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Alvarez & Pescoli #1
Left to Die
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jackson comes the chilling, riveting novel that first introduced Detectives Selena Alvarez and Regan Pescoli, hunting for a serial killer who is both savior and executioner�
In the lonely woods around Grizzly Falls, Montana, the first body is discovered, stripped naked and tied to a tree. Alvarez and Pescoli have been hoping for a career-making case, but this is a nightmare. The killer stages car accidents on icy, isolated roads and “rescues� his victims. He toys with them, heals them, earns their trust . . . before subjecting them to a slow, agonizing death.
When Jillian Rivers opens her eyes, she’s trapped in a mangled car. Then a stranger, claiming to be a trail guide, pries her free. Though she’s grateful, something about him sets Jillian on edge. And if she knew what was lying in wait for her, she’d be truly terrified . . .
Even with the FBI involved, Selena and Regan have nothing to go on but a series of cryptic notes, and the unsettling knowledge that there is much worse to come. Piece by piece, the killer’s brutal plan is taking shape. But his final move will be the most shocking—and personal—of all . . .
In the lonely woods around Grizzly Falls, Montana, the first body is discovered, stripped naked and tied to a tree. Alvarez and Pescoli have been hoping for a career-making case, but this is a nightmare. The killer stages car accidents on icy, isolated roads and “rescues� his victims. He toys with them, heals them, earns their trust . . . before subjecting them to a slow, agonizing death.
When Jillian Rivers opens her eyes, she’s trapped in a mangled car. Then a stranger, claiming to be a trail guide, pries her free. Though she’s grateful, something about him sets Jillian on edge. And if she knew what was lying in wait for her, she’d be truly terrified . . .
Even with the FBI involved, Selena and Regan have nothing to go on but a series of cryptic notes, and the unsettling knowledge that there is much worse to come. Piece by piece, the killer’s brutal plan is taking shape. But his final move will be the most shocking—and personal—of all . . .
18 pages, Audio CD
First published January 1, 2008
3205 people are currently reading
16718 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Jackson
267Ìýbooks9,234ÌýfollowersLisa Jackson is the number-one New York Times bestselling author of over ninety-five novels, including the Rick Bentz and Reuben Montoya Series, the Pescoli and Alvarez Series, the Savannah series, and numerous stand alone novels. She also is the co-author of One Last Breath, Last Girl Standing, and the Colony Series, written with her sister and bestselling author Nancy Bush, as well as the collaborative novels Sinister and Ominous, written with Nancy Bush and Rosalind Noonan. There are over thirty million copies of her novels in print and her writing has been translated into twenty languages.
Before she became a nationally bestselling author, she was a mother struggling to keep food on the table by writing novels, hoping against hope that someone would pay her for them. Today, neck deep in murder, her books appear on The New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly national bestseller lists.
With dozens of bestsellers to her name, Lisa Jackson is a master of taking readers to the edge of sanity—and back—in novels that buzz with dangerous secrets and deadly passions. She continues to be fascinated by the minds and motives of both her killers and their pursuers—the personal, the professional, and the downright twisted. As she builds the puzzle of relationships, actions, clues, lies, and personal histories that haunt her protagonists, she must also confront the fear and terror faced by her victims and the harsh and enduring truth that, in the real world, terror and madness touch far too many lives and families.
Visit where you can find a Media Kit with photos and more information.
Before she became a nationally bestselling author, she was a mother struggling to keep food on the table by writing novels, hoping against hope that someone would pay her for them. Today, neck deep in murder, her books appear on The New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly national bestseller lists.
With dozens of bestsellers to her name, Lisa Jackson is a master of taking readers to the edge of sanity—and back—in novels that buzz with dangerous secrets and deadly passions. She continues to be fascinated by the minds and motives of both her killers and their pursuers—the personal, the professional, and the downright twisted. As she builds the puzzle of relationships, actions, clues, lies, and personal histories that haunt her protagonists, she must also confront the fear and terror faced by her victims and the harsh and enduring truth that, in the real world, terror and madness touch far too many lives and families.
Visit where you can find a Media Kit with photos and more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 958 reviews
August 21, 2008
Ugh. This book was so incredibly dumb, I couldn't believe I actually spent $5 for it. It dragged on and on. Although the book is about a serial killer, the book doesn't really probe into the killer's mind or really explore his motives. The reader is left clueless (of course, you are encouraged to buy another book to find out what the heck is really going on).
All in all, I really did NOT like this book. It seemed like one long prologue.
All in all, I really did NOT like this book. It seemed like one long prologue.
January 29, 2015
This was my first Lisa Jackson book and I really enjoyed it. It was fast moving, had a good plot and I connected with the characters. What I found most frightening is that a nut job, serial killer is walking among the public and no one is the wiser. There are actually two different stories going on surrounding the brutal killings and parts of the story are told from inside the mind of the killer. A little romance mixed with suspense is always fun and in this case dangerous. At the end of the book our killer is still on the loose and none of the detectives nor the FBI can figured out the strange clues he is leaving behind.
I will definitely be reading on in this series and am very interested in how many of the characters are brought back in the next book. Alan Nebelthau does an excellent job narrating. No weird voices or dialects except for maybe the killer who he makes very creepy. Thank you Janie for recommending this series.
I will definitely be reading on in this series and am very interested in how many of the characters are brought back in the next book. Alan Nebelthau does an excellent job narrating. No weird voices or dialects except for maybe the killer who he makes very creepy. Thank you Janie for recommending this series.
January 22, 2020
A serial killer in Montana is operating with a Misery type motif. He lures women to Montana, engineers a car accident, heals them up, then kills them. Seems like an awful lot of work to me.
A mismatched pair of female detectives try to hunt him down. I thought the detectives were boring.
You might like this more than I did.
A mismatched pair of female detectives try to hunt him down. I thought the detectives were boring.
You might like this more than I did.
August 17, 2008
Okay, but not too exciting. I was annoyed because it didn't solve all the mysteries. It left a major part to be solved in the next book. I don't like books like that. Fortunately, the book was not that gripping, so I don't mind if I don't find out the answer.
