Watching You (Detective Kerry Blasco #3) by J. A. Schneider-a review

Watching You (Detective Kerri Blasco #3) by J.A. Schneider- a review

Watching You

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon. uk /

About the book: Release Date: April 25, 2017

A serial killer texts his victims first. A detective vows revenge. He comes after her.

In the chill of an October night, Detective Kerri Blasco is called to a bizarre murder scene. Leda Winfield, a young volunteer for the homeless, has been shot. Her cell phone displays the frightening text, WATCHING YOU, and into her back, hideously pushed with a hat pin, is a note with the same awful message. Leda’s socialite family and friends insist that no one would have wanted to harm her, but Detective Kerri isn’t convinced.

Until another random young woman is killed in exactly the same way. Kerri and her team profile a monstrous killer who enjoys terrifying his victims before stalking and killing them. But how does he get their phone numbers?

Kerri soon finds that the killer is after her, too, and that the key to finding him may just be in the homeless shelter. When the body count rises, she vows to stop the madman – even if it means battling her own personal trauma, risking her job, her love relationship with her boss Alex Brand, and her life.

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REVIEW: Watching You begins with the internal ramblings of a psychotic murder, and it doesn’t take long for him to hone in on his seemingly first target: Leda Winfield. When Kerri and Alex make the scene, Kerri is sickened by what greets them. As their investigation begins, they discover that Leda was a person whom everyone loved and had a heart as big as the sprawling city in which she lived. It also doesn’t take long for the killer to strike again. As things escalate, Kerri soon finds herself the target of the crazed killer. She knows that they are running out of time and as they search desperately for any and all clues, Kerri finds herself face to face with the killer……….and time is running out.

Watching You is another nice addition to the Detective Kerri Blasco series. In this installment, we get to find out a little more of her back story and see a little more of her relationship with Alex. Schneider ramped up the suspense factor in this one and I loved seeing how it all played out. The characters were well written and as the scenes played out, I felt that the world she is building with this series is coming into its own. I love Kerri’s heart and determination to not bend when she knows something isn’t right and stands her ground. Alex is a great partner for her, both personally and professionally. The characters who make up the suspect list were well written as well. So well written that when I “knew” who the killer was, I was proved very wrong! Once again, if you’re a fan of suspense, you can’t go wrong with this series. Well done, J.A. Schneider!

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Fear Dreams
Her Last Breath
Watching You

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Vickie M

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Her Last Breath (Detective Kerri Blasco #2) by J.A. Schneider-a review

Her Last Breath (Detective Kerri Blasco #2) by J. A. Schneider-a review

Her Last Breath

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon. uk /

About the book: Release Date October 21, 2016

A chilling psychological thriller about a woman caught between two men…

Mari Gill wakes to horror in a strange apartment next to a murdered man, and can’t remember the night before. Accused of murder, she feels torn between her husband, a successful defense attorney, and a mysterious, kind man who wants to help. Can she trust either of them – or even her friends? Detective Kerri Blasco battles her police bosses believing Mari is innocent…but is she?

Review:
As the blurb says, Mari Gill wakes up in a strange bed next to a murdered man who is a complete stranger. She sees a knife that has been plunged into his chest and screams bloody murder (literally) as she stumbles out of the bed and attempts to run for her life. She slips and falls into broken glass cutting her hands terribly and promptly has a life threatening asthma attack. Not knowing where her purse is, she has no hope of finding her inhaler as she starts to black out knowing she is about to die. Just then, a stranger appears just in time and calls the police. Once the police and paramedics arrive, Mari knows she’s going to need help from the one person she does not want to call…her estranged husband, who just happens to be a high profile defense attorney.

As the police try to ascertain what happened, something does not sit well with Detective Kerri Blasco and her partner, Detective Alex Brand. The murdered man ends up being an in demand photographer and their captain is being pressured to get the case wrapped up and the murderer charged. When Kerri tells her captain she’s not convinced that Mari is the murderer, he knows she won’t stop until she has things figured out in her own time. He still gives her a timeframe and tells her to get it figured out. Kerri soon discovers that things are not quite as they seem. After speaking with Mari, she’s even more sure that she’s missing something…but what?

