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Kovac and Liska #2
Dust to Dust
Sorry . The single word was written on a mirror. In front of it hung the Minneapolis Internal Affairs cop. Was it suicide? Or a kinky act turned tragic?
Either way, it wasn’t murder. At least not according to the powers that be. But veteran homicide detective Sam Kovac and his wisecracking, ambitious partner Nikki Liska think differently. Together they begin to dig at the too-neat edges of the young cop’s death, uncovering one motive and one suspect after another. The shadows of suspicion fall not only on the city’s elite, but into the very heart of the police department.
Someone wants the case closed–quickly and forever. But neither Kovac nor Liska will give up. Now both their careers and their lives are on the line. From a murder case two months old to another case closed for twenty years, Kovac and Liska must unearth a connection the killer wants dead and buried. A killer who will stop at absolutely nothing to keep a dark and shattering secret . . .
Either way, it wasn’t murder. At least not according to the powers that be. But veteran homicide detective Sam Kovac and his wisecracking, ambitious partner Nikki Liska think differently. Together they begin to dig at the too-neat edges of the young cop’s death, uncovering one motive and one suspect after another. The shadows of suspicion fall not only on the city’s elite, but into the very heart of the police department.
Someone wants the case closed–quickly and forever. But neither Kovac nor Liska will give up. Now both their careers and their lives are on the line. From a murder case two months old to another case closed for twenty years, Kovac and Liska must unearth a connection the killer wants dead and buried. A killer who will stop at absolutely nothing to keep a dark and shattering secret . . .
512 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
846 people are currently reading
5210 people want to read
About the author
Tami Hoag
99 books6,129 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 604 reviews
July 30, 2015
Quick review:
Cover: Fitting
Rating: R
Thumbs Up: 4
Overall: A good novel
Characters: Well Written
Plot: Sometimes hate is more directed inward
Page Turner: Yes
Series Cont.? Yes
Recommend: Yes
Book Boyfriend: Sam
SUMMARY (50 words or less)
This is my second book by this author. It was an audible daily deal, thus I pick it up out of order. However, the book stood on its own with no probably. Despite I thought some clues were obvious, it was still an interesting read.
For a full review and yummy pic, see my blog post at:
http://www.mybookboyfriend.net/2015/0...
Audio Review
David Colacci did a good job at narration. The female narration wasn’t bad either. I didn’t have a hard trouble following all the different characters.
Cover: Fitting
Rating: R
Thumbs Up: 4
Overall: A good novel
Characters: Well Written
Plot: Sometimes hate is more directed inward
Page Turner: Yes
Series Cont.? Yes
Recommend: Yes
Book Boyfriend: Sam
SUMMARY (50 words or less)
This is my second book by this author. It was an audible daily deal, thus I pick it up out of order. However, the book stood on its own with no probably. Despite I thought some clues were obvious, it was still an interesting read.
For a full review and yummy pic, see my blog post at:
http://www.mybookboyfriend.net/2015/0...
Audio Review
David Colacci did a good job at narration. The female narration wasn’t bad either. I didn’t have a hard trouble following all the different characters.
March 1, 2016
I like Tami Hoag's writing style and I liked her book, The 9th Girl, but this addition to her series only scored a 3 1/2 stars for me. The story was pretty good and the characters were believable, but parts just felt forced or added for fill. In my opinion not her best.
March 2, 2022
Suicide or murder? That is the question when an internal affairs investigator is found hanging in his home. The case gets more interesting when Detectives Kovac and Liska find out the investigator was gay and looking into the death of another gay officer. Although Kovac and LIska are told to close the case as a suicide they continue to investigate and end up uncovering more than they bargained for.
There is so much going on throughout this book that it makes it very interesting and intense. Kovac and Liska are unrelenting detectives who will go above and beyond to close a case. Kovac has a wicked sense of humor and his comments had me laughing out loud many times.
The mystery of who did what is great and there are many twists throughout the book. I was surprised and saddened by some of the events. Some of the characters are truly devious and that makes trying to solve the case harder. The ending will leave you shocked, but there are no loose ends.
I read the first book in this series a few years ago, but it did not cause an issue. The previous book was mentioned a few times and that jogged my memory, but there was no continuation from it that through me off. I like series like that.
There is so much going on throughout this book that it makes it very interesting and intense. Kovac and Liska are unrelenting detectives who will go above and beyond to close a case. Kovac has a wicked sense of humor and his comments had me laughing out loud many times.
The mystery of who did what is great and there are many twists throughout the book. I was surprised and saddened by some of the events. Some of the characters are truly devious and that makes trying to solve the case harder. The ending will leave you shocked, but there are no loose ends.
I read the first book in this series a few years ago, but it did not cause an issue. The previous book was mentioned a few times and that jogged my memory, but there was no continuation from it that through me off. I like series like that.
March 3, 2014
I really have a love-hate relationship with these books. I love Kovac and Liska, I love their banter, I love the gallows humor and the snarking among the cops. It all feels very raw and real, and matches the cops and investigators I know. On the other hand, just like Prior Bad Acts, the plot is overly convoluted and has too many moving parts. After I finished it I actually had to go back over the story in my head to make sure I understand who did what when, and why. I also thought some of the "twists" were pretty obviously telegraphed. There were a couple of hints dropped that immediately gave me two of the answers that were part of the "big reveal" at the end, and I felt like they were so obvious that our otherwise crack investigators should have latched on to them immediately.
