2.75 stars

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Detective Lauren Riley was a seasoned professional with sixteen years of homicide experience under her belt. This story moved quickly and Lauren's combative relationship with Frank Violant was fun to read about because they both had witty banter to exchange. The actual courtroom drama occurred swiftly and was a bit anticlimactic, as were other areas of the story, but the ending was great.

Not so much
I liked the start of this story and even enjoyed some parts of the investigative process, but one of the cold cases was solved in record time and wasn't very exciting. Also, Lauren exhibited some doormat-ish behavior that drove me crazy. There was a smidgen of romance going on, but Lauren went from craving and adoring Mark to suddenly not wanting any part of him. Her willpower to refuse him skyrocketed overnight it seemed! (view spoiler)

► Overall, this was a fair read but I didn't like any of the characters and this story didn't offer a thrilling ride for me.

I loved loved loved this book! Do you know those homicide investigation TV shows? Well, I used to be addicted to them and this felt like watching those again. I don't want to go in too much detail as I'm planning to publish a more in-depth review closer to release date but I'll tell you that this book is gonna keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time. A must read for 2018. Amazing writing with a fantastic plot, a great debut novel.

A Cold Day in Hell is first in the Cold Case Investigation series, and in this book, we're introduced to several characters: Lauren, a hard boiled cop who is in love with her ex-husband; Frank, a slimy litigator with a heart of gold; and a very creepy stalker guy who shan't be named here.

The readers are also exposed to a number of plot threads, very few of which are tied up in this book.  In fact, ACDiH is more like a promise of more to come than a complete novel.  Not that I minded.  I did have a sense of satisfaction at the end of the story, and I wasn't entirely left hanging.  In fact, I wanted more which is always a good sign.  Just don't go into this book thinking that everything will come together in the end because it won't.

To me, characters are what make a book good.  Unfortunately, I felt that I'd met the characters in ACDiH before.  They weren't quite cardboard, but there was a sense of stereotype (angry cop; faithful sidekick, etc.)  I would have liked more individualization - just something to set them aside from other angry cops and faithful sidekicks in other books.

The plot was interesting and moved well without slowing down.  There were also some unexpected turns which is always enjoyable.  The ending wasn't exactly a surprise, but the clues were nicely laid out, and the red herrings added to the suspense.  Despite the overused characters, the plot was solid.

I liked the setting for the book which took place in Buffalo, New York.  I haven't visited Buffalo before, but after reading the book, I felt as if I knew it.  The city was gritty enough for a good urban cop story, but at the same time, it wasn't a completely unpleasant place.

One small thing that troubled me was the title and cover to this book.  A Cold Day in Hell didn't work for me.  I understand the idiom, but it didn't apply to the story.  I think that the author meant it was a cold day in hell because Detective Riley said she would never work alongside the attorney, but I'm not sure.  Also, the cover is confusing.  Again, I think the white is supposed to be a scarf, which would make sense, but to me, it looks like smoke which makes no sense at all.  However, these are minor nits that wouldn't stop me from reading the book.

My final word is that ACDiH is a quick-paced mystery that sets itself up for what promises to be an interesting series.  Three and a half stars out of five.

My thanks to Netgalley and Midnight Ink for the review copy.

The 4th star is for the end...really liked the ending.

The story was well written, almost a few too many stories going on that weren't very relevant.

All in all, kept my attention.

The this book is both a police procedural and legal drama. There are two main cases taking part through out the book. The main one is about an 18 year old accused of murdering the wife of a rich mogul and the secondary one is a cold case that involved the death of a 22 year old Latina single mother of two.

The principal character is Lauren Riley who is a Cold Case Homicide detective. She is involved in both cases in different ways. For the murder case she is hired by her nemesis defense lawyer Frank Violanti as a private investigator. The accused is his godson and he knows Lauren is the perfect person to have on his side to hunt down the truth and get evidence. The second case she works with her Cold Case partner Shane Reese.

The police procedural part and all the courtroom scenes were tight and you could defiantly tell the author worked in law enforcement.

Lauren's personal life is where I struggled. She is a great detective. Worked her way up and established herself in a man's world all while raising her two daughters. Now that they are both in college she is struggling a bit with empty nest syndrome.. I found it hard to believe the things she put up in her relationships with men. Not going to go into detail but its some messed up stuff.


