Remnants

Carolyn Arnold has proven once again that she is good at what she does. That is writing riveting, entertaining and suspenseful police procedurals. ‘Remnants’ is the 6th book in the Brandon Fisher series. There is no need to read the series in order as each story can stand on its own.

The beginning of the story is intense, as the killer is hunting for his next victim. From that moment, the story pulled me in and it proved a difficult book to put down. Has is typical of all serial murders, the FBI is called up on to assist in the investigations. Brandon Fisher and his team flew to Savannah to investigate when multiple body parts were discovered and investigations indicate that they were from different bodies. The hunt is on to capture show more the killer. Will Brandon and his team be able to figure out his end game before he strikes again?

Before, I proceed to tell you what I enjoyed about this story; I want to warn you that it was not unique. It bears a strong resemblance to a favourite television series of mine, but it in no way diminished the shock factor of the story.

Having read the previous book, Violated, I am familiar with the dynamics of Brandon’s team. They worked well together and had each other’s backs. They were a focused team when it came to the investigation in spite of the personal issues they faced. Brandon is a good agent, but there were moments when he displayed a measure of insecurity when it came to his boss. He would deliberately do or say things that he thinks would impress his boss.

The story gave us the killer’s perspective, which for me is a plus for stories like these. Here we have a killer who feels he has to kill. I found this fascinating along with the way his mind worked and his motives for carrying out his gruesome acts. He had issues, but what these did not come to light until after his identity was revealed. One thing was certain he had a superiority complex. He was looking for infamy and praise. There were moments in the story when I felt empathy for the killer, but I had no sympathy for those who aided and abetted him. They knew of his issues, but instead of getting him the help he needed they enabled him. In my eyes that made them crazier than the villain.

Figuring out the killer’s identity was a difficult task. The suspect pool was large, making it difficult to pinpoint the actual villain. At one point, I thought I had it figured out, but then the author twists things up and once again I was back to figuring out his identity. During this time, my excitement levels increased and my curiosity peaked, as I was eager to discover how it would all unfold. Then there was the jaw-dropping twist near the end when all the clues came together to reveal identity and motive.

As usual, the writing style was impeccable. The manner, in which the story was written, made it easy for me to visualise every event that took place. The scenes were chilling, gruesome and not for the faint of heart.

The switch between POVs was flawless making it easy to follow. Brandon's was in first person, while that of his coworkers and the killer were in third. I find that at times when stories are written this way, they tend to be confusing, however, this was not the case here.

Verdict
‘Remnants’ is a well-written and engaging police procedural I recommend to fans of the genre. If you have read nothing written by this author I encourage you to do so, as I am sure you will have no regrets. show less

Carolyn Arnold has proven once again that she is good at what she does. That is writing riveting, entertaining and suspenseful police procedurals. ‘Remnants’ is the 6th book in the Brandon Fisher series. There is no need to read the series in order as each story can stand on its own.The beginning of the story is intense, as the killer is hunting for his next victim. From that moment, the story pulled me in and it proved a difficult book to put down. Has is typical of all serial murders, the FBI is called up on to assist in the investigations. Brandon Fisher and his team flew to Savannah to investigate when multiple body parts were discovered and investigations indicate that they were from different bodies. The hunt is on to capture show more the killer. Will Brandon and his team be able to figure out his end game before he strikes again?Before, I proceed to tell you what I enjoyed about this story; I want to warn you that it was not unique. It bears a strong resemblance to a favourite television series of mine, but it in no way diminished the shock factor of the story. Having read the previous book, Violated, I am familiar with the dynamics of Brandon’s team. They worked well together and had each other’s backs. They were a focused team when it came to the investigation in spite of the personal issues they faced. Brandon is a good agent, but there were moments when he displayed a measure of insecurity when it came to his boss. He would deliberately do or say things that he thinks would impress his boss.The story gave us the killer’s perspective, which for me is a plus for stories like these. Here we have a killer who feels he has to kill. I found this fascinating along with the way his mind worked and his motives for carrying out his gruesome acts. He had issues, but what these did not come to light until after his identity was revealed. One thing was certain he had a superiority complex. He was looking for infamy and praise. There were moments in the story when I felt empathy for the killer, but I had no sympathy for those who aided and abetted him. They knew of his issues, but instead of getting him the help he needed they enabled him. In my eyes that made them crazier than the villain.Figuring out the killer’s identity was a difficult task. The suspect pool was large, making it difficult to pinpoint the actual villain. At one point, I thought I had it figured out, but then the author twists things up and once again I was back to figuring out his identity. During this time, my excitement levels increased and my curiosity peaked, as I was eager to discover how it would all unfold. Then there was the jaw-dropping twist near the end when all the clues came together to reveal identity and motive.As usual, the writing style was impeccable. The manner, in which the story was written, made it easy for me to visualise every event that took place. The scenes were chilling, gruesome and not for the faint of heart. The switch between POVs was flawless making it easy to follow. Brandon's was in first person, while that of his coworkers and the killer were in third. I find that at times when stories are written this way, they tend to be confusing, however, this was not the case here.Verdict‘Remnants’ is a well-written and engaging police procedural I recommend to fans of the genre. If you have read nothing written by this author I encourage you to do so, as I am sure you will have no regrets. View all my reviews show less

I was graciously contacted via my blog, to receive a copy of “Remnants” in exchange for an honest review. That being said, it has not altered my opinion of the book whatsoever. “Remnants” will be published on April 11th 2017 and available for purchase here.