November 23, 2015
Okay, this book ticked me off. I did not appreciate having it end on a cliff hanger. I do not have the next book in my possession and will have to look for it. I strongly resent such manipulation by the author and was tempted to rate the book lower because of it.
But I did like it, for the most part, till I realized that it was not going to be resolved until the sequel. Although once I reached the so-called end, I found that the story involving Jillian Rivers was maybe just a little too hard to believe. I can't say too much without being accused of spoilers-- okay, I just can't hold it in so I'm putting a paragraph at the bottom of this review about the Jillian story.
[This paragraph has been moved to the end so if you don't want to read a spoiler, you can avoid it.]
Spoiler over. I feel much better for getting it off my chest. I'll move along. The other story is about Detectives Selena Alvarez and Regan Pescoli who are trying to solve the case involving the afore mentioned serial killer. This part is very interesting even if the book spends a little too much time on Pescoli's thoroughly unpleasant offspring. When Pescoli's ex husband tries to get custody of them from her, my feeling is, let him have them. They all deserve each other.
The police procedural aspects are interesting and trying to solve the code of the mystery messages left by the killers is kind of interesting, even if I thought it was much easier than the detectives did. When they finally did get around to solving it, about 150 pages after I did, I wondered, #1) why it had taken them so long and #2) why they were so alarmed by the message. The killer's a serial killer, folks. S/he is nutso! Why would you expect the coded message to be anything but frightening?
So, bottom line, if this book hadn't ended on cliffhanger, I would recommend it. However, because of the cliffhanger, I can't recommend it without warning you about it so you can either make sure you have both books in the series, or decide not to bother reading it because of the ending.
Don't say I didn't warn you.
Below is the paragraph about the Jillian story that I moved to the end of this review for those of you who don't want to read spoilers:
WARNING! THIS PARAGRAPH CONTAINS SPOILERS! IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT, SKIP THIS PARAGRAPH
Okay, the idea that the bigamous wife of Jillian's husband who faked his death years ago and left her holding the bag for defrauding a bunch of investors, is so jealous of his continued obsessive love for Jillian that she would lure Jillian to Montana where a serial killer is kidnapping women by shooting out their tires and then leaving their naked bodies tied to trees in the Montana winter is just too freaking stupid for me to swallow.
But I did like it, for the most part, till I realized that it was not going to be resolved until the sequel. Although once I reached the so-called end, I found that the story involving Jillian Rivers was maybe just a little too hard to believe. I can't say too much without being accused of spoilers-- okay, I just can't hold it in so I'm putting a paragraph at the bottom of this review about the Jillian story.
[This paragraph has been moved to the end so if you don't want to read a spoiler, you can avoid it.]
Spoiler over. I feel much better for getting it off my chest. I'll move along. The other story is about Detectives Selena Alvarez and Regan Pescoli who are trying to solve the case involving the afore mentioned serial killer. This part is very interesting even if the book spends a little too much time on Pescoli's thoroughly unpleasant offspring. When Pescoli's ex husband tries to get custody of them from her, my feeling is, let him have them. They all deserve each other.
The police procedural aspects are interesting and trying to solve the code of the mystery messages left by the killers is kind of interesting, even if I thought it was much easier than the detectives did. When they finally did get around to solving it, about 150 pages after I did, I wondered, #1) why it had taken them so long and #2) why they were so alarmed by the message. The killer's a serial killer, folks. S/he is nutso! Why would you expect the coded message to be anything but frightening?
So, bottom line, if this book hadn't ended on cliffhanger, I would recommend it. However, because of the cliffhanger, I can't recommend it without warning you about it so you can either make sure you have both books in the series, or decide not to bother reading it because of the ending.
Don't say I didn't warn you.
Below is the paragraph about the Jillian story that I moved to the end of this review for those of you who don't want to read spoilers:
WARNING! THIS PARAGRAPH CONTAINS SPOILERS! IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT, SKIP THIS PARAGRAPH
Okay, the idea that the bigamous wife of Jillian's husband who faked his death years ago and left her holding the bag for defrauding a bunch of investors, is so jealous of his continued obsessive love for Jillian that she would lure Jillian to Montana where a serial killer is kidnapping women by shooting out their tires and then leaving their naked bodies tied to trees in the Montana winter is just too freaking stupid for me to swallow.
January 7, 2022
I enjoyed this as a start to a series and liked that Jackson has one of her main characters, Pescoli, dealing with the challenges of being a single mother with a demanding job and facing the hypocrisy of being judged for having a sex life by her male counterparts when she'd be given a slap on the back with a wink if she were a man. The story does feel like something written in 2008 with statement's like "at least it's not rap" from Pescoli when she's complaining that her son has his music blasting. This was eye rolling from me but I will be giving the second book a go to see if I will keep on with the series; especially since I need to know what happens after there is a really big unresolved occurrence at the end.
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Where you can find me:
Twitter:
Instagram:
Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Group: The Black Bookcase
March 8, 2022
I'm rarely motivated to write a review here. I just enjoy reading. This time I have no choice. There is so much to not like in this book. It seems poorly researched with a plot line that is ridiculous . The characters are nothing to write home about either. Half way through I was pretty sure that it wasn't very good. I read to the end to see if the author could somehow make it work. Instead, not only was it bad, but the ending wan't an "ending". It didn't tie the main plot up or make the ludicrous twists and turns come together at all. In the end the reader is invited to read the next book to find the answers. I have read bad books before but to be told that the end is not the end at the end made me furious. To reiterate how bad I found this book, I had/have no inclination to read the sequel to find out what happens. Don't waste your time, the phone book would be a better read. At least at the end it is over.
August 26, 2008
I'm normally a pretty big fan of Lisa Jackson but I have to say her last two books,this one and Lost Souls did not thrill me. The idea for this book is great but it really goes nowhere. Yes one mystery is solved but it leaves the main story of the book unresolved,supposedly to be finished in Chosen To Die which doesn't come out for a year. Basically this book is nothing more than an almost 500 page build up to that book. Overall it was ok but definately not one of her best.
