In book one of the Lilah Love launch duet, meet Lilah Love, the politically incorrect FBI agent who says what no one else dares and fears her dark side is a little too dark. Note: this book ends in a cliffhanger and continues in Murder Girl. The story…As an FBI profiler, it’s Lilah Love’s job to think like a killer. And she is very good at her job. When a series of murders surface—the victims … murders surface—the victims all stripped naked and shot in the head—Lilah’s instincts tell her it’s the work of an assassin, not a serial killer. But when the case takes her back to her hometown in the Hamptons and a mysterious but unmistakable connection to her own life, all her assumptions are shaken to the core.
Thrust into a troubled past she’s tried to shut the door on, Lilah’s back in the town where her father is mayor, her brother is police chief, and she has an intimate history with the local crime lord’s son, Kane Mendez. The two share a devastating secret, and only Kane understands Lilah’s own darkest impulses. As more corpses surface, so does a series of anonymous notes to Lilah, threatening to expose her. Is the killer someone in her own circle? And is she the next target?
The Lilah Love series:
Book One: Murder Notes (Murder Duet #1)
Book Two: Murder Girl (Murder Duet #2)
Book Three: Love Me Dead (Umbrella Man Duet #1)
Book Four: Love Kills (Umbrella Man Duet #2)
Book Five: Bloody Vows (Wedding Duet #1)
Book Six: Blood Love (Wedding Duet #2)
more
4.9 Stars
Lilah is a 28 year old FBI profiler living in Los Angeles.
Something bad happened in her hometown in the Hamptons a couple years ago, but now she’s living an okay life as a successful agent away from the town, her family and her ex – her Dad is the mayor, her brother is the police chief and her ex is the son of the town’s ‘crime lord’.
But a series of dead bodies lead her back to Long Island. And it’s not a coincidence. Something, or rather someone is leaving clues that are connecting the killings to Lilah.
Does someone know about the secret she’s been hiding?
Only her ex Kane knows about it.
If she doesn’t want to lose her career and her life and that of the people she loves, she needs to find the killer and/or the person who ordered the killings.
But it’s not that easy with her family and the whole Island knowing her and watching her every move. Unable to trust anyone! And with the bad guys always one step ahead … .
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO LILAH???
WILL SHE CATCH THE BAD GUY???
READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT
Well, that was exciting!!
I really enjoyed reading it.
It’s so completely different from other LRJ books.
It’s a mystery thriller suspense thingy. Not a romance. Which sounds a bit bad for a romance lover like me – but don’t worry – there are some shades of romance in here – and there might be more coming.
I couldn’t stop reading. I just had to know who and what and why and how and what will happen next??? And who can we trust and who is bad and who not and grrrrrr!?!?!
And I also wanted Lilah to find her happily ever after – but since it’s not a romance, that might not happen … yet. There are a few candidates though.
We will also get a tiny little cliffy. The second book will be out in July. BUT – Lisa is really good with putting little summaries into the front of the second book in a series! Very good for people with #Bookalzheimers!
Anyway. I really enjoyed this story.
It was super exciting and suspensy and mysterious … you just can’t stop reading!
You want to hurry to the end of the book and catch the bad guy(s) with Lilah! And then we want to see everyone live happily ever after.
But the story is not only completely thrillerish. It’s also the story of Lilah. A bit funny, a bit moving, a bit heartbreaking, a bit hopeless…. Lilah is a very complex character. She’s really funny and sarcastic and … kinda amazing and strong. But also very broken and hurt. And she’s not really trying to heal from what happened. She also doesn’t really give the men in her life a chance to fight for her. She’s … very … complicated. That is definitely what Lilah’s Facebook status would say. Not only her FB status – her life status! #Complicated
A few readers might even think the story was a bit complicated too. There are LOTS of names and people and suspects and family and ex partners and whatnot in this book. But surpisingly, I almost always knew who we were talking about … that kinda never happens to me – I’m confused extremely easily!
I also loved how Lisa described everything. I felt like I was right there with Lilah. I even tasted her chips and smelled Kane’s cologne and felt the moist ocean air. Amazingly written. Some might even say that the detailing was a bit too much, but I really liked it!
Ok – that’s it.
Really great book. There’s nothing more I could think of to say – there is lots I could say – but I don’t want to spoil too much – you need to read it!!!
If you want to compare it to a TV Show, I would say it’s a mix of Criminal Minds & Revenge!
I wouldn’t mind seeing this on Netflix one day!!! I really need to see Kane!!
MURDER NOTES was such an amazingly exciting & beautifully written mystery thriller! Run to your nearest amazon to find out if and how Lilah will catch the bad guys!
Holy Moley this was an incredible read!!! I almost passed this book up because I wasn’t sure it would be my thing. After I started seeing some glowing reviews I decided to try it. I am so glad that I did because I would have missed out on a very compelling story.
Our main girl, Lilah Love…you gotta love that name, was a fantastic heroine. She’s FBI. She’s strong. She’s independent and she’s haunted by an event that happened two years ago to change her life forever. She’s thrust back to her home town investigating what could possibly bring things to light she would rather stay hidden. She made for a riveting main character to follow along during her investigations.
Kane is Lilah’s past love interest who doesn’t want to stay in the past. He’s also a part of the night that changed Lilah. In this first book, their relationship is referred to a lot however it wasn’t a main focus to the story. The author keeps bringing us back to her and Kane, but the focus is more on the investigation into the murders.
There are quite a few side characters and each one add an extra element to the story. The way the author wrote this, I felt it was very easy to follow and keep everyone straight. Most of these side characters had me just as riveted as Lilah and Kane. I’m really looking forward to seeing who is a part of the investigations and who is innocent.
Murder Notes does end on a cliffhanger and you are going to want the second book immediately! I absolutely loved this book and will be counting down the days for the second one to be published. I highly recommend grabbing this book up.
“ You will never out-profile the profiler”
I have always been a fan of Lisa Renee Jones and Murder Notes was nothing like she wrote before and it was worth experiencing!
This story is full of angst, suspense and mystery-it was a real page turner.
Lilah Love AKA Murder Girl goes back to the Hamptons to solve a case. Lilah soon realises that this case is too close to home.
The plot is great and the storyline very captivating. What I Liked the most is all the different motives and characters from The Ghost to Kane. Lilah is the driving force of the story and it is pleasant to see that it is a woman that captures all our attention- she is a compelling character. She is one of the best profiler in the country but the other characters are also in leading roles.
Impeccable and intelligent story.
As I read the last words of this book I start screaming “No, no, no, no!” This ends on a huge cliffhanger! I can wait to read the next book. This has everything, mystery, suspense, lots of suspects, twists and turns. Lilah is such an interesting character. Kane is dangerous, sexy and quite intriguing. This book is told from Lilah’s point of view. Lisa Renee Jones is such a prolific writer. She truly knows how to spin a tale to make you turn the pages as fast as you can!
Received an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review by NetGalley.
This is a never want to put down can not turn the pages fast enough a little afraid of what might happen next to this awesome charter you are getting to know and love kinda reading experience and I absolutely loved every moment of it.
Lilah Love is so much more than a kick ass FBI profiler and survivor of a troubling past. She is also a very intuitive student of human nature and is harboring deep secrets…. Just when I thought I had something figured out the whole seen changes again and I loved every heart pounding, spine tingling twist and turn in this thrilling journey and look forward to more….
I would’ve given this book 5 stars had it not been for the slow start. Seriously. I tried to read this book several times and could never get past the first chapter. I shelved it as a DNF several times. But, finally, I forced myself to get past the first chapter (BTW, when my kindle was calculating my read speed based on that chapter, it told me it would take over 5 hours to finish the book when my usual time is around 2.5 – 3 hours; as the story took off, it didn’t take me that long)
I love a good suspense/mystery story with a dash of romance thrown in. This book fit the bill. As the story progressed, I became more and more invested in the storylines. As more characters got added, I had to change my guess as to who the killer was. And, at the cliffhanger ending, I am still clueless as to who did what and how all these suspects may or may not fit in the puzzle (I somehow think I have more puzzle pieces than needed?!).
As a side note, I think I have a little book crush on Kane. Apparently my type of book boyfriend is the bad boy… Our main character, Lilah the FBI profiler, is a sassy and take no prisoners type of girl (aka my favorite type of heroine).
“Bitch.” My lips curve. “Damn, I like that name.” This is my favorite line of Lilah’s. This is absolutely something I would say so probably why I find her likable.
I cannot wait for Book 2 to find out the ending to this whole mystery. And hopefully for a little more of the Kane/Lilah romance…
I love a good mystery and add a secret past that could ruin her future, and Lilah’s story is even more intriguing.
She might not be the easiest person but when her case connect to her past, you can’t help but get swept up in her twisted story..trying to figure out so many things, from past to present, and also trying to pay very close attention to any detail.
Def a great story.
The Mistress of Mystery and Suspense does it again. Murder Notes was a nail-biter from start to finish. Special Agent Lilah Love was an incredibly strong, analytical and captivating character.
Aside from a couple skeletons in her closet, Lilah Love is a very methodical, meticulous and skillful profiler with the FBI. Her loyalty is to the truth and she’ll go to any lengths to find it. She comes off a b!tchy or closed off…but seriously, she just doesn’t have time for BS, not even from her family. She pulls no punches and expects honesty. She’s straightforward and has a backbone of steel. She’s a pretty awesome badass.
As she hunts for the serial killing that lead her back to her hometown, she begins to discover that the people she thought she knew weren’t whom she thought them to be. And it seems the only one she can really count on and come close to trusting is the big, bad wolf himself – Kane Mendez.
As the story unfolds, I became more and more curious of Kane. That man is just as mysterious and enticing as the clues that Lilah uncovers during her investigation. He’s seems quite delectable and I can’t wait to see how his role plays out in all of this.
I have yet to read a Mystery/Suspense from Lisa Renee Jones where I had any nails left. Seriously, she keeps me at the edge of my seat every time. Murder Notes was enthralling from beginning to end and left me wanting more. This is definitely a must read in my book.
Murder Notes by Lisa Renee Jones is the first book in her Lilah Love series. A murder mystery told from the perspective of FBI Special Agent Lilah Love with a cliffhanger ending that will leave you excited for more but not quite ready to throw your kindle/ereader/paperback. There is an underlying romance from her past that shows it’s head but the main focus of the story is the crimes and how, as they all start being pieced together, keep pointing to Lilah and a secret in her past.
Lilah is tough. She has to be in order to do her job, that of FBI Profiler and a frequent visitor to horrific crime scenes. She grew up in the Hamptons with a police chief father and movie star mother and her brother and herself both went into law enforcement. She could have the easy life in the Hamptons but she is a hard working, ambitious woman. Not to mention that the West Coast is about as far away as she could get after the “incident”.
It is this “incident” that pulls her back to the Hamptons and her past when a murder there links to two in LA and another in Manhattan. As she slowly starts to unravel the details of the case she gets embroiled in family drama, plot twists, potential betrayal and the focus of a stalker with a penchant for leaving behind semi-threatening notes Lilah is sure have to do with her secret that only one other person should know, Kane Mendez. He also happen to be on the suspect list for the Hamptons murder.
Rich in detail and plot twists this story will keep you engaged throughout, have you laughing at Lilah’s snark and attitude, and second-guessing every potential suspect on her list. Loved this! Up next, book two – Murder Girl.
A new LRJ series and in a genre I love??? What could be better??
Lilah Love is a sassy and smart profiler – which totally earns her points in my book. I love to read about FBI profiling. Add in some true crime and a bit of romance and this is the perfect book. Except I need MORE!!!
I love reading Lilah’s thoughts and getting enough of the crime aspect to make my criminal justice heart so very happy. I can’t wait for Murder Girl to come out!
Loved it!
Murder Notes is the first book in Lisa Renee Jones ‘Lilah Love series’. It’s full of mystery, drama, and a whole lot suspense, which is something I’ve always enjoyed about Lisa Renee Jones books.
I won’t go into the story at all because the synopsis covers a perfect description of the story.
Items I enjoyed about Murder Notes:
-Lilah Love’s POV. Some readers would want another POV in a story, but I actually enjoy one POV, especially with suspenseful stories. It leaves the reader asking questions on who the killer is and what is going on in the story.
-Lilah Love’s character. She’s kind of heartless and closed off. She’s not a normal character I would like in a story because of how she is. After finding out what happened to her though, I definitely can understand why she’s heartless and closed off. She’s great at her job too as a FBI profiler. She’s determined more than ever, which is something I definitely like about her. She also knows how to deal with her family. She’s not someone to mess with.
