Customer Reviews

A Dozen Deadly Roses

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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!

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.

I couldn't be more impressed with Ms. Bennett's debut novel. Every aspect of the story is spot on accurate, from the dialogue to the settings to the characters. Jade is a dedicated cop, tough as nails when she needs to be, but she has a soft core she only shows to the ones close to her. Mac made mistakes that cost him his job, but now that he's got his head on straight, he's trying to make a comeback - not an easy thing to do with the L.A.P.D. Jade wants to believe Mac has conquered his demons, but until she's sure, she isn't about to share her secrets with him. When Jade and her son are threatened, Mac makes it his personal duty to protect them.

I'm not going to be a spoiler, so you'll have to read the rest for yourself.

I felt silly when I broke off reading a beautiful literary novel to check this out. From some of the reviews, I figured I might not enjoy this police mystery or even read the whole thing. Well, I loved it - stayed up til 2am to find out who the stalker was. Good story and I would gladly read more by this author.

I loved the book. I have been married to a policeman for 30 years and my Dad and Son-in-law are cops. I know policework, regulations, crime etc, and the author did an excellent job writing the book. I liked the mystery and romance of the book. I would recommend the book. great job. shelia

Looking forward to the next novel! It was fun to read and did have me waiting to get to the end to find out " who done it"!

It is hard to believe that this is Kathy Bennett's first book. The way that the story flowed and kept my interest at a high level was incredable. I am the type of reader (slow) that if a book doesn't capture my interest in the first fifty pages I will move on to something else. I am not lying when I tell you that I read this book in two days. I can not wait for the next one from this incredable author.

The author is a police officer/employee/firearms instructor. Those parts were fine. The premise--that someone was sending our heroine dead roses every day--is a good one.
In fact, I pretty well liked the first, oh, 85% percent of the book.

But the ending struck me as, oh, what the comic bandleader Spike Jones did when a piece got totally out of control to the point of a musician's asking "How do we d end this?"

"Like this" whereupon the band played "Shave-and-a-haircut, two bits!"

I love when authors write what they know. Kathy Bennett used her police knowledge to make A Dozen Deadly Roses shine. I loved the relationship between Mac and Jade. Secondary characters of Jade's son and father and his girlfriend added a realism to the story. I will be looking for more from this author.