What do you think?
Rate this book
CSI Reilly Steel #1
Taboo
A first thriller co-written by Melissa Hill and her husband Kevin.
The story is set in Dublin and features forensic investigator Reilly Steel who has moved from the US to Dublin to be close to her father.
But what should have been a quiet period filled with training and Irish forensics team turns sinister and violent when body after body is found of people killed in what appears to be a twisted game.
The story is set in Dublin and features forensic investigator Reilly Steel who has moved from the US to Dublin to be close to her father.
But what should have been a quiet period filled with training and Irish forensics team turns sinister and violent when body after body is found of people killed in what appears to be a twisted game.
409 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
About the author
Casey Hill
21 books258 followersCasey Hill is the pseudonym of USA Today bestselling husband and wife writing team, Kevin and Melissa Hill. They live in Ireland.
CSI Reilly Steel series:
#1 SERIAL (aka TABOO)
#2 INFERNO
#3 HIDDEN
#4 THE WATCHED
#5 CRIME SCENE
#6 TRACE
#7 AFTERMATH
#8 ENDGAME
#9 FALLOUT (coming 2021)
Subscribe to the mailing list. Enter the following link into your browser to be notified of new Casey Hill releases: http://eepurl.com/FFE2D
www.facebook.com/caseyhillbooks
www.twitter.com/caseyhillbooks
CSI Reilly Steel series:
#1 SERIAL (aka TABOO)
#2 INFERNO
#3 HIDDEN
#4 THE WATCHED
#5 CRIME SCENE
#6 TRACE
#7 AFTERMATH
#8 ENDGAME
#9 FALLOUT (coming 2021)
Subscribe to the mailing list. Enter the following link into your browser to be notified of new Casey Hill releases: http://eepurl.com/FFE2D
www.facebook.com/caseyhillbooks
www.twitter.com/caseyhillbooks
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 712 reviews
August 23, 2015
A really good first book by a husband and wife team calling themselves Casey Hill. I was amazed to see that it was 400 pages long because I raced through it in no time at all. The story was good, the characters likeable and the forensics were interesting and mostly believable. I was a bit surprised that Reilly was not able to guess for herself who the killer was, especially as she had more information than me and I knew by about half way through. Nevertheless this is a good read and I am looking forward to the next in the series.
September 5, 2019
I’m probably totally out of step with other readers but I thought this was one of the most badly written and repetitive novels I have ever read and I'm not sure why I bothered to finish it. The constant repetitions made me so cross because they insulted the intelligence of the readers. The characters of Reilly Steel and Daniel Forrest grated on me. Reilly with her perfect ‘Californian’ hair (whatever that is?? ) and figure and her 'incisive' mind and the profiler from the FBI with his 'deep insights' into the case and the obvious inference that only they could solve the case rather than the clearly dim Dublin police was nauseating. The storyline could have been good but was ruined with dull and tepid penmanship and characters that were impossible to identify with. We were meant to admire Reilly but I wanted to punch her for her smugness!!!!! The clues that were dropped into the story were so clumsy and heavy handed that a child could have spotted them and one oversight by Reilly stretched credulity. I can't recommend it and I won't be wasting anymore time on books about this duo. Sorry - definitely not one for me.
March 24, 2015
Reilly Steel is an American crime scene investigator, trained at Quantico, and now living and working in Dublin trying to whip the new Garda Forensics Unit into some sort of shape. When a young couple is found dead in an apartment in an upscale part of the city, Reilly finds herself working with Detectives Chris Delaney and Pete Kennedy, and all three find themselves drawn into a deadly cat-and-mouse game with a serial killer who is completely in control and, seemingly, one step ahead of the police. Reilly’s unorthodox working methods give the police an edge they would otherwise have been missing, and it soon becomes evident, as the body count rises, that the killer is toying with Reilly directly..
The plot picks up quickly, and we’re introduced to the characters as we find ourselves standing in the middle of the various crime scenes, as husband and wife team authors Casey Hill introduce us to some great personalities, from Reilly Steel to Chris Delaney and his partner Kennedy.
Steel is an interesting character – smart, sexy, damaged beyond belief – and has enough charm to carry a series, a typical serial killer book but it’s a formula that works, and Hill’s style is fresh and interesting and with some great twists and turns, gruesome murders.
The pace is fast all the way through, gripping and tense with a fast paced climax.
A great debut novel and highly recommended.
Thank you to my members who picked this for me in the "Pick It For Me" thread.
The plot picks up quickly, and we’re introduced to the characters as we find ourselves standing in the middle of the various crime scenes, as husband and wife team authors Casey Hill introduce us to some great personalities, from Reilly Steel to Chris Delaney and his partner Kennedy.
Steel is an interesting character – smart, sexy, damaged beyond belief – and has enough charm to carry a series, a typical serial killer book but it’s a formula that works, and Hill’s style is fresh and interesting and with some great twists and turns, gruesome murders.
The pace is fast all the way through, gripping and tense with a fast paced climax.
A great debut novel and highly recommended.
Thank you to my members who picked this for me in the "Pick It For Me" thread.
