The Barnes & Noble Review
This debut novel by a former assistant state attorney is a crime drama/courtroom thriller offering authentic fo... read full description
This debut novel by a former assistant state attorney is a crime drama/courtroom thriller offering authentic fo... read full description
reviews
Nov 17, 2010
Zosia
rated it: 
Reviewed for www.bookchickcity.com
What would you do if you walked into the courtroom one morning to discover you’re there to prosecute the man who tortured and raped you?
Is it okay to keep your connection to the man a secret if it means it’s the only chance there’ll be to put him behind bars?
Is it justified to steal evidence in order to keep a mistrial from being declared?
Should you continue to prosecute an evil man when you’re not one hundred per More...
What would you do if you walked into the courtroom one morning to discover you’re there to prosecute the man who tortured and raped you?
Is it okay to keep your connection to the man a secret if it means it’s the only chance there’ll be to put him behind bars?
Is it justified to steal evidence in order to keep a mistrial from being declared?
Should you continue to prosecute an evil man when you’re not one hundred per More...
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Jan 06, 2010
Robert
rated it: 
Jilliane Hoffman, Retribution (Putnam, 2004)
It's not often that a single book causes me to put aside everything else I'm reading to concentrate on it. I got my copy of Retribution in the mail, and started paging through it about half an hour later. Thirty-six hours later, with little food and sleep in the interim, I'd finished it, having put aside the other books in the queue to concentrate solely on Jilliane Hoffman's debut novel.
Some books are best summed up with the same " More...
It's not often that a single book causes me to put aside everything else I'm reading to concentrate on it. I got my copy of Retribution in the mail, and started paging through it about half an hour later. Thirty-six hours later, with little food and sleep in the interim, I'd finished it, having put aside the other books in the queue to concentrate solely on Jilliane Hoffman's debut novel.
Some books are best summed up with the same " More...
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(3 people liked it)
Jan 06, 2010
Evelyn
rated it:
Blond and beautiful Chloe Larson is brutally raped and left for dead in New York City. After a mental breakdown, Chloe starts a new life in Florida as C. J. Townsend, a prosecutor in the State Attorney's office. When she prosecutes "Cupid," a serial murderer who preys on women, her world begins to fall apart again.
A graphic serial-killer and legal thriller. The fast pace and lots of surprises make this a tale you won't want to put down. A first time novelist, Hoffman is a More...
A graphic serial-killer and legal thriller. The fast pace and lots of surprises make this a tale you won't want to put down. A first time novelist, Hoffman is a More...
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(1 person liked it)
Sep 07, 2009
Sherrie
rated it:
"Retribution" by Jilliane Hoffman
from the back cover)
When an elite prosecutor faces the most lethal predator she's ever encountered, it all comes down to a choice between justice....and retribution. C. J. Townsend is a brilliant state prosecutor in Miami known for keeping her cool while trying even the most horrific cases. The latest suspect is as base as they come: a vicious killer who savors cruelty and considers murder an art. Amid a maelstrom of media attention, C More...
from the back cover)
When an elite prosecutor faces the most lethal predator she's ever encountered, it all comes down to a choice between justice....and retribution. C. J. Townsend is a brilliant state prosecutor in Miami known for keeping her cool while trying even the most horrific cases. The latest suspect is as base as they come: a vicious killer who savors cruelty and considers murder an art. Amid a maelstrom of media attention, C More...
Apr 14, 2010
Boof
rated it:
Absolutely brilliant! This is the first book by this author that I have read and I plan on tracking down her others now. A gritty, no holds barred book that grabs you from the off and makes you question what you think you know.
The story starts with Chloe, a young law student from New York who is brutally raped in by someone who is waiting for her in her appartment when she gets home from a night out right before she is about to take the Bar exam. The rape scene is not for the feint o More...
The story starts with Chloe, a young law student from New York who is brutally raped in by someone who is waiting for her in her appartment when she gets home from a night out right before she is about to take the Bar exam. The rape scene is not for the feint o More...
