I’m a big Michael Connelly fan, starting with the Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller books, then most recently the stories of police officers Jenkins and Ballard (The Late Show, 2017). I hadn’t read either The Poet or The Scarecrow, so I wasn’t familiar with protagonist Jack McEvoy, but was happy to start to get to know him with Fair Warning, when I received a copy from Little, Brown & Co. and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

McEvoy is a reporter who has dealt with killers, but after woman with whom he had a one-night stand is brutally murdered, he uncovers a VERY creepy killer who has been using genetic data (think Ancestry or 23 and Me) to find his targets.

It’s impossible to tell more without spoiling things (which I NEVER do), but I enjoyed the fast pace and the use of technology. My husband, who read it first, was only 10% into it when he became a bit disgruntled at the prospect of some deus ex machina solution, or some sample switching in the lab…but he kept reading and declared it wasn’t among his favorites from Connelly, who is one of our favorite authors.

I’m not on board Team McEvoy yet, hoping Connelly’s next effort will bring back Renee Ballard. But this one is solidly entertaining, and cleverly written. Four stars

Fair Warning by Michael Connelly is a highly recommended procedural featuring reporter Jack McEvoy.

Jack McEvoy is a veteran reporter who is now working for FairWarning, an online news site that focuses on protecting consumers from fraud. When Christina (Tina) Portrero, a woman he had a one night stand with a year ago is murdered, the police question him as a person of interest. Jack learns she was killed by internal decapitation, meaning her head was twisted 180 degrees. He also learns she took a DNA test through a company called GT23 and that she felt she had a stalker. Even after the police ordered him to stop his investigation, Jack continues looking into other women who were murdered or died in the same way Tina did and their connection to GT23. It becomes clear that a killer has been hunting women using genetic data from their DNA to target them.

The well-written complex plot focuses on the very real unregulated genetic testing industry and the abuses that could potentially result from the lack of oversight. As the plot moves briskly along, the investigation quickly reveals leads that result in actions and revelations. The investigation is compelling and follows several trails to piece together the clues leading to the final heart stopping denouement. The procedural details are a pleasure to follow.

The roles of the characters are clearly defined and they all interact in a realistic manner as they essentially all act in support for (or opposition to) Jack's investigation. I have not read the previous novels featuring Jack McEvoy, but I feel like I was brought up to speed and enjoyed this solid, intelligent procedural. The pages flew by as the action unfolded and there were some frightening disclosures about the genetic testing industry and how that once that DNA is given it can be sold and resold.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Little, Brown and Company.
The review will be posted on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Here's a question -- have you done one of those DNA/Ancestry tracing kits? This thriller explores the dangers that lurk underneath their promise of anonymity. Is your personal information safe? What if someone was able to trace you through your gene sample -- someone who was looking for specific characteristics -- specifically the DRD4 gene. This is a gene that might identify people who exhibit high-risk behaviors and addictions.

Journalist Jack McEvoy works for an Internet news site called "FairWarning" and usually investigates situations that affect consumers. When he's questioned by the LAPD about the homicide of a woman he had a one-night-stand with, he becomes interested due to the way she was killed. He senses there might be a story and finds that the victim also had told a friend that she had been a victim of cyberstalking. Jack sets out to learn all he can about Tina Portero and soon finds himself down the rabbit hole. Soon he has information about four similar deaths and all of the women had turned their DNA over to a company known as GT23. All of them seem to be the work of one person -- The Shrike.

This was great writing and lots of action with details galore. Although two other books by this author feature Jack McEvoy, this worked fine as a standalone. (I'm pretty sure I read THE POET and also THE SCARECROW but so long ago I can't really remember.) The reader is immediately drawn into the story and the well-drawn characters are believable as the narrative continues relentlessly to the climax. Who is the elusive Shrike and where will he strike next? The really scary stuff within actually has to do with the concern about the DNA that so many willingly put in an envelope and mail to these companies. For, you see, government oversight of the DNA analytics industry is a bit lax.

Another interesting aspect of this novel is that, even though this book is a work of fiction, the news site "FairWarning" actually exists and does watchdog reporting as described. The science is real. The dangers are real.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for this e-book ARC to read, review and recommend. I'm eager to revisit books by this author and look forward to future work.

Michael Connelly at his best! This is the third book with reporter Jack McEvoy (from the Poet and the Scarecrow) as the main character. Jack is working for a news website and is researching a genetics industry. The book takes a turn when Jack is under suspicion for murdering a woman he had a one night stand with a year before. I'm a big fan of Michael Connelly but had never read the first two Jack McEvoy books. Now I can't wait to delve into those!

