NO FRIENDS Mardi Gras whips New Orleans’ French Quarter into a whirlpool of excess, color, booze, noise, motion. So the woman in the sights of Will Novak’s binoculars stands out. She’s bruised, barefoot, wearing a man’s raincoat. And she’s looking right at him. NO FAITH In a moment she’s fleeing into the crowd, but Novak knows she’s not gone for good. When she comes back, it’s with a gun to his … comes back, it’s with a gun to his head—and a story about crony politics, a crooked judge, a kidnapped whistleblower, and children in deadly danger. Novak can’t let this one slide.
NO FURY
Through the grit of Houston’s underbelly to the grime below Beverly Hills’ glamor, a trickle of rot connects the powerful to the desperate and corrupts the men and women who are supposed to stand against it. Deceit is everywhere. If he’s going to do right, Novak is going to have to do it alone . . .
Praise for Linda Ladd’s Claire Morgan Thrillers
“One of the most creepy, crawly, and compelling psychological thrillers ever.” —Fresh Fiction
“Chilling, compelling suspense…be prepared to lose sleep!” —Eileen Dryer
“Exciting, thrill-a-minute!” —Midwest Book Review
“Plenty of suspense and surprises.” —Publishers Weekly
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Chilling, compelling suspense… be prepared to lose sleep!
Witness Betrayed by Linda Ladd
Will Novak #3
Will Novak’s background includes spending his formative years in Australia, inheriting significant property and wealth in Louisiana, being a Navy SEAL, working for the NYPD, losing his wife and children and joining an investigative firm that is run by Claire Morgan. He is an intriguing, intelligent and interesting person who seems more than capable of dealing with the difficult situations he has encountered in the stories told about him so far.
At the beginning of this book he is spotting potential problems during Mardi Gras and passing on to the police what he sees. As he watches the street he notices a woman watching him – a woman that is injured then followed by two intimidating thuggish men. Little does he know that sighting that woman and what happens next will lead him into his next case – and – what a case it is!
This story had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. It is intense, disturbing and difficult to read at times with corruption, abuse, torture, abduction, sex trafficking and betrayal. The people you think you can trust may not be trustworthy at all and who one can trust not always easy to ascertain.
This book has me thinking and caring and hoping for happy endings that some would and some would not get. It made me feel and want to know the characters and left me eager to find out what will happen in the next book. It also has me wondering about Claire and the series it seems she has starred in prior to Novak getting a series of his own.
Did I like this book? Definitely!
Do I want to read more in this series? Can’t wait 🙂
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books – Lyrical Underground for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
A wonderful and exciting addition to the Will Novak series by Linda Ladd. This series is intertwined with the Claire Morgan series (Will works with Claire who is a former homicide detective and now a private detective – another great series by Ms. Ladd), but Will is on his own this time. Will, an independently wealthy P.I. and former military, is spending Mardi Gras on his balcony watching the crowd. He is doing so to warn the police, on the ground, of possible illegal happenings. He notices a young woman in the crowd who has obviously been abused and then loses sight of her. She will find him later and action and danger will invade his life. Will is asked to help locate the kidnapped teenage daughter of his friend, a former detective. He will have to watch his back as there are those who do not want him involved in what is turning out to be a much more dangerous and far reaching situation. Will is the man you want on your side as he will go all out and not give up until the job is done. What is going to happen next? Will he find the teenager in time? Will he be able to protect the young woman and his detective friend? I loved this third book in the Will Novak series. I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to give an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)
I just Love. Love. Love this series. It is fabulous. The situation starts at Madrid Gras Will Novak is babysitting the streets from his balcony directing police to disruptive behavior when he spots a barefoot girl in a rain coat looking at him. Everything shrouds in mystery until the smoke clears and then a chain of events unfold that will have you gripping this book.
What did I like? These stories are Amazing….. just amazing. If I ever want out of a book funk I can grab one of Linda Ladd’s Will Novak or Claire Morgan series and just get hooked. I’m not a huge mystery buff but these always have the right amount of mystery versus story. Witness betrayed was a great tale.
Would I buy or recommend? Yes, mystery buffs would love these stories. I would love to get the whole collection in paperback. They are spectacular reads. Where can I sign up to become part of this ARC team. I recommend these…no doubt.
Thoughts for the author? This is such a great series….I just love them. Love Claire Morgan too. Kudos for such great stories!
Working in tandem with the New Orleans police, Will Novak spies a young woman, bruised, barefooted and wearing what looks like nothing except a raincoat. Will also sees two men who seem to be chasing her.
Much to this surprise, she winds up in his apartment … holding a gun to his head. Neither of them trust the other, but she has a compelling story to tell him … and to ask for his help.
What he learns is a crooked judge, a whistle blower that has been kidnapped, and young girls in life-threatening danger … one of whom is his friend’s 13-year-old daughter.
A trickle of rot connects the powerful to the desperate and corrupts the men and women who are supposed to stand against it. Deceit is everywhere.
This is a page-turning action-packed thriller full of twists and turns and surprises on almost every page. Will Novak is a great character. Although this is 3rd in this series, WITNESS BETRAYED is easily read as a stand alone.
Many thanks to the author / Kensington Books – Lyrical Underground / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.