Customer Reviews

The Fifth Victim (Zebra Romantic Suspense)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

When a ritualistic killing similar to his niece's murder happens in a small Tennessee town, FBI agent Dallas Sloan travels to investigate and falls for the woman who "saw" the gruesome murder. He has done a lot of research on the killings - so far 20 victims have been found - five in each of four different cities, with the fifth killing being more sadistic. Genny Madoc is Cherokee Pointe's town oddity. She inherited the "sight" from her grandmother, enabling her to see the crimes while they are in progress, and occasionally see into the killer or victim's minds. While Dallas does not believe in this hocus pocus, he cannot deny that Genny's visions have elicited results and additional clues. Working with her cousin, Jacob, the town sheriff, Dallas discovers that there is indeed a link to the fifth victims, and that Genny may be on the killer's hit list.

The murders are sadistic and chilling, and nothing is left to the imagination. There are many potential suspects on the list - it is up to Dallas to identify the culprit and save the woman he loves. I thought that the police relied too much on Genny's visions to solve the crime - made them a little inept. And since I am not a fan of paranormal stories, it was hard to suspend belief at times. But Barton is a first rate storyteller.

You have to have a strong stomach for this one. This serial killer is just seriously insane. I thought I was going to lose my lunch reading some of the things this killer does. Very suspenseful! Great love story too between Dallas & Genny. Whether you belive in the paranormal or not, if you can keep an open mind, you will thoroughly enjoy this book.

If you like the paranormal, and I don't, then you might enjoy this story. FBI agent Dallas Stone arrives in Cherokee Pointe to investigate the gruesome sacrificial murder of a young woman. This murder has similarities to the unsolved serial murder of his niece two years ago. Genny Madoc lives a simple life in Cherokee Pointe but her psychic abilities allow her to 'see' the murder and draw her into this investigation. Dallas and Genny are strongly attracted to eachother as they search for a killer before he gets his fifth victim.

Although pleasantly presented this police procedural relies too heavily on the paranormal findings in decifering the case and finding the murderer.

The first of a trilogy set in Cherokee Pointe, Tennessee, introduces a cast of characters that could be interesting, but never get beyond the cardboard cutout stage, and a gruesome serial killer.

Genny Madoc is a gentle, nurturing woman gifted with a sixth sense that brings her visions and lets her communicate with animals. When sacrificial killings begin in Cherokee Pointe, Genny's visions intensify and she sees the murders.

Lured by the first murder in Cherokee Pointe, FBI Agent Dallas Sloan travels there on the trail of his niece's murderer. He's handsome, driven and only believes in what his five senses tell him--a point that is driven home repeatedly.

The attraction and connection between Genny and Dallas is immediate and consuming, for them. Although I was told how they felt, over and over again, I never 'felt' it. Show me, don't tell me.

The suspense is solid and the plot is satisfying. For me, the dialogue is a little too formal--not the way people actually speak to one another, especially people from the south with their charming accents. Still, this is an entertaining tale and I will finish reading the trilogy.

Shelley Dawn, author of Sweet, Sweet Jessie and Dark Nights.

Beverly Barton does it again....
The Fifith Victim has a smart, sexy and scary story line.
Liked her chracters and have allready read the books continuing the
chracters thru 2 other tiltes The Last to Die and As Good as Dead.
All three grips you from the start....fast-paced, multi-facted and
riveting....If one finds a fault with her books....it would be the explict sex.....which isn't really need for the story line....the MYSTERY
is the grip.

There were good points to this book, and bad points. I didn't exactly like it all that much, but I didn't really dislike. Mostly, I just thought it could have been written better.

Plot-wise, it was a good book. I enjoyed the storyline and the main characters; a fairly typical good vs evil / serial killer story. Barton did an excellent job of keeping you guessing about the bad guy. She gives you a number of suspects and I could never quite figure out which on it was because none were overly obvious. It kept you into the book and kept you wondering. The main secondary characters of Jazzy and Jacob were good too. I enjoyed the friendship between Jazzy, Jacob, and Genny.

The down side of this book was that - in my opinion - Barton spent too much time on the other numerous characters, at a sacrifice to Dallas and Genny. There were just so many characters she dumped into the book, some entirely inconsequential, and some as potential bad guys. Some were necessary, but Barton still spent too many pages on them. Because of that, I didn't feel like Dallas and Genny got enough attention. There wasn't much discovery time with them. It was like there entire romance was built on an intangible connection that both felt. I wanted more quality getting-to-know-you moments with them. All the asides just made the book a bit scattered and my attention kept wandering.