On the other hand, I know they're in a book and they don't, so I guess they can be forgiven for not knowing that every stray bit of information has to lead somewhere.
Also, man, Kovac really cannot catch a break.
On the other hand, I know they're in a book and they don't, so I guess they can be forgiven for not knowing that every stray bit of information has to lead somewhere.
Also, man, Kovac really cannot catch a break.
June 4, 2024
Triggers: gun violence, self termination, murder, cop procedural, physical disability, ptsd - adult & child, hate crime, bullying
Right. So I'm very fond of the dynamic duo Kovac & Liska and the many hilarious conversations they have about life and work. This book however was a little long winded and unnecessarily drawn out. It just kept going round and round in circles and I figured out the killer way before the resolution. I will give it that the shocking surprise in the side story was chef's kiss. Like I knew that person was important but not how they fit into the puzzle. So that earned it the extra star to bump it to a 3 star read. Don't get me wrong, it is very entertaining and pretty fast paced but it was like taking the scenic route instead of the highway. 100 pages could have easily been cut from this story by just trimming the fat so to speak. Who knows, maybe the author did just that with later books in the series - I am reading these out of order after all. I won't go into details because that just ruins a reader's enjoyment when it comes to this genre of books. I don't even read the dust jackets or synopsis on the back of these books for that reason. Twice burned and all that rot.
Right. So I'm very fond of the dynamic duo Kovac & Liska and the many hilarious conversations they have about life and work. This book however was a little long winded and unnecessarily drawn out. It just kept going round and round in circles and I figured out the killer way before the resolution. I will give it that the shocking surprise in the side story was chef's kiss. Like I knew that person was important but not how they fit into the puzzle. So that earned it the extra star to bump it to a 3 star read. Don't get me wrong, it is very entertaining and pretty fast paced but it was like taking the scenic route instead of the highway. 100 pages could have easily been cut from this story by just trimming the fat so to speak. Who knows, maybe the author did just that with later books in the series - I am reading these out of order after all. I won't go into details because that just ruins a reader's enjoyment when it comes to this genre of books. I don't even read the dust jackets or synopsis on the back of these books for that reason. Twice burned and all that rot.
April 24, 2018
Though I know that Hoag has "Ashes to Ashes" as the first Kovac and Liska book. I always thought "Dust to Dust" was the first book in the series. Mainly because we get Kovac and Liska's third person POVs in this one and the last book really focused on John Quinn and Kate Conlan. "Dust to Dust' has Kovac and Liska investigated the death of an IAB officer with ties to a legendary police officer. Though ruled a suicide, both Kovac and Liska believe the officer was murdered. There are ties to an older homicide from decades ago.
I love Kovac and Liska. They bounce off each other very well and you can see why they work as partners.
Kovac is twice divorced though at his heart he does want to be with someone. We see him starting to click with a lieutenant in IA. This is also the beginning of the Christmas light wars he has with his next door neighbor. I don't know why that whole thing tickles me, but it does. Kovac makes mention of Kate Conlan from book #1, and even goes and sees her and John Quinn (now together and happy). Even though Kovac would love nothing more to ignore the calls from the top to close the current case they are working, he and Liska still push ahead.
Liska is a divorced mother of two still hung up on her ex. You get to see her trying to juggle being a detective along with being there for her two boys. It's nice to see a female homicide detective who is apparently well liked be her colleagues and very good at her job.
We get some great secondary characters that I can't say too much about. I really enjoyed Amanda Savard (the lieutenant from IAB) as well as callbacks to book number one.
I thought the writing was very solid. The current case ties into at least two other side plots, but I found that everything works.
The setting of Minneapolis always makes me think of winter. I have no idea why. Probably because most of Hoag's books seem to take place during the fall/winter.
The ending was a gut punch to me. I didn't see the events coming and all I could think was if only at the end.
I love Kovac and Liska. They bounce off each other very well and you can see why they work as partners.
Kovac is twice divorced though at his heart he does want to be with someone. We see him starting to click with a lieutenant in IA. This is also the beginning of the Christmas light wars he has with his next door neighbor. I don't know why that whole thing tickles me, but it does. Kovac makes mention of Kate Conlan from book #1, and even goes and sees her and John Quinn (now together and happy). Even though Kovac would love nothing more to ignore the calls from the top to close the current case they are working, he and Liska still push ahead.
Liska is a divorced mother of two still hung up on her ex. You get to see her trying to juggle being a detective along with being there for her two boys. It's nice to see a female homicide detective who is apparently well liked be her colleagues and very good at her job.
We get some great secondary characters that I can't say too much about. I really enjoyed Amanda Savard (the lieutenant from IAB) as well as callbacks to book number one.
I thought the writing was very solid. The current case ties into at least two other side plots, but I found that everything works.
The setting of Minneapolis always makes me think of winter. I have no idea why. Probably because most of Hoag's books seem to take place during the fall/winter.
The ending was a gut punch to me. I didn't see the events coming and all I could think was if only at the end.
April 13, 2022
06/28/2013 - Did not finish
04/12/2022 - I DNFed this book nine years ago. I love Tami Hoag and I wanted to give this series another chance. I came really close to DNFing it again, but I persevered and the last 30% was well worth the effort. Even though I guessed the baddie and the motivation, there were still a few surprises in store. The whole book was overlong, and the narrative could have been trimmed about 100 pages or more. I have not had this compliant about Tami Hoag before and hope never to have it in the future.
