Rage Against the Dying

Right off the bat, I have to say: this book was awesome. There were so many things that were done right in this story and with each page, I became more and more engrossed in the story!

Brigid is one of the most unique protagonists I've come across in a crime series. First of all, she is 59 years old. Most of the crime novels feature protagonists who are not older than 40 (and that's the maximum) and the main character is someone who is not always the most experienced person. In this case, Brigid is well-known for her work as an FBI agent and has since retired. I love that Brigid is a no-nonsense character who has a sharp tongue that she isn't afraid to wield. She has insecurities that haunt her and influence her decisions. And she has a show more very dry sense of humor. I enjoyed reading through her eyes and seeing her put together the pieces of the puzzle.

I also really liked the way the author wrote the story. Writing it from the first perspective allowed for an even greater connection with Brigid's character and it made it clear that this story, while dealing with a serious crime, was all about Brigid. And that is perfectly fine. It didn't bother me that other characters didn't stand out as much because Brigid was the star of the show. I found the conversations to be witty, and the detailing of events to be spot on. I really loved that the author wrote the story in a way that we were able to clearly follow Brigid's train of thought and come to the same conclusions as her.

I also really liked the plot. I thought the story took interesting but believable turns, and tied things up quite nicely. It also wasn't too procedural, which is often the case with crime novels. There was enough suspense to keep me guessing, and I like the slower release of backstory information that took place.

My overall impression of this book was that it was really well written. The writing was strong, the plot was strong, and the main character was phenomenal. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes crime novels and unique characters, and I will definitely be reading more books from this series! 5/5 stars from me!

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Our introduction to Brigid Quinn in the prologue of Rage Against the Dying is a memorable one. When prologue flows into first chapter, we know we are embarking on a journey with an unforgettable character. Brigid Quinn is fierce, uncompromising, and unflinchingly original. She is as far from being a normal "woman of a certain age" as the Earth is from Saturn. She's seen too much, and she's done too much; but what put me firmly in her camp come what may is the fact that this intelligent, strong woman looking sixty straight in the eye is an almost complete novice at relationships with other people. Every hero should have a flaw, and Brigid's carries the potential for a lot of damage.

The man she's fallen in love with is a wonderful show more character, and although we see him through Brigid's eyes, we're given hints that he isn't quite the man she believes him to be. This fledgling relationship adds so much to the story!

Speaking of the story-- it's completely engrossing. Once I started reading, I didn't come up for air until I'd turned the last page. The hunt for the killer and the killer's final reveal? Fabulous. When I was finished reading, I sat for a few minutes with my eyes closed, simply holding the book and savoring what I'd just experienced. What fuels me as a reader are characters and stories. Becky Masterman has delivered both in superb style. Now I'm an addict and getting my hands on the next Brigid Quinn book has become a necessity! show less

I'm a fan of murder mysteries, and not just cozy ones, but when you combine especially gruesome murders with a protagonist who makes really stupid decisions, I can't love the book. Nor can I understand a supposedly smart woman who wears both a t-shirt and a long-sleeved denim shirt outside when the temperature is 105.

There was mention of an especially painful and horrible murder of a child, not central to the story, as well as implications of a dog that was tortured. I can't handle either of those things. Kill off as many people as you like (and there were many in this book), but leave the children and dogs alone.

I did like that Brigid Quinn was no young, red-headed cliché but instead a retired woman in her 50s. However, she got show more “drained” a lot. When I notice overuse of one word throughout a book, that means it really is overused, because I don't go looking for such things.

This book of a series of (currently) two. So, given that I didn't love this one, will I try the second? That is a definite maybe. There is a lot of potential here. show less

Rage Against the Dying caught my attention when it was nominated for both The Crime Writers’ Association Gold Dagger and the Edgar Award for Best First Novel. I was further intrigued to learn the protagonist is a retired fifty something year old female FBI agent.

Brigid Quinn is a women with a secret. She lives happily with her new husband, Carlo, and their two pugs, in a nice house in Tuscon, Arizona and spends her days combing the nearby wash for interesting rocks and learning to cook. Yet just a few short years ago, Brigid hunted sexual predators killers and human traffickers as an agent with the F.B.I. In Rage Against the Dying one of her past cases comes back to haunt her when a man is arrested and claims to be the ‘Route 66′ show more killer, responsible for the murders of a dozen women, including Brigid’s protegee, Jessica. Floyd Lynch’s confession is compelling, he is aware of details the FBI never released and leads them to what remains of Jessica’s body, nevertheless when Agent Laura Coleman voices her doubts Brigid feels she owes it to Jessica, and her still grieving father, to investigate.

Fast paced, with plenty of tense, gritty, action, Rage Against the Dying is a complex mystery. The main plot centers around the confession of the serial killer and Brigid’s doubts about it, but is further complicated by attempts on Brigid’s life, another missing FBI agent and ‘office’ politics. The plot twists and turns, and though at times it relies on some contrivances that are a bit of a stretch, it offers an interesting story.