There is also plenty of dry humor mixed around the drama police investigations and courtroom scenes which is defiantly needed with some of the subject matter. With a shocking ending there is defiantly more story to be told and I look forward to reading more from this author.

An interesting first venture into writing from Ms Redmond, prompting a question over whether any characters or plot elements are in any way autobiographical from her previous career with the police. There was plenty of authentic-feeling detail in terms of the police actions and courtroom sequences, showing that the author was taking advantage of her previous experience. The courtroom drama, in particular, was well described with a good sense of the unfolding drama portrayed with some skill. Ms Redmond shows some promise, although the parallel storylines relating to previous husband and daughters' lives were not - in my opinion - well integrated with the main story. The strange shifts of pace in the lead character's investigations, where she seemed to be able to absent herself too readily from her police work and her private detective role on 'me-time'' at critical stages of the investigations, seemed to lack credibility. There is considerable potential here but I feel a better cohesion between the different story lines would help to give a more complete novel in future.

I'm not usually a fan of police procedural mysteries or hard-boiled female detectives, but there are always exceptions to the rule. I enjoyed this book. While Lauren, the female heroine, has her own issues (too many ex-husbands and an empty nest), she is eminently likeable. As a cold case detective, she is hired off-hours by a defending attorney, who has previously been her nemesis in court, to help him absolve his teenaged godson of a rape and murder. Along the way she stirs up a political storm with an ambitious prosecuting attorney and a personal storm with an ex-boyfriend abuser who is the arresting officer in the case. A side story that involves a cold case fills out the book. What annoyed me about the book (but not enough to discard it) were the occasional shifts in point of view, the fact that her former abusive boyfriend is just one big bad guy with no redemptive qualities -- too stereotypical -- and the prolonged visits from her college aged daughters . I did like the twist at the end and the evident opening the author has provided for a series.

Lissa Marie Redmond has created a great character in Lauren Riley who I am sure we will see in a lot more novels to come. Lauren is a successful police detective but her personal life is a bit of a wreck. An ex-husband who left her with two daughters to raise, an ex-fiancée (a police detective) who used to beat her and now stalks her and a second ex-husband, a successful lawyer who cheated on her, left her to marry his secretary and now she is sleeping with again.
She works cold cases with her partner but has been asked to help prove a teenager is innocent of murder which puts her at odds with her colleagues and brings out the worst in her ex-fiancée. An extremely well written first novel, I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Great, well developed supporting characters and interesting subplots. Definitely worth reading.

I liked this book very much and it was a different venue I have read in the past and I liked it a lot and even though due to timing it took me a few extra days to read and even had me staying awake late at night trying to finish. I found I was on the side of the teenager and felt bad for him most the way through the book. Not to give any spoilers but this is something thriller lovers need to read to fully understand the depth of the book.

I have to say this was unconvincing for me right from start - cliches in characters and in-credible motivations - of course the female detective is a single mom, she takes on case at request of her hated enemy etc - back story clutters up forward drive. I just gave up. It's genial enough even if over written and I liked that.

This novel has everything I crave in a good thriller: Pulse-pounding suspense, danger, intrigue, interesting characters and a twisty plot that keeps you guessing... and changing your mind... and guessing... and changing your mind, again! Redmond really crafted this story with lots of thought, creativity and attention to detail. She easily gets you invested in the characters and their individual plights.

This was one of those books, that I not only found very hard to put down, but found myself thinking about long after I had finished it

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley & Midnight Ink in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

A Cold Day in Hell by Lissa Marie Redmond hooked me from the start. The novel, a thriller, follows Detective Riley as she investigates the murder of a young wife and mother. What I loved best about the novel was the complexity of the characters---all of the characters are flawed in some ways, even Detective Riley---making her easier to relate to. The novel proved to be a quick read and reminded me a lot of the Cormoran Strike series with a splash of The Girl on the Train. It was interesting to learn about what goes on behind the scenes of not only a murder investigation but also cold case investigations as well. It was fun to read the novel as it kept me guessing, and the ending blew me away. I am definitely a fan of Lissa Marie Redmond and look forward to reading more of her work in the future.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for sending me an ARC copy of A Cold Day in Hell by Lissa Marie Redmond in exchange for an honest review. A Cold Day In Hell will be published on February 8,2018 by Midnight Ink.

