Can they catch a killer before he gets them...?

I am probably a little dark in my opinion but I enjoy serial killer stories. Well, at least Christian fiction style ones, anyway. But, oh, was Critical Threat a good one! I've enjoyed all of Lynette Eason's Extreme Measures books but this one was probably my favorite.

I was kept guessing, some of them proved to be correct and some not so much, all the way through. Lynette Eason is master at twists and turns and little surprises and that certainly proves true with Critical Threat.

It was easy to get caught up in Grace and Sam's story. Both characters are likable and interesting. They both come with their own baggage, mostly of the family variety, but they are trying work their way through it in a healthy way. However, when you are facing a Critical Threat in the form a serial killer who is hot on your tail, well, you might have to go to Extreme Measures for those you love...

Extreme Measures has proven to be one of Lynette Eason's best series, certainly of the ones that I've read. I have looked forward to each release and they've all proven to be as good as or even better than the one before. You really won't want to miss a one...

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

Never underestimate the power of a bored serial killer, even if he is living out the rest of his days in prison. Especially when he can afford to pull strings for a puppet. Particularly when he has managed to weasel his way into a transfer to the facility where his son is trying to carry on a life out of the tainted shadow cast upon him.

Supervisory Special Agent Grace Billingsley is tasked with building a profile on a serial killer who has mannerisms similar to The Cell Phone Killer. This cannot be the work of Peter Romanos, who is already in prison. But someone is certainly paying homage to him, and Grace has to figure out who is doing this before he takes another victim. Especially when Grace unwittingly catches his interest and set off an obsession that may end up being his undoing.

Sam Monroe has spent years trying to rebuild his life and reconstruct his image after finding out his father was a serial killer and providing the evidence that led to conviction. Now working as a prison psychologist, Sam must work every day with the knowledge that his father is in the same facility and trying consistently to get Sam to answer his phone calls. As the top expert on Peter Romanos, Grace has asked Sam for input while building her current profile.

With a title like Critical Threat and in a series called Extreme Measures, it is no surprise that this book delivers hits and hooks at every turn. Lynette Eason is at the top of her game with this series and Critical Threat is another shining star.

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine.

This book is the third in the author's Extreme Measures series, but definitely holds up as a stand-alone. I was hooked right from the start and didn't want to put the book down! The story itself is gripping, and the pace moves at breakneck speed, perfect for the genre (thriller/ suspense). The heroine, FBI Agent Grace Billingsley, and love interest Sam Monroe are both likeable characters who readers will root for. As with all Ms. Eason's books, there is a romance element and we learn about the Grace's and Sam's personal histories as they explore their relationship while working together to catch a serial killer. I really enjoyed the psychological aspects in this book, since Grace is a behavioral analyst and Sam is a psychiatrist. The romance balances perfectly with the gritter aspects of the story, and I always appreciate that Ms. Eason's books are clean - no over-the-top on-screen gore, cursing, or sex. This is a Christian book as well, with Grace and Sam talking about their faith, which I thought was very appropriate considering what they've each been through and their careers. Highly recommend!!

I love Lynette Eason. Why? Lynette Eason provides thrilling suspense and action and a story where even though there is a romance thread which readers can root for, the focus is 80% on the suspense thrill which I love.

This story about a serial killer was captivating, breath taking and fast paced. And when I thought how specific events will happen, it totally went a different way.

Even though this story could have been dark and depressing, with the focus on serial killers, it was also filled with hope. There was one scene where Grace explained the reason she did what she did, with an excellent telling of good vs evil, God vs Satan.

Lynette Eason fans will love this story and fans of suspense who is yet to read a book by this author…what are you waiting for?

This book can be read as a standalone.

Ah, what a fantastic book! I love reading each and every one of Lynette Eason's books! There is a secret about her books: somehow she is successful attaching invisible glue to her books! They are so hard to put down!
FBI Special Agent Grace works to catch serial killers, while prison psychiatrist Sam works in the same prison where his father is kept, as a caught serial killer. Together they get to know each other as another serial killer involves both of them! The excitement is constant! I personally appreciated learning about Carrie Parks' forensic art classes, which Grace states that she attended, which helped her describe criminals.
I greatly appreciate the opportunity to read this book, compliments of Revell Publishers and NetGalley. My thoughts are my own.

Holy Moly!!! This book is INTENSE!!! I couldn't put it down until I had finished it! And yes, I was reading late at night. *covers eyes* My heart was racing! And there were several times when I was yelling at Grace telling her not to do whatever she was doing. Or to run! Girl get outta there fast!!!! EEEKKK!!!!

This is the third book in this series and I sure hope there will be more! Although, I haven't read the first two books, which believe you me, I will be doing soon! This was also my first book by Lynette Eason and she has a new fan in me!

