4 stars

A great first novel, I look forward to continuing this series. The author set up unique tie ins including the main character's name and the meaning behind it that made the story more intriguing. Exploring different landmarks throughout the story the US added excitement to the plot, as well as a tie in to the mass discovery of doctors at fertility clinics using their own sperm. Nina Guerrea makes a great leading character.

The FBI are chasing a serial killer, but for one agent it's personal. A rapid-fire thriller, running ever faster as the picture develops. Pity any newly introduced characters.... they may not have long.

This is the first in a series and I am looking forward to the rest as I have enjoyed this one, it was the perfect thriller and had the right level of drama and intrigue in the plot line, with believable characters and tense scenes

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. Great murder mystery. Highly recommend for 🎃 Halloween Month.

Dark thriller that had you hooked from the off. The book was very well written. Great plot. Very exciting. Fast paced to get your heart racing. Loved this book

A fairly solid crime thriller which, despite not having any particularly glaring issues, didn't really offer much to make it stand out amongst so many others like it.

"I've given up on hope," she said quietly, then lifted her chin. "From now on, I fight."

I seem to have found yet another solid, police procedural/thriller series starring a strong, resilient female protagonist who has rechristened herself as "Warrior Girl"--both in name (Nina Guerrera) and as a FBI agent. She has had  horrible experiences as a young child/teenager but instead of letting those experiences break her, she uses them to strengthen herself both mentally and physically. That strength and resolve is called into action when her past comes back to haunt her in the form of the man who has no qualms about leaving a trail of dead bodies and publicly humiliate Nina to finish what he started with her a decade ago. A good start to the series by the author who has previously worked for the FBI.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Thomas and Mercer and the author for the e-Arc of the book.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Nina Guerrera escaped a serial killer when she was only sixteen, later changing her name and becoming an FBI special agent. When a video of her goes viral, the man who abducted her commits a murder with a message just for Nina. Using the internet, and coded riddles, to invite the public along with his crimes, will Nina and her temporary partner, Dr. Jeffrey Wade, be able to stop the killer?

I am a big fan of police procedural thrillers, especially ones that include the FBI. The Cipher has great pacing and a good set of characters. Nina reminds me of other strong female characters in books as of late, but she is unique enough that she stands out. I like how the backstory is presented, not so much as a story but as part of the character's list of qualities. Nina's background makes her who she is, giving her a strength and determination to right the wrongs of the world. I definitely recommend The Cipher to readers who like the genre and I look forward to reading more by this author in the future.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy of The Cipher by NetGalley and the publisher, Thomas & Mercer. The choice to read and review this book was entirely my own.

This book was filled with action , the characters were good. This was extremely well written and easy to follow. I really enjoyed this book.

** spoiler alert ** Book Review: The Cipher by Isabella Maldonado (2021) | Police Procedural

TLDR: A breakout novel from a very accomplished Latina federal law enforcement officer. Police procedural fit for fans of Criminal Minds. Big content warnings (see below). Serial killer, FBI search.

The accomplished author is building off a life of federal law enforcement experience to craft a story about Nina, a woman who experienced a horrible kidnapping at the hands of a budding serial killer. Nina dedicated her life to becoming a FBI agent and solving crimes.

This book is about the fight between Nina and her kidnapper who is obsessed with finding and killing her after years — she changes her name and leaves, but he ends up being able to find her after she goes viral while preventing her own rape while running in the park. “The Cipher” (aka the killer) issues a series of puzzles to Nina in order to taunt and test her, ultimately gaining a country wide following. The FBI enlists cyber experts, criminologists and Nina to the task of tracking down his identity... before he kills again.

REVIEW (spoilers)

This book is heavy on the procedures of a FBI investigation. It utilizes the author’s relevant knowledge to craft the story and inform the reader of what I assume would be the realistic steps taken in this situation. It reminds me of an episode of Criminal Minds, there’s even a quirky computer geek like Penelope. If you’re interested in the psychology / criminology of serial killers, this book also uses this as a major plot theme while they try to solve the Cipher’s puzzles. The reader is clued in to the investigation as well as some of the Cipher’s thoughts in chapters, but the main focus is on Nina. I liked that she was a strong woman who overcame unthinkable horror to become an agent.

