amberunmasked's review against another edition
5.0
Provided by NetGalley.
Hilary Davidson's Don't Look Down is more than a mystery and more than a cop procedural. She has taken characters and given each one a story with an ending. Everyone's lives intersect in some way. The reveals are held off until the final act and roll out one by one giving readers time to digest all the subtle links.
Perhaps the best features of the book aren't the mysteries at all. It's these characters. Getting to know Detective Sheryn Sterling and her partner Detective Rafael Mendoza (now disabled from a past injury) felt deep and real. Since each chapter is from a different character's point of view, readers get to know all of them well including prime suspect Jo Greaver, a sympathetic hardworking woman who is more survivor than victim but ultimately has to come to grips with being both.
The diversity of the cast brings up a tertiary arc about Sheryn's son who ditched school in order to protest the immigration bans. He gets arrested. Sheryn has to explain the real world to him that as a black boy, he is more likely to face the justice system and perhaps the harsh brutality that can come with it. Having a black mom for a cop doesn't give him a free pass either. Sheryn still has to work the nuances of sweet talking a white cop through mentioning a mutual friend, someone he would respect more than her.
As this is book two of a new series, I had no trouble jumping into the world of New York City and the lives of Sterling and Mendoza. In fact, when I looked it up, I saw that book one, One Small Sacrifice, was only $1 so I immediately grabbed it.
Davidson presents a masterpiece of crime fiction that shows humanity in our modern times with underdog characters who have doubt rather than machismo, but they have instincts and the intelligence to navigate the web of murders.
Hilary Davidson's Don't Look Down is more than a mystery and more than a cop procedural. She has taken characters and given each one a story with an ending. Everyone's lives intersect in some way. The reveals are held off until the final act and roll out one by one giving readers time to digest all the subtle links.
Perhaps the best features of the book aren't the mysteries at all. It's these characters. Getting to know Detective Sheryn Sterling and her partner Detective Rafael Mendoza (now disabled from a past injury) felt deep and real. Since each chapter is from a different character's point of view, readers get to know all of them well including prime suspect Jo Greaver, a sympathetic hardworking woman who is more survivor than victim but ultimately has to come to grips with being both.
The diversity of the cast brings up a tertiary arc about Sheryn's son who ditched school in order to protest the immigration bans. He gets arrested. Sheryn has to explain the real world to him that as a black boy, he is more likely to face the justice system and perhaps the harsh brutality that can come with it. Having a black mom for a cop doesn't give him a free pass either. Sheryn still has to work the nuances of sweet talking a white cop through mentioning a mutual friend, someone he would respect more than her.
As this is book two of a new series, I had no trouble jumping into the world of New York City and the lives of Sterling and Mendoza. In fact, when I looked it up, I saw that book one, One Small Sacrifice, was only $1 so I immediately grabbed it.
Davidson presents a masterpiece of crime fiction that shows humanity in our modern times with underdog characters who have doubt rather than machismo, but they have instincts and the intelligence to navigate the web of murders.
lianareadsblog's review against another edition
5.0
If you haven't read the first book in the series, you should read it as soon as possible.
Don't look down is another great book by the author and a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the pages.
I enjoyed the characters and their interactions and banter, it felt so much like an Law and Order episode or any CSI one because it's a well written story with so many twists and turns that will unfold one by one and I was thinking that I may know who the blackmailer is but apparently I didn't knew anything because the author has the ability to make you guess until the end of the book.
A very good suspenseful and criminal procedure story that many will enjoy.
Don't look down is another great book by the author and a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the pages.
I enjoyed the characters and their interactions and banter, it felt so much like an Law and Order episode or any CSI one because it's a well written story with so many twists and turns that will unfold one by one and I was thinking that I may know who the blackmailer is but apparently I didn't knew anything because the author has the ability to make you guess until the end of the book.
A very good suspenseful and criminal procedure story that many will enjoy.
cassies_books_reviews's review against another edition
4.0
What a cat and mouse game this book was! Just when you think you have it figured out another twist happens! Jo Greaver is off to pay a blackmailer she’s carrying a bag of cash and a pistol hidden in her pocket. She’s a successful business woman and she’s afraid that if the secrets from her past are revealed she will lose everything. When the meeting doesn’t go as planned and shots are fired Jo is shot and there’s a dead body on the floor. The police are now involved and with her blood at the scene and the dead body detectives Sheryn Sterling and Rafael Mendoza begin their investigation. The more they dig the more they get tangled into a web of blackmail, secrets and murder. Not all is what it seems and they begin to realize Jo may be a victim as well. As Jo’s past is reveled Sharyn and Rafael realize it may be the key to everything. Who would want to set Jo up for a murder and why are they blackmailing her and why would they want her dead? I loved how the story was told in Sharyns, Rafael and Jo’s point of view and you get to know each character this way. I absolutely loved the detectives relationship. This was definitely a page turner and a who done it! Four stars! Highly recommend for any of my thriller/ mystery fans! A big thank you to the author for sending me an amazing copy!
myliteraryera's review against another edition
4.0
Don’t Look Down follows the case of Jo, a highly successful beauty company owner who is being blackmailed by someone. When she agrees to meet the alleged blackmailer, she finds herself in a shoot out where she takes someone’s life. She is thrown into turmoil as she is tracked down by detective duo Sterling and Rafael. The story follows the case against Jo and gets to the bottom of why she was being blackmailed - and by who.
