THE POET is author Lisa Renee Jones giving readers another fascinating style of book. Fans might know Ms. Jones for her erotic romance with dark mysterious heroes with heroines who can handle them. THE POET is a dark, gritty thriller that centers around Detective Samantha Jazz - her world, her work, her friends and a boyfriend, that isn't a boyfriend - as she moves through the legal system to stop a serial killer.

Reviewed by Annetta Sweetko for Fresh Fiction

Complete review: https://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=73298

What does evil look like? Sam can feel it, but she just can't seem to see who has been stalking her. She knows she has to find him before he kills again. He seems fixated on her and her co-workers are trying to keep her safe, but they just know who they have to protect her from. She will find him. He is trying to get to her and she will find him. Sam has taken over a case and the previous detective has disappeared suddenly. He is still alive? There was one man who seemed to emit evil and Sam just couldn't quite catch him. Is he the Poet? Is it someone close to the investigation? She has no idea, but she must find him soon.

An astounding read. Samantha makes a very compelling detective and hero. It is twisted tale in which you will never see the ending coming. The author does an excellent job of keeping readers guessing who the murderer is as they turn the pages. The characters are wonderful. The arc of the story is great. This is a wonderful start to the series and I can’t wait to see where it goes.

4 star Review of  The Poet by Lisa Renee Jones
Detective Samantha Jazz takes over the the hunt for a killer known as “The Poet”. Unbeknownst to her, he is manipulating the situation as he wants her to investigate the murders, before she becomes one of his victims.
Danger lurks at every corner, will Samantha solve the riddle of the poems left at the scene of the crimes before it is too late? There were so many plots twists that I was kept guessing and I needed to concentrate to ensure I didn’t loose track and to me that is the sign of a good book that has drawn you right in to the storyline.
The intrigue, suspense, danger and secrets had me riveted from the first chapter until the last, I was absolutely hooked and feel that this is one of the best examples of romantic suspense I have read in a long time.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

A suspenseful story of a murderer who targets those he sees as unworthy. He kills them using cyanide and leaves part of a poem in their mouths. Detective Samantha (Sam) Jazz and her partner Lang are on the case. Sam had studied poetry. But they are not prepared for the deadly games this murderer is playing.
I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Poet (Lisa Renee Jones) is a fast paced page turner that has the reader on the edge of their seat. The main character in this story (besides the killer) is Detective Samantha Jazz who seems to have a sixth sense when someone evil is near her. As happy as I was to have MS Jazz solve the crime I hated to see the story end. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I wish to thank NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC.

Detective Sam Jazz is still reeling from the murder of her Police Chief Father, as well as the fact that he was not exactly squeaky clean.  When another detective seems to randomly and quite suddenly leave Austin for Houston, a very messy case ends up in her files. This case happens to be extremely dangerous, with Detective Jazz sensing the killer following her and appearing at the most inopportune times. With the help of her amazing colleagues, she will have to find the man who ties people up, poisons them, and puts a poem in their mouth, before it happens to those closest to her. The cases notes give the killer the nickname The Poet, but he's far from innocuous.

Author Lisa Renee Jones has created a quite likeable set of characters in The Poet. Detective Jazz reacts how many officers likely would, but there are still times were you want to scream "omg don't do that" because you know she's about to get in trouble with the new Chief.  There's touches of romance, but nothing overwhelming. Over all, the pace of the book keeps you locked in and dying to know who the killer is going to be, even as the killer peaks in from time to time to make his personality known.

The Poet is available March 9, 2021 from Entangled Publishing, LLC.

I always find Lisa Renee Jones’ books to be well written and The Poet is no different.

An intriguing story from start to finish. I did find it a little predictable, but there are some twists and turns to keep you guessing and asking yourself if things are really as they seem.

A definite must read if you want a story to keep you gripped and up all night.

A complete 180 from her normal books, romance to murder. I was trying to savor this story because I found myself truly vested in the characters but I failed. I zipped through in a few days and I’m still amazed at the puzzle. The clues are interesting and intriguing while the characters are fascinating. Sam is the strong and intelligent female lead every book needs and she has the support of her male colleagues. This shows us how hardworking law enforcement really is behind the scenes and the controlled chaos they work around. I can only hope Jones continues to thrill readers with more suspenseful thrillers. I received my copy from Netgalley and wrote my review voluntarily.

When Detective Samantha Jazz is handed the first murder case after her Father's murder, she needs to put the past behind her and concentrate on solving the case. She nicknames the killer, the Poet because he leaves a note with lines from a poem in the victims mouth. As she delves deeper into the mystery, she starts to believe that perhaps the past and this case are indeed connected due to her knowledge of poetry and her Father's sins before his death.

This is a fast paced page turner that keeps you guessing who the killer could be that has some connection to her. A great book that is hard to put down.

