I am beyond excited, intrigued, and all in with this new Lilah Love series. Murder notes was intense and fast-paced. A great start to a whodunit, with a tangled up love story as well.

Lilah is not your typical chick, she's Murder Girl. She can stay calm during an investigation, she's super clever and sneaky about figuring things out, she's awesome in all the professional ways. Emotionally, she's a bit closed off and her diet sucks, and she is kind of alone, no close friends, family she's been avoiding. Oh, her and her hottie bad boy ex have a big secret, too.

This won't be one of those series that are connected standalone, this doesn't tie up all pretty with a bow and a happy ever after. In fact, I am left with sooo many questions. Plus so much information, I know I'll have to reread this before book two. Hopefully we don't have to wait too long. Not to be repetitive, just to be clear, this book was freakin awesome!

Murder Notes - Lisa Renee Jones

I’ve read other Lisa Renee Jones books but I absolutely loved this first book in the Lilah Love series.

Lilah Love is the opinionated, tough and mouthy FBI profiler who’s been flung into the middle of a mysterious set of murder, all with similarities and she seems to be the common denominator in all of them.

Add in some sexy men, not all of which Lilah needs in her life during her investigation, an overbearing father and brother in local law enforcement and you’ve got the makings of a great story.

Lilah is definitely ballsy for a young woman, very much in a mans world but she certainly holds her own with the men but with her profiler skills honed, she methodically plots the demise of the killer.

Mystery, intrigue and a whole slew of secrets to keep or unfold make this a fabulous escape read. Looking forward to more Lilah Love.

M is for Murder. Someone is patronizing Lilah Love and she doesn't seem the least bit concerned. She's out to prove everyone wrong as she profiles a string of murders that takes her back to her home that she deserted over two years ago. Things really start to get messy and she doesn't know who to trust or believe but she isn't backing down even if that means she has to turn on her own family.

I really enjoyed this book and how spunky Lilah is and the fact that she curses like a sailor definitely made her a more lovable person. I knew at about 90% that there would likely be no resolutions and a huge cliff hanger, BINGO!

This is the first book in this series by this author and what an amazing start. This book will take you on lots of twists and turns. I was gripped from the first page till the very last one then I was left wanting and needing more. This is definitely a compelling and captivating story, which is more of a thriller than romance. The characters were amazing with such complex development. This author has a fantastic style which just blows you away with each and every book. I can't wait to read more from this author in the future.



Highly recommended start to this series

I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book

OMG!! This book is intricate and you never know who to trust. I really want Kane Mendez to be the good guy but that would mean a good guy may be bad.

Lilah has a past but I don’t think it should be as scary as she thinks it is. Although, this far past it does change the outcome. She is a great profiler and when she’s in her zone, there’s no talking her out of it.

How many webs are weaved and intermingled in this story? So many it’s hard to keep them straight.

Love this story and can’t wait to dive into the next book to see what else happens!

Murder Notes is the first book in a new series coming from Lisa Renee Jones.
The story is about Lilah and she is a FBI profiler. When a series of murder start to happen she has to confront her past. As things, seem to cross paths with her present and her past. Things seem to connect Lilah to the killings there is a lot more to this story and this book is the perfect set up for the rest of the series, we get to know a few characters. In addition, I like some and well some I really do not trust.
I love the writing, the storyline; this is an intense thriller that will have you turning the pages, this book will hook from the start.
Can’t wait for book 2

An intriguing, suspenseful read with a fascinating heroine…

This is the first book in the Lilah Love series, the ending is a cliff-hanger.

As an FBI profiler based in California, Lilah Love has seen her share of deaths, no matter how gruesome the scene she’s not easily shocked; she just goes into a certain mind zone and processes the scene. The current death is different, the deceased man sports a unique tattoo she’s seen once before and though she conceals her reaction, she’s shaken. The case ties back to her past that she’s tried to keep buried but this death and one that follows across the country has her sent homeward to The Hamptons, New York where she’ll have to face what she basically ran from. Only one person knows her secret, at least that’s what they’d both believed until a stalker leaves her anonymous notes that has her thinking otherwise. Lilah needs answers for what happened in the past but at what cost in the present? What nasty things will surface as she seeks those answers?

With a father who is the mayor with higher political ambitions, a brother who is the police chief and an ex- boyfriend who is the son of a deceased crime lord things get interesting rather quickly, the dynamics between all of them is complicated, set by a history that unfolds as the story progresses. Protecting her secret and suspecting an assassin is on the loose which goes against the politics of the situation, Lilah has her hands full, she’s more than capable of the challenge but this one touches her emotions as she wades through all the murders, secrets, lies and manipulations going on around her.

