Detective Jesse Aaron has no leads in the murder of Rosa Logan when pretty blonde Sariah Brennan claims to have seen the killer–in a vision. Unfortunately the man she identifies is dead–or is he?Sariah is an unsophisticated small town girl, but her background and her motives are mysterious, and she seems to be hiding something. Jesse is increasingly convinced she has guilty knowledge of the … crime, even as he finds himself more and more attracted to her. How can he unravel the web of secrets, without putting Sariah at risk, before the killer strikes again?
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This book was a ride, let me tell you. For the greater part of the book, and in hindsight, I think Sariah was and is my favorite character. She may have issues, but they seem superficial compared to the issues that stalk both Jesse and his ahem partner. I hadn’t gotten to know Camille very long to realize two things – I found her character to be the crassest and offensive person and one who would never keep a badge working for a professional like retired Lt. Joe Kenda.
The author must be commended for the ability shown to create characters that a reader builds a strong feeling for quickly. There are no 2-dimensional characters here. You really get them and either you love them – or in many cases for me – hate them.
The story was gripping and a brilliant mystery. The nice way the book came together at the end even gave it the romance, if in an Entrapment (the movie) way.
An energetic reading that will keep a reader on the edge of their seat wanting more. Highly recommended to people who like to read a good murder mystery and to those who have romantic fantasies too.
My Rating: 5 stars
I love a good mystery book and this book totally fits the bill!
This book is full of intrigue, mystery, suspense, excitement and with just a dash of romance.
I have always been somewhat interested in psychics in books and movies. It’s the unknown factor that really makes it difficult to decide whether these people are credible, deceptive, or suffering from a mental illness. I want to believe these people really want to help and are not looking for their fifteen minutes of fame or trying to throw off the investigation.
This book starts off with Sariah arriving at the police station, meeting with Detective Jesse Aaron, and telling him about a vision she just had. Sariah states that she saw the murder of Rosa Logan and provides knowledgeable intel that matches the crime he is currently working on. Sariah knows details about the investigation that haven’t been released. Jesse takes down the information, as he is required to follow up on any leads, but seems doubtful and suspicious about Sariah’s gift. Even though he’s not sure he trusts her, he continues to keep her close by as he knows there is something she is keeping from him. Is Sariah telling the truth? How could she possibly know so much about the murder unless she was there? Could she be a witness? What is Sariah holding back? No spoilers here!! But you definitely will want to read this book and find out!!
I really enjoyed the mystery aspect of this book. It was suspenseful, exciting, and climactic.
This book has exceptional mystery crime solving structure with enough clues and excitement to keep you guessing, but still practical and realistic in police procedures.
The only dig I have is the romance angle between Sariah and Jesse. It felt awkward, uncomfortable, and forced. Jesse seemed more like a professional that wouldn’t cross that line and get involved with someone in his investigation. Their flirty, witty banter was more stiff than playful. And I felt this really detracted from the story.
I enjoyed the main and supporting characters and felt they all were important to the story and played their roles well. I liked that Jesse was a smart, strong, protective, charming, and charismatic detective that cared about his job, his integrity, his honor, and the people he serves. I found Sariah to be quite mysterious, curious, secretive, and a bit strange. She definitely had her secrets and it was interesting to see how her cryptic knowledge played out over the course of the book. I couldn’t stand Jesse’s partner Camille. She was rude, callous, cold, insensitive, and unsympathetic. I get that the police world is still a boy’s club, but her attitude was annoying and over the top.
This book has a creative story line, intriguing plot points, excellent mystery structured scenarios, complex characters, and keeps you fully engaged through the last page!
There are some predictable scenes. However, there are still a few very unexpected twists and turns that you won’t see coming!
This book is not currently listed as part of a book series. It can be read as a standalone. This book does have a tidy ending but leaves a wide opening for a follow up book.
All in all, I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it! I think all mystery fans and romantic suspense readers will like this book too! So, add it to your TBR List and get to reading – you won’t be disappointed!
**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book and have voluntarily provided an honest, and unbiased review in accordance with FTC regulations.**
I enjoyed this story. Some romance, lots of suspense, and working through lies and deception. Sariah was a mystery, and she had a gift. Jesse was a nice guy and had been willing to risk his career because of his feelings for Sariah. A little more emotion for the reader would have helped the relationship between them feel stronger. I liked the bits of information regarding polygamous communities and the law. The murder that began the story was twisted enough to keep my interest.
