| Title | : | Kiss Me, Kill Me (Lucy Kincaid, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0345511697 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780345511690 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Mass Market Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 398 |
| Publication | : | First published February 22, 2011 |
Lucy Kincaid has firsthand experience dealing with deadly criminal predators, and she’s fully prepared to share her many talents with the FBI. But when her career plans are derailed, her boyfriend, security expert Sean Rogan, asks for help on his latest private investigation. Using her well-honed cyber-hunting skills, Lucy is soon on the trail of a missing teenage girl with a penchant for disappearing—and a shocking secret life.
FBI Agent Suzanne Madeaux is also tracking someone: a serial killer on the loose in New York City. Dubbed by the press the Cinderella Strangler, he cruises seamy underground sex parties, where drug-fueled women make for easy pickings. As Lucy and Sean’s desperate search collides with the FBI’s hunt, Lucy isn’t about to step aside. Haunted by painful memories of her own harrowing encounters with evil, she’s determined to keep any more innocents from meeting the fate she so narrowly escaped. Delving deep into the twisted psyche of a remorseless killer, Lucy must confront her own fears—even if it means risking a future job with the FBI and future happiness with Sean.
Kiss Me, Kill Me (Lucy Kincaid, #2) Reviews
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KISS ME, KILL ME by Allison Brennan is the second book in the Lucy Kincaid mystery / romantic suspense series. Lucy Kincaid has real life experience with criminal predators and wants to make a career at the FBI as a profiler. While she is waiting on the process, her boyfriend, Sean Rogan asks for help. He is a security expert and a private detective. They are trying to find a missing seventeen year old girl. When their case overlaps with a criminal case in New York, the pace and complexity accelerates.
Lucy and Sean are compelling main characters. They definitely have distinct voices and their own flaws and virtues. Their goals and motivations are clear and believable and the emotions are appropriate for their individual personalities. The secondary character of Suzanne Madeaux is also well-rounded and enhanced the story. The relationships between the characters seemed believable and not contrived.
The prose was well-written and absorbing. The plot was interesting, engrossing and steady-paced. The ending was dramatic. However, I was not surprised by the identity of the criminal in this case. The novel includes themes of violence, illegal parties, drugs, family relationships and dynamics, murder, runaway teens, career choices, romantic relationships, the side effects of tragedies and those of divorces and much more. There are several steamy scenes in the book as well.
Overall, this was an excellent second book in the series. I have a couple of other books in the series that I am looking forward to reading. If this sounds like something you would enjoy, then I recommend that you read the series in order to better understand the characters, their growth, and their backgrounds. -
Lucy Kincaid is anxiously waiting to see if her application to the FBI is accepted and it’s not going well. With all of her proverbial eggs placed in that one basket, she has no other life plan and is rudderless for the moment. In the meantime, Sean Rogan and her brother Patrick have accepted an assignment to find a missing teenager who is sort of related to the Rogans. Sean quickly realizes that Lucy has the unique skills they need and convinces her to join the case. His instincts were on target as she uncovers details that lead them to New York and Detective Suzanne Madeaux who is the FBI point person on a task force created to find a Serial killer who‘s been dubbed by the media as the Cinderella Strangler. The case immerses Lucy into a world she barely escaped and threatens to damage her emotionally.
This was an exceptionally difficult case on many levels. In the background are these underground sex clubs involving young college teens who are at serious risk, beyond the Cinderella Strangler. We have multiple narratives, including Kirsten Benton, the missing teen. Nailing down a suspect was difficult as the narratives weren’t necessarily on the same timeline and those involved were murky at best. It kept me highly engaged.