I love that Brigid is an older woman who remains feisty, resourceful and even sexual. She is complicated, flawed, and damaged but I found I both liked and respected her. Her cynicism is offset by her emotional vulnerability, and her confidence by her past failures. On a couple of occasions though I thought the author allowed Brigid to make mistakes an experienced agent wouldn’t for the sake of the plot, which was a tiny bit disappointing.

Rage Against the Dying is an introduction to a series I think has real potential and I am looking forward to reading Fear the Darkness show less

How lovely to read a book with a competent older woman as its hero. A crime book. With really scary sexual predators and a woman who uses all her knowledge and skills (physical as well as intellectual) to get to the bottom of a mystery from her past. There are no gardens. No cups of teas nor tea cosies. In fact, nothing about this is cosy - far from it. How nice is it to see a woman with some age and experience get to utilize that without the requisite house coat, gardening gloves, and reading glasses? Really wonderful and it really sucks that this is so unusual.

Ms. Masterman's debut novel follows the story of Brigid, a former FBI agent, forced into early retirement who is trying to have a life outside of her previous experience. Trying show more is the operative word here since her past has made it very difficult for Brigid to trust anyone and withholding is as second nature to her as breathing. When an opportunity comes to discover who killed her former student, to find her body, and to revenge her killing Brigid rises to the occasion with relentless tenacity.

Despite the familiar tropes of serial sexual predators/killers, determined FBI profilers/hunters, and the tragedy of the trainee agent cut down before her/his time, Rage Against the Dying manages to rise above. The writing is sharp, the characters well thought-out and entertaining, and the plotting first-rate. Ms. Mastermen makes what could easily be old and familiar fresh and new and worth the read. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in what looks to be a series. Most fun. show less

How deeply satisfying to read a mystery thriller with a women in my age demographic as the main character. Gray haired, fifty-nine year old Brigid Quinn is a retired FBI agent, living near Tucson with her new husband Carlo, a widower who was a priest before he married the first time. She’s settled near the site of case she never managed to close, a serial sexual predator, so though Brigid is no longer a twenty, thirty or even forty-something this is no cozy with a knitting needle as the weapon.

Brigid is trying to leave her old life behind, and hasn’t told her professor husband everything about her past, but it’s almost as if she’s camping out in her new home because she hasn’t replaced all the froufrou household items chosen show more by Carlo’s former wife. She’s sure Carlos would leave her if he knew who she really is, but after a man confesses to the crime Brigid never solved she’s drawn back into the case, putting both of their lives in danger, and it becomes harder and harder for her to shield Carlos from the truth.

The arid but beautiful landscape of the desert southwest is always a plus for me, and here the rocky, prickly cactus terrain is well evoked and suits the mood of the story. With her flippant, sardonic outlook and sometimes grim humor, Brigid is great company as the first person narrator. Her determination to bring a scumbag to justice while protecting her new pack (Carlos and their two pugs) adds complications and emotional depth to a gripping, fast moving plot that had me reading into the wee hours of the morning. show less

Rage Against the Dying by Becky Masterson is a 2013 Minotaur publication.
This first book in the Brigid Quinn series grabbed my attention immediately. After I survived the first chapter, I was hooked.
Brigid is a retired FBI agent in her late fifties. She finds marries later in life and loves her husband and enjoys living a peaceful life, trying to put her painful past behind her. Yet, her demons refuse to let her be. When the case that nearly broke her comes roaring back to life, Brigid becomes obsessed with preventing history from repeating itself. In the process, she puts her marriage on the line, and herself in imminent danger, in more ways than one.
This is a very absorbing thriller, probably not for the faint of heart, though. show more It’s dark and gritty, edgy and suspenseful. I don’t know what I was expecting from a fifty-nine year- old protagonist, but one should not allow Brigid’s age to fool you. Dang!
The story is superbly paced, and the plot is riveting- with a little bit of everything mixed in. Theirs is Brigid’s cold case, a new missing person, and of course a murder- but Brigid’s involvement, the personal ramifications and the fear of exposure kept me on pins and needles.
The story is graphic, and the suspense is almost unbearable at times, but the well-drawn characters balance out the darker tones.
I love the idea of a ‘mature’ woman fronting this series, something we don’t see a lot of in a story this intense. Brigid is a character I grew to like and am pleased that she plays against type- although some of her spurts of profanity seemed immature and out of context, as the story would have just as effective without it.
Overall, though, I’m impressed with this first installment and will most definitely continue with the series!

4 stars

*Content warning-
I have many friends on Goodreads who read dark, graphic material. However, those of us who are a little more desensitized to graphic violence in books than others, may still find some passages in this book disturbing and outside of one’s comfort zone. show less