Category: Contemporary

Mania by L.J. Ross

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Mania (Alexander Gregory #4)Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Series: Alexander Gregory Thrillers #4
Publication Date: 3/3/22
Period: Contemporary
Number of Pages: 270

I read the first book in this series because I am a big fan of this author’s DCI Ryan series. I enjoyed the book, but I thought Alex needed a bit more humanizing to be a truly relatable character. I skipped from the first book to this fourth one because I wanted to see what sort of character growth Alex may have had between the two books. I definitely liked him better this time and will check out the next book to see how it goes.

In this story, there were plots within plots and they had to be disentangled before the case could be solved. Frankly, I’m not a fan of ‘coincidences’, but the coincidences in this book make for a very nice set-up for probably the next book. So, in this book we got a case to solve and we got some intriguing hints about things to come. Cool!

Over a decade ago acclaimed actor of stage and screen, Sir Nigel Villiers, saved the Old Palace Theater from ruin. He is the consummate performer – always prepared – and his personality just dominates the stage. Then he dominates the stage in an entirely different way – with his dead body. He collapsed onstage in front of a full audience. Dr. Alexander Gregory was in the audience along with his friend and mentor Professor William (Bill) Douglas and he rushed to the stage to help. Despite his best efforts, Villiers died – from poisoning.

When cryptic clues turn up – with references to both Socrates and events that happened in Villiers’ past, the investigators are perplexed. Witnesses lead them to suspect after suspect, but none of them lead anywhere. Then, there is another death with the same type of cryptic clues. Obviously, the deaths are related but is it because of what happened in the past or the present?

With yet another death that has similarities, but is still different, the case becomes yet more complicated. Has the murderer changed his pattern? Are all three murders related? They all knew each other – but still? Whose past holds the correct clues?

We meet a couple of potential love interests for Alex and that could get interesting. At least it can if we don’t play around with a love triangle for a while because then I’d just have to put the series down. William and Alex’s pasts are coming back to haunt them and it should be interesting to see how that goes.

This was an interesting, suspenseful read and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Imposter by L.J. Ross

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Contemporary, Mystery, Part of a SeriesLeave a comment

Impostor (Alexander Gregory Thrillers, #1)Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Series: Alexander Gregory Thrillers #1
Publication Date: 10/31/19
Period: Contemporary
Number of Pages: 311

I have read and loved this author’s DCI Ryan series and was pleased to find she had another series I hadn’t tried. I also liked that this protagonist isn’t a member of the police, but works with them as a profiler. He has a horrendous background you’ll learn about as you move through the book and you’ll wonder how he is as sane as he is. He’s an excellent character and I look forward to seeing his growth.

A few years ago Dr. Alexander (Alex) Gregory along with his friend and mentor Professor William Douglas started a Criminal Profiler unit. They were quite successful until a case went wrong and Scotland Yard threw them under the bus. They disbanded the unit and Alex continued his work at Southmoor High Security Psychiatric Hospital.

Alex had no interest in criminal profiling again, but William talked him into taking a case in Ireland. The mayor of Ballyfinny, County Mayo, Ireland had contacted William asking for help with a bizarre murder in her small community. The mayor and everyone in the community are convinced the perpetrator is an outsider, but they have no clues and no idea how to find any. They need a profile of the murderer so they will have some idea of where/how to begin looking.

Alex isn’t sure the perpetrator is an outsider – but he’s keeping an open mind. Both of the Irish Garda who are working the case are the sons of the mayor. Neither of them welcomes Alex but will work with him to please their mother. With the Garda eyes turned outward – and Alex’s turned inward – it is going to be a long slog to find the perpetrator. Who could it be?

When another unthinkable murder occurs, everyone is up-in-arms wanting a solution. The victims, are both loving, caring, and giving mothers who have been posed in scenes that mean something only to the perpetrator. Who could do such heinous things? Surely not someone who lives in their lovely, quiet community.

I enjoyed this book, but I am not as captivated by Alex as I have been by DCI Ryan. It is nice that Alex and Ryan are friends and Ryan gets a couple of honorable mentions in the story. I will skip a couple of books and try a later one before I decide if I’m interested in continuing with the series. It is well-written, the characters are engrossing, and the mystery is almost insoluble.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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