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Red

by Kate Kinsey (Goodreads Author)

3.51 of 5 stars 3.51 · rating details · 116 ratings · 60 reviews

Truly, madly...deadly

A BDSM thriller

Detective Tom Hanson has a string of grotesquely mutilated bodies on his hands and no answers—aside from the fact that the victims were members of an underground sex club catering to singular erotic tastes. Tastes the long, lean detective has sampled himself in the arms of his former lover, a fiery redhead who offered the most erotic, ir...more

Kindle Edition, 277 pages

Published September 6th 2012 by eKensington

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Sep 21, 2012 Anna (Bobs Her Hair) rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Dark Erotic Thriller Fans

Shelves: erotic, netgalley, thriller, dark, for-review

4 stars... Dark, Suspenseful, Bold, and Erotic

Thou art to me a delicious torment. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Red is a dark erotic thriller. It reminds me of the neo noir movie “Se7en” and the overtly sexual “Basic Instinct.” Clever red herrings and plot twists build anticipation. The characters and their problems feel realistic. This is a book that took me on a BDSM tour as it exists in the United States’ Bible Belt. This dark, defiant, sexual and graphically-violent suspense is to be enjoyed for fan...more

17 likes · like · see review

Aug 21, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook-read, erotica-romantica-read, ebook-netgalley-read

Detective Tom Hanson and his partner have a string of grisly murders to solve and not much in the way of leads. Until, that is, Detective Hanson is able to determine that the victims were players in the local BDSM scene. Needing some guidance and inside knowledge of the scene, he turns to his former partner and lover, Gina, now a professional dominatrix after being forced from her job as a cop once her extracurricular activities were discovered in a lurid sex scandal. They have a tense history,...more

12 likes · like · see review

Sep 29, 2012 Holly Roberts rated it 4 of 5 stars

Not a romance and I knew that going in so I enjoyed it for the thriller and mystery it was. Loved the erotic element, characters and twists and turns. Looking forward to another book by this author and hoping for a sequel!

3 likes · like · see review

Aug 20, 2012 Letitia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, kindle

Rating: C+ ... Heat: Sizzling

I have to say, I went into this thinking it was going to have a stronger element of romance than it ended up having. I had expectations of an erotic BDSM romance with a thrilling murder mystery weaved throughout… But what I read was a thrilling murder mystery set in the BDSM community with hints of the erotic and brief moments of romance. A slight distinction, but important nonetheless.

Expectations set aside, I found myself engrossed by and engaged in this BDSM thri...more

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Apr 03, 2013 Arlena rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 4-stars, a-good-book, adult-read, bdsm, contemporary, ebooks, erotic, my-reviews, murder, mystery, romance, suspense, thriller

Author: Kate Kinsey
Published by: eKinsington
Age Recommended: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Book Blog For: GMTA
Rating: 4

Review:

"Red" by Kate Kinsey was a erotic thriller murder mystery read. Now, with that being said this is about BDSM, where you will find its raw, dark and edgy..that is to say be prepared for some graphic adult scenes with the violence and language. THIS IS A ADULT READ. OK, let me start by saying that is is about a serial killer that is targeting a BDSM community. I will say t...more

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Oct 20, 2012 Camilla rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-on-kindle

Well, the way I read this book says it all really - I was in the middle of three other books, was just going to read a couple of pages to see what it was like... And 4 hours later, I had spent my entire Saturday evening reading this page-turner!

It's important for me to mention here that I'm normally not a very big crime/thriller fan, in fact, I usually lose interest quickly and couldn't care less who-dunnit...

But Kinsey has managed something I find quite impressive - to write a page-turning thr...more

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Oct 18, 2012 Marleen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: erotica

Copy received from e-Kensington through NetGalley.

It starts with the very brutal murder and mutilation of a local business man and is soon followed by the identical murder of a young woman. Detective Tom Hanson and his partner John Giggs have nothing to go on. No evidence, no clues and no links between the victims and no clear motive. Until they discover that both victims where members of the local BDSM scene. This, more adventurous form of sexual activity, is something Hanson has tasted from in...more Copy received from e-Kensington through NetGalley.

