Secrets
It wasn't until this fast-paced thriller wound to its conclusion I thought to myself that these FBI agents seemed to have an amazing amount of autonomy for government employees. Coordination with others is largely assumed as phone calls confirm findings and agents are made available for various aspects of the investigations and manhunts in two strangely interrelated cases in Sherlock's and Savich's backyard. But it was an enthralling ride with characters for whom you will care--and a surprise ending.

Gallery Books and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Paradox. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Having read the previous novels featuring married FBI agents Savich and Sherlock, I knew to expect certain aspects of the story would be similar to those that have come before. Readers can attribute the following to one of the main characters or the other: brilliant, beautiful, extremely intuitive, talented beyond measure with mad skills and abilities. The problem is that the author has a formula that she follows for the novels featuring her beloved main characters. Someone tries to hurt a loved one and, in the process of searching for that person, it becomes apparent that there is something more sinister or complicated going on.

As a reader who enjoys police procedural thrillers for their complicated plots, in depth investigative timelines, and surprise perpetrators, I was less than thrilled with Paradox. The characters spend more time gushing over their mate's personal attributes than focusing on the criminal in front of them. I like Catherine Coulter's writing skills and her abilities in crafting well developed characters, but I personally feel it is time for Savich and Sherlock to retire. For these reasons, I am less than fifty percent sure that I would read another novel about these characters and would hesitate to recommend Paradox to other readers.

The FBI discover many bones in a lake in Maryland and realise there is a psycho killer on the loose who has an agenda for revenge.
I love a good mystery/thriller, but unfortunately this was not one of them. I could not get into the characters and the storyline was not very believable in some places. The writing was rather passive and did not hold my attention. A shame really because the overall plot was good, but not good enough to hold me to the end and I must admit that I did speed read the book just in case it got more interesting.

This was the first book I read by this author. Although the plot was good and I liked two of the characters (Ty and Sala), the book seemed too long and I tended to lose interest. Since this was the first Coulter I have read, the short summaries of what I assume were other books that were used as backstories should have interested me, but they seemed so far-fetched that they really turned me off from reading more of this series.

The book was good enough I may read more by Coulter, but not good enough that I am instantly buying more.

Paradox is book twenty-two from Catherine Coutler's FBI Thriller series. I was just an okay read for me. I would give it three stars.

I love justified revenge: Four Brothers, Carrie, Taken, Remember, True Grit and my all-time favorite The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Now that is some beautifully orchestrated justified revenge! And I can’t wait for Jennifer Garner’s new movie, Peppermint. That one looks awesome!

The problem is that everyone who seeks revenge thinks it’s justified. That’s what’s going on in Catherine Coulter’s latest Sherlock and Savich case, “Paradox”.

The book begins with a botched kidnapping of their son Sean. While trying to figure out who could want to kidnap him and why, they are called in to assist in another case. Willicott, Maryland’s police chief witnesses a murder early one morning while gazing at the lake from her home. When local officials drag the lake for the body, they discover bones from several bodies. A subsequent search uncovers an odd clue as to whom the bodies may belong. This seemingly idyllic little town has lots of secrets and a creepy murder house to boot!

Meanwhile, they discover that the kidnapper may be someone out for revenge and they must stop him before their family and others are devastated.

A great read for any Sherlock and Savich fans. Coulter tackles forgiveness and mental illness in this one, too. Good story; this one has a truly satisfying ending! After all, some revenge may truly be justified!

#Paradox #CatherineCoulter #NetGalley

Publication Date: July 31, 2018
Genre: Thriller, Suspense, Mystery, Kidnapping, Mental Illness
Cover: Perfect
Rating: 5 stars
Source: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity to read this great book!

Catherine Coulter has written a complex, intriguing suspense in Paradox. The characters are complex, the story detailed and the tension palpable.

The story was slow reading for me but not distractingly so. It wasn't a book I could speed read through because of the complexity.

It was obvious that I was missing a lot of backstory having not read the first 21 books. I didn't know the characters and situation reference throughout but Coulter did a good job giving just enough detail without reliving the entire history.

Paradox is an interesting story with plenty to keep the reader interested throughout.

Thank you for the opportunity to review an advanced reader copy of this book.

Agents Savich and Sherlock awake one night to find a masked man, holding a knife and a gun, standing over their small, sleeping, son. Somehow, this masked man seems to be tied to a murder
Police Chief Ty Christie has observed from the deck of her home on Lake Massey. As they hunt for a body in the lake, hundreds of bones are discovered. Can there possibly be a serial killer that has used Lake Massey as a body dump for decades? The plot twists and turns as law enforcement races to catch probable killer Victor Nesser, who escaped from a criminal psychiatric facility. There are enough plotlines underneath the main storyline to keep one engrossed all the way to the end of this book.
Although there are other books in this series, you don’t have to have read them to quickly pick up the history of agents Sherlock and Savich.

Coulter’s novels always offer a thrilling story. In this, the 23rd in the series, an escaped mental patient seeks revenge of agents Sherlock and Savich, just missing getting away with kidnapping their son, Sean.
In nearby Willicott, Md., Police Chief Ty Christie witnesses a murder across the lake from her cottage on Lake Massey. When they drag the lake the divers find the murder victim, a young woman, but also dozens of bones that obviously have nothing to do with the case, thus creating another mystery.
The FBI agents work with the chief to discover the connection, if there is one, between these cases.
Lots of action in this fast-paced book!