Internal Affairs investigator, Andy Paxton, is found dead, an apparent suicide. Sam Kovac isn't convinced, and he is like a dog with a bone when everything doesn't line up. He also knows Andy's father and is going to be absolutely sure of what happened before he can let it go.
At the same time and related to Andy's IA work, Nikki Liska has uncovered some disturbing facts about the death of a gay patrol officer. Her unauthorized investigation puts her and her family in danger.
3 1/2-Stars
04/12/2022 - I DNFed this book nine years ago. I love Tami Hoag and I wanted to give this series another chance. I came really close to DNFing it again, but I persevered and the last 30% was well worth the effort. Even though I guessed the baddie and the motivation, there were still a few surprises in store. The whole book was overlong, and the narrative could have been trimmed about 100 pages or more. I have not had this compliant about Tami Hoag before and hope never to have it in the future.
Internal Affairs investigator, Andy Paxton, is found dead, an apparent suicide. Sam Kovac isn't convinced, and he is like a dog with a bone when everything doesn't line up. He also knows Andy's father and is going to be absolutely sure of what happened before he can let it go.
At the same time and related to Andy's IA work, Nikki Liska has uncovered some disturbing facts about the death of a gay patrol officer. Her unauthorized investigation puts her and her family in danger.
3 1/2-Stars
July 31, 2025
“People are complex.”
“Yeah … that’s why I hate them. At least with a psychopath, you know where you stand.”
DUST TO DUST is a passable suspense thriller cum police procedural that tackles issues on a number of thematic fronts but, rather than succeeding fully on any single front, ends up being rather a complex, byzantine tale with a tortuous and difficult plot to follow.
Homosexuality in the police ranks; homophobia; police suicide as a result of stress and PTSD; female detectives and misogyny in the ranks and the administration; the profound dangers of auto-erotic asphyxiation; the universal hatred of Internal Affairs inside a police department; and the investigation of dirty cops all make an appearance.
Veteran homicide detective Sam Kovac (clearly starved for feminine companionship) and his young, female partner, Nikki Liska, (equally clearly with her eyes set on a position higher in the police ranking ladder) work unofficially around the edges of a suicide that they feel was closed and filed away a little too neatly in order to hold down the possibility of unfavourable publicity against the police force.
Now that I’ve read two novels in the Sam Kovac/Nikki Liska series with the same impression of an unduly twisted plot that was outrageously difficult to follow, I’m likely to pass on any further reading in the series.
Paul Weiss
“Yeah … that’s why I hate them. At least with a psychopath, you know where you stand.”
DUST TO DUST is a passable suspense thriller cum police procedural that tackles issues on a number of thematic fronts but, rather than succeeding fully on any single front, ends up being rather a complex, byzantine tale with a tortuous and difficult plot to follow.
Homosexuality in the police ranks; homophobia; police suicide as a result of stress and PTSD; female detectives and misogyny in the ranks and the administration; the profound dangers of auto-erotic asphyxiation; the universal hatred of Internal Affairs inside a police department; and the investigation of dirty cops all make an appearance.
Veteran homicide detective Sam Kovac (clearly starved for feminine companionship) and his young, female partner, Nikki Liska, (equally clearly with her eyes set on a position higher in the police ranking ladder) work unofficially around the edges of a suicide that they feel was closed and filed away a little too neatly in order to hold down the possibility of unfavourable publicity against the police force.
Now that I’ve read two novels in the Sam Kovac/Nikki Liska series with the same impression of an unduly twisted plot that was outrageously difficult to follow, I’m likely to pass on any further reading in the series.
Paul Weiss
July 6, 2017
Another good mystery for Kovac and Liska. Both Kovac and Liska are solid characters and I really enjoyed this one. I did figure out the "bad guys", but the journey to their guilt was solid. I liked how the past and present crimes were woven together. There were a couple of sad items, but...
One item that I don't enjoy is the present tense sections by the one "bad guy". I know this is Ms. Hoag's style, but I tended to skim these short sections. For whatever reason, present tense is like nails on a black board to me.
There were times in the middle of the book where it seemed like the story was being drawn out, but then it would hit a good stretch that had me glued to the pages.
I definitely continue to read this series.
One item that I don't enjoy is the present tense sections by the one "bad guy". I know this is Ms. Hoag's style, but I tended to skim these short sections. For whatever reason, present tense is like nails on a black board to me.
There were times in the middle of the book where it seemed like the story was being drawn out, but then it would hit a good stretch that had me glued to the pages.
I definitely continue to read this series.
July 13, 2022
The first book in this series ''Ashes to ashes'' is still one of my favorite thriller/police procedural novels. With that book I fell in love with Hoag's writing, the complexity of her stories and the dark atmosphere she creates. ''Prior bad acts'' was also a 5 stars reading for me. This is the second book in this series - a little bit slower than the other two that I mentioned and therefore the 4 stars, but once you get into the story, you can not put it down. The story was maybe not so dark like in ''Ashes to ashes'' and ''Prior bad acts'' (no creepy serial killer) but it was an intense mystery, a slow burner where the detectives discover the secrets and the dirty games step by step. What is the secret behind those deaths, and how are all the people connected? Revelations come slowly and tantalizingly, and the characters are well drawn.
I found the characters in this series very realistic, not one-dimensional like the personae in some other mystery novels. If I had to pick a favourite character it would be Sam Kovak, the male homicide detective. His partner, 'Tinks' Liska, is a single mom and her every day life and interactions with her kids were well done.