It starts with the very brutal murder and mutilation of a local business man and is soon followed by the identical murder of a young woman. Detective Tom Hanson and his partner John Giggs have nothing to go on. No evidence, no clues and no links between the victims and no clear motive. Until they discover that both victims where members of the local BDSM scene. This, more adventurous form of sexual activity, is something Hanson has tasted from in the past. Even after three years he still thinks with longing about the beautiful redhead who showed him sensations and pleasures he never knew existed, giving him experiences he won’t ever forget. Until the moment she asked him for something he couldn’t give and he walked away, leaving a piece of himself behind. Back then Gina Larsen was his partner both in private and in his professional life. Until she had to resign from the police force after her kinkier side became public knowledge. Now Hanson has to turn to the woman who still strongly affects him for assistance. He needs her inside knowledge of the local and very secret BDSM scene if he wants to have any chance of solving the crimes. And with the body-count rising, stopping the killer becomes more urgent by the day.
Gina is as beautiful and sexy as she ever was and working with her again reawakens all the feelings and lust Hanson has been suppressing for so long. And watching Gina in action, as a professional dominatrix, stirs up needs and emotions Hanson didn’t know he had, as well as the thought that maybe he can be what she needs him to be after all. And meanwhile a murderer is still at large, looking for his next victim and if they don’t catch him soon he will bring his killings very close to home.

I’ve read tons of mysteries over the years. And in the recent past I’ve enjoyed quite a few erotic novels. This was the first time I’ve combined the two and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, especially since Kate Kinsey never sacrificed one genre in favour of the other. This book brings the reader a fascinating and well plotted murder mystery. The murders are gruesome, the investigation is described in enough detail to allow the reader to participate in it and the solution is credible. We even get the slightly obnoxious detective partner and irritating superior that we encounter in a lot of mysteries. And there is no shortage of twists and turns or shocking revelations either.At the same time we are treated to graphic and varied scenes of sexual activity. There is nothing repetitive about the descriptions though. Each scene is unique and either moves the story forward or illustrates a point that needs to be made. The scenes are also potentially shocking for those who do not enjoy the kinkier side of eroticism. But we get more than that. As Gina explains the world of BDSM to the police officers she is assisting, the reader is informed as well. And because the explanations are given as part of the story it never feels like the narrative is being interrupted. The reader is given an insight into a world they may not be familiar with, without ever feeling as if they are being lectured or preached to.

Kate Kinsey obviously knows how to tell a story well. Her writing flows, the story is gripping and original and the characters become real. In fact, that is one of the things I really liked about this book; the characters are real people. No supermodels or billionaires in this story. These are people like you and me who just happen to share a specific sexual appetite. According to her biography the author lives the BDSM life-style herself and therefore knows what she is writing about. Which makes it all the more remarkable and honest that she has written this book, and especially the ending, in such a way that it is just as easy for a reader to walk away from the book loathing the scene as it is to come to a better understanding or even appreciation of it.

Overall I can only say that I enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the mystery and I enjoyed the eroticism. In fact I would call this a very satisfying reading experience.
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Sep 01, 2012 Kate Kinsey rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

The cover copy:

"How far would you go in the name of pleasure?

Detective Tom Hanson has a string of grotesquely mutilated bodies on his hands and no answers—aside from the fact that the victims were members of an underground sex club catering to singular erotic tastes. Tastes the long, lean detective has sampled himself in the arms of his former lover, a fiery redhead who offered the most erotic, irresistible sex he’d ever encountered. Until the night she’d begged for the one thing he couldn’t giv...more

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Aug 27, 2012 Jen added it

Shelves: fv

From the blurb:

Detective Tom Hanson has a string of grotesquely mutilated bodies on his hands and no answers—aside from the fact that the victims were members of an underground sex club catering to singular erotic tastes. Tastes the long, lean detective has sampled himself in the arms of his former lover, a fiery redhead who offered the most erotic, irresistible sex he’d ever encountered. Until the night she’d begged for the one thing he couldn’t give, and he lost her forever.