The best part of this story, however, comes from Lucy who gradually gains her confidence, thanks to Sean’s genuine encouragement, and asserts herself in the case, flexing her profiling muscles. Preeminent FBI profiler Hans Vigo is also in the background pushing Lucy to trust her instincts. I loved how she found her mojo at a low point in her burgeoning career, faced her fears and got seasoned investigators to not only pay attention but take her seriously. I loved the subtlety of this aspect of the story as well as all the other elements that made this a great listening experience, including the narrator’s performance. She continues to make this series one I look forward to each month, taking a really good story and lifting it off the pages. -
This is one great Romantic-Suspense. It has it all: the romance of Lucy and Sean, a mystery that keeps you guessing right to the end, and a suspenseful ending that had you wondering who will survive.
Lucy is waiting to hear from the FBI about her application. She knows that there are so many factors she has going for her and just as many going against her. But, the FBI is all Lucy has ever wanted and the thought of trying to figure out what else she could do is daunting. To take her mind off the matter, Sean recruits her to help him find a runaway. Lucy finds the girl is into some really not good stuff and that her decisions could end up being life threatening.
The runaway's trail takes them to New York City and the rave scene where they cross paths with FBI Agent Suzanne Madeaux and her investigation of a serial killer called by the press the Cinderella Strangler. As Sean and Lucy search for Kirsten, they are convinced that she was a friend of one of the victims and when they discover a link between them all, Lucy's past is one of the reasons she is so tenacious in her search. The killer is targeting girls and Lucy knows all about that and is not about to let it continue. -
When Security Specialist Sean Rogan takes a job searching for a missing teen, he asks for help from his girlfriend Lucy Kincaid. Lucy discovers that missing teen Kirsten Benton is a member of a cybersex website. While working the case, Lucy and Sean see an email Kirsten has recently sent to her best friend, saying she is in New York City and needs help. When Sean and Lucy arrive in the city, they find that their case has ties to a current FBI case. A serial killer known as the Cinderella Strangler has murdered four young women who were attending underground sex parties. The latest victim is a friend of Kirsten.
This is a very good addition to the Lucy Kincaid series. Following Lucy and Sean as they follow the clues and interview Kirsten's friends pulled me right into the story. The addition of FBI serial killer case just made me want to read more. I liked that we had the point-of-view of both FBI Agent Suzanne Madeaux and NYPD Detective Vic Panetta, along with Lucy and Sean. They share their information while hunting for a missing teenager and a serial killer. My rating: 4.5 Stars. -
At times it seemed that the author could not decide if she wanted to write a mystery or soft porn, as there were way too many lengthy, graphic, and gratuitous sex scenes between the two main characters that did absolutely nothing toward advancing the plot. For this reason, I gave the book a two.
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When Sean Rogan and Lucy Kincaid head to New York to find a missing teenager they soon find out that their case may be linked to the serial killer known as The Cinderella Strangler.
I really like how this book points out the dangers in something that many young college kids do all the time: parties in isolated areas with drugs. Also, there is an online party site involved that goes way beyond just parties. Having current issues makes a book more relatable and entertaining.
Many of our favorite people are back for this story and we get to meet a new FBI agent. FBI Agent Suzanne Madeaux is a veteran agent who doesn’t like Sean, but takes to Lucy real quick. She acknowledges Lucy’s intelligence and knowledge. Although I feel like she tried to charge someone too quickly for the murders, I liked her and hope so see her in a future book.
Sean and Lucy’s relationship is still moving along nicely, but Patrick may be their undoing. He knows Sean’s background with girls and doesn’t want Lucy to get hurt. I get this from a sibling point of view, but I really think everyone needs to stop treating Lucy like she’s still a teenager. Lucy still has issues from her past drama and Sean is good for her.
Overall I enjoyed the story. The characters were good and the topic was intriguing. I thought I knew who the killer was and was glad that I was wrong. I did figure it out before it was revealed, though. This is a first for me with an Allison Brennan book. -
Get it here:
Amazon US *
Amazon UK -
The 2nd in the Lucy Kincaid series, this finds a killer in the New York area targeting young women who attend extreme parties, where anonymous sex, along with drugs and alcohol, is the norm.
Lucy's friend, Sean, is looking for a teen who was attending one of these parties with a woman who was killed.