-The crazy spinning story. Lisa Renee Jones knows how to keep a reader guessing. It doesn’t help with all the other characters in the story. Who could be the killer or killers? Could it be Lilah’s ex-lover? I definitely don’t know because Murder Notes only opened up a little bit of what’s going on. Poor Lilah has a whole lot of investigating that still is going to happen. She also has to figure out who is writing the notes to her about her past.
-Kane Mendez. He sounds really sexy, but he’s also very intimidating. I don’t know what to make of him, even after just a few of the run ins with him the story. I don’t know if I should like him or not like him. There is something about him though. He has a past with Lilah and supposedly he’s trying to have a present with her. She’s not making it easy for him. Good for you Lilah! Although, at the end of Murder Notes, maybe she definitely needs him more in her life.
Overall, this book was definitely a whirl wind of craziness that I definitely need more of, especially with that crazy cliffhanger. It doesn’t help with the sneak peek of the next book at the very end of this book. Lisa Renee Jones knows how to write an awesome romantic suspense story.
I give the first book in the Lilah Love series 4.5 stars and highly recommend it to readers that enjoy Romantic Suspense stories. If you’ve read other books from Lisa Renee Jones, you’ll definitely enjoy the first book in her new series. If you haven’t read any of her books, I definitely recommend you do soon.
Wow. What a roller coaster. I just love it and can’t wait until June to read the 2nd part. Lisa you did it again! I just love all your books!!!
MURDER NOTES is the first in the cloak and dagger, suspenseful Lilah Love series. It’s really not a love story…more like a murder mystery with a small side of romance. But if you like the opposites attract trope (she’s an FBI agent, he’s a mob boss) then you’ll appreciate the slow, burning intensity between Kane and Lilah!
Lisa Renee Jones…I am in AWE of the details and intricacies that went into the plot of this CHILLING and PHENOMENAL book. Absolutely everything in this story felt incredibly believable! I could see this one becoming a series, in print or television, it was that good! From start to finish, I was completely engrossed in the puzzle that Lilah Love has to piece together. Sometimes, when I read mysteries, it’s pretty obvious “whodunit” but this one had me going back and forth and by the end..I still had no clue who the killer was. The story is full of twists that lead you one way and turns that abruptly send you in a different direction.
Lilah was a complete BAD ASS! She had a hard shell around her heart and there’s a reason for that but she was tough, crude, a real potty mouth…and I LOVED her! And although Lilah and Kane stood on opposite sides of the law, it’s completely obvious how well they fit together. Actually, the entire cast of characters was intriguing! I was left with the feeling that no one could be trusted and everyone was a suspect from her father to her ex-best friend.
My only complaint is that I have to wait for book two! (I’m SO impatient, I know!) I’m absolutely hooked on Lilah Love and can’t wait for the thrilling conclusion. Plus, I found another AWESOME book to put on my READ AGAIN E-SHELF! YAY! Told entirely from Lilah’s POV with a stunning cliffhanger. I received, read and voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
Lisa Renee Jones has written a wonderfully mind-bending, twisty-turny maze of secrets and lies with a side of sizzling forbidden attraction in Murder Notes!
Lilah Love’s family is part of the Hamptons elite, but she managed to escape all of that madness after her beloved movie star mother’s death. Now she is a successful FBI profiler on the west coast, but she is constantly fighting an uphill battle to earn her place in a man’s world. Dead bodies seem to have a way of speaking to her though earning her the nickname Murder Girl for her ability to successfully profile killers and solve murders. No one knows that she makes solving those cases her personal atonement for the sins of the past… or do they? Secrets from her old life have followed her to LA and are threatening to surface, leading to an unwelcome trip down memory lane and back to the place she once called home.
From the moment she sets foot back in NY, it becomes clear the string of killings she has been assigned to investigate are tied to her past. She is being baited with assassinations being made to look like a serial killer’s work, but as she searches for the common thread that ties them all together, the only factor she finds is herself. There is only one person who knows what happened that fateful night all those years ago, and there is no way he would betray her… but someone is taunting her with both a trail of bodies and creepy notes.
Questions beget more questions, and a web of secrets and lies is starting to unravel little by little. Lilah is dismayed to discover that her father and brother may just be part of a conspiracy or cover-up, and her former best friend may have been involved in setting up the events that led to Lilah’s flight from the Hamptons all those years ago. Everyone’s motives and intentions are being questioned, and the one person who is supposedly the “worst” one for her to associate with may just be the only person she can trust right now.