Gina Larsen is the...more From the blurb:

Detective Tom Hanson has a string of grotesquely mutilated bodies on his hands and no answers—aside from the fact that the victims were members of an underground sex club catering to singular erotic tastes. Tastes the long, lean detective has sampled himself in the arms of his former lover, a fiery redhead who offered the most erotic, irresistible sex he’d ever encountered. Until the night she’d begged for the one thing he couldn’t give, and he lost her forever.

Gina Larsen is the only one who can guide Hanson through the fringe world of dark fantasy and desire that lies hidden deep beneath the Bible Belt. Lured into her lair by a quest for justice, Hanson discovers his hunger for Gina has only grown stronger and deeper…beyond the edge of control. Soon he’s shedding his last inhibitions in the search for answers, but the more she draws him into her erotic web, the less he can distinguish between passion and duty, pleasure and pain…good and evil.

Erotica has become almost mainstream these days with the popularity of 50 Shades and other recently released books. So when I see these types of books I usually grab them up for review. Red looked like it was going to one of those just from reading the back of the book. However, I knew from the opening scene it was going to be a bit darker, nastier and harsher than what I have been reading.

The opening scene takes place in a “glory hole”. It is disturbing, dark and not something I can come close to relating to. I almost put the book down and walked awa

What I did make it through follows a pair of detectives as they investigate some nasty killings. The killings have left people severly beaten and bloody and are traced back to a certain club. From what I could gather one of the detectives had formerly been involved in the lifestyle but was in over his head and left. I did not make it far enough into the book to find out his reasons for leaving.

I would recommend this book for people who are into reading about the more pain filled aspect of sex without much emotion attached to it. Because I am not as knowledgeable about sadomasichism, I am not sure how someone who is knowledgable would really feel about the book. All I can tell you is that there was no erotic twist like I am used to reading in most of the newly released books.

Final grade- DNF

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Aug 28, 2012 Kimberly rated it 2 of 5 stars

Review written for www.books-n-kisses.com

I guess the best way to describe this book erotic suspense. It is a who-dun-it in the BDSM world. While I did want to know what happened and who the killer was there is just something off about this book.

There are too many characters introduced too quickly for the reader to remember who is who which is distracting. The language in the book is crude and I am not talking about the sexual words but the use of vulgarities like fag, etc which just takes away f...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Evie rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'll start by saying I fell in love with the cover art of this book.

Hanson is a detective who's investigating a series of deaths of people who are part of the "Lifestyle". Yup, part of a BDSM community. The deaths are grotesque in nature. Bodies are mutilated, and he has a bit of a hard time identifying the type of weapon used to incapacitate the victims. The only person that can help him find leads is Gina, his ex-partner. Now, getting Gina to help him is another story all together.

Gina is an...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Becs - Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: bdsm-kink, net-galley-for-review, review-copy, cover-lust-i-has-it, dark-angsty, cop-hero, romantic-suspense, serial-killer, stalker, smuttastic

This was RED hot and it's a truly beautiful cover!

Detectives Hanson and Griggs have a serial killer on their hands and soon realise that the one thing that connects the victims is the BDSM lifestyle. Hanson turns to his former partner and lover, Gina, for advice as she is heavily involved in the lifestyle. She’d been publicly outed as a dominatrix a few years ago and humiliated and fired by the self-righteous chief of police, Daubs. She’s actually a switch and is now making money as a profession...more This was RED hot and it's a truly beautiful cover!

Detectives Hanson and Griggs have a serial killer on their hands and soon realise that the one thing that connects the victims is the BDSM lifestyle. Hanson turns to his former partner and lover, Gina, for advice as she is heavily involved in the lifestyle. She’d been publicly outed as a dominatrix a few years ago and humiliated and fired by the self-righteous chief of police, Daubs. She’s actually a switch and is now making money as a professional Dominatrix and her relationship with Hanson had ended when he realised that her masochistic kink ran too deep for his tastes and he couldn’t give her what she wanted although he’s never been able to replace her.