Mari doesn’t know who to trust. Her estranged husband is a master at handling the press and high profile cases, but she doesn’t want to rely too much on him. Once she meets the mysterious man who saved her life, she feels a connection with him, only to end up questioning his reasons. She has friends who seem to be a little too curious about what happened and seem to be a step ahead of her as she tries to figure things out. Mari’s life soon becomes so upended that she doesn’t know who she can trust. What follows is a story that will leave you guessing until almost the very end.

Her Last Breath is a nice addition to the Detective Kerri Blasco series. Schneider does a masterful job of weaving her suspense filled story in this one. The characters are relatable and the premise is a good one. I’ve liked Kerri and Alex since I first read about them in the Embryo series and love seeing them move forward in their lives and their careers. I also liked Mari. However, the one sticking point for me was the way the author wrote Mari’s thoughts. There were so many broken thoughts and fragmented sentences that it was almost like reading a screenplay where she was concerned. The supporting characters weren’t as developed as Schneider normally writes them, but they were relatable nonetheless. With all of that said, Her Last Breath was a good read. If you’re a fan of the suspense genres, you won’t go wrong with J.A. Schneider. I look forward to the next installment.

Click HERE for Vickie’s review of book one-FEAR DREAMS

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Vickie M

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Fear Dreams by J.A.Schneider-a review

Fear Dreams by J.A. Schneider-a review

Fear Dreams

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca /

About the book: Release Date March 28, 2016

Liddy Barron, an artist, was injured in a hit-and-run accident that left her with recurring nightmares, gaps in her memory, and an increasing obsession in the disappearance of a coed named Sasha Perry. Insecure and nervous, Liddy’s turmoil grows as she begins seeing ghostly images. Her husband Paul tries to help but suspects it’s just her imagination…while intuitive Detective Kerri Blasco, also obsessed with young Sasha’s disappearance, senses that Liddy may have a key to solving the case, and tries to unravel the shocking truth of what really haunts her.

Review:

Fear Dreams begins with Liddy trying to get back to a normal life after a devastating accident that left her both physically and emotionally damaged. As she turns to her art to help her cope, she mysteriously sketches a young woman, whom she’s sure she’s never met, but is almost compelled to do so. As her dreams become more prevalent, so much so that she starts to question everything, she goes to Detective Kerri Blasco. (Kerri is a character Schneider’s readers are familiar with that is a prominent character in Schneider’s Embryo series) Upon seeing the sketch and listening to Liddy, Kerry starts to believe that Liddy may hold a missing key that she has no idea she holds.

Once they start down the path of trying to figure everything out and piece things together, they have no idea what’s ahead of them. Does Liddy indeed hold the key, or are her dreams just that… fear dreams?

Fear Dreams is another suspenseful story by J.A. Schneider that will keep you guessing until the end. She has always done a great job with the twists and turns in her books, and this is no exception. If you’re looking for a quick read full of twists and turns and nicely developed characters, you cannot go wrong with one of Schneider’s books. Well done, J.A. Schneider!

Copy supplied by the author

Reviewed by Vickie M

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Embryo 3 & 4 by J.A. Schneider-reviews

Embryo 3 & 4 by J.A.Schneider -reviews

Embryo 3 4

Embryo 3: Raney & Levine by J.A. Schneider-a review

About the book:Release Date February 14, 2014

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/

Embryo 3Another doctors-&-cops adrenalin-packed thriller: First, tension enters Jill’s & David’s relationship over what to do about newborn Jesse. They both love him, but David feels that he’d be safer adopted anonymously. Suddenly their stress turns to horror when they discover that a murderous religious zealot is after both Jesse – whom he calls “devil spawn” – and Jill & David’s hospital which he calls “the devil’s workshop which must be destroyed!” This time, the whole hospital is threatened… Jill and David join forces with the police in a terrifying race to track down a killer, and to prevent an unthinkable catastrophe.

