So Close the Hand of Death (Taylor Jackson, #6 )

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So Close the Hand of Death (Taylor Jackson #6)

by J.T. Ellison (Goodreads Author)

4.34 of 5 stars 4.34 · rating details · 443 ratings · 71 reviews

Talent borrows. Genius steals. Evil delegates.

It's a hideous echo of a violent past. Across America, murders are being committed with all the twisted hallmarks of the Boston Strangler, the Zodiac Killer and Son of Sam. The media frenzy explodes and Nashville homicide lieutenant Taylor Jackson knows instantly that The Pretender is back…and he's got helpers.

As The Pretender'...more

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Apr 14, 2011 Ryan G rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: no-longer-own

I've somehow gotten myself into a habit of agreeing to review a book without bothering to find out it's actually part of a series. Not only that, but they are tending to be books that occur well into the series and not at the beginning. So Close the Hand of Death is now the third book that I've read recently that fits into that category. It's the sixth book in the Taylor Jackson series, which is now a series I will have to start at the beginning of.

I'm going to assume that much like Love Me to D...more

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Dec 01, 2012 Dotti Elrick rated it 4 of 5 stars

So Close the Hand of Death takes place shortly after the events of the last book, The Immortals. Taylor is still not in her right mind after shooting and killing the teenager who was responsible for the deaths of eight other teenagers.
Her friend, father figure and fellow officer Fitz, has just been found wandering down a road in North Carolina after being taken by Taylor's personal nemisis, The Pretender.
Baldwin her fiancee and and an agent with the FBI, and Taylor head to pick up Fitz and bring...more

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Apr 19, 2012 Stephanie Ward rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: will-trade, owned, for-review

"So Close the Hand of Death" is another superb crime thriller by best-selling author J.T. Ellison. Fans of her earlier novels will not be disappointed with the trouble that heroine Taylor Jackson finds herself in once again. The book is full of surprising plot twists and solid writing. The psychological cat and mouse game that goes on in the novel sets you at the edge of your seat and has you trying to guess what is going to happen until the very end. Ellison's characters are very rounded and bu...more

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Jun 26, 2011 Naomi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

J.T. Ellison simply gets better with each book she writes. I loved this book..it was not as twisted as some of her other ones, but was still incredibly engrossing and warped. I love it when a fellow sister can be this twisted!!!

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Apr 01, 2012 Melanie Cook rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I wrote my review of this book the other day, and I can't believe that I didn't save it![return]This was the first of J.T. Ellison's books that I've read, but it will most definitely not be the last! I really enjoyed the story, and the characters.[return]I was a little disappointed that I hadn't realised that this wasn't the first in a series before I read it - I felt there were definitely things I should have known about the characters history before reading this, and found myself wondering if...more

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Jul 28, 2012 Natasha rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book definitely qualifies as a thriller, although it passes the threshold of believability with so many serial killers and mentally deranged people running around. I had some definite eye rolling when reading and we come across yet another crazy person to add to the mix, but then maybe that's how cops see the world. Otherwise, it was fast paced and gripping. Ending was pretty exciting too.

DATA:
Swearing language: More than a handful of f-words, but the author seemed to use strong language j...more

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May 14, 2013 Teri rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: thrillers

Once scorned by Taylor Jackson, a serial killer named the "Pretender" is not letting this pass instead he wants revenge. Lieutenant Taylor Jackson is always looking over shoulder and wondering what the "Pretender" has in store for her, leaving little hints letting her know he's watching; He's always one step a head of her and willing to kill anyone who is close or in his way. He manages to kidnap her best friend ME "Sam" and she is worried for her life and her unborn child. Digging deeper, Taylo...more

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May 24, 2011 Rhonda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

review I can tell thier were other books in the series before this but I did not feel lost at all.Taylor is homacide LT. in Nashville. Dr. Baldwin works with FbI profiling they are engaged. A serail killer called Pretender is focused on Taylor and wants to play with her. Pretender has helpers he is training they are killing in LA, Boston, NY following different killers mo. He has made all these big plans to draw taylor into. the start of the book he has kidnapped her sargent and took his eyebal...more