This is not some sugar-coated hearts and flowers BDSM romance. This is harsh, gritty, brutal, real. It was really quite mesmerising and I couldn’t put it down. It wasn’t exactly what I thought it was going to be – a Cherise Sinclair style BDSM romantic suspense. It’s much more thriller than romance and while there are some BDSM scenes, they’re actually few and far between. It’s a very realistic look at the Lifestyle without romanticising it. It’s there in brutal reality, Lifestylers mostly trying to keep their world private from the majority vanilla population.

It’s well written, the serial killer storyline is beautifully constructed to keep you guessing and the ending is a real shocker, let me tell you. I don’t want to give anything away about the plot but the last chapter had me agape.

The characters are well developed and come vividly to life off the pages – I really felt that I’d got to know them well and even Griggs, the annoying and brash partner, wormed his way into my affections. The romance between Hanson and Gina really does take a back burner to the suspense plot but when they finally get back together after years apart and have real angry sex, it’s RED hot!! Not a lot of page time is given to the romance but you can definitely feel the growing attachment between them.

As for content, there are a few BDSM style scenes and one scene that verges on non-con but it pays to remember that she goads him into it because it’s what she wants. It’s difficult to classify – I wouldn’t really put it in the erotic category as there’s really not that much sex. It’s definitely a thriller – it just happens to take place within the BDSM world. I think if you were to draw a line between Karen Rose and Tiffany Reisz, Kate Kinsey’s Red would sit somewhere in the middle. Not some rose-tinted romance but definitely worth reading – I can highly recommend it. There are also quite a lot of ‘safe, sane, consensual’ messages written into the plot, almost as a cautionary tale to prospective kinksters.

So, if my review and the synopsis appeals to you, please buy this book so that Kate Kinsey doesn’t eat her cat. I like cats.

4 stars BDSM thriller

With thanks to NetGalley and eKensington for providing me with a review copy of this novel(less)

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Nov 02, 2012 Marcus Vinicius Medeiros rated it 4 of 5 stars

Note: I received this book for free in exchance of an honest review.

Red by Kate Kinsey is a mystery thriller set in the world of S&M, whitch means a serial killer acting around bizarre sex adepts. Not my usual reading style, for sure, but the plot is very tight and catched my atention from start to finish. The story is really well played, and I keep guessing about the identity of the murderer. There are a lot of characters to follow, but it never becomes confusing or distracting. Obviously t...more

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Sep 18, 2012 Kimberly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Red
Kate Kinsey
eKensington
September 6, 2012

Truly, madly...deadly
Detective Tom Hanson has a string of grotesquely mutilated bodies on his hands and no answers—aside from the fact that the victims were members of an underground sex club catering to singular erotic tastes. Tastes the long, lean detective has sampled himself in the arms of his former lover, a fiery redhead who offered the most erotic, irresistible sex he’d ever encountered. Until the night she’d begged for the one thing he couldn’t g...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 24, 2012 Kayla rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult, 2012

I received a copy of this book from the ReadIt&Reap program in the ShutUp&Read group here on Goodreads. This is an excellent program in which authors provide free copies of their ebooks, in exchange for honest reviews.

Red was not the book for me. Let me start by saying that because of the blurb I expected this to be a romantic BDSM erotica about a detective searching for a serial killer. In reality, this book is a whodunit story with a backdrop of BDSM. For me, that is a pretty important...more

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Sep 12, 2012 Izzy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalleyreview

Red, a crime thriller with some BDSM elements mixed in, starts with a rather hot-and-heavy scene before quickly showing you how much of a thriller it is going to be. The crime scenes are grotesque but in a realistic way, a la Anita Blake books. The author, Kate Kinsey, is a submissive in the BDSM community and, as I read this book, I felt that she shared lot of insight into that world. She also focuses a lot on how the outside world views BDSM, and how many people within the community feel that...more Red, a crime thriller with some BDSM elements mixed in, starts with a rather hot-and-heavy scene before quickly showing you how much of a thriller it is going to be. The crime scenes are grotesque but in a realistic way, a la Anita Blake books. The author, Kate Kinsey, is a submissive in the BDSM community and, as I read this book, I felt that she shared lot of insight into that world. She also focuses a lot on how the outside world views BDSM, and how many people within the community feel that they are being perceived; a pretty common theme in this type of book.
We meet Marla Banks and Hanson very early on in the series, though the attention quickly shifts off of Marla and more onto Hanson as the book continues. The romance focuses on Hanson and his interest along with his guilt for his ‘perversion’.
The plot in this book is simple, yet pretty interesting. A serial killer appears targeting people associated with a girl named Cherry and you follow Detectives Hanson and Griggs as they attempt to find the culprit. The book’s scenes usually involve setups before the serial killer comes in and murders, and once you figure out that pattern, the book isn’t so hot afterward. The story points, however, do leave you guessing. Even when I thought I had figured out who the suspect was, I found my thoughts to be completely wrong and a total twist was thrown in at the end of the book not once, but twice!
I had a couple of additional issues with the book but they were both fairly minor. Firstly, there were some formatting issues in the digital review copy that I received, which was a distraction in some ways even though I still enjoyed the book. Second, the quotes in the beginning of every chapter were useless for me and became something I just skimmed over versus paying attention to. Though some did seem to tie into the chapter’s content fairly well, they often left me thinking that the quote didn’t relate at all.
Red is an enjoyable read but, as an erotica, something about the crime scene setups just don’t get me going. I’d say that if you are looking for a crime thriller with some BDSM thrown in, this book is worth the cash. However, if you are searching for a romance/erotica thriller, this book is trash.

3.5 out of 5 stars.
Review is from my personal blog rabidgummibear.wordpress.com(less)

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Sep 01, 2012 Lee Anne - Give me a Good Romance rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: bdsm, cops, mystery, suspense, romance, erotic, for-review-not-lendable, september-bdsm-challenge

4.5 stars rounded up to 5!

OH WOW! This is one disturbing book and it is AWESOME! Red is one series of twists and turns that will keep you reeling. Just when you think you have it all figured out, you get thrown another curve ball!

When I started this I was expecting a BDSM story with a little murder thrown in. What I got instead was a very compelling murder mystery in the BDSM world. It was FREAKIN' FANTASTIC!

The first few chapters were a little difficult to get through as they were all about di...more

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Aug 20, 2012 GONZA rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was a pretty good mystery, with a little bit of kinky sex, just to attract the masses I would say, and a little bit of love, strangelove ad Depeche Mode would say.
There's a serial killer that's targeting a BDSM community in the Bible Belt, two ex lover and a stalker. Mix them all together with a twist eventually and you got one good book, that I was afraid, at the beginning, was going to be another slyghtly variation of 50 shades, but thank God I was so wrong!

Questo è stato un bel giallo, c...more

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Nov 22, 2012 Lucie rated it 4 of 5 stars

A dark Thriller where the reader follows the corpses left by a psychopath in the middle of BDSM.

Beyond the particularly bloody murders with victims disfigured and mutilated, there are warning about the dangers of Internet dating. Protections to take when meeting a stranger and being suspicious of charming princes too charming to be true.
Warnings also against judgments and bigotry about non-compliant sexual practices requiring the BDSM lovers to hide and lie to not be viewed like monsters and ev...more

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Nov 03, 2012 Tempest rated it 4 of 5 stars

**This review can also be found at http://www.readingingthewindowseat.bl...**

I got this book off a R2R program on Goodreads.com in exchange for an honest review. It's not typically the type of book that I'm interested in, but the blurb caught my attention so I figured...why not? I loved the mystery, it was well thought out and well written. The details of it were great, pulling me in so that I could really picture everything in my mind. Though it starts off smack dab into the erotic, there are m...more

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Jan 19, 2013 ETA: soon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: z1-reviewed, z2-netgalley, bdsm, 4-romance, humor-lol-moments, t-second-chance, 5-ntm-or-debut, 4-action-or-thriller

(★★★½) Ambivalent. That's the word which best describes how I felt at the end of RED by Kate Kinsey, a NTM author. But there are many aspects about RED which appealed to me and I snickered at certain banter and asides. And I particularly loved the various quotes and excerpts at the beginning of each chapter. (I would never have had BDSM and Ralph Waldo Emerson in the same thought!) So I would recommend RED to anyone who enjoys suspense mixed with a bit of romance and/or kink. I look forward to t...more (★★★½) Ambivalent. That's the word which best describes how I felt at the end of RED by Kate Kinsey, a NTM author. But there are many aspects about RED which appealed to me and I snickered at certain banter and asides. And I particularly loved the various quotes and excerpts at the beginning of each chapter. (I would never have had BDSM and Ralph Waldo Emerson in the same thought!) So I would recommend RED to anyone who enjoys suspense mixed with a bit of romance and/or kink. I look forward to the next book by Ms. Kinsey, a smart and refreshing writer with much promise. Definitely like her style and philosophy.