Drama, romance and murder what else could you want from a mystery novel?!

Lauren is a detective and private investigator and she is very good at her job. So when a defense lawyer that had bashed her and questioned her sanity asks for a favor she laughs in his face. Frank begs Laurens to help him, there has been a murder of a high profile celebrity Kathrine Vine and his godson has been caught in the crossfire. Lauren has two grown children of her own so she decides to help Frank and his godson David.
But not only does Lauren have to deal with her job and davids trail but she has to deal with her Ex husband Mark. But Mark has a new wife and a son and Lauren in his hotel room.

Laurens life is spiraling out of control and everything she loves is at risk.

Descriptive writing, the humor flowed so easily and the tension and suspense kept me on the edge of my seat.

I'm having a really hard time with this rating and review. I received an ARC through Netgalley. I thought the story was excellent though not quite as fast paced as other thrillers I've read. This was an uncorrected proof, and I really hope it will be edited before being published.

The author did a fantastic job on this. You can see she really knows her stuff. The cast of characters were believable and well thought out. I would definitely read the next book if a series is planned.

Lauren Riley is a cold case detective with the Buffalo NY PD. Lawyer Frank Violanti asks her to investigate a murder his Godson is being accused of committing. Lauren and Frank have a bitter courtroom history, but she reluctantly takes on the case. We follow Lauren and Frank as they investigate the case, but we also follow her and her partner, Reese, investigate two cold cases. In addition, Lauren handles two daughters and two past relationships which she cannot seem to totally put behind her. While there is so much going on in one book, I never felt any part was shortchanged. I really enjoyed the character building so much so, I disliked her ex-fiance probably as much as Lauren does. Lauren is a complex lady and I really enjoyed her character. According to Goodreads, this is the 1st book in the Cold Case Investigation series. Based on the ending of this book, I see some really intriguing times ahead for Lauren and her partner Reese. I am really looking forward to this being an ongoing series. Great first books, Ms. Redmond! Cannot wait for more!!!

LOVED this booked. I was hooked from the beginning. This book was fast paced. I loved the complexity of the characters and the case. It was well thought out. I was on edge and shocked throughout the book. . This is a must read. I highly recommend it. I will definitely be reading more by this Author.

Cold Case Detective Lauren has a lot of issues with her exes. Every one of them seems to haunt her in some form or fashion in this book. She is also a private eye that is determined to see if young man is really guilty of murder. She digs into the case and in the meantime solves a cold case file.
The author did a great job with the flow of the book. I loved Lauren as a flawed in her personal life, but awesome in her professional life character.
I enjoyed the book and it was a great read.

"There was more to the story. Of that, she was sure."

Disclaimer: This ARC was sent to me by Midnight Ink & NetGalley for my honest opinion. 

Publisher: Midnight Ink
Publishing Date: 8 Feb 2018
Edition read: Kindle edition

Review: I was so into the book throughout, really didn't want to put it down because I really wanted to see who was behind the murder of Katherine Vine. The plot & the amazing cover were what caught my eye & I feel like this was the first book that had a different Police department in the centre of the plot (Cold Case Investigations). The book was very well written in a fast-paced, character driven plot. The book is primarily told through Lauren's POV. We, the readers, get an insight to Lauren's work life & personal life where she is being stalked. The book talks about abusive relationships, domestic abuse & rape. I really do like the book but I was left with some questions about Joe Wheeler, what happened to him? I hated him so much because of the way he is, ohmygod I wish Lauren had shot him, but I guess the answers will be waiting for me in book 2 which I am really looking forward to! Thank you so much Midnight Ink & NetGalley for giving me the chance to review this book!

Rating: 4/5

As a recently retired Buffalo, NY homicide detective, Lissa Marie Redmond has hit a home run with her first novel. It’s well written and completely believable. She made we wonder how much of her life is reflected in her heroine’s.

