The sound that wakes her from sleep is unmistakable—someone is in their house. She listens as heavy footsteps start up the stairs, and as the bedroom door is flung open, she doesn’t even have time to scream… Following a frantic emergency call in the middle of the night, Detective Jenna Alton arrives at a secluded family home to find the body of Lucas Robinson lying in a pool of his own blood in … his own blood in his bed. His wife Carol, shivering in shock, has just watched an intruder shoot her husband in cold blood.
As Jenna investigates the murder, she soon discovers that Lucas was having an affair. And when his mistress is also found strangled to death in the center of the small town, Jenna is convinced that the murderer is living amongst them.
When the killer escalates with a mass murder at a remote ranch on the outskirts of Black Rock Falls, Jenna knows for sure that she’s dealing with a murderer more twisted than any other she’s faced before.
As the town begins to fill with revelers for the annual Halloween festival, Jenna has to work fast to stop any more lives being taken. But as the killer always seems to be one step ahead of the investigation, has she finally met a murderer who can outsmart her?
Fans of Robert Dugoni, Karin Slaughter and Rachel Abbott will love this compelling and nail-biting crime thriller from bestselling author, D.K. Hood.
What readers are saying about Her Broken Wings:
“Oh my, oh my God… This is another cracking story!!!… This author really deserves the title of Queen of Suspense… She had chills running down my spine and I just couldn’t stop reading. Incredibly, mind-blowingly brilliant!” B for Bookreview, 5 stars
“What a fantastic book it is. Totally addictive. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
“An excellent read… Had me captivated the whole way though… I had a couple of wow moments that took my breath away. All in all a bloody brilliant book that totally deserves 5 stars.” Bonnie’s Book Talk, 5 stars
“Hold on to your hats for the surprise ending!” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
“Absolutely terrific read.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
“Another phenomenal instalment to this series. I love the new characters… Some scenes had my heart threatening to burst out of my chest.” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars
“Whew!… Thanks for the twist. I never saw it coming!” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
“They just keep getting better. I love this series.” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars
“This one ups the ante on pulse-pounding suspense… Full of action and surprising twists that the reader won’t see coming.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
“This is a wonderful series with great characters, inventive storylines and a familiarity that welcomes you in each time you begin a new book… A first class read.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
“Another chilling, dark plot in the most dangerous town of Black Rock Falls. A highly recommended read.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
“Absolutely gut gripping! Worth more than five stars!” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
“Excellent… Long may this series continue!” Goodreads reviewer, 5 starsmore
Book eight opens up with a murder, a 911 call by a wife saying her husband has been killed. What looks like a murder turns into more murders and actually a serial killer. Jenna and Kane are working the case when they are sent help from the FBI agents Jo and Ty. Hopefully, they will show in the next book they were good characters and added to the story.
Getting into the story you find the person they are looking for has been around for 20 years and has changed his M O so it has been difficult for people to find him now that he is in their neck of the woods they have a chance to catch him hopefully before more bodies show up. Some twists will keep you going with the story and the characters will also are from the other books and because of that, the story flows though it is a mystery, suspense. A very good book once again. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at http://www.1rad-readerreviews.com
Even though I came in new to this series with this book, the author had enough references to past books that kept the plot moving without making me feel lost. I liked how the author wove some folklore into the story. I thought that the characters were realistic, and the law enforcement techniques were accurate. I look forward to reading more of this series. For a full review, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of the book.
SPOILER ALERT – there are spoilers (content warnings) at the end of this review (but they are marked)
It’s raining bodies in Black Rock Falls, Montana.
Detective Jenna Alton arrives at a secluded home to find the body of Lucas Robinson in bed, lying in a pool of his own blood. His wife, Carol, claims she watched an intruder shoot Lucas in cold blood, but was unable to see the killer. Soon Lucas’s mistress is found strangled to death in the center of the small town. Then the killer escalates with a mass murder at a remote ranch on the outskirts of Black Rock Falls, setting up a disturbingly grotesque scene where the ranch was preparing for Halloween.
The opening of Her Broken Wings is chillingly written, and the book is fairly gruesome. I liked Jenna, Deputy Kane, and the medical examiner. Their interaction is interesting and I enjoyed following the case up until the climax. The characters have substantial history which is only hinted at in this book. Duke, Depute Kane’s rescue dog, is wonderful. The climax wasn’t quite satisfying to me, but I’ll put my concerns with that in the spoilers below.
At one point, the term “savage” is used to describe a Native American male. That term should never be used in relation to a Native American.
SPOILERS BELOW:
Content Warnings: SPOILER Domestic violence; Death of a child; Torture; Dissociative identity disorder (DID), but I’m not sure the portrayal works at the end. It sounds like the killer realizes they used disguises to get close to victims, but I thought with DID individuals don’t believe they’re putting on a disguise, they fully believe they are that person. The killer does change voices. I’m no expert and could absolutely be wrong. Perhaps people with DID have more conscious control over the condition than I, as a layperson, am aware. Additionally, psych professionals in the book use the term “crazy,” which doesn’t seem professional. They also use the term “normal” which rings false – perhaps “not dangerous” would have worked better in context. END SPOILERS
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC. The opinions in this review are honest and my own.
