This novel is part of a series and I feel you should've read the prior book. Also it was a forensic procedural which was a little to full on for me. I did not finish the novel but it was well written

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. Unfortunately this is not the book for me. DNF @ 14%.

This is one for fans of forensic procedurals. Ellie Matthews thought she was stepping into a calmer life but the murder of a friend plunges her back in. It's well written and a page turner. And , very different from Fardig's other work!

Ellie Matthews is a criminologist now working as a professor at a local college. She recently assisted on a high-profile murder case, garnering some unwanted attention and now he's happy to just get back to teaching. Despite her desire to hide in obscurity she agrees to an interview with a charming young student who says he wants to make an impression on the school newspaper editor by landing the one interview that no one else can get.

Not long afterward, a family friend is found dead, murdered, in the bushes on campus and Ellie's younger sister, Rachel, is missing. The only clue is a cryptic note that references an older criminal case - a case that has been closed due to a conviction.

Despite her close connection to victims of the crimes, Ellie is the bast at what she does and she is brought in to help solve the case. Time is of the essence when the kidnapper gives Ellie and the police a deadline before he does to Rachel what he did to the family friend.

Under a great deal of pressure, Ellie falls into alcohol bottles and pushes away Detective Nick Baxter who is looking out for her as well as trying to solve the case.

I'm familiar with Caroline Fardig's writing only from the more lighthearted Java Jive mysteries (which I've greatly enjoyed) and the darker nature of this book took me a little bit bu surprise. But a good surprise.

Fardig is a solid, quality writer and this dark thriller is nicely plotted. Ellie works swiftly, uncovering clues from the past with relative ease. She does occasionally make some assumptions (that prove correct) in order to keep the story moving along, but this is mostly forgivable.

There are a couple of moments when the suggestion of romance is brought forth, in particular, when Ellie takes note of a strong, handsome man, but of course she dismisses it because she's busy trying to find her sister. Just the idea of her noticing it strikes me as a little bit off, but I recognize that this likely speaks to her larger reading audience.

Every once in awhile, when reading a book, a line or phrase really strikes me. In this case it was the simple phrase "...while knowing my only sister is waiting for us...". I'm not sure why the adjective 'only' is used here. If Ellie had more than one sister, would that have lessened the severity of the need to rescue her?

This is the second book in the Ellie Matthews series, but I never felt as though I missing something important to understand what was happening. Anything that was needed to know from the previous book appeared to be

Overall this was a solid, quick, thriller read. It ends a bit abruptly, but the journey is engrossing.

Looking for a good book? <em>An Eye for an Eye</em> by Caroline Fardig is the second book in the Ellie Matthews thriller series. It is a dark, tense thriller with just enough touch of gentleness, that this should appeal to many mystery/thriller readers.
<h6>I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.</h6>

I enjoyed this book. This is the second book in the series but it can be read with as a stand alone. Ellie is back but this time the case is personal. A family friend is murdered and the case involves many people close to her. The entire department has to race against the clock to solve the crime before the killer claims another victim. The author does a very good job with the Indiana setting. I really liked the rural small town setting. I like the relationship between Nick and Ellie. I was surprised by the ending and the who did it. The book moves along quickly and keeps you turning the pages. I look for word to reading more in this series. Enjoy

I love thrillers, I enjoy crime investigations and Caroline Fardig is doing a terrific job with her series “Ellie Matthews”.

An Eye for an Eye starts right after Bitter Past (Ellie Matthews #1) Ellie is trying to move on after the last incident at Ashland College, trying to have a normal life as a criminology professor, away from the spotlight from the last murder investigation. But when her friend needs her help in finding her niece, she help her right away, so now she is back again on criminalistics. What Ellie didn’t expect was to be personally involved, the sociopath killer wants justice from and old case and wants to get his revenge attacking all the police involved, attacking their loved ones.

I enjoy reading this book, you can tell from the plot to the way the author writes that there has been a lot of research, all the crime investigation is very detailed which make it all more believable. I love to read Ellie and detective Baxter interactions, sadly I think they are not mean to be but at least they’re friends. It was hard to witness Ellie’s struggle but I was happy how the things development and how the story ended.

If you are a fan of thrillers, mystery, crime scenes this book is definitely for you, this book can be read as a stand alone but I suggest to read the first book in this series “Bitter Past”. I hope I got the chance to read more about Ellie’s adventures (if I can call it that way).

Ellie Matthews is easily one of my favorite literary characters... I love Caroline Fardig's style of writing and her method of wrapping Ellie into a mystery that she has no intentions of becoming involved with. Ellie is a flawed character - as most of us are - so it's easy to identify with her struggles. What comes across in An Eye for an Eye is her strength, bravery, and determination... I can't wait to see where Ms. Fardig takes her next! Excellent read!!

