The Poet was a good read by Lisa Renee Jones. There is a serial killer nicknamed "Poet". He got this nickname because of the words left at the crime scenes. Detective Samantha Jazz is assigned the case after the first investigators vanished. Being that Samantha knows about poetry and starts piecing together the puzzle. I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more by the author.

A word of warning: Don’t finish this book at bedtime because it will be hard to fall asleep!
I say that because once you figure out whodunit and Sam’s predicament, your heart will pound and your legs will want to run for her. I know because this happened to me. This would make a great movie but I couldn’t watch what gave me chills while reading it. 😨 I tried to keep up with the ages because I felt the prologue set the killer on his path. Thrilling, scary, murder mystery for a young detective who is finding her way after the death of her father. There is also the wee facet of her ability to sense evil. Nice touch!
We first meet “the Professor” at a poem reading. He appears to be normal but darkness lurks behind those eyes. Once he sets his sights on the person who “offends” him, we know what happens next. Circumstances cause our H, Detective Samantha Jazz to be called in to the newest case of what appears to be a serial killer whom she dubs The Poet. But it gets worse. Not saying any more about that! This book will have you on pins-and-needles and there will be twists and turns…😱
While the serial killer is doing his deeds, Sam is coming to grips with her precarious position because of her father’s transgressions. Fortunately, she has Wade in her life but does she accept his love and she has Lang by her side but will she accept his help? I volunteered to review an ARC of this book through NetGalley and Entangled. If you like well-written thrillers with intelligent plotting, read this book. You will not be sorry.

This started out as a slow read for me but I knew it would pick up. I was not disappointed when it did! When Detective Samantha Jazz gets the lead for the poet murder she has questions. Questions that are disturbing from the beginning.

When her and her partner are investigating it seems that the murderer is actually focusing on Samantha. Will she figure out who it is before it's too late for her?

I liked the twists and turns that were happening and kept me guessing.

Samantha Jazz is a detective working in Austin Texas when a body is found, a line from a poem is found in the victim's mouth. Detective Jazz sets up a team to gather evidence and profile of the killer know as The Poet. Another body is found similar to the first victim.

The writing style is in first person as the author Lisa Renee Jones plays loose with police procedure. In one chapter, Detective Jazz stops a person, whom she believes is a suspect, in a parking lot and asked for a DNA sample. The police only asked for DNA samples of people who have been arrested for a crime. Detective Jazz also asked the suspect's wife for a DNA sample. Yet the killer, known as The Poet, doesn't leave any DNA samples at the scene of the crime.
Upon arriving at a "random stand alone house' Detective Jazz states that this house is the barrister Dave's house by the picture of the skeleton on the wall.
Examples of poor quality writing is evidence in these two separate sentences:
"a snake slithering through me."
"shiver sliding through my body.'
Makes one wonder what happened to the snake.
The story doesn't follow the usual twist and turns of a thriller novel. The chapters are short but there is nothing to keep the reader turning the pages.
When Detective Jazz becomes an Agent with the FBI is when interest begin to vanish. Detective Jazz harassed a professor, shot and killed a 13 year old unarmed and unnamed boy, threatened to kill another detective, assaulted another detective but doesn't end up in prison, sort of wonder if this story is not a thriller but a fantasy.

***I received an ebook copy from the author at no cost***

The Poet is a nail biting read, filled with suspense and turns that will leave readers second-guessing.

Detective Samantha Jazz finds herself assigned to a homicide investigation after the original detective up and transfers. (Hint: there's more to it than just that.) She quickly realizes she's on the trail of a serial killer who leaves verses of poetry at the crime scene (hence the nickname The Poet).

Detective Jazz has a partner, Detective Langford—or Lang, as she refers to him. The two have worked together for a while and have a back-and-forth banter that reminded me of an old married couple. For as much as he pokes fun at Jazz, it's clear that Lang cares a lot about her. He's like a protective big brother, always looking out for her and trying to stay one step ahead of anyone who dare cross her. I enjoyed the easygoing nature of that friendship, although I admittedly hoped the two would end up as something more later in the book.

Then there's Wade, who is Jazz's ex. He's there to help when needed, as he too is involved in law enforcement. I enjoy a strong willed heroine, and Jazz fits that bill, but it's also nice to see her have support around her.

I'm a fan of thriller books, especially when they involve murder mysteries or serial killers, and Lisa Renee Jones has certainly brought a unique plot to this book. I was very much convinced I knew who The Poet was by the time I got about 30% of the way into the book. Of course my guess was wrong and by the time I reached the end, I was in shock because things did not go how I expected them to. I enjoy stories that keep me on the edge of my seat, and The Poet did just that. There's so much suspense in the book, much of which is created by the different twists and turns in the story. Add in the cat and mouse chase between Jazz and the killer, and you have a story that will hook you and keep you guessing, right up until the very end.