This was an intriguing, suspenseful read containing a fascinating heroine with a unique psychology that she shares with the reader through vivid descriptive memories/nightmares, the story is in her lone point of view. She’s a complex and damaged individual and that works for her. She’s a woman defined by an event in the past, and as a testament to her inner strength and resiliency she’s highly functioning even though she’s never faced that past down. The heroine has a perplexing enigma to solve, one in which she stars as the common denominator; she also has a dilemma. How do you solve a case and bring the perpetrator to justice while finding answers to personal past events without ruining your own career?8

An advanced reading copy was obtained from the publisher via NetGalley.

I have read and enjoyed books by Lisa Renee Jones before, so when I discovered she wrote a Thriller I decided to give it a go. Just like with every new series, it takes me time to get used to the new world and characters. The pacing of this story was fast, there was a lot going on during certain moments. Lilah Love has a lot to handle with her personal struggles/demons, family problems, and series of murders. She is a FBI profiler, however in my opinion she didn't come across as a very good one. Her theories were all over the place, which started to confuse me. Also she loves Chanel, it being repeated multiple times got a bit annoying at a certain point.

Lilah is not a very likable person, she is very demanding and headstrong. She expects everyone to be at her beck and call, which didn't appeal to me. It was just very difficult for me to connect with her. I did enjoy her interactions with Kane, who I look forward to seeing more of in the next book. I also liked the flashbacks, and I wish there was more of them, because it gives the reader a great look into why Lilah is the way she is. Nothing is really resolved in this book so it left me with a lot of unanswered questions and unsatisfied. However, I do want to find out what will happen next and who the killer is. I'll probably pick up the next book to see which direction the author will take this story. Also I'm looking forward to seeing Lilah grow as a character. Who knows, I'll maybe end up liking and rooting for her in the next book.

This is a very cool new romantic suspense series emphasis on the suspense. Lilah Love is a badass FBI profiler and just such a great character. I love her! The way her mind works through a profile/case is something else and it makes you, as the reader,really think. I love that about this book and it made me be very invested in what was going on. The constant suspenseful vibe throughout the book made it really hard to even put down. Romance is definitely not the driving force of this book but it is there. So many great characters are introduced and I love that is is difficult to tell who is on what side of the law.
Suffice it to say, I’m a huge fan!
I’m looking forward to the next book in the series though since I am not the biggest fan of cliffhangers but in this case, some are totally worth the read.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Murder Notes by Lisa Renee Jones that I read and reviewed.
Where do I go with this book? After finishing this book and the way the author left the reader hanging I feel like I wasted hours of my life reading this book. Frankly, it was not all that great to begin with and how the was ended on a major cliff hanger this book was a huge disappointment and not worth my time because I will probably forget to read the second book so I will never know how this story ends because it just did not get me that much. Maybe if it had a better ending and the series could move on with a new case it would have ended better but books with cliff hangers like TV just don't work for me. I read over 100 books a year and I am not going to re-read a book like a would rewatch a TV show.
Unfortunately, I can only give Murder Notes two out of five stars.

This the first book in the “Lilah Love” series by author Lisa Renee Jones. I have read several books by this author and have not been disappointed; this book is no different. I felt this was a good mystery story with a lot going on. I found myself in the shower trying to figure things out. As with some of Ms Jones books she leaves us on a cliffhanger, you know the head smacking, yelling “NO!” kind. When I first read the heroines name I was glad I had already swallowed my coffee. The author defiantly gave us something to smile about with that, the other characters didn’t let it go either. Lilah is no wilting flower; her job alone should say that much about her, she is an FBI profiler. Her job has her working at different hours of the day and her latest murder scene has taken her back home to the Hamptons; where secrets and her ex-lover, and family are. So much is going on with this story and her investigation that it keeps you thinking about it, like I said even in the shower. I look forward to seeing how Lilah deals with her past secrets, her ex-lover, her previously ex-lover, her family, and not to mention solving the murders on top of it all. Again, I really enjoyed this book, it was well written with great character development. The murder mystery, the dialog between characters and the heroines monologue was well done. Can’t wait to see the twists the author will be putting in the next book!

***I voluntarily reviewed this ARC from Montlake Romance for an honest review via NetGalley, this is my honest opinion and has not been influenced by the author, Publishers or NetGalley in anyway.*** Thank you!

In Murder Notes the author weaves a tangled web of suspense, intrigue and mystery. Nailbiting!

Lilah is a proficient FBI crime profiler in LA. She is investigating a series of murder with the same MO. Whereas everyone seems to believe it's a serial killer, her instinct and experience tell her it's not the case. The latest victim stirs an unwanted bad memory and at the same time, she is sent to her hometown in the Hamptons where she is greeted with a horrible case. Not what she anticipated at all. Coincidence?

