Mystery - 3.5

Detective Samantha Jazz is at a weird place in her life. Her father and mentor was shot and killed steps from her. He was also a dirty cop and the person she looked up to all her life. Being a cop herself, she is concerned that the stigma attached to her father will sully her own reputation, plus any cop that was friendly with her father immediately becomes suspect. She has isolated herself, but things are about to change.

She has been handed a case because the detective on the case is transferring to Houston. The murderer is killing his victims with cyanide and leaving phrases from poems in their mouths. He has been doing this to get her attention, because they do have a shared past. Samantha doesn't realize this at first and struggles to put together the clues. Meanwhile The Poet shadows her every move. The book is told in multiple narratives and for the most part that works well.

I am all over the place on how to rate this book, though and how to describe it to others. The beginning was tough for me, because it feels like this is the 2nd book of a series, which it isn't. The reason I say this is because we are dropped into the middle of these character's lives without the backstory being revealed first. There is almost an assumption that we should know them and how they got where they are, so it takes a while to catch up. Overall, this is a solid mystery and I did like it. The ending both redeemed the book and made it worse at the same time as there is one pivotal scene that rings false to the character of The Poet.

I really really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately for me it wasn't one of the best thrillers I have read.
It was one of my most anticipated reads for 2021 and I wanted to read it so bad when I first saw the gorgeous cover and read the blur, but I was a bit disappointed.
The police procedural was a bit too much for me and there were lots of phone calls going on.
I couldn't quite connect with the characters. It was a bit slow paced for me and then the end was very rushed.
The beginning started very well and promising for a good psychological thriller but then somehow it let me down.
I wanted more.

Crazy serial killer novel from the queen of suspense and spice.

I could not believe my luck when I was given a copy of this book. The premise is just completely insane. This book is for you if you like:
- strong female lead characters
- intricate serial killer plots
- personal motifs for murder
- high-grade suspense
- POETRY.
Okay, the last one is optional, but there was something really unsettling about a serial killer writing poems in each of their murders as a message.

I would have liked this book to be more fast-paced to be my all-time favorite, but I still really enjoyed the wild ride. I'm certainly here for more books from this author.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I so wanted to like this book more than I did. I didn’t hate it but struggled through parts of it to get to the end. It was just ok for me.

3.5 stars.

The Poet follows a detective who takes on a case where the murder victim had been found with a piece of paper crumpled inside his mouth, containing a sinister 3-line poem.

This was a good read. The identity of the killer wasn’t as surprising as I’d hoped it would be but the police procedural part was well-executed.

My thanks to Entangled Publishing, Lisa Renee Jones and Netgalley.
Sadly, I've nothing positive to say.
In truth, I was out from the beginning. Don't take this as a review. It's not! What this is, is mostly how much I didn't like how this began.
I need certain things from the outset. 30 page's in and it was a struggle.
Again, please don't let my thoughts deter you. This may be a good story.
Though, it's not my story.

Let me start by saying I am a huge fan of all things Lisa Renee Jones. Her stories are always well crafted, intriguing, interesting and intelligent. I do not read murder mysteries but Ms.Jones wrote it so I read it. I found it so compelling that I read it cover to cover in one sitting. It was remarkable! Just about the time you think you've figured it out the plot takes a right turn and off you go in a different direction. Solving a murder or in this case murders is tedious sometimes mind numbing work. You use your experience, expertise and your gut to put the pieces together. No one person does it alone. They have a team that assists and supports them.

Detectives Samantha Jazz and Ethan Langford are a successful homicide team. She's the brainy, intuitive and methodical one. He's the charmer, the sounding board and the protective voice of reason. A team that meshes well in every sense of the word. Plus their easy partnering and friendship has them fighting like siblings which definitely lightens darker moments. Investigating a psychopathic serial killer stretches them and their team to their limits.

Lisa Renee Jones brings a new kind of suspense when writing The Poet, Detective Samantha Jazz is handed a case after the lead detective up a disappears all because the Poet is after Samantha, he wants her to be the Master!! There's three unsolved murders which Samantha needs to solve before he comes after her!
Will Samantha solve the mystery behind the poems that where found at each murder or will she be next on his list?

I love a crime/murder/mystery story and this book falls into all categories. The central character and her interaction with her fellow officers and the banter between them was as you would expect from a police based storyline. Her family history contributes to how she is regarded by her colleagues at the station. There’ are some romantic moments but nothing to alter the narrative, it just adds some interest.When I found out who the killer was I had to go back and reread when he actually physically appeared in the storyline. While he had a major voice throughout the book, I wanted more details about this killer's history with the main character once he was uncovered. An enjoyable read but it just didn’t fill in enough blanks.