Fair Warning by Michael Connelly Reviewed on May 20, 2020

No doubt author, Michael Connelly did a lot of research for this novel. True it is interested and I do like Connelly’s novels. I live in Orange County and he usually includes local sights; this time UCI and not Chapman University where his daughter attended college.
This is #3 in the Jack McEvoy series. I wasn’t a big fan of #2 "The Scarecrow" but I am sure I will read #4!

Want to thank NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for this early release granted in exchange for an honest professional review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for May 26, 2020

Jack McEvoy is an investigative reporter who works for FairWarning which warns readers of scams and frauds. He digs deeply into the DNA market where he discovers a company that sells its information. He doggedly pursues his story and a vicious killer. This book is fast paced, powerful, and engaging.

Author Michael Connelly began his career in newspapers and I always consider Jack McEvoy to be something of his alter-ego; the man he might have been without the huge successes of his books. McEvoy has written two good books but they were a decade ago and he’s run out the royalties and is living paycheck to paycheck working for a website that exposes consumer fraud. He is still haunted by former stories and murder cases when along comes one that peripherally involves him. FAIR WARNING spins a good tale about the potentiality for the dark web and DNA sites to merge into mayhem-for-hire, specifically geared towards crimes against women. It all seems very timely, grim and of course, good and spooky for a mystery. Readers will enjoy this new addition to the Bosch Universe. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Michael Connelly never disappoints. Fair Warning is another great can’t put down thriller! Loved it from the first page. His characters are always so well developed and keep you rooting for them throughout. Definitely recommend.
Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

To Reporter Jack McEvoy (a character in Connelly's "The Poet" and "The Scarecrow") Christina "Tina" Portrero was a one-night stand a year ago. So, shortly after she's found murdered by the singular method of having her head twisted fully around, Jack is paid a visit by a pair of non-too-friendly LAPD detectives, having found his name in the victim's register. (One mystery solved).
.
After gladly giving the cops a DNA sample to prove his non-involvement, one of them sizes him up as a prime suspect because of a story Jack had once written. But when Jack learns that there have been near-identical unsolved "internal decapitation" cases around the country, a shift in the cop's attitude is called for. And Jack's off on his own investigation.

Much of what follows reflects Connelly's usual intricate and meaningful story ideas, but it seems to go off in directions without recovering the story line. Major developments keep the drama stirring but somehow become diluted and unfocused. It gave me the impression the author was diverted -- perhaps by
all the other projects on his schedule, notably on TV.

"Fair Warning" lacks the heart of "Blood Work" or the brilliant legal lesson and entertainment of "Lincoln Lawyer," but If you know and appreciate what Connelly can deliver, you should read this to see what I mean, allowing for some awkwardness in the telling.

It left me with my usual anticipation of his next book, though not because he's written another masterpiece. Fair warning.

No spoiler alerts. A Jack McEvoy book, the third. There have been many years since the last, 2009, I believe. It isn’t really necessary to have read the prior two books, but I like character driven stories, and, therefore, hate that I can’t remember what happened in the previous two books that have informed the development of Jack’s psyche. Good story telling, as always, by Connelly.

A really nice return of Jack McEvoy, the character from The Poet and The Scarecrow. In this novel, Jack is ten years out from success, working as a journalist for a consumer watchdog website. He gets involved in a murder case as a person of interest, which leads him in a whole other direction, chasing after a possible serial killer. Connelly can do no wrong.

This was a very suspenseful mystery.The main character appeared in two prior novels but this is perfect as a stand alone. Michael Connelly fans will not be disappointed,

The man can write and this time it is a novel that is just perfect to divert our attention from the virus that is holding its grip on the world. As we've come to expect from him, Michael Connolly delivers another winner. Fair Warning has it all: well-drawn characters, contextual settings that become other characters, and a plot that engages from the start and holds the reader until the end. The novel is an entry in Connolly's Jack McEvoy series, although reading its predecessors is not at all necessary for a reader to enjoy this novel fully. This time Jack, Rachel, and the writers at Fair Warning, a consumer-oriented paper, take on The Shrike, a man who kills in the same fashion as the bird for which he names himself, and the loopholes in the hereditary genetics analysis industry that enable people with evil intentions to gain access to potential victims. There is nothing in this novel that could not happen, which makes the urgency that Connolly infuses into it all the more important. This is must reading for Connolly fans and a wonderful introduction to his work for readers who are not yet familiar with his work.

