This is a lot different than most of my reads but I enjoyed it! It was a great mystery/thriller. I couldn't stop reading it! I definitely recommend it for romantic thriller fans.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.
Though many books by this author have been published, this is the first time I have encountered her.
Well written and an absorbing plot filled with interesting and likable characters make this a book that is hard to put down. Again the plot centers on a serial killer committing brutal murders of revenge. I don't select books knowing I will be encountering gruesome, bloody death but it keeps happening. Is that all that is being written about?
In any case, this is an entertaining read if one can get past violent death..#1 in anew series. Look for more.

I thought there were some very unique aspects of the mystery and I was actually surprised at the end which I always love. The romance aspect grew at a natural pace I thought and it was a good winter read with all the snow and cold setting.

Suspense thriller. You will love the story as it's the beginning of a series. One sitting read. What would you do if a serial killer was stalking you and the only person that will take you seriously is now dead? This story answers all of the questions. You will love some of the characters and hate the others.

3.75 stars--DON’T LOOK is the first instalment in Alexandra Ivy’s contemporary, adult PIKE, WISCONSIN romantic, suspense, thriller series focusing on the people of Pike, Wisconsin.

Told from several third person perspectives DON’T LOOK follows businessman Kir Jansen, on his return to his hometown of Pike Wisconsin in the aftermath of his father’s death. As the former Sheriff, Rudolph Jansen was a well-respected man but a gun shot to the head left Rudolph a shadow of his former self leading to a life of heavy drinking. The possibility of serial killer in Pike Wisconsin had Rudolph struggling to get anyone to believe but a drunk with fantastic stories about threatening letters and motive, is still a drunk.

Kir Jansen knew about the mysterious letters his father received but it wasn’t until Kir returned to Pike Wisconsin did the killer begin to up his body count. Meeting local veterinarian and former school mate Dr. Lynne Gale stirred something deep within our story line hero but a list of potential victims included the woman with whom Kir would fall in love. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Kir and Lynne, as the couple begin an investigation of their own when local law enforcement failed to do what needed to be done.

DON’T LOOK is a story of betrayal and revenge; of desperation, murder, obsession and hate. Lynne and Kir began to piece together a list of possible motives, motives that would connect back a number of years. As the body count increases, our couple become suspect, as they followed the cues that the new sheriff ignored. The premise is intriguing; the romance is passionate; the $ex scenes are mostly implied; the characters are colorful, and energetic but saying that I struggled with the couple’s ability to gather information when law enforcement claimed they had no leads or ideas. The story line is edgy and dramatic but you will have to suspend reality as Kir and Lynne solve a cast that no one else was able



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Well written mystery with a totally unexpected twist. Great story and characters.highly recommended. Do yourself a favor and get this book

Kir Jansen left his hometown of Pike, Wisconsin years ago to attend college in Boston and never looked back. He returns to his boyhood home for the funeral of his father Rudolf, the former sheriff whose life slowly deteriorated after he was forced into early retirement by a line-of-duty injury. Around the time of the funeral, a series of murders begins, rattling the rural isolated town to its core. It appears that someone with a score to settle is targeting Pike residents for death.

The current sheriff is eager to bring the case to a quick close, ignoring tips that could identify the responsible party. This doesn't sit well with Kir, who teams up with Lynne Gale, the town veterinarian and his former classmate, to begin an investigation. As Kir and Lynne's attraction to each other grows, they painstakingly search for clues that tie the victims together in hopes of exposing the killer. Can information that Kir's father shared before his death lead them to the killer? And will they uncover the truth before they are caught in the killer's crosshairs?

Don't Look is a fast-paced tale of romantic suspense with a plot that weaves together destructive secrets that lead to heinous acts of revenge. The author expertly builds a cast of suspects, managing to conceal the killer's identity until the story's final pages. Overall, Don't Look is a solid start to a new series.

An exciting, creepy serial killer and sweet romance tale. Surprised to see this is the first of a series. I do look forward to reading the next one. This one kept me guessing and up past my bedtime. I mostly read cozy mysteries and this definitely is not cozy.

A serial killer is on the prowl and there’s a list.
Who will be next????
It wasn’t until the end that I found out who the killer was.
A gripping, suspenseful story!
I really enjoyed reading Alexandra Ivy’s book “Don’t Look”. I have not read any books written by her and I hope to read more after finishing Don’t Look. The writing style was easy to follow and the build up mystery was quite intriguing. Definitely kept my interest to the point I read way too late into the night.
I loved the two main characters, Lynne and Kit. I enjoyed following their friendship to romance journey. The pacing for the mystery, the friendship and the romance was perfect.
Thank you to NetGallery, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆☆
M/F Mystery with a hint of romance

Kir has just buried his dad. He knew that he should've come back, knew he should've made the time, but time was always getting away from him. While he's back home, a woman is killed, and it sets off a chain of events that has Kir puzzled and scared.

