Detective Samantha Jazz has taken over a murder case from a fellow detective who has taken a job in another city. But the case turns out to be a serial killer with an obsession with poetry and Samantha. Is her former coworker starting a new life or has his life ended? The Poet is a fast paced mystery with enough twists to keep the pages turning and the reader guessing. I really enjoyed the first person perspective on the part of Sam and the Poet. I thought I had it figured out but was wrong, several times. I highly recommend The Poet to all mystery lovers.

4.5⭐

The Poet is a well-written and plotted police procedural. That captured my interest from the start, as Detective Samantha Jazz takes over the hunt for a serial killer she has nicknamed 'The Poet'.

And with an interesting mix of characters, police politics, and the recent death of Sam's dad, who happened to be a dirty cop. This was a captivating read; and one that certainly kept me guessing.

Would happily recommend.

Young detective, a corrupted cop daughter, is called to take over one murder case from a detective that vanished into thin air. It is potential serial murder where murderer is leaving lines from poems and she is the only in the police that has education in poetry.
From that point we have a police procedural story where Detective Samantha Jazz is solving The poets secret. with help of her partner and colleagues.
The murderer is watching her, stalking her, and murders that are happening are somehow connected to her. They have one suspect but is it him or just another evil man that fits into the puzzle?
Samantha is pushed to the limits with her obsession to catch him, she even puts her job into jeopardy...
I myself was invested in thinking who the killer is, that kept me glued to my kindle until I finished the book. This book offers a lot of mind games, thinking, poetry insights, running and rushing around, a bit of good twists and turns and unexpected killer
4.3/5

After reading the synopsis, I was really excited for this book. Unfortunately, it wasn't something for me. When I started reading this book, I just couldn't get into the story and connect with the characters. It felt kinda boring and I really had to push myself to read this book. Since I hate writing bad reviews, I'm only going to post this mini review here. I wish I'd enjoyed this book more.

Why did i put this off? I picked it up January 5th.. and the length (almost 400) scared me for some reason. Which is dumb because i never want her books to end. The poems chosen in this book are a wild ride. and I sat there puzzling what they meant for so long that i felt i was Agent Jazz. I loooooooved the concept of a serial killer and the loops and hoops she had to jump through to catcha killer. However, the big TADA was like swept under the rug and a pretty little bow was placed on top. I think I needed more of the WHY it happened instead of boom 60 seconds the books ends.

I was looking for a book outside my normal genre, so when I read the synopsis for The Poet, I grabbed it.

While I appreciated the storyline and the mysterious aspect,, I found the book was a little drawn out. There were some bigger stretches in the story that just felt a little off, especially when we learn who the murderer is.

I will look for other books by this author, but unfortunately, this one didn't work for me.

I was pretty amazed at how well the author wrote this book, the fact that I could not even tell you who the killer was until toward the end I love books like that. You get little bread crumbs, but nothing entirely comes together until you are almost done. Detective Jazz has gone through a lot, and she is making it her mission to take down a serial killer since the first person who had the case left to "take another job." With great teamwork from her partner and others, such as those who process the evidence to the ME, this person has to be eventually caught, right? Something in her past will come back to her, and when it hits, she will be surprised. It just truly goes to show you that killers will hide in plain sight.
There is a reason they call the killer a poet, and Jazz is excellent at deciphering the meaning behind the poems left. Though will it be too late for her to put it all together? The characters were likable; I liked the teamwork that everyone had working together. She doesn't let her father's memory define who she is, and I can imagine in a cop world that it is hard to follow your path and show them you are not like your relatives.
My favorite quote: "The skins of the father are to be laid upon the children." "We inherit our parents' sings, but we decide in which way we allow them to influence our behavior."

The Poet is a standalone book. It is about a detective and a murder. Detective Jazz is well versed in poetry. Her boss put her in charge of murders. Where they find the bodies with words on pieces paper in them. It is a good read.

A killer is on the loose, who leaves poetry on the bodies of his victims. Detective Samantha Jazz needs to use her knowledge of poetry to try to understand why he’s choosing his victims and stop him before he can kill more. This book is a police procedural/thriller, leaning more towards the police procedural genre. It was a bit slow at times, and parts of it were a stretch to believe, such as the main character “feeling” the suspect in the vicinity whenever he was near. But overall, this was a pretty decent book and I give it 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. *Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The sexy little cover and blurb for this book made me think it was gonna be a wicked and intense thriller but it's actually a police procedural, and it's a pretty good one too 3.5⭐

There's a serial killer on the loose and as the body count keeps rising the only thing the victims seem to have in common is the piece of paper with lines of poetry that have been stuffed in their mouths.
The lead investigator in the case has gone mysteriously MIA so badass Detective Samantha Jazz takes over and suddenly the murders and poems seem to be personal, like the killer is sending her messages....

I felt totally invested in the story and wanted to catch the killer has badly as Samantha did. But what this book is lacking is heart, feelings. Detective Jazz is a cop. Full stop. She has relationships with others - her ex, her mom - but it's only shown in how it affects her as a cop and I'd have liked to see another side to her personality.

The killer is written the same way. They're just the killer. This is a book, this is my escapism so when the killer was finally revealed I was ready to have all my questions answered. Me: why do they kill, what's their motivation and what part of their vague connection to Jazz made them target her?? Book: .... blink.. blink....

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺. 𝘋𝘶𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 9/21

The Poet by Lisa Renee Jones is an intense and completely binge worthy thriller!

The storyline was filled with twists and turns. It kept me engaged throughout and I just couldn’t put it down.

100% recommend!

