Brooke Douger has a knack for helping others with their broken lives, which explains her interest in criminal psychology and profiling. She convinces her childhood friend, Jacob, to move to Tampa after his latest fiasco, where he finds a job at a legal firm, which is defending Zach Barton, a rich, young entrepreneur who is accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend. When Brooke has to provide expert … expert testimony in Barton’s trial, Jacob and Brooke end up on opposite sides of the courtroom. As Brooke prepares to testify, she discovers a pattern of violent, impulsive behavior in Barton’s past, eerily similar to those of the Surfside Killer, the case she has been asked to help profile for the FBI. Brooke is swirling in dangerous waters with the killer lurking on the fringe of her life. Who will be his next victim? Will Brooke’s knack for profiling be enough to keep her safe?
more
Crime thrillers are very popular nowadays, but let’s face it, most of them are predictable. After all, what’s the fun in reading such a book, if you suspect who the killer is after a couple of pages? The book written by Leanna Floyd falls at the other end of the spectrum and is a genuine page-turner, delivering a captivating story.
My thoughts:
Not only is the story far from predictable but it delivers everything a reader will ever want in a thriller: plot twists, glimpses into the human mind, drama, obsession, revenge, etc. Without giving too many details away, I’m going to present the story.
We have Brooke, a smart and independent woman, who manifests a strong interest in criminal psychology. Always the helper, she will convince her best friend since childhood, Jacob to move where she lives. She will even find him a job at a legal firm, where he will become part of a team that defends a rich entrepreneur, who has been accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend.
Brooke will be asked by her mentor to provide expert testimony in the trial, ending up on the opposite side of the courtroom. While preparing for the trial, Brooke will realize that the rich entrepreneur and the Surfside Killer have a lot of things in common. How will the story unfold? You will have to read the book to find out!
What did I like about the book?
• A well-written story with incredibly-detailed descriptions – it was easy to dive into the plot and watch it unfold
• Multiple POVs – I like this kind of writing, as it prevents the story from being boring or predictable; the story was easy to follow, unlike other crime thrillers I have read
• Relationship between Jacob and Brooke – they are friends, but they question their feelings for each other, secretly hoping for more; it was interesting to follow their story, and I liked that it did not overshadow the main plot
• Character of the Surfside Killer – perfectly developed, he is just as creepy as you might expect, and his detailed monologues will only make you want to find out more; you get to see how such a disturbed individual might think, and I can guarantee you that his ideas will give you the chills
• Not being able to predict who the killer was – until the very end, I wasn’t sure and I liked not knowing; the book ends with a major cliffhanger, and I look forward to reading the sequel
• Writing talent backed by experience – the author has worked with mentally-deranged individuals, including serial killers, and I liked how her professional experience infused into the story. She gradually opened the door to the mind of a serial killer and that is not an easy thing to do
• Ability to show that all human beings have certain flaws or weaknesses – take Brooke, for example, she likes to help people and often goes to incredible lengths to help them change their lives. Through skillful writing, we are shown that this is just another side of codependency.
Verdict:
I absolutely loved this crime thriller! The author delivered a perfectly-written story, with a moderate amount of suspense, intertwined with thrilling descriptions, elements of romance and mystery. I appreciated the additional details about mental health issues, written in a way that anyone could understand. Well-done!
I do love a well-written thriller that keeps me guessing and this one did exactly that. I read the first chapter intending to put it down and go to sleep and next thing I knew I was turning the final pages at 2:30am. The chapters are short and written in dual perspectives, the pace of the story is quick, and the ending is a mystery till the very last page despite interjections of the killer describing his latest murder.
I really enjoyed the psychological aspects of the book. The author is a clinical psychologist and has experience working with some of the most dangerous criminals in a prison environment lending an all too real tone and fear factor to the story. This book is scarily believable and I may be sleeping with the light on tonight…
Very interesting read.
Great Suspense Story…A MUST READ!