Dr. Lynne Gale is a small town vet. She loves her job, loves the animals, and loves her town. She always takes the time to make sure everyone is being helped. She also runs a non-profit to help animals heal and receive care. She has never really looked at Kir as anyone other than a towns person, but when she sees him again at his father's funeral, she takes notice.

Kir and Lynne are worried about their town. Someone is killing people and nobody knows why or what for. While the mystery in their town heats up, Kir knows that Lynne could be the next target and he isn't going to let anything happen to her. With a sheriff who is less than enthusiastic about what's going on, needing someone to pin the murders on, and townsfolk running scared, whomever solves this mystery will be the town hero.

Can Kir and Lynne find the killer and keep their lives? Why is this happening now? It is a great story that keeps you on the edge of your seat. You'll want to read through the night and hope that book two is coming out soon.

Triggers: Murder, stalking

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books for the chance to read an advanced copy of Don't look by Alexandra Ivy. Dr. Lynne Gale, the town Vet and Kir Jansen, son of the town's late sheriff hunt a serial killer. Kir didnt believe his father that a serial killer has been sending him letters, dismissing it, until a body is found. Now he is back in town for his father's funeral, and someone is hunting the women of the town. I enjoyed this book, the first of a new series (Pike, Wisconsin). The chemistry between Lynne and Kir was great! Cant wait for the next book!

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

Yay! A New series from Alexandra Ivy!!!

I love Ivy’s writing. I have loved her writing back to her paranormal and into the suspense genre. She, honestly, never disappoints me. And she didn’t this time either.

Ok, lets state the obvious and move from there… Yes, Kir and Lynne become amatuer detectives and somehow figure out what the cops can not. This is not new in the genre. So yes, that is obvious and unrealistic but we do not pick up these books to read realism.

Now Kir returns to town to bury his father. His dad knows there is a serial killer out there and he was getting letters from the killer. But Kir comes back and realizes that his dad was right. And Kir also meets Dr Lynne, a vet, and a romance blossoms.

Alexandra Ivy always writes great characters. I would want to be friends with Kir and Lynne. And I would certainly want them on my side if my death seemed suspicious. And their romance that comes from their time together is expected and wonderful.

I am happy to see Ivy with a new series. I never miss her books and can’t wait to meet more of the people from Pike.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

I'm afraid that this book suffered by comparison to another book I'm listening to at the same time. It just so happens that they share a similar plot and snowy location. It was hard for me to keep the plots separate and I've got to say "Don't Look" came off as the weaker book. The romance in an Alexandra Ivy book is not what you would call barn-burning passionate, at least in the books I've read, and this one is no different. The plot was interesting, but not a seat of your pants suspense by any means. The best part was that you had little or no clue who the baddie was till the end.

Kir Jansen in back in Pike, Wisconsin to bury his father, settle his affairs and return to his successful business in Boston as fast as possible. Until . . . he sees Lynne Gale again and a woman turns up nude and murdered, and it seems that Kir's father may not have been delusional about a murderer living in Pike after all. The list Rudolf Jansen left his son is just initials and makes no sense, until the bodies start turning up.

When Dr. Lynne Gale sees Kir at his father's funeral, she has an instant attraction. But the vet has a full life, has just ended a relationship and isn't looking for another. When she is targeted by the killer, she is thankful that the attraction is mutual. Together, Kir and Lynne are determined to stop the killer before he makes Lynne his victim too. 3 1/2-Stars

A gripping romantic suspense read that won't let you go until the last page! Kir and Lynne are sucked into the mystery surrounding deaths in their town that appear to be a serial killers work.
The characters are interesting and complex. Kir has a lot to work through in relation to his father. Lynne has had a lot on her plate. When the two are brought together the chemistry is immediately clear. The pacing for the romance and the mystery is perfect and keeps you invested in the outcome. I loved the ending and I can't wait for Faceless. This promises to be an excellent series.

I enjoyed this suspenseful thriller. This is my first book by this author. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. This is a well written story that kept me turning pages to the end. It is full of action, suspense and is engaging. I enjoyed how the characters pulled me into the story right from page one. I had no problems connecting with them as they brought the story to life on each page I read. This is a story about a serial killer that hunts and stalks a small town. Now Dr. Lynne is about to be added to that list. I really enjoyed this story and Lynne was my favorite character. She really made the story for me. I highly recommend this book and this author.

Alexandra Ivy delivers another solid mystery with a hint of romance between the Prodigal Son returned to town and the Vet who never left their home town.

When Kir Jansen is back into town for his father’s funeral - a man who was the beloved Sheriff, even though he had to retire due to an on the job shooting. Though he did also end up as the town drunkard after retirement, he was still loved and his successor had big shoes to fill.

What Kir doesn’t expect is that his father’s supposed drunken ramblings about a serial killer conversing with him through letters was actually the truth. When the next target is revealed as the town’s veterinarian- the lovely Dr. Lynn Gale; he knows that he can’t just leave.

Dr. Lynn Gale, on the other hand took over her father’s practice and is a life long resident of Pike. While she is focused on her practice, what she never expected was her kindness to Kir’s father would end up putting her on a serial killer’s radar.