I know this is supposed to be more of a romantic suspense story, but it didn't feel like that to me. I found it to be pure suspense/thriller and I liked that. Perhaps there will be more on the romance front in future stories?

I'm excited to see this is book 1 in a new series. I enjoyed these characters a lot and I hope we get to see more of each in coming stories.

Four heart-pounding stars!

This was a good story. I was invested. Poet was a page turner, and suspenseful. Their were a few twist. Although to me it was pretty easy to figure out who the killer was. Still a good read.

Detective Samantha Jazz and her partner, Detective Lang, are on a case of a serial killer, that Jazz dubs “The Poet,” as he always lives a bit from a poem on paper in his dead victim’s mouth. She begins to find that maybe this killer is following her, even to be seen outside her door, although no one ever sees his face as he wears a hat with a black hoodie, the hood up and he keeps his face from being seen. Between the killer, the memories of her father dying in her arms that she learns was a ‘dirty’ cop, and even an FBI agent that was her lover in the past is back in her life, her life grows stressful, as she tries to prove who the killer is.

Dark and gritty, this thriller has secrets, not just about the killer, but of those around Jazz, that she learns as she probes deeper into who the killer is and stop him before he kills and draws an “U” on his next “undeserving’ victim.

Always a fan of Lisa Renee Jones, I decided to request this and give it a try. The cover art intrigued me as well as the synopsis. However, Detective Jazz got on my nerves somewhat, and I was just unable to relate to her. I loved the concept of the poetry messages left by the killer. Otherwise this was just a meh novel for me, as I just got worn out with all of the police procedural information.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Lisa Renee Jones wrote exactly what I was looking for. An amazing thriller that pulled me in, kept me reading, and turning pages. I had so many clues to follow and I followed them exactly where Lisa Renee Jones wanted me to go. I guessed at who The Poet could be, I had hopes that I was right, and even more hope that I was wrong.

Detective Samantha Jazz has skills. She does not sit back and let The Poet come to her, she goes right at The Poet. She takes it one clue at a time, one suspect at a time, and does her job. She focuses when she needs to and looks beyond what is right in front of her when she realizes she may not be quite right. She fights for the good guys, invests in her cases, and comes out on top.

The Poet is one of the best thrillers I have read in a very long time. It may be early in 2021 but I will guess that it will be on my favorites of 2021 list.

Samantha is a Detective who is trying to not only deal with loss of her father but that he may not have been the man she thought he was. She has recently inherited an active case when the previous detective walked away with no explanation or warning in large part due to her understanding of poetry.

The Poet is a serial killer who has a special calling card as he leaves behind poems for Samantha to solve. The more success he has the braver he gets but they are quizzes as he gets ready for the ultimate test which is Samantha. The only question that remains is will Samantha uncover the truth before it is too late.

Intrigue, surprises and a view into not only the mind of The Poet but the practicalities of an investigation as well.

The Poet is something different from this author and I wasn’t sure what to expect going in. It’s a book that kept my attention through out, but I’m not sure where the book falls on the “like it” scale.

This stand alone read focuses on Detective Samantha Jazz as she is processing personal issues and facing down a killer in a brand new case.

Told primarily from Samantha’s point of view, The Poet is heavy on procedural details and what I consider minutiae and misses some of the character and relationship development pieces I would have really liked to see. From what I saw of Detective Jazz, I liked her, but through the whole book, I felt as if something was missing and it made connecting with her a challenge.

This missing piece feeling was throughout the book in relation to things that had happened before the story starts and how certain characters were influenced by those events.

After finishing The Poet, this is a story that I think has a lot of potential, but I would have appreciated seeing it handled a bit differently.

Detective Samantha “Sam” Jazz calls him The Poet who leaves poems on his victims after he murders them. She hunts monsters. But this time the monster is hunting her. He wants a successor to rid the world of sinners against poetry and Sam is his choice, but why? Perhaps it’s because of her scholarly knowledge of poetry. Perhaps it has something to do with her father’s ultimate betrayal and death several months earlier. But Sam has a bad feeling and her Spidey-sense never leads her astray. It’s personal and she needs to protect her family and friends, but will her focus on the killer leaves her vulnerable.

I always enjoy books told from the killer’s and cop’s perspective and Ms. Jones does an excellent job sending the reader on a suspenseful wild goose chase to find The Poet. There are several nail-biting moments where the killer is stalking Detective Jazz and her so-called friends and colleagues become suspects right and left. Not to mention she is dealing with the fallout of her father being labeled as a dirty cop and was recently murdered in front of her by an ex-con. But the author moves the story along at a brisk pace with intriguing supporting characters such as Sam’s partner and feisty work husband, Detective Evan “Lang” Langford, and the calm FBI Agent Wade Miller, Sam’s ex-boyfriend and supportive friend. Tracking the clues along with the detectives is exciting and I couldn’t wait to see who did it.