Michael Connelly does one of the best jobs I know in getting a story going quickly and getting the reader invested. His stories just flow. This one is no exception.
Jack McEvoy is an investigative reporter. He’s initially questioned when a woman he had a previous one night stand with is murdered. Then he discovers other murders across the country with similar methods of death and an odd similarity. Each murder victim had recently had their DNA done by a small profiling company. A profiling company that makes its real money by selling the DNA to other outfits.
The story is engaging and will put the fear of God into anyone who’s had their DNA tested. It was an interesting twist to have a reporter as the main character instead of a detective. In fact, there are some interesting playoffs between the reporter and the police and FBI.
What’s really scary is that the lack of oversight for the genetics testing business is real.
I read the prior two books in the McEvoy series so long ago I don’t remember them. So, it totally works to read as a stand-alone.
My thanks to netgalley and Little, Brown for an advance copy of this book.

Reporter Jack McElvoy is working for FairWarning, a consumer advocacy blog site when he becomes a suspect in the murder of a woman he once had a one night stand with. Despite warnings from both the police and his editor to leave it alone and let them handle it, he starts investigating on his own. He quickly discovers more victims with only one thing in common besides the method of killing - they all sent their DNA to the same cheap testing site. McElvoy soon finds himself entangled not only in the realities of the unregulated DNA testing market but also deep in the dark web and the misogynistic cult of incels.

Fair Warning is the third entry in the Jack McElvoy series by author Michael Connelly and it shows why he is considered one of the best because it's one hell of a thrill ride. The writing is tight and the plot is both electrifying and scary - Connelly takes the reader through the unregulated area of DNA testing and, if you ever considered getting your DNA tested, trust me, this will put paid to that idea. Like pretty much all of Connelly's novels, once started, it's unputdownable. In fact, it cost me a night of sleep but it was so worth it.

Although there are references to the events of earlier books as well as the return of an old love, even if you haven't read the others, this works well as a standalone. But, really, if this is your first in the McElvoy series, I recommend reading them all - you'll thank me later.

<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

Finally, someone sees that DNA test can be a scam!!
This is a great book that takes a popular idea and twists it into a dark knot. Plenty of drama. Plenty of action. Great writing as always. If you're looking for a good thriller, this won't disappoint!

I like the character in this series. It was a good novel, ut I must not have been in the mood for it. The writing is great. Michael Connelly can do no wrong.

Fair Warning by Michael Connelly is a novel that explores the corruption that DNA testing can become. along with a murder mystery and some analysis of male and female interactions. The plot of Fair Warning revolves around grotesque murders of women from all over the country. These women are killed by having their necks broken!! A reporter becomes involved in attempts to uncover what has happened to these women and who is responsible. I enjoyed this mystery because it was very realistic and interesting. I especially enjoyed the twist of involving DNA testing and how the search for your ancestors may have played a role in linking all the murdered women together in some way. I would recommend this to readers. I received this novel from netgalley and Little,Brown and Company publishers in exchange for a fair and honest review.

It's been awhile since Connelly has written a book with his character Jack McEvoy and so glad he's brought him back! Jack's now working at FairWarning - a consumer website that warns consumers of scams and frauds. This time it's about DNA testing sites and what they do with the data they receive. A roller coaster ride to find the killer!

Michael Connelly crafted bad guys the Poet and the Scarecrow earlier in his career. Now he’s back with another monster, the Shrike, as he resurrects reporter Jack McEvoy as the protagonist of his latest book, Fair Warning.

McEvoy is no longer working for a newspaper but is a journalist employed by the news site, Fair Warning, a real nonprofit watchdog of consumer issues. A casual encounter with a victim of the Shrike makes McEvoy a “person of interest” in the murder investigation’s early days. Seething that the police want him as a suspect instead of identifying the real killer of his one-night stand from a year ago, he goes into super-reporter mode and starts to ferret out the truth about the woman’s murder and links it to similar homicides.

Third in the Jack McEvoy series, this book also brings back former FBI profiler Rachel Walling, who teams up with McEvoy to try to unravel the mystery of who killed these women and why. This leads them into the world of DNA testing that people do to find out their heritage. While these sites are supposed to protect the identify of members, an underhanded team of two members of the online subculture of involuntary celibates have found a way to make the women’s personal information available to other incels for a nice sum.

McEvoy partners with another staffer at Fair Warning, Emily Atwater, to bring together all the information they have gathered and are about to release as a warning so others can protect themselves from the Shrike. Rachel has taken the information to the FBI for them so an arrest can be made but the FBI wants Jack and Emily to hold the story until the FBI can get up to speed on the case.

In the way only Michael Connelly can bring all the pieces together and put his main character in harm’s way, Connelly has crafted a novel that will keep the reader turning pages to get to the exciting conclusion.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting April 10, 2020.

I highly recommend this book to all Michael Connelly fans. If a reader enjoyed the intensity of the Poet and the Scarecrow, he or she will no doubt stay fixed on the trail of the Shrike until the climax of the book.

I’d like to thank Little Brown and Company, the Hatchette Book Group, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.