 

Review:

Dr. Jill Raney & Dr. David Levine just can’t catch a break…………. As they try to decide what would be best for baby Jesse, murder surrounds them again. Someone is targeting pregnant women who have sought infertility treatment at the world renowned hospital where they work. It doesn’t take long for them, and the police with whom they’ve become all too familiar with, to figure out that a psychotic, religious fanatic is not happy with the work being performed at the hospital. And, once they figure out that Jesse is also a target, they both agree that no one else could love and care for him as they could.

As they start the process of trying to figure out whom this crazy person is targeting their patients, they soon figure out that they too are in the crosshairs, as well as their hospital. And as they’ve proved in the previous stories, they will do anything to keep the ones they love safe. But, as terror grips the city, will Jill and David be able to figure out who is behind all of the craziness and keep themselves safe as well? Well my friends, you’ll just have to read and find out!

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Embryo 4: Catch Me by J.A. Schneider-a review

About the book: Release Date September 8, 2014

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/

Embryo 4A terrifying serial killer who just targets couples, and leaves taunting notes for the NYPD signed CATCH ME… At a loss, police request the help of doctors Jill Raney and David Levine, police friends and detectives on their own. Both have helped when cops’ hands are tied, or in ways that even police forensics never imagined.

But this killer, a sharp shooter, is always a step ahead. He wears gloves and disguises, shoots victim pairs at random with an unregistered gun, and leaves no physical evidence or eyewitnesses. He’s enraged to hear that David is also a crack shot, and intrigued with the couple’s adopted little son, Jesse, almost one year old, dubbed by the media “the miracle baby,” and already showing signs that he is as intuitive as his mother…

The killer draws closer, gripping New York City and the entire nation in horror, pulling Jill and David into the worst terror they have yet encountered.

Review:

Catch Me begins with a horrific attack in Central Park, as there is a serial killer on the loose, one who is targeting couples. Even though his past targets had both been killed, only one was fatally wounded in this particular attack. Beth, a veteran who was pregnant, survived the attack, as did her little boy, Ricky. Once she is taken to the hospital, Jill and David get involved with the case. They are becoming all too comfortable with things like this and working with the police, with whom they’ve become friends.

The killing escalates quickly and David is soon contacted by the killer who taunts him with “catch me”. They soon realize that the killer is insinuating himself into situations where he mingles with some of the doctors and nurses, which puts everyone on edge.

The anticipation surrounding Jesse’s first birthday has everyone abuzz as well. But as they prepare for Jesse’s party and presentation, for lack of a better word (there will be press and medical types there to see his progress), and the killing escalates, tensions rise. They’ve figured out that he has killed everyone he’s targeted, except for Beth. Is this someone out to torment her, or did he make a mistake? And, as David and Jill are drawn deeper into the intrigue, they question everything. Will Jesse’s big day go off without a hitch? Or, will the catch me killer see his demented fantasies come true? I hate to say it again, but, you’ll have to read to find out!

••••••••••••••••••

J.A. Schneider does a masterful job with her characters stories. As I’ve said before about her books, they start with the first word. She doesn’t go off on tangents that don’t pertain to a specific character or plot point. She simply tells their stories. Not that the stories are simple at all! There is intrigue and suspense weaved into the life and death story that she tells in each book. Her characters are totally relatable, but I will say that the bad guys in these last two books blurred a bit for me. Even though they had different “triggers”, they were awfully similar. I love that we’re getting to see Jesse’s progress as well and the bond that is developing between he and his mom and dad. The cast of supporting characters are great as well. (And, I’m glad to see that the book covers are progressing as this series evolves.) If you love medical drama and suspenseful thrillers, these are definitely for you! I look forward to the next installment……

Click HERE for Vickie’s review of EMBRYO 2

Reviewed by Vickie M

Copies supplied by the author

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