September 5, 2008
Amidst an unusually bad Montana winter, a serial killer is at work near the town of Grizzly Falls. The killer "rescues" his female victims when their cars careen off of a mountain road. Most of them don't realize that their accident was caused by the killer shooting their tires out. He then carries them off to a remote cabin in the mountains and wins their trust by tending to their wounds and lulling them into trusting him. Weeks later he will leave each victim tied, naked, to a tree, to die from exposure. Nice guy.
Under intense pressure to catch the killer as the body count rises, Detectives Selena Alvarez and Regan Pescoli work the case for months. But each has her own personal issues to deal with as well. Regan is divorced with two typically parent-hating teens and a difficult ex-husband. Not to mention a tendency to escape into a superficial relationship based on sex and alcohol. Selena is the opposite, a lonely and solitary woman with no life outside of her job. Despite help from the FBI, they are no closer to catching the killer in December than they were in September when the first body was found.
When Seattle resident Jillian Rivers starts to get anonymous tips that her deceased husband, Aaron, is alive, she thinks it must be some kind of prank. He's been dead for ten years. Okay, so the body was never found and it turned out that he had bilked investors out of a half a million dollars. But still, he must be dead, right? She eventually heads to Montana to follow up on some photos she has received that look alot like Aaron. But she never makes it, her tires are shot out and her car plummets to the bottom of a steep ravine.
Jillian is rescued by Zane MacGregor and taken to his cabin where he gives her medical care. But they are trapped together by an intense blizzard, unable to contact the outside world or make their way to a populated area. She is lucky to be alive but she has read about the serial killer, doesn't her situation fit the known pattern? Should she trust her rescuer? It seems she has no choice.
This creepy thriller is fast paced with engaging characters and a plot that will keep you guessing. Though part of the story is neatly wrapped up at the end of the book, the remainder will be continued in the author's next book, Chosen to Die, due out August 2009! I'm a little irked that I will have to wait so long to find out what happens!
Under intense pressure to catch the killer as the body count rises, Detectives Selena Alvarez and Regan Pescoli work the case for months. But each has her own personal issues to deal with as well. Regan is divorced with two typically parent-hating teens and a difficult ex-husband. Not to mention a tendency to escape into a superficial relationship based on sex and alcohol. Selena is the opposite, a lonely and solitary woman with no life outside of her job. Despite help from the FBI, they are no closer to catching the killer in December than they were in September when the first body was found.
When Seattle resident Jillian Rivers starts to get anonymous tips that her deceased husband, Aaron, is alive, she thinks it must be some kind of prank. He's been dead for ten years. Okay, so the body was never found and it turned out that he had bilked investors out of a half a million dollars. But still, he must be dead, right? She eventually heads to Montana to follow up on some photos she has received that look alot like Aaron. But she never makes it, her tires are shot out and her car plummets to the bottom of a steep ravine.
Jillian is rescued by Zane MacGregor and taken to his cabin where he gives her medical care. But they are trapped together by an intense blizzard, unable to contact the outside world or make their way to a populated area. She is lucky to be alive but she has read about the serial killer, doesn't her situation fit the known pattern? Should she trust her rescuer? It seems she has no choice.
This creepy thriller is fast paced with engaging characters and a plot that will keep you guessing. Though part of the story is neatly wrapped up at the end of the book, the remainder will be continued in the author's next book, Chosen to Die, due out August 2009! I'm a little irked that I will have to wait so long to find out what happens!
July 30, 2019
I loved this book!! Great story!! Can't wait to read the next book in the series!! Love this author's books!!
September 1, 2008
Chilling and Terrifiying!
A serial killer is in Grizzly Falls, Montana, shooting the tires of vehicles containing one lone occupant, a woman, his latest victim. He brings them to his ‘hide-out�, lets them recuperate somewhat, makes them dependant on him to the point of ‘wanting� him. He takes them out, completely naked in the middle of winter, ties them to trees and leaves them there to die of exposure, leaving behind a star carved into the trees above their heads and a cryptic note using the initials of the women he’s left to die. He eludes the police easily, never leaving a trace on either victim, never leaving one alive.
Jillian Rivers is believed to be the next victim. After receiving calls and pictures, she believes that the person on the other end of the line is giving her clues to her first husband, thought to be dead; the husband who was presumed dead after stealing have a million from investors. She’d been remarried and divorced and now lives alone, running a one-woman business, creator of booklets, leaflets, brochures, etc� The disturbing phone calls and the pictures put her on edge and decides to investigate on her own. She leaves her home in Seattle and takes off for Montana, in search of answers.
She’s read the gruesome news announcements of what’s going on in Montana, but that doesn’t faze her� until it happens to her. Her tire is blown on, her car ends up over a cliff and down and embankment. Her rescuer, Zane MacGregor. He brings her to her cabin, keeps her warm, fed, comfortable as much as possible, all while trying to figure out a way to get her to a hospital between breaks in the snow storms. But Zane is a quiet man, one who doesn’t like to relive or talk about his past. He doesn’t like company overmuch, and it shows. Should Jillian trust him?
I thought this book was incredible! A serious mystery leaves you completely clueless as who it could be. You get glimpses into the killer’s mind, and he’s downright scary. What he’s doing he believes it’s art, and it’s enough to freak out a reader.
Jillian is a woman who’s had to rebuild herself and tried to start anew. After a second marriage that failed inside of two years, she’s on her own - and prefers it that way. A determined woman, she’s absolutely p.o.ed when pictures and disturbing phone calls have her wondering if her first husband, the man she loved totally and completely, is still alive. Had he faked his own death? Only one way to find out, and off she goes.
True to form, her tire is blown out by one riffle shot, and her car crashes. Here comes Zane MacGregor to the rescue. He’s not very keen on having a ‘damsel in distress� in his home, and it shows. But is he the killer?
The book leaves you wondering and guessing until you don’t have to guess anymore. At first, with all the characters, it’s a little confusing until you get everyone in the right place and it goes along smoothly from there. The cops are smart, but so far the killer is eluding them very well. All they need is one break.