Non-stop action with the FBI’s finest in play. Sherlock and Savich foil a kidnapper, solve an old murder or two, and hunt down a wacko. All in a day’s work for these two. What a story! This is one you really need to read; I guarantee if you’re a Coulter fan, you will be gobsmacked.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Savich and Sherlock are at it again.. Victor is out and out for revenge against anyone who has ever said anything about him or done anything to him or anyone he loves. It is a great race to find out who did what and why. While trying to solve a murder seen by a local sheriff they stumble upon a lake full of dead bodies and an agent left for dead. During all this they deal with Victor being on the loose and and trying to stop him before he kills his next victim.
It was a read I could not put down until I finished it.

This was an interesting mystery involving the FBI team of Sherlock and Savich and opens with a foiled kidnapping attempt of their son. Now, the case becomes personal and a link to a murder miles away points to a past case and an escaped mentally deranged man. The action moves quickly and the connections to a serial killer become clear when the lake gives up its victims.

I'm glad that that the author can continue with the series with fresh eyes and interesting scenes.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for an ARC; all opinions are my own.

I love every Savich and Sherlock novel I have ever read and #paradox is no different. I thought this one was especially involved and had a great twist-the psychological aspect of one of the characters-that took it up a notch. If you have been following those married FBI agents through the series you will definitely enjoy this. If you are new to this author or series don’t feel you need to read them in order to enjoy them. Thanks to #netgalley for the chance to read this prepublication.

I have read several other books in this series, and I usually find them pretty enjoyable. This one, however, didn't do it for me. In fact, I quit about 68% in. Several things made it too easy to put down. 1) When a previously "simple" adult wakes up after being attacked and having brain surgery with an entirely normal brain, Savich and Sherlock are ridiculous. When the woman's mother asks, "Shall I bring in psychiatrists to examine her?" Savich answers, "No, no need to do that. Leigh seems fine." I'm sorry, WHAT?! All credibility was lost at that point. 2) The fact that the author made it supremely clear that Sala wasn't fully in love with the woman he was spending the weekend with, and that she was thinking of going back to her estranged husband, was so obviously a set-up for a romance to bloom between Sala and the police chief. It was painful to read.

Basically, I felt like Coulter really underestimated the intelligence of her readers in this book.

Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3 Out Of 5 "I struggled to finish this" STARS

It took me 25 days to complete this…and while it is a long book at 448 pages, it's not a lunker. I just couldn't get past the inane crap and sappiness this book is bogged down with. Every single person that is brought into the story has most of their life history thrown into the story…and yet I still felt that I was missing something by not having read the previous books in the series, at least in regards to Savich and Sherlock. I figured I was taking a chance with that, anyway, since I haven't read any of the 21 previous books in this series.

Paradox is really a story within a story and it's filled with a busload of characters. Maybe all that inane crap is in there to help you remember all these characters more easily. IDK. Gunny/Leigh was my favorite character by far and I genuinely enjoyed her story…even her backstory. There was also this weird supernatural vibe that felt off to me...this could be something that is explained by having read the previous books, too.

I was all set to rate this from 2-2.5 stars up until the ending. It's the only thing that boosted it up to a full 3. The reveal of the mystery of the bones in the lake was really satisfying and ultimately left me feeling like maybe this wasn't quite so laborious to complete.

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~~~~~MY RATING~~~~~
☆3☆STARS - GRADE=C
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~BREAKDOWN OF RATINGS~

Plot~ 3.8/5
Main Characters~ 3.5/5
Secondary Characters~ 3.7/5
The Feels~ 3/5
Pacing~ 2/5
Addictiveness~ 1/5
Theme or Tone~ 3.8/5
Flow (Writing Style)~ 3.5/5
Backdrop (World Building)~ 3/5
Originality~ 3/5
Ending~ 4.3/5 Cliffhanger~ Nope.
Book Cover~ Two Thumbs UP!
Series~ FBI Thriller #22
Setting~ Willicott & Haggersville, Maryland, DC, and Texas.
Source~ I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

From the first page this book grips you and doesn’t let go. A mysterious murder leads to an escaped mental patient who went on the run with his supposed dead girlfriend. This book is another great Savich and Sherlock tale, with the famed FBI agents hot on the trail of a kidnapper, who almost succeeded in taking their son in the dead of night. Could the kidnapper and the escaped mental patient be connected? Enter a small town chief of police, a simple young girl and the cast of a small town and all that entails with secrets and long buried stories. Go on this wild ride and watch the mystery unfold. Just read it already!

4.5 stars
After completing two readathons I had hit a reading slump. I tried to force myself to read by assigning myself pages but it only made reading feel like a chore. Then I picked up Catherine Coulter's latest edition to the FBI thriller series. I devoured this book - all 434 pages - in two days! Although this is my first Catherine Coulter book she is definitely on my radar now.

A great plot about an escaped mental patient bent on avenging his bank robber girlfriend and her mother. A bit too heavy on the descriptions of people, local landmarks, that distracted me from the plot a little. Cleverly done. A good - if somewhat predictable- read.

Typical Catherine Coulter, good read. Did it blow me away? No. Maybe that's because I'm used to her style? I don't know.

Thoroughly enjoyable. I just save my 5 stars for the WOW.

Solid 4 1/2 stars.

Anothe Sherlock and Savich mystery. When their son Sean is threatened and a murder occurs on a nearby lake they jump into action to see how they connect. ARC from NetGalley.