The Sex Club [Paperback]

L. J. Sellers (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2007

A pipe bomb explodes at a birth control clinic, then a young client turns up dead in a dumpster. Kera, the clinic nurse, discovers that the girl s Bible group is sharing more than the Good News. Confidentiality keeps her from telling the police, so she digs for the truth on her own becoming the bomber s new target. Meanwhile, Detective Jackson races to find the killer, fearing that his own daughter could be next. But his investigation is blocked by power politics at every step. Can Jackson uncover the killer s shocking identity in time to stop the slaughter?

Mystery Scene magazine calls it, A thrilling, eye-opening read. and the prestigious Seattle Mystery Bookshop says THE SEX CLUB a must read!

Editorial Reviews

Review

There is much to enjoy in The Sex Club, especially in its deeply-developed characters and timely, intelligent plot. But the major pleasures come from the author s risky decision to tell her story from multiple points of view. Thus we follow Ruth into her kitchen as she bakes cookies and builds more bombs while holding conversations with God, who assures her that the only lives that matter are the lives of the unborn. We follow poor, tortured Kera, who wonders if one of her own young clients is a murderer. Most intriguing of all, we follow the conflicted Jackson as he deals with his alcoholic ex-wife and his own rebellious daughter, who he suspects may be a member of the Sex Club. This chilling book offers a rare insight into the kind of religious fundamentalism which preaches that any horrific act is acceptable if it is carried out in God s name. A thrilling, eye-opening read. -- Mystery Scene magazine

--Mystery Scene magazine

L.J. Sellers rips current social issues from editorial pages, wraps them in exciting, multi-faceted mysteries, and delivers thrilling reads. Pick up any Sellers mystery and you ll find the full package lovable, flawed human beings with interesting, imperfect lives; twisted, mean-spirited villains that we love to hate; good guys who aren't so good; bad guys who have standards; a suspenseful tale with enough plot twists and red herrings to keep the mystery fascinating to the last page and leave the reader begging for more. -- Charlotte Phillips, author of the Eva Baum mysteries --Charlotte Phillips, author of the Eva Baum mysteries

--Charlotte Phillips, author of the Eva Baum mysteries

L.J. Sellers has written a fine debut mystery novel that explores religious fanaticism and its effects on the lives of various people. The characters are well developed, the plot plausible and well executed with an unexpected twist at the end. I look forward to reading more books by this talented author. --Bloodstained Book Reviews --Bloodstained Book Reviews

About the Author

L.J. Sellers is an award-winning journalist and the author of the bestselling Detective Jackson mystery/suspense series: SECRETS TO DIE FOR, THRILLED TO DEATH, PASSIONS OF THE DEAD, DYING FOR JUSTICE, and LIARS, CHEATERS & THIEVES. She also has four standalone thrillers: THE SEX CLUB, THE BABY THIEF, THE ARRANGER, and THE SUICIDE EFFECT. When not plotting murders, L.J. enjoys performing standup comedy, cycling, social networking, and attending mystery conferences. She's also been known to jump out of airplanes.

Product Details

• Paperback: 347 pages
• Publisher: Spellbinder Press; 1st edition (October 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0979518202
• ISBN-13: 978-0979518201
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (97 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #540,015 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

L.J. Sellers is an award-winning journalist and the author of the bestselling Detective Jackson mystery/suspense series: SECRETS TO DIE FOR, THRILLED TO DEATH, PASSIONS OF THE DEAD, DYING FOR JUSTICE, and LIARS, CHEATERS & THIEVES. Her novels have been highly praised by Mystery Scene, Crimespree, and Spinetingler magazines, and the series is an Amazon Kindle bestseller. L.J. also has four standalone thrillers: THE SEX CLUB, THE BABY THIEF, THE GAUNTLET ASSASSIN, and THE SUICIDE EFFECT. When not plotting murders, she enjoys performing standup comedy, cycling, social networking, and attending mystery conferences. She's also been known to jump out of airplanes.

For more about L.J., visit her website: http://ljsellers.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

87 of 91 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Darn Good Read, December 5, 2007

By 

Madge Walls (Wilsonville, Oregon) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Sex Club (Paperback)

I would normally not have picked up The Sex Club off the shelf, as I'm not much of a mystery fan. However, the masterful and expressive cover caught my eye. Surprise - L.J. Sellers held my interest from first to last, and I hated to see the story end. This is a police procedural, following the steps of the detective as he solves the crimes. The police aspects are well-researed, and the reader rides along with the detective eyes open and cheering. The characters are well drawn, complete with human foibles, and very sympathetic. Thankfully, the author did not stoop to giving the detective more than his share of faults. The tender romance is treated softly, a natural outcome of proximity, but does not overwhelm the crime story. And the crimes! Realistic for today, sadly. As it is set in Eugene, OR, home of my alma mater, that added personal interest, but the setting could Smalltown, anywhere. Living as I do now in a hotbed of Christian conservatism, the issues she brings up of religious fanatacism were very to the point. I am looking forward to the next Detective Wade Jackson novel.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An enjoyable read, October 29, 2010

By 

Petrichor (NSW, Australia) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Sex Club: A Detective Jackson Thriller (Kindle Edition)

Owning a Kindle has opened my reading list up to a lot of new writers- indie and professional alike. L.J. Sellers has been one of those lovely new discoveries: The Sex Club was my first contact with Det. Jackson and whilst it is not perfect, I look forward to reading Sellers' other titles.

In terms of writing, the quality is right up there with more well-known crime/drama/police-procedural authors. It was an easy read that was hard to put down. Some of the dialogue was a little stiff and formal, but the biggest weakness was the characters- they tended to be black and white, two-dimensional stereotypes. The "baddies" were right-wing and possessed negative traits, the "good guys" tended to be lefty-liberals. It made the book a little predictable. Interstingly, the majority of characters are female.

27 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LJ Delivers, September 2, 2008

By 

Marvin D. Wilson (Ann Arbor, Michigan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Sex Club (Paperback)

Author LJ Sellers knows how to write a compelling, page-turning, heart-stopping, blood pumping thriller of a story. She has created a vivid and multi-layered cast of believable characters. From promiscuous church-going pubescent teenagers to a lonely and wanting love in her life main heroine that works as a dedicated nurse in a Planned Parenthood clinic, to a religious psychopath with a God-complex blowing up buildings and doing everything she can to exact God's punishment on sinners, the characters jump right out of the pages and take up residence in your head.

LJ has a no frills, concise style of writing with a voice that does not get in the way of the story. Her prose shows the controlled and classic restraint of a veteran writer. The story she writes is so strong and intriguing she has no need of all the bells and whistles of frilly fiction that we so often see in novels, the countless adjectives, adverbs, exclamation points, etc. She just delivers the story, and hits you right over the head with it. She can take a bite out of your heart and stab you in your ear with a few simple words.

I highly recommend The Sex Club. Plan on putting everything aside for a day, because you won't be able to put it down once you get drawn into it, and that happens very quickly. I look forward to reading more from Sellers.