Last to Die by Kate Brady (Book Review)

Title: Last to Die
Author: Kate Brady
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing/Hachette

About the book: I am going to cheat and use the book's synopsis as I read this awhile ago - I don't want to get any details wrong -

A ruthless killer hides in plain sight, someone no one believes is capable of murder. Within a week, six women will be murdered, all punished for their dark pasts. Detective Dani Cole is determined to track down this serial killer whose victims include a young woman she pulled out of a life of crime. Her investigation leads her to a photography foundation and the renowned photographer Mitch Sheridan, a man she she fell in love with years ago but has tried to forget. Dani and Mitch are instantly attracted to each other again, though their troubled pasts keep them from getting too close. Together, through the course of the investigation, they unearth a dark chain of deception that leads to a killer who is closer than they think.




My thoughts:  This was a very compelling book.  The pieces of the mystery came together slowly and the killer was unknown to me until the end.  I was impressed with the way the author dropped hints and  "wove" them all together.  It very much kept in the same style as One Scream Away which was a thriller involving Mitch's brother Neil Sheridan. She is definitely becoming one of my new favorite thriller writers! 

~I received a complimentary copy of this book from Hachette in exchange for my review.~

Last to Die
Publisher/Publication Date: Grand Central Publishing/Sept 2010
ISBN: 978-0-446-54153-4
414 pages

Last to Die - Blog Tour and Book Giveaway!

Last to Die

by Kate Brady

Blog Tour Sept 6 - 17

A ruthless killer hides in plain sight, someone no one believes is capable of murder. Within a week, six women will be murdered, all punished for their dark pasts. Detective Dani Cole is determined to track down this serial killer whose victims include a young woman she pulled out of a life of crime. Her investigation leads her to a photography foundation and the renowned photographer Mitch Sheridan, a man she she fell in love with years ago but has tried to forget. Dani and Mitch are instantly attracted to each other again, though their troubled pasts keep them from getting too close. Together, through the course of the investigation, they unearth a dark chain of deception that leads to a killer who is closer than they think.

About the author: Kate Brady began writing fiction when her doctoral research became tedious. For years, she wrote in the closet, penning several novels that—thankfully—remain there. Now, she leads a double life. Some days, she’s a choral conductor and professor of music education. Other days, she plays with imaginary people on her computer.


Kate lives in Atlanta with her husband, two children, and an array of furry, feathery, and scaly things. When she has time to read, her nose is most often found in a police story or gourmet cooking magazine! She is currently working on her next novel.

GIVEAWAY!

I have 3 copies of this book to giveaway courtesy of Hachette Books.

There are a few ways to enter:

1. Sign up to be a follower of this blog - just let me know how you follow. (1 entry)

2. Follow me on twitter (@kherbrand) and tweet or use tweet button below. (1 entry)

3. Comment on any non-giveaway post and let me know. (1 entry)

All entries can be left in one comment. Giveaway open to US/Canada only - no PO boxes. Giveaway will end on Sept 29. Winners will have 48 hours to respond. Any unclaimed books will be given away on twitter at that time.

 

 

Last to Die

Publisher/Publication Date: Forever, Sept 2010

ISBN:  9780446541534

432 pages

One Scream Away by Kate Brady (Book Review)

Title: One Scream Away
Author: Kate Brady
Publisher: Forever

First sentence: A chilly night with just a wedge of moon, mist brewing on the water and congealing in gullies. (from an uncorrected proof of book)

I finished this book a while back but had only posted a partial review - so I am here to update it!

Chevy Bankes is a killer with a mission - and it begins and ends with Beth Denison. She is the "one victim" that got away from him 7 years before and he is out to correct that mistake now.

Since the night she was attacked, Beth's life has changed. She now has a young daughter to watch over. Her husband left her while she was pregnant and was killed in a plane crash not long after.

Neil Sheridan is the ex-FBI agent that was investigating some murders years before when his wife and son were killed. He has never been the same since and left the FBI because of it. Murders that begin happening again are similar to those from years earlier and he is called in on the case "unofficially". Even though both he and Beth have built up defensive walls because of their pasts, they grow closer and are able to begin to trust each other. How far will that trust take them before the nightmare is over?

Well, if you have been reading my blog for any amount of time, then you know that I love thrillers. This one was no exception. I was 1/2 way through the book when I felt like it was reaching the climax - only to realize I still had 200 pages to go! This book built the tension up numerous times as it continued to give you pieces to the puzzle - it definitely kept me up reading later many nights than I should have been!

One Scream Away
Publisher/Publication Date: Forever, July 2009
ISBN: 978-0-446-54152-7
464 pages

One Scream Away by Kate Brady (partial book review)

One Scream Away by Kate Brady

Publisher: Hachette Books

I just wanted to post my thoughts so far as this is my review date - This is a fantastic page turner and it is a debut novel for Kate Brady! I am about half way through the book and just reached what I would have considered the climax - But I still have 200 pages to go so I can't wait to see what is going to happen next!

Here is the synopsis from the back of the book: Seven years ago Beth Denison was attacked by a killer named Chevy Bankes. Since then, she's created a new life for herself and her daughter, one far removed from the night that ended in an awful tragedy. But now Bankes is out of prison, and his chilling phone calls tell Beth he's coming for her.

Ex-FBI agent Neil Sheridan is driven to investigate a chain of murders eerily similar to a disturbing case from his past. When the killer's trail dead-ends at Beth's doorstep, Neil finds a beautiful woman with a secret she'll do anything to keep. Yet even as Beth surrenders to Neil's protection - and then his embrace - she still refuses to tell him why Bankes hungers to hear her scream, and why she'll soon consider doing the unthinkable: face Bankes alone.