Carolyn Arnold is a new author for me, however the genre is not. I've always been a fan of CSI (although it HAS to be Las Vegas) and Bones, however for some reason or another, these genres do not grace my shelves too often.

Upon doing my normal new author research, it appears that Arnold has written many books, that spans many series, as well as a few standalone titles.

Brandon Fisher FBI series (Remnants will be book 6 of this series)
Detective Madison Knight Series (A total show more of 7 books at the moment)
McKinley Mysteries (A total of 10 books with number 11 due out in October 2017)
Matthew Connor Adventure Series (1 book with book 2 due out in January 2018)
And 3 standalone titles


When I received this particular request, and reading over the specifics, it said that "Remnants" was a part of a series. . .well crap. I never pick up a book (unknowingly) that isn't the first book of the series. Does anyone else feel me on this? Usually it just does not make sense. Had I continued reading the e-mail in it's entirety, I would have learned that EACH book in this particular series can be read as a standalone. Makes complete sense. HOWEVER! (One) of my favorite authors [James Rollins] has his Sigma series that states the same. Personally, I wouldn't read the Sigma series out of order. I enjoy knowing what came before and building that relationship with the characters while reading each book. Reading the synopsis provided in the e-mail made me jump at the opportunity to read "Remnants", and I'm so glad I jumped.

"Remnants" opens in the south, Georgia to be exact, in the perspective of the killer. At the moment he is enjoying the hunt for his victim, savoring in the time it's taking to pick the perfect specimen, and return home unnoticed.

Switching perspectives, the reader's are introduced to Brandon Fisher; an agent in the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit, along with his team. It's Valentines Day, and what better way to spend it than to answer a call that two arms and a leg were found in a river in Georgia. Upon arriving at the crime scene the team realizes they are looking at three separate victims- the arms are missing the hands, and the leg is missing the foot.

As any good investigative book/movie goes, the list of suspects starts wide and narrows as you go. The team starts with those closest to the site and expand their list- which includes the local Georgian banker. Interviews lead to a myriad of missing person cases with one key component- all of them are missing men in their 20's.

With a fresh missing person's case on the table, and more body parts being washed up by the river, the suspect list narrows, and the killer decides to change his MO.

Does the team catch the killer? What role does the banker play in all of this? How many victims were at the killer's mercy? Please do yourself a favor, and put "Remnants" on your TBR list for April 11th. In the meantime, check out the rest of the books that I mentioned above.

As any good thriller should be, Caryolyn Arnold is able to make you fear the mundane of everyday life. She takes something as simple as running an errand and has you looking over your shoulder.

As I mentioned earlier, "Remnants" is a part of a series. While I have never read any book written by Arnold, I do believe "Remnants" can be read as a standalone. While it may be easier to know the backstories of the main characters, I do not find it integral to the storytelling.

And let's talk about that storytelling. I found Arnold's writing to be not only engaging, but painting a picture for the reader. There was never I time I felt as though she were talking over my head. All of the detail was well researched. For me, I do believe that Carolyn Arnold is an up and coming author for the thriller genre.

While this is my FIRST Arnold novel, I certainly hope it will not be the last. Ms. Arnold, I honestly hope to work with you again, and I absolutely will be adding some of your works to my TBR list. PS: Have you checked out the Matthew Connor Adventures?! That book ALONE moves it up in my TBR list! show less

This is my first time reading anything by this author. This book started out strong and ended just as strong. There is nothing worse than reading a book only to get a weak ending. Although, I must say that Brandon did not have as much of a huge presence with me as his team did. Together they all worked well together. It was a nice balance of men and women.

