Loved this book! What a way to start off 2018. I unfortunately had life get in the way of reading or would have had this devoured the day after I got it. The length of time to read wasn't due to a bad book just life.

I have always enjoyed a Lisa Renee Jones book. This one did not disappoint me, I loved the story. The suspense of a good mystery. The sexy alpha man and a badass women. The book was very well written as one always gets with Lisa's books.

I would like the next book please ;) I need to know how the story ends. I couldn't possibly answer the long time question Who dunit? I'm certainly hanging on the last words in the book. Until we meet book #2. Ill be waiting for you.... don't make me wait too long.

5 star review of Murder Notes (Lilah Love #1) by Lisa Renee Jones
Lisa Renee Jones is a new author to me and I will certainly be looking into her other books as soon as time allows. There is a cliff hanger at the end, so be warned.
Two of my favourite types of reads together romance (although there is not a lot of this in Murder Notes) and murder mystery, what more could I ask for? I’m not to sure where to start with this review as I do not want to give any spoilers away.  
Lilah Love is an FBI profiler and is used to dealing with the seedier side of life. When a string of murders takes Lilah back to her home town, her past rises up to smack her right in the face. Is this the work of a serial killer or an assassin? Will her haunted and dark past be brought to light?
Danger lurks at every corner and when Lilah anonymous notes start arriving, Lilah is concerned that the killer may be closer to her than she thinks. Will she become the next victim?
There were so many plots twists that I was kept guessing and I needed to concentrate to ensure I didn’t loose track and to me that is the sign of a great book that has drawn you right in to the storyline.
The intrigue, suspense, danger and secrets had me riveted from the first chapter until the last, I was absolutely hooked and feel that this is one of the best examples of romantic suspense I have read in a long time.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book through NetGalley from the publisher.

A new series that revolves around FBI profile Lilah Love, a tough, foul mouthed woman who great at her job. She also has commitment issues and one heck of a secret from her past that could jeopardize her job if ever revealed.

When dead bodies start piling up all with the same M.O. Lilah is sent back to the place she never wanted to go again – home. This is where her secret lies and only Kane Mendez – the son of Miguel who ran the cartel and who is now heading after his father's murder – knows what really happened 2 years ago.

There is a gigantic cast of characters in this book. Along with the FBI, her father is the mayor, her brother is the Chief of Police, the man she has been sleeping with (but wants to dump) is a cop, her old mentor and supervisor from her days on the police force, the cartel and last but not least – the killer who taunts Lilah with every kill claiming to know her secret.

Nothing is resolved by the end of the book. I really wish publishers were made to label when the book is a serial (meaning story told in several installments). Ending in the middle of scene is just annoying BUT I liked Lilah, a alpha female with vulnerabilities and Kane, whoa boy does that man drip with mystery, a side a badass and sex appeal and then the hunt for the assassin/killer who may or may not be connected to one or both of them.

Murder notes introduces us to Lilah Love a FBI profiler, there have been a number of murders all with the same gunshot wound to the forehead, Lilah is convinced they are not looking for a serial killer but an assassin either killing these people to order or for his/her own reasons.
Her investigation takes her back to her home town in the Hamptons, where her father is Mayor and her brother chief of police, she left over two years ago due to an event that involved the local crime lords son Kane Mendez with whom she had a passionate relationship. The secret is gradually revealed and it is this that has shaped Lilah's life and prevented her from returning home.
As her investigations continue there are lots of suspects and many twists and turns, a lot of them too close to home for Lilah's comfort.
I found the style of this book different to a lot of this authors work, but if anything it added to the way the story unfolds. There is a lot more to be revealed nothing is really wrapped up at all in this book so I await eagerly for the next.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for opportunity to review this book honestly.

4.5 stars!

Ooooh, I forgot how much I love a good murder mystery and this one is good. No, it’s great. Lisa Renee Jones has weaved a web of secrets and lies that is complex and completely captivating. I loved it!

Lilah Love is one of the top FBI profilers in the US. She’s good at her job but there is a reason she’s consumed with it. A tragic event in her past pushed her to become to the detective she is today seeking justice to right the wrongs of the world.

When dead people start piling up around her with a link to the past, she realizes there may be a personal connection between her and the murders. The case sends her home, back to the Hamptons where her nightmares began, and back to the drug lord she has a history with and secrets only he knows. Lilah escaped the horror once, can she escape it again?

