The Nurse Murders is the second book in the Gene Hammond series by Jon Fallon. I was unaware this was the second in a series, so the beginning was a bit difficult to get into and had a slow burn. It's not too hard to keep on track piecing together the details if you haven't read the first book, but I do feel like reading them in order would have been more helpful. I felt like this book is less like the typical thrillers I usually read and more of a historical fiction mystery. Since it takes place in the 1930's during the Depression and is historically and accurately portrayed, as if you were transported in time to that specific era, it does contain racial slurs given the time period, so read the warnings before diving in if that is a trigger for you. It did pick up the pace and kept me interested with the plot twists and strong character development. Overall I think it was well done, it's just not my type of genre. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to receive an ARC of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to netgalley and the author for the opportunity to receive and ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review. The book was a bit difficult for me to get into at the beginning as I had not read the first novel in the series. Once I finally understood the gist of the first novel I was sitting at the edge of my seat just waiting to see what would happen next! It was a great book and definitely makes me want to go back and read the first one. I’m excited to see where the next story takes us!

I hate to say it, but I never could get into this book. I tried but it just didn't keep me interested.

The Nurse Murders
A Gene Hammons Novel
By Jon Talton
Pub Date: 05 Dec 2023
Poisoned Pen Press
Mystery & Thrillers

The Nurse Murders is the second book in the Gene Hammond series by Jon Fallon. As I read it, it felt more like a 1930s historical fiction mystery. Although it took me some time to get into the story, once I did, I became engrossed in it. The suspense, romance and intrigue kept me turning the pages and the plot twists were surprising. The characters were well developed and the story had a satisfying ending that tied up all the loose ends. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and old movies as it played out in my head like a classic Humphrey Bogart film.

The book contains racial slurs that may offend some readers. The plot is set in an earlier time period, and the language reflects that. Despite the potential to offend, this novel transports readers to a bygone era and allows them to experience life through the eyes of the protagonist. Be sure to read the warnings before proceeding.

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. Your kindness is appreciated.

As soon as I read the first page I realized I was reading a mystery novel set in the 30’s. I couldn’t read a line from the main character without hearing Humphrey Bogart’s voice. Seriously. It was kind of nice. The way they talked back then in those Humphrey Bogart movies. I could even visualize the black and white office… the cigarette smoke….. the hats…… the mystery music in the background.

Two private investigators team up to find a killer. That’s the focus. There are talks of war, politics, racism, bootlegging, mob bosses and Hitler. I could possibly be missing some. It seemed pretty clear that the dialect was pretty accurate. Racial slurs were prominent then. Just facts.

I did enjoy this more than I thought I would. It was a nice surprise. I look forward to his later work.
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

3 stars!

I do love a good thriller, although I do tend to like them to be fast paced, which I think is why I couldn't give this one a 4 or 5 star.

There are a lot of twists and turns that will keep you guessing, which is always good. There's nothing worse than knowing the outcome when you still have 3/4 left to go.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC!

"[...] The killer receives intense sexual gratification by killing someone. [...]”

An interesting retro crime story set in the first half of the 20th century. The first chapter really interested me. Why? It talks about why in Arizona they changed the death penalty by hanging to the death penalty by gassing. Whenever there is a death sentence, I wonder whether the guilty person 100% deserved this punishment. What happens if, after the execution of the sentence, the convicted person turns out to be innocent? Who will give him his life back? It has long been known that many such sentences were carried out at that time. Our hero is looking for a missing boy. However, things get a bit confusing. Eugene (Gene) Hammons is a private detective. His accidental accomplice is Pamela Bradbury. Will something connect them? Our hero, working in the police, caught the Strangler from University Park. How many victims did this monster kill? Currently, someone is hunting nurses. Why is he doing this? Is he a copycat of the University Park Strangler? You will find out by reading Jon Talton's book "The nurse murders". The great plot, very good action and characters in this book made me unable to stop reading. I literally read it in one day. Thank you very much for such an emotional finale. While reading this retro crime story, I couldn't hold back my tears. I liked two characters. One of them is Pamela and the other is Gene. If you like retro crime stories with a shocking ending, you must read this story. It would be nice to see a film based on this reading. After this shocking book, I would like to read other works by this author. If you are a nurse and live in Phoenix, you better watch your back... Who knows, there may be a stalker lurking around the corner. After reading this book, you may be afraid.

The ending of "the nurse murders" is so good! I loved the writing still and it's a really good thriller. I couldn't stop reading.

I found this author many years ago when I stumbled upon his David Mapstone books. The Nurse Murders is his second book about Gene Hammons and they are also set in Phoenix but in the 1930s instead of nowadays. Jon Talton has a great way of weaving history with fiction and he sure knows Phoenix and that is one of many things I love about his writing. I saw that some readers out there reacted to his language in this series despite the fact that in the preface he explains why he choose to write the books this way. I for one love that the author goes the extra mile and makes the language true to the time they write in. The book in itself is a rather classic noir private detective story with many of the ingredients one would want in such a book. The only downside I can find with this series is the lack of more books to read. I can't wait to see what will happen in the next one. Talton is for sure one of my favorite authors. I am forever thankful to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for letting me read this great mystery I have loved this genre since before my teens and it will always hold a special place in my heart. Well done Mr. Talton.

This book is not really for me. I had a hard time getting through it and I don’t really know why. The writing was good but I wasn’t really lured in. I do have a really hard reading month so maybe I just can’t really focus.

The author did disclaim at the beginning of the book that there will be language used that isn’t considered normal in modern days which is fine with me, but when I was reading I had quite a hard time with the slurs because it’s used a lot more than I would’ve guessed. This is nothing against the author because I chose to read the book while knowing there would be some racial slurs so it’s my own responsibility!
I do think that other people might enjoy this book, it just wasn’t for me!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

*TRIGGER WARNING *
This book is set in the 1930’s and its language and terminology match that time period which would be viewed as offensive today.

I had a really hard time reading this book, not because of the language, but because it’s just so slow. The exciting things that happened in the book were quickly written while the mundane things in the book were written with grave detail.

I typically like the who done it types of books, but I didn’t enjoy this one due to its lack of action and excitement.

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for a copy of this book on exchange for my review.

🩸 🔪 The Nurse Murders is the second in the Gene Hammons series and I think I definitely would’ve enjoyed it more had I known that and read the first beforehand. Anyways, I quite enjoyed the authors style of writing and the private investigator aspect was so intriguing with the setting of Arizona to boot. The serial killer he is tracking down is a vicious and ruthless killer. It was definitely a keep the lights on read. 3.5/5 ⭐️
Thank you, Jon Talton, Poisoned Pen Press, and Netgalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Couldn’t get into this read. Maybe cause I hadn’t read the first?
It was a did not finish for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the option to read it early.

A Dangerous Killer..
A private investigator Gene Hammons novel, and the second of the Phoenix Noir series, finds a dangerous killer terrorising Phoenix. Hammons is already swamped with work but he is about to find himself on the trail of that elusive and dangerous individual. With a swiftly moving plot populated with a credible and well drawn cast, a pacy narrative and a firm and well imagined sense of time and place - a rollercoaster ride ensues as the tale twists and turns with breathless speed, not letting up until the very end.

I unfortunately could not get into reading this book,maybe the time line. Just not for me!
Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read this in advance!

Book : The Nurse Murders
Author : Jon Talton
Pub Date : 05 Dec 2023

Thank you NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, & the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.

There is a killer in Phoenix that is targeting red headed nurses and we follow Gene & Pamela as they try to outsmart a killer, solve and catch who’s committing these crimes.

This book is a wild ride. It absolutely is not your average mystery that is for sure! I started this book on the a long day of flights and man it sure kept me on my toes!!! By the time I finished this book I never had it figured out and my mind was blown. I am a huge sucker for detective mystery books. Be careful—you may get whiplash with the amount of twists and turns that this book brings.

I will be telling all of my book friends about this book. This would be a fun buddy read for sure!!!

This is not your “cozy” mystery. This is a hard core story along the lines of Dashiell Hammett and Elmore Leonard.

Set in Phoenix, AZ, during the Depression, the reader is immersed in a city dealing with corrupt cops, rival crime lords, g-men and familiar names known through history. In the midst of this, private eye Gene Hammond, finds himself on the hunt for a brutal killer targeting red headed nurses. Even though other cases intrude, his focus never strays far from this sadistic animal.

This is a thrill ride of the first order and the ending…well you need to read it for yourself. It is something else. I can’t wait for the next one!

Highly recommended!

I’m really sorry but I couldn’t get this book to download. But I really interested in this book so I will be buying the book when it’s released.