When it comes to crime, homicide detective Jake Carrington plays for high stakes . . . Assigned a missing persons case, Lieutenant Jake Carrington investigates a local Mob boss. The trail goes cold, but the Mafioso isn’t taking any chances, and soon the heat turns up from another quarter. Turns out there’s more than one dangerous suspect . . . Kyra Russell is drop-dead gorgeous and Jake is … drop-dead gorgeous and Jake is only human. But despite their mutual attraction, Jake’s suspicion deepens when he learns about her gambling problem—an addiction that cost her both husband and son. Even more disturbing is Kyra’s day job. She runs a crematorium—and it’s tied to the Mob. Now Jake will have to navigate a firestorm of treachery to get to the truth . . .
Previously published as Burn in Hell
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I enjoyed All the Hidden Sins, the second in the Jake Carrington thriller series, as much as I did Ms. Lanouette’s first in the series (All the Deadly Lies). As usual, her attention to detail and authenticity shines through a freshly plotted story, with well-drawn characters. Jake, I loved right from the beginning as a strong, steady, do-the-right-thing kind of guy caught between mending a broken relationship and his growing fondness for the self-destructive, addicted gambler, Kyra. Jake doesn’t realize Kyra is working for kinky mob boss Phil to pay off her debts and keep her son safe until all clues point to Kyra. I chewed my fingernails during the cat and mouse game between Jake and Kyra and got goose bumps every time Kyra encountered the creepy mob boss. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a page turning read with a twist.
Well I didn’t enjoy Jake as much the second time around. Mia just showed herself to be a character I didn’t like but hells bells I wasn’t too fond of Kyra and her choices either so what does that say for me. Well after you read it we’ll see if you feel the same way. This story just seemed too long and it really bothered me how it just ended. . . again. This may be this author’s style of a cliff hanger but it really stinks to not even have the thought finished or actually feel like it was the end of a chapter much less the end of the book.
Anyway the book is filled with police procedure stuff that feels real. The life of a homicide cop is shown as they handle multiple cases some solved some carried over to the next book. Will I read more probably not but not because it isn’t well written it’s just the police jargon is a bit much for me. It’s a great mystery and the author throws in plenty of twist to keep you on your toes.
All the Hidden Sins by Marian Lanouette
Jake Carrington #2
Coming into the series on book two may have impacted my rating. Why? I don’t know Jake’s background with Mia, the woman he seems to have broken up with in book two. I also feel I might have known him better if I had read book one. I do try to come into series at the beginning but had an interest in reading this book so gave it a try and am glad I did.
Jake is, as mentioned, not with the woman he loves and at a social gathering meets Kyra. Kyra is NOT someone I could relate to at all and that could be because I am not a gambling addict. I just didn’t get her and I did not understand Jake’s attraction to her. The choices she made were incomprehensible to me but did make the story more interesting. Jake’s ability to finally figure out the missing person angle of the story, the tie-in to the mafia and Kyra and the reappearance of Mia all were tied together by the end of the book.
Did I enjoy the book? It was entertaining
Would I read more in this series? Probably not
Why not? I couldn’t really relate to the characters for some reason.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington-Underground for the ARC – This is my honest review.
3 Stars