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May 24, 2011 Joe Young rated it 4 of 5 stars

An amazing story that chronicles the four year struggle between a Nashville Amazon police lieutenant and a psycho serial killer who targeted her and her close friends and family for an imagined slight when she laughed at him when he asked her to dinner after she pulled him over following a police shooting on the Freeway. Police Lieutenant Taylor Jackson and her fiance Dr. John Baldwin, an FBI Psychiatrist, worked together to try and stop this serial killer. This twisting story follows the multip...more

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Apr 14, 2011 Kristi (Books and Needlepoint) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs

I found out upon reading this book, that it is part of a series of books with Taylor Jackson as the central character. She is a very strong woman and is a homicide lieutenant in Nashville. She lives with her FBI boyfriend John Baldwin. This book read okay as a stand alone, but it did give lots of references to the past, which made me wish that I had read the five books that came before.

The conflict in the story is centered around serial killer who is dubbed the Pretender. (He is also from a pre...more

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Apr 22, 2011 Joemmama rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Pretender, a serial killer is back, and this time he has help. Across the country murders are being carried out by persons unknown.Taylor Jackson, Nashville homicide detective, is being taunted by the message "Let's Play". Her friends and family are in danger, so she wants to work alone.

A blogger is seeing the overview, as she writes her true crime blog. Colleen is the widow of a fallen police officer, working with police departments all over the country. As Taylor is in the midst of a horro...more

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Mar 16, 2011 Debbie rated it 5 of 5 stars

So Close the Hand of Death
J T Ellison
Mira
408 pages
So Close the Hand of Death is the 6th in the Taylor Jackson series.
Taylor Jackson get’s word from her fiancé John Baldwin that her fellow team member and father figure Fitz has been found, alive as she’s spiriting her way to him there is a macabre crime spree going on all across the country and Taylor fears that The Pretender is back that diabolical serial killer that mimics other serial killers and was the student of The Snow White Killer, he’s...more So Close the Hand of Death
J T Ellison
Mira
408 pages
So Close the Hand of Death is the 6th in the Taylor Jackson series.
Taylor Jackson get’s word from her fiancé John Baldwin that her fellow team member and father figure Fitz has been found, alive as she’s spiriting her way to him there is a macabre crime spree going on all across the country and Taylor fears that The Pretender is back that diabolical serial killer that mimics other serial killers and was the student of The Snow White Killer, he’s been haunting her ever since he got away and it looks like his ghost may just have materialized. Taylor is now very afraid for all the people around her that she cherishes will be in the line of fire for this madman and she has to find a way to not only keep her loved ones safe but to find a way to permanently stop The Pretender. Taylor of course is helped by the one man who is her true soul mate and he’s vowed to keep her safe at all costs, but there are still secrets he hasn’t shared with Taylor and he’s about to learn the cost of not coming clean.
Ms. Ellison is a terrifyingly cleaver author to keep her stable of characters interesting by giving them the utmost in villains to find and eliminate. This plot is straight out of the dictionary of Hardboiled Crime Fiction with a diabolical evil doer who is Oscar worthy. It’s an over the top crime with an over the top villain but that’s what brings her fans back time after time. I also love the not quite cliffhanger but that hint of what’s to come that brings me back novel after novel. If you’re a fan then you’re used to that no-nonsense in your face cop speak that Ms. Ellison uses and for her series and her characters it’s very effective. Her characters rarely change so we get a chance to really get to know what makes them tick as well as keeping an eye on what they’re up to now. Her heroine Taylor Jackson is a straight shooting good cop, not necessarily by the book, but always in the name of justice and what I really like about her is how she evolves with each subsequent novel as she learns how to be not only a better cop but a better friend/lover/person sometimes in spite of herself. Her other main characters from the cops to her friends to her significant other all take supporting role awards and I love the interaction between the characters. Her romance between John and Taylor is ongoing although not always smoothly and it’s that certain angst that keeps her fans wondering what exactly is on the horizon for this couple.
So all in all what it boils down to is this amazing talent that Ms. Ellison has in spinning a tale that keeps her fans glued to the pages and buying the next one in the series long before the published date. She has a unique style that’s all her own but her plots remind me of Lisa Gardner’s. One thing’s for sure she can definitely bat in the majors because this is another home run.
Well done Ms. Ellison you make it hard for me to patiently wait for the next installment in Taylor’s life.
(less)

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Mar 06, 2011 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

So Close the Hand of Death is the sixth book in the Taylor Jackson series by J T Ellison and a Thriller from Mira.

