Vandetta is book #3 in the Lexi Winters series by Australian author, Sarah Barrie. I’m absolutely loving this thrilling series, so far. In Vandetta, we see a tougher, angrier side to Lexi. After being thrown out of the police force, Lexi returns to her old life as a computer hacker for a notorious bikie gang. Lexi’s relationships with Rachael and Finn from the Gosford homicide team becomes strained and a criminal from Lexi’s past is seeking revenge for a horrific crime. Thanks to NetGalley for my ARC.

I struggled to get this one finished but eventually got there. Lexi is back and once again linked with both the Police and her old Bikie Gang who once treated her like family. But who is she really working for and who is she double crossing? A drama loaded with lots of twists and turns and the saftey and a Police officer and her young family at risk.

Lexi Winter lives an amazingly complex life, her story keeps developing with many twists and turns and the right amount of suspense!
The third book in the series takes the reader into a world of crime, so fast paced crime that it’s a challenge to keep up.
I love the main characters, Lexi’s enthusiasm and dedication is engaging, she’s definitely a strong lead! Lexi has such an incredible talent for engaging with anyone, she’s individual in her talents and is envied by some of her colleagues.
The storyline moves into the undercover world and investigates some unsavoury acquaintances, old and new!
An enthralling story that takes Lexi through highs and lows, the mystery slowly unravels.

Thank you to Harlequin Australia, NetGalley and the amazing Sarah Barrie for the opportunity to review this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Lexi is my hero. It takes you on a gritty , dark journey that you don't want to get off and leaves you screaming for more.

This book is actually number 3 in the series. I just loved this book. My heart was thumping with all the suspense going on. I did jump in at number 3 and I wish I had read number 1 and 2 first.

Vendetta is the third exciting instalment in Sarah Barrie’s series featuring vigilante turned cop, Lexi Winter.

I love Lexi, she’s smart, brave, and kickass, if also somewhat reckless and unpredictable. She doesn’t hesitate when her former neighbour Dawnie asks for her help to rescue Dannie’s husband Morris, and reacts quickly when she is unexpectedly confronted by her past. It’s not an easy thing for her to do, but with the stakes escalating Lexi has no choice but to revive old affiliations, and go undercover with the one of the city’s most dangerous motorcycle gangs.

Still struggling with all of the rules that come with her new job as a police officer, Lexi’s issues with some of the more inflexible members of the force, including her spiteful colleague, Cass, come to a head in Vendetta. This leads to a very tense situation amongst the team, leaving Lexi wondering just who deserves her loyalty. I enjoyed the drama that played out, and the surprise twists that unfolded.

There’s plenty of suspense and fast paced action in this instalment too. Lexi’s life is at risk, not only from the violent members of the motorcycle club, but also from a former gang member looking for explosive revenge against both the club, and the police.

With its fantastic lead character, tense drama, and thrilling action, the Lexi Winter series is an excellent crime series, and Vendetta another absorbing read. I can’t wait for the next one.

Book 3 featuring Lexi Winter and the 3rd 5-star read! This has to be one of my favourite series.

Our favourite hacker, ex-sex worker and vigilante turned cop is about to go back to her former life…..undercover.

This one had me on the edge of my seat as loyalties were tested. Which direction was Lexi going to go? Back to her former life or the new one she was creating.

Loved having Dawny and her craziness back. I hope she's here to stay!!

Thank you to @harlequinaus and @netgalley for the eARC.

Another great book by Sarah Barrie, so good I don't even know where to start. Lexi Winter is back and she will keep you on your toes in this book. there is action aplenty, twists and turns you won't see coming and you will be on the edge of your seat from page one, I assure you.

Fast paced and as always not only Lexi but all the characters in this book are fantastic. The bikie club in this story brings some tense moments to this book and the tension and story build together to make for a great read. I do feel you need to read the other books in the series first so you get the backstory so if you haven't read them please do as you won't be disappointed.

A great read full of thrills and excitement and I can't give it anything less than 5 stars. I just couldn't put this book down once I started reading it.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Australia, HQ (Fiction, Non Fiction, YA) for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

*5 Stars*

ARC kindly received via NetGalley for an honest review.