However, Jillian’s would-be killer isn’t the serial killer of the book, and I sooo loved that twist! However, I was upset at the end of the novel. Um, maybe frustrated would be a better word. Maybe even pissed. I mean, 484 pages in a book, and the story doesn’t end there. In fact, you still don’t know who the killer is, not even an inkling. To get the rest, the sequel, Chosen to Die, comes out a year from now. That’s a pisser for sure. To have to wait a year to get the second half of the story is going to piss off a lot of readers. And that’s why I’m telling you about that - in case you want to wait. Had I known about this, I’d have waited to put this in the pot for a book of the month. Even then, had I known, I’d have waited, period. And if I have to read another ‘department-issued� something or other (coats, ski-pants, gloves, hats, jeeps, etc�), I’m going to tear my hair out!
And while the ending of the book is completely frustrating, it has lots of good points: a killer with a sick, twisted mind, a love story, a mystery, action, tenseful suspense. The only thing stopping me from giving this the highest marks is the ending. Sorry, Ms. Jackson! That was not appreciated at all.
A serial killer is in Grizzly Falls, Montana, shooting the tires of vehicles containing one lone occupant, a woman, his latest victim. He brings them to his ‘hide-out�, lets them recuperate somewhat, makes them dependant on him to the point of ‘wanting� him. He takes them out, completely naked in the middle of winter, ties them to trees and leaves them there to die of exposure, leaving behind a star carved into the trees above their heads and a cryptic note using the initials of the women he’s left to die. He eludes the police easily, never leaving a trace on either victim, never leaving one alive.
Jillian Rivers is believed to be the next victim. After receiving calls and pictures, she believes that the person on the other end of the line is giving her clues to her first husband, thought to be dead; the husband who was presumed dead after stealing have a million from investors. She’d been remarried and divorced and now lives alone, running a one-woman business, creator of booklets, leaflets, brochures, etc� The disturbing phone calls and the pictures put her on edge and decides to investigate on her own. She leaves her home in Seattle and takes off for Montana, in search of answers.
She’s read the gruesome news announcements of what’s going on in Montana, but that doesn’t faze her� until it happens to her. Her tire is blown on, her car ends up over a cliff and down and embankment. Her rescuer, Zane MacGregor. He brings her to her cabin, keeps her warm, fed, comfortable as much as possible, all while trying to figure out a way to get her to a hospital between breaks in the snow storms. But Zane is a quiet man, one who doesn’t like to relive or talk about his past. He doesn’t like company overmuch, and it shows. Should Jillian trust him?
I thought this book was incredible! A serious mystery leaves you completely clueless as who it could be. You get glimpses into the killer’s mind, and he’s downright scary. What he’s doing he believes it’s art, and it’s enough to freak out a reader.
Jillian is a woman who’s had to rebuild herself and tried to start anew. After a second marriage that failed inside of two years, she’s on her own - and prefers it that way. A determined woman, she’s absolutely p.o.ed when pictures and disturbing phone calls have her wondering if her first husband, the man she loved totally and completely, is still alive. Had he faked his own death? Only one way to find out, and off she goes.
True to form, her tire is blown out by one riffle shot, and her car crashes. Here comes Zane MacGregor to the rescue. He’s not very keen on having a ‘damsel in distress� in his home, and it shows. But is he the killer?
The book leaves you wondering and guessing until you don’t have to guess anymore. At first, with all the characters, it’s a little confusing until you get everyone in the right place and it goes along smoothly from there. The cops are smart, but so far the killer is eluding them very well. All they need is one break.
However, Jillian’s would-be killer isn’t the serial killer of the book, and I sooo loved that twist! However, I was upset at the end of the novel. Um, maybe frustrated would be a better word. Maybe even pissed. I mean, 484 pages in a book, and the story doesn’t end there. In fact, you still don’t know who the killer is, not even an inkling. To get the rest, the sequel, Chosen to Die, comes out a year from now. That’s a pisser for sure. To have to wait a year to get the second half of the story is going to piss off a lot of readers. And that’s why I’m telling you about that - in case you want to wait. Had I known about this, I’d have waited to put this in the pot for a book of the month. Even then, had I known, I’d have waited, period. And if I have to read another ‘department-issued� something or other (coats, ski-pants, gloves, hats, jeeps, etc�), I’m going to tear my hair out!
And while the ending of the book is completely frustrating, it has lots of good points: a killer with a sick, twisted mind, a love story, a mystery, action, tenseful suspense. The only thing stopping me from giving this the highest marks is the ending. Sorry, Ms. Jackson! That was not appreciated at all.
May 3, 2019
This book had a lot going on...some good ... some overload.
There are actually multiple points of view and this aspect gets busy.
The two lead detectives are Pescoli and Alvarez. You just get hints about Alvarez but you get overload of Pescoli's messed up life. For me, her life became a distraction to the serial plot. I found her very irritating and wishing for more from Alvarez or the FBI agents.
The serial killer is in 1st POV present tense which is a writing style that I personally don't enjoy reading. So that was a negative. The serial killer plot ends on a cliffhanger which I absolutely hate!! Not sure how many books you have to read for an ending. But since this is an older series, at least they're published.
There is subplot of a copycat killer going after another woman, Jillian, who gets injured and rescued. This plot was pretty much researched by the woman and the person who rescued her. Of course there's a friend that's a hacker to jumpstart finding clues. You do get a resolution but it felt a bit abrupt.
One thing that Pescoli and Jillian have in common are they both have 2 bad marriages each and they get in trouble by reacting before thinking. So both their lives were messed up.
The story had lots of potential but it was also felt choppy and frustrating.
There are actually multiple points of view and this aspect gets busy.
The two lead detectives are Pescoli and Alvarez. You just get hints about Alvarez but you get overload of Pescoli's messed up life. For me, her life became a distraction to the serial plot. I found her very irritating and wishing for more from Alvarez or the FBI agents.
The serial killer is in 1st POV present tense which is a writing style that I personally don't enjoy reading. So that was a negative. The serial killer plot ends on a cliffhanger which I absolutely hate!! Not sure how many books you have to read for an ending. But since this is an older series, at least they're published.
There is subplot of a copycat killer going after another woman, Jillian, who gets injured and rescued. This plot was pretty much researched by the woman and the person who rescued her. Of course there's a friend that's a hacker to jumpstart finding clues. You do get a resolution but it felt a bit abrupt.
One thing that Pescoli and Jillian have in common are they both have 2 bad marriages each and they get in trouble by reacting before thinking. So both their lives were messed up.
The story had lots of potential but it was also felt choppy and frustrating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2017
It was good. Kind of slow in the middle and you have to read the next book to figure out who done it. That pissed me off.
But the good parts were really good. I'm not reading the next one to find out the ending. :/
But the good parts were really good. I'm not reading the next one to find out the ending. :/
January 10, 2019
This was a pretty good start to a series. The formula this author used still plays on. A redhead, family tangles, divorce, half siblings, reclaim pets that come with property, make victims not sexually abused but killers who get off nonetheless. No overt religious themes, but close enough.
SPOILERS AHEAD
The book starts off way too slow. So many POVs and the narrator doesn’t help. Half the time I was surprised to realize we shifted POV as little to no voice inflection is used to differentiate characters of same sex.
Then there was the use of chloroform to suggest a victim goes unconscious instantaneously is flawed as it takes approx five minutes for that to work. RESEARCH.
Also, McGregor tells the reader that he and the veterinarian were just in it for thrills and no one got hurt. But he admits to Jillian he stopped seeing said doctor because she wanted more. Generally internal dialogue is more honest. So I’ll chuck this as an author mistake.
Overall, once into the story, it picked up a lot and I’ll be moving onto next even without the cliffy.
SPOILERS AHEAD
The book starts off way too slow. So many POVs and the narrator doesn’t help. Half the time I was surprised to realize we shifted POV as little to no voice inflection is used to differentiate characters of same sex.
Then there was the use of chloroform to suggest a victim goes unconscious instantaneously is flawed as it takes approx five minutes for that to work. RESEARCH.
Also, McGregor tells the reader that he and the veterinarian were just in it for thrills and no one got hurt. But he admits to Jillian he stopped seeing said doctor because she wanted more. Generally internal dialogue is more honest. So I’ll chuck this as an author mistake.
Overall, once into the story, it picked up a lot and I’ll be moving onto next even without the cliffy.
May 4, 2016
Please note that I gave this book 3.5 stars but rounded it up to 4 stars on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ.
So here's the thing. When one is on a boat for 9 days and realize that the Kindle/Nook gods have forsaken you and you realize that your boat has a library (oh yeah baby) you grab a book that looks interesting. I finished and started this book all on the same day and really enjoyed it, though I had some problems with having a third lead (really not necessary and also confusing) the pacing, and also with the cliffhanger ending. I promptly bought book #2 after reading this because I was on pins and needles to see how things got resolved.
"Left to Die" follows to partners, Detectives Selena Alvarez and Regan Pescoli as they are on the hunt for a serial killer in Grizzly Falls, Montana.
I have to say out of the partnership, I really liked Selena a lot more than Regan. Selena is single and very much focused on her job. She is more inquisitive than her partner Regan and I like that we don't for once have a woman who is good at her job that is broken.
Regan on the other hand I was pretty well sick of by the end of the book. She is obsessed with some unknown named man she is sleeping with (and the book and others pretty much come out and call her a "slut" for sleeping with multiple men) and has two of the worst children that I have come across in a book for some time. Seriously girl, I would have liked you more if you had slapped your kids just once. Regan has been widowed once and divorced once and is struggling to raise her kids while dealing with an ex that does not give one shit about paying for the kids, but likes to pick at what a bad mom she is.
taylor rules caught villain stealing
One reason why I only gave this book 3.5 stars is that though the series promises to be focused on our two detectives, we bring in a third primary lead with Jillian Rivers. Jillian keeps getting mysterious phone calls that seem to be about her presumed dead first husband. Traveling through Montana her car gets into an accident and a man named Zane McGregor rescues her. I am not going to lie. I thought Jillian's whole storyline could have been cut from the book and I would not have missed it. I thought it was a joke that we have Jillian talking about how many self defense classes and styles of martial arts she was trained in and we get to the end of the book and she pretty much got her butt handed to her by someone.
There are some secondary characters we get to follow in this book and one of the main secondary characters is the actual serial killer. Can I say something? I always think it's weird when we have these stories and the killers leave clues behind? I mean why? You want to get caught? I don't get it myself. So this serial killer is leaving a lot of clues behind and Regan and Selena are not getting them.
I thought there was honestly too many plots going on in the book. I liked Regan and Selena's plots more and it took forever for Jillian to even get involved with the main story in my mind.
The writing was okay. I did think the flow was hampered by switching perspective so much.
Montana was well used as a setting since Jackson does impress upon you remote areas, the coldness of the winter, and the clothes people wear to compensate for how cold they are at all times. I was sitting outside soaking up sunshine for as long as possible while reading this book.
The ending really annoyed me and also had me running to get the next book. It ends on a cliffhanger and I kid you not I said out loud, "Not cool." and went and downloaded the next one in this series to read what happens next.
So here's the thing. When one is on a boat for 9 days and realize that the Kindle/Nook gods have forsaken you and you realize that your boat has a library (oh yeah baby) you grab a book that looks interesting. I finished and started this book all on the same day and really enjoyed it, though I had some problems with having a third lead (really not necessary and also confusing) the pacing, and also with the cliffhanger ending. I promptly bought book #2 after reading this because I was on pins and needles to see how things got resolved.
"Left to Die" follows to partners, Detectives Selena Alvarez and Regan Pescoli as they are on the hunt for a serial killer in Grizzly Falls, Montana.
I have to say out of the partnership, I really liked Selena a lot more than Regan. Selena is single and very much focused on her job. She is more inquisitive than her partner Regan and I like that we don't for once have a woman who is good at her job that is broken.
