I have never read anything from Lisa Renee Jones & this sounded interesting, so I went for it and I am so glad I did. I was hooked from the beginning & finished the book in one day. I absolutely had to know what would happen next. I find the characters so interestingly broken. I don’t know how to explain that but will understand when you read it. The writing is fabulous, with a unique plot & subplots. The twists and turns are on par with any rollercoaster while the villains are so abhorrent. My only negative comment is about the cliffhanger at the end. I am not a fan of cliffhangers, especially when the story is so good. I want the “period at the end of the sentence”.

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“There is blood in the ocean.
I don’t notice it at first, but then most people don’t. It’s called denial. We refuse to see what we eventually have to cope with, or perhaps even confess. For the innocent, they don’t expect the brutality of the actions required to take a life, so they simply cannot process the inconceivable. For the guilty, it’s all about denying your own ability to do such a thing, and denial can be a slow, brutal sword that carves you inside out.”

Murder Notes by Lisa Renee Jones follows FBI profiler Lilah Love as she becomes involved in a serial murder case that leads her back to her hometown and her past. The case seems to be aimed specifically and personally at agent Love in some ways, and there are concerns that the love of her life, her ex and head of a crime organization, Kane may be connected to the murders. Lilah is forced to face people she has been running from and the possibility that someone she was once close to maybe committing or tied to these atrocious crimes.

The writing in this book is phenomenal. Lisa Renee Jones has a romantic style that draws me in and haunts me. The main character is also complicated and easy to route for as she struggles to acknowledge her own flaws and reconcile it with who she projects herself to be. There are glimpses of a fantastic romance in the story as well, that I hope we see more of as the story progresses. The story ends on a major cliffhanger, and no resolution, but the next book of the series is readily available so I find that helps. I give this book 4 full stars and I have already begun to read the next book in the series.

What in the name of heaven did I just read?

How on earth did a woman who previously dated the alleged head of a drug cartel get through the FBI screening program and become a profiler, was the first question I asked, but if you can accept that Lilah Love somehow managed to do that, maybe you can accept all the other wildly implausible things that happen here. Like an FBI profiler being the only agent sent to investigate possible ties between three, soon four, murders. Considering her father is the mayor and her brother the police chief in the East Hamptons where she’s investigating, the conflicts of interest should have made sure she was never sent in the first place.

Absolutely nothing here makes any sense from the beginning, and then in the cardinal sin for a mystery thriller, nothing gets tied off at the end, because the book just ends slap bang in the middle of the case on a massive cliffhanger.

I get why authors do cliffhangers, to try and tempt you to buy the next book in the series, but you have to solve the case introduced in this book FIRST, otherwise it’s only half the book. Lilah’s got lots of baggage and fascinating things going on; there’s no reason why she couldn’t have solved the case and THEN the cliffhanger happened, making the reader immediately want to buy book 2 to find out how she handles things and where it leads. This? Half a book? No. It annoyed me, and I think it would annoy most readers. I don’t want half a story, I want a WHOLE story. I don’t want to read a mystery where literally not one single question posed in the book gets answered. Not. ONE.

Is this a new trend of serialized fiction novels? If you buy book 2, will you get any answers? Or will you have to keep on buying to find out ANYTHING? Who knows. Not me, and you know what, I’m not interested in finding out. Lilah’s unlikeability and complete failure to care about any of the victims - we knew more about Lilah’s outfits than the woman who was murdered practically to get her attention - were going to earn this book harsh marks from me anyway, but the total lack of any closure mean this is only getting one star.

Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via NetGalley. And incidentally, even though book 2 and 3 were available there as well, meaning I could read them for absolutely free, I’m so disgusted by what the author did with this one I’m not even considering it.

I am so glad I read other reviews before starting this book and therefore knew there would be a cliffhanger at the end! I really enjoyed the thriller. I did find the character of Lilah hard to like for some way into the book, but I am glad I didn’t give up as she certainly grew on me. The plot was fast paced and is still leaving me guessing. Really well written and the first book I have read by this author. Given the dramatic ending I am now going* straight into the 2nd book. Murde4 Notes.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read a copy of this book.

