The Ultimatum by Karen Robards

Author: Karen Robards
Publisher: Mira (Harlequin)
Date of publication: June 2017

Growing up, Bianca St. Ives knew she was different from all her friends. Instead of playing hopscotch or combing her dolls' hair, she studied martial arts with sensei masters and dismantled explosives with special-ops retirees. Her father prepped her well to carry on the family business. Now a striking beauty with fierce skills, the prodigy has surpassed the master.

She's known as the Guardian. Running a multinational firm with her father, she makes a living swindling con men out of money they stole—and she's damn good at it. She does things on her own terms. But her latest gig had a little hiccup—if you count two hundred million dollars and top secret government documents going missing as little. Her father also died on the mission. The thing is, the US government doesn't believe he's really dead. They'll stop at nothing to capture Richard St. Ives, a high-value target and someone who has been on most-wanted lists all over the world for over two decades, and they mean to use Bianca as bait. With only a fellow criminal for backup and her life on the line, it's up to Bianca to uncover the terrifying truth behind what really happened...and set it right, before it's too late.

The Ultimatum is the latest from one of my "go to" authors and the first in a new series. To be honest, this story is kind of hard to summarize without giving away spoilers.  So, read the synopsis to get the idea. I am torn about this book. On the one hand I was entertained enough to want to finish the story.  Yet, on the other hand, I found parts of the book confusing and kind of boring.

The book started out strong with the opening scene, but then it quickly slowed down to a snail's pace. I swear it took forever for the main character to get out of that party in the first quarter of the book.  There were a lot of characters introduced in the story and that got confusing at times.  A couple of them seemed to be important, but were abandoned about halfway through the book.  I'm not sure why.  Perhaps they will show up again later in the series?  There is a big reveal toward the end of the book that I found very intriguing, but no real further explanation was offered. The story also ends with a huge cliffhanger.  Not one of my favorite endings as you know.  

I'm not sure this would be classified as a romantic suspense.  There is an attraction between Bianca and "Micky" but it's not fully explored.  In fact, we also really know nothing about Micky.  Except, he wants to catch Bianca's "boss". While it's not my favorite of hers, it was still worth reading.  Most of my disappointment with the book comes from the unanswered questions that the cliffhanger ending left me with. I'll probably pick up the next one because I want to know what happens next. 

Throwback Thursday: One Summer by Karen Robards

Author: Karen Robards
First published in  1993 by Dell

High school teacher Rachel Grant believed in her student Johnny Harris's innocence even after he was convicted of murdering his girlfriend. Now, 10 years later, he's out on parole and Rachel has taken him under her wing, even finding a job for him. It isn't long before their relationship changes and Rachel and Johnny become much more intimate. But when another murder occurs and Johnny is the prime suspect, can Rachel prove his innocence before it's too late?

One Summer is a book that I was hoping would grow on me as I read it.  In the end, it ended up being a just OK read for me.  I was torn because there were a few things that I didn't like.  Rachel was Johnny's teacher 10 years before, so he was 17 to her 22.  It's not unusual for a student to have a crush on his teacher, so that didn't bother me, especially since nothing was ever acted upon when he was a minor.  What did bother me was the speed at which Rachel and Johnny fell in love after he got out of prison.  Talk about quick.  I'm still not exactly sure when it happened.  Maybe it was the great sex?  The other thing that bothered me was the constant reminder that Rachel was 5 years older.  Is there really a huge gap between 30 and 35?  It got a bit old.

The mystery of what happened to Johnny's girlfriend years before was kind of OK.  I felt like there was more emphasis on the way the townspeople treated Johnny upon his return than there was on the murder. I mean the reveal kind of came out of nowhere and was really strange.  There were no hints or clues really for the reader to even guess.

There are a few bright spots in the book.  I did like how Rachel stood up for Johnny with the townspeople and her mother.  I also ended up liking Johnny a lot.  His character was funny and came across as really intelligent. This isn't a bad read, it just was longer than it needed to be.  She has a lot of better stuff out there, so don't feel badly if you skip this one.

Darkness by Karen Robards

Author: Karen Robards
Publisher: Gallery Books
Date of publication: March 2016

BOOM. That’s the sound that changes everything for Dr. Gina Sullivan, a renowned ornithologist on a group research grant trip on the remote island of Attu, Alaska. When an everyday outing turns sinister at the onset of one of Attu’s infamous storms, Gina expects thunder and lightning—but what she doesn’t see coming is the small jet plane that drops out of the sky and into the water mere feet from her boat. Even more unprecedented: there’s a sole survivor from the crash, and he needs Gina’s help. But it turns out that rescuing the stranger and getting them both out of the oncoming storm is just the beginning. Because the more Gina learns about James “Cal” Callahan, he of brooding eyes and muscled frame, the more she fears—for herself, and for him. 