Regan on the other hand I was pretty well sick of by the end of the book. She is obsessed with some unknown named man she is sleeping with (and the book and others pretty much come out and call her a "slut" for sleeping with multiple men) and has two of the worst children that I have come across in a book for some time. Seriously girl, I would have liked you more if you had slapped your kids just once. Regan has been widowed once and divorced once and is struggling to raise her kids while dealing with an ex that does not give one shit about paying for the kids, but likes to pick at what a bad mom she is.
taylor rules caught villain stealing
One reason why I only gave this book 3.5 stars is that though the series promises to be focused on our two detectives, we bring in a third primary lead with Jillian Rivers. Jillian keeps getting mysterious phone calls that seem to be about her presumed dead first husband. Traveling through Montana her car gets into an accident and a man named Zane McGregor rescues her. I am not going to lie. I thought Jillian's whole storyline could have been cut from the book and I would not have missed it. I thought it was a joke that we have Jillian talking about how many self defense classes and styles of martial arts she was trained in and we get to the end of the book and she pretty much got her butt handed to her by someone.
There are some secondary characters we get to follow in this book and one of the main secondary characters is the actual serial killer. Can I say something? I always think it's weird when we have these stories and the killers leave clues behind? I mean why? You want to get caught? I don't get it myself. So this serial killer is leaving a lot of clues behind and Regan and Selena are not getting them.
I thought there was honestly too many plots going on in the book. I liked Regan and Selena's plots more and it took forever for Jillian to even get involved with the main story in my mind.
The writing was okay. I did think the flow was hampered by switching perspective so much.
Montana was well used as a setting since Jackson does impress upon you remote areas, the coldness of the winter, and the clothes people wear to compensate for how cold they are at all times. I was sitting outside soaking up sunshine for as long as possible while reading this book.
The ending really annoyed me and also had me running to get the next book. It ends on a cliffhanger and I kid you not I said out loud, "Not cool." and went and downloaded the next one in this series to read what happens next.
October 6, 2022
This is the first book in the Alvarez & Pescoli serial and I loved it! Jillian Rivers crashes her car in a snowstorm, and Zane McGregor finds her freezing and trapped inside. He takes her back to his cabin, where he does his best to nurse her back to health while not being able to call anyone or take her to a hospital. While this is going on, Selena Alvarez and Regan Pescoli are trying to solve a series of murders where a woman's empty car is found crashed in the snow, and days later her dead body is found.
The POV changes between multiple characters, and you start to wonder if Jillian is the next victim. Alvarez and Pescoli both have a lot going on in their personal lives along with being female police officers trying to solve this case. There is barely any evidence, other than notes found with the bodies...but they aren't clear notes, and figuring out the puzzle before the next victim is found is near impossible.
As the story unfolds, Zane looks more and more like he could be who they're looking for, and who's to say that he's not?
All in all, a great start to this serial. If you love female characters who have real problems like everyone else but still go to work and get things done, then you'll enjoy these books. I'd recommend if you enjoy Marie Force, Heather Graham, or Karin Slaughter novels. The next book is definitely on my TBR pile!
The POV changes between multiple characters, and you start to wonder if Jillian is the next victim. Alvarez and Pescoli both have a lot going on in their personal lives along with being female police officers trying to solve this case. There is barely any evidence, other than notes found with the bodies...but they aren't clear notes, and figuring out the puzzle before the next victim is found is near impossible.
As the story unfolds, Zane looks more and more like he could be who they're looking for, and who's to say that he's not?
All in all, a great start to this serial. If you love female characters who have real problems like everyone else but still go to work and get things done, then you'll enjoy these books. I'd recommend if you enjoy Marie Force, Heather Graham, or Karin Slaughter novels. The next book is definitely on my TBR pile!
November 10, 2011
We are introduced to a pair of female detectives, Selena Alvarez with some dark secrets and Regan Pescoli, a divorced mother of two teenagers who give her endless grief.
Set in the cold winter weather of the desolate mountains of Montana, a serial killer is setting up car accidents for women driving in secluded roads and leaving them to die tied up to trees.
Jillian Rivers narrowly manages to escape the killer when she is rescued by Zane McGregor, a mysterious loner and she feels a growing attraction to him. But what if he is the killer???
The suspense is nail-biting. And the ending�.well the serial killer is not found though Jillian and Zane go off into the sunset totally in love.
A cliffhanger……have to read the next book�..what happens to Regan?????
Set in the cold winter weather of the desolate mountains of Montana, a serial killer is setting up car accidents for women driving in secluded roads and leaving them to die tied up to trees.
Jillian Rivers narrowly manages to escape the killer when she is rescued by Zane McGregor, a mysterious loner and she feels a growing attraction to him. But what if he is the killer???
The suspense is nail-biting. And the ending�.well the serial killer is not found though Jillian and Zane go off into the sunset totally in love.
A cliffhanger……have to read the next book�..what happens to Regan?????
February 14, 2022
I really wanted to enjoy this book but taking the Lord's name in vain was offensive. The book was bloated with so many unnecessary details that I found myself flipping through pages trying to get back to the main plot. The subplots did nothing to enhance the story. In fact, the subplot characters overshadowed the killer of which we know nothing about. I was disappointed that the story ended with a cliffhanger which I supposed is to encourage the reader to buy the next book. There wasn't enough about the plot or the characters to entice me to read other titles by this author.
December 28, 2021
Nope, can't finish it. The female characters are annoying and information is constantly being repeated. Things and people were being described using the same adjectives. And I lost count of the number of times the word "damned" appeared before a noun. The repetition is driving me so crazy I can't keep reading!
March 21, 2016
Two-haiku review:
Serial killer
Kidnaps women, leaves to freeze
Female cops seek him
Major cliffhanger
Excellent, complicated
But end pissed me off
Would have given it 5 stars, except for the damn cliffie. I hate cliffhanger endings in books!
Serial killer
Kidnaps women, leaves to freeze
Female cops seek him
Major cliffhanger
Excellent, complicated
But end pissed me off
Would have given it 5 stars, except for the damn cliffie. I hate cliffhanger endings in books!