The Poet – Lisa Renee Jones
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
An action-packed thriller and a real surprise for me as a romance reader. I had no idea Lisa Renee Jones wrote this genre of story but WOW….. I was hooked from page one.
Detective Samantha Jazz is hunting a serial killer in her hometown. One who seems to know a little too much about her background. Her colleagues & partner are helping her navigate the deceptive clues the killer is leaving but Sam knows, this is getting personal. It’s a battle of wills and minds when “The Poet” comes to play, leaving those clues for Sam to follow but never giving her or her team enough to form solid leads. A true master at work, manipulating the police and the FBI.
Every character perfectly developed and placed within the context of the story to give the right amount of shock and awe and the levity to push through some seriously dark moments. Character relationships were paramount to the way this story played out and every one of them delivered a gutsy performance.
A brilliantly executed story full of dark secrets and evil intent. Lisa Renee Jones has absolutely stunned me with this story, obliterating any preconceived notions I had about her ability to write a thriller or police procedural novel.
Definitely a 5-star read for 2021 and one I will happily promote to the top of my favourites list.

The Poet by Lisa Renee Jones is a little different story than most of her books but I loved it. She has a way that really hooks you in. This book takes you on a wild ride trying to figure out who the serial killer is. This is a great mystery suspense read. I highly recommend it!!!

Oh my gosh! This was one intense read!

Samantha was one gutsy heroine. I loved that she wasn’t so hardened and crude as some heroines in law enforcement are created to be. She was fierce enough to know she could get the job done, but never mean or rude to those around her. Her relationship with her partner and her ex shed a light on who she truly was inside and I liked everything about her.

This has a lot of drama to it. Once it starts there is no slowing down. It never bogs or gets repetitive. Instead, it’s like a snowball rolling down hill. When the plot hits a certain point, it picks up speed and there was no way I was closing this book until I knew how it all ended. My heart was racing and each time I reached one of those amazing LRJ twists, I was gasping and clutching at my Kindle.

This is not a romance, although there is a love interest involved. Only to the very smallest degree is their relationship brought into the mix. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of this couple if there are any future books. And I have to confess I was thrilled that this didn’t drop me off a cliff! I actually want another book although it’s not required!

I generally love Lisa Renee Jones's and while The Poet is a good read it wasn't quite as good as I expected.

Det. Samantha Jazz is very good at her job. The Poet is very good at killing and not getting caught. The Poet is making his kills personal to Sam.

There is a lot of suspense, well-defined characters (good and bad) and several red herrings in this story. Jones gives us characters that are a little gray as to whether they're likable. The people who work with Sam often, if not always, leave you wondering, "is the killer him/her?" The revelation of new clues and subsequent murders happen at a good pace. There's plenty of intense suspense, a bit of romance;

Sam is too like Lilah Love, without the swearing, from another series. They're both intense, very adept women chasing killers in a man's world and their personalities were very similar.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley and Entangled: Amara.

I absolutely loved this book! I read it in less than 24 hours, I just had a hard time putting it down. I would label this as a thriller/crime procedural, as we get the viewpoint of Detective Sam Jazz working the case as well as the viewpoint of The Poet being creepy. The pacing of this book is very good, I felt that it kept moving forward. I really enjoyed the characters, and especially enjoyed the relationship between Sam and her partner, Lang. The mystery was intriguing, and the interruptions from the point of view of The Poet gave us some insight into why he was doing what he was. My one qualm is that I wasn't a fan of Wade. I could definitely see the author turning this set of characters into a series, and I would read more of Sam's story!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing LLC/ Entangled Amara for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

Poet is a murder mystery/ thriller by Lisa Renee Jones. The story main character Samantha is a police detective and the Poet a serial killer. While investigating the Poet, the case and Poet's attention turns personally towards Samantha. The story line is very well written and the characters are very well developed. The story has the normal twists and turns that you come to expect from a murder mystery/ thriller. This book was another great read by Lisa Renee Jones

I found this to be an ok read. A bit plodding but interesting to power through. Will probably try it again soon. Thanks for the ARC!

I liked this book a lot for the most part, the characters, their relentless search for a killer was told in a way that felt different from others of this genre and made it more interesting. The ending felt very rushed and therefore unsatisfying. I almost thought it was going to end unfinished, it was that close to the end of the book

I love mysteries, so I was happy to get this one to read in advance. My joy, however, was short-lived because the mystery fell flat for me. It was all a very dark story involving a quirky police detective named Samantha Jazz and a serial killer nicknamed The Poet. Samantha is basically a loner, with few relationships and kind of a flat character. The Poet is crafty and determined to capture Samantha in his net, since she is his ultimate victim. I liked the varying points of view, from Samantha to the killer. I liked the complicated plot, but I never really figured out a lot of the twists. The pacing seemed very slow to me; at times, I just wanted the author to move the story along. Part police procedural and part crime mystery, the book had plenty of suspects but it really did not grab my interest as I had expected. It was a decent mystery, but not compelling or riveting, so I don’t think I would opt to read a sequel.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive book review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

3.5-3.75 stars

I liked this one overall. Very much a crime mystery/police procedural, not much of a thriller. It kind of reminded me of the James Patterson books I used to read and enjoy...just more wordy, lol.

I liked the characters, especially Sam, and am intrigued by the relationship she has with her partner, Lang. If this became a series revolving around Sam I would read another book. The weakest aspect of the story to me was the killer. I dunno, I needed more, more suspense, more gore, more of a connection...I just wasn't wowed with anything about the final reveal. I was still immersed in the story and enjoyed reading it however, it kept my attention.