The book begins with a murder during the first snowfall and the reader finds that in the months that have passed since Bitter Past, Ellie Matthews is slowly spiraling out of control.  While the description of this book implies that Ellie is ready to return to her life as it was before, her constant need and consumption of alcohol clearly state otherwise.

When a close friend's niece is murdered, Ellie finds herself struggling to remain vigilant for her friend by conducting a thorough examination of the evidence.  Everything gets further complicated when she discovers that a mysterious young man she met with privately in her office, is the murderer and his next intended victim is her younger sister.

If there is one word I would use to describe Ellie Matthews, it would be imperfect.  I am typically drawn to imperfect characters in books, because they are rarely the leading characters.  My opinion on Ellie is a bit mixed, if I'm being honest.  While I enjoy the books, I'm not really a fan of her raging alcoholism or the fact that the majority of the people in her life don't even notice it.  It's especially difficult to stomach as she must deal with the kidnapping and impending murder of her sister.

However, I did enjoy learning more about Ellie's past and how her mother's murder impacted her ability to continue working in the field.  These little glimpses help to explain some of the trauma Ellie has experienced and why she struggles so much not only with alcohol, but also with relationships.  I feel as if eventually, there'll be a book that actually includes hunting down the man who murdered her mother.  But for now, I like that these books allow the reader to remain clueless about who is guilty until the author reveals it.  That kind of approach keeps you engaged in the story as it unfolds and those are exactly the kinds of crime stories that I enjoy as a reader.  That's why I found this book to be so enjoyable and would recommend it to other readers who enjoy a good crime novel.

Fabulous new author to add to my must read list. Great thrilling plot, and I could not recommend it more highly to others.

Ellie Matthews teaches criminology classes at a nearby college, and previously worked as a CSI analyst. She isn't interested in being famous, just getting her job done. Her younger sister's friend goes missing on campus, so Ellie is drawn into the case. It soon apparent that it's tied to Ellie's department due to a decade old case.

I hadn't read the first novel in the series, but it didn't detract from the characters or the story. It was very intense and fast paced, with interesting details into criminology and forensics. I'm definitely interested in going back to find the first book, and whatever other books arise in this series.

Absolutely well achieved and excellent writing style.
This is a nail biting thriller that will keep you up trying to put the bit and pieces together to solve the murder mystery inside the story.
We have a flawed, but strong main character that is put to the limit by a sociopath with a vendetta and a thirst for murder.

https://www.amazon.com/review/ROQA5SD48RBGD/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8

Ellie Matthews is happy to be teaching again after consulting on a high profile murder case. She has no desire to work any more crime scenes. Unfortunately she's pulled back in when a family friend goes missing and is soon found dead. Her good friend Jayne asks for her help with the case and Ellie can't say no.
After 2 murders & a missing girl the police now know they are dealing with a serial killer.... and the killer has a vendetta against them.
Ellie partners with Detective Nick Baxter to solve the case and save the killer's most recent victim.
I loved this book as I do all books by Caroline Fardig snd highly recommend it.

“An Eye for an Eye” earns 5+/5 Cryptic Poems…a Nail-Biting Experience!

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it…murder? Amy Donovan has been murdered, a cryptic poem lodged in her mouth points to vengeance as a motive and a warning, “I'm just getting started.” Sheriff Jayne Walsh is on high alert since the victim is the daughter of her first partner, retired detective Frank Donovan. Ellie Matthews, a well-respected criminologist, had traded in her badge for a professorship at Ashmore College after a grisly murder turned personal. And despite her close friendship with mentor Walsh, she turns down the request to act as a consultant. But, soon Ellie receives a frantic phone call from her younger half-sister Rachel Miller. Her close friend and college mate Jenna Walsh, Sheriff Walsh’s niece, is uncharacteristically AWOL having never returned from her romantic weekend with a secret boyfriend. Ellie can't refuse the call for all hands on deck, but her personal demons surface when Jenna is victim number two; another cryptic poem is found with the body…a serial killer is bent on destroying friends and family. It's become personal again.

“An Eye for an Eye” is the second book in Caroline Fardig’s Ellie Matthews suspense thriller. Fans of book one, “Bitter Past,” will be deeply involved, but newbies, like me, need not avoid this intriguing story. Fardig offers several references to the background and character connections found in book one, however no spoilers to interfere with going back to the beginning. The story is deeply engaging, nail-biting at times, well, all the time, and the ultimate challenge the sociopath lays out, revisit a seemingly solved murder case, made this very difficult to put down. Added to the suspense is a myriad of fascinating information about crime scene techniques and evidence testing. Fardig’s descriptions and dialogue keeps one turning the pages, and even in the midst of the drama, we get some witty banter. Well written all around!

