After reading the first set of books in this series, I was really keen to get my hands on this first installment of the next set of books to see where the story is going and what will happen to the characters that I grew so fond of in the last books. This one (part one) set the scene for the other seven books in the series and I am really looking forward to reading them all. It was fast paced and had just the right amount of content, looking forward to book two!

Favorite Quotes:

If Lara managed to get mascara and her boots on before she got out of her front door, she considered it a good day. Her favorite meal was junk food and she’d never met a vegetable she hadn’t declined.

If Maddy wanted me to wear a pink apron with cotton candy in the pockets, I’d do it… Wait until you have kids James, then you’ll understand.


My Review:

Tension, drama, secrets, fatigue, frustration and traces of lust define this open installment of an intriguing Criminal Minds type FBI/police procedural. I did not realize this was the second season of the series but a considerable amount of backstory was provided for the rather large cast of characters. The main protagonists were former lovers, which is where the lingering chemistry and lust factors in. The tension, fatigue, and frustration are centered on their current major case involving two separate yet similar bombings, which has gripped the city of New York and has several government agencies bumping into each other and competing for authority and credit. Which leaves us with the secrets, and Lara has more than her share, in addition to working long and draining days on the bombing case, she is haunted and consumed with the cold case of her mother’s murder, a case she has been told to drop by all authorities. But obsessions don’t usually care what bosses say… Between the cryptic beginning and the heinous cliffhanger – damn, I am hooked! Good thing I have all eight installments already on my kindle.

Romantic suspense is not my usual genre, but I do love mystery/thrillers--especially FBI and police procedurals. My review is for Tough Justice Countdown 1, the first book in an eight-part serial involving FBI Agent Lara Grant and her team, part of the FBI's Crisis Management Unit (CMU). This 85-page segment sets up the story and introduces the various CMU team members. A bomber has struck for the second time in New York City at the book's opening and Lara and the team are trying to find the bomber(s?) before there is another strike. The two bomb sites (a smoothie shop and a police precinct) don't seem to have anything in common, but the type of bomb and other evidence make it pretty clear that they are related.

I didn't realize when I started that this is the second Tough Justice serial featuring Lara Grant. I am a person who hates reading series books out of order, but there is a some recapping of Lara's backstory so I didn't feel completely out of the loop. That being said, I would have preferred to read the first serial before this one for the continuity. There are four authors alternating the storytelling for each of the eight story segments and if you don't like delayed gratification, you can get the whole set and read them at once. I was given all eight books (even though I am reviewing just the first) and the transition between the four authors (Carla Cassidy, Tyler Anne Snell, Emmy Curtis and Janie Crouch) seems pretty seamless so it doesn't feel disjointed. I have read six of the eight parts so far and the action has kept me wanting to get to the next book to find out what happens. I like the NYC setting and the characters who are full of secrets that unfold throughout the segments and keep the story interesting. There are twists and turns, although some things seem a bit too obvious and I felt like Lara and the CMU should have picked up on them faster than they did. Still, Tough Justice Countdown is engaging and entertaining--so if you are looking for something fast-paced and thrilling, but not too deep, it's a good match.

I think separating this story is a mistake. The writing is good, but it's too much the same story - different characters and by the time you get to part 2 - I've lost interest.

I am really enjoying this series but it will be hard to sell to my customers as it is written by so many authors. Customers who try to buy it in the normal stores will have a problem finding all the series before they are pulled from the shelves. Unless each customer comes in my store every month to buy the book in the series, it will be hard for me to sell the series

This is kind of a teaser of a book. An interesting teaser, but definitely a teaser.

What’s being teased? The entire Tough Justice series by Carla Cassidy, Tyler Anne Snell, Emmy Curtis and Janie Crouch.

Countdown is actually the second Tough Justice series. The first came out last year, also with 8 episodes by mostly the same cast of authors.

The story here is about a very tough FBI Agent, Lara Grant. In this new case, Lara and her Crisis Management Unit are on the hunt for a serial bomber. Whoever he is, he’s targeting Manhattan, and as the case begins in the first episode of Countdown, neither the FBI, the NYPD or Homeland Security have a clue as to either his motives or his identity.

As the first episode draws to a close, there’s a possibility that they’ve located the first link in the chain, but it is clear that there is more to be revealed as the case continues. It’s obviously going to be a long and bumpy ride for Lara and her team.

