Sophie Evers is a new breed of criminal - crime writers usually have males as their villains
but J D Allen has written a thriller with an extremely evil and clever woman as the killer.

The story slowly uncovers the back story of her insane obsession with Daniel Hodge and the reader uncovers the past of the main character, Jim Bean. Both characters are flawed but Jim is trying to rebuild his life whereas Sophie is taking lives.

Sophie hires Jim to find her brother but he soon discovers that she is not what she purports to be and after she slips him a date rape drug and assaults him he realises that she is very dangerous. It is interesting to have an insight into the male experience of being drugged and made to have sex without consent and it is a refreshing change. The focus is so often on the female perspective.

Jim Bean is a great character and although he falters along the way he does not waver from protecting Daniel once he realises that by finding his hideout he has placed him in Sophie’s evil clutches. He has a strong moral core and, having been wrongly accused of sexual assault, he too has had to change his name and rebuild his life.

The unfolding relationship between him and the lead FBI investigator, Ava Webb, has the reader hoping against hope that the two of them find one another.

A cracking read and strongly recommended.

Gillian

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review

This is not like your usual "who dunnit'" thriller. Jim Bean is a private investigator hired by Sophie Evers to find her next victim (unbeknownst to him).

The story is well written but I felt the characters lacked depth and we weren't given full descriptions so I couldn't imagine them while reading. I could easily put this book down but as I was reading a first draft there were a lot of grammar and spelling errors which I think contributed to this.

It was actually a good story, if, a little far fetched!

Jim Bean is a PI, Sophie has found him and asked him to look for her brother. It becomes clear early on that she is looking for a male she can't let go of, not her brother. This book is well written and gutsy. The main character is far from perfect and Sophie is a complex character with issues. The characters and how well developed they were, for me was the best part of the book. Showing a glimpse to each of their lives was a brilliant part of the writing. A fast read for me with good strong action thriller plot.

I received a copy of this for my independent honest review. I'm sorry but from the outset I couldn't get along with the style of writing. It felt like the PI was a poorer version of Robert Galbraith's Cormorants Strike, so unfortunately I soon dnf'd it sorry

I got this book from Net Galley in trade for an honest review. Thank you for Midnight Ink who granted me this opportunity.

This is one creepy story about a psychopath, but the interesting part is the psycho is a woman. This rarely happen in the books I read. It’s fresh, quite intriguing to read and you can’t wait for the end. Whether she get to fulfill her obsession or not is something you have to read to know. It’s one very determine character. Too bad it’s for a bad reason.

The plot is quite fast pacing. Following the story is quite a roller coaster, because on each chapter there is a different action. Feels like watching a movie, because there are 2 vantage points: the law and the psycho. It’s quite an advantage that you as a reader could see both this story, because you could follow the mind of both sides. There are also bit of humor in the story, which makes it a lighter read, apart from the killing stuff.

The characters are also quite unique, each with their own pasts and history. The main character, Jim is a PI who needed money but still has some of his values. He’s a lousy shooter, but good at investigating. I like the Sophie character, because she’s determine, hard worker, ruthless and good at being a psychopath. Along the way, I thought that the character is actually quite sad. She has no family, no house, no past. It’s like there’s an explanation why she became bad.

The relationship between the characters is clearly divided between the good and bad guys. It’s quite easy to follow though. No dodgy thing there. By the end, the case is solved with lots of action and good teamwork.

Recommend this book for those who love fast pacing plot with lots of chasing around, action, also bits of humor, romance and gory stuff.

Review posted on Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read Blog on January 1, 2018.
19 Souls is a well-written and gripping start to a promising series. We're introduced to PI, Jim Bean, a plain-spoken guy who does business out of diner. He's somewhat rough around the edges and has a wit about him that is, at times, quite humorous. Jim takes on what he thinks is a straight-forward case and bites off a bit more than he wants to chew. The story is more thriller than mystery as we know who the antagonist is from the start. The suspense surrounds when Jim will figure out what Sophie is up to, who she will kill next, and how long it will take to stop her. I was pleasantly surprised with how well done Sophie's character is. I am often disappointed in a female antagonist, but Sophie is the very picture of a psychopath. She's completely obsessed with Dan and almost arrogantly sure of her actions as she manipulates, connives, and kills her way to having him. The little voice in her head was an added bonus that lends itself to just how far round the bend she's gone.
The story did slow down a bit more than I cared for at times, but that aside, this first Sin City Investigation held my interest and kept me turning pages. It's an impressive start to a new series and a solid introduction to the author. I'll be interested to see what's next.