Murder Notes was entertaining, mysterious, and engrossing, and an awesome start to a new series. I couldn’t put the book down as I read into the wee hours of the morning. The introduction to the characters and the development of the story were well thought out. The intensity and suspense were on point. I loved the mystery and the way the story unfolded, leaving us questioning everything. I don’t know who is good and who is bad, and it is driving me crazy. Each new piece of information opened up more possibilities and every page I turned, the case and Lilah’s life became more complicated.

I really enjoyed Lilah. She is a girlie-girl who loves her job and is great at it. The two don’t usually mix but it works for her. She is smart, fresh, feisty, and a total badass. She’s straightforward and blunt, but also funny with a great personality. She doesn’t play games and she is driven to succeed. When she goes all in on a case, she lives and breathes it.

"I call it “Otherland,” and when I mentally step into that world, I don’t feel anything. I just process. I just profile. It’s sanity. It’s peace. It’s survival."

It was fascinating watching Lilah work the case. Combing through the evidence and trying to link the clues were exciting and I was trying to figure out who the killer is right alongside her. Everything gets more complicated the more she uncovers and the link between her and the case become more apparent. There’s a lot going on in her head and she has so many mixed emotions when it comes to being home and facing the things she's tucked away in the depths of her mind.
What I need is to do my job, find my note writer, find my murderer, and get the hell out of the entire state of New York.

She isn’t perfect and has a past that is marked with terror, pain, and guilt. She has a darkness in her that she faces each day, especially now being back home. Lilah’s secrets are well concealed but the skeletons in her closet haunt her. Now, she is faced with the possibility that what was once hidden may be exposed and as we get pieces of her past, the intensity of the revelation was overwhelming.

With every clue Lilah finds, more questions fill her head and ours. We quickly learn there is so much more to the case than we could have imagined. There are twist and turns that make you question everyone and everything. Add in Lilah’s ex-boyfriend and you’ll want to know exactly what when down between them and who is behind the murders.

"I should have fought to stay in Los Angeles and even welcome Rivera pushing me aside. But there are too many links between me, a secret I need to ensure stays buried, and these murders for me to ignore. And one of those links is Kane Mendez."

Kane is super intriguing. He’s hot, smart, and a business man whose late father was head of the Mendez Cartel. I can feel his connection to Lilah and I know he cares about her. But he isn't entirely good and there is just so much to his story that he is still a total mystery.

"Kane Mendez.
The devil—or prince—of the Hamptons depending on who you’re talking to. And since it’s me, he’s the devil."

Lilah and Kane have a past and I want to dig into all the dark grit and grime they experienced together. I know they were hot and heavy and I know hearts were broken, but I want to know it all!!
He is the devil, but then, I am no angel. He made sure of that. He touched my life forever, and I can never undo the way he changed me. And in some of those nightmares he talks about, I imagine what I would become if I ever tasted his version of temptation again. They were—are—the bloodiest of them all.

Though this book is focused mainly on the mystery, the romantic element is there, waiting to explode. There isn’t much sexy time but what is there is hot. The sexual tension is off the charts and I enjoyed the push and pull between Lilah and Kane.

"I turn and head for the door, but the moment I reach for the knob, his hand is on the door above my head, his big body so damn close he’s damn near touching me. So close I can smell him. And he smells like a life I once found addictive, a life I loved and now hate."

With all of the mystery, suspense, action, and romance, I am already hooked on this series. Overall, Murder Notes is an entertaining and gripping murder mystery that leaves you desperate for more and I cannot wait for Murder Girl!

“You might be surprised how solving one crime makes everything else collide in a brilliant way.”

When I heard that Lisa Renee Jones had written a mystery I have to admit, I was a little sad. I'm not a huge fan of mysteries and I tend to hate how predictable they are but I love thrillers. If a book can make me want to turn that next page and see what happens, I'm generally in love with it. So when I went into this book, I had hopes that Lisa Renee Jones would delve deeper to the thriller aspect instead of the pure mystery aspect.

One thing that seemed off to me was how many redundant phrases there were. The author really seemed to love "Murder Girl," "Devil in the Details," and "Otherworld." These were used constantly and it became annoying after a bit. The writing was not my favorite either. It could be that Lisa was taking on the Mystery genre so she was trying hard to change her voice, unfortunately it seemed to fall flat to me.

The plot was interesting and it did keep me guessing but I would say this was more of a mystery than a thriller. There were no moments where I was on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next. It's a little disappointing how slow this story was.