July 17, 2012
'Taboo' is the debut novel of Wife and Husband team Melissa and Kevin Hill, writing together as 'Casey Hill'. Having been highly recommended by several other reviewers, I was quite looking forward to reading this and had hoped my expectations would be met.
And they were, to a point. 'Taboo' starts slowly but really gets going after around a 100 pages (of a total 410). There's a nice build up of pace, some nice twists and smart scenes of investigation. It's excellently researched and well written. 'Taboo' is all about the character of 'Reilly Steel' however and it was the American forensic investigator, now living in Ireland, which was my favourite part of this novel.
I'm a sucker for a great female protagonist and Reilly Steel is an excellent one. Tough, troubled and smart, Steel really elevates this book above what could have been a 'by-the-numbers' serial killer novel. An excellent character, I look forward to reading another story with her involved. The supporting cast contains some interesting characters, which could be developed in later books.
The murders themselves follow a pattern, linked to Freud's work on societies taboo's. This was an interesting take on serial murders, original and strikingly macabre in some places. It bodes well for the series, that the writers were able to come up with some stark imagery and original take on the genre.
However, I was disappointed with the last 30-40 pages of the book. The story was building nicely, becoming page-turning stuff towards the end, before almost chickening out when the investigator and killer come face-to-face. What could have been an explosive ending, instead turned into a bit of a damp squib. I hope in further books, the writers really let themselves go, as there writing style is easily good enough to be compared to the top writers in the genre.
'Taboo' is worth reading though as, ending apart, it crackles along well, is easy to read and is often exciting. Quite plainly the beginning of a series of books starring Reilly Steel, 'Taboo' is a good solid debut, which could get better and better as the series develops. I'd recommend reading 'Taboo', as I think this series has the potential to become very good indeed.
And they were, to a point. 'Taboo' starts slowly but really gets going after around a 100 pages (of a total 410). There's a nice build up of pace, some nice twists and smart scenes of investigation. It's excellently researched and well written. 'Taboo' is all about the character of 'Reilly Steel' however and it was the American forensic investigator, now living in Ireland, which was my favourite part of this novel.
I'm a sucker for a great female protagonist and Reilly Steel is an excellent one. Tough, troubled and smart, Steel really elevates this book above what could have been a 'by-the-numbers' serial killer novel. An excellent character, I look forward to reading another story with her involved. The supporting cast contains some interesting characters, which could be developed in later books.
The murders themselves follow a pattern, linked to Freud's work on societies taboo's. This was an interesting take on serial murders, original and strikingly macabre in some places. It bodes well for the series, that the writers were able to come up with some stark imagery and original take on the genre.
However, I was disappointed with the last 30-40 pages of the book. The story was building nicely, becoming page-turning stuff towards the end, before almost chickening out when the investigator and killer come face-to-face. What could have been an explosive ending, instead turned into a bit of a damp squib. I hope in further books, the writers really let themselves go, as there writing style is easily good enough to be compared to the top writers in the genre.
'Taboo' is worth reading though as, ending apart, it crackles along well, is easy to read and is often exciting. Quite plainly the beginning of a series of books starring Reilly Steel, 'Taboo' is a good solid debut, which could get better and better as the series develops. I'd recommend reading 'Taboo', as I think this series has the potential to become very good indeed.
December 26, 2019
Yine müthiş bir İrlanda polisiyesi diyorum sevgili okur arkadaşlar. Reilly Steel macerasına başlamış oldum. Serinin ilk kitabıymış Tabu. Ben de tabi ki bu seriyi okumaya devam edeceğim.
Reilly Steel laboratuvar yürütür. Amiri evlilik yıldönümünü kutlamak için Karayiplere gider, gündemdeki cinayetlerle o ilgilenir. Zaman geçtikçe cinayetler onunla ilgili çıkmaya başlar. Baaaam. Daha fazla söylemeyeyim. Gayet başarılı bir polisiyeydi. Gerilimini sevdim, karakterleri sevdim. Sadece ana olay biraz klişe geldi. Polisiyelerde huy oldu bu. Alıştık artık.
Sevdim, okuyun efendim 👍🏻
Reilly Steel laboratuvar yürütür. Amiri evlilik yıldönümünü kutlamak için Karayiplere gider, gündemdeki cinayetlerle o ilgilenir. Zaman geçtikçe cinayetler onunla ilgili çıkmaya başlar. Baaaam. Daha fazla söylemeyeyim. Gayet başarılı bir polisiyeydi. Gerilimini sevdim, karakterleri sevdim. Sadece ana olay biraz klişe geldi. Polisiyelerde huy oldu bu. Alıştık artık.
Sevdim, okuyun efendim 👍🏻
March 17, 2015
Taboo is a debut novel by Casey Hill, a collaborative effort by husband-and-wife team Kevin and Melissa Hill. It features FBI forensics expert Reilly Steele, recently moved to Dublin from California. Not only is she there to assist the CSI team, but also she hope to put a family tragedy behind her by returning to her father’s homeland.
