Sudden Death

Sudden Death
4 Stars

FBI agent Megan Elliot is called in to investigate the sadistic murder of a homeless man, whose death is quickly linked to a serial killer targeting army veterans. The case takes a compelling turn when Jack Kincaid, a soldier-for-hire, returns home to discover that his comrade in arms is the latest victim. Despite their different approaches, Megan and Jack must join forces to locate the killer before they strike even closer to home.

Series note: This book is linked to both the No Evil and Prison Break trilogies. The hero, Jack Kincaid, appears in Fear No Evil as the twin of Dillon and older brother to Lucy and Patrick. The heroine, Megan Elliot, is the ex-wife of Mitch Bianchi, the hero in Playing Dead. Despite these show more links, the plot is unrelated and can be read as a standalone.

Allison Brennan's skill lies more in her suspense plots than in her romances, and this book is no exception. The serial killer storyline is gripping as Brennan expertly weaves the various POVs within the narrative. The inclusion of the killers' perspectives ratchets up the tension as one is a truly vicious sociopath while the other is a disturbed psychopath rapidly losing their grip on reality. In fact, there are moments in which I actually felt some sympathy for Ethan as Karen had so clearly manipulated him. The twist at the end is excellent, especially as Brennan provides the necessary clues but still manages to surprise the reader.

Megan and Jack's opposites attract romance is one of Brennan's better attempts, yet it is difficult to believe that two such diverse personalities; Megan is smart and intuitive but follows the rules while Jack is a rule-breaker and risk-taker, would get together so quickly and effortlessly. Nevertheless, they do have a strong attraction that works.

Overall, an entertaining read and I look forward to the next installments. show less

Started April 01st, 2014.
After reading the Novella [b:Maximum Exposure|18926466|Maximum Exposure (Max Revere, #0.5)|Allison Brennan|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1387579346s/18926466.jpg|26933212] I could not wait to read another book by this author.
And I was also reminded, that there is a better style in writing, than the non-stop-action of some of the books I struggled through in the past months.
While the ending was disappointing, being predictable and without a twist, which would have warranted a fifth star, I really liked most of the book.
One nice short sex-scene, not overly explicit and rather plain, nothing kinky.
A skimmed a few of the 3-4 star reviews before buying and reading this one, and some had bought the book show more on the preconception (from advertisement?) that it would be romance-thriller. For me the romance part was ok, just believable, and in small doses, but I would not describe the book as a romance-whatever. It is a thriller, and a page-turner.
Very detailed description of sadistic torture, so be warned, not for the squeamish reader.
The book takes no clear stand for or against self-justice and vigilantism, rather it shows both point-of-views. Also with soldiers following orders (or not) and rule-abiding.
Highly recommended, with hoping for a more realistic (and bloody?) ending in the other books in the series (which I will surely read and soon [b:Cutting Edge: A Novel of Suspense|5630213|Cutting Edge A Novel of Suspense|Allison Brennan|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320400330s/5630213.jpg|5801620] and [b:Fatal Secrets: A Novel of Suspense|4800696|Fatal Secrets A Novel of Suspense|Allison Brennan|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320400328s/4800696.jpg|4865809]) show less

FBI special agent Megan Elliott specializes in violent crimes. She is called out when the local Sacramento police discover a murder that seems to fit the pattern described on the recent FBI "hot sheet" of an active serial killer. Soon after, Megan receives a package at her home containing the companion dog tag to the one found on the body. When Megan realizes that all the victims so far had been members of the elite Delta Force the investigation takes off. When another victim is discovered in south Texas, Megan becomes acquainted with ex-Delta Force, and currrent mercenary, Jack Kincaid. (Jack is of the San Diego Kincaids, a family of recurring characters in Brennan's books.) Jack attaches himself to the investigation and, working show more together, they finally discover the killer's identity. But will they locate the person in time to prevent the death of the killer's ultimate target?

I nearly ditched this book early on. The prologue is told from the POV of the killers (there are actually 2 - we know this from the beginning, it takes the investigators a little longer to figure it out) and describes the first of the series of murders. Very graphically. These killers like to torture their victims before finally murdering them. I'm not very squeamish, but I thought it was over the top - far more graphic than necessary. Once the body of the story begins, though, it settles down and proceeds more normally. Periodic scenes are still from the killer POV, and some are nearly as disturbing as the prologue. I understand that we are meant to be troubled by both of these people, and curious about what caused them to be this way - which is revealed as the book progresses. But you won't miss anything by skimming those bits - just pay attention to the parts that talk about the past. I also thought it was weak as romantic suspense (how I classify Brennan in my own mind), but then I noticed after finishing that the book is labeled as a "thriller". That fits better, but the romantic element is still there, just sort of stuck onto the side, almost as an afterthought.

This could actually be a great thriller - a cold and ruthless killer, a young and beautiful herione, and a sidekick with a somewhat troubled past. It could also be a great romantic suspense - after all, the sidekick is ruggedly handsome and a confirmed bachelor. But it needs more work. Right now, it is falling flat somewhere in the middle. I'm not giving up on Brennan yet, though. I've enjoyed her work in the past and will wait to see what she does next. show less

This was a first time read for this author and sub-genre for me and I can honestly say that I really enjoyed it. I won't hesitate to pick up another book from Allison Brennan nor will I hesitate to read another cozy romantic mystery!

I listened to the audio version and at first thought that it was a little awkward listening to the narrator, Ann Marie Lee, for the character that she was playing. However, once I got into listening to the story, it didn't seem to bother me, it just struck me as odd at first. I think the narrator did the story great justice.

As for the characters, I felt like they were in depth and to the core. I was interested in reading about them and learning more about them as the story progressed. I felt like all the show more characters blended together nicely to create a great story.

I thought that the storyline ran smoothly without any delay. I really enjoyed the romance with a serious mystery. The romance part was not overdone, but a perfect fit with the story just to give it that extra spice. I do think that it would have been nice to have received a little more background on the characters, but for the most part, the story was easy to follow.

Overall, I enjoyed listening to this story, and will certainly continue reading with Allison Brennan in mind. show less

When a homeless veteran is found dead in a squalid Sacramento alley, FBI special agent Megan Elliott vows to find the murdered hero’s killer. Her investigation gets complicated fast, for the victim, a former Delta Force soldier, is just one link in a nationwide spree of torture and murder.

Straight off a job rescuing medical missionaries, soldier-for-hire Jack Kincaid returns to his home base in the Texas border town of Hidalgo only to receive the news that one of his closest colleagues–also ex-military–has been brutally murdered. Faced with an inept local police force, Jack takes matters into his own hands.

Now, as part of a national task force to stop the sadistic killings, by-the-book Megan and burn-the-book Jack form a tense show more alliance, sparked with conflict and temptation. But they struggle against more than passion, for a vicious pair of killers has only just begun a rampage of evil . . . and the primary target is much closer than Megan suspects. (Amazon Desc.)

Complex plot, suspenseful action, steamy romance . . . Brennan, as usual, delivers! show less

Another good, suspenseful read from Allison Brennan, featuring a sadisitic female killer. I sped through the book in a day but didn't enjoy it quite as much as some of her previous books. The two main protagonists, Megan Elliott and Jack Kincaid, take a while to meet up, over 100 pages in. The resulting romance feels a bit rushed as a result. Apart from that, the storyline was strong, some of the torture scenes are quite explicitly written.

I enjoyed this book. The story was fast paced and I found the characters engaging. Even though there was a lot of action, I felt I got to know most of the characters pretty well. Even the killers had interesting stories of how they got to be where they were. I will probably read the next FBI book but not too soon. I can't read serial killer books one after another.