Glad that I finished this series, it's one of my favorite in this genre. Soon going on the next Tami Hoag's series - she is on the top of my favorite crime authors.
I found the characters in this series very realistic, not one-dimensional like the personae in some other mystery novels. If I had to pick a favourite character it would be Sam Kovak, the male homicide detective. His partner, 'Tinks' Liska, is a single mom and her every day life and interactions with her kids were well done.
Glad that I finished this series, it's one of my favorite in this genre. Soon going on the next Tami Hoag's series - she is on the top of my favorite crime authors.
January 11, 2016
Having just finished a "literary" suspenser, which involved battling my way through a jungle of overconvoluted prose, I was desperate to cleanse my palate, as it were, with a piece of straightforward storytelling. This book by Tami Hoag practically leapt from the shelf into my hand as the ideal restorative.
When the cop son of a disabled legendary ex-cop is found hanged, everyone's keen to assume it's a matter of suicide -- everyone, that is, except Hoag's series heroes, detectives Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska of the Minneapolis PD. Complicating the case is that the dead man was gay, and so had to deal with his fair share of homophobia from other cops, and that he worked for Internal Affairs, investigating corrupt cops, and was thus instinctively loathed by all serving officers because team loyalty is, er, more important than rooting out criminality. (That's Liska's attitude at the outset, anyway, but she manages to think things through a bit better by the end.)
Kovac and Liska are right: it's a murder. And they're right to identify another supposed suicide as a murder, too. Despite the fact that their bosses are keen to close the investigation down, our heroes persist, the way that all good maverick cops do, even as it becomes blatantly evident that the murderer they're hunting is one of their own . . .
Some of the humor in the smutty badinage between the cops is a bit heavy-handed and juvenile; I'm sure that in real life it would be, but this is fiction and we expect a bit better. To choose just a single example:
It's that second sentence I'm referring to. Left on its own, the joke in the first sentence is quite fun, and we got it: there's no need to heavy-handedly pound in the obvious.
That's a minor quibble. Overall, Dust to Dust was a wonderfully pacy read with a nicely complex mystery at its heart and a fair amount of emotional heft. Memo to self: I really ought to read more Tami Hoag than I do, because I always enjoy her books.
When the cop son of a disabled legendary ex-cop is found hanged, everyone's keen to assume it's a matter of suicide -- everyone, that is, except Hoag's series heroes, detectives Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska of the Minneapolis PD. Complicating the case is that the dead man was gay, and so had to deal with his fair share of homophobia from other cops, and that he worked for Internal Affairs, investigating corrupt cops, and was thus instinctively loathed by all serving officers because team loyalty is, er, more important than rooting out criminality. (That's Liska's attitude at the outset, anyway, but she manages to think things through a bit better by the end.)
Kovac and Liska are right: it's a murder. And they're right to identify another supposed suicide as a murder, too. Despite the fact that their bosses are keen to close the investigation down, our heroes persist, the way that all good maverick cops do, even as it becomes blatantly evident that the murderer they're hunting is one of their own . . .
Some of the humor in the smutty badinage between the cops is a bit heavy-handed and juvenile; I'm sure that in real life it would be, but this is fiction and we expect a bit better. To choose just a single example:
"If Leonard thinks Jackson has a case, he's got his head so far up his ass we should call the people at Guinness. It's gotta be some kind of record."
It's that second sentence I'm referring to. Left on its own, the joke in the first sentence is quite fun, and we got it: there's no need to heavy-handedly pound in the obvious.
That's a minor quibble. Overall, Dust to Dust was a wonderfully pacy read with a nicely complex mystery at its heart and a fair amount of emotional heft. Memo to self: I really ought to read more Tami Hoag than I do, because I always enjoy her books.
January 19, 2014
Another great read by Tami Hoag. I am really enjoying this series by her. And I look forward to the next one in this series, Prior Bad Acts and also the other series that she has. I love how she writes. Pretty fluid and easy to read, lots of mystery and excitement and great plots to follow. I like how parts of the last book rolled over into this one giving hints to past lives. So probably better to read them in order.
I think the characters are very well developed, very realistic and believable. And I think that is mostly because she created them to not be perfect and to have their own problems. They have to work for what they want. I also feel like Kovak and Liska were much better developed in this installment, or maybe it was because they seemed to be a bigger part of this book than they were in the first one. Kovak is probably my favorite character.
So basically this is a good tale of good cop/bad cop and I again found myself trying to guess who the culprit was and was wrong in many instances. And when everything was revealed I was kind of like what?! I really did not expect a lot of it. There were several different mysteries to follow in this book and I loved that too. It did get a little confusing for a moment where I would have to go back and read something again.
There was also one part of this book that involves Sam Kovak that I wished could have been different, but then again I think I know where the Author is going with him in this series and it makes sense. I am sure by the time I get done with the series I will know it all. I recommend this to anyone who has a passion for mystery/suspense.
I think the characters are very well developed, very realistic and believable. And I think that is mostly because she created them to not be perfect and to have their own problems. They have to work for what they want. I also feel like Kovak and Liska were much better developed in this installment, or maybe it was because they seemed to be a bigger part of this book than they were in the first one. Kovak is probably my favorite character.
So basically this is a good tale of good cop/bad cop and I again found myself trying to guess who the culprit was and was wrong in many instances. And when everything was revealed I was kind of like what?! I really did not expect a lot of it. There were several different mysteries to follow in this book and I loved that too. It did get a little confusing for a moment where I would have to go back and read something again.
There was also one part of this book that involves Sam Kovak that I wished could have been different, but then again I think I know where the Author is going with him in this series and it makes sense. I am sure by the time I get done with the series I will know it all. I recommend this to anyone who has a passion for mystery/suspense.
April 9, 2020
I just couldn't deal with this one. I'm not sure what it was. The suspense was good and the book was rather entertaining, but something about this book felt darker - in a more depressing, morose way than the books she usually writes. In one respect, I appreciate that Kovac and Liska have as much depth as they do, but I cannot really appreciate their characters. They're just not the kind of characters I want to read about. I'm not sure I'll be continuing this particular series.
*****
Re-read
Edited to 3 stars.
I think when I read this the first time, it was right after a series of her romantic suspense stories where the romance comes to fruition and there's an HEA for the characters. Even Ashes to Ashes follows suit. But this one...it sets you up for the romance between Kovac and Savard and then rips your guts out. I'm pretty sure I felt betrayed by the author at the time. I still resent the way this story ended...hate it actually. But this time around, I could better appreciate the suspense and investigation plot. And the writing is pretty awesome....perhaps slow in parts, but mostly very engaging. I can't fault the writing or the suspense plot - mostly just what happens to the characters.
*****
Re-read
Edited to 3 stars.
I think when I read this the first time, it was right after a series of her romantic suspense stories where the romance comes to fruition and there's an HEA for the characters. Even Ashes to Ashes follows suit. But this one...it sets you up for the romance between Kovac and Savard and then rips your guts out. I'm pretty sure I felt betrayed by the author at the time. I still resent the way this story ended...hate it actually. But this time around, I could better appreciate the suspense and investigation plot. And the writing is pretty awesome....perhaps slow in parts, but mostly very engaging. I can't fault the writing or the suspense plot - mostly just what happens to the characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2015
Another book that rambles and is way too long. The story of a gay police officer's death ruled a suicide, then accidental, and then another death ruled suicide. These rulings don't sit well with the two detectives Kovac and Liska. A lot of the same old same old - cops who break the rules, get themselves threatened by bad guys, and on and on. Another way way too long book (almost 500 pages) and audiobook. This is a clue for me to avoid non-literary fiction books that are over 300 pages unless I read great reviews. Oh wait a minute. There are certain literary fiction writers (Donna Tartt comes to mind) that get great reviews but are way way overwritten and underedited.
June 28, 2015
I love this series, I can't believe I started in the middle. The book had me caught from the 1st paragraph. I loved the banter between the main characters, it was so real.
September 11, 2016
REVIEW OF AUDIOBOOK; SEPT 10, 2016
Narrator: Nick Sullivan
I love my audiobooks because of the many pros but the one con is that if the plot is too complex, it makes for frustrating listening. Dust to Dust is one of these and I had to reverse several times because some parts needed time to register, to fit in with the events. In the end I kinda gave up trying to follow every detail. It was just too much. It wasn't a plate of spaghetti but a bowl of live worms twisting and turning.
I suppose there's something to be said for the fact that I listened to the end despite the very slow first 75%. If you enjoy pure police procedurals, this should be a joy to listen to because Nick Sullivan's narration was superb but I came away thinking this book is best read rather than listened to. Too many characters, too many twists and turns and mainly filled with Kovac's and Liska's questions about who killed whom rather than making some headway with each chapter. But no, the plot just got worse as each chapter went by and by th epilogue, I felt the author, in her attempt o make her book complex and rich, ended up pretentiously convoluted.
One plus in this installment is that I got to know Kovac and Liska a bit more as they were not in the forefront of the first book, Ashes to Ashes which had John Quinn and Kate Conlan as the MCs. I'm sure Kovac's age is mentioned somewhere in either book but I can't remember now how old he is, just that he is a twenty-two year veteran of the force. Late 40s? What about Liska? She has 2 kids and divorced from Speed Hatcher, whom she still has feelings for but hates it that she does.
And why do authors like to give their cop heroes such lousy love lives? It would be refreshing to find a series where the male detective has a stable marriage/relationship and is left free to focus on crime-solving. I need more Lucas Davenports than Harry Bosches.
I'm not sure if I will continue with this series. Perhaps one more and if it's still as unnecessarily complicated as this one then, well, there are other police procedurals to try.
Narrator: Nick Sullivan
I love my audiobooks because of the many pros but the one con is that if the plot is too complex, it makes for frustrating listening. Dust to Dust is one of these and I had to reverse several times because some parts needed time to register, to fit in with the events. In the end I kinda gave up trying to follow every detail. It was just too much. It wasn't a plate of spaghetti but a bowl of live worms twisting and turning.
I suppose there's something to be said for the fact that I listened to the end despite the very slow first 75%. If you enjoy pure police procedurals, this should be a joy to listen to because Nick Sullivan's narration was superb but I came away thinking this book is best read rather than listened to. Too many characters, too many twists and turns and mainly filled with Kovac's and Liska's questions about who killed whom rather than making some headway with each chapter. But no, the plot just got worse as each chapter went by and by th epilogue, I felt the author, in her attempt o make her book complex and rich, ended up pretentiously convoluted.
One plus in this installment is that I got to know Kovac and Liska a bit more as they were not in the forefront of the first book, Ashes to Ashes which had John Quinn and Kate Conlan as the MCs. I'm sure Kovac's age is mentioned somewhere in either book but I can't remember now how old he is, just that he is a twenty-two year veteran of the force. Late 40s? What about Liska? She has 2 kids and divorced from Speed Hatcher, whom she still has feelings for but hates it that she does.
