katekate_reads_'s review
3.0
Don’t you love the feeling of returning to a series and a character you already know? A Means to an End is the third book in the Cold Case Investigation series. Lauren is a cold case detective in Buffalo NY.
This is a series you’ll enjoy more if you read them in order - while the books have their own plots there is also an overarching story. This continues a lot of that story so you’ll be glad to have the background.
I loved getting back into this space with Lauren but for me the pacing was a little off in this one. I was really surprised to see how close I was to the end of the book at one point for where we were in the story. I’m glad the fourth book is already out and I can jump right into it!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free ebook.
This is a series you’ll enjoy more if you read them in order - while the books have their own plots there is also an overarching story. This continues a lot of that story so you’ll be glad to have the background.
I loved getting back into this space with Lauren but for me the pacing was a little off in this one. I was really surprised to see how close I was to the end of the book at one point for where we were in the story. I’m glad the fourth book is already out and I can jump right into it!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free ebook.
lianareadsblog's review
4.0
A story that starts very slow and because i haven't read the other two books in the series, i felt like missing something but so big. I was intrigued because i always look for different and unique mysteries to be solved and this story did hold my attention after the first quarter more because as i said, it starts slow but when it picks up, it's just don't stop!
Crime after crime, the guilty person is trying to cover his traces but the detective Lauren won't give up so easy in finding the culprit.
It's a mystery crime story, a Cold Case episode even (which i love) with so many turns and twists that will keep you wanting more and more.
The ending was brilliant but i still have questions that i feel like weren't answered but hopefully, there will be another book in the series.
Crime after crime, the guilty person is trying to cover his traces but the detective Lauren won't give up so easy in finding the culprit.
It's a mystery crime story, a Cold Case episode even (which i love) with so many turns and twists that will keep you wanting more and more.
The ending was brilliant but i still have questions that i feel like weren't answered but hopefully, there will be another book in the series.
aplace_inthesun's review against another edition
4.0
A Means to an End is one of the Cold Case Investigations series by Lisa Marie Redmond. The series follows the investigations of the Cold Case Squad in the Buffalo PD, namely Lauren Riley and her partner Shane Reese.
Lauren has returned to work following being injured on the job. Her assailant was a fellow police officer. She has her sights set on David Spencer as the offender in a number of murders, after she and Reese have been called to yet another young woman found murdered and dumped. The numbers are stacking up and the evidence, speaks to Lauren of Spencer’s guilt but is not swaying many of her colleagues. Lauren is already beating herself up after having played a role in Spencer being acquitted of a previous crime as a result of her relentless PI work, a side-hustle she has now abandoned. She knows Spencer’s is good for this and intends to pursued any lead relentlessly.
Lauren is at odds with a number of her colleagues who are assigned to a newly formed Taskforce to investigate the murders/disappearances. So much so that a couple of her colleagues have her in the frame for murder.
Who can Lauren trust? Reese, and what about her new partner on the Taskforce Jack Nolan? Is Lauren fixated on the wrong man? Will Spencer get the better of them all?
I didn’t know this book was part of a series when I began reading it. There are two previous instalments A Cold Day in Hell and The Murder Book. There is enough information to allow the reader to put it all together without negatively impacting the reading experience, The reader still gets a great handle on Lauren as a character. She’s likeable, brave and ballsy professionally, and has no regard for her own personal or professional safety. She’s somewhat irreverent and an absolute emotional mess as far as her personal life goes.
Reese and Nolan provide strong supporting roles and are both great characters future story lines might be developed around. There is a good balance between the detective-work on the one hand and the personal aspect for most of this book. I’m not really sure about the possibility of a romance appearing in the next instalment and I’m not sure it’s really necessary but I will definitely be reading with interest to see what happens with Lauren Riley and the Cold Case Squad.
Thank you Lisa Marie Redmond, Midnight Ink and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I rate this 4.5 /5 and recommend this as a must read for people who love crime and courtroom dramas and thrillers.
This is due for publication 8 September 2019.
Review to appear on goodreads and also on my page Instagram @aplace_inthesun
Lauren has returned to work following being injured on the job. Her assailant was a fellow police officer. She has her sights set on David Spencer as the offender in a number of murders, after she and Reese have been called to yet another young woman found murdered and dumped. The numbers are stacking up and the evidence, speaks to Lauren of Spencer’s guilt but is not swaying many of her colleagues. Lauren is already beating herself up after having played a role in Spencer being acquitted of a previous crime as a result of her relentless PI work, a side-hustle she has now abandoned. She knows Spencer’s is good for this and intends to pursued any lead relentlessly.
Lauren is at odds with a number of her colleagues who are assigned to a newly formed Taskforce to investigate the murders/disappearances. So much so that a couple of her colleagues have her in the frame for murder.
Who can Lauren trust? Reese, and what about her new partner on the Taskforce Jack Nolan? Is Lauren fixated on the wrong man? Will Spencer get the better of them all?
