Customer Reviews

Whisper of Warning

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Courtney Glass only agreed to meet her married ex-fling David at the park to get him to stop his constant text messaging and hash things out once and for all. When he finally shows up she's pissed. It's hot and humid and he made her wait when he's the one who wanted to meet. When he finally gets into her car he's acting all annoyed and accusing her of harassment. With no time to ponder this confusing accusation a masked gunman gets into the back of the car. After taking their cell phones he forces Courtney's hand into his and shoots David. Courtney manages mace the gunman right in the mouth and flees the car, literally running for her life.

Newly promoted Detective Will Hodges lands the case along with his partner Nathan Devereaux. When Nathan has to step down from the case because of his ties to the Glass family it's up to Will to solve David's murder and he can see right through Courtney's lies. Her story about the shooting just doesn't add up but he still believes she's innocent. With heat from David's rich widow, his lieutenant pressures him to arrest Courtney and close the case.

As the walls beginning closing in on Courtney she realizes that she has an important piece of information that the real killer wants and she has no choice but to turn to the brooding detective for help. Will knows that getting involved with his prime suspect will end his career but he just can't help being drawn in. Will he find the real killer in time or will the killer catch up to Courtney?

From the opening chapter I was hooked. Having read book one in the series, Thread of Fear, I already knew that Courtney attracts trouble but this situation takes the cake. I loved the fact that the action starts immediately and the rest of the book keeps up the pace.

Another great thing is that I never figured out who the killer was. It's so refreshing when you can't see it coming from a mile away. I also liked that the relationship between Courtney and Will happens naturally. I hate when characters jump into bed within hours of meeting each other. This was another great read by Laura Griffin. I do recommend reading Thread of Fear first just because I loved it so much but Whisper of Warning is definitely a stand alone read if you just want to jump into the action.

I pre-ordered this book, and was not disappointed. Just as good as her three others - and that is saying something. Make sure you read them in order. Ms. Griffin has moved to the top of my list of favorite authors. Her books are all keepers!

When Courtney Glass reluctantly meets her ex-boyfriend, she doesn't count on watching him get murdered. Neither does she count on all the evidence pointing to her as the killer. But feisty Courtney refuses to give up her freedom without a fight. She struggles to prove her innocence while dodging a killer who wants her silenced forever.~~~Her only ally is an unlikely one. Will Hodges, a new detective in the homicide division, knows Courtney isn't completely honest with him, but his gut tells him she's innocent. Or maybe that's another part of him talking because he can't seem to get Courtney out of his mind. He knows he shouldn't act on their mutual attraction, but Courtney Glass is a hard woman to resist. Soon Will is taking chances with Courtney that could possibly end his career before it even has a chance to get off the ground.~~~I loved everything about this book. Courtney is such a wonderfully complicated character, a true underdog heroine you'll love from page one. Trouble finds her wherever she goes, but she never gives up. She makes mistakes and decisions that can drive you insane, but in the end, you're still anxiously waiting to see her turn her life around. And Will is the absolute perfect man for the troubled heroine. He's everything she needs and everything this reader adores in a hero. If you've liked Laura Griffin's previous works, don't miss this latest book. The suspense and romance will grab your heart right from the beginning and not let go until the last word on the last page. Whisper of Warning absolutely gets a spot on my "favorites" shelf!

Never having read this author before I was pleased when I was awarded a free autographed copy of this in an online contest just before Christmas. Thank heavens I didn't pick it up then or I wouldn't have gotten through all I had to do.

It hooked me from the first chapter. I was glad I had the time to read it carefully, unlike the reviewer who thrashed it and evidently didn't read it well at all. The plotline was an original concept on the ol' murder mystery but with enough quirks and unpredictability that I couldn't wait to get back to it. I found the characters likeable, yes even the main character, Courtney, but I really liked the detective, Will Hodges, former military, who was working her case and believed in her innocence. Their attraction for each other was realistic and slowly developed, which made for enjoyable reading. I personally would have liked more character development on both Courtney and Will, their lives prior to the crime, which is touched on lightly in this novel, but what transpires throughout the novel is satisfying. For romantic suspense, this fits the bill quite nicely thank you, and I will definitely not hesitate to read her works again. Thank you for my copy, Ms. Griffin. I will recommend it to others.

