Customer Reviews

Waking Nightmare (Mindhunters)

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

 

 

While the conflict of the criminologist creating a profile and the detective who doesn't believe in "psychobabble" has been done before, it's handled well here. Ryne isn't over-the-top or oblivious in his doubt--he just needs to be convinced. And Abbie has dealt with doubtful cops before, so she handles it pretty well. The characters have quite a bit of depth and are interesting and enjoyable; the chemistry between Abbie and Ryne feels real, and their mutual desire to ignore that attraction feels believable rather than serving as an artificial means of keeping them apart.

My favorite part of Kylie Brant's Waking Nightmare, however, is Abbie's sister, Callie, who's bipolar (among other things). This is one of the best (i.e., most accurate) depictions I've seen of someone who's bipolar--from a single paragraph of dialogue I immediately found myself saying, "she's hypomanic!" Followed, of course, by amazement that there was so much accuracy to the flow of the dialogue that I could tell that so easily.

While there's plenty of tension and great pacing to the suspense and mystery portion of things, one thing disappointed me. To me, the best part of a suspense/mystery novel is trying to figure out whodunit. This requires a tricky balance of foreshadowing/hints, and red herrings/obfuscation, such that the reader waffles on the identity of the perpetrator until the very end, but feels satisfaction and a feeling of, "of COURSE it was him/her!" at the end. To be fair, this is extremely hard to achieve, and to a certain extent this line will rest at a different place with each reader, so take my complaint with a grain of salt.

Despite that, however, I enjoyed Waking Nightmare enough to immediately pick up its sequel, Waking Evil, so it definitely isn't a deal-breaker problem. Besides--it's more than made up for by how Callie and her illness are handled throughout the book!


[Standard adult material warning: explicit sex between the romantic leads and dark subject matter.]

[Review book provided courtesy of publisher]

Kylie Brant's book is built around an original idea and deals with a very interesting case, though the dénouement is a little unconvincing. I won't say why, not to spoil the fun, because fun it was reading this book.
But I ask myself why in such a novel the male and the female investigators invariably have to fall in love with each other. And do I really have to learn about each and every muscle in the hero`s body? Do I have to be reminded again and again that nipples - all four of them - get hard during the lovemaking process? I would have liked to read a little less about love and a little more about crime.
In spite of what I consider a flaw in the story I immediately downloaded "Waking Evil" by the same author because all in all she has convinced me of her writing skills. I would have given this novel five stars if ... (see above)

Savannah, Georgia is shook by a brutal serial rapist. Police detective Ryne Robel leads the investigation, but needs manpower to capture the violent culprit. The tough cop is extremely unhappy when the best the brass can give him is waif like forensic profiler Abbie Phillips of Mindhunters, a private firm.

However, Abbie quickly proves her worth as a criminologist when she figures out the motive of the sociopath. They also learn the predator uses a designer drug that induces extra fear from the victims because the rapist customizes the cocktail to the person. As they begin to work on how a person is chosen, the pair is also attracted to one another. However, taking down this vicious monster supersedes personal desires.

The first Mindhunters romantic suspense emphasizes from the onset the suspense leaving the romance somewhat in the background. This is critical to the thrilling story line as the scenes with the killer in them are nightmarishly gruesome so that kisses would seem inappropriate (except perhaps for Rocky Horror fans). The story line is somewhat standard serial killer police procedural. However, the changing relationship between the lead partners from disdain to respect plus the deep look at modern day criminology make for a great opening act for whodunit fans.

Harriet Klausner

Set in Savannah, Georgia. Detective Ryne Robel heads the task force set up to catch a serial rapist. Ryne asks his commander for another detective to be added to his group. Instead of a detective, Abby Phillips is added. Abby is an expert in forensic profiling. She does not receive a warm welcome to the task force, but Abby's talents prove invaluable. No one has been able to find a link between the victims. They appear to be chosen randomly. The women are being physically assaulted and then tortured. The elusive suspect is learning the victim's phobia and then specifically creating a torture designed upon it.

Abby has more going on in her life than the investigation. Her wild sister, Callie, has followed Abby down to Savannah and she is up to her normal tricks. And while the task force follows their slim leads for the suspect's identity, he is watching Ryne and Abby.

***** FIVE STARS! This is the first of a new series revolving around the forensic consults hired from Raiker Forensics. Reading this story is a lot like watching CSI on television, but this story also includes a sizzling romance and creepy suspense. Readers will not have to wait long for the next episode. The first three titles will be printed one month apart. I do not know if this will stop as a trilogy or if it will continue on into the next year, but either way the author has a winner on her hands. This story is very realistic with close attention to the details and methods used by the brave people who actually investigate such horrors. (They have my undying respect and admiration!) A fabulous story that I cannot recommend highly enough. *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

The first sentence will intrigue you and the next one causes chills. By the third sentence, you will be completely hooked on WAKING NIGHTMARE as the frightening development becomes all too clear. Kylie Brant begins The Mindhunters series with convincingly realistic predicaments featuring spiritedly determined characters, where nothing is certain and all can be lost in an instant.