I didn’t know this book was part of a series when I began reading it. There are two previous instalments A Cold Day in Hell and The Murder Book. There is enough information to allow the reader to put it all together without negatively impacting the reading experience, The reader still gets a great handle on Lauren as a character. She’s likeable, brave and ballsy professionally, and has no regard for her own personal or professional safety. She’s somewhat irreverent and an absolute emotional mess as far as her personal life goes.
Reese and Nolan provide strong supporting roles and are both great characters future story lines might be developed around. There is a good balance between the detective-work on the one hand and the personal aspect for most of this book. I’m not really sure about the possibility of a romance appearing in the next instalment and I’m not sure it’s really necessary but I will definitely be reading with interest to see what happens with Lauren Riley and the Cold Case Squad.
Thank you Lisa Marie Redmond, Midnight Ink and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I rate this 4.5 /5 and recommend this as a must read for people who love crime and courtroom dramas and thrillers.
This is due for publication 8 September 2019.
Review to appear on goodreads and also on my page Instagram @aplace_inthesun
benevolentreader242's review
3.0
While the plot was good and fast-paced, the main characters' choice to put her obsessions overall relationships in her life grew stale in the end. I still need to know how this whole thing ends and am rooting for our main character and those around her.
yetanothersusan's review against another edition
3.0
I have really been enjoying this series but something about this last one felt overly repetitive as though even the author didn't care at this point what happened. And, sadly, I am not talking about bringing readers up to speed on what happened in the previous books, but just saying the same think multiple times in this book. But, if you read the first two, you should probably read this one.
debyc's review against another edition
4.0
After thoroughly enjoying "The Murder Book" by Lissa Marie Redmond, I was very happy to receive this third book in the Cold Case Investigations series.
In "A Means to an End," Detective Riley is set on making sure that the person that she holds responsible for multiple murders from the previous books gets put away for it. In general, we know who the 'bad guy' is throughout the book and have very little reason to think otherwise, so the book is not a mystery the way that the second book was. I read the second book in the series without having read the first one and still liked it. I enjoyed the third book because I had the background from the second book. You could probably figure out the story without having read the first two, but I recommend reading the first books (or at least the second one!) before going into this one.
More than anything else, I enjoyed the character development of Lauren Riley from the previous book and into this one. She is not always a likeable (or relate able) character, but I have never outright disliked her or hated her for her choices (I think it's always hard to enjoy a book when the main character is awful). I felt that the supporting cast was a bit bland at times- hence, the four star review. Yet, I am very happy with this installment to the Cold Case Investigations. It was a quick read and I would recommend it to others who are interested in the genre.
Thank you Netgalley and Midnight Ink for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was so happy to be given another Lissa Marie Redmond book for review! :) :)
In "A Means to an End," Detective Riley is set on making sure that the person that she holds responsible for multiple murders from the previous books gets put away for it. In general, we know who the 'bad guy' is throughout the book and have very little reason to think otherwise, so the book is not a mystery the way that the second book was. I read the second book in the series without having read the first one and still liked it. I enjoyed the third book because I had the background from the second book. You could probably figure out the story without having read the first two, but I recommend reading the first books (or at least the second one!) before going into this one.
More than anything else, I enjoyed the character development of Lauren Riley from the previous book and into this one. She is not always a likeable (or relate able) character, but I have never outright disliked her or hated her for her choices (I think it's always hard to enjoy a book when the main character is awful). I felt that the supporting cast was a bit bland at times- hence, the four star review. Yet, I am very happy with this installment to the Cold Case Investigations. It was a quick read and I would recommend it to others who are interested in the genre.
Thank you Netgalley and Midnight Ink for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was so happy to be given another Lissa Marie Redmond book for review! :) :)
rainnbooks's review
4.0
Thank you Lissa Marie Redmond, Midnight Ink and Net Galley for a chance to review this book.
The series is growing in strength with Lauren Riley's Cold Case Investigation. I have now read all 3 books in the series and surely the author has provided some exceptional writing. The story begins with the discovery of a body where different police forces are involved. A task force is formed with a single member from each jurisdiction. It's not necessary to read the books in order coz enough background data is provided so that the reader doesnt miss much but I think to understand the dynamics of Lauren's single minded obsession of David Spencer it's best to read them in order.
All 3 books ends with a cliffhanger that makes me look forward to the next in the series but am not sure if I will be the sole voice here in that I wanted the friendly and warm relationship between Riley and Reese to continue.
The series is growing in strength with Lauren Riley's Cold Case Investigation. I have now read all 3 books in the series and surely the author has provided some exceptional writing. The story begins with the discovery of a body where different police forces are involved. A task force is formed with a single member from each jurisdiction. It's not necessary to read the books in order coz enough background data is provided so that the reader doesnt miss much but I think to understand the dynamics of Lauren's single minded obsession of David Spencer it's best to read them in order.