This was a solid mystery with romance taking a back seat - the twists and turns had me intrigued but the romance is clean (by which I mean, that there no overt smexy scenes per say *sighs*) but it is definitely worth picking up because it gives a solid start to a small town romance - mystery series!

Don’t look

I received this ARC from Netgalley. This is my honest review of Don’t Look, by Alexandra Ivy.

I have not read anything by Alexandra Ivy. But I have definitely become a fan.

This book had me on the edge of my seat. I kept asking myself , Who’s killing these women? What does the red scarf signify? There are many suspects that could have murdered these women.

Will Dr.Lynne Gale be the next? She has received a warning. Did the other women?

The romance tension is great between Dr. Gale and Kir. Will Kir be able to focus on the murderer with the romance tension? Can Kir feel relief from finding the murdered to help his guilt of no being a good son to his father?

I’m looking forward the reading the rest of this series.

So this book reminds me of a cozy mystery but better because it has all the stuff a cozy mystery is missing. The reason it reminds me of a cozy mystery is because both Lynne and Kir are not any sort of law enforcement. There is a great mystery in this book. There is also a love story starting between Lynne and Kir. They make a great team in this book. I also had no clue who the killer was and that made it more fun to read. I really hope we have more books with these two. I will be interested to see what happens with the Sheriff.

*I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily giving my honest opinion*

Main reason I requested this on NetGalley was the cover. The cover is striking, right? But does it live up to the premise?
 
Kir Jansen returns to his hometown of Pike, Wisconsin, to bury his father, the former sheriff of the town. After the funeral, things happen out of his control: Kir bumps into the town’s vet, Dr Lynne Gale and there’s something between them. The vicar gives Kir a letter from his father, listing initials and Kir is wondering if it’s linked to his father’s frantic and drunk delusions that a serial killer is taunting him, waiting to strike at the women of Pike…
 
Then women begin to get murdered. Discovered naked barring a red ribbon wrapped round their neck, their throats slashed and each victim looks like they have been tortured.
 
Kir realises (to his horror and shame) that his father was telling the truth and he’s worried that Lynne might be the last victim in this serial killer’s list. As the two try to figure out who the killer is, the two grow closer…
 
I’m a little torn over this. One the surface, I like this. It’s fun. But I would call this a holiday thriller. Something you can read on the beach but then discard once done. Now, nothing wrong with a holiday thriller. I think with everything that’s happened this year, we need more of these types of books. Books you can read and enjoy shamelessly.
 
But we do have problems if you look a little closer to this. Our two leads aren’t detectives. They are amateur detectives – a vet and a business owner from the big city of Boston – and yet, they seem to discover a ton of information and clues. Far more than should be possible. And we didn’t really see the Police do anything and, when they did, it felt like a personal agenda was happening rather than they hunting to the truth (not exactly great when you see what has been happening to Police forces round the world the past 12/18 months).
 
But the biggest issue I had with Don’t Look is that, at times, this book seemed to suffer from an identity crisis. Is this a romance suspense, a romance thriller or a just a thriller with a romance as a subplot? I have read books that have found the balance (which is hard, I grant you that), but because this book has such a high death count in a short space of time (this book takes place over several days. Four or five?), the serial killer thriller element overpowered the romance. And because of the timeframe this book, the romance between Kir and Lynne happened very quickly as well. I get why, but I wish there was something to kickstart it more. Some history between them (former lovers, for example) rather than they lived in the same town when they were kids and knew each other vaguely.
 
This is, I believe, the first in a series. It’ll be interesting to see where this series goes as only a few characters came out of Don’t Look likeable and the stakes need to be lower than a serial killer as we don’t want to enter Midsomer Murders, Murder She Wrote or Diagnosis Murder territory. And with the stakes lower, the romance might feel more organic and not rushed.
 
Though I didn’t like certain elements within Don’t Look, I did generally like this and I am open to reading the next book in the series.

A well written suspense/romance. The H/h investigate the murders of several people in their small town. Lynne is the town Vet and Kir has come back home after the unexpected and sudden death of his father. He can't help but investigate after the first person is murdered. There are lots of twists and turns, mysterious letters written by the killer that disappear, a list of initials and many red herrings. When characters are murdered, the small chapter showing that is written from their POV; which was interesting. Otherwise, the main story is told in third person in alternate points of view of the H/h.

The back story was engaging and I needed to finish as quickly as possible to find out who the UNSUB was. I was still guessing at 85%, but I'm terrible at picking killers. As to the romance, I wasn't convinced, as it seemed fairly clinical and insta-love and also the author didn't really let you into the H/h's heads re their attraction to each other - it just happened - so it seemed to come from nowhere. This book was all about the murders though, so I didn't mind too much. If you are wanting a plot filled with erotic sex scenes, then this isn't it, although there are a couple of quick, steamy-ish scenes. There were lots of characters with small parts, but they were written into the story in a way that didn't make you feel overwhelmed or confused.

A good solid story for lovers of this genre. My thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc in return for my opinion.