January 6, 2018
I gave up. I couldn't get into the book. The characters were flat, the story convoluted; I never could figure out what was happening. While I understand that may have been the author's intent it only served to make it hard for me to follow the plot.
September 27, 2021
It was quite well written, keeping you in suspense throughout the whole book.
However, while double-guessing all the time who the killer was, finishing the book makes you realise a few main mysteries have never been solved. You need to read a sequel. Disappointing.
However, while double-guessing all the time who the killer was, finishing the book makes you realise a few main mysteries have never been solved. You need to read a sequel. Disappointing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2017
The "when" and "where" I read the book is the biggest part of the 3 stars. We had just spent a week in Montana and Wyoming, muscles pleasantly sore from hiking, cameras full with decent photos of sunrises over mountains and geysers of Yellowstone. I was on the Acela Express, travelling First Class from Boston to New York, chilled wine and all. "Left To Die" was a random paperback I had grabbed in the train station for the 3-hour trip.
I have certainly read worse, and as a thriller this one is somewhere halfway towards "decent", although it does't exactly sparkle with intelligence. The plot doesn't drag much, the characters are CapsLock clichés (just take the two detectives), the hero predictably rugged. I noted the nod to TwinPeaks (location and mood, plot related to, but not limited to investigation, Grace in the book and Log Lady in the series), I rolled my eyes at some of the silliest bits ("But that was the way with organized serial killers, Alvarez knew from her research. These psychos went to great lengths to hide themselves and elude detection." Yes, this tidbit of information can only be found in "research") and overly convenient coincidences (Chilcoate is the most ridiculous).
But I was entertained, and for that I give 3 fat stars.
I have certainly read worse, and as a thriller this one is somewhere halfway towards "decent", although it does't exactly sparkle with intelligence. The plot doesn't drag much, the characters are CapsLock clichés (just take the two detectives), the hero predictably rugged. I noted the nod to TwinPeaks (location and mood, plot related to, but not limited to investigation, Grace in the book and Log Lady in the series), I rolled my eyes at some of the silliest bits ("But that was the way with organized serial killers, Alvarez knew from her research. These psychos went to great lengths to hide themselves and elude detection." Yes, this tidbit of information can only be found in "research") and overly convenient coincidences (Chilcoate is the most ridiculous).
But I was entertained, and for that I give 3 fat stars.
August 23, 2023
you mean i have to read another book to know what happens to the original killer? no thx... took me 8 months to finish this damn book. reminded me of when i watched avatar 2, was only good at the end of the movie. same with the book, was only good at the end. dissapointing tbh.
June 20, 2013
The woman's body is found lashed to a tree, naked, and frozen to death. The calling card for this scene is the same, yet different as the others. The letters carved into the tree above the victim are the same as the others but with the addition of this victims initials added. The star is still carved into the cold bark, but at a slightly different location. Her wrecked car has also been discovered, the tire shot out and all identifying items removed from the vehicle. The killer has struck again.
Talking with Ivor, who discovered the body, is disappointing. He really doesn't know anything to add to the scene, but that is expected. Ivan claims he was captured by aliens years ago, and isn't playing with a full deck.
Detectives Selena Alvarez and Regan Pescoli have been hoping for a career-making case, but this is a nightmare. Even with the FBI involved, Selena and Regan have nothing to go on but a killer's cryptic notes, and the unsettling knowledge that there is much worse to come. The knowledge that the victims had injuries beginning to heal before they were killed leads them to the idea the killer is the one who "rescues" them and tries to gain their trust before he brutally kills them. The knowledge of the tires being shot out of the vehicles to make them wreck, held from the public, leads them to the conclusion that the killer has a thorough calculated plan, and they try to link the women in some way.
As the detectives are combing the latest crime scene, Jillian Rivers receives photographs of her late husband, a husband declared dead. Needing to find out if he is truly alive, she leaves for Montana. Her car tire is shot out and she plummets over a ravine before she makes her destination. Rescued by Zane MacGregor, she is stuck at his cabin while a blizzard rages on while she begins to recover from her assorted injuries. Detectives Alvarez and Pescoli soon find car in the ravine and fear that Jillian in the next victim. Can they save her in time? Is Zane MacGregor Jillians savior or murderer?
I am a huge Lisa Jackson fan, her work is unprecedented. Book one of a new series, Left to Die, is an edge-of-your-seat thriller that does not disappoint. Peppered with interesting characters, an icy cold backdrop, and two detectives that have their own secrets makes for one very page-turning book. The hunt and clues will lead you to a very surprising cliffhanger. Highly recommend!
Talking with Ivor, who discovered the body, is disappointing. He really doesn't know anything to add to the scene, but that is expected. Ivan claims he was captured by aliens years ago, and isn't playing with a full deck.
Detectives Selena Alvarez and Regan Pescoli have been hoping for a career-making case, but this is a nightmare. Even with the FBI involved, Selena and Regan have nothing to go on but a killer's cryptic notes, and the unsettling knowledge that there is much worse to come. The knowledge that the victims had injuries beginning to heal before they were killed leads them to the idea the killer is the one who "rescues" them and tries to gain their trust before he brutally kills them. The knowledge of the tires being shot out of the vehicles to make them wreck, held from the public, leads them to the conclusion that the killer has a thorough calculated plan, and they try to link the women in some way.
As the detectives are combing the latest crime scene, Jillian Rivers receives photographs of her late husband, a husband declared dead. Needing to find out if he is truly alive, she leaves for Montana. Her car tire is shot out and she plummets over a ravine before she makes her destination. Rescued by Zane MacGregor, she is stuck at his cabin while a blizzard rages on while she begins to recover from her assorted injuries. Detectives Alvarez and Pescoli soon find car in the ravine and fear that Jillian in the next victim. Can they save her in time? Is Zane MacGregor Jillians savior or murderer?
I am a huge Lisa Jackson fan, her work is unprecedented. Book one of a new series, Left to Die, is an edge-of-your-seat thriller that does not disappoint. Peppered with interesting characters, an icy cold backdrop, and two detectives that have their own secrets makes for one very page-turning book. The hunt and clues will lead you to a very surprising cliffhanger. Highly recommend!