This is one of my new favourite crime series. I absolutely love reading about Lexi and the team, and this one definitely threw some curve balls at me. There's a lot going on, a lot to understand, and in the end I had quite a few surprises. I really liked how things turned out, and must admit I was trying not to shed a tear at some points. I hope we see more of Zander and Rodger in the future and I'm torn between Lexi hopefully being with Finn or with Zander. Loved this one and absolutely cannot wait for more. Lexi is badass!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia for the chance to read this book.

This is the third book in the Lexi Winter series by Sarah Barrie. It does not disappoint! With multiple new dramas and threats, I was kept enthralled throughout the whole book. My heart rate spiked multiple times! I love Lexi's spunk and personality and the attitude she gives. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book.

Bravo Sarah Barrie, another stellar Lexi Winter novel. This book will be devoured by anyone who has read the previous two books in the series, with so much action and plot twists it will leave your head spinning.
Lexi is such a strong protagonist and in this book especially she really comes to her own. I love her spunk and strength, the world could do with a lot more Lexi's in it.
Vendetta is a thrill ride from start to finish and is one I will recommend to anyone who will listen. An absolute must read for the Australian crime fiction lover. Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Australia for this early reading copy, it is a big 5 stars from me!

Vendetta reintroduces Lexi Winter back in a murder mystery packed with unexpected plot twists. Readers who’ve met Lexi before will remember other familiar characters including Finn and Rachael, Dawnie and Desmond. This time Lexi is caught up with motorcycle club Chaos Reigns, where she is confronted by memories of her past life. Violence is ever present in this story, which also touches on child abuse, so if these topics make you squeamish, then perhaps read something else. That said, I couldn’t put the book down. It’s fast-paced with a wonderful balnce between humour, romance, crime and double-crossing. There was so much going on that I had no idea how the story would end until the last page. Sarah Brrie has definitely written a winner here!

The third book in the Lexie Winter series is a fast paced crime novel with characters who’ll engage your interest.

Reformed – well, that’s what she tells her boss – hacker and vigilante, Lexi is struggling to establish herself as a police officer. Her background works against her with many officers. Others resent the special interest some senior officers take in her. Others are just misogynists who make things difficult for all women.

As the novel opens, Lexi is still on medical leave after the events of “Retribution”. However, Lexi finds it hard to stay out of trouble, and she’s quickly drawn into an undercover investigation targeting criminal associates from her old life.

The investigation is further complicated by Arthur Cronin. A former president of a bikie club, he’s finished a long prison sentence and is now gunning (literally) for those he holds responsible for the death of his wife and child. That includes both bikies and cops, and Lexi finds herself caught in the middle.

Although this is readable and easy enough to follow if you’re a new reader, the weight of the backstory is getting so that you should seriously consider starting with book one, “Unforgiven”. Although plot is recapped sufficiently for new readers, you’ll appreciate and enjoy Lexi’s personal story so much more.

The characters are a big drawcard. They’re interestingly complex, and over the three books Barrie has been developing and deepening them. Lexi’s career path might be unlikely, but Barrie convinces you that it’s possible.

Some readers may be disappointed that this novel doesn’t advance the over arching story of Lexi’s quest for revenge much. I wasn’t too bothered by that. There’s a lot going on in this novel, and realistically Lexi would not have had much time for other pursuits. Also, I suspect Barrie may want to avoid making her too obsessive.

Although the overarching story doesn’t advance much, Lexi’s personal growth does, which will satisfy many readers. In addition, this is a layered and twisty plot which provides quite a bit for readers to get their teeth into. It moves fast and my interest never flagged.

As with the earlier novels, there were procedural jumps which I found not very credible. However, these weren’t obtrusive and I think continue to happen in order to keep the action moving fast.

This is a really enjoyable read for those who’ve been following Lexi’s story. If you enjoyed the earlier novels, you’ll certainly enjoy this. New readers may find it marginally harder to engage with the characters, but are still likely to enjoy the novel.

Note: I haven't published this review yet - will return and add links when I do.

This is the third Lexi Winter book in this series and it is just a fast paced and brutal as the first two books. In this book Dawny (Lexi's former, colourful neighbour) surfaces and requests Lexi's assistance. Dawny is horrifed to discover that Lexi is now a 'cop'. Convincing Dawny to trust her and her colleagues, Dawny's situation puts Lexi back in touch with an outlaw Motorcycle gang that she has had associations with in her past.
When some of Lexi's colleagues start to turn against her and question her loyalty to the police, things quickly spiral out of control and in conjunction with Lexi's temper, sees her forced out of the job she is learning to love. On top of this she is hurt to lose the support of people she considers to be family.
Now that Lexi is cut loose, she goes all out rogue and with a bit of insight into the police she fast becomes a powerful force to be reckoned with. There are several twists in this story that I did not see coming, but as brutal as it is, it is also told with some great humour.

While I enjoyed this 3rd outing with Lexi Winter and co, there were a couple of things about it that slowed the momentum for me, making it slightly more putdownable than the previous books in the series. The first was the MC (motorcycle club) focus, which was just too foreign for me and frankly unpalatable, while the second was what I felt was unrealistic interagency 'cooperation' (which was only quite minor, so more of a niggle than a complaint).

But the good parts:
* Dawny is back!
* Lexi has more backstory, including a found family
* The terrific trio of Lexi, Rachael and Finn doing what they do best
* One of Rachael's team members gets more development than we might have expected
* Several excellent twists

Overall, Vendetta cements the Lexi Winter series as one of the top contemporary thriller series coming out of Australia. I hope there is more on the way.

Vendetta by Sarah Barrie
Crime Thriller | 400 Pages

Lexi Winter is back! And I couldn’t be more excited.

This is book number three in the Lexi Winter series and I absolutely loved it. Dawny is back and of course she has brought trouble with her – Trouble being Desmond has been taken hostage by a local motorcycle gang the exact same motorcycle gang Lexi was involved with many moons ago! This makes the investigation a whole lot more messy and interesting. To make things even more insane Arthur Cronin has been released from prison. With dead bodies, C4 and the bikie gang this book has everything.

You are in for a roller-coaster of emotions and edge of your seat / nail-biting intensity when you read Vendetta. I could not put this book down (trust me it was hard to do but Mum duties). I'm so happy we got more of Dawny in book three, she is such a character. As this is book three in the series you will need to read books one and two to understand Lexi better and the dynamics of how everything works.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Australia for sending me a gifted copy of this e-book for my honest review.

Vendetta by Sarah Barrie is the third book in the enjoyable series featuring former sex worker, turned vigilante and hacker, turned cop, Lexi Winter. And here her past most certainly catches up with her. Well, several of those pasts... and it's an unfortunate reminder that no matter how hard we might work to rebuild our lives, some people just can't look past old labels. Although, it must be said, Lexie has her fair share of support thanks to her mentor and boss, DI Rachael Langley.

There's a lot of nasty fodder in Lexi's past to farm for this series and here we're taken back to her teenage years and involvement with a motorcycle gang (OMCG). It seems she was something akin to arm candy, but we learn it's also where she got her start in tech and computer hacking.

The book opens with Lexi helping out an old friend, but before she knows it she's involved in a murder investigation.

Her private and work lives collide (as they so often do) and she and Finn (her colleague and Rachael's nephew) attempt to go undercover but the gang members discover she's a cop and their cover is blown pretty early. Lexi however, has her past OMCG cred so is able to work multiple angles. 

Here Barrie gives us some insight into the lives of the men and women involved in the motorcycle gang - the roles they play, the limits put on them, but also the camaraderie and kinship the groups offer. It also allows us to learn a little more about Lexi's rather complicated past. 

I like that Barrie gives us the same consistent characters (namely Lexi, Rachael and Finn) but each outing introduces some new faces... many of whom return. Here Rachael's team is again joined by reps from an Organised Crime squad, including one I was slightly suspicious of in book two of this series, Retribution. 

And my spidey senses were most certainly right cos here, Lexi's trustworthiness and reliability is questioned and she's sidelined and removed from the investigation - and potentially her job.  

Lexi is understandably hurt and angered by the betrayal and it's easy to see how effortlessly she could fall back into past habits or - at a minimum - return to the vigilante life she lived before joining the police. Still taking care of the bad guys, but with no rules to rein her in.

I really enjoyed this read and Barrie offers up a huge curveball which I most definitely did not see it coming.

I love that Barrie's able to mix things up and very much like where Barrie is taking these characters and this series so cannot wait for the next instalment.

The 3rd book in the Lexi Winter series unearths even more of her past as she continues to transition from hard-drinking, computer hacking prostitute to crack homicide detective. It turns out you can also add criminal bikie gang consort to her colourful past.

Lexi has received a call from Dawny suggesting she might like to come over because she and Desmond may have gotten themselves into a bit of a pickle. It seems that Des has been ordered, by a local Motorcycle Club (called Combat Crew) to dispose of a body off a wharf at Patonga Beach.

The fact that Dawny and Desmond are innocent-looking pensioners with a folksy manner belie the fact that they’ve both been involved in some pretty shonky shenanigans in the past. Their early involvement here gets things off to a spirited start.

It seems the former president of Combat Crew, Arthur Cronin, has recently been released from prison where he’d served time for importing crack cocaine. It’s just possible he’s now running around settling old scores after family members were killed while he was in prison and the fact he’s doing it with C4 explosives makes him a dangerous guy to be around. Even worse, it appears that cops may have been involved and have managed to put themselves on his revenge list.

There’s now a new MC president in town, Breen, and he’s a hard man who’s prepared to take the club down the outlaw road big time. Drugs, guns, revenge attacks, you name it and he’s prepared to do it. The homicide detective unit, headed by Detective Inspector Rachael Langley and ably assisted by Detective Sergeant Finn Carson, are on the case and they once again rope Lexi in to provide much of the on-the-ground expertise.

But it could be that Lexi’s past is just a little too racy and the standard resentment that seems to permeate through most office environments has put her in the crosshairs of a couple of her fellow officers. The question of whose side she’s really on comes up and, undercover or otherwise, she finds herself on the side of both the angels and the devil.

The Lexi Winter series has settled into a familiar routine typified by the tough nosed attitude that has made her such an interesting character to follow. With many of the regular characters returning from the earlier books the series is developing nicely in depth. The action is swift and dialogue remains clipped and sharp, particularly within the police ranks.

In many ways this is a shocking and explosive thriller that recalls sins of the past and asks serious questions of everyone involved. Once again, however, the main obstacle in the way of any really effective police work being done falls at the feet of the police themselves and the draconian rules that hamper them at every turn.

If your lead character is a former prostitute, one time vigilante, computer hacking expert who’s now a police officer, then of course she’s also going to have some links to a bikie gang. That’s what makes Lexi Winter such a pleasure to read about and it’s also what gives this series its sting in the tail.

I love Sarah Barrie’s books, I love the Lexie Winter series but truth be told I nearly put this one as DNF at around 40%, I found it was getting a bit too dark for me at this present time.
But I must have hit a reading spurt and got over the bump and then I was hooked…..
Lexie returns in this thriller, motorcycle gangs, vendetta’s, the fed’s, I didn’t know which direction this story was going and once it got me, it had me good.
Glad I wasn’t disappointed….5 stars for the second half of the book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.

This series just gets better and better and I love Lexi more and more with each book, Sarah Barrie has created a character who would be hard not love no matter what she does, she is strong, feisty, witty and true to herself as well as being so caring after all she has been through, this was so hard to put down, really hard.

When there is a bomb blast it looks like the crims have blown themselves up, but did they, the police are deep in an investigation and Lexi is working hard but when she gets a call from an old friend, Dawny (yes she is back) needing help with Desmond Lexi ends up in contact with members from the MC she was a part of a long time ago, one who were a big part in where she learnt her special trade of hacking.

Arthur Cronin once president of the MC is back released from prison early and he has revenge on his mind for the death of his wife and child, Lexi is working undercover to rescue Desmond and find out who is doing the bombings and why, Arthur is after criminals and cops and he doesn’t care who he kills in the process, Lexi finds herself in one hell of a situation trying to save the life of a child and things aren’t looking good, which side will Lexi choose, her past or her future?

My heart was jumping throughout this book, I didn’t know where Lexi was going, being back with the MC her old friends Zander, Nate and Freddie and then there are the bad ones Breen and Rocco do they trust her? What are Rachael and Finn thinking about Lexi and what is going on?

This book is brilliant, I highly recommend it, I highly recommend all three books in the series you must read them all in order and if you haven’t you are missing out and woohoo there will be another book and I can’t wait for it to come.

Sarah Barrie’s stories are not to be missed, they are fabulous reads, with fabulous characters good and bad, and this one is edge of your seat suspense action packed but witty and filled with so many emotions as well, many thanks Sarah Barrie for another keeper.

My thanks to Harlequin HQ and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.