"Skin in the Game" by D.P. Lyle is a suspenseful and skillfully crafted mystery that immerses you in a world of intrigue and danger, making it a perfect choice for fans of the genre.

It is this kind of books that I would rather "watch" than read. An interesting idea with a good casting and a proper director could turn in a fine action movie, but as a book it was rather mediocre.
In spite of many background information about Bobby and Harper they remained a mystery for me. And I don't think that it was the author's intention, quite the contrary.

I've read many of Dr. Lyle's books and have enjoyed them all, Sunshine State, Deep Six and A-List. Bobby Cain and Harper McCain are not only sibs, but black op experts. When they're sent to rescue a human trafficking victim, you know they'll pull out all the stops in this roller-coaster, spell-binding book. Highly recommend. Don't miss this one!

“Skin in the Game” by D. P. Lyle entices readers with a skillful story set in a small town in Tennessee. It is filled with beautiful geography but also with terror, madness, and cunning. The account is firmly grounded with a “down-home storytelling” style; it is entertaining and focused but with colorful details that keep readers captivated. The action is conversation driven, so readers hear what people say to each other, say about each other and, and say about the events. Incidents are described from various points of view with all intertwined into a frightening and intricate plot line. The investigative process on all levels is detailed, specific, and at times almost clinical.
The characters provide the foundation of the story. This is not just the account of a terrible crime; it is the story of those who perpetrated it, suffered because of it, and most importantly, those who solved it. The main characters, Bobby Cain and his sister Harper McCoy, are flawed, but dedicated, focused, and well skilled. They have intricate backstories that endear them to readers. Readers learn how they grew into their present day selves, and how they developed the skills needed for the task at hand. Additional characters, both good and not so good, are complex, true-to-life, and a supplement to the action.
Of course Lyle includes in a nice plug for books and authors when characters are cautioned to be careful what they say; “Mother’s a crime writer. You might end up in one of her books.” There is also a reminder for readers as well; “I expect you to go to Amazon and give it five stars.”
I received a review copy of “Skin in the Game” from D. P. Lyle and Suspense Publishing. It was a little creepy, but still enjoyable to read, and yes, per the narrative’s instructions, I gave it five stars.

"Skin in the Game" is the first novel featuring Bobby Cain and Harper McCoy: brother and sister. Each was trained in covert ops by the respective branches of the military that they had served in. Bobby in the lethal art of covert eliminations by the army and Harper to run black ops and wage psychological warfare by the Navy. Each of them were also trained by the unorthodox families they grew up in after losing their parents as youngsters. Now out of the military the siblings have united to start an organization dedicated to "fixing" the unfixable.
The first situation discussed is when General William Kessler who recruited Bobby and trained him calls on the duo to track and find his granddaughter who has disappeared without a trace. Most important is the fact that she is being raised by her grandparents and always, without fail advises them of her whereabouts. Bobby and Harper take the case and trace the girl to a small Lakeside town in Tennessee where they are dragged into a secret world of human trafficking, prostitution and the existence of a serial killer.
D.P. Lyle interjects a full description of the skills of the siblings in the process of creating the characters for action in both this novel as well as future books planned by the author. With the use of a logical plot and a well thought out plan to foil the villain the author gives his readers good reason to dive into the story and not be able to lay the book down until it is read. No person reading the novel can do anything else but look for future Lyle books with Bobby and Harper as the principal protagonists.

DNF 38%.

I really wanted to Ike this book. Unfortunately the description was much better than the actual book itself.

Way too much backstory. The details were boring and I found myself skimming most of them.

Skin in the Game by D.P. Lyle
A Cain/Harper Thriller #1

Excellent introduction to a new series by an author I have never read before but look forward to reading again in the future. This story grabbed my on the first page and kept me quickly turning pages till the very end. The book eventually reminded me of a movie I saw with my father decades ago. One that had Peter Fonda in it – a movie that I have never been able to forget. This book will no doubt linger like that movie did. It was dark and disturbing and I was definitely hoping that Cain and Harper would manage to do the job they set out to accomplish.

Bad things happen to people in big cities and small towns. Sometimes the expertise of people like Cain and Harper is needed to “fix things” and if I ever needed to have someone on my side I would hope to find someone as accomplished as these two. This book was dark and gritty and made me thankful that I have not run into situations like the ones presented in this story.

I loved Cain and Harper and look forward to reading more about them in future books in this series. They are strong, capable and willing to do what it takes. I am interested in learning more about both of them and wonder what the next book will be about.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and Suspense Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Bobby Cain and Harper McCoy were both raised in a gypsy family and had all the connections of brother and sister. Having been separated to their own endeavors and training these two now form a team known for solving problems and righting wrongs. Lyle presents a very interesting detective story that leads the reader down a less traveled road. "A copy of this book was provided by Suspense Publishing via NetGalley with no requirements for a review. Comments here are my honest opinion." Look for more in this A CAIN/HARPER THRILLER (#1) series.