What looks like the murder-suicide of a young couple may actually be something much more shocking, and soon afterward other murders seem to suggest that there is a serial killer, one with a Freudian twist. All Reilly has to do is convince her cohorts. Detective Chris Delaney is on her side, but Pete Kennedy takes some convincing. Finally a link is established – the murders all portray acts that are considered taboo – and Kennedy is a believer. But they are no closer to finding the killer than they were at the beginning, and time is running out. When, and who, will the killer get next? And is there an accomplice?
I found the plot to be somewhat contrived, but as it developed, the pieces fell into place and began to make sense once I saw where it was all going. The writing style was very straightforward and was not exactly to my taste; I would have preferred more description, particularly since it took place in Ireland. The dialogue didn’t feel genuinely Irish either. However, once I got past the first 25%, I felt engaged. I felt that the use of Freud and taboos was a clever theme. I began to like the characters, particularly Reilly and Chris. I found the story quite interesting, despite the fact that, for the most part, it didn’t feel especially suspenseful. The best part is when it all gets personal.
I think that the Reilly Steele series shows promise. I got this e-book free and found the style to be typical of some of the free books that I have read. With some polishing, I think that Casey Hill could produce some very entertaining books.
What looks like the murder-suicide of a young couple may actually be something much more shocking, and soon afterward other murders seem to suggest that there is a serial killer, one with a Freudian twist. All Reilly has to do is convince her cohorts. Detective Chris Delaney is on her side, but Pete Kennedy takes some convincing. Finally a link is established – the murders all portray acts that are considered taboo – and Kennedy is a believer. But they are no closer to finding the killer than they were at the beginning, and time is running out. When, and who, will the killer get next? And is there an accomplice?
I found the plot to be somewhat contrived, but as it developed, the pieces fell into place and began to make sense once I saw where it was all going. The writing style was very straightforward and was not exactly to my taste; I would have preferred more description, particularly since it took place in Ireland. The dialogue didn’t feel genuinely Irish either. However, once I got past the first 25%, I felt engaged. I felt that the use of Freud and taboos was a clever theme. I began to like the characters, particularly Reilly and Chris. I found the story quite interesting, despite the fact that, for the most part, it didn’t feel especially suspenseful. The best part is when it all gets personal.
I think that the Reilly Steele series shows promise. I got this e-book free and found the style to be typical of some of the free books that I have read. With some polishing, I think that Casey Hill could produce some very entertaining books.
January 20, 2021
3.5, almost a 4; I liked Reilly and Chris, and Reilly's team. I'm just not sure this series will be worth investing time into...
July 21, 2011
A bit of a disappointment, thriller-writing by numbers. There is not a cliche that this husband and wife team have not included. Tragedy in the protagonist's past, troubled family members, feisty female, crime-scene investigator solving crime. Reminds me of SeVen, but the authors can't seem to decide between a cozy mystery or a edgy, gore-soaked crime thriller.
July 8, 2022
I enjoyed this book, the end was a little weak but I would try the next in the series.
July 9, 2011
When I’m not busy reading Chick Lit novels (which is a very rare space of time, let me tell you), my go-to genre is crime fiction, preferably American crime fiction (I don’t know why; don’t ask). Tess Gerritsen is a favourite, with Chelsea Cain and Jilliane Hoffman being new additions. So when I heard much-loved Chick Lit author Melissa Hill was collaborating with her husband Kevin on a crime novel under the name of Casey Hill, I was thrilled and very eager to read it. I was thrilled to get an early proof copy, and I couldn’t wait to settle down with Taboo.
For the most part, I enjoyed Taboo. It had all the elements I enjoy in a crime novel: a decent serial killer (always essential), a weird MO (again, essential), and the main character of the novel, Reilly Steel in this case, being seemingly taunted by said serial killer (expected). But unlike when I read The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen, I found the suspense missing. I wasn’t terrified. My heart didn’t pound as the novel wore on. The writing was fantastic, don’t get me wrong, but I wasn’t as gripped as I’d have liked. It’s strange. I mean, I should probably tell you that I AM rather difficult to scare because I’m just not someone who scares easily. I can quite easily sit and watch a violent film and see people murdered without worrying about my own safety, and the same goes for novels so I suppose that could just be why.
Despite my lack of scaredy-cat tendencies, I did find the novel to be very readable. I whizzed through the 400 pages in just two days. The writing style was really great and I would never in a million years have guessed this was part-written by Melissa Hill as it’s entirely different to her Chick Lit novels (do not even think of ‘duh’ing at me. I know they’re different genres, but the writing style is different, too, and that is a surprise because she’s the same writer so I assumed there’d be tell-tale sentences and things, but there wasn’t!). I thought they had the plot down pat, and I found Reilly’s investigation, along with that of the detective’s, fascinating. Reilly Steel is definitely a heroine you can root for and Chris Delaney is, potentially, a love interest; surprisingly, there was no romance at all in the novel, although if this does expand to more than two novels I can see Reilly and Chris definitely being explored more. I can see the chemistry, anyway. I liked that Reilly’s investigative team were really included in the novel, too, and I can’t wait to see more from them.
