An Amazon Charts bestseller.From the bestselling author of The Neon Lawyer comes a gripping thriller about a prosecutor confronted with the darkest part of her past and the worst fears for her future… well-respected attorney. She’s moving on. But when a new rash of homicides has her ex-husband, Eddie, written all over them—the nightmares of her past come back to life.
The FBI asks Jessica to get involved in the hunt for this copycat killer—which means visiting her ex and collaborating with the man who tore her life apart.
As the copycat’s motives become clearer, the new life Jessica created for herself gets darker. She must ask herself who she can trust and if she’s capable of stopping the killer—a man whose every crime is a bloody valentine from a twisted mastermind she’s afraid she may never escape.
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I would recommend this book for anyone who is a fan of TV shows like “Criminal Minds” or “Law and Order”. This book was a mix of courtroom drama and the search for a serial killer. It was not gruesome like a lot of these types of books are, but instead was more of a psychological drama.
The story takes many twists and turns along the way and the way that the author kept the reader guessing throughout the book up until the very end kept my attention throughout. This book approached the serial killer aspect from a unique (at least to me) angle, focusing a lot on the family of the serial killer and really bringing them to life. The author did a great job in weaving this tale and I will definitely look for more of his books.
The narrator, Brittany Pressley, did a great job in her performance and really added a lot to my enjoyment of the book. Her voices for the different characters was perfect and the killer’s voice had just the right amount of creepiness to it to make it more realistic.
Addictive, suspenseful, and twisty!
In this absorbing first installment in the Desert Plains series, A Killer’s Wife, Methos has written a sharp, sinister thrill ride featuring the resilient and tough prosecutor, Jessica and the dependable FBI Agent, Baldwin as they join forces to hunt a cold, calculating serial killer with a penchant for reenacting the most heinous of crimes.
The writing is taut and intense. The characters are meticulous, persistent, and tormented. And the plot is an engrossing, eerie whodunit full of twists, turns, lies, deception, familial drama, obsession, depravity, violence, and murder.
Overall, A Killer’s Wife is a fast-paced, tortuous, disturbing tale that does an exceptional job of reminding us that evil often lives comfortably amongst us merely concealed behind masks of normality.
It’s full of action with a great twist.
I couldn’t put this book down. It has a twist at the end that surprised me. Very good read.
A twisty, riveting delight! A Killer’s Wife is seductively vivid and an incredibly fun read. A combination of an FBI procedural and a legal courtroom thriller, this book is perfect for fans of serial killer books.
Unputdownable.
I won’t be retelling the plot here, I’ll just say what I loved the most about this thriller. The first thing that grabbed me was the synopsis – I mean, the premise of a successful prosecutor having to go through the horror of her past once again was something that intrigued me immensely. But even the synopsis didn’t prepare me for a rollercoaster of a plot that had so many twists and turns, that I just couldn’t stop reading.
I really appreciated how the story was separated into two parts, so to say: the first one which centered about the identity of a copycat and the second, on the legal procedure itself, which soon turned into the battle of mind and wills between Jess Yardley and the copycat. I’m not even sure which one I enjoyed the best, because both were incredibly suspenseful but in their own way.
Now, a few words about Jess. From the very first pages, I just knew she was my kind of a character – strong-willed, extremely intelligent, in perfect self-control, and thoroughly dedicated to her profession despite the multiple obstacles that were constantly thrown her way. I really appreciated how the author portrayed the predominantly male-dominated culture of the police/FBI force and the courtroom and the sexism women like Yardley had to deal with on an almost daily basis. The frustration she experienced when such an important case was handled to someone hardly competent to handle it just because of his gender and family status was nearly palpable, yet I applauded her self-control and ability to come out as a winner despite all. Countless times Yardley displayed professionalism, for which I had grown to respect her immensely. A great choice of a central protagonist!
The last, but not least: another thing that I found positively fascinating was the portrayal of Eddie Cal, who has something of a Ted Bundy in him with his irresistible charm and yet, who is definitely a monster who belongs behind bars. The complexity of his personality was very intriguing to read about, and I thought the author did a great job of finding a balanced way to portray him instead of reducing him just to a stereotypical monster.
Overall, it was a meticulously researched thriller that will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page is turned. Five very well deserved stars!
A Killer’s Wife by Victor Methos brings murder, suspense, police investigations, and courtroom drama to a well-written legal thriller mainly set in and around Las Vegas, Nevada. This is the first book in the Desert Plains series and my first book by this author.
Our protagonist, Jessica Yardley, is a federal prosecutor, whose husband went to prison fourteen years ago for multiple murders. When some new homicides appear to be similar to those of her ex-husband, Eddie Cal, the FBI asks for Jessica’s help. What follows is an exciting combination of investigations, family crises, and courtroom battles.
While Jessica is definitely strong in her professional career, her personal life is another matter. This gives some balance and a flaw or two, but somewhat stereotyped. I liked her courage and resilience, and was definitely rooting for a satisfactory ending for the story line. But does it happen?
The secondary characters are not as well-developed. However, for most of them, a reader gains enough understanding of them so that one is able to understand how they will react under the pressures of situations they encounter.
There is some changing of points of view between three individuals. The strongest one was that of Jessica and, in my opinion, the others could have been eliminated to make the story more cohesive. Despite some situations that did not seem realistic in today’s criminal justice system, I became quickly engaged with the novel.
