G1158 E-Reading Book Review of Killer in the Band by Lauren Carr

Name of Book: Killer in the band

Author: Lauren Carr

ISBN: B01M193ICR

Publisher: Acorn Book services

Part of a Series: Lovers in Crime #3

Type of book: mystery, farm, music, band, talent, animals, horses, loyalty, horse sense, marriage, crime, animal whisperer, older woman/ younger male relationship, making peace, lawyers, study, determination

Year it was published: 2016

Summary: 

It's a Summer of Love & Murder!

Joshua’s eldest son, Joshua Thornton Jr. (J.J.) has graduated at the top of his class from law school and returns home to spend the summer studying for the bar exam. However, to Joshua's and Cameron's shock and dismay, J.J. moves into the main house at Russell Ridge Farm and Orchards, the largest dairy farm in the Ohio Valley, in order to rekindle a romance with Suellen Russell, the one-time leader of a rock who is twice his age. Quickly, they learn that she has a deep dark secret.

The move brings long buried tensions between the father and son to the surface—not the least of which being J.J.'s inexplicable dislike for his stepmother Cameron. But when a brutal killer strikes, the Lovers in Crime must set all differences with Joshua's son aside to solve the crime before J.J. ends up in the cross-hairs of a murderer.

Characters:

Main characters include Joshua Thornton and Cameron Gates as well as their adopted daughter Izzy and J.J Thornton and his first love Suellen. Secondary characters would be Poppy, Suellens band mates, a man who works at her farm as well as Noah. The characters are definitely fleshed out and are too human to be in the novel. The family relationship between them is very strong and they are there for one another and even for those who had bad experience with either lawyers or police.

Theme:

Peace of mind is important

Plot:

The story is in third person narrative from J.J, Suellens, Josh's and Cameron's points of view. Just like her other mysteries, prepare for a wild ride as plots twist and twist and it isn't until the end that they become more sense. The story definitely focuses a lot more on the characters themselves and on mystery, but it seemed to have a serene atmosphere where laughter and family is emphasized. There are also a lot of heartwarming moments as well and it feels as if the characters are people you know. The mystery is definitely top notch and although details are given and detailed, its not until the end that the reader can tie up loose ends together and understand. 

Author Information:
(From iRead Book Tours)


Buy the Book:
​Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
​Add to Goodreads
Meet the author: Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Thorny Rose, Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries—over twenty titles across four fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, and two spoiled rotten German shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

Opinion:

Very recently I have read the prequels, and so far this novel is one of the best books I have read because in here Lauren Carr truly shines and pulls the reader into the story and the complex plot of murder. Things I loved about this novel are the well fleshed characters that she brings to the front of the story, well crafted and unpredictable mysteries where twists never go the way they are expected, and family. As far as I can see, this story takes place after I was introduced to Izzy in first Thorny Rose Mysteries, and in here as well I get a chance to meet J.J ( in some previous Lauren Carr's mysteries I met him, but this time I get to know him up close and personal. Also, i met him after this book was published, when he already met Poppy, so it's cool to add backstories to the characters.) The mystery is clean, and I loved getting to know the different pets and the huge role they played within mystery. I also loved the comedic elements of the story too.

This is for iRead Book Tours

BOOK TOUR SCHEDULE:

