The writing starts out a little stilted, but actually gets better and better. The plot is also OK, but is based on a little too much stupidity to be top notch. The characters are believable and the dialogue is also OK. Good entertainment, but nothing special.

This 4th addition to the Dr Schwartzman series is awesome. It is a fast paced thriller all the way! I was invested in the mystery from the beginning chapter. The storyline is very well developed and entertaining. I highly recommend this series. I received an advance copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving this review

Danielle Girard continues her Dr. Schwartzman series in the best way. I could barely put down Expire. As a survivor of domestic abuse, this was my favorite installment of the series, yet it was also the scariest. Get ready for a satisfying and cleansing cry at the end. I highly recommend this entire series!

I have been waiting for this for a year! I was on the edge of my seat when this book finished last year and I’m glad the final book picked up right where it left off.

I’ve missed these characters, as I have grown to love them individually as well as together. Hal’s hunt for Anna has its ups and downs as Spencer is as evasive as ever.

As always, the writing is descriptive and paints a vivid picture.

I’m giving it 4 stars because it was slow in some parts. I also missed the crime solving aspect that was present in the other books and the interaction of the team members that I’ve come to care about.

Although the book didn’t go how I had envisioned, I am happy with how everything wrapped up.

I have read all the books in this series and they just get better and better!!

I had a kink in my stomach waiting to find out what happened to the heroine, our intrepid doctor. No spoilers here though!! The build up of tension was amazing, I was holding my breath waiting to find out the outcome.

A very highly recommended book.

I received a copy of the book as an ARC from NetGalley in return for a true and honest review, thank you.

Fantastic read! Anna and Hal go through hell at the hands of her ex-husband. The story is told from several characters point of view which makes the story flow quickly. It also makes the telling more interesting. As the scope of the danger increases you can feel the anxiety increasing as you turn the pages. It is gut wrenching to read in places but you will enjoy every moment.

Expire
(Dr. Schwartzman #4)
by Danielle Girard

Kindle Edition
Expected publication: July 9th 2019 by Thomas & Mercer

Goodreads synopsis:
Alone, held captive, and left in the dark, a woman’s worst fears come true in this gripping thriller by the award-winning author of Expose.

San Francisco medical examiner Annabelle Schwartzman has spent eight years looking over her shoulder. Stalked by her vengeful ex-husband, Spencer, she’s always known they’d meet again. Has her nightmare come true? Abducted, blindfolded, yoked, and tethered, she’s being held prisoner in an isolated cabin in Idaho. But it’s the unknown that terrifies Annabelle now. Because the man’s voice in the dark, though eerily familiar, is not Spencer’s.

Annabelle’s partner and lover, Inspector Hal Harris, knows in his gut that Annabelle’s disappearance is tied to the past. Except Spencer is fifteen hundred miles away. To save Annabelle, Hal is tracking every move Spencer makes. But is it drawing him closer to finding Annabelle? Or is it luring him farther from her desperate cries for help?

As a cruel game of retribution begins, Annabelle must rely on her wits, her will to survive, and a plan of escape. But time is running out. And her captor’s three chilling words make her fear that the worst is yet to come: sweet dreams, Bella.

***

3 Stars

This is the fourth book in the Dr. Schwartzman series. Since it is obvious from the beginning that the previous book in this series ended on a cliffhanger, it would probably be best if this series was read in order. I found it hard to get into and was doing quite a bit of skimming to see if I could figure out what was going on. I really needed that three book backstory for this to make any sort of sense for me.

The book starts off with Annabelle Schwartzman, San Francisco’s medical examiner has been kidnapped by someone whom she thinks initially is her ex-husband then believes to be her morgue assistant Roy. Inspector Hal Harris gets involved from the beginning. He found some pregnancy tests in her bathroom showing a positive result. So he is even more focused on finding her alive. He wants her and her unborn baby to be safe.

Annabelle is being held in some sort of cabin and it must be winter since it was snowing and she was saving snow to melt for drinking water since every kind of food or water was being drugged. How much would a set up like that cost to maintain, jeez. Just the drugs alone would have been costly. Even the shower was laced with the drugs. Hard to believe.