All 3 books ends with a cliffhanger that makes me look forward to the next in the series but am not sure if I will be the sole voice here in that I wanted the friendly and warm relationship between Riley and Reese to continue.
barbrokatrin's review
3.0
Received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
Good book. action, great characters, well written fast paced police drama. A great book to cozy up with on the weekend
Good book. action, great characters, well written fast paced police drama. A great book to cozy up with on the weekend
victoriac's review
4.0
Thank you Netgalley and Midnight Ink for sharing the next installment of this series. Ms. Redmond has another winner here in book 3 of her Buffalo detective Lauren Riley series. I was fortunate to receive the 2nd book through Netgalley and liked it so much I immediately bought the first. I recommend reading them in order to fully understand the histories of the characters. Overall, I highly recommend this title and the series and hope there are more to come.
justacatandabook's review
4.0
Cold Case Detective Lauren Riley is back on the job after being stabbed in the line of duty. She and her partner, Shane Reese, find themselves investigating a body dumped in the woods in the exact same site as a victim from one of Lauren's previous cases. She quickly recognizes the tie to David Spencer, a clever kid whom Lauren helped get off on a murder charge while she was working as a Private Investigator. Once he was acquitted, Lauren realized he was a cold-blooded psychopath, and she's been haunted by it (and him) ever since. Lauren is put on a Task Force investigating the killing--and the unsolved murders of two cops--but she quickly realizes she may be the only one who can stop David, for once and for all.
I really like the character of Lauren Riley--she's a tough yet vulnerable cop who knows her stuff, and I've been following her since the beginning of this series. This book tied up some things, but left others hanging, and I have to admit, I hope there is a book four out there? I also have to say, to prove my devotion to Lauren, my ARC copy had issues with the "f"s in the book (e.g. Sheriff = Sheri; office = offce; files = les, etc.) and none of the text messages were in there, and I still read it, because I needed to know what was happening to Lauren. A final copy will be fine--just pointing out how much I care about these characters!
We have a small cast here, but do get some new blood, mainly in the form of the task force gents. Two, of course, suspect Lauren for the cop killings that happened in the second novel, but one, Jack Nolan, seems to be a good guy. Poor Lauren, she can't catch a break. I would mention that this book will make more sense if you've read the first two. Redmond explains things, but the backstory is easier to comprehend (and those first two books are good). Still, don't let that scare you away from this one.
These cases are personal for Lauren, and I found some of this book stressful, as I care about her and Reese, and I was worried about them both! If you're less invested, you may not be as concerned. No matter what, it's an interesting book--we think we know our suspect (David), but we're never quite sure, and there's a lot of angst and intrigue in trying to track him down. I always enjoy how the city of Buffalo is almost another character in these books, and it's very clear that Redmond knows her police procedures.
"She'd been waging a one-person war against him, and she was losing. She had to take this further before anyone else got hurt."
Overall, I definitely recommend this one, especially if you've read the earlier books, enjoy a good police procedural, or are on the hunt for a strong female protagonist. Redmond's stories are always interesting and sure to suck you in. 4 stars.
I received a copy of this novel from Midnight Ink and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
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I really like the character of Lauren Riley--she's a tough yet vulnerable cop who knows her stuff, and I've been following her since the beginning of this series. This book tied up some things, but left others hanging, and I have to admit, I hope there is a book four out there? I also have to say, to prove my devotion to Lauren, my ARC copy had issues with the "f"s in the book (e.g. Sheriff = Sheri; office = offce; files = les, etc.) and none of the text messages were in there, and I still read it, because I needed to know what was happening to Lauren. A final copy will be fine--just pointing out how much I care about these characters!
We have a small cast here, but do get some new blood, mainly in the form of the task force gents. Two, of course, suspect Lauren for the cop killings that happened in the second novel, but one, Jack Nolan, seems to be a good guy. Poor Lauren, she can't catch a break. I would mention that this book will make more sense if you've read the first two. Redmond explains things, but the backstory is easier to comprehend (and those first two books are good). Still, don't let that scare you away from this one.
These cases are personal for Lauren, and I found some of this book stressful, as I care about her and Reese, and I was worried about them both! If you're less invested, you may not be as concerned. No matter what, it's an interesting book--we think we know our suspect (David), but we're never quite sure, and there's a lot of angst and intrigue in trying to track him down. I always enjoy how the city of Buffalo is almost another character in these books, and it's very clear that Redmond knows her police procedures.
"She'd been waging a one-person war against him, and she was losing. She had to take this further before anyone else got hurt."
Overall, I definitely recommend this one, especially if you've read the earlier books, enjoy a good police procedural, or are on the hunt for a strong female protagonist. Redmond's stories are always interesting and sure to suck you in. 4 stars.
I received a copy of this novel from Midnight Ink and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.