Mind Games

This book by Nancy Mehl is very 'mind-blowing'. So many twists and turns! I am really looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Kaely Quinn is a very complex and interesting character. Her quirks and her job make her so unique. I'm not sure I've read a book with a character that was even similar to Kaely. Noah Hunter was also interesting, but I feel like Mehl only scratched the surface of his character in this book, and I hope she'll delve deeper in the upcoming books.

The story and plot were also very unique and grabbed my interest from the beginning. The premise of Kaely's job and her methods were fascinating as well. While a little light on action, there was definitely loads of suspense, and, as I mentioned, a ton of completely unexpected twists and turns! I thought I had the villain pegged, but was shocked when his identity was revealed.While overall the story was wrapped up by the end of the book and left you feeling satisfied, there are still a lot of threads to be continued in later books.

I’ve always enjoyed Nancy Mehl but OMG! I don’t know where to begin and scared of giving too much away. If you love suspense, get a hold of this gem that had me guessing to the very end! I fell in love with Kaely Quinn, FBI behavior analyst. It’s easy to see why her colleagues feel creep out with her unorthodox eccentric methods of getting her ‘bad guy’ profile. Creepy or not, I learned to embrace her and can’t wait to see what she will help solve in book two. It is insanely GOOD, I give it 5 hearts all the way!

Mind Games was the first book by Nancy Mehl that I have read and it did not disappoint. With the setting being in St. Louis, which is my hometown, it made the story come to life even more. A few of the details were a bit predictable but for the most part I enjoyed the twists and turns. If you are like myself and enjoy psychology, Kaely (main female character) and her methods were very intriguing. I have a degree in psychology, so discovering Kaely's past and how it influenced her current life and occupation were fascinating. Hopefully the next book in the series will delve into Noah Hunter (male character) as his character felt distant and incomplete . Mind Games is a psychological suspense with an intelligent female character who has endured a terrible secret crime and uses it for good. Don't want to give away any spoilers! If you like non-gory, psychological crime shows or books, you will enjoy this read.

Which of your most trusted family, friends, or associates, is trying to kill you? That is the question that Kaely Quinn and her colleagues must answer before more people die. They have clues - a poem, the timing of the messages, the choice of victims - but it would take the combined work of the FBI, the BAU, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, and a variety of concerned citizens to arrive outside the warehouse where they would find Kaely’s phone, but not Kaely. Could they find her in time?

The author has created a thrilling story that could easily compete with Criminal Minds for my TV viewing time or for my weekly movie watching dollars. Whether the reader is looking for a well-written FBI thriller or a faith-based novel woven into the fabric of the 21st-century world, Mind Games may easily fill the bill. This reader could not put it down. The characters will be forced to examine their own faith (or lack thereof). The questions are not easy and the answers will only partially be answered in this book. Hopefully, the sequel’s Fall 2019 release will provide more answers.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are my own.

My Review of Mind Games by Nancy Mehl
I should seen you that this review had spoilers…

Creepy! I expected this to be dark but did it really have to end like it did? Ugh!!! I want to enjoy a book with just a bit of hope. This book was interesting but I hate that the killer was killing for the reason they were. The murders were useless enough but the why was ridiculous! Why is it that almost every book I read in the last month all led to adultery? It's sickening! I'm just so tired of the 'Christian' fiction I read being less clean then the fiction I rarely read. Sighs. Why? What makes every suspense lead to adultery or something of the like?

That's without mentioning Kaely's odd and mostly insane way of working in a case. I'm sorry for the author and that I'm giving such a bad review but I'm ask tired of books that are filled with adultery.

Oh, but if you like books with imaginary friends, an imaginary cat, and talking over a case in public with a suspect who isn't really there this may a book for you.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review and am truly happy to provide it.

Kaely Quinn's talents as an FBI behavior analyst are impossible to ignore, no matter how unorthodox her methods. But when a reporter outs her as the daughter of an infamous serial killer, she's demoted to field agent and transferred to St. Louis. Then a poem is received and a task force is set up to prevent her murder.

This is one intense book. My book club selected it for their August read and it is a bit outside their norm. But you can certainly tell the author did a lot of research for writing the book. And then view we got of BAU ovations was far more in depth than what you get on the television shows.

Also, there were a lot of Christian aspects to the book. And despite the fact that Noah had not become converted in this book, there are more books in the series. So, we shouldn’t give up. And I will definitely have to finish the series.

I cannot even. I don't even know where to start here. This book is so much more than I thought. There are so many levels and layers here and I'm not even sure where to go with them but to beg for the next book to come out now because I'm not sure I can wait any longer!

Nancy Mehl knows how to write a great suspense book. It's amazing. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and I could not put it down. I had to keep reading until I was done. Yes, that means I stayed up all night. And yes that means I was looking over my shoulder to make sure the curtains were closed and the doors were locked quite often.

There are so many facets to Kaely Quinn in this book. She's the daughter of a serial killer. But she didn't know, or did she? And yet she works for the FBI to help them find out who is behind serial killings. She also has a very unique method of working that if more people knew of it she could have people thinking she's mental.

On a mental health level, I adored this book. So many layers. So many layers. And then on another level, there are still layers because Kaely doesn't show the real her to anybody really. And after her former partner had the misfortune to fall in love with her she doesn't want another one.

But she's got one. And he's tasked with keeping her alive. WHich is really difficult when she keeps sneaking out on him. When her former partner comes back to help keep her alive and solve this case things get heated fast.

I cannot recommend this one enough. And cannot wait until the next book comes out! Please hurry!!

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

Another murder mystery that I was glad to have read. Mind Games is a riveting story of "who done it" and "how will they figure that out". Just when I thought I had solved the case there was a plot twist! It turns out to be someone you never will guess.

I will admit, by the end of Mind Games, I wondered Kaely's sanity. Her gift is unusual and not of this world. She is haunted by the images of her past that like to hind in the darkest corners of her mind. I personally struggled to connect with her but it didn't distract me from the story as a whole. It played out more like a movie rather than pulling my imagination in to become part of the team. It was nice to read a story that was based more on mystery and less on romance with a strong female role.

I would also like to encourage you to pick up a paperback copy if you are going to buy. The cover texture was new and unlike anything I have ever held. It was a nice change.

*Thank You CelebrateLit and the publisher of this book for making it possible to read this story so that I could offer my honest review. It was an amazing story.

The Best Things about the Book, Mind Games
I did have a few quibbles with the book. A few. In fact, through three-quarters of the way through it, I felt it rated a solid four stars. I liked it. A lot. I just couldn’t say that I loved it.

Then she did it. She made me doubt myself. I’d decided who did it almost from the first, but something made me doubt myself so much that I actually switched to someone else. Twice.

The best mysteries and suspense books always have one thing in common—they keep me guessing, even after I’ve probably fingered the right guy. Mind Games totally nailed that.

Quibble?
I actually wanted to throw the book across the room when one explanation of why one of those red herrings wasn’t what it seemed came out. However, it ties in with another problem I had, so I’ll get to that later.

Another excellent element of the book would be the character of Kaely. I often praise characters or plots that have many layers, but in Kaely, I see facets. Just as you think you have her figured out, the light hits another cut and you see more reflections and colors. I’m not sure I’ve ever read such a beautifully broken person before.

It isn’t easy to do, but Nancy Mehl took someone with incredible skill and kept her from becoming too perfect.
Okay, if I’m not careful, I’ll keep coming up with one after the other after the other and we’ll be here all day. And I do have a couple of problems with the book to deal with, too.

So, I’m just going to mention two more things. First, the plot. This was one of those can’t-put-it-down, don’t-bother-me-I’m-reading books. When I was forced to take a nap, I almost cried. I plowed through this thing in just over three hours, but it felt like six… and one. The six is probably caused by that nap thing.

Finally, the very last few lines. Genius. I’ve never seen such a fabulous cliffhanger… that isn’t. The entire story is wrapped up. You know it all. A new case isn’t started. Not at all. But she gives you this shove off the cliff anyway and says, “Can you handle knowing THIS?”

Genius.
So, what were those problems? The first three to four chapters of the book contain a lot of backstory/info-dumping. She does a good job of pulling back just about the time you want to go, “Do I have to keep reading?” but I couldn’t help but feel like the suspense would have been even stronger if we didn’t have all that back stuff brought up.

For one thing, it weighs down the story… slows momentum. That’s especially problematic when you’re dealing with trying to get that momentum going in the first place.

For another, it lost some of the punch that it would have had if we learned it when we needed it. Still, once you got past that part, the info-dumping stuff disappeared.

Finally, I have read a lot of books dealing with law enforcement and the FBI. However, this book has a lot of acronyms that I kept having to try to remember what they stood for. She didn’t always give you a connected point of reference. I found myself checking and double checking online when I wasn’t sure if I remembered what CIRG or something similar stood for.

Also, occasionally, it got old. I get that UNSUB is unknown subject, but “suspect” or “murderer” would have worked and it would have been nice not to have “words” I had to translate. Especially since for email lists, that also stands for “unsubscribers” so basically, I had to double translate.

Not fun.
For the picky, this isn’t marked as an Advance Readers Copy, so I think it might be a final, and I found a few typos. One was “targer” instead of target. I remember that much. But seriously, it didn’t bother me.

Okay, that quibble? I can’t say what happened without giving away a huge plot twist, but here’s what it’s connected to. In addition to that quibble with a convenient solution to a problem, there’s a theology issue that I can’t ignore.

My problem is that I can’t tell if it is related to the rest of the book’s plot or if Ms. Mehl really does believe something her characters say. It’s not unheard of. It’s actually quite common in today’s Christian culture, but I disagree with it. So, was it a plot device or the author’s personal theology? I suppose the rest of the series will tell. Regardless, the use of it in this particular novel was another stroke of genius!