The redeeming part of this book is how intricate the plot line was. Though it was slow, it was elaborate and interesting.  I never knew what to expect and I appreciated it. There were of course a few no brainers with the book  but I enjoyed how thought out the plot was. It kept my attention even though it was a slow read.

All in all, it was okay. It wasn't perfect but it wasn't bad.

I was hooked from the get go with this story and I want more! I wasn’t expecting it to end the way that it did and all I can think about is how it’s going to go down!

I was on pins and needles trying to help at least in my mind try and find the killer when I don’t think I’m close at all but once we find out it would have been right in front of my nose, that’s how good this author is.

I enjoyed the characters, the banter between them all and with the seriousness of the story, this was an all around good story. It had been awhile where I had read a murder mystery and enjoyed the hell out of it!

Reviewed by Shay from Mommys a Book Whore

Murder Notes is the first book in a new series by Lisa Renee Jones and while this one isn't as steamy as some of her other books it's a definite must read.

We are taken on a journey to find a killer with FBI profiler Special Agent Lilah Love, is he/she somehow connected to her? Only time will tell because we are left with a cliffhanger, but what I can tell you is that this is not an easy rider for Special Agent Love, no, there are many twists and turns that keep bring up events of her past. Is someone trying to tell her something or is it all just a coincidence?

Part of Lilah's past is Kane, talk about hot men YUM, (there are a LOT of HOT MEN in this story) Kane is much more than he seems. While most have him written off as a piece of crap that Lilah needs to stay away from I see more than just the leader of a cartel that many people think he is. One thing he keeps saying is that he is not his father, and I for one believe him and I really hope I am not proven wrong because I think that if Lilah and Kane can find their way back together again it would be wonderful.

I was so engrossed with this book that I didn't even realize I was at the end until there was no more....I really cannot wait to get my hands on Murder Girl.

Murder Notes is book 1 in the Lilah Love series. Lilah is a woman with a dark past. She works for the FBI as a criminal profiler. She's good at what she does. She's bad at the all the people stuff in her life. People in her life call her "murder girl". At the beginning of the story she gets called to the scene of a crime and finds herself investigating an assassination style killing that forces her to head home and face the demons of her past.

Lilah's boss, Director Murphy, sends her to the New York to investigate a case that might be related to the case she's working in California. Unfortunately for Lilah, another body shows up in the Hamptons around the same time.. Lilah swore to never return to the Hamptons after she left but now she has no choice. She has to confront her family, friends, enemies and her past in order to solve the crime.

The cast of characters isn't huge but it appears that they are all important to the story. Lilah is dating Rich. He wants a relationship with things like public dates and moving in together. His character doesn't get a lot of development in the story. Kane Mendez is the ex-boyfriend. He's a man with ties to the mob and with a set of questionable morals. He still wants Lilah. Eddie Rivera is a police sergeant in the Hamptons who doesn't like Lilah and doesn't want her investigating the case. Lilah's brother, Andrew, is the chief of police. Her friend, Beth, is the medical examiner. And Samantha Young dated Lilah's ex-boyfriend, Kane, before Lilah. There are others but the bottom line is that Lilah thinks it's possible they are all involved in some way with the murders but she just can't figure out how.

Lilah believes that the murders are all related and that they are all assassinations. That is not a spoiler! In the end, Lilah doesn't know who she can trust, who is leaving her threatening notes or who is involved in the murder. It's a sticky situation because her family is clearly tied up in the mess somehow!

The timeline bothered me a bit. Based on the intro, I thought Lilah was in her 30's but she's in her late 20's. While it shouldn't make a difference, I can't understand how she worked for the NYPD and got FBI training and has the reputation she has in such a short time frame. I also struggled with some of the intuitive leaps that LIlah made. I felt like Lilah needed a partner to bounce her ideas off so that the conclusions she was drawing were not quite so out of the blue.

We are left with lots of questions at the end of the story. I think the second book should be an action packed story!

I recommend this story to anyone who likes contemporary mystery stories. There is a "romance" subplot but nothing romantic happens in this story. If you don't like cliffhangers, wait to read this story until the next book comes out.

Quotes:
I don't argue. I step around him and dart for the living room, pausing in the doorway long enough to say, "Lock up when you leave. Sick fucks love me." I take off for the front door.
"What the hell does that make me, Lilah?"
"The exception,".... loc 204

And I don't show emotions because I don't feel them anymore. loc 987

I read an ARC copy of this book

This new suspenseful read by Lisa Renee Jones was hot. Drama, sexy and on edge. I loved every page. And Lisa Renee Jones writing is always on point. Definitely worth of all FIVE STARS.