This is a story that opens with a literal bang, and keeps the reader gripped and absorbed until you’re wrung out at the end of the installment, eager to dive into the rest of the series, which makes this a great opening episode.

Because this is Lara’s second outing, a lot of stuff happened in the past (that first series) that looks like it is going to have a major impact on events in the second. But in spite of the brevity of this episode, readers new to the series, like me, still get all the background they need on Lara and her team to get immersed in the action without feeling left behind.

Lara might not reveal much of what she is feeling to her teammates, but she doesn’t hide from herself (or the reader) in her inner thoughts. We know who she is and what she wants and why she does what she does. She remembers what went down before, and how it led her to where she is now.

It’s enough to get the new reader into the action here, while still leaving enough details out to tempt that same reader into picking up the first series.

Escape Rating B: This installment does have an ending, but it’s obvious that the story isn’t complete. Nor should it be. As a reader, I have mixed feelings about episodic books, but this is a case where all the episodes came out together, so there’s no waiting to find out who done it or why. Or to find out what fresh hell Lara finds herself in.

Lara reminds me more than a bit of Eve Dallas from the In Death series. Like Eve, Lara lives for her job and doesn’t plan on letting emotion get in her way. She also comes from a scarred background and is still haunted by the traumas in her own past. Although the details of those scars and that trauma are different, the way that they have reacted has similarities. Enough similarities that I hope Lara eventually finds her balance. But not too soon, because the obsessions that drive her is what makes her such a kick-ass heroine.

I thoroughly enjoyed the short entry into the world of the character Special Agent Lara Grant. I found the character interesting and the story pretty well an introduction to the character and world of Lara Grant. Yes, I would like to know more. I give this only three stars and say I would not purchase it because I do not like this move towards publishing books in novella or part form. This took me just over an hour to read and I expect more I don't like serialising books, I expect a fully rounded complete story and I will not purchase books presented in this way.

Tough Justice:Countdown 1 is a serial by four authors Carla Cassidy and Tyler Anne Snell, Emmy Curtis and Janie Crouch. The first installment is written by Carla. The book starts with a bang, literally. We have a serial bomber who is giving someone a chance to confess their secrets or he will kill innocent people. Lara works with an FBI team has a few secrets trying to solve the case and stop the bomber. Lara has a few secrets; one of them is that she is investigating her mother’s case. He mom was murdered when she was 10 and one of the suspects was her father. Lara’s partner Nick is a hotty. She and Nick had a fling and she called it off but there is still chemistry between them.
Fword – 3, shit 3, bstard - 5

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

I'm gonna say up front that installment books are not my favorite, but this series had two installments by one of my favorite authors, Janie Crouch, so I thought I'd give it a try. I am also dropping into Tough Justice in the second set of installments. This is going to be interesting to see if anything makes sense since I haven't read the first set of installments.

Lara Grant is a tough, wounded FBI agent who cares way to much about her job, to the point of exhibiting all the martyr characteristics. Martyr is a romance/romantic-suspense trope that is my least favorite. She has had a rough couple of years and is haunted by the unsolved murder of her mother when she was 10 years old, among a myriad of other events including hot, sizzling sex with her partner Nick Delano.

A bomb has exploded in a police precinct and innocent people are dead. The bomber gave someone a chance to save them by fessing up publically to his misdeeds. He didn't, people died. This is the second bomb in three weeks. Now the police, FBI and Homeland Security must solve this before another bomb goes off.

Explosive action from the start, the part one of the serial introduces the grim world and complex characters of the Crisis Management Unit with the FBI with Agent Lara Grant in a lead role.
The thrill of a chase, the threat of the danger, and the anguish of lacking clues and viable witnesses are tangible in the air as the multi-agency hunt for the bomber takes off.
The world around the agents is intense and uptight as they constantly work and live on the edge of gloom and secrecy. Lara's life seems to be filled with solitude and desolation. Her past mistakes, losses, and nightmares her constant companion, she seeks a moments release from the tribulations of her life with booze and hookups.
The story has a dismal, strained energy in it as the agency seems to face an endless and hopeless hunt for the culprit.

The Tough Justice Countdown carries a heavy responsibility to entice the reader's mind into the story so that they will keep reading, and buying, the new installments of the book split into eight parts written by four authors. The cliffhanger at the end of the part one is strong and alluring, giving just enough bait to hook the reader's interest. It will be interesting to see the collaboration of the authors as the story unfolds.
~ Four Spoons

This is the first installment in this serial and it starts off with a BOOM! Literally! Lara is back and on the trial of a serial bomber. This is a fast paced book and you have to be on your toes to keep up with all the twists and turns. It is not necessary to read last years' serial to know what is going on with this one. Beware, this does end with a cliffhanger, as expected, since this is part one of eight.

