Thank you for approving me I'm just interesting in reading this book anymore.

You know, sometimes it can be really spookie how a book you are reading hits the spot, pinches a nerve or even pulls a plug on something that is going on in your own real life…

19 Souls is one of those books. Why? It’s a secret. What is not a secret is my 4 stars for this book.

Likeable characters: from the PI to his Viet Nam veteran sidekick to the Lady Fed and cat Annie – they are all people I would not mind to meet and get to know. And a real bitch of a nutcase for the main villain. She is a real nutcase, certified.

The plot is a good one as well: a love story that was never meant to be turned into a thrilling chase for the prize for some and for life for others.

19 souls have been taken for the sake of made-believe happily ever after. There should have been a point in the story when reader could have felt sorry for the bad girl… Nope, there was not one.

Easy read. Great suspense. However, it was all wrapped up pretty loosely. There are some hanging threads and wrapping paper. So, there will be more? More to come?

I hope…. nope, spoilers are not my thing

Have a read. Join the ride.

"Hello, Mr. Bean. My name is Cynthia Hodge. I'm looking for an investigator to help me track down my brother."

When Jim Bean receives a call from Cynthia Hodge about her missing brother, Daniel, he thinks it'll be a quick cash grab. He soon learns Cynthia Hodge is really Sophie Evers. And Daniel is not her brother. In "19 Souls," our private investigator, Jim, is quickly dragged into a case of tracking down a serial killer before she gets to him first.

Traveling from Vegas to Utah to Texas and back again, Jim joins forces with the FBI to catch Sophie. But Sophie is looking for him, too. And she'll do anything to see Daniel, her beloved childhood obsession.

"19 Souls" immediately caught my attention, especially with the character of Sophie. She draws you into the mystery and her sociopathic world. The writing style reminded me a lot of Robert Galbraith (aka J.K Rowling). It's very blunt and gritty. And for a debut novel, it's great.

Some parts felt a little flat, but it succeeds as a suspenseful mystery. The characters and the story are there- it was just missing that extra oomph.

What a delightful book. It was different from what I usually read and that was what I needed. Highly recommend. Just a lovely book

A pretty good read. It held my attention for the most part. An entertaining read.

This is the first in a new series featuring Jim Bean a private investigator based in Las Vegas. Don’t think of slick, fancy offices with a suited and booted slick PI, think of a scruffy work space, no office to speak of let alone office or back-up staff. What Jim does have are a few friends and contacts he can call on. Actually don’t think of Jim Bean as Jim Bean – some time ago he decided to change his identity and that is what he chose. Make of that what you will. Jim (I suppose like all good detectives) has his own doubts and demons and enjoys the freedom he has to work or not work; to select cases or not; work for some clients or not. He is somewhat of a maverick figure living in the madness that is Las Vegas. Getting the picture?

Enter Sophie, a beautiful woman who engages Bean to track down her druggie brother, Daniel. Their mother is ill and he needs to be found. But all is not as it seems, Sophie has assumed the identity of Daniel’s sister and is in fact quite crazy and to put it plainly a serial killer.

The book is structured so that we have two points of view, Sophie and Jim’s which has the benefit of internal dialogue for both characters which leads the narrative. In some ways the plot is predictable inasmuch as it will always be; crime, investigation, chase, red-herrings, resolution but this is so much more than that. There are twists and turns enough to satisfy but it is the characters that win the day for this text. Jim isn’t such a complex character but the strength lies in the interaction between him and O (Oscar Olsen), Miller and Ely together with Annie (a cat). Clearly O and Ely know him well and subject him to a fair share of banter and teasing. I loved them. I particularly loved Daniel’s mother – a crazy character, wheel-chair and dementia included.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking this is light hearted crime fiction, it is far from that with Sophie’s demented, murderous spree, with plenty of gore. It is however, a great introduction to some great characters that I will look forward to meeting again.

May I introduce you to a new series, I certainly recommend it?

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

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! I really enjoyed this book.. it was definately a page turner and I needed to know what happens next. Thanks to Netgalley and Midnight Ink for an advance copy of this book to read and review

Thank you for the advanced copy! I really enjoyed this book. I really enjoyed the PI. His character was built really well throughout the story. If you like a quick read, add this suspenseful one to your list.

Fantastic novel, well written on the whole. Intriguing plot that keeps you guessing. Characterisation could have been improved and there are occasions where the flow of the story could have been clearer. I will be recommending it to my book club.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. I enjoyed it very much!

