LOVED it, I think I liked it more than the first book. OMG that ending!! Holy smokes, Batman can Cordelia Kingsbridge keep us guessing or what? Just when I thought I knew who the Seven of Spades was she threw me for a loop.
I loved the continuous building relationship between Levi and Dominic, those two are perfect together. The love is there, it's burning to get to the top and I am ready for it to explode out of both of them. Waiting three months and taking it slow just about killed all of us.
Having a new murder to solve while the SoS killer(s) is still alive and helping/hurting Levi made this second book so great, to be honest, I was worried we would have a cut and paste from book one but that is so far from the truth. This series is so addictive and brilliant, I want all the other books in the series now!

I thought it couldn't be done. I thought, "Kingsbridge was going to do this series for five books, and it was all about the Seven of Spades? How the heck she would do that without dragging the story for way too long?".

Well, I was wrong. Because here it is, Trick Roller , book #2 of the Seven of Spades and it was as brilliant as the first one.

Kingsbridge smartly made the main case to be (seemingly) independent with the Seven of Spades case. So Levi and his partner, Martine, are working this case -- with some red herrings along the way. I enjoyed this case very much, includin making guesses about the killers.

BUT, at the same time, we find out that Levi has been building his own shrine to keep track about Seven of Spades. Even if he ends up being ridiculed by other cops and reprimanded by his boss. Thankfully, he has Dominic, who doesn't just scoff Levi on his deduction.

The relationship progress of this book is EXCELLENT. I loved how the two men work on their 'weaknesses'. Like Dominic with his history of gambling addiction; or Levi's anger issues. They COMMUNICATE on that (although Levi, at one point, is keeping the secret of his obsession), and they are going very steady. I think it's very important because I'm sure when Seven of Spades is making the final move, it'll be on hands on deck.

What elevates this book to my almost perfect star is what follows the courtroom showdown (it's near the end where Levi and Dominic have to testify against the previous case that sort of brings them together) ... THAT SCENE, that one scene, the one acts as cliffhanger (sort of) is so CHILLIN' it deserves a visual treatment. It was so good, I got goosebumps!

Needless to say I think both Kingsbridge and Riptide Publishing needs to release book #3, like YESTERDAY!!

Vague and slightly squirrely review coming right up!

I'm an unabashed Star Wars fan. Every time they rereleased the original trilogy I bought it. I wouldn't even venture to guess how many times I've seen them. I love them all but I love The Empire Strikes Back just a liiiiiitttttlllleee bit more, though it took me YEARS to figure this out. With its great space adventures and Yoda, revelations and the relationship development between Han and Leia, how could it not be? Plus, it has the most epicest of epic movie lines of all time:



Bet you thought I was going to say:




Close but no, I am a sap and apparently have been for a long time. I've built my bridge and made peace with this.

Trick Roller has those same qualities. Like many romance readers I like to see relationships develop. I'm voyeuristic that way. Trick Roller gave those little bird's-eye view bubbles where we get a front row seat to the intimacy building between Dom and Levi. So many moments where I felt like I was on the journey with them and as a reader, that's where the magic is. Those tiny details that so often get overlooked in other narratives were showcased here.

Almost immediately there is a beautiful, perfect, quiet moment after Levi and Dom have spent the night together for the first time where Levi is getting ready to leave for work. He's admiring Dom who's still asleep-his square jaw, his broken nose, his size- and he can't help touching him. Dom kisses his fingertips before drifting back off. In that moment I knew right along with Levi that they're becoming something more. Another one happened after Dom's had a rough night and is on the razor's edge of backsliding and the only person he even considers reaching out to is Levi. Levi sticks with him through the next day and intuitively knows how to shake him out of his funk. That sparring scene was gold. Pure gold.

Couples who yin-yang well, who bring out the best in each other is one of my favorite things. Dom and Levi are opposites in many ways and the way that those differences compliment one another was a joy to read. There is an honesty in the way this relationship is developing that's very relatable in that they're both letting their dating guards down, letting the other truly see them which is the mark not only of growing trust but a healthy relationship.

Of course there's some finding religion inducing, crazy hot sex-dirty talk, biting, making excellent usage of their size difference in creative ways. Of course there is a level of desire between them that's unspeakable. This is CK we're talking about here and she deserves a medal or something for the second sex scene 🙌 but the intimacy that's building between them through those moments when they get lost in the other... yeah. That's what I live for when reading romance. By the end of Trick Roller they have become a 'we'. They are a unit, reliant upon the other, though they've not uttered the big L word yet and I'm certain there will be more obstacles for them to overcome, I feel that they are meant to be.

