by
K.A. Lugo
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GENRE: Thriller
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BLURB:
Jack has coped through previous holidays, but this one feels different. It's been four years since he lost his family, and clues to finding those responsible have dried up. Hopelessness has him so tightly wound that he's often driven out of his claustrophobic apartment before the ever-present black dog of depression drags him to a place where there's no coming back from.
Jack wants to be left alone with his sorrow, but when he's offered double his fee by the wife of one of the city's most elite families, how can he refuse? She wants him to follow her husband, Franklin, as she suspects he's cheating and needs photos to get around the strict prenup. Franklin leads Jack across the city to The Majestic Lounge, the Castro District's most popular gay nightclub. By the time he finds Franklin, Jack is forced to break up a heated argument between him and club owner, Chad Lucas.
Lucas approaches Jack the following day, wanting to hire him for added security during the club's popular annual Drag Queen Extravaganza. The event's usual excitement is marred by the deaths of several of Lucas' friends that authorities are calling suicides. Lucas convinces Jack something more nefarious is going on and agrees to the job.
Does the city have another serial killer on its hands, one who's targeting the LGBTQ community? Can Jack find a witness? Surely in the crowded nightclub, someone must have seen something.
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EXCERPT
"I want you to follow my husband."
What had Leah said about the famous? It's unicorns and rainbows on the outside, baby. Inside, they're squirrels fighting in a sack.
Jack nearly chuckled as he gazed across the desk. With her classic beige pantsuit with matching pumps and wide-brimmed sun hat, and the oversized Louis Vuitton handbag, Ginnifer Whitney-Cummings emulated the epitome of classic fashion. Nothing screamed squirrels fighting in a sack, but he wondered why she wanted her husband followed.
And why him? If she suspected her husband was cheating on her, she certainly could afford an investigator who moved in her own circle.
As if reading his mind, she continued, "I know I must seem out of place . . . here." She quickly cast a heavily-mascaraed derisive gaze around the small room and settled on the sofa, which looked like someone had recently been sleeping there. He hadn't been expecting anyone so hadn't bothered to put the blanket and pillow in the backroom.
"You could say that."
She smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. "I'll get to the point. You're a man who can get the job done. That's what I need."
"There are many good investigators in the city who can get the job done. Why me?" He leaned back in the chair and wove his fingers over his abdomen.
"If rumors are correct, you did what the San Francisco Police Department couldn't. They sat on a serial killer and got nowhere. You solved the case within days."
"I got lucky."
"Luck or not, you accomplished in those few days what a whole department couldn't do in years, and who didn't even see fit to warn the public, I might add. Really, I have no idea why we continue to donate to police charities. Anyway, I need someone like you."
"Mrs. Whitney-Cu—"
"Ginnie. You'll be working for me, so there's no need to be so formal," she told him.
Jack cocked an eyebrow. "I haven't agreed to anything."
"You are. I'm paying double your normal fee."
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
K.A. Lugo is a native Northern Californian who was raised near San Francisco. In 1997 she left the employ of Clint Eastwood to live in Ireland for six months. It was during this time she met the man she would marry and relocated to live in Ireland. Since 2005, K.A. has published fourteen titles in genres including romantic suspense, erotic romance, cozy mystery, and now thrillers. Slaughtered was the first in the new highly acclaimed Jack Slaughter Thriller series.
Find K.A. Online:
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My review:
4.5 out of 5 stars
Witness to Slaughter by K.A. Lugo follows bereaved former detective Jack Slaughter as he reluctantly takes a purportedly run-of-the mill case to follow a straying husband. The black depression that drags Slaughter down is temporarily distracted as his case continues to develop twists and turns, where nothing is quite what it seems on the surface and the body count continues to mount.
This intriguing mystery has great twists and turns even as it gives glimpses of the world of cross-dressing, drag contests, and the fascinating neighborhoods of San Francisco. The action starts immediately, and the reader is drawn into the gut-wrenching miasma that surrounds the main character, whose life is almost not worth living, given the tragedies he’s suffered. I was invested in the story and anxious to turn the page to see what would happen next. Although I haven’t yet read the first story in the Jack Slaughter Thrillers series, enough backstory was provided to give me reference. I still can’t wait to read it, and I look forward to reading more exciting stories by this author.
A copy of this title was provided for review.
Thank you for hosting today and for your lovely review. I can confirm book three is well under way - Slaughterhouse. I'm hoping for a summer release.
ReplyDeleteI'm around today if anyone has any questions or comments. I love chatting with my readers.
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great book.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great book.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a really great read.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your review!
ReplyDeleteGreat review
ReplyDeleteIt's great hearing about new books when you have a family who loves to read. Thanks so much for sharing your book.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for your comments. I hope you have the chance to give into the series. Jack is a memorable character. And even with his personal dilemmas, I try putting him into difficult situations to keep him busy so he doesn't brood too much. I would love to hear from anyone who's read or reading the series. Let me know what you think. Thanks for visiting.
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