Don't Say A Word [Mass Market Paperback]

I've finished "Don't Say A Word" by Beverly Barton.


Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Zebra (July 31, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1420110373
ISBN-13: 978-1420110371

My Review:

This book is the sequel to "Don't Cry" which is J.D. and Audrey's book.   This book had references to the case/murder in "Don't Cry" and the main characters in that one.

J.D. asked his friend and fellow Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Will Bannock to pick up his younger sister Chattanooga Police Detective Julia Cass from the airport.  What she didn't expect was to pick up her first case and to work with Will while on the way to J.D's house.  Both her and Will are in search of tracking down a serial killer who cuts out his victim's tongues, then hangs them and then leaves their tongue and a stack of 31 dimes on a scale under their dangling feet.  The killer is nicknamed "The Tongue Slasher".

Julia finds herself attracted to Will but doesn't want to be because three years prior she saw her partner and soon to be lover shot and then died in her arms.  Besides she thinks Will is a womanizer since she saw him talking and flirting with many flight attendants and actually making out/all over each other with one out in public. 

Will finds himself attracted to Julia but doesn't want to be because she's J.D's younger sister and he thinks she is a no-nonsense women. 

The first victim is Federal Judge Lucien Lockhart who is corrupt and loves to double deal.  Next is shock radio commentator Roc VanVeter.  The killer likes to sit in his own cave and lovingly tapes a bit of his victim's tongue under their pictures in a scrapbook he made.

As Julia and Will investigate further they realize the killer has a hit list of all his victims.  They were connected somehow to an old case which the Lucien was involved.

I enjoyed the romance in this book  more than than the actual case (I was kind of surprised when the killer was revealed).  Beverly died writing the book and it was finished by a family friend.

Dead By Nightfall [Mass Market Paperback]

I've finished "Dead by Nightfall" the 3rd book in her Dead trilogy series by Beverly Barton.

Product Description

The fear . . .

Malcolm York is a sadistic monster, guilty of unspeakable crimes. And with his endless wealth, he's funded a series of depraved hunts. The few who survived can never forget. They can only be thankful the terror is over -- until rumors start swirling.

Only stops . . .

Griffin Powell knows the twisted depths of York's madness. He's also sure that York is dead. But then Griff's wife Nicole disappears, and the phone calls begin--that familiar voice taunting him, promising to destroy everything Griff loves.

When you die.

Using all the resources of the Powell Agency, Griff searches for Nic, aware that every step propels him further into a madman's web -- because the only way to keep Nic safe is to join one last perverse game in which the winner kills all and the loser is dead by nightfall.

About the Author

BEVERLY BARTON (1946-2011), an avid reader since childhood, wrote her first book at the age of nine. After that she went on to write well over seventy novels and was a New York Times bestselling author. She is a two-time Maggie Award winner, a two-time National Reader's Choice Award winner, and a recipient of a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for Series Romantic Adventure. She resided in Alabama.

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Zebra; Original edition (November 29, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1420110365
ISBN-13: 978-1420110364

My Review:

Griffin Powell, Damar Sanders, Yvette Meng (Malcolm York's wife) and Raphael Byrne were held captive on Amara Island for sixteen years.  Malcolm York was a sadistic psychotic terror who kidnapped the strongest and best in their fields - men, women and children from all over the world.  He would pit the strongest against the weakest (they had to kill or else they would be killed) and provide whatever his guests wanted.  Griffin and Sanders killed York by chopping off his head.

Five years ago there were rumors that Malcolm was alive and there were sightings of him giving parties for his friends as vile as he is who have participated in "The Hunt" to kill.

At the end of "Dead by Morning" Griffin was forced to admit to Nicole that Yvette had a baby and he might possibly the father.  They had an arguement whether Griffina and Yvette were lovers during the ten years they were captives on the island.  Griffin wasn't straightforward and only told Nicole half truths. 

Nicole leaves Griffin Rest to spend time at their cabin to think but she was kidnapped and delivered to Malcolm York.  Malcolm sends Griffin on a world wide search for Nicole while taunting him this is the best "Hunt" of his life.  Griffin is facing his worst fears - will Nicole come out alive or not?

Wow this book was exciting from beginning to ending and never let up.  The villians were very psychotic and vile in their own way.  The crimes were well written and very graphic (don't read if you can't handle torture scenes).