I really enjoyed this , it was such a fun and enjoyable . I really enjoyed the mystery and thriller side of this.

A thrilling, heart pounding romantic suspense. Brimming with action, conspiracies that lead to eye popping plot twists and a forbidden romance, I couldn’t put this book down, especial since it reminded me somewhat of the series The Blacklist.

In Murder Notes, author Lisa Renee Jones, introduces Lilah Love, one of the FBI’s best profilers. While working on a murder case in LA where everyone thinks is serial killer while she believes it to be an assassin, Lilah stumbles on clues that lead her to believe the murder is tied to the reason she left her home town.

When she arrives back home to investigate another similar case, she’s not only faced with a new murder, but also her brother the police chief, her father the mayor and her old flame, Kane Mendez, the area’s crime lord’ son. Kane not only knows her heart, he also shares the secret behind her departure two years back. With the body count rising, Lilah isn’t sure who she can trust, but one thing is for sure, she isn’t afraid.

I really enjoyed getting to know Lilah, she is one tough cookie who doesn’t care what other people think about her directness. She’s a blunt force to be reckoned with and I can’t wait to keep reading about her and the mysteries she’s uncovering.

➵ Facts: Murder Girl is book #1 of Lilah Love series by NY Times, and USA Today best-selling author Lisa Renee Jones. It is told from the heroine's point of view with a cliffhanger ending. Genres: Women Sleuths | Romantic Suspense. Tropes: Alpha hero | love triangle

Murder Notes is a suspenseful murder mystery that kicks off the Lilah Love Series. Lilah Love is a tough, badass FBI profiler with a big secret she needs to keep hidden. As she investigates several murders and tries to ascertain if it's the work of a serial killer or an assassin, she finds she may be the common denominator in the investigation. Secrets, lies, mystery, intrigue, and danger keep you on your toes and turning the page from beginning to end. Totally loved this suspenseful thriller and the ending.....OMG! it left me hanging and I cannot wait for the next book!

An absorbing psychological thriller with an interesting heroine in Lilah Love. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and can't wait to read the next after the cliffhanger ending!
*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher*

I really liked this story and author! Miss Jones is an instant request for me because her books are incredible!

I read some of Lisa Renee Jones' work before, but they have been more romance mysteries. This is my first true murder mystery by her and it didn't let me down. This book was fast paced, full of information and very mysterious. And of course, it ends on a cliff hanger.

Lilah is known as "murder girl" because her job with the FBI is always investigating murders. It's as if she sees dead people and can immediately profile the killer very accurately. She has been on the west coast for a few years now and she excels at her job. But she has basically zero interpersonal skills - she cusses like a sailor; she doesn't show appreciation and she acts like a hard ass every chance she gets - which I'm sure is necessary for FBI agents.

As the book progresses, we start to experience Lilah's earlier life through her flashbacks. Something terrible happened to her back in NY that ultimately drove her away, but we don't know exactly what - we start to see bits and pieces through her flashbacks. And we learn that she was involved with a very dangerous mafia son back in NY also.

After a few murders in LA, they start to have a connection to a murder that just took place in NY. Of course, Lilah's boss thinks she should head to NY to find the connection. Lilah doesn't want to go because she isn't ready to face her past, but what else can she do? The more she learns through her investigation, she realizes she can't trust anyone - it's as if these murders took place as some sort of warning for her. I can't wait to start the next book!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions stated above are mine without biases.

Holy crap... This book is crazy good... It keeps you on your toes wondering what will happen next... And the chemistry between Lilah and Kane is crazy hot... A definite must read book... I can't wait to read the next book in this series....

This book is very intriguing with the flashbacks and the current murder case. I like that Lilah is such a fierce woman, but felt like the book drug on and on. Then it ended in a cliffhanger... Since I already have book 2 it isn't as bad, but I prefer not to have books end this way. I'm dying to know what happened...