She has her specific method of gathering information and whilst doing so, she finds that she has to plough through a mound of suspects, before narrowing it down. She starts to receive cryptic notes, connecting to the past that she left behind two years ago. A past that is a secret known only to herself and one other. Her job isn't made easy, for the locals want a quick fix and the authorities are only too keen to "have their minds put at rest"!

As the story develops, it becomes obvious that there is more to this case that meets the eye. A conspiracy looks likely, but identifying the guilty parties isn't so straightforward. The more she digs, the more convoluted it becomes. There are those who want her out of the way. Do they have their own agenda, and if so, what is it?

Family and friends are not what they seem. Kane, the son of a crime lord has a past with Lilah and now they are constantly butting heads. She can't decide if he is friend or foe. It's exhausting watching them fight the obvious chemistry between them. I must admit that I am in Kane's corner and hope that the next installment sheds more light on the true nature of his involvement. This novel kept me on the edge of my seat and then came the cliffhanger. This murder mystery thriller is complex, but well crafted. A very compelling indeed!

I was kindly issued with an eARC and the views expressed are my personal opinion.

Detective Lilah Love is used the jokes about her name, she's used to the horrors of brutal crime scenes, and she's used to being alone. A pile of bodies all murdered in the same way call her back home to the Hamptons, a place she isn't used to being around people she isn't used to seeing. Determined to track down the killer she begins gathering data, only to find herself the target of eerie notes that relate to something she thought was in the past. The notes, the bodies, and those fighting to keep everything covered up reveal to her that maybe the tie in between all the murders is herself.

"He is the devil, but then, I am no angel. He made sure of that."

Oh my, Lisa Renee Jones has done it again, but this time from the perspective of a beautiful, complicated woman who doesn't have the time for romancing. It's different for LRJ and I really enjoyed Lilah Love and her crude mouth. She's a different sort of female character, very complex and strong in many ways, but also incredibly broken and weighed down by life. She covers things up with wit and sarcasm and she believes she protects others by keeping everything to herself. Her past is a difficult one and though it is fitting of the story, it's painful to watch a piece of her past haunt her in a very present and active way. Then there's the men, oh the men. The list goes on and on, from family members to exes to coworkers, Lilah is surrounded by a sea of men who don't really want her to uncover the truth, who don't really want her to be as strong as she is. They treat her delicately, like she's breakable and simply unable to handle the realities. The men ignore her role, her strength, and are simple unaware of the past that made her into the woman she is. She remains fierce, strong willed, and increasingly agitated by the assumptions of those around her.

"There's always a murder where you are, Lilah."

Which brings me to the meat of the story, the murders of four individuals that, for some reason, the men don't want her to work. Lilah Love is neck deep in the mystery, but Murder Notes is a thriller not a mystery and that is very apparent as it is revealed to readers that somehow Lilah is tied into all of this. In very lengthy, maybe too lengthy, detail LRJ tells us of Lilah's pasts, of the current crime scenes, of the lives of every individual possibly involved, and the history that surrounds the current murders. There's a stalker, an assassinator, a long simmering romance, political aspirations, friends, enemies, and two cartels that just can't seem to get along when left to their own devices. It's fairly complicated and quite a lot to remember, which was tedious at first, but in time I was attached to this story and just as addicted to solving the crime as Lilah. Unfortunately, Murder Notes is book one in a series and we are left with a cliffhanger that promises answers, and likely more questions, are to come.

"It bleeds because you bleed."

I'm not sure how long I can wait for answers in the Lilah Love series, the danger too great to ignore and the passionate lust between Lilah and another just promises there is more smut to come. There's secrets to uncover, lies to disprove, and a deadly killer and a stalker who must be found out. Murder Notes is an engaging, character-driven thriller from the incredible Lisa Renee Jones. It's a series you won't be able to walk away from and one you won't be able to guess the ending of.

This book is one of those that you will despise if you are a pick up and read for an hour person. This is a book you will enjoy if you read it cover to cover. This is a suspense book with some casual naked bits. This book has you questioning who is good, who is bad, who is lying, who is innocent. This ends in a huge cliffhanger that makes you want the next book. This book is a very detailed suspense novel with a lot of characters to keep track of. I think there was a lot of fluff material and it stalled a bit for me . I loved Kane’s character and I am still unsure how I feel about Lilah and her role as an FBI agent.

I have no idea how to put into words all the feelings I had when I read this book.
Seriously, all over the place..... In many good ways, let me add....


When I first started out reading this, I am not a person that reads a lot of suspense, Murder, and mystery books so I was optimistic starting this one out. With saying that, this book is exactly those things. A lot of mystery, multiple murders, and an overload of suspense. It has several hot as hell men, current lovers, past lovers, ex-partners, co-workers, exfriends, stepbrothers, brothers, I can literally go on and on. Every time I thought I figured this plot out, someone New was introduced to throw me way off.