The characters are all well-developed, an enjoyable surprise this early in the series, and the relationships are clearly defined and realistic, even when there are disagreements or a history of misunderstandings or just plain dislike. Ellie is strong, stronger than she perceives, with a quick wit that more than equips her with the ability to keep up with seasoned detectives and Federal Agent Vic Manetti. Her relationship with Detective Nick Baxter hit a brick wall in book one, so here they navigate those misunderstandings and frustrations, unaccepted apologies, and an undercurrent of physical attraction is developing. Fardig does an excellent job of illustrating Ellie’s flaws and demons that she desperately tries to overcome for the sake of justice.

Fascinating...all around! “An Eye for an Eye” is definitely a favorite thrill ride. I’ve read several books from Tess Gerritsen’s Rissoli & Isles and Kathy Reich’s Bones series, and Caroline Fardig’s Ellie Matthews book is far more engaging—the story and the characters!

I want to start out by saying I have not read the first book in the Ellie Matthews series by Caroline Fardig. An Eye for an Eye was the second in the series, but I can assure you that having not read the first one, this one made complete sense. There were a few things I can imagine I would understand better, relationships and such, if I had read the first book, but none of those missing pieces were detrimental to understanding the story. It could be read as a standalone.

An Eye for an Eye follows Ellie Matthews, professor and ex-employee of the police force. When she thinks her life has calmed down is just the time when things pick up. She is dragged back into an investigation that gets very personal, very quickly. Ellie is quick witted, fiercly independent, and insanely protective of those close to her. All those traits come into play as she fights to save the day in this novel. Fardig has given us a character who is emotionally vulnerable and mentally strong beyond normal comprehension for most all at the same time. The complexity of Ellie's character was nice when the other characters were fairly simplistic It was a good balance. The story had a lot of surprises, twists, and turns. I wouldn't say I was shocked at the end, but I would not have guessed where it was going earlier on.

My only issue with An Eye for an Eye that I had was at some points it seemed like every horrible thing was tied into this story. Not only was there a kidnap victim and the main line, but Ellie had multiple personal issues that seemed to come out when the story was in a small lull between peak moments, or a crazy, almost unbelievable, spin would pop up and the situation would get so much more worse. I understand things happen and sometimes there is underlying issues in cases like this, but it was like everything horrible that could even potentially be an option was happening. Seemed unrealistic at times.

Although this bothered me, it was not to an extent that had me disliking the story. I enjoyed this mystery and found myself pushing forward every spare moment to find out if the bad guy would come to justice. All in all, Caroline Fardig wrote a great suspense novel that fans of the genre will sufficiently enjoy.

An Eye for an Eye is the second book this series. I have not yet read the first book, but was able to follow the story with no issues. The main character, Professor Ellie Miller is analyzing crime scenes when a family friend disappears. Fast moving and action packed. I enjoyed this story and will be reading the previous book in this series.

Yes! Book picks up where book 1 left off and goes full steam ahead. The forensic is so well done it makes me think about trying to go that career route. Ellie and the gang (Nick, Sterling, Jayne) are human, have flaws, make mistakes as you travel down the dark twisted road of a psychopath with them. A page turner, that kept me going and going. My heart hurt for Ellie as she sought relief in all the turmoil. The twist towards the end.....yup flew me for a loop. Thank you Caroline for asking if I was interested in book 2!! Thank you Netgalley and publisher for allowing me an opportunity to read this arc.

Ellie Matthews is trying to break away from the crime scene and goes to teaching. Something less dangerous. It isn't long before Ellie is once again
right back in the thick of a crime scene when a family friend first is missing then found dead. Her death is connected to an unsolved murder. The killer is taunting them with cryptic poems and they soon find out that the killer is after them with a vengeance. Ellie and Detective Nick Baxter must once again team up to find this ruthless killer before the body count grows. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.

An Eye for an Eye is the second book in the Ellie Matthews mystery series. Ellie is a criminalist who used to work for the police department and now teaches the subject at a local college. Although she changed careers she once again finds herself involved in the case and working for the department. The killer is leaving clues with each victim to get the department to solve a cold case from the past.
I absolutely loved this book. I have read all of Caroline Fardig's series and while I loved them all I think this is becoming my favorite! It is slightly darker than her other books but still has a love story as an undertone. I read a lot of murder mysteries so I am pretty good at figuring out what is going on but this book kept me guessing and I was hooked from the very beginning. I really cannot think of a bad thing to say about this book and I cannot wait for the next book in this series to come out!

An Eye for an Eye by Caroline Fardig is the 2nd book in the Ellie Matthews Series, and my first book in this series. This book is much darker than Ms. Fardig other series. Ellie Miller is a now a criminology professor who has given up field work. Ellie is damaged and and wants the simple life of a professor, but is called to help when the Sheriff's niece is kidnapped. There are twists and turns around every corner. I found this book to be a quick read, with a well developed plot and characters. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. If you love mysteries, I recommend this book.

I was given a copy of this book for a fair and honest review.