Customer Reviews

Bad Girl : A Novel

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This novel may not be for you. Although there is romance present it is waaaay back on the back burner. This is more of a mainstream suspense book packed with a lot of twists and turns that leave you wondering who the bad guy really is. Although the answer to that question is answered before the end of the book it is still interesting to see how Windy and her team work to get the same answer.

If your squimish you may want to avoid this story. The author goes into great detail regarding the murder scenes but I feel this only addes to drawing the reader into the story. There are lags in the story but they are few and far between. Still this was a strong novel and should not be missed.

Widow and single mother Chicago "Windy" Thomas takes over as head of the Las Vegas Metro Police Department's Criminalistics Bureau. She immediately shows her value with a murder case impressing Violent Crimes task Force supervisor Ash Laughton with her knowledge and honesty. He asks for her help on a particularly violent murder Mrs. Johnson and her fifteen years old and under three children were ritualistically killed. Windy provides strong assistance in interpreting the photos of the crime scene.

The same MO is repeated with Windy once again furbishing valuable insight to Ash. While trying to solve the homicides, Ash and Windy begin to fall in love although she is engaged to someone else. As a serial killer terrorizes the city, the police led by the dynamic protagonists struggle to bring this malevolent individual to justice before the culprit destroys another family.

The title aside, BAD GIRL is a tremendous police procedural romance that is at its best when Windy provides Holmes-like explanations to crimes and crime scenes. The story line is loaded with action, but owned by Windy, though her bowing to guilt tossed at her by her fiancé seems out of character. Fans who value a strong investigative tale into the mind of a serial killer with a sidebar of romance will enjoy Michele Jaffe's work.

Harriet Klausner

I am a big fan of Michele Jaffe's historical novels, and I've been waiting eagerly for her next book to come out. Bad Girl doesn't disappoint -- in fact, I think it may be my favorite of all.

Bad Girl covers completely different territory -- modern-day Las Vegas -- and it does so with style. The characters (especially Windy Thomas and Ash Laughton) are great, and the plotting is really tight, with a number of unexpected twists and turns that heighten the suspense. Jaffe also clearly knows her stuff when it comes to forensics; she manages to weave in critical facts and detail with grace and wit.

All in all, a fabulous mystery/thriller with a healthy dose of romance. I highly recommend it.

Bad Girl is quite a gripping suspense novel. Chicago "Windy" Thomas accepts the offer to head the Las Vegas Police Department's forensics lab. A natural at the aforementioned task, she helps solve various cases at the drop of a hat. That is until she's encountered with one of the most sinister serial killers in recent years. The culprit - whom the press named the "Home Wrecker" - has killed various women and their children. Will Windy be able to solve the complicated case? And are she and her six-year-old daughter in danger? There are various twists and turns throughout the novel.

The dissecting of evidence takes over most of the novel. There were times in which I thought I was watching an episode of CSI. But the second half of the novel floored me till the end. The building of sexual tension between Windy and Ash gives the novel a nice romantic touch. I'm duly impressed with Michele Jaffe's work and I look forward to reading her other books in the future. I highly recommend Bad Girl.

Chicago "Windy" Thomas is excited about her move to Las Vegas. It's a chance for her to start a new life with her six-year-old daughter. She has been hired as the new head of the Las Vegas forensics lab and she throws herself into her work, rapidly gaining the attention of Ash Leighton, head of the Violent Crime Unit, when she quickly figures out who the killer is from two suspects who were brought in for questioning.

Then when a family is brutally murdered, neither Ash nor Windy suspect that it's only the beginning. However, after a second family is slaughtered, they realize a serial killer is on the loose.

The clock is ticking as Ash tries to delve in the mind of the killer. One who may be killing just for the pleasure of it. When Windy discovers more facts, the hunt for the killer gets sinister and now her life is on the line. If they don't find the killer quickly, Windy could very well wind up the next victim.

This story had me hooked right from the get go, but then I'm a sucker for a good thriller and BAD GIRL is certainly that. You won't be disappointed with this one, that's for sure.

Excellent book! I am now a Michele Jaffe fan for sure. The story grabbed you on the first page and didn't let go. Fast paced, just enough twists and surprises and a little romance thrown in for good measure. The story line was awesome and the CSI like investigation was interesting to read.

This was one of those books that made you feel like friends had left you when you turn the last page, I highly recommend this read.

Whew! What a ride! Adult readers who enjoy tight, multi-faceted mystery/thriller/suspense novels will relish this book by Michelle Jaffe.

Las Vegas police criminologist Chicago Thomas is obsessively drawn to solving the particularly gruesome serial murders of several families. Using her keen eye for crime scene detail and an uncanny inner sense, she gets a good jump on pursuing the criminal. But things are not always as they seem even for an incredibly talented criminologist like Thomas and she finds herself as as the hunter and hunted at the same time.

That short synopsis, however, does not tell the whole story. Jaffe has populated her story with many excellent characters and several compelling plotlines that simultaneously grip the reader until those lines converge in a tremendous deneouement at the end of the book. No loose ends are left untied. This is a masterful novel.

Beware, however, that there are some lurid details here that will disturb some sensitive readers. While Jaffe deftly avoids graphic sexual description until a disappointing scene near the end of the book, the gritty detail of murder and life on the seamy side can be disturbing.

Jaffe's writing skills are ver impressive. She has bettered conventional, boilerplate fiction by creating great characters (even minor characters are real) who live in the reader's memory and by spinning tale intricate and succinct at the same time. A true winner.

This book is great! It holds your attention all the way to the end!

Much to my surprise this book is catagorized in the romance section at the local B&N. But this book is so much more. The love story takes a back seat to a serial murder story that gave me nightmares for the first two nights. Great characters, great story, great from beginning to end. I literally lost sleep just to read this book. I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next.

"Bad Girl" incorporates the principles of personal and private self as Windy is shown both at home and with police work. Windy is a multi-demensional character that has the reader wishing to read more and more about the book.

The relationship between Windy and her fiance is an especially complicated one, she feels like she needs a safe relationship as she struggles to find her foothold in both work and in her personal life.

The both screams romance and mystery. It has a powerful woman who is so artfully crafted that she jumps off the pages. The hero is an enigma of sorts with layers hidden beneath his surface that the reader sees Windy uncover and the mystery keeps you guessing until the very end. There are twists and turns at every corner and it makes one wish to know what happens.