Thank you Netgalley and Suspense Publishing for this ARC.

This is the first book by D.P. Lyle that I've read and wow what a thrilling read! Cain and Harper are former military and government trained civilians who fix things. Hired to find a missing girl, they encounter prostitution, human trafficking and a serial killer. They need to use all their skills to hunt him down. The action, suspense, strong characters and brisk pace make this a real page turner. Fans of Lee Child, Vince Flynn and Kyle Mills will really enjoy this novel.

Good story, and plot. Look forward to reading more by this author. Great thrilling plot. Would highly recommend to others.

It was at first the genre, of course, that got me to stumble across Skin in the Game. But it was the description of Cain and Harper's background that got me to click the request button from Netgalley. Siblings working together as a pair of private detectives (of sorts)? Interesting. Raised together in a makeshift family of Gypsies? I'm in. I almost forgot about the serial killer they had to catch.

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Characters-wise, I won't go into Cain and Harper's professional skills because you'd expect them to be good - and they were better. What I appreciated most was that they were not... These coolly distant agents who had seen too much in the world to be emotionally available to the rest of it anymore? I know they were good at blending in with the more ordinary us - to seem socially normal for example, when needed - but while they were obviously hardened by their experiences, they could still be genuinely warm - they were. I think this makes it obvious that I was (half) expecting a pair of coldhearted, all-business-like agents who came in, got the deeds done, went out with a splatter and a bang XD Yes yes, I didn't know better.

Cain and Harper aside, I sure want to hear from Mama B again, hopefully from Chief Laura Cutler and her delightful mother too >_<

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I wondered what our serial killer was trying to accomplish when first meeting him on the page. It sounded ugly, what he was working his victim into. But further in, when I realized his... Intention, I couldn't help but imagine in my head, and even Cain thought the outcome was beautiful when he saw the final presentation. Putting it like this makes me nauseous, but I hope I get somebody interested in the book. Go pick it up |:

There are also issues of prostitution and human-trafficking. Where they almost always lead to devastate me, more so the loved ones left behind. The book gave a good insight on one of the ways they operate.

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And so. 4 and half stars. Setting, characters, plot all well-developed and engrossing. Unique, in this case - at least to me. This is the first work by D.P. Lyle that I've read. It won't be the last.

Thank you Netgalley (:

Good read! Fast paced except for the backstory chapters, which didn't feel like too much of an intrusion. Exciting opening. And the premise, while extreme, is believable.

I enjoyed reading this book. Parts were a bit unbelievable. I doubt the police or an ME would allow just anyone to view an autopsy or join in an open investigation, no matter what their skill set is...or who they know. I would be interested in reading more stories involving Bobby(hate this name for a grown man btw), and Harper.

Not your typical good guys, Cain and Harper are compelling characters and unique to the genre. There is plenty of action. A gripping mystery. The characters are great. There are twists and surprises that keep you guessing. Everything about this one makes for a great read and an excellent start to a new series. I will definitely read this author again.

Great stuff! I can see why the author has had a successful TV writing career. Great action, good dialog, developed characters, and interesting plot. Recommended thriller.

I really appreciate the advanced copy for review!!

Just finished this book and I'm not sure what to say, except maybe wow!

This was gripping, and twisted, and thrilling. I loved the main characters and will be looking for more books with them as the lead. I loved the writing style, and was totally drawn into the story.

I've read hundreds, maybe thousands of "detective" novels and this ranks right up there.

I want to thank the publisher and #netgalley for the advance copy. This didn't affect my review.

Excellent start to a new series. Siblings Cain and Harper have an excellent relationship and unique skills to investigate the general’s missing grand-daughter. Setting and characters were well-developed and added to an exciting storyline. Looking forward to the next installment already.

Bobby Cain and Harper McCoy use the skills from their black ops training and their upbringing in a large itinerant family to act as fixers. Like the Equalizer or Jack Reacher, they investigate crimes and solve problems that can’t be handled by the police. In this thriller, they have been tasked with finding a missing girl who turns out to be in the clutches of a homicidal tattoo-artist maniac. I’m squeamish enough that I could have done without the chapters involving the serial killer interacting with the victims. There’s enough of a sense of urgency even without this. The action is compelling, and the special skills exhibited by Cain and McCoy (exceptional knife and shooting expertise) are hard to resist—like watching superheroes save the day. A propulsive thriller that makes for good summer weekend reading.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital advance review copy.