Throw in the FBI, NY police and a sex site, and the mystery deepens. -
I love Allison Brennan's books but I'm having trouble figuring out just why Lucy Kincaid wants to be an FBI agent working cyber sex crimes. The case she worked in the first book (and she wasn't even an FBI agent) totally threw her for a loop personally. She's once again having terrible nightmares regarding her past. How in the world does she think she'll be able to handle dealing with horrific sex crimes on a daily basis? And why the hell would she want to re-experience that again and again?
That being said, I truly enjoyed this book. I love seeing her relationship with Sean Rogan grow as well as seeing her bring her experience to the table with Suzanne Madeaux. I enjoyed seeing the two investigations merge and seeing both teams working together regardless of FBI vs private investigator. -
echt een heerlijk thriller. heel spannend en veel plot twists, soms luguber. met een enorme snelheid geschreven.
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Kiss Me, Kill Me by Allison Brennan is the second story in the Lucy Kincaid Series with If I Should Die releasing 11.22.2011 and a fourth book is in the works per authors web page.
This book shifts focus between Lucy Kincaid and security expert Sean Rogan, to FBI Agent Suzanne Madeaux, along with partner NYPD Detective Panetta who are searching for a serial killer dubbed the Cinderella Strangler who has killed four women. Madeaux is an agent who likes working and living in NYC, and has refused a promotion to go anywhere else. She has the nickname of Mad Dog, and she grew up in a small town in Louisiana, and has had an excellent clearance rate since she was assigned to NYC 10 years before. Madeaux’s killer suffocates his/her victims with a plastic bag, and takes one of their shoes as a souvenir.
Lucy and Sean are exploring their relationship, and getting closer. The problem is that Lucy has had a hard life up till this point. Luckily, she has a very supportive family including brother Patrick Kincaid who isn’t all that fond of Lucy’s relationship with Sean, his friend and business partner. Lucy’s goal is to become an FBI agent and up to this point, she has passed all the tests easily. Unfortunately, we find out that someone has it in for Lucy because of her past in taking down Adam Scott, who raped her 7 years before, and in bringing down Fran Buckley, her former boss.
In an effort to get Lucy back into a good mood after getting disappointing news, he asks for her help in finding his missing relative Kirsten Benton who has been missing for 5 days. Benton is a distant cousin to the Rogan family. When Lucy agrees to help, she finds clues that lead them to NYC, and a social network called Party Girl where silly teenagers pose nude and then post the pictures to the internet where anyone can see them.
It seems that Kirsten disappeared after attending a rave, an underground or secret party with drugs, sex and alcohol. As their paths cross, Lucy, Sean and Suzanne end up working together to find the Cinderella Strangler. Naturally, Lucy is written as being some sort of super heroine who can solve any crime, which I find outlandish, but this is fantasy after all.
The killer is not who anyone thought, and even I was blindsided after Lucy made the discovery that the killer could be a female. In the end, the killer is brought to justice, and Lucy gets her wish of joining the FBI.
Thoughts: I liked Suzanne a lot more than I did Lucy. Lucy comes across as knowing the worlds answers to everything, and that’s just a wee bit annoying. I thought Suzanne was firm, and very good at her job even though she was missing some very important clues to finding her true killer. Of course, I love the setting of NYC for this book, unlike the previous book. Lucy and Seth’s relationship should be interesting to watch as this series progresses. This is definitely a mystery novel, with romance thrown in-between. -
I have come to admire Lucy Kincaid, I don't know that I would be able to live through all the horrible things that she has had to. So now that I am done reading this book I have to say that I am glad that Lucy wasn't the person that was on the line. Does that mean that she escaped unscathed, no, it is just that her hurts this time around are more emotional than physical.
Lucy is still trying to navigate her new relationship with Sean, which is not made any easier with Patrick's very obvious disapproval. Lucy also hears back from the FBI and things aren't looking good there. And all she can think of is all the crappy things that have happened in her life, the baggage that it brought, and how it is once again destroying her life.
