I'd heard about Steve Robinson's books, because they've been reviewed on a genealogy website but I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. Within a few pages I was hooked! The story was fast paced, with lots of twists and all the more interesting because of the genealogical references (though an interest in genealogy is definitely not a prerequisite to enjoy the story). I'll be looking for more Jefferson Tayte books!

Dying Games (Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mystery #6), by Steve Robinson

How deep are you willing to go for a revenge?

And which would be the trigger point for you to calculate a master revenge plan – developed inch by inch, names chosen carefully, and murder methods meticulously planned? Everything knitted in a way that there are no loose ends, and you suddenly see yourself in the middle of a tornado, having no idea of how you were put in there in the first place.  

Jefferson Tayte saw himself in this very situation on “Dying Games”, and thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer, I was able to dive deep inside an avenger’s mind and participate in Tayte’s attempts to stop this serial killer from attacking a new victim. 

It all started when Tayte received a call from the FBI summoning him back to Washington DC to help them with an investigation - two twin brothers had been found dead, and the killer had left a family history chart at the crime scene. What Tayte did not know was that those were not the first victims of a killer that had a peculiar taste for his targets: they or their family members were all connected to Tayte’s genealogic works in some way.

From that moment on, Tayte and the FBI had to work faster than the killer in order to save them.

The book is a page-turner, in all the senses of this expression. I was tense while reading it, and it reminded me a lot of Saw, with all the architecture behind the crimes and their executions. The rage the killer had against JT is also explored in details and in depth, what makes the plot intelligent and interesting.

I do recommend this book, and I would certainly buy it as a gift to someone who enjoys intelligent thriller plots.

Please check my blog for more reviews: mypapertrips.wordpress.com

See you soon!

Denise

This was a pretty entertaining crime novel. I stuck with it until the end.

I have read the previous books in the Jefferson Tayte series and this one does not disappoint either. Once I started reading it was difficult to put down this genealogy murder mystery. I am hoping there will be a book 7 released soon.

Steve Roginson has hit another home run - and not just any home run, this is a grand slam.  I was anxiously awaiting his next book and was surprised when he was the killer's victim. I held my breath throughout the book.

If you have enjoyed the other five books by Robinson, you will find this one a real thriller.  I can't recommend it highly enough.

Of all the Jefferson Tayte mysteries, this was my least favorite.  The last book "Kindred" was a bit dark in the story line.  It made me uncomfortable.  This book had a modern day serial killer and it just hit too close to home for me to enjoy it.  

While in the past, I have had a hard time NOT reading Robinson's genealogical mysteries, this time I had a hard time making myself go back to it.  I found myself looking for excuses not to read.  But I did finish it and the ending was satisfactory, so it wasn't all bad.

I do hope that the author returns to his previous style.  I realize that there must be evil in a book or the good can't be shown.  But the last two have been much darker than the Jefferson Tayte that I grew to love.  I don't think I can do another book like this one.

Jefferson has been called to Washington by the FBI because of the deaths of a pair of brothers.  It seems that the leads point to him as the murderer, but he has an iron tight alibi since he was in England with Jean.  As more murders unfold, it becomes clear that there is a serial killer who uses genealogical clues to give JT information about the next victim.  He has to solve a riddle about who was killed, where, and the method of the death in an attempt to prevent it from all happening again.  The victims are all family members of his previous clients.  That is Part One of the book.  I shan't say anything about the story line in Part 2.  That you will have to read for yourself.  I will only say that it was easier reading than Part 1.

This is a wonderful roller-coaster ride of a book! As my genealogical friend Peter Calver (http://lostcousins.com) says, this is "Jefferson Tayte meets CSI"!

I have been steering clear of suspense thrillers lately - life is stressful enough at the moment, without adding to it... And I won't bore you with an outline of the plot: I find it more useful to read how someone actually reacts to a book, without any spoilers. True, there is a lot of action and suspense in "Dying Games", but the plot is so well-paced and interesting that I found I couldn't put it down until the very last paragraph. Totally hooked, I wanted to shut out everything happening around me to find out what would happen in the end.

