This is a great first in series

This is the first in a new series by Lauren Carr. It centres round Mac's daughter and her new husband Murphy. This story move along at a fast pace and held my attention all the way through. A great listen. I look forward to reading and listening to more by this author.

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Explosive

This is one of those books that when you finally get around to listening (or reading) you wonder why on earth it took you so long? Because for me once started I couldn't stop and I loved every minute. This is a well crafted mystery were two unrelated mysteries come together to make one entertaining and action packed mystery. I did get slightly confused at the beginning when we were introduced to too many characters and it seemed to jump around but once the names started to get familiar it soon sorted it's self out and became easy to follow. The serious subject of rape and murder was nicely balanced out by the wonderful characters (and of course there equally funny and charming pets), I like the close knit feel of the family and of course if you have read books from the authors other equally entertaining series then you are familiar with a few other characters already. I liked the twist the story took in the mystery and the way it concluded. I am off to start the next book because even though it didn't really end on a cliff hanger Murphy gets called up for his next assignment and I can't wait to find out what it is.
Lieutenant Murphy Thornton having just received a commendation for his part in a secret mission gets assigned as a NCIS liaison to investigate a home invasion where five women are killed. It soon becomes apparent that despite the woman not knowing each other the killer lied in await to make sure the job got done. Murphy takes over the case but can be and his team find the connection and why somebody would want them dead? At the same time his step mum, Homicide Detective Cameron Gates receives news that her first husbands death might not have been the accident everybody thought it was. She drops everything to question an informant only for him to be killed before she can ask her first question and the case goes cold again. Until Murphy uncovers a connection between the two case, a connection that is high up and could make them all targets for a killer who doesn't think twice about taking out people who get in the way, including a young orphaned girl who's all alone in the world.
I liked the narrator. It took some getting use to at the beginning but that could have just been because we were introduced to so many of the characters at once but as the story went on he turned out to be very good.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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"I can feel us getting into trouble."

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This is a tale of many parts and even more characters. Initially starting as a mystery detection plot, five women, apparently unconnected, are found murdered at one of their homes. Because of a navy connection, Murphy.Thornton, a newly married Criminal investigations Liaison Officer, takes control of the case. What he discovers links in other disperate killings, also seemingly unrelated. Later, the who-and-why-dun-it? becomes a how-to-get-him? story.

Meanwhile, there is an ongoing backstory of Murphy's private as well as public life, his wife, father and his father's wife plus that of one of the victim's survivors, a 13 years old child named Izzy, who Murphy takes into his temporary care. And a host of sloppy tongued dogs.

With such a large cast list, narrator, C.J.McAllister, does a stirling job distinctly voicing them all. His wonderfully rich voice, however, is marred during the text reading by a somewhat flat intonation which I personally found irritating after a few minutes. Nevertheless, his overall performance is good and certainly enhances the understanding of the story.

This is an involved, interlocking thriller, quite exciting, sometimes surprising, but the domestic scenes were just a little too cozy for my liking. My thanks to the right's holder who gifted me a copy of Kill and Run, via Audiobook Boom.

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1 person found this helpful

Fast-paced and action-packed

I previously listened to the second book in this series - A Fine Year to Murder - and vowed then I'd check out book one. I'm so glad I did, but not because it filled any gaps rather simply because it was even more tense and dramatic and exciting... I could go on :)

So what did I like about it? Firstly, hats off to the narrator who made this such a great listening experience. Clear diction, perfect emotion, and superb character definition. Kudos to C.J. McAllister!
But, there's the small matter of a great story too. Being familiar with Murphy and Jessica, it was easy to settle back and follow their journey. And what a journey it was.

Lieutenant Murphy Thornton takes on a case concerning the murder of five women in one house. Five women who share no common history except for one thing - they were joining forces to exact revenge on a man who raped them years before and got away with it every time. A man whose career in the military has seen him climb to the highest echelons of power, within breathing distance of The White House. Can it be possible that such a man could become the president's advisor? They didn't think he should be allowed such a privilege, yet someone else thinks differently and wants them out of the way so they cannot muddy the waters.

Murphy and Jessica (now a PI) and his father (Captain Josh Thornton) and new mother-in-law (Cameron Gates, also in law enforcement and with a personal interest in this case relating to her first husband) work together to find the murderer, not expecting the military connection at first, but then realising that greater forces are protecting the man at the centre of the case.
With fast-paced action (shootouts in a coffee shop, car chases - with potentially life-threatening consequences - and even a kidnapping), the story lurches from one drama to the next, making for a page-turning, hold your breath, kind of read. Interspersed with the action are lovely family scenes with the most incredible pets, and a subplot focusing on Izzy, the daughter of one of those five women.

It's tense and heart-warming, and will raise all sorts of questions over the ability of those in power to control the outcome to their advantage. I'm so glad there are more in this series, and will be heading out to nab them right away.

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Very suspenseful.

A very suspenseful story with wonderful characters, clever mysteries, and adorable dogs.

A review copy was sent to me by FreeAudiobookCodes. All of the above opinions are my own.

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