I wanted to enjoy 'Past Deeds' but I just couldn't.
The positive: The book itself had promise. I thought I knew who/what/why but was definitely surprised when I was proven wrong.
The negatives: I felt the dialog between agents, as well as their inner thoughts, was naive.

Although this was book 8 in this series, this is the first one I've read. And it worked great for a stand-alone. It was a fast-paced thriller with many twists & turns that will keep you up all night!

Fabulous thriller that kept me eagerly turning the pages!! Fantastic characters and plot, could not put it down.

Past Deeds is the eighth installment of the Brandon Fisher FBI series by bestselling author, Carolyn Arnold. When a prominent prosecuting attorney is murdered in what appears to be a sniper shooting while leaving some high-end apartments, the FBI is called in. The FBI team consists of Kelly, a new agent, Jack, the supervisory agent, Brandon, and Paige. Brandon and Paige have a history and are very uncomfortable working together, but do their best to get along and solve the crime. As they investigate and uncover clues, there are conflicts, both between Jack and Kelly and between Brandon and Paige. The name of this novel most likely comes from the fact that several years prior, while Brandon was married, he and Paige had an affair and his guilt is evident throughout the novel.

The storyline of the book is fascinating, and as the story unfolds, readers will want to know more – while there is only one victim in the case, they learn that there were other victims with the same MO and as they attempt to link the cases, it gets complicated. Arnold may be a bestselling author, but she definitely needs a grammar 101 class. There are dozens of grammatical errors throughout, and the characters are not developed for anyone reading this as a standalone book. There is mention of characters from past books in the series, such as Zach, and readers will have no idea who Zach is. While Brandon is supposed to be the protagonist, he is not the lead character, and the other characters upstage him. Apparently this is a series that must be read in order to be understood.

There are some interesting scenarios, and the dénouement is a surprise. However, while the storyline is good, this book is not well-written and is quite amateurish compared to most published thrillers. Readers should start with the first book in the series, and maybe the previous books will be about Brandon Fisher – after all, the series is named after him. There are better series out there and thriller aficionados will most likely want to pick up something that is written in proper English.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

"Past Deeds" by Carolyn Arnold is a well written crime thriller. The murder of a prosecuting attorney has FBI Agent Brandon Fisher and his BAU team tracking down the sniper that killed him. They are shocked to find out that there are other victims killed the same way that are all connected.

This is a great entry into the Brandon Fisher FBT series. I found myself engrossed in the story and wondering what would happen and who the culprit was. It's definitely worth the read even if you haven't read the previous stories in the series.

WOW, what a read! The plot was intense, powerful and thrilling and held me captive all the way through! The characters fairly leaped off the page, and the tension was palpable. If you are looking for a book that you just CAN’T put down, then this is DEFINITELY the book for you!

This is a book in Brandon Fisher FBI series. While this was a decent read, it was hard to believe quite a lot of the story. I have never known a whole team to have so many insecurities about themselves at their place of work – especially being FBI Agents, who are known for their capabilities. Also I have never known so much friction to exist in a small team. They are FBI agents and yet they are reluctant to express and explore their point of view in a case. Some of the interview techniques were rather weak, considering they are trying to solve a serial killer. You don’t just walk away from an interview if it is not going the way you want. Additionally, every person had life issues that they dwelt on throughout the book. It was excessive and detracted from the overall story. I would try another book in the series but if these same insecurities and friction exists in the next book, I would not continue reading it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

PAST DEEDS furthers the story of an FBI BAU and the team of people who travel the states investigating murders that fall outside the norm. CAROLYN ARNOLD starts the story with a bang...literally. When a long distance sniper hits her mark, the team finds that this death is the latest in a string where the victims have no connection that can be easily found. The story is carefully built. Each discovery adds another layer to the mystery and sends the team in a different direction. Pay close attention as Ms Arnold gives us clues but not all are obvious clues. This series has been fantastic and this book continues the excellent experience of pitting your detective skills against the BAU team. You do not have to have read the first books, but you'd be missing some excellent stories.

Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own.

This is part of a eight book series. I have not read the other in series and this was easily read as a stand alone for readers new to the series.

This is a compelling exciting mystery that is a page turner. FBI Agent Brandon Fisher and his team with the Behavioral Analysis Unit track down the killer of a well-known prosecuting attorney. The attorney was murdered in similar circumstances as three other victims by a possible professional assassin. The plot is well crafted and the mystery exciting to read with the charcters all well drawn to the story. A enjoyable read.

New to Carolyn Arnold and her Brandon Fisher series, I enjoyed reading this installment.
Easy and enjoyable read.

I didn't care for this book at all. It felt like a bad episode of Criminal Minds and I would have turned it off. The characters were not well developed and felt so childish. The story was very weak and I could barely get through it mostly because I just didn't care about any of the characters.

A sniper has taken out a persecuting attorney just as he is leaving an apartment building early in the morning. He does not live there. The FBI is called in to help. They find there are three other men killed the same way in different states. Is there a link to this murder? They are the same age but in different professions. Can the FBI pull all of the threads together to solve the case? Interesting story of how they go about it.

A story that opens with a sniper taking out a lawyer and a team of FBI agents are sent to the scene to get to bottom of it. Led by Brandon Fisher he needs to split the team up and you end up going from D.C. to California. Brandon and Paige are dealing with the issue from the past and a deed that they did. While you have that going on you also having the other team also working while you follow them around as well. Then you get a break to the snipper and that point of view. Each one is different and though it jumps around it is done in away that does not cause problems with the story.
I will saw at times I felt the story was a little slow and it did take me a little bit to get into the story but overall it was a good book.

