Cover Image: Seeing Red

Seeing Red

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Sandra Brown is one of my all-time favorite mystery/romantic suspense writers so I was thrilled to get my hands on a copy of Seeing Red! She starts off with a bang with the first page, as usual, and I was hooked from beginning to finish!

Kerra Bailey contacts John Trapper when all her efforts to get in touch with his father fail. His father, The Major, is a hero, launched into the public eye back in 1992 when he led survivors out of The Pegasus Hotel bombing, an event that claimed 197 lives. For John Trapper this event signaled the end of his quiet, happy life when his father enthusiastically latched onto the celebrity his actions incurred.

As an adult, Trapper took up an investigation of the bombing when his examination of the facts led to serious doubts that the case was solved. This obsession eventually cost him his job at the ATF, so when Kerra shows up at his door asking for assistance he has no desire to help her.

Kerra has her own reasons for wanting an interview with The Major, more personal than professional. She’s determined to get the interview with or without Trapper assistance, but she can’t deny the pull she has to Trapper. In the middle of the storm that follows Kerra’s meeting with The Major, Trapper and Kerra try and manage the sexual tension between them, all the while trying to get to the bottom of things, staying alive in the process.

Sandra Brown is famous for here addictive writing. Her cliffhanger type chapters are a sure hook for someone like me. I just wanted to keep reading and find out how it all ended. Of course, she throws in twists, and turns. I suspected a few and was surprised by several. I love it when an author can keep me guessing!

The romance between Kerra and John was half of the attraction; deliciously antagonistic, and utterly sexy! I love Sandra Brown’s heroes! Trapper has a flash temper, a rude mouth, rugged and rough around the edges. Just the kind of antihero this reader loves! Kerra was principled, smart and determined; the perfect partner for Trapper to get to the bottom of these sinister plots.

Seeing Red is Sandra Brown at her finest, and I can hardly wait until she writes her next book!

A copy was kindly provided by Grand Central Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This review is also posted at The Readers Den.

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TV journalist Kerra Bailey is part of the story she's pursuing in Sandra Brown's latest, Seeing Red. Turns out that the national hero she hopes to interview saved her life 25 years before.

Since the Major won't take her calls, Kerra works her wiles on his estranged son, ex-ATF agent John Trapper - they end up on the run together.

A Sandra Brown thriller is always entertaining, as is the case with Seeing Red, which is engaging and engrossing.

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Seeing Red by Sandra Brown was a really good suspense/mystery/thriller book. One of those books you look at the time and realise its way past your bedtime and you still have to read on to see who is the good person and who is the evil one, and how did it all go down.

Kerra is a news anchor and a good one, she wanted and got an interview with Major Franklin Trapper, and she has an ace up her sleeve that is going to helped her achieve that. What she doesn't realise is that all hell is about to break loose and it sure does. She is lucky to get away with her life intact.

John Trapper is Franklin's son and a badass - or is he? He has hated all the fame a famous rescue that Major Trapper accomplished has brought the family. His life was changed forever the day his father rescued people from a bombed hotel. Plus now John believes there was more to that bombing than people are letting on about and he wants to root around and get to the very depths of it. So far it has lost him his job at the ATF and made him look a fool. But the thing about Trapper is he is very persistent and most of the time is one step ahead of the enemy - whoever that might be!

When the interview results in a shocking event Trapper steps in and kidnaps Kerra - for her own good of course. And so the ducking and diving begins. Who is the enemy is always the question. We are given little cameos of the perpetrators but never the full picture. It's very fortunate that Trapper does not trust easily, is very perceptive and while he resents the fame and the impact it has had on his relationship with his father, there are still bonds of love there.

I really enjoyed this story, the mystery and suspense, the wonderings about who was the person or persons behind the various killings. Trapper and Kerra grow as people throughout the story, the relationship of Trapper and the Major develops well and other relationships are called into question. And of course there is some hot romance happening between Kerra and Trapper.