Taboo was a fascinating read, and the team of Kevin and Melissa works wonderfully and I do hope it continues past the second novel which is out next Summer (why so far?). It has the potential to become just as big a series as any other crime writer out there and it’s Dublin setting is somewhat unique (well, it is to me anyway). I did guess whodunnit, though I suspect that was a deliberate act. I was a bit disappointed there was no big twist – it’s what Melissa’s famous for after all! – but there’s definitely a chance that any kind of big twist could be contrived in a crime novel, so perhaps it was for the best. I’m inordinately pleased Kevin and Melissa decided to explore the dark side of fiction, and I look forward to the second Reilly Steel book. It might not have scared me, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it nonetheless.
For the most part, I enjoyed Taboo. It had all the elements I enjoy in a crime novel: a decent serial killer (always essential), a weird MO (again, essential), and the main character of the novel, Reilly Steel in this case, being seemingly taunted by said serial killer (expected). But unlike when I read The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen, I found the suspense missing. I wasn’t terrified. My heart didn’t pound as the novel wore on. The writing was fantastic, don’t get me wrong, but I wasn’t as gripped as I’d have liked. It’s strange. I mean, I should probably tell you that I AM rather difficult to scare because I’m just not someone who scares easily. I can quite easily sit and watch a violent film and see people murdered without worrying about my own safety, and the same goes for novels so I suppose that could just be why.
Despite my lack of scaredy-cat tendencies, I did find the novel to be very readable. I whizzed through the 400 pages in just two days. The writing style was really great and I would never in a million years have guessed this was part-written by Melissa Hill as it’s entirely different to her Chick Lit novels (do not even think of ‘duh’ing at me. I know they’re different genres, but the writing style is different, too, and that is a surprise because she’s the same writer so I assumed there’d be tell-tale sentences and things, but there wasn’t!). I thought they had the plot down pat, and I found Reilly’s investigation, along with that of the detective’s, fascinating. Reilly Steel is definitely a heroine you can root for and Chris Delaney is, potentially, a love interest; surprisingly, there was no romance at all in the novel, although if this does expand to more than two novels I can see Reilly and Chris definitely being explored more. I can see the chemistry, anyway. I liked that Reilly’s investigative team were really included in the novel, too, and I can’t wait to see more from them.
Taboo was a fascinating read, and the team of Kevin and Melissa works wonderfully and I do hope it continues past the second novel which is out next Summer (why so far?). It has the potential to become just as big a series as any other crime writer out there and it’s Dublin setting is somewhat unique (well, it is to me anyway). I did guess whodunnit, though I suspect that was a deliberate act. I was a bit disappointed there was no big twist – it’s what Melissa’s famous for after all! – but there’s definitely a chance that any kind of big twist could be contrived in a crime novel, so perhaps it was for the best. I’m inordinately pleased Kevin and Melissa decided to explore the dark side of fiction, and I look forward to the second Reilly Steel book. It might not have scared me, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it nonetheless.
October 16, 2011
My review:
I loved this book! It kept me reading until 5 am and since I had to get some sleep I simply had to put Taboo away to get couple of hours to sleep and then to continue reading it. I have to admit, that this book freaked me out during the night. It was so well written, so it played on my emotions while reading – suddenly my cozy house seemed to be big and dark and all the shadows seemed to move, I could feel my hair raise and I was chilled to the bone. It was that good!
I really enjoyed how the authors used both psychological and scientific forensic approaches to the story and combined them to create a thrilling story!
Regarding the plot:
Thoroughly well written, Taboo takes you to Ireland, to the forensic investigator Reilly Steel. Reilly has moved from the sunny California to Dublin to modernize forensic lab. Her task is to train the forensic team and while doing that, bizarre murders start to happen. Reilly is the only person believing that these murders are connected to each other and she needs to fight the skepticism from the police and from the investigating detectives. Murders keep piling up and Reilly needs to use all her instincts and knowledge to prove her suspicions. Step by step she is coming closer to terrible truth about who is standing behind these murders.
The murders are macabre – the murderer is using quite awful methods of killing the victims and besides the killings, the murderer is also using psychological clues, leaving them behind for Reilly to discover. I enjoyed how Freud was brought into the story and I think that the idea of taboos was excellent!
Regarding characters:
Characters of the story were well-written: they were believable, likable and fascinating! The authors put a lot of effort to both main and the supportive characters, so they all had a story to tell.
I loved Reilly's character! She was a strong, intelligent, courageous woman. Despite the skepticism she is meeting she keeps doing what she is good at – finding evidence to prove her thoughts and instincts. She was not afraid of using her instincts and like written in the book her “touchy-feely” approach to finding even the smallest details on the murder scenes. I think the authors did a brilliant job with her character. Reilly was at the same time strong and also fragile character – due to her family’s tragic history.
I really liked the characters of the detectives Delaney and Kennedy and they balanced each other so well. While Chris Delaney is open to the theories provided by Reilly, Kennedy is more than skeptical. It was lot of fun to see Kennedy melting towards Riley’s methods and theories – it made him very likable!
All the other characters were believable and likeable, even Jess. I could feel the sympathy towards her, even though her actions and reasons were beyond horrible. One of my favorite supportive characters was forensic psychologist agent Daniel Forrest who flew in from US to help and support and protect Reilly.