Based on reading other reviews it seemed to them like this book might have been written by another writer’s perspective of this universe. The mother of Annabella behaved differently than in previous books and Hal had been reduced to a crybaby. I think I should read the previous books just to get a better idea of characterization. There are also people introduced in this book for no reason at all. Storyline threads are left dangling with these unused people. Maybe they will be fodder for future books, I don’t know.

I really couldn’t get into this book. I wanted it to be thrilling but it fell flat for me I am sorry to say. I think I will definitely pick up the previous three books just to lay the groundwork for any future books I may pick up. I encourage you to read books 1-3 in this series before diving into this one. It will save you some mental pain in the future.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Hal Harris is desperate to find his love Anna Schwartzman. She's gone missing. For years she evaded her psychopathic ex Spencer so Hal's initially certain that he's the one who grabbed her. Anna's being held- blind folded- in an isolated cabin. She has no idea where she is or who has her but she knows it isn't Spencer. She spends her time reflecting on her life, as one would. The two threads pull together nicely, if somewhat predictably. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. You could read this as a standalone, as Girard provides enough info on the characters to get you into the story.

I really loved this novel! It was an exciting end to the series. I thought that Ms. Girard raised the stakes and brought everything together really well.

Thank you to Netgalley and Danielle Girard for the free copy in return for an honest review.

Danielle Girard’s previous book in the Dr. Schwartzman series, Expose, ended in an explosive cliff-hanger. So if you haven’t read Expose, stop right here and read it, because it is significant in getting a better appreciation of Expire. With that being said, the ending of Expose left us with the knowledge that medical examiner Annabelle Schwartzman has been kidnapped with the assumption that her psychopathic ex-husband, Spencer MacDonald, is the kidnapper. Schwartzman’s love interest, detective Hal Harris, assumes that as well, and is hell-bent on getting MacDonald to lead him to where he is hiding her. But MacDonald is a master of deceit and puts up roadblocks for every step that Harris takes.

The theme throughout the series has revolved around Schwartzman’s dysfunctional relationship with her abusive ex-husband, Spencer, and trying to convince everyone around her that Spencer is psychopathic and dangerous. It has been difficult for her, as Spencer is wealthy, outwardly charming, and has an outstanding reputation among those that know him. Even Schwartzman’s mother sees Spencer in a positive light and believes that her daughter is making mountains out of mole hills when it comes to dealing with her ex-husband. The one person that does believe her is homicide detective Hal Harris whose relationship with Schwartzman has been developing throughout the series and finally comes to fruition at the ending of Expose. Harris, who is very aware of Spencer’s dark side, knows that it was him that kidnapped Schwartzman. Or was it?

For the most part, I felt that Expire was predictable and moved rather slowly. Harris is desperately doing everything to find Schwartzman whereas Schwartzman is having to deal with her captivity. One of Schwartzman’s hurdles during her imprisonment is getting enough fresh water that is not drugged. The first couple of chapters that dealt with this predicament was interesting but by the third and fourth chapter with her trying come up with new methods to get fresh water got really old. Worrying about Schwartzman getting dehydrated didn’t quite have that ‘on the edge of your seat’ thrill to it. Even though Expire did move at glacial speeds it did have an exciting ending which makes it a worthwhile read especially for those that have been following the series.

I have not read the first books in the series but the author gave enough background that I did not feel lost. This book is a fast-paced thriller with lots of suspense. I liked the characters and the relationship between Annabelle and Hal was enhanced by their actions. This was a very entertaining read.

This is book 4, if you haven't read book 3 (which I haven't) it's like being thrown into icy water. If you read book 1 and 2 (which I have) you have a knowledge of the 4 main characters and that's it. Still floundering in the icy cold water. Book 3 appears to be the bridge. That being said, keep swimming. This is a heck of a ride, Thriller showcasing the strength and tenacity of. Anna. The dogged determination of Hal and their love. The ending with Anna, well overdue and well done, Kudos. The epilogue helps to ease the stress, the despair that we endure with Anna on this ride. Well done. Thank you for the Arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own and we're unsolicited.

A Fast Paced Thriller That Immediately Captured My Attention And Delivered

Expire opened with Spencer MacDonald doing what he likes best, killing someone. Spencer is Annabelle Schwartzman’s ex-husband and has stalked her and attempted to kill her through the first three novels. Then, this novel takes off where the previous novel, Expose, left off. Anna finds herself a captive in a snowbound cabin, with a tight collar secured to a cable, and all liquids appear to be drugged. She suspects that she is pregnant and fears for the life of the child she may be carrying. She fights not to be drugged and find a way to escape.