While I liked the story overall, I did not like that there was a cliff hanger at the end. A lot of loose ends all around, and nothing resolved. I hope to read the next book in the series, but if not then I will be not have any solutions to the issues that are presented in this story. Lilah, an FBI profiler, is sent to the East Coast from her home in LA, following a string of murders. Upon arriving, she is taken to a new murder, and the story brings up a lot of unlikable characters from her past, as this is her hometown. From her father, messing around as a mobster puppet, and her brother messing around with a corrupt woman, while he is the chief of police, and her ex-boyfriend Kane, who has a darkness around him, there is plenty of red herrings. Then the mysterious notes left here and there, and the nightmares of her rape and almost murder years ago keep popping up. Not sure if this will be a trilogy, which seems popular today, or an ongoing series, but I did like the writing and the story, just didn't appreciate the ending leaving me hanging as to what is happening. Would still recommend, but some of the questions answered more would have helped me to enjoy the book more.

"Death simply becomes me. In fact, some might say I'm so fucked up that I do death better than I do life. And while death is attracted to me, my own is not appealing."

Wow. Wow. Wow. This one was all kinds of nothing I expected. Lisa has outdone herself, honestly my favorite by her, the first in this romantic suspense series. Lilah Love is an FBI profiler. She's a no nonsense heroine that holds her own. She's the best in her field, and thinks like a killer. She has to, in order to become them catching them before their next victim turns up in a pool of blood. She's kind of fascinating. Complex and complicated.

Lilah's instincts are seldom wrong, and trust isn't something she's familiar with. A plot full or twists and turns, secrets and lies, and a series of dead bodies that lead her home to the Hampton's, the hometown she desperately never wanted to step foot in again. The town where her father is mayor, her brother the local police chief, and her ex is Kane Mendez, the one and only crime lord of the infamous Mendez Cartel. I couldn't read fast enough, I wanted to figure this out and see who's name, or who's body came up next. The layers were captivating, the characters riveting. Murder Notes was well paced with great word smithing. I'm absolutely in this one for the long haul. Well done Ms. Jones.

"For the guilty, it's all about denying your own ability to do such a thing, and denial can be a slow, brutal sword that carves you inside out."

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. I've been a Lisa Renee Jones fan since I found one of the Walker Security books free on amazon a few years ago. I eagerly devour whatever she writes. The only series that I haven't finished yet is Inside Out, and that's personal choice because I just don't want it to end. This book met my expectations, fast paced, intense, kept you guessing. All the elements I love about LRJ! I knew going in this would end in a cliffhanger, as that's how she always reels you in. I won't deny that I was frustrated at the end, only because I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS! I've got the date marked on my calendar as to when book 2 will be out.
This book is a bit different than some of her others as it's not a clear romance, (think Walker Security). It's more of a mystery. Lilah Love is a FBI profiler, with a bit of a history in the Hamptons. She'll tell you all about it, I don't like to do spoilers. Her current case in Cali, has similarities with some New York cases, and she gets sent back home to connect the dots. She doesn't want to be there, her old circle doesn't want her there anymore than she wants to be there. Too many people have secrets and she's not sure who or what she'll expose as this plays out, maybe even her self...

4.5 stars

I loved Murder Notes by Lisa Renee Jones! This was a great read! It was a suspenseful and thrilling ride from beginning to end!

Lilah Love’s is an FBI profiler. It is her job to catch killers, by thinking like them. She is one badass heroine! But she also has a secret she is keeping. One that drove her from home, across the country. But now she is investigating a case that brings her back. But something is not right.

I loved Lilah. She was strong, determined and had no qualms to go after what she wants. But this secret she is hiding is still haunting her. Underneath all that tough exterior, she is a bit lost and broken.

Now that she is back in her hometown, she is facing all kinds of demons, including her ex, who is the only one who knows her secret. Kane was supposed to be her past, but he has always been the one person who really understood her. They have such a love and hate relationship.

I cannot wait to read the next book! This was a great story, but more of a suspense with lots of mystery. Lilah thinks there is more to this case, but the most obvious suspect, is the one person she trusts. What is going to happen? I cannot wait to find out!