I received a copy of this story through Goddess Fish Promotions, and this is my unsolicited review.
Really enjoyed this mystery or suspense. I’m not actually sure which genre I would call it. I think I identified with it because I am the same person that would not believe someone had visions and yet would wonder how said occurrences happened. It sort of leaves you sitting on the edge of your seat but that might be because of the tension Griffin creates in her writing.
This has good characters. Both cops were great as partners and yet had their own personalities that clashed now and then. That only added to the story. I think the word “story” is what’s important in this review. This is a really good story. The kind that is very hard to put down. I didn’t put it down much.
The other aspect to my liking is that while this does have some romance in it, the amount was small. Romance is not my genre and I have sometimes gotten into something I liked and then been turned off by the content. That was not true here at all. Romance is not the part of the story line that makes this such a good book. Romance is just an enhancement to a good book.
It looks to me as if this is Linda Griffin’s latest publication. She does have others published though. Check them out.
Guilty Knowledge is my introduction to Linda Griffin’s books. I thought it was a good romantic suspense. It was a quick read that was full of suspense, danger and action. There were a few twists I did not expect. I thought Sariah to be a unique and intriguing character. I really liked the character of Jesse, as well.
I am giving Guilty Knowledge four stars. I would be interested in reading more by Linda Griffin in the future and really hope there will be another book that continues this story.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
This is a new Author to me a well written murder mystery story, that kept me turning pages. Detective Jesse Aaron, his partner Camille, and Sariah Brennan’s story, there is suspense, drama, twists, turns, murder, attempted murder, cult activity, and villains. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Sariah walks into the police department and asks to speak to the investigators in charge of a recent murder. Detectives Jesse Aaron and Camille Farris are not quite sure what to make of her.
She claims to have seen the killer .. in a vision. She knows his first name. She also knows who his next victim will be. Does she have a gift .. or did she actually witness a crime and is afraid to admit it? And to top things off … the man she identified has been dead for several years.
Sariah comes across as this sweet, honest, butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth innocence. But she has secrets. And while Detective Aaron is attracted to her, he is also wary of believing her story. Aaron’s partner is loud, argumentative, rude … jealous, maybe?
The plot is tightly woven, characters are deftly drawn. There are some surprising twists and turns leading to a surprising conclusion. No cliffhanger here .. but there does remain for another book in the future.
Many thanks to the author / Wild Rose Press / Netgalley for the digital copy of this mystery, Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
How much does Jesse really know about Sariah?
Jesse’s life changed the moment Sariah walked into the police department. She claims to have seen the killer in a vision. It would be easy to dismiss her as claims as crazy, and Camille, Jesse’s partner, is ready to do just that. However, Sariah knows details about the crime that weren’t released to the public. Did she have a vision, or is she somehow involved in the crime?
Sariah is a tough character to figure out. She manages to be both innocent and mysterious. Like Jesse, I wanted to believe her claims of having seen the killer in a vision, but something about her just didn’t seem right. Jesse tries to keep his relationship with Sariah professional, but something about her draws him in. Before he knows it, he’s falling in love with her. Their awkward flirty banter was cute at first, but her lack of honesty made natural interactions between them almost impossible. Consequently, it was hard for me to relax and enjoy their relationship. It just felt uncomfortable after a while. I shared Jesse’s frustration with Sariah’s secrecy. As I read, I continued to hope that Sariah would open up to Jesse before it was too late.
Ms. Griffin kept me guessing as I read. I was never quite sure how involved Sariah was in the mystery until everything about her past was finally revealed. My heart broke for Jesse when he realized how little he really knew about Sariah. Despite this issue, I am pleased to say I have a lot of hope for Jesse and Sariah. By the end of the book, Sariah is in a much better place. In the future, I believe she will be more open with Jesse. They have been given a second chance and I believe they will use it wisely.
I enjoyed reading Guilty Knowledge. The mystery is interesting, and Jesse and Sariah’s happy ending makes their bumpy beginning worth it. I recommend it to fans of romantic suspense looking for a quick read.