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

She's one tough cookie - with a secret past. The story is full of twists and turns and keeps you on your toes. We get plenty of warning that is ends as a cliff hanger - clearly incentive to buy the next book - which I did! Her relationship with Kane Mendez - is story of attraction with a "bad boy" but is he? I look forward to reading the whole series,

Cue the story of Lilah Love - FBI, not a stripper - a fierce, sassy, take-no-prisoners kinda gal, and a likeable one at that. Lilah takes us on a journey back to her hometown where she's on the hunt for a serial killer and as time goes on we begin to discover there's a reason Lilah specifically has been chosen for the job, but what is it?! A dark thriller filled with secrets, lies and dangerous history.

A 24 hour read for me because quite honestly, I couldn't put it down. The only downside for me, which isn't really a downside at all is that the book ended midscene and left me like WHAT?! WHY?! I NEED INFO! TELL ME MORE! Meaning of course I'll need to pursue the next installment.. 😅

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review 📖

FBI Profiler Lailah Love ran away from her past only to be sucked back in when a case leads her back home. Taunted by anonymous notes and a trail of corpses, she rushes against time to find the killer while trying to prevent a past secret from being exposed.
Overall I enjoyed this book. The main character is gritty and endearing at the same time. There is a bit too much eluding to "the secret" and not enough reveals related to it. So when the secret is finally revealed it's a bit anticlimactic. The end also leaves something to be desired. A cliffhanger ending can be good, but in this case there is no resolution for the case at hand. It would have been better if at least something had been resolved and leave it open for the next chapter in the case. This does seem like it will be a good series though and I am very curious on what happens next. So if you don't mind unresolved cliffhanger endings then I would recommend it.

Once again Lisa Renee Jones sucks you into to the story and you simply cannot escape. Murder Notes is the first book in what will be at least six books from what I can gather. Be warned they are dark as hell and deal with the murky, bloody works of solving murders. It's what Agent Lilah Love does. And now she's forced to face the past she walked away from, the man whose secrets she keeps and the family that may be in the middle of a web of lies. All while trying to piece together recent murders spanning both coasts and trying to figure out whose playing creepy stalker stirring up trouble from the past.
Also fair warning the book ends in a cliffy, which I abhor, but it's to be expected.

I really liked 'Murder Notes' by Lisa Renee Jones. The first few pages had me totally engrossed. Lilah Love the protagonist of 'Murder Notes' is an FBI agent who is trying to solve a series of murders which are getting too close to her home. Lilah doesn't know who is a friend or who is suspect. Someone is trying to scare her away from solving the case. Lilah is a strong character who is worthy of respect. She is dark, intense and crude as well as vulnerable. Her Achilles heel is a hot, past lover who is allegedly a Mob kingpin named Kane. Is he the center of the case? I'll have to keep reading. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this terrific book.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book Fbi agent Lilac Love is called to a crime scene where the victim has a tattoo similar to a man who attacked her many years ago. She is forced to visit her hometown. This book kept me interested from the beginning.

Lisa Renee Jones gives us a skillfully crafted story of murder and suspense where the cast of characters all rank as suspects. Lilah Love, hardened investigator/ profiler has been assigned the task of profiling a series of unusually executed murders. As her profile has her leaning towards an assassins' actions, Lilah finds herself at a new crime scene where the evidence touches on her secret past and the killer starts leaving notes addressed to her. As the investigation ramps up, Lilah finds herself working with an ex boyfriend who no longer wants to be an ex.
The story slowly layers clues on top of clues, allowing us to change our guess on who is the killer many times. Lilah makes an unforgettable MC whose back story is revealed a small piece at a time, adding to the suspense. As book #1 in the Murder Girl series, Jones has done a great job of building characters and back stories to keep us interested. 5 stars the easy way.

Love Lisa Renee Jones. Have read her in the past. These titles were wonderful, but all ended on a cliff-hanger. There was no resolution and I will have to keep reading and keep reading and keep reading. That's not a bad thing and I enjoy seeing a continuation of characters from title to title, but I don't like books that leave you mid-scene or mid-conversation for a "to be continued" kinda vibe. If it weren't for that, I'd be a huge fan of this new series.