A series of murders that mimic a popular video game pits an ambitious journalist against a devious killer in this gripping mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat. When budding journalist Laura Rockford stumbles across a bizarre murder scene in downtown Vegas she finally gets her chance to advance her journalism career from fluff pieces to serious news. Laura has a lead that even the … lead that even the police don’t know about and she flings herself head-first into digging up everything she can to break the case, including confronting her number one suspect the reclusive computer nerd who invented the video game that the murders are staged to mimic.
But Laura gets more than she expected in computer genius Mike McQuade. As a bond forms between them Laura doesn’t realize there’s a reason Mike is so reclusive – he has a deep, dark secret and he can’t let anyone get close enough to discover it.
With the body count rising, Laura soon discovers that some secrets should stay buried and trusting the wrong person could have deadly consequences.
NOTE: This book was previous published with the same title under my pen name Lee Anne Jones.
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Laura Rockford, is a budding journalist for the Las Vegas Chronicle. She is looking for that “big story” to help her career blossom. Laura is on her way to a meeting with her big brother, Blake, the owner of the family business, Rockford Security. Blake is the CEO and her sister Olivia is the COO. On her way to the meeting she comes across a murder near the swimming pool at the El Cortez Hotel in Las Vegas. The victim, Barbara Newton, is dressed in vintage clothing and is obviously staged like a level in a video game, Vegas Noir, designed by Mike McQuade, owner of McCubed Company. Ted Bailey is Mike’s programmer and he always seems to be at Mike’s apartment when Laura stops by.
When Laura tells Blake about the murder, he tells her to stay away from Mike McQuade. Laura is now more determined than ever to pursue the story. She interviews Mike McQuade and feels an attraction to him right away. Detective Troy Atkins has been trying to get Laura to go on a date with him. When he begins investigating the murder, he also warns Laura about McQuade. Another murder has occurred — Ben Sanders from Fantastic Functions Catering, a company McQuade has used for his company parties, has been found shot, dressed in vintage clothing, at the Mob Museum. The murder is staged like Level 4 in the role playing video game.
Everything points to Mike as the killer but Laura refuses to believe it. When she feels someone following her and flowers and a fake ring are delivered to Laura’s apartment, she is sure someone is stalking her. Mike denies sending the flowers and ring so she becomes very wary of her surroundings.
She doesn’t feel that Mike is the killer but she must try to prove it.
This is a great story by L. A. Dobbs. A must read.
It’s hard to find a movie or book where the sequel is better than the first but this book does just that! Book 2 in the Rockford Security Series brings you more suspense, a little more romance and a great story!
The Rockford family members are developed a little more this time giving you a better feel of the family, without interfering with the ongoing mystery. I can’t wait to see what happens next with them.
I reviewed an ARC of this book and provided my honest review.
Laura Rockford is a journalist who wants to make ‘the big story’ and taken seriously. Of course, it doesn’t help that her family runs Rockford Security. Her big brother Blake is an ex-policeman and now the CEO and her sister Liv is COO. One her way to a meeting with Blake she comes across a crime scene. Now, this is the big break she is looking for! But even Blake tells her to back off when it sounds like the crime scene came out of a video game made by Mike McQuade. Does Laura listen? No! What does is get a piece of information that even the police don’t know about. This puts her in a very dangerous place. Can the police find her in time or will someone else come to her rescue? Will there even be a rescue? The answers are in the book. Enjoy finding them! I enjoyed this ARC very much and this is my own opinion of the story.
A gripping mystery!
A good story! Well constructed, well written, well plotted. Well thought-out. Where book 1 was more romantic suspense, this one was more of a mystery. With some romance too, but the emphasis was more on the mystery. Normally, I lean more towards cozy mysteries. This one’s definitely not cozy, but it was so good I’m happy to make an exception! Gripping, riveting, dangerous…
After reading chapter 1 I already found myself intrigued. What’s going on? Why how when whaaaat?!
Mike has a good reason to be a hermit. He has some dark secrets to hide… He is the creator of a popular video game called Vegas Noir. And now it seems like someone is playing a fatal game with him. When he meets Laura, he likes her feistiness. But he doesn’t let people close to him, he just doesn’t!
Laura wants to move up in the world. She’s a reporter, but only covering fluff, and she wants the real stuff. When she stumbles across a weird crime scene, she knows there’s a story there. And she’s going to get it. This could be her shot at a national spot. I didn’t always agree with what she did, but her get-up-in-someone’s-grill mentality and good instincts did make her a good reporter. I loved reading about her!
I did guess the killer, but that was more a lucky guess and didn’t take away from the story at all. It was written in a way that makes you forget time. It moved me, I was totally invested in Laura and Mike’s story. A real pageturner!
I read an advanced copy for an honest review.
Laura Bartlett is a go getter journalest, who is tired of writing “fluff pieces”, she just need one great story for her big break. She happens upon a crime scene and feels that this could be the one.
Laura accidently, on purpose, arranges a meeting with Mike McQuade. He is the creator of a video game that the killer is using for inspiration. He holds everyhting close to his chest, what is he hiding?
Laura and Mike can’t seem to stay away from eachother and along the way, the body count rises, the suspects increase and you really need to pay attention to all the characters to figure out who did it.
There is a budding romance, but a major mystery. If you catch all the clues, you will figure out the killer about 75% through the book. If not, the culprit may surprise you.
Either way a thoughful and satisfying read.