Grace is a behavioral analyst and Sam is a psychiatrist. These two were great together! I really enjoyed seeing their different, yet similar perspectives due to their jobs, training and their pasts. And this case they are on is going to take everything they have to find the serial killer. Even Sam facing the past of his father and talking with him.

The book opens from the serial killer's POV. Yikes! And there are several scenes throughout the book that we see inside their head. And that definitely adds to the intensity of the book. I felt that the author did a good job of keeping it mild and not becoming too graphic.

I also enjoyed the Christian aspects of the novel and how it tied the characters together and helped give a nice buffer and reprieve to the suspense/thriller aspects of the book.

Clear your schedules when it's time to read this so you can read it all during the day. Because it does get intense!

Content: This is of course a thriller/suspense/serial killer book so you can know what to expect from that. Even with those being part of the book, the author did a good job keeping it not too graphic. This is also a Christian Fiction novel and the characters talk about and pray to God but it wasn't distracting and added greatly to the story. There are deaths and talk about serial killers and their thought processes.

I received a copy from the publisher, Revell, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

Romantic suspense books with serial killers always grab my attention so I was looking forward to seeing what this one had to offer.
The story kept me engaged pretty well and the action was pretty steady so the plot moved at a quick pace. That being said it felt a little helter-skelter at times, and while it all came together in the end, it would have been nice to have a little more cohesiveness throughout. I also wish the serial killer angle was focused on a little more and had a more gripping suspense to it, it just felt a bit flat.
Sam and Grace both being psychiatrists made for an interesting take and while I didn’t have anything against them together I wish we could have had more of the romance aspect in the book. There wasn’t a lot of chemistry, and the kisses they shared were oddly timed and kind of came out of nowhere.
I had suspected part of the plot early on but didn’t guess the whole of how everything fit together so it was nice to be kept guessing on some parts of the story!
All in all while this wasn’t Eason’s best it was an entertaining read.

Critical Threat, by Lynette Eason, opens with details about a serial killer, who is leaving his victims in parks about the northeast. Special Agent Grace Billingsley and Sam Monroe, a prison psychiatrist, are called in to work this case. These two have worked together before; however, this new case may push them to their limits!

Sam has changed his last name to avoid people connecting him to his father, who was actually a well-known serial killer. But he soon realizes these three victims were killed in a similar way to what his father did. Sam feels drawn toward Grace; however, he wonders if he will ever be able to leave the truth about his father in the past!

You won’t believe what happens after the serial killer ends up in the middle of Grace’s kitchen. This tale will lead you down a crazy path!

Critical Threat is the third book in the Extreme Measures series. While we are introduced to some of the characters in previous books in the series, each book focusses on a different story/couple and as such I believe it could be read just fine as a standalone. That said, the series has been great overall, so I 'd still highly recommend checking out the previous books as well.

If you enjoy true crime and serial killers, this book is absolutely going to be a must read for you. I can't say that I am someone who is overly interested in the minds of serial killers, but this one drew me in right from the start and kept me turning the pages right through to the end. The killer was smart and always seemed to be thinking ahead, which really made for an interesting read... though yes, certainly a bit of a creepy one too! There were many layers to the story that kept me guessing, and I loved that. I enjoyed the relationship between Grace and Sam, though I definitely felt like it took more of a backseat to the suspense in this one.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read and one that fans of Christian romantic suspense are sure to want to check out.

**I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

Grace Billingsley, a Special Agent, and Sam Monroe, a prison psychiatrist, had met before and Sam had told her he would call her. He didn't. Now, a serial killer case brings them together. Perhaps there is a chance for romance. That is if Grace isn't murdered by the killer they are hunting.

I have read several of this author's books and she is a gifted storyteller. She brings to readers a well plotted and fast-moving story. Tensions rise as the number of victims grows and as the killer becomes obsessed with Grace. Grace and Sam are believable and compelling characters. Their troubled personal histories have shaped who they are today. The secondary characters are a varied lot, and their back stories add much to the narrative. There are twists and turns as the story races towards its conclusion. Shocking motives and secrets are revealed in this engrossing story. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
FBI Agent Grace Billingsley and Prison Psychiatrist Sam Monroe have personal demons to conquer. Teaming up to stop a serial killer before he strikes again, they are forced to face their pasts before they can find a future. Lots of thrills and suspense in their Faith finding series.

ARC provided by NetGalley and Revell in exchange for honest review.

Wow, this book was a ride. With both main characters Psychiatrists and looking into a case through the psychological lens, this was a suspense thriller I couldn't put down.