Generally:
It’s a must read in case you love suspense and thrillers. Plot was very good and the storytelling was excellent! Characters were solid and interesting. It was a thrilling book to read and I can’t wait until the next Reilly Steel book is out!
5 stars.
I loved this book! It kept me reading until 5 am and since I had to get some sleep I simply had to put Taboo away to get couple of hours to sleep and then to continue reading it. I have to admit, that this book freaked me out during the night. It was so well written, so it played on my emotions while reading – suddenly my cozy house seemed to be big and dark and all the shadows seemed to move, I could feel my hair raise and I was chilled to the bone. It was that good!
I really enjoyed how the authors used both psychological and scientific forensic approaches to the story and combined them to create a thrilling story!
Regarding the plot:
Thoroughly well written, Taboo takes you to Ireland, to the forensic investigator Reilly Steel. Reilly has moved from the sunny California to Dublin to modernize forensic lab. Her task is to train the forensic team and while doing that, bizarre murders start to happen. Reilly is the only person believing that these murders are connected to each other and she needs to fight the skepticism from the police and from the investigating detectives. Murders keep piling up and Reilly needs to use all her instincts and knowledge to prove her suspicions. Step by step she is coming closer to terrible truth about who is standing behind these murders.
The murders are macabre – the murderer is using quite awful methods of killing the victims and besides the killings, the murderer is also using psychological clues, leaving them behind for Reilly to discover. I enjoyed how Freud was brought into the story and I think that the idea of taboos was excellent!
Regarding characters:
Characters of the story were well-written: they were believable, likable and fascinating! The authors put a lot of effort to both main and the supportive characters, so they all had a story to tell.
I loved Reilly's character! She was a strong, intelligent, courageous woman. Despite the skepticism she is meeting she keeps doing what she is good at – finding evidence to prove her thoughts and instincts. She was not afraid of using her instincts and like written in the book her “touchy-feely” approach to finding even the smallest details on the murder scenes. I think the authors did a brilliant job with her character. Reilly was at the same time strong and also fragile character – due to her family’s tragic history.
I really liked the characters of the detectives Delaney and Kennedy and they balanced each other so well. While Chris Delaney is open to the theories provided by Reilly, Kennedy is more than skeptical. It was lot of fun to see Kennedy melting towards Riley’s methods and theories – it made him very likable!
All the other characters were believable and likeable, even Jess. I could feel the sympathy towards her, even though her actions and reasons were beyond horrible. One of my favorite supportive characters was forensic psychologist agent Daniel Forrest who flew in from US to help and support and protect Reilly.
Generally:
It’s a must read in case you love suspense and thrillers. Plot was very good and the storytelling was excellent! Characters were solid and interesting. It was a thrilling book to read and I can’t wait until the next Reilly Steel book is out!
5 stars.
October 16, 2011
My review:
I loved this book! It kept me reading until 5 am and since I had to get some sleep I simply had to put Taboo away to get couple of hours to sleep and then to continue reading it. I have to admit, that this book freaked me out during the night. It was so well written, so it played on my emotions while reading – suddenly my cozy house seemed to be big and dark and all the shadows seemed to move, I could feel my hair raise and I was chilled to the bone. It was that good!
I really enjoyed how the authors used both psychological and scientific forensic approaches to the story and combined them to create a thrilling story!
Regarding the plot:
Thoroughly well written, Taboo takes you to Ireland, to the forensic investigator Reilly Steel. Reilly has moved from the sunny California to Dublin to modernize forensic lab. Her task is to train the forensic team and while doing that, bizarre murders start to happen. Reilly is the only person believing that these murders are connected to each other and she needs to fight the skepticism from the police and from the investigating detectives. Murders keep piling up and Reilly needs to use all her instincts and knowledge to prove her suspicions. Step by step she is coming closer to terrible truth about who is standing behind these murders.
The murders are macabre – the murderer is using quite awful methods of killing the victims and besides the killings, the murderer is also using psychological clues, leaving them behind for Reilly to discover. I enjoyed how Freud was brought into the story and I think that the idea of taboos was excellent!
Regarding characters:
Characters of the story were well-written: they were believable, likable and fascinating! The authors put a lot of effort to both main and the supportive characters, so they all had a story to tell.
I loved Reilly's character! She was a strong, intelligent, courageous woman. Despite the skepticism she is meeting she keeps doing what she is good at – finding evidence to prove her thoughts and instincts. She was not afraid of using her instincts and like written in the book her “touchy-feely” approach to finding even the smallest details on the murder scenes. I think the authors did a brilliant job with her character. Reilly was at the same time strong and also fragile character – due to her family’s tragic history.
I really liked the characters of the detectives Delaney and Kennedy and they balanced each other so well. While Chris Delaney is open to the theories provided by Reilly, Kennedy is more than skeptical. It was lot of fun to see Kennedy melting towards Riley’s methods and theories – it made him very likable!
All the other characters were believable and likeable, even Jess. I could feel the sympathy towards her, even though her actions and reasons were beyond horrible. One of my favorite supportive characters was forensic psychologist agent Daniel Forrest who flew in from US to help and support and protect Reilly.