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Sandra Brown's stories will never go out of style and with Seeing Red this has become fact. Plot twists, sizzling chemistry between leads and a mystery waiting be solved are guaranteed to keep you up at night trying to guess where the story is going, what are the stakes and how will our protagonists get out of the situation alive. Kerra and Trapper will definitely lead readers on a pulse pounding chase that will keep us turning the pages.

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Another fantastic one by Sandra Brown! This one has wonderful characters and a mesmerizing storyline!

Kerra Bailey, a television journalist, wants to interview Major Trapper, the hero from a hotel bombing twenty-five years ago. His estranged son and former ATF agent, John Trapper, does not approve of her plan.

When her plans go wrong and Kerra and Major Trapper end up in the cross hairs of an unknown assailant, John knows he must track down the gunmen and find out who was really behind the bombing twenty-five years ago. He and Kerra end up working together and uncover lies and conspiracies.

This book was one I thoroughly enjoyed!

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I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. This book tells the story of Kerra Bailey, a local TV reporter in Dallas, Texas, and John Trapper, a surly private investigator who used to work for the ATF. John came up with what seemed like a conspiracy theory about the Pegasus Hotel bombing from years ago, and got fired because of it. But now that Kerra has interviewed John’s father (the hero of the Pegasus bombing) John’s theories don’t seem all that crazy now that Kerra and his father’s lives are threatened. Kerra and John team up to try and get to the bottom of it, but along the way John begins to develop feelings for her.
Overall I did really like this book. One of my favorite parts about it was that the first plot twist/surprise happened pretty early on in the book, which is why I can’t write too much about what happened without giving it away. The character development in this was good but not what I would call on par with some of Brown’s previous books. That being said, there were some great twists and turns in the plot of this novel, I definitely didn’t expect the ending to work out the way it did. Once we got to the big standoff scene, things happened kind of quickly and the ending (which was a little sad) wrapped up fast. There were some pieces of the plot that didn’t exactly fit for me, it seemed like it was a bit of a reach for the reasoning behind the twist to fit into the story. I still really liked the plot overall though and the book. I always love Sandra Brown’s books and while this book wasn’t my all-time favorite of hers (for the record that would be Deadline) it was still a great read!

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Sandra Brown doesn't disappoint, as always. With intensity throughout, both in a love affair and in bad guys. This was a book I could not put down. Just when I thought I had the mystery figured out, I was taken for a roller coaster ride. There were moments when I just did not see the plot twist heading right at me.

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This is one of those books that you did not want to see end. Though the story was concluded, you did not want to let go of the suspense and intrigue that Sandra Brown had built. Just as one part was winding down, you found yourself breathless as a new revelation reared its head and the characters were either exposed for who or what they were or a wild conclusion that you had jumped to on your own had come to pass.

Billed as a sexy romantic thriller, I did not really see the romantic side, I saw raw unbridled passion between two characters that had too much too lose if the story that they were chasing went anymore sideways than it already had.

Lives changed the morning of the 1992 bombing of the Pegasus Hotel where 192 people died and one man, Maj. Franklin Trapper, became an instant hero. Being forced to live in his famous father’s shadow has been nothing but torment for his son John. There were things about the bombing that never sat right with him so when he became an ATF agent, he took on the Pegasus case as his own personal crusade. Little did he know, but that was going to be his downfall and the one thing that would cause a permanent wedge between father and son.

In walks the brash and beautiful TV reporter Kerra Bailey. With the anniversary of the bombing quickly approaching, she wants an interview with the now reclusive Major. With every door slammed in her face, she searches out John. This is her last chance to come face to face with the Major and get her life-changing interview if only John would make that first introduction.

There are people that do not want this interview to take place. The mere fact that these two individuals coming together and comparing notes could destroy what others had built their careers on. Within an hour of the interview, bullets are flying with Kerra barely escaping two would-be killers and the Major clinging to life.

At points, were the story is running out of steam, there are revelations and twists exposed that leaves the reader gasping and holding the book tighter in a mad race to the end. Once you pick up this book, I certainly hope that you do not have plans for the next day or two since you will not be putting this down until the true puppet-master is revealed.