Very gripping and intriguing novel! I was sucked in from the very start and had trouble putting it down! I'll definitely be reading more in this series!

I am giving this book 3.5 stars!
While I enjoyed 19 Souls I did found that it fell flat in places. The premise of the story is that Sophie hires a private investigator to find her brother, Daniel. As it turns out, Sophie is not really Daniel's brother, but an insane stalker. The story was good it just lacked in places and was kind of dull. Also, there were a lot of grammatical errors which bugged the grammar nazi in me.

A really fun, exciting read. I definitely recommend this one! I will be looking into other works by this author.

I couldn't open this book on my Kobo, as the print was too small. I tried to send it to my Kindle several times and it didn't come. So I cannot comment on the story, as I didn't get to read it, although I would have loved to.

This book is about a private investigator who is hired by a woman who pretends to be looking for her brother. That this is just a ruse and the woman is actually a ruthless killer is revealed to the reader from the off. BORING! Unfortunately, the very twist that could have made this clichéd "thriller" more interesting is given away at the very start. A pity, but this book was not for me.

Thrilled to think that these colorful characters (the good guys) might be in future Sin City Investigation reads! This serial killer story was twisted and psychologically based about Sophie Evers! How much more bad karma can be instilled in a villain besides being in an abusive foster home, parents that did not want her, and an inner voice that is always condemning! Her only joy was the friendship of a neighbor Daniel; although a few years older than her he treated her with kindness. Regrettably Daniel is stalked by Sophie as he attempts to lead an adult life as a cowboy. Diabolical Evers seeks the help of Private Investigator Jim Bean when she is unable to locate Daniel. Coming to the realization that Sophie is only using him; Jim fights to protect Daniel from her kidnapping goal. Wonderful support community aid Jim. Agent Ava Webb, Oscar Olsen, Ely, Sandy just to name a few and of course Annie is purring her part. "A copy of this book was provided by Midnight Ink via NetGalley with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read and comments here are my honest opinion."

I liked the fact that the killer was a woman and that she was smart.
I loved the start of the book but at the end, I found it hard to believe the story.
Anyway I did enjoy reading the book, so it's a 3 stars for me

4.5/5 stars

J.D Allen's "19 Souls" is gripping, addictive, and INSANE (in the best way possible). In the same vein as the Cormoran Strike series by Robert Galbraith/JK Rowling, Allen's shocking debut (seriously, I would never think this was a debut novel) sets the stage for us in Las Vegas, NV where protagonist Jim Bean holds a private investigation company. Jim is attractive in the subtle don't-give-a-damn kind of way, and meets with new client Sophie Ryan Evers about her missing brother. Sophie meets Jim to discuss the whereabouts of her missing brother as he has been disconnected from the family for a very long time due to drugs. Jim takes on the case and begins investigating, believing this will be a simple case to win and good money in his pocket. As time progresses, things quickly don't add up for him. Who really is Sophie, why does she desperately want to find someone who has purposely fell off the radar? *This is in the synopsis so I am not spoiling the story* Sophie is not Daniel's brother, but a woman so desperate to be with Daniel that her delusions have gotten the best of her. In her mind, they are meant to be together and she will stop at nothing to get her picture perfect fantasy. Ultimately the story ends up being crashed on it's head and completely steered in a twisty and riveting direction. The less you know, the better it will be - I promise.

I really loved the way J.D. Allen wrote the characters in "19 Souls". C'mon, there's a million other crime fiction books, why should this one be any different? Well... let me just tell you. The characters in "19 Souls" are flawed, personable, current, and relatable. Each character in this book has a backstory that is not quickly overlooked nor drawn out. I really started to fall in love with these characters - even Sophie! The way the book covers the perspective of a psychopath is done in such an interesting and respectful way that it kept getting me to turn to the next page, not even realizing that I just skipped dinner. I really see this series taking off, and I for one will be excited for the ride.

Thank you Net Galley for my advanced copy.

19 souls had me gripped from the outset. If you enjoy books from the likes of Lee Child or James Patterson, then you'll fall for the charm of Jim Bean, PI. He's a man who may not always follow the letter of the law, but has a strong sense of justice. When a seemingly straightforward case to locate a client's brother takes a turn to the dark side, he and his underground companions must keep going to stop his target (Daniel) falling victim to a woman who's killed many times, all to get together with Daniel. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and look forward to reading other books by this author.

Filled with suspense, this is a book that you will not want to put down. I can not wait for more adventures with P.I. Jim Bean.