I want to stop and take a moment to talk about the killer. The author made sure that the killer's time in the spotlight was not lessened by the storyline. I have read many books where sometimes the killer is overshadowed by the storyline or the killer comes off as weaker so that it appears that the people brought to stop the killer seem smart. No, this was not the case in this book. show more Every character had a purpose. Although, the killings were horrific with limbs severed, the details were not graphic in nature. Therefore, those readers who like murder mystery or police procedural books, you will be happy with this factor. One more aspect that I wanted to point out about this book is that the flow was steady with no down time. If you are looking for a new author to try than you should check out this book. Coming from a fan of murder mystery or police procedural books; Remnants is a worthy read with sharp, skilled characters and a strong storyline. show less

*I received a free e-copy of this book in exchange for a book review. This review is my full and honest opinion.*

Actual Rating: 3.75

Remnants begins with several body parts, discovered floating in the Little Ogeechee River in Savannah, Georgia. Brandon Fisher, FBI agent, is called in to investigate, but he finds it difficult to identify the victims. When body after body turns up, it becomes clear that a serial killer is who the FBI is after. The question is why - why are they doing this? Why are they targeting these people? And above all, why are they murdering in such an oddly specific way?

When the murders start to resemble some cultural, sacrificial ritual, even more unanswerable questions arise. The mind of the murderer is much darker show more than they expected, and they're running out of time.

The story is written from two different points of view: Brandon's and the murderer's. Carolyn Arnold's literary versatility was extremely clear, and I loved the sense of dramatic irony that got me anxiously flipping pages, wanting to know more. In a sense, we read the same story from different perspectives - we followed our hero through his investigative journey, but we also lived through the eyes of someone who had created his own reality, who had such a distorted - but hypnotizing - view of the truth.

For Brandon's perspective, I do feel like I enjoyed the first half better just because there was more anticipation, more mystery, and less chasing. However, I loved reading all the parts from the point of view of the perpetrator and seeing their psychological development. I'm a little iffy about the end - there was a bit that I thought felt a little like an awkward add-on; it was a scene that I felt was a little unnecessary, though it did provide a chance for character development to shine through.

Another very unique thing about this book is that it's not just a crime mystery; between serious tidbits, the characters talk about relationships and...you know, "feelings". These little moments gave me more insight into the characters and made the book seem much more realistic.

The characters were extremely complex, and I was able to see how the story extended far beyond the crime they were trying to solve. Each character had a personality, a history, and a unique voice. Even the antagonists were multifaceted, and the author's ability to delve into each character's psychology allowed the story to feel that much more immersive.

This was definitely enthralling from beginning to end. The plot continued to get thicker and thicker, and I couldn't put the book down. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who likes reading crime stories. Carolyn Arnold has written a thrilling mystery that will keep readers on their toes as they delve into the center of a captivating psychological nightmare. show less

I love thrillers, suspense, murder and serial killers, not necessarily in that order. LOL

Remnants by Carolyn Arnold has them all.

It is amazing how quickly someone can just vanish. There one minute, gone the next.

Body parts are being found in a Georgia river. A leg here, an arm there, here a skull, there a torso, but no hands or feet. Why?

The parts don’t match. How many bodies are there?

A serial killer is on the loose.

Step by step, clue by clue, law enforcement follows the path to the Unsub in a Criminal Minds fashion.

You may not want to eat before you read this. The killings are brutal, gruesome, savage.

The case became more involved than I thought it would when I first started reading. I didn’t put all the pieces together until the show more last part of the book and it was Carolyn Arnold that took me there. I love that I can’t figure it out early. Keeps the mystery alive. Though, if the book is well written it doesn’t matter…either way is fine with me.

There are some seriously messed up characters that deserve worse than they got.

The FBI team had issues of their own. Makes them come across as realistic people.

I love these kind of stories and would highly recommend following the stand alone series.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of Remnants of Carolyn Arnold. show less

Remnants by Carolyn Arnold is an heart-pumping Suspense/Thriller/Mystery set in Little Ogeechee River in Savannah, Georgia. #6 in "Brandon Fisher FBI series". While, can be read as a stand alone, readers will find re-appearing characters from the previous books. This was my first time reading Ms. Arnold's intense FBI series but I was not lost. I found it to be exciting, heart-pumping, intensive, and frightening at times. What a wild ride of police procedurals, FBI tactics, and so much more.

Gritty, with gore, a serial killer, twists and turns, and non-stop action, that will keep the reader turning pages. The details and police procedures were well-researched and explained so the reader understood. It was as if Ms. Arnold was speaking to show more the reader directly and in person. The characters were well-developed and engaging. The plot, WOW, was unique, but original, who the serial killer was, was hard to figure out, as all is revealed, you wonder, how did I not figure this out sooner. A nail biting Psychological Thriller, to be sure. Don't read late at night, you might hear monsters (or a serial killer) go bump in the night.

If you enjoy CSI or Criminal Minds T.V. series, you will definitely enjoy "Remnants". Readers will be engrossed from the beginning to the end. I found this story to be an overwhelmingly gritty story, but what a joy to read. I look forward to reading more from Carolyn Arnold. Highly recommended for fans of Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thrillers, and hard-core FBI series.

I received a complimentary copy.

Rating: 5

Heat rating: Hard-core action

Reviewed by: AprilR show less