Part of my ambivalence about RED is that it seemed to try for too much so that the sum of its parts ultimately diluted the individual elements. So as much as I wanted the "WOW", it didn't quite get there. But first and foremost, RED is not erotica, despite a few erotic moments and the frank and explicit words used to describe sexual activities and events. I point this out only because some readers may be bothered by such language in books, even if I'm not.

RED is a murder mystery—specifically, a police procedural told from the male protagonist's POV (think James Patterson's Alex Cross series)—about a serial killer whose victims appear to have only one common denominator: the BDSM lifestyle. (In this sense, the plot loosely reminded me of Evangeline Anderson's "Dangerous Cravings".) This revelation creates the opportunity for Tom Hanson to re-connect with Gina Larsen, his former partner and lover, for help in navigating the local BDSM community. As expected, past feelings are resurrected during the course of the investigation. I pretty much guessed most of the plot twists but was engaged enough to finish so to learn the how and why.

RED works in an "Introduction to BDSM", pinpointing certain stereotypes, misconceptions and behaviour primarily through the various characters (some better drawn than others), as well as insights into what happened with Tom and Gina in the past. While I understood the author's intent, I felt that some of the discussions weren't critical to the main goal of solving murders and only served to slow the pace of the book. Tension would build up with each new lead or twist in the investigation and then deflate as the "action" derailed temporarily to focus on the BDSM aspect.

Lastly, the side plot of the renewed relationship between Tom and Gina further weakened the book for me. What I assumed was meant to be the pivotal turning point didn't work for me because there wasn't enough before or after it to document and substantiate the change in mindset and resolution of past/current hurdles. Based on what was provided, I think that I would've more easily accepted Tom and Gina simply resolving past hurts. As for the end scene... well, I'll have to see if my suspicion is correct.

TECHNICAL: Very well-written. But odd and single-sentence paragraph structuring impeded smooth reading in many places, especially when the speaker and the actual dialogue were separate paragraphs. At times, kept having to pause to confirm which character went with which dialogue. A final, more aggressive editing pass may have produced a much tighter story.

* Review based on ARC provided by NetGalley on behalf of the publisher/the author.(less)

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Oct 13, 2012 Lee rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-gr-challenge

This naughty little novel starts out with a lot of characters and you really have no idea how it could all tie together. In the beginning, I kept feeling like I needed to go back to figure out who was who.

Eventually everything does tie in together and it becomes easier to keep the madness straight. While the story is very good, the characters themselves are fairly flat. They don't have a lot of depth and I feel they could have had more backstory.

My other complaint about this book was the writing...more

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Oct 09, 2012 Sheri rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult, reviewed, read-it-and-reap

The author of 'Red' promises us a story that is well written, a story that doesn't just have kinky sex but an actual plot, and a story written by someone who knows what she's talking about when it comes to the kinky world of BDSM. I have to say, she delivered. This book is an erotic thriller. There's not a lot of romance, but an incredible murder mystery divulging into the world of BDSM that will leave you guessing until the very end and then leave you shocked. Talk about twists you won't see co...more The author of 'Red' promises us a story that is well written, a story that doesn't just have kinky sex but an actual plot, and a story written by someone who knows what she's talking about when it comes to the kinky world of BDSM. I have to say, she delivered. This book is an erotic thriller. There's not a lot of romance, but an incredible murder mystery divulging into the world of BDSM that will leave you guessing until the very end and then leave you shocked. Talk about twists you won't see coming.