I have witnessed Steve Robinson's writing progress from the self-published "In the Blood" in 2011 to this, his latest novel in the Jefferson Tayte series, and I can honestly say that he has become a master-storyteller in both the Genealogical Mystery genre as well as the Suspense-Thriller genre. And for the lily-livered readers like myself, I will add that although there are lots of horrific murders in this novel, they are not nearly as gritty and gruesome as they are in, for example, Stuart MacBride's novels.

This is a total MUST for anyone who likes family history and thrillers, and definitely an author to follow! Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for sending me an advanced copy to review.

It was like  CSI meets  who do you  think you are. .it was excellent  mystery  novel. The only downside is that it was connected  to another book in the  series.  It makes me  want to buy that book when I  find it

When twin brothers are found drowned in a Perspex box in Washington D. C., and a family history chart is left at the scene, the police realise that this is one of several recent murders with a link to genealogist Jefferson Tayte. Knowing that his experience will be invaluable, Tayte is summoned by the FBI to assist in catching the ruthless killer who always seems to be one step ahead. With his reputation at stake and the body count rapidly rising, will Jefferson have to pay the ultimate price to stop the sadist in his tracks?

I have become a big fan of Steve Robinson’s Jefferson Tayte books over the years and I await each new instalment eagerly. I was excited, therefore, to receive Dying Games through Net Galley, telling myself that I would wait until nearer publication day before I would read it. This resolution lasted a whole day before I found myself clicking on it on my kindle!

The book begins in a very macabre fashion as a woman is burned to death inside a dolls’ house. This sets the tone for the rest of the book as the twisted killer re-enacts deaths that have appeared in the family trees of the victims. From quite early on, JT realises that the killer is someone he has encountered in his professional life but is finding it impossible to convince the FBI that the man cannot be working alone. In Frankie Mavro, JT has the perfect sidekick – someone who provides him with the necessary authority to undertake his research but who is also genuinely on his side.

Like the rest of this series, once I started on this book, I found it difficult to put down. I do feel, though, that this one is different to the others as it had an almost Dan Brown feel to it with our hero solving clues against the clock in order to prevent a tragedy. The ‘race against time’ element made it a very fast-paced, exhilarating read and I really liked the fact how, in many of the cases, there was no happy ending, as this helped JT to develop a true hatred of the unknown man.

Dying Games is a superb addition to the Jefferson Tayte franchise and I hope this is a series that continues to run and run: the ending of this book has certainly changed the direction of any future plots!

Dying Games is a great entry in the Jefferson Tate genealogical mystery series.  Called back to Washington, DC by the FBI, Jefferson soon finds himself involved with a serial killer (the Genie) who is killing people connected to past clients.  Recently out of jail, the Genie wants revenge against Tate and won't be happy until Tate loses everything like he did.  The Genie is kidnapping people and killing them in horrific ways that mimic the deaths of an ancestor.  Tate and the FBI must figure out who the next victim is, which ancestor's death is being re-created, and where the death is to occur while racing a clock.  Is the Genie working on his own or is there a puppet master pulling his strings?  This book has lots of twists and turns which kept me guessing throughout the book.  When Tate has to face losing everything that matters, he finds a reserve of strength he never knew he had.  I'm hoping that there will be many more entries in this series; I enjoy the way the stories mix history, genealogy, and mystery.

4 stars

SAC Jordan Reese of the FBI meets Jefferson “JT” Tayte as he gets off a plane from London where he was spending time with his fiancée, Jean. Reese has a problem on his hands. There have been murders committed and the evidence ties them to JT in some way. It turns out that the four people murdered so far are related to persons for whom JT has done genealogical work.  

As JT tries to understand just who is doing this, the killer commits more murders. The murders are all committed in creative, different and diabolical ways. JT doesn’t understand who he could have upset so badly that they have resorted to murdering innocent people. He is perplexed and tortured with guilt. As JT tries to piece the evidence and clues together, the tension in the story mounts. 

It’s nice to have a new Jefferson Tayte novel. It is well written and plotted. The story progresses along at a good pace and is suspenseful. Having read the previous Jefferson Tayte novels, I know enough about JT’s past that this book only enhances. I really enjoy reading Steve Robinson’s books and look forward to reading the next in this series. 

I want to thank Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for forwarding to me a copy of this delightful book to read.

Like many other readers I met Jefferson Tayte in Steve Robinson’s first book – ‘In The Blood’ and found him a thoroughly engaging character, slightly self-deprecating and with a number of quirks that could easily make him English if it wasn’t for the quirks themselves! (His love of Hershey bars, his tan suits and the ‘umbilical cord’ to his laptop!) 

In this, Steve Robinson’s sixth book of the series, the author hooks in the reader with a scenario that is ‘Alice in Wonderland’ meets Quentin Tarrantino...but we have no time to linger as we are with JT as he arrives in Washington, DC and an appointment with the FBI! It is revealed that a bizarre double murder has been discovered that is one of a series weird murders where the apparent perpetrator has left clues in the form of ‘family trees’ that lead, in each case, to JT’s having previously researched the victims’ family histories.

The book has been crafted in such a manner that the reader can visualise the action and there are a number of extremely tense moments throughout as the action unfolds and leads to the final dramatic denouement. It’s definitely a page turner as a thriller...but it’s also interesting from a genealogical perspective with hints for approaching family history using the smallest of clues and JT’s familiarity with various organisations and bodies that are in possession of various items of historical evidence to progress his research. As someone who has a mainly ‘online’ approach to family history this is a salutary lesson.

I won’t include any spoilers – but there are a number of characters we’ve met before although this won’t spoil anything for new readers to Steve Robinson’s books as this is a standalone volume and can be read as such. I’d urge new readers to read the back catalogue, though, as they’re all excellent.

Jefferson Tayte is summoned home to DC because the FBI want his help. Someone well up in genealogy and its research methods is killing people in a manner to echo the death of one of their ancestors. Tayte is involved because they are all related to past clients of his. The killer is leaving clues – it’s a sick game and if Tayte doesn’t play it, they die. If he’s clever, he might get there before the deadline and save the victim.

Because of the structure of the story – the fact that there are several families and puzzles to sort out from Tayte’s old files, the story builds in excitement. Will he solve it? Imagine failing to solve a puzzle in time to save a person’s life. You’d feel terrible about yourself. At least he’s happy that Jean is safe in England. Tayte has more than a suspicion he knows who’s behind it but the FBI think differently. This story touches on JT’s personal life and previous contacts more than any other and I found it exciting and terrifying in equal measure. It’s a dead sure winner and I enjoyed it immensely.

Another riveting genealogical mystery for Jefferson Tayte (JT). Dying Games is the sixth book of a fascinating series involving murder, mystery and genealogy, all cleverly blended with a sprinkling of suspense to keep you reading into the early hours.

JT is in England and about to go away with his fiancée Jean when he is asked to return to DC to assist in a murder investigation. It is quickly established that someone is targeting his ex-clients. Relatives of his clients are being murdered by methods closely replicating the manner in which one of their ancestors died. The murderer involves JT in the build up to each one, providing clues and a deadline by which the mystery must be solved if he is to stop the crime. JT works with FBI analyst Frankie Mavro to decipher the clues against the rapidly ticking clock.

As the bodies pile up JT is devastated and feels solely responsible for the murders and is convinced he knows who is behind them and that it is not the person performing the evil deeds.

I don’t want to say any more as it will spoil the plot, suffice to say that it gets more exciting with every page and if you have enjoyed the previous five books you will definitely enjoy this one. 

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a preview copy.

I enjoyed this book, but feel like it could have been tighter in some spots, too much detail in irrelevant passages. While I think it is another well done book, it's not as sharp as the previous books in the series.