Sean manages to break through the wall Lucy is putting up by pulling her into the case he is working on. This case is right up Lucy's alley. As the chase down the missing girl they end up in New York, right in the path of a task force between the FBI and the NYPD. Knocked off her game Lucy sometimes doesn't listen to her instincts, but still is able to give more help than the task force has gotten in months.
Little by little Lucy gets back into the swing of things and becomes an integral player. While bouncing ideas off a friend at the FBI she gets some great advice both on the case and about her application. Both of these allow her move forward to figure out the bad guy and what her next move will be.
What I really liked about this book is the relationships. We have Lucy and Sean. They both are surprising honest with themselves which allows their actions to speak what they can't at times. Sean always seems to know what Lucy needs often before she does and is willing to step back and let her be. I also really like the sibling relationship between Lucy and Patrick. They have such a special relationship from past tragedies, so when they are fighting it seems to hit harder. And Sean and Patrick, it is hard enough when you are friends and then start to work together, harder still when one starts to date the others sister. -
Eerder las ik Tot de dood ons scheidt waarin we kennis maakten met Lucy Kincaid. Fatale kus sluit naadloos aan op het eerste deel, maar kan goed gelezen worden als stand alone. Ik zou het niet aanraden, want ook het eerste deel is super!
Fatale kus is het tweede boek met Lucy Kincaid in de hoofdrol. Hier lees je verder over het leven van Lucy die wacht op de uitslag van haar toelatingsexamen bij de FBI.
Sean Rogers en Patrick Kincaid hebben een goed lopend beveiligingsbedrijf maar onderling loopt het niet helemaal lekker en dat heeft te maken met het feit dat Patrick de broer is van Lucy. Hij ziet de relatie groeien tussen Sean en Lucy en dat zit hem niet lekker; Sean is iemand die niet aan vaste relaties doet...
Sean heeft een nieuwe zaak aangenomen omdat het daarbij gaat om zijn nichtje Kirsten die vermist wordt, ze is een tiener. Omdat Lucy zich bekwaamd heeft in cybercrime wordt ze door Sean om hulp gevraagd wanneer duidelijk wordt dat de website Party Girl een onderdeel vormt bij het onderzoek.
Lees de recensie verder op mijn blog:
https://graaggelezen.blogspot.nl/2017... -
Loved it! I highly recommend this. You do need to read these in order. Lucy Kincaid is a woman with a traumatic past who is trying to become an FBI agent. As she works towards her goal, crime and murder always seem to find Lucy one way or another.. Kiss Me, Kill Me is a wonderfully written story about girls being murdered and a missing person's case that cross paths.
If you like romance, mystery, murder, and engaging characters, you will enjoy this series.
The narration was also great. The narrators voice is Lucy Kincaid all the way and I can't imagine anyone else doing this series. Fingers crossed she sticks with it all the way!
5 stars all around. -
3.5 stars.
I'm beginning to think that this series is going to be the book equivalent of L&O: SVU. I'm finding Lucy a bit too "knowledgeable" and seems to be an expert in so many fields. I did like Sean's unfailing support of her though. Let's see how I feel after the next book. -
Another Lucy Kincaid-Sean Rogan romance-thriller. Not a fan of the romance parts. I’ve learned to read these books in print form (as opposed to audio) because I enjoy the mysteries, but can fast-page through the obligatory bedroom capers and the high-drama high school hand-wringing about their relationship. That said, this is a good mystery. A serial killer is murdering college girls after drunken, drugged-out, sex-fueled raves in New York. The killer is dubbed the Cinderella killer because the victims are found with only one shoe. Sean is sent to find a teen girl who is related to him and who is feared to be a victim or future victim. Sean and Lucy team up with FBI agent Suzanne Madeaux and her partner to see if they can stop the carnage.