**Received an ARC copy for review from the publisher via NetGalley**

Countdown drops you right into the action and goes from there. You meed familiar faces in the Crisis Management team. This time, things are going BOOM!

Once again, Carla's characters are engaging and the plot keeps the action moving. A phone call with the question how lives is a reputation worth? Tell the truth or face the consequences, with only seconds to make that choice.

You have to wonder how Lara is holding up after giving up a big piece of herself and her obsession, perhaps unhealthy, for a cold case. Guess we will have to follow the rest of the serial to find out!

This book starts with lots of action- it grabs you, then... disappointment. For my time of reading I got two main characters that I didn't like and an ending I didn't like. I plodded through the story, but now I am faced with 7 more books in this series and I don't know that I want to even read them. Maybe it will get better.

How far would you go for justice? Lara & her team are investigating two bombings and the last one is personal as it involved law enforcement but they are no closer to catching the bomber. All their leads aren't helping, just when they think that the have the person it isn't them. Lara is dealing with a lot at the moment, she is still looking into her mother's murder even after she was told to back off. She misses her daughter even though she had to give her up and she needs her partner Nick but she is too scared to let him in fully. So where does this leave her?
Another death is going to send the team into a spin as it is close to home. Will they find the bomber before more people are killed? A great 1st part to the series. I was lucky enough to receive a copy in exchange for my honest thoughts via Netgalley & the publishing house.

This is part 1 of 8 that will make up a complete story, all written by different authors with Carla Cassidy being first up. What a great start too. Lara Grant is back for a second outing after the success for last years adventure. It all starts with a phone call, How many lives is someone reputation worth? Tell the truth or consequences will have to be faced and only seconds to make that choice. Twice in three weeks explosions have taken so many lives and it is for the FBI to find out why. This is such a fast paced section that is full of tension as the race is on to stop this maniac.

Lara Grant is still far from stable after giving her child up totally in order to protect her and chasing the ghosts of the past on a cold case which is too close to home and has become an unhealthy obsession. The story is left on a cliff hanger for the next author to take over. All I can say is if it is as riveting as this it will be a cracker.

I wish to thank Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this part of the series

This series got off to a "bang" literally as a serial bomber strikes NYC! Tough Justice is at it again with another set of books, this time with a serial bomber as their target. This book set the stage as what is proving to be a great cat and mouse game in NYC. All the hard work that goes into finding a serial bomber in the largest city of America. I really enjoy seeing all this law enforcement stuff form the "inside" when you see how frustrating is can be. They want to catch the bad guys so much but it's incredibly hard and they have to work around the clock to chase down every single possible lead, no matter how small. I like the characters and look forward to the other books that will come along to continue the story! It mainly focuses on Lara Grant but the other members of the FBI team she is on are featured too.

If you love crime stories and police action thrillers, this short novella is great one to bite your teeth into. Part of a series, this drama is fast and hard hitting, with plenty of action to keep you intrigued.

This is the first time I have read anything by this author and I am curious at how the series will develop. The writing is engaging and fast-paced with plenty of twists and turns to keep the interest. With a cliffhanger at the end as we wait for the next installment, this is definitely one to grab and follow as this series grows!

I couldn’t get into the book, but I have to take part of the blame for that . When I got the book from Netgalley, I did not realizing this book was part of of a serial. I avoid them as well as cliffhangers, so “my bad”.
I couldn’t get into the story, and it appears there is a book prior to this one that gives the reader background information.
I did not enjoy it . But because I do loe Ms Cassidy, I will I’ve it a 3 star rating.
I was gifted this book by Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

This was part one of an eight-part serial featuring FBI special agent Lara Grant who was introduced last year in the first Tough Justice serial, Tough Justice Series Box Set: Parts 1-8. It's possible to follow this even if you haven't read the first serial, as a lot of the background information is provided. The instalments are written by different authors, including Carla Cassidy, Janie Crouch, Emmy Curtis, and Tyler Ann Snell.
The plot is exciting and the characters engaging. I enjoyed this and would like to read the rest of the story, but because I'm not a huge fan of these novella-type releases I am going to wait until the box-set is available.
I received an ARC via NetGalley.