Book Blurb:

It's a hideous echo of a violent past. Across America, murders are being committed with all the twisted hallmarks of the Boston Strangler, the Zodiac Killer and Son of Sam. The media frenzy explodes and Nashville homicide lieutenant Taylor Jackson knows instantly that The Pretender is back. And he's got helpers.

As The Pretender's disciples perpetrate their sick homages - s...more

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Jun 08, 2011 Mona rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery-thriller, nail-biter

You may remember when I reviewed Ellison’s The Immortals back in October. Well, this is the next installment in the Taylor Jackson series and it’s just as spine tingling.

Taylor is still a target for The Pretender, a serial killer who’s obsessed with her. She’s still stressed out after having killed a teenage murderer and she knows she’s not as sharp and observant as she needs to be. But there’s just so much going on in her life that it’s hard to take it all in, much less make sense of it.

When...more

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Feb 20, 2011 Jane rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, thriller

Nashville homicide lieutenant Taylor Jackson may finally get her wish. A serial killer who goes by the moniker the Pretender has been stalking her for years. The Pretender has stepped up his game by directly attacking a friend and colleague while dispatching others to cities like Boston and New York to duplicate murders done by other famous serial killers. As usual, Taylor's love interest, FBI agent John Baldwin is on hand to help with the investigation (though he is keeping a professional setba...more

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Jan 10, 2011 Darcia Helle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads-giveaways, ebooks, fiction, suspense-thriller-mystery

When I read Ellison's first book in the Taylor Jackson series - All The Pretty Girls - I was immediately hooked. I loved Ellison's writing, as well as the characters she'd created. This is #6 in the series and, while I still love Ellison's writing, I'm not as enthralled with the direction the series has taken. Detective Taylor Jackson is constantly being persecuted, singled out by serial killers, chased, and otherwise endangered in a personal way. Her friends suffer for the mere fact of being cl...more

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Feb 17, 2011 Cheryl "Mash" rated it 1 of 5 stars

SO CLOSE THE HAND OF DEATH by J.T. Ellison
Published by Harlequin Mira Books
ISBN 9780778329435
I received an ARC-EBook Bound galley Edition from NetGalley, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.
Synopsis (borrowed from NetGalley): TALENT BORROWS. GENIUS STEALS. EVIL DELEGATES.
It’s a hideous echo of a violent past. Across America, murders are being committed with all the twisted hallmarks of the Boston Strangler, the Zodiac Killer and Son of Sam. The media frenzy explodes and Nashville homicid...more SO CLOSE THE HAND OF DEATH by J.T. Ellison
Published by Harlequin Mira Books
ISBN 9780778329435
I received an ARC-EBook Bound galley Edition from NetGalley, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.
Synopsis (borrowed from NetGalley): TALENT BORROWS. GENIUS STEALS. EVIL DELEGATES.
It’s a hideous echo of a violent past. Across America, murders are being committed with all the twisted hallmarks of the Boston Strangler, the Zodiac Killer and Son of Sam. The media frenzy explodes and Nashville homicide lieutenant Taylor Jackson knows instantly that The Pretender is back…and he’s got helpers.
As The Pretender’s disciples perpetrate their sick homages—stretching police and the FBI dangerously thin—Taylor tries desperately to prepare for their inevitable showdown. And she must do it alone. To be close to her is to be in mortal danger, and she won’t risk losing anyone she loves. But the isolation, the self-doubt and the rising body count are taking their toll—she’s beside herself and ready to snap.
The brilliant psychopath who both adores and despises her is drawing close. Close enough to touch…
My Thoughts and Opinion: After reading the synopsis, my thinking was this was a good match for me, and even more so with the main character being a female. Knowing that I was not completely focused, and it is only fair to give the author and her work my undivided attention, I reread from the beginning of the book three times. However, on the third time and reading 140 pages, I felt that I wasn't completely pulled into the storyline. There were hints of the premise, but nothing solid that made me want to really run back and pick up the book. Also there was a lot of interaction between the main character and her SO, that appeared to be important to the plot but was fluffed over. There were other scenes, and this is my opinion only, that were a far stretch from reality. I am putting this book in the DNF pile but am not saying that someday it may be moved back to my tbr pile.
My Rating: 1(less)

