Sirens in the Night
by Michael Bradley
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Pub Date Nov 15 2015 | Archive Date Dec 31 2017
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Description
When three corpses are found at a construction site in Philadelphia, homicide detective Samantha Ballard is assigned to investigate the bizarre deaths. The bodies seem like a hoax—withered like ancient mummies, yet dressed in modern day clothing. As more mummified corpses begin to appear throughout the city, Samantha must embark on an investigation that erodes the line between the possible and impossible.
Jack Allyn, a radio DJ who thinks his career is in a downward spiral, has his world rocked by the unusual murder of his friend. As Jack begins to search for answers, he finds himself coming face to face with a force that is as malevolent as it is entrancing.
With his life in danger, Jack must join forces with Samantha to save the city from an evil that threatens the people of Philadelphia. But with the odds stacked against them, can Jack and Samantha save their city from a primeval force with a deadly purpose?
A Note From the Publisher
Available Editions
EDITION | Other Format |
ISBN | 9780692517192 |
PRICE | $11.99 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
Well written suspenseful thought out plot. The premise of the mythological sirens in the modern world with a murder mystery twist was original and refreshing.
It took me awhile to get interested in the main characters, but as I did, they grew on me. The story had an interesting mythological element that combined aspects of police investigation with the supernatural in an interesting way. It's not every day that a detective and her green sidekick team up with a nightclub DJ to track down a serial killer. I wish the story were longer, as some of the back story could have been revealed more leisurely, rather than occurring mostly as a monologue at the end of the story. I would have liked to have known more about the main characters' relationship and past as well. The ending left me with the feeling that Samantha's sacrifice didn't mean much, which bothered me. However, the story was different and inventive, and kept me reading to find out more. I would read more from this author in the future.
Sirens are in Philadelphia and they are hungry. This book was so very different from other detective/thriller books I have read and I was quite spellbound. It wasn't just a matter of solving who was committing these horrendous murders across Philadelphia but how would you make anyone believe you and how would you get rid of them? It wasn't like there was much to go on in that respect, a few mentions through history and a few in comic books. My favourite character in the book was Detective Samantha Ballard. I found her quite a Tom boy really not afraid to tackle anyone. She had chosen her career over everything else. All the characters are very memorable as the author doesn't over complicate the story. I found myself fascinated by the Sirens and the Greek Mythology that surrounded them. Michael Bradley, the author,developed these beautiful women further to make a cracking storyline. I would certainly love to see more of the same. There are of course murders in this book, a constant fear of threat for some characters and violence. This is an interesting and intriguing read that I throughly enjoyed and what an ending!
I wish to thank Netgalley and the publisher Amberjack for allowing me to read and review this book.
I must say that I don't usually read this type of book, but once started I didn't put it down till I was finished. Quick read, fast paced, interesting characters, made for an enjoyable evening. Thanks.
Sirens in the Night Michael Bradley
Samantha Ballard, a homicide detective in Philadelphia, and her new partner, Peter Thorton, have a horrible triple murder to solve. This murder, however, is not like anything they have ever seen. Jack Allyn, a disgraced radio personality, now works the late night shift at a small radio station in Philly. He also spends Saturday nights at a dance club as the DJ. Three incredabley beautiful women, a blond, redhead and brunett, have come back to Philly. They were there before, a long time ago. Men can't resist them. These three women will come into contact with the other three and the fireworks will start. This is a don't breath story. Sam and Peter need to find the "serial killer(s)", Jack has seen them and wants to avenge his friends death. They know who he is and where he works. The killing keeps on. Which one of the three good guys will die? What will happen to the three sisters? Read the story and discover for yourself. You won't be sorry.
Thank you NetGalley for the free Kindle version
Will post on Goodreads.com on 07 Nov 2015, rated 4-stars ("I really like it"):
BLUF: Great book for those who enjoy science fiction mixed in with their murder mystery.
Sirens in the Night follows two individuals: Samantha Ballard and Jack Allyn. Samantha is an experienced detective who is “mentoring” the homicide division rookie. In reality, she faces a need to prove herself as a strong detective and tries to lead the case ahead of her FBI counterparts, while being very impatient and unforgiving towards her rookie. Jack is a radio DJ. Once famous for his on-air personality, Jack now finds himself at the lowest of lows in the business. Unfortunately for Jack, he hits a new low as mummified corpses begin appearing around him.
At first, Samantha seems like your typical police harda** who doesn’t care about anyone and doesn’t play by the rules. Reading on, she sheds this initial judgment and becomes very likeable (It’s interesting how getting to know somebody sheds light on their actions.) She remains too hard on her partner, but it reads well. Usually, I am the first to whine about a character that feels pushed down by the man, but, at the same time, is rude to those around her and shuts her station out. In Samantha’s case, these aspects didn’t bother me. She doesn’t act as a lone wolf and she calls her partner in on all discoveries. For me, her desire to prove herself as a woman detective didn’t have a whine to it; it was just a fact of her position.
Jack is likeable from the start. His career is past its’ prime and he is unhappy, but he has his routines and a good personality.
As for the murders and investigation in these books, we discover the “who” and the “how” very quickly in this book, but not the “why”. In general, I don’t like knowing the “who” upfront, but really, we only see who it is, not know who it is. This allows the book to retain mystery despite knowing our murder’s pattern.
The only downfall of this book (unless you count not having a second book!) is that some of the descriptive phrases are reused. That is, one person describes somebody in very specific words and, much later in the book, another character uses the exact same words. It might be purposeful, but it gives the reader a sense of déjà vu and essentially disrupts the current story to reflect on parts of the story that has already passed.
Overall, I enjoyed this very much!
Well this was unexpected,I was anticipating a straight forward detective story,and I like those,but there was more to this book than that.There was a supernatural element ,maybe I didn't read the description of the book properly but I wasn't expecting it.It may put some readers off who want a straight forward thriller.It didn't put me off at all, I'm not adverse to a bit of genre bending.and I thoroughly enjoyed it.I liked the main characters as well and the action kept me page turning as fast as I could until the very end.I don't do spoilers, but almost wish I did because the end surprised me and that is all I had better say,I hope other readers enjoy this book as much as I did.
This one was okay for me. The book kept me interested and I liked how the author tied it to history and kept it believable. It was definitely different. While it's not really my genre, it did hold my interest and was entertaining. I kept wondering how it was going to end and the author did an excellent job at getting rid of those pesky sirens.
As I said, it's not my genre, so I'm no expert, but I would definitely recommend it.
Thanks Amberjack Publishing and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this as an arc from net galley in exchange for an honest review. When three cores are found at a construction site in philadelphia, homicide detective Samantha Ballard is assigned to investigate the bizarre deaths. The bodies seem like a hoax-withered like ancient mummies, yet dressed in modern day clothing. As more mummified corpses begin to appear throughout the city, Samantha must embark on an investigation that erodes the line between the possible and impossible. Wow. Absolutely fantastic read. I loved the story and the characters. Jack and Samantha were my favourite characters. What I loved about this book was the way the bodies were found. Mummified. I would not have guessed what I learned in this book. I was hooked from page 1. What a twist in the end of the story. Wow. This is a must read and I would highly recommend this book. If you love a good thriller that keeps you guessing then this is for you.
I received this free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I very much enjoyed it! It did not disappoint. Samantha Ballard is a detective in Philadelphia who is assigned to solve weird deaths, this one being people that have ended up Mummified! Story is very well written and I was hooked from day one!.
I was out of my comfort zone with this book as I normally do not read about supernatural fiction.
However I was happily entertained and gripped by this story, in fact I read it in one sitting
Wasn't sure what was going on to start with. I really enjoyed this book.. It was totally different than what I was expecting. If you like a touch of the supernatural (I guess) this is a great book. I would like to read more by this author.
Thank you NetGallery for the opportunity to read Sirens in the Night by Michael Bradley. A female protagonist as a washed up detective in Philadelphia hooks up with a washed up DJ, to solve a series of murders.
The twist of the supernatural gives this book life and although I found it somewhat predictable, I did like it.
Good ending. Good Read.
This book is not my typical genre, although I do like police procedurals. I did find the book entertaining the plot line interesting. I enjoyed the characters a lot, and that is why I rated this book as highly as I did. I found that I cared a great deal for them, and wanted to know what happened to them in the end. The pace of the novel was nice and even, and did not move along too slowly. The characters were all well developed, and the storyline was well thought out. I would recommend this book to any Sci-Fi fans.
As the body count rises, Samantha Ballard has a great deal of work to do. Mysterious deaths that cause a once living human to become a mummy are not your everyday murder issues. They also keep things from being easy to solve. Samantha teams up with Jack Allyn after a mutual friend becomes a victim. Legends aren't suppose to be alive, so is this someone who has managed to pull that off, or are the myths based in facts?
If indeed, your myths are real, how do you stop a myth from killing?
This was a good read that I enjoyed. I would read another book from this author.
My copy came from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review and nothing more.
Firstly I would like to thank Netgalley and Amberjack Publishing for allowing me a free copy of Sirens In The Night and secondly, note to self, read the synopsis carefully before downloading. I like police procedurals which attracted me to the novel but my heart sank as soon as the cause of death was revealed because I find the paranormal impossible to swallow and it spoils a read for me. Nevertheless, I persevered as I promised to review the novel in return for a free copy and surprisingly, I enjoyed most of it.
Detective Samantha Ballard and her rookie partner, Peter Thornton are called to a murder site which has 3 mummified bodies with strange puncture marks on their necks. The strange thing is that the bodied have desiccated and become mummified in 48 hours, a process which normally takes months. As the bodies pile up there appears to be a link to Jack Allyn, a local DJ or as he prefers "personality".
I like the pace of the novel which is even and quite tense in parts and the characters as Samantha, Jack and Peter are pleasant and likeable. Samantha is a fairly stereotypical detective with little time for rules and procedure, truly dedicated and balls of steel but she is also sensitive and caring. Jack has his heart in the right place but is self centred and Peter seems like a good detective but isn't really developed as a character.
I can't really comment on the seirenes as I don't have much experience of this genre - to me it's all tosh, totally implausible and laughable but they are well imagined and drawn and the terror they induce is relatively well done.
As I said Sirens In The Night is not really my thing but I found myself enjoying it and I really didn't expect the twist in the tale at the end.
I really enjoyed reading this. This was a very good read from start to finish. I could not put it down. Definitely recommend
This book was a pleasant surprise in that it kind of hits in every genre you could imagine. Love every aspect of it and couldn't wait to get to the very satisfying end!
Well written with great character develoopment. Not sure what I was expecting but I really loved the mythological angle along with the straight detective fiction premise. Strongly recommended.
I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in return for an honest review.
What can I say, this book scared the bejeezus out of me because of the nature of the crime and the apparently unstoppable perpetrators.
I found this book fascinating, the way the author weaved Greek mythology with modern life to produce a thoroughly enjoyable fast paced read.
I'm a big fan of paranormal fantasy as well as crime thrillers so this booked ticked quite a few boxes for me.
I felt sorry for Jack because as he had lost his way, coasting aimlessly along with no real idea of what he wanted now that his life in the fast lane was over but life (or death) certainly came crashing in to give him a rude awakening.
Samantha is a police detective full of guilt but determined to prove that she is up to the job.
The pairing of this unlikely duo to fight the growing terror was interesting. What I want to know is, does Jack's interest in comics have anything to do with solving the problem of how to deal with immortal beings??
A thoroughly enjoyable read having me sat on the edge of my seat, hiding behind the cushions and checking to see that all my doors and windows were locked. A crime thriller with a difference and book I would happily recommend.
Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this. I'm not really into the paranormal but I love police procedural so I gave it a try and it was good there was more police procedural then paranormal so I enjoyed it. It was well written and I enjoyed the ending.
Police Procedurals are my bread and butter genre. Sometimes though they can get a bit samey, like the author has followed a formulaic bullet point list so, when I see a Police Procedural that looks a little different, my interest is definitely piqued. I also like reading outside my comfort zone and Supernatural is not on my usual reads list so that was another reason to give it a whirl.
So, strange things are happening in Philadelphia. Three bodies are found in an old basement. They are mummified - a process that usually takes months at least. Problem is, these people are only a couple of days dead! How is this possible? As the body count rises, can Detective Samantha Ballard and her rookie sidekick Peter Thornton make enough sense of things to solve the case? And how exactly does DJ Jack Allyn fit in to all of this? Innocent bystander or is there more to his involvement?
I saw a review of this book on my Facebook book club and there were subsequent comments to the thread made by people whose opinions I trust saying they also enjoyed this book so, I figured it may suit me and I wasn't wrong. Great plotting, good historical and mythological research, credible Supernatural element all come together in a story played out by a cast of great characters made this, for me, an attention grabbing quick easy read. It is not a particularly long book but not a single word is wasted. The scene setting is succinct and certain parts portrayed as appropriately chilling. The pacing is good throughout - ramping up and down as appropriate to the action. Characters are well defined and come across as real. Yes, ok, we do get the obligatory stereotypical damaged cop but even this was a little different to the norm. Paired with a rookie, there isn't the partnership and banter you get in most books of this genre but Samantha and Peter do have their moments. But it is Jack that I really liked. I am not sure what the author has planned for the future but I personally think that Jack is too good a character not to reappear and I for one would love to hear more from him.
All in all I'm glad I took a punt on this book. I might even be tempted by more Supernatural reads in the future. I'll definitely be keeping my eye open for more from this author.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This story is set in Philadelphia, where I grew up. It was well written and accurate. I could see the streets of Philadelphia in the descriptions. The characters were well constructed. This book was a real page turner especially toward the end. This book has mystery, suspense, mythological references and some pretty scary stuff. This is a perfect type of read. I thoroughly recommend this book.
Samantha Ballard’s partner was Peter Thornton who was a rookie and had been her partner for three months. Samantha often thought with her eyes closed but Peter was driving her crazyby interupting her with all his questions. When Samantha got to the crime scene she found three corpses. There was modern clothing on these mummified corpses. It actually looked like a hoax. Jack is a radio D J, he was once a minor celebrity but he made a mistake professionally and was now at the low end of his career. Samantha was still trying to proove herself in a male dominated field. Jack is no longer happy with his career- then more bodies show up yet somehow seem to have something to do with Jackas one of his friends ends up a victim.
I really enjoyed this story alot. It was a fast read and kept me interested through the whole story. Deffinitely a new twist with mummified bodies and with the supernatural element and loved it. This story had a great plot and the writing was good. I loved the characters of this story . I liked the ins and outs of the story alot. I recommend.
A book with a good twist, excellent read would recommend
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