And why do authors like to give their cop heroes such lousy love lives? It would be refreshing to find a series where the male detective has a stable marriage/relationship and is left free to focus on crime-solving. I need more Lucas Davenports than Harry Bosches.
I'm not sure if I will continue with this series. Perhaps one more and if it's still as unnecessarily complicated as this one then, well, there are other police procedurals to try.
March 11, 2012
I would give this book 3 and 1/2 stars if I could- I expected the returning characters from Ashes to Ashes to be John and Anne, but this second book in the series focuses more on Liska and Kovac. I was pleased though that the author did give a cameo appearance to Quinn and Anne, enough to update the reader about their ongoing lives- Like getting a christmas family update from friends. :) This book delivers all of the same plot twists and twisted minds as the first book, but fell short on the creepiness. I guess that could be a good or bad thing depending on the reader.
I would recommend this to someone looking for a good mystery crime thriller, and though it is the second in the series you would not have to have read the first book "Ashes to Ashes" prior to reading this book to understand it, but reading the series in order does give more depth to the characters.
I would recommend this to someone looking for a good mystery crime thriller, and though it is the second in the series you would not have to have read the first book "Ashes to Ashes" prior to reading this book to understand it, but reading the series in order does give more depth to the characters.
September 10, 2022
Not an easy read with ending chapters. Beginning has a gay Minneapolis cop, Andy Fallon found hung with "Sorry" written on his mirror and a great retired officer "Iron Mike" Fallon (Andy's dad) found shot after finding his son is gay, are both suicides? Sgt. Sam Kovak gives Neil Fallon (Andy's brother) the most "heat" as Neil resented both his brother Andy & dad Mike...Sam does help/make love to a Lt. ("peer") after being she's attacked by others - but "was their love a mistake?". Too many twists at end, when characters from the beginning appear as possible killers. Sgt. Nikki's character should have been bigger.
August 21, 2015
Good!! Brought the last cd into the house to finish it up. Couldn't wait thru the weekend till Monday when I'd be back in the car driving. This is my first Kovac/Liska novel, and I'd now like to read more. I thought that I had the story all figured out but I was a little incorrect. Didn't find this out til the very ending of the book. Hope the library has more Hoag audios.
December 22, 2018
This was #2 in the Kovak-Liska series, so I understand it not being a good sequel. However, it was one of the slowest, most ploddingly dull storylines I've read in quite a while. If I hadn't already read #5 in this series, I wouldn't have finished this book. This wasn't just a boring story but it was morose and depressing. Not something I'd suggest as a must read.
December 29, 2007
Dust to Dust - VG
Hoag, Tami - 2nd in Kovac/Liska series
The death of internal affairs investigator Andy Fallon is a potential political bomb for the Minneapolis Police Department. Andy Fallon was gay, and he was investigating a possible cop connection in the brutal murder of another gay officer. But Andy's death looks like suicide - or an unfortunate and embarrassing accident: death by auto-erotic misadventure - and the pressure is on from the top brass to close the case as soon as possible. But Andy Fallon's ex-lover doesn't believe Andy died by his own hand - accidentally or otherwise. He believes Andy's death is tied to his work, and he presses lead detective Sam Kovac to find another answer - one that won't be popular with anyone. With the help of Amanda Savard, Fallon's supervisor, Kovac begins to investigate the cases that Andy was working on and the deeper he digs, the more suspicious he becomes. It begins to look as if Andy Fallon might have hit on something that got him killed. And Andy might not be the final victim . . . As Ko vac and his partner, Tinks Liska, peel back the layers of this complex case, they will find their careers and their lives on the line, because someone wants the truth left dead and buried. Ashes to ashes, and dust to dust.
I'm a big fan of Hoag's writing. She writes great characters, suspense and romance--the perfect combination.
Hoag, Tami - 2nd in Kovac/Liska series
The death of internal affairs investigator Andy Fallon is a potential political bomb for the Minneapolis Police Department. Andy Fallon was gay, and he was investigating a possible cop connection in the brutal murder of another gay officer. But Andy's death looks like suicide - or an unfortunate and embarrassing accident: death by auto-erotic misadventure - and the pressure is on from the top brass to close the case as soon as possible. But Andy Fallon's ex-lover doesn't believe Andy died by his own hand - accidentally or otherwise. He believes Andy's death is tied to his work, and he presses lead detective Sam Kovac to find another answer - one that won't be popular with anyone. With the help of Amanda Savard, Fallon's supervisor, Kovac begins to investigate the cases that Andy was working on and the deeper he digs, the more suspicious he becomes. It begins to look as if Andy Fallon might have hit on something that got him killed. And Andy might not be the final victim . . . As Ko vac and his partner, Tinks Liska, peel back the layers of this complex case, they will find their careers and their lives on the line, because someone wants the truth left dead and buried. Ashes to ashes, and dust to dust.
I'm a big fan of Hoag's writing. She writes great characters, suspense and romance--the perfect combination.
January 1, 2013
I listened to this on four cassettes to and fro my work over the last few days, and I must say, this was quite a bit better than 'Ashes to Ashes.' The characters of Detectives Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska return - Nikki was definitely a high point of 'Ashes to Ashes,' - and get hit by a pair of very confusing deaths. One, a "cold-case" of the beating-death of a cop, and the other, an apparent suicide of an IA cop. But is it suicide? Is the criminal charged in the cold-case beating death really the one who killed the cop? Why was the IA man looking into the night his father, a legend cop, was shot and paralyzed, and what does it have to do with all the other things going on?