The book was well-written and was paced well and had an appropriate mix of dialogue and narrative. The plot had several twists and turns with a few surprises along the way even after readers find out a lot of the ‘who did what’ part of the way through the book. What an ending! Will you see it coming? Other themes include academic boredom, the line between pushing for a justified conviction and convicting an innocent person, inherited traits, nature versus nurture, relationships, alcoholism, drug abuse, heartbreak, betrayal, and much more.
If you enjoy legal thrillers, then I recommend this series. While there are some things, that seemed over-the-top and somewhat implausible, overall, it is an intense book that pulls the reader into its disturbing storyline. It is certainly thought-provoking. While this does not have a cliffhanger ending, there are threads that can be pulled into the next book in the series. Which one or ones will it be? I can’t wait to find out in the next novel.
I purchased a digital copy of this novel. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and are not biased in any way. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
This may be my favorite book this year. I loved the writing style, the storyline, and the 2-part story. Well-done, Victor Methos. I think all suspense or thriller should try this book.
Wow. Just finished and I’m still shocked. This was a great thriller. So many twists and turns with constant curves thrown in. There was so much action with all of the crimes and culprits. I loved the characters of Yardley & Baldwin. I hope there are more books with them leading the charge. This one had a big twist at the end I didn’t see coming at all! Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Good book
Started off great then went really far-fetched and ended up with more and more plot holes. Awful book.
Oh My Gosh! Talk about twisted …Twisted story of twisted people with twisted minds. About half way through one thinks the story is over but sees how much volume remains. One realizes … the real story is just beginning. Sick and twisted … you’ll love it.
This was my free pick for Feb. 2020 as an Amazon Prime member. I really enjoyed this book. It’s advertised in Amazon as 1 of 3 and I can’t wait to read the next one. Very, very good.
Prosecutor Thinks Her Past Is Behind Her
The opening scene has Jordan Russo leaping from moving car in the middle of the desert. She took refuge in a small nook in some rocks hoping that he could not reach her. Unfortunately, she was wrong and paid with her life. The action shifts to the present where the heroine, Jessica Yardley is finishing a trial. She meets with an old FBI friend, Cason Baldwin, and his partner Oscar Ortiz. Cason shows her some pictures in a North Las Vegas murder scene that appears similar to those of her ex-husband, Eddie Cal, whose waiting on the Nevada death row for his appeals to run out. Then, he shows her pictures of another murder scene from St. George, Utah. Jessica asks why he is showing her these pictures. Cason tells her that he believes that there is a copycat, and he and Ortiz need her help. The action starts from here.
The main storyline has several threads. First is the classic investigation by the FBI and local authorities. Then, there is the thread of trying to obtain Eddie Cal’s cooperation. These threads are chalk full of twists, turns misdirections, and even several what I call literary tsunamis that rearrange the novel’s storyline significantly. As this is the novel in the series, there is much B-storylines to provide well-developed characters. The gem in this mix is Jessica’s daughter, Tara. She inherited his striking blue eyes, his genius, his tendency to bend the norms, rules, laws. She is an interesting character in this series. Both aspects of these storylines captured my interest quickly and kept it throughout the novel.
There are not any intimate scenes. Vulgar language is practically nonexistent. There is some rude language. Most violence is described after the fact or left to the imagination. Most readers should not find anything objectionable in reading this novel.
I decided to read this novel because I had read the second novel with the thanks to Netgalley and the publisher. I enjoyed it and have received the third novel in the series from them. I decided that it should read first novel in the series. I was not disappointed. The story kept my interest. While most characters were familiar, the characters became fuller for me. While everything needed in the second novel from this one was provided, the understanding of Jessica’s daughter, Tara, really came to life. For her character alone, I would recommend reading this novel before the second.
Based upon this novel keeping me engaged in the main storyline, my enjoyment in reading it quite favorably with other great novels in this genre, I rate this novel with five stars. Whether you have read any other novels of this series, I do recommend reading this novel.
Author : Victor Methos
A Killer’s Wife (Desert Plains Book 1)
5
358 pages
Description:
Fourteen years ago, prosecutor Jessica Yardley’s husband went to prison for a series of brutal murders. She’s finally created a life with her daughter and is a well-respected attorney. She’s moving on. But when a new rash of homicides has her ex-husband, Eddie, written all over them—the nightmares of her past come back to life.
The FBI asks Jessica to get involved in the hunt for this copycat killer—which means visiting her ex and collaborating with the man who tore her life apart.
As the copycat’s motives become clearer, the new life Jessica created for herself gets darker. She must ask herself who she can trust and if she’s capable of stopping the killer—a man whose every crime is a bloody valentine from a twisted mastermind she’s afraid she may never escape.
MY REVIEW
I stayed up all night til i finished this when book. It was just amazing. I loved every minute of it. Great story, great characters and wow what twist at the end. I found myself completely invested in every character, from the cops to the killer to the victims themselves. The killer wife is an intriguing and entertaining start to what I hope is a long, long run of Jessica Yardley’s novels. I can’t wait to read book 2. If you love the serial killer genre, then this is a must-read for you. You can listen to and read for free on kindle unlimited. As always if you like the book you read leave the author a review.
OMG!! This book! THIS BOOK! Aaarg!! This easily kept me on my toes and it’s one to talk about with anyone who will listen. The story enthralled me. I couldn’t stop listening! This has a lot of twists and turns. I was shocked and surprised more than once. The characters drew me in tho their plight. I cared and worried about them and felt their fear. Well except a few..but their minds are amazing!
Overall this book is wonderful! I listened to this on audio. The narrator did a good job.
This book had a few surprise twists.