Special Agent Brandon Fisher and new member Kelly Marsh up from the Miami PD, and Paige Dawson, join Special Agent in Charge Jack Harper of the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) to investigate the sniper shooting of a prominent prosecutor. There are several POVs; Fisher is first person. Brandon is paired with Paige, which brings back painful memories of their short-lived liaison while Brandon was still married. Jack pairs with Kelly and makes sure he's constantly on her for speaking up or volunteering any opinions.

The case proceeds with new crumbs leading to a possible lead after they bring in Nadia, the technie, who discovers there were three other identical deaths spread over the US. What follows is SOP for police procedural, interviews, and making connections.

Brandon Fisher and Paige are still smarting over their unresolved affair. Jack is just nasty. Kelly fills the insecure newbie role, second-guessing each of her actions and eventually being reticent to promote any new scenario.
My problem was the shifting of POVs, at times leaving me wondering who was speaking. They didn't feel like a "unit," more a disjointed group muddling through personal dilemmas. The antagonist is ex-military, obviously suffering PTSD, but loaded with an additional "trigger" mechanism forcing the mission. The conclusion was contrived and a grievous error given the information they had on the unsub. (In the military, they would call it a "CF.")

I did enjoy a couple quotables, "Not his monkeys, not his circus..." and "'Fortuna favet fortibus!' Fortune favors the strong."

My second experience with this author, the first with this series. While there was an interesting storyline, I couldn't get into the characters and perhaps I'm just not the right person for this author. There are, however, many others who enjoy the writing style--you might be one. 3.5 rounded up

An action packed thriller with a team of FBI agents that sometimes are lost with the amount (or lack of) information they have and seem not to be able to link the dots. People are being killed in several different places by a sniper but it takes a while for all the murders to be put together and a search for a serial killer to start. The main issue in this story is the search for revenge at any cost with a surprising ending. Easy to read and entertaining.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Past Deeds is a well-written police procedural featuring the Behavior Analyst Unit of the FBI - easily compared to the BAU team featured on the CBS drama Criminal Minds. Sadly, both for the reader and the BAU team, Zach (the counterpart to Spencer Reid from the TV series) has departed the team for other tasks. Kelly is the new member of the team - but she is no replacement for Zach. Though an experienced Florida homicide detective, she will need to find her voice among the talented and experienced members of the BAU.

A murder in Arlington VA has caught the attention of the BAU - the team quickly discovers that the murder is not one, but four, with connections from California to Baltimore MD. Half of the team will go each direction in order to put together the pieces of the puzzle that will point to their unknown suspect (the unsub). The team finally regroups to trap the unsub in the midst of a final crime.

I enjoyed the plot and rhythm of the novel, but the awkward switches the author makes between first-person narrative and a third-person observer is sometimes difficult to understand. Given that the team split, the change in writing style might be needed at times; but at other times the book continues with a third-person perspective, though the reader might be better served by a return to the first-person narrative

For the reader who was a fan of Criminal Minds (which has already aired its final episode even as I read Past Deeds), this series might fill a hole in their desired entertainment needs. This book is the eighth in the series from this author, but I never felt lost having read none of the earlier books.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are my own.

This is the 8th book in the series...which I didn't' know going on and it made me hesitate once I found out, but I'm glad I stuck with it. It stands alone fairly well. You don't have the back story of the team, and while it would be helpful sometimes, it's not imperative to enjoying the story.

The story has a few twists and turns with revelations and things that are expected and unexpected. it's a really great journey to sit down and get lost in.

I really look forward to more books from Ms Arnold!

The Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI is hunting for a killer, which they come to conclude is a sniper, and eventually find out is a female sniper. The detail in the writing of this story is amazing. The FBI agents follow clues and analyze the evidence, and find that the sniper is leaving "breadcrumbs", and the killings are to seek revenge against those who attacked her mother years ago, and she is out to clean the slate.

What should be a fast-paced romp of a thriller dies a prolonged death in Carolyn Arnold's Last Deeds. FBI agent Brandon Fisher and the other members of Special Agent in Charge Jack Harper's Behavioral Analysis Unit, along with a whole lot of colleagues, profiles the killing of a prosecutor who was shot by a sniper. Further investigation reveals that the sniper has killed three times before and is, therefore, a serial killer.

Several things keep Last Deeds from reaching its potential. First, the story is good from several points of view, which makes it hard to keep track of what is going on. Next, the inclusion of subplots likewise does little to improve the cohesiveness of the story. Finally, the pacing is so slow that it takes a real effort to get through to the end. Recommended for fans of the Brandon Fisher series and readers who like to watch paint dry.

An excellent opening to this crime thriller - at the outset it is Sniper 1 - FBI nil. Nevertheless, the book becomes a "Sniper chase' with some dogged FBI agents on the trail.

Lots of action, from Virginia to California, as there have been other similar killings, Four main FBI agents are principally involved (in the past they were seemingly involved on a personal level!). I am still not sure if I would have enjoyed this book more if I had read any more of Ms Arnold's work in the series? For me, I would have liked more in depth characterisation of the FBI girls and boys.

However, all the clues are believable and well put together with a superb ending. Most enjoyable.

Thanks to Net Galley and Hibbert and Stiles for the chance to read and review.