After another brutal rape happens in Savannah, the head detective of the task force investigating these vicious crimes is willing to have another cop brought in to join his group. However, when Ryne Robel learns the new member is Abbie Phillips, he is not overly thrilled. He had wanted an experienced detective, not a petite younger woman who is only a forensic psychologist. Although her company, known as The Mindhunters, is run by a renowned ex-FBI profiler, Ryne does not believe she is qualified to actually help with the investigation but his protests are overruled.

With many previous successful cases, Abbie knows she can be a valuable member to his team by contributing her opinions about the perpetrator. As she studies the connected cases to form motivational reasoning behind each one, she comes to some startling conclusions while proving her worth more than once. Abbie believes the person responsible for the sadistic acts somehow learns of a private fear and uses this knowledge to cause even more anguish to each of his victims. As Ryan and Abbie work closely together to stop the terror seizing Savannah, they come to respect each other, both professionally and personally, while desirous longing continues to mount. Unfortunately, the person they are after does not plan on ever being caught.

Kylie Brant never lets the reader down, as emotions are stirred and imaginations are captured. The creative talent of Ms. Brant is apparent in every story she writes, and her gift has never been more evident than in the first book of The Mindhunters series. With grippingly suspenseful scenarios and numerous potential outcomes, every word of WAKING NIGHTMARE is highly anticipated. Though plenty of clues are given, one does not know for certain where they will lead, and these doubts often turn to surprise when unforeseen revelations are finally divulged. There are countless twists in the story, and many of them will leave you totally stunned. Ms. Brant knows exactly how to keep your attention, as she may give you most wanted answers to a few questions but still keeps you guessing the solution of others. These hidden intrigues let your own imagination take over your thoughts, frequently causing heart-pounding moments as you await their resulting consequences. There is tension from the endless danger, while tension on another level is constantly taking place between Ryne and Abbie. Although they may not always agree on how to handle their case, the simmering sexual awareness they feel for each other is never completely forgotten. When their control over these desires explodes, the scene is blazing yet tender with unspoken feelings. Ryne and Abbie are a memorable couple, as insight into their backgrounds makes them more beloved and particularly true-to-life. These two have to be admired for what they have accomplished, and their openness will touch you with its sincerity. The Mindhunters series starts off with an appropriately named story of suspense, and I look forward to seeing what occurs in the next case. Unfolding mysteries and palpable threats keep WAKING NIGHTMARE captivatingly entertaining, while the passionate romance touches your heart.

Reviewed for SingleTitles

Wow! This is a great story, the writting is first class, the suspense is spine-tingling and I can't find a thing wrong with this book. The H & H even call each other by their fist names! Ms. Brant has a good sense of humor and knows when and how to use it. Thanks for a great read.

When a serial rapist strikes again and the police, including lead detective Ryne Robel, still have no leads. Forensic profiler Abbie Phillips is brought in to help find the rapist. Abbie doesn't get a warm welcome from anyone, but she quickly proves to be an asset to the investigation. As Ryne and Abbie struggle to discover the rapist's identity before he can strike again, their simmering attraction begins to boil over. Neither of them believes in happily ever after, but that doesn't stop them from looking for one.



Waking Nightmare is an intense, edge-of-your-seat thriller that will keep you riveted from the first line to the last. Abbie and Ryne have intense chemistry but a complicated relationship. The scene where they are making love and discussing the case is very powerful. It shows their deep emotional and physical connection. I've never read anything quite like it. The characterization in Waking Nightmare is excellent. I could feel Ryne and Abbie's emotions and I felt like I got into the villain's head. Constant suspense and a shocking twist at the end add to an already gripping storyline making Waking Nightmare an excellent beginning to The Mindhunters series.


Nannette
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

I really liked this book. I read it first before I read I Can See You by Karen Rose. It was almost like reading the exact same book. Wonder if the authors now realize that they had the same plot and almost same characters. Surprised to say that even though I love Karen Rose, I really enjoyed this book better. Not sure if it is because I read it first though.

I did enjoy her book and her writing skills. Others have reviewed the content so I will just comment on some problems I had. To me it was obvious when she laid down some red herrings for us to bite. No way did I believe them guilty. Also, the Chief threatening the lead detective is sooooo overdone. When the book turned steamy, at first I thought "Well, that's it." But then it got even more graphic so I looked at the spine and for the first time noticed it said, "Romantic Suspense." Yuk. I never read romance novels and this one would have been so much better without the blow-by-blow (no pun intended). I tend to favor books by male authors because they may have a few passages, but they mainly just let you use your imagination. Why these women write this stuff and it is popular tells me there are a lot of unsatisfied ladies out there! I also had trouble with the 'twist' at the end and actually found it quite hard to swallow. That was the biggest problem for me. No way did the identity of the murderer seem to work. But that's just me.

Brant has created a dark and compelling world in Waking Nightmare. This book has more twists and turns then the pacific coast highway and I followed along unable to wait to see what would happen next. It's clear Brant has done her homework and done it well. Her police procedures are down pat and her characterizations are clear, concise and intriguing. With a truly unexpected ending, this book will keep you up late turning the pages and scared to stick your feet out from under the covers. Waking Nightmare was an excellent read. ~ Ana, IReadRomance dot com