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A review by lynguy1
Deadly Impulse by Carolyn Arnold
4.0
Once again, Carolyn Arnold has penned a strong and impactful tale in the sixth book in the Detective Madison Knight mystery series, Deadly Impulse. Madison is suffering from flashbacks from her abduction by Russian criminals, but when a suspicious death of a sixty-eight-year-old woman becomes a murder case, her compulsion to find justice kicks in. Teamed up with her partner of six months, Detective Terry Grant, they must sift through the evidence and lies to find what has really happened and why.
Madison is strong-willed, impatient, and independent, but her abduction and flashbacks are affecting her. Despite this, she is tenacious, loves challenges, and pressures herself to have all the answers. Madison is not as likeable as many protagonists, but her faults make her feel more realistic than the perfect strong female lead. Driven to solve crimes and seek justice, Madison often goes on instinct, which doesn’t always mean she keeps an open mind. Terry is a good balance for her and she respects him. He is fair and balanced, keeps her grounded, and challenges her when it’s needed. Readers get some insight into Madison’s boyfriend, Troy Matthews, the head of the Special Weapons and Tactics department of the Stiles, Pennsylvania police department.
The book is a good mix of police investigation and the personal lives of Madison, Troy, and Terry. Readers are quickly pulled into the story line with a writing style that grabs and holds one’s attention. The plot is multi-layered and has twists and turns to keep a reader guessing. Fluid writing, great characterization, and a mystery to be solved kept me engaged. My one quibble is that I would like a little more world-building to feel like I was in Pennsylvania. Themes include, murder, friendship, trust, relationships, secrets, and much more.
Overall, this was a story that captivated me from the first page to its last. The author did a great job of weaving the threads together. I look forward to seeing what is next for Madison, Troy, and Terry. Readers of mysteries and police procedurals will likely enjoy this series. By reading the series in order, the character growth and the relationships that develop over time are more obvious. However, this novel can be read as a stand-alone.
I purchased a copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date was October 29, 2015.
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My 4.16 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
Madison is strong-willed, impatient, and independent, but her abduction and flashbacks are affecting her. Despite this, she is tenacious, loves challenges, and pressures herself to have all the answers. Madison is not as likeable as many protagonists, but her faults make her feel more realistic than the perfect strong female lead. Driven to solve crimes and seek justice, Madison often goes on instinct, which doesn’t always mean she keeps an open mind. Terry is a good balance for her and she respects him. He is fair and balanced, keeps her grounded, and challenges her when it’s needed. Readers get some insight into Madison’s boyfriend, Troy Matthews, the head of the Special Weapons and Tactics department of the Stiles, Pennsylvania police department.
The book is a good mix of police investigation and the personal lives of Madison, Troy, and Terry. Readers are quickly pulled into the story line with a writing style that grabs and holds one’s attention. The plot is multi-layered and has twists and turns to keep a reader guessing. Fluid writing, great characterization, and a mystery to be solved kept me engaged. My one quibble is that I would like a little more world-building to feel like I was in Pennsylvania. Themes include, murder, friendship, trust, relationships, secrets, and much more.
Overall, this was a story that captivated me from the first page to its last. The author did a great job of weaving the threads together. I look forward to seeing what is next for Madison, Troy, and Terry. Readers of mysteries and police procedurals will likely enjoy this series. By reading the series in order, the character growth and the relationships that develop over time are more obvious. However, this novel can be read as a stand-alone.
I purchased a copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date was October 29, 2015.
------------------------------------------
My 4.16 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.