Jan 30, 2009
Christie
rated it:
This novel starts back in the past in 1988 with the lead character, Chloe, fresh out of law school and cramming for the New York State bar exam. Right off the bat, Chloe's life is shattered when she is brutally raped and maimed; she blows off the exam and her would-be fiance because she is so haunted by the crime and the mark it has left on her life.
Then the book continues to present day to 2000 where a serial rapist who has killed 10 victims is caught and on the case is a compassio More...
Then the book continues to present day to 2000 where a serial rapist who has killed 10 victims is caught and on the case is a compassio More...
Oct 31, 2009
Michael
rated it:
4 1/2 Stars.
In this fine novel which was nominated for the Anthony Award for the Best First Mystery Novel, a preditor stalks and rapes law student Chole Larson and escapes.
12 years later, a string of murders has occurred in the Miami area. A policeman pulls a car over for a traffic offense and when the driver refuses to allow the author to check his trunk, a K-9 unit is called. The dog whiffs something. On popping the trunk, they find a dead girl with a missing heart. Wil More...
In this fine novel which was nominated for the Anthony Award for the Best First Mystery Novel, a preditor stalks and rapes law student Chole Larson and escapes.
12 years later, a string of murders has occurred in the Miami area. A policeman pulls a car over for a traffic offense and when the driver refuses to allow the author to check his trunk, a K-9 unit is called. The dog whiffs something. On popping the trunk, they find a dead girl with a missing heart. Wil More...
Mar 17, 2011
Marca
rated it: 
Halfway through book. Oh, good grief. Another female character (an attorney) who is described by other characters as strong and unflinching, but is instead a mess of emotions that get in the way of her job. In addition, she and a male character have the hots for each other, so this is also a romance. Not to mention that the female attorney is tstl and has made an error in judgment that could sink the case of the most horrid serial killer-rapist one can imagine. (At least she does not have a
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Jan 12, 2011
NancyG
rated it:
Having read rave reviews about this debut novel I had high expectations. By and large I was not disappointed. It is a graphic crime book with the female prosecutor a victim as well. The book has some hard to believe twists which made me want to quit reading but I persevered and am glad I did. The descriptions of the courtroom scenes and prosecutorial procedures in Miami, FL were interesting to me being very different than criminal proceudres in South Bend, IN. The time frames were a lot mor
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Oct 30, 2009
Linda
rated it:
OK, I didn't think I was going to like this book. At first it seemed like just another slasher/serial killer story with a good-looking but troubled heroine who would solve the crime. I thought I was done with that type of novel. As I continued reading, however, this book truly surprised me. It's extremely well-written, which is especially amazing for a first novel. So in spite of the subject matter I was hooked and kept reading. In fact, I couldn't put it down. The story was well-presente
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Mar 16, 2009
Teresa
rated it:
Excellent adult thriller! Chloe Larson is brutally raped and mutilated when she is in law school in New York, and her rapist is never caught. Twelve years later, she is a prosecutor in the Miami DA's office who has changed her name to C.J. Townsend and dyed her blond hair a mousy brown. A man accused of raping and killing a woman is brought before C.J. in court. She recognizes him as her rapist when she sees a tattoo on his wrist and hears his voice, but the statute of limitations is up on h
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Dec 28, 2010
Sarah
rated it:
Da ich von "Der Mädchenfänger" begeistert war, wollte ich "Cupido" auch unbedingt lesen. Es geht um Chloe, eine junge Staatsanwältin, die als Studentin von einem Unbekannten in einer Clownsmaske brutal vergewaltigt und misshandelt wurde.
Nun scheint die Polizei den berüchtigten "Cupido"-Mörder gefasst zu haben, der schon mehr als 10 Frauen auf bestialische Weise ermordet hat. Chloe ist die Vertreterin der Staatsanwaltschaft in diesem Prozess.
Sehr, More...
Nun scheint die Polizei den berüchtigten "Cupido"-Mörder gefasst zu haben, der schon mehr als 10 Frauen auf bestialische Weise ermordet hat. Chloe ist die Vertreterin der Staatsanwaltschaft in diesem Prozess.