I have waited almost a year for the next instalment of Jefferson Tayte (JT) and his epic adventures and it was well worth it. As always the events get off to a dramatic and tragic start which do not stop until the very last page. This time things get very personal with a character we only know as ‘the genie’ at the start, controlling every second of JTs life. The FBI summon JT back to Washington to help them identify the killer of several relatives connected to some of the genealogical cases he has investigated in the past. On each occasion, a relative is murdered in the same place and by the same method as one of their forbearers. Following the discovery of each body JT is given a clue and we follow him in his rush against time to determine who the next victim will be and where the murder will take place. Unfortunately for the victims it is some time before JT manages to work within the perilous time frame involved with the investigations and he gets frustratingly close to stopping the next tragedy on several occasions. As always the last few chapters have you on the edge of your seat wondering if JT will make it out of trouble this time. So far he has been lucky and made it in the nick of time, but will it be the same this time or are we heading for the ultimate tragedy? Sorry, I am obviously not going to tell you, but you will have to read the book to find out. 

I have been a big fan of the work of Steve Robinson since his first book and have never been disappointed with any of the titles. This is yet another masterpiece of genealogical discovery, with several tragic deaths along the way. As always with these books I pick one up with the intention of reading for a few minutes, but I become so engrossed in the characters and events that a couple of hours have passed, which I am not complaining about at all. You become totally engrossed in the story and can’t be left waiting to discover the next instalment. This book can be read as a stand alone book, but personally I think any reader will get far more from the story if they read the previous books in order to understand the character of JT and his many nuances, from his indulgence of Hershey’s chocolate to his obsession with copious amounts of coffee, his ever present cream linen suits and briefcase which goes everywhere with him. 

I would recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a gripping mystery with several heart in the mouth moments and a high degree of tension. 

I would like to thank the publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in advance.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of Dying Games, the sixth novel in the series featuring genealogist Jefferson "JT" Tayte.

JT is in England with his fiancée, Jean, when he is contacted by the FBI and asked to return to Washington to discuss a death with links to him. They are unsure if he is responsible or if someone is trying to get to him. Soon it becomes clear that there is a serial killer on the loose with a grudge against him and a novel way of showing it.

This is the first novel in the series I have read so I have no preconceptions. The plotting is good and well paced. It is a fairly high octane read with JT and his sidekick, FBI analyst Frankie Mavro, constantly fighting the clock to solve the killer's clues and save a victim. The clue solving seems to come easily to them but it doesn't detract from the hectic pace. 

The level of complexity the killer goes to to destroy JT seems a bit OTT to me but it makes for a good read and fits in well with the glimpses the reader is given of his mindset and thinking.

JT is a pleasant protagonist and refreshingly normal. He is smart and driven in his career but now that he has found love, later in life, with Jean he is happy to give it and his customary aloneness up.

Dying Games is not a challenging read as it follows a linear, logical timeline and has a a fairly straightforward plot but it is action packed, tense and gripping so I have no hesitation in recommending it as a good read.

Jefferson is visiting Jean in England when the FBI calls and asks for his help.  After some initial suspicion, we learn that his former clients' relatives are being killed and genealogical clues left behind.  The FBI is stumped, but with his files and his memory Tayte digs in to help save them from a madman.  The murder techniques are ingenious and makes for a great puzzle.  How it all fits together with long running series characters is also great.  Soon JT is drawn into despair over the victims.  The second half of the book is wonderful payoff for longtime readers.  Can't say there was much mystery to solve more suspense on what would happen next you know who is doing things as JT is great at solving things it is more about stopping in this one.  Really love this series and this was great book, but wouldn't recommend it to a first entry to the series.

Jefferson Tayte returns in another genealogical thriller, and this time the murders appear to be personal. The murders are sadistic and bizarre and at each scene is a family history, linking all the victims to Tayte. The FBI calles him in for insight, it wouldn’t be the first time he’s helped solve a case like this. Nut even as he struggles to understand the clues left behind, more murders occur. While the cops are wondering of Tayte has lost his touch, the genealogist is only worried about stopping the killer before he can strike again. This is a fascinating mystery series, and while I think that it is best enjoyed that way, this book can be read as a standalone