Lauren Riley is flawed, and that makes her perfect. Divorced twice with two daughters in college, she is not a naive young woman. She’s savvy and smart. She’s also capable of making mistakes. One of those mistakes was detective Joe Wheeler, a man she almost married until his dark side emerged and he became abusive. She left him, but he now hates her and would do almost anything to hurt her. When they wind up on opposite sides of a case, Joe’s fury is boundless.

Then there is Mark, her second husband. Mark Hathaway, the love of Lauren’s life who left her after getting his secretary pregnant. Oh, Lord! Lauren still loves him and he swears he still loves her, but what rational woman can ever trust a man who cheated on her? Heaven forbid!

My personal favorite of the men in her life is Shane Reese, her partner in the Cold Case squad. They work well together and have cleared a lot of cold cases. I think Reese has a major crush, or more, for Lauren, but she’s doesn’t have a clue. I guess we’ll have to wait for future books to see if anything comes of that.

Lauren has a second profession. As well as being a kick butt homicide detective, she’s a licensed private investigator. Her second job is at the heart of this story as she accepts a job from a defense attorney, Frank Violante. They don’t like each other…at all. They’ve been on opposite sides several times and Lauren has managed to be on the winning side…every…single…time. But Lauren is intrigued by his willingness to beg for her help, he offers her a huge retainer, and she accepts. After meeting David, the young man accused of murder, Lauren is convinced and takes the job.

I can’t say much more without giving away major spoilers. I will say that this book is memorable in its, well…it’s simplicity. I don’t mean there aren’t complications, that would be boring and this book is not boring. In fact, I read it straight through. We travel with Lauren in her day-to-day life, solving cold cases, working to help free what she believes is an innocent 18-year-old boy, visits from her daughters and all the detritus from her past. We learn how strong she is…raising her girls on her own, making a life for them and herself. She’s a great heroine. I am looking forward to many adventures with Lauren Riley and her supporting cast as told by a wonderful new author. Pick up a copy and…

Enjoy!

2shay

This is an excellent crime fiction debut novel from Redmond, part police procedural and part legal thriller. Lauren Riley is 38 years old, twice divorced, with two grown up daughters, working in Cold Case Homicide in Buffalo, New York. She has a great police partner in Shane Reece, and she is a rising star in the police department. Lauren gets the shock of her life when she is asked by arch enemy, defense lawyer, Frank Violanti, to work as PI on a case where 18 year old David Ryan Spencer, his godson, stands accused of murder. The victim is Katherine Vine, strangled by her scarf in her car after having rough sex with David. Joe Wheeler is the investigating officer who arrested him. Lauren has history with Wheeler, an ex-fiance she views with contempt, with good reason. This, and her assessment of David as likely to be innocent, has her agreeing to work with Violanti.

Whilst Lauren works the Spencer case, we get insight into Lauren's normal cold cases as she and Reece investigate the 1993 fatal stabbing of Vinita Ortiz, to the Stenz case, notoriously known as the vampire slaying. Lauren is reminded of exactly how bad Wheeler can be. As she is hunting down information on Katherine Vine and her husband, Anthony, she finds herself back in touch with Mark Hathaway, her ex-husband, which leads to complications in her personal life. Her DA, Carl Church, with whom she has a good relationship is less than happy that she is acting as second front for a defense attorney, particularly as he is going to be prosecuting Spencer himself. In the meantime, Lauren has acquired a stalker, and gathers evidence that Anthony Vine has motive in wanting his wife dead. Amidst gathering doubts and confusion, the trial begins with plenty of drama. This is a story of twists, where nothing is as it seems.

The more I read of this novel, the more hooked I became into the story, Redmond has acquitted herself well on her character driven debut, showcasing terrific plotting and great writing. Her heroine, Lauren Riley, is a complex and complicated character with bags of determination and personality. She is flawed, and her personal life is a bit of a mess amidst which she has to deal with the ghastly Wheeler. I liked her relationship and banter with her partner, Reece, and the authentic portrayal of both them having ups and downs, but they are loyal to each other. The everyday life and tasks of the cold case homicide unit gives the reader an excellent idea of how cases are investigated and the way detectives juggle their workloads. An enjoyable, tense and suspenseful read that I recommend to readers of crime fiction. Many thanks to Midnight Ink for an ARC.