I really enjoyed Rafe aka Raphael storyline and he isn't the sweet twenty-year old that left Amara - now he's also a cold blooded killer who enjoys torturing his captives.

4/5

Cold Hearted [Mass Market Paperback]

I've finished "Cold Hearted" by Beverly Barton.

Product Description

They all loved her. That was their mistake. Two husbands, her college fiance, an influential boss -- every man who gets close to Jordan Price is made to pay in blood. And the list is growing. The more investigator Rick Carson delves into the string of deaths from which Jordan has profited handsomely, the more convinced he becomes that he is dealing with a cunning, Cold Hearted, unstoppable killer.

About the Author

New York Times bestselling author Beverly Barton wrote over fifty contemporary romance novels and created the popular Protectors series. She was a two-time Maggie Award winner, a two-time National Reader's Choice Award winner, and a recipient of the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for Series Romantic Adventure.

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Zebra (September 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1420100491
ISBN-13: 978-1420100495

My Review:

Jordan Price was married to Senator Dan Price when he committed suicide - but is it?  His family doesn't believe it was suicide but murder and Jordan wants to get to the truth so she hires Powell Agency.

Rick Carson is an investigator for Powell Agency and is assigned the Dan Price's case.  At the very start he is conflicted because they always look at the spouse first (he's attracted to her) but he doesn't want her to be.  He believes Jordan is the Black Widow when he uncovers two things about her:

1.  Her fiance Robby Joe Wright died in a car accident
2.  Her first husband Boyd died in a hunting accident

As he gets to know the Price family he learns a secret they want to keep hidden forever from the public eye.  Then Jordan is targeted but she doesn't want to believe someone close to her is after her.

I thought it was really funny how Rick would act so cold at first with Jordan then the next he would be very protective of her.

This book had a perfect balance of suspense and romance with some red herrings thrown.  We also hear the killer's thoughts which proves they are delusional.  The plot and pacing are well paced and it was so much fun trying to figure out who the killer was.

4/5

Dead By Morning [Paperback]

I've finished "Dead by Morning" by Beverly Barton.

Product Description

The darkest sins . . .

He begins his work just before dawn, wielding a knife with the precision of a surgeon. Cunning and meticulous, he's always in control. Mercy is not an option.

Will always . . .

Maleah Perdue is tough, outspoken, and completely dedicated to her work at the Powell Security Agency. But her fearless exterior shatters when a madman begins killing her colleagues one by one, mimicking a notorious serial killer already behind bars. Working alongside top profiler Derek Lawrence, Maleah will do anything to find the murderer, even if it means playing a psychopath's twisted mind games.

Come to light.

No one connected to the agency is safe. No one is beyond suspicion. For as Maleah and Derek piece together the clues, they uncover a chilling legacy of lies and brutal vengeance -- and a killer who has been hiding in plain sight all along.

Product Details
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Zebra; 1 edition (May 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1420110357
ISBN-13: 978-1420110357

My Review:

Storyline: Powell agents and their families are being killed by brutal means and found in pools of water with triangles cut out of their arms and legs. The killer is known as the Copycat Carver because of the similarities  killing methods to the original Carver Jerome Browning the serial killer locked up for life in a Georgia State prison.  The Copycat Carver had Maleah in his sights and knows exactly how to lure her into his sick game.


Characters:  Maleah Perdue is one of Powell Private and Security and Investigative Agency's most skilled and dedicated agents.  She is also Nicole Powell's best friends and is a smart, strong and independent woman.  She has survived a horrible and abusive childhood touched by tragedy.  She has peaches and cream complexion and sun-streaked blond hair.

Derek Lawrence is a top-notch profiler and consultant for Powell Private and Security and Investigative Agency who is a former FBI profiler.  He comes from a very wealthy family but has shunned the life of a trust fund millionaire. 


Romance:  Derek has been fascinated by Maleah ever since their first meeting but Maleah hasn't trusted the tall dark and handsome womanizer.  I really loved the antagonism between Maleah and Derek because it was so much fun to read and how she reasons with herself why she shouldn't be so attracted to Derek.  Loved how they got to know more about the both of them and they realized they actually like and respect each other.  They are honest with each other about everything.

Killer(s):  The mastermind has hired an assassin to do his killings and Griff is the ultimate prize.  He knows this will hurt Griff to the core which has caused some problems with his wife Nicole.  He also has forced someone to start killing people associated to Yvette's charges and Powell agents.

5/5