Darkness was non-stop action with two great main characters.  I really enjoyed this latest book from this author. Gina is on an island in Alaska researching birds, when a plane falls out of the sky right near her boat.  She rescues the lone survivor (Cal) and realizes that he is a dangerous man and her only chance at survival.  

I thought this was a solid adventure.  There wasn't a lot of mystery really, it was mostly thriller.  The little bit of mystery kept me guessing until the reveal right at the end.  I was surprised that the one twist I was waiting for never showed up. So, maybe that was a twist in itself? I enjoyed Gina and Cal together.  Even thought their attraction was fast, it wasn't filled with a lot of angst. Their loves scene were some of the hottest ones I have seen this author write in a while.  I loved the part where Cal points out that how she acts is "you with me".  Such a sweet line.

Hush by Karen Robards

Author: Karen Robards
Publisher: Gallery Books
Date of publication: December 2014

When Riley Cowan finds her estranged husband Jeff dead in his palatial home, she's sure it's no coincidence. The police rule it a suicide, but Riley thinks someone's out for blood—specifically someone Jeff's father ripped off in one of the biggest financial fraud cases of all time. She suspects that someone is trying to send a message to Jeff's father: Tell me where the money is, or everyone you care about will die. 

Riley's in-laws might be billionaires, but she's afraid that not even their dirty money can protect her from an irate investor who will stop at nothing to get his hands on his misappropriated cash. Enter Finn Bradley, Philly-based FBI agent and Riley's love interest from way back when. Finn agrees to help Riley, and the two reignite sparks they both thought were extinguished long ago. But can they discover the killer's identity in time, before he resurfaces—and strikes again? 

Hush is the latest offering my one of my "go to" authors.  I think I have read just about everything she has written, so I usually know I will get a good read.  Hush was a fairly entertaining read. I did enjoy it for the most part.  I just didn't love it.  The premise of the story is that Riley finds her ex-husband dead having seemingly committed suicide.  His father has been recently exposed in a money  fraud scandal and they have lost everything.  Riley is convinced he was murdered because there are billions of dollars missing and someone desperately wants that money. Enter Finn Bradley, a government agent who also wants to find that money.

The reason I thought the book was just OK was I felt like it wasn't anything original.  The romance between the two was very rushed.  I just didn't feel the intense attraction between the two of them.  The one and only love scene in the book was less steamy than I know this author is capable of, so I was a bit disappointed there.

As for the mystery, I was surprised in the end.  So, there is that. I guess it boils down to not really liking any of the characters very much. Most of them make incredibly stupid moves that just keep getting them into trouble.  Especially, Riley and that got tiring after a while. I think most fans will like the story.  For me, I felt like the author was "phoning it in" and it could have been better.  

Her Last Whisper by Karen Robards

Author: Karen Robards
Publisher: Ballantine
Date of publication: August 26, 2014

Madness and murder invaded Dr. Charlotte Stone’s life when she was just a girl—and made her a woman determined to save others from the horror she survived. An expert in the psychology of serial killers, she’s faced down more than her share of human monsters. But Charlie can also communicate with the spirits of those who die violently, an extrasensory skill that has helped the FBI bring lethal predators to justice. 

Now, after narrowly escaping death a second time, Charlie’s ready to step away from the edge... before her luck runs out.

In a town full of fast players and few rules, flushing out a smooth-talking stalker like the Cinderella Killer might be a loser’s game. But for Charlie, the only way to cage her quarry is to plunge back into the homicidal hell she vowed to leave behind—and may not leave alive..

Her Last Whisper is the latest in the Charlie Stone series.  As in the first two books, we find our favorite psychic psychiatrist sucked into a mystery involving a serial killer.  This is much to the dismay of her current ghost lover, Michael. After not really loving the second book, I was a bit wary of the third. I am pleased to say, it is a great mystery.  I don’t want to give too much away, but the book has a few nail biting scenes.  I was definitely holding my breath quite a bit. 

The relationship between Michael and Charlie just keeps getting hotter.  I was very happy to see There was much less, "OMG he is so hot" lines in this one  The romance is also kind of bittersweet since the relationship is kind of doomed.  How much longer Michael can stay around is anyone’s guess. 

I have a love/hate relationship with any type of series.  If I love it, I am always hesitant to read the latest one because I know I will have to wait months for the next installment, which I hate. When I got Her Last Whisper, I hesitated for a few days, but then dove right in.   While I loved the story, I screamed at the end.  Can we say, “HUGE cliffhanger”?  I’m not a particularly patient person, so I am dying to know when the next book is coming out!

If you haven’t read this series yet, make sure to check it out.  Ms. Robards is definitely one of my favorites.  Maybe she can become one of yours too!

