Critical Instinct

Whew…heart racing, mind blowing, action packed romance murder mystery with some paranormal thrown in. Kept me guessing who dunnit. Loved it!!!

This is probably the third time that I have read Critical Instinct, the story of Paige Jeffries and Brett Wagner. Paige is the second of three sisters, one who has the ability to see people’s auras. Paige was attacked and left for dead a few years ago, but her attacker has decided that he needed to finish the job to complete his pattern. It is now up to Brett to ensure that Paige escapes her attacker’s obsession.

Janie Crouch is a favorite author, and I hope you, dear reader, give her stories a chance. You won’t regret it!

This story totally consumed me right from the start.
The way Paige sees things is amazing, it’s just such a pity that she has had to go through what she went through and continues to go through right up until the end.
Brett is the perfect hero for her, the way she consumes his mind then his heart is swift but complete.
They work well together and the way this author brings them together then manages to keep them together is awesome.
Great story line, great characters (except for the bad guy of course) and an all around great read.
This is the first of this author’s books that I have read and I enjoyed it enough to go looking for more.

If you like romantic suspense with a bit of the extraordinary the you are going to love Critical Instinct. Detective Brett Wagner has returned to Portland and is asked by an old friend to look into a cold case of an assault against a famous local artist. Paige Jefffries has come to terms that the Portland P.D. are never going to believe that she sketched her own assault picture weeks before the event ever occurred. When Brett shows up at her door they are both surprised to see each other because they are old high school classmates. Paige was the quiet shy freshman in art class and Brett was the senior football player that every girl in school had a crush on. These two have an instant connection however Paige is concerned about letting him know everything about her and her visions. Brett is a very black and white person. He believes in what he can see and touch but what about the unexplainable? As Brett looks into Paige’s coldcase he finds similarities with other cases. He doesn’t quite know what to make of things but he knows that he wants to keep Paige safe. Critical Instinct kept me glued to the pages and Janie Crouch did a great job of keeping me guessing until the very end! Critical Instinct was told from dual POV and it was gritty, spicy, and full of twists and turns. A definite must read!

This book was great! It was dark, dangerous, intense, and hard to put down. The characters were engaging, the drama was realistic and plausible, and the storyline was gripping and moved at a good pace. Brett and Paige were extremely likable and made a great couple. I enjoyed the romance aspect; it was not too fast, though the attraction was instant, but evolved as the case proceeded. The more interaction they had regarding Paige’s circumstances and the case the closer they became. I like that their involvement kind of snuck up on them. Paige had a few frazzled moments that I wish she would have handled differently and some of Brett’s reactions to Paige’s sharing of information, as well. But all of this added depth and more realism to the plot of the story, so it worked. With the gift Paige had, the deeper she became involved with Brett’s case the more eerie things became and the killer was quite chilling. The suspense and action were steady and definitely kept me flipping the pages.

Great hook! Enjoyed learning about Paige and her connection to both the killer and Brett.

What a great romantic suspense book by Janie Crouch! This book definitely kept me on my toes. Paige Jeffries is a renowned artist and recluse after being assaulted and left for dead two years prior. She now also has the ability to draw gruesome life-like portraits. Brett Wagner has come back to his hometown and is hired on as the newest homicide detective. His reception is not the greatest with the captain so he is dumped with cold cases and one happens to be Paige’s case. Even though it is not a homicide case, he was asked to look into the matter. What ensues is a suspense thriller with a twist. Paige’s new ability is done in her sleep and are of women, some alive and some dead and they all are actually linked to some of the cases Brett was looking into. Brett also realizes that during Paige’s assault, she should have been dead and it may look like, based on her latest painting that she is back in danger. From here on out you are on the edge of your seat, wondering what is going to happen next. This definitely was an enjoyable albeit nail-biting read. Paige and Brett had great chemistry and to see their happily ever after was really sweet.

enjoyed the story, if you like suspense you will like the book

Action, mystery, exciting paranormal romance, bravery, an alpha caring male, and an artistic strong woman …. What more could one want? This was an amazing story that left me wanting more but completely satisfied at the same time.
This is the story of Paige and Brett. Paige is a world famous artist who has some special abilities that she keeps to herself. She is shy, and closed off after being the victim of a killer 2 years ago. She is house bound by her fear, and is unsure of other people, men especially, and is extremely cautious. Brett is the former high school quarterback turned police detective after a tragic incident in his life. He has just moved back to Portland and it given some “undesirable” cases as a transition to his new department. Brett has an almost sixth sense about cold cases and ends up working Paige’s. They remember each other from high school and develop a friendship.
The story ignites and the reader is enveloped into the battle between good and bad, dark, and light, love and insecurity. This is a fast wild ride that this reader did not want to end. The story is filled with details, moving descriptions, in depth characters, and an intensity that is hardly matched. An example if this use of details and descriptions is “Blue eyes that held shadows.” The secondary characters were not less impressive and fully added to the ambiance of the story. I will be reading their stories next.
My favorite line was: “My colors are right here waiting for you.” This will make since when you are the story. It was just a great reflection of the artist and the paranormal, the man and his love coming together in one line.
I really enjoyed this story and will be adding both this author and this story to my favorites list. One quick note that added to my loved of this story was the fact that I am from Portland and could relate too many of the references within the story. I have been to the restraint/baker mentioned, I walk past the Willamette River each day and I go to the Farmer’s Market each week. These little things make a huge impact on a story for a local, especially when they are accurate and descriptive. It adds to the believability of the story. Excellent read.