The thriller aspects were more subdued and less heart attack inducing since the Seven of Spades is supposedly dead, but there are subtle clues that will likely have greater meaning as the series progresses, so it's by no means a throwaway book. Even though it's early in the series I'm going to go out on a limb and say I believe this one has the potential to be my Empire Strikes Back complete with the OMG-no way can I live through the wait cliffhanger, but I'll get back to you.

Trick Roller is not a standalone; it is book 2 in a 5 part series and I wouldn't recommend trying to read them out of order.





An ARC was provided by NetGalley.

When I read Kill Game, Cordelia Kingsbridge was a new to me author and that book made her an auto-buy. So often, when I love the first book, the subsequent stories pale in comparison, but Trick Roller was a knock out of a book 2. Picking up a few months after Kill Game, the story opens with a promising scene between Levi and Dominic to assure that they are in fact trying their hand at being a couple. It's slow going and has a lot of potential, and doesn't come without its own risks/rewards. There's still police work to be done, of course, and Dominic is trying to make the transition from bounty hunter to PI, and all those moving parts in the story make the characters multi-faceted and more believable.

As Levi works to solve a suspected drug overdose, Dominic is put in the position to face his biggest challenge: a surveillance job that leads him into a casino. Forced to step back, the feelings of helplessness and failure have him reaching out for help and feeling worse for it. As they struggle to overcome one obstacle, the truth about the depth of Levi's obsession with the Seven of Spades killer is revealed, leaving them in a more precarious situation. Not because Dominic doesn't believe, but because he's worried and they're both right to be.

Once again, the author has given us a contained mystery in this book which provides the illusion of a satisfactory conclusion while adding another layer to the Seven of Spades mystery. Hint: the killer is NOT happy and now everyone who thought Levi was crazy knows better. What that means for the next three books is anyone's guess, I still haven't settled on who I think it is, and I'm loving that.

An absolute must-read, in order, and don't wait for all 5 books. Stay on the hook with me, you won't be disappointed.

Wow.

This book has pretty much the same energy as the first book. We all know the truth, along with Levi. It almost reminds me of in Harry Potter, how the minister of magic was in denial of Voldemort's return. No one wanted to believe he was alive and look at that shit show it created...

Levi and Dominic are truly becoming one of my absolute favorite couples. Dominic is this huge teddy bear and Levi is a bit prickly. He's more serious and subdued where Dominic is social and even tempered, they make a really nice balance. (One could almost say Like Vic and Jake?) The way their relationship is opening up just seems so natural and light. Of course I still feel bad for Stanton, but only briefly, because Dominic rocks.

"I'm not looking for a nice guy, Levi. I want a good guy. That's way more important."

Levi is investigating a tourists' murder, which somehow leaks into Dominic's first investigation as a PI in training.

What I love about Cordelia is, I never get it right. Especially this one, this guy seemed to have a lot of enemies, so there are many suspects to weed through. I think that's part of the fun in this book. On top of that he's still investigating the Seven of Spades and trying to get a better feel for the new DA, all while budding a new relationship, saving a girl from getting thrown back with her horrible foster dad, being suspended and an upcoming trial against Mr. Barton.

Remember the guy who killed his wife and was trying to pin it on the SoS? Well, he's made some people unhappy and tried to tarnish Levi's character and pin his sloppy job on the wrong person (people?)

This book was filled with action, mystery, and some very inventive scenes that may leave you pink in the cheeks and it ends in a bang.
I cannot wait for more, and from what I see, there's definitely going to be 5 books!!

Trick Roller is the second exciting instalment to the Seven of Spades series about a vigilante serial killer whom everyone bar Detective Levi Abrams and Dominic Russo believe is dead.
This book continues 3 months after the previous book Kill Game, Levi has a new crime to solve when a respected scientist is murdered in the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas, the suspect is a prostitute, hence the title. Dominic is training as a private investigator having given up his job as a Bail bondsman, a compulsive gambler in 'remission' he still has his demons to battle.Their relationship continues to strengthen and is moving along nicely.
The suspense continues and the investigation into the murder throws up a lot of action and introduces some new characters, I did keep wondering 'could this one or that one' be the Seven of Spades. But I think we'll be kept guessing for a while, that in no way distracts from this excellent story if anything, it adds to it.
After a shocking ending, as sudden and unexpected as it was, I can't wait for the next book in the series. Well written and an absorbing enjoyable read.
My thanks to net galley and publisher Riptide for an ARC of this book to review honestly.