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Television journalist (Kerra) makes headlines after revealing she was the child saved from hotel bombing by hero (Major Trapper) 25 years ago. What are the repercussions of revealing this news now? Did someone want this news hidden forever? If so, why? Can she trust the Major's son (John Trapper) to protect her, or is he involved?

This was my first time reading anything by Sandra Brown, and I'm very pleased to report that it won't be my last! At first, I was a little worried that I wouldn't like it because the beginning was a bit too cheesy romance for my tastes. But, the more I read, the more I liked it. Then about 1/4-1/3 of the way through, WHAM. Secrets started to be revealed, and I was shocked by each and every revelation. I kept thinking, "Wow; how will they get out of this one?!?" This story full of intrigue and lots of twists and turns definitely held my interest, and I will be recommending it to friends!

FYI: Steamy sex scenes.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

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Brown has a well deserved reputation for writing fast paced, engaging romantic suspense. This is another good example of her capabilities= you'll find yourself reading page after page past when you should be dong something else to find out what's going to happen. Kerra is a well done character- an intrepid journalist after a story that means a lot to her. Is Franklin a hero? To others or to his son John? That's the question here. It's hard to review this or other novels of the genre without spoilers. I saw some of the twists coming but others were a surprise. This makes for a good travel book, or a beach book, or an anytime book. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

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Seeing Red by Sandra Brown

Wonderful writing from beginning to end in this romantic suspense with a mystery thrown in! I love all of the books I have read by this author and loved this one, too!

This book hit closer to home in some ways because of where I have lived and what I have experienced. I was in the American embassy in Beirut collecting cookies for soldiers a few weeks before it was bombed and that day was expecting people for dinner that either died or ended up in the hospital. I watched soldiers playing baseball on the AUB campus before their barracks were bombed. I lived through the Gulf War in Saudi Arabia and came back to more war in Lebanon – war is gritty – bombs are lethal – the story indicated just how horrible the aftermath can be for many and some specifically.

So, the story…I started reading in the evening thinking I would stay up till tired and put the book down to continue today BUT once I began I could not put it down. I read till 3am and then contemplated the story some more. The prologue set the stage and then from that intense beginning till the end of the book the tension remained high. I was able to understand the motivation for the H/h and how they were attracted to one another and also appreciated that they did not fall easily. Their backstories were interesting and complex enough to give them further substance. I found the main bad guy to be evil incarnate and the fact that there was more than one baddie intriguing. The twists and turns were well plotted and some unseen till near the end.

I do not believe I have ever read a book by Sandra Brown that I did not enjoy so when I was granted an ARC of this book through NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing I was thrilled. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and my honest review reflects my response to reading this wonderful novel.

5 Stars

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Sandra Brown writes great suspense and Seeing Red is not a disappointment. There are layers of deceit enough to make you wonder if anyone is honest at all or if everyone is lying and hiding something.
Kerra Bailey is a local Dallas reporter who writes feature stories. She has been doggedly seeking an interview with the Major, a man who became a hero by rescuing people from a horrendous hotel explosion. It is coming up on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the event but the major has been in seclusion and grants no interviews.
Kerra interrupts the chaotic, mess of a life of the Major's only son, John Trapper, to request his intervention. Trapper and his father have been estranged for three years and he very reluctantly and unwillingly takes Kerra to plead her case. He has no idea why his father grants an interview but he does.
From the point of the interview on, things get messy and ugly. People aren't who they proclaim to be and you honestly don't know who to trust. It makes for great reading!

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Sandra Brown is a brilliant storyteller and she proves it once again with Seeing Red. Sexy and suspenseful, this story had me hooked from the first word until the last. Brown is so skilled at weaving a thrilling plot that is full of intrigue and sizzling with sexual tension. The story revolves around beautiful television reporter and a former ATF agent reluctantly who join forces to uncover a major crime while battling growing feelings for one another.