Generally:
It’s a must read in case you love suspense and thrillers. Plot was very good and the storytelling was excellent! Characters were solid and interesting. It was a thrilling book to read and I can’t wait until the next Reilly Steel book is out!
5 stars.
I loved this book! It kept me reading until 5 am and since I had to get some sleep I simply had to put Taboo away to get couple of hours to sleep and then to continue reading it. I have to admit, that this book freaked me out during the night. It was so well written, so it played on my emotions while reading – suddenly my cozy house seemed to be big and dark and all the shadows seemed to move, I could feel my hair raise and I was chilled to the bone. It was that good!
I really enjoyed how the authors used both psychological and scientific forensic approaches to the story and combined them to create a thrilling story!
Regarding the plot:
Thoroughly well written, Taboo takes you to Ireland, to the forensic investigator Reilly Steel. Reilly has moved from the sunny California to Dublin to modernize forensic lab. Her task is to train the forensic team and while doing that, bizarre murders start to happen. Reilly is the only person believing that these murders are connected to each other and she needs to fight the skepticism from the police and from the investigating detectives. Murders keep piling up and Reilly needs to use all her instincts and knowledge to prove her suspicions. Step by step she is coming closer to terrible truth about who is standing behind these murders.
The murders are macabre – the murderer is using quite awful methods of killing the victims and besides the killings, the murderer is also using psychological clues, leaving them behind for Reilly to discover. I enjoyed how Freud was brought into the story and I think that the idea of taboos was excellent!
Regarding characters:
Characters of the story were well-written: they were believable, likable and fascinating! The authors put a lot of effort to both main and the supportive characters, so they all had a story to tell.
I loved Reilly's character! She was a strong, intelligent, courageous woman. Despite the skepticism she is meeting she keeps doing what she is good at – finding evidence to prove her thoughts and instincts. She was not afraid of using her instincts and like written in the book her “touchy-feely” approach to finding even the smallest details on the murder scenes. I think the authors did a brilliant job with her character. Reilly was at the same time strong and also fragile character – due to her family’s tragic history.
I really liked the characters of the detectives Delaney and Kennedy and they balanced each other so well. While Chris Delaney is open to the theories provided by Reilly, Kennedy is more than skeptical. It was lot of fun to see Kennedy melting towards Riley’s methods and theories – it made him very likable!
All the other characters were believable and likeable, even Jess. I could feel the sympathy towards her, even though her actions and reasons were beyond horrible. One of my favorite supportive characters was forensic psychologist agent Daniel Forrest who flew in from US to help and support and protect Reilly.
Generally:
It’s a must read in case you love suspense and thrillers. Plot was very good and the storytelling was excellent! Characters were solid and interesting. It was a thrilling book to read and I can’t wait until the next Reilly Steel book is out!
5 stars.
August 31, 2012
‘Taboo’ by Casey Hill
Reilly Steel forensic investigator California born and bred has taken a job in Dublin, to bring the Dublin police force into the forensic twenty-first century. Ireland had come as something of a shock to her. Originally Ireland had sounded magical from tales told by her Irish father Mike Steel, but the Ireland of today she has found to be a very different place, and so has her father.
When the bodies of a young man and woman are found in an apartment in a good part of town it looks initially a possible killing followed by suicide, with no third party involved, but Reilly voices other possibilities much to the disgust of Detective Pete Kennedy of the Serious Crime Unit - he is keen for an open and shut case. But Detective Chris Delaney has a more open mind and at least listens to her. As more bodies turn up it becomes a serious possibility that they have a serial killer operating in Dublin.
Having a young American female brought in to update their forensic operation unsurprisingly creates tension and in some cases resentment. Reilly deals with the situation with professionalism. As Reilly and her team sifted through the ever increasing crime scenes, I was enthralled as along with the detectives the deductions begin to point in an unexpected surprising direction.
This is a well-plotted and fascinating mystery, with an interesting protagonist, who has a troubled past that is only slowly revealed, keeping the reader avidly turning the pages. I highly recommend this mystery and eagerly look forward to hearing more of Reilly Steel.
Much of my enjoyment in this story comes from the narration by Olivia Caffrey - she has a beautiful voice, with that lovely Irish lilt which effortlessly produced a credible American accent when the story called for it.
------
Lizzie Hayes
Reilly Steel forensic investigator California born and bred has taken a job in Dublin, to bring the Dublin police force into the forensic twenty-first century. Ireland had come as something of a shock to her. Originally Ireland had sounded magical from tales told by her Irish father Mike Steel, but the Ireland of today she has found to be a very different place, and so has her father.
When the bodies of a young man and woman are found in an apartment in a good part of town it looks initially a possible killing followed by suicide, with no third party involved, but Reilly voices other possibilities much to the disgust of Detective Pete Kennedy of the Serious Crime Unit - he is keen for an open and shut case. But Detective Chris Delaney has a more open mind and at least listens to her. As more bodies turn up it becomes a serious possibility that they have a serial killer operating in Dublin.