Sept 9 - Rockin Book Reviews - review of The Root of Murder / guest post /
Lovers in Crime series spotlight / giveaway
Sept 9 - Working Mommy Journal - review The Root of Murder / giveaway
Sept 10 - Life as Leels - review of Dead on Ice
Sept 11 - My Reading Journeys - audiobook review of Dead on Ice / giveaway
Sept 11 - Hall Ways Blog - audiobook review of Real Murder / giveaway
Sept 11 - Literary Flits - review of The Root of Murder / giveaway
Sept 12 - Elizabeth McKenna - Author - book spotlight / giveaway
Sept 12 - Bound 4 Escape - review of Killer in the Band (audible) / giveaway
Sept 12 - A Fountain of Books - audiobook review Dead on Ice
Sept 13 - Words and Peace - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Sept 16 - Svetlana's Reads and Views - review of Dead on Ice / giveaway
Sept 16 - Amy’s Booket List - review of Dead on Ice / giveaway
​Sept 16 - Working Mommy Journal - review of Real Murder / giveaway
Sept 17 - Hall Ways Blog - review of The Root of Murder / giveaway
Sept 17 - Laura’s Interests - audiobook review of Dead on Ice / giveaway
Sept 18 - Literary Flits - review of Killer in the Band / giveaway
Sept 18 - Read and Review - book spotlight / guest post
Sept 18 - Sefina Hawke's Books - audiobook review of The Root of Murder / series spotlight
Sept 19 - #Redhead.with.Book - Lovers in Crime Series book spotlight / giveaway
Sept 19 - Life as Leels - review of Real Murder
Sept 20 - Locks, Hooks, and Books - audiobook review of Dead on Ice / giveaway
Sept 20 - Nighttime Reading Center - audiobook review of Real Murder / giveaway
Sept 23 - Amy’s Booket List - review of Real Murder / giveaway
Sept 23 - Christa Reads and Writes - review of The Root of Murder / series spotlight / giveaway
Sept 24 - Fundinmental - review of The Root of Murder / giveaway
Sept 25 Laura’s Interests - review of Real Murder / giveaway
Sept 26 - Library of Clean Reads - review of The Root of Murder / giveaway
Sept 26 - FUONLYKNEW - review of The Root of Murder / giveaway
Sept 26 - Mystery Suspense Reviews - review of The Root of Murder
Sept 26 - Mystery Suspense Reviews - book spotlight / guest post
Sept 27 - Locks, Hooks, and Books - review of Real Murder / giveaway
Sept 30 - Amy’s Booket List - review of Killer in the Band / giveaway
Sept 30 - Svetlana's Reads and Views - review of Real Murder / giveaway
Sept 30 - Older & Smarter? - review of The Root of Murder / giveaway
Oct 1 - Bound 4 Escape - review of Dead on Ice / giveaway
Oct 1 - Dab of Darkness - audiobook review of Real Murder / giveaway
Oct 1 - Life as Leels - review of The Root of Murder
Oct 1 - A Fountain of Books - review of Real Murder
Oct 2 - Literary Flits - review of Real Murder
Oct 3 - Books for Books - review of Dead on Ice / giveaway
Oct 3 - My Reading Journeys - review of Real Murder / giveaway
Oct 4 - Locks, Hooks, and Books - audiobook review of Killer in the Band / giveaway
Oct 4 - Cuzinlogic - book spotlight / giveaway
Oct 7 - Bound 4 Escape - review of Real Murder / giveaway
Oct 8 - Amy's Booket List - review The Root of Murder / giveaway
Oct 9 - Kristin’s Novel Cafe - audiobook review of The Root of Murder
Oct 9 - To Thine Own Shelf - series spotlight / guest post
Oct 10 - Books for Books - review of Real Murder / giveaway
Oct 10 - Locks, Hooks, and Books - audiobook review of The Root of Murder / giveaway
Oct 11 - Pause for Tales - review of The Root of Murder / giveaway
Oct 14 - Celtic Lady’s Reviews - Lovers in Crime series spotlight / giveaway
Oct 14 - My Reading Journeys - review of The Root of Murder / guest post / giveaway
Oct 15 - Dab of Darkness - review of Killer in the Band / giveaway
Oct 15 - Bound 4 Escape - review of The Root of Murder / giveaway
Oct 16 - A Fountain of Books - review of The Root of Murder / author interview
Oct 16 - Buried Under Books - review of Dead on Ice / review of Real Murder / giveaway
Oct 17 - Books for Books - review of Killer in the Band / giveaway
Oct 18 - B for Bookreview - Lovers in Crime series book spotlight / author interview
Oct 21- Nighttime Reading Center - review of The Root of Murder / giveaway
Oct 21 - Laura’s Interests - review of The Root of Murder / guest post / giveaway
Oct 21 - T's Stuff - audiobook review of The Root of Murder / giveaway
Oct 22 - Dab of Darkness - review of The Root of Murder / giveaway
Oct 22 - Books Are Love - review of Dead on Ice / giveaway
Oct 23 - Books Are Love - review of Real Murder / giveaway
Oct 23 - Books for Books - review of The Root of Murder / giveaway
Oct 24 - JBronder Book Reviews - review of The Root of Murder / series spotlight / giveaway
Oct 24 - Books Are Love - review of Killer in the Band / giveaway
Oct 24 - Buried Under Books - review of Killer in the Band / review of The Root of Murder / giveaway
​Oct 25 - Jypsylynn - review of The Root of Murder
Oct 25 - Adventurous Jessy - review of The Root of Murder / giveaway
Oct 25 - Books Are Love - review of The Root of Murder / giveaway
Oct 25 - Svetlana's Reads and Views - review of The Root of Murder / giveaway
TBD - The Quirky Romantic - review of The Root of Murder / author interview / giveaway
TBD - A Fountain of Books - review of Killer in the Band
TBD - Svetlana's Reads and Views - review of Killer in the Band / giveaway

(Click here for giveaway)

4 out of 5
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)