Honestly, the mystery in this one had me turning - I couldn't decide who to look at as the villain in the piece, and I was very well rewarded for my efforts - I got about a third of it right, enough to make me feel all clever, and yet enough to be outsmarted and enjoy the ride. I'm definitely going to look into more Tami Hoag.
The voice actor in this one was also way above the level of 'Ashes to Ashes,' which is always a good thing. His voices for Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska, especially, were well performed, and his pacing was perfect. Well done!
Honestly, the mystery in this one had me turning - I couldn't decide who to look at as the villain in the piece, and I was very well rewarded for my efforts - I got about a third of it right, enough to make me feel all clever, and yet enough to be outsmarted and enjoy the ride. I'm definitely going to look into more Tami Hoag.
The voice actor in this one was also way above the level of 'Ashes to Ashes,' which is always a good thing. His voices for Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska, especially, were well performed, and his pacing was perfect. Well done!
March 16, 2015
Loving this series! Kovac and Liska . . DUST TO DUST, (Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska Book 2), full of humor and wit between this dynamic duo, mixed with some of the best- for a complex crime thriller with dark secrets for a powerful whodunit. Gay cop killed making it appear to be a suicide, corruption, and dirty cops. Who is behind all the killings? One of their own, perhaps?
I started with Hoag's latest COLD COLD HEART (a 5-star winner which won me over), and now catching up with all the previous books in this kick-ass series. I listened to the audiobook and David Colacci delivered an outstanding performance.
Tami has made it to my favorite author list (thrilled to have a South Florida author in my backyard). Cannot wait to read more.
I started with Hoag's latest COLD COLD HEART (a 5-star winner which won me over), and now catching up with all the previous books in this kick-ass series. I listened to the audiobook and David Colacci delivered an outstanding performance.
Tami has made it to my favorite author list (thrilled to have a South Florida author in my backyard). Cannot wait to read more.
August 25, 2013
I listened to this in the car on CD. Good plot, but the prose is really turgid.
January 29, 2021
Talk about a slow burner. I normally like slow paced mysteries, but in this case the “slowness” became exasperating; it actually got to the point where I started to doubt if the suicide that the story was centered on was really just a suicide because nothing seemed to happen to advance the plot and actually guarantee an homicide investigation (as promised by this kind of stories).
This was my main issue with the novel, how it seemed to have too much filler and little plot. Yes, we got to meet engaging characters and dynamics that added to the drama and also to explore some touchy subjects such as homophobia in the police body; but the case didn’t really take off until the last quarter of the novel.
And that’s the thing, we read about one (then two) suspicious suicide and a solved case for hundreds of pages, trying to guess how they were murders and connected; just to add another solved case by the end of the novel and find out that all the different cases were connected to two different crimes with two different murderers.
Don’t get me wrong, the solution made sense, it was unexpected and had its right dose of action, what I guess is good, but at the same time it felt hurried after the unending drag that was the rest of the novel.
Kovac and Liska were again the best part of the novel, they are really interesting characters and it was great to see more of their personal lives in this new installment. The little nod to the previous novel with the brief apparition of Kate and John was very welcomed too. On the other hand, while Amanda seemed like a compelling character, the fact that the case wasn’t advancing made it feel like a tedious task to read about all her problems and her relationship with Kovac; so by the end of the novel I couldn’t help but despising her, what made the ending less memorable for me since I couldn’t care about her death.
This was my main issue with the novel, how it seemed to have too much filler and little plot. Yes, we got to meet engaging characters and dynamics that added to the drama and also to explore some touchy subjects such as homophobia in the police body; but the case didn’t really take off until the last quarter of the novel.
And that’s the thing, we read about one (then two) suspicious suicide and a solved case for hundreds of pages, trying to guess how they were murders and connected; just to add another solved case by the end of the novel and find out that all the different cases were connected to two different crimes with two different murderers.
Don’t get me wrong, the solution made sense, it was unexpected and had its right dose of action, what I guess is good, but at the same time it felt hurried after the unending drag that was the rest of the novel.
Kovac and Liska were again the best part of the novel, they are really interesting characters and it was great to see more of their personal lives in this new installment. The little nod to the previous novel with the brief apparition of Kate and John was very welcomed too. On the other hand, while Amanda seemed like a compelling character, the fact that the case wasn’t advancing made it feel like a tedious task to read about all her problems and her relationship with Kovac; so by the end of the novel I couldn’t help but despising her, what made the ending less memorable for me since I couldn’t care about her death.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2017
3.5 stars
This is an older book by Hoag (pub. 2000) that I found in my personal library. I didn’t think I’d read it so I gave it a go. I think I read the prequel to this one, Ashes to Ashes, back 20 yrs ago, as a couple of references to characters from that first one sounded familiar to me.
This is the 2nd in this series featuring homicide detectives Sam Kovac and his partner Nikki Liska. It is not necessary to read Ashes to Ashes first, as this can stand alone. This one starts our slow, no big hook at the onset, but it builds up to a very satisfactory police procedural focusing on the deaths of some policemen that look like something they are not. Suicide? Accident? Murder? It has you wondering about dirty cops, motives and all the things that make a crime novel complex and keeps your interest vested in the outcome. The last few chapters had me riveted to the pages, no interruptions welcome.