Overall, I was absorbed with this thrilling police-procedural and the captivating characters right up to the riveting ending. I can’t wait to read the next in the series.

Thank you to Ms. Jones, Entangled Publishing, and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

This is a very dark thriller that was very well done. It was fast paced after a bit of a slow start. It has a lot more of a police procedural vibe than I was expecting but I actually liked that more. I really liked the main character, Detective Jazz, and I think that the next book in the series will be even better!

I enjoyed this thriller. It definitely had me second guessing myself. I don't like to give detailed reviews because I don't want to give anything away. I like how this wove the different stories together so that by the end it was a tangled nest that I couldn't figure out (this is a good thing, I like to be confused at the end). Really good read and look forward to reading more from this author.

Detective Samantha Jazz has been given a new murder case. The murderer left a note…and it feels directed right at her. It is a poem. Samantha knows this poem very well. She has her guard up but will it be enough.

The story starts with a good bit of police procedure. A lot of readers do not enjoy the hunt…I enjoy the hunt and this author did a great job with the puzzle. She kept the Poet a complete mystery till the end.

Plus, her characters are the best. I enjoyed Samantha. She has had some family trauma and it has affected her career. But, this has not slowed her down. She has an awesome intuition and intellect. But my favorite character is her partner, Lang. He pushes everyone’s buttons and he made me chuckle throughout this novel.

When I first started this book, I thought, well, it’s pretty good. But then…boy did it GET GOOD! Somewhere in the middle I actually slammed my kindle closed and texted my friend and said OMG!

Grab your copy today! And for $5.99 you will not be disappointed! I cannot wait for the sequel!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

I love a book where you think you know what it's going to be like then you start reading it and it becomes so much more. I love thrillers but not many getting me staying up past my bedtime during the week needing just one more page, just one more page then deciding you will just drink extra coffee at work to counter act the lack of sleep! Detective Jazz is drawn into a case that has her spidey senses going off from the get go so she along with her partner Lange, FBI agent Wade along with Chuck the computer wizard try and track down The Poet who loves to torment Jazz. There are great red herrings along with twists and tension, suspense as well as a few good laughs as we see Jazz and others the other try and get a step ahead of The Poet, but he is ruthless and calculating leaving you at times worried one of the good guys is not going to be there at the end. I absolutely loved this book and I am soo excited it is going to be a series!!!

The Poet is gripping and everything I wanted.
It's been awhile since I've read a romantic suspense but it's one of my favorite genres. (Karen Rose being one of my favorite authors). This was reminded me a bit of Karen Rose's Say You're Sorry. The reader feels for The Poet despite the horrendous things he does.
Samantha and Wade are the couple that's gonna stay in my heart. I really enjoyed their romance. There's something about danger lurking in every corner that makes the romance all the more exciting.
I also liked their characters. Samantha is reminded me of Chloe from the television show Lucifer. Determined, devoted cop but also has a soft side. Wade is the Lucifer to Samantha's Chloe. They are quite the dynamic duo and I had a lot of fun reading about them.
Can't wait to see if there is a next installment (fingers crossed!)

The Poet is a mystery/thriller and very much out of my comfort zone. That said it was thought provoking and kept me guessing. I give this one 4 stars as it was hard for me to read and not get creeped out. 😂

4 Thoughtful Stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

WOW! This was totally different from what I expected from this author. We are used to her hot and steamy, totally invested and diversely complex characters. What we have with this one is more a police procedural but still fully complex and diverse. There is a serial killer on the loose who leaves poetry lines left in the dead. Detective Samantha Jazz is the lead detective on the case and she has a love of poetry so there is a question whether the killer has targeted her or has an obsession with her. This story is full of lots of twists and turns while it takes us on a wild ride looking for the killer. I was totally invested with this one and had a hard time putting this one down. Sleep...who needs sleep...

**Received this ARC for review from the publisher via NetGalley**

Detective Samantha Jazz has her hands full with a serial killer, who references pieces of poetry stuffed into the mouths of his victims. As the daughter of a corrupt cop, she feels compelled to capture The Poet, throwing herself into solving this case. When she realizes The Poet has had his sights on her the entire time, will she be able to get herself out of danger or will she be his next victim?

Having read some of this author's romance books, I decided to give this mystery/thriller a shot. The story dives into both the professional and personal life of Sam, including her partner Lang and ex-boyfriend FBI agent Wade. Sam has to figure out why she's somehow targeted by The Poet. She's a tough girl, who doesn't hide away or let anyone push her down. She takes the brunt of accusations thrown her way based on her father's past sins. I thought the ending was a bit rushed and would have liked it if it were drawn out a little more. Overall a good read and would read the sequel if there is a book 2.

Thank you Netgalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for the opportunity to read this book.