October 13, 2014
What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?
If I hadn't wasted almost 15 hours for NO conclusion!
What could Lisa Jackson have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?
She could have wrapped this plot line up in THIS book, not force readers to waste another 15 hours listening to the next book in this series "Chosen To Die". By hour 5, I "Wanted To Die"!!!
How could the performance have been better?
Other listeners seemed to hate narrator Alan Nebelthau's fast pace. I'm really hard on narrators, yet that was not my problem with him. This book is written by a woman, about women victims and women detectives. Why use a male narrator? To distance the story from "chick-lit"? I can't imagine how anyone could get mixed up with the raw, grim subject matter. Nebelthau Is not bad but his craggy, "Tombstone" cowboy voice just doesn't fit.
If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Left to Die?
Way too many to list here. Just let me say that I skipped Chapters 12 thru 23, inclusive. And I don't feel like I missed a thing!
Any additional comments?
This book could have been told in half the time. Interwoven separate plot lines were unnecessary and intrusive upon the main story. Then to slog through 15 hours of a jumbled story, only to find out that I have to buy ANOTHER book and slog through an additional 14 hours is just too much. I love book series - the listener/reader gets to become comfortable and knowledgeable about the main character along with several reappearing supporting ones. The only thing that changes is the crime/mystery/thriller - the detective solves each crime in each book and we move on together. I don't buy into "cliffhanger" novels where I go through hours of investigation and terror, only to NOT find out what happened. And, in the end, all of these different plot lines just don't align up right. By skipping most of this book, I still ended up where everyone else did - in a lot less time.
If I hadn't wasted almost 15 hours for NO conclusion!
What could Lisa Jackson have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?
She could have wrapped this plot line up in THIS book, not force readers to waste another 15 hours listening to the next book in this series "Chosen To Die". By hour 5, I "Wanted To Die"!!!
How could the performance have been better?
Other listeners seemed to hate narrator Alan Nebelthau's fast pace. I'm really hard on narrators, yet that was not my problem with him. This book is written by a woman, about women victims and women detectives. Why use a male narrator? To distance the story from "chick-lit"? I can't imagine how anyone could get mixed up with the raw, grim subject matter. Nebelthau Is not bad but his craggy, "Tombstone" cowboy voice just doesn't fit.
If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Left to Die?
Way too many to list here. Just let me say that I skipped Chapters 12 thru 23, inclusive. And I don't feel like I missed a thing!
Any additional comments?
This book could have been told in half the time. Interwoven separate plot lines were unnecessary and intrusive upon the main story. Then to slog through 15 hours of a jumbled story, only to find out that I have to buy ANOTHER book and slog through an additional 14 hours is just too much. I love book series - the listener/reader gets to become comfortable and knowledgeable about the main character along with several reappearing supporting ones. The only thing that changes is the crime/mystery/thriller - the detective solves each crime in each book and we move on together. I don't buy into "cliffhanger" novels where I go through hours of investigation and terror, only to NOT find out what happened. And, in the end, all of these different plot lines just don't align up right. By skipping most of this book, I still ended up where everyone else did - in a lot less time.
August 9, 2014
Really liked this book - the downfall - it's a cliff hanger!!!
Very large cast of characters and at first seemed overwhelming, but Ms. Jackson knows how to make a story flow.
Some red herrings cast in your way and I was a bit confused until the story really began to unfold. So how many serial killers are there lurking in the mountains? You'll have to read the book and figure it out for yourself. :)
Some romance with a bit of apprehension, all-in-all a good book and introduction for me to Lisa Jackson.
2 thumbs up and 4 stars (would have been 5 but I really don't like cliff hangers) - do I recommend this book, yes to anyone that likes a good murder mystery.
Very large cast of characters and at first seemed overwhelming, but Ms. Jackson knows how to make a story flow.
Some red herrings cast in your way and I was a bit confused until the story really began to unfold. So how many serial killers are there lurking in the mountains? You'll have to read the book and figure it out for yourself. :)
Some romance with a bit of apprehension, all-in-all a good book and introduction for me to Lisa Jackson.
2 thumbs up and 4 stars (would have been 5 but I really don't like cliff hangers) - do I recommend this book, yes to anyone that likes a good murder mystery.
December 28, 2020
What a great book. I won the entire series (8 books in all).
This first book tells the story of the Star-Crossed Killer, someone who targets women and causes them to get into a car accident. She is then "rescued" and cared for before being left to die somewhere.
Selena Alvarez and Regan Pescoli are the detectives who are investigating the killings. During the investigation, there is a random victim who is in a car accident and rescued and cared for but is not part of the killings. This is a parallel story to the killing story.
Great book. It was hard for me to put down. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
This first book tells the story of the Star-Crossed Killer, someone who targets women and causes them to get into a car accident. She is then "rescued" and cared for before being left to die somewhere.
Selena Alvarez and Regan Pescoli are the detectives who are investigating the killings. During the investigation, there is a random victim who is in a car accident and rescued and cared for but is not part of the killings. This is a parallel story to the killing story.
Great book. It was hard for me to put down. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
September 9, 2018
I have been a fan of Lisa Jackson's writing for years. I read this book when it first came out but remembered very little of the actual plot...so I was very much looking forward to becoming reacquainted with the two detectives when I drew this for my Blind Date With A Book. The only complaint I had with the book was that the ending had a feel of being unfinished...but that's how the next book is sold. Like all of Lisa Jackson's books it's an engrossing mystery with a good plot that leaves the reader waiting for the next one.
November 19, 2018
This book has the captivating ability to send shivers up your spine and on your head. Suspense that could be real. Terror, horror, death and dying. mystery. Can you imagine careening off a highway after having a bullet tearing through a tire. being gravely hurt but not dying. A nice
stranger comes to the rescue and takes care of you until your body improves. Is this a serial killer?
Women have been found naked and hanging from trees in blizzard conditions in Montana. A great read.
stranger comes to the rescue and takes care of you until your body improves. Is this a serial killer?
Women have been found naked and hanging from trees in blizzard conditions in Montana. A great read.
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