4.5 Stars

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!!! I kinda expected but also annoyed at that ending at the same time. Those who dislike even the slightest bit of cliffhanger might want to wait until #book3 is on hand to read this. Although, to be fair, the case handled here could be perused as a independently. And it’s no less thrilling and exhilarating read than the first book!

Trick Roller is the second entry to “Seven of Spades” series; continuing from where Kill Game left off where the serial killer by the same name of the series - Seven of Spades - believed to kill himself and thus closed the case. Detective Levi Abrams and his boyfriend Dominic Russo knew differently though. And despite order from his superior, Levi continued to investigate it independently on his spare time. Meanwhile Levi and his partner were busy investigating murder of guest at a hotel that looked to be connected to other murder as well; Dominic interning at a prestigious investigation agency to learn the ropes of becoming PI. Both guys still had issues that at times rear its ugly head the most inopportune times, Levi with his anger and Dom his compulsive gambling.

The alternate POVs between the main characters displayed the inner turmoil the men had; how those could affect their actions and the way people saw them. Personally to me it delivered home the fact that both Dom and Levi only human with their strength and weaknesses; also how in tunes this couple was to one another - a whooping improvement from their earlier relationship on Kill Game (their love play also more frequent and quite graphically intense here - have a fan at the ready to cool off while reading!). I also enjoy reading the recurring characters and their interactions with the MCs. All in all, this is shaping up Dom and Levi into much more solid and steady unit than even they admitted themselves.

Once again the author cleverly weaved all the aspects of the story; deftly dropping hints and conveying the truth left and right, practically had me on the edge of my seat making whodunnit guesses along the way. Not to mention the cunning way the case(s) built and intertwined through deliberate maneuverings. Even so, it all seemed to serve as a respite or lull period before the coming storm - as proven by the escalation with the aforementioned cliffhanger. I can only imagine the next installment would start at a run the way this book ended. To say I’m eagerly (or more likely: impatiently) waiting for the next book and the mind game Dom and Levi will face is an understatement.


Advanced copy of this book is kindly provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4,3 stars

If you haven't yet read the first book, I'd recommend you to wait for the book#2 (and maybe book#3) to be released and then to read the whole series in one sitting. I know, for some real passionate fans of the author it could appear as a silly advice, but I think you will enjoy it much more if you read all three books one by one.

The reason #1:

It is not THAT often in the genre that a serial killer will be hunted through the whole series. Normally a mystery series has a separate case for every single installment. In Seven of Spades you have to wait up to the very end to know who is this mysterious serial killer. I didn't know it when I picked up the first book, but at the latest after the book#2 there is no doubt that you have to wait for the final installment to prove your detective skills. That doesn't mean that no crime has been committed, quite the contrary - our boys are pretty busy and have their hands full, it is why you have to remember many small details that at the first sight are not actually relevant to the BIG case, but don't be very careless: EVERYTHING is important here. If you can recall every small details you read about three months ago, go ahead and ignore my advice.

The reason #2:

If you a slow burn-fan you should read the second book immediately after the first book. The book#2 started with a VERY intense SEX scene. My problem was - I needed some time to re-entry into the story, to be reminded of a great chemistry between Levi and Dominic. This scene caught me cold, without a foreplay. The guys came straight to the point, after a three months period of sexual abstinence and I had to force myself to stay with them and not to start to skip the book already from the first pages. I'm glad that it was actually my only complaint.



I like that the case that Levi and Dominc work through in Trick Roller (Seven of Spades #2) is thrillingly complicated. And I liked how they do it together. I enjoy to observe how their relationship develops and how they become not only lovers but also confidential partners. I think that Cordelia Kingsbridge has succeeded in creating a sensitive romance that is perfectly combined with a well-done mystery.
And this promising ending!
I can't wait for the next book!

Very recommended.

The Seven of Spades is dead. Case closed.

Fast forward three months and life in Las Vegas is back to normal.

Whoa, wait a sec... *screeching to a halt*

The case had been solved, hadn't it? That is what everyone believes, right? Or at least what everyone wants to believe, because the consequences of a serial killer of their caliber trying to take the law into their own hands and still being on the loose would be unthinkable.

Well, not everyone is so easily convinced. After what happened in Kill Game, LVMPD Detective Levi Abrams and bounty hunter - argh, here we go again, bail enforcement agent!!! - Dominic Russo, now prospective private investigator, are apparently the only ones who believe, not to say know, that the self-righteous killer is still out there somewhere, all set and all too eager to strike again. Despite being officially reprimanded not to pursue this theory any further, and getting nothing but scorn and derision for his conviction, Levi is getting more and more obsessed with this idea and has trouble letting it go. But with the Sin City being full of criminals who are demanding full attention on their part, Levi finds himself kneedeep in a new murder case that seems to be not the expected trick-roll evident at first glance after all.