The author is great at building up tension and anticipation in her writing. The story itself is dark, complex, and violent, but she is able to throw in humor relief, mainly through Hanson's partner, Griggs, that keeps it on the edge of becoming too dark. I just had to mention Griggs because I like him :)

So who my favorite character? Hard to say. Gina is a strong female character and isn't afraid of what she wants. She is sexy and confident. Hanson is pretty much the opposite of Gina. It's interesting how their characters come together so well, but they do. I love how the author was able to portray her characters as real people with real lives, worries, and desires. She was able to use them to bring dimension to the story and give it purpose. All of the characters are believable.

As for the erotica/BDSM aspect – This is not erotic romance. If you open this book looking for that, you'll be disappointed. However, keep reading. The BDSM is successfully woven into the storyline rather than just being a side story as it is in so many other erotica books, and rather than just throw us into the world of BDSM assuming we know everything about it, the author gives us a roadmap to guide us in the form of Detective Hanson. He knows next to nothing about BDSM, and as things are explained to him, they are also explained to the reader.

Here are my only two grievances with the book: One, the first few chapters seemed a bit muddled to me. You were kind of thrown into the middle of things, and it was a bit hard to follow. However, it quickly came together nicely into create a wonderful story. Second, the quotes at the beginning of each and every chapter I found unnecessary and annoying and would have rather had them not there. Because of these two things I have been hovering between 4 and 5 stars. However, I ultimately decided that my small qualms weren't enough to knock off a star. Overall this story was sexual, violent, suspenseful, and complex. Read it.(less)

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Mar 27, 2013 Paris (kerbytejas) rated it 2 of 5 stars

I liked the plot but just was not satisfied on how it was developed or the character development. Lots of people to keep track of, characters that didn't seem to have chemistry with each other. I also did not like the BDSM depictions, the derogatory comments and slurs towards other lifestyles, and for me put downs, humiliations,& rape just don't excite

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Sep 08, 2012 Shesquiet Quiet rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a fantastic read in every aspect - for fans of BDSM to murder mystery fans, this book just rocks.

Character development is strong - the characters are believable, and you will love and hate the ones the author intends. None are "stock" characters - even the corrupt police chief has some twists that are unexpected - but all are believable and well-defined.

It's an intelligent novel for the intelligent reader - the author's longtime experience in the BDSM "lifestyle" serves to give credence...more

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Sep 30, 2012 Wendy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, erotica, kindle

The true man wants two things: danger and play, for that reason he wants woman, as the most dangerous plaything. - Friedrich Nietzche

Hanson and Griggs investigate a series of grisly murders involving individuals involved in the BDSM lifestyle. Hanson was originally partnered with Gina Larsen. They were partners for seven years and lovers for three. The relationship died a slow death, when he was unable to meet her needs to be dominated. When Gina left the force, it was discovered that she was a...more

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Nov 02, 2012 Alana ~ The Book Pimp rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reading-challenge, ebooks, to-review, netgalley, bdsm, suspense-or-thriller

If you want an erotic thriller with slight hints of romance and a HUGE helping of some honest-to-goodness BDSM, then look no further- the buck stops here.

I would even go as far as 4½♥'s on this book. Overall, the book was well written, complex and layered, very well researched, portrays the 'lifestyle' with brutal honesty, and manages to keep (this) reader guessing along the way. The main reservation I have about awarding a full 5 stars to this would be the beginning 20% of the book. There are a...more If you want an erotic thriller with slight hints of romance and a HUGE helping of some honest-to-goodness BDSM, then look no further- the buck stops here.

I would even go as far as 4½♥'s on this book. Overall, the book was well written, complex and layered, very well researched, portrays the 'lifestyle' with brutal honesty, and manages to keep (this) reader guessing along the way. The main reservation I have about awarding a full 5 stars to this would be the beginning 20% of the book. There are a large number of characters we get to crawl inside the mind of, and the beginning was somewhat choppy for me and confusing at times until I became familiar and comfortable with all the primary characters.