The other main storyline thread is led by Hal Harris, an Inspector in the San Francisco Police who works regularly with Anna. He saw the results the home pregnancy tests that Anna took but did not see the results before her abduction. Hal was fairly sure that Anna was carrying his child. From this point, he has only one mission in life — rescuing Anna. He seems frustrated at every turn. He takes vacation time to travel to San Antonio where currently Spencer was meeting with an investor. He works with an FBI Special Agent that looked like he is a 12 year old whose ways are more methodical and too slow for Hal. Anna’s mother, who still is close with Spencer, believes that he can do no wrong.

These two threads are fast-paced and captured my attention immediately. I followed Anna’s exploration of her prison and Hal’s every effort to find her with the efforts of the FBI, an unenthusiastic Greenville Police, and Anna’s police friend from South Carolina. This is a thriller that does not use twists, turns and misdirections as the target is well known. This novel uses some progress, no progress, delays and dead ends all the while the clock is ticking.

The B-storyline is very rich in this novel. The author provides more insight into Anna through her moments of self-reflection and, at times, despair during her captivity. The depth of Hal’s feelings for Anna is shown in his actions to find Anna and through the actions of and sympathy from his coworkers. The reader will learn more about Anna’s mother relationship to Spencer. The author weaves these B-storyline threads seamlessly into the cloth of the main storyline threads into a very captivating novel.

There are not any graphic sex scenes. There are only a few instances of foul language. While the murder in the first chapter is what I call, first person, in that the violence is described as it happens. All of the terror inflicted on Anna in her captivity also is described in the first person. This adds edginess to the narrative. Other violence is described in the third person as it is described by reports or person relaying the information, and, therefore, not as intense.

This novel continues the storyline from the end of the third book. I do believe that you can read this book without reading any of the previous three novels. Adequate background to explain relationships is provided. If you have read the previous novels, this novel does explain and tie up quite a few aspects in the previous novels so it is richer for those who did read them. For information, I have read only two of the previous three novels. I purchased and currently am reading the novel I missed when it was published.

I liked the edginess of Anna’s and Hal’s characters that peaked my interest and kept me reading more when I should have been doing other things. The only aspect of this novel that left me wanting was that one of Spencer’s murders that didn’t seem to fit in with the rest of his murders.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this novel that captured and maintained my interest throughout the entire novel. With the minimum of issues, I rate Expire with five stars. I believe that you would enjoy reading this novel also.

I have received a free kindle version of this novel through NetGalley from Thomas & Mercer with an expectation for an honest, unbiased review. I wish to thank Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this novel early.

Expire is the fourth (and final?) book in the series that chronicles San Francisco medical examiner Annabelle . Schwartzman. The first three books juxtapose Schwartzman's official investigations into murders in San Francisco with her efforts dealing with a stalker, her ex-husband Spencer. Book 4 is primarily Schwartzman's story, and it picks up from the cliff-hanging ending of the previous book. Schwartzman is a survivor; having overcome an abusive relationship and cancer, kidnapping isn't going to hold her down for long, and soon she's using her wits to find ways out of her prison. Meanwhile, Hal Harris is doing everything he can to find her. This is a satisfying conclusion to the 4-book story arc.

I received a digital ARC via NetGalley.

The conclusion to the series, it doesn't disappoint readers that have been eagerly awaiting it. The atmosphere is claustrophobic as we follow Anna and Hal on their final encounter with Spencer. Congratulations to Ms Girard for ending this series in such a gripping and exciting way.

Annabelle Schwartzman is abducted, tied up and transported via truck/van to an unknown place. There is snow on the ground but no other details can be made as to where she is. She saw her captor's eyes and knew that this was not Spencer. (Anna's ex) Scared as Anna was, she pictured the two pregnancy tests that she had taken but hadn't yet seen the results of.

Hal, Anna's live-in love, has two pregnancy test sticks in his pocket. He knew about Spencer and did not underestimate how horrible a man he was. Having been released from prison, Spencer was most likely behind the abduction one way or another.