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Feb 25, 2011 Lori rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, review

The Boston Strangler, the Zodiac Killer, and the Son of Sam are all back. OK, well maybe not technically, but someone is out there killing in the same gruesome fashion as these notorious serial killers. With the murders happening across the nation it soon becomes apparent that they can-not possibly be the work of one killer, that there is a greater evil out there. An evil all to familiar to Taylor Jackson. The Pretender has returned.

With this book taking place immediately after The Immortals end...more The Boston Strangler, the Zodiac Killer, and the Son of Sam are all back. OK, well maybe not technically, but someone is out there killing in the same gruesome fashion as these notorious serial killers. With the murders happening across the nation it soon becomes apparent that they can-not possibly be the work of one killer, that there is a greater evil out there. An evil all to familiar to Taylor Jackson. The Pretender has returned.

With this book taking place immediately after The Immortals ends, there is not one second for Taylor to stop and catch her breath, to deal with her emotions after having shot and killed a young man, or to process what happened to Fitz and figure out what is going on with Baldwin that he isn't talking about. But she needs to push all of that aside and once and for all take The Pretender down. She is over knowing that he's out there, waiting for her. She is sick with the thoughts that until The Pretender is caught, everyone she loves will be at his mercy, and there is nothing she can do about it. Will she be able to let others help her? Or will she find herself seeking her own kind of justice? Can she do what needs to be done? Can she protect the ones that mean the most to her against the one person that hates her the most? And when the ultimate betrayal comes who will be left standing to deal with the repercussions?

So Close the Hand of Death is the sixth book in the Taylor Jackson series. The book can definitely be read as a stand-alone, but to get a deeper understanding of Taylor, her G-man fiance Baldwin, her medical examiner BFF Sam, and the rest of her team, you should read them in order (All the Pretty Girls, 14, Judas Kiss, The Cold Room, The Immortals). I'm keeping this review, as vague as possible to avoid any spoilers. If you pay close attention, virtually everything that happens in this story is a clue about what has happened in the terrifying past, and what's going on in the intense present and what will happen in the explosive near future. There is no doubt J.T. Ellison is a master at her craft. Just when you think her last book is her best yet, you read the next one. And you realize just how wrong you were. So Close the Hand of Death is an edge-of-your-seat, white-knuckled, can't-turn-the-pages-fast-enough thriller - that will have you clutching the book as you turn pages almost faster than you can read them in - a desperate desire to find out what comes next. (less)

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Jun 14, 2012 Gail Newbold rated it 4 of 5 stars

In this 6th installation of the Taylor Jackson series, Homocide Lieutenant Taylor Jackson finally meets face to face with the serial killer known as The Pretender. The elusive and cryptic stalker who has been taunting her for the past several novels has decided that it's about time for them to become better acquainted, and its a mad race for Taylor to find out who he is before he hurts another person she loves...

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Feb 26, 2013 Dave Schleyer rated it 2 of 5 stars

Sad to say I did not like this one as much as the Vampire one before it. This one seemed to drag on. I found myself actually skimming a few times to get to more important info. Plus I did not care for the reasoning of the Killer for his actions. I figure it was meant to be petty but it seemed like a cop out to me. I was going to head back and start the series at the beginning and catch up to here but I guess I'll wait on that for another day

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Nov 20, 2012 Adam rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: line-edited, edited, worked-copy

RT Book Reviews 4 1/2 stars, Top Pick!