This book got off to a really strong start. I was hooked and couldn’t wait to get to the bottom of the case. But, I found in the middle it got a little bit slow and repetitive but eventually picked back up again.
Overall, I enjoyed this. It was engaging and I was invested in the story.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eBook in exchange for a review.
kourtneyalexis's review against another edition
4.0
4 Stars!!!
This new series is FIRE! Don't Look Down is book number 2, although you do not need to go back and read book number 1, I did. There is enough back story explained in order to pick up the relationship between the NYPD detectives Sheryn and Rafael.
If you pick this book up and are confused in the first few pages or hate Jo, the main character, initially, just keep reading.... ;)
The writing is superb! The plots are very twisty and cool. I also really enjoy the NYC setting. I can't wait to see where this series goes and what mysteries will be tackled by Sheryn and Rafael in the coming pages.
A special thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and Hilary Davidson for providing me with a reviewer copy.
This new series is FIRE! Don't Look Down is book number 2, although you do not need to go back and read book number 1, I did. There is enough back story explained in order to pick up the relationship between the NYPD detectives Sheryn and Rafael.
If you pick this book up and are confused in the first few pages or hate Jo, the main character, initially, just keep reading.... ;)
The writing is superb! The plots are very twisty and cool. I also really enjoy the NYC setting. I can't wait to see where this series goes and what mysteries will be tackled by Sheryn and Rafael in the coming pages.
A special thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and Hilary Davidson for providing me with a reviewer copy.
getlitwithamy's review against another edition
4.0
Don’t Look Down follows the case of Jo, a highly successful beauty company owner who is being blackmailed by someone. When she agrees to meet the alleged blackmailer, she finds herself in a shoot out where she takes someone’s life. She is thrown into turmoil as she is tracked down by detective duo Sterling and Rafael. The story follows the case against Jo and gets to the bottom of why she was being blackmailed - and by who.
This book got off to a really strong start. I was hooked and couldn’t wait to get to the bottom of the case. But, I found in the middle it got a little bit slow and repetitive but eventually picked back up again.
Overall, I enjoyed this. It was engaging and I was invested in the story.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eBook in exchange for a review.
ireadwhatuwrite's review against another edition
5.0
Jo Greaver would appear to have it all. A growing company, a loving partner, supportive friends, and up and coming success. She is also being blackmailed. When she comes to the payoff with a bag of money and a gun, the blackmailer is killed and she is injured. This seems an open and shut murder case for detectives Sterling and Mendoza and yet as the investigation goes on it just doesn’t add up somehow for Sterling.
I read this whole book in a couple of hours, which should say something about how good it is. The entire mystery is a hall of mirrors with circular clues, obvious, certainly guilty of something suspects, and a huge array of technicolor characters that should not have anything in common with each other. The author expertly juggles varied plot points using Sheryn Sterling and her partner as wonderful fixed points to keep the various threads of the story pulled tight, keeping the reading on the edge until the reveal shows how it all falls together. I have not read the first book in this series. It wasn’t needed as this stands alone nicely, however, I will make catching up a priority because these characters deserve to be read.
I read this whole book in a couple of hours, which should say something about how good it is. The entire mystery is a hall of mirrors with circular clues, obvious, certainly guilty of something suspects, and a huge array of technicolor characters that should not have anything in common with each other. The author expertly juggles varied plot points using Sheryn Sterling and her partner as wonderful fixed points to keep the various threads of the story pulled tight, keeping the reading on the edge until the reveal shows how it all falls together. I have not read the first book in this series. It wasn’t needed as this stands alone nicely, however, I will make catching up a priority because these characters deserve to be read.
travellingthepages's review against another edition
3.0
This book. I’m not really sure what to say. I also feel like I’m a little bit of a harsher critic when it comes to thrillers because I read them so often.
I didn’t like the multiple character viewpoints. There were too many and I didn’t understand why most of them were necessary.
For me, this made the book drag for a bit. I did find it interesting though! Just a bit long.
I think if it was just Jo and the detective it would have been perfect. I didn’t really need the dude detective’s POV or the boyfriend’s. They seemed unnecessary.
I did however like the idea of the book! I thought it was interesting with the blackmail and then the random murder. Like what is happening! So that for sure kept me on my toes!
This was book #2 and can be read as a stand-alone!
I kind of sort of recommend it.
I didn’t like the multiple character viewpoints. There were too many and I didn’t understand why most of them were necessary.
For me, this made the book drag for a bit. I did find it interesting though! Just a bit long.
I think if it was just Jo and the detective it would have been perfect. I didn’t really need the dude detective’s POV or the boyfriend’s. They seemed unnecessary.
I did however like the idea of the book! I thought it was interesting with the blackmail and then the random murder. Like what is happening! So that for sure kept me on my toes!
This was book #2 and can be read as a stand-alone!
I kind of sort of recommend it.