This is the first book in the Sheridan series - the next being Last to Die expected out in July of 2010. I will try to get a complete review written next week - but if the last 200 pages are as good as the first 200 pages all I will have to say is WOW!

One Scream Away
Publisher/Publication Date: Forever, July 2009
ISBN: 978-0-446-54152-7
464 pages

Blog Tour for One Scream Away

One Scream Away by Kate Brady

About the book: Killer Chevy Bankes is a master of disguise, and just paroled, he's coming after the woman who sent him to jail, the beautiful antiques expert Beth Denison. A set of antique dolls brings Beth into his sight, and inspire Chevy's disturbing crimes as he draws closer to Beth and her young daughter. Chevy sends the dolls to Beth one-by-one and she soon realizes that these antiques carry the same marks as his victims, signaling that the final piece in his collection will be for her.

Neil Sheridan gave up his FBI shield five years ago, but his best friend Rick, a cop, pulls him in as a consultant on a case involving a serial killer who is eerily similar to a murderer Neil encountered in the past. The investigation leads Neil to Beth's doorstep, and he is certain she isn't telling him the truth. Neil is the only one who can get through Beth's defenses and, as they grow closer, discover the secrets that Beth is hiding about her fateful night with Chevy. (from the publisher)

There is still time to enter my giveaway for One Scream Away.

About the author: My writing career began in the closet, where--thankfully--my first several novels remain. As a full-time choral conductor and assistant professor of music education, I didn't consider going public with my fiction. It was strictly clandestine and only a hobby.

Then the needs of small children convinced me to switch to part-time teaching. For the first couple of years as a mostly stay-at-home-mom, it was all I could do to complete the metamorphosis from domestically-challenged career woman to culinary-queen and housework goddess. (Okay...Some transitions are never fully realized.) But later, when the kids got old enough to be in school for six hours a day, the characters in my head found time to come out again. Murderers, cops, victims, lovers. I started writing down everything they did and said, then finally decided to see if anyone but me wanted to read about them.

Now, I lead a double life. Some days are spent in the university classroom or at the rehearsal podium; others spent chasing villains on my laptop.

So what do I do when I'm not creating music teachers or psycho murderers? (Two unrelated populations, I assure you.) With a husband, two children, and way too many furry, feathery, and scaly things, there isn't a lot of time left. It's enough to keep up with the house, the yard, and the family schedule, and hope no one on my laptop gets murdered when I'm not looking. (from author's website)

One Scream Away
Publisher/Publication Date: Forever
ISBN: 9780446541527
464 pages


Barnes & Noble
Amazon

Participating Blogs:
Chicks with Books - July 6 review and giveaway
Darbys Closet - July 6 review
Yankee Romance Reviewers - July 6 to 17 review and giveaway
Review From Here - July 7 review
Debbies World of Books - July 7
Starting Fresh - July 8 review and giveaway
Minding Spot - July 9 or 10 review and giveaway
Marta's Meanderings - July 10 review and giveaway
Chic Book Reviews - July 10 review and giveaway
Trins Nook - July 10 giveaway conclusion
Readaholic - July 11 review and giveaway
Morbid Romantic - July 11 review, giveaway, and Q&A
Bookin' With Bingo - July 11
Books and Needlepoint/ - July 12 review; giveaway concludes July 17
Drey's Library - July 13 review
Pudgy Penguin Perusals - July 14 review and giveaway
I'm Booking It - July 14 review and giveaway
Book Soulmates - July 15 review and giveaway
Just Jennifer Reading - July 15 review and giveaway
My Thoughts. . .Your thoughts? - July 15 review and giveaway
Seductive Musings - July 15 review and giveaway
All About {n} - July 15 review and giveaway.
My Friend Amy - July 16
This Book for Free - July 17 giveaway and Q&A
Cheryl's Book Nook - July 17 review and giveaway
My Guilty Pleasures

One Scream Away - New Giveaway!!!

I have 5 copies of One Scream Away by Kate Brady to giveaway thanks to Hachette Book Group!

About the book: Killer Chevy Bankes is a master of disguise, and just paroled, he's coming after the woman who sent him to jail, the beautiful antiques expert Beth Denison. A set of antique dolls brings Beth into his sight, and inspire Chevy's disturbing crimes as he draws closer to Beth and her young daughter. Chevy sends the dolls to Beth one-by-one and she soon realizes that these antiques carry the same marks as his victims, signaling that the final piece in his collection will be for her.

Neil Sheridan gave up his FBI shield five years ago, but his best friend Rick, a cop, pulls him in as a consultant on a case involving a serial killer who is eerily similar to a murderer Neil encountered in the past. The investigation leads Neil to Beth's doorstep, and he is certain she isn't telling him the truth. Neil is the only one who can get through Beth's defenses and, as they grow closer, discover the secrets that Beth is hiding about her fateful night with Chevy.

About the author: Kate Brady has won or been a finalist in many writing contests, including the Golden Heart, the Maggies, and the Suzannah. ONE SCREAM AWAY is her debut novel.

Rules

1. Only residents of U.S. or Canada
2. No PO Boxes
3. Five (5) books being given away - giveaway ends July 17th.
4. Leave a comment w/email address to enter. (may leave all entries in one comment)
5. Follow my blog +1
6. Post about it on blog or any social network - leave me a link +3.
7. If someone says you referred them you will each get +3!