A Cold Dark Place

A Cold Dark Place
4.5 Stars

Rookie FBI agent Mallory Rooney has dedicated her life to finding the man who abducted her twin sister 18 years earlier. Following her most recent case, Mallory begins to suspect that a vigilante is at work disposing of pedophiles and serial killers. As she investigates, the powers behind the vigilante order former CIA assassin and current security expert, Alex Parker to keep an eye on Mallory. However, the secrets that Alex keeps begin to take their toll, especially once a deranged killer sets his sights on Mallory, and Alex may be forced to reveal his identity in order to save her.

A gripping serial killer plot with intriguing characters and an engaging romance.

The suspense plot is well-developed with several show more spine-tingling twists that culminate in an exciting climax. The moral ambiguity surrounding the theme of vigilante justice adds another layer of intensity to the story and the characterization as nothing is as it seems. Nevertheless, the resolution to this thread is a bit too easy for my tastes.

The keeping secrets trope is usually a huge turn off for me, but it is exceedingly well done in this case. Rather than constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop, Alex’s secret identity only enhances the tension and chemistry that exists between him and Mallory.

Mallory is an intelligent and resilient heroine coping to the best of her ability with an awful childhood trauma. She thankfully manages to avoid the TSTL trap for the majority of the book, and her one misstep is understandable given the circumstances.

All in all, a fast paced read with an excellent mix of romance and suspense. Looking forward to continuing with the series very soon. show less

A really solid mystery-thriller. Good pacing, nice twists, likable characters. If this is your genre, you will probably love it.

This is no longer my genre, so I don’t know why the hell I read it. I even had difficulty putting it down, even though the glorification of law enforcement & the American injustice system, its lack of compassion and laughably simplistic “moral complexity” left a sour taste in my mouth. But I can’t hold it against the book. That is the nature of the genre, and why I really need to stay the hell away from the genre.

I love a good thriller and A Cold Dark Place by Toni Anderson fits the bill.From the opening pages, man’s inhumanity to man rears its ugly head. Toni wastes no time in twisting and turning the plot, surprising me early, and I love it!

As things become more dangerous and complicated, I become more engrossed in a story I was already very invested in. My favorite novels are suspense/thrillers and Toni keeps the twists and turns coming, and the suspense building at a rapid pace. Criminal minds on steroids!

I LOVED A Cold Dark Place and found it almost impossible to put down, but my eyes were blurring and it was getting late…or should I say early. I can hardly wait to get my hands on the rest of the series!

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This is a romantic suspense story featuring Mallory Rooney and Alex Parker; Mallory is a Special Agent with the FBI and Alex is an assassin working for a secret organization with very strong ties to the US Government. Alex's backstory is really interesting with regard to how he came to do that job. He hates doing it, but he owes someone within that organization, so he must work until his debt is paid in full.

The mysteries are really good. One mystery involves a serial killer. The other involves figuring out what happened to Mallory's twin sister who was kidnapped eighteen years ago. Finding her sister is ultimately why Mallory decided to become a FBI agent, and this goal has an influence on nearly everything she does within the Bureau.

I show more didn't figure out who the Bad Guy is on my own. I had a suspicion early on, but I was wrong. I could really feel the suspense as Mallory got closer to finding the serial killer and as that case began to merge with her missing sister's case. The suspense was actually my favorite part of the story, even more than the romance. The romance was good, and Mallory and Alex had great chemistry, but I'm such a big fan of a story that keeps me turning the pages because there are clues and twists coming.

Speaking of the romance: Mallory and Alex began their relationship fairly quickly after meeting and it progressed quite fast. They were very sexy together and honestly I really don't think that this is the best romance story for those that enjoy those long, slow burn relationships. I was holding my breath for the inevitable moment when Mallory realizes what Alex really does for a living and how his job has interfered with (or perhaps helped?) her serial killer investigation.

I haven't listened to very many romantic suspense stories but I think I will seek them out more. This one was a lot of fun.

Audiobook Notes: I listened to this entire 10-hour audiobook in one day. I enjoyed it so much. The narrator did a wonderful job. I believe that he must be from the South because he had just a touch of a Southern accent, which was 100% appropriate for this story, as A Cold Dark Place is set in North Carolina and West Virginia. I would listen to more of his audiobooks in a heartbeat.

Title: A Cold Dark Place by Toni Anderson
Series: Cold Justice #1
Narrated by: Eric G. Dove
Length: 9 hours, 54 minutes, Unabridged
Published by: Toni Anderson

I received this book for free from the author and Inkslinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you, Toni Anderson and Inkslinger PR! show less

I just recently stumbled onto this book and really liked it. It's very fast=paced and action packed, although the love story between Special Agent Mallory Rooney and Alex Parker does add a touch of "romance novel" to the hard-core police crime thriller. I found the plot original and the characters engaging. This is my first book by this author, but I don't think it will be the last.

Book #1, in the Cold Justice series

This is a mix of suspense with a strong romantic undertone. My first experience reading this author was quite enjoyable although I am not too keen on being overloaded with sex scenes, in “A Cold Dark Place” we do find quite a bit.

One of the main players is FBI Special Agent Mallory Rooney who is searching for a serial killer and happens to stumble on evidence of a vigilante at work and Alex Parker, a security consultant, who plays the part of an assassin hired to eliminate serial killers and pedophiles. The two meet and risk everything when they fall in love……awe….

Although this is mostly a suspense driving story, the sizzling romance just spices the enjoyment. Time your reading well and this show more dark and intriguing plot will have you turning pages to see what comes next. The entire story is dark and edgy and is written to emotionally engage us. As it progresses at a steady tempo, we have some twists and turns along the way to keep us on our toes. This mystery flows well and the style is not taxing. Good characterization: Mallory and Alex are perfect for each other….awe….

A very entertaining story……. show less

Finished Reading December 10, 2015

[b:A Cold Dark Place|21864681|A Cold Dark Place (Cold Justice, #1)|Toni Anderson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1403174146l/21864681._SY75_.jpg|40351596] by [a:Toni Anderson|2820461|Toni Anderson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1607125087p2/2820461.jpg]
Genres: Adult, Crime, Romance, Suspense
4.5 Stars

Got my attention and held it throughout the book.
Well written.
The characters are well developed and interesting.

More of a crime suspense novel than a romance. A lot of action and keeps you guessing to the end who the serial killer is, but gives you clues as the story unfolds.

A satisfying and all around good read. The suspense was spot on. The romance was well show more done, but the actual sex scenes seemed just a bit rushed to me.

You are never sure how Mallory is going to react to the truth of who Alex is till the end.

I will be adding book #2 Cold Pursuit to my TBR pile.

Purchased from Amazon November 30, 2015 show less