Back in Black Falls with all of the same characters, this time the book opens with Jenna and Dave just trying to get away overnight. While that is happening you are to the woods where three teenagers are being murdered and you are trying to figure out why? Of course, throughout the book, there would be more and the investigation takes you in many different directions. You even have Jenna kidnapped but not for long as when Dave catches up with them he takes out five guys after he told them to drop their weapons, still, she is still amazed to see him do that. The story takes you on many twists and turns and has one of the deputies fighting for his life. When you get to the end though there is a nice turn of events that even surprised me. A very good story and was not drawn out at all.

This was one crazy ride, the bodies are piling up!
Sheriff and her deputy husband start by investigating 3 teens found shot by arrows. There is a strange connection to a serial killer who's been in prison for quite some time.
Watching the cops join the dots to solve this crime was so entertaining. I never know who it is in this author's stories until they're revealed.
This was one suspense filled story and I highly recommend it.

Three bodies are found dead. Coins on their eyes. But the traits of these killings are similar to previous murders a decade earlier. But that killer is behind bars. Soon this murder investigation will be a little too close to home for Sheriff Jenna Alton, but she must work quickly and find them soon.

This is a brilliantly written series, engaging the reader from the start. This narrative switches between first-person and third-person perspectives to give a view from different characters drawing the reader in deeper.

This is the 19th novel in the series but I can easily pick this novel up and not worry about the previous books. This is one I highly recommend for a crime series to follow.

Their Wicked Games is another wonderful addition to the Detective Kane and Alton series by D.K. Hood. Book 19 in the series can be read by people new to the series as well as those that have been reading all along. The book opens with Kane and Alton trying to get away for a bit by using a friend's secluded cabin. After their first day and night enjoying the woods, they get a call about 3 people that have been murdered on a hiking trail. The 3 had been killed with arrows from a crossbow on a very narrow part of the trail.

When Kane and Alton arrive to examine the bodies and crime scene they are told that each victim has a penny under each eyelid that was added postmortem. There is a serial killer in prison that did this same thing with each of his victims. Could he be involved somehow or is this a copycat? The details of the pennies left under the eyelids was never made public, so how could it be a copycat?

Kane and Alton begin by focusing on elite crossbow archers in the area. There are 2 ranges which have competitive teams as it looks like there were 3 killers. The types of arrows used for the kill are bolts. The archer retrieves the arrows after they're used and did in this case as well. There are a couple of teams that the detectives focus in on. The one of most interest has 2 men and a woman. They decide to pay them a visit and find out where they were during the hours of the murder.

At the prison, the serial killer is getting phone calls from someone that wants to talk about "hunting". He's allowed to talk on the phone as long as he doesn't talk about his killings, victims, and anything violent. Hunting is an acceptable topic of conversation. After he talks to the person this time, he's very excited at the description of the hunter's kills. Jimmy Two Cents gives the hunter a new target to focus on and to call back when he's performed the kill. Not long after that, the woman in the crossbow group is found dead from a vicious stabbing in a dangerous waterfall area on the mountain. Why was she here with no crossbow? Why were her clothes found neatly folded? Who would so viciously stab her?

As Kane and Alton continue to investigate with their team, Jimmy Two Cents is still giving out targets to the caller. As bodies continue to mount, one of the targets hits close to home. Will Kane and Alton be able to survive this investigation? Will their team be intact at the end? Is there more than one killer? Is there more than one caller? You'll be tearing through the pages as you read this one and you'll have great difficulty picking out the killer/killers. I thoroughly enjoyed Their Wicked Games and give it my highest recommendation. I rate it 5 stars. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy of Their Wicked Games in exchange for a fair review. #TheirWickedGames

In the latest installment of the gripping Detectives Kane and Alton series by D.K. Hood, the reader is taken back to the chilling town of Black Rock Falls. Sheriff Jenna Alton and Deputy David Kane find themselves facing a baffling case when three bodies are discovered in the woods, bearing the eerie signature of a notorious serial killer who has been behind bars for a decade. As Jenna delves into the investigation, she becomes convinced that the perpetrator had a personal connection to the victims. The question arises: who would target three innocent teenagers, and how does the incarcerated murderer fit into the puzzle? Jenna's relentless pursuit of the truth leads her to suspect a copycat killer is at large, instilling fear in the community. As the body count rises, Jenna and her team race against time to apprehend the murderer, unaware that one of their own is under surveillance. Hood delivers another captivating read, expertly weaving multiple perspectives and keeping readers on the edge of their seats. With each revelation, the tension heightens, and the stakes grow higher. "Their Wicked Games" is a thrilling addition to the series, leaving readers eagerly anticipating the next installment.