This author is so skilled at creating chemistry between her main characters, especially when there is an element of animosity between them. She's done it so flawlessly in her past stories, specifically with White Hot and more recently, Sting, and she captured that raw connection once again with these characters. My favorite parts of the story were the scenes where Kerra and Trapper faced off with each other. The attraction between them was fierce, even in the face of the danger that surrounded them.

In typical Sandra Brown style, the storyline was packed with delicious twists and turns that keep the reader guessing. I loved the way the book kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. The action was authentic, the romance was smoking hot, and the emotional elements were perfectly balanced with the rest of the story. I am a fan of this author for life and cannot wait to see what she has in store for her readers next.

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Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Seeing Red by Sandra Brown that I read and reviewed.
This book I can honestly say I had mixed feelings about. There were times were I found it dragging on and wanting the pace to pick up a bit. Then there were times like the end were I was like WOW I did not see that coming and I really enjoyed that part of the book and everything came together. So this book is definitely worth reading but just that it is a bit slower paced them some of Brown's previous books.
I am giving Seeing Red four out of five stars.
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Seeing Red is another fast paced mystery by Sandra Brown. The book had enough suspense, surprises and relationship issues to hold my interest throughout. The age old question "Whom can you trust?" is central to the story. I found Seeing Red an interesting and well told story.

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I liked the book. I didn't see a few pieces coming which made for a good read. The main characters are Kerra and Trapper. They were both affected by the Pegasus bombing in different ways. Kerra grows up and becomes a journalist and Trapper just wants the truth. They both learn that sometimes the truth is best kept quiet.

The book was written well and kept your attention. I struggled sometimes as in parts it was a little slow, but all in all a good book.

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Wow! What a roller coaster ride. This story has lots of twists and turns and lots of betrayal. I wasn't sure who could be trusted through this whole story. I have always been a fan of Sandra Brown and this story is a good example of why she has such a strong following. Loved it!

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“Seeing Red” by Sandra Brown sets the pace with the first line, “Did you think you were going to die?”

Brown pulls the reader in with her writing style and structure. The prologue starts with a snippet of “the event” and then the reader flashes back to six days earlier and a tantalizing question. Next, the reader returns to the present after “the event,” and things are wrong, terribly wrong. How did all these events fit together? Well, we shall see.

The piece by piece unveiling of “truths” is one of the strengths of this book, so I do not want to give away too much of the plot. Kerra Baily is a TV reporter, Major Trapper is retired U.S. Army and national hero, and John Trapper is his son with a questionable past. They converge in a small Texas town when Kerra wants to interview the Major on the 25th anniversary of the event that made him a national hero, his rescue of a child from a building as shown in a Pulitzer-winning photo.

There are more questions than answers. What is so special about that photo? Why is Kerra Baily so sure she can get an interview with The Major who has spurned public appearances for the past few years? Why did The Major’s son, Trapper, lose his job with ATF, and why is he so angry with everyone?

The story dynamics shift from person to person, so readers follow the “chase” from all perspectives. The action is very dialogue driven, and details, feelings, and interpretations come out through those personal interactions. The question is always who will be triumphant in the end. Behind it all, are those secrets, big secrets.

New players drop into the storyline one by one. They are complex, believable, but flawed. Everyone is cloaked in mystery, darkness, and secrecy. No one is really who he or she appears to be, and it is almost impossible to separate the “good” guys from the “bad” because the players keep changing places. As they play a game of “¿Quién es más macho?” the body count rises, and with every new body comes a new complication. The past comes screaming into the present, and not everyone is happy with the result. Things end, but they do not end well for everyone involved.

I received a copy of “Seeing Red” from Grand Central Publishing, Sandra Brown, and NetGalley in exchange for my impartial review. I enjoyed the book and its complex family alliances and friendships. The fast-paced, gripping plot made this a compelling book. I highly recommend it, but readers should be mindful that the plot contains some adult situations as part of the plot line, thus only 4 stars.

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