New York Times bestselling author Tami Hoag returns with a thriller that begins with a shocking crime scene you’ll never forget and follows two relentless detectives on a manhunt that ends in a chilling confrontation with the essence of human evil. It was a crime so brutal, it changed the lives of even the most hardened homicide cops. The Haas family murders left a scar on the community nothing can erase, but everyone agrees that convicting the killer, Karl Dahl, is a start. Only Judge Carey Moore seems to be standing in the way. Her ruling that Dahl’s prior criminal record is inadmissible raises a public outcry—and puts the judge in grave danger. When an unknown assailant attacks Judge Moore in a parking garage, two of Minneapolis’ s top cops are called upon to solve the crime and keep the judge from further harm. Detective Sam Kovac is as hard-boiled as they come, and his wisecracking partner, Nikki Liska, isn’t far behind. Neither one wants to be on this case, but when Karl Dahl escapes from custody, everything changes, and a seemingly straightforward case cartwheels out of control. The stakes go even higher when the judge is kidnapped—snatched out of her own bed even as the police sit outside, watching her house. Now Kovac and Liska must navigate through a maze of suspects that includes the stepson of a murder victim, a husband with a secret life, and a rogue cop looking for revenge where the justice system failed. With no time to spare, the detectives are pulled down a strange dark trail of smoke and mirrors, where no one is who they seem and everyone is guilty of Prior Bad Acts.
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"After a horendous murder of a woman and her 2 foster children rocks the community Detective Kovac finds himself protecting a judge who was attacked after ruling for the killer. He subsequently escapes from jail and goes looking for the judge to voice his "appreciation". " — Joy (4 out of 5 stars)
"After a horendous murder of a woman and her 2 foster children rocks the community Detective Kovac finds himself protecting a judge who was attacked after ruling for the killer. He subsequently escapes from jail and goes looking for the judge to voice his "appreciation". "
“A simple court hearing explodes into a multifaceted case at the start of this stunning meld of thriller and police procedural from bestseller Hoag…she stands above the competition, creating complex characters who evolve more than those in most thrillers. The breathtaking plot twists are perfectly paced in this compulsive page-turner, which ends on a romantic note.”
“A first-rate thriller with an ending that will knock your socks off.”
" The way this book was written allowed me to visualize everything exceptionally easy! "
" Pretty good - I like the Kovak/Liska combo. "
" Definitely a thriller, will keep you turning pages! "
" Finished it in three trips to West Bend. Yet another super crime thriller by Tami Hoag. I did however, not notice it was also part of a series and this was book #3 but who cares, it was fantastic. Loved it. "
" good read, I figured out who the killer was by the middle of the book. "
" Another great one by Tami Hoag!!! "
" This was such a goooooooooooood read!!!! Anyone who is a fan of the csi's would enjoy this book!! "
" I love Tami Hoag's stories...I just can't put them down! "
" Fun enough. It's something I'd recommend to anyone looking for a run of the mill mystery/suspense novel. Didn't change the world or anything, but was a good, fun read. Good at what it intended to be, I guess, but not the same caliber as books I rated 4 or 5. "
" Excellent book!! I could not put it down. Very graphic...not for the faint of heart. "
" My 1st Tami Hoag book. I liked that it was based in MN. It was suspensful and relatable. I really like her writing style. "
" I loved this book. Couldn't put it down "
" Vacation read - it is what it is. wouldn't pick up her other books on purpose but wouldn't shun them if I saw them on a shelf for free "
" This book by Hoag is a can't-put-it-down read, much like her earlier works - Dark Paradise, Cry Wolf. . . "
" Good read. Didn't frighten me like other Hoag books. :) "
" This was kind of gory, but still a good read. I love mysteries and this one was a page turner. "
" Pretty good, good twists all the way through "
" Really just listened to this on CD. Glad I didn't spend my time actually reading. There was lots of cursing, gratuitous violence, convoluted plot, inane police, and of course, romance. Can't really recommend. "
" I actually listened to this one on cd while floating in the pool. It was a pretty good, exciting bloody murder mystery--great summer entertainment for me. "
" Couldn't put it down! I forgot how much I enjoyed Tami Hoag, and particularly her series with Kovac and Liska. "
" It is what it is ... If you're looking for an easy and fun read, go for it. If you're looking for a thought-provoking piece of literary genius, take a pass. "
" Mystery and Intrigue Tammy Hoag style "
" Funny and fast-paced. I guessed early on who the murderer was, but it still made me squinchy when it turned out I was right. "
" liked the writing style but story was more brutal then I like "
" Recommended by Mom, I liked it very well! Good mystery with twists and turns along the way. Ready for another by this author. "
" Another great CSI/court room book!! Tami Hoag is just perfect at these, love them! "
" This was not bad at all. A real good plot and interesting twists and turns. Hoag is a great writer and this was certainly not the last book of hers I will read. "
" I have tried to read a couple of her books before. I started with A Dark Horse but couldn't get into it . Then I tried Kill the Messenger and I loved it. So I decided to try her again with this one. I liked it but I knew way before the ending what was actually going to happen. "
" this is my first book from this auther, so far so good, alittle gruesome at times but its holding my attention! "
" predictable but a good fast read. "
" Great book, kept me on pins and needles until the end! "
" Lots of characters, but they each had their own personality. A few too many cop characters for my liking, but that was a minor aspect to the story. Wasn't sure who the main culprit was, and there were a few candidates that could easily fit the bill. Good read! "
" I liked this book. Good read, even though I figured most of it out before the end. "
" Lovely story with lots of bodies. If you like the killer books, this is a good one. The only disappointment is that Hoag gives too many clues early in the book that enables you to figure out who the killer is too early in the story. "
" Good offering in the Kovac/Liska serial. A little predictable, but still very enjoyable. "
" Quick read mystery with too much violence--but it kept me involved! "
" I had a lot of hope for this book because I loved the Kovak/Liska team but the story didn't have it's usual spice. It's as though someone else wrote the book based on the two characters. As a result I found it difficult to get through the first half, but luckily it picked up towards the end. "
" Good. Couldn't put it down. lots of twists and turns.Now I must check out other Tami Hoag novels . "
" I really liked this one. Out of the 3, I liked this one best. It may have something to do with the touch of romance, but I enjoy the complex story/murder. I'm enjoying Hoag books more and more. "
" Good storyline. Got to like and dislike the characters as needed. I liked the twists and turns and the romance didn't hurt either. "
" Wow! This book gave me the creeps so bad I considered keeping my children in our home forever! "
Tami Hoag is known for combining thrilling plots with character-driven suspense in her fiction, and her novels have appeared regularly on national bestseller lists since the publication of her first book in 1988.
Erik Bergmann is a winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award. He is the narrator of the Area 51 and Justice League audiobook series, as well as the voice of Fred on the companion audiobook for the Warner Bros. feature film Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. He has also dabbled in television, making appearances on Saturday Night Live and doing voice-over work for Random! Cartoons.
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