So all in all, The Fifth Victim is an okay read, something you wouldn't mind taking out from the library, but not something to rush right out and get. There are 2 connected books, but as yet, I haven't decided if I'm going to read them.

Deep in the mountains of Cherokee Point, Tennessee, Susie Richards has been murdered, a chilling human sacrifice. Local psychic Genny Madoc has witnessed the murder through the eyes of the killer. Sheriff Jacob Butler, Gennys cousin, has learned to trust in her visions, and finds the victim in the Cedar Tree Forest, where Genny said she would be. FBI agent Dallas Sloan has been seeking the murderer of his niece, and believes these murders to be that of a serial killer. A pattern in these killings develops, as the criminal murders four women, and when he moves on to the fifth victim, removes her heart and eats it. Then the killer moves on to a new locale, and the pattern starts all over again. When Dallas learns of the sacrificial murder in Cherokee Point, he believes another round has begun.

Dallas heads to Tennessee, and arrives in a blinding snowstorm, going off the road, and forced to find shelter from the storm. He does, at Genny Madocs house. She learns that Dallas has been in touch with Jacob regarding the murder, and offers to let him stay until the storm lets up. As Genny and Dallas get to know one another, a strong bond develops between them, although Dallas finds Gennys visions a bit hard to accept. As three more murders occur, he realizes shes right on target every time, and starts to accept her abilities. While Dallas and Jacob work together to find a common link to the murders, they come to believe that Genny has been targeted to be the fifth victim. Together they work to keep her safe, but even that proves to be not enough. Will the race against time save Genny?

The small town of Cherokee Point has many secrets amongst the interesting characters that call this place home. Will one of them prove to be the killer? Genny and Dallas are a wonderful couple, she knowing Dallas is the man of her future, although it takes him awhile to pick up on this. But, when he does theres no stopping him. Fans of Beverly Barton will enjoy this intense suspense, the first in a trilogy that promises more thrills and chills to come!

There is a killer on the loose in Cherokee Pointe, Tennessee. He goes from place to place sacraficing his victims in groups of five. The fifth victim always has a sixth sense, from empathy to telepathy. This time he has found the perfect fifth victim, one that will give him the ultimate power.

Genny Madoc has inherited 'The Sight' from her grandmother. When the first murder occurs, she sees it in her dreams and is horrified by what she has seen. When Dallas Sloan comes to Cherokee Pointe, she knows that he is the one that her heart and soul has been looking for. The only problem is that Dallas is not a believer in the unexplained and he has come to Cherokee Pointe to catch the killer that sacraficed his niece.

Dallas Sloan has never met anyone like Genny Madoc. From the first moment he lays eyes on her, he is enchanted. He is wary however, for Genny seems to expect more than he can give. He has never been a believer in what Genny claims she can see, but as time goes on, he finds himself believing in her, for there is no way that she can see what she sees without having 'The Sight'. When they uncover the similarities between all the fifth victim's, he is terrified that she will be taken from him.

Genny and Dallas, along with secondary characters that you will fall in love with, with hold you spellbound in the book that has the right amount of romance and suspense combined. You won't be dissapointed in this book!

Happy reading!!

There is a killer on the loose, one who kills five women, then moves on to start the pattern over again. The fifth death is always the most gruesome, with the victim's heart removed, and most likely eaten.

Dallas Sloan's niece had been one of the victims. Now, this FBI agent was committed to finding and stopping her killer. When it seems that the monster has taken up residence in a small backwoods town, that is where he goes, only to be caught in a storm and forced to take refuge with the local oddity, psychic Genny, the sherriff's cousin. At first, he thinks the beautiful woman is just a bit odd or overly imaginative, but when her visions prove true, he is forced to change his mind. Things take a grim turn when Dallas finds the link in the victims, and it is one that shows him the woman he is beginning to care for too much is likely to be on the hit list. Racing against time, he fights to save the woman he loves.

***** Small town secrets, witchcraft, passion, suspense, and magic blend into a nail biting story that zips along at a good pace and holds your attention from the very first word. Dallas is a man haunted and driven, and very realistic. He is a hero you can easily imagine existing, not one who is larger than life. Genny has the sweet air that older women or younger fans of classic movies will be able to associate with Jenifer Jones, or perhaps more recently, Mandy Moore. The chills created are enough to keep you up all night. If you enjoy Linda Howard, you will definitely fall in love with this writer.

This book was interesting. I like how it keeps you on the edge the whole time where you are guessing who the killer is and who will be the next victim. I had figured out why, and who the 5th victim was before the end. I recommend it to anyone that likes mystery/romance books. Just don't read the second one 1st like I did, which I didn't know that it was a triogy until I got to the end of the book.