On another note: coincidentally, Lucy is trying to get into the FBI. (Okay, I have never seen an application for the FBI, but there must be a box labeled “Basket Case” for women applicants to check in order to be considered because nearly every novel I read that features a female FBI agent, the woman is an emotional wreck.) -
Lucy Kincaid is a very likeable character and is really growing on me. Her "flame" Sean is also in that same category.
This book takes you on a trip through spontaneous rave parties where, if you are smart, you only drink what you bring - never accept anything from someone else, you never know what is in it. These particular rave parties are a free-for-all for drugs, drinks, and sex with whoever you literally bump into and before you know it, you could be the next victim - one of the clues? All the victims are missing one shoe - must have been taken by the Cinderella Strangler!
A sick, twisted, but talented serial killer - makes for a great read - highly recommend this book!
2 thumbs up and 5 solid stars! -
I'd say the story and plots were good but my problem is Lucy.
Yep, Lucy Kincaid aka our MC. Well, it's not her fault but rather the way Allison Brennan wrote her character. Lucy sounds like a goody two shoes plain Jane to me and while she's smart and experienced she is whinny and her given up-moment was contradicted to what I imagined such a tough girl who survived a brutal experience life thrown at her. There were so many of this kind of conflict (her supposed to be good quality crashed with her action for plots) I couldn't help but annoyed. -
4.5/5.0
If you are a thriller fan, there just isn't much NOT to love about this book! There is something for everyone, from great character development and growth in Lucy and in her relationship with Sean. The murder mystery is both creepy but riveting and, although one might guess the killer as soon as the opportunity presents itself, it's still can't put-downable reading until every thread is tidied up and the last page is turned! -
Mystery is well developed, could do without (as stated by other readers) the romance "antics." Have read others comments on mystery / romance & they hold true throughout series.
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This Summary/Review was copied from other sources and is used only as a reminder of what the book was about for my personal interest. Any Personal Notations are for my recollection only.
**
KISS ME, KILL ME by Allison Brennan is the second book in the Lucy Kincaid mystery / romantic suspense series. Lucy Kincaid has real life experience with criminal predators and wants to make a career at the FBI as a profiler. While she is waiting on the process, her boyfriend, Sean Rogan asks for help. He is a security expert and a private detective. They are trying to find a missing seventeen year old girl. When their case overlaps with a criminal case in New York, the pace and complexity accelerates.
Lucy and Sean are compelling main characters. They definitely have distinct voices and their own flaws and virtues. Their goals and motivations are clear and believable and the emotions are appropriate for their individual personalities. The secondary character of Suzanne Madeaux is also well-rounded and enhanced the story. The relationships between the characters seemed believable and not contrived.
The prose was well-written and absorbing. The plot was interesting, engrossing and steady-paced. The ending was dramatic. However, I was not surprised by the identity of the criminal in this case. The novel includes themes of violence, illegal parties, drugs, family relationships and dynamics, murder, runaway teens, career choices, romantic relationships, the side effects of tragedies and those of divorces and much more. There are several steamy scenes in the book as well.
**
Lucy Kincaid is anxiously waiting to see if her application to the FBI is accepted and it’s not going well. With all of her proverbial eggs placed in that one basket, she has no other life plan and is rudderless for the moment. In the meantime, Sean Rogan and her brother Patrick have accepted an assignment to find a missing teenager who is sort of related to the Rogans. Sean quickly realizes that Lucy has the unique skills they need and convinces her to join the case. His instincts were on target as she uncovers details that lead them to New York and Detective Suzanne Madeaux who is the FBI point person on a task force created to find a Serial killer who‘s been dubbed by the media as the Cinderella Strangler. The case immerses Lucy into a world she barely escaped and threatens to damage her emotionally.
This was an exceptionally difficult case on many levels. In the background are these underground sex clubs involving young college teens who are at serious risk, beyond the Cinderella Strangler. We have multiple narratives, including Kirsten Benton, the missing teen. Nailing down a suspect was difficult as the narratives weren’t necessarily on the same timeline and those involved were murky at best. It kept me highly engaged.
