Liv’s Book Corner

  Synopsis: Before Roy's father died in the car crash that also killed Roy's mother, he told his teenaged son that it was his job to protect his little brother, Carl, from the world and from Carl's own impulsive nature. Roy took that job seriously, especially after the two were orphaned. But a small part of him was happy when Carl decided that the tiny town of Os in the mountains of Norway wasn't big enough to hold him and took off to Canada to make his fortune. Which left Roy to pursue the quiet life he loved as a mechanic in the place where they grew up. Then suddenly an older Carl is back, full of big plans to develop a resort hotel on the family land, promising that not only will the brothers strike it rich, but so will the town. With him is his fierce and beautiful wife, Shannon, an architect he met on his travels, a woman who soon breaks down the lonely Roy's walls. And Carl's reappearance sparks something even more dangerous than envy in his brother's

  Synopsis: My wrath knows no bounds. Your torment knows no end.  An Arizona prison officer climbs his watchtower and opens fire on the inmates and guards below. Federal investigator Marcus Williams needs to know why. What he unearths is that the prison has become the hunting ground of a psychopath known only as 'Judas'. To uncover Judas' identity, Williams must join forces with serial killer Francis Ackerman Jr. While Williams works the case from the outside, Ackerman Jr. goes undercover among the prisoners on the inside. What neither of them know is just how diabolically ambitious Judas' master plan is... My Review:   I enjoyed this book but felt it just wasn’t quite as thrilling as the previous books in the series, most noticeably in the middle of the book where i think the plot lagged a little and I struggled to find the motivation to keep reading. However I really enjoyed certain aspects of this interesting and original plot, especially the diary entries from Judas

  Synopsis: You don't know the meaning of pain. Let me teach you.  A father returns home to find that his family has been kidnapped. He can get them back – alive – if he agrees to pay the ransom. The price is simple: the life of an innocent. Special Agent Marcus Williams is the only one who can stop the Coercion Killer. But to do so, he must first untangle his family's dark past. A past that ties him to the infamous serial killer Francis Ackerman Jr. Marcus knows that uniting with Francis will be dangerous. But the Coercion Killer has scarred their lives, and is poised to destroy many more. Sometimes stopping the worst of the worst is a job for the best of the bad. My Review: Another great thriller. In this we get to meet the notorious Ackerman Sr and learn more about his character and the Ackerman family. Again I loved Ackerman Jr in this book, always bringing some comedic relief with sarcastic comments but also just being badass and having a bit of a redemption arc. I liked s

  Synopsis: Francis Ackerman Jr. is one of America's most prolific serial killers. Having kept a low profile for the past year, he is ready to return to work - and he's more brutal, cunning, and dangerous than ever. My Review: A worthy sequel to the gory serial killer thriller series I Am Night, this book further explores what makes someone good or evil and whether a killer is born or made.  This outing involves a Satanic cult and a string of sacrifices, of course Ackerman makes some more charismatic (and sadistic) appearances. We finally learn the connection between Marcus and Ackerman and I can’t wait for this to be further explored in the next book, as well as that cliffhanger at the end! As this book had a bit more length than the previous book, the plot was a bit more developed and had many twists which I really enjoyed, especially the character of Schofield and seeing his motives for the crimes.  A really good book overall and can’t wait to read the next one!  My Rating:

  Synopsis: The night is dark. My soul is darker.  Marcus Williams and Francis Ackerman Jr. are both killers. But while Williams is tortured by the deaths he has caused, Ackerman takes pleasure in his murders. Williams is a former New York City homicide detective.  Ackerman is a serial killer.  And both men are about to become unwilling pawns in a conspiracy that reaches to the highest levels of US government. They will be plunged deep into a hellish underworld of murderers and killers. They will find that there is more that connects them than divides them... and that their lives depend on it. My Review: Loved this book, the first in the Ackerman thriller series. I Am The Night is a serial killer thriller that explores the relationship between good and evil and what makes a true villain or hero, with some gory murders and fun moments along the way. There were many twists and turns throughout the book but the final plot twist was excellent as it pulled together many clues and inconsiste

  Synopsis: When a lobster fisherman discovers a dead body in Scotland’s Firth of Forth, DCI Karen Pirie is called into investigate. She quickly discovers that the case will require untangling a complicated web—involving a long-ago disappearance, art forgery, and secret identities—that seems to surround a painter who can mimic anyone from Holbein to Hockney. Meanwhile, a traffic accident leads to the discovery of a skeleton in a suburban garage. Karen has a full plate, and it only gets more stressful as the man responsible for the death of the love of her life is scheduled for release from prison, reopening old wounds just as she was getting back on her feet. My Review: Really good thriller set in various areas of the UK and Ireland. I have read McDermid’s books before and she is great at giving just the right amount of detail and creating tension throughout the story.  I did enjoy the secondary storyline of the skeleton in the van but it was abandoned a little towards The end of the b