Ellison’s sixth novel featuring homicide lieutenant Taylor Jackson is arguably her best book to date. A tense thrill ride filled with secrets, raw emotion and death, newcomers will love it as much as her longtime fans. After completing this one, you will scream for the next book.

Taylor Jackson begins to lose everything she holds dear when a killer known as the Pretender permanently scars someone she loves and leaves her a message: “Game on.” The murders cont...more

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Jun 07, 2012 February Four rated it 5 of 5 stars

YES! SHOWDOWN. This was great, lots of action, couldn't stop reading, and always go, go, go. So close the hand of death, indeed. The finale is a beautiful thing. On to the next book! (After this book, though, how on earth will J.T. Ellison top it?)

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Mar 23, 2011 Kristi rated it 4 of 5 stars

I throughly enjoy reading Ellison's books and this one did not disappoint. Ellison is always able to truly craft a great thriller with characters that you grow to like or hate.

So Close the Hand of Death is a continuation of her other books so you might be a little lost when she talks about certain characters. I would definitely recommend reading her books in order. This one wraps up some of her previous writings. The only problem I had with this story is that I wanted more depth to some of the s...more

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Oct 22, 2012 Kerrence James rated it 4 of 5 stars

So I love these books, but this one was a bit blaaah. I was expecting a bit more scarier. I don't know, maybe I've just read all these book in a very short space of time. I'm going to read a karin slaughter book before I read the last TJ book :)

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Jan 25, 2013 Bigd_041555 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Great book, much better than "The Immortals" - thought it might be heading in the same direction at the first, then it took off and gave me everything that I like in a book.

Lots happening throughout the book, suspenseful and compelling right to the end.

Two thumbs up!

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Mar 27, 2013 Elvan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Well done. This might be my favorite Taylor Jackson so far. Lots of action, murderers converging from all over the US and Taylor and Baldwin enduring a bit of domestic turmoil. Great read. On to book 7 and now excited to read the two books featuring Sam.

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Apr 24, 2011 Dan rated it 4 of 5 stars

People are being murdered all across the country in similar manners of previous serial killers. Are they connected? You bet. It’s all part of a game that The Pretender is playing with Nashville homicide lieutenant Taylor Jackson, one cop that he despises. This thriller is just that a thriller and a cat and mouse game as Jackson tries to learn who the Pretender is and catch him before he kills again (especially if it is her he wants next).

Since this is the sixth in a series of novels that these a...more

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Sep 02, 2012 Marianne Stehr rated it 5 of 5 stars

My only problem with this book is that I accidently knew what happened at the end by reading the back cover of the next book thinking that was the next one in the series. If that had not happened this ending would have blown me away, either way the book was great.

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Jun 17, 2012 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: suspense

Kind of glad they finally got the pretender out of the way...I hate when story lines drag on through several books.

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Mar 08, 2011 Sally Pearce rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Mystery/thriller buffs

Shelves: read-in-2011, favorites

SO CLOSE THE HAND OF DEATH picks up from 14 (Ellison's second book) to take us on a thrilling ride with The Pretender. Can you read it as a stand alone thriller? Oh, most definitely! Will you enjoy this and all her books more if you read them in order? I think so. But don't let that stop you from reading this one! This is one of her best. J.T. takes you on the ride of your life as she pursues The Pretender!

As always, the writing is impeccable! Tightly written and incredibly suspenseful (one coul...more

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About J.T. Ellison

J.T. Ellison is the bestselling author of nine critically acclaimed novels, multiple short stories and has been published in over twenty countries. Her novel THE COLD ROOM won the ITW Thriller Award for Best Paperback Original of 2010 and WHERE ALL THE DEAD LIE was a RITA® Nominee for Best Romantic Suspense of 2012.

She lives in Nashville with her husband and the ghost of a poorly trained cat, and...more

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All The Pretty Girls (Taylor Jackson, #1)

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So Close the Hand of Death (Taylor Jackson #6)

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