I received this as an ARC from Netgalley.
I really enjoyed this book. It was interesting from the first page to the last page.
I think Sophie was an awesome serial killer but she needs more depth. As a matter a fact, all the characters need more and may be that will come if there is another book in the series as we are lead to believe.
You just barely get to know the characters as it is written.
I don't think this book was intended to be a deep thinking novel just an enjoyable book that you want to keep reading. This book is all about the plot and doesn't have alot of going off into descriptions or feelings like some authors do and I liked that here.
It was fast paced and moved along well.
I really like the killer in this one, she is just bat-sh*t crazy.

I enjoyed this book and I enjoyed the descriptions the author gave, it really helped me to "see" the characters and the book play out in my mind. Some books are really good at drawing a picture from words and this one worked for me.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, J.D. Allen, and Midnight Ink for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Tapping into that interesting sub-genre of private investigator thrillers, J.D. Allen offers up this interesting tale. Jim Bean enjoys his PI work in Las Vegas, though is not all that impressed with the hours or seedy aspects of the job. When Cynthia Hodge contacts Bean to assist with locating her brother, the PI is not certain if this case has legs. Learning that Daniel Hodge has absconded with his mother’s life savings and has a penchant for drugs, Bean is sure there will be nothing left, even if the man can be located. However, with his retainer paid in full, Bean agrees to help Cynthia, though makes no promises. Little does Bean know, but the woman sitting before him is actually Sophie Evers, who has recently disposed of Cynthia, as well as many others who have kept her from the boy she fell in love with all those years ago. As Bean begins his search, he bounces around from Texas and out to Utah, only to discover that Daniel is living off the beaten path. When Bean describes his distraught client, Daniel clues in that it is not Cynthia, but the foster child who lived next door during his youth, Sophie. Now, Bean sees that he’s been played and must try to keep Daniel safe while locating Sophie before she gets her hands on the prize she has been seeking for years. With the help of the LVPD and FBI, Bean works to coax Sophie out of hiding, but is unable to do so with ease. Using his tracking skills, Bean leads the investigation down the rabbit hole to piece together who Sophie Evers might be and how she’s come to fix her crosshairs on Daniel Hodge. Leaving a pile of bodies in her wake, Sophie Evers will stop at nothing to ensure Daniel is hers forever. That said, Jim Bean is not ready to walk away just yet. Not all cases close with a satisfied client. Allen offers up an interesting cat-and-mouse game with this novel. There will be some who enjoy this piece, while others will surely find it lacked the grit and punch that could have made the story far better. I find myself firmly rooted in the latter category!

Having never read J.D. Allen, I was curious to see what he had to offer, especially as he places his protagonist in the middle of Sin City. Jim Bean is an likeable character, though his no-nonsense attitude leaves him a little rough around the edges. The story suits him, as he seeks to get to the bottom of his cases without all the flair and panache that some PIs might enjoy. Paired against the likes of Sophie Evers, who is a complex character in her own right, the story offers an interesting flavour. Evers’ struggles with locating the love of her life and the voices (demons?) in her head, keep the story twisting as the narrative picks up steam. The handful of secondary characters inject some humour at times, as well as the needed depth of law enforcement to make the story the thriller it seeks to be. The characters help push the story along, though the narrative has some issues of its own as it barrels down the tracks. While the premise is there and the delivery seems to present an interesting plot and collection of ideas, I felt things limping from the get-go. It might have been that the ‘false impression’ of Sophie Evers appears so early to Jim Bean or that the chase was slow to develop and became less about the thrill and more about how to gather mundane information, but this story seemed too diluted to really capture me. Use of short chapters and degrees of humour did help, but I felt as though I could have been waving my hand to propel things forward at a quicker pace on many occasions. If one seeks a book with potential mired in treacle, they need look no further than this piece. First in the series, it could be jitters or simply a lack of connection with the intended audience, though I cannot commit to returning to see what else Bean and Sin City Investigations has to offer.

Kudos, Mr. Allen, for your attempts with this book. All the pieces are there and the intentions are good, but there’s a need for some pizzazz injections throughout to keep the reader hooked!

