Customer Reviews

Five Star Expressions - Hidden Instincts

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Lindsey Paxton always trusted her instincts. They made her the best defense attorney in New York. Her proud, but stubborn and grumpy father, Edward Paxton, expected her to one day take over his law firm. However, she defended a man accused of rapes (Hudson case), and won it, only to learn a few days later that he raped and killed another woman. Lindsey was devastated and blamed herself for the woman's death. She left her attorney career behind and joined the FBI.

Years pass...
Due to her father having cancer, Lindsey is forced to put her career with the Washington branch of the FBI on hold. Lindsey hopes to convince her father's ex-partner, Mark Reeves, to take the law firm over so she may return to Washington. Not only must Lindsey deal with her father's firm, at least for awhile, but he left her with the Williams case. She feels unable to deal with the Williams case because it is identical to the Hudson one. Even eerier, all the victims, from BOTH cases, look exactly like Lindsey.

Mark Reeves and Lindsey's father did NOT get along. He could care less about the firm or Edward. When Lindsey shows up at his Manhattan address he tells her so in no uncertain terms. But Lindsey, herself, intrigues Mark. He will help her and the firm out for six months, but she must remain too. During that time, HE hopes to get closer to Lindsey and SHE hopes to convince him to keep the firm. The Williams case is high profile. More than just the media is watching Lindsey. Someone else watches her every move and bides his time.

***** Author Lisa Renee Jones has written a Contemporary Suspense romance that reminds me a lot of Jayne Ann Krentz's early books. I seldom find novels such as this one these days. I challenge anyone to figure out the killer's identity. There are many suspects to choose from. The main characters are believable, as well as the secondary ones. This makes everything blend smoothly together for a story you will remember long after you close the book. *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Lindsey Paxton was a very successful defense attorney, until one case changed her outlook on her profession. She defended a man accused of brutal rapes, because she thought he was innocent. He was acquitted and shortly after, another woman was not only raped, but killed. Her guilt led her to turn her back on that aspect of the law and join the FBI. A few years later, her father is diagnosed with cancer and she has to come back to take over the firm. Also, murders very similar to the case that ended her career, have occurred and once again the Paxton firm is defending the accused. The victims in both cases share one characteristic, they all look just like Lindsey. She asks the man who replaced her, Mark Reeves for his help, in spite of the fact that he left the firm under less than friendly circumstances. A relationship developes while they hunt down a killer.

I am familiar with Ms. Jones' work and have always enjoyed her ebooks. This book is a little bit of a departure in that it is longer and more involved. Her characters are for the most part well developed, the main ones, a few peripheral characters could use a little filling out. The story line was engrossing. Hopefully, this will be the first in a long line of novels.

Lindsay Paxton is a lawyer turned FBI. She is one very determined lady who is her own person. As a lawyer, one of her cases turned sour. The client is let off and shortly after rapes and kills someone. Linday blames herself and quits the law firm.

Mark is very up front as to how he feels about Lindsay; even during business he constantly thinks about her. He is Linday's father's estranged partner. He shows Lindsay different things about her thoughts on the perspective of life and she changes.

Edward Paxton some day expected his daughter Lindsay to take over his law firm. He gets cancer and dies. Lindsay comes home and finds that he has left her the Williams case; a case so like the one she lost that she feels she can not handle this. Needing help, she seeks out Mark the estranged partner.

This is a great story which I enjoyed immensely. The characters are strong and you are left on the edge of your seat at times. You are kept guessing as to who done it.

As an avid reader I found Lisas book Hidden Instincts to be an intriguing combination of romance and suspense. The story within the story was woven with care and although I don't read suspenses often I found it enjoyable.

Attorney Lindsey Paxton was the best trial lawyer around, but the Hudson case haunts her as she got him off, but he raped and killed a woman just after he obtained his freedom. Lindsey leaves DC for Manhattan and stops practicing law to join the FBI.

When her father is diagnosed with cancer, Lindsey returns home hoping to persuade her dad's ex junior partner consultant Mark Reeves to take over the firm. Mark refuses, but feels for the obviously shook up Lindsey. He agrees to mentor her until she can run the firm. He also accepts being first chair if she assists him on defending Williams, a case that seems eerily identical to that of Hudson as the female victims in both were raped before dying and all look like Lindsey.

This engaging legal thriller romance hooks the audience from the moment Lindsey comes home to a case that is identical to the one that had her give up her law practice. Lindsey's relationship with Mark and her somewhat estranged father (due to her refusal to practice law) adds a humanizing element to the fast-paced tale. Although the villain and his reasoning seems out of left field, sub-genre readers will appreciate the instincts of the lead couple as they fall in love while defending a client, and seeking the identity of the unknown killer who eventually will come for Lindsey if not stopped.

Harriet Klausner