Giliotti does not waste time creating suspense around the serial killer's identity - we know who he is right from the start, we even get a glimpse of how he thinks (exactly how you'd expect him to - creepy and messed up)

I found the plot and proceedings of the novel slightly similar to the numerous police procedural tv shows / movies I've watched but that did not stop me from devouring this book.

Murder in Missoula was a very engaging and fast paced read.

One thing though, since the book did not have too many characters, I would have liked to get to know them better. Some back story would have been nice.

This was really dull, not what I was expecting

Retired federal agent Joe Nicoletti is ready for a change. He dreams of a simple life, far away from Washington, D.C., where every street corner reminds him of his dead wife.

When he is offered a faculty position at the University of Montana, he sees it as a dream come true. A chance to start over.

He never dreamed he would have a second chance at love. He never dreamed he would become the prime suspect in a high profile murder case. He never dreamed he would be forced to undertake the most important investigation of his life. But dreams can turn into nightmares when there is Murder In Missoula.

A novel of love and attraction, both normal and perverse, friendship, sacrifice, ambition, innocence, dreams as harbingers of events to come, telepathy, clairvoyance, fate and destiny

I found this to be a fast paced, suspenseful story. There were many elements to the story which kept me interested from page one. Gillotti was a strong character and I enjoyed reading of his investigation to clear himself of murder.
Many thanks to Chateau Noir Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

MURDER IN MISSOULA - Laurence Giliotti

COMPELLING - 4 stars

Plot - 4 stars - There is apparently a serial killer at work in Missoula, and Joe Nicoletti finds himself in the middle of the investigation, but not in a good way.

Writing - 4.5 stars - This is a new-to-me-author, and I was caught up in the story right away. Giliotti set up the story briefly, then grabbed my attention and kept me engrossed right up until the end. The short chapters kept things moving, and there was enough backstory and personal relationships to also keep me involved.

Characters - 4 stars - Of course there are some main characters that we don't get to know well since they are murdered early in the story, but they play an important role, just the same. Joe Nicoletti isn't particularly personable, but he is certainly knowledgeable in his field. His responses, as he gets deeper into the story, are believable when he's tired of it all and when lashes out, being impatient. I was a little concerned about him when he started getting intense, but I liked his introspection and acknowledgement of his feelings.

Title - 4 stars - The title says it all--clear, concise, and we know exactly what we are going to read about.

Cover - 2.5 stars - The image is blurry, probably intentionally, but it's an unattractive color, unattractive picture, and I was not drawn to it.

Overall - 4 stars - This was a very good mystery, and I felt compelled to keep turning the pages. I'm convinced that the unappealing cover kept me from opening the book, but now I'm glad that I did. I liked the mystery, and it kept moving forward quickly and with excitement until the end.

I received an e-book from Netgalley in exchange for my opinion.

Joe Nicoletti is a retired DEA agent considering taking a teaching position at a university in Missoula to get away from the D.C. life and memories of his late wife. He ends up as a suspect of a murder and begins his own investigation.

The plot was fast-paced and thrilling. It’s one of those mysteries where you see the point of view of the murderer but the other characters don’t know who it is yet, so that added to the suspense. There was a fair amount of strong language.

You can clearly tell this book was written by a man. I mean, it’s one thing for the creepy serial killer to be checking out women’s bodies, but the protagonist does it a lot too, and I guess were not supposed to care because he’s a red-blooded male? At a party where he meets many of the characters, he checks out many of the women’s physiques, and since were currently seeing his point of view, we get his thoughts about how hot these women are. He even stares at a woman’s cleavage (but he can’t help himself because he’s drunk, so that’s ok?). He also bothered me because he figured out what was going on long before the end of the book but didn’t tell the police even though they were willing to listen to his insights at that point. Part of it was because he hadn’t followed police protocol to find things out, so they couldn’t have used the leads without further proof, but he seemed a little to eager to engage in vigilante justice.

This was probably a 2.5 star book, but the sexist behavior and only semi-likable protagonist bumped me down to a 2.

This book was like nothing I have read before. The story was so intriguing, I couldn't put it down. I became very drawn to the characters. Don't miss out on this book!

A fast paced thriller/murder mystery following Nicolleti, a former officer who relocates to Missoula to teach and get away from memories of his late wife. Nicolleti quickly falls for Marie-Justine, who happens to look just like his late wife and she ends up murdered. Of course he is a prime suspect for it, and therefore goes on his own hunt for the real killer. I did feel like his relationship with Marie-Justine was super intense for the incredibly short time they knew each other, so this part was the hardest to overcome in the plot, but otherwise it is a very quick and fast who done it mystery. The other characters were great and had some good, and creepy details which made a great story.