Sehr, More...
Oct 03, 2009
Jan
rated it:
Hoffman's first book is a gripping thriller I couldn't put down! The characters were well developed and the plot twist at the end I didn't see coming. C.J. Townsend is a Miami state prosecutor at the top of her game and involved with Major Crimes. The latest serial killer, "Cupid" takes delight in torture and mutilation, staging the body and "when and where" the bodies are found. When Miami cops find a missing girl's body in the trunk of a car driven by Bill Bantling, they
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Mar 02, 2010
BoekenTrol
rated it:
This was my first book by Jilliane Hoffman. As a matter of fact I had never heard of her before. On another site I came across this book and decided to give it a try (in German).
From the very first page the story grabbed me. At first there's the brutal rape and the aftermath. And then, I realised that C.J. and Chloe are the same person (yes, soemtimes it takes me awhile to figure things out...).
After that I couldn't put the book down, wanting to know 'what's next?, what will More...
From the very first page the story grabbed me. At first there's the brutal rape and the aftermath. And then, I realised that C.J. and Chloe are the same person (yes, soemtimes it takes me awhile to figure things out...).
After that I couldn't put the book down, wanting to know 'what's next?, what will More...
Nov 21, 2010
Stina
rated it:
WOW! WOW! WOW! This book was totally unputdownable, from start to finish, and apart from some legal jargon thrown in I thoroughly enjoyed it! It begins in New York with young up-coming lawyer Chloe Larson and the brutal torture and rapes of woman in the city, including Chloe herself. Unable to put it behind her she moves to Miami and takes up a job at the State Attorney's office where her past comes back to haunt her once again.
It has been quite some time since I read this book, but More...
It has been quite some time since I read this book, but More...
Aug 28, 2011
Cindi
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Jun 18, 2011
H.
rated it:
This is one of the best crime thrillers I've read in a long time. I remember reading it when it first came out and the story is still imprinted in my memory all these years. Even though I have only read it once. It's the type of shocking, exciting, heart-racing story that stays with you long after you flipped the last page. The characters are complex and the plot is detailed. PLUS THE TWISTS AND TURNS, omg. It left me quite breathless in several occasions. ALSO, I couldn't put this book down til
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Apr 20, 2010
Joyce
rated it:
A young law student is brutally raped in New York. 10 years later, she is the lead prosecutor in Miami, working on the case of a serial killer nicknamed Cupid. A suspect turns up--whom she believes is the same man who raped her years before.[return][return]The plot reminds me of the early patricia Cornwell books; unfortunately, the writing, while good, is not at that high a level. There is a nice twist towards the end that makes for page-turning tension at that point. The courtroom scenes ar
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Dec 10, 2011
Mary
rated it:
C. J. Townsend is a brilliant state prosecutor known for keeping her cool even when trying the most horrific cases. The current murderer is as base as they come - a vicious killer who savors cruelty and considers murder an art form. Amid a maelstrom of media coverage, C. J. builds her case until she is struck with a shattering blow from her past. Now, everything rides on her ability to hold herself together long enough to put the criminal behind bars forever.
I enjoyed this story even More...
I enjoyed this story even More...
Aug 06, 2011
Karolina
rated it: 
This book confused me. It’s divided into two parts, one about the past and one about the present. But it’s like two different persons wrote the book! The first part is excellent! It is frightening – so frightening in fact that I had a hard time sleeping afterwards – and extremely well written. Then came part two and something went very, very wrong. It was horrible! It made no sense and it was just a stupid story all of a sudden. A big disappointment after the first excellent part. Therefore, I c
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Jun 07, 2009
Evelyn
rated it:
Blond and beautiful Chloe Larson is brutally raped and left for dead in New York City. After a mental breakdown, Chloe starts a new life in Florida as C. J. Townsend, a prosecutor in the State Attorney's office. When she prosecutes "Cupid," a serial murderer who preys on women, her world begins to fall apart again. A graphic serial-killer and legal thriller. The fast pace and lots of surprises make this a tale you won't want to put down. A first time novelist, Hoffman is a former Flor
More...