The Last Kiss Goodbye by Karen Robards

Author: Karen Robards
Publisher: Ballantine
Date of publication: August 2013

Dr. Charlotte “Charlie” Stone has dedicated her career as a psychiatrist to exploring the darkest territory of all: the hearts and minds of serial killers. It’s a job she’s uniquely suited for, thanks to the secret talent that gives her an uncanny edge—Charlie can see dead people, whose tormented spirits cry out to her for the justice only she can provide. This blessing—or curse—gives Charlie the power to hunt down and catch madmen and murderers. It’s also turned her love life upside down by drawing her into a hopelessly passionate relationship with the lingering ghost of charismatic bad boy Michael Garland.

Let me start by saying that I loved the first book, The Last Victim.  I was eager to read the sequel and had high hopes.  I'm sad to say that the book didn't live up to my expectations. I liked it, I just didn't love it.  If the book was a straight mystery/thriller, I would give the book high scores.  I loved the hunt for the Gingerbread Man. I also thought the way he kills people was interesting and ingenious.  That part of the story-line definitely kept me guessing and when the serial killer was revealed, I was genuinely surprised.

The part of the book that I didn't like was the romance.  Charlie is in love with a ghost.  The attraction was kind of cool in the first book, but I'm not so sure it worked for me in this one.  What got tiring was the many times that Charlie tells us that she can't love a ghost, that it will never work and that she should just move on. I also got tired of hearing how hot and sexy Michael was and how it made Charlie hot and bothered.  I think by the third chapter, I got it.  I also began to not like how she was kind of toying with Tony's feelings.  He really wants to be with her and she keeps stringing him along. The whole thing is kind of a weird love triangle.  I'm hoping there is a good resolution to this in the next story.  The book ends in a kind of cliffhanger, so I do look forward to seeing what happens next.

Review: Shiver by Karen Robards

Author: Karen Robards
Publisher: Gallery Books
Date of Publication: December 2012

When she swore off love, he was the last man she imagined would steal her heart. If driving a piece-of-crap tow truck through the seediest part of town with a Smith & Wesson beside her means putting a roof over her son’s head, then Samantha Jones is going to be the best damn repo woman on the books. The streetwalkers, the drug pushers, the bands of looking-for-trouble punks haunting the mean streets at midnight don’t intimidate her. These are her people. The guy she finds bound and bloodied in the trunk of her latest conquest, a flashy new BMW, is a different breed entirely.

Shiver is the latest by Karen Robards.  She is an automatic author for me.  Even though her books can be predictable at times, I still enjoy them.  This book was pretty fast paced with  a lot of action.  It made the story fly by pretty quickly   It's an enjoyable story-line with a "who can you really trust" feel to it.  There was a twist at the end that I liked.  

I liked Sam and Danny.  I thought is was interesting that Sam could fall for Danny while she thought he was  a scumbag FBI agent turned criminal.  I think it didn't bother me as much because, as the reader, I knew who he really was and what his character was really like.  Their chemistry was pretty strong and very steamy.  

The only thing that really bothered me about the book was Sam's son Tyler.  He is supposed to be 4 years old.  But he really acted and spoke like he was older, more like 8 or 9.  He was much more observant  and mature than most 4 year olds I know.  So that just drove me crazy throughout the book.  

Review: The Last Victim by Karen Robards

Author; Karen Robards
Publisher: Ballantine
Date of Publication: August 2012
 
Dr. Charlotte Stone sees what others do not.

A sought-after expert in criminal pathology, Charlie regularly sits face-to-face with madmen. Obsessed with learning what makes human monsters commit terrible crimes, Charlie desires little else from life—no doubt because when she was sixteen, she herself survived a serial killer’s bloodbath: A man butchered the family of Charlie’s best friend, Holly, then left the girl’s body on a seaside boardwalk one week later.



The Last Victim is the first book in a new series by Karen Robards.  It features Dr. Charlotte (Charlie) Stone, a forensic psychiatrist who specializes in serial killers.  She was witness to and the only survivor of a brutal murder years before.  This experience is what helped her to choose her path in life.  Now it seems that the killer is back and the FBI wants her to help them find him.
 
For the most part, I enjoyed the story.  I liked Charlie.  She is smart and strong and isn't afraid to psychoanalyze herself. She has an interesting gift. She can see dead people for a little while after they have met with a violent end. This comes in handy when searching for a killer.  The mystery was intriguing.  I liked the twists, especially at the end.  I didn't see it coming at all.  And despite the fact that he was a convicted serial killer in life, I actually kind of liked Michael Garland.  He grew on me and I almost wonder if we will find out in later books if he really did do the crimes of which he was convicted. I suspect that, deep down, Charlie doesn't really believe it either.
 