I really loved this book! The plot and characters were well-written, keeping me engaged with every page. I loved Brooke and Jacob’s connection. This author carefully developed the story throughout painting the tale of the Surfside killer and his sinister thought process.
Life is going well for criminal psychology student Brooke Douger – she gets her big break in the courtroom, getting to give expert testimony for the first time, and also helps her best friend Jacob land a new job nearby that will allow her to see more of him. At the same time, romance could be in the air when she meets someone new through her involvement in a high profile trial. However, even as all these good things are happening, could she be on the verge of being drawn into something more sinister?
This enjoyable thriller is told from 3 perspectives – we see events unfold through the eyes of Brooke and her friend Jacob, and also through the internal monologue of a shadowy serial killer. The approach of having these three threads works well, and helps build the reader’s interest as multiple mysteries take shape, affecting the characters in different ways. The author makes good use of her real life experience of criminal psychology to bring her antagonist to life, and the courtroom scenes also feel well grounded in reality, bring to mind the work of John Grisham in places. The action and intrigue build nicely to a climax, giving the reader plenty to guess about right up until the end – and even leaving room for ambiguity and interpretation on the last page.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story, which is one of the most polished works I have read in quite a while. I highly recommend it to fans of thrillers and suspense, and look forward to reading more from the author.
Leanna Floyd has turned out an outstanding debut novel that draws on her experiences as a psychotherapist. Her characters are richly drawn. The suspense starts early, as she sprinkles the story with accounts from a serial killer as he dispenses with victim after victim. Mid book, the suspense intensifies as the side stories and main story, all riveting in their own right, begin to show signs of coming together. The last third of the book picks up a feverish pace, causing a part-dread, part-thirst for answers as the plot intensifies. I was kept guessing until the last paragraph and could not put the book down during the final few chapters. Keep your eye on this author. She’s an impeccable writer with a gift for suspense!
I loved this book. Absolute page turner!
This story had me at the edge of my seat. Jacob and Brooke’s friendship is fantastically portrayed, fantastic characters and lots of twists and breathtaking moments. Unexpected ending, left me wanting more.
I love a good mystery thriller and this book certainly delivered.
Brooke and Jacob, who are childhood friends find themselves on opposite sides of a murder trial and to add to the tension, a serial killer is on the prowl. When Jacob catches feelings for Alicia, a woman he meets on the internet, Brooke can see this might not be a good thing. Unfortunately, Jacob becomes instantly infatuated despite the warnings. All of these events culminate to make an intriguing book.
Some nights, I stayed up to the wee hours reading, hoping to get answers with the turn of every page. You will find yourself going back and forth on which character you think is the killer. I love that Florida was just as much a character as Brooke and Jacob. I couldn’t put this down. The last page is mind-blowing. I’m waiting anxiously for the sequel.
Murder. Court. No one is safe. Leanna Floyd does a good job portraying this sense of never truly being safe and it’s sobering to remember while reading. “Over the Borderline” is a story loosely based on real life experiences from the author’s own life, and this merging of real life with the creative results in an authentic feel as we follow the main characters, Brooke and Jacob, through a high profile murder case and through life. There’s lots of little details that bring court to life that isn’t through the eyes of a lawyer which is a refreshing take on a familiar scene.
For me, however, it was the way the way the secondary storyline of the Surf Side Killer was handled that made it difficult to fully emerse myself into this dangerous world of criminal psychology and murder. Throughout the book we get these great first person asides from the Surf Side Killer but there is no formatting to designate these asides from the regular character story lines as one POV abruptly ended and another began. It was kind of like constantly running into unexpected speed bumps. The biggest reason, however, for not being able to give a full 5-stars to this book is the reveal of who the Surf Side Killer is. I had no issue with who it ended up being, I just really felt that there wasn’t enough build up throughout the story for the reveal to be impactful. In the last quarter or so of the story the serious clues started being dropped but it was too much, too late and it felt forced. The end reveal fell flat for me. Now, in all fairness, maybe this approach was intentional. Maybe the message Floyd wanted to give us hails back to the idea that you can never truly know people, that we’re never truly safe no matter how smart and observant we think we are, and she chose to do that by literally hiding the clues from the readers. I can totally get behind that, it’s subtle and unique. The trade-off to that though, is what was for me, an ending that was emotionally neutral.