Kane Mendez swears he is not his father, but he is without question the most powerful force in the Hamptons. Nothing happens in his town without his knowledge, but he is the one who has protected her secret and still looks out for her all these years later. No matter how much she wants to deny it, the attraction between Lilah and Kane is still as potent as ever and his love has not faded despite the distance. As much as she wants to trust him entirely, Kane doesn’t share full details about anything, sharing only what he thinks she needs to know which may actually put her in more danger. Considering she isn’t sharing the whole story with him either, they make quite a pair!
This story is only just getting started, and I already cannot wait to see what comes next! We get a taste of the heat that Kane and Lilah generate when they are together, and I am betting the best is yet to come. That web of secrets I mentioned has only just begun to unravel, and I have no doubt LRJ is going to blow our mind with more twists and turns before it is all said and done!
Murder Notes is a fast paced romantic suspense that just grabbed me from the start and pulled me right into the story.
“I was Lilah Love then, but now, damn it, I am Murder Girl. I’m her because dead bodies have a way of talking to me, and if they didn’t, there would be more dead bodies, more murders I didn’t stop.”
FBI profiler, Agent Lilah Love has to return to her hometown while investigating a series of seeming execution style murders. The victims have nothing in common except the method of the murder and the only common thread is Lilah herself.
“My dilemma now becomes, how do I solve this case and not convict myself in the process?”
When Lilah left she left behind Kane Mendez the son of a cartel leader. She needed to keep her distance from that sexy temptation.
“He’s a tall drink of poison that I’ve already swallowed and felt the repercussions from.”
Murder Notes is the first book in a new series featuring FBI Agent Lilah Love and it’s the first book I’ve read by this author. All I can say is I am now a big fan! I can hardly wait for the next book in this series, but I think I’ll check out some more Lisa Renee Jones books while waiting!
-4.5 Stars!!-
As a HUGE Lisa Renee Jones fan I am excited she is bringing us a new Suspense series. Murder Notes was not what I was expecting it to be! I FLOVE the book and let me tell you friends, it has a smidge of romance, but the suspense and mystery of the story will have you glued to the book. I love trying to figure out who is involved with the good and the bad. I am all over the place with the who and what.
Let’s talk about the characters. I was on the fence when it comes to Kane. I am not sure if he is the best for Lilah or the worst for her. He is definitely a mystery that I can not figure out yet! Lilah is the best character to play as this story’s heroine. She has demons that haunt her. But she trudges on and is doing the best that she can. The story plot is amazing! I could not get enough of this book!!! I have a new addiction with this series. I can not wait for Murder Girl!
The ending was perfect! I still have no clue who is behind the murders. I was left with my jaw dropped to the floor. Lisa has outdone herself as always. Murder Notes is my top ten best in Suspense!!
5 PHENOMENAL SUSPENSE STARS!! Wow, just wow, I was on the edge of my seat with this page flipping suspense thriller. Lilah is a beautiful strong FBI Profiler with a messed up past, that gets sent home for a case she is working on. This book is so well written it is like watching a movie, you start seeing the scenes in your head play out. Lisa Renee Jones is one of my favorite authors and never lets me down and this book is phenomenal, I can’t wait for the next book. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book via publisher from NetGalley.
If you love books with a lot of suspense then this book is for you!
Lilah is a profiler for the FBI and she gets a call to go back to her hometown because of another murder and it has to with a case she has working on.
This book is heart thumping, intriguing and don’t know where its going to end!!
Lisa Renee Jones has done it once more. Murder Notes is an amazing read that I finished within 4 hours. It had suspense, drama, Lost Love and so so much more.
Lilah Love is an FBI agent who has a gut instinct that helps her with her cases. She goes home where she was raised as a privileged child and where she has very bad memories which she doesn’t want to relive. She also had her first real love, Kane Mendez, who is the crime boss’ son who still in love with Lilah. There are murders that are happening which lead her back home. There she must find out who is involved in these murders which she believes are “assassinations”. Now notes are being left for her which she must find out who is involved and who knows her darkest secret.
I can’t wait for the next book since there was a huge Cliffhanger.
If you like mystery, suspense, and lost loves GRAB this book Now!
Bravo Lisa Renee Jones