Having a young American female brought in to update their forensic operation unsurprisingly creates tension and in some cases resentment. Reilly deals with the situation with professionalism. As Reilly and her team sifted through the ever increasing crime scenes, I was enthralled as along with the detectives the deductions begin to point in an unexpected surprising direction.
This is a well-plotted and fascinating mystery, with an interesting protagonist, who has a troubled past that is only slowly revealed, keeping the reader avidly turning the pages. I highly recommend this mystery and eagerly look forward to hearing more of Reilly Steel.
Much of my enjoyment in this story comes from the narration by Olivia Caffrey - she has a beautiful voice, with that lovely Irish lilt which effortlessly produced a credible American accent when the story called for it.
------
Lizzie Hayes
May 4, 2012
Taboo is a thrilling crime novel written as a collaboration between bestselling author Melissa Hill and her husband Kevin. This is the first outing for Reilly Steel a forensic investigator trained in Quantico but now relocated to Dublin to lend her expertise to the Irish crime lab and to watch over her father who has returned to his homeland but is slowing killing himself with drink. Reilly is a fantastic creation an intriguing personality; focused and calculating when she needs to be but without appearing cold. Reilly is plagued by memories of a family tragedy and she finds redemption in her duty and attention to detail. Also on hand to help Reilly with investigating a brutal killer is Dublin detective Chris Delaney a workaholic with personal troubles of his own. The plot is tightly woven and there is not a word out of place as the authors take readers on a thrill ride through the streets of Dublin and the mind of a serial killer. I look forward to many more cases for Reilly Steel and I imagine fans of Kathy Reichs will be just as eager as I am to read more
October 30, 2015
This was a very good debut of the Reilly Steel Series and I enjoyed it very much. I thought the different taboo methods of murder were very clever and the book was a real page turner. The only problem I had with the book was that the ending seemed a little rushed and there is not enough information given to the reader for a chance to solve even part of the mystery. I will continue with the series though because I think the writers are talented.
November 26, 2019
3.5 stars
November 16, 2022
If you like CSI, the TV series, then you might enjoy some parts of Taboo. At the beginning there are a lot of crime scene science, logic and facts that are interesting but would also bored some readers to death but....Reilly got to show off her expertise. Then subplots to get us to know more about Reilly, her new team and her new colleges....and her past, mostly predictable. Taboo has an interesting story but hard to execute (you know all the scientific and crime scene procedures). Casey Hill is bold for trying and she did it quite well. The vibe of Taboo is too passive for my taste and everything else is so average I lost interest here and there. IMO, Reilly Steel is ok but to be in a lead role of the series she needs more enigmatic personality or something that makes me feel like I want to know her more to follow her story. So far? I don't. Well, it is an enjoyable read but one that I didn't feel like reaching for the next book.
August 13, 2022
‘And how do we know these so-called insights aren’t merely figments of her imagination designed to throw us off the scent?’
Enjoyed the book, just wish some of the middle stuff wasn’t there as it did get a bit dry, however once it got interesting, it got really good and I enjoyed where the story went.
Enjoyed the book, just wish some of the middle stuff wasn’t there as it did get a bit dry, however once it got interesting, it got really good and I enjoyed where the story went.
September 23, 2020
A better title for this book would be cliche. I don't particularly like to be overly critical of any book or author but this in my opinion is dreadful. The main character is beautiful, intelligent and just the person to drag the country bumkins of Dublin! into this century. She has a "secret" about her family she keeps to herself (albeit quite a good one here) but which is revealed early on. The cop love interest seems incapable of speaking around her. All in all I will leave Reilly Steel to her adventures and give her a wide berth! The crime is solved far too easily and the end is trite. Not for me.
November 27, 2011
This was an interesting and thrilling story that was hard to put down. The premise of murders being committed according to society's taboos was a fascinating one. My only gripe is that the author made it a little too obvious as to the identity of the killer. Otherwise, this was a worthwile read that did not require too much thinking and I would recommend it in a pinch.
September 7, 2013
Good, but underwhelming. It was exciting, sure, but not a "thinking" book. Also, I felt like there was some missed potential in terms of how exciting it was - I don't need a crime novel to be gory to enjoy it, but with a serial killer this bizarre, I rather expected it, and was a bit disappointed. It's a quick read, though, and I wouldn't rule out reading the next in the series.
May 29, 2017
This was a new author to me and what a brilliant one too. Great book, highly recommend!
April 7, 2022
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
The purpose of Thrifty Thursday is to read a book which was free (at some point).
Kindle freebie on August 9, 2021 (currently $2.99 and in Kindle Unlimited as of writing this post)
I'm a fan of mystery thrillers and police procedurals. Serial, formally titled Taboo, is in this genre but has some interesting additional treats. The setting is Dublin, Ireland. The main character is an American from California, but her father was born here. Reilly is also a criminal forensic specialist. I love the CSI science and technology.
The case is confusing with almost daily kills. Reilly notices that each crime scene has a Freud connection but that doesn't connect the victims or point to the killer very well. At first, they don't even know the deaths are connected. But the forensics show that after the first few.
