Kill and Run

A Thorny Rose Mystery, Book 1

By: Lauren Carr

Narrated by: C.J. McAllister

Length: 11 hrs

Publisher's Summary

Five women with seemingly nothing in common are found brutally murdered in a townhome outside Washington, DC. Among the many questions surrounding the massacre is what had brought these apparent strangers together only to be killed.

Taking on his first official murder case, Lieutenant Murphy Thornton, USN, believes that if he can uncover the thread connecting the victims, then he can find their murderer.

Before long, the case takes an unexpected turn when Murphy discovers that one of the victims has a connection to his stepmother, Homicide Detective Cameron Gates. One wintry night, over a dozen years before, her first husband, a Pennsylvania State trooper, had been run down while working a night shift on the turnpike.

In this first installment of the Thorny Rose Mysteries, Lieutenant Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday sift through a web of lies and cover-ups. Together, can the detectives uncover the truth without falling victim to a cunning killer?

©2016 Terri Zaleski (P)2016 Terri Zaleski

Kill and run

What did you love best about Kill and Run?

Kill and Run is the first book in the new series A Thorny Rose Mystery but it is a spin-off of two series Lovers in Crime Mysteries and Mac Faraday Mysteries. I am enjoying this new series.

Highly entertaining filled with suspense

Any additional comments?

This is a book full of surprises that keeps your attention as the author plays out the plot giving you a highly entertaining listen. I thought it was really well written that is fast paced filled with action and mystery. I did guess who was pulling the cords a little over half way through but I have been wrong before. I didn’t know the how or why until near the end. The author does a great job at keeping you entertained and guessing. This is a very fast pace thrilling read that goes back for years and ties into Murphy wife’s first husbands killing that everyone thought was an accident. As you first start to listen you think oh what a sweet wonderful cop and listen in horror as the action unfolds. The author skips ahead a few years and the book takes off leaving you with your mouth hung open thinking oh my Lord a time or two. The author gives you a ton of surprise along the way with some shocks as well. You will find monsters and still more monsters controlling everything from women to a career with one person behind it all trying to take the world on to get what they feel they deserve. As the end comes you will be left with shocks and surprises that will leave you with your mouth hung open.

Mr. McAllister I thought did a wonderful job with the character voices he really put emotion into them never leaving you guessing who was talking or what they were feeling. I thought his normal voice where he was just reading didn’t come across as easy or as natural as I thought it should. I did feel all in all he did a wonderful job at keeping me pulled in and entertained. You could really feel the emotions he put into the read. I did not hear any background noises or any places where the audio was higher or lower than any place else on the audio. If any breaks were taken I could not tell. I felt he gave a clear and clean listen that really pulls in the listener. His male voices were just as great as his females you had no trouble knowing who was talking or what they were feeling. I had no trouble picturing what the author wanted me to as he narrated the book. I do look forward to listening to more of his work.

The author gives you so many wonderful characters it is hard to pick my favorite. I would have to say my heart really went out to Cameron and Lizzy the most. Just wait until you meet Monica and the part she plays. Your heart may change on this little dear..that is all I can say. As the book takes off with 5 women dead and the why, who and what keeps you in surprise you are pulled in and left on the edge as more people’s lives are at stake you are left wondering who will be left a live if any. I loved the plot and the characters. The mystery was outstanding as well as the thrills and holding your breath to see what happens next. As the mystery builds and suspense takes over it was an audio I couldn’t put down. I found things to do around the home so I could listen longer. This is filled with action never a dull minute as the chilling mystery unfold leaving you wanting to get your hands on one person for all he put so many through. I had no trouble visualize the scenes as they came to life for me leaving me at times in shock at how far one person would go and what they would do. The title really fits this story it all started with a kill and run as the author takes you through the paces of one man and his career to get to the top. This book was really thought out giving the reader/listener a highly entertaining listen. I am so looking forward to more work from this author. If you love a little mystery, with lots of action and a little romance this is the thriller for you.

Lots of twist and turns

This story had so many characters and a lot of twists and turns I never expected the guilty one to be who it was till near the end. Loved the characters and the story line the author made me believe there is a shadow unit within our military. Can't wait to read more from her. The narrator did a beautiful job.
I received this free from the author or narrator free for an honest review.

Outstanding procedural techniques

This book was provided free of change in exchange for a review.

This book was performed well. Very understandable with great dialog and expression.

The entire investigation was about the deceased mistresses of the general and the degree people will go to to help others advance their career.

Entertaining and well done book.

Perfect Police Proceedural With Heart

Detective Cameron Gates is passionately making love to her husband Nicholas Gates, but wait Nicholas is dead! Dead or not he has a message for her “You’re not finished with me yet, babe.”

