Cold Truth

My preference in reading is light because I read a lot of medical stuff for work. I love suspense with a touch of romance. Mariah Stewart is very entertaining. If you like heavy sappy romance or trashy sex scenes, this is not the author for you. I prefer it's kept clean without eye-rolling lines, so I prefer Stewart. I used to read a lot of James Patterson, but he got way too grewsome for me, so again, this is enough gorey detail for me. All in all, her books are well-written and more than enough to hold my interest until the end. Plus, I'm a Jersey girl, and I love books that take place in that area, like Mary Higgins Clark.

I do not like the sappy-type romance books. I really like how Mariah adds a little romance to these books WITHOUT getting sappy. I do not understand what everyone else is saying about there being too many characters. I thought it was great. I love how the characters in her books overlap. It's like meeting old friends. I have the other two and can't wait for the final book to come out! I'm trying to pace my reading so I finish these just as the third comes out. I get really into the books and can't put them down so I doubt that plan will work.

I loved Mariah Stewart's "Dead" series, and I was thrilled to see her put out another one. My only regret is that I read that one awhile after it came out, so I could read all three in a row. Now, after finishing the first one, I have to wait for the next ones to come out.

Twenty-six years have passed since the horror, but Cassandra "Cass" Burke will never forget. When she was six, someone killed her family, but made one mistake; the assailant thought she was dead too. Rookie police officer Craig Denver comforted the child and over the tears provided support to her. For the past decade, Cass has served as a cop turned detective with Bowers Inlet, New Jersey, headed by Craig. Suddenly in the past week four homicides occurred by the same person who has taunted Craig with notes just like the Bayside Strangler did twenty plus years ago. Craig and Cass know they are out of their league so ask for help from the FBI. Special Agent Rick Cisco works with Cass and Denver while Special Agent Mitchell Peyton is dispatched to the home of writer Regan Landry, daughter of a recently famous bestselling true crime author to see if he had information on the Bayside Strangler and hopefully a lead to stop Bowers Inlet killer. Though this is the first novel of the Truth mini series, Mariah Stewart's fans will recognize some of the law enforcement characters from the previous Dead tale leading to the feeling that crime never sleeps. The story line is action-packed as the beleaguered local cops and their outside allies struggle with time slipping into the future summer tourist rush, which could mean an exponential increase in homicides. There is romance in the tale, but that takes a back seat to a strong serial killer police procedural that will leave Ms. Stewart's grateful but frightened audience leaving lights on 24/7. Harriet Klausner

When Cass was only six, her entire family was massacred in their home. Cass had been left for dead, but amazingly survived. Craig Denver, a rookie, carried her out of that house. He became her mentor. That had been twenty-six years ago, almost to the day. Now she is Detective Cassandra "Cass" Burke. She has been a copy with Bowers Inlet, New Jersey, for about ten years. Craig Denver is not the Chief of Police. It is still a small town on the shore and Cass is the only detective. She suddenly finds herself in a serial homicide investigation. The killer is sending Denver taunting notes, just as the Bayside Strangler did the former chief, twenty-odd years ago. But why would he kill so many and then disappear for so long before beginning anew? Or was it a copycat killer? There are four victims in only six days. Denver and Cass need help. John Mancini with the FBI sends Special Agent Rick Cisco to help Cass and Denver out. Mancini also sends Special Agent Mitchell Peyton to the home of Regan Landry. Regan is a writer. Her father was famous for his true crime best sellers. many criminals wrote to him in hopes of being immortalized in one of his books. But he had been murdered eight months ago by Lowell (a killer in one of the "Dead" series). While going through her father's things, Regan locates files and notes about the Bayside Strangler. The killer had been in contact with Regan's father long ago. But the files and notes are scattered. With Peyton's help, perhaps they could find some clue to identify the killer currently in Bowers Inlet. Time is running out. The population is about to triple due to summer renters. If the killer is not captured before then, the body count will sky rocket! ***** If you read Mariah Stewart's "Dead" series, then you are going to recognize a few secondary (law) characters. This makes it all more realistic to the readers. However, this novel is actually the first of the "Truth" series. So you do not need to have read any of Stewart's other books to get the full impact. And this story will feel like a sock in your gut. The author obviously did some deep research in order to paint such vivid pictures with her words. I found this one to be so real, it was hard to fall asleep at night. Excellent beginning to a new thriller series! ***** Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.