Review: Murder Notes by Lisa Renee Jones

Title: Murder Notes

Author:  Lisa Renee Jones
Publisher: Montlake Romance

Publishing Date:  March 27th, 2018

Pages: 270
Genre: Adult Romantic Suspense/ Crime-Thriller

Series:  Lilah Love #1
Source:  Audio

 

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 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?

I found this book roaming around on audible one day. I thought it sounded really good and I was in the mood for something of a mystery thriller but a little different then what I have been reading which is a psychological thriller. I can say that I quite enjoyed this book. It really had the perfect balance of mystery, suspense, romance, and character development. I really loved the main character and she did set the tone for the entire book. The book was a fast paced quick read and it was good.

Lilah Love is an FBI profiler with a past full of secrets, one in particular that haunts her and he would just rather forget all about it. Since her life in the Hamptons fell apart two years ago, she has moved on, she is working and dating and trying to reset. This proves to be difficult when a series of murders happen and the case leads her back home. Home to where her past resides, her secret hides, and her former love lives. Things are about to get messy. Not only does she not want to go home, she is also concerned that the murders have a lot to do with her and her past. She may just be the target. She must unravel it all before things escalate and her present is ruined by her past. 

I am so happy I found this book on audible, and it was right before the second book was released. I don’t have that one planned to read right now but I do want to read it asap, so I am happy to see that it is there waiting for me.  

This book has so much. The setting was interesting for me. I haven’t really read a book with the setting of the Hamptons and the rich and famous or notorious residents. It has a small town feel but on the devious side. Many of the residents come from money, a few are just worker bees that happen to reside and work in this area. There was a great mixture of unique characters that I just enjoyed. The small town feel comes from everyone knowing everyone and everyone is in everyone else's business. The main thing that was quite new to me in this read was the mob aspect. I really haven't read much with the mob family workings involved. I actually enjoyed it much more than anticipated.

The characters really brought this story to life. I loved the main character, Lilash. She was so sassy and vibrant. She knew what she wanted and she didn’t hesitate to get it. Even though she has a dark secret looming from her past she prefers to keep hidden, she lives her life. The thoughts of her past, the traumatic stress it brings, the knowledge of what she has done, is tough on her and she spends much of her time fighting off the dark it brings… but she doesn’t allow it to hold her back. She has separated herself from her past and she is trying to move on. Of course, one call, one case, opens it all up again and she finds herself right back into her old life. One place she doesn't want to revisit and one person there she doesn’t want to see. She has a job to do and she sets forward with a goal in mind. She is a character of layers, so many layers, and it takes a while for those layers to start to unravel. She hides them well behind a strong and matter of fact persona, but the layers are there, the dark is there.

The other character to note in this band of wonderful cast members is Kane., Oh how I loved him. From the beginning, I didn’t want to love him. The only thing I knew about him was what Lilah defined.  He is dangerous, he is dark, he sucks people in. She didn’t mention or focus on his charm, his good looks, his desire and deep love for her. Their relationship has been over for a couple of years, but the feelings and sexual tension are still very strong.  Which makes for a devouring read. I just couldn’t get enough of him.

The mystery is set around a group of murders that are deemed serial but Lilah is sure they are assasinations… which she doesn’t want to get involved with especially after they make an appearance In her home town of the Hamptons just moments after she  lands on the ground. She knows it has to do with the mob and with assasinations. She thinks they may have to do with her but she isn’t quite sure how… all she knows is that there is a mystyerious tattoo that brings many dark memories back to her closed off world.

The setting, the plot, the characters, the tone… all a great mixture to create a read I just couldn’t put down. The suspense was there. I find it rare that a book really has me on the edge of my seat but at times this book did. I still have no idea what is going on and who is killing and what is going to happen, and the ending was so full of bad and antagonizing suspense.

Nothing was really solved. That is the only complaint I  have. It just ends and I so wasn’t in the mood for that. Most adult books are ended with some kind of conclusion. This book not so much. Like I said the second book is out and I do need it so I know what happens. I also need more of these characters.

I just need more, I truly loved this book. 

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT series. Suzanne Todd (producer of Alice in Wonderland) on the INSIDE OUT series: Lisa has created a beautiful, complicated, and sensual world that is filled with intrigue and suspense. Sara’s character is strong, flawed, complex, and sexy - a modern girl we all can identify with.

In addition to the success of Lisa's INSIDE OUT series, she has published many successful titles. The TALL, DARK AND DEADLY series and THE SECRET LIFE OF AMY BENSEN series, both spent several months on a combination of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling lists. Lisa is presently working on a dark, edgy new series, Dirty Money, for St. Martin's Press.
Prior to publishing Lisa owned multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by the Dallas Women's Magazine. In 1998 Lisa was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine.

Lisa loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her at www.lisareneejones.com and she is active on Twitter and Facebook daily.