My complaint with the book was that there were parts of it that were long and drawn out.  I have read a lot of this author's books and she isn't usually this long winded.  It was almost like she was trying to fill up pages to expand the book.  One dream sequence took 3 chapters when it probably could have been reduced to one. The romance in this book was a little unconventional and may be a bit off putting to some readers. You'll have to judge for yourself. 

The next Charlie Stone book, The Last Kiss Goodbye, comes out in August of this year.  I look forward to reading it.

Throwback Thursday: Paradise County by Karen Robards

Author: Karen Robards

First published in 2000 by Atria 

Left bankrupt after her billionaire father's sudden death, Alexandra Haywood returns to Shelby County, Kentucky -- that bit of Southern splendor known as Paradise County -- to sell the family's magnificent horse farm. Part of her mission is to re Joe Welch, the sexy, stubborn farm manager who worked hard for the Haywoods while raising his children. But Joe refuses to be red, and he and Alex clash. They also fall for each other -- hard. Just as their attraction ares, a shocking murder with ties to the past rocks the county -- and cuts close to home when Joe's teenage son, Eli, and Alex's wild-spirited younger sister, Neely, vanish. Now, the evil that lurks beneath Paradise County raises its gruesome head -- and Alex is targeted as the next victim.

I'm not sure I really enjoyed Paradise County.  In truth, it was kind of dull. Even the mystery was just so-so.  Don't get me wrong, the killer is very twisted and some of the scenes are gruesome.  But the motivation behind his acts isn't totally clear.  Also,the identity of the killer came out of nowhere for me.

 I didn't really care for the heroine.  Other than lust, I didn't really see what Joe saw in her either.  Alex comes across as unemotional and kind of bitchy.  She just wasn't very likeable.  The only interesting character in the book was Joe.  I really felt for him when he realizes he is about to lose his horses as well as his job.  I also had to commend him for putting his family first.

I ended up listening to the audiobook. The narrator's voice annoyed me, especially when she was reading the part of the younger sister.  Think high pitched valley girl.  Yuck. I love Karen Robards, but I can't say I would recommend this one.

Sleepwalker by Karen Robards

Author: Karen Robards

Publisher: Gallery

Date of Publication: December 2011

It’s not that Micayla Lange is afraid of the clinking she hears coming from the first floor of the empty McMansion she’s house sitting for her uncle Nicco. She’s a cop, after all. It’s just that finding out her boyfriend was cheating on her was enough drama for one night. Now she’s alone on New Year’s Eve, wearing flannel pajamas and wielding a Glock 22 as she zeroes in on the unmistakable source of the sound: Uncle Nicco’s private office.

Jason Davis steals things for a living, so unexpected developments are a natural part of the job. Getting caught red-handed by a hot, pigtail-sporting police officer in what is supposed to be a gangster’s deserted house is just one more twist in the game. Kind of like finding incriminating photos in Nicco Marino’s safe, only to discover the cop—and the security cameras—have gotten a real good look at his face.

Unfortunately for Mick, she also got a good look at the damned pictures. Her “uncle” might love her like family, but if he knows she’s seen evidence that implicates him in the murder of a city councilman, she doesn’t like her chances. Which is why she’s having a hard time reconciling her professional instincts with what she is rapidly concluding is an inescapable fact: She’s about to help a criminal get away with a suitcase full of stolen money. And she’s going with him.

Mick and Jason’s race for their lives hurtles them through the dangerous Michigan wilderness on speedboat and snowmobile. As their adventure heats up and their enemies close in, Mick is torn between her duty to the force and the combustible passion engulfing her and her unlikely partner in crime. She’ll have to turn Jason in sooner or later…if they survive. But will they ever get a second chance at love?

Was Sleepwalker the best book of Ms. Robards that I have read? Not really, but I did enjoy it.  Micayla and Jason have a very instant attraction to each other, despite being on opposite sides of the law.  I loved Jason's character.  I could actually understand his motivation for why he became a thief and didn't really fault him for it.  Micayla's character was a nice change from the naive virginal women I have been reading about lately.  She is tough and not afraid to go after what she wants.  I liked that.  Their banter was very amusing at times.  I could definitely see them as a couple.

Overall, the mystery was pretty good.  It takes place over about 3 days, so it is pretty fast paced.  There are a couple of twists that kept me guessing.  I had two issues with the book.  One, I had a really hard time believing that Micayla never figured out that Uncle Nicco was a big time mob guy and that her bosses in law enforcement never tried to use their relationship to their advantage.  That part really didn't fly with me.  What did she think he did for a living and why all the big goons for security?  The other thing that grated on my nerves was Micayla's nickname.  Every time she was referred to as "Mick", I kept picturing a guy in my head.  It is a guy name after all.  I'm not a fan of nicknames in general, but using a guy's name for a girl nickname drives me batty.

 The audio version was pretty good.  I think most fans of Ms. Robards will want to give this one a try.