The bodies of 3 young people are found shot by arrows, with the penny coins under their eyelids. The pennies is the calling card of James Earl Staton, but he has been in prison for the past 10 years, did he have a partner, or do they have a copycat killer?
As always and on the edge or you seat read.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW


Review for 'Their Wicked Games' by DK Hood.


Read and reviewed via NetGalley for DK Hood, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous


Publication date 13th June 2023.

HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY DK HOOD!!!!


This is the eighth book I have read by this author. It is also the nineteenth book in the 'Detective Kane and Alton' series but can be read as a standalone. I have previously read 'Cross My Heart' (book 12 in the series), 'Fallen Angel' (book 13 in the series), 'Don't Look Back (book 13.5 in the series), ' Pray For Mercy '(book 14 in the series), 'Kiss Her Goodnight' (book 15 in the series) 'Her Bleeding Heart' (book 16 in the series) and 'Chase Her Shadow' (book 17 in the series) and I would highly recommend them all.



I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'Perfect for fans of Lisa Regan, Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot, Their Wicked Games is a nail-biting crime thriller from USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author D.K. Hood that will have you hooked from the very first page. ' I am a huge fan of all three of those amazing authors so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of DK Hood and if this is half as good as 'Cross My Heart', 'Don't Look Back', 'Pray For Mercy', 'Fallen Angel', 'Kiss Her Goodnight', 'Chase Her Shadow' and 'Her Bleeding Heart' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).


This novel consists of a prologue, 43 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!


This book is set in Montana, USA 🇺🇸.



This book is written in a mix of third and first person perspective and the protagonists are Sheriff Jenna Alton, Detective David Kane and the killer. The benefits of books written in first person perspective are as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them. If there are several protagonists you also get to see more of what is going on. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything. To have the benefit of both first and third person perspective ensures you don't miss out on anything.


OMG!!! LOVE, LOVE, LOVED THIS BOOK and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS SERIES!!! D.K HOOD you just keep getting better and better!!!


This book is fantastically written and had me hooked from the first page until the last. DK Hood way of writing is perfectly evocative and she has such a creative imagination!! Even with nineteen amazing books in this action packed series she is still coming up with unique and action packed storylines that absolutely grip the reader immediately from page one to the very end!!! Hood's fantastic and evocative writing skills ensured the descriptions were so vivid and realistic I felt myself feeling the fear running through me and the hairs on my arms raise. This has got to be one of the best storylines I have ever read!!!! Just when you've read the best book in this series and it can't get any better BANG DK Hood does it again!! What an absolutely torturous way to die, via a crossbow arrow!!! Just ouch!!!! Yet again poor Jenna and Kane are trying to enjoy a break away when their peace is shattered with a phone call saying bodies have been found. When they arrive at the scene to discover the victims are only teenagers things go from bad to worse and then to disaster zone when the scene starts to ring some bells from the past!!! Jenna and her team investigate the case along with Ty Carter and Jo Wells who are FBI agents and the fantastic Medical Examiner Shane Wolfe and his team. With the scene having the signature of infamous serial James Earl Stafford who is currently in prison, shiny pennies under the eyes of the victims and the animalistic way the killings happened this book really will have you on the edge of your seat, biting your nails and even covering your eyes at times!!!! Oh and did I mention the bombshell, jaw dropping and explosive twist at the end??? Well I am gobsmacked that.....
Ooops I can't tell you!!! That would just be spoiling it wouldn't it? So if you want to know what the twist is, who the killer is, why they are killing and much, MUCH more you will just have to grab your copy of this epic thriller today!!!! Needless to say I absolutely LOVED the storyline, LOVE this series and LOVE this amazing author!!!. This book is absolutely perfect for any crime lovers as you are literally reading about crime, twists and murder!!! It just does not get better than that!!! Just seriously, I cannot say how brilliant all this book was!!! The storyline is packed with tension, suspense, murder, tension and filled with twists and turns. I was absolutely shocked when everything was revealed and was not expecting it at all!!! I genuinely thought for once I had actually worked out who it was in this amazing series but YET AGAIN DK Hood proves me wrong!! A HUGE congratulations to D.K Hood, it is getting harder and harder to shock me but you did it well!!! The twist at the end just OMFG!!!! D.K Hood has obviously done her research on police procedurals which is yet another bonus as I've read many crime novels where the authors make massive mistakes due to not doing enough research.This is an absolutely unputdownable page turner and I cannot wait to read the previous and future books in what is one of the best series I have ever read!!



Although this is the nineteenth book in the series I would have had absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.


I absolutely LOVED meeting these amazing characters again and they are all realistic and I became completely invested in them. They have become like friends to me I feel like I have got to know them so well and every time I meet them again I am landed and every time I have to say Goodbye I am gutted I have to wait to greet them again. They really are one of the best teams I have ever met and I certainly would not like to get on the wrong side of them!!!!I love that Jenna is such a strong female lead that has history and has been through so much but doesn't cower and stands strong. I have enjoyed watching her relationship with Kane has evolved and I am looking forward to going back to how they met and moving forward to see where it goes especially in regards to what happens next!!. Kane is another fantastic character that I became invested in and I adore how protective of the team, and especially Jenna, he is. Kane is someone I would move to the other side of the world of I did something to upset him!!! Kane and Jenna would do anything and everything to protect each other and THAT ladies and gents is true love and I feel honoured to have watched it develop so much!!!
The team dynamics worked well and I also enjoyed getting to know more about Rio, Wolfe and Rowley and I look forward to meeting them all again. I must say my favourites have to be Duke and Zorro though!!!! What an absolutely fantastic addition, I just love it when animals play such large parts in books. Regardless of whether you love or hate any of the characters they all work perfectly to make this storyline an absolutely addictive, explosive page turner!!! The majority of the characters have become like friends to me and I'm always sad to say goodbye never knowing when I'll "see" them again so I really hope the next book is being written as I speak. Hint hunt 😉 DK Hood!!!


Congratulations D.K Hood on yet ANOTHER HUMONGOUS success!!! Very rarely an authors books get better but you have certainly mastered it!!! I cannot wait to get stuck into more of your books and this is exactly why you are one my favourite crime authors!!! Here's to your next guaranteed success 🥂


This book is definitely in my top 5 and considering I've read 1000's this is a HUGE achievement!!! This series is also in my top 3 ♥


Do not start this until you have cleared yours schedules as you will not be able to put it down!!



Overall an absolutely addictive, heart racing and unputdownable crime thriller that will keep you up all night.


Genres covered in this novel include Crime, Thriller And Mystery Adventures, Noir Crime, Women Sleuths, Police Procedural, Serial Killer Thriller, Romantic Suspense, Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Women's Popular Fiction, Organized Crime Thriller, Murder Thrillers, Suspense Thriller, Noir Fiction, Womens Psychological, Crime Thriller, Mystery ,Thriller & Suspense Literary Fiction, Serial Killers and Thriller amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Lisa Jewell, Rachel Abbott, K.L Slater, Melinda Leigh, Carol Wyer, Lisa Regan, Kendra Elliot, T.M Logan,The Housemaid, The Family Across The Street, The Family Upstairs, Criminal Minds, The Widow, The Housewarming. and anyone after an addictive, gripping, must read page turner.



319 pages.


This book is just £2.99 to purchase on kindle and £7.99 in paperback via Amazon at time of review, which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!


Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.


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As always, this book keeps you on the edge. The mystery is full of suspense. There are several twists. These characters have come to feel like old friends and I'm always ready for the next in their story. There are also interesting things happening in the personal lives of our characters. The ending was great and left me a little torn. This writer never fails to make me care!

Their Wicked Games is the nineteenth instalment in the Detectives Kane & Alton series set against the backdrop of Black Rock Falls, Montana, and once again, DK Hood has illustrated just how fantastic she is at creating a serial killer thriller that grips like a vice and is effortless in its amazing twists, turns and utterly palpable suspense that have you turning each page more quickly than the last. The plot is original and moves at a great pace with something notable happening in every chapter, so there is never a lull or any tedium to wade through; it is just pure unadulterated edge-of-your-seat thrills and excitement from start to denouement.

Kane and Alton have become like old friends, given we are on book nineteen, and revisiting them for a new case is always a huge pleasure. I have so much trust in Hood that this long ago became a series where I no longer felt the need to read the synopsis before acquiring the latest instalment - knowing that I will adore it regardless as it's part of such a compelling series, and Hood isn't capable of writing a bad book, it seems. When the story starts with a bang and immediately makes for compulsive reading you often wonder where the author is going to take it as it progresses, but never fear, Hood is a master of her craft and continues to heighten the tension until the final reveal, eventually leaving you breathless. Superb, and highly recommended.

What a horrible way to die - being killed with a crossbow. And to make matters worse, the victims are three teenagers. Who could they have crossed to cause someone to want them dead? As Sheriff Jenna Alton and Deputy David Kane along with the rest of the team work on this case, more bodies start turning up. To further complicate matters, there is an aspect to the killings that leads them to believe a serial killer who has been locked up for 10 years may somehow be involved.

This is a fast-paced read that will have you wanting to see the case solved before there are more murders. Jenna's team is assisted by FBI agents Ty Carter and Jo Wells, who have also become good friends of her and Kane, as well as the Medical Examiner Shane Wolfe and his team. There is also a surprising twist in the personal lives of Alton and Kane at the end of the story that left my jaw dropping.

Detectives Kane and Alton are back enjoying some time together. When Jenna gets a call that there has been a murder and it looks like a professional hit.

But when Jenna and Dave arrive on scene . What they find isn't what they were expecting. As three college students have been murdered and although the scene has been sanitised. It's clear this was no contract killing.

However, what they don't expect to find is evidence pointing to three killers and a link to a serial killer who has been behind bars for a number of years.

And just as the investigation gets under way. Jenna is kidnapped off the street. With Dave just miliimeters from her side.

But is this the killer or killers striking again? Or is something far worse at play?

That's what Dave is desperate to find out. As he goes off on his own to find her.

And that's just part of what is a fantastic story. As a dangerous killer continues to pull the strings, and the danger to the residents of Black Rock Falls, Jenna, Dave and the rest of the team including FBI Agents Jo and Carter intensifies.

And with plenty of edge-of-your-seat moments, shocks and surprises. This was another hard to put down story. That I absolutely devoured and is a story/series I would recommend to crime fiction fans everywhere.

Yikes, another thrilling instalment in this series!

Jenna and Dave are investigating the death of 3 teenagers in the forest who met a gruesome end. The MO reminds them of a serial killer - however, said serial killer has been in prison for the past decade, so clearly it can't be him. What the heck is going on???

Such a twisty tale this was. Trying to figure out who the killer (or killers) were, trying to prevent more deaths and also keeping their team safe.

And then, right at the end, a bit of a segue into an unexpected arena. I will be waiting for the next book in the series with bated breath because I REALLY want to see where this goes!

4.5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this gripping book

ohhhh my word what a book..... gripped right to the end and then tears...what an ending....

3 teenagers go off fishing in the woods only they dont come out alive they are murdered

and this begins the terror that surrounds where kane and jenna work... murder central...

there seems to be no rhyme or reason for the murders and before they can get to grips with it another murder happens more bloody and out of control

but its the ending that will have you in tears.... never saw that one coming at all

so now i have to wait for the next book to come to find out more...

On a secluded path near Black Rock Falls, three teenagers lie bloodied and still—the arrows that killed them removed, and polished penny coins carefully placed on their frozen eyes. When Sheriff Jenna Alton and Deputy David Kane are called in, they are shocked to recognise the hallmarks of an infamous serial killer. But he’s been in prison for ten years. Jenna is convinced that the attacker knew the trio and lured them into the forest. Jenna knows she must question James Earl Stafford—one of America’s most dangerous killers—if she’s to save more innocent young lives. With Stafford refusing to give answers, Jenna is convinced that a copycat killer is stalking her small town. And her worst fears are realised when a local fisherman discovers another teenager’s lifeless body floating in the shallows of a local watering hole with the same penny coins covering her eyes.
The nineteenth book in the series & the series goes from strength to strength. Jenna, Dave & the team have their work cut out to solve the case. Another compelling read which, once again, I found hard to put down, edge of the seat moments, twists & turns plus strong believable characters all added to an engrossing read. Roll on book twenty
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

And we are back in serial killer central.. Dave and Jenna are called to the scene of a triple murder, or is it just a tragic hunting accident. Well it is serial killer central so my bets were on murder.
The team scrambles to find a killer before more lose their lives.
Another great addition to this series.. and that ending … can’t wait for the next one.

I fell back in love with Kane, the ultimate man, in the first few pages.
The plot and kills are grisly and gruesome and keeps the team on their toes.
Kane outdoes himself with his rescue efforts.
My senses were on high alert when one if the characters become quite vulnerable during the story.
Hood throws a major, major chase for Jenna and Dave at the very end…. But in an exciting new way.
Out of all the series I read, I’d drop them all for just Kane. I’m addicted to him.

Why would anyone move to Black Rock Falls? Chances are probably 50/50 to stay alive... This time three young boys are brutally killed in the woods. The killers clearly knew what they were doing. But who are they, and why did they kill the boys? Luckily there are ways to figure out who they are, because the police team in town is probably the best in the country.

Such a great read! It was impossible to put down, and I loved every minute of it (now I start sounding like a serial killer or at least a fan of them, oops). The characters feel so vivid, lovable, yet absolutely professionals knowing what they are doing. They all have unique characters, and I love getting to know them better. What a time to be alive when D.K. Hood keeps on coming out with new books!

Their Wicked Games (Detectives Kane and Alton Book 19)
By D.K. Hood
Pub Date: 13 Jun 2023
Bookouture
General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers
Rating: 4.5/5

Their Wicked Games is my favorite of this series of 19 books by D.K. Hood. Initially beginning at a slower pace, the chase quickly intensifies. As an powerful, unpredictable police procedural, I found this murder mystery right up my alley. It is atmospheric and put cold chills up my spine. By the end of the book, I wanted more and was eagerly anticipating the next installment.

Synopsis:
A secluded path near Black Rock Falls is littered with three bloodied bodies. The killer removed crossbow arrows from victims' bodies and placed polished coins beneath their eyelids. Whoever committed the mysterious murders with precision and care remains a mystery. Sheriff Jenna Alton and Deputy David Kane recognize the signs of an infamous serial killer still imprisoned. Could it be a copycat killer? Jenna and David must act quickly if they are to solve this perplexing case before the murderer strikes again.

NetGalley and Bookouture were kind enough to share this gripping thriller with me. This is a book I highly recommend.

#TheirWickedGamesDetectivesKaneandAltonBook19 #DKHood #Bookouture #NetGalley #NetGalleyReviews

Book 19 in the Kane and Alton series. And omg it's so good!

On a secluded path near Black Rock Falls, three bodies lie bloodied and still—the arrows that killed them removed, and polished penny coins carefully placed on their frozen eyes. When Sheriff Jenna Alton and Deputy David Kane are called in, they are shocked to recognise the hallmarks of an infamous serial killer. But he’s been in prison for ten years. So who did this horrific act?

How the author keeps up this drama, intensity and tension in the 19th book I don't know! I'm just so glad she does. I recommend this series to all crime genre fans

Scary, suspenseful, excellent adventure in the woods🏞

This murder mystery ticked all the right boxes for me as a quick-moving, unpredictable police procedural. It got quite scary, too. I've read plenty of murder mysteries that haven't got me nearly as scared and nervous as this one. I still can't believe the lack of awareness of some of these victims who roam the woods and dark streets until their luck runs out!

I guess the use of crossbows by the bad guys upped the fear factor for me. But the author has created a law enforcement team with complementary strengths that has the tools, skills and brains to battle the threat to the local citizenry and eventually pinpoint the guilty. I appreciate that the story gives them all interests and personal lives, even a bit of romance. The story's climax could not have been nearly so moving without.

Plus, there's a totally unexpected twist at the end For Chief Jenna and her husband that choked me up and made me smile.

Good read? Yes, definitely enjoyed it!

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.