It is a darker book, overall, violent and bloody. Everything in the book is treated with unapologetic honesty. From the murders to Doms and Subs and everything in between. There is no sugar coating, there is little romance, and the real world is rarely as pretty as TV and movies would have you believe. I guess that 'true to life' honesty is something that really grabbed me. Just like life - this book is not all sculpted abs, roses, and hearts. It contains 'real' (fictional but believable characters) people.

A word on the characters... there were several I didn't think I was going to end up liking. I'd say most of them, in fact, I really didn't think I was going to end up caring about. But by the end, I found something in almost all of them that grabbed me somehow. For Griggs, it's absolutely his love of cats. That was among my favorite parts of the book; silly- I know. Griggs has a foot-in-mouth filter missing that needs to be there, but his highly inappropriate comments did help lighten the mood several times. Gina was finally taking life by the horns and living it on her terms. I loved that. Hanson finally put on his big boy pants and accepted himself- what he really wanted and needed and allowed himself to have it. Cherry... I was really hoping for a different resolution that the uncertainty we are left with regarding her, but I was able to at least not only think of her as a victim.

I've mentioned it already, but I think I really need to specifically address... this is not a romance. There is kink, and it is portrayed extraordinarily well. This author obviously knows the scene, knows exactly what she is talking about, and I think it's refreshing to see BDSM so well represented in this book. It explains everything well for those unfamiliar to those in the lifestyle, but doesn't make it trite for those that already are familiar with the terms. Don't read this expecting romance, but don't let that lull you into a false sense of security. This book will try to push your sexual limits, desires, and fantasies. It will make you want to cry out, "No! No!" even when you are thinking, "Yes! Yes"... just don't forget your safeword: Red.

I want to thank Kate Kinsey, Netgalley, and the Shut Up and Read review program for allowing me to read and review this title for free. I have not received any compensation for my review.(less)

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Sep 14, 2012 Sara (is in love with boys who love boys) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-ng, adult, bdsm

This was a hard read for me. I am familiar with the world of BDSM but this was tough. I did feel like I was getting a private tour into the real lifestyle and not that of a vanilla writer playing with a playroom and some toys.

"A sociopath may be attracted to BDSM, but real kinksters are all about consent. A serial killer isn't."

I thought as a crime novel, a serial killer who done it, the book was decent. In the beginning there were too many Point of Views that had me confused as to who was who...more

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Oct 22, 2012 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, mystery, thriller

If you are looking for a romance BDSM book, then move along. While there is a rekindling of a past relationship between Gina and Hanson, it is just a small part part the story.

This is a mystery/thriller within the BDSM world and I felt the BDSM storyline was more in the vein to educate the reader about the lifestyle than to titillate the reader. I even took it off my erotica shelf.

The story moved very fast and kept my attention. There are several twists at the end with one that I was completely...more

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Aug 15, 2012 Jane Litte rated it 2 of 5 stars

Triggers for rape, assault, gruesomeness

An erotic thriller with a twist ending. Not a romance despite the cover blurb (or at least not a believable one). Decent police procedure although it made a few missteps at the end. Could have been better. The sex scenes are generally all set up for the kill scenes. Not erotic but plenty of pain and degradation. Sex scenes felt gratuitous as did the homophobic, racist cop who ended up being the most decent of all the characters which is saying something.

E...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Reviews for the L...: RED by Kate Kinsey (Erotic Dark Thriller)	1	5	Nov 03, 2012 07:24am
Shut Up & Read: * {Read It & Reap105}- Red by Kate Kinsey	62	116	Nov 02, 2012 02:34pm
The Mystery, Crim...: Mystery/Thriller reviewers	1	13	Sep 25, 2012 07:46pm
Shut Up & Read: Help! I'm misunderstood....	13	53	Sep 23, 2012 08:24pm
Sinners & Sir...: Red- Starts August 27th and September 6th	2	31	Aug 26, 2012 06:10pm

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About Kate Kinsey

Kate Kinsey is a forty-something single white female with a highly sophisticated brain that sometimes still gets obsessed trying to remember all the words to the Gilligan's Island theme song.

She's a truly fabulous person who just can't figure out why she's not rich and famous yet, or why the universe refuses to admit that she is indeed the center of it.

She currently lives in Tennessee with a cat...more

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