Not my favorite Tayte book, but I am really bummed that Robinson seems to have dropped this series. It is kinda lightweight and probably too niche for him to build a career on it, but it's by far the strongest entry in genealogy-themed mystery series. Most of them are more like cozies, which I do enjoy, but this series is heftier - like a cozier version of the mystery thrillers typically populated with political operatives or academics.

July 2021 ( )

This is a well-written, fast paced mystery thriller involving genealogist Jefferson Tayte. Dying Games makes use of the business of genealogical research in an novel concept that is different from the previous Jefferson Tayte mystery novels. This book deals more with Jefferson Tayte personal history than that of his clients. I found this book more enjoyable than the last one in the series, and different from the first 4, which I also enjoyed.

NOTE: This is the sixth book in the Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mystery series but can be read as a stand-alone novel. ( )

This is book #6 in the series featuring genealogist Jefferson Tayte. He’s got a gift for ending up in sticky situations while & in this outing some of his old cases come back to haunt him.

Jefferson is enjoying some down time in the UK with fiancée Jean when he gets a call. FBI agent Jordan Reese would like him to return to Washington DC…..now. You see, someone is killing people in truly heinous ways & at each scene they leave a clue connected to one of the families Jefferson researched.

In alternate chapters we travel with the bad guy & it’s clear he won’t stop until he’s ruined Jefferson’s life. This is personal. At the same time, there are some odd coincidences popping up. Which are connected & which are red herrings is only gradually revealed as Jefferson chases down clues from the UK to the US & back again.

This book is a little different in that it centres around the MC & the people in his life. There’s still a lot of genealogy but it takes a back seat to his personal story. Despite the multiple murders, it’s a very clean read (no swearing, sex, etc.) & most of the characters would be right at home in a cozy. It’s just a matter of personal taste but I really enjoyed previous books where a large part the story was set in historical periods that brought to life the people Jefferson researched while digging into a family’s past.

There are plenty of twists to keep you guessing & Jefferson’s life is changed forever by the end. It’ll be interesting to see where the author takes him next. If you’re a fan of traditional mysteries & genealogy, add this to your list. And just an FYI: as of this date, books 1-5 are all $2 or less on amazon.ca/com & under £4 on amazon.co.uk. ( )

I have to admit that this is the first in Robinson's Jefferson Tayte series with which I've been disappointed, and it all begins with the plot. I was horrified at the game the killer created in which so many innocent people died horrible deaths. Normally when I have strong emotions like this, they transfer to the killer and heighten my desire to see the person brought to justice. But that transference didn't happen with Dying Games, and I'm not quite sure why.

The character of Jefferson Tayte himself didn't help matters at all. More than one scene had him losing his temper and behaving foolishly when people's lives were at stake and the clock was ticking. The man has shown in previous books that he knows better.

I found myself reading and hoping that Tayte would get his act together. Stop reacting and use his brain to find the actual killer and get ahead of him. Stop playing the killer's game. Unfortunately, it took him forever. He seems to be the type of character who, once he has a happy and fulfilling personal life, starts having trouble keeping his professional life together.

By book's end, Tayte experiences a major change in his personal life, and I wish him well. The previous five books in this series are very enjoyable, and I'm wondering what the future holds in store. ( )