An Amazon Charts bestseller.He started the game. She’ll end it.FBI special agent Clarke Sinclair doesn’t give up easily. She’s spent years tracking serial killer Simon Cross, forced to follow his twisted clues and photographs across the country. Clarke knows that Cross selects only redheaded women and that he doesn’t target another victim until Clarke discovers the previous one.He’s never broken … previous one.
He’s never broken pattern…until now.
A girl has already gone missing in upstate New York when a second one is kidnapped—a blonde. The killer’s MO has changed, sending Clarke back to the drawing board. The closer she gets to the truth, the deeper she’s drawn into an inescapable trap made just for Clarke. Whatever Cross’s ultimate game is, it ends with her.
more
Totally unlikable main characters. And the plot was ridiculous. No way this could have happened in the real world.
Book source ~ Kindle First
Clarke Sinclair is a Special Agent with the FBI and she and her partner Sam have been tracking a serial killer named Simon Cross for years. Every time they think they can save the girl and catch him they arrive too late. But this time a woman he’s kidnapped doesn’t fit his profile and he’s taken her before he’s finished with the one he already has. He’s changed his MO and Clarke doesn’t know why. All she does know is Cross is doing all of this because of her and she feels he’s building to a grand finale. Will they finally catch him before he kills again or will they themselves be his next victims?
This book is awful and I’m not entirely sure why I kept reading it. Maybe because the chapters not involving Clarke are actually pretty good. Every chapter from Clarke’s POV is shit. Seriously. How clichéd can a character be? And omg, the self-flagellating that makes zero difference is unbelievably tedious to slog through. Also, I’ve read about “rogue” FBI/police characters that actually do a whole lot better of straddling the line than her. No superior officer would EVER let her get away with the shit she’s been getting away with. Nope. Can’t suspend my disbelief THAT much. I actually started skimming much of her chapters to get back to Bess and Adelaide. Clarke is completely and totally unlikeable. And then the grand finale? WTF. Am I really supposed to buy that horseshit? I. Can’t. Even. How fucking stupid was that? I do NOT recommend this story. Ever.
Once in awhile a character comes along that gets under your skin and refuses to let go. This is the case with Brianna Lubuskes’s Clarke Sinclair, a stubborn, cantankerous, rebellious and somehow endearingly likable FBI agent with a troubled past. I was immediately pulled into Clarke’s broken, shadow-filled world and her quest for justice and redemption. A stunning debut, IT ENDS WITH HER is not to be missed.
THIS REVIEW IS FOR BOTH THE AUDIOBOOK AND EBOOK VERSIONS
Interesting, twisted and suspenseful. Easy to follow and well written. Great characters and the narrator did a wonderful job. I recommend this book.
Very unique well written 2 foster kids grow up together the boy is great until he isn’t foster parents are elderly church goers good book..
Twisted, edge of your seat, good!
Excellent portrayal of abuse victims and survivors. Loved the team and their drive to catch this fiend.
I had the Kindle Unlimited Read and Listen version. The narrator was really good at getting the moods and stress across.
The story twists and turns from murder to murder and finishes with a surprise ending.
This book was entertaining and disturbing on some level. I had a hard time believing an FBI agent with such emotional issues as one of the lead characters could still be an FBI agent. Gut wrenching action.
Amazing storyline and so easy to read. Keeps you guessing until the very end – you won’t want to put this book down!!!!
3.5 Stars!
So the beginning of this book was a bit touch and go for me. I’m okay with the slow revealing plot but I had trouble finding something to hold on to that would carry me forward in the story. The characters were not very appealing to me and at times annoying. Part of the plot was to figure out the connection between Sam and Clarke, and the lack of information and background made it more difficult to connect to them. Too much was kept from the reader which would have helped explain their interactions and seemingly unlikable traits. Once the pace picked up, about half way through, I was glad that I held on and quite enjoyed the game of cat and mouse.
Despite some of the issues I had with the characters, I felt writing was solid and deserving of a second look. I’ll be checking out more from this author.
A reluctant FBI agent takes on a serial killer triggered by red-headed women. Brianna Labuskes offers a story that intrigues the reader. Although, maybe those who read a great many of these novels will guess the surprise ending, it shouldn’t keep away those who enjoy reading a good thriller. Good story. Interesting take on protagonist. I would read more from Labuskes. She’s on my “Follow” list.
I didn’t like this book and will not be reading anymore from this author. The plot could have been good enough to carry the book but it was distracted by the main character’s self abuse. I ended up skimming a lot of the book to miss those parts but still found myself at the end of the book not liking the characters and not wanting to read anything more with them nor this author.
3.5 Stars
There’s something very satisfying about an unlikable narrator that I really enjoy. Clarke Sinclair fits the bill quite nicely. She’s chasing a serial killer, Simon Cross, across the country, following his twisted clues in a scavenger hunt where the stakes are high, a young woman’s life. And then two after Cross breaks his meticulous, obsessive plans.
Overall I enjoyed this book. Getting to read it prior to publication (05/01/2018!) through my Prime account and the Amazon First Reads or whatever they call the feature was just icing on the cake.
There were times when Clarke’s unlikable personality irritated me, it was part of the point I’m sure but I found a lot of her motivations really selfish (which she even acknowledges but doesn’t change) even given how it’s made clear that she’s another one damaged by her past (aren’t we all?) I don’t know, Clarke was a hit-or-miss for me depending on the chapter.
Then some of the explanations about some of Simon’s clues felt too . . . Forced? Unbelievable? Too much of a stretch? My own opinion, so take from it what you will.
The nonlinear, multiple POVs do round this story out even when in occasion the pace stutters, so in essence (because apparently I can’t be straightforward about my reviews right now) a solid thriller that I think would be we worth slotting your TBR.
I’m a fan of writers who tell their stories by devoting individual chapters to the main characters giving the tale an all-around build-up. As she moves the story along, the reader can understand the characters. This is a suspenseful book and I plan to reread it to see what I missed the first time around.
Great plot –great characters flaws and all!! Enough twists and turns to keep you interested but not lost!!
Loved the way the story was written in 3 perspectives. Had a twist towards the end that wasn’t expected.
This book grabs you from the very beginning. Character development is excellent and you feel yourself feeling a wide range of emotions for each one. I did figure out who Clarke was early on but still couldn’t wait to find out how it ended. Will definitely look for more books by this author.
Dark, twisted and I didn’t see the end coming.
Fabulous . Must read