Sep 25, 2011
Sarah
rated it:
I borrowed this book off a friend years ago together with the sequel but I didn't enjoy it enough to continue on and read 'Last Witness'. I cannot remember why as it was a good 7 years ago but I do remember being bored and surprised I actually finished it. At the time I was obsessed with Tess Gerritsen's books and Hoffman was no where near Gerritsen's level or as riveting as Nicci French's books that I also read at the time. Not a writer I would return to or recommmend but that is my opinion and
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Jan 13, 2012
Pam
rated it:
Judging from the other reviews it looks like I'm the only one who did not enjoy this book.
This is my second novel of Jilliane Hoffman’s I’ve read and it will be my last. I should have learned my lesson after reading her other one.
I didn’t find this novel entertaining at all. Nor was it suspenseful or thrilling. For a court-room drama it’s quite the bore. It revolves around C.J. Townsend who is a district attorney in the state of Florida. Twelve years earlier while studying More...
This is my second novel of Jilliane Hoffman’s I’ve read and it will be my last. I should have learned my lesson after reading her other one.
I didn’t find this novel entertaining at all. Nor was it suspenseful or thrilling. For a court-room drama it’s quite the bore. It revolves around C.J. Townsend who is a district attorney in the state of Florida. Twelve years earlier while studying More...
Nov 03, 2009
Laurie
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Jan 06, 2010
Dave
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Jan 06, 2010
Karschtl
rated it:
Eine Jurastudentin wird in ihrem Apartment in NYC brutal vergewaltigt und gefoltert. Der Täter kann nie gefasst werden, er versteckte sich hinter einer Clownmaske und hinterließ keinerlei biologische Spuren.
12 Jahre später ist die Studentin Staatsanwältin C.J. Townsend in Florida und gemeinsam mit der Polizei hinter einem Serienmörder her, der junge hübsche Blondinen kidnappt, gefangenhält, vergewaltigt und schließlich auf bestialische Weise umbringt: indem er ihnen bei lebendigem L More...
12 Jahre später ist die Studentin Staatsanwältin C.J. Townsend in Florida und gemeinsam mit der Polizei hinter einem Serienmörder her, der junge hübsche Blondinen kidnappt, gefangenhält, vergewaltigt und schließlich auf bestialische Weise umbringt: indem er ihnen bei lebendigem L More...
Jul 07, 2011
Stockwell
rated it: 
Good for eating up time in the car, but not all that great. The writing was mediocre at best, with many basic grammatical errors that left me wondering whether this had actually been edited (i.e. "he took a peak inside"). Storywise, the author's piggybacking on a popular genre (legal drama) and writing shock scenes made me feel that she was writing this story just to make a profit, rather than because she actually wanted to write this story.
Aug 19, 2011
Annabelly
rated it:
Amazing book, took a little while for me to settle into it, but worth reading. Had me guessing the entire time, but maybe that's because I'm only a teenager :). I certainly would hate having what happened to those girls happen to me. It's one of those books that you get lost in that makes you say, 'No! Don't do that to her! It'll hurt too much!' you know, one of those books where it's like you are the main character.
Apr 10, 2010
J.
rated it:
This is a first book and it is not bad for a first book. The author will improve with time I'm sure. Because it is written as well as it is for a first book I predict that others will be better than this one.
I did enjoy reading this book and look forward to even better books in the future by this author.
J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'"
I did enjoy reading this book and look forward to even better books in the future by this author.
J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'"
Jan 24, 2010
Tessa
rated it:
I will admit to being hooked on approximately 75 pages of this book. However, it took reading about 300 pages to get there . . . 300 pages of overly graphic crime scenes (rape, sadistic torture, murder). The worst part is that you could tell Hoffman was as sick of writing the story as I was of reading it by the end; the last 10 pages were a glossed over mess.