Yet again Laura Griffin delivers a story full of twists and turns and fascinating characters.

This story - while standing alone - follows on from the highly recommended Thread of Fear. It is about the younger of the Glass sisters, Courtney, who has so many issues and quirks of her own it takes a strong person to love her. When Courtney is framed for murder, the homicide detective in charge of her case just can't bring himself to believe she is capable of the crime.

This has to be one of the most original stories I have read, and as always Griffin manages to include plenty of laugh out loud moments amidst the drama.

Laura Griffin has fast become one of my favourite authors.

Whisper of Warning by Laura Griffin
Romantic Suspense- March 31st, 2009
4 ½ stars

Laura Griffin is a best selling suspense author for a reason. Her books have sharp and clever writing with well-thought out plots that are easy to read. In her latest release, Laura Griffin brings back a secondary character, Courtney. Courtney has had a history of getting into trouble. But this time is really isn't her fault!

Courtney is upset. She doesn't want to see her lying ex-boyfriend. She wishes she made better choices and finding out David was married destroyed her faith in men and herself. But David won't let up and keeps calling her until she finally agrees to meet with him. When she finally sees him he is strangely upset when she was the person wronged in the relationship! Suddenly a criminal holds them up and David is killed. Courtney flees and calls the police only to discover she is the prime suspect!

Will is the detective assigned to solve John David Alvin's murder. He is anxious to prove himself and troubled with his attraction to his main suspect. He can't seem to stay away from Courtney. And although he has no evidence that she is innocent, his intuition knows she could not have committed this crime. When Courtney almost gets run down by an SUV he runs to her rescue and realizes his job has become secondary to her well-being. He is getting too close to this case. And if he isn't careful he'll jeopardize his career.

Whisper of Warning was a thrilling and immensely pleasurable read. What I loved best were the extremely likeable characters. Courtney means well and has a heart of gold. Will is a hunky hero whose earnest honesty is endearing and highly attractive. Add in the satisfying ending and you have a book that is a joy to read. Anyone who loves suspense novels, well-developed characters, and complex stories will devour this book! I know, I could not put it down.

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

STORY BRIEF:
Courtney is a hairdresser. She has a brief affair with David until she discovers he is married and breaks up with him. Six months later they meet in a park, each one thinks the other initiated the meeting. A killer shows up, wraps Courtney's hand around a gun and shoots David. He then tries to shoot Courtney, but she gets away. Will is the police detective assigned to the case. Courtney doesn't tell everything to the police. She lies about some things. Will knows she is lying, but in his gut he believes she is innocent. Courtney is not arrested but continues working at her job. Will continues working on the case, but his boss believes Courtney is guilty and wants to wrap it up. Some other people are killed, but the police don't yet know they are connected.

REVIEWER'S OPINION:
It's rare for a mystery to win me over, but this one did. Before I read this, I was hesitant. Someone being framed for murder and being chased by the cops is not a favorite subject for me. But this was not like that. Courtney is a suspect only and is not arrested. She continues working and living her life while a killer is stalking her. Will spends time with her trying to get information. Early in the story, I was asking myself why is she lying? I didn't think I was going to like it. But later in the story I was ok with her lies. I didn't care why she was doing it. She was an odd duck, different from what I expected. Her lying and intuition actually helped her. I was intrigued with the way her intuition repeatedly saved her from danger. I was also intrigued with Will's trust in her, despite her lies. One of my pet peeves is vague communication between a couple resulting in false assumptions. This was the opposite. This was clear communication, but lies. Yet the other believed the truth instead of the false/lying statements. This was fun. And, the ending was feel good.

I enjoyed the odd back and forth between Courtney and Will. For example, he wanted to take her computer to search it for email and other evidence. She says get a warrant. Later he shows up with a search warrant. She immediately cooks for him, and they eat. After eating she says ok I'm ready for you to slap the cuffs on me. He says why would I do that? She says so I don't flee the scene or plant evidence against myself. He says why would you plant evidence against yourself? She says I don't know I'm new to all this criminal stuff. This continues a little more, and then he says I'll take that computer now. And he does, and he leaves.

I was surprised and impressed with the Courtney and Alex part of the story, which I won't give away. I admire the author for coming up with something I didn't expect.

The book is primarily a mystery, most of the time is spent with the characters slowly unraveling and solving the mystery. There is some suspense, which is when the killer is trying to get Courtney. Romance is a smaller part of the book, an undercurrent. There were three sex scenes with no sexual words at all, but they were emotionally rich, they had me smiling.

OTHER BOOKS:
To date, the author has published four books (two series with two books each). This is book 4 and was the first book I read. It was fine as a stand alone for me. But after reading the other three books, I now recommend reading "Thread of Fear" before reading this book. It's not necessary, but it would be nice. For a list of my reviews of other Laura Griffin books, see my 5 star review of "Thread of Fear" posted 5/10/09.

DATA:
Story length: 369 pages. Swearing language: strong. Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: 3. Total number of sex scene pages: 7. Setting: current day Texas and New Mexico. Copyright: 2009. Genre: mystery suspense with some romance.

As usual Laura Griffin has penned a first class romantic suspense. If you are looking to lose yourself in an exciting story for just a little while this is the answer. The characters are compelling and the suspense is top rate. Sit back, relax and enjoy but leave some time because you will find it hard to step away once you start. PS Thanks for bringing the kindle price down a bit!

Courtney Glass has been framed for murder. Who set it up and why did they want her ex-lover dead? Will Hodges is new on the police force and has worked hard to make it to the homicide unit. He knows the facts point to Courtney being the killer but there's just something about her reactions that screams "victim" rather than "murderer". Can Will help clear Courtney's name before she winds up dead as well?

WHISPER OF WARNING is billed as the sequel to THREAD OF FEAR as it features the sister of the heroine from the first book. However, WHISPER OF WARNING easily stands alone although I certainly want to read Fiona's story after reading about her sister, Courtney!

Laura Griffin is a master at creating intense storylines with multidimensional characters. Her heroines epitomize what it means to be a survivor in tough circumstances. Courtney's past hasn't been easy but it has strengthened her ability to cope with even the craziest situations, a skill that comes in handy when law enforcement seems intent on imprisoning her for a murder she didn't commit.
It's hard not to like Courtney as she struggles to maintain her sanity in a world that has seemingly turned against her.

Laura Griffin writes gritty but very insightful and emotional powerful stories of romantic suspense. WHISPER OF WARNING is a top notch thriller that is sure to keep readers up late at night, anxiously turning the pages to see just how it all resolves. Highly recommended!

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

The Glass Sisters Novels:

Thread of Fear

Whisper of Warning


It's rare when a sequel is as good as it's prequel. Laura Griffin made both of these books spellbinding. Packed with suspense, mystery, action, romance, and hunky heroes who are not afraid of independent modern women. No TSTL female moments and no obvious solution to the mysteries. Each book is a solid 5 stars. Each can stand alone, but you definitely want to read them both... don't miss out on Griffin's talent.

Whisper of Warning:

Courtney has always lived in her older sister, Fiona's, shadow. Growing up with a promiscuous alcoholic mother, Fiona took it upon herself to raise Courtney even though the girls were only a few years apart in age. As a teen and adult, Courtney has spent a lot of time getting into trouble with the law. Fiona fears Courtney will never grow out of her wild ways.

Courtney has had it with her own unstable life style. She is ready to turn over a new leaf. For the past six months she has sworn off drinking, smoking, and men. Her inspiration came in the form of humiliation. Six months ago, she realized that the new boyfriend she was crazy about was a rat. He already had a wife and child. It was the turning point for Courtney.

Will is a rookie homicide detective, and a veteran army special forces man. He has his first official case with Austin Police Department. A high profile lawyer has been murdered in his ex-girlfriend's car, with her hand gun. It sounds like an open and shut case of a jealous disgruntled lover. However, from his first meeting with Courtney, Will's gut tells him she is innocent. Before long, his goal changes from investigating Courtney to protecting her from the real murderer while solving the mystery of the killer's identity. Will soon realizes that he can not keep his personal feeling neutral with Courtney. Although he feels obligated to remove himself from the case officially, he refuses to stop hunting the killer until Courtney is safe.


If you haven't read the first book yet, start there. It's excellent!
Fiona's story:
Thread of Fear

My fingers are crossed that we will get to read Deveraux and Alex's story next!