Ashes to Ashes

Rating:
Summary: Good procedural but the crimes are a bit much
Review: Although I have read hundreds of mysteries and thrillers, this was my first book by Tami Hoag - and I was pleased to have found her. Ashes to Ashes is a police procedural set in Minneapolis, wher the cops are trying to find a particularly sadistic serial murderer of young women.

The cops have the politicains on their backs, and the state's wealthiest man gets involved, too, calling in an FBI profiler when his daughter goes missing.

I enjoyed the procedural aspects and despite the gruesome nature of the crimes, Hoag doesn't dwell on the details as much as some of her contemporaries do. Still, it's not for the squeamish. There's a nifty and credible plot twist at the end, and I recommend this for fans of the genre.

Rating:
Summary: Good thriller/suspense with well-developed characters
Review: I'll avoid the review of the plot that you can find above or in other reviews and just give you my opinion. This is one of the better Tami Hoag books that I've read - it's, for the most part, well-paced and kept my interest up as a good thriller should.

I particularly enjoyed getting to know the characters, especially Kate, Angie, and Quinn. Even the smaller characters around the police station were interesting. (Interesting enough to make me seek out "Dust to Dust" to try and learn more about them!)

My one complaint is that I sometimes found the characters hard to keep straight as many of them were referred to alternately by first name, last name, or nickname -- it took me stopping and checking to realize that Nikki, Liska, and Tinks were all the same woman!

Still, I'd highly recommend this book. It's about as fun as reading the exploits of a serial killer can be, all things considered!

Rating:
Summary: Very highly recommended
Review: Tami Hoag's ASHES TO ASHES is a meaty, suspenseful thriller that draws the reader to the world of tracking a serial killer, exposing the clashes between law enforcement, victims and politicians. With humor, sensitivity and energy, Hoag creates a novel that sure to be a best seller.

The cops call him Smokey Joe. The public calls him the Cremator. The killer burns his victim's bodies in Minneapolis parks. Unfortunately, the public doesn't truely become outraged until until one of his victims turns out to be the daughter of a local billionaire. Suddenly, the pressure mounts to find the evil creature who mutilates and burns his victims.

When a homeless teenager witnesses a burning, former FBI agent Kate Conlan, who now works as a victim-witness advocate, and the Bureau's top serial-killer profiler John Quinn must join forces to find the killer before he strikes again. But Kate and John shared something special in the past, and now they must find a way to work together despite their painful history.

Tami Hoag writes with an enthusiasm and intensity that carries the reader along on a wave of tension, humor and fear until the last page is turned. ASHES TO ASHES is a gruesome look at a sadistic killer, but it is also a revealing expose of those who are determined to stop him. While the details are horrid, and certainly not appropriate to anyone uncomfortable with mutiliation and murder, the details are carefully presented in appropriate context. Moreover, the humor of the investigating officers provides much need comic relief with a flair seldom matched.

Rating:
Summary: Solid cast of characters, enjoyable thriller
Review: This wasn't a bad bit of thriller work - when women show up stabbed, mutilated, and then doused in gasoline and burned, the only witness is put into the care of a Witness/Victim's rights woman, Kate. Kate, who has suffered a familial loss years ago, and is trying to get past it, doesn't normally work with kids (and of course, the witness is a kid).

So, who is the killer? Can Kate withstand the FBI agent arriving (who is a man she sought comfort with during her familial collapse)? Can the police figure it out before more people are killed? Well, in true thriller style, the tension gets jacked up a notch at a time, and the characters - though often walking stereotypes (the dark angst-ridden FBI profiler, the tough-rough-around-the-edges detective, the hard-ass victims rights advocate) - are interesting enough to keep you going. I'll be heading onward to 'Dust to Dust' soon.

The only caveat with this one was the reading voice - the woman doing the reading didn't have a great deal of versatility with the reading of male voices, and some of them came across like cartoons. This was especially bad when in the voice of the killer during the climactic scene, but it didn't completely intrude or throw me off.

'Nathan

Rating:
Summary: This one was well worth the wait!
Review: To call this book romance suspense doesn't do it, or Tami Hoag, justice. This is a full-on, grab you by the throat suspense thriller that rates up there with the best of them. If you enjoy the likes of John Sandford, Michael Connelly, Jonathan Kellerman, James Patterson and Patricia Cornwell you'll love this book. It hit the bookstores here yesterday and I grabbed a copy as they were stocking the shelves...and have just finshed it in one sitting (starting at 5.00am!). As I got into the last third of the book it had me pacing from one room to the other as I read it: I just couldn't sit still. Yes, there is a love story woven through it but Tami Hoag has moved a long way from the earlier romance/suspense she wrote (although I loved those early books too). This book is filled with fascinating characters (including a very brief appearance at the end by a not so nice guy from "Guilty As Sin"), an excellent plot with the appropriate twists and turns and plenty of detail on police/FBI procedures. She deserves to reach a whole new audience with this effort and I'm sure she will. The only problem now is having to wait so long for the next book. All I can say is, thanks for a great read Tami Hoag!

Rating:
Summary: The Best of the Genre
Review: Turn off the phone and lock the door. You're in for a roller coaster ride of twists and turns to the end of this frightening, compelling thriller. Ashes to Ashes has it all. It's fast paced, terrifying, suspenseful and will keep you guessing to the very last page. There's a serial killer loose in Minneapolis dubbed, the Cremator, by the papers, who's been murdering young women in public parks and then setting them on fire...Ashes to Ashes. The police don't have a clue until a runaway, Angie DiMarco, witnesses the crime. She's seen the killer's face as he cremates his last victim, but she isn't talking. Enter Kate Conlan, ex-FBI agent turned victim advocate who's supposed to protect Angie and get her talking and John Quinn, the FBI's best profiler, brought in from Washington to help catch the killer. They've shared a painful past, but must move forward to catch the Cremator before he strikes again. What happens next will keep you on the edge of your seat for the entire book. This is a stunning story with great characters, riveting scenes and writing that is as good as it gets. The whole story pulls you in and never lets go. Tami Hoag never disappoints, and she's not starting now.