Grace is a behavioral analyst and Sam is a psychiatrist at the prison with a dark family secret. When searching for a serial killer they connect and Sam and Grace work to keep her safe. Sam and Grace had chemistry that was undeniable and I appreciated the protectiveness of Grace's team.

The story is well written with great tension. Finding who the killer was and the motives were perfectly done. There was a twist that I didn't see coming and the payoff that tied it all together. Getting into the head of a serial killer can be a scary place to be but this one was well written with perfect balance of faith expected in a Christian Thriller. Both characters showed amazing growth and were able to face their own personal challenges and demons.

I look forward to more books by this author.

Ms. Easton does a brilliant job of writing engaging stories. She artfully combines a suspenseful, action-packed, find-and-stop the killer plot, a romance, and a faith element throughout the story. You will never get bored as Grace and Sam race against the clock to stop the killer before he strikes again.

If you enjoy romantic suspense books, Critical Threat is one you will want to check out. While it is the third book in the series, it can be read as a standalone too. Some of the characters from the previous books are in the story, but are not an integral part of the story.

CW: Gruesome murders, but no explicit details are given

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Another amazing book by Eason. The suspense will have you on the edge of your seat and awake late into the night.

A killer behind prison bars does not mean they aren't a danger to the outside world.
Sam Monroe is a prison psychiatrist and he knows this fact all too well. His father, Peter, is a convicted serial killer behind prison walls.
There is another serial killer out there murdering women and some of what is done is eerily close to what Peter had done in his killings. Is there a copycat killer, or is Peter somehow working with someone on the outside?
FBI Special Agent Grace Billingsley is both a psychiatrist and behavior analyst who tracks serial killers and gets people behind bars where they belong. She and Sam are working together on the latest serial killer.
It gets really creepy when the killer gets Grace in his sights!
High action story with great characters!
I was given an advanced ecopy by the publisher, Revell through Netgalley. I was under no obligation to leave a positive review.

Grace Billingsley is an FBI analyst that is trying to figure out a new string of serial murders that are strangely like a case years earlier. The murderer has been on death row for a long time. Sam Monroe is a prison psychologist who is also the son of the murderer in the first set of murders. Together they try to figure out if there is a connection. They have met in the past but Sam's worry about his father has kept them apart. This is a great whodunit with a lot of twists! I really enjoy this author's work.


I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my own honest opinion.

Oooh, Grace and Sam. Both of these characters have had to overcome bad pasts but somehow they both ended up rounded, decent people.

Sam's father in particular has had too much influence, even whilst he languishes behind bars.

A great story, likeable characters and a clean, Christian ethos. What is not to like??

4.5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Revell.

Grace and Sam, both were really great main characters. Both of them dealing with SERIOUS ongoing family challenges. The depth of both of their emotional responses were excellent when it came to getting the reader to feel them.
Sam has got quite the secret when it comes to family. Although he's a good guy, he has paid a high price when in it comes to being the son of Peter, the serial killer. And it just seems like he has to keep on paying. A lot of people who know about it, look at him with suspicion. Thinking is it a case of, is the son like his father? One thing I do have to mention though is that I totally loved Vanessa, his mother-in-law, who is living with Sam. What a gal she is! Sam's daughter, Eleni figures in the story more than her brother, Xander. But it's a good addition. 
Grace is struggling with her brother's addiction issues that he has not being dealing with and she feels responsible. Result? Family messed up. So why not throw in a very dangerous, serial killer who is also dangerously clever? Her plate starts to pile up pretty quickly as they try to make sense of this new killer.
Now that I've finished the story I can finally take a breath. Because wow, the tension, secrets, lies and surprises keep things super hopping. So did the decision whether or not Grace and Sam could or should have a romantic relationship. This is a clean story, which makes sense because they are just trying to stay alive and save others.
Great, tense, ending with a couple more secrets exposed too which I consider a bonus. Another bonus was that justice does get served as much as possible.

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

This book is super action-packed and fast-paced which I loved so much. While tracking a killer, he sets his sights on Grace. Sam is a psychiatrist who specializes in serial killers because his father was one. The romance between Sam and Grace was realistic. It was a thrilling story filled with danger, heart-pounding suspense, and romance, though, comes with glimpses into the inner workings of the minds of serial killers.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This book was intense and on the darker side of romantic suspense.
The opening scene puts the reader into the mind of a serial killer and sets up the premise for the rest of the novel. There are some graphic details about the murders which were hard to read.
As always, Lynette Eason does a fabulous job creating tension, and immerses the reader in the action. It wasn’t difficult to picture locations or the cast of characters. There are some heartfelt moments between the main characters and their families. And it was fun catching up with characters from the previous two books (though this book can be read as a standalone).
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.