Overall, Leanna Floyd does a great job describing environments through the details, and I can quickly and easily find myself in a Miami beach bar or in a court room which is great. For fans of psychology and murder genres, give Leanna Floyd a read.
I was very excited to dive in to Leanna Floyd’s Over the Borderline. There are few things that I enjoy more than a good psychological thriller, and this book certainly did not disappoint. The story follows Brooke Douger, a gifted criminal profiler, who convinces her best friend Jacob to move nearby so she can offer support as he’s had a bit of a rough patch. He finds a job at a law firm and a potential new girlfriend shortly after moving. Meanwhile, Brooke is asked to profile a defendant on trial for murdering his pregnant ex-girlfriend, and finds that the accused is represented by Jacob’s new boss.
Throughout the story, readers learn of the Surfside Killer, a serial killer working his way through Florida. He tells us his story, describing victims and circumstances of their deaths in a first-person narrative in which he makes it clear he enjoys what he is doing. Delving into the mind of a serial killer was fascinating, and in doing so, the author proved she really knows her stuff. She amps up the creepiness factor in the killer’s mind by having him detail some of the deaths with beautiful and tender imagery as if he is thanking them for bestowing such an honor upon him. Other attacks are violent and rage-filled showing his deeply disturbed mind.
All in all, I loved Over the Borderline. It was well-written, enjoyable, and thrilling…exactly what I wanted.
This book was sent to me by the author to review months ago. It kept getting pushed back time and time again due to other deadlines but now that I’ve finished it I’m so upset with myself.
While this is not my usual type of reads, it is amazing all the same. It caught my attention and kept it the whole way though.
So much mystery and intrigue. Suspense. A little love thrown in and you have one captivating read.
Brooke and her bff Jacob live very different lives. Where Brooke helps others, Jacob is more focused on money and his dating life, unawares that Brooke is in love with him.
When they work opposite sides of the same trial, a small gap starts forming between them. Will their friendship survive? Will love break through? Will the killer on the loose get Brooke?
These are the questions I had and more while reading. But that ending? Wow. Just wow. Did not see that coming at all. Can’t wait for the sequel!
I recommend for suspense and mystery lovers!
Just one more chapter… 10 chapters later, just one more! I could not put this book down!
I’m not a fan of third-person, however, this story was so well written, I could vividly see everything play out in my mind. The description, the use of words, absolutely mind-blowing!
You follow Jacob and Brooke, two best friends, work on a murder case on opposite sides. That alone was interesting. But you also see their lives outside the courtroom, so it’s almost like reading two or maybe three different stories. However, they’re woven together so well, it was an easy smooth read. Then, you have the surfside killer, a creepy character that makes you want to find out more. You get inside his head and it leaves you with a chill but wanting more. Leanna’s words are like poetry when she writes his inner thoughts and I loved it! The whole story leaves you guessing though, who is the surfside killer? I had two suspects in mind and just when you think you have it all figured out, you’re left on a cliffhanger, pining for more. Can’t wait for the next book to come out and I will be dropping everything to read it!
Over the Borderline was thrilling from start to finish! I couldn’t put it down. The plot twists had me at the edge of my seat the entire time. Leanna Floyd’s thriller is both haunting and captivating. I loved it. Amazing read.
An edge of your seat, thought provoking thriller. I absolutely loved this book! From the moment the story begins, the characters pull you in immediately. Brooke and Jacob, the two main characters, are completely relatable and the reader is taken on a thrilling, sometimes heart pounding journey, with each of them. Leanna Floyd does an excellent job throughout the book of keeping you on the edge of your seat while also keeping you guessing at every twist and turn. The story flows so well and is beautifully written by an author who clearly has a deep understanding and knowledge of the psychological aspects of human nature. It’s truly a thought provoking read that you won’t want to put down once you start. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers!