A Dozen Deadly Roses [Kindle Edition]

Kathy Bennett (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Los Angeles Police Officer Jade Donovan is being hunted. There’s the lieutenant who’s out to get her, the psycho who’s stalking her and leaving dead roses at her door, but most frightening of all, she’s been assigned to partner with her son’s father, Mac Stryker. Mac doesn’t know he’s Donnie’s dad, and Jade will stop at nothing to prevent him from finding out and possibly taking away her son. She will protect and defend him at all costs.

Mac Stryker is a cop with something to prove. Five years ago, he’d been forced to resign the police department in disgrace when he was too drunk to take action during a shooting. Now, Mac is sober, back on the force and back working with Jade Donovan, the rookie who’d saved his life. Worse, he finds himself attracted to Jade and her precocious son, Donnie. But Mac is through with love. The violent death of his wife and daughter turned him into an alcoholic, and he won’t put his job or his heart at risk again. He will protect and defend them both at all costs.

But when the deadline looms on Jade’s dozen deadly roses stalker, will the two partners manage to put aside their differences in order to save their son?

Kathy Bennett, a retired twenty-nine year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, has penned a gritty and authentic story of crime and romantic suspense in her novel, A Dozen Deadly Roses. In addition to working on her next novel, she writes a weekly blog that can be found on her website, and writes a monthly column for the North Valley Community News, in Northridge, California.

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 474 KB
• Publisher: Kathy Bennett; 2 edition (June 4, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0054EU1KQ
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,388 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #65 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Fiction > Genre Fiction > Mystery & Thrillers > Police Procedurals
  • #74 in Books > Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Police Procedurals

More About the Author

Kathy Bennett is no stranger to murder and mayhem. A twenty-one year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, her authentic crime experience results in arresting stories.


Most of Kathy's career was spent working patrol in a black and white police car. Prior to retirement, Kathy was assigned as a Senior Lead Officer, with approximately five square miles in the San Fernando Valley her responsibility regarding crime and quality of life issues.

Kathy also served as a Firearms Instructor at the LAPD Police Academy, a crime analyst in the 'War Room', a Field Training Officer, and worked undercover in various assignments. She was named Officer of the Quarter twice, and Officer of the Year once.

She's married to a Los Angeles Police Officer, and they have one daughter and one granddaughter. Kathy has written two romantic suspense manuscripts and is currently revising her third book - a suspense novel. Her novel, A Dozen Deadly Roses was released in June 2011.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Nothing special but entertaining enough, August 21, 2011

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Book lover (Athens, Greece) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: A Dozen Deadly Roses (Kindle Edition)

Officer Mac Stryker can't face the loss of this wife and daughter whom he couldn't save although he's a police officer. He tries to find comfort in drinking, which will have horrible consequences for his career and private life. Officer Jade Donovan was still on probation when Mac had to face the consequences of his drinking.

Now, some years later, Mac is back on the police force. However, the roles are different: Mac is on probation and Jade is his supervisor. Can they work cooperate? Especially when Mac finds out that a Jade is being stalked? Additionally, there is one more "consequence" of Mac's drinking that Jade is carefully hiding from him..................................

I bought this book based on the reviews I read and wasn't disappointed at all.

The main characters were well outlined, the secondary once interesting enough to support to the plot.

OK, yes, the plot was simple and predictable. Perhaps even a bit too much like a fairytale. In any case, there were nice, romantic and touchy scenes that offered many hours of pleasurable reading.

If this is your target then this is a recommendable read.

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loving This Very Human Police Drama, June 16, 2011

By 

Christine London (Los Angeles, California) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: A Dozen Deadly Roses (Kindle Edition)

They say you should write what you know (and love). Kathy Bennett's premiere novel, A Dozen Deadly Roses, veritably oozes with love. Not the syrupy sort that romance novels have been (mostly erroneously) linked to for so many years, but the kind that moves mountains, uplifts hearts and makes the world go round. All this in the everyday lives of extraordinary people.

When Officer Jade Donovon finds herself in the midst of a frightening stalker real life nightmare she makes some very human if flawed decisions. Wouldn't even the most dedicated cop break all the rules to keep her son safe? So Jade decides not to inform many people of what she should--including the father of her son, officer Mac Stryker, that they made beautiful precocious Donnie one night while Stryker was in a drunken stupor.

Just when many novels might have lightened up and made more standard turns, Ms Bennett throws in some thrilling twists. Of course we are rooting for this unlikely family to unite, but first there's a sociopath after Jade and her son to be caught. Will Mac learn from his past dealing with grief to choose life and love no matter the cost?

Through simply great story telling, weaving the visceral with internal strife, we are led from the streets of Los Angeles to Las Vegas in a tale that laces love, wonderful secondary characters and heart pounding action. A perfect blend of relationship and chilling suspense. Well done!

37 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!, June 7, 2011

By 

L. j. Charles "L. j. Charles" (North Dakota, USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: A Dozen Deadly Roses (Kindle Edition)

Bennett has done an outstanding job with her debut novel. Two things stand out: first, her right-on characterization of Donnie, a 4 year-old, and second, her law enforcement background that perfectly showcases the main characters. Both Jade and Mac give the reader an inside look at police work through the eyes of a real officer. There's just enough "jargon" to keep the story interesting, but not enough to get in the way of the story. A great debut. I'm looking forward to what Bennett writes next.