It is critical to say that this book is not for everyone. Within the first few pages, there is an explicit attempted rape. There is murder, graphic violence, rape, sexual and physical assault, kidnapping, etc. and the depictions are not sugarcoated. Please exercise caution if you think this may not be the right content for you.

This is a book I both enjoyed and wanted to throw across the room. The stoy itself wasn't bad, but the CONSTANT use of "Little Warrior Girl" made me want to put the book down and kept bringing me out of the story. It was super annoying.

I loved Nina. She was a great character that had been through a lot and overcome it. She is a fighter, hence "Little Warrior Girl". Anyway, she was great and the story was powerful. It had a strong message that you can come out on top, if you push through your pain and circumstance. I also loved the partnerships and friendships that formed. There was a lot of growth between the team members, which was great. A lot of times you see the surface level working relationships, but this story dove into the mindset, compassion and adversity of the team.

The Cipher killer was a pretty good character as well, I enjoyed how creative Isabella got with this character. He was smart, innovative, and ineresting. A chameleon if you will.

I thought that Roxanne did a great job with the audio narration, however I thought that the voice seemed a bit young for the story. Other than that, I enjoyed the audio version and would listen to other books read by Roxanne.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a great start for a new series. It is a fast paced police procedural with an agent on a search for a serial killer. There is a lot of action and the author brings social media into the equation. This was an excellent read.
Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Cipher is definitely a story you don’t want to miss. From the first page to the very last there is something going on.
A twisted thriller that you just can’t put down.
Can’t wait for mor by this author! I’ll be looking for her next book!

FBI agent goes after the serial killer who attacked her when she was a teenager. This one was good...if you like police procedurals and serial killers. Lots of action and suspense. I was happy to see that it was listed as the first of a series. #2 will be on my TBR list. Definitely recommended.

The killer obsessed with the one victim that got away.
This former abandoned girl is now an FBI agent.
Cat and mouse game can start.

Mixed feelings.
On the one hand I like this story of a girl fighting back and turning her abuse into a victory.
But I find this super-skilled villain simply unbelievable, as well as police letting him have free reign for so long.

The book is fast paced, but some parts of the plot are not so believable. And anyone not so into the graphic content, please stay away from the book.

The only problem with the book is the finale.. where everything is closed in few pages. But I will definitely be looking forward for the next book in the series.

Some years ago I used to watch the TV-show Criminal Minds every week. This book heavily reminds me of that show, in a good way. The story flows rather well and has a main character you can sympathise with. The killer they are chasing is staying one step ahead of them and the fact that you as a reader know who it is doesn't negatively influence the tension in the book. The methods the FBI is using and the events that happen seem believable enough to suck you into the story without getting disrupted in your reading flow by irritations due to plotlines/plotholes. The story deals with disturbing acts, but while not shying away from them the descriptions are not overly graphic.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a solid female lead chasing a serial killer with enough action to keep the pace going towards a satisfying end. I get the feeling this could lead to a second book and I for one will definitely put it on my to read list if it does.

Great book! I was hooked from the start, thank you so much for providing me a copy of this book to read. This is something I would love to purchase.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I love Police Procedural books and the FBI and really enjoyed this and so pleased it is book No. 1. I will definitely be reading more from this author.

The Cipher by Isabella Maldonado
Nina Guerrera #1

Drew me in from the first page and kept my interest. It was a great introduction to a new series I look forward to reading more of in the future.

What I liked:
* Nina: small but mighty, survivor, warrior, bright, damaged but not broken, an asset, intriguing – I liked her and want to hear more about her in the future.
* The core team she worked with – three people I look forward to finding out more about
* The police procedural parts
* The writing, plot and pacing
* That the bad guy was taken down…eventually
* Knowing that there will be another book in this series to read in the future
* The puzzle pieces coming together slowly – though at times it felt a bit too slow as I wanted to move ahead and find out what would happen

What I didn’t like:
* Odin – the serial killer…creepy person that deserved to be put down like a rabid beast
* Being reminded that this could happen even though I would rather think it doesn’t
* Having to wait for the next book in the series.

Thank you to NetGally and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars