I loved this thriller! I had a hard time putting this book down. It had interesting characters , some likable some not. I would like to read more from this author.

Good read. Yes it definitely 21st century “In Cold Blood” Fortunately, this time around I was freaked out and was able to sleep while reading.
Thanks for the advance read. Definitely, recommend reading it

“We Were Killers Once” is the newest novel in Becky Masterman’s Brigid Quinn series. This novel explores the crime that is the centerpiece of Truman Capote’s novel “In Cold Blood,” that deals with a gruesome murder that took place in Kansas a long time again. There were two men convicted of this crime and one other, but Ms. Masterman identifies the possibility of a third person. It is the third person who is the antagonist of this novel because after spending most of his life in prison he hears that there is an alternate confession to the original murders and he does not want to go back to prison upon his release, so he goes in search of the confession and it leads him to Brigid’s doorstep. This novel is expertly written by Ms. Masterman and it offers enough truth to make the reader believe that anything is possible. I was given an advanced copy of this book, and all of the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A chilling tale cold casing a murder based on the In Cold Blood killers. Inconsistent information in the police investigation and Capote' s notes capture the attention of retired FBI agent Brigid Quinn's niece. Brigid is hot on the trail of an Exxon who has entered their lives when the two queries meet. I love Brigid and that she is sixty and still kicks while trying to live a civilian life only enhances this imaginative novel.

Copy provided by the Publisher and NetGalley

Well written, but some formatting issues, could be because it's an ARC, but it was distracting.  This is the fourth book in a series, so I think there were references to other books that would have been spoilers and not necessary for the story.  I don't think I would read the other books unless they were free.  Very strange POV shifts. 
Bit of a spoiler:
The comments about the niece were offputting, but were actually the only thing I was interested in learning more about.  GK made the whole book for me.
The last 5-6 pages were completely unnecessary and like a whole different book.

We Were Killers Once by Becky Masterman has an interesting premise. IN COLD BLOOD by Truman Capote is a classic and having grown up in Kansas during the time of the Clutter Family tragedy, I had difficulty relating to the storyline and characters.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Oh my gosh I couldn't put this down for even a second! The story is the fourth in this series apparently, but the first I've read. It can definitely be read as a stand alone and I want to say the whole book was intriguing and intense. I love crime dramas and this one takes the cake for sure. I am going to have to look into reading more by this author.

Enjoyable story with a great plot. Really enjoyed this page turning novel. Would highly recommend to others.

Another Becky Masterman thriller featuring her heroine Brigid Quinn with this fascinating alternative look at one of America's most famous crimes.

I really like the idea behind this novel. Truman Capote‘s In Cold Blood is the OG true crime classic, but it’s well-known that parts of the book were fictionalized.

We Were Killers Once expands the fiction into a new story surrounding the Clutter family murders. The story introduces the notion of a new, third killer (15 then, 70ish now) for author Becky Masterman’s Brigid Quinn to bring to justice before he kills again.

I loved that Masterman tied in the Florida murders that crime buffs are (mostly) convinced were perpetrated by the same Clutter family killers a month later. Again, she takes a factual crime story and brings it into her novel.

This one is highly recommended for true crime fans and fans of In Cold Blood. Masterman’s creative nonfiction skills are on point as she presents a compelling puzzle for her protagonist to solve.

This is a "what if" on the events surrounding and possibly related to the famous murder of the Clutter family, as described, with a lot of editorial license, by Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood.

The book overall was an interesting premise and I liked the way the story was told from two perspectives. I loved the background of the story and the weaving together of the characters - because the real story had so many possibilities and the author made them very plausible.

I found myself very curious to know how it all played out but frustrated by some of the writing style and set ups. It was the first of the Brigid Quinn's series that I have read and maybe that's why I didn't really relate or like Brigid! I am known for only reading series in chronological order!

Thank you to Net Galley for the copy in exchange for my review!

I wasn't impressed with this book at all, I thought it was somewhat boring of a read. I'm glad I didn't have to buy this book,

I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review. This is a fictionalized extrapolation of the In Cold Blood story, with the addition of a third perpetrator who gets out of prison many years later and hunts down what he believes is a Death Row confession by Dick Hickock which would incriminate him.

This story is remarkably well told; in two voices, one the ex-FBI agent Brigid Quinn (with whom there are certainly some parallels to Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta character) and the other the old man psychopath who is doing the hunting. Thoroughly enjoyable and highly recommended.

I'll be looking for more from Becky Masterman and will certainly look up the previous episodes in the Brigid Quinn tale.

My first book by Becky Masterman, but not my last. I really liked the fact that this book was unique and original in its story line. The main character ex-FBI agent Brigid was likable and her husband Carlo was extremely likable-especially when compared to the featured criminal in the book, newly released ex-con Jerry. Brigid's niece, Gemma-Kate, was quite a character. The writing flows fast and you want to find out just what the heck is happening. The author leads you to believe certain things about Jerry- but, in my case, boy did I read things incorrectly. Some parts were hard to follow but not enough that it would deter me from reading this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read and give an honest review.

This was an intense thriller, full of mystery and intrigue. I was literally on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading it! I loved it!!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

The best Brigid Quinn yet. Bringing the history of In Cold Blood, with a wonderful twist, leads to mystery and murder in Florida, Arizona and elsewhere decades after the original crimes. Carlos' background as a priest before leaving the calling is also a key factor. It's a book that's hard to put down.The best Brigid Quinn yet. Bringing the history of In Cold Blood, with a wonderful twist, leads to mystery and murder in Florida, Arizona and elsewhere decades after the original crimes. Carlos' background as a priest before leaving the calling is also a key factor. It's a book that's hard to put down.

I wasn’t able to put this down! It is the first that I have read in this series but I believe it can be a stand alone novel. I loved that the story tied in with a 1959 murder. The characters of Carlo and Brigid were very realistic and I would love to read more about them. This was an intense and deep thriller. . Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Having read In Cold Blood years ago, I was anxious to read this story! The book is quite well-written and the characters are so realistic that I felt that this quite easily could have happened just as written! I was so glad to read this book!



This was written in Goodreads under my name, Jeannie Huie.

We Were Killer Once is my first book by this author but it won't be my last. Brigid Quinn is a retired FBI agent and private detective, trying to enjoy the rest of her life with her former priest/ husband, Carlo. Tough as nails and a little snarky, Brigid has enough insecurities to go around involving her marriage but she is very good at her job. With a twist on Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, Ms. Masterman introduces Jerry, ex-con with severe paranoia and a bigtime secret. After having a life sentence commuted, Jerry is out of prison and looking to hide his secrets and Carlo just happens to be in the way. Jerry will give you chills with his cold, calculated evilness and you will cheer Brigid on in solving the captivating mystery while serving up a cold dish of justice. I find the older protagonist in this story a breath of fresh air and the suspense keeps you on the edge of your seat with a well researched and thought out plot that exist in the realms of possibility. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.

I have to preface this review by saying that I have not read the author's prior novels with this character, and while I am familiar with the Truman Capote novel I have not read that either Before reading this novel I did not know that his novel was based on the real-life murders of a family in Kansas in the 1950's.

That being said, I (mostly) enjoyed the novel and it stands well enough alone that I felt a connection to the lead character without being completely confused by references to prior events/novels. I also felt intrigued enough by the story line that I will search out a copy of Capote's novel so I have a better understanding of where the author was inspired and diverged from his work. I usually feel I have a greater connection and comprehension of an author's work if I have at least read what they are referencing, although I think this story works well enough without having read Capote's depiction of the murders.

Overall I found the novel to be very slow to start , and I was initially confused trying to follow the characters and their motivations. After the first third of the book or so, I felt like the pacing picked up and by the end it was tumbling almost out of control (but in a good way). The characters were believable, although I found Carlos to be irritating, smug, and a bit of a dolt for some reason. I liked the inclusion of the psychopathic niece and I would have liked to see a greater role played by her in the story line. In the end I decided I enjoyed the novel, and would certainly recommend it to readers of thrillers, mysteries, and true crime aficionados.