Killer in the Band by Lauren Carr: A Review

BOOK TITLE: Killer in the Band

AUTHOR: Lauren Carr

ISBN/ASIN: B01M193ICR

GENRE: Adult Fiction / Mystery

NUMBER OF PAGES: 410

FORMAT: Digital

SERIES / STANDALONE: Lovers in Crime #3

HOW I GOT THIS BOOK: I thank iRead Book Tours for this review copy.

SUMMARY:

Summer of Love & Murder

Joshua’s eldest son, Joshua “J.J.” Thornton Jr., has graduated at the top of his class from law school and returns home to spend the summer studying for the bar exam. However, to Joshua’s and Cameron’s shock and dismay, J.J. moves into the main house at Russell Ridge Farm, the largest dairy farm in the Ohio Valley, to rekindle a romance with Suellen Russell, a onetime leader of a rock group who’s twice his age. Quickly, they learn that she has been keeping a deep dark secret.

The move brings long-buried tensions between the father and son to the surface. But when a brutal killer strikes, the Lovers in Crime must set all differences aside to solve the crime before J.J. ends up in the cross hairs of a murderer.

FIRST IMPRESSION:

It is always a thrill to read a book from a different series by the same author. When you are used to a certain writing style, it is a different experience to read about a completely different set of characters. I have read a few books by Ms. Carr, from her Mac Faraday series and her Thorny Rose series. So though it was a book about characters I was not used to, I was looking forward to reading the book mainly because I loved the way the author usually crafts her mysteries. I expected the book to be a page turner, and was sure it was not going to disappoint me.

The cover is right on point. Simple but clear in its design, conveying what it wanted to say in a very aesthetically appealing manner. The summary began with a super line and introduced the characters who are central to the plot.

REVIEW:

Killer in the Band is a book from the Lovers in Crime series and my first from it. The book begins with J.J. returning to his family home, having graduated from law school. He quickly leaves the family home (the story talks about the difference between him, his father and step mother) to be with Suellen Russell, a woman twice as older as him. Though this is a cause for shock and concern for his parents, the problems only keep multiplying. Suellen herself is harboring a secret. A member of her band disappeared and was found dead and she knows something about the fateful night. What terrorises the Thorntons more than anything is the presence of a new killer, and their fear that JJ might somehow be caught up in the confusion. Because when it comes to issues of life, other personal differences need to be set aside.

The story gets into the fast mode soon after the opening pages, with a brilliant prologue to match. (Really loved the 'fan' line there). Things are not as calm as they seem in The Russell Ridge farm house. Cameron Gates (J.J.'s stepmom, Joshua Thornton's wife) starts investigating one murder, a cold case of Dylan, the band member who disappeared and turned up as a corpse and it quickly includes successive murders that keep the reader on the edge of their seat, playing a constant guessing game as to what might happen next, trying to connect the dots to make sense of the connection between and the motive behind the murders.

The book is a page turner, like all of Lauren Carr's books. What kept me glued to the story was the fast pacing. Other authors could take a leaf out of Carr's book on how to maintain the interest of the reader. Be it in the unravelling of the twists and turns one after another or keeping the suspense alive until the last page, the writing style is excellent and most importantly, clean. Though this is a murder mystery involving adults, there is no sleaze and swearing that is aimed at engrossing a set of readers. The plot takes care of that beautifully. One of the most amazing things about this novel is the way the cases and their solution have been worded

This books needs a special mention about the complexity of the characters involved. Unless you are quick with remembering names and wondering why story developed along what lines, it is hard for you to follow the different stories and understand them when they merge together seamlessly. The book requires more concentration than normal to understand and follow the story. In addition to the different characters there are also a considerable number of twists that might alter the reader's perspectives many times over the course of reading. This is a huge, challenging plus in my case, and I love the book all the more for this. Overall, a brilliantly woven mystery thriller, with a clearly surprising climax.

WHAT I LIKED:

• The book never slackens in pace. This earns it special points from me.
• The twists are not predictable, and this is how the suspense is kept alive
• The climax is a highlight of the book

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER:

• If you are used to one set of characters by the author, this will seem completely different yet very similar in certain cases.
• Some parallel story lines cannot be followed if you are not paying attention to each seemingly simple detail.

VERDICT:

A perfect treat for fans of the author, and a good murder mystery to keep fans of the genre engrossed.

RATING: 4.5/5

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, romance, and humor.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, son, and four dogs (including the real Gnarly) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

EDITIONS AVAILABLE: Kindle, Paperback

PRICE $ 0.99 for Kindle, $ 14.99 for Paperback

BOOK LINKS: Amazon