I was given an ARC in exchange of an honest review. I loved this book. It was suspenseful from page 1. It's the story of a young woman named Sophie. Ever since she was a little girl she had a crush on her neighbor Dan. Dan has been in hiding ever since there were some suspicious circumstances around the disappearance of some female acquaintances of his. Sophie hires private detective Jim Bean to find him. She poses as Dan's sister. What Jim doesn't know is that Sophie is not Dan's sister and she shouldn't find him. Very crazy, suspenseful story.

I was really into this book to begin with, and then started to find it pretty dull. It wasn't an awful read; I really like the idea behind the storyline but something just wasn't there for me. I finished this a couple of days ago and have already forgotten the ending - plus it's taken me nearly 3 weeks to finish which is never a good sign. 2.5 stars.

Really enjoyed this one.
Thank you Netgalley for this E-ARC in exchange of an honest review

A gorgeous red head, a junkie, and a cash retainer. All the makings of a good case for Jim Bean. Until the blood starts spilling. Jim quickly realizes that not all is as it seems when searching for a junkie cowboy that stole from his mom to feed his bad habits. Sophie only wants to find the only man she has ever loved and is beside herself that she can't find him after he fell off the radar years earlier. Dan just wants peace and quiet. He been accused, more than one, of murder and was determined to not get caught up in the same mess as before. While Jim searches for Dan, the body count starts to rise. Sophie is trying to stay in control as her world starts to unravel and plans are ruined. With the FBI getting involved along with the local police, Jim has to play by the rules, for a while at least. It's a race against time to catch a killer and close the case.

I just could not finish this book, but I made it 54% through. I didn't like any of the characters and at worst some were just painfully annoying. Reading the antagonist's chapters, for example, was excruciating. And the protagonist was not much better. Honestly, I just didn't care to find out what happens. Perhaps this genre is not for me.

Thank you to Midnight Ink for providing an ARC of this novel via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Do you like television shows like Criminal Minds, Law & Order, NCIS, or Homicide Hunter? Those are some of our favorite show, and I think that is part of the reason I devoured this book and loved every bit of it. If you like these types of shows, I am sure you will like this one too!

Oh, hi my name is Julie and I judge books by their covers. The cover of this one is what drew my attention to it, but I was hooked before I even finished the first chapter. J.D. Allen really kicked it in high gear from the very beginning. This story is full of non-stop action, and you don't want to stop reading until you get to the very end. There were times that I just wanted to let Jim have it, even though I developed a soft spot for him. But Sophie, on the other hand, was so easy to just loathe with every fiber of my being. A couple of things were a little predictable, but it wasn't enough to mess with the story.

I'm sorry to say that this book will not be released until February of next year, but really that is just around the corner. I will be posting a reminder for you because I would really hate for you to miss out on this one.

A thriller with a twist: PI Jim Bean discovers that his client is not really the sister of the man he is supposed to find for her, but rather some nasty kind of stalker whom he just helped find her prey...

While I appreciated the unusual turn of events and the varying POVs which in parallel told us the PI's view as well his creepy client's story, the story lacked a consistent level of tension. Somewhere around half it became really slow. Maybe I'm getting tired of or just too used to reading thrillers (which I've really done a lot during the past year), but I think the novel could have been shortened by at least 50 pages without losing important detail.

The hinted-at romantic tension between Jim and FBI agent Eva Webb was a nice touch, not overdone but just enough to make me curious how their relationship will develop in further installments of this new series.

I loved this book. Jim was so easy to like and the story line was engrossing and I was reading at every opportunity. I have told a few friends about this and definitely recommend for everyone. I think these are now going to be a series of books and I will buy more Jim Bean books.

A solid 4/5 stars! Loved this one.
Full review to follow closer to release date

I enjoyed this book. It was my first by J.D. Allen and I thought it was well written and the plot was good. It’s a great psychological thriller.

Loved it. A very riveting book. Jim Bean is a Private Investigator in Las Vegas. He is hired to find an attractive young ladies brother... only he discovers too late that he is not her brother and that the lady is a serial killer! Sophie is not your typical serial killer, even though she definitely doesn't feel any remorse while taking lifes. She's struggling with a voice in her head, struggling with her love for Dan and the need to make sure that, whatever the risk, Dan will be in her life and will love her back. This is her drive to take the choices she makes and I found her character very interesting. Characters were well written. I can't wait to read the next one@!