Reilly is a good person, very competent, and getting used to a new job in a new police. She followed her father here. The department, particularly the men, aren't so excited about new technology. Even without the technology aspects, Reilly is a smart investigator and figures out some key points. She gets along with Detective Chris Delaney and they become friends.
Things get suspenseful and more dangerous as the case continues. I really enjoyed the start of the CSI Reilly Steel series and definitely plan to continue.
These are only Kindle freebies I get, or ones through author newsletters which anyone can sign up and get for free. I don't include things like Kindle Unlimited or Prime Free Reading (I do have it). Both Tantor and Audible have occasional free audios (to anyone) and I do include those. Since I one-click on 1-2 freebies a day or probably at least 5 a week, I came up with this feature to make sure I start reading them.
The purpose of Thrifty Thursday is to read a book which was free (at some point).
Kindle freebie on August 9, 2021 (currently $2.99 and in Kindle Unlimited as of writing this post)
I'm a fan of mystery thrillers and police procedurals. Serial, formally titled Taboo, is in this genre but has some interesting additional treats. The setting is Dublin, Ireland. The main character is an American from California, but her father was born here. Reilly is also a criminal forensic specialist. I love the CSI science and technology.
The case is confusing with almost daily kills. Reilly notices that each crime scene has a Freud connection but that doesn't connect the victims or point to the killer very well. At first, they don't even know the deaths are connected. But the forensics show that after the first few.
Reilly is a good person, very competent, and getting used to a new job in a new police. She followed her father here. The department, particularly the men, aren't so excited about new technology. Even without the technology aspects, Reilly is a smart investigator and figures out some key points. She gets along with Detective Chris Delaney and they become friends.
Things get suspenseful and more dangerous as the case continues. I really enjoyed the start of the CSI Reilly Steel series and definitely plan to continue.
These are only Kindle freebies I get, or ones through author newsletters which anyone can sign up and get for free. I don't include things like Kindle Unlimited or Prime Free Reading (I do have it). Both Tantor and Audible have occasional free audios (to anyone) and I do include those. Since I one-click on 1-2 freebies a day or probably at least 5 a week, I came up with this feature to make sure I start reading them.
May 14, 2017
The husband & wife team that are the authors (Casey Hill) show promise in this novel, featuring Reilly Steel, a female forensics expert working for the Dublin police. The authors have created a good, involving plot, likeable enough characters with whom their protagonist interacts, and a series of mysteriously linked murders. For the first half of the book, the story builds momentum nicely, the serial killer or killers seemingly in control of everything, and some building relationships within the department as the American whiz-kid investigator, Steel, shows her skills and earns grudging respect from her albeit stereotyped hard-boiled Irish cop colleagues. There's even the obligatory hinted-at prospect for romance between Reilly and Chris, the good-guy detective who is suffering from some undiagnosed medical condition.
The story falls down toward the last third of the book, as the heat is turned up on the department for a quick resolution to the growing list of dead bodies and clues that implicate Reilly as being tangentially involved with the serial killer. Nevertheless, it's the ending that really disappoints. It's as if the authors decided they'd written enough, and wanted to wrap it up-- and so they did. But in doing so, they left too many issues either unexplained or glossed over-- stretching credulity along the way.
Hopefully the authors will continue to hone their craft in future books, while this one makes for an enjoyable diversion.
The story falls down toward the last third of the book, as the heat is turned up on the department for a quick resolution to the growing list of dead bodies and clues that implicate Reilly as being tangentially involved with the serial killer. Nevertheless, it's the ending that really disappoints. It's as if the authors decided they'd written enough, and wanted to wrap it up-- and so they did. But in doing so, they left too many issues either unexplained or glossed over-- stretching credulity along the way.
Hopefully the authors will continue to hone their craft in future books, while this one makes for an enjoyable diversion.
December 26, 2020
Taboo, written by the husband-and-wife team Kevin and Melissa Hill is a tight, well-written police thriller.
Reilly Steel, forensic investigator par excellence, has relocated to Dublin, Ireland; largely for personal reasons, where she encounters a series of murders that may or may not be connected.
The Hills create empathetic realistic characters, and a tight plotline filled with twists, turns. Interspersing the plotline with dreams that hint at Steel’s past, the book culminates in a major surprise ending, that grows out of the characters themselves.
A page turning must read.
December 14, 2020
4 Stars
Taboo (CSI Reilly Steel, #1) by Casey Hill.
Full Review to come.
Taboo (CSI Reilly Steel, #1) by Casey Hill.
Full Review to come.
August 25, 2021
Where to start???? How about, as soon as I finished this, I raced through the next 7 in the series, one per day!!! And I am devastated to know the 9th does not come out until February...
August 28, 2021
Not sure on this one, could have been better could have been much worse
Read
April 24, 2017Great if you want to learn a thing or two about forensic investigation. Just be prepared to move back and forth between past and present. There are chapters about Riley's past that pop out in the middle of nowhere.
It's a classic for those who dreamt of being a detective but never made it.
It's a classic for those who dreamt of being a detective but never made it.
March 3, 2021
My boyfriend had a box of books for the charity shop and that is when I discovered Casey Hill. It is the best thriller I have ever read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 712 reviews