn't get emotionally involved with. At all.
- Another incredibly smart, precocious kid. Ho-hum.
- Characters who do not behave the way they seem to believe they should: One of the main characters constantly thinks how he can't trust anyone, etc, but he is constantly doing so.
- A plot that thinks it's clever.
- A plot twist that is without real impact because I didn't care at all about how it affected the characters.
- Characters I didn't get emotionally involved with. At all.
- Another incredibly smart, precocious kid. Ho-hum.
January 15, 2013
Very uneven. Some parts I really liked. Other parts were straight expository. The story follows different characters and repeats information. At times it seemed a word for word repeat of what had just been said. The bike messenger and his brother brought interesting pieces to the book. Other situations - it was too hard to suspend my disbelief. Taking out chunks I think would have made for a smoother read.
October 4, 2011
As usual with Tami Hoag I enjoyed this. She does believeable plot twists deftly, unlike some authors whose labor over their ideas practically shouts out.
A clear writer, you get absorbed in her books straight away. Kill the Messenger begins with a bike messenger in LA rush hour traffic. Doesn't come much scarier than that.
A clear writer, you get absorbed in her books straight away. Kill the Messenger begins with a bike messenger in LA rush hour traffic. Doesn't come much scarier than that.
November 11, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. It is an interesting murder mystery and walks that line between between being engaging and not too graphic. A very nice read.
February 16, 2022
3.5⭐
Kill the Messenger is the second book I read by Tami Hoag & lemme tell ya guys, I'm liking this woman! Although this book wasn't as good as Ashes to Ashes, it still was a pretty nice read.
✨Story: JC, a bike messenger, has to take a package from a lawyer to somewhere/someone but when he reaches the spot, it's an empty plot & there's a car nearby whose driver is intending to snatch the package & kill the messenger. He escapes, goes to the lawyer's place but the lawyer's been murdered.
The thing about Hoag is that she holds your attention from the very beginning & even when she's telling you about the characters you keep on wanting to know more. She doesn't let you slip. The same happens in the start of this book & you just can't immediately put it down.
The book is action packed. Things happen & they happen fast. Some characters are likeable, others are not so likeable. There are two murders & both of them might have a connection (which seems very unlikely).
There's a back story for JC which makes him a mysterious character even though he's innocent. In the begining, there were points when I thought it was weird for JC to not immediately go to police & report everything. He chose to run & make himself a suspect.
The side characters were really nice. JC's brother Tyler brought sweetness to the whole thing. Madam Chen was a really nice character & Eta was wonderful. I did have a problem with the main character, the detective.
Parker was not a very likeable character in the beginning & I actually despised how he called the girls "doll" or something. He didn't treat them as his equals & acted as if they were some kind of lowly creatures that needed his lovely words to function😂. And the confidence & "charm" were a lil too much & did not seem to work at all. But his character did change near the ending & it seemed as if his "real" self was beginning to show.
The story of the murders was all pretty simple. I didn't really care about the murderer, wasn't shocked or anything. I enjoyed the "process"🤍
Kill the Messenger is the second book I read by Tami Hoag & lemme tell ya guys, I'm liking this woman! Although this book wasn't as good as Ashes to Ashes, it still was a pretty nice read.
✨Story: JC, a bike messenger, has to take a package from a lawyer to somewhere/someone but when he reaches the spot, it's an empty plot & there's a car nearby whose driver is intending to snatch the package & kill the messenger. He escapes, goes to the lawyer's place but the lawyer's been murdered.
The thing about Hoag is that she holds your attention from the very beginning & even when she's telling you about the characters you keep on wanting to know more. She doesn't let you slip. The same happens in the start of this book & you just can't immediately put it down.
The book is action packed. Things happen & they happen fast. Some characters are likeable, others are not so likeable. There are two murders & both of them might have a connection (which seems very unlikely).
There's a back story for JC which makes him a mysterious character even though he's innocent. In the begining, there were points when I thought it was weird for JC to not immediately go to police & report everything. He chose to run & make himself a suspect.
The side characters were really nice. JC's brother Tyler brought sweetness to the whole thing. Madam Chen was a really nice character & Eta was wonderful. I did have a problem with the main character, the detective.
Parker was not a very likeable character in the beginning & I actually despised how he called the girls "doll" or something. He didn't treat them as his equals & acted as if they were some kind of lowly creatures that needed his lovely words to function😂. And the confidence & "charm" were a lil too much & did not seem to work at all. But his character did change near the ending & it seemed as if his "real" self was beginning to show.
The story of the murders was all pretty simple. I didn't really care about the murderer, wasn't shocked or anything. I enjoyed the "process"🤍
March 10, 2022
A nice, short yet entertaining read. The plot twists sure were twisty, I wasn't able to predict the real perpetrator by myself. One complaint: all of the women in this book ended up either dead, permanently disabled, or the villain. And it definitely doesn't pass the Bechdal test either, rather disappointing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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