This was a disappointment. Boring and predictable; a horrible combination. This was my phone book (the one I read while standing in line) and it was challenging to finish.

This book is fast paced and full of suspense and intrigue. Retired DEA agent Joe Nicoletti needs a change of pace and to get away from the east coast. The west he believes is the right place. He did not expect to be involved in a murder case or the prime suspect. Now he must work to prove himself innocent from not one but two murders. With the help of friends back east and a few friends, he has in the new town he begins to prove his innocence and find the killer at the same time. A very good book from start to finish which is always difficult to do. The book also had good characters also. Overall a good read.

I waited a long time before reading this book, and now I know why. It's only a so-so story about a serial killer stalking a couple of women and the retired DEA detective who is trying to catch him. Although the story moves along at a reasonable pace, there's really no suspense here. You know the perp from the second chapter or so, you know there will be an ultimate show-down, so the suspense is just when & how. Nothing terrible here, nothing great either. Just a run of the mill story with one exception -- SPOILER ALERT -- the last few chapters focus on the detective and his decision to withhold information from the police and deal with the killer himself. There are a couple of surprises in the last few chapters that almost redeemed the book for me. Overall, though, just a shrug.

Great book by Laurence Giliotti, a must read for any book lover like me. This book has all the suspense, thriller and mystery of a who done it. Highly recommended.

i really enjoyed this book! it was gripping, fascinating and pulled me in immediately. I loved the cover as it is very eye grabbing!

This book caught my attention because I had recently traveled to Missoula, Montana. What a tiny town. I didn't think that a book would ever be written about this charming little town. This book was fast paced and exciting. It kept my attention from the start. The characters were well-developed and I would love to see a future novel. What a great idea for a series!

This is a fast paced, murder mystery. I loved the characters and plot. A great book to snuggle up to in front of a fire.

This was an enjoyable crime novel, the characters are well developed with depth and are relatable. Knowing the identity of the villain almost from the beginning still works. The book is a fast read and you do not want to put it down.. I will look for another book by Laurence Giliotti. I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review.

This was an enjoyable crime novel. Joseph Nicoletti, former DEA agent, is in Missoula, Montana, to consider taking an adjunct professor position when a woman he meets (Marie-Justine) (and in whom he takes a possible romantic interest) is murdered and he is the prime suspect. He begins to suspect the murder might be the work of a serial killer and raises his suspicions with the police chief, who is focused on Nicoletti as the likely killer. Nicoletti sets out to find the killer, with the assistance of his friend, Len Pandori, FBI agent and the reason Nicoletti was in Montana, and Anne Bertone, the best friend of Marie-Justine. However, not wanting to jeopardize the career of Pandori or the life of Anne Bertone, he does not reveal all he knows and suspects; which ends up causing problems.

One of the strengths of the book is the characters, who are well-developed/full of depth and relatable/realistic. I particularly liked Charles Durbin, even though he is the villain (which is evident from early in the book, so this is not a spoiler). He is meticulous and thorough, but also burdened by his compulsions. There is a hint of creepiness to him, but he is able to maintain a veneer of normality when interacting with the other residents of Missoula, including the gossipy wife of the chief of the police. However, his thoughts and (his actions when no one is around to observe him) show how creepy he truly is and at times he has momentary slip-ups where his compulsion overwhelms his self-control and he risks drawing unwanted attention to himself. Although the reader knows the identity of the villain almost from the beginning, there is plenty of mystery as to what exactly he has planned and how he will ultimately be caught. My only real criticism is that denouement feels rushed.

Received a copy of Murder in Missoula from NetGalley for an honest review.

The plot had great potential to be a bestseller, in my opinion. Mystery is my favorite genre, but for some reason there was a distance between this book and me. The voice that tells the story was too detached, too matter-of-fact. (I felt that the narrative was missing the rich details that characterize top sellers.)

I thought the strongest character was the twisted killer; I liked the part where he arranged the bodies based on the paintings. In terms of some other characters, I felt that I was on the outside looking in and had the urge to warn them (because they were about to make mistakes that might get themselves killed), and then bad things did happen. This irritated me.

When I picked up this book, I was hoping to enjoy the setting and some familiar locations, as I live in Missoula. I didn't really get that, but instead, got a spine tingling thriller that was fast paced and enjoyable. Joe Nicoletti is a retired DEA agent and widower who takes a job on the faculty at the University of Montana. He is shocked to soon find himself the main suspect in a murder investigation and it will take everything he has to solve the case.

Great storyline that kept me engrossed!

You know who antagonist is from the beginning. Kind of boring.

Chilling, tense, suspenseful, well-written. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading another book by Giliotti.