I enjoyed the flawed and complex characters, getting to know Kovac and Liska. They are both true detectives, wanting to get at the truth. Their jobs define them. For Kovac, twice divorced, estranged from his daughter, he has nothing else. Liska, on the other hand, has 2 young boys and is divorced from a cop who keeps hanging around where he’s not wanted, except by his boys, making it aggravating for Nikki, but she is a tough cookie, a woman to be admired. The banter between Kovac and Liska adds some lightness in the otherwise dark situations, their relationship professional and loyal.
I’m happy to know there are more novels featuring these two likable detectives. I plan to read more, in order, as I prefer. Recommended for my GR friends who enjoy the genre and might have missed this some years back.
This is an older book by Hoag (pub. 2000) that I found in my personal library. I didn’t think I’d read it so I gave it a go. I think I read the prequel to this one, Ashes to Ashes, back 20 yrs ago, as a couple of references to characters from that first one sounded familiar to me.
This is the 2nd in this series featuring homicide detectives Sam Kovac and his partner Nikki Liska. It is not necessary to read Ashes to Ashes first, as this can stand alone. This one starts our slow, no big hook at the onset, but it builds up to a very satisfactory police procedural focusing on the deaths of some policemen that look like something they are not. Suicide? Accident? Murder? It has you wondering about dirty cops, motives and all the things that make a crime novel complex and keeps your interest vested in the outcome. The last few chapters had me riveted to the pages, no interruptions welcome.
I enjoyed the flawed and complex characters, getting to know Kovac and Liska. They are both true detectives, wanting to get at the truth. Their jobs define them. For Kovac, twice divorced, estranged from his daughter, he has nothing else. Liska, on the other hand, has 2 young boys and is divorced from a cop who keeps hanging around where he’s not wanted, except by his boys, making it aggravating for Nikki, but she is a tough cookie, a woman to be admired. The banter between Kovac and Liska adds some lightness in the otherwise dark situations, their relationship professional and loyal.
I’m happy to know there are more novels featuring these two likable detectives. I plan to read more, in order, as I prefer. Recommended for my GR friends who enjoy the genre and might have missed this some years back.
October 25, 2019
Well. Solid 4 stars. And Kovac/Liska #2 where they are ‘officially’ partners in crime solving and not just on the ‘homicide team’. The terminology/organization changes with the new chief of police and makes me realize why the detectives look at the chief’s position with mostly scorn and cynicism instead of respect.
The good news is, of course, Kovac and Liska’s friendship is firmly established in this one and the beginnings of their well-oiled partnership in solving grisly homicides is evident. The mystery is pretty good though a tad melodramatic in the end. But this seems to be the MO for a Hoag suspense so maybe I’m becoming used to it. I just know it didn’t irritate me as much as in the past.
Better news is this: Guess what? Thor the attack cat from Ashes to Ashes? He did survive the fire and though there is no explanation given, Thor is still with Kate and John Quinn (though if I were that cat I’d be finding me a new home with a caregiver who actually cared what happened to me in a fire. Sheesh!) but Kovac is the one to deliver a “Hey Thor. How’s it hanging?”greeting on a visit to the local now-retired FBI Profiler hottie extraodinaire (i.e. Quinn) and his new wife Kate (from A to A).
More Kovac/Liska, please!
The good news is, of course, Kovac and Liska’s friendship is firmly established in this one and the beginnings of their well-oiled partnership in solving grisly homicides is evident. The mystery is pretty good though a tad melodramatic in the end. But this seems to be the MO for a Hoag suspense so maybe I’m becoming used to it. I just know it didn’t irritate me as much as in the past.
Better news is this: Guess what? Thor the attack cat from Ashes to Ashes? He did survive the fire and though there is no explanation given, Thor is still with Kate and John Quinn (though if I were that cat I’d be finding me a new home with a caregiver who actually cared what happened to me in a fire. Sheesh!) but Kovac is the one to deliver a “Hey Thor. How’s it hanging?”greeting on a visit to the local now-retired FBI Profiler hottie extraodinaire (i.e. Quinn) and his new wife Kate (from A to A).
More Kovac/Liska, please!
November 28, 2025
I’ve read three other books in the homicide detectives Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska series. I liked two of the books well enough and loved one of them. I even like the wisecracking but sometimes it’s a little too much, and honestly this time it was way too much.
This story involves an IA cop who apparently commits suicide. Of course, when Nikki & Sam start looking into this it no longer appears to be suicide but the powers that be are pressing them to toe the line and quickly close the case. From there it gets interesting. Sad to say that the negatives for me in this novel overruled the story itself and made me want to finish it asap. Thus a lot of browsing in the last third of the book. At this point I’m not buying any more of her books.
This story involves an IA cop who apparently commits suicide. Of course, when Nikki & Sam start looking into this it no longer appears to be suicide but the powers that be are pressing them to toe the line and quickly close the case. From there it gets interesting. Sad to say that the negatives for me in this novel overruled the story itself and made me want to finish it asap. Thus a lot of browsing in the last third of the book. At this point I’m not buying any more of her books.
April 22, 2018
Somewhat boring and very bleak. A cop commits suicide, then that cop's father also commits suicide. Sam Kovac doesn't buy it. He investigates despite the first case being closed as an accident and everyone thinking that the second was a suicide. Murder is the cause of both deaths and both are tied to a an incident from thirty years ago. Don't expect much in the way of warmth and happiness, it is about as cold and bleak as the Minnesota winter she describes.
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