Detective Jenna Alton, along with her team investigate the murder that started with a home invasion.
Before they can really sink their teeth into this killing, the killer escalates with a mass murder at a remote ranch on the outskirts of town.
As the investigation continues, they find many more cases spread through several states all bear the same manner of killing …. down to the black feather left at each scene.
As the town begins to fill with revelers for the annual Halloween festival, Jenna has to work fast to stop any more lives being taken.
Someone is wearing a mask …. and has his eye on Jenna.
Although 8th in the series, this is easily read as a stand alone. I highly recommend starting at the beginning … how Jenna and her team all wound up in the same place for various reasons is well worth reading … especially as Jenna is not who she says she is. This crime fiction is well written, as are all the books in this series. The plot is tightly woven leading to an explosive unpredictable ending.
This one introduces two additional characters who appear to be able to help Jenna and her team with anything that comes up ….. I look forward to seeing more of them. Also a new character is Pumpkin, the cat with the orange eyes who seems to attach himself to Jenna. Wonder what Duke, the dog, will have to say about that.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Her Broken Wings by D.K. Hood is the eighth book in this author’s Detectives Kane and Alton series. So far this series has been an excellent crime thriller treat. This book is no exception. Once again Sheriff Jenna Alton and Detective Dave Kane need to solve a murder mystery. This time a serial killer is in town. It seems the small town of Black Rock Falls has become a magnet for all kinds of murderers including serial killers. In this story Jenna and Kane believe they are facing a murderer with a split personality. There’s plenty of action and suspense to keep readers turning the pages until the end.
Wow, this small Montana town is indeed Murder Central: Sheriff Jenna and crew to the rescue!
4.5stars
A good, suspenseful and action-filled thriller that, though I had my theories, actually kept me guessing right through to the surprise twist at the end. I just pitied the police and medical examiner who hardly got a chance to take a deep breath until more cases piled on. I love a good serial killer story and the occasional change of perspective into the killer’s mind was effective. The descriptions of eerie Halloween decorations and misty fall weather added to the creepy factor; were I a resident of Black Rock Falls, I would be locked inside once the sun goes down (though, in this town, even that might not save me!).
Thanks to publishers Bookouture and NetGalley for providing an advance complimentary copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
This series is like the energizer bunny, it keeps on giving and giving as it takes your breath away. I have read everyone of Detectives Kane & Alton series and hope they never end. To me they are similar in the JD Robb Series , no they are not sci fi or in the future, they are police procedurals where you care about all involved and the base is always like coming home, you know your Sheriff and the team, and then your catapulted into the sky screaming as you follow the twisted tale of murder. You start with the prologue as a battered wife is sneaking out with her children and you never stop. Then a man is murdered in his own bed. Two petty thieves play chicken with dire consequences and each murder is different – or is it? They find a feather at each scene, but some seen hit man and some seem passionate, how can’t that be? In this book two new characters are brought in. A FBI base is being opened about 3 hrs a way from Black Rock Falls and the leader is Jo a profiler Wolff knows. The only member of her team Dave, is an ex seal, not a team player and they come on board to help. The conclusion is not the one I came to thank goodness. I actively search for this series every time I am on NetGalley. Thank you D.K.Hood for your awesome writing, Bookouture and NetGalley for allowing me to grab this arc. I freely volunteer my thoughts and opinions as everyone should read this series, just make sure to buckle up, it’s always a wild, wild ride.
5 stars
This book is filled with hard hitting action and delicious surprises. Sheriff Jenna Alton and Deputy Dave Kane sure have their hands full in this, the latest book from the incredible author D.K. Hood. I simply adore Ms. Hood’s writing. Her writing is straightforward and uncomplicated. Her plotting makes perfect sense and one event follows another in a strictly logical manner. Her characters are realistic and likable – for the most part. Jenna’s team is incredible. They work very well together and like one another. I like the way that sufficient information is given about their backgrounds to flesh them out as people, but not so much information is given to detract from the story line.
Lucas Robinson is shot in his sleep while his wife lies beside him. Hysterical, she hides under the bed then runs downstairs and hiding in a closet calls the police. Jenna is suspicious of her, but she is not making much sense. Examining the scene, they find a black feather in Lucas’ blood. While the sheriff and her deputies are trying to make sense out of Lucas’ murder, all hell breaks loose. They learn that Lucas had a girlfriend and he, as an investment advisor, had some very unhappy customers.
Meanwhile more murders occur. More black feathers. Does the little Montana mountain town of Black Rock Falls have a serial killer running around? Again?
Hold on to your hats, readers, for the surprise ending!
I want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for forwarding to me a copy of this absolutely great book for me to read, enjoy and review.