22 Sept 2015

THE HUNTRESS/FBI SERIES: BOOKS 1-3.

Approached by Alexandra Sokoloff to read the books in her award nominated Huntress/FBI series today I'm delighted to be reviewing ...



HUNTRESS MOON.

BOOK BLURB: Please click here to read the synopsis (may contain what some feel are slight spoilers) and a link to an extract from the book.

FIRST SENTENCE {Chapter 1}: The city teems.

MEMORABLE MOMENT {Page 349}: She looked up at him, black eyes liquid with anguish. He could feel her terror and bewilderment pulsing in the air between them, and he felt a black fury rising up in him, ancient and overpowering.

Blood MoonBLOOD MOON

BOOK BLURB: Please click here to read the full synopsis (may contain what some feel are slight spoilers) and a link to an extract from the book.

FIRST SENTENCE {Chapter 1}: The dark concrete corridor stretched out before him, smelling of blood and semen and terror.

MEMORABLE MOMENT {Page 110}: Stephen shrugged again. Roarke couldn't even imagine what it would do to a kid's world view to be thinking his best friend's father flipped out and suddenly killed the entire family. How do you ever get your sense of safety back?
- Contains slight spoiler, please scroll over if you wish to read.

Cold MoonCOLD MOON.

BOOK BLURB: Please click here to read the full synopsis (may contain what some feel are slight spoilers) and a link to an extract from the book.

FIRST SENTENCE {Prologue}: The moon is high, spilling icy light through the pine branches.

MEMORABLE MOMENT {Page 57}: Cara is very still, listening. Screams are a language too.
After a moment, she breathes out. There is no one with the woman who is screaming. Not this time. It is only her past that tortures her. Whatever has wounded her is still with her every hour of her life.

MY THOUGHTS: Beginning with Huntress Moon, three rollicking good reads, definitely best read from the beginning and in order. 

Whilst I often find reading two or more novels in a series back-to-back as I did here can prove a bit of an over-kill (excuse the pun) this in no way was the case with these books. Once finished one, I couldn't wait to begin the next.

An unusual killing, a female hired assassin - or is she a serial killer? - what a terrific start to not only the first book but the series as a whole.

More psychological suspense thrillers than 'police procedurals'. I loved how we were teased, every detail, the various character's stories, the murders, like a jigsaw puzzle slowly being pieced together. And then there were the psychological insights into the criminal minds of re-life female 'serial killers' such as Aileen Wuornos, fascinating stuff.

Though the books certainly have their more gory/gritty moments they are not nearly as graphic as one might expect. Even with its central theme of child sexual exploitation I probably found book two, Blood Moon, the most 'disturbing' and even then there was nothing needlessly graphic let alone any sense that the author had added anything simply for its shock value.   

Great characters, totally believable, the secondary as well written as the main, the relationships between the different factions well observed. And oh my goodness, the underlying sexual tension between Roarke and Cara, understated and yet electric.  

All too often left feeling disappointed by award nominated books I have to say that these novels were anything but disappointing. Compelling right from the off ....

#1 Huntress Moon with its 'OMG' moment when we first get a real insight into what made Cara the person she is.

#2 Blood Moon which will definitely have you considering the rights and wrongs of 'vigilante' killings, of those who take the law into their own hands.

#3 Cold Moon, my favourite in the series, which though arguably less pacy than the previous books focuses with great effect on the characters' emotions. Roarke's struggles with his feelings proving particularly poignant reading.

A great series. Fingers crossed Alexandra Sokoloff treats us to a fourth instalment.



10 comments:

brandileigh2003 said...

Great to hear that the characters were well done in this one.

Kelly said...

I wasn't sure about these at first glance, but you definitely won me over with your review. I'm off to add them to my wish list right now.

Love the memorable moment you used in the third book!

Anonymous said...

I'm off to add them to my Kindle!!

Mary (Bookfan) said...

How wonderful you enjoyed them AND the third was your favorite. That's not usually the case, in my experience. Hope you get your wish for a fourth book.

Literary Feline said...

I am so glad you enjoyed these books, Tracy! You know I did. :-) I think my favorite was the third one too.

Yvonne @ Fiction Books Reviews said...

Hi Tracy,

I had already marked the first book for my 'Want To Read' list, as you indicated that the series really did need to be read in order.

Reading your overall review of the series and the excellent memorable moments you chose (the third one is my personal favourite), I think that I should really buy all three books at the same time and read them back-to-back, as you have done.

The most outstanding of the three covers also has be part three 'Cold Moon'.

Thanks for sharing this great post :)

Yvonne

Melliane said...

It's so great when yous start a series and have allt he books you can read back to back, mainly when it's one good. I'm curious too!

Brian Joseph said...

These sound like a lot of fun.

Sometime it is nice to read a series back to back as it keep one's momentum going. As you alluded to however, sometimes the stories do begin to wear thin.

It is neat that these books did not wear thin for you.

Alexia561 said...

Sounds like a great series! Really like hearing that the secondary characters were as well done as the main characters, as sometimes they can be a bit stiff. Will be adding these to my wishlist! Thanks for a great review!

Alexandra Sokoloff said...

Tracy, I am so thrilled that you responded to the books like this, and I'm especially happy that you think COLD MOON is the best. It's a harder book than the first two, for sure, but I also think the characters are starting to get to the heart of what crime really is.

Thank you so much for these thoughtful (and non-spoilery!) reviews. I can't tell you how much this kind of feedback helps, especially as I'm struggling with Book 4, WOLF MOON. Writing seems to get harder, not easier, but you've definitely lifted the load a little today.

- Alex