Anna awakens from a drug-induced haze to the reality that she is a prisoner. Although not the man who had
driven Anna here, Anna was sure that Spencer had something to do with this situation. Why? Why now?

I have not yet read the first three books in this series - however, I was able to follow through the story with no problem. I do intend to read the first three books ! A very descriptive style of writing and great character development are evident in this gem of a read.

Be sure not to miss this one!

Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for a superb story.

From the first page, Ms. Girard had me engaged & on the edge of my seat. I wasn’t able to put this story down until I was finished. Hal & Annabelle’s torment engaged my sympathies from the beginning. The characters were well defined & realistic. The plot was fast paced & believable.

This is the first in this series I’ve read & I didn’t feel lost or confused in the slightest. There is enough background given via flashbacks or memories to fill the reader in on past events. I’m intrigued enough to go back & read the first three in the series.

I was fortunate to receive this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an objective review.

At the close of the last book of the series, San Francisco Medical Examiner, Dr. Annabelle Schwartzman was drugged and tossed into the back of a non-descript white van, while rendering aid to her neighbor.

Now, she’s awake and has found herself tethered by a plastic collar and chain in a home that appears to be in a remote location. Although she has long escaped an abusive marriage and gone forward with her life, she has always known that she would encounter her ex-husband again, and presumes he is the one who has taken her.

Hal Harris, San Francisco homicide cop and Anna’s lover meanwhile, is searching frantically. He too believes that Spencer is responsible for Anna’s kidnapping – but how can he be, when he’s hundreds of miles away, and meeting with his clients daily?

As Anna explores her prison, hoping to find some way out of her predicament, Spencer is plotting. His ultimate plan is so smuggle Anna out of the country, to a remote land where she’ll be forced to live as his wife…and prisoner.

The story progresses from each character’s viewpoints, as we watch Anna explore her situation, and we watch Hal as he attempts to hide his frustration at the roadblocks in his way. We watch Anna’s mother, as she slowly comes to realize that Spencer isn’t the ‘wonderful’ son-in-law she has always thought him to be, and we see her become an unlikely hero in the search for her daughter. And we see Anna, fierce in her desire to protect a secret, and to find her way back to Hal.

Even though we know, logically, that Anna should persevere, as she is at the center of this series, it's hard not to lose hope, as the clock ticks and the past moves ever closer...

I found this novel quite suspenseful and found myself on the edge of my seat numerous times as I cheered with and feared for Anna & Hal. While certainly enjoyable as a standalone (and maybe the outcome is less certain to those who don’t know the characters) I highly recommend reading in the series order! Outstanding!!

Wow, what an emotional rollercoaster this book was! I honestly could not put it down, it was that riveting. After the huge cliffhanger the last book left off on, I had to find out what happened next, so I jumped on the chance to get an ARC copy via Netgalley. From the very beginning, you can feel the raw emotion and sense of helplessness Hal feels in trying to find the woman he loves, as well as Anna's terror and sense of desperation as she tries to figure out how to escape her bonds. Danielle Girard does a masterful job in allowing the reader a glimpse into the head of Spencer MacDonald, a decompensating psychopath who will stop at nothing to possess and lord over his ex-wife. With the inclusion of dates and time, the reader gets an almost palpable sense of frustration and urgency to solve the mystery of where Annabelle Schwartzman is being kept before the clock runs out. From start to finish, you won't be disappointed.

I love the Annabelle Schwartzman series by Danielle Girard so I jumped at the chance to read an early copy of the next book...Expired. With taut, unrelenting suspense from the first page to the satisfying end the reader barely has time to breathe! If you've read the previous book you know it ended with a real cliff hanger! Using alternating points of view the Danielle Girard keeps the pressure on and amps up the suspense.
Annabelle was abducted and we know right away who the abductors are but this only adds to the story. This book focuses on Hal's desperate search for her and on Annabelles fight for survival rather than who did it. Hal and Annabelle are finally admitting to each other that they are more than friends. While Hal, the SFPD and FBI search, Annabelle struggles to find a way out of her situation. Hal's desperation and fear brought tears to my eyes at times but Anna's determination, intelligence and strength inspired me. The author also gives us well developed bad guys. Spencer MacDonald has been featured in the other books so I was well acquainted with his manipulations and twisted evilness. If you enjoy intelligent unrelenting suspense this book is for you.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.