Cameron startles awake from her dream and nearly decks her current husband, Joshua Thornton. Not exactly the way you want two men in your bed!

Lt. Murphy Thornton is Cameron’s stepson and he is investigating the murder of five women. There’s a connection to Cameron and the words Nicholas spoke are coming back to haunt her as pieces of the puzzle start falling into place.

Kill and Run is a police procedural and a mystery. Two of my favorite genres and then you toss in the relationship dynamics of a blended family and you have a well-rounded story, with characters you truly care about.

The audiobook is narrated by CJ McAllister. He has a voice perfect for police/military stories and in this fully voiced production. He does an outstanding job voicing both genders. This eleven-hour audiobook literally flies by, the action is non-stop and CJ McAllister's pacing is on point.

This audiobook is the first in the series and the first audiobook that I’ve listened to from author Lauren Carr. After listening to this audiobook I’m searching to see what else Lauren’s been up to!

This audiobook was gifted to me in exchange for an unbiased review!

Deeply engrossing and Fast paced

Would you consider the audio edition of Kill and Run to be better than the print version?

Each version has its own benefits and can be enjoyed. It is nice to be able to do other things as I listen to the story, altho often I found myself concentrating on the details.

What other book might you compare Kill and Run to and why?

Several crimes entangled in connected ways that draw various family members deeper into danger and into each other's lives in ways no one would imagine when combining families.

Which character – as performed by C.J. McAllister – was your favorite?

It took me a while to become accustomed to the different character voices, but C.J. found his stride quickly and made them all enjoyable

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I wish I could have, but it is long enough it took me several days and car trips to listen to it all.

Kept Me Glued to the Story!!! Lots of Thrills!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I recommend this story to anyone that enjoys thrillers about serial killers. There are many twists and turns and the story will keep you guessing until the end.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I enjoyed Murphy. The author did a a great job building his character. He has a lot of depth and I hope there will be more of him in future books.

What about C.J. McAllister’s performance did you like?

Good performance by the narrator.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I do not like to give away anything in my reviews.

Any additional comments?

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

Wow, Wow and WOW!!

Any additional comments?

Get ready for an incredible murder mystery!!

The story was intricate and very detailed. I love how the mystery unfolded. The whodunnit was a big "WHOA!"

Murphy, the main character, was the embodiment of Captain America and we should all have the relationship that he had with his wife.

There were several hold-your-breath moments and a good, warm, family feeling that came across as very real.

The narrator was excellent!! I felt every word and every personality. The cast of characters included military personnel and a 13 year old girl and he handled them all.

This listen is the first in a series but some of the characters were from another series. Now that I know they exist, I'm going back for the earlier stories. I'm hooked!!

Great Mystery!

I love it when an author starts a new series based on a side character of another series. Lauren Carr has masterfully created Thorny Rose Series by bringing together Lovers in Crime and Mac Faraday characters. I really like this insight into Cameron Gates (Joshua Thorton's wife) and her dead husband, and how things tie into some cold cases. Kill and Run is full of unexpected twists, incredible imagery, some humor, and satisfaction of having the crimes solved. CJ McAllister did a great performance with this book. I love his distinguishable character voices. I will definitely listen to more books by this talented author and narrator.

Impressive Story

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher. This book had an awesome story line with a lot of complicated characters. Lots of twists and turns in the plot, but it was still pretty easy to follow. It did start out pretty slow for me, but once it got started the action didn't stop. I found myself getting irritated that I had to stop listening for a while because I kept getting interrupted. I wanted to keep listening and find out what was going to happen next. The narrator did an awesome job too. Easy and pleasant to listen too.

"I can feel us getting into trouble."

Any additional comments?

This is a tale of many parts and even more characters. Initially starting as a mystery detection plot, five women, apparently unconnected, are found murdered at one of their homes. Because of a navy connection, Murphy.Thornton, a newly married Criminal investigations Liaison Officer, takes control of the case. What he discovers links in other disperate killings, also seemingly unrelated. Later, the who-and-why-dun-it? becomes a how-to-get-him? story.

Meanwhile, there is an ongoing backstory of Murphy's private as well as public life, his wife, father and his father's wife plus that of one of the victim's survivors, a 13 years old child named Izzy, who Murphy takes into his temporary care. And a host of sloppy tongued dogs.

With such a large cast list, narrator, C.J.McAllister, does a stirling job distinctly voicing them all. His wonderfully rich voice, however, is marred during the text reading by a somewhat flat intonation which I personally found irritating after a few minutes. Nevertheless, his overall performance is good and certainly enhances the understanding of the story.

This is an involved, interlocking thriller, quite exciting, sometimes surprising, but the domestic scenes were just a little too cozy for my liking. My thanks to the right's holder who gifted me a copy of Kill and Run, via Audiobook Boom.