The best part of this story, however, comes from Lucy who gradually gains her confidence, thanks to Sean’s genuine encouragement, and asserts herself in the case, flexing her profiling muscles. Preeminent FBI profiler Hans Vigo is also in the background pushing Lucy to trust her instincts.
**
Reason she was denied the position the first time
The Killer
Character list -
This is the 2nd book in Lucy Kincaid series.
While Lucy Kincaid awaits her results from FBI interviews as well as recovering from her recent attack from a vicious sex predator!There's a serial killer dubbed as Cinderella Killer by the media, whose killing method is by suffocation and also takes one of the shoes from the victim. Killer is attacking women who are members of a well known online porno site, there's also a missing teenage girl related to Sean Rogan - he is called in for help to track her.
Lucy and Sean Rogan also work with FBI Agent Suzanne Madeaux to figure out what's happening with the serial killings.
There was a lot of excitement towards the end of the book and the climax has a good twist. -
I really enjoyed this story. Brennan takes Lucy on a personal and professional journey in this story. Lucy and Sean are working together to find a missing teenage. As they track down clues to find Kirsten, one of Sean's relatives, they end up in NYC where a serial killer is on the prowl.
Sean and Lucy share information with the local investigators which brings them into the case more than they expected. Lucy and Sean's relationship hits some bumps that they need to work through. I love how Sean helps Lucy see herself through his eyes. He is confident in her abilities. The story has a good mix of suspense, romance, and family drama.
I am looking forward to the next book in the series. -
Not a bad read. However, I can’t believe that Lucy Kincaid’s boyfriend actually calls her princess in the two first books in the series. The hero is supposed to be a brilliant, self-reliant (albeit, damaged from past abuses) and driven law enforcer. What gives? This diminutive isn’t, in my opinion, romantic, but rather chauvinistic and thus, demeaning. And this written by a woman, lol.
I guess I can get by this little detail, but it isn’t as if this was written 50 years ago! I don’t object to this nickname because it is politically incorrect but, rather, because it shows a distinct lack of modernity in the author’s style. However, there are other aspects of this so-called mystery/ thriller typical in romance novels (not a genre I’m fond of) and they, in my view, diminish the story. -
2,5/5
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Great beginning and with the theme of current problems, mobile phones, computer, social media and unsocial media, my kind of book.
The Lucy Kincaid series proves to be one of my favorite series by Allison Brennan.
A few nice twists, a bit much romance, but not too disturbing. Nice sex-scenes, detailed but non-kinky, not too boring either, simply good, but could have been more interesting.
Did not guess the killer until the reveal.
The main story is describing an up to date behaviour of the current teens and tweens, as far as I can judge from my older view.
Might give some parents insight in their kids, they otherwise might not get from the kids themselves.
The end could have been better, and again people get themselves in danger despite orders not to do so, happens too often in these books.
At least no one took justice in their own hands, no vigilante killing.
Although lengthy, it was a fast read for me.
Highly recommended, solid 5star. -
2.5 stars
I came back to this series because I like the mystery aspect and think that part is well done.
But I’m again struck by a lot of problematic language and ideas in the book, including referring repeatedly to a developmentally delayed character as “having slight mental ret*rdation.” Sean also treats Lucy like she is fragile and a victim, while still being very disrespectful of her boundaries and ability to know her own mind. It reads as very faux-empowering. -
Definitely recommend audiobook over reading this as it's easier to focus on story instead of prose. Story is entertaining although parts where psychological analysis was given in depth were too repetitive and common knowledge for anyone who has ever watched Law and Order. It was a good distraction so it served its purpose.
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This one really didn't hit the spot for me. I can't put my finger on why but I know that I just wanted to hurry through it and get to the end. Not b/c I needed to know how it ended but b/c I wanted it to be over. Not my usual feeling about a Brennan book either!
