Killing Season

By: Tim McBain, L.T. Vargus

Narrated by: Kate Marcin

Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's Summary

Two days. Fourteen dead. The next victim could be you. 

The first bullet punches through the windshield of an SUV. A head shot. The driver's death is instantaneous. And it's only the beginning. 

A sniper along I-20 kills eight and causes a 36 car pileup. Brutal. Efficient. 

The next morning, the same individual stalks through a grocery store parking lot with a handgun. He takes out six innocent shoppers along with the store's front window before fleeing without a trace. 

By the time Special Agent Violet Darger arrives in Atlanta, the city teeters toward panic. The vacant streets and restaurants paint an eerie picture. No one dares to venture out. 

A killer walks among them. A shadow. And the public cowers just the way he wants them to. 

Once more Agent Darger must identify with a murderer, must stare into the darkness to anticipate his next move. Putting herself in his head may be the only way to stop him. 

The longer she takes, the higher the death toll. He will kill again and again. 

But what hatred drives a man to such desperate, violent acts? 

And what price must one pay to invite that chaos inside themselves? 

A page-turner packed with heart-stopping suspense. Fans of John Sandford, Karin Slaughter, Gillian Flynn, and Lisa Gardner should check out the Violet Darger series. 

The books in the series can be read in any order, so grab Killing Season and get started today. 

©2017 Tim McBain & L.T. Vargus (P)2017 Smarmy Press

Great tale with intense drama

I want to know who's idea it was to kick the crap out of Darger so much during this book, because that's my new least favorite of the two - and also my most favorite. I mean they kick Darger's ass - physically and emotionally through the entire book. The one who's idea it was to stick Darger in a bride's maid dress at the start gets bonus points.

This book answers the question, "Are Darger and Loshak near superhuman crime solving machines with the ability to sniff out the exact correct answer every time?" The answer is no, they're just normal people with an interesting skill set, but that doesn't mean they still aren't damned good.

The book also suggests the tedium that FBI agents must sometimes face on the job too, yet they do so in a manner that is not tedious to the reader.

The "villain" is excellent too. At some points you can feel a measure of empathy for the villain, which can be scary considering what they do.

Finally, to bury the lede, the climax is nail biting. Rarely did the plot go where I expected, and that included the ending *and* the epilogue.

Good stuff. Have a read/listen. I do not think you will be disappointed.

1 person found this helpful

Great book.

This book kept me riveted clear up to the end and even then it hints at something coming up in one of her future books about a serial killer dhe has dealt with before.

1 person found this helpful

One chapter completely omitted

Chapter 42 was completely omitted from the narration. Thankfully, I was flipping between kindle and audible and realized the omission. That chapter was pretty crucial... Although the narrator was generally good, the Georgia accents are lacking.

2 people found this helpful

Worst female protagonist ever.

This broad makes all women look bad. She’s the stereotypical overly sensitive woman. Everything about her is annoying- the way she blames herself for everything, the constant overly dramatic commentary. It’s very obvious she was written from a man’s perspective. A man who apparently thinks all women are annoying crybabies. Seriously- save your money on this one.

4 people found this helpful

ABSOLUTE THRILLER

This is by far the best book I have listened to in a long time. I especially love the narrator. The story is both suspenseful and filled with anticipation. You can't put it down. This is my second book in this series and I look forward to reading the next book. The writers are wonderful, keep up the good work!!

He did it again. Great writing. Kept me on the edge of my seat. Violet is Great investigator.

Violet is amazing. This book was an excellent read. Highly recommended. Could not put it down.

Keep getting better

Again I am not disappointed in these authors. The book was a page turner and I am looking forward to more

blood is thicker than water

I was actually in Atlanta when I was reading this book, which was a little...stressful. I remember the D.C. snipers. The thing about a sniper is that you don't know if they're targeting you, so it makes you really paranoid. They could be anywhere. You're just driving down the road, and BOOM that's it, lights out. You pretty much have to hole up in a cabin in the woods to feel even a little bit safer. And still, you never know. Even with family. It's not safe anywhere.

Brotherly love isn't usually gentle, is it? Sometimes a brother's love hurts. Sometimes it's not love, but what else can you call the bond that makes you come back for more, even when you know what's going to happen is going to hurt? It could be the guilt that makes you bend to his will. Or it could be a broken bone, or a broken home. Either way you can't fight the blood in your veins any more than you can fight your own nature.

Violet Darger gets up close and personal with family in Killing Season, and while she has to accept that she can't control everything, she does manage to open up to the people close to her. She could use more of that. She might be an outsider, but even outsiders need friends. And vacations.

But fortunately for us, it doesn't look like she's going to get much time off. She is always getting caught in the crossfire. It takes a strong woman to stop a psychopath. I hope she's strong enough.

Speaking of getting closer to people, I feel like I'm getting to know Violet Darger and Victor Loshak like family. I'm getting pretty attached to them. So I'm glad to hear there's another book in the pipes already!

This is a great series, and the active fan base means the authors are basically being harassed into writing more books for us because we demand them! I love that about good writers. You can break their legs and lock them in a room in your cabin and force them to write for you. It's probably my favorite part about being their biggest fan.

So yeah, if you're an avid reader and you really like being freaked out and love thrillers, or horror, or just really good writing with characters you will never forget, you should check these authors out. They're deeply disturbed individuals who also happen to be chained to a desk in my guest bedroom. I mean, who also happen to be really entertaining people who write scary, fast-paced, deeply disturbing fiction. So if you're into that, check this and all their books out. I'll make sure they work around the clock to deliver what we all want, which is more of books like this! Can I get an amen? I have never seen anybody eat pizza like these two. And I've had to set up automatic delivery of Cool Ranch Doritos and Skittles. But it's all worth it, when I get another Violet Darger book. We all have to make sacrifices for our art.

Violet is about to find out that sometimes getting close to family can be explosive. Sometimes it blows up in your face.

You know, another thing about brothers is that you would give anything for them, if it meant you could save them. Or you would kill for them. Or you would kill yourself to get away for them. Or you would kill them. I guess it depends on what kind of brother you have.

Not for me

Too much stuff about the FBI and not enough about what was actually happening in the story. Not my kind of story.

1 person found this helpful

Love it!

I am loving this new series!! I cant wait for more Violet Darger!!! Smart, sexy, funny!

1 person found this helpful

Heroine is a bit irritating

I sort of enjoyed the story but must say I am a bit fed up with heroines who never act sensibly, never call for back up, and never let partners or others know where they’re going. We all know you should always let someone know where you are, especially when you’re hot on the trail of a serial killer. And for heavens sake, go to the hospital or get some sleep! I think this book has suffered because the last couple I’ve listened to have been littered with people acting irrationally. Having said that, the first two thirds held my attention and Kate Marvin is a terrific audio actress.