I enjoyed this story. It was dark and gritty and had me twisted up guessing what would happen next. I loved the suspense. It moved a little slow at times, but I loved the storyline and the writing held me captive. I can't wait for more from this author.

Detective Samantha Jazz has caught the eye of a killer, and with each life he takes he leaves behind a note just for her. Each note a poem written for her eyes only, the killer knowing she will be the only one who can fully appreciate his words, and be the one to decode them. Ultimately hoping each one will lure her one step closer to him...

The Poet is a spellbinding tale about a serial killer with a fetish for poetry and a deep dark obsession for a certain female detective that has managed to excite him. From the very first page this one will have you scooting a little closer to the edge of your seat and taking notice. It's expertly penned words will take you on an adventure you won't soon forget, it's a action-packed poetic game of cat and mouse. Each page taking you deeper into the killer's dark and demented world, and one step closer to discovering his/her identity. And just as you think you have it all figured it, the rug will be pulled out from under you and you'll be left stumped all over again. If you like mind-twisting tales then I have no doubt this one will have you puzzled from start to finish. Highly recommend!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.

I loved it! I usually read romance by this author so this was a refreshing break
Definitely a " who done it" detective sleuth.
Det. Samantha Jazz, she has some big shoes to fill. Feeling like she has to live up to
Her dads name, she takes on a very curious murder case.
Called "The Poet:", due to the little snips
Of poetry he leaves with his victim and Jazz is a poet expert. Her and her team which I loved Ethan! takes you on the detailed
process of finding the murderer. Although its not a "Silence of The Lamb" lol story,
A little slow at times but definitely has some thrilling and gripping parts. I'm giving 4 stars cuz It would have been
Nice to know the characters a little more and my evil part would have liked to see Ethan & Wade duke it out over Sam!

The Poet follows Detective Samantha Jazz as she tries to capture a serial killer that is working in Austin, Texas. Detective Jazz is well-liked in the department and has recently returned to work after the murder of her father. When another detective abruptly leaves the department to go work in another part of the state, Detective Jazz is given the case he called "The Professor". As Detective Jazz begins to work on the case with her partner and the rest of her team, they very quickly realize that "The Poet", as named by Sam, has this obsession with her and seems to be intimately aware of her and her past. "The Poet" seems to be one step ahead of the police at each turn in the story. He is a very organized killer that uses poetry to try and lead Sam to certain conclusions and right to him, Detective Jazz does not know about the "Poets" plan and feels that she knows who "The Poet" is but needs to find the proof and the connection between her suspect and the murder victims. This is how the story builds to create twists and turns that have the reader believing one thing only to have it disproved as they read.

The Poet is full of twists and turns and is a well-written murder mystery. I love the short chapters and quick-moving storyline.

This book was a departure from the normal romance books this author writes. This book was totally about the suspense factor and suspenseful it was. The twists and turns it took before The Poet was finally revealed kept you on your toes. You may think you have it all figured out but in the end, you will be shocked. I see a great future for Lisa Renee Jones in the suspense genre.

Oh yeah! Jones at a whole different level. Excellent cop thriller.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jones takes us on a journey that will grab a hold and take you for a wide ride with The Poet.

While it seems to start a bit slow and come off as a simple cop fiction novel, don't let that fool you. Typical of Jones, the further you get into this story, the more things change and twist around. What seems to be a dead-end all of a sudden becomes something more sinister and dives right into the psychological genre of a thriller.

Her lead character, Detective Sam Jazz, has some interesting ties, quirks, and friendships. I love the complexity of all of her layers and issues, her humorous and tight work relationship with her partner, and especially her non-boyfriend, Wade, who totally gets her.

Jones has authored a story complete with all things we look for in a police procedural thriller. Multiple streams of suspects; plenty of twists and added crime to muddy the waters; and the raw descriptions that bring us right into the story. The pacing is right on track and by the end, she throws in one more spiral to taking down this serial killer.

Detective Jazz is a complex character that will make a fabulous lead in which to build a series. Do I miss the romance portion? Not really, but maybe there is something building and growing here. Fingers crossed!

The Poet is a gripping, gritty, and raw look at murder and obsession that will raise your hackles a few times.

I really liked The Poet. The characters were well developed, the pace was good, and the story was interesting. The only thing that disappointed me was the ending ... it felt rushed. It felt as though the author just got tired of writing the story and wound it up in a hurry. Overall, I would give it 4 out of 5 stars and would be happy to try another book by Lisa Renee Jones.

I was completely captivated with this one, I couldn't put it down to the extent I had to lock myself in the bathroom for the last 15% so I could read it uninterrupted and find out who the Poet was!

This was most definitely a clever cat and mouse story, that will literally have you on the edge of your seat. Just when you think you may have it sorted it in your head a brilliant twist is inserted. The characters were intriguing and drew you in. I was seriously cheering Detective Jazz on. She is having so many obstacles put in front of her.

This is my first book b y this Author and after this offering , will not be my last .

Detective Samantha Jazz has finally returned to work , after seeing her father killed in front of her .
When the Detective on a recent murder case suddenly moves away Samantha is assigned the case .
The only clue left at the scene is a small piece of paper in the victim's mouth .......... containing a few lines of poetry
As more bodies are found with similar pieces of poetry it will take all Samantha's kowledge and love of Poetry to try to keep one step ahead of the killer .................... She soon starts to realise that she might also be in the killer's sights - can she solve the puzzle before she becomes his next victim .

Overall this was an enjoyable police procedural thriller - but - I did find the constant breaking of rules a little unbelievable . The identity of the killer was not a total surprise but his reasoning felt a bit out of place to me .

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own