Customer Reviews

Are You Afraid? (Signet Eclipse)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Dr. Jessica Langford is the psychiatrist on a radio call-in show where listeners describe their fears. Jessie knows all about fears as she was kidnapped, raped, tortured, and buried alive at age 16 by the T&B serial killer; she was his sole surviving victim. One night on her call-in show, "Cameron" calls in and describes Jessie's fear of cemetaries ("Cameron" was the name on the gravesite she was buried) and it begins to appear that the T&B serial killer wants to finish the job he started many years ago. Jessie attempts to report this and several other harassing calls to the local police department and meets Detective Jake Merridan, the lead cop for the lily serial killer case. Neither guesses that there could be a connection between the current case and the cold case (the T&B serial killer was never caught), particularly since Jessie doesn't initially reveal her past to Jake. Meanwhile, Jessie has a mysterious new patient, Mark Smith, who ties into the entire scenario. I won't spoil things by revealing the identity of the killer but will say I was able to guess his identity prior to the ending. This was a pretty good book and worth reading if only for Carla Cassidy's style of drawing the reader into the story.

When Jessica was 16, she was abducted by the T&B (torture and burial) serial killer, but managed to escape death when some teenagers out for a party in the cemetery scared her assailant away. Now 18 years later, Jessica is a therapist and radio psychologist who specializes in helping patients deal with fears, while nursing her own fear of the dark. When her last caller of the night asks if she is afraid of the dark, she gets the eerie feeling that it is not just a prank.

Detective Jake Merridan has been assigned a new case, and all clues indicate it is related to another homicide and they just might have a serial killer on their hands. After Jessica starts getting freaky phone calls at home, she goes to the police and starts to tell her story to Jake, but chickens out on providing background. Both find themselves attracted to each other - having a lot in common - being divorced single parents - and start to see each other.

As their romance blossoms, neither realizes that the sadistic killer that Jake is trying to capture is the same one that abducted and altered Jessica's life. His MO might be different, but eventually his goal to get the one that got away will not be squelched. Will Jake identify the madman before his second chance for love is stolen from him? Will Jessica be able to share her physical and mental scars with Jake?

Cassidy is a master at creating diabolical killers and heart tugging romance. This one is not to be missed and will capture the reader's attention until the last paragraph.

In Kansas City, therapist Jessica Langford runs a two hour evening radio show, Are You Afraid of the Dark? That provides advice to those with phobias. However, a caller states that Jessica fears cemeteries. Her producer Chris Mathison asks if she is okay as Jessica goes pale. She thinks back to eighteen years ago as a teenager when the T&B serial killer buried her alive at Hillside Cemetery at Camerson Jackson' gravesite, but she was rescued; the perp was never caught.

Detective Jake Merridan investigates several recent homicides of young females. His failure to make progress, as a serial killer surfaces, frustrates him. Jessica knows who stalked her on the air as he is back but plans this time she plans to confront her fear and the T&B killer. Her efforts take her into the midst of Jake's inquiries and he soon sees a tie with the physical looks of the victims and the radio therapist. As they fall in love, he vows to keep her safe from a serial killer who is either a copy cat or the return of the T&B.

ARE YOU AFRAID? is an intriguing serial killer police procedural romance. Jake is a fascinating lead as he struggles with a case going nowhere until he meets Jessica and his frustration changes as he needs to keep his beloved safe. Jessica has come a long way from the frightened sixteen years old near victim, but answers affirmative to the title question. Though how T&B kept his obsession in check for so long yet now is obsessed to finish the job seems odd, fans of suspense thrillers will want to read Carla Cassidy's captivating novel.

Harriet Klausner

I really enjoyed this novel I couldnt put it down. The suspense was good as well as the romance. Usually I get tired of contemporary romance novels because usually the hero and heorine act like idiots, but not in this one.

Thank you so much...this book was better than described. I apologize its taken me so long to review this...I thought I already had done this...I am so sorry. DUH!! Loved the books and will return to you again to buy more...thanks again.....AAAAAAAA+++++++ Pat

I collect Carla Cassidy's hardbacks, and this one was an excellent addition. The book was in excellent condition and it's delivery was right on time as the vendor projected. I am very pleased and will work with this vendor again.

I really enjoyed this story of suspense and romance. I love the way Carla Cassidy writes. Dr. Jessica Langford was the only survivor of the T & B serial killer, a killer which has never been caught. Now 18 yrs. later Jessie is a phychiatrist helping others overcome fear and also has a radio show where callers can call to talk about their fears. All is well until the calls start coming again and she knows in her heart the killer is back and he's coming for her! Det. Jake Meridan is someone who worked the case all those years ago and is now a single parent working on another case when two women turn up dead and they realize another killer is on the loose. Jessica goes to the police about her calls and winds up talking to Jake who seems the only one to take an interest in her problem...and her. While trying to work on his own case he is concerned about Jessica and works on her strange calls etc. Romance and suspense and keeps you guessing. Carla Cassidy has a gift and her storys are always edge of the seat and never dissapoint.
If you like a good mystery mixed with romance this is the book for you! Enjoy.

Eighteen years ago, Jessica Langford was the sole survivor of the infamous T and B killer. In the intervening years, she has married, had a son, divorced, and built a successful counseling practice and radio show. Now, she has begun receiving eerily strange phone calls asking about her own fears. Yet, this crime seems fairly small to the police who are wrestling with another serial killer. However, one cop, Jake Merridan, takes notice of Jessica and when things get more serious, he is there for her. The T & B killer is back, and he wants to finish the job on Jessica.

*** The suspense builds slowly; you are almost unprepared for the fast paced ending. Jessica and Jake's romance is an extremely sweet one, of two needy souls finding each other. It's almost as if two books have melded into one; a tender love story and a murder mystery. ***


Amanda Killgore