Lila is a FBI profiler detective that’s investigating a series of murders that takes her back to her home town where her nightmare began. She hasn’t been back “home” in over two years. She’s got some dark secrets she’s hidden and kept in the past. These are told in bits over the entire book. She has a very dangerous, sexy as hell, troubled headmafia, billionaire ex boyfriend and he is her biggest temptation to deal with. They definitely have a lot of unfinished business. And a completely unresolved love that he very much wants to address.
These two have such an intense chemistry with burning passions but how will Lila deal with it if Kane is a suspect in her long line of possible killers/murderers.



Let me say this, this story isn’t about the love story, To me, it’s a complete suspense read, with a side of burning love. I am looking forward to finding out in the next book just exactly what the F is going on because right now, I’m so overly confused and need answers as to what the heck just happened🙏🏻😩


If you love you some suspense, alpha bad boys, and a lot of blood, you'll want to check this one out!!

This is a good read from LRJ. The suspense and mystery has a great premise. I did like Kane and Lilah. Kane is mysterious and exudes sexy and Lilah's snark is great.
Then I did have some issues with the book. The plot is great. There were too many characters in the mix and way too much dialogue for my taste and it slowed the book down. I understand the need for backstory, it just brought the whole story to a standstill at times, waiting for the next crazy thing. The twists are plentiful and honestly you really don't know who is who and where the next crazy thing is coming from. Lilah is a profiler for the FBI, you wouldn't know that by her behavior in the book. I get her need to solve this recent murder and string of events which are tied seemingly to her past and family, however her skills are absent in this book. It's a merry go round of people and events that at several points made me want to jump off and not watch. Lilah is flying solo here, doesn't lend a lot of cred to the story. Her behavior at times was frenetic. The story ends on a cliffhanger or maybe I should call it a slow slide into the next book.
Should you read this? Yes. LRJ fans will eat this up and want more. My hope is that she spent this whole book setting up book two which will run closer to the plot, have a lot less meaningless dialogue and nail down some history.

**arc from NetGalley and publisher in exchange for an honest review**

I normally really like this author, but this book really didn't work for me. A big part of that is that I thought Lilah was a bitch and not in a good way. She has such a chip on her shoulder and does things to push people away. I felt like through out the whole book she wanted to just work the case on her own, unless she needed help, that she would have been happy to see her family play a part in the crime, but not Kane. I found that a bit odd as Kane is a known criminal. Of course that might be due to their past and the one night that changed everything for her. I wish that we had gotten more about that night because I have a feeling that night plays a big part in what is going on now.

I really didn't see myself continuing with this series, but the ending makes me slightly interested. If my library gets the next book I may check it out, will have to see my mood when I see it on their site.

Lilah Love, is an FBI profiler. She must think like a killer to catch the killer. She is an exceptional profiler and she’s only 28 years old.
Lilah is hiding a secret that only her ex knows about. What could it be? Will he betray her?
She returns home to Long Island to find a killer or killers.
This is a guaranteed page turner. One that could easily be made into a movie or possible TV series... Loved it!
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy to read and review in return for an honest opinion.

I have been a fan of Lisa Renee Jones for a long time and this book is another winner. It's suspense and intrigue from the first page, and Lilah is the woman to figure it out. The only down side to this book is that it ends on a cliffhanger. Normally I don't like cliffhangers and I don't read them, but i will definitely be back for book 2.

I am speechless. This book was incredible. I have loved everything that Jones has written, I knew I'd love this book but I didn't expect to be this blown away.
This was one of the most riveting stories I've ever read. Jones writes stories with intricate plot lines but there was something that set this one apart. There are so many pieces of the puzzle and it's hard to get a clear picture as to what is going on but with each page I was completely transfixed on what I was reading. As details were carefully introduced, we can see things taking shape and what it's revealing is so deep and complex it's impossible to figure out at this point.
With her past shaping her present, Lilah is hard and jaded, putting all her focus on her career. Her drive and commitment is unparalleled. She is brilliant and capable. Simultaneously strong and flawed, she is an immensely intriguing character. Lilah Love is quite remarkable. I'm eager to see not only where the story goes but where Lilah ends up.
Breaking from her usual romance, Jones' focus is on the mystery. Being back in her hometown brings Lilah face to face with the man she once loved. Through this, sexual tension is introduced to the story and builds throughout. These two share a history steeped in secrets and pain. So while we have a romantic element, even their relationship ties back to the mystery we are faced with.
I can't stress enough how obsessed with this book I am. It's impossible not to get sucked into this story. The dark undertones, intensity, and suspense were gripping. The anticipation for the next book is going to drive me mad, but that only adds to my excitement.
~Erin