At the same time, Dominic is having a try at a change of career by practicing an internship at a local private investigation firm and has to deal with a case that leads to him being stretched to his limits in fighting his inner demons which proves to be a nearly impossible task if it weren't for Levi. And their growing bond might be the only thing that can save them both.

After more or less casually dating for a while now, Levi and Dominic decided to take a step forward in their relationship, which leads to... *ahem* some ice bath requiring situations and with that of course I mean myself. Boy, these guys can be quite inventive - umm, as in take-out-a-patent-for-it inventive... ;-)

Their relationship is at an early stage, and with Levi still not completely over how things ended between him and his ex-boyfriend Stanton, it is far from being solid, but both Levi and Dominic discover that they might have found a much needed anchor in each other. And even if they are hesitant to put a name to it, they cannot deny that their feelings for each other are already going deeper than they both expected.

Trick Roller will probably go down in history as the book I was ready to commit a murder for. And the victim would have been my neighbor, to be more precise. It was really close, let me tell you. All I wanted to do was sitting peacefully on my couch and bury my nose in my Kindle when she decided to have the party of her life. Instead of reading, I sat there plotting the slowest and most painful killing techniques possible. And no, you don't want to know what exactly came to my mind. Let's just say the Seven of Spades could have learned one thing or two. ;-)

When I finally got to read again, I indulged myself in my own obsession, because as far as addictions are concerned, I'm sure now that I found a new one for myself. Although this is just the second of five books, this series already has 'all-time favorite' written all over it. The character development is simply amazing and everytime Levi and Dominic were together I was about to melt into a puddle of goo because of how perfect they are for each other.

The homework the author did on police procedural and setting and her love for detail in regards to background stories, side characters and everything else, was once again impressive as hell. She found the perfect balance between romance and mystery and although the Seven of Spades pulls their strings more from the background this time, they are still looming like a dark cloud over the story and the little clues the author slipped in only confirmed my suspicion of their identity.

Well, said story ended with a bang - literally - and now I just have to figure out how to survive the next three months waiting for the next installment, much less the year it will take for the whole series to be complete. :(

Highly recommended!

Trick Roller opens three months after the events in Kill Game, we're back in the middle of Levi and Dominic's blossoming relationship and another homicide. Levi is being called to a case of a suspicious overdose at the Mirage that looks like the work of a high-class call girl, while Dominic pursues a tough internship with a local private investigator.

I loved Levi and Dominic in this just as much as in the first installment! Their chemistry is fantastic, the writing beautiful und the story engaging and full of surprises. I was hooked once again :)

I liked how the author connected the dots between two cases and yet leaves us just as clueless as we were at the end of Kill Game, at least where the Seven of Spades is concerned. But you know, at the same time this very thing frustrated me the most. While I love a good mystery, I'd hoped for MORE from the Seven of Spades.

The overall pace felt a bit slow, the focus not only on the crimes and mystery but also on their relationship and friendships with others. Personally, I wanted more blood and murder ;) but I take what I can get.

As a whole this was a wonderful continuation - I enjoyed it from beginning to end.

Highly recommended!!!

I am dying to continue with this journey.



▽

Many, many thanks to the publisher who kindly provided a free copy for an honest and impartial review

THIS BOOK!

*flails*

THAT ENDING!

Discovering Cordelia Kingsbridge’s work last year was one of my highlights. Trick Roller is book in her addicting, suspenseful Seven of Spades series. I’m already dying for the next installment. *sobs*

Levi and Dominic are taking it slow after Levi’s breakup and the events of book one where they were going after the Seven of Spades serial killer. But Levi knows the killer is still out there. With another case and his burgeoning relationship with Dominic time is ticking.

There’s a lot happening in this book. The plot is so well-developed, the world complicated and layered, and I loved trying to figure out the current case (although, admittedly, I’m very bad at it). The legendary “Who Dun It?” meshes well with the trials of Levi and Dominic’s budding relationship.

But more than that, the character development is insane. Complications and demons are cropping back up for Levi and Dominic and I have this feeling, ya’ll…

There’s so much to love about this series. From the constant guessing game, to how the various plots intersect and build upon the other, to the level of humor and intensity and intimacy. This series is addicting, plain and simple. I’m in this for the long haul.

Let’s do this!

5 stars!