This is an exciting suspense filled story that will keep you on the edge of your seat.the characters are captivating. Detective Samantha Jazz is hunting a serial killer.she and her partner are trying to figure him out. He kills the victims but leaves behind a line or two of old poetry. She knows the verses because she grew up studying poetry with her grandfather and they would listen to Jazz and read poetry. As the body count rises an Sam sets her sites on one guy to find him murdered with a poem stuffed on his body.The guy she got bad vibes from was a pedophile. There are so many twists an turns to this story you will be riveted until the very last page an leave you begging for more. I love the way this amazing author brings the characters to life before your eyes an you can feel their emotions an their pain. I can hardly wait to see what's next by this multi talented author.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I have read Lisa Renee Jones books for many years and always leave reviews of 4 or 5 stars.
I will preface that I expected hard-hitting, fast-paced suspense and excitement. While I got a little of that in a few places, I did not find this book to be a page-turner/can’t put it down.
I like the conflicted heroine. She was flawed yet strong. I like her backstory. Following in family footsteps trying to please a distant father is getting to be a commonplace theme but there were still a few nuances to like. Trying to meet or exceed your own high expectations is hard and her angst is believable. The base is there to build on in future books.
I like Samantha’s sidekicks and surrounding team. There are plenty of characters that definitely have potential. There is time spent to develop a bit of personality for each and I found it easy to engage and become interested in them. I would read the next installment.
The potential suspects were a mishmash, some a nice addition to the overall story and emotional drama, and others just took up words. I didn’t figure out “who done it” until closer to the end, and it all felt rushed to finish - the suspense just didn’t build. The Poet fell apart in the final confrontation, and I didn’t like how the character became unhinged. The scene had so much potential but just fizzled.
The villain/serial killer and his voice throughout is intelligent. He is a psychopath, cold and calculating. I like his ties to the Jazz family and his fixation with the family. I like the use of obscure poetry, as that lends to the chilling effect. I just would have preferred he stay calm and collected in the final confrontation. I’d have been happy to have him around for another book.
I’m giving this a mixed review but overall I do recommend the book. Be prepared for a slow boil and give it time to grow on you. Nothing is too crass or violent, and it is sex-free. In other words, you can leave it laying around for any adult to read.

I enjoyed this book, it's not my normal kind of read, but really liked it!
this book has lots of twist and turns that keeps you guessing, and tells the newest case of Detective Samantha Jazz. She and her partner Ethan Langford's newest case leads them to a place of poetry reading.
It's a stand-alone, thriller, with no romance although the female lead does have an ex-boyfriend that's involved in the story.
It's about a serial killer, who leaves a poem after he kills a person, and Sam is tasked with investigating this case after the previous detective goes missing.
The story moves at a very fast pace and it's easy to follow along without getting lost.
I liked it very much, A gripping read,I couldn’t put it down.

A solid police procedural with a good cast of characters and of course a serial killer to hunt. The characters are well developed, so developed that I didn't agree with a lot of the actions of the main detective, Sam, but in real life some people make rash decisions, even detectives. - but it didn't seem in line with her being such a great detective and solving a lot of crimes. Kind of a disconnect for me on that. But, regardless of that - was a good story and a fast pace. After a lot of build up, it ends quickly without much reason how, but it does resolve. If you like the "strong damaged female lead" after a serial killer with a strong cast of characters, you will like this one.

3.25-3.5 STARS

More of a crime novel than an edge-of-your-seat thriller, this whodunit centers around a serial killer with an obsession for both poetry and the detective tasked with solving the series of bizarre murders. While the story itself is fairly interesting, the drawn-out mystery felt rushed at the very end, with no real twists or turns along the way. I never warmed up to the characters, either, so I missed that real connection that allows me to fully immerse myself in the story. That said, I found “The Poet” to be a decent mystery, but not the riveting thriller I was hoping it would be.

While this is not my normal kind of read, I did enjoy this. Lisa Renee Jones is one of my favorite authors and I'm always ready to read her books. This is a stand-alone, thriller, with no romance although the female lead does have an ex-boyfriend that's involved in the story. There are some twists that will keep you guessing with some action and suspense. I received an advance copy of this book from Net Galley and the author and this is my honest opinion.

There is a serial killer who leaves words of poetry in the victim's mouths. Detective Samantha Jazz is tasked with investigating this case after the previous detective goes missing. She names this killer The Poet. What she doesn't know though is that he is doing all of it for her.
I have mixed feelings on this one. Okay,starting with the things I liked. I really liked Sam as the protagonist. Cold and distant when she needs to be but still very human at heart. I liked her partner Lang and the dynamics between them. They really understood each other and had each other's backs. Also,the banter was great and provided a much needed relief from the dark stuff. I liked Sam's sort of boyfriend Wade. The relationship there was also pretty great and interesting to read about.
What I didn't enjoy so much was the ending and also partially how we got there. For most of the book Sam was convinced that she knows who the killer is and that definitely clouded her judgment. I understand that it was because The Poet got inside her head but it was still frustrating. I also thought the book should have been shorter,the middle part dragged. And then the ending was anticlimactic. We spent like 85 % of the book focused on someone else but then once that is forgotten the plot moves super quickly and we have our killer suddenly. I mean if it was that easy Sam should have caught him ages ago.
So,I have complaints but overall I enjoyed this book. If it turns out to be the first book in a series I would definitely read the next one.
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Mystery/Suspense isn't my favorite genre because I get scared easily... But this is quite a book. Lots of twists and turns. Very fast moving plot and it keeps you guessing. I enjoyed it and finished it quickly. Highly recommended.

A serial killer that loves poetry. Sign me up as a reader. I found this to be a rich scary story they kept me intrigued until the last page

Entertaining and a little predictable. When a story starts with a suspect in a serial killer story, I usually write it off as that's not the killer; however, sometimes it is. In this case, you'll have to read to know. The story moves at a very fast pace and it's easy to follow along without getting lost. Some clues are intriguing, but not a lot. Sam Jazz's character and her attitude does keep my attention. The ending was a little let down, especially when it comes to the reason why the serial killer kills. However, arts does imitate life and most serial killers doesn't have a good reason to why they kill, after all they are psychopath. There was no twists and turns, that special surprise element that would put this story over the top.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing LLC and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This book packs quite a punch. This book is loaded with twists and turns. At times it was like being on a roller coaster. Samantha is such a complex character. I really liked seeing the different layers of Sam. I stayed up until 3 A.M. reading this book. I couldn’t put it down.