I was in the mood for a Romantic Suspense novel and what better one to get started with than Lisa Renee Jones new and upcoming book "Murder Notes." The only downside with reading this is that as it ended on a cliffhanger, I have to wait a while for the next book to hurry up and be released especially too since this one isn't technically out to the public till March. Murder Notes introduces us to FBI agent Lilah Love, and BTW I adored her name. Murder and Dead bodies seem to follow her around and also she is a hard person to get close too. A series of murders that Lilah's puts down to assassinations have happened in New York, and now one matching the same M.O has been spotted in The Hamptons. This causes Lilah to return home to her old stomping ground where her father is the Mayor and her brother the Chief of the Police. It is also home to Kane Mendez - the heir of the Mendez Cartel and Lilah's complicated ex-lover. Once Lilah returns home, she starts to receive murder notes and threats and of course what's a bit of scandal and dark secrets when it comes to the rich and wealthy. Are these assassinations hits or random murders? What will happen though when Lilah starts to uncover a big conspiracy that everyone seems to have fingers in the pies especially her father? This was a slower paced book and took me longer than usual to read, but I kept reading as murder aside, I was fascinated with Lilah and her dynamics with the other characters. The ending was an OMG moment, and as I had predicted when I started reading the book, it does end on a major cliffie. If you love Romantic Suspense novels, Secrets and Scandals with a bit of Profiling chucked in then check out Murder Notes - Book #1 in the Lilah Love series by Lisa Renee Jones.

I didn't think I would become a fan of reading a murder mystery book but after reading this one I am hooked. From the very beginning it captured my attention and I couldn't put the book down. This was a very good book and I would highly recommended.
Lilah Love comes from a wealthy family. She is an FBI profiler her brother and father are both in law enforcement. Murder happens nd it brings her back to her home town that she had ran away from. The mysteries surrounding all these murders seem to be linking back to a secret she has kept.
Get the book, it will be worth reading.

Murder Notes is the story of an FBI profiler with a dark, secret past. She is quite good at her job and has caught a case that is obviously connected to her past. She ends up back in her hometown facing demons and people she has tried to ignore.

Lilah isn't exactly a likable character. She is gruff, rude, and abrasive. The story is told entirely from her POV and you see how ill tempered she is! As the story goes on you start to understand her, but I still think she was a bit too abrasive for my taste.

The murders are very strange. As the reader, you are trying to figure out who the killer is, but also figure out what exactly happened to Lilah in the past. Lilah's narration provides pieces to the puzzle as you read but its still mysterious and unfinished. There are plenty of possible suspects throughout the story! There is family drama, a hidden past event that could ruin Lilah, political corruption, and a killer on the loose. Lilah has to navigate the local police, whose chief happens to be her brother, in order to get information. Officially, she can't just come in and take over. She also has to face her past sins because they seem connected to the cases she is working. That means facing her ex, Kane.

I wouldn't call Murder Notes a romance. There are sparks between Kane and Lilah, but that relationship is by no means the center of the story. The plot is very twisty and has so many connecting threads you have to pay close attention to keep up with it all. The secondary characters are numerous and you are never sure who is trustworthy. Also, the story is told entirely in Lilah's POV so your views of the characters are clouded by her thoughts of the characters. All the combines for a very compelling read! If you enjoy detective novels, strong female leads, or books with twisty murder plots, Murder notes is a great pick!

This book was just WOW!!!!
I couldn't put it down. It's full of twist and turns and again WOW!
It does end in a cliffhanger which I'm not the biggest fan of but it was just that good!

Review Whoa! This book is quite possibly my favorite Lisa Renee Jones book to date. Murder Notes starts off with a bang, grips you by the lapels and doesn’t even remotely let you go at the end because you are jolted with an ending that leaves you breathless and wishing you had book two waiting to dive into. There are so many twists and turns in this story it leaves you breathless by the time you get to that last sentence. Lilah is one tough FBI agent who is a profiler for the agency in really tough cases, but she has met he match with the case the agency sends her on to solve. The problem is it involves her family and ex lover, and that is the start of one hell of a great suspenseful story. I found it very difficult to put this book down to sleep. If I didn’t have to work, I would have finished it in one day. Loved the intertwining of all the characters, you have your suspicions on who did the crime, but as soon as you think you have figured it out, the author throws another twist your way and you’re left with your jaw hanging down wondering what’s next. There’s no way in hell I would remotely do anything this woman does, staying alone in a house that is clearly being watched, putting herself in situations that you are yelling at her not to, she is definitely struggling with her past and intends on conquering those demons. Loved everything about this book, am very much looking forward to the next book to come my way!

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy of this book.

Intriguing, mysterious and an all around fantastic Book!
I could not put this book down and can not wait to read the next one! I was saddened when it ended as I wanted the story to continue!
Lisa nailed it again!